It seems the Imperial Capital is not very peaceful after all!

Someone in the crowd shouted:
"Master Lu is here!"
In an instant, all eyes in the venue focused on the car that had just come to a stop.
With Lu Bei's assistance, Lu Siqing was the first to step out of the car. Once on the ground, like a little gentleman, he stood quietly by the car waiting for Chu Wangning.
He paid no attention to the stares of others, nor did he show any stage fright.
Lu Siyan placed one hand on the door handle, while his other hand never once let go of Chu Wangning.
"Wife, you don't need to give face to anyone. I've got you covered for everything!"
I must say, words like these were endlessly reassuring.
Chu Wangning curved her lips. "Husband, I won't let myself be wronged! Your wife is quite formidable!"
Lu Siyan gave Chu Wangning's forehead one last lingering kiss before finally opening the door and stepping out with his long legs.
The scene that came into view caused everyone's breath to catch for a fleeting second.
The man was dressed in a custom-tailored black suit, his figure tall and slender. His handsome, flawless face made the hearts of the young women present race, yet he possessed the untouchable aura of a divine being, far beyond anyone's reach.
After standing firm, one of his slender, distinct-jointed hands reached in to guide out a young lady.
She was wearing a moonlight-colored cheongsam, boasting delicate facial features, snow-white skin, and an exquisite figure. A blend of gentleness and striking cold beauty, every aspect of her captivated the eyes of everyone present.
"Whose young daughter is she? Such an imposing aura! And she looks remarkably well-matched standing beside Master Lu!"
"Indeed, I don't recall ever seeing her before. Could she be the female companion Master Lu brought?"
"Oh, come on! Have you ever seen Master Lu bring a female companion to anything? This has got to be Madam Lu!"
"Look at the way Master Lu is gazing at her—his eyes are practically melting! It's definitely Madam Lu, no doubt about it!"
"Alas, the high-altitude flower has finally been plucked!"
...
Meanwhile, several individuals lurking in the crowd harbored their own hidden agendas.
Some were plotting whether tonight's scheme would proceed smoothly, some looked at Chu Wangning with burning jealousy, while others watched with cold detachment like spectators at a play.
Chu Wangning acutely perceived these unfriendly or overly scrutinizing gazes.
"What is it, Wife?"
"Nothing. Let's go in! Let's go see Grandpa first."
Chu Wangning linked her arm through Lu Siyan's while her other hand held Lu Siqing's. The three of them walked side by side, their combined attractiveness defying the heavens.
The crowd began whispering among themselves once again.
"They look like a family of three! Is that the young master of the Lu family?"
"Most likely, though he rarely made public appearances in the past."

"Could today possibly be the same as any other day? Today is Elder Lu's seventieth birthday!"
Just as they stepped through the main entrance, Lu Feng hurried over to greet them.
"Master, Madam, Young Master, the Old Master requests your presence."
Lu Siyan nodded, and Lu Feng led the way ahead.
The moment Chu Wangning laid eyes on Elder Lu, she could tell his health was excellent. Naturally, judging by his hearty laughter, his spirits were also exceptionally high.
"Ah, Wangning girl is here! Come, come quickly, let me introduce you to a few old coots!"
Lu Siyan: "..."
Lu Siqing: "..."
There was really no need to be ignored quite so thoroughly.
"Hello, Grandpa. I wish you boundless blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea, longevity as enduring as the Southern Mountains, and a hundred years of peace!" Chu Wangning offered her blessings with the warm smile seniors loved most.
"Yes, yes, yes. With you here, Grandpa is full of confidence! Were you tired on the way? Come over and have a cup of tea!" He signaled the housekeeper as he spoke.
"Let me introduce you. This is Grandpa Shen, this is Grandpa Jiang, and there's also Grandpa Ye—though your godfather hasn't arrived yet! These are all my old cronies!" He shielded his mouth with his hand and whispered sneakily, "Among all these fellows, only Grandpa Jiang hasn't received any of your medicinal pills. You must fleece him later!"
