Yan Ningshuang stared at Xiao Jingyue for a long while, her eyes filled with fear and unease, but more than anything, a sense of relief.
She took several deep breaths to steady herself, then decided to send for a physician to examine Xiao Jingyue. Yan Ningshuang had heard before that the drug she had given him would not be detectable by any physician—it would simply be mistaken for an ordinary fever.
However, after glancing at Xiao Jingyue, Yan Ningshuang gritted her teeth and first dressed him. If anyone saw Xiao Jingyue in his current naked state, they would easily guess what had happened between them the night before. For Yan Ningshuang, submitting to Xiao Jingyue was the greatest humiliation of her life.
When the physician arrived, Yan Ningshuang was still on edge. The physicians of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion were no ordinary practitioners, and she feared they might uncover something amiss. Fortunately, after examining Xiao Jingyue's pulse, the physician concluded that he had caught a chill and was suffering from a high fever.
Yan Ningshuang let out a long sigh of relief, unaware that her inner garments were soaked with sweat. After dismissing all the unnecessary people, she finally collapsed into a chair. She glanced toward the bed but had no desire to approach Xiao Jingyue even a step closer.
Not long after, a maid brought in the medicine. Yan Ningshuang personally took the bowl and sent the maid to fetch some honey. From a distance, she stared at Xiao Jingyue lying on the bed for a long while before finally gritting her teeth and taking out a porcelain bottle. She added the poison she had obtained from Zhao Yingqiu into Xiao Jingyue's medicine bowl.
When the maid returned with the honey, Yan Ningshuang handed her the medicine bowl and instructed her to feed it to Xiao Jingyue. Throughout the entire process, Yan Ningshuang kept her distance from the bed.
After the maid finished feeding Xiao Jingyue the medicine, Yan Ningshuang glanced at the sky outside. It was likely around the hour of Chen now, and Xiao Jingxi would be leaving the Yanbei Prince's Mansion in a few hours. Xiao Jingyue had received a secret imperial order to ambush Xiao Jingxi on his way to Wuzhou. Now that Xiao Jingyue had been incapacitated by the drug, he naturally could not carry out this command. With the Empress Dowager far away in the capital and Madam Lin unable to send another person to intercept and kill Xiao Jingxi, Xiao Jingxi would be safe on his journey.
At this thought, Yan Ningshuang's heart swelled with emotion. The guilt she had felt over taking a life lessened considerably. As long as Xiao Jingxi remained safe, she did not mind staining her hands with blood. Besides, a despicable person like Xiao Jingyue did not deserve to live in this world. Yan Ningshuang glanced at the bruise on her wrist and pushed aside the last traces of reluctance in her heart.
Yan Ningshuang wanted to personally see Xiao Jingxi off and tell him that she had resolved his greatest trouble. However, thinking of the bruises on her neck and hands that could not be concealed, she decided against leaving. Instead, she sent her maid to deliver a letter to Ren Yaoqi.
When Ren Yaoqi received another letter from Yan Ningshuang and saw the words, "The trouble has been resolved. Tell Xiao Lang to rest assured," she was momentarily stunned. Frowning, she sent someone to inquire and learned that Xiao Jingyue had suddenly developed a high fever and was now bedridden.
When Xiao Jingxi arrived, Ren Yaoqi told him about the matter. Xiao Jingxi frowned slightly but said nothing.Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and still cautioned, "I always feel things aren't that simple. You mustn't let your guard down on this journey. Stay vigilant."
Xiao Jingxi's furrowed brows relaxed. He gazed down at Ren Yaoqi for a long while, then pressed a solemn kiss to her forehead, as if sealing a promise. "Don't worry. I value my life too much."
Though Ren Yaoqi was deeply concerned for Xiao Jingxi's safety, she knew she couldn't stop him from his decision. So she didn't try to make him stay. Instead, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Xiao Jingxi was momentarily taken aback by Ren Yaoqi clinging to him, more docile than usual. His heart softened, and he deliberately teased with a chuckle by her ear, "So reluctant to let me go? Then take the initiative and kiss me, let me feel your sincerity?"
Xiao Jingxi meant it as a joke, but as soon as the words left his lips, he felt something soft and moist press against his own. Though he could still sense those lips trembling slightly, their warmth was enough to make him unable to resist. His heart pounded wildly, and he cupped Ren Yaoqi's face, deepening the kiss.
