Teacher Li sent Yu Wanying to Yu Zhenwen’s mansion.
"What... what is this?" Yu Zhenwen, seeing his old friend had brought his niece back tied up, thought Yu Wanying had caused some trouble at the academy. The rightful source is novel•fire.net
Yu Zhenwen passed the Scholar exam at the age of forty, and could have become an Affairs Officer or an academic official in the local area.
But his cousin, Yu Zhenwu, who was illiterate, got lucky by joining the military and frequently saving the current Prince Jin from peril, earning great merit.
After returning victorious to the court, Prince Jin requested rewards for Yu Zhenwu in front of the emperor, and Yu Zhenwu was ennobled as a Deputy General of fifth-rank.
From then on, Yu Zhenwu’s life seemed to be blessed, winning every battle.
As he aged, his military achievements grew, and now Yu Zhenwu is a Great General of the proper third-rank.
Yu Zhenwen, who grew up with a more privileged background than Yu Zhenwu, naturally didn’t want to be a low-ranking academic official without any prospects.
He aimed to pass the Advanced Scholar exam and become a high official!
Unfortunately, heaven did not favor him. He took the triennial metropolitan exam four times and failed each time.
During this period, Yu Zhenwu kindly offered to arrange a cushy civil post for Yu Zhenwen in the local area, but Yu Zhenwen, being proud, rejected them all.
Yu Wanying held little regard for her over-fifty uncle who, without any official position, was supported by his sons while he continued to study as an old Scholar.
However, when Yu Zhenwu returned home to pay respects to his ancestors, he met Yu Zhenwen’s children a few times, and afterwards spoke highly of how upright Yu Zhenwen’s family was, with affection and harmony between the legitimate and illegitimate children.
The implication was that Yu Zhenwen was good at raising his children, and it happened that Yu Wanying and Yu Yanran were like oil and water, frequently quarreling, and he couldn’t favor one over the other.
Yu Zhenwu, being a straightforward man with a splitting headache, was persuaded by his legitimate wife to send his ten-year-old illegitimate daughter, Yu Wanying, to be raised at Yu Zhenwen’s home in Yangcheng.
He thought that separating them for a time, and bringing Yu Wanying back after a few years once Yu Yanran was married to the Huainan Prince Mansion, would solve the issue.
Before Yu Wanying arrived, Yu Zhenwen had already come up with a plan: send her to the Women’s Virtue Academy to save effort and worry.
During the waxing and waning of the year when the academy was on holiday, Yu Wanying would stay at his house for a while, but once the first month was over, she had to return to the academy immediately.
Thus, Yu Zhenwen and Yu Wanying met only a few times over the years.
Yu Wanying’s impression of Yu Zhenwen was of an old Scholar with several grandchildren, who lived off his son’s earnings while he studied, caught between ambition and reality.
Yu Zhenwen’s impression of Yu Wanying was of an illegitimate daughter with dreams of grandeur, unable to see her real status.
In short, the two of them disliked each other mutually.
On the way back, because Yu Wanying was somewhat delirious and uncontrollably scratching her itchy spots, Teacher Li had no choice but to ask Xiao Cui to take a strap from Yu Wanying to tie her hands.
"This child is likely poisoned, you must find a good doctor to see her quickly."
Teacher Li showed urgency, "I heard the old lady of the Ji Family in Market Alley is skilled at treating strange poisons; perhaps you should send someone to invite her!"
If something really happened to Yu Wanying in Yangcheng, it would be hard for Yu Zhenwen to explain to Yu Zhenwu, who fiercely protected his kin, so Yu Zhenwen became anxious too.
He hastily called his butler, "Quickly send someone to invite the old Madam Ji!"
"It’s unnecessary!" Yu Zhenwen’s eldest legitimate son, Yu Shengyuan, entered the hall.
Yu Shengyuan, now thirty-seven, compared to his father’s lean physique, appeared chubby, with a big head and ears, a large belly, and a wide waist.
