Luo Yu had been on guard against someone making a move.

The news of twins had spread—another point of stimulation.

If someone wanted to act, the most concealed method would be through medicine. Unknowing and unaware, after being poisoned, one might bleed or miscarry. So she was very cautious about this and, as she had told her mother, didn’t use any incense in her room. If she wanted to smell something different, she would place a basket of fruit, which had its own natural fragrance.

She was familiar with various fragrances but wasn’t the type who had to have them.

After becoming pregnant, she quit them and adapted well. When Fourth Prince noticed, he didn’t ask much.

Post-pregnancy reactions were all strange and varied. Just being unable to smell fishy odors and not lighting incense wasn’t anything unusual.

As long as Huai Zhen could eat and sleep, nothing else was a problem.

Food was controlled by the main kitchen, which was Fourth Prince’s domain. Even Fujin couldn’t make decisions there, so Luo Yu wasn’t as worried about the main kitchen. She was more worried about something happening along the route. So every time food was fetched, two people went together to prevent any foul play.

The people in the main kitchen were also very careful with her meals. If anything went wrong with the food, the main kitchen would inevitably be implicated. Once implicated, human lives were the least valuable—who knows if everyone in the main kitchen from top to bottom would face a purge.

Another concern was close-fitting clothing. Some garments might be pre-soaked in medicinal herbs, contaminated with medicinal properties. With so many things in the room, if it were truly a ruthless person, finding an opportunity to slip in something might not be discovered in time…

These places where tampering might occur, Luo Yu had discussed with her grandmother and mother, guarding her courtyard like an iron fortress.

She knew there were others’ people in her courtyard—Fourth Prince had some, Fujin had some, and even that Li Gege had some.

She had basically identified the candidates. She just wasn’t sure if Song Gege had anyone there.

Her rank wasn’t high, but she was Fourth Prince’s first woman, with very deep seniority. Who knew if she had planted agents long ago?

Having grasped their identities and knowing they were spies wasn’t frightening.

Because once she knew, these people were nothing to fear. The matters they wanted to know, Luo Yu could control. She told them, and only then would they know. If she didn’t speak, what information could these spies gather?

If necessary, she could even deliberately feed them false information to help achieve her own goals.

In Luo Yu’s courtyard, they had no opportunity to act, so the only time they could was when Luo Yu left her courtyard.

Luo Yu was on guard. She was confident nothing would go wrong, but just in case, she still brought sufficient personnel every time she went out.

After being diagnosed with twins by the imperial physician, Luo Yu’s daily greetings changed from daily visits to once every five days.

Later, when her belly grew large and movement became inconvenient, Luo Yu wouldn’t go to pay respects. For now, her burden wasn’t too heavy.

Going out every five days was also when she was most vulnerable to attack.

Moreover, in her courtyard, she moved normally, but outside her courtyard, she had people on all sides. If she fell, no matter which direction, someone could catch her. And when outside, she would slowly stroll to Fujin’s courtyard, which to outsiders also appeared normal.

Being pregnant, naturally one should be careful. This caution also indirectly showed her timidity.

If poison couldn’t be used, there were other methods. Thus, on this day, as Luo Yu was returning from paying respects, out of nowhere, she encountered a wild cat that suddenly sprang from the bushes.

This wild cat appeared suddenly, its cry piercing: “Meow—”

Anyone who had heard cats call knew that some cat cries were… truly chilling. Add to that those eyes glowing green as they stared at you, it was easy to be frightened. The maid at the very front was so startled she jerked alert and instinctively wanted to jump backward to avoid the cat, but remembering who was behind her, she bravely extended her hand and grabbed hold of the pouncing cat.

This cat wasn’t domesticated and was highly aggressive. Seeing her movement, it extended its claws and swiped forcefully—

“Ah!” The maid’s hand was scratched bloody. In pain, she released her grip, and the cat quickly burrowed into the bushes and left.

All this took only a few seconds.

Everyone was so frightened their hearts pounded wildly.

Niuhuru shi was traveling the same route as Ce Fujin for this stretch and was following behind. Seeing this from afar, she was so scared she gripped her maid’s hand tightly.

“That, that was a cat?”

Her maid was also quite frightened: “Yes, yes, a cat.” If she heard that at night, she suspected she would burrow into her bedding and tremble. This was simply like a ghostly wail, the degree that would give one nightmares.

Luo Yu’s heartbeat also skipped a beat. Watching the cat burrow into the bushes and disappear, she took a breath to steady herself. She didn’t rush to have people catch the cat but looked at the senior maid and asked: “You’re injured. Go back. Someone, call a physician.”

The maid had also come to her senses by now: “Ce Fujin, how do you feel?”

Luo Yu: “Fortunately you were here. I’m fine.”

The maid smiled, relieved: “Then let’s go back first. Calling the physician can wait until we return.”

If someone went to call the physician, personnel would be dispersed. This small injury of hers was nothing—she could clean and bandage the wound herself when they got back.

If there weren’t enough people and a similar situation occurred, and the wild cat directly charged into Ce Fujin?

Thinking this, not only did none of them leave, they surrounded her even more tightly.

