Ch. 1631..1640
Chapter 1631: People familiar to 1630
Tan Rou smiled, “There’s an old saying back in my hometown, ‘Birds of a feather flock together, people are sorted into groups.’ Perhaps Busodi just belongs with those kinds of people.”
Samiyi also smiled, then said, “Let’s go, we shall resolve the conflict between those two. Busodi asked me to look after his wife before he left, and I can’t go back on my word.”
The two of them turned off the surveillance and walked together in that direction. As they walked, Tan Rou suddenly glanced to the side. Her movement was quick, but she didn’t see anything unusual – just two maids standing there.
“Rou, what’s wrong?” Samiyi saw Tan Rou standing there and quickly asked, “Did you notice something?”
Tan Rou kept staring in that direction, “I feel like something there is watching me.”
Samiyi said, “Maybe it’s those two maids. They’re curious about you, so they keep staring.”
Tan Rou nodded and continued walking, but she did not let her guard down. She still glanced around from time to time to avoid any unexpected situation.
After Samiyi arrived, she immediately switched to a different mode of handling things, speaking with a stern face, “It’s quite lively here. If I hadn’t come, would the two of you like to continue your performance?”
Monica hadn’t finished touching up her makeup. She put away her compact mirror, hung her head, and said, “Your Highness, princess, she started it!”
Elinka also shouted, “I didn’t start it. She was the one who came over and pulled my hair first.”
Samiyi didn’t want to listen to their quarreling here. She shouted, “Silence! No one speaks until I say you can!”
Tan Rou thought to herself that Samiyi’s presence was indeed very strong.
While Samiyi was scolding others, Tan Rou had nothing to do and looked around. Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure in the chaotic crowd. The person was not very tall and wore a hat; something about it was not normal.
However, Samiyi was still speaking; she couldn’t just blurt out something or walk away directly.
In that moment’s delay, the figure disappeared, but Tan Rou was certain she wasn’t seeing things. She had indeed seen that person. But how could that person appear inside the royal palace? Could it be that she came in with the rich madam and the noble young ladies?
“Miss Rou, Miss Rou?” Samiyi called her twice. “We should take our seats. You are my personally invited guest, so you should sit next to me.”
Tan Rou came back to her senses, “Oh, yes.” She also wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Samiyi about the person she had just seen.
But someone didn’t want her to settle down comfortably.
Elinka said with dissatisfaction, “Your Highness, princess, this is a gathering of noble ladies. How can you let this foreign woman attend? Is she a noble?”
Tan Rou simply sat down. She wasn’t interested in entertaining this foolish and impolite woman.
Seeing that Tan Rou ignored her, Elinka was so angry that she stamped her foot, “Hey, you can’t sit there. According to your status, you should only sit at the very edge. Princess, this is the rule, and even you can’t break it.”
“Oh, did I just hear something unbelievable?” Monica said, “Miss Elinka knows about rules now, does she? But when you were troubling me just now, why didn’t you think to follow the rules?”
Elinka said, “One thing belongs to one category, that was our personal grudge. We can do as we please with personal matters. Now, we’re dealing with something that involves the dignity of the royal family. As a noble, it’s my duty to remind the princess to be mindful of her actions.”
Tan Rou saw Samiyi’s tightly clenched hand and felt that if there weren’t so many people around, Samiyi could jump up and give this foolish woman a kick.
Just then, Elinka suddenly screamed, “Ouch, who hit me?”
Tan Rou’s reflexes were quick. She scanned the surroundings but only saw half a body swiftly hiding into the bushes; she couldn’t see the full figure.
Yes, she was sure the person she saw was Ina. The one who had hit Monica and Elinka had to be Ina. But why would Ina do that? Did she have a grudge against these two, or was there another reason?
Chapter 1632: Why come here in 1631?
Ina’s presence here, did it mean that the Dawn Society’s influence had reached into the heart of the palace? After thinking carefully, Tan Rou felt a chill down her spine. If the Dawn Society truly had such powerful capabilities, there was no use for Samiyi to fight against them; she might as well concede defeat.
On the other hand, Elinka was still making a fuss, and this time Monica stood by Tan Rou’s side, continuously speaking up for her, clearly wanting to protect her.
“Enough!” Samiyi finally lost her temper, “Do you all think I’m dead?”
Once she erupted, everyone dared not speak. Even Tan Rou turned to look at her, trying to calm her down, “Princess, it seems my presence has caused you trouble. Since no one welcomes me, I might as well leave.”
After saying that, she even gave Samiyi a meaningful glance. Although Samiyi didn’t understand why she would say this, since Tan Rou wanted to leave, there must be a reason.
Therefore, Samiyi also winked at her stealthily and then said, very annoyed, “You are my guest, how can you just leave?”
Tan Rou replied, “I’m not really used to having afternoon tea, and I am a bit tired. I’d better go back and rest.”
