My Husband Never Oversteps The Bounds Of Propriety - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Cold Tea

The pitch-pot incident was like a massive stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that refused to subside for a long time. Shen Jiuyuan’s stunning feat of hitting consecutive targets while blindfolded and back-turned not only silenced every guest harboring contempt or curiosity but also acted as a silent thunderbolt, drawing a clear and icy line between her and the Qin mother-daughter duo.

For the remainder of the spring banquet, the atmosphere became subtle. On the surface, wine flowed, laughter rang out, and the music of strings and flutes continued unabated. Ladies discussed fashionable fabrics and jewelry, and young misses exchanged poems and paintings, as if that bloodless battle had never occurred.

However, the gazes that fell on Shen Jiuyuan, intentionally or otherwise, had quietly changed flavor. There was less scrutiny and doubt, replaced by an imperceptible wariness, inquiry, and even a faint hint of a desire to curry favor.

Madam Qin-Zhou remained as socially adept as ever, chatting and laughing with several noble commissioned ladies as if she hadn’t taken her daughter’s setback to heart at all. Yet, whenever her peripheral vision swept over Shen Jiuyuan who sat quietly by Lady Lin’s side the coldness hidden beneath her perfect smile flashed and vanished in an instant.

Qin Zhaoyan, meanwhile, had clearly lost her spark. No longer parading about like a peacock, she sat listlessly by her mother’s side. Occasionally, when she looked at Shen Jiuyuan, her eyes held a mix of resentment, indignation, and a sliver of deep-seated fear she hadn’t even realized herself. The two girls who had helped her earlier also reined in their arrogance, not daring to provoke Jiuyuan again.

Lady Lin observed all of this. Though she didn’t show it, she felt a genuine sense of relief and even a faint, proud satisfaction. She uncharacteristically took the initiative to whisper a few words to Shen Jiuyuan nothing more than the usual “don’t be proud” and “be cautious in word and deed” but her tone was much gentler than usual. Matron Yan remained inseparable from Jiuyuan’s side, her expression solemn, yet in moments when no one was looking, the admiration in her eyes grew more intense.

As the banquet neared its end, the Commissioner’s wife ordered a tea service set up in the water pavilion. They used the new spring tribute of Biluochun; the tea fragrance was crisp and refreshing. Maids carried red-lacquered gold-traced trays, presenting cups of rain-over-sky blue glaze to each lady.

Shen Jiuyuan took her cup, her fingertips touching the warm porcelain. Just as she was about to nod in thanks to the serving maid, her nose caught an extremely faint, sweet scent that differed from the tea—drifting almost imperceptibly from the cup.

This scent was incredibly subtle, mixed with the heavy aromas of flowers, fruit, and powders. If she hadn’t spent her life around medicinal herbs and possessed an extraordinary sensitivity to smell, she would never have noticed it.

She paused almost imperceptibly and looked down into the cup. The tea was a clear, bright emerald green, and the leaves were slowly unfurling; it looked perfectly normal. However, that trace of strange fragrance set off alarm bells in her heart.

This was not the aroma Biluochun should have. It smelled like a type of rosemary designed to daze the mind and cause hallucinations, mixed with a medicinal property similar to the “Epiphyllum” orchid that could agitate one’s blood and qi. Though cleverly masked by the tea scent and given in a tiny dose, an ordinary person would at most feel dizzy or irritable, losing their composure for a moment in public—only to blame it on the wine or springtime fatigue afterward.

But if she had exhausted her spirit during the pitch-pot game or felt unsettled, drinking this tea would lead to unthinkable consequences.

Who would dare to play such tricks at the Silk Commissioner’s banquet? Is it the Qin family, or someone else who finds me an eyesore?

In a flash, several thoughts raced through her mind. She couldn’t make a scene; she had no proof, it would insult the host, and it would alert the culprit. However, she absolutely could not drink this tea.

Shen Jiuyuan maintained her dignified smile, but her fingertips quietly loosened, and the tea cup tilted as if by accident.

“Oh no!”

a serving maid nearby gasped and scrambled to steady it, but it was too late. A small portion of the warm tea splashed out, soaking Jiuyuan’s sleeve and skirt, and wetting the maid’s hand.

“This servant deserves death, this servant deserves death!” The little maid turned pale and apologized repeatedly. This sudden turn of events instantly attracted many gazes. Lady Lin frowned and looked over. The Commissioner’s wife also asked with concern, “Is the Su Eldest Young Grandmother all right? This clumsy girl!” She made a gesture as if to punish the maid.

Shen Jiuyuan rose, dabbing the tea from her sleeve with a handkerchief, and gently defended the maid: “Madam, please appease your anger. It was merely an accident; the girl’s hand slipped, she is not to be blamed. It is only a pity for this fine new tea, and I have stained my dress, which is truly impolite.”

Her earnest words and humble posture made it difficult for the Commissioner’s wife to lose her temper. She merely glared at the maid and ordered someone to lead Jiuyuan to a backroom to change. Matron Yan immediately stepped forward and said deeply, “This old servant shall accompany the Eldest Young Grandmother.”

