Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Ji Yan’an looked at the two of them with a cold gaze.

“What else do you have to say for yourselves?”

The two of them looked at the large black dog before them, their faces pale with terror. They opened their mouths, wanting to cry out their innocence.

Shen Qingzhu offered a ‘kind’ explanation. “You might not know since you weren’t here earlier, but once Moonflower Powder touches someone, it leaves a faint scent that lingers for a long time. Hounds have a very keen sense of smell.”

He walked over to Zhou Zhuzhu and crouched down, grabbing her hand.

“Besides, the Moonflower Powder under your fingernails hasn’t been cleaned off yet.”

His tone remained gentle, but to The Zhou Mother and Daughter, it sounded like a death knell.

“What Moonflower Powder? I don’t know… I really don’t know!”

Zhou Zhuzhu shook her head incessantly, her expression not seeming faked.

“He… he clearly gave me Croton Powder!”

The Zhou Mother and Daughter’s goal had only been to frame Cook Chen.

They didn’t have the courage to actually kill someone.

Her body went limp as she slumped to the ground, and Zhou Zhuzhu spilled everything like beans from a bag.

Cook Chen looked at the mother and daughter with a gaze that seemed ready to devour them whole.

Jiang Yunsui also glared at them, puffing out her cheeks in anger.

Super big villains!

Uncle Li asked sternly, “Who gave you that Moonflower Powder?”

Zhou Zhuzhu quickly replied, “It was… it was my mother’s nephew. He works in the Front Courtyard.”

Uncle Li asked for the man’s name. To Ji Yan’an, it was an unfamiliar name.

That meant he could only be someone doing odd jobs in the Front Courtyard, because for any important tasks, Ji Yan’an only used his own trusted people.

But that person wasn’t here; he had clearly fled long ago.

Ji Yan’an commanded, “Heiwa, go after him.”

He closed his eyes as he looked at the large black dog, which was currently nuzzling against Jiang Yunsui. What was wrong with this damn dog!

Jiang Yunsui also sneakily withdrew her little paws from petting the big black dog.

Since this matter had nothing to do with her or Cook Chen, her heart settled, and her courage grew just a tiny bit.

However, it really was only a tiny bit. Under Ji Yan’an’s gaze, she went back to kneeling perfectly straight.

Her knees hurt a little; she really wanted to just squat.

Ideally, she’d dig a hole and bury herself from the knees down.

As Jiang Yunsui’s mind wandered through these flights of fancy, Heiwa was led out to find the culprit.

Ji Yan’an also handed down the verdict for the Zhou Family.

Zhou Zhuzhu was to be executed. Anyone who dared to poison Ji Yan’an’s food-no matter what it was or what the reason-had to die.

Zhou’s Mother had known and failed to report it; she was to be imprisoned.

Zhou’s father and the rest of their family were also implicated; they wouldn’t escape a prison sentence.

The Zhou Mother and Daughter turned deathly pale, collapsing onto the floor.

In the end, they were dragged out.

Jiang Yunsui didn’t feel much about this.

Chef Zhu and that maid were also punished, but fortunately, they were only fined a year’s salary and weren’t kicked out.

However, Chef Zhu was reassigned and would no longer be allowed to cook for Ji Yan’an.

“Cook Chen.”

Hearing her name called by Ji Yan’an, Cook Chen trembled, feeling incredibly nervous.

She wasn’t entirely innocent in this matter, as the Zhou Family had been targeting her from the start.

Jiang Yunsui looked at Ji Yan’an expectantly.

Meeting those watery, large eyes, Ji Yan’an slowly shifted his gaze away.

“Given that you are also considered an innocent party in this matter, you are fined three months’ salary.”

Hearing this, Cook Chen let out a massive sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Young Master!”

Jiang Yunsui followed her lead, bowing as she knelt and shouting in a milky voice, “Thank you, Young Master!”

“Alright, get up and go back for now.”

