Mistakenly Connected to the Jade Flower Branch

Chapter 208 Accident

Xue Yunting placed the heart-restoring pill in Duan Mingzhu's hand: "You should also be careful."

Duan Mingzhu stared at it for a while, then opened the bottle, took a pill, put the bottle on a low table to the side, and wrapped her arms around Xue Yunting's neck to kiss him.

Duan Mingzhu was determined to seduce him, and Xue Yunting could never resist. He carried Duan Mingzhu from the chair to the bed, using every method imaginable…

Duan Mingzhu could indulge herself, but Xue Yunting had to restrain himself. In the end, Duan Mingzhu closed her eyes slightly, lay on Xue Yunting's body, her head resting on his chest, her breathing slightly labored, her expression one of intoxication and languor.

Xue Yunting gently stroked her face, his low voice tinged with amusement: "Satisfied?"

Duan Mingzhu hummed in agreement: "The girls in Suzhou are quite nice. When you pass through Suzhou, you might as well take a look around."

Xue Yunting's tender feelings were extinguished by these words. Duan Mingzhu had said these kinds of things many times, and he had done these kinds of things many times before; the two of them had always taken it for granted. But now, Xue Yunting felt uneasy.

Seeing that he remained silent, Duan Mingzhu slightly raised her head and asked, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

Xue Yunting pressed her head down and turned to hold her in his arms: "Go to sleep for a while."

After all that fuss, she must be tired. Duan Mingzhu yawned appropriately and mumbled, "Don't wake me up when you leave later."

Duan Mingzhu fell asleep quickly, but Xue Yunting, with his eyes half-closed, couldn't fall asleep. Duan Mingzhu was intelligent, and with Qin Jiu and Ah Dai at Jingzhao Manor, there shouldn't be any problems. Yet, Xue Yunting still felt uneasy…

Nianyao was about to push open the door outside Xue Yunting's room when she sensed something was wrong with the noise inside. After listening intently, she quietly stepped back, cursing Su Wuming a hundred and eighty times in her heart: "You treacherous villain, I must stay far away from him."

When Nianyao found Su Wuming, he was playing chess with Qin Jiu in the courtyard. Nianyao snorted and stood behind Su Wuming.

Su Wuming quickly stood up, appearing very humble: "Sister, please sit down."

Nianyao sat down with her head held high, still looking somewhat resentful.

Qin Jiu looked Nian Yao up and down and said to Su Wuming, "Wuming, you should do good deeds and accumulate virtue in your daily life, otherwise you will easily encounter ghosts if you walk on the dark road too often."

Nianyao quickly nodded: "That's right."

Su Wuming smiled subtly: "Ninth Brother, if you've never done anything wrong, you won't be afraid of ghosts knocking on your door in the middle of the night."

Nianyao spat and said, "Aren't you ashamed?"

Su Wuming said, "If you walk upright and sit properly, why should you blush?"

Nianyao said, "I'm going to tell Yunting to spend less time with you, lest he learn bad habits."

Su Wuming chuckled, "Sister, I'm still a virgin. Yun Ting is married but still frequents brothels, and Ninth Brother's reputation is even worse. How did he end up following me astray?"

Nianyao opened her mouth, wanting to refute, but couldn't find the words. Qin Jiu was too lazy to argue: "Yes, yes, Lord Su is right."

I don't know: "Why don't we need to talk about Dad's reputation?"

Nianyao glanced at Buzhi and said, "Ninth Brother, your son is really good. He was so worried when you didn't come back."

Qin Jiu picked up Buzhi and asked, "How about Daddy teaches Buzhi to play chess?"

I don't know: "I know, my mother taught me."

Qin Jiu looked at Liang Qingcheng in surprise: "Madam, would you like to play a game?"

The way she addressed her as "Madam" was so natural and affectionate that Nianyao quickly stood up: "Ninth Sister-in-law, please sit here..."

Liang Qingcheng's chess skills weren't very good; he was defeated in less than sixty moves. Perhaps he didn't quite understand the game's flow, but he was happy to see his parents getting along so well.

Liang Qingcheng said sheepishly, "I admit defeat."

