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Lin Zhiqing's words were so imposing that even those who initially didn't believe her couldn't help but start doubting themselves.
Fourth Master Lin was also momentarily at a loss for words.
If it were the rhododendrons of Shengjing City, he could still be certain they were non-toxic.
But Nanzhao's terrain was treacherous, its vegetation dense, and various rare plants emerged endlessly.
The local region had to pay tribute to the imperial court every year, among which the most famous were mushrooms, which were exceptionally delicious.
However, there had also been instances where tributes from Nanzhao caused death, and only Nanzhao doctors were relatively familiar with such situations.
Thinking of this, the gazes of the crowd towards Fourth Master Lin began to grow complicated.
Lin Zhiqing also stared straight at him; she couldn't help it, the suspicion surrounding this Fourth Uncle of hers was simply too great.
"Zhiqing, what do you mean by this?" It was Lin Congli who spoke, his eyes narrowed to a slit.
He wasn't defending his younger brother but reminding Lin Zhiqing to be mindful of the occasion.
Lin Zhiqing suppressed the emotions in her heart.
Even if this matter was truly related to Fourth Uncle, Fourth Master Lin, it was ultimately a Lin family affair. Exposing it would bring no benefit to the Lin family.
Of course, it would bring even less benefit to herself.
She took a slight breath and looked at the East Kitchen steward: "When I came by this morning, I asked you to compile a list of people who have come into contact with the Nanzhao rhododendron these past few days. Have you compiled it?"
The steward was already terrified. Now that Lin Zhiqing asked about the list, he gritted his teeth and lowered his head: "Young Miss Zhiqing, please give me a little more time, just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea!"
Clearly, he hadn't taken Lin Zhiqing's morning words seriously.
The Lu siblings and Jiang Liuyun all frowned, making even Lin Congli feel a little embarrassed.
In the entire Shengjing City, no family's servants dared to disregard their master's words like this.
Lin Zhiqing only nodded. She hadn't expected this steward to listen to her anyway; she already had her own suspicions.
Asking this was merely to lay her predicament bare, to let Lin Congli, this man who "valued propriety," see clearly the current situation in the Lin family where masters weren't acting like masters, and servants weren't acting like servants.
At the same time, it would also make him wary of the people standing behind her and treat her a little better.
"You only have half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea," Lin Zhiqing said faintly.
The steward immediately accepted the order and left, not daring to delay for a moment.
Fourth Master Lin couldn't hold back any longer: "Zhiqing, what's this about the poisonous rhododendron you mentioned?"
This question was also what others were curious about.
Lin Zhiqing's eyes were profound: "The common rhododendron in Nanzhao is the Large White Rhododendron. Its flowers are rather sweet, and its leaves are smooth. It can be used for medicinal purposes or eaten."
"That's right!" Fourth Master Lin stood with his hands behind his back: "The one I brought back is this Large White Rhododendron."
Lin Zhiqing's tone shifted: "But Nanzhao also has a type of White Flower Rhododendron. The two types of rhododendron look almost identical, but the White Flower Rhododendron is poisonous. Accumulated toxins can lead to death."
Her voice was very clear, but the content of her words startled people.
"Zhiqing, this… is this true?" Lu Nanyue spoke quickly, her voice tinged with some excitement.
Those who studied medicine were always very interested in such knowledge.
Lin Zhiqing nodded. Just as she was about to speak, Fourth Master Lin let out a cold snort, interrupting her:
"Zhiqing, you have never left Shengjing. Where did you learn medical skills?"
His gaze carried a strong sense of pressure, along with a hint of inquiry.
Lin Zhiqing smiled faintly: "Fourth Uncle, although I have never left Shengjing, Nanyue and I are close. I once unintentionally read her medical books, which is how I thought of this."
She was, of course, lying.
The name Nanzhao was not unfamiliar to her; it was just that in her world, Nanzhao was called Yunnan.
As a genuine "Nanzhao native," Lin Zhiqing was as familiar with those mountain delicacies as if they were her own family treasures.
If it weren't for Aunt Mu's bowl of rhododendron and lotus seed soup, she really wouldn't have remembered that rare, poisonous type of rhododendron.
Fourth Master Lin's question just now clearly showed he was suspicious of Lin Zhiqing.
She was well aware of this and had already thought of a reasonable explanation—she had read it in a medical book.
Anyway, Lu Nanyue ran a medical clinic; it wasn't strange for her to know these things through constant exposure.
No one would rummage through chests and cupboards to find a book just to verify her words.
What's more, Lu Nanyue herself probably didn't even remember these things.
This explanation was foolproof.
Sure enough, Lu Nanyue didn't think much of it and waved her hand: "Say no more, the medical books I have are among the most numerous in the entire Shengjing City."
Hearing this, the others didn't harbor too much suspicion.
No one noticed Lu Huai in the corner frown slightly.
Seeing that everyone had no objections, Lin Zhiqing sighed in relief.
In the time it took to exchange a few sentences, the East Kitchen steward respectfully presented a list.
Lin Congli took it first and looked it over but couldn't make heads or tails of it. In the end, he handed it to Lin Zhiqing.
After Lin Zhiqing took it, everyone held their breath, staring intently at her, afraid of missing something.
She quietly opened the booklet, her finger gliding over name after name, pausing from time to time, making the East Kitchen steward's heart leap into his throat.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Lin Zhiqing looked up from the booklet.
Her gaze wandered among the crowd for a moment, then she shook her head: "No, none of these are the people I'm looking for."
"Your list is incomplete. Besides them, someone else has been in the East Kitchen," Lin Zhiqing's voice was very certain.
The East Kitchen steward subconsciously waved his hand: "Impossible, I've already listed everyone."
Before Lin Zhiqing could say anything, the maids and old women outside the door began to whisper among themselves.
"A couple of days ago, the steward's maternal uncle came over and even took away a jar of high-quality Zhuyeqing wine!"
"Little Cui from Young Miss Yangyang's courtyard has also been here and took tea leaves several times."
"Have you all forgotten? That Mammy Zhao also came, sneaking around for a long time before leaving…"
The old woman who said the last sentence lowered her voice, but Lin Zhiqing still heard it.
She beckoned to the old woman: "Mammy Ma, repeat what you just said."
The old woman who was called out looked somewhat frightened, but seeing everyone looking at her, the desire to show off welled up in her heart:
"Young Miss Zhiqing, you don't often leave your courtyard, so you don't know the true face of this rotten-hearted group. Take that Mammy Zhao, for example. She's so obedient in front of people, but behind their backs, she often wanders around our East Kitchen!"
As soon as her words fell, many people agreed.
People are always like that; once one person speaks out, everyone's memories come flooding back.
Lin Zhiqing looked at the East Kitchen steward.
The steward's legs were trembling. He wanted to shut everyone up, but he was also afraid of being wrongly accused.
The immense pressure made him unable to resist kneeling down again: "Young Miss Zhiqing, please investigate this matter thoroughly. Although I enjoy a drink or two on normal days, I would never dare to harbor evil."
He was trying to distance himself from Mammy Zhao.