Reborn: The Poisoned Schemes of a Noble Daughter

Chapter 1: Fire Burns the Heart, Blood Sweeds Rebirth (5)

"Doctor, how about it?" "Shen Mingwei asked.

The physician shook his head: "Aunt Zhao fainted because of her excessive worry and weakness. I need to take good care of myself, otherwise I'm afraid...

Shen Mingwei frowned: "Has she been wronged again recently?"

Chun Tao's eyes welled up with tears: "A few days ago, before Aunt Liu was confined to her home, she had our family's share for this month deducted and said... And they say my aunt is a fox spirit and doesn't deserve to stay in the house...

Shen Mingwei's anger flared up with a whoosh. Liu Shi herself was confined to the house, yet she dared to let someone bully Aunt Zhao!

"Draw the screen," Shen Mingwei said coldly, "go and get Aunt Liu who is in charge of distributing the ordination!"

Aunt Liu is a confidant of the Liu family, who usually takes advantage of the Liu family's power to run amok in the mansion. When she heard that Aunt Zhao had fainted, Shen Mingwei had asked her to be called, and she felt a bit uneasy, but still came with all her might.

"See the eldest miss." " Aunt Liu bowed unwillingly.

"Why did Aunt Zhao's share be withheld?" Shen Mingwei got straight to the point.

Aunt Liu's eyes flickered: "Miss, the household expenses have been high recently and the monthly money is a bit tight, so..."

"So only Auntie Zhao's?" Shen Mingwei sneered, "There's not a single cent less in Aunt Liu's courtyard."

Aunt Liu was speechless by the question and could only lower her head and remain silent.

"It seems you don't intend to tell the truth." Shen Mingwei looked at the maidservant sent by Aunt Zhang to serve Aunt Zhao. "Go, bring Aunt Liu's account books for the past few months. I'll see how much she has embezzled!"

Liu was so frightened that her face turned pale and she knelt down with a "plop" : "Miss, spare my life! It was my fault! It was I who took advantage of the situation and deducted Aunt Zhao's share! Please spare me this time, Miss!"

"Spare you?" Shen Mingwei looked at her. "Then who will pay for the injustice that Aunt Zhao has suffered?"

She paused and said sternly, "Aunt Zhang! Take Aunt Liu down, give her twenty strokes of the cane, and send her to the village to do hard labor and never return home!"

"Yes." Aunt Zhang's men were already waiting outside the door and immediately pulled Aunt Liu down. The cries of Mrs. Liu grew farther and farther, and eventually disappeared into the yard.

After dealing with Aunt Liu, Shen Mingwei had to make up for Aunt Zhao and hired a reliable maidservant to serve her.

"Thank you, Miss." Chun Tao kowtowed gratefully.

"Take good care of your aunt." Shen Mingwei said, "If anything happens, come and tell me at any time."

Back in her courtyard, Huaping couldn't help saying, "Miss, will you do this to make the Liu family hold a deeper grudge?"

"So what if you hold a grudge? Shen Mingwei said indifferently, "If I were afraid she would hold a grudge, I wouldn't have done it. When dealing with such people, you have to be tough, otherwise she will always think you are easy to bully."

Drawing the screen nodded and remembered something: "Yes, miss, the old lady has sent someone to say that there will be a polo match in the harem three days later, and you and Shen Yuerou will go together."

"Shen Yuerou?" " Shen Mingwei raised her eyebrows. "Did the old lady agree to let her out?"

"Well," said the painting screen, "the old lady said it's not a solution to keep her confined all the time. Let her go out and see the world. Maybe she can restrain herself a little."

Shen Mingwei smiled: "I don't think so." She wanted to see what Shen Yuerou could do this time.

Three days later, Shen Yuerou and Liu Shi were released. Shen Yuerou seemed like a different person. When she saw Shen Mingwei, she had a flattering smile on her face: "Sister, it was my fault a few days ago. Don't take it to heart."

Shen Mingwei said indifferently, "Let's not talk about the past."

The horse race was held at the Royal Racecourse, and the scene was very lively. Princes, princesses, noblemen and ministers were all present, dressed in fine clothes and with laughter and joy.

Shen Mingwei had just sat down when she saw Zhao Heng approaching, accompanied by a man in a black riding suit. The man was tall and straight, with a silver mask on his face, revealing only a pair of deep eyes. His air was so cold that one dared not look directly at him.

