“This…” Watching Feng Moli leave in anger, taking a gust of wind with him, Leng Mingye couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry. He thought about how concerned the little one had been for him, and now she had gone out alone. He wasn’t sure if she was really going to find those three poisonous creatures, and the thought unsettled him.
“Qingfeng, Baiyu, go and see where the princess consort has gone and what she’s doing. If she needs help, do your best to assist her. Hurry.”
Seeing Qingfeng and Baiyu enter, Leng Mingye, still pretending to be poisoned, managed a weak groan and gave them his instructions, though his heart was heavy with concern.
“But master, how can we leave you like this?”
Baiyu had initially suspected that his master was feigning illness to gain the princess consort’s sympathy and care. However, after hearing both the princess consort and Feng Ye Wang confirm that he was indeed poisoned, he couldn’t help but worry. Though he was puzzled about when his master had been poisoned, he had no choice but to take it seriously.
Remembering the princess consort’s instructions before she left, Baiyu hesitated. “Master, you were just groaning in pain. Why are you suddenly concerned about the princess consort now?” He looked at Leng Mingye with a mix of doubt and reluctance.
“With Honglian and the others here to take care of me, what are you worried about? Go quickly! I heard Feng Ye Wang say that Qing’er went to gather poisonous creatures to make an antidote for me. Hurry and help her!”
Leng Mingye was exasperated. Normally, he would have disciplined these two for forgetting who their real master was, but now, pretending to be poisoned, he could only grit his teeth and urge them on, his face pale with feigned weakness.
“Fine. We’ll go see what the princess consort is up to. Honglian, come in and take care of the prince.”
Seeing the anger in their master’s eyes, Baiyu, though still suspicious about the poisoning, knew better than to provoke him further. He called for Honglian and the others to attend to Leng Mingye.
“Since the prince is so severely poisoned, let us help you lie down.”
Honglian entered, frowning slightly at the sight of him. Exchanging a glance with Wanchun, she moved to support him toward the bed.
“Alright, I’ll lie down. I’m exhausted after today. You may leave. I’ll call if I need anything.”
Though the maids seemed normal, their attitude made Leng Mingye feel like they already saw him as a dying man. He wanted to send them away to help the princess consort but feared raising suspicions. Resigned, he closed his eyes and pretended to rest.
“Very well, my prince. Rest now. The princess consort left instructions for you to take this medicine. She said it would temporarily suppress the poison’s spread. She mentioned going to the mountain near the inn to catch a red centipede. We’ll leave you to rest.”
Honglian handed him a pill from her sleeve. Reluctantly, he took it and swallowed it in front of them. With a final glance at Wanchun, she turned and left, closing the door behind her.
“Pah! I’m not poisoned—why should I take medicine? Damn it, but at least they’re all gone now. Qing’er, please be safe. Wait for me.”
As soon as the women left, Leng Mingye spat out the pill he had hidden under his tongue. Guilt gnawed at him for deceiving the princess consort, who had been so worried about him. Now that everyone was gone, he could finally act. He quickly arranged the bed to look like he was still sleeping, then quietly pushed open the window and leaped out.
“Well, well, nephew-in-law, didn’t you say you were poisoned? Shouldn’t you be resting? If you run around like this and something happens, Qing’er will be heartbroken.”
Just as he landed in the courtyard, Feng Moli appeared, blocking his path with a mocking smile.
“You—mind your own business! Get out of my way, or I won’t hold back. I need to find Qing’er now.”
Leng Mingye knew Feng Moli wouldn’t give up easily. If he got entangled with him, others would notice, and his act would be ruined. Without hesitation, he feigned an attack, forcing Feng Moli to defend himself, then swiftly turned and fled in the opposite direction.
“That brat! He’s willing to go this far just to make Qing’er worry about him? I can’t let this slide, or she’ll end up completely under his thumb.”
Feng Moli’s eyes darkened as he watched Leng Mingye disappear. He was now certain the poisoning was a ruse to manipulate his niece. Though he was glad Leng Mingye cared for her, this deception infuriated him. With a cold glare, he turned and pursued from another direction.
“Finally caught you! Where do you think you’re going?”
On a small hill near the inn, Wan Qing had just captured a small snake and placed it in a bamboo tube. As she looked toward the inn, another black snake slithered toward her from a nearby tree.
“Princess, watch out!”
Qingfeng and Baiyu arrived just in time. Before they could act, something struck the snake, pinning it to the branch and severing its head from its body.
“Thank goodness you came when you did. I might have been bitten otherwise. How is your master? Has his condition worsened?”
Wan Qing sighed in relief, assuming they had killed the snake. She asked about Leng Mingye’s condition as she secured the bamboo tube.
“Still the same, Princess. Where to next? By the way, that snake wasn’t our doing. Someone else got to it first.”
Baiyu answered quietly, his voice low so only she could hear. As Wan Qing prepared to move deeper into the mountains, he hesitated before sharing his observation.
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