As the end result of the incident, Tantai Jin was temporarily locked up.
He was locked up in the dilapidated east garden as the Aunts and Second Miss wanted to prevent him from selling the stolen goods. The Third Miss could continue to investigate. It is was revealed that he was slandered, he would be released at that time.
Su Su had no opinion on this.
Putting other things aside, among the things that were stolen was the Old Madam's favourite Jade Guanyin. The elderly believed in Buddhism, so she regarded the Jade Guanyin as highly precious. To put it more precisely, it almost rose to the point of devotion. That was why the aunts were incredibly anxious to find the culprit.
After all, Su Su was just a legitimate daughter, not the main wife. It was already not easy for her to reinvestigate this incident.
It should be fine for Tantai Jin to be locked up as long as he wasn't dead.
The next day was the fifteenth.
Bi Liu went out and came back happily. She said to Su Su, "Third Miss, this maidservant heard that the Sixth Prince was bestowed the title, 'King Xuan'. Today, an imperial edict came down and the Emperor rewarded him with a mansion which isn't far from the General's residence. General has received an invitation. Most likely after a few days, he will bring Miss to His Highness King Xuan's residence to congratulate him."
Su Su's reaction was very calm. "Oh."
Bi Liu said, "Don't worry Miss. This time I'll dress you up prettily and let Ye Bing Shang, that wench, feel ashamed of even showing her face."
Although Su Su hadn't met that illegitimate sister of hers yet, and she didn't know what kind of person she was, wasn't it sick to feel excited to snatch someone's husband? Su Su really didn't want to see Bi Liu, so she said, "Go and ask what the residence lost, and who were the ones who lost them."
Bi Liu could only unwillingly leave. When she passed by Chun Tao, who was outside, she pushed her. "Scram, don't get in my way."
Chun Tao hurriedly stepped aside.
Bi Liu was very unhappy. She was more concerned about whether the Third Miss could marry His Highness King Xuan than doing these kinds of chores. Previously, once she mentioned His Highness the Sixth Prince, the Miss's eyes would be filled with love and anticipation. But, she realised that after she came back, the Miss didn't care much anymore when she mentioned King Xuan.
As soon as Bi Liu left, Su Su took out another list.
It was the list she asked Xi Xi to sort out yesterday night. Su Su didn't trust Bi Liu.
Su Su looked through the list. She found out that the people who had lost their stuff were mainly the Old Madam, Aunt Du, Second Miss, Eldest Young Master, Fourth Young Master, and even Aunt Yun, who had lost a few golden hairpins.
This person really knew how to pick things to take. He didn't dare to steal the General's or Su Su's belongings. Still, the Old Madam's Jade Guanyin and the Second Miss's dowry were most valuable items, so they were worth the risk. The Eldest Young Master and Aunt Yun were relatively broad-minded and lenient, so they probably wouldn't bother about it. And the Fourth Young Master didn't know anything.
After thinking it over, she called Chun Tao. "Chun Tao, do you know what the Second Young Master and Third Young Master have been doing recently?"
Chun Tao shook her head. "Miss, this maidservant only knows that the Eldest Young Master went to the military camp to train with the Master recently. This maidservant isn't clear about the whereabouts of the Second Young Master and Third Young Master. If the Miss wants to know, this maidservant and Xi Xi will go inquire about it in these next two days."
Su Su smiled and nodded her head. "Much obliged, Chun Tao."
Tantai Jin was locked up in the east garden.
The east garden was located at the wind gap, and it was the coldest courtyard of the entire General's residence. It had been abandoned for many years, and it was usually used to pile firewood.
The windows were broken, so it made one tremble all over when the cold wind blew in.
Tantai Jin was leaning against the corner and licking his dry lips.
Until evening, no one had sent Tantai Jin food, but his expression still remained calm. It was expected, and he was used to such days.
Humans won't die without food for a day or two.
There was no moon in the winter night sky. It was quite and serene outside, and it had started to snow again.
He grabbed two handfuls of snow and swallowed them. His stomach still felt miserable. Tantai Jin sat back in the corner and took out the safety amulet from his sleeve.
The safety amulet was already a bit aged, and due to it tearing yesterday, the beginning part of the threadwork had been damaged.
His gaze was like a deep pool as it brushed across the damaged place.
