237: Hot Spring Exploration

Moon Glass summoned Bai Yao to the hot spring again three days after the three-party secret meeting.

This time, the messenger wasn't the head maid, but the most trusted Fox Clan personal maid by Moon Glass's side.

When she arrived at the Decoction Room, Old Jiang happened to be called away to check a new batch of precious medicinal ingredients, leaving only Bai Yao and Xiao He washing the medicine grinders.

"A Yao, the Lady wants you to go to the East Courtyard hot spring immediately."

The maid's voice had no warmth, "Bring the best balms and massage oils. The Lady is very fatigued today and needs to relax properly."

Xiao He looked at Bai Yao with concern. Ever since the last time they returned from the hot spring and Bai Yao was punished by being made to wash all the medicine pots, rumors had been spreading privately in the manor that the new maid 'A Yao' didn't seem to be in the Lady's favor.

"Yes, I will prepare right away."

Bai Yao lowered her head and complied, alarm bells ringing in her heart. Moon Glass summoning her at this time, combined with the previous encounter at the hot spring and the plan made during the secret meeting, meant this was likely another test, or perhaps... the final observation before closing the net.

She took the elegantly floral-scented balm as instructed and followed the maid into that luxurious yet oppressive hot spring room again; the scene inside was slightly different from last time.

More rare medicinal herb petals floated on the water's surface, and the smell of sulfur in the air was masked by an exotic fragrance with a sweet, aphrodisiac-like scent.

Moon Glass was already soaking in the pool, her back to the door, her silver-white long hair spreading over her shoulders and the water like seaweed. On the low table by the pool, besides the usual tea and snacks, there was an additional pot of wine and two jade cups.

"Put the things down and come over."

Moon Glass's voice was even more languid than usual, carrying the charm of a mature Female.

Bai Yao put down the items and walked to the poolside.

This time, Moon Glass didn't have her massage her shoulders; instead, she turned around to face her, leaning her entire body more relaxedly against the smooth pool wall.

The hot spring steam was misty, but the skin on her neck and collarbone was still clearly visible.

Right below her left collarbone, in the same spot Bai Yao had noticed last time, a deeper-colored scratch was glaringly obvious.

The wound wasn't long, but it was quite deep, with red and swollen edges, looking as if it had been forcefully scratched by sharp claws, forming a striking contrast with the surrounding snowy-white skin.

Bai Yao's gaze was uncontrollably drawn to that scratch, her heart feeling as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand.

Moon Glass noticed her gaze. Instead of hiding it, she turned slightly, making the scratch even more prominent under the misty steam and dim light.

She extended a slender finger and lightly traced the edge of the scratch, her movements slow and suggestive, but her dark purple eyes were fixed on Bai Yao's face, observing every subtle change in her expression.

"This..."

Moon Glass drew out her voice, with a mix of showing off, "was left from last night."

Bai Yao's breath hitched, and her fingertips instantly turned cold.

She forced herself to lower her gaze, staring at the petals floating on the water, not letting a single trace of emotion leak from her eyes.

"Lin... he really can be something sometimes."

Moon Glass sighed, but there was no hint of complaint in that sigh; instead, it was full of satisfaction. "Even though he knows I'm weak and can't handle anything too intense... he just can't help himself."

Her fingertip circled the scratch, her voice lowering further, as if sharing an extremely intimate secret, "You have no idea what he was like last night... completely different from his usual cold self, so passionate... it was as if he wanted to crush me into pieces."

Bai Yao felt her stomach churn and her throat tighten, almost wanting to vomit.

Lin... her Lin, the Lin who would blush at the tips of his ears just from holding hands, the Lin who promised to treat her with lifelong tenderness... under the control of the Gu poison, was being forced to do such things to this poisonous woman?

Monstrous rage and bone-deep sorrow crashed within her chest, almost breaking through the dam of her reason.

She bit down hard on the soft flesh inside her mouth until she tasted blood, barely suppressing the emotional storm that threatened to tear her apart. The Heart-Clearing Powder Xing Che had given her was in her bosom, but she couldn't take it now, as that would arouse suspicion.

She had to endure. For Lin's sake, for the plan's sake, she had to act like an ordinary maid who was completely unaware and even a bit awkwardly naive.

"Lady... and Lord Lin, you have such a good relationship."

Bai Yao's voice was dry as she struggled to squeeze out a tone fitting for a maid, even though saying those words made her feel disgusted.

A fleeting trace of disappointment flashed in Moon Glass's eyes, as if she wasn't quite satisfied with Bai Yao's 'dull' reaction. But she quickly resumed her languid, seductive air.

