Chapter 50: Instigation

Blue Stone Lane near the county government office, the Du residence.

Du Mingzhu held a pair of sharp scissors, trimming the withered branches of the flowers in the garden.

In the sunlight, a pleasant smile hung on the girl's round and beautiful face, and the fine fuzz on her skin was crystal clear, as if she were plated with a layer of Buddha's light.

"Ruixiang, come here."

The maid who was called trembled. Du Mingzhu handed the scissors to her, "Take them and wash them clean. If there is even a speck of mud, you're dead."

Ruixiang's face turned as white as a ghost, "Understood, Miss."

The other servants didn't dare to breathe loudly, fearing they would catch Du Mingzhu's eye.

Who in the residence didn't know that offending the master and mistress didn't matter, but this young lady—if you didn't serve her well, it would cost you your life...

Du Mingzhu washed her hands and was just about to return to her courtyard when the gatekeeper reported that the Jiang family's young lady had arrived.

"Sister Yi is here?"

Du Mingzhu's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly asked someone to invite her in and prepare tea and snacks for hospitality.

From far away, Jiang Youyi's laughter could be heard, "I guessed you would be here again. You only know how to mess with these flowers and plants all day, and you won't accompany me out for a stroll."

Du Mingzhu held her hand and sat down in the pavilion, her eyes flowing, "Sister Yi, didn't you accompany your sweetheart to pray for blessings today? How do you have time to come to me?"

Jiang Youyi's smile dimmed.

Seeing her like this, Du Mingzhu felt suspicious, "What's wrong?"

Jiang Youyi's eyes turned red, and she almost shed tears. Her maid stomped her feet, "Oh, Miss, Miss Mingzhu is not an outsider, what's so hard to say? Besides, this matter has something to do with Miss Mingzhu!"

Something to do with her? Du Mingzhu was even more confused.

"Tell me about it."

The maid looked indignant, "Today, our Miss and Young Master Xiao went to Ling'an Temple to pray for blessings. Everything was fine, and the two were even discussing getting engaged in a few days. Who knew..."

She glanced at Du Mingzhu, and seeing that her curiosity had indeed been piqued, she continued, "Who knew that halfway there, we met that daughter the Master keeps outside. She is from the same village as Young Master Xiao. Behind our backs, she said many bad things about our Miss. Young Master Xiao was deceived by her for a moment and got very angry. He left our Miss and walked away, and even said, even said that this marriage was not worth it!"

Du Mingzhu narrowed her eyes. The daughter the Master keeps outside, Du Ruo? Hadn't she married her off to that loser Jiang Li?

"Sister Yi, are you sure it was that bastard?"

Jiang Youyi pressed her handkerchief to the corner of her eye, her voice low, "She must be blaming me, blaming me for standing on your side back then and coaxing her to marry into the Jiang family. She's not living well, so naturally, she's taking it out on me..."

Du Mingzhu was somewhat skeptical. With Du Ruo's timid nature, she would only hide far away when she saw Jiang Youyi; she definitely didn't have the guts to stir up trouble.

But Jiang Youyi spoke as if it were true. Could it be that Du Ruo had gained some skills after getting married?

She suddenly remembered her father saying that because Jiang Li saved the Thirteenth Prince, he had been recruited by the county magistrate and was now a constable in Wutou Xian.

That explained it.

That bastard must think she has a backer now that her husband is a constable, so she's become arrogant.

Du Mingzhu sneered disdainfully and signaled to the maid beside her, "Go, call Steward Liu for me."

Jiang Youyi lowered her eyes, a triumphant light flashing in them.

Before long, the Du family steward, Liu Jinu, came over and bowed respectfully to Du Mingzhu, "Miss, are you looking for me?"

Du Mingzhu hummed, "What day is it today?"

Liu Jinu rolled his eyes and replied, "The thirtieth of the seventh month."

Du Mingzhu nodded, "It's about time. Prepare yourself, and send the 'tonic' to that bastard in the next two days."

Before Liu Jinu could speak, she emphasized, "Remember, double the dosage this time!"

Liu Jinu raised his head abruptly, wanting to say something but stopping. Du Mingzhu frowned, "What, is there a difficulty?"

"That's not it." Liu Jinu tried hard to think of the wording in his mind, "It's just that the medicine she's been drinking has already seeped into her bone marrow. If we increase the dosage again, I'm afraid..."

Afraid she won't last long.

He didn't finish the sentence, but everyone present understood.

Jiang Youyi pulled on Du Mingzhu's clothes and advised, "Maybe forget it. I know you want to vent for me, but she is your own sister after all. If the Master finds out..."

"So what if he finds out?" Du Mingzhu wasn't afraid at all. Her father was just a paper tiger, and she had her mother, that tigress, standing behind her. "Would my father kill me for her? If it weren't for my father's sake, I would have chopped off her hands to use as fertilizer long ago."

Jiang Youyi stopped advising her.

Liu Jinu reminded her, "Du Ruo is now a member of the Jiang family. If Constable Jiang pursues this, how should we handle the aftermath?"

A constable was nothing, but he had the Thirteenth Prince standing behind him.

Du Mingzhu smiled, not caring at all, "Don't worry, Jiang Li won't pursue it. That bastard is so ugly that any man would find it unbearable. Jiang Li is just looking at my father's face and doesn't want to say it clearly. Once that bastard dies, Jiang Li will be completely liberated and can just marry a beautiful wife. He'll be grateful to us."

Since that was the case, Liu Jinu had nothing more to say.

"Then I'll go handle it."

After thinking for a moment, he bowed deeply to Du Mingzhu, "If this matter blows up, please, Miss, protect me no matter what."

Du Ruo knew nothing about this.

After dinner, she took a lovely hot bath, changed into clean clothes, and then sprawled out on the bed.

She was clearly tired, but for some reason, she couldn't sleep. She felt like she had forgotten something very important.

What was it?

"Xiaotong, do you remember?"

The system was speechless, "Host, you're only seventeen. How is your brain like someone in menopause, so forgetful?"

It gave a hint, "Who did you meet today?"

She met many people: Yao Yulan, Lin Qingshuang, the annoying Jiang Youyi, and Xiao Liangchen and his mother...

Right, she remembered! By accident today, she actually completed the task of making Xiao Liangchen take the initiative to talk to her for 30 words!

Du Ruo scrambled up, "Xiaotong, open my data."

The screen slowly unfolded, and the data had indeed changed.

Host: Du Ruo

Available points: 5

Level: 2 (Need 26.5 more points to reach the next level)

Mall: Unlocked

She opened the mall interface and scanned through it one by one. There were so many good things: Ghost Dudu seeds, ginseng seeds, chili seeds, beauty cream, slimming pills...

Ahhhhh, she wanted everything!

But she only had a pitiful 2.5 points.

Du Ruo sighed and was just about to buy a few dozen more Ghost Dudu seeds when her gaze suddenly stopped.

"What is a Quick-Acting Heart Pill, and how is it different from a Heart-Returning Pill?"

The system explained, "The Quick-Acting Heart Pill can only treat the symptoms, not the root cause. One pill can guarantee no attacks for a month, but you can only take it for a maximum of 20 months. After that, it will have no effect." ===== CHAPTER 51 =====