Chapter 115

At this moment, in the Thousand Bliss Pavilion, Ru Lan was looking at the account book on the table.

A flicker of coldness flashed in her eyes, and she slammed the account book heavily onto the desk.

She hadn't realized that over these past few years, the Thousand Bliss Pavilion had practically become an empty shell, while the Crown Prince, who once chatted endlessly with her and showered her with limitless affection, had in fact emptied out her Thousand Bliss Pavilion.

Indeed, as the Southern First Young Master said, Mo Junheng never intended to bring her back to Jingcheng; from the start he had planned to kick her out once she lost her usefulness.

Today, besides his people, he will surely grow dissatisfied, so I must make plans early.

Ru Lan rubbed her forehead, and Cai Huan stepped forward, holding a teacup: "Pavilion Master, you must be tired; have some tea."

"Ah." Ru Lan took the teacup, sighed, and said: "Cai Huan, you've been by my side the longest; now, the only person I can trust is you."

Cai Huan heard this and smiled: "Pavilion Master, your kindness to me weighs as heavy as a mountain; I will naturally follow you lifetime after lifetime."

"Good."

Ru Lan lifted the teacup, about to take a sip, when a commotion came from downstairs.

"Cai Huan, go see what's happening," he said, setting down the teacup. Cai Huan responded, picked up the teacup again, and handed it to her lips: "Please drink the tea first, I'll go check right away."

Ru Lan's mind was in turmoil; she took the teacup and held it in her hand. Seeing this, Cai Huan's eyes flashed with a hint of anxiety, and she hurried toward the door.

Just as she opened the door, Yun Shan pressed her shoulder against the wall.

"You! Who are you!"

Chi Nan Yi stepped past her, quickly entered the room, saw Ru Lan holding a teacup, and asked anxiously: "Did you drink it?"

"What?"

"Did you drink this tea?"

"No." Ru Lan, somewhat puzzled, said: "Southern First Young Master, what's going on?"

Chi Nan Yi didn't explain; she simply stepped forward, took out a silver hairpin, and tossed it into the tea. In the next instant, the silver hairpin rapidly turned black.

Ru Lan's heart jumped: "This… this… what's happening?"

"You should ask your personal maid about this." Chi Nan Yi turned to look at Cai Huan, whose eyes showed fear: "This poison, did you administer it?"

Cai Huan heard this, her face grim, but she forced composure, her expression full of doubt and grievance: "What are you saying? How could I possibly poison the Pavilion Master?" She looked at Ru Lan with reddened eyes: "Pavilion Master, I am loyal to you, how could I poison you? It's her! She must have ill intentions, thus devised this vicious scheme to frame me! Pavilion Master, I truly did not!"

Ru Lan suddenly recalled that Cai Huan had urged her to drink the tea repeatedly; if the tea were fine, why would Cai Huan be so anxious?

"Cai Huan." Ru Lan gazed at her with disappointment: "Just what is going on? Speak truthfully, considering our years of master‑servant bond, I can spare you." She pointed at the teacup, voice cold: "From just now, you've been urging me to drink tea—what is your motive! All these years I have not treated you poorly; how could you…"

"Treat me poorly?" Cai Huan's look of grievance faded, she gave a cold laugh: "Indeed, you have not treated me poorly! When you were lovey‑dovey with the Crown Prince, did you still remember your promise to me? You said that if one day you could truly enter the palace as a consort, you would certainly let me serve the Crown Prince, and we would share wealth and honor together. Now? You would abandon the Crown Prince, this great tree, and instead cling to this man who came from nowhere. Pavilion Master, you have debased yourself—why drag me down with you?"

"So then you want to poison me?" Ru Lan clenched her fists: "You have let me down greatly."

Mo Junheng sat to the side, the corner of his mouth twitching: "Is that so? Did you really poison her for this reason?"

Cai Huan eyed Mo Junheng warily: "What do you mean?"

"What do you mean—are you truly unaware or pretending? How coincidental that your Pavilion Master wants to sever ties with Mo Junheng, and you just happen to have the powder of intestine‑breaking grass." Mo Junheng looked at the teacup where the silver hairpin had turned black, smiling: "The powder of intestine‑breaking grass is extremely hard to obtain; only noble aristocratic families can get it. Ordinary pharmacies probably haven't even heard of it. Tell me, where did you get it?"

Upon hearing this, the fear in Cai Huan's eyes could no longer be concealed.

"I… I…"

"Or let me say it for you!" Mo Junheng laughed: "The powder of intestine‑breaking grass must have been given to you by the Crown Prince. From the start you prepared it, intending that if one day Miss Ru Lan betrayed the Crown Prince, you would use this poison to kill her, thereby earning merit and remaining securely by the Crown Prince's side—whether he takes you back to Jingcheng or you simply seize control of this Thousand Bliss Pavilion, it's all profit and no loss for you."

Upon hearing this, Ru Lan broke out in a cold sweat behind her back.

"So you have been the Crown Prince's person from the beginning?"

Cai Huan lowered her head, silent, but her expression betrayed her.

"Perhaps she was not originally the Crown Prince's person, but human greed is never satisfied—she did not want to remain merely a maid by your side; she wanted to take your place."

"Cai Huan!"

"So what!" Cai Huan snapped her head up: "Apart from looks and talent, in what way am I inferior to you? Why are you the master and I the servant? Why may only you catch the Crown Prince's eye, while I cannot?"

"I treated you like a younger sister, yet you… you actually…"

"Huh, younger sister? Do you not feel guilty saying that?" Cai Huan turned her head toward Mo Junheng, voice cold: "It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, I would not…"

"Evil deeds inevitably bring self‑destruction; this is your deserved end." Mo Junheng studied her face closely, confident that the original host's memory was correct.

From the first time I saw this Cai Huan, I felt she was familiar; only this morning did I recall that the original host had once seen this woman in the Crown Prince's residence, but then she was not dressed as a maid—her silks and satins were exquisite, she had already taken Ru Lan's place as Pavilion Master of the Thousand Bliss Pavilion, and when they met in the rear garden of the Crown Prince's residence, Cai Huan had mocked the original host.

Thus, she had long been prepared to betray Ru Lan at any moment.

As Pavilion Master of the Thousand Bliss Pavilion, Ru Lan had seen and endured all sorts of scheming; how could she fail to understand the crux of it?

"Hah, what a deep sisterly bond, what a lifelong devotion—Cai Huan, I never imagined you would be such a wolf‑hearted, dog‑lunged thing!" Ru Lan lifted the teacup, stepped slowly toward Cai Huan.