A Wu and A Qi breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Jiang Ling's words. Even A Jiu, who was being punished by kneeling in the courtyard, muttered a silent prayer of thanks.
Jiang Ling found it rather amusing to see A Jiu kneeling in the courtyard with a water basin on his head. He added fuel to the fire, saying, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I've never seen anyone as foolish as you, trying to poison someone in the middle of the night only to be taken down yourself, tsk tsk~" His disdain was evident.
A Jiu's cheeks puffed up with anger, but he dared not move. The Prince had decreed that he must kneel for five full hours, and the water must not spill.
"Heh heh, you can keep kneeling, I'm going to sleep."
Jiang Ling's greatest passions in life were poisoning others and sleeping. Healing was merely a hobby.
"A Wu," a weak voice called from inside the room. Upon hearing it, A Wu immediately pushed open the door and entered.
Qi Yihan lay on the bed with his eyes tightly shut, his face pale and bloodless. Despite the sweltering heat, the windows and doors of the room were shut tight. He was covered with several quilts, and charcoal basins were burning beneath the bed.
It was intensely hot.
As soon as A Wu entered, a wave of heat washed over him. He walked to the bedside and softly called out, "Your Highness?"
Qi Yihan took a deep breath before speaking, "Every month on the fifteenth, Madam Cui, the elderly wife of Marquis Tiedan, visits Ganzhao Temple to offer incense. The fifteenth is in a few days. Make the arrangements."
A Wu quickly replied, "Yes, I will do so immediately."
"Tell A Qi to pay attention to the movements of the Princess's residence, especially the驸马."
"This subordinate understands."
A Wu turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Lying on the bed, Qi Yihan, though exhausted, felt his mind racing.
Li Man'er was truly an enigma. Her reputation in the capital was poor, but what he had witnessed yesterday was vastly different from the rumors.
Li Shuzhong's poisoning was potent, and the imperial physicians were helpless. Yet, she had genuinely detoxified him. Furthermore, the poison found in her courtyard, identified by two wet nurses and Duan Xu, could not have been mistaken. But she had swallowed it in front of everyone! And she was unharmed, as if she had just eaten a piece of candy.
Strange.
The Li family claimed she had never studied medicine, but Li Man'er asserted that she had studied medical texts with Ning Daocheng in Jiangnan.
Could merely a few years of studying medical texts grant such abilities?
That pill did not seem like an illusion. No one could play such tricks on him. If it wasn't an illusion, then she truly possessed some skill?
It seemed he would have to find an opportune time to send someone to Jiangnan and search for Ning Daocheng's whereabouts.
As for Qiu Yixian, after searching for so many years with no clues, further efforts seemed pointless.
However, he would not give up until the very last moment.
With this thought, Qi Yihan relaxed slightly. The physical exhaustion began to overwhelm him, and he soon drifted off to sleep.
A Wu was drenched in sweat. It wasn't until he stood in the courtyard and felt the cool breeze that he began to feel refreshed.
"How is His Highness?" Although A Qi usually maintained a cheerful demeanor, he dared not be careless when it concerned the Prince.
"Same as usual," A Wu simply said. "You, come with me."
"Hey, won't you two put in a good word for me?" A Jiu, still holding the water basin, shouted frantically, but no one paid him any attention.
A Wu led A Qi to a secluded spot and instructed him, "His Highness wants you to keep an eye on the Princess's residence, paying particular attention to the驸马's movements."
"That old fox can't wait any longer?"
"Do as His Highness says."
"Alright, you can count on me." A Qi paused for a moment and then questioned, "Wait, this was always your job before. Why is it me this time?"
A Wu shot him a glare and turned to leave.
"Hey, hey, don't go. Explain it to me. His Highness wants me to watch them, so what are you doing?"
"I naturally have other matters to attend to," A Wu replied. "Just focus on your own task and don't bother me." With that, he left, leaving A Qi with only his arrogant back to stare at.
A Qi bared his teeth at his retreating figure, wishing A Wu could see it.
The two parted ways and soon departed from the Ninth Prince's estate.
Concurrently, Young Master Tong Qiao was feeling sullen at home. Because he had accused Li Man'er of patricide, the Princess had confined him to his home, forbidding him from going anywhere.
Tong Qiao, of course, was indignant. He believed Li Man'er was a jinx, bringing misfortune to anyone who encountered her. He felt utterly unlucky to have such a fiancée. Such a coarse woman, he thought, should be sent to a nunnery and live out her days alone.
The thought of being engaged to such a person made Tong Qiao feel life was meaningless. He now only hoped the Ninth Prince would keep his word and persuade the Empress Dowager to annul the marriage.
