“Old man, has your lord been bedridden all these days without getting up? Has a physician been consulted?”
Ye Mei followed Zhong Shu inside, observing his respectful and courteous demeanor toward her. With a faint smile, she walked alongside him, asking questions as they went. When she noticed they had taken a long detour only to circle back to a corner not far from where they had passed earlier, the amusement in her eyes deepened. She continued following him at a leisurely pace, feigning concern as she inquired lightly.
“Well, a physician was called, but it hasn’t helped much. Please walk slowly, we’re almost there…” Zhong Shu, flustered by her question, avoided her gaze. He gave an ambiguous reply with an awkward smile before turning back to the group respectfully and leading them onward.
“Alright, we’ve arrived. Second Miss, you’re here—has the master’s condition improved at all?”
Remembering Prince Ning’s instructions, Zhong Shu naturally spoke to them in a flattering tone, assuming that these martial artists accompanying the prince would have already taken precautions. With a light chuckle, he led them to the door of Mu Zhenfeng’s resting quarters. Upon entering, he spotted Wan Qing rising from the bedside and greeted her with a smile, pretending he had only just noticed her presence.
“Still the same. Uncle Zhong, who are these…?”
Seeing Zhong Shu bring these strangers to the door, Wan Qing had never met them before but had heard of them. At a closer glance, she immediately sensed that Ye Mei was no ordinary person. His appearance was bewitchingly alluring, yet his aura was undeniably formidable—exuding an eerie, sinister air that made him seem both unapproachable and dangerous.
Maintaining a calm and sorrowful expression, she feigned surprise at their arrival and asked hesitantly.
“Old man, you may step back now. Next time, don’t lead guests around in circles like this. Allow me to introduce myself—I am the Grand Sorcerer of Daming, Ye Mei. You must be the Second Miss of the Mu family. Your beauty is truly…”
Ye Mei smiled faintly at Zhong Shu, giving him a pointed reminder. Noticing the flicker in both Zhong Shu’s and Wan Qing’s eyes, he took a step forward and addressed Wan Qing directly, deliberately trailing off as he commented on her appearance.
“So it’s the Grand Sorcerer. Please, come in. My husband has been unconscious since the incident in the estate a few days ago and still hasn’t awakened. May I ask what you meant by your remark about my appearance?”
Hearing this, Wan Qing forced a polite smile and regarded him coolly. As Zhong Shu withdrew, she gestured for Ye Mei to enter, speaking of her father’s condition in a composed manner. Then, with feigned curiosity, she questioned his earlier insinuation.
“Your beauty is truly striking, Second Miss—very much like an old acquaintance of mine. Have you never heard anything about this from those you’ve associated with?”
Impressed by her composed response, Ye Mei felt an unprecedented sense of favor toward Wan Qing. Smiling, he made no effort to hide the familiarity in his gaze as he posed his question.
“Oh? Should I have heard something?”
Recognizing the implication in his words, Wan Qing already knew whose appearance she resembled. Yet she played dumb, responding with a light chuckle.
“You two need not follow. Second Miss, your resemblance to the late Consort Hui is uncanny. Surely Prince Ning must have mentioned it—or at least shown some reaction?”
Seeing that she remained unruffled despite his directness, Ye Mei smirked and dismissed his two attendants before stepping inside with her, pressing further.
“Haha, he truly never mentioned it. If the Grand Sorcerer came here to tell me whom I resemble, I’ve already understood. If you’re here to see my father, he’s right there—still unconscious. Despite all my efforts, nothing has worked. How pitiful that I, Mu Wan Qing, trained under my master for so long, yet cannot even save my own father…”
Growing weary of his fixation on her resemblance to Consort Hui, Wan Qing brushed him off with a detached tone. Leading him to Mu Zhenfeng’s bedside, she gestured to the pale, lifeless figure before them, her voice heavy with despair. As she spoke, she instinctively lifted her sleeve to wipe away tears.
“Second Miss, do not grieve so. I happen to know a thing or two about medicine. From the looks of it, your father seems to be poisoned. What kind of toxin could be so potent? And what measures have you taken to suppress it, yet leave him in this state…?”
Ye Mei watched as she wiped her tears, mildly intrigued by how easily she feigned sorrow. Still, he offered a comforting smile before examining Mu Zhenfeng’s condition. Though puzzled by what he saw, he voiced his thoughts and turned to Wan Qing with a questioning glance.
“I am but a novice, having only learned some acupuncture and basic remedies from my master. How could I possibly identify this poison, let alone counteract it? All I’ve given him are common antidotes—nothing special. Yet somehow, they’ve managed to suppress the toxin. But how long can this last…?”
Faced with his probing question about her methods, Wan Qing sighed softly, her expression despondent. She reached out to touch Mu Zhenfeng’s hand, her demeanor heavy with sorrow.
“Perhaps I should examine the lord myself…”
Finding no flaw in her response, Ye Mei still couldn’t shake his suspicions. Recalling the rumors he’d heard, he smiled faintly and reached for Mu Zhenfeng’s wrist.
“Then I thank the Grand Sorcerer. Is my father’s condition treatable?”
Watching him take Mu Zhenfeng’s pulse, Wan Qing remained wary, her grip on her father’s hand tightening. Only when she saw that he did nothing untoward did she relax slightly. As he withdrew, she looked at him with hopeful eyes.
“From what I know, your father has been poisoned by a rare herb from the southwestern border. This toxin requires a specific antidote with opposing properties to neutralize it. If I’m not mistaken, such poison is only found in the remote regions of Daming. How could your father have possibly offended someone from Daming?”
Ye Mei spoke calmly, his tone laced with feigned curiosity as he studied her reaction.
“Ah, speaking of my father’s poisoning… it’s a family disgrace. Alas…”
Wan Qing sighed heavily, her voice tinged with melancholy.
“Oh? If it’s inconvenient to speak of, no matter. However, your father’s condition isn’t untreatable. This pill of mine will surely rouse him immediately. Considering our… connection, I’ll offer it to you free of charge. If you don’t mind, you may administer it to him now—he’ll awaken at once.”
Ye Mei chuckled lightly, his expression genial as he produced a small pill and held it out to her, his voice laced with temptation.
“This medicine… is it truly so effective?”
Wan Qing eyed him skeptically. She doubted his sudden generosity but, to maintain her concerned facade, played along with feigned hope.
“Don’t believe me? Try it yourself—it’s guaranteed to work. One dose, and the poison will vanish, restoring your father to his former vigor. For anyone else, this pill would cost a fortune…”
Seeing her hesitation, Ye Mei pressed on, his tone persuasive.
“Very well, then I thank the Grand Sorcerer…”
Recognizing that maintaining Mu Zhenfeng’s feigned poisoning would be troublesome now that Ye Mei had arrived, Wan Qing decided to accept his “generosity.” Taking the pill, she stepped forward and administered it to her father in front of Ye Mei. With a deft flick of her wrist, she slipped the antidote she had prepared earlier into his mouth, ensuring he swallowed it smoothly with a light pat.
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