Shen Jiuyuan nodded slightly, excused herself to the host and Lady Lin, and left the noisy water pavilion with the guide and Matron Yan.

On the way to the side room, Shen Jiuyuan’s face was calm, but her heart was in turmoil. The serving maid’s eyes were panicked and didn’t seem faked; it appeared she wasn’t the mastermind, but was merely being used. The poisoner’s mind was incredibly meticulous, the dosage precise, and the timing clever. Had she not been vigilant, she would have fallen into the trap.

“Matron,” Shen Jiuyuan whispered to Matron Yan beside her, “that tea had a strange odor.”

Matron Yan’s gaze sharpened. Though she didn’t know medicine, she had spent a long time in the Palace and seen countless dark methods; she understood Jiuyuan’s meaning instantly. “Is the Eldest Young Grandmother certain?”

“Almost entirely,” Jiuyuan’s voice was very low. “This must not be publicized, but Husband must be informed.”

She believed that Su Jin surely had spies within the Commissioner’s estate. Matron Yan understood and said no more, though the tightness in her jaw revealed her inner fury. Someone dared to act against the Su family’s Eldest Young Grandmother under her very nose.

In the side room, the maids had already prepared clean clothes. Shen Jiuyuan changed and used the excuse of being startled to request a moment of quiet, dismissing the Commissioner’s maids and leaving only Matron Yan.

“Matron, when we return later, find a way to quietly take a sample of the tea residue from where I spilled it, especially from the carpet. Bring it back,” Shen Jiuyuan commanded calmly. She needed evidence.

“This old servant understands,” Matron Yan replied, cold light flickering in her eyes.

After sitting for a while, estimating the time was right, she returned to the water pavilion with Matron Yan. The banquet was ending, and guests were leaving. Madam Qin-Zhou, seeing that Jiuyuan had changed and still wore an impeccable smile as if nothing had happened, pretended to be concerned: “Is the Su Eldest Young Grandmother well? Spring clothes are thin; be careful not to catch a chill.”

“Thank you for your concern, Madam Qin. I am fine.” Shen Jiuyuan nodded slightly, her gaze meeting the other’s briefly calm and rippleless. Qin Zhaoyan stood behind her mother, and as she looked at Jiuyuan’s unaffected face, a flash of disappointment and confusion crossed her eyes.

Lady Lin didn’t ask much when Jiuyuan returned, only saying, “Since you are fine, let us go back.”

They bid farewell to the host and boarded the carriage. The interior was silent. Lady Lin closed her eyes to rest, while Shen Jiuyuan leaned against the carriage wall, appearing to rest but internally replaying the poisoning incident over and over.

By the time they reached the Su Manor, the sun was setting. Shen Jiuyuan had just returned to Yuanlan Pavilion when she found Su Jin already waiting in the courtyard. He stood with his hands behind his back before the newly transplanted “Moon Shadow” herb, the twilight casting a faint golden rim around his tall silhouette.

“Was the spring banquet today smooth?” Su Jin turned, his gaze landing on her, his tone as casual as ever.

Shen Jiuyuan’s heart stirred he knew already? She bowed: “In reply to Husband, all was well.”

Su Jin took a few steps closer, gazing at her with deep eyes that seemed capable of piercing through everything. “I heard that during the pitch-pot game, you shone brilliantly.”

“It was merely luck,” she whispered, her eyes downcast.

“Luck?” Su Jin’s tone rose slightly with a hint of playfulness. “Then was that cup of tea ‘accidentally’ spilled also luck?”

Shen Jiuyuan jerked her head up, meeting her husband’s all-knowing gaze. She realized nothing could be hidden from him.

“The tea fragrance was strange,” she stopped hiding it and spoke in a low voice. “It seemed mixed with rosemary and a substance that agitates blood and qi. The dose was tiny, but if I had drunk it, I fear I would have lost my composure in public.”

Su Jin’s eyes instantly turned cold, and the aura around him became as freezing as ice. “Do you know who did it?”

“It is not yet known,” she shook her head. “The serving maid seemed used. I have asked Matron Yan to find a way to sample the tea residue.”

Su Jin was silent for a moment, then let out a cold laugh. “It seems someone is getting impatient.” He looked at her face again; amidst the coldness, there was an indefinable, complex emotion. “You did well. Calm in a crisis and handled it appropriately.”

This was the second time he had explicitly praised her. Shen Jiuyuan felt little joy, only a chill spreading from her heart. Today was a drug to make her lose face; what would tomorrow bring?

“I will investigate this thoroughly,” Su Jin said with a decisive, murderous tone. “Be extremely careful when going in and out lately. Matron Yan will assign two more reliable people who know martial arts to follow you.”

“Yes,” she accepted.

Su Jin looked deeply at her, seeming to want to say something, but finally only said: “You are tired today; rest well.” With that, he turned and left.

Shen Jiuyuan watched his back disappear into the twilight for a long time. The evening breeze blew, bringing the faint, cool scent of the Moon Shadow herb. The prosperity and noise of the spring banquet had faded, leaving behind a hidden, grim murderous intent. The fragrance of the tea had cooled, and the hidden arrow had been fired this Su Manor, and even all of Jinling, was destined to be covered in thorns.

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