On the fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, the scent of yam and pork rib soup hung heavy in the kitchen of the Marquis's Mansion. Hiding in the shadows of the woodshed, Jiang Rou watched as Wang Wu, the cook, sprinkled a pinch of grey-green powder into a ceramic pot. She clutched the silver pieces in her sleeve so tightly her fingernails bit into her palms. "Remember, only a little each day. You must not let her notice."
Wang Wu wiped the sweat from his brow, the pot trembling in his hands. "Miss, this is aconite powder. If I am discovered..."
"If you are discovered..." Jiang Rou leaned in close to his ear, "the records of your son's embezzlement at the Rice Shop will be placed directly on the Marquis's desk."
Chapter 133