newbobooks Chapter 659 This time, it was by no means a coincidence.
Chapter 659 This time, it was by no means a coincidence.
The brother and sister laughed and joked as they left the main house, and the house instantly fell silent.
Chu Ruohan leaned against the soft pillows, looking at the bowl of chicken soup that the two children had rejected, and then at the slightly stiff handsome face of the man beside her. Her smile deepened.
"I'm feeling a bit stuffy staying indoors for too long. Come with me for a walk."
She tugged at Gu Junze's sleeve.
"Ruyan gave birth so quickly, Dr. Qian said it was because she was restless during her pregnancy and always liked to run around. I should also move around more, it's good for the baby."
Gu Junze picked up a thick fox fur cloak, carefully tied the straps, and wrapped her up completely.
"Okay, just for a little while. Come back right away if you feel cold." He held her hand in his palm to make sure it was warm enough before helping her to her feet.
The courtyard in winter has a unique, desolate beauty.
Outside the covered walkway, the branches of the trees were bare, and a few unmelted icicles hung under the eaves. A cold wind blew, and the lanterns hanging on the pillars swayed gently.
Chu Ruohan linked arms with Gu Junze, slowing her pace and enjoying the rare tranquility.
Just as she was about to step down a step, her embroidered shoe slipped without warning.
"what!"
Chu Ruohan exclaimed in surprise, her body suddenly leaning forward.
Gu Junze reacted almost instinctively, stretching out his long arm to pull her firmly back into his embrace.
Chu Ruohan's heart was pounding, and it took her a while to come to her senses, her whole body still pressed against his firm chest.
Gu Junze held her, but his face had darkened.
He lowered his head, his voice tense: "Are you hurt?"
"N-nothing," Chu Ruohan shook her head, still shaken.
Haitang and several maids rushed over upon hearing the noise, their faces turning pale with fright.
"lady!"
Gu Junze's gaze fell on the spot where Chu Ruohan had just stepped. Following his gaze, everyone noticed a faint water stain on the smooth bluestone slab.
"What's going on here!" Haitang demanded sharply.
An old woman responsible for cleaning this veranda suddenly knelt down on the ground with a "plop".
"Lord Duke, Madam, please spare me! It was me... I was carrying water when I accidentally spilled some. I forgot to wipe it up. I deserve to die!"
Chu Ruohan wanted to say "never mind," but Gu Junze spoke first.
"It is my fault for not managing my household properly."
He didn't even glance at the kneeling old woman, his cold gaze sweeping over all the servants present.
“This old woman, along with her steward, shall be fined three months’ salary and transferred to the servants’ quarters.”
A casual remark sent a chill down the spines of every servant in the mansion.
The steward was punished for a mere puddle of water, and everyone truly realized that the Duchess was now the most sensitive and untouchable person in the eyes of this living devil.
For a time, everyone became more and more cautious in their actions, daring not to slack off in the slightest.
From the corner of the courtyard, Meizi took in all of this.
She silently retreated into the shadows, her hands, hidden in her sleeves, tightening slightly.
This first attempt, though it did not harm Chu Ruohan, successfully stirred up waves in the mansion.
She just hadn't expected the Duke of Zhenguo's vigilance and methods...
The atmosphere in the mansion remained tense for the next few days.
A few days later, the weather cleared up for once.
Chu Ruohan sat in the warm pavilion in the garden, the sunlight shining on her, making her feel warm and cozy.
Song Ruyan arrived in a flurry of activity, excitedly sharing the latest gossip from the capital, making Chu Ruohan laugh nonstop.
Suddenly, a slight cracking sound came from above.
Song Ruyan subconsciously looked up, her expression changing drastically.
"careful!"
She lunged forward and pulled Chu Ruohan, chair and all, towards her.
"boom!"
With a loud crash, a pot of orchids hanging from the pavilion beam slammed heavily onto the spot where the two had just been sitting. The purple clay pot shattered, and withered roots and dry soil were scattered all over the ground.
The potted plant brushed past Chu Ruohan's shoulder and fell.
If Song Ruyan had been even a step slower, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Everyone was stunned.
Haitang rushed over, her voice trembling: "Madam! Madam, are you alright!"
Chu Ruohan's face turned deathly pale, her heart pounding wildly. She looked at the broken pieces on the ground, then looked up at the empty hook, and felt a chill run down her spine from the fear.
This time, it was no accident.
Everyone knows that the orchid had long since dried up and should have been taken down long ago, so why is it still hanging there perfectly fine?
When Gu Junze arrived after hearing the news, he saw the mess on the ground and Chu Ruohan's pale face.
Without saying a word, he walked over and picked up the broken piece of hemp rope.
At the break in the rope, there were marks of repeated cutting with a sharp tool. The method was very tricky, and if you didn't look closely, you would just think it was a natural decay and breakage.
"Seal the mansion."
"No one is allowed to enter or leave."
He personally oversaw the operation, and Yingqing, along with her guards, completely surrounded the Duke's mansion.
All servants in the mansion, regardless of seniority or position, were gathered in the front courtyard and questioned one by one, especially those who had joined the mansion within the past year.
The interrogation lasted from day to night, with the entire Duke's mansion brightly lit.
However, the ghost lurking in the shadows was more cunning than anyone could have imagined.
No one could find anything wrong, and the gardeners and servants involved all had alibis, leading to a stalemate in the interrogation.
The people were filled with unease, and the servants looked at each other with suspicion in their eyes.
The person who wanted to harm the Duchess was hiding among them.
In the study, the candlelight flickered, illuminating Gu Junze's cold face.
"Everyone in the mansion has been questioned, but there's still no result."
Gu Junze tapped his fingers lightly on the table, one tap after another.
The Duke's mansion is now like an iron barrel, seemingly loose on the outside but tightly controlled on the inside, but the hand hidden in the shadows is as slippery as an eel.
The door was gently pushed open, and Chu Ruohan walked in wearing an overcoat.
Chu Ruohan walked to his side and reached out to press down on his hand that was tapping the table.
“We won’t find anything by investigating like this.” Her voice was soft, but unusually calm.
Gu Junze looked up at her, his eyes deep and intense.
“The other party is meticulous and does everything perfectly, making each one seem like an accident. The more we investigate so thoroughly, the deeper she hides herself.”
Chu Ruohan went behind him, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gently rested her chin on his shoulder.
"A covert investigation is worse than an overt one."
Her voice carried a hint of coldness.
“Since she wants something to happen to me, then we’ll let her ‘get what she wants’ this once.”
Gu Junze didn't move, but he instantly understood what she meant.
He took her hand in his own; his palm was warm and dry.
"We deliberately threw out bait to lure the snake out of its hole."
The couple exchanged a glance; the net was already prepared, and they were just waiting for the venomous snake to crawl in on its own.
In less than half an hour, news spread from the main courtyard.
The Duchess was frightened and suddenly suffered from severe abdominal pain; her condition was critical.