Samiyi was merely complying with Tan Rou’s act, so a few casual remarks sufficed. “Alright, if you’re tired, then go and rest.”
Monica sarcastically said to Elinka, “Miss Elinka seems quite powerful, managing to drive away the princess’s guest. One might think Miss Elinka is about to become the queen.”
Elinka’s earlier mockery of Monica was now being used by Monica to mock her back; it was really a turn of fate.
Elinka was also a bit dumbfounded; she just wanted to cause some trouble for Tan Rou, not expecting to actually drive her away, and it seemed the princess didn’t want Tan Rou to leave.
“I… That’s not what I meant,” Elinka struggled, then said, “Princess, I didn’t mean to drive her away, I just felt…”
“Have you finished talking?” Samiyi said, very impatiently, “I invited everyone here to enjoy afternoon tea. All of you are persons of status and should know what manners are. Are you not putting me in your eyes with all this chaos?”
The noble ladies and rich madams were stunned; they hadn’t talked with Samiyi for many years, not expecting the current Samiyi to be even more assertive than before. Once she spoke up, no one dared to speak loudly anymore.
But Samiyi’s goal was not to silence them, but to get them to talk about useful matters. Thus, she said, “Forget it, let’s just pretend this incident never happened. Please, let’s sit down, have some afternoon tea and chat.”
Monica was the first to sit down, gracefully settling at the edge of the table, and said, “Thank you for the invitation, Your Highness. I will surely enjoy this lovely afternoon tea.”
While they were drinking tea, Tan Rou quietly left the parlor, chasing in the direction where a figure had just vanished. It wasn’t long before she heard rustling noises from the bushes.
She slowed her steps but continued forward.
The noise behind her became louder and continued to approach her. It seemed that the person was not afraid of Tan Rou discovering them, perhaps they were even trying to play a game with her.
Tan Rou suddenly turned around, but only saw a blurred afterimage in the bushes, showing how fast the other person was.
Thus, Tan Rou just stood there, not moving, with her arms crossed, waiting for the person to come out.
“Sister Tan Rou, why aren’t you moving?” Ina couldn’t hold back anymore; she emerged from the bushes, looking up at Tan Rou, “Ina wanted to play hide and seek with sister Tan Rou.”
Tan Rou did not let her guard down just because Ina showed an adorable expression. After all, Ina was a member of the Dawn Society, and they had just recently forced the Dawn Society to destroy their own luxurious base.
“Why are you here?” Tan Rou asked directly.
“Ina came here to play with sister Tan Rou.” Ina moved closer to Tan Rou very affectionately. She pouted and said unhappily, “But sister Tan Rou never noticed Ina, Ina is so sad.”
Tan Rou said, “This isn’t the place for you, so you better go back soon.”
Chapter 1633: 1632 won’t leave
“I don’t want to,” Ina said, turning away with evident disgust, “I have to go back to that sewer, where it’s all dark and not pretty at all.”
Tan Rou asked nervously, “Were you there when the explosion happened? Did you get hurt?”
Ina turned to face Tan Rou, “I wasn’t there. Is Sister Tan Rou worried about me?”
Tan Rou nodded, “Although you are with the Dawn Society, you’re still a child. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Ina smiled, “Sister Tan Rou is really kind. Ina likes Sister Tan Rou the most.”
Tan Rou hadn’t lost her senses yet; she asked, “Where have you moved to now?”
Ina didn’t answer the question, instead closing one eye and placing her forefinger to her lips, “Sister Tan Rou, it’s our secret. I can’t tell you.”
Tan Rou didn’t pry further. She couldn’t see through the girl in front of her. Sometimes she seemed kind, but sometimes she seemed terrifying.
“It’s okay, we’ll find your new hangout,” Tan Rou said.
But Ina warned her, “Sister Tan Rou, now is not the time to come looking for us. You mustn’t come, or there will be danger.”
Of course, Tan Rou knew there was danger, but she couldn’t give up just because of that—it wasn’t her style.
“What danger will there be?” Tan Rou asked intentionally.
Ina said, “Sister Tan Rou would turn into a purple-skinned monster.”
Tan Rou immediately realized what she was talking about, “Ina, are you conducting human experimentation, right?”
“What’s human experimentation?” Ina asked curiously.
Tan Rou wasn’t sure if Ina was playing dumb or genuinely didn’t know, “It’s turning normal people into monsters with purple skin.”
Ina shook her head, “Ina doesn’t know.”
Tan Rou had come to understand Ina’s personality. Whenever she was asked a question she didn’t want to answer, she would claim ignorance.
“Okay, if you don’t know the answer to that, then I’ll ask you something else,” Tan Rou said, “How did you infiltrate the palace?”
Again Ina shook her head, “That’s Ina’s secret. I can’t tell Sister Tan Rou now, but don’t worry. I won’t hurt you or the princess. You’re both good people, and Ina likes you.”
