And so, they stared at each other blankly for another quarter of an hour.
Su Li's gaze landed on the sachet at Marquis Wuyang's waist. She put away her medicine bottle.
"Marquis, where did you acquire this sachet?"
Marquis Wuyang picked up the sachet and said, "This? My wife embroidered it. I've been wearing it for half a year now. Huh? Why has it turned red? I distinctly remember it being aquamarine."
Su Li stated gravely, "There's a poison called 'Silent Demise.' As its name suggests, once poisoned, a person will die quietly within a month, appearing as if they've simply fallen asleep. This poison is colorless and odorless, making it incredibly hard to detect. It only turns red upon contact with the scent of Dragon's Blood Grass. The powder in my medicine bottle just now was Dragon's Blood Grass."
The sachet in Marquis Wuyang's hand dropped to the ground with a thud.
"You... you mean, this sachet is tainted with poison?" Marquis Wuyang's eyes widened.
But this sachet was embroidered by his wife! How could this be?
"County Princess, are you mistaken? How could my mother possibly be involved?" Ji Huaizhou's shock was no less than Marquis Wuyang's.
Su Li said, "The only symptom of this poison, apart from the eventual demise, is an increased thirst."
Marquis Wuyang's expression changed drastically. He had indeed been feeling parched lately, having attributed it to the warming weather. He never expected...
It was Jun Mo who then said, "This poison must have been administered recently. That Marquis Wuyang hasn't felt any significant abnormalities yet suggests it has nothing to do with Lady Ji."
Su Li nodded, "Ziyan is right."
The Ji father and son breathed a sigh of relief, then their expressions abruptly changed again.
Having such a dangerous enemy hidden within the Ji family was too great a hidden threat.
Su Li continued, "Marquis, anyone who has access to your clothing is suspect. In fact, this person should be quite easy to find. This poison needs to be reapplied every three or four days to remain effective. If you pay closer attention in your daily life, Marquis, you'll be able to identify them."
Marquis Wuyang nodded, saying, "Many thanks for your guidance, County Princess!"
Ji Huaizhou looked at Su Li and asked, "County Princess, is my father truly fine now?"
Su Li turned and looked at Jun Mo, saying, "May I borrow your brush and ink?"
Jun Mo replied, "Please, Li'er."
Su Li walked to the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote down a prescription on the Xuan paper.
"This is a detoxifying prescription. Brew and consume it three times daily. It's fortunate that Marquis Wuyang wasn't poisoned long ago; if his body had truly begun to show abnormalities, there would have been nothing I could do then."
Ji Huaizhou took the prescription, a wave of lingering fear washing over him as he looked at his father.
"Thanks to you, County Princess! The Ji family owes you an immense debt of gratitude. Should you ever need my services in the future, I, Ji Huaizhou, will not hesitate!"
Su Li smiled, "You and my cousin have already betrothed. We're practically family now. Just be good to my cousin, and that's enough."
Marquis Wuyang slapped his chest in assurance, "County Princess, rest assured, this lad wouldn't dare bully Miss Wei. Otherwise, this Marquis will cripple him!"
Ji Huaizhou grumbled indignantly, "How could I ever bully Yaoyao?"
Su Li chuckled, "Marquis Wuyang, it would still be best to find this culprit as soon as possible."
Marquis Wuyang nodded, "This Marquis will see who this audacious scoundrel is, daring to scheme against me! Your Highness, County Princess, I shall take my leave now!"
Jun Mo nodded, "Marquis, take care on your way."
Marquis Wuyang cupped his hands once more, "County Princess, many thanks! Farewell!"
With that, he strode away quickly.
Ji Huaizhou also hastily bid farewell and hurried out after him.
Su Li watched the retreating figures of the Ji father and son and murmured softly, "It's a good thing we discovered it early."
Otherwise, my cousin would have had to wait three years, and three years is far too long, with too many variables.
Jun Mo stepped forward, gently pulling her to sit on a chair, and offered her a preserved fruit.
"Li'er, how did you suspect Marquis Wuyang was poisoned with 'Silent Demise'? And how did you happen to have Dragon's Blood Grass powder with you so coincidentally?"
Su Li paused, then sighed, looking at Si Qin and Zhi Shu. "You two may leave for now."
"Yes."
Once only the two of them remained in the room, Su Li rose and paced to the window, looking out calmly as she said, "Do you remember the dream I told you about?"
Jun Mo thought she was about to claim it was another dream.
"I remember."
"Then do you remember asking you if you believed in past lives and present lives, before I spoke of this dream?" Su Li turned, her gaze fixed intently on Jun Mo.
Since they had decided to be together, there were no secrets that couldn't be shared between them.
Jun Mo paused, a realization dawning. Was she finally going to tell him?
"I remember," Jun Mo replied again.
"Actually, that wasn't a dream. It was my past life. In my past life, due to Concubine Xia's schemes, I married Zhao Huaian. My face was never cured in that life, making me a laughingstock in Tianqi. But Zhao Huaian was skilled at deception;
I believed I had found a good man and devoted myself wholeheartedly to assisting him. He was Jun Hui's most capable strategist, and I spared no effort, using my father's and maternal grandfather's influence to push Jun Hui onto that throne. Zhao Huaian, in turn, became the Imperial Advisor, wielding immense power."
Su Li's voice was calm, as if she were recounting someone else's story.
Jun Mo walked over, took her cold hand, and continuously transferred his warmth to her.
"I naively believed that my hardships had finally ended and joy would follow, but what awaited me was the annihilation of Duke Weiguo's Manor and the Su Family, on charges of treason and collusion with the enemy! And I, too, had my eyes gouged out, dying with two lives!"
Hearing this, towering rage flared in Jun Mo's gentle eyes, and his heart trembled violently.
Eyes gouged out! Dying with two lives!
His Li'er, to have died such a painful death in her past life!
He regretted letting Zhao Huaian die! His death was far too easy!
But... wasn't there still Jun Hui?
Jun Mo asked, his voice hoarse, "What about this Prince, then?"
What was this Prince doing at the time? Why didn't he protect her?
Su Li smiled, "Ziyan, you needn't be like this. In my past life, I was foolish and vicious, truly deserving of death. Because you supported the Crown Prince, while I supported Jun Hui, I even schemed to worsen your cold illness, forcing you onto a wheelchair. Yet, you still gave me the last warmth and dignity in that life."
Jun Mo pulled her into his embrace, saying, "Li'er, you are neither foolish nor wicked. You merely misplaced your devotion. Those who deserved death were Jun Hui and Zhao Huaian!"
"As for your schemes, they were merely due to our differing stances. I, too, am someone who can resort to any means necessary to protect certain people. So, we are the same kind of people. I forbid you from demeaning yourself like this."
"It's only because fate played tricks on us, preventing me from meeting you sooner in my past life, causing you to suffer."
"Thankfully, heaven sought to compensate for our past lives, allowing us to find each other and fall in love in this life. Therefore, we must not let down destiny's will!"
Su Li had not shed a single tear while recounting her past life, but as he spoke these words, her tears flowed, unstoppable.
Her small hands clutched his lapels, letting her tears flow freely and unrestrainedly.
Since her rebirth, she had been living in self-reproach and regret, consumed by hatred.
Hating Jun Hui and the others, but also hating her past self, Su Li.
That was why, since her rebirth, she had been striving to make amends, desperately trying to compensate.
Now, someone was telling her that she wasn't wicked; it was merely a difference in their stances.
The feeling of being rescued was like a trapped, wilting plant, suddenly imbued with strength, breaking free from its confines, and gaining new life.
Jun Mo gently patted her back, letting her cry.
Only when Su Li had cried her fill did she wipe away her tears, then looked at the damp patch on his chest with embarrassment.
"Um... I'm sorry. Do you want to change your clothes?"
Seeing her emotions had stabilized, Jun Mo chuckled and playfully flicked her upturned nose, saying, "Why didn't I ever notice Li'er was such a crybaby before?"
Su Li grew even more embarrassed.
It was his fault for saying such moving words, breaking through her emotional defenses time and again.
Jun Mo straightened his clothes and said, "It's alright. But Li'er, from now on, don't bear things alone. There are no secrets between us, understand?"
Su Li nodded, feeling a lightness in her heart she had never experienced before.
Yet she still asked nervously, "You don't mind? In my past life, I harmed you... and I also had a child."
After speaking, she dared not meet his eyes, lowering her head.
She had never known herself to be a timid person, yet she truly feared seeing even a hint of displeasure in his eyes.
Jun Mo once again pulled her into his embrace, sealing her errant red lips with his own, using his actions to show her whether he minded or not.
After a long moment, he finally released her lips, but still held her close.
"As I said, I only regret that fate plays tricks on us; this is not your fault. Besides, that was the Su Li of a past life. In this life, you belong only to me! Don't you dare utter such foolish words again."
In his heart, there was only boundless tenderness and pity.
Su Li leaned against his chest, her arms encircling his lean waist, smiling faintly.
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