CH 111

Chapter 111 Treasure

“What’s the results on your side?”

No matter how busy he was with his official matters, Bai Shiyan would come over in person as long as his mother was concerned.

“The resident doctor has seen it, aconitum, alkaline, what Chenzhou said was correct,” Liu Zhongming pushed a piece of paper over to show him: “The dose of the medicine was very small, for my aunt, it won’t hurt her body too much. At most, she would be a bit more drowsy, even if a doctor came to see her, I’m afraid they won’t be able to see anything.”

Bai Shiyan nodded. After he found out, he kept half of the things and asked the military doctor to check, there was indeed aconitum in the sweet snow noodles, but the amount was extremely small, and the impact on people was negligible.

For a pregnant woman who was pregnant, even if she was lethargic, it would not attract anyone’s attention.

If it wasn’t for Qu Chenzhou, no one would have discovered this non-lethal aconitine. This dose was not harmful to Madam Bai, but it does not mean that it was not harmful to the fetus.

The two of them were very close, some words were choked in their throats. No matter how careless Bai Shiyan was, the first time he noticed aconitine, a lump formed in his heart.

“Zhongming, do you still remember that my mother a few years ago…”

Liu Zhongming certainly remembered. When the resident doctor wrote out the results, he had already thought of this.

A few years ago, when his brother was still present and his aunt was pregnant, everyone was overjoyed. They also spent a lot of time watching their aunt’s growing belly, happily vying to name the baby.

But six months later, the little person who was supposed to be moving was still quiet and motionless. When the news of his brother’s death came, his aunt suddenly fainted and stayed in bed for a few days. In the end, she couldn’t keep the child.

Everyone only thought that his aunt was in too much grief, and the child was not born due to poor luck, but now that he thought about it… At that time, the person who spent the most time with his aunt was his mother.

If this matter was not found out, his aunt’s child may be lost again.

If it hadn’t been discovered by the two of them in advance, not getting others involved, the root cause would be traced to his mother, and then the incident a few years ago would also be involved, and the Bai Liu family would definitely fall out of water.

No matter whether he advanced or retreated, the person who was behind the poisoning will reap the benefits.

Liu Zhongming only felt a chill running down his back.

“Shiyan, trust me, I will definitely investigate this matter and give you an explanation. Don’t mention it to Auntie and Uncle. With Uncle’s temper, I’m afraid he will cause a big fuss.”

Bai Shiyan patted him on the shoulder: “Don’t treat me like an outsider, if I didn’t believe you, I wouldn’t have had Shilei send this thing. But since aunt is involved, I advise you to tell Uncle Liu.” 

Zhongming gave an “en”, his chest felt tight.

What Qu Chenzhou said was right, they always thought that the Bai Liu family stood on a neutral stand and had nothing to do with any side, but they never expected that other people’s hands had already reached out to them silently.

The Bai family was in charge of the military, if aunt gave birth to a boy again, they would have more to rely on, and if it was a girl, she would very likely enter the palace.

Not to mention if his elder sister was pregnant and gave birth to a prince, the cooperation of the two families would be a great threat.

Although he said he was going to investigate, he already had a guess in his mind – his mother was from the Tang family, so how could she possibly help others? In the lip rouge case, his mother’s position was clear.

The crux of the problem now was whether his mother was intentional or was used by others.

“What did Chenzhou say?” Bai Shiyan asked him.

“He didn’t say anything. He said after a divination, it’s not under his control.” Liu Zhongming gestured to the outside of the study, “Don’t you recognize the person? Why come and ask me, he’s in the yard, go ask yourself.” 

Bai Shiyan expressed that he was wronged.

“I asked him when I just came in. He seemed like he had become stupid. I said a word, but he didn’t react for a long time. He stared at me stupidly. He didn’t know what to say as if his soul had disappeared.”

Liu Zhongming rubbed the center of his brows, although he was troubled, he couldn’t bear the smile at the corner of his mouth.

Ever since he forced the little fox to nod, Qu Chenzhou had been in this state of his soul traveling to the nine heavens.

Last night, he was not willing to let the person leave the room, and he also promised that he would never touch him randomly. Qu Chenzhou laid obediently and did not move, curled up in his arms and trembled slightly, really like a little fox that had just been captured.

