Chapter 279 - 277: Choose Clothes Carefully

In front of Honored Lady Lan, there lay a packet of poison.

Lianlian spoke with self-satisfied triumph.

"Honored Lady, your relationship with Xia Jieyu is really good!"

"Tomorrow, invite Xia Jieyu over for tea, and slip this poison into it!"

Having said that, she took out a large packet of Calming Incense.

"Once you’ve done it, all of this will be yours!"

Honored Lady Lan looked at all that Calming Incense, her eyes full of longing.

She craved it! She no longer wanted to live without dignity, like a dog, nor suffer as if on the brink of death.

But... to hurt someone? Xia Jieyu was so kind! In the entire Harem, she was the only one willing to save her. Even if it was Lady Xi who, to harm Xia Jieyu, had dragged her into this mess. But... Honored Lady Lan still couldn’t bring herself to do it.

"You won’t agree?" Lianlian’s voice came again.

Honored Lady Lan shuddered with fear.

"You’re asking me to harm someone?"

Before Lianlian could respond, Lady Xi arrived. Leading Dong Cha, she approached at a leisurely pace.

"Oh my, Eldest Sister Lan, long time no see, how did you end up looking like this!"

Affected by the poison, Honored Lady Lan’s appearance was truly ghastly!

"What are you here for!" Honored Lady Lan glared venomously at her.

Lady Xi simply laughed. "My dear sister, don’t be so fierce!"

After speaking, she took Honored Lady Lan’s hand, scrutinizing it for a while, then sighed deeply.

"Alas! Eldest Sister Lan, your hands... how did they become like this? They don’t look good at all!"

Honored Lady Lan immediately withdrew her hand. "What’s it to you!"

Lady Xi’s gaze suddenly sharpened. She slammed her hand on the table. "What’s it to me? My dear sister, you seem to have quite the temper today!"

"However, considering you’re doing things for me, I’ll forgive you this time!"

"All this Calming Incense is yours now, enough to last you a while!"

"As long as you handle this matter properly, I’ll provide all your Calming Incense in the future. We’ll still be good sisters, how about it?"

An inexplicable chill crept into Honored Lady Lan’s heart.

If only she had known from the start what Lady Xi was truly like! How could she have so muddle-headedly become sisters with her! She truly was! So foolish!

"What’s wrong? Eldest Sister Lan, you’ve been so good to me. Why won’t you help with such a small thing?"

Lady Xi sighed faintly and made to take back the large packet of incense.

Honored Lady Lan suddenly stopped her. "Wait!"

Lady Xi instantly smiled. "Eldest Sister Lan, have you thought it through?"

Honored Lady Lan nodded. "But... I have one condition!"

"Speak your mind," Lady Xi said.

Honored Lady Lan flashed a radiant smile. "I want to scout out the path first!"

"If she dies in my residence, I won’t survive either. It would be better to go to Qingya Residence!"

Lady Xi spread her hands in indifference. "As you wish. What I want is for her to die!"

"As for... how she dies, that has nothing to do with me!"

After speaking, Lady Xi jammed the packet of poison into Honored Lady Lan’s hand and left.

Before leaving, she also gave Lianlian a meaningful look.

Lianlian nodded triumphantly.

Honored Lady Lan looked at her and instructed, "I will do it, but you are still a Palace Maid. Don’t let anyone see through you!"

Lianlian thought for a moment, then composed herself somewhat.

Honored Lady Lan ordered, "Go fetch the meal. I’ll go after I finish lunch!"

Lianlian believed her and went without a second thought.

The lunch was quite sumptuous, as befitting an Honored Lady. After having her lunch, Honored Lady Lan took a brief nap.

When she awoke, she called for Lianlian to dress her. "Choose a good set of clothes for me; I’m going out!"

Lianlian naturally knew what she was up to and also set about her task with great effort.

Soon, a fine set of palace attire was put together.

Honored Lady Lan was very satisfied. "Not bad!"

"Go get some pastries, the kind that need powdered sugar. I’ll sprinkle the poison on them. As soon as she eats one, she’ll die from the poison!"

Seeing her mistress being so compliant, Lianlian smiled. "Mistress, if you had been like this earlier, wouldn’t you have suffered less?"

With that, she indeed went to get the pastries.

Honored Lady Lan hurried to the backyard, took out a wrinkled piece of paper from her sleeve, and stuffed it into Molli’s arms. She untied Molli’s ropes.

"Molli, go find Xia Jieyu, fast! You must get this note to her!"

Molli took the note, took a couple of weak steps, but still stumbled out through the back door.

Honored Lady Lan returned to the inner room, composed her features, and calmed herself.

Soon, Lianlian brought the pastries. Honored Lady Lan indeed opened the packet of poison and sprinkled some of it onto the pastries. The white powder mixed with the powdered sugar, making it completely unnoticeable.

Honored Lady Lan was very pleased. "Let’s go!"

Lianlian nodded, visibly excited.

Is it really going to happen? How exciting to even think about it!

Honored Lady Lan gave her a sinister look, the corners of her lips curling into a cold smirk.

They soon arrived at Qingya Residence. Honored Lady Lan also met Xia Jieyu smoothly.

After exchanging pleasantries, Honored Lady Lan opened the food container and smiled. "These are freshly made pastries. I tried them, and they’re excellent. Xia Jieyu, would you like to try some?"

Xia Ruqing smiled, and Zi Yue at her side also smiled as usual.

The plate was placed on the table.

Zi Yue suddenly remarked, "Oh dear, why are these pastries a bit cold?"

Saying this, she took the dish away again. "My two mistresses, these pastries aren’t good at all when they’re cold. Your servant will go heat them up!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Zi Su brought in new pastries. "These plates are already warmed!"

"Mistress, Honored Lady Lan, please eat these first. Those others will be served after they are heated!"

Honored Lady Lan nodded, seemingly relieved. Although Lianlian was a bit reluctant, she didn’t say anything.

The two ate the pastries in silence.

After a moment, Zi Yue came in with the warmed pastries. The powdered sugar on top had melted somewhat, and a few sesame seeds had been sprinkled on for presentation.

Lianlian was pleased to see the pastries brought back. "Xia Jieyu, why don’t you give it a try?"

Honored Lady Lan had an uneasy expression and glared at her but said nothing. She just picked up her tea and sipped at it.

Lianlian kept shooting her meaningful glances.

Honored Lady Lan closed her eyes, as if having made a momentous decision. She then picked up a pastry herself and ate two pieces, her smile more like a grimace than a genuine expression of pleasure. "These pastries are quite good!"

Xia Ruqing observed, then picked up a piece.

Lianlian’s heart was about to leap out of her throat.

Eat it! Hurry up and eat it! Once she eats it, the Harem will finally be peaceful! Hurry and eat!

Xia Ruqing glanced at Lianlian and sneered. Then, under everyone’s watchful eyes, she put the pastry in her mouth.

"Mmm! Indeed, they’re good, they melt in your mouth. It’s just... a bit too sweet!"

After eating one, she wiped her hands and didn’t eat any more of them.

Lianlian was already overjoyed.

It’s done!

Before Honored Lady Lan could finish speaking, Lianlian hastily pulled her away.

...

On the way back, Honored Lady Lan felt completely relieved, her face beaming with a joyful smile.

Lianlian was the same, so elated she felt like she could fly.

「Upon returning to Zhaohua Pavilion.」

Lianlian wiggled her bottom and scurried off.

Molli was nowhere to be seen.

Honored Lady Lan smiled, lit a brazier, and burned the entire large box of Calming Incense.

She then faced the mirror, meticulously did her makeup and hair, and then...