After closing the door, she unfolded the paper ball to see a line of small script written on it.

“Gu Xiluo has learned of the medicine box incident. It’s inadvisable to probe further. Take care.”

Suzhen immediately understood this was from Miaoyin, secretly given to the little eunuch to pass on a message.

Her hatred for Aluo deepened, but for her, Miaoyin not coming was actually not a bad thing. If this reached Li Zhaoting, she would be the one wronging Miaoyin.

However, though she temporarily had food security, it didn’t buy Suzhen two more days to consider escape methods. Hunger had briefly made her forget her pain, but after nightfall she began developing high fever again. Her whole body burned, much worse than during the day.

She lay sprawled at the bed’s edge, that feeling of alternating hot and cold with nauseous dizziness made her roll about in agony. Lian Yu’s gentle smile kept floating before her eyes as she reached out to grasp—

At this moment, she suddenly felt some hatred toward Lian Yu. He had left her behind to live so arduously.

But she could catch nothing—before her eyes was only a puddle of half-dried tea grounds on the floor.

She stared hazily, something flashing through her mind. She clutched her splitting head and forced herself to think. Wuyan’s face suddenly became clear in her mind, and she began to form a plan.

She crawled up to put on clothes, gritted her teeth to tidy herself again, then forced down two flatbreads she hadn’t wanted to touch before, and opened the door once more.

The palace servants outside looked and saw several strands of hair stuck to her forehead with sweat, her complexion deathly pale, her eyes holding a layer of ash-gray, her whole person thin as paper, seeming ready to collapse with a push—but incredibly, this woman had gone two days without food, was both injured and ill, yet could still stand up again and again.

At this time, Suzhen beckoned to that eunuch who was kind to her, little Luzi, who quickly came forward to respond. His eyes held a trace of worry, “Magistrate Li, how is your health?”

Suzhen still said “tolerable,” then continued, “Little father-in-law, thank you for what you’ve done for me. But my current situation is precarious—I fear there’s no chance of survival. However, I hope to repay you.”

“Magistrate Li must never speak thus. This servant can’t really help you much, I…” Little Luzi showed guilt on his face.

Suzhen shook her head, “You’ve already helped me greatly. One last time—could you find someone else for me?”

“Who?” Little Luzi nodded and asked curiously.

“Miss Gu in the palace.” Suzhen said slowly.

Little Luzi was still somewhat dazed, “Which Miss Gu?”

Suzhen smiled, “What other Miss Gu could there be? The Miss Gu beloved by the Young Master.”

Little Luzi didn’t understand but nodded quite firmly.

“Lian Yu mentioned her before he died. Ask if she wants to know what it was. If she wants to know, have her reward you and come find me.” Suzhen added.

Little Luzi was completely stunned. He didn’t care much about rewards, being more concerned about Suzhen. But he had carried this message to Miaoyin—on the surface that Miss Miao had fallen out with her, but later secretly instructed him to pass messages. There seemed to be hidden feelings between them. Could this Miss Gu be the same? Could she help Magistrate Li?

Though his mind was full of doubts, thinking of this, he immediately nodded, “Good, this servant will handle it right away.”

Just as he was about to leave, two other eunuchs stretched out their feet and tripped him, making him fall face-first. He quickly got up, touching his scraped knee, asking in shock and fear, “What are you doing?”

Those two were both his seniors. One said, “We’ll go. You stay here.”

“But… this is an errand Magistrate Li asked me to run.” He replied tremblingly. The other sneered, “Boy, stay when told to stay.”

“Don’t forget our share of the rewards,” the corridor maids laughed.

“You…” Seeing the two leave the courtyard, little Luzi was both angry and furious, but being lowly and timid, he didn’t dare argue too much. With red-rimmed eyes, he looked at Suzhen, “Magistrate Li, this servant… this servant has wronged you.”

But Suzhen said indifferently, “It’s fine. Don’t argue with them.”

Little Luzi had no blood relation to her, yet could run errands for her twice due to his family connections—this was already remarkable. Everything just now was within her expectations.

Shortly after, the two eunuchs returned, looking well-rewarded based on their beaming faces. Aluo, accompanied by Mei’er, indeed followed them. Some tricks truly work repeatedly, Suzhen thought.

“What exactly did he say? You want me to plead for you in exchange, right? Fine.” Aluo spoke coldly, her eyes and brows carrying disdain, hatred, and… a trace of nervousness. She made this promise from a position of superiority. Li Zhaoting was her man.

She had never intended to really starve her to death here. If Li Zhaoting blamed her, though Chef Xiao stood in between—it was Chef Xiao who “misunderstood” his angry words, spreading false information and causing this outcome. But if he severely punished Chef Xiao, she might expose her, and though Li Zhaoting wouldn’t have her executed, it would inevitably leave a thorn in his heart.

