Dressed in the clothes of a household servant, the newcomer listened carefully to the sounds outside the bedroom. Then, he took out a small porcelain bottle from his懷裡 and poured out a pill the size of a pearl.
In the secret room, He Sheng, using the landscape ink painting on the wall as cover, watched the newcomer's every move.
If the intention was to kill Jiao Lianyu, administering medicine would be impossible. Given Jiao Lianyu's current unconscious state, simply covering his mouth and nose with a blanket would suffice to kill him, and even a coroner's examination would reveal no trace.
It was likely a specially made precious pill. Even if Jiao Lianyu couldn't swallow, the pill melted slowly after being placed in his mouth. Within a visible speed, a hint of color returned to Jiao Lianyu's face, which had been pale from excessive blood loss.
After waiting for a while and confirming the pill had been fully absorbed, the newcomer swiftly pressed several acupoints on Jiao Lianyu's body.
"Who... are you..." Jiao Lianyu opened his eyes, blinked in confusion for a moment, and then his eyes suddenly showed a look of wariness.
Unfortunately, his hoarse voice and the intense pain in his chest the moment he moved reminded him of what happened before he lost consciousness. Even though he was terrified, he dared not move his body.
"The second young master is indeed blessed with good fortune." The man standing by the bed stared down at Jiao Lianyu, who transitioned from panic to composure. With a smile that didn't reach his eyes, he continued, "With such composure in the face of danger, it's no wonder you dared to bribe Li Li to tamper with Prefect Jiao's correspondence."
Jiao Lianyu's expression changed again. The reason he took the knife for Prefect Jiao seemed to be to clear his own name.
But as the sharp dagger pierced his chest, and he realized he might die, Jiao Lianyu regretted it. Even if his father died unexpectedly, given Madam's usual demeanor, she wouldn't be harsh on him, a son from a concubine. At most, she would have him separate from the family and live on his own.
In recent years, Prefect Jiao had given Madam Huang many good things. Worried that Jiao Lianyu might lack funds for social engagements, he had secretly given Jiao Lianyu two shops and a fifty-mu estate, along with over a thousand taels in banknotes.
Therefore, before losing consciousness, Jiao Lianyu truly regretted taking that blow. He hadn't expected to wake up, but the man by his bedside made him feel uneasy.
Suppressing his inner unease, Jiao Lianyu quickly thought things through. Confident that he would be fine, his expression calmed down again. "Who exactly are you? And what is your intention for visiting so late at night?"
"The second young master need not worry. My master wishes to cooperate with you. Don't you want to take over the Jiao Prefecture?" the man said with a smile, surveying the elegantly furnished bedroom. From the huanghuali tables and chairs to the artifacts on the shelves, everything was a masterpiece, accumulated through wealth.
"Books hold a house of gold. Unfortunately, throughout history, there have been so many poor scholars and pedantic intellectuals. Even with the title of Juren, most can only open private schools. To achieve high office, one needs the right time, place, and people." The man spoke slowly, his low voice full of temptation in the quiet night.
Jiao Lianyu remained silent but inwardly agreed with the words. Compared to those scholars from humble backgrounds, he had the capital to be proud. As the second young master of a prefectural mansion, what did it matter if he was born to a concubine? His elder brother had no talent for studies and was arrogant and conceited. His father had long given up on him and focused on cultivating Jiao Lianyu.
The man's sharp gaze saw through Jiao Lianyu's true thoughts behind his calm facade. He nodded with satisfaction. "Not to mention far-off matters, Zhan Feiyu, who visited the mansion today, is the best example. Originally just a country girl, as lowly as wild grass, she became a golden phoenix after being taken as a disciple by Scholar Gu. Not only Prefect Jiao, but even Governor Qiu treated this young girl as an honored guest."
It was estimated that no scholar under heaven did not envy and covet Zhan Feiyu. If she were a man, achieving high office would be within reach!
Even as a girl, with the protection of her teacher, Scholar Gu, Zhan Feiyu could marry into royalty. Who wouldn't envy such luck?
"Although my master does not hold as high a position as Scholar Gu, he can help push the second young master. In the future, even if not reaching the Grand Secretariat, achieving a second-rank official position is certainly within reach."
After the man finished speaking, Jiao Lianyu, despite his best efforts to suppress it, could not hide the ambition and desire in his eyes. He had never dared to dream of achieving high office.
After all, Prefect Jiao himself was only a fourth-rank official. With the full support of the Jiao family, it was already a great fortune for Jiao Lianyu to serve as an official in the capital. Unless there was a great opportunity, his highest rank in this life would be a third-rank official.
