Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Su Qianrou arrived at Zilan Courtyard.

Lin Rong had just gotten up and was washing up when she learned that Rou'er had arrived. She was quite surprised and asked, "Why did Rou'er come so early today? Did something happen?"

"The young lady didn't say anything, but I could tell from her expression that she didn't look well."

Upon hearing this, Lin Rong didn't care about anything else, and just threw on a piece of clothing and went out.

As soon as he came out, he saw Su Qianrou sitting on the couch with a worried look on her face, so he quickly walked over and asked, "Rou'er, what's wrong? Did something happen?"

Su Qianrou stood up, called out, "Mother," and then helped her sit down, saying, "Mother, please sit down first."

Lin Rong sat down and looked at her nervously, "You came so early, did something happen?"

Su Qianrou did not answer her question, but looked at Qiulan and said, "Qiulan, take my mother's pulse."

"Yes," Qiu Lan replied, then stepped forward to take Lin Rong's pulse.

Lin Rong asked, puzzled, "Rou'er, what are you doing? Why are you suddenly taking my pulse?"

"Mother, let Qiulan take your pulse first, and I'll tell you after she does."

Although Lin Rong was puzzled, she still reached out and placed her hand on the table.

Qiulan then placed her hand on her wrist, and after a while, she withdrew her hand.

Su Qianrou asked impatiently, "How was it?"

Qiulan replied, "Miss, the lady has indeed been poisoned, and it has been seven years. In another six months, there will be no cure, and she will die."

Upon hearing this, everyone wore expressions of disbelief.

Although Su Qianrou was somewhat prepared, she was still shocked.

Granny Li exclaimed in shock, "What? Poisoning... You mean, Madam has been poisoned?"

Qiulan nodded.

"How could this be? We've always kept Zilan Academy under strict control. Outsiders have no chance to take advantage of it. Could it be that there's a mole among us?" Qinghui muttered to herself.

Yunmeng then said, "In that case, the lady's headache also started seven years ago. Could it be that it was caused by poisoning?"

“It was indeed caused by poisoning,” Qiulan said.

Su Qianrou asked, "Do you have a way to detoxify?"

"Yes, but it's quite troublesome, and the medicinal materials are relatively hard to find."

"It's alright, just write down the medicinal herbs and I'll have someone find them."

"Yes".

Lin Rong, who had been silent until now, finally spoke and asked, "Do you know what kind of poison I have been given?"

"Madam, you have been poisoned with Manxin, a poison that appears in the Lingnan region."

"Lingnan".

"Ok".

Lin Rong remained silent, racking her brains but unable to figure out who wanted to harm her. So she ordered, "Investigate, and find the person behind this."

“Yes,” Li Mama replied.

Because I was in the open while the enemy was in the dark, Lin Rong instructed that no one was allowed to publicize this matter in order to avoid alerting them. Therefore, even Su Jing'an and Su Mingxuan did not know that she had been poisoned.

It took Su Qianrou five whole days to gather all the medicinal herbs.

Finally, through the combined effects of medicinal baths and acupuncture, the poison in Lin Rong's body was finally eliminated.

At this moment, she was lying in bed, fast asleep, her face very pale.

Su Qianrou asked, "When will my mother wake up?"

"The lady will wake up in about an hour. However, the toxins have been accumulating in her body for a long time, so her health will be much worse."

"Is there no way to solve this?"

"No, it can only be treated slowly."

Su Qianrou looked at Lin Rong, feeling a tightness in her chest, as if something was blocking her heart.

Just then, Su Mingxuan and Song Shiyu walked in. Seeing everyone gathered around the bed, Su Mingxuan asked in confusion, "Why are you all gathered here?"

Upon hearing this, Su Qianrou looked at him and said, "Big brother, sister-in-law, what brings you here?"

The others moved to the sides, making room for them.

Then, the two saw Lin Rong lying on the bed and hurriedly went over to her.

Seeing Lin Rong's haggard appearance, Su Mingxuan looked at Su Qianrou and asked anxiously, "What's wrong with Mother?"

"He's been poisoned."

"Poisoning? How could this be? Is there any cure?"

"It's been solved."

Su Mingxuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. "These past few days, you've been working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, all to treat Mother's illness."

"Ok".

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Your mother is worried about disturbing your studies."

"Is studying more important than Mother's health?"

Su Qianrou did not answer.

"Does Father know?"

"I don't know," Su Mingxuan replied. He wasn't stupid; he could figure out why Su Jing'an wasn't told. Then he asked, "Do you know who poisoned him?"

"Not found yet."

Su Mingxuan didn't ask any more questions, seemingly lost in thought.

Song Shiyu said, "Qianrou, I see you are a little tired. Why don't you go back and rest first? I'll take care of Mother here."

Su Qianrou did not refuse, "Okay, then I'll trouble you, sister-in-law."

"No trouble at all, it's nothing."

Afterwards, Su Qianrou and Su Mingxuan came out of Zilan Courtyard together and walked side by side on the road.

Su Mingxuan asked, "Are there any suspects?"

"The most suspicious person is Aunt Liu, but her hometown is not in Lingnan, so it will probably be difficult for her to get the poison. However, we don't know if someone instructed her to do this."

"You mean...the old lady."

"It's not impossible. Don't forget, she's from Lingnan. It's just that I don't understand why she would do this."

"Do you know that the old lady originally wanted my father to marry her niece, who is also my third cousin?"

Su Qianrou looked at him in surprise, clearly unaware of this matter.

Su Mingxuan slowly said, "You should know that Grandfather's favorite person was Aunt Lian, but because of his status, he could only make her a concubine. Our grandmother was Grandfather's first woman, so Grandfather treated her quite well. As for the old lady, because her father once saved Great-Grandfather, Great-Grandfather promised that he would let his son marry his daughter. However, if he knew that he only had one son, Grandfather, he probably wouldn't have said that back then."

“I see. I knew it. With the old lady’s status, how could grandfather possibly marry her? By the way, what was that about the old lady wanting father to marry his third cousin?”

"As you know, Father was only sixteen when he became the top scholar in the imperial examination, and his future was limitless. Therefore, the old lady wanted her niece to marry him, but Grandfather disagreed. Later, at a banquet, the old lady and my third cousin conspired to drug Father, trying to force him into marriage. But somehow, Father and Mother ended up having relations, and then Father married our mother."

"How do you know all this?" Su Qianrou asked curiously.

“Once when I went to see my mother, I overheard her conversation with Granny Li, and that’s how I found out… By the way, you just said that my mother has been poisoned for seven years.”

"Ok".

“My third cousin’s husband passed away seven years ago,” Su Mingxuan said meaningfully.

Su Qianrou instantly understood his meaning, "I'll have someone investigate right away."

"Where did you come from? Not only you, but I don't have any connections either. So, let Mother send someone to investigate."

Su Qianrou thought about it and agreed.