Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 494 Is the person who needs the antidote my sister? (10,000 words)
blood.

It seems like it hasn't been very long, maybe just a few days ago.

As Luo Tianxuan had mentioned before, a conflict had occurred in the pavilion of the Prince's mansion, presumably an assassin's attempt to kill Luo Yuheng. However, the expert guarding Luo Yuheng was stronger and, before the assassin could act, struck first, suppressing and even seriously injuring him.

Several clumps of dried blood remained in the attic.

Song Yan had never been to that attic, yet she inexplicably connected it with Kong Nianhan's bedroom. A deduction had formed in her mind: the assassin who attempted to kill Luo Tianxuan in the attic was very likely Kong Nianhan himself.

To outsiders, Kong Nianhan might just be a princess who is weak and incompetent, quiet and reserved, rarely attending gatherings of noblewomen, and leaving almost no impression on the powerful circles of the capital. But in Song Yan's eyes, this princess is very likely a formidable expert.

In the backyard, the corpses had piled up into a small mountain.

The bailiffs fetched grease from the kitchen and poured it on the surface.

A torch is thrown into the mountain of corpses.

The fire quickly spread.

Sizzle, crackle!
The sound of fat exploding tore through the silence of the scene.

Occasionally, the sound of corpses exploding could be heard, and bluish-gray, putrid clouds churned in the flames, scattering bone fragments mixed with not-yet-charred flesh everywhere. Thick black smoke, accompanied by snowflakes of ash, rose into the sky, swirling and turning in mid-air.

It was clearly not enough to burn all the corpses with just the grease, so the officers kept bringing firewood from all around. Even some of the green bamboo planted in the courtyard was cut down. The bamboo poles made sounds like firecrackers exploding as they burned in the raging fire.

The stench of rotting corpses and burning flesh mingled together, and no one could describe what it felt like. It was as if something sticky was stuck in their throat, making it hard to breathe. Even Fangshan had a pained expression, stretching his neck back and forth. After what seemed like an eternity, Fangshan could no longer bear the nauseating smell and suddenly leaned against the wall, vomiting with a loud "whoosh."

Song Yan glanced at it briefly before quickly looking away. He walked around Kong Nianhan's bedroom, stopping and starting, his knuckles tapping almost every brick on the wall, and carefully examining each floor tile. He even moved the bed, wardrobe, and desk. Television often shows scenes like this: important intelligence is hidden in secret compartments on desks, walls, or floors… But as it turns out, TV dramas are all lies.

Even after searching every corner of the bedroom, no similar mechanism could be found.

Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi covered their mouths and chuckled. The two sisters were naturally similar, and when they stood side by side, they looked like twin lotus flowers.

The setting sun shone on her face, making her smile even more radiant.

Even Song Yan's gaze was momentarily dazed.

……

By the time they returned to the Marquis of Champion's residence, night had already fallen. Perhaps because Song Yan was still somewhat unwilling to give up, he searched the Prince's study and other important places in the residence again, which took up quite a bit of time.

There was no gain.

Prince Fu and Princess Fu have completely disappeared; it is unknown whether they have gone missing or died.

As for Luo Yuheng, he left no trace whatsoever, as if he had never appeared in the Prince of Fu's mansion.

However, this should be considered good news, at least Luo Yuheng's figure was not found among the corpses, so she is very likely still alive.

Of course, it wasn't that nothing was accomplished... At least, the corpses in the Prince Fu's mansion were all cleaned up. When he left the mansion, the previously overwhelming black smoke and flames had subsided considerably, although these tasks were mainly done by Fang Shan and his subordinates.

A carriage was parked in front of the Marquis's mansion, and the carriage bore the insignia of the State of Chu.

It seemed that the Chu envoys had been waiting at the Marquis's residence for quite some time. Song Yan felt a little embarrassed, as he had been so focused on finding the secrets of the Prince of Fu's residence that he had completely forgotten about the delegation's visit.

After entering the mansion, they soon arrived at the guest hall.

The flickering candlelight cast three shadows on the ground.

One is Gao Yang.

