The sickly son died young? After the marriage exchange, I will bring prosperity to his entire clan f

Du Mingxian put all her acting skills into this moment, pulling Chun Tao up and down, "You're alright, that's great."

"Miss, someone wants to kill me." Chun Tao's eyes were filled with tears; she was terrified.

The acting was quite good.

"Alright, alright, it's alright now. I'll talk to my father and have him send someone to investigate. We've only just returned to the capital; who would want to kill you?" Du Mingxian said, then took Chun Tao's hand. "Come on, let's go back."

Chun Tao nodded and followed Du Mingxian obediently back home.

Seeing that her face was indeed a little pale, Du Mingxian asked, "Can you still walk by yourself? If not, I'll send someone back to fetch a carriage?"

Chuntao shook her head, "Miss, don't worry, I'm fine."

"Okay, let's walk back then."

After walking for a while, the group finally returned to the Wen residence. Du Mingxian pulled Chuntao back to her own courtyard. When they entered the room, she blocked Ke'er and Lian'er at the door, saying, "You two go and prepare some food and water. Chuntao will take care of you here."

"Yes," Ke'er and Lian'er replied, and did not go any further inside.

Du Mingxian closed the door, then asked in a serious tone, "What happened?"

"Someone wanted to kill me and sent assassins, but I escaped."

Du Mingxian was surprised, "You didn't kill him?"

“Using poison would be too obvious. I used a poison that would kill in three days. I’m not very skilled. I might be able to deal with a few thugs, but nothing else…”

Du Mingxian found it hard to believe that someone rescued by their master could be of average skill.

"Okay, could it be someone from the master's side who has designs on you?"

"No, very few of the people on the master's side even know I exist. Why would they want to kill me? I won't get in their way."

Du Mingxian thought about it carefully and felt that it made sense, but upon further reflection... then it could only be the one she had guessed.

"Then it can only be Madam Wen."

"I had that suspicion too." Chun Tao kept thinking about it on her way back, feeling that something was wrong, and now that she thought about it, it really was.

Du Mingxian nodded gently, "It must have been the things Wen Shiyan said when I had a fever that made Madam Wen unhappy, which is why she sent someone to take action against you."

Chun Tao's face turned cold.

"Besides what Wen Shiyan said that day because I had a fever, another reason is... she wanted to arrange people around me, killing two birds with one stone. Did you see those two just now? They were arranged by Madam Wen. One is Ke'er, and the other is Lian'er. Together they are pitiful. I can't do without them."

When Chun Tao heard the words "poor thing," she also felt sympathy for Du Mingxian. Just now on the street, she saw that the concern on Du Mingxian's face was genuine; she really cared about her.

Otherwise, given their circumstances, it would be normal for her not to save them, as it would also allow her to remove the eyeliner, showing that she truly considered them sisters.

At this moment, Chun Tao was truly moved.

"Since it was arranged by Madam, we have no choice but to keep her. Miss, just be careful in your actions from now on."

"I think so too. We should both be careful in the future if anything happens."

"Ah."

"By the way, you went out to buy a purse, why didn't you come back to the private room for so long? I even looked for you outside for a long time."

Chun Tao's ears turned slightly red, and she didn't speak as decisively as usual. "After I finished shopping, I ran into an acquaintance and we exchanged a few words. When I went back, I found that someone was following me. They tried to knock me out and take me away. I had no choice but to escape. They chased me all the way to the outskirts of the city. When they were about to attack me, I sprinkled some short-term itching powder on them, and that's how I escaped."

"Your medicine is really effective. Could you please prescribe some for me? I can use it in case of an emergency."

"Okay, I'll get some for both of us in the next couple of days."

"Thank you, Chuntao." Du Mingxian thought that Chuntao might have met her master today, and the two might have talked. "When does our mission start?"

"Soon, soon."

"Okay, then I'll wait a bit longer."

Chuntao stared at Du Mingxian, "Did you see clearly? The top scholar paraded through the streets, wasn't that your husband? On my way back, I heard people say that Miss Wen hit the third-ranked scholar, and the third-ranked scholar actually accepted Miss Wen's purse. How blind must he be?"

Du Mingxian couldn't explain the reason to Chun Tao, so she only gave a vague answer, "I saw him, I saw my husband. The third-ranked scholar is indeed handsome. Wen Shiyan is very happy about this and is just waiting for him to come and propose marriage."

"Huh? A third-ranked scholar? Did studying make him lose his brain? Someone like Wen Shiyan... it's a waste to pair him with a dog."

"That's right. Before you came back, Wen Shiyan said she wanted to stay and keep me company. But Madam Wen was very sensible and took her back with her."

Chuntao nodded repeatedly, "Miss has suffered."

"What suffering have I endured? It's you who have suffered. By the way, I need to go and tell Father about your situation."

Chuntao quickly stopped her, "Miss, please don't go. Lord Wen is usually preoccupied with important matters of the court. Don't bother him with such a trivial matter as mine."

Du Mingxian shook her head, "We are sisters. Since something like this has happened, I must go to Father and ask for his protection."

"That's not a good idea." Chun Tao hesitated. Although she had already poisoned the person who attacked her, if she used poison on everyone behind the scenes, she would be exposed too soon. It would be better to let Number Eighty-Three go to Lord Wen.

Du Mingxian gave her a reassuring look, "You were frightened today, so stay here and rest. I'll be right back."

After saying that, she left. Chun Tao was still feeling touched and confused. In fact, the reason why Du Mingxian insisted on going was not because of Chun Tao, but because of herself.

She asked Steward Wen to help find the person back then, and Steward Wen must have known what happened. He would definitely have reported it to Wen Yicheng. The maid and the original owner had lived together since childhood, so they were master and servant as one. It would be unreasonable for her, as the master, not to go when such a big thing happened to the maid.

Just as she stepped out of the room, Ke'er came over carrying a food box. "Miss, dinner is ready."

"Put it in first, I'll be back in a bit." Du Mingxian said and left in a hurry. Ke'er was a little anxious. She handed the food box to the little maid in the courtyard and was about to follow when Chun Tao came out and said, "Miss said she wants to go out for a walk by herself."

Ke'er stopped in her tracks, turned back and glanced awkwardly at Chun Tao, "That's good. I was worried that Miss would be alone, so I wanted to go and serve her."

"Didn't Miss tell you to take the food box inside? She'll be back in a bit, right?"

"Yes, yes." Ke'er smiled and carried the things inside, but didn't put them out immediately for fear they would get cold.

Du Mingxian rushed off to find Wen Yicheng, who happened to be in Wen Yicheng's courtyard. The housekeeper then recounted the story of Du Mingxian and Chuntao.

Wen Yicheng's servant went in to report, and soon Du Mingxian was allowed to enter.

When Wen Yicheng saw the person enter, he asked in a deep voice, "What are you doing here?"