Jiao Lianyu's hand under the quilt clenched tightly, finally suppressing his excited and heated emotions. "What price do you want me to pay?"
"Haha, it's always easier to talk to intelligent people." The man burst into laughter, not at all worried that the sound would attract the patrolling guards outside the courtyard.
"The second young master need not worry. For at least ten years, you won't be asked to do anything. During these ten years, you only need to study diligently and follow the path of cultivation laid out by Prefect Jiao. My master will assist you in secret."
The man's meaning was clear: Jiao Lianyu was not yet qualified for his master's help. Ten years later, if his career progressed smoothly, Jiao Lianyu might reach the rank of a fourth-rank prefect, making him qualified and capable of assisting. At that time, both parties would benefit, and it would not be impossible for Jiao Lianyu to achieve high office.
"Good, I agree." Jiao Lianyu accepted without hesitation. If he were asked to do something for the other party right now, Jiao Lianyu might have hesitated.
But ten years later, Jiao Lianyu believed he would be the head of the Jiao family and have achieved something in his official career. He might not be fully established, but he would certainly not be as weak as he was today, where he had to humble himself and curry favor with his father.
At that time, if the other party had malicious intentions, he would have the strength to resist.
As if anticipating Jiao Lianyu's agreement, the man nodded with satisfaction. "As a token of sincerity, I will first resolve a potential problem for the second young master tonight."
The moment the words fell, the man's toes touched the ground, and his figure shot up, landing directly on the beam. Coupled with the dim light in the bedroom and the cover of the tall cabinets, unless someone specifically looked up towards the roof corner, it would be difficult to spot the man.
In the silence, the sound of the door opening, however slight, seemed abrupt. Jiao Lianyu blinked for a moment, then closed his eyes, pretending to be unconscious.
Zhao Yuan, confirming that the night-watch servants outside had fallen asleep, closed the door from the inside and walked towards the inner chamber with light steps.
The bedroom was filled with a strong medicinal smell. The stab wound on Jiao Lianyu's chest was extremely dangerous, and with the summer heat, the wound was prone to festering, so Doctor Luo had applied a thick layer of medicine.
Walking step by step towards the bed, Zhao Yuan looked at the still pale Jiao Lianyu. After a moment of hesitation, he put away the dagger in his right hand.
In the secret room, He Sheng truly did not expect that there would be wave after wave of people tonight. Moreover, compared to the man on the beam, the uninvited guest who had just entered was clearly much weaker.
Remembering Madam Chen's orders, Zhao Yuan no longer hesitated. He grabbed the blanket and moved it upwards, intending to cover Jiao Lianyu's mouth and nose. Then, with a firm press, the second young master would suffocate to death in a short while.
Just as the blanket was about to cover his cheeks, Jiao Lianyu suddenly opened his eyes. He seemed a little dazed. Seizing the moment of Zhao Yuan's stunned pause, Jiao Lianyu abruptly sat up, enduring the pain, and threw the porcelain pillow to the ground.
With a clang, Zhao Yuan snapped back to reality. Fearing that his actions would be discovered, he unhesitatingly covered Jiao Lianyu with the blanket.
Zhao Yuan covered his mouth and nose with one hand to prevent Jiao Lianyu from struggling, and his body pressed down on him.
"Who's there?" a furious shout came from outside the window. The bedroom was lit by candles, so Zhao Yuan's actions were clearly visible through the papered window.
By the time Prefect Jiao, hastily putting on his clothes, rushed over, Doctor Luo had already arrived. The wound on Jiao Lianyu's chest had reopened, and blood was gushing out.
Doctor Luo, looking at the pale Jiao Lianyu, had no idea that he had woken up earlier. "My lord, the second young master's wound needs to be sutured."
"Quickly go and invite Miss He to help!" Prefect Jiao roared. Looking at the messy bedroom, his expression grew even more grim. Who would have thought that an assailant would commit murder in the Jiao Prefecture, targeting the unconscious second son?
Doctor Luo was currently taking Jiao Lianyu's pulse and looked slightly surprised. He had initially thought that after this dangerous attempt to "strike while the iron is hot," Jiao Lianyu would need to take another precious rejuvenation pill to survive.
However, Jiao Lianyu's pulse was much stronger than it had been in the evening. If not for the profuse bleeding from the reopened wound, Doctor Luo would have believed that Jiao Lianyu had passed the critical period and was recovering.