If she had acted purely on intuition, Xu Zhaoyue would have at most warned Bai Ci not to drink the medicine; she would never have gone so far as to target and destroy the medicine packets.
This was enough to prove that Xu Zhaoyue must have overheard even more.
Was this little sister a professional eavesdropper?
Bai Ci's night passed peacefully, without any wind or danger.
The next morning, Bai Ci went to the main courtyard for breakfast as usual.
She immediately sensed the stagnant, oppressive atmosphere in the air.
Madame Xu sat upright in the seat of honor. The moment Bai Ci stepped into the main hall, Madame Xu's gaze immediately locked onto her.
She carefully studied Bai Ci's features and expression, scrutinizing her over and over, but in the end, it all dissolved into hollow disappointment.
Yesterday's scene had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion. The person before her was still the submissive and timid Bai Ci, not the son she yearned for day and night.
The anxiety and resentment in Madame Xu's heart grew heavier and heavier.
Acting as if she hadn't noticed this scrutinizing gaze, Bai Ci gave a barely acceptable bow and took her seat in an orderly manner.
Before long, Xu Jingan also arrived. He bowed to greet Madame Xu.
However, Xu Zhaoyue, who usually followed closely behind him, was nowhere to be seen today.
After greeting her, Xu Jingan waited a little longer. Even after the food had been laid out on the table, Xu Zhaoyue still had not appeared.
Confirming that his younger sister was indeed absent, he immediately asked, “Mother, why isn't Zhaoyue here for breakfast today? Is she feeling unwell?”
Madame Xu's expression was cold, and her tone carried a rare hint of annoyance. “She is fine. Her health is perfectly robust.”
“It's just that she behaved willfully and mischievously yesterday, defying the estate's rules. I have ordered her to be confined to the ancestral hall to reflect on her actions. She is not permitted to take a single step out of the ancestral hall for the time being, nor does she need to come here for meals.”
At those words, Xu Jingan frowned slightly, his face filled with surprise and confusion.
“Zhaoyue might have a bit of a temper, but she has always known her boundaries. She has never done anything major to break the rules. How could it lead to her being locked in the ancestral hall for reflection?”
He bowed slightly and said earnestly, “Mother, is there some misunderstanding behind this? Although Zhaoyue is pampered, she is by no means someone who would cause trouble maliciously. I hope you will look into this thoroughly, Mother.”
Hearing this, Madame Xu's face instantly darkened. “You don't need to ask. I know what I am doing.”
“I have spoiled that girl to the point of being far too willful. She lacks manners and has no respect for rules, even daring to wantonly destroy medicinal ingredients. She deserves to be punished properly to smooth out her rough edges.”
“You do not need to plead for her, nor should you interfere in this matter.”
Every single word was final, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
Seeing this, Xu Jingan knew his mother's mind was made up. Any further argument would only invite her wrath. He could only suppress his doubts and worries, quietly lowering his head and taking his seat.
Though he remained silent, the doubts in his heart grew even wilder.
Not a single person spoke during breakfast, making the meal feel dead and oppressive.
Compared to Xu Jingan, who was completely in the dark, Bai Ci could guess a thing or two.
She had escaped the ordeal last night, but Xu Zhaoyue, who had helped her, had not.
Xu Zhaoyue thought her tantrum last night had gone unnoticed, but in the end, she couldn't hide it from Madame Xu, who ruled the Xu estate and knew her children's personalities inside and out.
Madame Xu didn't need concrete proof. A mere suspicion was enough for her to eliminate this unstable element.
Yet, Xu Zhaoyue was still her daughter. Locking her in the ancestral hall was both a restriction of her freedom and a warning in disguise.
Breakfast ended, and everyone dispersed.
Bai Ci returned to her own courtyard and began to review the current situation.
Although she had temporarily avoided the crisis of the herbal bath, Madame Xu would never give up so easily. It was highly likely she would try again as early as tonight.
This time, there would be no one to help her knock over the medicine packets.
She had to find a way to break through Madame Xu's defenses before the secret art took full effect.
Just as Bai Ci was pondering her options, Jinghong came in to announce a visitor.
“Young Madam, the Second Young Master is here to visit you. He is waiting outside the courtyard.”
“Let him in.”
The youth in green and plain clothes stepped into the courtyard. Without beating around the bush, he walked up to Bai Ci, bowed slightly, and immediately apologized.
“Sister-in-law, I have come today to apologize on Zhaoyue's behalf.”
“Zhaoyue acted willfully yesterday and wantonly destroyed your medicinal ingredients. She committed a wrong and deserves to be punished. I apologize to you on her behalf, and I hope you won't hold it against her.”
Naturally, Bai Ci had to show tolerance. She shook her head gently. “She probably didn't do it on purpose. I won't blame her. How is she doing now?”
Hearing this, Xu Jingan breathed a sigh of relief, but the gloom and worry between his brows remained hard to conceal.
“Thank you for your generosity, Sister-in-law.”
Xu Jingan did not answer Bai Ci's second question immediately. Instead, he paused for a moment, as if hesitating over whether he should speak of certain things.
Ultimately, he made up his mind and let out a bitter laugh. “It's a strange matter.”
“In the past, when Zhaoyue made mistakes and was grounded or punished by being sent to the ancestral hall, both my eldest brother and I could visit her normally. Mother never stopped us.”
“Even when she caused much greater trouble in the past, there was never such a tight lockdown.”
“This morning, after breakfast, I rushed to the ancestral hall, wanting to visit Zhaoyue and comfort her. But today, the ancestral hall was completely surrounded by guards and old maids. The security is incredibly tight, not allowing even a drop of water to slip through.”
“No matter what I said, the gatekeepers refused to budge. They only follow Mother's orders, which forbid anyone from coming within half a step of the ancestral hall, let alone visiting.”
“I couldn't even catch a single glimpse of Zhaoyue.”
Such unusual treatment would make anyone suspect something was amiss.
It was merely a young girl throwing a tantrum and ruining a few packets of medicine. The Xu family was vast and wealthy, so they didn't lack this bit of money. Moreover, those were just nourishing herbs, not some life-saving medicine. What kind of major offense was that?
It was simply not worth Madame Xu making such a huge fuss and cutting off all visits.
Xu Jingan stared intently at Bai Ci, asking with a solemn expression, “Sister-in-law, do you remember if anything unusual happened during breakfast yesterday morning?”
Oh, it seemed that although Xu Zhaoyue had been locked up, she had still managed to pass some information out.
“Yesterday's breakfast? I don't remember very clearly.”
Bai Ci understood perfectly, but she didn't let it show in the slightest. She pretended to recall for a moment, then slowly shook her head, showing only a look of bewilderment.
“When I woke up yesterday morning, my head was in a complete daze. What happened during the meal is very blurry. I only vaguely remember feeling unwell. Other than that... I have no impression at all.”
This was the standard answer certified by Madame Xu.
Xu Jingan stared at her quietly for a moment. Seeing that her expression was candid and bewildered, not seeming fake, the hope in his eyes slowly faded. It seemed to confirm certain suspicions, adding a touch of melancholy to his demeanor.
“I see.”
He composed himself, bowed slightly, and made to leave. “Since you are fine, Sister-in-law, I won't disturb your rest. I will take my leave now.”
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