Nanny Zhou walked over and whispered to Cook Chen.

“Yunsui’s foot is injured. Take her back to rest for a few days.”
Cook Chen hurried to express her gratitude.

Just as they stood up, they heard a chorus of energetic barking. Turning to look, they saw several men who looked like guards dragging in a Blue-robed Servant.

As soon as Heiwa arrived, he ran straight to Jiang Yunsui, nuzzling and rubbing against her. In that moment, he lacked even a shred of his former fearsome majesty.

Ji Yan’an stared at Jiang Yunsui with a dark, brooding gaze. *Did you put a spell on him?*

He wasn’t the only one; Uncle Li and Nanny Zhou were both stunned as well.

Heiwa had been brought by Ji Yan’an from the Capital. The Ji Family kept dogs-many of them. These trained hounds played a significant role on the battlefield, and besides, dogs were far more loyal than men.

Heiwa was the alpha of this particular pack. Ji Yan’an had raised him from a pup alongside the White Cat. After the incident with the White Cat, Ji Yan’an had sent Heiwa away to a manor, only daring to bring the dog with him when he finally left the Capital.

On their journey, it was thanks to the dog’s vigilance that they had managed to evade several assassination attempts. The hound was exceptionally intelligent and usually allowed no one but Ji Yan’an to touch him. Even the handler who fed him wasn’t permitted such a liberty.

Yet, upon meeting Jiang Yunsui for the first time, he had gone running to her like a devoted pet. It almost made Ji Yan’an wonder if this was actually his Heiwa.

Jiang Yunsui obediently followed Cook Chen away, ignoring Heiwa as he watched her with longing eyes. As she reached the doorway, a piercing, blood-curdling scream rang out. Cook Chen trembled, not daring to look back.

Jiang Yunsui, however, did turn her head.

With that single glance, she saw the dog that had been so docile before her transformed into a hound from hell. Heiwa was ferociously tearing at the Blue-robed Servant’s arm.

In the courtyard, the servants who had been brought to witness the scene felt their legs go weak with terror.

Ji Yan’an stood before the servant, watching with cold indifference as the man’s body was mauled. Splashes of blood landed on his sickly pale face. At that moment, he also looked toward the door, his eyes meeting Jiang Yunsui’s round, clear gaze.

To be honest, he was quite terrifying in this state. He thought maliciously: *Will this little maid be afraid of me now?*

Just like his mother-the person who should have been closest to him, yet looked at him as if he were a demon.

But to his surprise, those eyes remained clean and clear. There was no fear, no terror, and certainly no disgust.

Even after she had left, Ji Yan’an remained in a daze for a moment. A few seconds later, he slowly scanned the other servants in the courtyard. Everyone his gaze landed upon lowered their heads, their faces turning white.

Ji Yan’an let out a soft chuckle. Then, his laughter grew louder and louder, bordering on manic.

Shen Qingzhu watched him silently.

Ji Yan’an stopped laughing and gave Heiwa an order. “Kill him.”

As for an interrogation… Hmph. Who else but that person in the Capital would be so desperate for him to succumb to madness from the poison, and who else would know that Moonflower Powder could trigger the Dark Dream Poison in his body?

Heiwa immediately lunged, his jaws clamping down on the servant’s throat.

Ji Yan’an took a clean handkerchief from Uncle Li and slowly wiped the blood from his skin. “Go heat some water. I want to bathe.”

Nanny Zhou replied, “Yes.”

Ji Yan’an departed, and Heiwa was also led away to be washed. The guards efficiently removed the servant’s corpse while Uncle Li directed the other maids and servants to clean the courtyard.

“To live a long life, one must know their place,” Uncle Li warned the others, using the dead servant as an example. “Otherwise, this will be your end.”

Uncle Li knew that after this display, the Young Master’s reputation would likely take another hit. However, being perceived as ruthless was, in its own way, a form of protection.