Bored and restless, Tong Qiao felt as though he was about to mold within the confines of his room. Just as he was feeling dejected, a servant announced that Xiao Yu had arrived.
Tong Qiao's eyes lit up, and he eagerly inquired, "How did he get in? Did my mother allow him to come see me?"
Before the servant could answer, the door was pushed open from the outside, and Xiao Yu's hearty laughter echoed, "What, you miss me so much?"
"Xiao Yu, you scoundrel, it's all your fault!" Tong Qiao's face turned pale with anger, but he didn't say much more, merely sitting down huffily on a stool.
The servant had already closed the door and left.
Xiao Yu placed the food box he had brought onto the table and began to unpack the fine wine and delicacies one by one. "Don't say I didn't think of you, brother. Look, it's all your favorite dishes."
Tong Qiao's expression softened slightly. "You're going to get me killed. My mother is having me watched and won't let me leave the house. She says I've caused a huge mess."
If he hadn't been born the son of the Princess, his punishment would likely have been more severe than mere confinement.
A fleeting, unreadable emotion crossed Xiao Yu's eyes. However, his smile was so bright and conspicuous that Tong Qiao completely missed it.
"Ah, it was just a mistake in execution. How was I supposed to know she studied medicine? And such skilled medicine at that."
Tong Qiao snorted, not refuting Xiao Yu's explanation.
That woman had indeed surprised him. He had witnessed her curing Li Shu with his own eyes, so it couldn't be fake. As for the poison pill, perhaps it was fake, or a trick of illusion.
"Tell me, was that medicine fake?"
Xiao Yu suppressed his rising anger and replied, "The medicine wasn't fake, but its toxicity wasn't that severe either. Eating it would at most cause paralysis for half a day, rendering one unable to move."
"Then why was Li Man'er unharmed after taking it?"
"I find it strange too." This was the truth from his heart.
Xiao Yu picked up the wine pot and poured Tong Qiao a drink. "I knew you were confined, so I came specifically to keep you company. Pretty thoughtful of me, right?"
Tong Qiao still refused to give him a pleasant look, snorting and turning his head away.
"Oh, it was an unforeseen circumstance, so please forgive me?" Xiao Yu teased. "Besides, you haven't entirely lost out. Perhaps this misfortune will turn into a blessing?"
"What blessing?"
Xiao Yu poured himself a cup of wine and raised it solemnly. "I know you favor Miss Bai, but don't forget that Miss Li is your fiancée. As long as the Empress Dowager doesn't agree, your marriage is set. No matter how good Miss Bai is, her humble background means she would only be a concubine, even if she married you. Could she possibly be the lady of the household?"
"Why not? Cai Wei excels in everything, far surpassing Man'er."
Xiao Yu clinked his cup against Tong Qiao's and drained his wine. "I'm not so sure. The news of Miss Li's superb medical skills is all over the capital now. Everyone is truly shocked. And think about it, if you were to marry her, wouldn't you benefit greatly in the future?"
For some reason, at this moment, Tong Qiao was slightly swayed.
Xiao Yu stared intently at him, as if trying to see into his heart. Tong Qiao hastily downed his wine and, putting down the cup, said nonchalantly, "What are you talking about? Marry her? She's fierce and ill-tempered."
For some reason, he again recalled the scene at Drunken Lake Pavilion, where Li Man'er had broken his sword, almost costing him his life and causing him to lose face.
Xiao Yu didn't expose his thoughts. "Don't just drink, eat your food."
Both men were lost in their thoughts, though Tong Qiao wore his on his sleeve, while Xiao Yu hid his deep within.
"Now that His Highness the Ninth Prince has agreed to annul the engagement, if you're unwilling, you'll get your wish."
"Naturally," Tong Qiao said, tilting his head high as if afraid others wouldn't know his intentions. "I've been fed up with her for more than a day. The sooner I get rid of this jinx, the sooner I'll achieve enlightenment."
"You're talking nonsense," Xiao Yu chided. "Loose lips sink ships. Trouble will find you sooner or later."
Tong Qiao sheepishly pushed his wine cup towards Xiao Yu, gesturing for him to pour more.
"I can't do anything with you," Xiao Yu sighed, pouring him another cup. "We're the same age, yet I feel like I'm a generation older than you."
"I thank you for that!"
Tong Qiao rolled his eyes. "You're taking advantage of me!"
"I didn't mean it that way, just an observation," Xiao Yu said, putting down his cup and taking a bite of food. He smiled self-deprecatingly. "You are the Young Master of the Duke of Rong's mansion, the Princess's only blood descendant. You have everything you want; you were born a noble above all others. As for me, even freedom is hard to come by."