Tan Rou asked, “Ina, can I trust what you say?”
Ina answered very seriously, “Sister Tan Rou, I can only tell you that Ina won’t hurt you or deceive you.”
Tan Rou chose to trust Ina, “Alright, I believe you. But you can’t stay in the palace alone. If the palace guards find you, you’ll be in danger. And if you stay in the palace, you’ll also pose a threat to the people there.”
“Is Sister Tan Rou talking about His Majesty the King, who is ill?” Ina said, giggling, “His Majesty is ill; he can no longer lead his people. So this country should be taken over by the Dawn Society.”
Tan Rou frowned, “Ina, Gand is not a good person. Don’t trust him. If you want to live a normal life, I can help you leave the Dawn Society…”
“Don’t want to,” Ina refused Tan Rou’s help, “Ina will always stay with the Dawn Society because Ina still has very important things to do.”
“You want to help Gand realize his dream of being King?” Tan Rou said heartbrokenly, “Gand doesn’t deserve to be king. He’s captured so many people for human experimentation. If he becomes king, those who died at his hands will not rest in peace.”
Ina was a bit distracted, and it was unclear what she was thinking about.
Tan Rou thought her words had an effect, so she continued, “Ina, leave the Dawn Society. Come to this normal world. I can have Samiyi take you to school. You’ll make many new friends.”
Once more, Ina refused Tan Rou’s suggestion, “No, I will not leave the Dawn Society. Until my business is finished, I cannot leave the Dawn Society.”
Tan Rou thought Ina’s business was helping Gand, so she said angrily, “Ina, don’t be so obstinate!”
“Anyway, I won’t leave!” After that, Ina slipped back into the bushes.
Tan Rou followed to look for her, but Ina’s figure had already disappeared.
Chapter 1634: 1633 Unknown Purpose
Ina had vanished, and Tan Rou could no longer return to the tea party, so she went back to the temporary surveillance room to help Samiyi adjust the eavesdropping equipment.
Soon, Samiyi ended the afternoon tea party, and after she had become angry, the rich madams and noble young ladies indeed stopped their clamor, but it couldn’t exactly be called quiet; Samiyi couldn’t make out what they were saying clearly.
At the end, Monica, with her good friend Alisa, came to speak with Samiyi. Samiyi originally had no liking for either of them, but after listening to Alisa speak, she changed her opinion in an instant. Alisa’s emotional intelligence was much higher than Monica’s, and she was very well-mannered, knowing exactly what to say and what not to say.
After the tea party ended, Samiyi also left a contact for Alisa, saying she would invite her to the royal palace again if the opportunity arose.
Samiyi entered the surveillance room and saw Tan Rou asleep at the desk, so she quietly covered her with a blanket. The room was air-conditioned, and without a blanket, Tan Rou would catch a cold.
Fortunately, Tan Rou hadn’t slept for long; she had only dozed off a bit while listening to the recordings. Just as Samiyi had covered her with the blanket, she woke up.
“Has your tea party ended?” Tan Rou yawned, removed the blanket from her body and set it aside, “I thought you would be chatting for much longer.”
Samiyi, quite exhausted, sat down on the nearby sofa and said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve held a large tea party. Suddenly having one, I feel more tired than if I had run ten kilometers. Not only is my body tired, but my heart is tired too. I prefer sitting down to review documents than sitting there listening to their quarrels.”
Tan Rou laughed, “Your Highness, the future queen, you’re quite enlightened.”
Samiyi glared at her and said, “Are you also mocking me?”
Tan Rou raised an eyebrow and said playfully, “I’m certainly not mocking you.”
After their banter, the two began to talk about serious matters, with Tan Rou starting the conversation about what she had encountered.
“I saw Ina inside the palace; the person who must have been throwing stones at Monica and Elinka from behind was her,” said Tan Rou.
Samiyi was very surprised, “How could she be in the palace? Did she come with those nobles today?”
“Not at all,” Tan Rou shook her head, “From what she implied, she seems to have been staying in the palace for some time. I guess she moved in after the explosion that day.”
“This won’t do, I have to find her,” Samiyi said with great agitation. “The Dawn Society is becoming too brazen, daring to wreak havoc right under my nose. If I don’t root them out, I am not Samiyi!”
“You won’t find her,” Tan Rou said without wanting to dampen Samiyi’s spirits, but it was the truth. “There were so many people there today, yet not one noticed her. So, do you think your guards can catch her in the palace? And I feel that even if she were to appear, with our capabilities, we still would not be able to catch her.”
Samiyi pressed, “Can’t you catch her either?”
“It’s regrettable,” Tan Rou replied, “but today she vanished right in front of me, and I couldn’t even find a trace of her.”