"Mingwei, let me introduce you. This is Prince Jing." Zhao Heng introduced with a smile.

Shen Mingwei's heart stirred, Prince Jing Xiao Che? The so-called cold-faced King of Hell who is said to be killing?

She hurriedly rose and bowed: "I see His Highness Prince Jing."

Xiao Che nodded slightly and said nothing, but his gaze rested on her for a moment, with a hint of inquiry.

Just then Shen Yuerou came forward and bowed gracefully to Xiao Che: "I see His Highness Prince Jing." She raised her head, revealing a pitiful face. "I've long heard that Your Highness is brave and skilled in battle, and I admire him very much."

Xiao Che didn't even lift his eyelid, as if he hadn't seen her.

Shen Yuerou's face stiffened and she felt embarrassed. Zhao Heng quickly tried to smooth things over: "Yue Rou, His Highness Prince Jing has a cold temper. Don't mind."

Shen Yuerou forced a smile, but felt a bit more dissatisfied with Xiao Che in her heart.

The polo game began, and the princes galloped on the field, competing for the polo ball, which drew cheers from the audience. Shen Mingwei watched absent-mindedly. She always felt that Xiao Che's gaze fell on her from time to time, which made her a little uncomfortable.

During the intermission, Zhao Heng handed Shen Mingwei a jade hairpin, the same one that Shen Yuerou had broken last time: "Mingwei, the last one broke. Here's this one for you." "

Before Shen Mingwei could refuse, Shen Yuerou said, "The third prince is very kind to his sister." As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Che as if she wanted to see his reaction.

Xiao Che, still expressionless, turned away.

Shen Mingwei looked at the jade hairpin in Zhao Heng's hand, frowning: "Your Highness, I said, I cannot take it."

"Let it be my apology." Zhao Heng stuffed the hairpin into her hand. "I wronged you last time."

Shen Mingwei looked at the hairpin in her hand and sneered inwardly. This Zhao Heng really won't give up. She was about to return the hairpin when she saw Xiao Che come back, standing not far away and looking at her with deep eyes.

Shen Mingwei suddenly had an idea in her mind. She pretended to be careless, her hand trembled, and the hairpin dropped to the ground and rolled to Xiao Che's feet.

"Oh!" Shen Mingwei exclaimed and hurried to pick it up.

Xiao Che, however, bent down first and picked up the hairpin. He looked at the hairpin, then at Shen Mingwei, and a glimmer of understanding flashed in his eyes.

"Thank you Your Highness." Shen Mingwei took the hairpin and placed it in Xiao Che's hand. "This hairpin is too precious. I really dare not take it. Please return it to the third prince for me, Your Highness."

Xiao Che, holding the hairpin, said nothing and turned towards Zhao Heng.

Zhao Heng's face darkened when he saw the hairpin in Xiao Che's hand.

Shen Mingwei looked at this scene and a barely perceptible smile curled at the corner of her mouth. Zhao Heng, Shen Yuerou, your good show has just begun.

When Xiao Che handed the hairpin back to Zhao Heng, his fingertips deliberately paused for a moment on the hairpin's head, and his eyes through the mask's eye holes were as cold as ice. Zhao Heng's hand, which took the hairpin, trembled slightly. He couldn't understand what Prince Jing meant, but felt a chill down his spine for no reason.

Shen Mingwei picked up the teacup and concealed the smile on her lips. She was sure that Xiao Che would notice something unusual about the hairpin - the faint smell, though masked by the spices, could not escape from those who had been dealing with poisons for years. It was much more worthwhile to have Prince Jing, the great Buddha, notice Zhao Heng's little move than to confront him head-on.

"Sister, how did you return the third prince's good intentions?" Shen Yuerou came closer, with a hypocritical sense of regret in her tone, "How much it hurts Your Highness."

"Sister, you're joking." " Shen Mingwei put down her teacup and set her eyes on the dashing figure on the field. "No reward for no merit, sister should understand this."

Shen Yuerou choked and sullenly shut her mouth. She rolled her eyes and suddenly lifted her skirt and ran to the side of the polo field, smiling sweetly at Zhao Heng who had just dismounted: "Third Prince, you play really well!"

Zhao Heng was already fuming over the matter of the hairpin, and when Shen Yuerou came up, his face darkened a little, but he still managed to deal with it a few words with patience. Shen Yuerou, as if she didn't notice, reached out to brush the dust off his shoulder, but Zhao Heng avoided her without showing any emotion.

