Morning broke, and Yan Ying sprang to her feet the moment sunlight poured through the window.
"Young Miss, we've found the young master," one of the soldiers announced.
Without wasting a second, Yan Ying hurried to the location where her brother had been discovered.
There, amidst piles of hay, Yan Yifan lay sound asleep on a black cloth, curled up like a child in peaceful slumber.
"Yifan!" she called, her voice trembling with relief.
Yifan stirred, rubbing his eyes as though he couldn't believe it was already morning.
Yan Ying rushed to his side and wrapped him in a tight embrace, both of them tearing up as the reality sank in. Luckily, Yifan bore no injuries, and his safety was a blessing Yan Ying dared not take for granted.
Before departing for the palace, Yan Ying made a point to return and thank Xuanwen and Hualing for their invaluable assistance.
"Where are we going, sister?" Yifan asked curiously, his small hand tugging at her sleeve.
Yan Ying knelt to his height, her eyes soft but resolute. "I need to thank my benefactors first. It was because of them that I was able to find you."
In the courtyard, Xuanwen was diligently pulling weeds while Hualing watered the plants. Aunt Yin, meanwhile, busied herself preparing breakfast.
Just then, Xuanwen noticed Yan Ying's carriage approaching. She wiped the dirt from her hands and stood up.
"Miss Liu Xuanwen, Hualing, I wanted to thank you both before I return," Yan Ying said, stepping out of the carriage with Yifan hiding behind her.
Xuanwen smiled. She had assumed Yan Ying would go straight back after finding her brother. "You didn't need to. It was only right to help."
Hualing nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Xuanwen's right. We're human friends after all."
Yifan, still shy, peeked from behind his sister, curious but hesitant.
"This is my younger brother, Yan Yifan," Yan Ying introduced him. "Thanks to your help, I was able to find him. I owe you both a great debt."
Hualing tilted her head, her eyes lingering on Yifan. "Where did you find him? Did the kidnappers really just leave him there? "
Yan Ying hesitated. "That—"
Xuanwen interjected before she could explain. "It doesn't matter where or why. What matters is that Miss Yan Ying found him safely."
Yan Ying smiled.
Yifan suddenly stepped forward, surprising everyone as he threw his arms around Xuanwen in a spontaneous hug. Xuanwen froze momentarily, but soon patted his back, a gentle smile on her face. "You must have been scared," she murmured.
Yifan beamed up at her, but Yan Ying quickly admonished him. "Yifan, mind your manners."
He pouted and retreated behind his sister again, sneaking shy glances at Xuanwen, who couldn't help but chuckle at his antics.
Just then, Aunt Yin emerged from the kitchen. "Miss Yan Ying, you're back! Why don't you stay for breakfast before leaving? Or better yet, stay a few days until you've fully recovered."
Yan Ying shook her head with a polite smile. "Thank you, Aunt Yin, but we need to return to the capital."
As the carriage began to pull away, Yifan looked out the window, waving goodbye to Xuanwen. Xuanwen, though confused by his familiarity, waved back. Does he know who I am? she wondered. She was sure he was blindfolded.
Zhaokou - The Capital
In the bustling streets of Zhaokou, Liu Xuanqing browsed through a row of clothing stores and jewelry stalls, her eyes scanning for anything that caught her fancy. The air was thick with chatter, and soon, a commotion nearby drew her attention.
"What's going on?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.
Her maid, Mo Meili, leaned in to answer. "That's Miss Xiao Rong, daughter of Imperial Physician Xiao Wencheng. A few weeks ago, someone attempted to poison the Old Mistress Xiao. People have been talking about it ever since."
Meili hesitated as if there was more to share.
"what is it, Meili," Xuanqing said impatiently.
Lowering her voice, Meili whispered, "It's said the Crown Prince was the one who saved Old Mistress Xiao. There are rumors... some suggest there may be something between him and Miss Xiao. People think she might be a suitable candidate for Crown Princess."
Xuanqing smirked, her gaze narrowing as she watched Xiao Rong amidst a crowd of admirers. The Crown Princess? That's a stretch, she thought.
