“I won’t give up.”
Xie Shaojun hadn’t expected this seemingly frail girl to possess such skill and capability. Though he wasn’t a master of poison, he was considered one of the best in the Daqi royal court. Yet, against her, he couldn’t gain the slightest advantage.
This woman, who stood toe-to-toe with him, had previously been nothing more than a source of confusion and humiliation. After all, his family had thoroughly investigated her background—though of noble birth, she had grown up in a minor marquis’s household, oppressed and bullied as a concubine’s daughter.
Yet upon meeting her, he found her not only strikingly beautiful but also formidable in both temperament and skill. At the very least, when it came to poison, he was clearly outmatched.
The toxins he had unleashed were effortlessly neutralized by a mere packet of powder from her. Not only did she remain unharmed, but she even managed to poison him in return.
Though he had temporarily suppressed the spread of the toxin with an antidote pill, his perception of this girl had completely shifted—her strength and cunning were undeniable.
Despite his resentment and unwillingness, Xie Shaojun knew he had no face left to stay. Lingering would only bring further humiliation.
With a cold glare that seemed capable of boring holes into her, he spat out his frustration before staggering away with his two attendants in tow.
“Take care. I won’t see you out.”
Wanqing remained composed, standing still as she watched him leave.
When Honglian and the other maid returned from escorting him out of the palace gates, they found Wanqing’s icy expression suddenly shifting. Her body swayed, and with a low groan, she spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Princess! Princess… You’ve been poisoned! Quick, take this—does it feel better now?”
Panicked, Honglian and the other maid rushed forward, supporting her as she collapsed backward. They helped her onto a nearby couch, where she slowly opened her eyes, her lips stained with black blood. She shook her head weakly, trying to reassure them.
One maid held her steady while the other hastily retrieved a vial of antidote pills from her person, urging her to swallow one.
After a moment, her complexion gradually improved. As they wiped the blood from her lips, they anxiously asked, “How do you feel?”
“Most of the toxin has been expelled. Only a small amount remains—two more rounds of acupuncture, and it’ll be completely gone. Xie Shaojun isn’t just reckless; he’s a poison master. No wonder he’s so arrogant. But I won’t yield to someone like him. My only concern now is Baiyu and the others. I just hope Xie Shaojun doesn’t discover my connection with Leng Mingye too soon—otherwise, the consequences would be dire.”
With a strained smile, Wanqing removed two silver needles from her arm—she had secretly administered acupuncture to detoxify herself while the maids were seeing Xie Shaojun out.
As she spoke, her eyes darkened with worry over Xie Shaojun’s audacity and behavior.
“I’ll find a way to inform Lord Leng about Xie Shaojun’s temperament. Princess, you should rest now. I’ll go find Baiyu and the others to warn them, so they can be on guard against any ambush.”
Honglian nodded solemnly, recalling how Xie Shaojun, despite his claims of being different toward the princess, had shown no respect for her wishes. After ensuring Wanqing was settled on the couch with Wenchun’s help, she hurried off.
“How could someone like him be chosen by King Fengye and the rulers of Daqi as the princess’s betrothed?”
Wenchun, tending to Wanqing, couldn’t fathom why Feng Moli and the Daqi monarchs—seemingly wise rulers—would entrust their daughter and her unborn child’s future to such a brute.
“We were all young back then. Who could have known? The Xie family head is a steady man, but his son turned out like this. It seems the Xie family’s influence in Daqi is far more formidable than I realized. Otherwise, given Xie Shaojun’s status, he wouldn’t dare treat me this way. It seems even my uncle kept things from me. Sigh.”
Wanqing chuckled bitterly at Wenchun’s bewilderment. Over a decade ago, when this betrothal was arranged, she hadn’t even been born. Even if Xie Shaojun had always been this way, her uncle and grandfather likely never anticipated it.
Xie Shaojun’s arrogance and domineering attitude suggested that, despite his apparent lack of intelligence, the Xie family’s standing in Daqi was anything but ordinary. Otherwise, no matter how reckless he was, he wouldn’t dare act so boldly toward her.
What was supposed to be a simple mission to rescue her mother had now entangled her in the power struggles between the Daqi royal family and the Xie clan. Recalling her uncle’s omissions and earlier words, Wanqing sighed softly before lying back down.
“You little fool, how have I kept things from you? You never asked, and I never told you—so how is that hiding anything?”
Just as she finished speaking, a chiding voice rang out, and Feng Moli stepped into the room.
“Uncle, you’re being unfair! You said you’d only bring me back to save Mother, but now this Xie Shaojun shows up, claiming to be my husband, ordering me around, even threatening me to train with him. Uncle, you—”
Seeing Feng Moli, who had promised to help them the next day but had been absent for days, Wanqing struggled to sit up, glaring at him in accusation.
“Alright, I know you have questions. Honglian already told me everything. I rushed here as soon as I heard he’d come to see you. Thank goodness you’re unharmed—otherwise, I’d never be able to face my sister. As for Leng Mingye… I’m afraid I won’t be able to restore his internal energy just yet. I had all the materials ready, but during inventory, I realized one crucial ingredient was missing. I’ll need to retrieve it—it should only take a few days.”
Feng Moli sighed, masking his guilt with a reassuring tone. Though he despised his father’s decision to use Wanqing as a pawn against the Xie family, he had no choice but to play along for now.
“A few more days? Xie Shaojun already confronted me today and attacked me. If he finds out about Leng Mingye and our relationship, won’t he and Baiyu be in danger? How can you—”
She had hoped he’d come to announce that Leng Mingye’s recovery could begin immediately. His words filled her with dread, thinking of Xie Shaojun’s brutality.
“I know I’ve let you down, but without that ingredient, I can’t help him. Just wait a little longer. As for Leng Mingye… I trust you’ll keep him safe, won’t you?”
Though weighed down by guilt over the agreement with his father, Feng Moli met her gaze steadily, projecting confidence in her ability to protect Leng Mingye.
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