Just a Wet Nurse, Just a Plaything? Everyone Wept After My Death - Chapter 61

Chapter 61

On the eighteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, the heavy snow finally cleared.

It was Grand General Huo Xiao’s twenty-seventh birthday.

The entire General’s Manor was decked out in lanterns and festive decorations, with red silk hanging everywhere. Dozens of banquet tables filled the front hall, and the guests included Huo Xiao’s most capable officers and the most prominent figures in Yanzhou City.

Tingfeng Courtyard was not as lively as the front hall, but a family banquet had still been arranged according to custom.

As the “wet nurse,” Shen Yingyue was not qualified to sit at the table. However, since she had to care for Huzi, Old Madam Huo had “graciously” allowed her to stand nearby with the child in her arms and wait on them.

Huzi was now four months old. He had filled out considerably, his skin fair and tender, and his large, dark eyes were curiously taking in everything around him. Nuannuan, who was over a year old, slept obediently on a nearby cushioned couch. A thick quilt covered her, and she still clutched a small cloth tiger in one hand.

“Cousin, today is your birthday, but I don’t have anything special to give you.”

Liu Ruyan had dressed lavishly for the occasion. Her crimson brocade gown made her face look as lovely as peach blossoms. She took a delicate porcelain bowl from her maid and approached Huo Xiao with a bright smile.

“I made this longevity egg custard myself. I added some ginseng rootlets we brought from the capital, so it’s especially nourishing. Have a taste, Cousin, and let my little nephew share in the good fortune too.”

Huo Xiao was in excellent spirits. The wine had left his face flushed. He glanced at the golden, silky-smooth custard and laughed heartily.

“How thoughtful of you. I don’t care for soft food like this, so let Huzi have it. The boy has put on some weight over the past four months, but he’s still thinner than most children his age. This will be good for him.”

With a wave of his large hand, he gestured for Shen Yingyue to bring Huzi over.

The sight of the custard made Shen Yingyue’s heart skip a beat.

She did not know why, but ever since the incident with the pinch marks, she had instinctively become wary of anything Liu Ruyan offered.

“General, the Young Master is only four months old. Although he can have some supplementary food, ginseng is extremely potent. His stomach is still delicate, so I’m afraid it may be too nourishing for him to tolerate…” Shen Yingyue lowered her head and quietly voiced her concern.

“Insolence!”

Old Madam Huo, seated at the head of the table, immediately bristled.

“Ruyan means well! She only added a few tiny ginseng rootlets, and they were stewed until perfectly soft. Why shouldn’t he eat it?

“What would an ignorant country woman like you know about medicine? You simply can’t stand seeing Ruyan treat the child well!”

Huo Xiao frowned as well, feeling that Shen Yingyue was deliberately ruining the mood. “Enough. It’s only a little egg custard. It won’t hurt him. Feed it to him.”

With no other choice, Shen Yingyue reluctantly accepted the porcelain bowl.

Standing nearby, Liu Ruyan watched her take the custard, the corner of her lips curling into an imperceptible sneer.

There was indeed ginseng in it.

But in addition to the ginseng, she had also ordered someone to grind a small amount of safflower into powder and mix it in.

Safflower stimulated blood circulation. It was a dangerous medicinal ingredient used to induce miscarriages. Although Liu Ruyan had carefully controlled the dose so it would not kill a four-month-old infant, it would be more than enough to cause the little bastard agonizing stomach cramps!

More importantly, the real show was yet to come.

Shen Yingyue knew nothing of this. Huzi seemed to catch the custard’s enticing aroma. Not only did he show no resistance, he even reached for the bowl with one tiny hand. Helpless, she scooped up a small spoonful, blew on it until it cooled, and carefully fed it into his mouth.

As Shen Yingyue focused on feeding him and everyone’s attention remained fixed on Huzi, Cui’er suddenly came over.

“Oh, Sister Shen, I think Nuannuan has kicked off her quilt.”

Liu Ruyan’s personal maid wore an ingratiating smile and kept her voice low.

“It’s freezing today. We wouldn’t want her to catch a chill. Let me straighten her blankets for you.”

Nuannuan was sleeping in a cradle not far from Shen Yingyue.

Shen Yingyue was busy enduring the scrutiny of Huo Xiao and Old Madam Huo, afraid that she would be scolded again if she spilled any food. Without thinking much of it, she nodded. “Thank you.”

Cui’er turned her back to the others, blocking their view as she pretended to tuck in the corners of Nuannuan’s quilt.

At that moment, she flicked her wrist with incredible speed and slipped a folded oil-paper packet she had hidden in her sleeve into the layers of Nuannuan’s thick cotton swaddling, entirely unnoticed.

The packet contained the remaining safflower powder.

Once it was done, Cui’er calmly covered Nuannuan with the quilt again and retreated behind Liu Ruyan. The two exchanged a secret, malicious glance.

The trap had been laid.

Huzi continued eating the drugged custard one bite at a time, occasionally smacking his lips in satisfaction.

The amusement in Liu Ruyan’s eyes deepened as she watched.

Go on. Eat as much as you can.

Once the drug took effect, Tingfeng Courtyard would have quite a show to enjoy.

And this time, with both the culprit and the evidence caught together, Liu Ruyan wanted to see how that wretched Shen Yingyue could possibly escape!