"Thank you, Miss Xiao, you must have suffered," a woman in the crowd said. "How could someone do such a thing to your family?"
Another voice chimed in. "Indeed! Miss Xiao, your kindness has helped so many of us commoners. You didn't deserve this."
Xiao Rong smiled graciously at the overwhelming support. "I am fine now, thank you all for your concern."
More offerings followed—trays of food, small tokens of appreciation—and Xiao Rong accepted them with practiced humility.
Xuanqing, sickened by the scene, turned away in disgust. So desperate for the Crown Princess's favor... pathetic.
Lost in her thoughts, she suddenly bumped into someone.
The man was dressed nobly, likely in his late thirties. He immediately apologized, but before he could explain, Mo Meili stepped in, indignant. "Do you not have eyes? Watch where you're going!"
"That's enough, Meili," Xuanqing said annoyingly, straightening her robes. They walked away, but not before Xuanqing noticed a sneer forming on the man's lips. There was something about him—something unsettling.
—**Su Shaocheng Drugstore**—
"Young Miss , please have mercy on this old man," the old shopkeeper, Cao Qiqiang, pleaded, his voice trembling. "You're going to bankrupt us at this rate! Sooner or later, the lord will find out, and he'll definitely not approve of what you're doing. Why not just return to your quarters and rest, huh?"
Jiaying, standing beside Su Huian, bristled at the comment. "You—"
But Huian raised a hand, a subtle gesture, halting Jiaying's response before it could escalate.
Jiaying huffed, pushing a tray of herbs back into its place with more force than necessary. "I'm causing the business to fail? How exactly?"
"Because you're a wo—" Cao Qiqiang stopped mid-sentence, realizing his mistake.
"Because I'm a woman?" Huian finished for him, her voice calm but sharp as a blade. "You're saying I shouldn't be in the drugstore, diagnosing patients, simply because of that? Shopkeeper Cao, don't you think you're being a little... biased? Who says a woman can't be a doctor?"
Cao stuttered, clearly uncomfortable. "Young Miss, you see, it's not that it's wrong, but... people won't trust you to handle their health. That's the issue. Over the last few days, fewer and fewer people have come in for check-ups."
"That's fine," Huian said smoothly, undeterred. "Given time, they'll realize that I can be trusted."
"And when is that?!" Cao exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation. "When I'm bankrupt?"
Huian chuckled lightly, her tone nonchalant. "Don't worry. It won't take that long. I'm not here to idly wait—I actually plan to help people."
"But, Miss—"
"Enough complaining," Huian said firmly. "I'm stepping out for a bit. And Jiaying, you don't need to follow me."
Before either of them could protest further, Huian had already slipped out of the shop.
---
Huian strolled down the bustling streets, her eyes scanning the storefronts as she made her way toward another drugstore. The poison that had once coursed through her veins had been detoxified, but she still needed medicine to fully heal. The poison was known as Wilt Mist—a parasitic toxin carried by the petals of the Veilwilt Flower. The poison slowly crept through the skin, heading toward the heart, causing weakness, a withered complexion, and a numbing cold under the skin.
The antidote required those same petals, but they were exceedingly rare. She had been searching for days but had yet to find any.
"I'm sorry, miss, but we don't carry that herb here," the shopkeeper informed her apologetically.
Huian sighed, exiting the store and moving toward the next. Without the Veilwilt Flower, her recovery would be slow.
As she walked, a strange sensation pricked at her instincts—a feeling that she was being followed. Her suspicion growing, she glanced around and noticed a brothel just ahead. Without hesitation, Huian slipped inside, choosing a room and closing the door behind her.
The shadow outside the door loomed, confirming her fears. Someone was indeed following her.
Quickly, she threw open the door to reveal Tao Weimin, who stumbled slightly, caught off guard.
"Tao Weimin? What are you doing here?" Huian asked, her voice laced with irritation.
Weimin straightened, attempting to regain his composure. "I was just walking by," he muttered, feigning innocence.
"Walking by?" Huian folded her arms, unimpressed. "Why were you following me?"