Elder Jiang: "..." I really must thank you so much!
"Hello, Grandpa Shen!"
"Hello, Grandpa Jiang!"
Chu Wangning greeted them politely, conducting herself with poise and grace.
Following that, Lu Siyan and Lu Siqing also paid their respects to the elders.
Afterward, Lu Siyan pulled Chu Wangning directly to his side, making her sit right next to him.
The onlookers: "..."
"You're Wangning, right? Hello there! This is a welcome gift from Grandpa!" Elder Jiang produced a sandalwood box; one didn't even need to look inside to know its contents were immensely valuable.
Chu Wangning glanced at Elder Lu.
"Take it! This old fellow never does a losing business deal; he simply wants you to check his health for him." Elder Lu spoke with a proud and haughty air.
That blatant display of boasting was practically shouting: I have such an incredible, miraculous granddaughter-in-law, and you don't!
Elder Jiang refused to be as childish as him and simply ignored the old man entirely!
"Thank you, Grandpa Jiang. If it's convenient for you right now, I can take your pulse!" Chu Wangning accepted the wooden box with a smile.
"What about Grandpa Shen's? I've prepared this one for you too!" Unwilling to fall behind, Elder Shen hurriedly presented his own gift.
"Thank you, Grandpa Shen. You should let me take your pulse as well. Since you and Grandpa are old friends, good friends naturally have to live to a hundred together, right?"
Chu Wangning chattered away sweetly, causing the elderly men to smile until their eyes crinkled into slits.
Lu Siyan: "..." He was utterly speechless! They were all trying to steal his wife!
Lu Siqing: "..." Sister-in-law is truly amazing! His eyes were filled with starry-headed admiration!
And thus, the tearoom instantly transformed into a clinic.
However, the moment her fingers touched his wrist, Chu Wangning's heart sank.
The results of the previous investigation yielded no useful clues; the trail to the person who administered the poison had broken, and the culprit was already dead.
She had not expected that these two elders harbored the exact same poison found in Elder Lu, with only slight variations.
At that moment, the outcome Chu Wangning had been dreading seemed to have come true!
If she guessed correctly, the patriarchs of the four major wealthy families in the imperial capital had all been poisoned. She would only need to take Grandpa Ye's pulse to confirm her hypothesis.
If this was indeed the case, the ambitions of the person or organization behind the scenes were truly formidable!
It seemed the imperial capital was far from peaceful!
Yet, her outward expression remained entirely calm.
"If Grandpa Jiang and Grandpa Shen don't mind, over the next few days I will have Grandpa bring me along to visit your estates." Chu Wangning's gaze was clear and reassuring.
Everyone present was a master among elites. The moment they heard Chu Wangning's words, they knew something was amiss, but they also understood that she was fully capable of handling it.
At that very moment, Elder Jiang and Elder Shen were cursing their eldest grandsons a thousand times over in their hearts!
Look at Elder Lu's granddaughter-in-law! Not only is her medical skill extraordinary, but her thoroughness and foresight are also impeccable!
Sigh! When they got home, they would definitely force those boys to kneel in the ancestral hall.
Out in the outer hall, Shen Zeling and Jiang Yundu, who had been waiting for a long time, sneezed in unison.
The two of them had just returned from a wild outing, though they had actually taken care of some proper business.
Who would have thought that upon their return, Lu Siyan—one corner of the unmarried iron triangle—would have already fallen!
Weren't they just waiting for Lu Siyan to emerge so they could interrogate him?
"Guess who's missing me?" Shen Zeling blinked his phoenix eyes, swirling his wine glass with casual indifference.
"Hah, I'd bet someone is cursing you. With your personality, not even a dog would miss you!" Jiang Yundu sneered mockingly.
"Damn it, didn't the two of us just agree to form a united front? Why are you starting with personal attacks?"
"The beauties are here," Jiang Yundu said indifferently.
Shen Zeling instantly reverted to his aloof and cold demeanor, making Jiang Yundu desperately want to slap him across the face.
Did anyone else know this was what Shen Zeling was really like?