As Shen Xuan and Lu Yu departed, Gu Yitong slowly sat beside Gu Yi, gently clenching her fist, then helplessly opening it, unsure how to comfort Gu Yi.
"Yi'er, you, you don't worry. Lu Yu has already found a way today. Zheng Yu will soon be able to clear her name and see you soon."
Gu Yi remained silent, merely nodding slightly.
"Yi'er, through my observations these past few days, Zheng Yu has indeed been very good to you. So, after this matter is over, I will no longer obstruct the two of you," Gu Yitong said, watching Gu Yi's expression.
Upon hearing this, Gu Yi finally turned his head, tugging at the corners of his mouth, attempting to give Gu Yitong a smile. However, he found his facial muscles stiff, and his eyes quickly welled up.
"Yi'er, don't be afraid. She will be alright. Sister will definitely ensure she comes out safely. I'm still waiting for her to call me 'jie' (sister)."
Gu Yitong's eyes also reddened. She gently pulled Gu Yi's head to rest on her shoulder, using a light tone to alleviate the somber atmosphere.
"Sister, thank you," Gu Yi's tears flowed down his temples, into his hair, onto Gu Yitong's shoulder, and into Gu Yitong's heart.
She suddenly felt a pang of regret, regretting that she had obstructed the two of them back then. They had to meet in secret, and now that Zheng Yu was in trouble, Yi'er hadn't had a single day to be with her openly.
The next morning, Shen Xuan went to find Gu Yi as usual. Knowing that Zheng Yu was in trouble yesterday, Gu Yi must have been extremely upset.
Today, Gu Yi only had one literacy class. Both he and Shen Xuan were teachers for this class. Shen Xuan had intended to inform Zheng Yu today that Gu Yi's class would be taught by him.
However, as soon as the carriage reached the entrance, she saw Gu Yi, dressed neatly as always, waiting at the door.
If Gu Yi hadn't removed his veil after getting into the carriage, Shen Xuan wouldn't have noticed any difference from his usual demeanor.
His eyes beneath the veil were slightly red, with dark circles underneath, suggesting he hadn't slept all night. Although he looked different overall, upon closer inspection, Shen Xuan could see that the usual sparkle in Gu Yi's eyes had vanished, replaced by a dull, hazy grayness.
Shen Xuan wanted to ask, but dared not, fearing she would reopen Gu Yi's wound.
As if sensing Shen Xuan's hesitation, Gu Yi stiffly offered her a smile. The corners of his mouth moved under his control, striving to convey a smile.
"Xuan'er, don't worry, I'm fine. I've thought it through. Zheng Yu is not the murderer, and with everyone's help, she will be cleared soon. What I need to do now is to live well."
"I absolutely cannot let myself look disheveled due to worry. I'm still waiting for her to come see me." Gu Yi's words were spoken with conviction, perhaps to Shen Xuan, perhaps to himself.
Upon arriving at the academy, Gu Yi waited at the entrance as always. When Zheng Yu did not appear after the appointed time, he waited in the room by the entrance. When his class began, he prepared his guqin and adjusted his state.
Everything proceeded as usual. During the lunch break, he would go out to buy some pastries and share them with Shen Xuan. Perhaps, in his heart, he was deceiving himself, convincing himself that Zheng Yu was still there, that she could still see him every morning and bring him snacks every noon.
Before the class, Gu Yi touched his guqin, suddenly missing the Jiaowei Qin from Zheng Yu's residence.
Although Wuji had been careful when she returned yesterday, she was still caught by the county magistrate's hidden guards. Brought before the magistrate, Wuji thought she was doomed, and that the town chief would likely be implicated because of her.
But to her surprise, after reading the letter found on her, the county magistrate released her, keeping the letter.
Upon her return, Wuji went to apologize to Zheng Yu. However, to her surprise, Zheng Yu laughed upon hearing Wuji's account, helped Wuji up, and dismissed her without a word.
Wuji was momentarily filled with unease, unsure if the town chief was furious due to her carelessness.
As Lu Yu had predicted, the county magistrate sent a servant to summon Lu Yu early this morning.
"You are Lu Yu?"
The county magistrate looked at Lu Yu, dressed in grey, walking in with steady steps. She scrutinized Lu Yu from head to toe. The person before her carried herself with poise and composure, unlike others. There was no fear, no obsequiousness, and even under her direct gaze, Lu Yu did not avert her eyes in panic.
"This humble one is indeed Lu Yu."
"I've heard that the town chief disregarded my life that day to invite you here and let you claim this credit." The county magistrate finished speaking and revealed a smile of unknown meaning, wanting to see how Lu Yu would respond.
She hadn't expected the county magistrate to give her a hard time right from the start.
"Town Chief Zheng did not intend to claim credit for this humble one, nor do I need this credit. It's just that Town Chief Zheng believed in my ability to treat the county magistrate."
"However, Town Chief Zheng absolutely did not disregard your life. She was merely afraid that your condition could not be treated by Doctor Zhao, and would thus delay the best treatment time."
"It seems you are quite confident," the county magistrate said with a cold laugh.
"This humble one is indeed very confident. If I didn't have this ability, I wouldn't have been able to discern that the poison affecting you was not oleander, but actually Asarum."
"What! I've been poisoned too?" The county magistrate slammed the table, then felt her reaction was too strong and sat back down. "Do you think I would believe your nonsensical ramblings?"
Lu Yu's letter yesterday had only stated that she discovered the county magistrate's poison was not oleander, so the county magistrate had always believed she was not poisoned at all.
"That's right, the poison you have is likely Asarum, but this toxin is not fatal, so you are not in any danger."
Seeing the county magistrate remain silent, Lu Yu continued, "If you don't believe me, you can bring out the prescription and let all the doctors in this town examine it. Is this prescription truly for curing Asarum poisoning?"
The county magistrate then remembered that Zhao Ran had not given her any prescription; all the medicine had always been brewed by herself.
"Continue."
"What sensations did you experience when you were poisoned?"
"Dizziness, nausea, and some difficulty breathing." The county magistrate was beginning to believe Lu Yu's words. She recalled carefully, "Oh, and profuse sweating. I remember my clothes were soaked with sweat at the time."
"Dizziness and nausea are indeed common symptoms for both, but with such profuse sweating, it's unlikely to be oleander poisoning."
"The sap of oleander is white. If you were truly poisoned by oleander, why would the poisoner place the oleander with white sap on the other four white pastries, and instead put it on the only yellow pastry? Wouldn't that make it easier to spot?"
"Asarum powder, however, is yellowish-grey. Asarum can be used in medicine, but it is mildly toxic. Consuming large quantities can lead to poisoning."
"You must have consumed a large amount of Asarum to be poisoned. I believe you must have tasted a strange flavor in the pastries, correct?" As Lu Yu spoke more, she no longer referred to herself as "this humble one."