There was a sense of malice in his heart that was growing infinitely through this crack. The young man lightly took a breath and suppressed this turbulent emotion with difficulty. He then put the safety amulet back in his sleeve once again.
Unfortunately, he lost her earring.
He closed his eyes and leaned at the corner of the wall to rest. He must save his breath. He can't be useless enough to die in this firewood room. He didn't believe that Ye Xi Wu would help him. If there was an accident, he must walk out from here himself.
In the middle of the night, when the snow and wind were getting stronger, Tantai Jin heard staggering footsteps outside the door. He opened his eyes.
Judging from the footsteps, it was two women.
The night had magnified countless senses, so Tantai Jin could hear a slight gasping sound. The next moment, a girl in a white cloak fell into the east garden.
She still looked a little confused when she fell on the ground.
Through the dim candlelight, Tantai Jin saw the girl who looked slightly disoriented.
Bi Liu put down the quilt and glass lamp and hurriedly helped Su Su, who had fallen down.
She looked at Tantai Jin disdainfully and twitched her lips. "Hostage prince, you know what you should do right?" After finishing her words, Bi Liu closed the east garden's door and left.
There was only Su Su and Tantai Jin left in this tiny world.
Su Su was shivering and leaning against the corner of the other side of the wall. Her hands were tightly gripping her cloak, her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing was rapid.
Tantai Jin stood up from the corner and walked towards her. "Third Miss?"
"Don't come here." Su Su was breathing hard while finishing this sentence. It was snowing outside, but she felt like she was boiling.
She had just fallen asleep tonight, but she suddenly felt hot. She opened her eyes and felt that there was something wrong with her body. At this time, Bi Liu entered and said softly, "Today is the fifteenth. Miss, is the drug attacking again? This maidservant will bring you to the hostage prince."
Su Su hugged her quilt tightly and panted. "What do you mean?"
She had a bad feeling.
"Miss, have you forgotten? The 'spring knot silkworm' poison attacks once every three months. The antidote has been eaten by the hostage prince."
Su Su then realised that the drugging incident was endless.
The 'Spring knot silkworm' drug was more like a poison. The idea behind the creation of this poison was taken from the sentence "Till death do us part. The poison would attack every three months for the person who ate the poison. It would subside by having intimacy with the person who took the antidote. Meanwhile, the person who took the antidote will only feel an aphrodisiac-like effects on the first day. After that, everything would return to normal.
It was said that this kind of drug was a long-lost secret drug of the Yiyue Tribe. In the past, high officials and nobles purposely used this drug to control the women, they forcibly took, making them forever unable to leave their sides.
The original owner hated Ye Bing Shang for snatching the love of her heart, so instead of drugging her using a normal aphrodisiac, she found the 'spring knot silkworm' a drug that could make people feel saffocated. Even a chaste women could not withstand it's effects if they ate it.
Originally, the original owner wanted to see how Ye Bing Shang couldn't leave the fat son of the minister. Unfortunately, in the end, the drug was eaten by herself.
Su Su was wondering why the Ye family would let the original owner marry a hostage prince, considering her identity in the Ye family's reputation.
It turns out it was because she had to marry. If she didn't, she would die.
Of course, the 'spring knot silkworm' effect can be resisted. But, it will get harder and harder to endure every time it attacks.
Last time, the original owner had endured it for an hour, so this time Su Su had to endure it for hours.
She meditated for ten minutes, and her whole body was wet with sweat. It was excruciating.
"Third Miss, I think it's better if I help you go to the hostage prince. You will feel better by his side." Bi Liu said.
Su Su gritted her teeth, "No, no!"
Su Su persisted for another ten minutes. In the end, she felt as if she could ascend to heaven on the spot. Bi Liu couldn't help but support her to the east garden.
Su Su had no strength in her body and was practically carried by Bi Liu. Even her consciousness had turned muddled.
Light and shadow were flickering in front of her eyes. She could barely distinguish the silhouette of the person in front of her. She recognised that he was that sinful, evil thing. Su Su had bitten her lips until they bled. She was hugging her arms around her and could barely supress the impulse to take off her clothes.
Tantai Jin seemed to have understood something. His docile and harmless look from the past Suddenly turned cold and unkind. So, this was the reason why she stopped the others from beating him crippled yesterday. It was because she felt that he was still useful tonight.