Another worry was added to Samiyi’s troubles. You could imagine how terrifying it is to think that someone who bears a grudge against you resides in your own home, and you do not know where she is or when she might come out to strike you with a knife.
“What is her objective?” Samiyi asked with little hope.
“I don’t know,” Tan Rou said, spreading her hands. “I asked her, but she didn’t tell me. However, she did say something else to me. She told us not to worry, that she would certainly not harm us.”
Samiyi fell into thought for a while before asking, “Tan, do you think Ina’s words are trustworthy?”
“Which words are you referring to? ‘Not going to harm us’?” Tan Rou asked.
“All of them,” said Samiyi.
“I believe there’s a 70 percent chance they are trustworthy,” Tan Rou said, herself a bit puzzled by Ina’s attitude, “She seems to be plotting something.”
“Certainly plotting how to deal with the nobility,” said Samiyi.
“Possibly,” Tan Rou was not certain, yet she felt Ina still held other secrets.
Chapter 1635: 1634 are all poisoned
“What news did you hear today?” After speaking about Ina, Tan Rou began to inquire of Samiyi, “Did Elinka cause any trouble for me later on?”
“No,” Samiyi replied. “After you left, Elinka directed her attacks toward Monica, but today Monica did not argue with her. No matter what Elinka said, she just sat there calmly drinking tea, occasionally chatting with her friend. Oh, by the way, her friend is quite something.”
Tan Rou knew who Samiyi was talking about, but she did not understand much about Alisa, only knowing that Alisa intended to obtain a piece of land by despicable means.
“How is she impressive?” Tan Rou asked.
Samiyi spoke earnestly, “Alisa is very smart, and she has some understanding of the current state of the world. In the end, she mentioned the condition of our country, talking a little about the direction of reform. Sadly, it was all about real estate.”
Tan Rou nodded slightly, “Hearing you say this, it seems you think quite highly of her.”
Samiyi laughed, “I wouldn’t say my opinion of her is very high, but it’s definitely higher than Monica’s. She was a friend of Monica’s, and they were from similar backgrounds. After Monica became the princess consort, she only knew to adorn herself with luxurious things. That woman named Alisa is a bit smarter, choosing to enrich herself with knowledge.”
Tan Rou said, “Don’t be fooled by her. That woman is no good.”
Samiyi knew that Alisa approached her with a purpose in mind, but she did not yet know what Alisa’s purpose was, “Hmm, so I gave her my contact details, and I said I would invite her to the palace in the future.”
“You really like to create trouble for yourself,” Tan Rou said helplessly.
“I don’t want to create trouble for myself,” Samiyi insisted. “But I can’t avoid trouble when it keeps coming my way.”
Tan Rou sighed, “I hope you can resolve the trouble soon.”
Samiyi also said, “Heh, I’d like to resolve all the trouble now.”
They both knew this was impossible. Once the burden fell on Samiyi, she would have to bear it for a lifetime.
It was getting late, and after monitoring for a while, Tan Rou and Samiyi prepared to leave; the remaining surveillance could be left to others. They only needed to know what was useful.
Tan Rou went to see Zhuang Liu, and Samiyi to see the King; both had their own business to attend to.
The next morning, as soon as Tan Rou left her house, she ran into a maid from Samiyi’s side, who rushed inside so hurriedly she nearly bumped into Tan Rou.
Tan Rou reached out to help her and asked, “Why are you in such a rush? Does Samiyi have an urgent matter for me?”
The maid seemed to have run over, “Yes, yes, Her Highness the princess… has, has something important to tell you.”
“Oh, I understand. I’ll be over there shortly.”
“No, no!” The maid said anxiously, “That’s not what I mean, I mean there’s no time. You must go now!”
Tan Rou frowned slightly, “Alright, I’ll go now. Where is she?”
The maid answered, “Just a moment ago at the main entrance, and now she should be on her way to the treatment room.”
Hearing ‘main entrance’ and ‘treatment room,’ Tan Rou became nervous, “Did Samiyi get hurt again?” She even forgot to call her ‘princess.’
The maid did not pay attention to this detail, she replied, “It’s not the princess who has been injured. Princess consort Monica and Miss Elinka have been poisoned.”
“Ah?” Tan Rou was very surprised, “Why does it seem like people are always getting poisoned lately?”
The maid did not know how to respond, “Miss Rou, please hurry and see for yourself.”
It was not that someone being poisoned necessarily required Tan Rou, but with her exquisite medical skills and miraculous ability for resuscitation, she had already made a deep impression on everyone. So, when Samiyi encountered a case of poisoning, Tan Rou was the first person she thought of.
Poisoning was no trivial matter. Tan Rou rushed to the treatment room. Monica and Elinka were both important figures in the plans; Samiyi certainly did not want anything to happen to them.
However, what puzzled her was why they would bring the poisoned to the palace instead of a hospital. Could it be that the palace had better medical facilities?
