Chapter Seven
"Zhang Meng, you're back! You're in trouble now! After eating your food, Young Master Ji felt dizzy and nauseous, vomiting terribly. Miss Zhong Ling is very angry and wants to punish you!"
Zhang Meng's heart skipped a beat: "How could this happen?"
Jin Yue said: "It's already happened. Miss Zhong Ling and the others are in the back courtyard. You should go and see quickly."
Zhang Meng hurriedly put down her sword and followed Jin Yue to the back courtyard.
It was already very dark, and lanterns had been lit in the back courtyard. The dim firelight illuminated the yard, and as the night wind blew, the flames flickered unsteadily, as if they might go out.
Zhang Meng felt her heart fluttering along with those unstable flames.
Zhong Huo stood to one side with a serious expression. Beside her was a beautiful middle-aged woman.
A handsome young man sat by the stone table, his fine brows slightly furrowed, hand covering his mouth, dry heaving continuously.
Jin Yue nudged Zhang Meng and whispered to her: "The one standing next to the master is Miss Zhong Ling, and the one sitting at the stone table is Young Master Ji. Go apologize quickly."
Zhang Meng hurriedly walked over. When Zhong Huo saw her, she pulled her to her side.
"Zhang Meng, what did you do? What kind of mushrooms did you give Young Master Ji?" Zhang Meng replied in a low voice: "Just the usual ones we eat. I've made them for you before, and you were fine after eating them." Zhong Ling's brows hadn't relaxed since Zhang Meng appeared. She spoke in an unpleasant tone: "She must have accidentally mixed in poisonous mushrooms. Ah Huo, how could you trust such a careless person to cook?" Zhang Meng lowered her head guiltily: "I'm sorry. Is Young Master Ji alright? Has a doctor been called?"
Ji Ming weakly raised his head, his lips pale, his jade-white face covered in fine sweat. He waved his hand at Zhang Meng: "Constable Zhang need not worry, Ji Ming is not seriously ill." Zhong Huo said to Zhang Meng: "We've already sent someone to find a doctor. The doctor should arrive soon."
After the doctor came to examine Ji Ming, it was confirmed that Ji Ming had accidentally eaten poisonous mushrooms, which caused vomiting and dizziness. Fortunately, the mushrooms weren't very toxic, and Ji Ming hadn't eaten much, so he wasn't in serious danger.
The doctor prescribed medicine for Ji Ming. Zhang Meng took the prescription and was about to go get the medicine when Zhong Ling stopped her.
"If we let you get the medicine, Young Master Ji will be on his way to the underworld." She said coldly, pointing at Jin Yue who was standing to one side, "You go get the medicine." Jin Yue took the prescription from Zhang Meng's hand and left.
Zhang Meng looked at Ji Ming guiltily, then turned to Zhong Huo and said: "It was this subordinate who caused Young Master Ji to be poisoned. This subordinate feels deeply ashamed and requests punishment from the master." Zhong Huo: "You didn't do it intentionally..."
"Ah Huo." Zhong Ling interrupted her words, "Such a careless person naturally needs to be punished. Today she mixed poisonous mushrooms into the food, tomorrow she might poison the entire yamen to death." Zhang Meng: "...Please punish this subordinate, master."
In the end, Zhong Huo docked Zhang Meng's pay for half a year and punished her by forbidding her from setting foot in the kitchen.
Zhong Ling was dissatisfied, but Zhong Huo was in charge of the yamen, so she couldn't say anything more.
Zhang Meng had long accepted the fact that her assets were in the negative, so she had no complaints about being fined half a year's pay. She even secretly rejoiced at Zhong Huo's punishment of not allowing her to enter the kitchen. After all, she wouldn't have to get up early and stay up late to busy herself with kitchen work anymore.
The next morning, although Zhang Meng didn't cook, she still got up early and trimmed the flowers and plants in the yamen.
Thinking about how she had caused Ji Ming so much suffering yesterday, she felt guilty and personally cut a few bouquets of flowers in full bloom and arranged them in vases.
Passing by Ji Ming's courtyard, she happened to see the window of Ji Ming's room open from the inside.
Ji Ming was dressed in moon-white clothes, his long hair not yet combed up, his jade-like skin contrasting with his jet-black hair, like a figure stepping out of an ink painting.
"Young Master Ji."
Ji Ming saw Zhang Meng and nodded to her.
Zhang Meng, holding the vase, walked to Ji Ming's window.
"I'm truly sorry for yesterday. Today I specially picked a few bouquets of flowers as an apology. I hope you can accept them." Ji Ming's complexion was still a bit pale, but his spirit was much better than yesterday. He reached out to take the vase: "Constable Zhang is very thoughtful." Ji Ming's slender fingers gently brushed over the petals: "The flowers are very beautiful, thank you." Zhang Meng: "I'm glad Young Master Ji likes them."
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