At the table, the ladies engaged in lively conversation while maids and servants continuously moved about with trays. After standing for a while, Xiang Lan grew tired, her stomach growling twice. She quietly clenched her fist to massage her legs when she noticed Cao Li Huan secretly tucking a peach into her sleeve before walking out.

Xiang Lan quickly followed behind. Cao Li Huan went to the washroom in the back and told Xiang Lan, “I need to relieve myself. Keep watch for me and don’t let anyone enter.”

Xiang Lan nodded in agreement but couldn’t contain her curiosity, thinking: “Why would she hide a peach just to use the toilet?” She quietly peeked through the door crack and saw Cao Li Huan take out a small Beauty’s Shoulder bottle from her purse. She emptied the Sheng Jin Xue Lu pills inside, peeled the peach, and squeezed its juice into the bottle. She threw the remaining peach pit and flesh out the window directly into the lake, then took out a handkerchief to wipe her hands.

Xiang Lan quickly resumed her dutiful stance. Cao Li Huan came out and returned directly to her seat. Xiang Lan was completely puzzled about what this young lady was planning to do. Cao Li Huan picked up the wine pot in front of her, gave it a gentle shake to confirm it was still half full, then quietly removed the stopper from the small bottle hidden in her sleeve and poured in the peach juice. While others were either chatting or eating, no one noticed, but Xiang Lan, standing diagonally behind Cao Li Huan, had been watching her intently and saw everything. She then watched as Cao Li Huan filled Lin Dong Qi’s cup to the brim, raised her cup for a toast, and warmly urged her to drink. Lin Dong Qi couldn’t refuse and had to drink a cup. When Lin Dong Ling saw this, she also wanted to make a toast, so Cao Li Huan filled Lin Dong Qi’s cup again, forcing her to drink another cup.

The girls’ table was serving fruit wine made from grapes, so even with added peach juice, the difference in taste was hardly noticeable. Cao Li Huan repeatedly persuaded Lin Dong Qi to drink several cups, a cold smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

Xiang Lan shuddered as she suddenly remembered that when Cao Li Huan had previously sent palace flowers to the Lin family’s young ladies, Lin Dong Qi had mentioned she couldn’t eat peaches – not only eating but even touching them would cause her to break out in a rash! In that instant, Xiang Lan understood everything. So this was… this was Cao Li Huan’s malicious intent!

Xiang Lan’s heart pounded rapidly, though she maintained a calm facade. As she was wondering what to do, Cao Li Huan beckoned her over and said, “Go back and fetch the small purse from my dressing table.”

Xiang Lan had no choice but to leave. Watching Xiang Lan’s retreating figure, Cao Li Huan smiled coldly, raised her cup for a drink, and thought to herself, “You’ll get what’s coming to you later. You’ll have to submit to my control for the rest of your life!”

Once outside the door, Xiang Lan’s steps gradually slowed as she thought: “In my previous life, I would break out in rashes and swelling if I ate the wrong fish or shrimp. Once my throat swelled so much I could barely breathe and nearly lost my life. If Second Young Lady has a bad reaction to the peach juice, it would be terrible. I must find a way to send word to the Madam.” She clenched her fist and looked around. Seeing Madam Qin’s head maid Hong Jian chatting and drinking with several other maids in the corridor, Xiang Lan was secretly delighted. She went over, bent down, and whispered, “Sister Hong Jian, I have something urgent to tell you.”

Hong Jian looked up to see a fair and delicate young maid, her large eyes blinking with obvious anxiety. Though her face seemed familiar, Hong Jian couldn’t place where she’d seen her before and asked, “You are…?”

Xiang Lan quickly said, “I have something extremely urgent to tell Sister.” Without waiting for Hong Jian’s response, she bent down to her ear and said, “I just saw the Young Lady put peach juice in the grape wine and tricked the Second Young Lady into drinking several cups.”

Hong Jian’s expression changed dramatically as she exclaimed, “Really?”

Xiang Lan nodded and continued in a low voice, “I saw it with my own eyes. The Young Lady took a peach from the plate, went to the washroom under the pretense of using it, squeezed the peach juice into a porcelain bottle, came back and secretly added it to the wine pot, then filled the Second Young Lady’s cup several times. I was standing behind her and saw everything.”

Hong Jian’s face showed uncertainty as she stood up and pulled Xiang Lan to a less crowded area, asking, “What’s your name? Where do you work?”

Xiang Lan replied, “My name is Xiang Lan. I’m a house-born servant of the Lin family, and after entering the mansion, I serve at Luo Xue Wu.”

Hong Jian looked Xiang Lan up and down several times, nodded, and said, “I understand.” Then she went inside.

Xiang Lan let out a breath. She wanted to wait for Hong Jian but feared being seen by Cao Li Huan. While hesitating, she noticed Lin Jin Lou standing with a servant boy behind the artificial mountain by the lake, staring intently in her direction, his eyes like cold lightning. Xiang Lan was startled and quickly turned away, thinking she should first avoid any trouble and return to fetch Cao Li Huan’s purse.

After leaving the garden and walking to the western side of the mansion’s rear, there were gradually fewer people. Just as she reached the courtyard entrance, she saw Si Shun’er standing there, looking around furtively. Xiang Lan felt a wave of annoyance and ignored him, heading straight for the room.