"Yes, Madam."
Third Miss Gu Ziran arrived quickly, having taken the time to dress up.
She was clad in a pale pink flowing gown, draped with a white gauze robe that revealed her elegantly curved neck and clearly visible collarbones. The skirt, with its cascading folds like flowing moonlight, spread over three feet on the ground, lending her gait an even more graceful and gentle air. Her three thousand strands of dark hair were tied with a ribbon, adorned with a butterfly hairpin, and a lock of hair dangled before her chest. Lightly powdered, it only enhanced her natural beauty, making her appear resplendent and delicate.
Madam Han looked at her, quite pleased with her attire.
Before Madam Han could speak, Gu Ziran eagerly asked, "Mother, do you have another good plan?"
Seeing Gu Ziran's impatience, Madam Han intended to scold her, but the thought of her plan changed her mind. "Daughter, this time, not only can Mother help you eliminate Gu Qianying, your formidable rival, but also help you win the favor of the Ninth Prince."
"Really?" Gu Ziran was overjoyed, yet also quite worried. "Mother, my liking for the Ninth Prince and my eldest sister being the Ninth Prince's Consort do not conflict. Why must we be so relentless towards my eldest sister?"
Gu Qianying had helped her before and owed her a favor. Although, at this moment, she also liked the same person as Gu Qianying, she still did not wish for anything to happen to Gu Qianying.
If she could enter the Ninth Prince's mansion in the future, she would surely serve the Ninth Prince well alongside her eldest sister.
The sisterly affection between them still existed.
"Why must? Hah! Daughter, you are too naive. If we don't eliminate that little slut Gu Qianying, how will the Ninth Prince Nangong Mo notice you!"
"But, this... it shouldn't be like this..."
Gu Ziran hesitated.
Madam Han said impatiently, "Enough with the 'buts.' Come here quickly. Mother has something to tell you."
Gu Ziran hesitated for a moment before finally walking forward.
Madam Han leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
As Madam Han spoke, Gu Ziran's eyes shifted from shock to resentment.
"Mother, I truly never imagined my eldest sister would be such a person, so shameless, and with such deep schemes. It's truly a waste that the Ninth Prince has been so good to her. No, daughter will go and tell the Ninth Prince right away."
"What's the hurry! Wait a moment," Madam Han stopped her as she saw Gu Ziran's frantic demeanor. "Silly daughter, if you go to complain now, wouldn't it lower your status as the Third Miss? The Ninth Prince would like you even less!"
"Then what does Mother mean..."
Mentioning Nangong Mo, Gu Ziran felt a bit more settled, but also very anxious. "Then what should daughter do?"
Madam Han took her hand and turned to call Ah Qiu. "Go and invite Concubine Bai here."
"Yes, Madam."
The maid Ah Qiu walked out, but returned alone.
"Reporting to Madam, Concubine Bai says she is not feeling well and cannot come."
Madam Han said with slight anger, "Bitch, you think you can run wild just because I've shown you a little favor?"
"Go, take that painting from my room, the one hidden in the black box, and give it to Madam Bai. She will naturally understand what Madam means!"
"Yes, Madam."
The maid Ah Qiu took a painting and left again, heading towards Concubine Bai's courtyard.
When she returned, Madam Bai had also come along.
After Madam Bai arrived, Madam Han dismissed all the maids in the room, leaving only herself, Gu Ziran, the maid Ah Qiu, and Madam Bai, four people in total.
No one knew what Madam Han and Madam Bai discussed. When they left separately, Madam Bai, with her maid, went directly to the front courtyard's outer hall.
Gu Ziran arrived later, deliberately lagging a few steps behind on the way.
In the front courtyard's outer hall,
Nangong Mo waited, his entire attention still focused on the inner chamber.
Beside him, Gu Kun was recounting childhood stories of the Gu family's eldest daughter, Gu Qianying.
Nangong Mo listened, remaining silent.
If not for this, his old bones would have long been kicked out by Bai Qi, the guard.
As a considerable amount of time had passed and Physician Ji Wuyi had not yet emerged, Nangong Mo was about to send Bai Qi to check on him.
But at this moment, Madam Bai, with her maid, barged in and knelt before Nangong Mo and Gu Kun. "This lowly servant has an important matter to report to His Highness."
Nangong Mo frowned without looking at her.
Gu Kun saw this, raised his hand, and slapped her, shouting angrily, "How dare someone of your lowly status be presumptuous before His Highness! Hurry back!"
Madam Bai remained kneeling, unmoving.
The maid behind her trembled.
Enduring the pain of the slap, Madam Bai repeated, "This lowly servant has an important matter to report to His Highness."
After a long while, Nangong Mo finally looked at her and said coldly, "Speak!"
"Reporting to His Highness, this lowly servant just saw the eldest daughter Gu secretly leave the Gu mansion."
As the words fell, Nangong Mo looked at her coldly, his eyes flashing with killing intent.
"Do not spout nonsense! Get out!"
Gu Kun nudged Madam Bai with his cane, and she fell to the ground.
"Your Highness, this lowly servant speaks the truth. If Your Highness does not believe me, push open the door and see for yourself!"
Madam Bai spoke at the risk of her life.
At this moment, Gu Ziran arrived with her maid, bringing a robe for her father Gu Kun. Secondly, upon hearing Madam Bai's words, she feigned surprise and then defended her eldest sister. "Your Highness, Ziran believes that eldest sister would never deceive people like this. Perhaps Madam Bai saw incorrectly. However, so much time has passed, and eldest sister has not woken up yet. Physician Ji Wuyi has not come out, and Ziran is a little worried about eldest sister. Your Highness, why don't you let Ziran accompany you inside to take a look, alright?"
Gu Ziran, under the guise of concern for Gu Qianying's health, was trying to lure Nangong Mo into the inner chamber to investigate.
Nangong Mo was too lazy to bother with her feigned concern.
Madam Bai, on the other hand, remained firm in her words, even risking her life, hoping that the Ninth Prince Nangong Mo would give her this chance to prove her words were not false.
"Bai Qi, push me inside to take a look."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Madam Bai collapsed onto the ground, finally sighing in relief. She had not lied.
Gu Ziran was inwardly delighted, but said, "Let Ziran push His Highness."
Bai Qi did not move aside, only saying, "My Prince does not like ugly women to approach him!"
The smile on Gu Ziran's face froze instantly. Her complexion turned ashen, looking extremely unpleasant.
Meanwhile,
In the inner chamber, Gu Qianying was using her unique detoxification method to detoxify Ji Wuyi. After bandaging his wounds, she turned and detoxified the maid Cai Xia.
Cai Xia's poisoning was not deep. After taking the detoxification pill, she would wake up soon.
Ji Wuyi was poisoned too deeply and was on the verge of death. To detoxify him, merely taking the detoxification pill would not save him. Only her blood could save Ji Wuyi.
After the two woke up, they recounted the events. Gu Qianying listened and said angrily, "Damn it!"
She raised her hand and took out the bone-dissolving powder she always kept in her pouch. Opening it, she scattered it on the ground. The dead venomous snakes on the ground dissolved into a pool of blood.
Just then, the door was pushed open, and Bai Qi entered, pushing Nangong Mo...