CHAPTER 441: CHAPTER 441 CONFUSION

Su Jin extended her hand to check Lady Chi’s pulse.

Lady Chi’s face was filled with an indescribable astonishment.

Xique was even more astonished.

She never imagined even in her dreams that the Heir’s wife could practice medicine.

As she was lost in thought, Lady Chi looked toward her and gestured with her hand.

Xique quickly brought over the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Su Jin’s expression was heavy.

There was poison in Lady Chi’s body.

Although the poison was not lethal, it rendered her unable to speak.

What kind of grudge would drive someone to inflict disfigurement and silence on a defenseless woman?

It was fortunate that Lady Chi met her, and she happened to know the antidote for the poison in Lady Chi’s body.

However, since Lady Chi had not spoken for many years, she would need some time to recover before she could speak like a normal person.

Su Jin didn’t plan to prescribe a remedy; she would go back, gather the medicine, and send it over.

However——

Lady Chi didn’t summon the writing brush and paper for Su Jin to use.

Lady Chi wrote on the paper: Was it you who helped remove Chenchen’s poison?

Chenchen?

Isn’t this term of address a bit too intimate?

She was merely the Prince’s concubine.

She shouldn’t refer to Xie Jingchen that way, right?

Su Jin was somewhat puzzled.

Xingxing didn’t think that far and said proudly, "Of course, it was my lady who removed it."

"If it weren’t for my lady’s excellent medical skills, the young master would have died on the night he married my lady."

"The Heir’s wife is truly impressive," Xique said with admiration.

Xingxing raised her head like a proud peacock.

Lady Chi continued to write: Will I be able to speak again?

Su Jin nodded.

Lady Chi’s tears flowed instantly.

Su Jin was about to console her.

But before she could speak, Lady Chi got up and left, leaving Su Jin with a hurried silhouette.

Su Jin, "...."

Soon there were sounds of rummaging through drawers and cabinets.

Perhaps she was too anxious, there was also the sound of something breaking.

Su Jin couldn’t go over to check, so Xique went.

She hadn’t taken more than a few steps when Lady Chi came out.

In her hand, she held a silver note and a Jade Pendant.

The Jade Pendant was precisely the one Su Jin had the Hidden Guard bring to test Lady Chi.

Seeing Lady Chi’s appearance didn’t match much with the person in the painting, she wanted to find a reason to take back the Jade Pendant. Unexpectedly, before she could speak, Lady Chi took out the pendant herself.

Could it be that she and Lady Chi were of one mind?

Su Jin’s mouth twitched.

Lady Chi handed the silver note and Jade Pendant to Su Jin.

Su Jin was a bit baffled.

Last time, Lady Chi had given her a silver note worth five thousand taels.

This one was also worth five thousand taels.

Lady Chi was much wealthier than she had imagined. Where did she get so much money?

Filled with curiosity, Su Jin pushed the silver note and Jade Pendant back, "I don’t need them. The silver note you gave last time is enough for your treatment."

Lady Chi pushed the silver note and Jade Pendant back again.

After pushing them back, she picked up the brush and wrote: I don’t know who lost this Jade Pendant inside the Qingqiu Garden. Please kindly assist, Heir’s wife, in returning it to its rightful owner.

Su Jin, "...."

Xingxing, "...."

Xingxing silently looked at Su Jin.

What a hollow victory.

Su Jin felt there was something off.

Because in Lady Chi’s eyes, there was a glimpse of desire, as if she was afraid Su Jin would refuse.

This Jade Pendant was of high quality, of considerable value, and it was found in the secluded Qingqiu Garden. The one who lost it wasn’t anxious, yet the finder was more anxious than anyone. It was too strange.

If Lady Chi hadn’t taken out the Jade Pendant, Su Jin could have claimed it was hers.

Now, she couldn’t voice such a claim.

After all, it’s not good to probe others.

Su Jin began to act again, looking over the Jade Pendant and said, "This Jade Pendant doesn’t look like something ordinary people could afford. Left in Qingqiu Garden, could it belong to the Prince?"

"I’ll take it to the Prince later," Su Jin said.