Tan Rou thought about the doctors in the palace and suddenly felt concerned about the medical standards in this country!
Chapter 1636: 1635 nonsense
When Tan Rou rushed to the treatment room, it was already in chaos inside—crying, noise, and children’s yelling made it seem like the first day of kindergarten.
Zhuang Liu was drawn by the noise and wanted to come out to see what had happened. As soon as he stepped out, he saw Tan Rou had also come over.
“Tan Rou, what happened?” Zhuang Liu asked.
Tan Rou immediately supported him, “I don’t know, I just got here too. How are you feeling today?”
“I’m feeling okay.” Zhuang Liu’s health had improved quite a bit, “I think I’ll be able to leave this place tomorrow.”
“That’s not possible,” Tan Rou said. “Although the toxin hasn’t acted up in your body, it hasn’t been cleared yet, so you must stay here and recuperate while I work on the antidote. Then you can leave.”
Zhuang Liu really didn’t want to stay in this place any longer. He said, “I feel like I’m growing moldy.”
Tan Rou smiled and said, “Don’t worry, I’ll wash you every day, keep you clean and scented, and you won’t grow moldy.”
Zhuang Liu said sheepishly, “I can take a bath myself.”
“No, you can’t,” Tan Rou said very firmly. “This is a great opportunity for me to take care of you, don’t waste it, as I won’t do this for you again in the future.”
Zhuang Liu smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll listen to you!”
They wanted to talk more, but the situation on the other side did not look optimistic. A loud woman shouted, “Where is the doctor you mentioned? Why hasn’t she come yet? My daughter is dying!”
Tan Rou was shocked, “Oh no, I forgot I was here to see patients.”
“I’ll come with you,” Zhuang Liu said.
Tan Rou nodded, “Okay. But after we check, you need to go back and rest.”
The two reached the door of the room where Monica and the others were, but couldn’t squeeze in because there were too many people, almost breaking the door.
Tan Rou wasn’t in a hurry, because it wasn’t Samiyi who was poisoned but two people she disliked. If the antidote was delayed, and the two met God, it wouldn’t be a loss for her. However, their death would trouble Samiyi.
After thinking for ten seconds, Tan Rou decided to help Samiyi once more. She walked up to the door, grabbed two people, and threw out everyone blocking the entrance. “Move aside, you’re in the way!”
Zhuang Liu gave her a thumbs-up from the side, “Tan Rou, what strength!”
Tan Rou smiled, “Next time I’ll throw something else for you to see.”
She cleared a path and finally squeezed in, “Move aside, you’re blocking the doctor.”
Samiyi, catching Tan Rou’s voice in the crowd, yelled, “Everyone get out, the doctor is coming!”
The loud woman refused to leave, “No, I want to stay here, my daughter is here, I’m not going anywhere.”
Frustrated, Samiyi imitated Tan Rou and pulled out the disrupters; the guards and maids, mindful of their status, dared not act rashly, but Samiyi didn’t have such concerns. Even if she kicked people out, no one dared to trouble her.
After being pulled out, the people calmed down, except for the two noisy children, who were still making sounds.
“Where did these children come from?” Tan Rou asked, noticing the two little boys, “Princess Monica’s sons.”
Samiyi nodded and then said, “Rou, ignore those annoyances, let’s check on them first.”
Tan Rou stepped forward to examine Monica and found her with her eyes tightly shut, as if asleep. “Is she sleeping?”
“She’s poisoned,” Samiyi said. “Toxins were found in her blood, the same kind I was poisoned with the other day.”
“Oh,” Tan Rou said calmly, “Then take her to the hospital for treatment; what’s she doing here?”
Samiyi glanced at the middle-aged woman before saying to Tan Rou, “Their family insists that I poisoned them yesterday afternoon during tea, deliberately harming them.”
“That’s nonsense,” Tan Rou said. “You are a princess; why would you need to poison two nobles? What good would their deaths do you?”
Samiyi was unsure if they had been poisoned here, so faced with the family’s accusations, she had not lost her temper but spoke calmly and gently with them.
She also thought about Ina sneaking in, wondering, was she here to poison them?
Chapter 1637: 1636 Who poisoned
“How is the situation?” Samiyi asked worriedly, “Are their lives in danger?”
Tan Rou shook her head, “Their vital signs are still relatively stable for now, but they have indeed been poisoned. The poison is similar to the one you were exposed to last time, though it’s not lethal yet.”
Samiyi found it strange, “Are you saying someone poisoned them but didn’t intend to take their lives?”
“Yes,” that was also what puzzled Tan Rou, “Have they offended someone?”
“That’s impossible,” the lady who was speaking stood up again, “My daughter has always been well-behaved and sensible. She couldn’t possibly have offended anyone.”
Tan Rou glanced at Samiyi, asking with her eyes, “Is that true?”
