“Give me the antidote, the antidote, I beg you for the antidote…”
As she collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain and moaning, the wind whispered softly. A figure clad in black, wearing a dark hood, glided in like a ghost, feet barely touching the ground, moving lightly until standing before her.
Liu Shi, her eyes half-closed, one hand desperately clawing at her neck, mouth agape, her face taut with agony, contorted in pain, suddenly opened her eyes in confusion. When she saw the black boots with eerie green specks standing before her, she clung to them as if they were her lifeline.
Struggling to rise, she ignored her own disheveled and painful state, wrapping her arms around the figure’s leg. Trembling uncontrollably, her face pale, her hair soaked with sweat, she looked up with pleading eyes, lips quivering in desperation.
Gone was the dignified and virtuous demeanor of the Marquis’s wife. Now, she was merely a pitiful woman tormented by some unknown affliction.
“All these years, and you couldn’t even extract information from a little girl. How dare you ask for the antidote? Has the Sect Master’s task shown any progress? If not, this antidote would be better wasted on someone more useful than you.”
Beneath the black hood was the gaunt face of an elderly man, his voice dry and raspy, sending chills down the spine. His snake-like eyes held no pity as he coldly regarded Liu Shi, who clung to his leg, whimpering in agony.
“I never imagined that woman would hide it so well. I thought it might be with the old woman who served her, but even after searching her corpse down to the bone, I found nothing. Could the Sect Master be mistaken? Maybe it was never with them?”
Liu Shi, her eyes filled with pain and hope, clung to his leg, trembling as she gasped weakly.
“It must be with them. Otherwise, given the forces behind her, they would have acted by now. But all these years, there’s been nothing. The girl they cared for—I hear she’s been making waves lately. Have you found any clues about her?”
The withered old man pressed further, his tone unyielding.
“From the time she was young, I had people search her belongings, every corner of the rooms and courtyards she lived in—nothing. I even tried questioning her indirectly, but there was no trace of it.”
Liu Shi lowered her eyes, panting weakly before answering in frustration.
“Is that so? Then why has she suddenly become so bold? I’ve heard even several maids couldn’t handle her, and she can immobilize people with a single move. If there’s nothing unusual, how could she change so drastically?”
“I…” Liu Shi’s expression shifted at his words.
“So it must be with that girl. You’d better act quickly. Otherwise, don’t expect any antidote from me. Even if I wanted to help, the Sect Master won’t spare you. He made you the Liu family’s young mistress, and he can strip you of everything—your beloved husband, your two daughters. What would they think if they knew you’re nothing but the Sect Master’s dog? Here’s your antidote for the next three months. The Sect Master’s patience is wearing thin. Next time, it won’t be so easy.”
The withered old man delivered his cold warning, tossing her a medicine bottle before kicking her away in disgust. He didn’t spare a glance as she scrambled desperately for the bottle, collapsing to the side. With that, he vanished as silently as he had arrived.
“Ugh… Mu Wanqing, it’s all because of you and your mother. You’ve made my life a living hell. I swear I won’t let you off easily, never…”
Once the old man was gone, Liu Shi, trembling, opened the bottle and swallowed a pill. Exhausted, she collapsed to the ground. Moments later, color slowly returned to her pallid face, and she weakly pushed herself up, as if recovering from a severe illness.
Slumping back onto the cushion like a frail old woman, she clenched the bottle in her hand, seething with hatred. “Mu Wanqing, it’s all your fault…”
Meanwhile, Mu Wanqing and Hongyan had left the city gates, heading toward the western outskirts of the capital.
“Miss, this place is usually crowded in winter, but in summer, the plum grove is bare. Why are we here…?”
Following Wanqing’s instructions, Hongyan halted the carriage. She couldn’t understand why they’d come to the plum grove in summer, a place famous for winter visits among nobles, scholars, and entertainers alike.
As dusk approached, the grove was desolate—nothing but endless plum trees and a few lonely pavilions where people once gathered to admire the blossoms and drink.
Wanqing, clutching her injured shoulder, staggered toward a small hut deep in the grove, used in winter to serve wine to visitors. Hongyan, concerned, steadied her and asked, “Why are we here?”
“Hongyan-jie, I need to retrieve my mother’s keepsake. I didn’t know before, but now I must get what she left for me. If it were you, wouldn’t you be in a hurry?”
Though unsure what exactly Sun Fengyu sought from her, Wanqing feigned urgency to test whether Hongyan—and by extension, Leng Mingye—had ulterior motives.
“Your mother’s keepsake? Then let’s go.”
Hongyan said no more, supporting her as they walked deeper into the grove.
“It’s here. Hongyan-jie, please dig under this tree. There should be an iron box.”
At the designated plum tree, Wanqing scanned the area before instructing Hongyan.
“Alright.”
Knowing Wanqing was injured, Hongyan agreed, drawing her sword to dig. Unbeknownst to her, Wanqing stood close behind, silver needles hidden in her palm, ready to defend herself.
She couldn’t afford to take chances. If her mother’s possession was what others sought, she had to be prepared—even if it meant distrusting Hongyan.
“Is this it?”
Just as Wanqing remained vigilant, Hongyan unearthed an iron box and handed it to her.
“Thank you, Hongyan-jie. This is it. Let’s go back.”
Clutching the box, Wanqing relaxed slightly. It matched her mother’s description—the lock intact, untouched for years. Holding it close, she turned to leave.
“Miss, hold on. It’s almost dark. We must hurry back before the city gates close.”
Hongyan noticed Wanqing’s guarded demeanor but said nothing more, helping her into the carriage before urging the horses forward.
As they passed through a nearby forest, Wanqing, lost in thought over the box’s contents, suddenly heard Hongyan yank the reins—followed by the sound of something slicing through the air.
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