Lady Chi shook her head like a rattle.

Su Jin was a bit confused.

Lady Chi hadn’t met the Prince often, how could she be so sure the Jade Pendant wasn’t the Prince’s?

She was the Prince’s nominal concubine. In the entire Prince Zhenbei Mansion, only the Prince had a rightful reason to be here.

"Does Lady Chi know whose Jade Pendant it is?" Su Jin asked.

Lady Chi shook her head.

Xique looked at her, suspiciously saying, "Since Madam doesn’t know whose it is, perhaps it is indeed the Prince’s?"

"The Prince Mansion has strict security, it’s impossible for outsiders to sneak in."

Lady Chi just shook her head.

Even though the paper and pen were right beside her, she didn’t write anything.

It wasn’t appropriate for Su Jin to force her.

Looking at the Jade Pendant in her hand, she knew what to do.

After all, Lady Chi was still the Prince’s concubine. Though the Prince almost never came to see her, Su Jin shouldn’t stay long either.

After all, there were too many people in this mansion who wanted her dead.

If Lady Chi got caught up with her, and someone targeted her as a way to vent, what would happen?

The possibility was too great.

Especially since they had thoroughly offended the Old Madam.

Sometimes, keeping a distance is also a form of protection.

Having run out of ointment, considering Mrs. Li’s incident of stealing it hadn’t been resolved, Su Jin decided not to send more for now, to avoid wasting previous efforts.

She instructed Xique not to reveal her medical skills, and then took her leave.

Returning to the Agarwood Pavilion, Xingxing looked at Su Jin and couldn’t help but say, "Miss, is Lady Chi really Young Master Zhao’s mother? I’m so confused."

"Do you think I’m not confused?" Su Jin lay on the Imperial Concubine’s Couch, looking wistful.

"...."

"What should we do now?" Xingxing furrowed her little brows.

If they informed the Heir of Marquis Jingguo that Lady Chi might be Young Master Zhao’s mother, and it turned out to be a mistake, it would be embarrassing.

What’s more, if they sent someone to inform Young Master Zhao.

If he rushed back to see his mother, only to have cold water poured on him by them, he’d definitely be disappointed.

Su Jin flipped through the Jade Pendant.

A bold idea climbed back up her mind.

Since Young Master Zhao had returned to Nanliang, he wouldn’t be back for a while.

This Jade Pendant was something his mother left for him.

She only had this Jade Pendant to help him find his mother.

Lady Chi was so fearful of her handing the Jade Pendant to the Prince, was it because she was afraid of being suspected of having an affair, or was she worried the Prince would recognize the pendant?

Su Jin pondered and ruled out the first guess.

Lady Chi didn’t compete for favor. If she truly worried about that, she wouldn’t have been honest with her.

It only left being worried the Prince might recognize it.

Yet Su Jin was most concerned that no one recognized the Jade Pendant.

If the Prince recognized it.

That would be exactly what she wanted.

Having probed Lady Chi, Su Jin now set her eyes on the Prince.

It was easier to test Lady Chi, but testing the Prince wasn’t so simple.

The Qingqiu Garden had few people, Lady Chi knew no martial arts, she didn’t worry about being discovered, nor did she worry about someone else taking the pendant.

But she couldn’t just throw the Jade Pendant into the Prince’s study, could she?

Even if the Hidden Guard’s martial arts were skilled, he couldn’t manage that.

If she threw it elsewhere, Su Jin worried the Prince wouldn’t see it, and if someone else picked it up, she’d have to ask for it back, which would be too awkward.

It couldn’t be done subtly, so Su Jin decided to be more straightforward.

Outside, footsteps were approaching.

It was Xie Jingchen’s footsteps.

Su Jin quickly climbed off the Imperial Concubine’s Couch, approached him, and directly hugged Xie Jingchen’s arm.

"Let’s go pay respects to the Old Prince," Su Jin said.

Xie Jingchen’s face was expressionless.

"I just returned from visiting my grandfather," he said.

"...."

"Then let’s visit again," Su Jin said.

"...."

"By the way, did the Hidden Guard come back as well?"