Poison

Duke Shenxiu's residence

A small crowd of servants led by the steward gathered at the gates to welcome the Duke. Lady Fu stood in front of the carriage in a simple dark blue slim-sleeved gown and a long transparent wrap. She greeted the Duke as he stepped out of the carriage with a welcoming smile.

Her smile slipped off as the Duke turned around and held a hand out for Madam Bao. Her lips twitched as the duke helped the slender younger woman out of the carriage.

She snubbed Madam Bao's greeting and fell into step with the duke as they walked into the compound.

Lady Fu enquired about the duke's journey as they walked in, Madam Bao silently walked behind the couple.

She held onto her maid's arm for support as she walked gracefully behind Lady Fu. Madam Bao looked around, hoping to catch sight of her son or daughter.

Madam Bao's face brightened as soon as she saw her son coming up ahead, her expression froze and her brow wrinkled as her eyes fell on the cane in his left arm.

She tightened her grip on her maid's forearm and whispered breathlessly, "What_ Ji Yan, what is that".

Ji Yan gasped as she saw the came in Nie Shaoqing's hand, she glanced down at her mistress and immediately tried to console her.

This was not the right time or place for her mistress to lose her cool, she did not want to give lady Fu the satisfaction of watching her mistress lose her cool.

Nie Shaoqing met up with the Duke just outside the central room of the side hall, the bamboo courtyard was a little bit secluded from the other courtyard.

It had taken him quite some time to get to the side hall which was a little closer to the entrance of the compound.

Nie Shaoqing's chest stiffen on seeing his old friend now turned enemy, Nie Yong still looked like he did years earlier apart from his greying hair and slightly wrinkled face.

The stiffness increased as he got closer to the Duke, he paused and drew his have out of Deming's grip to rub his chest gently.

"Young master, what is wrong" Deming whispered as he stepped forward, he watched the duke with the side of his eyes and placed a hand on his young master's back.

His eyes widened when they fell on Nie Shaoqing's hands that were rubbing his chest.

"Should I call the physician, since you are feeling some discomfort in your chest", Deming said in a low tone.

Their actions drew the Duke's attention, he shook Lady Fu's hands away and quickened his pace but Madam Bao beat him to Nie Shaoqing's side.

She pushed Deming away, half hugged her son and pulled up his face. "What is wrong, Xiao Qing'. She gasped and tears ran down her eyes when her gaze fell on the thin line of blood in his nostril.

"Call the Physician", she cried out glancing back at her maid who rushed out of the residence.

Nie Shaoqing blacked out a few seconds later, he was back in his bed when he woke up. He felt a cool cloth on his forehead, the cloth must have been put there to cool him down but was now dripping water down his face.

He raised his hand and took the cloth away from his forehead, the stiffness in his chest had reduced.

He slowly sat up and glanced at his bed sight, his eye met the tanned face of the woman from before.

Her face was a lot calmer while she slept, there was no one else in the room apart from the woman who he recognised as Madam Bao.

She was quite a beauty, he could see where Nie Shaoqing got his darker complexion. Nie Shaoqing took after his mother in looks, the only similar feature he shared with the Duke was his height and his slanted dark brown eyes.

He carefully got out of the bed, grabbed his cane and stood. After a few seconds, he picked up the blanket and stepped closer to Madam Bao. She opened her eyes before he could wrap the blanket around her shoulders.

"Xiao Qing", she whispered blinking her eyes as if to sweep the sleep away. She pushed back her seat and took, "How are you", she asked quickly running her eyes down his body, "How is your leg, don't stand so long on your bad leg, seat down l".

She placed a hand on his shoulder as she gently help him get seated. "I never should have followed his grace on that trip, I should have stayed back to protect you", she muttered wiping the tears in her eyes away with the back of her hands. "Are you thirsty, you have been out for at least half an hour".

Maybe it was because this was the first time since his mother died that someone had ever asked how he felt.

Nie Shaoqing felt his heart soften, he felt flustered and quickly moved away. He did not want her to see the emulation in his eyes.

Madam Bao mistook his action for a cry for help when he failed to respond for some seconds. Worrying that he might be too thirsty to reply. She turned to the door and called Deming into the door.

Nie Shaoqing blinked, glanced up and grabbed her arm gently, "No! there is no need to worry. I am feeling much better", his eyes met Deming and Xiuyi's worried faces who had rushed in as soon as Madam Bao called.

Madam Bao did not seem to be convinced by his response, her knitted brows were all the tell he need.

'I have no idea what their mother and son dynamics is, she might notice that something is off about me. I need to get rid of her before she gets suspicious', Nie Shaoqing thought, catching Deming's eyes for a brief second.

Since they were yet to be in sync Deming did not understand the message he tried to communicate and instead just blinked and gave him a strange look. Now Shaoqing sucked in air through his teeth and glanced at madam Bao.

"I am feeling much better, Mother. I read non-stop today and did not put down my head to rest. It is only normal that I pass out from overexertion ", Nie Shaoqing said with a smile.

Madam Bao frowned slightly, "that seems strange, you have always been a studious child since you were young. Passing out due to reading too much, seems a little odd". She glanced at Deming, "What happened to Xiao Qing while I was gone?"