Qin Jiu reassured him, "It's alright. Playing chess is just a way to pass the time in your spare time. Winning or losing isn't important."

He then asked, "Then why doesn't Father give in to Mother?"

Qin Jiu was clearly taken aback. Liang Qingcheng said gently, "We should win by our own ability. There's no reason to expect others to let us win."

Nianyao said, "Ninth Sister-in-law is right. The chessboard is like a battlefield, and there are no fathers and sons on the battlefield."

These words were somewhat profound, and he nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite. Qin Jiu gently pinched his nose: "Good boy!"

"Dad, Second Grandma said Grandpa passed away?" (The child asked,)

Qin Jiu glanced at Li Caifeng: "If she's not Second Madam, then she's Grandma!"

Not knowing how well-behaved she was in front of Qin Jiu, she immediately addressed Li Caifeng as "Grandma."

Liang Qingcheng, being quite perceptive, followed suit and called out, "Mother!"

Fang Caiyue took off the emerald bracelet and put it on Liang Qingcheng's wrist: "Qingcheng, I have nothing else to give you, so please don't mind."

Liang Qingcheng glanced at Qin Jiu, who said, "If your mother gives it to you, just accept it."

Liang Qingcheng said, "Thank you, Mother."

Fang Caiyue hugged Bu Zhi and pinched his soft little face: "So cute!"

Just as Liang Qingcheng was about to respond, a servant rushed over: "Master, something terrible has happened! Ah Dai... Ah Dai..."

Qin Jiu frowned slightly, her voice calm and composed: "No rush, tell me slowly, what happened to Uncle Adai?"

Someone knocked on the door, one knocking quickly, the other slowly, one loudly, the other softly? Was it Su Wuming?

Xue Yunting gently released Duan Mingzhu, quickly tidied himself up, and got up to open the door: "What's wrong?"

Su Wuming said, "Uncle Adai is dead."

Ah-Dai lay flat on the bed, his face bluish-black, a sign of poisoning.

This turn of events was completely unexpected. Could it be that someone in the manor is seeking revenge for the dead? But if it were truly revenge, Qin Jiu should be the first to go, followed by Duan Mingzhu and Li Caifeng. How could it be Ah Dai?

Xue Yunting, who was already feeling uneasy, was now even more anxious: Was Duan Mingzhu safe at Jingzhao Villa?

Qin Jiu stared at Ah Dai for a long time before turning around. The entire room was silent. Qin Jiu scanned everyone, and his gaze finally landed on Xue Yunting: "Young General, who do you think is the murderer?"

Qin Jiu suspects Duan Mingzhu? Duan Mingzhu is new here and has no recent or distant grudges against Adai. She also doesn't like to meddle in other people's business. Besides, Adai is one of their people and will protect Duan Mingzhu at the manor.

Furthermore, if Qin Jiu could suspect Duan Mingzhu, why not Liang Qingcheng?

Xue Yunting glanced at Liang Qingcheng: "Ninth Brother, this is a serious matter. We must investigate thoroughly. We must not wrong an innocent person, nor can we let the murderer go unpunished."

Qin Jiu said, "Chief Xue, Qin Jiu needs your help."

Nianyao nudged Su Wuming with her elbow: "Ninth Brother said he needs our help?"

This is an internal matter of the manor and should be handled by the manor lord. Su Wuming nodded: "Alright, sister, you can stay at the manor and help Ninth Brother. Yunting and I will head back first."

Nianyao was dumbfounded: "You..."

Xue Yunting interrupted her: "Wuming is right. Sister, we have to go back first, so please stay a few more days."

Nianyao said, "Does your problem mean I'm okay? I still have to..."

She still needed to go to the northern desert to find Luo An. It had been so long; she wondered what had become of him. Going to the northern desert was a perilous journey, and who knew…

Su Wuming said, "Sister, I know you're worried about your husband. Once I return to Qinzhou, I'll send someone to contact Dongyang and find out where he is."

Nianyao glanced at him: "What, is there a spy from Nanyue in Dongyang?"

Su Wuming said, "There are no spies, but Prince Rui made a few friends while traveling the world."

Nianyao blurted out, "Guanyin Pavilion."