"Me? Following you?" Weimin laughed awkwardly, avoiding her eyes. "I just happened to be heading in the same direction."
"Really?" Huian raised a brow and turned to leave. As she descended the stairs, she could hear Weimin's steps echoing behind her.
She stopped abruptly, turning to face him. "Still not following?"
Weimin flashed a sheepish grin. "Of course not. I'm just heading this way too."
Huian shook her head, exasperated. "Fine, go ahead. Lead the way."
Weimin's pace slowed as he walked ahead, and Huian caught up to him. "How's the investigation going? Have you found the culprit behind the poisoning yet?"
Weimin's face grew serious. "That's classified information. I can't discuss it."
Huian pressed on. "Any leads? Do you have any idea who would want to harm the Xiao family?"
Weimin suddenly stopped, turning to face her. "Why did you try to stop the maid when she was serving the food? You acted like you knew something was wrong."
Huian's heart skipped a beat. *I can't tell him I've regressed five years back. He'd think I'm insane.* She quickly composed herself. "I didn't see you at the banquet. Were you there?"
"Don't change the subject," Weimin pressed. "How did you know?"
Huian glanced away, trying to appear nonchalant. "I-I was informed by someone."
Weimin's eyes widened. "You received a letter too?"
Huian blinked, caught off guard by his question. Desperately, she nodded, committing to the lie. Moments later, she found herself standing before Jianyu in his study, Weimin beside her.
Jianyu's sharp gaze bore into her. "You received a letter?"
Huian nodded again, her nerves prickling.
"What was in it?" he asked, his tone unreadable.
"Your Highness, it was vague, just a warning that something might happen at the banquet," she lied, her voice steady despite her rising anxiety.
"And how did you know it was food poisoning?" Jianyu's voice grew colder, more suspicious.
"The maid looked nervous, so I assumed something was wrong," Huian replied, hoping the explanation would suffice.
Jianyu scrutinized her for a long moment before speaking again. "You'll accompany Weimin in investigating the maid's death. But this must be done in secret."
Weimin handed her freshly written contract.
Huian hesitated. "A contract?"
"Yes," Jianyu confirmed. "A contract binding you to secrecy. Everything discussed here must stay in this room. Understand?"
Huian had no choice but to nod and sign.
---
**Zheng Zhusheng's Residence**—
Zhusheng poured tea, his movements slow and deliberate, offering a cup to Long Fenfang. The atmosphere in the room was tense, yet Zhusheng remained as calm as ever.
"How are you?" Zhusheng asked, his voice soft. "How's the wound on your hand?"
Fenfang glanced at the bandages covering her palm and shrugged. "It's just a scratch, Your Highness. Nothing to worry about."
Zhusheng smiled faintly. "You should be more careful. Recklessness can lead to unnecessary setbacks."
"I've relocated the goods," Fenfang said, her voice quiet yet determined. "This time, I won't fail again."
Zhusheng sipped his tea, his patience never wavering. "We still have time. No need to rush."
"But—"
Zhusheng's gaze hardened slightly. "Fenfang, even the sharpest blade dulls with reckless strikes. Sometimes the greatest strategy is to wait."
Fenfang sighed, her frustration simmering beneath the surface. "I know... but I can't stand being idle while the world moves around us."
"I understand," Zhusheng said, his voice low. "But pausing doesn't mean surrendering. It means we wait for the right moment. Trust in that."
As Fenfang rose to leave, Zhusheng's voice cut through the silence. "And Fenfang—don't act behind my back. I know the fire that drives you, but one wrong step could destroy everything we've worked for."
Fenfang clenched her fist, knowing his words were true.
---
**Palace Hall**—
As Weimin and Huian left Jianyu's chambers, they passed by Long Fenfang in the corridor. Weimin turned, watching her retreating figure with a frown.
"Do you know her?" Huian asked.
Weimin shook his head slowly. "No... but she seems familiar."
Fenfang, sitting in her carriage, glanced back at them through the curtains. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. So, the Crown Prince's man is still alive.