The hallucinogen that was in Zi You's mouth was created after studying the books her mother left behind. As for why she wasn't affected by the drug: that was because she already took the antidote before she came to Duke Yongnan fu.
She must be smart this lifetime. No matter where she went, she had to take precautions for all types of emergency situations.
Someone who had died once was more cautious and alert than anyone else. Her body had no less than five or six medicines and multiple hidden weapons.
When she was following Née Chen earlier, she kept feeling that something was wrong. She couldn't help but be secretly vigilant. So she secretly put the hallucinogen into her mouth.
As for how Zhao HongXiang was so bold to call Zi You into his study, it was because he heard his father telling Née Chen, "Call You'er over here. There are some paintings I want her and Old General Mu to look at."
Zhao HongXiang immediately stopped Née Chen. He pleaded in a low tone, "Mother, take You'er into my study. I have something to say to her."
Née Chen hurriedly shook her head. "No, this is not appropriate. If Old General Mu finds out, he won't spare you."
A trace of a sinister gleam flashed across Zhao HongXiang's eyes. He whispered into Née Chen's ears for a while.
Née Chen immediately nodded and revealed a ruthless smile.
The scheme the two dreamed up was this: Since Duke Yongnan wanted Née Chen to call Zi You over, he and Old General Mu must already be waiting in the Duke's study.
Née Chen was to bring Zi You to her son's study and let her and her son have a private meeting. Then, when Duke Yongnan and Old General Mu impatiently sent her to urge Zi You, Née Chen would find a suitable time to have someone reluctantly and embarrassedly tell Old General Mu and her husband that Zi You was in her son's study, with her son.
Once Old General Mu heard the news, he would be very angry. He would rush there in anger to find out what was going on.
In the study, as long as he found Zi You and Zhao HongXiang alone together, whether or not anything happened, Mu Zi You would certainly have to marry Zhao HongXiang. Even if Old General Mu did not agree, Née Chen would make this matter known to the world.
In the previous lifetime, Duke Yongnan fu wanting to marry Zi You over went very smoothly. Because Zi You was not as outstanding then as she was now. She rarely participated in social gatherings. Even when she attended, no one noticed her. It wasn't like now, where she was noticed by An Wangfei early on.
Moreover, Zhao HongXiang did not want to marry Zi You so desperately to the point where he wouldn't marry anyone if it wasn't her. Back then, Zi You was engaged to him at the age of fourteen. Before then, he already had six or seven tongfang yatous.
If Zi You was not deceived by him, Old General Mu had no intentions of marrying her to Zhao HongXiang. How could an upright Old General Mu put a lustful Zhao HongXiang in his eyes?
As Old General Mu predicted, Zhao HongXiang really was a slag male of the highest degree!
Zi You returned back to Née Liu's side. She pretended to be ignorant and said in a voice all the guests could hear, "Aunt, I don't know what's the matter. Aunt Chen [Née Chen] said that Duke Yongnan and grandfather wanted to see You'er. She had You'er wait in the study. But You'er waited a long time and didn't see grandfather or the Duke. Aunt Chen said she would go see, but where did she go? Did she come back? And what did grandfather and the Duke wanted to find You'er for? I left the study and found the way back here with difficulties. I asked for directions, but the fu's maidservants pointed me east and some pointed me west. I walked around in circles and almost fainted."
Née Liu frowned. She lovingly pulled Zi You to sit next to herself. She said in discontent, "You sit down and rest. If there really is some matter, grandfather will send someone to fetch you."