Blissful Days After Widowhood - Chapter 367

Xiao Feng spent two days living in Duke Ying’s mansion before returning to the theater.

During those two days, he didn’t neglect his work. He continued to perform in the opera as scheduled, but after each performance, he would quickly leave the theater. The servants from Duke Ying’s mansion would bring him food and drinks, ensuring his safety. This prevented the theater owner and Hua Dan from having the opportunity to administer the medicine again. They didn’t fully understand the medicine, and they were afraid that if he stopped taking it, it might lose its effectiveness.

On the day Xiao Feng returned to the theater, the theater owner and Hua Dan tried their old trick once more. This time, they bought goat milk soup from outside, a dish known for its distinct smell, which could help mask the odor of the medicine powder.

The two met Xiao Feng who was taking a break. Perhaps due to the busy past couple of days, Xiao Feng appeared exhausted, and his eyes lacked their usual sparkle.

The theater owner entered the room and expressed concern, saying, “You look so tired; you must replenish your energy! I just bought this goat milk soup from outside. Please have it.” 

Xiao Feng accepted the offer, took the bowl of milk into his hands, and apologized, “I’ve been taken care of by the theater owner and senior brother these past few days. It doesn’t feel right that I am the only one enjoying this delicious food. How about we share it together?” 

The theater owner and Hua Dan quickly declined the offer.

Gu Ye, sitting nearby, caught a whiff of the aroma and said, “I’m a bit hungry too. Why don’t we all share it?”

That statement sent shockwaves through the theater owner and Hua Dan. They knew well that he was the young master of Food of Heaven, and if he consumed it, they would not be able to escape the consequences.

However, there was no turning back at this point. The theater owner said, “No worries. I didn’t buy it just for you. I purchased plenty. You can have this bowl, and I’ll have three more bowls sent over.”

Shortly thereafter, three more bowls of goat milk soup arrived. Xiao Feng put down the bowl in his hand and placed it together with the others. The milk and the bowls were all identical, and the theater owner and Hua Dan watched closely, fearing any mistake.

Gu Ye’s gaze shifted, and he exclaimed, “Why is there a hole in this robe?” The robe held immense significance for the Liyuan troupe, especially during the performance of “Kindness.” Any issues with the robe could spell disaster.

The theater owner and Hua Dan instinctively rose to examine the opera robes nearby. However, after inspecting them, they looked back at Gu Ye and expressed regret, “It turns out to be a fly. I apologize; why would there be flies in January?”

The theater owner put on an uneasy smile and explained, “The theater is crowded, and it’s not uncommon to have a few insects.”

With that, the theater owner and Hua Dan turned to leave the table, catching a glimpse of Gu Ye, who had been standing by the table and appeared to be occupied with something. But they didn’t dwell on it.

“Please drink up, drink up,” Gu Ye smiled, saying, “Goat milk doesn’t taste good when it’s cold.”

Xiao Feng lifted the bowl before him first, and the other three followed suit. Xiao Feng and Gu Ye only had a sip, while the theater owner and Hua Dan urged Xiao Feng to drink more, finishing the milk in their own bowls.

Gu Ye picked up his small cloak, preparing to leave, and then added apologetically, “I was a bit mischievous just now. When you went to check the robe, I accidentally bumped the table, which caused the bowl to move. Thankfully, not much spilled, and I didn’t knock it over.”

These words sent shivers down the spines of both the theater owner and Hua Dan.

They escorted him away, still trembling, and swiftly compared the taste of the medicine powder with the milk they had just consumed. Unfortunately, the medicine powder had been entirely used up. When they had been administering it, they knew it was poisonous, so they hadn’t paid close attention to its smell, only having a general sense of it.

The theater owner attempted to console, “We did inspect the robes just now, but we didn’t move too far. If there had been significant disturbance, we would have surely noticed. I believe Master Gu merely touched it lightly and didn’t tamper with our bowls.”

Hua Dan found some relief and nodded in agreement.

However, when they awoke the next day, both the theater owner and Hua Dan felt that their throats were itchy, sore, and there was a burning sensation.

The two hurriedly met and discussed the situation once more.

“How could this happen?” The theater owner was puzzled. “Could it be that Master Gu accidentally transferred the contents from Xiao Feng’s bowl into ours?”

Hua Dan was nearly in tears; his voice was his livelihood.

“Theater owner, please go to the family and find an antidote!” Hua Dan implored, his voice hoarse.

The theater owner, initially hesitant, was later terrified when he heard that Xiao Feng had suddenly lost his ability to speak. The last dose of medicine had been administered in the highest quantity. If the two of them were affected in the same way as him, losing their voices, it would be a dire situation.

The theater owner hastily made an excuse to leave and find a doctor for Xiao Feng. He rushed out of the theater to contact the steward who had supplied the medicine powder.