"Yes, he can't leave me."

Moon Glass said lazily, reaching for the wine pot on the low table, pouring two cups of pale gold liquid, and handing one to Bai Yao. "Come, have a drink with me. This 'Passionate Warming Brew' is a treasure from the south; ordinary people don't get to drink it."

Alarm bells rang wildly in Bai Yao's heart again. Moon Glass was personally granting her wine?

This was absolutely against the rules and definitely not that simple.

Something was likely added to the wine, either to test if she would lose her composure from being overwhelmed by the favor, or... it was some more direct testing or control method.

"This servant wouldn't dare. My status is lowly, how could I dare drink with the Lady..."

Bai Yao quickly knelt down, putting on a terrified appearance.

"If I tell you to drink, you drink."

Moon Glass's voice remained soft, "Or... do you look down on this cup of wine from me?"

This was coercion.

Not drinking was disobedience and could immediately bring disaster.

Drinking it, she didn't know what the consequences would be.

In a flash, Bai Yao made a decision. Her hands trembled as she took the jade cup, bowed her head, and whispered, "Thank you for the reward, Lady."

Then, she pretended that because of her nervousness and fear, her hand holding the cup was unsteady; the cup tilted slightly, and a small amount of wine spilled out, splashing her sleeve and the ground in front of her.

"This servant deserves to die! I am so clumsy!"

She quickly begged for forgiveness, using the opportunity to place the wine cup on the ground and use her sleeve to wipe it—in reality, using the cover of her sleeve to quickly pour the remaining majority of the wine into the thick inner fabric of her cuff. This movement was extremely discreet and fast, difficult to detect in the misty steam and dim light.

After finishing this, she picked up the cup, which now had only a very shallow layer—less than a small mouthful—left at the bottom. In front of Moon Glass, she tilted her head back and "drained" it, immediately acting as if she were choked by the strong liquor, covering her mouth and coughing several times, her cheeks flushing slightly from the effort.

Moon Glass had been watching her quietly, her dark purple eyes deep and inscrutable. Seeing Bai Yao "drink" the wine, she slowly revealed an ambiguous smile.

"That's more like it. Alright, get up and help me massage my head. Last night... I really didn't sleep very well."

Bai Yao rose, went behind Moon Glass, and lightly pressed her fingers against her temples. Her heart was still racing, and the place where the inner sleeve was soaked with wine felt cold and sticky, making her very uncomfortable. But she had to concentrate to complete another critical task—obtaining Moon Glass's hair, specifically hair with fresh root information.

The massage lasted for about fifteen minutes. Moon Glass seemed to truly relax, closing her eyes and letting out a comfortable sigh. While massaging, Bai Yao carefully and inconspicuously wound a strand of Moon Glass's long hair, which was spread over her shoulders, around her fingertip. She controlled her strength, and when Moon Glass tilted her head slightly due to a comfortable pressure point, she gave a very slight tug with her fingertip—

A few strands of silver-white hair, along with the tiny follicle tissues at the roots, were quietly pulled out. Moon Glass only furrowed her brows imperceptibly and did not open her eyes.

Bai Yao quickly hid the hair between her fingers and continued the massage.

After a while longer, Moon Glass waved her hand: " alright, You may leave.. remember, What happened here today, What I saw..." She paused, not finishing the sentence, but the threat was self-evident.

"This servant understands; I know nothing." Bai Yao lowered her head and respectfully withdrew.

After leaving the hot spring room and walking a long distance back to a secluded, deserted corner near the Decoction Room, Bai Yao leaned against the cold wall and slowly slid down to sit on the ground. She gasped for breath, her whole body drenched in cold sweat as if she had just been pulled out of the water. That short half-hour or so had been more mentally exhausting than trekking a hundred miles across a snowy plain.

She opened her palm and looked at the few silver hairs that still glistened in the dim light, especially the faintly visible dark red marks at the roots, which were deeper in color than last time—evidence of fresh blood staining, proof that Moon Glass had just taken blood last night or this morning.

Another piece of evidence obtained.

But the pain in her heart didn't lessen in the slightest. Moon Glass's malicious words and that striking scratch flashed repeatedly before her eyes like a nightmare.

She carefully put away the hair and felt the inner layer of her sleeve. She had to dispose of the wine-soaked sleeve as soon as possible; who knew what was actually in that wine.

Propping herself up against the wall, Bai Yao looked toward the Purple Glass Courtyard.

Moon Glass... Soro..."