zChapter 1317
Chapter 1317: [Beiyue] The feeling of happiness
As soon as he heard “husband,” Gu Beiyue knew Qin Min was reminding him to be aware of names while Qin Jie was here.
“Don’t panic, wife,” he responded. “Tell me first, what’s going on?”
Qin Min told Gu Beiyue everything from beginning to end. Qin Jie’s face was already ruined, but she said nothing as she curled up on the side and kept shedding tears. She knew it’d be hard to escape with Gu Beiyue here. Gu Beiyue ignored her and quickly stopped Lil Thing before it finished drinking all the poisoned tea.
Qin Min’s analysis was right: Lil Thing was only so greedy because the poison in the cup must be unusual. Where could Qin Jie get something so rare? Although he didn’t say it, both he and Qin Min had a bad premonition. He carefully took the cup and saw that it still had some tea.
“Shaoyao, fetch a bottle,” he said.
“All right!” Shaoyao was thrilled. She soon found a clean little pill bottle that Gu Beiyue carefully poured into before tightening the wooden stopper and placing it into his sleeve. He didn’t say anything else. Lil Thing was still greedy for more but didn’t dare complain. Anything the gentleman want it would die before snatching first!
After that, Gu Beiyue finally sat down and said, “Wife, how do you plan to deal with this matter?”
Before Qin Min could speak, Qin Jie suddenly looked up with a vicious voice. “Why do you say I was the poisoner? Which eye of yours saw me use poison? Why do you think the tea is poisoned at all? You’re slandering me!”
“True. Without sufficient evidence, we can’t convince the Ji Clan either. Husband, she’s not just a Qin Clan daughter, but the young mistress of the Ji Clan,” Qin Min stated.
These words were reminding Gu Beiyue that he could use this chance to suppress the Ji Clan, as well as remind Qin Jie that she would be over if the Ji family found out. Fear flashed in her eyes, but she remained stubborn to the end. “I didn’t poison it! Without proof, I won’t admit it even if I die!”
Qin Min only mocked, “Qin Jie, if you hadn’t gone down and directly strangled me, none of this would’ve happened. Just wait, I’ll have you accept everything completely! That female master in Yunning City will personally authenticate that cup of tea!”
“I didn’t do it, so I’m not afraid!” Qin Jie said instantly.
Both Qin Min and Gu Beiyue were stunned. If they only had suspicions before, now they were absolutely certain that Qin Jie was the one who poisoned Qin Min’s legs in the past. Shocked, Qin Min rose to her feet, which left Qin Jie completely dumbfounded.
“Qin Min, you…”
“No! Impossible! No!” Qin Jie shrieked and backed away until she hit the wall. She could only gape, unable to believe her eyes.
“You were the one who poisoned me in the past!” Qin Min lost her temper. She strode over and slapped her soundly on the face. “Worthy of being my own sister!”
“You…when did you…” Qin Jie couldn’t even string sentences properly. She was confident of this poison because she had tried it in the past. Many years ago, she had bought this poison at an astronomical price and started poisoning Qin Min to ruin her legs. Father found elders all over the medical academy, but even the old Academy Head Gu couldn’t help her. Father also used to suspect it was poison, but none of the poison doctors could give him any diagnosis. They all said Qin Min wasn’t poisoned at all.
From then on, Qin Min was diagnosed with a strange disease and her father gave up on her. Qin Jie got everything that should’ve belonged to Qin Min and thought everything would go smoothly, but one day Gu Beiyue suddenly wanted to marry Qin Min. She began to be afraid that Qin Min would find Han Yunxi after her marriage and discover the poison. From the time Gu Beiyue sent people to propose at the door, she had locked herself in her rooms, refusing to see anyone or eat anything. She was so scared she couldn’t even sleep. When she recalled those harrowing days later, she felt she could’ve had a nervous breakdown if it went on any longer. Her heart was in her throat all the way until the wedding finished and she saw the emperor and empress leave Medical City in their carriage, until she saw Qin Min visit her family for the bride’s day back still sitting in her wheelchair.
Qin Jie had been so happy at the sight. She knew that Han Yunxi couldn’t detect Qin Min’s poisoned legs, either. Back when she first purchased the toxin out of the blue, the seller had said it was an extremely rare poison that could never be identified without the right person. She found out she had survived a disaster and had peace of mind from then on. But then, great changes came to the Qin Clan. Qin Min actually had consummate medical skills and made a name for herself in Medical City as soon as she returned. The very night Qin Min saved that old man, the Ji Clan’s eldest son Ji Yifeng drank himself drunk and refused to come home no matter how Qin Jie coaxed. He even pulled her hair and said he regretted ever marrying her. Even if Qin Min’s legs were paralyzed, he added, he didn’t care. It was Qin Jie who seduced him in the past.
Perhaps that was when Qin JIe had started losing her mind.
When Ji Yifeng collapsed drunkenly on the bed, she went mad looking for her poison. Her only thought was to kill Qin Min! Since she was poisoned anyways, the added dosage would increase the toxicity in her body to fatal levels!
