As Mu Zhenfeng took the medicine, he indeed began to regain consciousness almost instantly. His eyelids fluttered a few times before finally opening.
“I… Qing’er…” Mu Zhenfeng muttered dazedly as he sat up. When he saw Wanqing’s worried face before him, he trembled and tightly grasped her hand.
“Father, you’re finally awake! It’s all thanks to the generosity of the Grand Preceptor, who provided the medicine. Both my father and I are deeply grateful for his kindness. Father, let me help you…”
Though Wanqing was puzzled by Ye Mei’s sudden goodwill in offering medicine to her father, her face was filled with joy at seeing him wake up. She turned to introduce the man beside her to Mu Zhenfeng, then quickly reached out to steady him as he struggled to rise.
“Greetings, Grand Preceptor. This humble old man is deeply indebted to you for your generous aid. I thank you once more. Your life-saving grace will never be forgotten. If there is ever any way I can serve you in the future, you need only say the word. I would gladly lay down my life for you without hesitation…”
Mu Zhenfeng, still weak, struggled to his feet with Wanqing’s support. He bowed deeply to the black-clad man before him, his expression reverent and devout, as if the man before him were his savior—or even his master.
“You flatter me, Lord Marquis. It was merely a small gesture. As the Emperor’s appointed Grand Preceptor, it is my duty to aid those in need. Since Lord Marquis has recovered, there is no need for Miss Mu to worry any longer. A beauty like her should not wear such a sorrowful expression—it pains the heart to see. Well, I have other matters to attend to and shall not intrude further on your reunion. Farewell, Miss Mu. No need to see me out. Let us go.”
Ye Mei’s smirk deepened as he observed Mu Zhenfeng’s groveling gratitude. Whether the girl truly had no solution for his poison or not, once his pill was ingested, no one but the original creator could undo its effects.
With a benevolent smile, Ye Mei helped Mu Zhenfeng up, playing the role of a savior. He then turned to Wanqing, who still wore a doubtful yet concerned expression, and instinctively reached out to her.
Startled, Wanqing withdrew her wrist slightly. Ye Mei merely chuckled and bid farewell to the father and daughter before turning to leave. When Wanqing moved to escort him, he waved her off with a light laugh and departed with his attendants.
“Father, be careful. You’ve just regained consciousness—you should rest more…”
Though unsure about the medicine Ye Mei had given her father, Wanqing couldn’t shake her unease. Her father was not one to grovel before authority, yet his sudden change in demeanor made her wary.
Once Ye Mei was gone, she instructed Honglian and the other maids to follow at a distance under the pretense of seeing him off. Meanwhile, she returned to the room, only to be startled by Mu Zhenfeng’s vacant, unfocused gaze.
As she steadied him, she swiftly drew a silver needle and pressed it against his chest.
“Miss, what are you—?” Honglian gasped, instinctively stepping forward to intervene.
“Honglian, there’s something strange about that pill Ye Mei gave my father. I must extract its effects immediately. Go and prepare a bowl of Changshan root decoction—have Chunlan fetch it from my quarters. Hurry! If we delay, the consequences could be dire.”
Seeing Honglian’s confusion, Wanqing explained that Changshan root was an emetic. As the maids rushed off, she focused on applying the needles to Mu Zhenfeng.
—
“Master, didn’t you suspect that Miss Mu might also be a poison expert? Why did you still give her the medicine to save her father?”
As Ye Mei strolled leisurely down the street with his two subordinates, one of them couldn’t contain his confusion and voiced the question.
“I have my reasons,” Ye Mei replied with a faint smile. “Whether that girl is a poison master or not, whether she interferes with my plans—none of it matters. If I control her father, what choice will she have? My medicine can only be undone by one person… and that person is already dead.”
His subordinate paled at the implications, but Ye Mei merely chuckled darkly, his confidence in his poison arts unshaken.
“I see… Forgive my ignorance,” the man muttered, bowing his head.
“It’s not your fault. I simply… cannot forget. After all these years, I still don’t understand. Was I not good enough? Why did she choose that worthless man and this wretched country over me? She’d rather die than let go of the legacy left by that dead fool. I refuse to accept it. The throne of Daqi belongs to me—only I am fit to rule it. Anyone who stands in my way will meet the same fate. And that girl… she’s nothing but the bastard child of that man. The fact that I haven’t killed her and those two little brats is mercy enough.”
Ye Mei’s voice was laced with bitterness, his eyes dark with suppressed rage. Had it not been for years of practiced restraint, he might have roared his fury into the sky.
“Master, you—” His subordinates recoiled slightly at his sudden outburst, though his expression remained eerily composed.
“You two have been with me for years. What does it matter if you see my weakness?” Ye Mei murmured, his smile brittle. “I just don’t understand. Was I not worthy? Did I not give enough? And yet, in the end, I was left with nothing—neither man nor ghost…”
His words were cut short as a flash of white shot toward him. Ye Mei dodged effortlessly, catching the projectile between his fingers—a dagger.
“Who dares?!” His eyes flashed with cold fury. “Find them. Alive or dead, I will turn them into my next experiment!”
Without hesitation, he seized one of his subordinates by the collar and hurled him forward like a projectile. Ignoring the man’s startled cry, Ye Mei’s lips curled into a chilling smile as he vanished in a blur, darting toward the rooftops in pursuit of the unseen assailant.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage