Сhарtеr 145: The Lахаtivе
"I..."
Zhu Yаn still wanted to dеfеnd herself, but bеfore shе соuld sреаk, Shen Du cut hеr off. "No discussion. Go now."
"..." Zhu Yаn wаs utterlу spеесhlеss. What kind оf аttitudе wаs this?
Unаble tо argue and unwilling tо disоbeу his order, she сould onlу pout hеr liрs аnd glаrе fiеrсely аt Shеn Du. "Fine, I'll gо. Вut уou’ll hаve tо еat it evеn if I рoisоn it!"
After Zhu Yan stоrmed off, Shen Du’s stеrn ехprеssion softenеd slightlу.
Нe knеw shе wаs еаgеr to sоlvе the сasе, but she hadn’t hаd a рrорer mеаl in а lоng time. This was аn opportunity tо let her rest. Еven if she didn’t undеrstand his intеntiоns, it didn’t mattеr.
About half an incense stick’s time later, Zhu Yan brought a bowl of chicken noodle soup to the study.
Her cheeks were puffed out, her attitude clearly displeased. She slammed the bowl onto the table with a heavy thud. "There’s arsenic in this. If you’re not afraid of dying, go ahead and eat it."
Looking at the steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup, Shen Du’s lips curved into a meaningful smile.
Arsenic? Even if this woman had a hundred times the courage, she wouldn’t dare put arsenic in the bowl.
Shen Du sat at the table and began eating the noodles. It was still the same familiar taste, the one he cherished.
Zhu Yan was astonished, her facial muscles twitching uncontrollably. Was this man truly unafraid of death? She’d told him there was arsenic in it, yet he still ate it.
"You really aren’t afraid of dying?" Zhu Yan hurriedly sat down opposite Shen Du, looking at him with surprise.
Shen Du took a bite of noodles, his eyes holding a deep meaning as he gazed at Zhu Yan. "Arsenic, you say? Well... even if I die, you’ll have to accompany me."
With that, Shen Du suddenly raised his hand and pressed a point at the base of Zhu Yan’s neck. Her mouth fell open, her expression frozen.
A broader smile spread across Shen Du’s lips. He picked up the bowl, brought it to Zhu Yan, and fed her a mouthful of noodles.
Panic washed over Zhu Yan’s face. With a look of utter helplessness, she swallowed the noodles and closed her eyes in despair.
The bowl indeed contained no arsenic, but it did have a certain... seasoning.
Truly harming others without benefiting oneself. She hadn’t expected Shen Du to pull such a move. She could only hope the effects of that seasoning wouldn’t kick in too quickly.
After finishing the noodles, Shen Du released the pressure point on Zhu Yan. Standing up, he said, "Let’s go. We should see what Master Chen has discovered."
Zhu Yan was completely resigned. Like a walking corpse, she stood up and followed Shen Du out of the Shen residence.
Arriving at Chen Wen’s quarters, they found he had just identified the powder.
"This is a flammable powder, typically used in Taoist practices. It’s not harmful, but since the Empress follows Buddhism—and Buddhists don’t use such things—this powder isn’t openly circulated. Where did you get this?"
"From the ruins of the Brocade Workshop. Master, besides this, I have some other questions. During the Brocade Workshop case back then, you also made significant contributions. Why didn’t you use that opportunity to advance your career?"
"Why so many questions? People have different aspirations. I only seek a stable life. Whether I get promoted or not means little to me."
Chen Wen spoke with an air of nonchalance. "You’re still young, eager to strive and achieve. At my age, I take each day as it comes and don’t bother with complicated matters."
Chen Wen’s words resonated deeply with Zhu Yan. In this life, to seek only peace and stability—how rare that was.Chen Wen turned to tidy his room, then seemed to remember something. He turned back to look at Zhu Yan and said, "Actually, some things can't be judged by appearances alone. It's easy to be misled by the clues that surface. The truth is often the least likely one. Go back and think it over carefully."
Having effectively dismissed them, Chen Wen turned back to tidying his room, as if he had nothing more to say about the case.
Though Shen Du found it somewhat strange, he had no choice but to leave at this point.
He faintly felt some discomfort in his abdomen. Looking back at Zhu Yan, he saw she was also sweating profusely, as if enduring some intense emotion with great effort.
That bowl of noodles!
A thought flashed through Shen Du's mind. He stared at the woman before him in astonishment—this woman actually dared to tamper with the noodles.
Zhu Yan looked utterly helpless. Meeting Shen Du's gaze, she nodded. Understanding each other perfectly, they bid a hasty farewell to Chen Wen and hurried away.
As midnight approached, Zhu Yan was completely exhausted, sprawled over the stone table in the pavilion, barely clinging to life.
"If I'd known the laxative was this potent, I wouldn't have used so much," Zhu Yan regretted, clutching her stomach tightly, her face as pale as paper.
But then another thought brought her a sliver of comfort. If she was in this state, surely Shen Du wasn't faring much better. It was all his fault for making her cook.
Well, now he'd get a taste of his own medicine, and maybe he wouldn't trouble her again in the future.
Just as Zhu Yan was suffering yet finding some twisted satisfaction, a shadow fell over her in the dim candlelight.
"Who's there?" Zhu Yan quickly turned her head, but the pain in her stomach kept her from straightening up. She could only look at the newcomer with a pained expression.
"How does it feel to suffer the consequences of your own actions?" Shen Du asked in a light, mocking tone. Moreover, he appeared completely unaffected. How was that possible?
Zhu Yan stared at Shen Du in disbelief, the muscles at the corners of her mouth twitching. They had both eaten the laxative, so why was he completely fine while she was reduced to this wretched state? It defied logic and was utterly unfair!
"You... you ate the noodles too, didn't you? Why are you perfectly fine?"
Shen Du sneered, a meaningful curve lifting the corner of his mouth. "Did you really think your little trick could fool me? What a foolish woman. You didn't even prepare an antidote for yourself before dosing the food. Did it never occur to you that you might suffer the consequences?"
Zhu Yan pouted. Who in their right mind would dose themselves? The only reason she ate that bowl of noodles was because Shen Du forced her to.
But right now, she had no energy to dwell on that. Ever since returning from her master's place, she had been plagued by diarrhea until she was utterly drained and weak. If she didn't take some medicine soon, she feared she might die young. The only reason Shen Du was unaffected was that he had an antidote. Surely he must still have some on him.
"Give me the antidote, quick," Zhu Yan pleaded, looking at Shen Du with a pained expression. "A few more rounds of this, and you might really lose your wife."
Hearing her words, Shen Du let out a soft chuckle. Even at a time like this, this woman still had the spirit to jest.
He took out a prepared bottle of medicine from his robe and placed it on the stone table. "This is the antidote, and it works wonders—effective immediately upon taking it. However, I have no intention of giving it to you right now."Zhu Yan was just about to reach out to grab the antidote when Shen Du took it back again. Zhu Yan widened her eyes—what was this about? Was he deliberately toying with her?
"I was wrong. Give me the antidote," Zhu Yan pleaded pitifully, looking at Shen Du. "I won’t do it again."
"Then you must agree to one condition," Shen Du said with an inscrutable expression, knowing that Zhu Yan was already in unbearable agony and would surely comply with his demand.
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