I became the God Brother of the Regent King after Transmigration!-Chapter 139 - 96: Sulfuric Acid

"Puchi—so just how wealthy is the Zhou Family?" Miaoyan couldn’t help but laugh and asked.

At the banquet, because of something Young Master Gu said, everyone couldn’t help but discuss the Zhou Family.

Madam Zhou blushed, but due to Gu Lan’s abrupt "mother," she was extremely pleased.

Forget it; being exposed publicly is worth it for Lan to call her "mother" once.

Gu Lan briefly smiled, then reverted to his calm indifferent expression, leisurely picked up a piece of meat from the jade platter on the long table, and tossed it into his mouth.

Young Master Gu was graceful and handsome, radiant, while Madam Zhou was gentle and kind and also extremely wealthy. Together, they were summed up as: Whoever marries into Dingyuan Marquis Mansion is truly fortunate.

"What you hear is often false, only seeing is believing. In my opinion, Young Master Gu isn’t as much of a wastrel as the rumors suggest."

"Who doesn’t love to play as a child? His father was once the greatest wastrel in the Capital City, but now he’s one of Dayan’s pillars."

"Indeed, look at Zhou Wanqing’s proud demeanor; does she seem worried about a wayward son?"

Rong Heng sensed that around them, those noble girls were already casting their eyes towards Gu Lan, seemingly eager to try, while his expression grew more indifferent.

Then, he stuffed the mooncakes originally set aside for Gu Lan into his own sleeve.

Give them to Gu Lan? Ha, he’d rather give them to Jiu.

Gu Lan picked up an Osmanthus Cake, took a bite, and frowned: "Not as tasty as Second Aunt’s."

Suddenly, she looked at the Osmanthus Cake in her hand, a flicker of doubt passed through her eyes, and then she looked around.

"Why are the pastries and dishes in front of you, Brother Hang, all in lotus shapes?"

She sat in Yan Qing’s place, and the pastries in front of her were as usual, same for Yuan Lang’s side. But only those pastries in front of Rong Heng—the Osmanthus Cake, Yun Pian Cake, Yellow Pea Cake—were all shaped like lotus and lotus leaves.

Rong Heng hadn’t touched them.

Gu Lan didn’t know Xia He’s name, but she knew half the reason Rong Heng’s sister died was falling into the lotus pond. Was the person who arranged the pastries deliberately disgusting him?

Thus, Young Master Gu directly swapped positions and stuffed those lotus-shaped Osmanthus Cakes into his own mouth.

"Brother Hang, eat these."

Rong Heng looked up at the empty space previously occupied by the Emperor, not moving his chopsticks, his eyes growing even darker.

"Mother, if Gu Lan and Marquis Gu’s personalities were the same, wouldn’t that be nice?" Rong Miaoyan listened to everyone’s discussions about Marquis Gu and Madam Zhou, her words revealing some envy.

Empress Su gently held Rong Miaoyan’s hand and sighed: "Even if they were the same, what use would it be? You see, Madam Zhou and Dingyuan Marquis haven’t seen each other in years; every time Dingyuan Marquis goes on an expedition, it’s a matter of life and death."

Miaoyan said no more, her clear and charming eyes gazed at the dazzling youth in the crowd, filled with delight.

Such an expression was all too familiar to Su Zhixue.

Empress Su looked at Miaoyan, her gaze steady: "Wenyuan, go fetch that pair of white jade Unity Knots for me—"

The palace attendant beside her said: "Madam, sister Wenyuan has gone to deliver to Your Majesty."

Empress Su’s eyes tightened, her gaze grew even more indifferent: "Then let Wenyu go fetch it."

After a while, the Unity Knot was brought, and Empress Su kindly looked at Madam Zhou and gently said:

"Duchess Dingyuan, this is a pair of white jade Unity Knots I obtained several years ago. I wish for Dingyuan Marquis and yourself to stay united and grow old together, and hope that Young Master Gu may have smooth sailing and peace."

"Thank you, Empress, for the gift! Lan, you should thank her."

Gu Lan stepped out, took the box containing the Unity Knot from the Empress’s palace attendant, and smiled at Rong Miaoyan.

Madam Zhou quietly moved beside Gu Lan, asking in a low voice: "Lan, you said you weren’t interested in Baoyi. Are you interested in Princess Ning’an instead? What does the Empress intend by this, giving the betrothal gift!"

Gu Lan looked at the brocade box containing the Unity Knot and said: "No, the Empress must be moved by the love story between you and the Marquis. Besides, Brother Hang and I have deep feelings; Princess Ning’an is my niece."

"Alas...what should we do then." Madam Zhou gazed at the Unity Knot in her hand, sighed deeply, and appeared quite troubled.

In the past, she hoped Lan would accept reality and focus on dressing as a man. Now, she suddenly felt her daughter’s act was too convincing...easy to cause trouble, and it is hard to bring home a daughter-in-law without settling things.

At the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, after several rounds of drinks, officials began to leave one by one. A concubine stood up, deeply bowed to Empress Su, her voice somewhat hoarse and floating:

"Madam, I also have a gift to offer you."