“Qin Jie, did you really think Esteemed Empress couldn’t tell my legs were poisoned? I’ll tell you now, I stood up on the day of my wedding. The empress was the one who detoxified me!” Qin Min said coldly. “Qin Jie, you’ve utterly chilled my heart!”
Qin Jie was rendered mute, but Qin Min didn’t want to push any further. She told Gu Beiyue, “Husband, send the tea to Esteemed Empress. For the Ji Clan’s daughter-in-claw to attempt murder of a court official’s wife is a high crime!”
This matter was already big enough in Medical City. If it rose to the status of attempted murder of an official’s wife, there would be no chance for redemption once the empress came forward. Qin Jie finally realized she wasn’t the only one who would have to pay for her crimes. The entire Ji Clan and even the Qin Clan wouldn’t be spared. The first to be implicated would be her own husband Ji Yifeng! The man she’d loved deeply since childhood!
“No!” she began to shout. “Qin Min, I admit it! I admit everything! Qin Min, I beg you, don’t implicate the Ji family in this! Don’t!”
Qin Min couldn’t see through her sister. Just then she was willing to give up her husband, but now she wanted to take full blame to protect the Ji Clan? Seeing her silent, Qin Jie panicked. Her face full of blood was already ghastly enough, but it was even more terrifying when blurred with tears.
“Qin Min, can you spare the Ji Clan on account of wanting to marrying him in the past too?” Qin Jie sobbed.
Qin Min glanced at Gu Beiyue subconsciously after these words. Simultaneously, Gu Beiyue looked back.
“Qin Min, you should know clearly whether you’ve liked him or not! Ji Yifeng is innocent! He’s just reached the rank of Divine Doctor and will be family head in a few years! You’ll ruin him!” Tears streaked down Qin Jie’s face as she threw aside all dignity to beg. “Qin Min, treat it as me begging you! He, he…Qin Min, he likes you too! Even now! He…sob, he even regretted marrying me….”
Gu Beiyue and Qin Min were both left embarrassed. Qin Min wanted to say something but stopped, while Gu Beiyue slowly turned his head to look elsewhere. Shaoyao was stunned too, but quickly recovered her wits.
She huffed, “Second Miss, how could you slander Young Miss like this? This servant has served Young Miss for years and guarantees that she only likes master in this lifetime! She’ll only love master forever!”
Perhaps Qin Jie had truly lost her mind and become a fool? She finally realized that the husband Gu Beiyue was still here. How could he spare Ji Yifeng after how she’d pleaded his case? She stared at the couple without words, tears falling silently down her cheeks. She wished that this was all just a nightmare she could wake up from next to Ji Yifeng in bed before anything happened.
Seeing Gu Beiyue turn away, Shaoyao panicked. “Master, you have to believe Young Miss! This servant has grown up with Young Miss since childhood and knows everything about her! She only has you in her heart! Never anyone else! Don’t be tricked by others! Master, for your sake Young Miss…”
Qin Min’s face…blushed!
She wanted to stop Shaoyao, but Gu Beiyue turned back and said, “I naturally understand my wife’s intentions. These are the Qin Clan’s family affairs. Madam can decide what to do, I’ll wait outside for Madam.”
He left as soon as he spoke. Shaoyao wanted to chase him, but Qin Min stopped her with a severe look. Resentfully, the servant withdrew to a corner while the clueless Lil Thing had finished cleaning its claws and bounded out happily after its gentleman. Qin Min looked at Qin Jie and really felt no hate, nor the joy that came from revenge.
A long time later, she finally spoke. “Qin Jie, go back and discuss it with your husband. Either hand this case over to the government, or…let Ji Yifeng convince his father to lay low for now.”
Qin Min wanted to elaborate, but figured that even if Qin Jie didn’t understand her warning, the old master of the Ji Clan would. Gu Beiyue had already released rumors. A few days later, reforms would start. The Ji Clan was also a major source of resistance!
“I’ll give you three days’ time. Think clearly before answering me.” Qin Min’s tone was calm. She prepared to leave as soon as she was done, but Qin Jie called her back.
“Qin Min, don’t you hate me?”
Why? Why couldn’t she see any fury or hatred in Qin Min’s eyes? How could Qin Min stay so calm?
“Hate?” Qin Min creased her brows in thought. She really couldn’t bring herself to hate, even thought this little sister had ruined her entire life. She was only disappointed. She never thought Qin Jie would be the culprit when she was suspecting second uncle’s family the entire time.
Qin Min turned back with a faint smile. “I don’t hate you. If you hadn’t done all this, perhaps Ji Yifeng really would have married me in the end. I wouldn’t have been able to wait…for him!”
Him was naturally Gu Beiyue. Qin Min had no sense of revenge, but these words gave her an unspeakable sense of happiness!
Mhm, she’d taken revenge! She was satisfied! And even strangely joyful!
When she opened the doors and walked out, she saw Gu Beiyue standing in the courtyard with his face turned up to the moon. His eyebrows were tightly creased as if they’d never smooth out again…