I was pampered like a treasure after being married off to the young marshal, but my father and broth

At night, Shang Sheyu lay in bed, wrapped tightly in a brocade quilt, with only her small, palm-sized face showing.

The floor heaters were burning brightly inside, so it wasn't cold, but she tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep.

My mind was filled with thoughts of running the shop during the day.

That spot opposite Tongrentang is definitely a prime location.

That was the heart of the Northern Border Medicine Market, frequented daily by either high-ranking officials and nobles or urgent patients seeking medical treatment; the flow of people was astonishing.

As long as the shop opens, even just by taking advantage of the customer traffic leaking from Tongrentang, it will be enough for her to make a fortune.

But she hesitated.

Tongrentang is a century-old brand with deep roots, just like a towering tree.

If this newly sprouted bud gets too close, although it can be sheltered from the wind and rain, it is also easy to be blocked by the huge shade of the tree. If it is not managed well, it will eventually become a mere accessory to Tongrentang, or even be squeezed out and forced to close down.

"Fortune favors the bold..."

Shang Sheyu opened her eyes in the darkness, stared at the intricate embroidery on the tent ceiling, and murmured something under her breath.

She was confident in her medical skills.

In her past life, she studied ancient books day and night, and she had long since mastered those lost folk remedies and acupuncture techniques.

Tongrentang may be famous, but that's due to the skills of the doctors who practice there; they might not be able to surpass hers.

Having figured this out, I felt a little relieved.

Just as I was about to close my eyes and force myself to fall asleep, I suddenly caught a strange sound in my ear.

It creaked and groaned softly, a muffled sound.

Shang Sheyu instantly regained consciousness, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

Who would be out so late?

The Quan Mansion had strict rules; after 9 PM, the servants were not allowed to move around freely except for the patrolling guards.

Moreover, the sound didn't seem to be far from the West Garden, even...

It's right outside the wall.

She held her breath, quietly sat up, and barefoot on the thick carpet, reached for the window.

A small gap was left in the window for ventilation.

Shang Sheyu leaned closer and squinted as he looked outside.

The moon was dim tonight, and only the snow on the ground reflected a pale light.

In the dim light, she saw several dark figures moving swiftly through the corridor, their movements agile and silent, clearly skilled in martial arts.

They headed towards the East Garden.

Shang Sheyu's heart skipped a beat.

She hasn't been back since she went into the East Garden out of curiosity more than half a month ago and was almost strangled to death by that man.

For the past two weeks, that place has been eerily quiet; not even a bird flies there.

She originally thought that the man had probably been secretly disposed of by the Quan family long ago.

But now it seems the person is still alive?

The dark figures reached the entrance of the East Garden, slipped inside, and then the gate closed tightly, returning to silence once more.

Shang Sheyu gripped the window frame tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Thinking back to when I returned in the evening, my mother-in-law was fidgeting in the main hall, and Granny Yan looked as if she were facing a formidable enemy...

Who is it?

Are they enemies of the Quan family?

Shang Sheyu stood by the window for a long time, until her hands and feet were soaked with cold air, but she didn't see those people come out. Not a ray of light shone through the East Garden, as if everything just now was just her illusion.

That's it.

Shang Sheyu looked away, rubbed her cold arms, and crawled back into bed.

This is a secret of the Quan family; the more you know, the faster you'll die.

She's just a new bride, not yet settled in, so it's best for her to stay out of this mess.

But this night was destined to be a restless one.

The next morning.

As dawn broke, a few lingering stars still hung in the gray-blue sky.

Shang Sheyu was preoccupied with something, and had bizarre dreams all night long. In her dreams, one moment she saw the crazy man choking her, and the next she saw Quan Tuo's cold, indifferent back.

When I woke up, my head felt a little heavy.

I glanced out and saw that Xi'er was still sleeping soundly on the couch, emitting soft snores.

This girl ran around all day yesterday, she must be exhausted.

Shang Sheyu didn't wake her. She put on a thick quilted cheongsam, casually tied her hair into a bun, and then pushed open the door and went out.

The morning air is crisp and refreshing; inhaling it invigorates the spirit.

