Ye Yining chuckled upon hearing this.
"Su Yu 'er, are you playing detective? I know Mo Huanchong has a soft spot for you, but your heart is set on the Crown Prince, isn't it? Didn't you drug Ye Yunjiao to get rid of Mo Huanchong?"
Her words were blunt, causing Su Yu er's pupils to widen in terror as her expression drastically changed.
"You... You're making baseless accusations! How could Master Mo be so devoted to me?"
While Mo Huanchong did care for her and treated her with great affection, he wasn't the one she truly desired. How did Ye Yining know about her affection for the Crown Prince? When had she revealed her secret?
Seeing that Su Yu 'er was still attempting to deceive, Ye Yining slapped her face again.
"Last year, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, you borrowed my clothes to wear, and Mo Huanchong carried you home, leading to Ye Yunjiao's misunderstanding of me."
"Furthermore, on your fifteenth birthday, Mo Huanchong pretended to be drunk and kissed you. I witnessed it."
Su Yu er's body trembled as she stared at Ye Yining with horror.
She… She actually saw it?
Ye Yunjiao ceased glaring at Ye Yining and shifted her hateful gaze towards Su Yu 'er.
This b*tch!
Ye Yining, aware that Ye Yunjiao might turn her anger towards Su Yu 'er, slightly curled her lips.
"Ye Yunjiao, you ungrateful traitor. If you fancy Mo Huanchong, don't pin it on me. I'm already promised to Jun Jiuji. Our betrothal was arranged by the emperor himself. You won't break us apart."
Jun Jiuji gazed at Ye Yining thoughtfully for a moment before gently patting her back.
"No one can separate us. If Su Yu 'er has time to cry here, she might as well employ her medical skills to treat Mo Huanchong."
As he spoke, he tapped Ye Yining's forehead playfully.
"Isn't Ye Yunjiao your sister? If she's with Mo Huanchong, let them be. It shouldn't be difficult."
Ye Yining blinked her eyes and sounded genuinely aggrieved.
"I treated her like a little sister, but she doesn't treat me as an older sister. I don't know if she's naturally wicked or if someone has bewitched her."
Ye Yunjiao, her face dark, glared at Ye Yining, but she didn't dare to retort in Jun Jiuji's presence.
Her aim was to marry Brother Mo, and she had intentionally acted as she did last night. The only unexpected twist was the arrival of the assassins.
Let these two wicked women confront each other. It would be best if they destroyed each other.
While Ye Yining was thinking this, Ling Gui reminded her,
"The Cold Cough Pill Master distributed yesterday earned her 500 merit points."
Ye Yining was overjoyed at this news.
It appeared that today was indeed a fortunate day!
On the other side, the Crown Prince and his entourage had reached the Jiang State Capital.
Upon learning of Mo Huanchong's serious injury, the Crown Prince's brows knitted together.
"Considering Mo Huanchong's abilities, few individuals can pose a threat to him. Did Jun Jiuji's people take action?"
"Your Highness, it wasn't Jun Jiuji's people this time. It was the Thousand Hand Pavilion. However, there was no mission on the Thousand Hand Pavilion's list to eliminate Mo Huanchong. There was a mission to eliminate the individual who had threatened Ye Yining with their head. Therefore, Mo Huanchong might have been caught in the crossfire."
"Is that so? Mo Huanchong seems to be rather unlucky."
The Crown Prince twirled a jade ring on his thumb, deep in thought.
"Your Highness, there's one more thing. Mo Huanchong and Ye Yunjiao were together. Ye Yining appears to have known about Mo Huanchong's feelings for Su Yu 'er."
The Crown Prince was somewhat surprised.
"In that case, Ye Yining isn't as foolish as Su Yu 'er described."
"Are you still planning to marry Su Yu 'er then?"
"She's just a woman. She can't become the primary consort, but she can hold the position of secondary consort."
"Your Highness, should we still proceed with our plan against Ye Yining?"
"Don't touch her for now. Too much can happen near Cloud Border City. Her fate won't solely be in her hands."
In the evening, after two days of continuous rain, the downpour finally ceased.
After dinner, Ye Yining and Jun Jiuji went shopping together, purchasing various items, including food, necessities, and a selection of seemingly random gadgets.
Jun Jiuji patiently accompanied her on the journey, serving as a mere means to handle the expenses. Upon her return to Linjiang Restaurant, she was greeted by her elder brother and Yunlai, whom she hadn't seen in a long while.
Yunlai, spotting her young miss, resembled a jubilant bird, hastening over.
"Miss, Yunlai is back."
Ye Yining smiled, taking Yunlai's hand gently.
"You've slimmed down a bit and gained a tan. Nothing else seems to have changed. Taking care of my big brother must be quite challenging."
Yunlai shook her head, her eyes slightly teary.
"Yunlai isn't fatigued, Miss. She may have lost a little weight, but she looks healthier and taller."
"Is that so?" Ye Yining touched her face, her eyes beaming with joy.
She hadn't seen Yun Lai in many, many years. In her previous life, Yunlai had also met an unfortunate end due to her big brother's troubles. Seeing her alive now brought immense relief.
After some conversation, the master and servant retired to their room together. Jun Jiuji, left behind, felt a pang of melancholy. He preferred being the sole presence by Ye Yining's side. Consequently, as a servant, she often followed Ye Hanxiao.
"Your Highness Jun Jiuji, are we departing tonight or tomorrow morning?" Ye Hanxiao inquired.
Jun Jiuji glanced at Ye Yining's room door.
"Let's wait for Ye Yining to decide. She'll leave when she's ready."
Ye Hanxiao scratched his head, perplexed by Jun Jiuji's seemingly contradictory actions towards Ye Yining. If he cared so much, why did he constantly provoke and vex her, fostering her animosity? It was a puzzle he couldn't unravel.
Later, after Ye Yining whispered to Yun Xiang and gave her instructions, she entered the Medicine Spirit Immortal Residence. There, she deposited the copper and iron items she had recently purchased into the craftsman's room.
Soon, she acquired an exquisite, adorable stove, as well as a set of miniature, charming kitchenware and cutlery. While contemplating how to ignite a fire in such a diminutive stove, Ling Gui chimed in.
"When Master uses the small stove in the outside world, she can employ the illusory fire of the eternal flame, though in reality, it consumes the seven-colored divine wood in the kitchen."
Ye Yining was taken aback.
"Is that acceptable? Should we remove the Rainbow Divine Wood from the kitchen?"
"No need. Master can simply find some branches or wood. The illusory fire obeys Master's will."
"Ah, I see. I'll try it later."
Ye Yining felt as though she had unlocked a new skill. However, gazing at the assortment of items she had acquired, a headache loomed. There were just too many things. If she continued procuring in this manner, no matter how many boxes she had, they wouldn't suffice when she reached Cloud Border City. If only the Medicine Spirit Immortal Residence didn't treat items as expendable.
"Master," Ling Gui continued, "you currently possess 1160 merit points. You can choose to unlock your bedroom or your storeroom. The bedroom can store personal items, while the storeroom has superior storage capabilities. Additionally, the Medicine Spirit Immortal Residence lacks greenery, hindering the flow of spiritual qi. You could opt for a medicine garden or a vegetable garden…"
While Ye Yining weighed her options, Ling Gui suddenly alerted her,
"Master, Jun Jiuji is at your door, and he appears quite enraged."
Ye Yining's heart raced, prompting her to hastily exit the Medicine Spirit Immortal Residence.