When their lips finally parted, Xiao Jingxi gently stroked Ren Yaoqi's soft lips with his thumb.
"I'm leaving."
Ren Yaoqi didn't speak. Instead, she took Xiao Jingxi's outer robe and carefully helped him into it, meticulously smoothing out any wrinkles.
"Go early and return soon. We'll be waiting for you," Ren Yaoqi said softly, smiling at Xiao Jingxi.
Ren Yaoqi saw Xiao Jingxi to the door, watching his tall, straight figure until it disappeared from sight.
Xiao Jingxi left Yunyang City with a small contingent of his men, heading for Wuzhou.
It was only after Xiao Jingxi had departed that Ren Yaoqi learned Mr. Pei had also gone to Wuzhou, having left Yunyang City at the same time as Xiao Jingxi.
Pei Zhiyan had remained in Yanbei without leaving. Neither the imperial court in the capital nor Pei Zhiyan's own family had sent anyone to urge his return. Some speculated that Pei Zhiyan had fallen out of favor with the emperor and was effectively exiled.
Pei Zhiyan, however, seemed to take it all in stride and settled into life in Yanbei. But he wasn't idle; on the contrary, he took this opportunity to thoroughly explore Yanbei's magnificent landscapes, spending very few days actually in Yunyang City.
Others might have thought this was Pei Zhiyan's way of distracting himself from his political disappointments, but Ren Yaoqi knew that traveling to see beautiful scenery was Pei Zhiyan's greatest lifelong wish. She believed that while enjoying his travels, he would have no spare sentiment for lamenting unrecognized talent.
Ren Yaoqi also inquired and found out that an imperial decree had ordered Pei Zhiyan to go to Wuzhou together with Xiao Jingxi. While worrying for Xiao Jingxi, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but feel concern for her esteemed teacher as well.
Xiao Jingyue, having suddenly fallen ill, indeed did not leave the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. From then on, Yan Ningshuang also rarely went out, attending to Xiao Jingyue daily. Those who had previously spread rumors about discord between the Xiao Family's Third Young Master and his wife couldn't help but feel their words turned back on them.
Hearing this news and recalling the letter Yan Ningshuang had previously sent her, Ren Yaoqi naturally grew suspicious about the suddenness of Xiao Jingyue's illness.What she doubted was not that Yan Ningshuang had schemed against her own husband for Xiao Jingxi's sake—this young lady's thoughts had always been unconventional, not to be judged by ordinary logic. What she suspected was how Yan Ningshuang had managed to make Xiao Jingyue "fall ill" in such a short time.
It wasn't that Ren Yaoqi looked down on Yan Ningshuang; she genuinely believed this girl didn't have the capability for it.
So, taking advantage of the Princess Consort frequently summoning physicians to check her pulse, Ren Yaoqi specifically arranged for the physician who had previously been called to examine Xiao Jingyue to be brought over.
When Yan Ningshuang sent someone to summon a physician for Xiao Jingyue, it was done casually, without specifying which physician to call. After inquiring with Xiao Jinglin, Ren Yaoqi learned that the physician who examined Xiao Jingyue was likely aligned with the Prince and Princess Consort, so she felt more direct in her questioning.
Ren Yaoqi carefully inquired about Xiao Jingyue's symptoms and pulse readings, ultimately reaching a conclusion similar to the physician's: Xiao Jingyue's condition was merely a case of catching a cold and developing a high fever.
Far from easing her vigilance, this conclusion only deepened Ren Yaoqi's suspicions.
She felt that behind Yan Ningshuang was an invisible hand, one clearly more difficult to deal with than Yan Ningshuang herself. Perhaps even Miss Yan had been used as a pawn.
After some thought, Ren Yaoqi sent someone to investigate Yan Ningshuang's whereabouts over the past two days and whom she had met.
Given Ren Yaoqi's status, investigating these matters was not difficult, especially since Yan Ningshuang never made any effort to conceal her movements.
Thus, Ren Yaoqi soon learned that Yan Ningshuang had visited Zhao Yingqiu the previous day. Moreover, when Yan Ningshuang left the palace, she looked troubled, but upon returning, she appeared tense and uneasy.
The involvement of Zhao Yingqiu did not surprise Ren Yaoqi; in fact, it seemed only logical.
Later, she also discovered that Yan Ningshuang had been in contact with Zhao Yingqiu before her previous two visits to Ren Yaoqi.
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