The speaking concubine was pale, precisely the concubine Rong Heng mentioned who had miscarriage before.

Gu Lan covered her nose and sneezed, wondering how many fragrances this concubine had used; she was like a walking diffuser.

Today, only six or seven concubines attended the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, and as she stood up, immediately an elderly couple with white hair came forward and knelt: "Empress, our young daughter has been overly worried lately, fearing an impropriety. Please forgive her."

"It’s Vice Minister Li’s daughter, Consort Jia. Since Consort Jia’s miscarriage, she has been constantly in a daze."

Beside them, someone was also covering their nose lightly, discussing in a low voice.

The Empress Su looked at Vice Minister Li and Mrs. Li, smiling gently: "Consort Jia has always been delicate, Vice Minister Li, Mrs. Li, it’s Mid-Autumn Festival today, your family of three can reunite as well. I grant you permission to enter the palace tomorrow to spend more time with her."

"Thank you, Empress. The Empress is truly benevolent." Vice Minister Li kowtowed in gratitude.

The Empress looked at Consort Jia, and asked with concern: "Consort Jia, is your health improving?"

Consort Jia slightly bowed and saluted, her face thin and somewhat unrecognizable:

"I have fully recovered, and must thank the Empress for sending supplements every day, otherwise this miscarriage would have cost my life."

Speaking thus, she lowered her eyes seemingly in great gratitude, shedding a few tears.

No one saw, deep within Consort Jia’s willow-like eyes, an extreme, cold hatred!

"That’s good, you’re still young, take good care of your health."

"I’ve been idle during my illness these days, and personally brewed a pot of osmanthus wine to express my gratitude to you during this Mid-Autumn Festival."

Consort Jia smiled slightly, took out a delicate wine pot from behind her, and stepped forward.

Having just taken the Unity Knot, Gu Lan did not return to her original seat, and was a few steps away from Consort Jia, slightly twitching her nose.

She smelled an unusual odor, hidden within the layers of fragrances emitting from Consort Jia.

The Empress Su saw the wine pot, then tactfully refused: "Thank you for your kind intention, but I wholeheartedly devote myself to Buddha and do not drink wine."

"Then this wine shall be given to Princess Ning’an, wishing the Princess peace and smoothness. I will personally pour the wine for you."

As Consort Jia spoke, she had already walked to the front of Empress Su, her steps somewhat unstable.

Suddenly, she raised her head, her pale lips revealing a bizarre smile, and lifted her hand to open the wine stopper.

"Consort Jia, hand the wine to a Palace Attendant, no need to be this—"

Gu Lan saw her smile, her pupils contracted slightly, and immediately shouted:

"Miaoyan, quickly dodge, there’s something wrong with that wine!"

Her words had just fallen when the previously timid Consort Jia leapt up, her face twisted with anger, the wine pot in her hand tilted.

The maid beside the Empress was so frightened she let out a sharp scream, and before everyone could react, Gu Lan had already rushed to stand before Rong Miaoyan.

"You venomous woman, you harmed my child, you’ll die a painful death too!"

Consort Jia shouted and cried, her eyes filled with mad hatred, pouring the liquid from the wine pot towards Miaoyan.

Miaoyan widened her eyes in horror, trying to retreat, but her body was stiff and unresponsive.

"Miaoyan—!"

The Empress Su shouted hoarsely.

Rong Heng’s eyes sharpened, he grabbed a jade cup and shielded it with his wide sleeve, the cup flew out in chaos, straight at Consort Jia’s thigh joint.

In a critical moment, Gu Lan used all her strength to shove Miaoyan aside, she flipped and leapt up, a foot landed with a "crack," already breaking Consort Jia’s arm.

"Ah—my face, my face hurts!"

A Palace Attendant splashed by the liquid wielded by Consort Jia immediately covered her face and screamed in agony.

"Quick, summon the Imperial Physician!" The Empress collapsed in her chair, a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth, barely holding herself together to order.

Just moments ago lively palace halls, suddenly turned into chaos.

Rong Heng looked at the Palace Attendant, clenched his fist, finally said to Yan Qing: "Go find plenty of water to rinse that Palace Attendant’s wound, hurry!"

Yan Qing nodded in panic: "Uncle Wu, why don’t you..." personally go save?

He looked at Rong Heng’s grim face, and did not voice the question in his heart.

Consort Jia’s arm was broken by Gu Lan’s kick, the jade cup shot by Rong Heng also hit her leg, causing her to scream and fall, unable to move.

Even so, Consort Jia was still flailing her other arm, liquid splattering out from the wine cup. Numerous Palace Attendants surrounded her, yet dared not approach.

Gu Lan lay on the ground, a tearing pain coming from her right heel, she looked at the liquid with a pungent odor on the floor, supporting herself to shout: "Seize her, beware, she’s holding sulfuric acid—"

"Sulfuric, sulfuric acid, what’s that?"

Rong Heng looked at Gu Lan who had fallen in the distance, his eyes slightly trembling, voice low: "It’s vitriol oil, it can cause burns, just don’t touch it, catch her first."