It’s just that when he somehow woke up in the middle of the night, there was a pleasant smell of hair fragrance under the tip of his nose. Qu Chenzhou’s back was facing him, and the quilt on his body was shaking with a very light whimper.

There was an impulse for a moment, he even wanted to let the two of them go, and said to Qu Shenzhou – if he was really unwilling, there was no need to force it.

But in the end, he still laid there without moving, and he didn’t even dare to tighten his arms. He just remembered in the dark that he hadn’t had a weird dream for a while.

He kept his eyes open. Seeing the sky brighten, he was thinking about getting out of bed, when the sleeping person noticed the warmth leaving him, turned over immediately, and hugged him tightly and dishonestly.

Liu Zhongming’s fingers scratched the little fox’s soft chin for a moment, this time not wanting to be taken advantage of by the other, he picked up a lock of Qu Chenzhou’s hair and poked it in the ear hole with a whirl.

Qu Chenzhou woke up suddenly, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that he was hugging Liu Zhongming, with one arm wrapped around the root of his leg, next to the hot little Liu.

The little fox instantly petrified into a dumb statue, until Liu Zhongming took him to the yard to bask in the sun, but still he didn’t recover.

“What did you do to him?” Bai Shiyan’s voice brought him back to his senses: “Look at the inattentive conduct of the two of you, this time was also a misunderstanding?” 

“I…” Liu Zhongming wanted to explain, but he didn’t want to admit that he forced it, so he rebuked with an unstoppable joy: “It’s not a misunderstanding.”

“Did you get the person done?” Bai Shiyan asked.

Liu Zhongming replied concisely: “Get lost!”

Bai Shiyan looked at him, hesitatant to speak: “Zhongming, in fact, I wanted to ask you before, you…is that thing okay?” 

“Bai Shiyan!” Liu Zhongming was furious: “Get lost!”

Bai Shiyan laughed, got up, rolled away like fold, and turned back at the door.

“My mother asked me to tell you that at the spring banquet in a few days, my aunt will take you to see some ladies from aristocratic families, and the emperor and concubines will also go. Whether you like it or not, hold back your temper and don’t make a fuss.”

Liu Zhongming couldn’t help but glance out of the window: “Okay, I understand, don’t tell Chenzhou.”

Bai Shiyan clicked his tongue, and stopped asking about the unclear relationship between the two, then asked casually: “Ren Rui has come out, you know?”

“Yes,” Liu Zhongming packed the things on the desk: “I heard that he initially planned to join the right divine army in the Beiya, but you rejected it?” 

“Of course I refused. Chenzhou said it, he’s a mad dog,” Bai Shiyan admitted: “It’s not that he can’t be controlled, it’s that there’s no need to lure wolves into the house, and it’s unnecessary to bother to manage it. He also said that we should be careful.” 

“Being careful is correct. Shilei and Fengyu escorted him back last year, and now you have turned him away, he must be dissatisfied.” 

“Don’t worry, I’m paying attention, and didn’t he go to Qi Wang’s side? If he dared to move around, could Qi Wang bear it?” Speaking of this, he remembered again: “Feng Yu was also protected by Qi Wang, and now Ren Rui was added too. With these two rivals secretly in the dark, it it unclear what kind of pinch they will be in, it was you who did it.”

“It’s not me,” Liu Zhongming didn’t take credit for it, and he had nothing to hide from Bai Shiyan: “It’s Jiang Xingzhi.” 

“Why him? Jiang Xingzhi also hooked up with Qi Wang? Why?”

“I don’t know. Jingchen said that he originally planned to persuade Jiang Xingzhi to leave the capital and not get involved in the muddy water. Jiang Xingzhi insisted on refusing. For some reason, he insisted on going back to Qi Wang, saying that he still had his own things to do. Jingchen couldn’t help it, so he could only let him go back.”

Bai Shiyan wondered: “No, didn’t he go to the Taishi Bureau?”

“Can’t people from the Taishi Bureau submit to Qi Wang?” Liu Zhongming asked back.

No matter what method was used, in the eyes of outsiders, they were like panicked wild dogs. For Jiang Xingzhi, he must completely abandon his dignity before he could kneel again at the feet of his old master who abandoned him.

