Demoting my wife to a concubine? After being reborn, I turned around and married into the imperial f

The three exchanged bewildered glances, and finally Chu Mingli stepped forward, saying, "Grandfather, you are wise. Chu Xun is indeed the owner of the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion, so naturally he understands pharmacology. You said that if only one of them developed the rash, it could be considered a coincidence, but how can it be a coincidence that my elder brother and Rou'er both developed the rash at the same time?"

Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "What? Just because I'm the owner of Wan Yao Ge and understand pharmacology, does that make me a murderer? By your logic, since you've been gambling all this time, and I've always been the one paying for your debts, does that mean you're hopeless for life?"

Upon hearing this, Old Master Chu's gaze changed, and he stared intently at Chu Mingli.

Chu Mingli was stunned for a long time, his face turning red and white in turns.

Chu Xunzhen, how dare she?

She knew perfectly well that what she cared about most was her family's opinion, so why did she reveal his past gambling?

"Mingli, did you go to the gambling den?"

Old Master Chu slammed his cane heavily on the ground.

He looked at Chu Mingli with disbelief and asked, "When did you go to the gambling den?"

With a thud, Chu Mingli knelt down and said, "I've only been there a few times."

"Really? You had Xunzhen pay for it for you?"

"Yes, but it's not much money. Besides, I've stopped gambling; I've realized my mistake."

Old Master Chu looked disappointed.

His three grandsons were a mixed bag: the eldest son was poor at judging character, shrewd but lacking in wisdom; the second son was carefree and had many friends, but had become addicted to gambling; and the third son was all brawn and no brains, easily swayed and prone to following the crowd.

At this moment, he was only glad that his third brother usually ate and slept in the military camp and rarely came back, otherwise he would probably be furious.

"How much money did you have your sister pay in advance? Since it's not a large amount, now that I'm here, you should return it to her. You and your sister shouldn't let money ruin your relationship."

After Old Master Chu finished speaking, Chu Mingli's face turned ugly.

"What? I told you, sir, to return the money to your sister, and you're still not happy?" Old Master Chu said angrily, "How can there be a brother like you in this world?"

Chu Xunzhen smiled and said, "Grandfather, it's not that my second brother is unwilling to repay, it's just that he doesn't have the funds for the time being."

Old Master Chu looked somewhat bewildered, then frowned and asked, "How much monthly salary does your eldest daughter-in-law give each of you?"

"One tael."

"Thirty taels," Chu Xunzhen and the other three said in unison.

After he finished speaking, Chu Mingyuan and the other two were shocked, first in disbelief, then in anger.

"Chu Xunzhen, don't you dare slander our mother. First you poisoned us, then you defame our own mother. What kind of legitimate daughter are you?"

Chu Mingyuan was furious.

Although the swelling in his mouth had gone down, the corner of his mouth still throbbed slightly.

Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "Mother said that since I've returned from the countryside, if I were given such a large monthly allowance, I might become extravagant, so she decided to give me only one tael of silver per month. Everyone in the household knows this, so why doesn't my elder brother know?"

Chu Mingyuan was taken aback, and it took him a while to remember.

Yes.

Three years ago, on the third day of the sixth lunar month, Chu Xunzhen had just returned.

That day was Rou'er's birthday, and also Chu Xunzhen's.

They carefully prepared gifts for Rou'er, but not for Chu Xunzhen.

At that time, Chu Xunzhen said that one tael of silver was not enough. Her mother said, "As the legitimate daughter, what do you need so much silver for?"

"You remembered?" Chu Xunzhen smiled somewhat teasingly.

"Even if Mother initially decided to give you one or two taels of silver as a monthly allowance, you can tell her if you don't have enough. Does she really think she'd deliberately withhold it from you?"

Chu Mingyuan spoke coldly.

Before Chu Xunzhen could speak, Chu Mingli's expression changed.

Looking at Chu Mingli's expression, Chu Xunzhen scoffed, "My second brother collects my monthly allowance, and Mother has tacitly agreed. What can I do?"

What?

Everyone was stunned, especially Old Master Chu, who never expected such a thing to happen.

Chu Mingyuan's gaze was sneer as he said, "Even if your second brother collected your monthly allowance, wouldn't he give it to you? And even if he didn't, it would only be once or twice, right? He can't possibly use your monthly allowance forever, can he? Chu Xunzhen, just keep making things up."

Chu Xunzhen smiled, a deep smile: "Then eldest brother should ask second brother how much silver he received from me? And while you're at it, ask mother for me why I told her not to give her share of the monthly allowance to second brother, or whether she should give it to him?"

"Sister, Grandfather will discuss the matter of Yueyin with Mother. For now, please give us the antidote first."

Chu Wanrou touched the red rash on her face and said aggrievedly.

Chu Xunzhen had no interest in talking to them anymore. She turned to Old Master Chu and said, "Grandfather, Xunzhen has never actively persecuted them. If they are really poisoned, we can ask the imperial physician to come and take a look."

Chu Wanrou's expression changed; she wanted to speak but dared not.

Chu Tianxiong spoke up: "The Gao family physician's ancestors were imperial physicians, and he was deeply versed in the true teachings of the imperial physicians. If his ancestors hadn't offended the late emperor's concubine, they wouldn't have been punished and forced to leave the Imperial Hospital. Someone, summon the Gao family physician here."

Upon hearing the words "Physician Gao," Chu Wanrou's expression darkened.

But she couldn't stop it.

The thought that the people she had sent to watch over Gao Ling'er had all been killed and their bodies thrown into her room sent chills down her spine.

A short while later, the physician from the Gao family arrived.

He carried a black medicine chest and wore a gray-brown robe, looking quite dignified.

"Doctor Gao, look at their faces."

"Replying to the old master, I have treated both of them. In theory, the scabs should have healed by today, and there shouldn't even be any scars left." The physician leaned closer to Chu Wanrou, his face extremely calm, but Chu Wanrou could still see the coldness in his eyes.

"If the diagnosis is correct, the previous rash has subsided, and this new rash, which appeared suddenly and aggressively, is caused by today's poisoning."

The doctor's words reminded Chu Mingyuan of the previous situation.

Indeed, when he looked in the bronze mirror this morning, he knew for certain that his face was almost healed.

He went to Chu Wanrou's courtyard and happily served her a bowl of sweet soup.

It relapsed in less than fifteen minutes.

"Could it be that bowl of sweet soup?" Chu Mingyuan wondered to himself.

But that was Rou'er's room, and Chu Xunzhen had already left and hadn't come in.

Rou'er is so kind, how could she possibly scheme against him like this?

Ke Rou'er didn't know that he would arrive suddenly, nor did she know that he would drink her sweet soup.

Perhaps Rou'er or her servants made a mistake in an attempt to protect her.

Chu Xunzhen smiled and said, "Grandfather, this morning, I was attending to the Lady of the Chongding Marquis's residence. How could I have had time to poison her? I hope you will investigate the truth and clear my name."

Old Master Chu's voice rang out: "I'll trouble Physician Gao. You must find out exactly who dared to harm my own granddaughter like this!"

After inquiring about Chu Mingyuan's itinerary and meals, the physician from the Gao family immediately decided to check on Chu Wanrou in her room.

"How dare you! How dare you, a mere physician of the manor, search our young lady Rou'er's room as you please?" Zi Yuan said coldly. "Besides, it should be the eldest young lady's room that is being searched. Madam is already searching the eldest young lady's room, and we will have news soon."

As soon as she finished speaking, Madam Li Yi, accompanied by her maid Li and a group of servants and maids, entered.

She raised the handkerchief in her hand and said coldly, "I have found the evidence, and it is in my hands."