Chapter 433: Something big happens at the estate (2/2)

Baili Mingxiang used an exquisite gourd-shaped ladle to scoop out some water, which kept bubbling even as it rested within the spoon. This was the perfect scalding temperature to brew her tea and maximize flavor. Su Xiaoyu stood inside the house, perched by a window as she watched the entire scene. Although she was only a child, her gaze was freezing cold, filled with a callous determination to see her plan succeed. Right now she was like a hunter in wait to catch her prey.

Neither woman in the courtyard noticed her presence.

A few cups of tea later, Han Yunxi grew serious. “After cleaning up the things in the study, you’ll be in charge of the various poison plants in the courtyard. They’ll need to be watered and harvested regularly, and you’ll have to remind me every ten days to test them for any differences in their toxicity. The ones on your right over there are poison orchids, a type of highly corrosive toxic plant. Never touch them with your bare hands, especially the roots. Also, there’s…”

Han Yunxi was very slow and methodical with her descriptions as Baili Mingxiang listened carefully and took it all to heart. Time after time, she’d help refill their cups. Both mistress and servant were serious about their tasks.

But suddenly!

The water in the stove began to bubble violently before gushing out. Han Yunxi and Baili Mingxiang glanced over, but before they could figure out what was wrong, the kettle of hot water suddenly exploded, scattering hot water everywhere!

Both Baili Mingxiang and Han Yunxi instinctively backed away. Han Yunxi retreated very quickly, but Baili Mingxiang was closer to the stove and couldn’t avoid the brunt of it. She fell to the ground with a water-soaked arm. The burns from the liquid were so bad that they stuck her skin and clothing together! She could only look at her arm in stunned shock.

Han Yunxi had no time to wonder why the kettle had exploded. She stepped forward and pulled Baili Mingxiang to her feet so they could leave. They had to find some cold water as soon as possible. It’d be troublesome for the burns if flesh and cloth really fused as one!

“Hurry and get up!”

Baili Mingxiang slowly came to her senses and rose to her feet, but the fire behind Han Yunxi suddenly rose into a tongue of flame at the same time. Baili Mingxiang had no idea what was going on, but she knew that wasn’t normal.

“Esteemed wangfei, watch out!” Without hesitation, she grabbed Han Yunxi and turned around, using her back as a shield against the flames!

BOOM!

The entire stove exploded, scattering fragments and bits of charcoal into the air. All of the pieces rained against Baili Mingxiang’s back. The incident only lasted a few seconds, leaving nothing behind but a ground filled with debris. Despite this, Han Yunxi could clearly feel Baili Mingxiang’s body shaking around her.

“Baili Mingxiang!” Han Yunxi struggled free to look at Baili Mingxiang’s back, only to suck in a cold breath. The mix of scorching hot water and stray fragments had riddled her back with cuts. Her clothes were torn, leaving her skin a mangled mess. Han Yunxi looked back at the tabletop stove, which now sported a crack in its side. After making sure they were out of danger, she made Baili Mingxiang sit on the ground while shouting for Zhao mama and Su Xiaoyu to bring her cold water to treat the wounds.

Zhao mama had been right outside the courtyard when the explosion happened, and shouted at Su Xiaoyu to find a doctor while she fetched the water herself.

“Esteemed wangfei are you alright? Were you burnt anywhere? Why did this happen? The stove was perfectly fine!”

Zhao mama was most worried about her own mistress. Anyone else could get hurt, but everyone would suffer disaster if grief came to Han Yunxi. Han Yunxi was desperately trying to cool down Baili Mingxiang’s injures and completely ignored Zhao mama. In the shadows, Su Xiaoyu looked hatefully at Baili Mingxiang and wished she could tear the woman to a thousand pieces!

She had long sabotaged the stove and calculated the perfect moment to strike. When Han Yunxi had her back to the stove, she sent out a hidden projectile to make the thing explode. Unfortunately, Baili Mingxiang got in the way!

Dammnit!

—

After Han Yunxi cooled off Baili Mingxiang, she immediately brought her into the rooms to treat her wounds. Meanwhile, the hidden guards had shown up to inspect the site of the accident. Su Xiaoyu’s eyes flickered with worry before she smoothed out her expression and emerged.

Baili Mingxiang lay on the bed face down as Han Yunxi examined her cutes. Fortunately, she’d cooled the woman down in time before the skin fused with her clothing. Otherwise, things would’ve gotten complicated. Zhao mama stood on one side, her heart stopping as she looked at the mangled mess of red, swollen wounds on Baili Mingxiang’s back. Still, Baili Mingxiang didn’t cry out in pain at all despite her hands gripping the sheets. She was extremely quiet for a burn victim.

In the silent room, Han Yunxi carefully separate the folds of fabric from the individual burns and applied disinfectant, medicine, and gauze. Once she was finished with the back, Han Yunxi went immediately to treating Baili Mingxiang’s arm. Zhao mama thought the burns there were only superficial at most, but the red and ruddy skin had now broken into a giant blister as big as a fist!

Han Yunxi’s hand shook at the sight. Standing in a corner, Su Xiaoyu felt goosebumps as she stared. Even though she was the culprit, she still found the giant blister frightening. Small ones didn’t get in the way, but a giant one like this needed to be popped immediately. When Han Yunxi didn’t make a move, Baili Mingxiang spoke up. “Esteemed wangfei, what’s wrong?”

Her arms and back with tingling with the needle-like pain of her burns. She too, felt pain just like anyone else, but she didn’t have the habit of expressing her pain out loud.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” Han Yunxi said in a low voice. Her entire mood sank with the knowledge that she would have been the original victim. She quickly took out a disinfected needle and carefully popped the blister before cleaning up the fluid beneath.

Baili Mingxiang hadn’t felt much pain when the blister was intact, but once it was popped and cleaned up, sharp, stabbing pains immediately appeared. How much more it must have hurt with a blister that size!