CHAPTER 225: CHAPTER 222: IN OUR FAMILY, THE DAUGHTER-IN-LAW CALLS THE SHOTS

At this moment, the sound of crickets was heard outside the door again.

Fu Zhen turned her head and saw Yang Tong peeking through the window. She walked over, and Yang Tong lowered his voice and said, "The servants of the Zhe family are not clean. Just now, I did a lap around the place and found these items in the rooms where two maids stayed."

Fu Zhen looked closely and saw several gold hairpins and bracelets, shining in his palm.

Having stayed by Mrs. Ning’s side for these few months, Fu Zhen could immediately tell that the quality of these items was quite good, not something a servant should own.

She thought for a moment, "How many maids does Zhe Yu have?"

"Three maids take care of his daily life."

"Go find out how they got in here."

Yang Tong accepted the order and left, and Fu Zhen returned to the bedside.

After Pei Zhan fed a few sips of water, Zhe Yu had calmed down.

Fu Zhen said, "Going to Luoyang and back will take at least half a month. If we can’t even supply tea, surely there won’t be good medicine available either.

"If this situation continues, half a month is enough to take his life. We must find a way to wake him up as soon as possible."

Pei Zhan stood up, picking up a prescription that had fallen next to the round table where they had just brewed tea: "It’s indeed the prescription from the Imperial Physician. It’s impressive that he has managed to endure so many days.

"As long as we can keep up with the medicine, waking up shouldn’t be a problem.

"Later, I’ll have Guo Song bring some good medicinal plasters from the mansion for him to use.

"We’ll treat a dead horse as if it were alive."

Fu Zhen glanced at the prescription, turned around to find a pen and paper, and started copying it: "Our family has a pharmacy, I’ll take this back to have the shopkeeper pick the best medicine, boil it, and then bring it here to feed him.

"I don’t want him to be a dead horse; I want him to be a living one, and the one who charges directly at Xu the Traitor with a gun and a knife!"

She was no longer the Fu Miss who had to constantly guard against exposure of her identity and attracting attention from Xu Yin; she was now the wife of General Pingxi, with much more room to maneuver!

The surname Xu had committed countless evils, harming not only Liang Ning but also putting Zhe Yu in such harm’s way just because he wanted to frame Mrs. Zhang and stir conflict between the daughter-in-law and mother-in-law of Prince Rong’s Mansion! How could she let him off?

She had to make good use of this!

She tucked the copied prescription into her sleeve, ensured Zhe Yu’s breathing was steady, and the two of them left the room.

There were lights on in the courtyard, and there was activity. Upon entering, it was indeed Yang Tong with two guards who had the three maids kneeling on the ground.

Fu Zhen asked, "How is it?"

Yang Tong immediately came forward and whispered, "Two out of the three have been bribed; they were already interrogated. The two on the left are the ones we found the jewelry on. The one on the right is a menial maid, and usually doesn’t enter Zhe Yu’s room.

"Their backgrounds check out; they’re all locals bought through normal channels.

"However, even they don’t know who bribed them with jewelry, only that it was a young man with a token from Prince Rong’s Mansion, claiming to be under Princess Rong’s orders."

This lie might fool the maids.

If Princess Rong wanted to harm Zhe Yu, would she need to go through so much trouble?

Of course, there must be another identity!

However, the words "young man" brushed her ear, and Fu Zhen’s eyes flickered for a moment.

She walked over to the two maids on the left, glanced at them, and then squatted down: "Is that man not yet thirty, refined in his manners, and dressed in fine clothes?"

The maids were already scared stiff and dared not play tricks when questioned. The two fought to say, "Exactly, exactly! He has a long face, only a bit shorter than our General, but his way of speaking is indeed quite pleasant."

At the end of their speech, they lowered their heads again.

Fu Zhen sneered, "You just agree with whatever I say? I’m from the Prince’s Manor, and you still intend to trick me? Someone, cut out their tongues!"

The two were frightened out of their wits, "Spare us, good sir! We don’t have the courage for such things!"

Fu Zhen stood up, "If you want me to believe, I can. From now on, I’ll leave a brother at the Zhe’s, watching you day and night.

"If you obey him and nothing else happens, then I’ll believe you. If not, I’ll take you to the Prince Manor!

"The manor has been troubled by disturbances recently, and the Princess Consort is furious. I’ll take you there for her to vent her anger!"

The maids were utterly terrified and dared not reply further.

Fu Zhen turned and left the courtyard, walking out of the Zhe family, and looked back at the guards behind her, speaking to Pei Zhan: "Pick a brother to stay and keep an eye on things. Those two maids are unreliable, and for now, we can’t let them spread the word of our visit.

"Moreover, Zhe Yu needs proper care, and without supervision, they won’t be obedient."

Pei Zhan said, "Chen Shun will follow the Young Madam’s orders."

A tall and thin guard stepped forward and accepted the command.

Fu Zhen instructed, "These few days, stay hidden within the Zhe family for safety’s sake, and it’d be best not to show yourself. Just keep an eye on the happenings inside, and ensure those two maids serve Zhe Yu well."

Chen Shun agreed, deftly scaling the wall, disappearing within the Zhe family’s courtyard walls.

Fu Zhen looked at Yang Tong and the others, "Did we cover all our tracks on this visit? Will it alert them?"

Yang Tong pondered, "Usually some traces are inevitable, but since the master arranged for Brother Chen Shun to stay, there will be no issues whatsoever."

Fu Zhen nodded, "That’s good. Now go and keep an eye on Lian Rong for me. According to what the maids said, he is the one who bribed them with harmful intent!

"That Lian is a malignant tumor. Whatever movements he makes, be sure to report. Don’t give him or Xu Yin a chance to harm Zhe Yu again!"

"Understood!"

Yang Tong immediately led the people away.

Fu Zhen casually walked a bit, just remembering that Pei Zhan should still be behind her. When she turned around, indeed, he was standing right before her.

She said, "Why haven’t you spoken at all?"

Pei Zhan unhurriedly took off the black cloth from his face, "I just follow your orders and act accordingly."

This made Fu Zhen feel a bit embarrassed. "I’ve been the one to steal the spotlight, ordering your guards around. Next time, you take the lead."

"Why say such things, madam? Aren’t we all working to rid the Great Zhou Court of evildoers? Why distinguish between us?

"Besides, in our Lao Pei family, it’s always the wives who take charge."

Fu Zhen was speechless.

Pei Zhan grabbed her wrist, leading her towards the carriage parked under a tree up ahead: "Madam, in daily life, you are bold and straightforward, your spirit no less than any man’s, it’s admirable. Why be restrained today?... "

Fu Zhen didn’t have time to respond before he pulled her into the carriage.

She understood well the principles of working together to root out evil, but, in just a few days, he was already calling her "wife" so smoothly, even using "wife" so quickly. What’s going on?