I'm a little hungry.

She headed straight for the main kitchen, hoping to find some hot porridge to fill her stomach.

The main kitchen was in the northwest corner of the backyard. At this time, most of the cooks had not yet gotten up, and only two old women were outside shoveling snow.

Shang Sheyu had just reached the door and was about to lift the curtain to go in when he suddenly stopped.

Through the crack in the door, I could see a person standing in front of the stove.

He was tall and straight, wearing a wrinkled school uniform, his hair a mess, and he was facing away from the door, furtively fiddling with something.

It is Quan Huai'an.

What's that little devil doing in the kitchen so early in the morning instead of sleeping?

Shang Sheyu had doubts and did not go in immediately. Instead, he hid in the shadows behind the door and quietly watched through the crack in the door.

Quan Huai'an was holding a yellow paper packet in his hand and carefully pouring powder into the bubbling clay pot on the stove.

The powder was grayish-brown and didn't look like a proper seasoning.

After pouring out the powder, he picked up a spoon and stirred it in the pot, peeking out cautiously as he did so, looking like a guilty thief.

Poisoned?

The thought flashed through Shang Sheyu's mind, and his brows furrowed instantly.

Although this kid is mischievous and likes to cause trouble, he wouldn't be so vicious as to poison the whole family, would he?

Just as Quan Huai'an was about to serve the porridge, Shang Sheyu no longer hesitated, reached out and lifted the curtain, deliberately making louder footsteps as she went in.

"Huai'an?"

The shout came out of nowhere.

Quan Huai'an, who was intently staring at the casserole, was startled and his whole body trembled. The spoon in his hand fell into the pot with a "clang," and the boiling porridge splashed out, burning him so much that he hissed and subconsciously took a step back.

As he stepped back, his elbow struck the handle of the casserole dish.

Whoosh!

The clay pot overturned on the ground, spilling scalding hot porridge all over the floor. A strange medicinal smell permeated the air, mixed with the aroma of rice, and was somewhat pungent.

"you..."

Quan Huai'an, still shaken, looked at the mess on the ground, then turned around and glared at Shang Sheyu standing at the door. His face was flushed red, and the veins on his neck were bulging.

"Are you crazy?!"

Quan Huai'an roared angrily, "Do you walk without making a sound? Are you a ghost? Who are you trying to scare so early in the morning?"

Shang Sheyu remained calm, his gaze sweeping coolly over the steaming bowl of porridge on the ground.

"If you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear."

She walked over slowly, avoiding the stains on the ground, and squatted down next to the puddle of porridge.

"What...what are you doing?" Quan Huai'an stared at her warily.

Shang Sheyu ignored him, took out a clean white handkerchief from her bosom, gently dabbed a little bit of the porridge stain on the ground, and brought it to her nose to smell it.

A bitter, fishy smell assaulted my senses.

This contains whole scorpions, centipedes, silkworm pupae...

There were also a few unnamed grass roots with an earthy smell.

Shang Sheyu's brows furrowed more and more tightly.

These medicinal herbs do have analgesic and meridian-clearing effects, but they are all potent and dangerous drugs, and their combinations are extremely chaotic, even reckless.

In particular, the silkworm pupae, if not properly prepared, can not only fail to cure diseases, but can also cause nerve paralysis or even loss of consciousness.

"What did you put in the porridge?"

Shang Sheyu stood up, threw the handkerchief aside, and looked sharply at Quan Huai'an.

"none of your business!"

Quan Huai'an stiffened his neck, his eyes flashing: "Can't I drink some medicinal porridge to nourish my body? You're really nosy."

"To nourish the body?"

Shang Sheyu gave a cold laugh.

"A whole scorpion combined with silkworm pupae, do you want to paralyze yourself or make yourself stupid? This medicine is extremely cold and poisonous. If an ordinary person takes it, they will suffer from diarrhea and vomiting at best, and damage to their nerves at worst."

Quan Huai'an was stunned.

He didn't expect that Shang Sheyu could identify the medicinal herbs inside so accurately just by smelling them.

"You...you're talking nonsense."