Qi Wang should also realize that during this period of time, lacking Jiang Xingzhi’s assistance, he had no idea about many things, and everyone around him seemed to be a smart person who wanted to plot against him.

But now that Jiang Xingzhi turned back and bowed his head, he can only be a counselor hiding in the shadows, and he can no longer be the Jiang Changshi who talks and laughs freely.

“This…” Bai Shiyan wanted to understand the key point after being prompted by this, and couldn’t help asking: “Jiang Xingzhi still doesn’t want to give up on Jingchen’s title? What’s the relationship between them? What about you? Is it okay to let Jiang Xingzhi go?”

“What’s the relationship, I don’t know, you can ask Jingchen. Jingchen formed an alliance with me in front of the two old men, and Jiang Xingzhi should know to retreat due to difficulties,” Liu Zhongming packed up the documents and signaled to go out together: “I don’t want to let him go lightly, it’s just… I just admire Jiang Xingzhi for being able to abandon everything for one person.” 

His eyes turned involuntarily to the person under the tree.

“Actually, I’m also a little envious of Jingchen.”

After seeing off Bai Shiyan, Liu Zhongming turned back and sat down against the root of the tree.

“What are you looking at?” He followed Qu Chenzhou’s gaze and looked up, the leaves on the sycamore tree had been squeezed out of the bones, tiny and flushed with new green.

“In another month, it will bloom.”

Liu Zhongming remembered the flowering period of the sycamore tree. About two years ago, Qu Chenzhou was sent to another courtyard. He once hugged a sycamore tree and fell asleep peacefully at the door of his study. 

It was from that time that he became possessed.

“I asked the embroidery shop to make some good sachets. When the flowers bloom, I’ll pick them up and dry them while they’re fresh.” He became a little interested: “Give some to aunt and the others.” 

Qu Chenzhou rested his chin on the back of his hand. After listening to him silently, he suddenly asked, “Where’s my eight treasure exquisite box?”

Liu Zhongming laughed angrily.

When he first learned that Qu Chenzhou had taken the initiative to meet Jiang Fang, the two of them, no matter how angry he was, he still thought that there must be some clues left for him.

And the eight treasure exquisite box, which was regarded as a treasure by Qu Chenzhou, was placed beside the pillow so brightly.

There were several sheets of paper lying in the box, which were clearly listed, step by step carefully arranged for him.

He couldn’t get angry, couldn’t hate, he could only worry and miss.

“I put it in the cabinet for you, haven’t you had time to find it?” He asked amused, “What? Afraid I won’t return it to you? Because its so precious?”

“Yes.”

“So greedy for money, then when I marry you in the future, all the money in the residence will be under your control.”

Qu Chenzhou stared at him blankly, blinking his eyes in the mottled sunlight, and laughed at him, completely devoid of his usual cleverness.

“Stupid.” Liu Zhongming touched his face with his fingers: “What are you laughing at? Your face is so hot.” 

The little fox just laughed.

“You stay at home well, don’t go out these two days, help me think about things with my aunt. I’ll go back to the yamen first, and find my father at night, so you don’t have to wait for me to eat.” 

After walking a few steps, he heard a voice behind him: “Zhongming, come back early.”

He turned around and returned to Qu Chenzhou.

Qu Chenzhou was covered in his shadow and looked up at him: “Shizi?”

“What did you call me?” He asked.

“Zhongming…”

“Let me kiss you.” He demanded.

Qu Chenzhou was pulled up by his hands.

Two years later, they had all grown taller, and the top of Qu Chenzhou’s head was only at the height of his lips.

Liu Zhongming was short, and he was hugged by the waist and lifted off the ground, so the little fox was taller than him.

“Kiss before leaving.”

Qu Chenzhou put his hands on his shoulders, not daring to touch the wound on his back. He pursed his lips, smiling with crooked eyebrows, his eyes shining with the sunlight passing through the treetops.

“Just once.”

The little fox leaned over, tilted his head, crossed the bridge of their nose, and gave him a light dab.

“Come back early tonight.”

Someone’s words didn’t count, and kissed again, this time with a little more strength.

Liu Zhongming walked a few steps quickly, letting someone lean on the tree trunk. He put one hand on the back of Qu Chenzhou’s head, and pressed down.

In his world, there was only room for one person from now on.

The taste of taking by force… was actually really good.