Tong Qiao simply said, "Why are you bringing this up again? Just stay in the capital with peace of mind. No one would dare do anything to you."
That kind of talk would only fool a three-year-old child!
"Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's drink. It's rare for the Princess to not stop me from visiting you. Who knows when the next opportunity will be."
The two raised their cups and drank heartily, and the matter was set aside for the moment.
Time flew by quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was the fifteenth.
Li Shu had recovered considerably. Although His Majesty, in his consideration, had allowed him more rest, he was a restless man. He was concerned about the Xishan Camp and the affairs in Mobei.
Several days had passed, and the Mobei situation remained unresolved. He dared not speculate too deeply on His Majesty's intentions, so he could only take things one step at a time.
Of course, the poisoning incident still needed to be investigated.
However, it was the Ministry of Justice and Dali Temple who were investigating. Seeing their frantic efforts, Li Shu felt a secret pleasure, especially since these officials usually looked down on others.
On the fifteenth, Li Man'er accompanied Madam Cui to Ganzhao Temple to offer incense. Madam Cui brought no daughters-in-law, only Li Man'er and Li Zha'er. They set off from the Marquis's mansion with a light entourage.
This was Li Man'er's first time visiting a temple in her two lives. She felt little reverence and was mostly engrossed in curiosity.
In her memories, the original host had also visited a few times. However, each time she had insisted on lighting an eternal lamp for Ning Shi, which had caused Madam Cui a great deal of trouble.
Despite this, Madam Cui had not overly reprimanded her. It was Li Zha'er who had repeatedly made subtle insinuations against the original host, causing her to lose her temper in the temple on several occasions. This had angered Madam Cui, who then forbade her from returning.
Many years had passed. The last time she had visited seemed to be two years ago. At that time, the female lead had just come of age, and Madam Cui had made an exception to allow her to come. If she hadn't saved Li Shu this time, Madam Cui likely would still have refused her entry.
Everyone entered the main hall to offer incense and pay respects to the Bodhisattva. Madam Cui contributed a sum of incense money and was then invited to the rear courtyard for tea in the meditation room.
Being older, the prostrations and bows had taken their toll on her body.
With someone to attend to Madam Cui, Li Man'er and Li Zha'er were allowed to wander around, with the instruction not to stray far or cause trouble.
The two naturally agreed.
"Eldest Sister, you must keep Grandmother's words in mind. Don't be like before and forget them immediately," Li Zha'er said with a mocking smile. Her tone implied concern for Li Man'er, but in reality, she was using the oldest trick in the book to provoke her.
"There's no one else here, so why are you pretending?" Li Man'er merely uttered this one sentence before leading her maidservant towards the back mountain. The scenery in the back mountain of Ganzhao Temple was exquisite and not to be missed.
Li Zha'er stomped her foot furiously at Li Man'er's retreating back. "I'll make you pay sooner or later!" This was the first time she had ever been forced to kneel in the ancestral hall, and it was all because of Li Man'er. She would remember this debt.
"Young Lady, you must not provoke Eldest Young Lady at this time. Have you forgotten Madam's instructions?"
"Don't worry, Granny Chi. I know the gravity of the situation."
Granny Chi nodded. "This old servant will accompany you to the main hall to draw fortunes."
Li Zha'er always insisted on drawing a fortune stick whenever she visited.
"Let's go." Everyone turned to follow Li Zha'er towards the main hall, completely unaware of a figure flashing by in the distance.
"Young Lady, why aren't you drawing a fortune stick?" Green Robe asked. "Perhaps we can go after Second Young Lady is done?"
"What's the use of drawing fortune sticks? Can a small bamboo slip really control a person's destiny? Or can it reveal heavenly secrets and tell you the Buddha's intentions?"
Green Robe's eyes widened in astonishment. "No, it can't." This was the first time she had ever heard such a notion!
"Then it's settled. Those are all false things, merely a form of self-deception for psychological comfort."
Green Robe frowned and thought for a moment, finding herself unable to comprehend.
Purple Smoke quickly said, "Young Lady, you mustn't say such things to others." Your master is an immortal. While not necessarily granting all wishes, he is certainly more effective than the temple's Bodhisattva.
The Young Lady used to be very devout. Before visiting the Bodhisattva, she would solemnly fast and bathe, and also donate a considerable amount of incense money. Even so, when the Young Lady faced hardship, why didn't the Bodhisattva come to her rescue? If not for the Young Lady's immortal master, she might have had her head shaved and been sent to a nunnery by now.