The poison affecting both Prince Qi and Old Duke Chong was the sa; no one could help Prince Qi detoxify, and this ti, no one accused Su Jin of intentionally withholding help.
Even if she chose not to save Prince Qi, could she choose not to save Old Duke Chong?
The Emperor ordered an investigation to find out who had poisoned Prince Qi and to trace the mastermind behind the poison.
As the Emperor spoke, the Empress Dowager pondered sothing, feeling a heavy weight on her chest, as if being pressed by a scale weight, making it hard to breathe.
Upon returning to the Imperial Study from Yongning Palace, the Imperial Kitchen delivered the royal al.
Over twenty dishes, all exquisite in color, flavor, and aroma.
After finishing her lunch, Su Jin left the palace.
By then, Marquis Dongxiang had already heard the news that Prince Qi had fainted in the palace and that Su Jin had identified the poison to be the sa as the one affecting Old Duke Chong.
Marquis Dongxiang was a smart man, and upon hearing the news, he knew it was Su Jin’s doing.
As expected of his daughter, truly clever.
Marquis Dongxiang was pleased, yet there were those who were displeased.
The first being Duke Chong.
Although he hadn’t personally seen anyone from Dongxiang Marquis Mansion poison Prince Qi, he could infer with certainty that they were involved!
It was his oversight.
He had not forgotten how Old Madam Duke Chong died.
Since then, he had been extrely cautious when visiting Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, fearing being sched against by Marquis Dongxiang, and not having the antidote necessary at such a ti.
But in looking after himself, he forgot to warn Prince Qi.
He went to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to blackmail Marquis Dongxiang to save Princess Qi, but instead, he was poisoned during his visit.
Duke Chong was furious.
He had the antidote, but to not save Old Duke Chong would be unfilial.
If he saved Old Duke Chong, he would certainly establish Su Chong as the Princely Heir...
After Prince Qi was carried back to his mansion, Duke Chong went to visit him. The poison in Prince Qi was not deep, and he had awakened on the carriage ride ho.
With the heads of the Prince Qi Mansion both ill, the entire household was filled with anxiety.
One had been afflicted by parasites, needing daily doses of poison, or the pain would be unbearable.
One was poisoned with no antidote available.
Adding to the issue with the Zhangzhou fief, the Prince Qi Mansion had beco a thorn in the Emperor’s side.
Not just the civil and military officials, even the servants at Prince Qi Mansion felt the impending crisis, knowing they could no longer stay in the Capital City.
Inside the mansion, Duke Chong said, "We must find a way to leave the Capital."
"How can we leave?" Prince Qi frowned.
Marquis Dongxiang had painstakingly brought him to the Capital; how could he easily let him leave?
Were it just him alone, leaving wouldn’t be difficult.
But one must not forget, he had his entire family in the Capital City.
With the Empress Dowager in the palace, even leaving the palace was challenging.
And there was still Princess Qi and Mo Chengxian...
Duke Chong looked at Prince Qi, "Does your Highness think staying will protect them?"
Prince Qi looked at Duke Chong, his hand clenching on the small table.
...
In the bustling street.
After leaving the palace, Su Jin did not return to the Prince Mansion imdiately.
The streets were lively, and Su Jin and Xingxing got off the carriage to stroll about.
As they passed by the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, they were unaware that inside an upstairs private room, the Prince NanAn and his party were being ushered into a private room by the pavilion’s servant under support.
The Heir of Marquis Beining was furious, as the drug given to them made their limbs weak and bodies feeble.
They didn’t even have the strength to return ho.
Of course, they also didn’t dare to return ho.
Currently, their stomachs didn’t hurt, but who could tell if the pain would return later?
Lying on the small couch, Prince NanAn looked at the servant with difficulty and said, "Keep the toilet available for ."
The servant said, "...."
The servant’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
The Commandery Prince and his friends had occupied the Drunken Immortal Pavilion’s toilet for half a day.