Song Yan, Luo Tianxuan, and Luo Tianyi were not at the manor, so Gao Yang temporarily took over the mistress's duties and received important guests. In any case, Gao Yang was a princess and had received the most elite education, so she would have no problem handling such a small matter.

The other one is Hua Lian Yue. According to Hua Lian Yue, the deputy envoy of the delegation, Lin Xue, and Princess Chu Meng Lan of Chu Kingdom are both her disciples. They have also cultivated the "Extreme Yin Su Nu Jing" to a very high level and need her, a human-shaped antidote pill who has cultivated the "Hundred Flowers Treasure Mirror", to resolve the cold poison in their bodies.

Since he is a disciple, it is perfectly normal for Hua Lianyue to step forward.

The last one is Lin Xue, whom Hua Lianyue mentioned needs an antidote.

Previously in the court, Song Yan had only glanced at Lin Xue casually, and apart from Lin Xue's slightly strange look, he had not been left with a deep impression. Now that he had arrived at the Marquis of Champion's mansion, he looked closely and even though he already had sisters like Tianxuan and Tianyi by his side, and a mother-in-law like Luo Yuheng, the most beautiful woman in Ningguo, he was still slightly amazed when he saw Lin Xue.

To be fair, if we're just talking about looks, Lin Xue is probably slightly less attractive than Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi.

But her tall figure, vibrant and wild temperament, and long, shapely legs were unmatched by any other woman. What was that saying again? She was the kind of woman who easily aroused a man's desire to conquer; subduing such a woman would bring a man immense satisfaction. Even sitting quietly, she resembled a female leopard ready to pounce and snap her prey's neck at any moment.

However, whether it was Song Yan's imagination or not, there seemed to be an indescribable atmosphere shrouding the guest room. Gao Yang, Hua Lian Yue, and Lin Xue all sat quietly, occasionally exchanging glances, but none of them said a word. The eerie silence made Song Yan feel inexplicably uneasy.

The silence in the guest hall was broken only when the footsteps of Song Yan, Luo Tianxuan, and Luo Tianyi startled the three of them. In the next instant, Hua Lianyue, Lin Xue, and Gao Yang all turned their gazes to Song Yan.

The expressions on the faces of the three people were indescribably strange.

Lin Xue, in particular, blushed unnaturally on her pretty face, her fair cheeks trembled slightly, and she sat up instinctively. Her eyes were filled with heat and an indescribable emotion. Her long arms trembled slightly, as if she wanted to open them, rush over, and hug Song Yan directly.

Lin Xue ultimately held back, worried that her rash actions would frighten Song Yan.

Even so, Song Yan still felt immense pressure, and the muscles on his face were tense. In the end, Gao Yang was the gentlest. He sighed with a hint of helplessness and walked to Song Yan's side: "Husband, you must be tired too. Take a rest first." Then he went to prepare a cup of hot tea for Song Yan.

Even Luo Tianxuan, who was rather slow to react, noticed the oppressive atmosphere. She looked at Lin Xue and Song Yan suspiciously, feeling that there was something wrong between the two. She tilted her head, wondering if this was another of her brother-in-law's romantic entanglements.
hum.

My brother-in-law already has her and my sister, yet he still goes around having affairs.

Sure enough, all men are fickle. I must teach my brother-in-law a lesson later.

Otherwise, if things continue like this, it won't be long before the governor's mansion becomes too crowded.

If we have a baby in two years...

Luo Tianyi's thinking was rather jumpy. She began to ponder how best to expand the governor's mansion. As she thought about it, a blush crept onto her fair face. Then, for some reason, she blamed Song Yan, giving him a fierce and menacing look.

Feeling a bit wronged by the inexplicable glare, Song Yan, however, knew Luo Tianyi's temperament and didn't take the fierce look to heart. He took a sip of fragrant tea and then looked at the lady sitting opposite him: "I presume you are General Lin Xue, who captured two cities of my Ning Kingdom last year? I apologize for being busy with some matters today and taking up Miss Lin's time. It is my fault."

Lin Xue's burning gaze made him feel uncomfortable all over. The moment he opened his mouth to speak, Song Yan could feel that Lin Xue's eyes seemed to be trembling slightly.

Subtly, it seemed as if their breathing had become unusually rapid.

