His words made her notice that his expression had finally calmed down. Wanqing frowned in surprise as she looked at him. She had initially thought he knew who had poisoned him, but it turned out he didn’t. She asked him in astonishment, sniffing lightly as she spoke.
Though the scent was faint, she could still detect something unusual. “You don’t know? This smell on you…” She stood up and walked over to him, tilting her delicate little nose as she leaned in to sniff near his chest.
“What are you doing? Is there something on me?” he asked, his tone impatient.
She was so close, her nose almost brushing against him. Though the girl had recently become less aloof toward him, the presence of so many people and his own pride made Leng Mingye frown and push her away slightly by the shoulder, his expression full of disdain. “What’s the matter with you?”
“There is something, but I’m not sure yet. Hold still, let me check…”
His expression suggested he thought she was trying to take advantage of him, but Wanqing ignored it. Though inwardly annoyed, she kept a serious face, gripping his hand and leaning in again to sniff carefully.
“This girl…”
Prince Ning watched his sister’s actions with amusement. Though Leng Mingye’s face was dark with suppressed irritation, he didn’t lash out. Instead, he sat stiffly, allowing her to sniff around his arms and chest. The prince couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head.
Liu Yufeng, meanwhile, watched the two with keen interest, clearly curious about the poison Leng Mingye might have been exposed to. Song Ziqian, however, looked puzzled—could one really detect poison just by smelling? But seeing Leng Mingye’s stormy expression, he found Wanqing’s boldness rather amusing.
“I think I’ve got it. Where have you been today? Did you go anywhere with incense burning?” Wanqing suddenly straightened up and asked, staring at Leng Mingye, who was barely containing his anger.
“Is there a problem?” he asked coldly.
“Of course there’s a problem. I just smelled the scent on you—it’s faint, but I recognize it. The poison was likely infused in incense. It’s harmless to ordinary people, but for someone with severe internal injuries, it’s extremely potent, causing silent poisoning without notice. How long have you been exposed to this scent and poison?”
Leng Mingye’s face darkened further, but he gritted his teeth and asked, “What are the initial symptoms of this poison?”
Wanqing sat back down, lifting her chin slightly. “At the onset, the victim would feel their injuries worsening, followed by dizziness and nausea. These symptoms fade over time as the toxin spreads. Continued exposure would trigger hidden toxins in the body, causing renewed discomfort. Right now, do you feel a sharp pain in your chest when you take a deep breath? And does your inner energy feel scattered?”
His expression shifted slightly. Though skeptical, Leng Mingye closed his eyes and followed her instructions. After a moment, he recalled the scene when he had entered the palace earlier with his father—the imperial eunuch had just lit incense as they arrived. The realization hit him hard, but his face remained composed. “I see… I think I know who poisoned me.”
“Good. Now that you know, you can guard against it. Since I helped you, you owe me a favor—” Wanqing smiled faintly.
“I’ll repay you… Liu Yufeng, I came to see you today for an important matter. I wonder—”
Leng Mingye’s expression turned icy as he glanced at Wanqing, recalling their past. Though furious that she had known about the poison but hadn’t warned him earlier, he suppressed his anger and turned to Liu Yufeng.
“Indeed, we’ve been here long enough. Wanqing is still injured and needs rest. I won’t disturb her further. Ziqian, let’s go,” Prince Ning said, noticing his sister’s exhaustion.
“Then we’ll take our leave as well. Farewell, Wanqing.” Leng Mingye nodded at her before gripping Liu Yufeng’s shoulder and leading him out. Song Ziqian gave Wanqing a small smile before following.
“If you’re all leaving, I won’t see you out. Chunhong, Honglian, escort our guests,” Wanqing said, rising to her feet. She then turned and headed toward her room with her maids.
Once outside the mansion, Liu Yufeng found himself dragged into a secluded alley by Leng Mingye, who suddenly pinned him against a wall. Though Leng Mingye’s face was eerily calm, Liu Yufeng knew better—this was the calm before the storm.
“Cold Young Master, I only told you about the poison for your own good! Even if neither of you said it, I can tell you have feelings for Wanqing. Wasn’t I just helping you win her favor? Look, she softened toward you after what I did, didn’t she?” Liu Yufeng babbled nervously, hands raised in surrender.
“You talk too much,” Leng Mingye said coldly, his grip tightening slightly.
“I—I misspoke! But Ziqian and Prince Ning are trustworthy—they won’t spread rumors! Didn’t you say you had something important to discuss? What is it?” Liu Yufeng quickly changed the subject, hoping to defuse the situation.
Leng Mingye’s eyes narrowed, but after a tense moment, he finally released him. “We’ll talk later.” With that, he turned and strode away, leaving Liu Yufeng to exhale in relief.
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