Chapter 71 – Some People Really Are Unfit to Be Raised, No Matter How Hard You Try

As they had already arrived outside the palace gates, Xia Tian instructed the coachman to find a slightly hidden spot to park the carriage. She didn’t rush to get off the carriage, instead sitting inside and peering through the curtain, watching the palace gates.

She’d be able to see if Shen Nian came out.

After waiting for about an hour in the carriage, Xia Tian saw people start to gradually exit the gates.

She kept her eyes fixed on the entrance until she saw Shen Nian’s figure appear, then she breathed a sigh of relief.

When she saw Shen Nian walking toward them, Xia Tian and Ning Xiang got off the carriage to meet her.

Shen Nian spotted Xia Tian immediately and quickened her pace, walking over. “What brings you here?” she asked.

“I’m here to pick you up from your shift!” Xia Tian replied with a smile.

Shen Nian was puzzled but didn’t ask further.

Xia Tian glanced around. “Where are Mu Chen and Mu Feng?”

“I sent them out to run some errands.”

“So you’re doing your shift alone today?”

“No, Mu Feng followed me this morning, and he’ll be coming back soon.”

As she was speaking, Mu Feng led a horse over.

“Madam, what brings you here?” Mu Feng was surprised to see Xia Tian and Ning Xiang there. Madam had never come to the place where the master was on duty. “Is there something happening at the estate?”

“No, I just wanted to find your young master for a bit of business. It’s a little boring staying at the estate, so I came here to wait.” The coachman was from the estate, so Xia Tian didn’t want to say too much here.

Mu Feng wisely kept silent.

Shen Nian saw that there were outsiders present, so she spoke up. “Mu Feng, take care of the horses. Let’s head back to the estate first.”

“Yes, Master.” Mu Feng replied, handing the reins to the coachman. “You ride my horse, take care of the young master’s as well.”

The coachman left, and Shen Nian and Xia Tian got into the carriage while Mu Feng took charge of the horses. Ning Xiang didn’t enter the carriage but instead sat next to Mu Feng.

“Let’s head to Yu Pin Xuan.”

“Sure.”

“Where’s Yu Pin Xuan?” Xia Tian asked out of curiosity.

“It’s a restaurant.” Shen Nian smiled. “It’s our own restaurant. I’ll take you to try it.”

“Let’s head back to the estate first. We can go another time. It’s getting dark, and it’s not safe outside.” Xia Tian felt it would be better to return first; after all, those people would never dare act inside the Marquis’s residence.

There were too many uncertainties outside, and with winter approaching, the darkness would come soon.

She quietly shared with Shen Nian the matter with Ning Xiang looking for her.

Shen Nian thought for a moment, nodded, and instructed Mu Feng to take them back to the estate directly.

Mu Feng didn’t ask why they weren’t going to the restaurant anymore and turned the carriage back toward the estate.

Shen Nian was thinking that, with Xia Tian here, she couldn’t afford to take any risks. If someone were to attempt an assassination on her today, she didn’t want to involve Xia Tian in any danger.

Once they arrived at the estate, Xia Tian followed Shen Nian to Lingyun Pavilion.

Ling Yue and others had already set the meal out. Shen Nian waved the others away, leaving only her and Xia Tian to eat and talk.

Xia Tian repeated what Ning Xiang had mentioned about her being called by Shen Ning, explaining, “I think this matter is credible. Shen Ning wouldn’t lie.”

“Mm.” Shen Nian nodded.

“But didn’t Shen Ke always have a good relationship with you?” Xia Tian asked, as Ning Xiang had mentioned that Shen Ke was very attached to Shen Nian since childhood, and Shen Nian had always protected him.

Shen Nian’s expression turned cold. “He’s no longer the child he once was.” She then recounted the investigation that Mu Lin and others had done when she was attacked previously.

Only then did Xia Tian realize that, the last time when Mu Feng and the others were severely injured, it was also connected to Shen Ke.

Xia Tian was furious. Some people really are like wolves in sheep’s clothing, no matter how much you try to nurture them! She remembered when they had their first meal together, and Shen Ke had clung to Shen Nian’s arm, calling her “big sister” over and over, seeming so innocent. But now, it was all too clear—his scheming nature was much deeper than she had thought.

She had grown up in a peaceful society, so she had been too naive!