Therefore, she had planned that after one more day, she would plead with Li Zhaoting to let physicians come again. Once physicians came, Chef Xiao would resume food supply. In others’ eyes, since Li Zhaoting allowed physicians, he had forgiven her, so resuming food supply would seem normal—no one would notice someone had falsely transmitted orders.

But she still wanted her to suffer more—just like before in Minzhou, now here—

Suzhen looked at her and said, “Yes, I want to ask you to plead with Li Zhaoting for me. Good, since you agree, I’ll tell you what he said.”

She quietly said something.

“Let’s go inside to talk!” Aluo couldn’t hear clearly, her face darkening as she stepped forward.

Suzhen watched her approach, her lips curving slightly. When Aluo noticed the cunning in her eyes, she had already moved behind her, cold scissors pressed against her neck.

Feng Suzhen then turned her around to face everyone—these movements completed almost in a flash.

So fast that everyone couldn’t react, much less rescue her.

By the time the panicked guards rushed before the terrified palace servants with drawn swords, she had already seized the advantage, backed against the door, creating a blind spot where no one dared move.

Suzhen smiled slightly, whispering in Aluo’s ear, “The ice cellar incident—you already suffered once at my hands. Why haven’t you learned this time?”

“How could Lian Yu have words for you? He didn’t even have time to properly bid me farewell.” She smiled again, suddenly drawing across her neck. A line of blood beads immediately seeped out on her skin, like red plum blossoms fallen on snow.

She had to imitate Wuyan’s methods, even though she knew the consequences of doing so would be very serious.

Li Zhaoting wasn’t Huo Chang’an—he had no feelings for her like the latter had for Wuyan. But the tea grounds on the floor made her decide to gamble with her life before collapsing.

Her final gamble!

Aluo was both shocked and angry. Mei’er screamed, then shouted fiercely, “Feng Suzhen, if you dare harm a hair on my young lady’s head, Minister Li will surely hack you to pieces and quarter you!”

“I’m just waiting for him to come quarter me!” Suzhen laughed in response, then coldly said, “Immediately have Li Zhaoting come see me. If he doesn’t arrive soon, I’ll kill his most beloved woman!”

“Just see if Zhaoting will spare you!” The burning pain from her neck came clearly. Aluo spoke through gritted teeth. Though not timid, she absolutely didn’t want to die at this nemesis’s hands, especially when her love with Li Zhaoting was just beginning, and her revenge against Xiao’an and the others was still unfinished!

“Little wretch, just wait. Miss, don’t be afraid!” Mei’er’s eyes turned red with anger as she and two guards immediately ran out.

Little Luzi trembled nearby, repeatedly pleading, “Magistrate Li, let’s talk nicely. Please release Miss Gu first, otherwise when the Young Master arrives, you’ll…”

Suzhen smiled at him without speaking.

“Feng Suzhen, how despicable you are. What exactly do you want to threaten Zhaoting with me?” Aluo calculated in her heart, trying to maneuver with Suzhen.

For a long while, there was no response.

How could Suzhen not understand Aluo’s thoughts? She wanted her to become distracted so she could break free when her guard was down. Her body was already at its limit, sweat soaking her heavy clothes—how could she spare attention for conversation?

“Zhaoting!”

Finally, Aluo looked toward the courtyard entrance, her eyes brightening as she called out softly.

As the white-robed man led people inside, everyone in the courtyard knelt down. Little Luzi was even more terrified, sitting on the ground and staring at Suzhen. But Suzhen fixed her gaze on the newcomer.

One could see that due to the emergency, Mei’er hadn’t avoided Wei Chenghui, Si Lanfeng and others—they must have been discussing something with Li Zhaoting, so they also hurriedly followed Li Zhaoting here.

The Li Zhaoting before her, as Mei’er had said, wanted nothing more than to dismember her! He stared at her intently, his eyes blazing with fury, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his entire being radiating frost-like killing intent!

“What will it take for you to release her?”

He approached step by step, asking word by word. That stern, terrifying voice seemed to hammer heavily on people’s hearts, making them tremble. But Suzhen showed no trace of fear. She looked at him, gambling on the last bit of childhood friendship from their past years together.

“I don’t have the ability to summon you, so I had to trouble your beloved woman. Young Master Li,” she slowly began, still addressing him as she had in the past before continuing, “I’ve been starving for two full days. With no other choice, I resorted to this expedient measure. Since it’s expedient, it’s also risking my life. Let me and the Lian brothers leave the palace, and I’ll return her to you. Otherwise, I’ll kill her first, then you can hack me to pieces and splatter my blood here to accompany her in death.”