They didn’t dare linger here. Luo Yu said nothing, nodded at Niuhuru shi, and returned to her courtyard.

Niuhuru shi stiffly returned the courtesy. Watching her departing figure and thinking of something, her expression changed: “Let’s go. We’re going back too.”

Before Ce Fujin gave birth, aside from going to pay respects to Fujin, she planned not to go out.

This period would probably be a troubled time.

Upon returning, Luo Yu had someone call the physician while having someone relay a message to Fujin’s side.

How could there be wild cats in the Prince’s residence?

Luo Yu first checked the clothes and jewelry on her body. That cat had jumped out in her direction.

Why?

Was there something special about her clothing, or was it the color?

This pale yellow garment—this was the first time she wore it.

She didn’t have much jewelry on her. Which piece had a problem?

She changed out of all the clothing on her body, then had a maid who understood medicine see if she could discover anything.

The physician arrived. The maid had been badly scratched by the cat, the wounds not shallow. The physician prescribed medicine. Luo Yu had her go back to rest well: “Today I owe you much. I’ll remember this debt of gratitude. Go back and heal properly. When your injury heals, come back. I still need you here.”

Soon, a trusted nanny from Fujin’s side came to report: “Reporting to Ce Fujin, that wild cat has been driven away. It probably snuck in from outside.”

Luo Yu frowned: “You didn’t catch it?”

Her dissatisfaction was obvious: “Can our residence really have wild cats sneaking in? Can it just slip away like that? Where were the guards? At this rate, will a snake sneak in next time? Nanny, you wouldn’t say such a thing could happen, would you?”

The nanny’s heart jumped, but the smile on her face remained flawless: “Ce Fujin jests. That wild cat could even catch birds. Though our residence’s courtyard walls are high, they can’t compare to birds that can fly.”

Regarding Ce Fujin’s question about snakes, she avoided answering: “Ce Fujin, rest assured. Fujin has already given orders to mobilize personnel to inspect every corner of the residence to ensure that aside from what the masters keep, there are no other wild cats that have entered.”

Luo Yu sighed softly: “Naturally I trust Fujin. Fujin manages the household provisions and personnel. As long as Fujin wants to manage well, naturally she can manage well.”

Nanny: “…Fujin can naturally manage well.”

This had a double meaning—was she implying something?

Leaving Ce Fujin’s courtyard, the nanny’s face showed some gravity.

Why would Ce Fujin speak this way? Had she guessed something?

But even if she guessed, what of it?

This wild cat entering the residence was just an accident, not something Fujin could control.

That it happened to frighten Ce Fujin was even more accidental. Fujin hadn’t done anything.

As for the snake she mentioned, Li Gege wouldn’t really do such a thing, would she? The danger of snakes couldn’t compare to cats, especially venomous snakes… She wouldn’t do such a thing, would she?

——

The section of road where the cat appeared was on Luo Yu’s necessary route home. Niuhuru shi saw it, and others saw it too. This news quickly spread.

When Li Gege heard that a physician was being called, she was somewhat pleased. But then upon hearing that the physician was actually called for a maid, and that she had blocked that cat! The Lin family woman was completely unharmed!

“What an obstructive wretch!”

“Useless!”

“What about that cat? Was it beaten to death?”

The maid lowered her head, not daring to look at her, and replied: “No.”

Before Li Gege could be pleased, the maid added: “Fujin sent people to catch it but didn’t catch it. They drove it out.”

Li Gege snorted: “Fine, I understand.”

At this moment, footsteps sounded. Li Gege stopped talking and looked at the doorway, seeing her daughter entering with two maids. Li Gege’s expression softened: “Yahui, went to look at the fish again? I really don’t know what’s so interesting about those fish that you can never see enough.”

Gege Yahui glanced at her, head slightly lowered: “Mother… what were you just talking about?”

Li Gege smiled: “Talking about your younger brother. This little one is just mischievous. Spend more time with him, watch over him. You should be closer, understand?”

Yahui responded quietly: “I know. Mother… you should also spend more time with younger brother.”

Li Gege was somewhat helpless: “Understood, understood. Go busy yourself. Mother still has some matters here.”

She didn’t know who this child took after, always speaking and acting without enough straightforwardness.

Yahui wanted to say more. Looking at her appearance, she slowly closed her mouth and left dejectedly.

Fourth Prince had been very busy recently because Imperial Father had taken Elder Brother, Crown Prince, and the others to the frontier again. Among the princes left in the capital, he and Third Elder Brother were the oldest and also had the most responsibilities.

Even so, he was aware of household matters.

Upon returning and hearing Su Peisheng mention this matter, he immediately headed toward Ce Fujin’s courtyard, saying in a deep voice: “Investigate.”

“That cat hasn’t been caught yet. Have people catch it. Even if it’s a wild cat, it has a fixed activity range.”

“The physician called from outside won’t do. Have someone call an imperial physician to examine Ce Fujin.”

Su Peisheng: “This servant obeys.”

He acknowledged and slowly withdrew.

This had better truly be an accident. Otherwise, waves would rise again in this residence.

As he withdrew, Su Peisheng glanced toward the main courtyard. Perhaps these waves had already begun rising since Prince Hong Hui’s death.