Samiyi smiled helplessly, “You probably know better than I what kind of person she is.”
The first time Tan Rou met Elinka, Elinka had caused her trouble, and the second time they met, Elinka was still causing her trouble. Moreover, Elinka had troubled not just her but Monica as well.
“Madam, forgive my bluntness, but your daughter might not be as well-behaved as you think,” Tan Rou said ruthlessly.
The Marquis’s wife glared at Tan Rou; if it weren’t for the fact that Tan Rou was the treating doctor, she would probably have scolded her already.
“It’s impossible; my daughter is the most well-behaved. She never argues with anyone,” the Marquis’s wife insisted, “It must be someone trying to harm my daughter deliberately.” She said this while continuously looking at Samiyi.
Samiyi said angrily, “Are you suggesting that I want to harm your daughter? That’s ridiculous! Why would I want to harm your daughter?”
The Marquis’s wife couldn’t provide a reason, but she persisted, “My daughter was poisoned after attending the tea party, so the princess must take responsibility for her condition.”
Then, a middle-aged woman approached, she was an old servant of the Busodi family, usually caring for Princess Monica and the two young princes.
The old servant also said, “Yes, our princess also was poisoned after the tea party. After she fainted, the two young princes insisted on seeing their mother, and I had no choice but to bring the princes along.”
“I’ve already said that the princess couldn’t possibly have poisoned them,” Tan Rou stated, “And why hasn’t anyone else been poisoned, just the two of them?”
“I’ve already asked. They both attended the tea party and only had a little dinner after coming back, nothing else,” the Marquis’s wife said. “We sent all the food in our house for testing, and everything was cleared, so they must’ve been poisoned outside.”
“We can also test the food they ate yesterday,” Samiyi said, “We kept samples of everything, and I have already ordered the food to be sent for testing. I believe the results will be available soon.”
Usually, large gatherings would keep samples of the food, so that if there was ever an incident of food poisoning, they could immediately test the samples.
The Marquis’s wife seemed to distrust the princess’s words, “What if someone poisoned my daughter’s food directly? The sample food must have been kept beforehand and cannot be used as evidence to prove my daughter wasn’t poisoned here.”
“Oh, so what do you suggest we do?” Samiyi scoffed, “You wouldn’t be asking for their lives, would you? First, they’re not dead; second, I didn’t administer the poison; and finally…” she gestured, “Guards, please escort her out!”
The guards, upon the princess’s command, dared to drag the Marquis’s wife out.
“I am the Marquis’s wife! How dare you treat me like this, do you no longer wish to live?” the Marquis’s wife shouted.
Samiyi said calmly, “Take her away, and let me not hear her voice again.”
The grumbling Marquis’s wife was carried out by the guards, and the two children, apparently frightened by the princess, didn’t dare cry out anymore, so the treatment room became much quieter.
Tan Rou nodded in satisfaction, “Your Highness, you are quite formidable.”
Samiyi, holding her head, said, “She is Elinka’s mother, and with her daughter poisoned, she must be very distressed, so I didn’t argue with her. I didn’t expect her to be so troublesome.”
Chapter 1638: 1637 I believe in her
Afterward, she spoke to Monica’s old servant, “You better be quiet for me. If you dare to make noise here, I will throw you out just like how the Marquis’ wife was thrown out. You all saw it, didn’t you?”
The old servant and other maids all nodded, but they didn’t make a sound, fearing that the princess would throw them out.
After calming down, Samiyi could finally talk to Tan Rou about the poisoning calmly, she asked, “How should we deal with their situation?”
Tan Rou answered, “They can be detoxified. I have just reviewed their test reports, and it is quite simple to prepare the antidote. I have the medicine that counteracts the toxin on my end. Just wait a moment; I will prepare the antidote right away.”
Samiyi did not ask further; the faster they detoxified, the better. These two people must not die. If they died, it would not only affect her plans but also cause a significant public relations crisis.
She waited here while the royal doctors monitored Monica and Elinka’s condition. Although they were unconscious, there was no immediate danger to their lives.
A doctor, looking at the reports brought by the families of Monica and Elinka, suddenly said to Samiyi, “Your Highness, it’s the same toxin again.”
Samiyi was not blind; she had seen her poisoning report before and obviously knew which components the toxin contained.
“Yes, I saw it,” Samiyi said.
The doctor hesitated for a moment and then said, “Your Highness, the toxin also came from Miss Rou’s country, and since she happens to know how to detoxify it, so…”
“What are you trying to say?” Samiyi looked displeased, “Are you suggesting that Tan Rou is the one behind the poisoning? Or are you saying that she intentionally poisoned us to deceive benefits from me?”
The doctor did not deny Samiyi’s words and continued, “Your Highness, they are all foreigners. I do not believe a foreigner would wholeheartedly have the best interests of another country’s people in mind. They definitely have an agenda.”
