This inner banquet brought the clan together to envision the bright future of Star Yearn City, praising Da Si's diligent governance. Both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves, and the event concluded on a perfect note.
However, as they were leaving, Qi Bai staggered, his pallid face now turning a sickly shade of blue.
"Your Highness, mind the steps~" Rong Xin chirped happily as she supported him, her thoughts consumed by visions of her own future prosperity, completely oblivious to Qi Bai's condition.
So when Qi Bai missed a step and tumbled downward, she didn't react quickly enough to pull him back, only stumbling along with him before crying out as she fell onto the steps.
Qi Bai seemed to have fainted, rolling all the way down the staircase, eliciting gasps from those nearby.
"Your Highness! Quickly, help His Highness!"
"Your Highness!"
Seven or eight eunuchs rushed down after him, but by the time they caught up, Qi Bai lay motionless on the ground, crimson blood seeping from a wound on his head into the pale blue floor tiles.
Rong Xin's lips trembled as she stared, only letting out a piercing scream after a long pause: "Ah—"
The sound tore through the night, drifting faintly over the swaying canopy of the beast-drawn carriage outside the courtyard walls.
Mingyi sat lazily inside the carriage, idly examining her fingers.
"My lord is truly generous," she said with a faint, mocking smile. "For such a small matter, you reward this servant with five gold bars."
Ji Bozhai, seated across from her, knew she was angry the moment she spoke. He reached out to hook his fingers with hers. "If Yi'er feels it's not enough, I can add more."
"This isn't about the amount of money," she murmured, lowering her gaze. "This servant merely wishes to know—if I hadn't noticed that the dress couldn't come into contact with Qi Bai's medicine, and hadn't swapped it with someone else's, how would my lord have saved me?"
The dazzling Mulan Qing dress, dyed with harmless Mulan herbs, carried its own fragrance, making the wearer feel as if they were surrounded by flowers. But something in Qi Bai's medicine reacted with it, and when the scents mixed, they became toxic.
She found this murder method quite ingenious—even if discovered, the blame could easily be shifted. After all, who knew what medicine Qi Bai had taken?
But what bothered her was that Ji Bozhai hadn't considered her safety at all.
What if she had been poisoned too? What if someone later traced the dress back to her?
Her phoenix eyes half-lidded, Mingyi withdrew her hand from his grasp, her expression cool.
Ji Bozhai pulled her closer, soothing her in a gentle voice. "Do you think I came to fetch you personally for no reason?"
He produced a small vial and placed it before her, sighing. "I prepared the antidote for you in advance and made arrangements to extract you if needed. How could you doubt me so?"
Mingyi raised her hand and lightly brushed her fingers against his collar, smearing the unfamiliar rouge that had just been transferred there.
"Didn't my lord come from Yan Xiao's place and just happened to pass by, hearing that this servant had handled things smoothly, so you picked me up on the way?" She wiped the red stain from her fingertips and sighed softly. "Outsiders praise my lord as peerlessly radiant—who could guess that when my lord wounds someone, the blade leaves no trace of blood?"
She seemed genuinely hurt, her nose reddening and tears welling in her eyes. After speaking, she turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
In the past, Ji Bozhai wouldn't have bothered to console her. So what if there was rouge on him? The woman had thrown herself into his arms willingly.
But... seeing Mingyi's aggrieved expression now, he suddenly found Yan Xiao's maidservant scheming and distasteful. Why smear rouge in such an obvious place? She must have done it on purpose.He gently pulled her back with a soft voice: "That was just passing by, had a cup of tea since it was early. Today I came specifically to pick you up. Everything's packed, and we're not going back to the villa now. I'll take you straight to the main residence."
Mingyi finally lifted her eyelids slightly: "The main residence?"
"What I promised you naturally counts." He pinched her rosy cheek. "Your gold bars—I had Granny Xun lock every single one in a chest for you, and even added two extra as compensation for your fright."
Her expression softened as she tugged at his sleeve pitifully: "As long as my lord still cares for this servant, that's enough."
Though a little more money would be even better.
Ji Bozhai chuckled, lowering his head to kiss her: "You handle matters so cleverly and efficiently, yet you always love acting spoiled and delicate with me."
Today's affair had been executed flawlessly. Qi Bai was gone, and she remained completely uninvolved—Adjudicator Zhao wouldn't even think to suspect him.
The woman in his arms whimpered: "How could it be the same outside as before my lord? No matter how sharp a blade this servant is, the hilt must always stay soft for you."
Yet she couldn't help wondering—what deep-seated grudge could Ji Bozhai possibly hold against Qi Bai to warrant such a ruthless move?
Previously, Ji Bozhai had mentioned that Meng Shi once showed him kindness, and he killed those two physicians to avenge his benefactor. But Qi Bai had no conflict with Meng Shi—on the contrary, he seemed quite fond of her, even extending that fondness to Mulan Qing's color preferences. So why would Ji Bozhai want him dead?
Her mind swirled with questions, but before she could ponder further, a voice called from outside: "Halt the carriage!"
Startled, Mingyi instinctively shrank into Ji Bozhai's embrace, only to find him responding with preternatural calm: "What reason is there to stop us here?"
Hearing his voice, the speaker outside immediately became more deferential: "Apologies, Lord Ji. These are the inner court's orders—we must thoroughly inspect all beast-drawn carriages entering and exiting."
Ji Bozhai nodded and stepped out with Mingyi, appearing completely at ease. Yet in that motion, he discreetly slipped the small bottle containing the antidote into her grasp.
Mingyi reacted swiftly, clutching the vial in her palm.
Several guards began searching the carriage meticulously, removing and inspecting items like sachets and wine cups one by one.
Recognizing the precarious situation, Mingyi suddenly coughed twice and leaned weakly against Ji Bozhai. He caught her, feigning concern: "Still feeling unwell?"
"Mmm." She pressed a hand to her temple with a faint moan. "Need to take the medicine as Physician Yan instructed."
With that, she uncorked the bottle and quickly tipped it into her mouth.
A guard moved to intercept, but the moment he reached out, the girl bent over violently as if startled: "Cough—cough—!"
Her fair skin flushed crimson from coughing, tears welling in her eyes. Trembling, she shot the guard a reproachful look.
Flushing with embarrassment, the guard bowed awkwardly: "Forgive me, madam."
"Just some medicine for chills, and my lord suspects even this?" Between coughs, she frowned and extended the bottle toward him. "Then inspect this too!"
As the guard hesitated, Ji Bozhai pressed her hand back down: "Not here. Don't be willful."
"This servant only fears implicating my lord." Mingyi's tears fell suddenly, her voice breaking. "Yet my lord only scolds me for being difficult."
"That's not what I said.""My lord must have someone else in his heart, trying every way to get rid of me." She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, crying pitifully. "My lord used to dote on me so much. Had I known this would happen, I should have gone with Lord Yan instead~"
"Think whatever you want." Ji Bozhai was also angered, flicking his sleeve as he boarded the carriage.
The guard stiffly watched the two of them, still reaching out for the medicine bottle, only to see Mingyi stamp her foot and run outside wailing loudly.
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