The patrons who ca to dine had to use the restroom of the neighboring tavern.
Previously, when Prince NanAn and his entourage erged, the toilet had been occupied.
With only four stalls available, losing one ant Prince NanAn was a step too slow, and that wait for the toilet was truly...
Prince NanAn, now terrified, insisted the toilet be kept free for him, just in case.
The servant went downstairs, and the Drunken Immortal Pavilion’s shopkeeper said, "Are the gentlen alright?"
"They are fine now, but who knows about later," the servant replied.
"The Heir of Marquis Beining is too ruthless," the servant murmured softly.
When Prince NanAn and his party fought for the toilet earlier for their stomach pains,
The shopkeeper of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion was terribly frightened, fearing that the pavilion’s food had been tampered with. If anything happened to Prince NanAn and his group, how could they hope to survive?
A doctor had been called to check the food and discovered it was the jar of wine that had been drugged.
Thankfully...
The wine wasn’t from the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
The shopkeeper of the pavilion glanced upstairs and said, "It’s too early to say for sure."
"Which one of these gentlen is known for their good temper, especially when just yesterday the Heir of Marquis Beining had his wedding and today they’re given laxatives. Who would do such a thing unless enraged?"
The servant opened his eyes wide, "You suspect they brought this upon themselves?"
The Drunken Immortal Pavilion’s shopkeeper glared at the servant.
Can such things be said carelessly?
After lying for a while, Prince NanAn got up, and Chu Shun noticed and asked, "Stomach pain again?"
Prince NanAn walked to the window, opened it, and said, "There’s a stench of a cesspit in this room."
Chu Shun, "...."
Zhao Xu’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He had completely parted ways with his forr polite and refined self.
Before coming to Daqi, who would have thought that the distinguished Young Master Zhao of the Right Minister Mansion would end up fighting over a toilet?
Young Master Zhao’s guard had begun to reminisce about the gentle and refined young master of the past.
Who knows how much longer Young Master Zhao will remain if he continues to stay in Daqi?
As Prince NanAn stood by the window, he saw Xingxing and Su Jin wandering below.
Xingxing was buying candied hawthorn and, upon looking up and seeing him, waved at him.
Prince NanAn lifted his hand slightly, too weary to even smile.
Then —
He watched as Xingxing turned around and bumped into soone.
The person she collided with wore black clothing, with a cold and stern face, not prone to smiling.
The candied hawthorn in Xingxing’s hand sared onto his clothes.
Xingxing hurriedly said, "I’m sorry."
She took a handkerchief to wipe but was brushed off by him before touching.
Seeing the man’s hand, Xingxing was stunned.
The man turned and left.
Su Jin ca over and asked, "What’s wrong?"
Xingxing pointed to the man departing and said, "That man is an assassin...."
Assassin?
Su Jin furrowed her brow, "What assassin?"
Xingxing rembered Su Jin’s amnesia and quickly said, "The assassin we encountered at the foot of Qingyun Mountain when we rescued the Emperor."
At that ti, if not for Uncle Lin’s tily arrival with reinforcents, Xingxing might have been killed by the assassin.
Although the situation was urgent then, she rembered the masked assassin’s hand.
That assassin’s thumb was shorter than others, and at the ti, she was utterly shocked.
After Uncle Lin arrived with reinforcents, the assassin fled upon seeing the unfavorable situation, and Uncle Lin didn’t pursue.
Su Jin looked at Xingxing, "Are you sure you saw correctly?"
Xingxing nodded repeatedly.
Su Jin then instructed the Hidden Guard to follow the assassin.
Before the Hidden Guard left, he said to Prince NanAn, "I must trouble the Commandery Prince to escort the Heir’s wife back to the mansion."
Prince NanAn, "...."
Now he was being asked to escort his sister-in-law back ho?
Under normal circumstances, this would be a trivial matter.
But right now, even descending the stairs was beyond him.
Having his sister-in-law escort him ho would be more fitting.
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