Her small hands were clasped together on her thighs, her fingers intertwined and interlaced, unable to stay still.

"Miss Lin's arrival is an honor to our humble abode." Song Yan carefully chose his words: "But I wonder why only Miss Lin is here? Where are the other members of your delegation?"

It's not that Song Yan looks down on Lin Xue.

Although Lin Xue is a woman, her ability to lead the Chu army to capture two cities in Ningguo and to defend against the Xiongnu invasion in the north last winter is enough to prove her capabilities.

It's clear that Lin Xue is a military genius. But in other areas, she might not be as outstanding as she is when commanding troops; otherwise, she wouldn't only be the deputy envoy of the Chu delegation. In Song Yan's view, the Chu emperor's placement of Lin Xue in the diplomatic mission was more of a deterrent.

The delegation's submission of a formal letter clearly indicated that they had serious matters to discuss. Even though Lin Xue held a very high position, she could not make decisions on diplomatic matters. Therefore, the absence of the chief envoy, Chu Yue, made Song Yan somewhat suspicious.

"They will visit the Marquis's residence tomorrow." Lin Xue took a deep breath, desperately suppressing the agitation in her heart: "I came alone today."

"I see." Song Yan nodded. "Then, may I ask what brings Miss Lin here?" Song Yan blinked. Surely she wouldn't have come all this way just to detoxify? But he hadn't sensed any particularly strong chill emanating from Lin Xue, so the cold poison probably hadn't yet manifested. Was it too early to detoxify her now?
Perhaps she encountered trouble in other areas, Song Yan thought to himself: "Guests from afar, if Miss Lin needs any help, please don't hesitate to ask. If it is of any use to me, I will never refuse."

Lin Xue pursed her lips, as if summoning immense courage: "Song Yan, actually I am..."

The words were on the tip of my tongue, but my courage suddenly vanished.

Thinking of her own life of luxury and abundance in the Chu Kingdom as the eldest daughter of the Lin family, and the bullying and poisoning that Song Yan suffered in the Song State Duke's Mansion, although her master had repeatedly enlightened her that it was not her fault, a sense of guilt always lingered in her heart, especially after her mother went mad and passed away more than ten years ago, leaving little Song Yan alone and helpless in that small courtyard.

She wasn't there for him when he needed an older sister the most.

Now that he's grown up, he's climbed to heights that many people can't reach in their entire lives. He has the power to protect himself and no longer needs anyone's company, and that's when she appeared.

Some things are simply unspeakable.

It was a self-torturing kind of guilt.

Seeing Lin Xue's appearance, Hua Lian Yue felt somewhat helpless. This girl Lin Xue was usually incredibly bold, even daring to beat up the Crown Prince in front of the Emperor of Chu. How arrogant she was! How could she be so spineless now? Where was the valor she displayed on the battlefield? After all, she was her disciple, and Hua Lian Yue couldn't bear to see her in such a predicament. She cleared her throat and said, "Let me speak."

Song Yan looked up, his curiosity growing, wondering what earth-shattering things Hua Lianyue would say.

"Lin Xue is my disciple."

Song Yan nodded. He already knew about this. He picked up the teacup on the table and took another sip.

"She's still your sister."

puff.

The moment Hua Lianyue's voice reached his ears, Song Yan's body jerked violently as if electrocuted, and he spat out the tea he had just swallowed.

Good heavens, that's truly earth-shattering.

Not to mention Song Yan, Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi were also clearly shocked by the news. They knew that Song Yan had an older sister. The Luo family had conducted a detailed investigation into everything about Song Yan. According to the intelligence the Luo family had obtained, this sister had been sold into the deep mountains. The people the Luo family sent even went into the mountains to investigate, but apart from a few dilapidated thatched huts that were no longer habitable, they couldn't find a trace of any living person. They heard that a long, long time ago, the brothers who lived there had died, apparently after encountering a tiger one night.

As for Song Yan's older sister, she's probably gone too.

This was not good news for Song Yan, so Luo Yuheng did not tell Song Yan. Who would have thought that a woman would suddenly appear and claim to be Song Yan's sister?
For a moment, both Luo Tianxuan and Luo Tianyi were somewhat uncertain.