Since Shen Nian already knew the truth about Shen Ke, Xia Tian wasn’t worried that Shen Nian would be deceived by him. The two of them discussed how, for now, they should continue pretending not to know anything and keep their guard up in secret.

Shen Nian ordered Mu Feng to bring Mu Lin, who had been investigating outside, back to the estate.

Once Xia Tian saw that Shen Nian had everything arranged, she felt much more at ease.

Before returning to Jinglan Courtyard, she handed Shen Nian the porcelain bottle filled with spiritual spring water and told her to keep it as a lifesaver.

For the next several days, Shen Nian kept her regular shifts, and when she returned at night, she would first come to Jinglan Courtyard to have dinner with Xia Tian before going back to her own place.

During this time, they didn’t encounter anyone with malicious intent, but both remained cautious. When Shen Nian was on shift, only Mu Feng followed openly, while Mu Lin and others secretly protected her.

On the day of the Laba Festival, while the marquis’s family gathered for their usual lunch, Shen Ke began asking Shen Nian all kinds of questions. It was at this moment that Xia Tian felt something was off.

Normally, when Shen Ke saw Shen Nian ignoring him, he would just say a few things and leave. But today, he kept asking questions, serving tea, and offering water, acting overly eager.

Shen Nian, pretending to be helpless, answered a few of his questions and, when Shen Ke handed her tea again, pretended to refuse but ultimately accepted it.

Xia Tian sat beside Shen Nian, pretending to be jealous to draw Shen Ke’s attention, so that Shen Nian could secretly swap the tea Shen Ke had given her.

Shen Nian hid the swapped tea in her wide sleeve and secretly handed it to Xia Tian, who then sent it to her space. Using her mental energy, she poured the tea into an empty porcelain bottle and discreetly returned the cup to its original position.

After the meal, the two of them returned to Lingyun Pavilion.

Xia Tian took out the porcelain bottle and had Mu Feng send it outside to be checked by a doctor.

Within half an hour, Mu Feng returned.

“The doctor said it contained a colorless, tasteless poison that temporarily suppresses one’s internal energy, which will last for three hours before wearing off. However, if a person drinks it, the poison won’t take effect until two hours later.”

After Mu Feng finished relaying the doctor’s report, the room fell into a heavy silence.

Seeing Shen Nian’s serious expression, Xia Tian broke the silence. “If you calculate it, the poison will take effect just in time for when you’re about to finish your shift. It looks like they planned to act when you’re heading home today.”

The Laba Festival was a customary family gathering, so choosing to act today was indeed the perfect opportunity.

Normally, Shen Nian didn’t return home at lunch, so poisoning her would have been difficult. Plus, this poison only took effect after two hours, making it easy to get caught if it was consumed too early. Since it wore off after three hours, there was no point in poisoning too early.

The timing today was just right. Drinking it at lunch, the poison would take effect in two hours, and the timing of the attack would align perfectly with when Shen Nian would be heading home.

Mu Feng left to find Mu Lin.

Xia Tian took another large porcelain bottle, filled it with spiritual spring water, and handed it to Shen Nian to keep on her at all times.

To be extra cautious, Xia Tian also prepared a water pouch filled with diluted spiritual spring water, instructing Shen Nian to hang it on her saddle.

Now that they knew the likely time of the attack, Shen Nian didn’t waste any more time and told Xia Tian to stay in Jinglan Courtyard today and not go anywhere, in case someone tried to strike from her side.

Two people were also left to watch over Jinglan Courtyard in secret.

Once everything was arranged, Shen Nian got up to head for her shift.

Xia Tian returned to Jinglan Courtyard, instructed the servants to lock the gates, and told them not to open the door for anyone that day.

In the afternoon, Xia Tian anxiously counted the time, feeling like the day was dragging on endlessly.

She felt like the hours were passing incredibly slowly!

Finally, when it was the usual time for Shen Nian to return from her shift, Xia Tian waited and waited, but Shen Nian still hadn’t arrived.

Seeing Xia Tian’s impatience, Ning Xiang had already sent everyone out of the room and stayed by her side to wait.

This matter was kept secret, and even Ning Xue wasn’t told, fearing that too many people might leak the news.

Just as Xia Tian was becoming increasingly anxious, the courtyard gate opened, and a servant who had been stationed outside rushed in, flustered.