This scene was seen by the crowd, and many noble ladies showed contempt. Shen Mingwei saw clearly that the corners of her mouth were less curved - Shen Yuerou was eager to get along with Zhao Heng, but instead exposed her own eating behavior to the fullest.

After the second half of the polo match began, Shen Mingwei made an excuse to get some fresh air and walked towards the secluded corridor. Just as she reached the corner, she saw Xiao Che standing under the porch, playing with the jade hairpin in his hand, his silver mask shining cold in the sunlight.

"Your Highness Prince Jing." Shen Mingwei stopped and bowed properly.

Xiao Che turned his head, his eyes glancing over her face for a moment, and then spoke, his voice as hoarse as polished jade: "Miss Shen seems to have no interest in this hairpin."

"Your Highness is joking." Shen Mingwei lowered her eyes. "But my daughter thinks this thing is too precious."

"Valuable?" Xiao Che chuckled and pinched the hairpin with his fingertips. "Do you know what this hairpin is embedded in?"

Shen Mingwei's heart gave a jolt and she looked up at him.

"It's 'Bone Erosion Powder'." Xiao Che's voice was undulating but with a bone-chilling coldness. "Chronic poison, worn for a long time, can damage all five internal organs, like wind-cold, undetectable."

Sure enough, it is. Shen Mingwei clenched her fists secretly, but remained calm on her face: "My daughter doesn't know. Thank you, Your Highness, for informing."

"Since you don't know, why did you leave it to this king?" Xiao Che pressed on, his gaze beneath the mask as if to see through her. "You knew there was something wrong with this hairpin, didn't you?"

Shen Mingwei met his gaze and did not flinch. She knew that lying was of no use in front of this man.

"I just think..." She paused and spoke candidly, "The third prince's kindness is a bit too heavy."

Xiao Che stared at her for a long time. Suddenly, he put away the jade hairpin and turned to look at the distant palace wall, saying, "Miss Shen is a smart person."

"Your Highness, please reward me."

"The wise man should know that there are some muddy waters that cannot be waded through." There was no emotion in Xiao Che's voice. "The third prince is not something you can handle."

"I have no intention of dealing with anyone." Shen Mingwei said indifferently, "I just don't want to be at the mercy of others."

A gust of wind blew, picking up the fallen leaves on the ground and swirling them across the corridor. Xiao Che said no more and turned away. The black hem of his dress drew a sharp arc in the wind, like an eagle soaring across the dark night.

Shen Mingwei stood still, watching his figure disappear around the corner, and a wave of emotion welled up in her heart. What did Prince Jing mean by this? Remind her? Or warn her?

No matter what it is, she won't stop.

When she returned to the polo field, the game was over. Zhao Heng was surrounded by a group of noblewomen, with a perfunctory smile on his face. Shen Yuerou stood beside him, trying hard to push her way into the crowd, but she was pushed to her feet and looked disheveled.

Shen Mingwei did not come forward to join in the commotion, but took her drawing screen and said goodbye. Sitting in the carriage, Hua Ping couldn't help saying, "Miss, look at Shen Yuerou, really..."

"A pitiful man must have something detestable about him." Looking out of the window at the fleeting street scene, Shen Mingwei said, "If she had been more composed, it wouldn't have been like this."

As the carriage entered the gate of the Duke's mansion, Shen Mingwei suddenly said, "Painting Screen, go and collect the powder of that broken jade hairpin and find an opportunity to deliver it to the Prince's mansion."

"Miss, why is this?" Huaping was taken aback.

"Some favors always have to be repaid." Shen Mingwei smiled, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

Back in the courtyard, Shen Mingwei sat by the lamp and opened the account books again. The moonlight streamed in through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the account books. As her fingertips traced the records of the Liu family's embezzlement, her eyes grew colder and colder.

Liu Shi, Shen Yuerou, Zhao Heng... What you owe me, I will get back, one by one, principal and interest.

Outside the window, the osmanthus trees are covered with petals, and the air is filled with a sweet fragrance. Shen Mingwei closed the account book, walked to the window, gazed at the bright moon on the horizon, and let out a gentle breath.

In this life, she not only has to take revenge but also protect the Shen family and all those who treat her sincerely. The road ahead may be full of thorns, but she will no longer be afraid.

For she knew that from the moment she climbed back from the flames she was no longer the same Shen Mingwei.