Abandoned Woman Busy Farming-Chapter 1646: Turning Into a Witness

Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun carefully examined everything but found no issues. Everything Dengdeng ate was his regular diet, his clothes were not new, and he hadn’t gone out. What could he be allergic to?

"Let’s check Dengdeng’s clothes," Bai Ruozhu said and asked Nanny Zhang to bring out the clothes Dengdeng changed out of yesterday. They also looked through his wardrobe but found nothing amiss.

Jiang Yichun frowned and pointed somewhere, "He went to play in the garden yesterday, let’s take a look around the garden."

Bai Ruozhu’s eye twitched, "Are you saying Dou Yun went to the garden before?"

"Not sure yet, we need to check to find out." Jiang Yichun replied.

Both had concerns on their minds and walked rather quickly. When they reached the garden, they conducted another search but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"Maybe we’re just too nervous. With your poison skills, how could Dou Yun possibly pull off anything under your nose?" Jiang Yichun said.

Bai Ruozhu furrowed her brows, "I would detect poison, but what if it was something else? Like those poisonous insects—I might not spot that."

She squinted her eyes and said, "No, I have to send Furball to check on Dou Yun. If she’s raising insects, Furball will need to devour them and is bound to find something."

"I’ll go with you," Jiang Yichun said, taking her hand and moving forward.

When they reached the side courtyard where Dou Yun lived, they heard her shouting from within, "I want to go home; this is not my home! Let me go!"

Inside, the maid Pa Kui coaxed her like a child, "My dear Madam, this is your home. Whatever you want to eat or drink, tell me, and I’ll have it brought to you. Or if you want to play, I’ll play with you. Please don’t make a fuss."

"You’re lying! My home is at the Jiang Residence. My parents aren’t here; this isn’t my home!" Dou Yun cried, starting to cry.

"Madam, you are married to Lord Muyu now, so you should stay here; going back wouldn’t be proper." Pa Kui, a patient maid, continued to gently persuade her.

Bai Ruozhu and Jiang Yichun exchanged a glance, each seeing the helplessness in the other’s eyes. Bai Ruozhu summoned Furball to see if there were any insects to devour on Dou Yun’s side.

Furball transformed into a white streak of light, silently slipping into the courtyard, quickly approaching Dou Yun but returning just as fast. It wagged its little bottom playfully at Bai Ruozhu, indicating it found no benefit—no food at all.

Bai Ruozhu gave Jiang Yichun a look, and they quietly retreated.

"She’s not raising insects. Looks like I was overthinking," Bai Ruozhu said.

"Maybe our son will recover by tomorrow. Let’s go back and keep him company," Jiang Yichun said, wrapping his wife’s shoulder to protect her from the cold.

Later in the evening, Little Dengdeng woke up to take medicine, feeling listless, and soon fell back asleep. However, by nightfall, his fever subsided, and he said he felt no pain or itch the next morning.

Bai Ruozhu checked him over; his skin showed no rash or red marks, so it seemed he was on the way to recovery.

She sent someone to inform the Female Physicians Institution, then stayed home to accompany her son. Dengdeng was especially happy, even drinking an extra half bowl of porridge at breakfast.

In the morning, Bai Ruozhu accompanied Dengdeng in reading picture books and telling stories. Close to noon, someone from the Wang Family arrived.

It was again Meng Jinse and Wang ZhenRu, who both bowed to Bai Ruozhu. As Meng Jinse was about to speak, Wang ZhenRu interjected, "My father and elder brother agreed with your suggestion, Sister Bai. My elder brother was confused; only now does he realize he was being used as a pawn."

Bai Ruozhu chuckled, "Realizing that now is not too late. Have you all decided what to do next?"

"My brother has already gone to the Government Office to explain everything. The inspector-general will soon be rendering justice for you," Wang ZhenRu said with a sycophantic smile.

Meng Jinse looked a bit uneasy, lowered her head, and stepped back a little.

Bai Ruozhu turned to her, "Jinse, when will your grandmother arrive?"

Meng Jinse swiftly raised her head and said, "She might start heading here after New Year. We’ll have to see."

"You don’t have much on your plate lately, do you?" Bai Ruozhu inquired.

Meng Jinse nodded, "Feeling quite bored at home."

Bai Ruozhu laughed, "Since you have some free time, why not learn account management with a friend of mine? She’s recently studying household affairs management post-marriage. Maybe you could accompany her. Her name is Gu Xue’an, the fiancée of the heir to the Huainan King."

Wang ZhenRu’s eyes lit up with excitement. Although the Huainan King was of a different surname, the wealth of Huainan and the fame and prestige of the Huainan King were immense. How could she not want to connect with the future daughter-in-law of the Huainan King?

Meng Jinse knew Bai Ruozhu was aiming to assist her. Previously, attending some gatherings in the Capital would have made many wives from meritorious families aware of her, thus resolving her marriage issues easily. But the unfortunate death of the Empress had banned such feasts. Stuck in the Wang Residence, she couldn’t do anything.

Bai Ruozhu’s introduction of Gu Xue’an would allow her to meet more ladies in the Capital, while at the same time learning about household management, which would greatly help her in marriage discussions.

"Alright, thank you, Sister Ruozhu," Meng Jinse said happily.

Wang ZhenRu quickly said, "I’m bored at home too; maybe I could accompany Jinse?"

Bai Ruozhu gave her a bland look and said, "Master Gu is a famous scholar, and he has very high standards for Xue’an, which he’s recently been adhering to strictly. Too many people might disrupt Xue’an’s learning and upset Master Gu."

Wang ZhenRu’s face turned red with embarrassment, forcing a reply, "I was being presumptuous."

Bai Ruozhu subtly smiled at Meng Jinse, implying she had helped her stand up for herself.

It was plain to see that Wang ZhenRu held a disdain for Meng Jinse, who was forced to endure it as an orphan, even if being belittled by Wang ZhenRu.

Many noble ladies in the Capital were rather proud, believing their status was extraordinary, especially when compared to daughters of officials from smaller towns. Such was Wang ZhenRu’s mindset, but could the current Wang Family compare to the Meng Family?

...

At the Government Office, Wang Tianzuo faced Fan Li and explained in detail how he had been misled.

"Sir Fan, I was foolish in the younger generations, swayed by a few words into believing what was said was true. It was foolish of me. However, I only sent a few subordinates to help spread the word, but the real culprit spreading rumors was Du Zhongshu." Wang Tianzuo said.

"Du Zhongshu? Who is he?" Fan Li asked.

"He is a resident of Beiyu City, had legal disputes with the Bai Family before, and likely harbors grudges because of it. The toothpaste the Bai Family sold was initially a partnership with the Du Family, which fell apart somehow. How would I know about that crazy girl in the Bai Family otherwise? It was all Du Zhongshu’s doing."

"Oh? I should thoroughly investigate this Du Zhongshu." Fan Li, caught in uncertainties, welcomed someone willingly stepping up as a witness.

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