Yu Zhenwen refused to rely on Yu Zhenwu’s prestige, but Yu Shengyuan was willing. After learning for over thirty years, he’d only passed the Scholar exam and didn’t want to strive anymore, so Yu Shengyuan requested Yu Zhenwu to arrange a position as an Accountant for him at the Yangcheng County Government Office.
Yu Shengyuan happened to be on leave at home today and encountered this issue.
"Father, Teacher Li, you two really are oblivious to what’s happening outside your windows, only focusing on studying sages’ books. Haven’t you heard of the trouble with the Ji Family?"
Yu Zhenwen and Teacher Li exchanged a glance—they really didn’t know.
Yu Shengyuan saw no outsiders in the hall and whispered, "Not long ago, the Princely Heir of Prince Huainan came to Yangcheng, and the Ji family’s two brothers died outside, working for the Princely Heir."
Yu Zhenwen was shocked. The Ji brothers were tough characters, so how could they just die?
Did they encounter a formidable adversary?
Yu Shengyuan lowered his voice, "I heard the Princely Heir was injured too, recovering in a villa!"
The information Yu Zhengyuan knew was reliable since he worked as an Accountant in the county government.
Just as Yu Zhenwen was about to inquire for more details, he saw Yu Wanying fall off her chair, making a gnashing sound with her teeth out of control.
"Oh no!" Yu Zhenwen remembered the poisoned Yu Wanying, immediately instructing the butler to stuff her mouth with a handkerchief to prevent her from accidentally biting her tongue.
The butler took out his sweat-stained handkerchief and cautiously approached Yu Wanying.
Yu Wanying, at this time, looked both frightening and disgusting; the butler grimaced and squinted, fearful that Yu Wanying might bite his finger, making several attempts but failing to get the handkerchief into Yu Wanying’s mouth.
Yu Wanying was already delirious and unable to cooperate with the butler.
Glancing at a candlestick nearby, the old butler had a bright idea: he used the candlestick to pry open Yu Wanying’s clenched jaw.
Successfully inserting the handkerchief into Yu Wanying’s foul-smelling mouth disgusted the butler badly, and he ran a long way away as soon as he finished.
Yu Zhenwen and Yu Shengyuan also covered their noses, standing far away, leaving Yu Wanying to struggle and moan on the cold floor.
"First, send the young miss to her room, then fetch Doctor Jin!"
Yu Zhenwen instructed the butler, who in turn ordered the house servants, and thus, the stench-ridden Yu Wanying was carried to her room in the Yu Mansion by two servants.
Xiao Cui, a maidservant who followed Yu Wanying from the Capital, had served her for several years. Witnessing Yu Wanying’s worsening condition, she became pale and bloodless with fear.
If anything happened to the second young lady, regardless of the reason, her close maidservant would have met her end; even if the main wife did not pursue it, Aunt Qin would not spare her.
She pleaded with Yu Zhenwen to save her young mistress while praying to Buddha, Bodhisattvas, and all the Immortals in her heart.
By the time Doctor Jin was hurriedly brought into Yu Wanying’s room, Yu Wanying had already started convulsing with froth coming from her mouth.
Doctor Jin ordered people to restrain Yu Wanying, took out his silver needle, and pierced several major acupuncture points on Yu Wanying, and within just a few seconds, Yu Wanying’s stiff body went limp, her head tilted, and she fainted.
Ignoring the nausea, Doctor Jin began to take Yu Wanying’s pulse, the more he examined, the deeper his frown became.
The pulse indeed indicated poisoning.
But the toxicity seemed rather complex!
Just how many types of poison were administered?
Doctor Jin started counting on his fingers: hallucinogenic, itch-inducing, pain-inducing.
Upon slightly lifting Yu Wanying’s sleeve, he was startled again: pustulous sores leading to skin ulceration.