Their gazes lingered intently on Lin Xue's face, then turned to their husbands beside her, trying to find similarities between the two... After all, if this woman was indeed their husband's older sister, it would be a good thing for him.

However, despite their long efforts, they could not find any resemblance between the two faces, except that they both had two eyes, one nose, and one mouth.

Are they really siblings?

How can siblings look so different?

Song Yan's expression was extremely strange. He hurriedly raised his sleeve, preparing to wipe the tea from his mouth and chin. Luo Tianxuan handed him a handkerchief from the side. After taking it and wiping his mouth, Song Yan looked at Hua Lianyue and asked, "What did you just say? I didn't hear you clearly. I vaguely thought I heard you say that Miss Lin Xue is my sister?"

Hua Lianyue shrugged and said, "Yes, you heard me right."

“Lin Xue is indeed your sister.” After thinking for a moment, Hua Lianyue added, “She’s my biological sister.”

Okay, this time I heard right.

Song Yan glanced at Gao Yang, then at Lin Xue, and then at Hua Lian Yue with a strange look in his eyes. He really wanted to see any trace of joking on the faces of the three of them.

Unfortunately, no.

The expressions on the faces of all three were very solemn.

Song Yan felt a buzzing in his mind.

elder sister!

This was a relatively unfamiliar term to him.

He did have memories of his older sister, but the sister in his memory was chubby, with plump little hands and face, and loved to laugh. She was always carefree and silly, and he simply couldn't connect the person in his memory with the woman opposite him who had a fit and slender figure and a decisive and sharp temperament.

There isn't a single resemblance between them in their eyes and brows.

The words Song Lu once said came to mind again: his sister was instructed by Yang Miaoqing to be sold to several bachelors in the deep mountains as a shared wife by an old woman. On the way, they encountered a caravan, who took a liking to the clever and witty little girl and bought her for one hundred taels of silver.

The caravan flew the flags of the State of Chu.

Lin Xue is also the eldest daughter of the Lin family of Chu.

Could it be that such a coincidence really exists in this world?
Suddenly, Song Yan thought of another extremely important place...

Lin Xue is his older sister and also Hua Lian Yue's disciple... while he is Hua Lian Yue's husband. How should the seniority and titles be calculated among the three of them?
Lin Xue is called Hua Lianyue. Is she his master or his sister-in-law?

Is Hua Lianyue's name Lin Xue her disciple or her older sister?
Wait a minute... Song Yan's expression changed drastically again.

He remembered what Hua Lianyue had said before, hoping that he could help her female disciple get rid of the cold poison.

And now, the person who needs the antidote has become his sister?
How can this poison be cured?
……

at the same time.

It was right there in the Prince Fu's Mansion.

The fire in the backyard has been completely extinguished.

The sky was still filled with ash of all sizes, falling like snowflakes. Before anyone knew it, the ground was covered with a thick layer of ash.

Some constables were digging through the ashes with shovels.

The flames weren't hot enough to burn all the bones to ashes, but they could burn away all the rotting flesh on the corpse.

What remained were nothing but stark white bones.

These constables were searching through the ashes for intact bones. Nearby were prepared sacks; the bones would be stuffed into the sacks, then a hole would be dug, and the bones buried. It was rather haphazard, but for these people who had died violent deaths, this was already a fairly good ending. They certainly didn't expect a coffin or to be buried in a particularly auspicious location…

The government office doesn't have that much money.

The busy servants did not notice that behind the artificial hill in the backyard, a figure in a long white dress, bathed in moonlight, slowly descended.

The woman's figure was graceful, full, and voluptuous, swaying slightly in the night breeze, seemingly embodying ultimate sexiness and charm.

A pair of dark eyes, tinged with a hint of indifference, gazed at the constables collecting the remains, a touch of helplessness in their eyes. A faint sigh seemed to escape her lips, and her slender, white hand slowly rose, the movement gentle and devoid of any anger, her fingertips seemingly merely stroking the artificial rockery.

The next moment...

With a loud bang, the artificial hill, as tall as three people, collapsed.

Just below the artificial hill, a dark hole suddenly appeared, its destination unknown.

(End of this chapter)