The Empress’ Livestream

The box was no bigger than a thumbnail and its contents were the herbs mentioned previously, grinded into fine powder. There was some medicine that promoted blood circulation added into the mix, too. The concoction would leave a person with a dry mouth, feverish skin, and delusional. It was a potent date rape drug.

Tsk! Even though the current era was backwards in technology, it was still pretty advanced in such “medicines.”

Jiang Pengji used a handkerchief to wipe off the powder that had gotten on her before closing the box. “That’s all?”

The old housekeeper had a neutral expression and his eyes were bright. She could not help heaving a sigh of relief.

Thinking back about what the page boy had said, his face turned bashful. “Of course that’s not all. There are some… absurd things. I shan’t taint your ears and eyes with them. Also, as to not alert them to what we know, I did not ask.”

Jiang Pengji raised her brows and guessed the “absurd things” were probably some sex toys.

“Inform my father about this, too. He should know what to do. That Meng Liang must be scheming something to bring such things into our house,” Jiang Pengji said while placing the box into her own money pouch.

The housekeeper had reached out to take the box back, but froze midway.

As Meng Liang had entered the Lius’ manor under the guise of the second lady’s “son,” he could use “filial piety” as a means to dine with her. He watched the lady eat her food elegantly and his mouth went dry.

She was once his father’s legal wife and his “birth mother” in name. The taboo in touching her brought much excitement to him, but as this was the Lius’ residence, he did not dare act rashly.

Compared to using force, he preferred the half-willing and half-unwilling type––that was more fun.

When he thought of how, without anyone’s notice, the Liu mistress would become his woman, the scenario brought a smile to his face.

The lady gazed at the “girl” coldly and her heart filled with loathing. “What are you thinking, to be this happy?” She put down her chopsticks as she lost her appetite at the sight of the other boy.

Meng Liang quickly regained himself and stopped his straying thoughts before he politely replied, “When I was in the Meng manor, I kept thinking about dining with you, just like this. I can’t believe my dream finally came true…”

Tsk. That glib tongue of his was very much like his father’s. Too bad no one knew what color his heart was. The lady felt disgusted, but her expression remained stoic. “That must have been hard on you.”

“Mother’s healthier now. No matter what hardship I went through, it was all worth it.”

If they were truly mother and son, she would be so touched to hear that. But when she thought back about how he was from that concubine and used to replace her own son, she was furious.

As her mood had turned sour, she found an excuse to kick Meng Liang out. Since he was trying to be a “filial son,” he did not dare object.

Meng Liang could not vent his anger on the lady, so he took it out on his page boy.

“To be hit by you is my honor.” The page boy’s cheeks were red and swollen from the slaps he received. “If someone were to see this, they might misunderstand you and think that something was my fault. Please calm down. Once we’re inside, you can punish me until your hands hurt.”

Meng Liang harrumphed and entered the house. He sat down and gulped down two cups of tea.

The boy understood Meng Liang well. He must have left empty-handed for him to behave in such a way.

“Such a cold-hearted woman. No wonder father hates her.” When Meng Liang thought about how she muddled through her actions with him, he was furious. He was not even that filial with his own mother. That woman was so pretentious, and she even carelessly sent him away. It was a humiliation to him.

“Don’t be angry. You were brought up by the master… It’s natural that you and her aren’t close,” the page boy quickly consoled.

“Then what should I do? She’s on guard against me. She won’t drink the porridge I sent… and won’t let me near her…”

“Based on what I’ve seen, you should do this in a roundabout way. The lady lost her position and then married Liu Zhongqing. She treats his son well, which means she still has her maternal instincts. How about this? Try getting closer to Liu Langjun and befriend him. Her attitude towards you will be better when she sees that you’re close to her stepson.”

“Do you think that would work?” Meng Liang lifted his head to look at the other boy.

The page boy released a sigh of relief. “If you don’t try it, how would we know? If that doesn’t work, you can still settle it with me any time. You are that lady’s ‘real son.’ No matter how cold she is on the outside, her heart should be with you. Furthermore, Liu Langjun is Liu Zhongqing’s first wife’s son. If she were to have any children, their position would be lower than Liu Langjun.”

When he noticed Meng Liang’s expression wavering, he quickly fanned the flames and added, “Anyways, don’t just think that the lady treats Liu Langjun well. We don’t know if she hates him in her heart. Even if you and her aren’t close, at the end of the day, you two are ‘blood related.'”

Meng Liang pondered over it and found that reasonable.

“I will try it. If that doesn’t work and is just a stupid suggestion, you better be careful.”

The page boy smiled, but in his heart, he was relieved.

He thought he had averted a crisis, but he was unaware that he had walked right into one of Jiang Pengji’s traps. She had set a few traps and was waiting for Meng Liang to step right in. The page boy, on the other hand, would be the tool to her plot before he would die quietly.

That night, two or three shadows snuck into the farms.

One of them noticed some stuff stacked neatly in the corner of the kitchen. He went forward to check and found a few pieces of bedding, some warm clothes, and some medicines for colds and wounds. The person was flustered. “Officer, this…”