“What agenda could they possibly have?” Samiyi said, almost mockingly, “You don’t seriously think our country has anything worth coveting, do you? Our scientific technology, or social system perhaps?”
The doctor was a bit embarrassed, but he still was reluctant to admit that Tan Rou and her team were truly there to help, “Your Highness, you shouldn’t place too much trust in them; they definitely have a deliberate motive for getting close to you.”
“They certainly have an agenda, and their agenda is to cooperate with us,” Samiyi said, rather displeased, “Do you know how much we spent to get them to come over and help our country conduct research? Do you realize the huge effort those foreigners put in behind the scenes?”
Towards the end, Samiyi was almost shouting, “We need to recognize our own shortcomings, see our weaknesses, and when faced with people who sincerely want to help us, we should also sincerely reciprocate.”
The doctor, intimidated by Samiyi’s fierceness, barely dared to speak loudly, “But I still feel they are untrustworthy.”
“There’s no need for what you feel. I just need what I feel to be considered, and I trust her. No matter what she does, I will support her,” Samiyi declared.
It was not that Samiyi was blindly trusting a foreigner, but Tan Rou’s sincerity had moved her, and she was willing to treat Tan Rou with the utmost goodwill. She also believed in the people Tan Rou had brought along, who were very kind.
“Don’t speak of such things again in the future,” Samiyi commanded, “And don’t discuss Miss Rou anymore. She truly is a trustworthy and good person.”
The doctor succumbed under Samiyi’s authority, nodding, “Yes, I understand.” However, in his heart, he still didn’t trust foreigners much, although he admired her greatly; he still wouldn’t fully believe in this foreigner.
Zhuang Liu had been outside the door the whole time and heard what Samiyi had said; indeed, he was quite moved. Tan Rou had done a lot, and if her efforts were not recognized by Samiyi, that would be too sad.
Fortunately, Samiyi did believe her, and as long as Samiyi was willing to trust Tan Rou, then Tan Rou would not be mistreated in this country.
Thinking of this, Zhuang Liu smiled to himself and went back to his hospital room to lie down. Now, his task was to recover his health as quickly as possible, and then help Tan Rou.
Chapter 1639: 1638 Looking for Ina
Tan Rou quickly prepared the antidote, but it would take some time to work. While waiting, Tan Rou discussed the poisoning incident of Monica and the others with Samiyi.
Inside the treatment room, a doctor watched over the patients, so Tan Rou and Samiyi stepped into the adjacent resting room to talk, where no one else was present, just the two of them.
“Who do you think poisoned them?” Samiyi asked.
“I think we don’t need to guess,” said Tan Rou, “we both clearly know who it was.”
“Do you also think she did it?” sighed Samiyi. “What was her motive?”
“Only she knows that,” Tan Rou pondered another question. “Where did she poison them? In the royal palace?”
“That’s possible,” Samiyi said. “Didn’t you find her in the palace yesterday? Maybe that was when she was poisoning Monica and the others.”
“I don’t think her purpose in coming to the palace was to poison those two,” Tan Rou added.
Samiyi said, “She might have wanted to poison me, given that their last plan had already failed. This time it’s another poisoning incident, it’s hard not to connect the two.”
“If she really wanted to poison you, she probably would have done it by now,” Tan Rou stated, “First, let’s find her and prevent her from causing more trouble in the palace.”
“How can you catch her when you haven’t been able to?” Samiyi asked.
Tan Rou gave a slight smile, “Since she came looking for me once, she will come a second time. If it’s in a crowded place, she likely won’t show up, but if it’s just me alone, she definitely will.”
“Isn’t that a little too risky?” Samiyi asked worriedly.
“That girl said she wouldn’t hurt me.” Tan Rou was willing to trust Ina again, “Let’s bet on whether she was telling the truth.”
“Fine, I’ll have someone protect you discreetly,” Samiyi said.
Tan Rou, however, refused Samiyi’s protection. “No need, your people aren’t skilled in concealing themselves, she’ll definitely detect them.”
“Can you handle it alone?” Samiyi still worried about Tan Rou.
Tan Rou replied, “She’s just a girl and can’t overpower me, so don’t worry.”
Samiyi wasn’t worried about whether Tan Rou could overpower Ina, but about the wounds on Tan Rou’s body, “Rou, your injuries haven’t healed yet. Try not to fight her if possible. If she has any requests, let her come and talk to me.”
Tan Rou teased her, “What if she wants to be queen?”
Samiyi hesitated for a moment then said, “If it ensures your safety, I will consider her proposal.”
Tan Rou laughed again, patting Samiyi on the shoulder, “Come on, I was just joking. Don’t take it too seriously.”
Samiyi said, “I am serious.”
“But I was joking,” Tan Rou said cheerfully. “I’ll go for a walk outside, you stay here and wait for them to wake up. Perhaps during this, I might encounter that girl.”
