CHAPTER SEVEN — THE PLAY WAS REALLY QUITE AMUSING
The moment Mu Shaoyi caught sight of Tang Ke Xin entering the meditation hall, his expression darkened at once. Disgust flickered openly in his eyes—he did not bother to hide it. His hand even lifted slightly, as though preparing to swat her aside the instant she dared approach him.
But to the astonishment of everyone present, Tang Ke Xin did not rush toward him as she once would have done. She did not fling herself at his arm, nor call out to him in that foolish, simpering manner that had long made her the laughingstock of the capital.
Instead, she walked with measured calm to an empty seat, lowered herself gracefully, and poured herself a cup of tea—without so much as glancing in Mu Shaoyi's direction.
A ripple of shock passed through the hall.
Mu Shaoyi froze mid‑gesture, his hand suspended awkwardly in the air. His eyes widened, disbelief etched across his face.
What is she doing? Why is she not clinging to me?
The other young ladies exchanged startled looks. Even the older matrons blinked in confusion.
Dong'er, ever perceptive, stepped forward at precisely the right moment.
"Master Hui Yuan is benevolent and wise," she said warmly. "Miss has sought treatment for many years without success, yet with a single touch, Master Hui Yuan cured her."
Her tone was respectful, her timing impeccable.
A collective gasp swept through the hall.
The fool… cured?
Miss Tang… no longer simple‑minded?
Master Hui Yuan truly healed her?
Master Hui Yuan was revered as a living saint. If he declared someone cured, no one would dare question it. Yet he rarely involved himself in worldly matters. Why, then, had he chosen to treat Tang Ke Xin?
All eyes turned toward her.
She sat quietly, her posture straight, her gaze serene. She lifted her teacup with elegant precision, her movements smooth and composed—nothing like the wild, foolish girl they had known.
Mu Shaoyi stared at her, his expression tightening.
Could it be… she truly is no longer a fool?
Liu Ruyue, seated beside him, felt her heart lurch. A shadow passed through her eyes—dark, sharp, and filled with malice.
If Tang Ke Xin had regained her wits, then Mu Shaoyi would have no grounds to break the engagement. The Empress herself had arranged the match. If Tang Ke Xin became normal again, she would soon become Mu Shaoyi's legal wife.
And Liu Ruyue's own ambitions would crumble to dust.
No. Never. I will not allow it.
Her fingers curled tightly around her sleeve, nails digging into her palm. A cold smile touched her lips.
If Tang Ke Xin wished to live, she should not have stood in her way.
---
Liu Ruyue rose gracefully, lifting her teacup with a soft, melodious laugh.
"Miss Tang," she said sweetly, "allow me to congratulate you on your recovery. I shall use tea in place of wine to honour you."
Her voice was gentle, warm as spring water. She moved with the elegance of a trained courtesan, her smile soft and inviting. She reached for the teapot and poured tea into Tang Ke Xin's cup with flawless poise.
Yet as she tilted the pot, her little finger flicked ever so slightly.
A pinch of colourless, tasteless powder slipped from beneath her fingernail and dissolved into the steaming tea.
The motion was smooth, natural, and utterly unremarkable. No one noticed.
No one except Tang Ke Xin.
Her eyes lowered, her expression mild—but she had seen everything. She recognised the poison instantly. A crude concoction, really. Effective enough to harm an ordinary girl, but laughably insufficient against someone with her training.
You wish to poison me?
How bold. How foolish.
Very well. If you wish to play, I shall play with you.
A slow, cold amusement curled through her chest.
Liu Ruyue had delivered herself straight into the jaws of her own trap. It would be a shame not to give her a performance she would remember for the rest of her life.
What Tang Ke Xin did not know—what even Master Hui Yuan had not foreseen—was that the man who had descended the mountain had, in fact, returned.
And he was watching.