Samiyi instructed, “Don’t go to crowded places.”
“Mhm, I know,” Tan Rou nodded.
After Tan Rou left, Samiyi sat in the resting room for a while before going to check if Monica and Elinka had awakened.
As it happened, Elinka’s mother came in, but this time she did not create a scene and quietly watched her daughter.
Samiyi approached her, saying, “Marquess, don’t worry too much. We’ve just administered the antidote to Miss Elinka, and she’ll be awake soon.”
The Marquess was silent for a moment, then asked a strange question, “Princess, would someone not responsible for the poisoning produce an antidote so quickly?”
Worried she might cause another scene, Samiyi said, “Marquess, we truly didn’t poison them. I hope you won’t dwell on this issue any longer, otherwise I’ll have to ask you to leave.”
The Marquess had learned to be smart, smiling gently, “Please be assured, Princess. Once my daughter wakes up, I’ll take her and leave immediately, causing no further trouble for you.”
Samiyi nodded, “That would be best.”
Chapter 1640: 1639 seeking revenge for you
Tan Rou walked along the small path in the royal palace. She hadn’t listened to Samiyi’s words—Samiyi had told her not to walk in secluded places, but if she didn’t go somewhere secluded, how could she speak to Ina alone?
She arrived next to a pond. It was summer, so the pond was filled with blossoming lotuses of all colors. She sat down on a bench under a tree, quietly waiting for Ina to come to find her. She had a premonition that Ina would certainly come.
Sure enough, not ten minutes after Tan Rou had sat down, she heard rustling noises coming from behind.
“Is Sister Tan Rou waiting for me?” Ina asked.
Tan Rou, facing the pond and not looking back at Ina, replied, “Yes, I’m waiting for you.”
“Did you guess that I would come to you?” Ina inquired.
Tan Rou patted the empty space next to her on the bench and said, “Sit down, let’s have a chat together.”
Ina ran over and sat next to Tan Rou, seemingly not worried about being discovered.
“What does Sister Tan Rou want to talk to me about?” Ina asked.
Tan Rou asked directly, “Why did you poison those two people?”
“Hehe,” Ina chuckled a few times, “Sister Tan Rou is really smart. You guessed right away it was me.”
Tan Rou didn’t understand Ina’s action. It was still the same question, “Why did you poison them? Did they offend you?”
“No,” Ina said, shaking her head. “I don’t know them.”
Tan Rou was even more puzzled, “If you don’t know them, then why poison them? Do you think such behavior is fun?”
Ina was taken aback and murmured, “Is Sister Tan Rou angry?”
Tan Rou was indeed a bit angry. She disliked the way the Dawn Society conducted itself. Every life is precious, and the Dawn Society’s disregard for the lives of others was utterly detestable.
“Yes, I don’t like you poisoning others,” said Tan Rou coldly.
“I thought you would be happy about it,” Ina said, looking down. She fidgeted with her fingers before adding, “They were always talking ill of you. I didn’t want to hear them speak badly of you, so I silenced them.”
Tan Rou was stunned, “Are you saying you poisoned them because they were speaking ill of me?”
“Yes, I wanted to avenge you. That princess was truly hateful. She talked badly about you with her friends before you showed up. And then, when you did show up, she started saying nice things about you. But Ina could tell, none of her praise was heartfelt.”
Even a child of about ten could tell that Monica’s praise was insincere; how false must her words have been.
“What about Elinka? Why did you poison her?” Tan Rou didn’t hurry to pursue the issue of Ina poisoning Monica, “What bad things did she say about me?”
“She didn’t talk ill of you secretly,” Ina replied. “But she sent you out, I didn’t want to see you being sent away because yesterday’s pastry was very tasty, and I also wanted you to enjoy the delicious pastry.”
“I know Sister Tan Rou wouldn’t want me to harm their lives, so I used a poison that would only make them fall asleep. It won’t harm their life, just make them sleep for three days and three nights,” Ina elaborated.
Hearing Ina’s explanation, Tan Rou was torn between laughter and tears. After all this, Ina, that girl, was trying to take revenge for her! But Ina had got it wrong. Although she had avenged Tan Rou, she had also brought new trouble to her.
“Ina, don’t do such things anymore.” Tan Rou gently took Ina’s hand and said, “Sister Tan Rou thanks you for your help, but Sister Tan Rou is an adult now. Adults have their own ways of solving problems and don’t need children to help.”
Ina was very stubborn, “No, I want to help Sister Tan Rou take revenge. Sister Tan Rou, don’t worry about getting into trouble. I will never let anyone know that I did this to avenge you.”
Tan Rou really didn’t know what to say to Ina anymore; she didn’t want Ina to do dangerous things, “Ina, you should go back now. Don’t stay here anymore. If you continue to stay, you will bring trouble upon yourself.”