"With your poison?"
Watching Nan Shiying's fierce words, Ji Jinmo's lowered hand tightly gripped the coral bracelet, a cold sneer curling on his lips.
Nan Shiying's resentment, like a blade, seemed to want to slice Ji Jinmo into a thousand pieces. Such humiliation, the trampling of one's dignity, was to her an irreconcilable hatred.
Seeing the hatred simmering in Nan Shiying's eyes, a flicker of shock crossed the depths of Ji Jinmo's gaze. He fell silent for a moment, then lowered his eyelids slightly.
"My apologies!"
He said, "I was too presumptuous."
Anyone else who heard Ji Jinmo's apology would surely have their eyes pop out of their sockets. Ji Jinmo, the Regent of Lin Yuan, second only to the emperor and not even deferring to him, had apologized.
This was truly a marvel of the world.
Perhaps to others, Regent Ji Jinmo's apology was worth a thousand pieces of gold. But to Nan Shiying, it was not worth a single coin. She let out a cold laugh and said, "Although my life is in the hands of Your Highness, it does not mean I am willing to offer myself. I hope Your Highness will remember this."
She possessed a pride where dignity transcended life, buried deep in her bones and soaked into her blood. Even in the face of death, she would not yield a single step.
Her soul's fire was like a dragon, like a phoenix.
An indescribable emotion surged within Ji Jinmo's heart. Even though her words were impertinent, he couldn't muster any anger.
He, with his well-defined fingers, twirled the coral bracelet. His slightly lowered eyelids concealed the increasingly fervent light in his pupils. He nodded slightly, "I remember."
Nan Shiying quelled her anger and walked to the table to sit. The tea in the pot was still warm. She poured a cup for herself, then poured one for Ji Jinmo, gestured for him to drink, and then asked, "Why has Your Highness come to see this concubine so late at night?"
Ji Jinmo glanced at her.
When angry, she called herself "chen nü" (your humble servant, female), and when her anger subsided, she called herself "chen qie" (this concubine).
She was truly quite adorable at times.
Ji Jinmo sat opposite Nan Shiying, his hand closing around the teacup, and got straight to the point: "I want you to go to Yuzhou."
"What?"
Nan Shiying almost thought she had misheard.
Ji Jinmo said, "The rumor that you are a disciple of Medicine King Valley from Fengluan, Quanzhou, has spread throughout the capital. I want you to use this identity to go to Yuzhou for disaster relief."
Nan Shiying frowned. She had a vague idea of what Ji Jinmo wanted, but impersonating a disciple of Medicine King Valley was something to be considered.
"Impersonation is not difficult, but this concubine does not know medicine."
It was easy to act the part, but difficult to embody the spirit.
Disasters were always followed by plagues. If plagues spread, how would she cope? The lives of common people were cheap, but they were still lives. The nation was founded on its people. If everyone died, what would be the point of a nation?
Nan Shiying's expression turned grim. If Ji Jinmo were a ruler who treated his people as mere grass, then it would be better to let Ji Hong be the emperor.
Ji Jinmo touched his bracelet, observed her slightly furrowed brow, and smiled, "A few days ago, did you meet Poison Elder from Medicine King Valley?"
Nan Shiying recalled the old man in the slum, and the incident of the Demon Hunting Army breaking into the East City. Suddenly, she understood something.
"The Demon Hunting Army was looking for him?"
Ji Jinmo nodded, "It was him!"
"Agree to his terms and take him with you to Yuzhou. Your task is simple: disaster relief, saving lives, and gaining renown."
"Stealing all the credit that belongs to Hongyi?" Nan Shiying summarized.
Ji Jinmo hummed, "While you are away from the capital, I will look after your Xin Yuan Pavilion."
Nan Shiying fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Aren't you afraid I won't come back?"
Ji Jinmo smiled, "I will send Xuan Wei to protect you secretly, and of course, to monitor you... However, if you wish to leave, I will not stop you."
"Why?"
"Because you won't leave."
"So certain?"
"Because you will not go back on your word."
Nan Shiying looked at Ji Jinmo and curved her lips. If their relationship wasn't one of mutual exploitation, perhaps they could have become close friends, confidants.
...
After Ji Jinmo left, Nan Shiying lay back on her bed. The air was still filled with the scent of irises, but Ji Jinmo today had not been poisoned.
The Regent's mansion had experts who could detoxify.
But if that were the case, why would Ji Jinmo want her to go to Yuzhou?
Was it inconvenient for the other person's identity?
In Nan Shiying's mind, the image of the man she met in the garden yesterday flashed by.
Wei Yuan?
Was it him?
She pondered for a moment, then dismissed all thoughts and closed her eyes.
...
Deep in the night, a faint, lingering fragrance drifted from outside.
Xiao Huan, who had fallen asleep dressed, on the bed in the outer room, slept even more soundly.
Nan Shiying, who had not yet fallen asleep, suddenly opened her eyes. Hearing the rustling sounds from outside the door, she sighed softly.
They wouldn't even let her sleep peacefully!
The approaching footsteps were light and steady, as if the person possessed martial arts. Nan Shiying's hand slowly reached under her pillow, grasping a dagger.
She wasn't actually alarmed, just curious about the identity of the visitor.
The figure slowly approached the bed, but showed no killing intent. A hand reached for her shoulder, and a low voice whispered in her ear, "Fifth Miss."
Fifth Miss?
The Nan family!
A frosty glint flashed in Nan Shiying's eyes. The next moment, she released the dagger.
Xuan Yi, hidden in the shadows, also retracted his long sword.
"Fifth Miss, wake up, Fifth Miss."
The person kept shaking Nan Shiying. Nan Shiying pretended to awaken from a deep sleep, her eyes bleary. The moment she saw the figure, her whole body trembled, and she was about to cry out, "Come..."
The person quickly covered her mouth.
"Fifth Miss, don't scream, this servant is a subordinate from the Nan mansion," the person hastily explained.
Nan Shiying nodded in feigned panic, indicating she wouldn't scream. Only then did the person release her hand. Seeing Nan Shiying's timid and fearful demeanor, a flicker of mockery crossed the person's eyes, but they said, "Fifth Miss, don't blame Father. Father truly had no choice. If anyone is to blame, it's Ji Jinmo for being too overbearing... Miss, you have no idea how worried Father is about you, worried that Ji Jinmo might vent his anger on you, worried that you are not living well in the Regent's mansion. That's why Father sent this servant to help you. Father also told you not to worry, the Nan mansion will take good care of Mama Wang."
Take care?
Nan Shiying let out a cold laugh.
If mutilating someone into a "human pig" was considered taking care, then she would surely take excellent care of the Nan mansion.
Her eyes hid deep malice, but her voice, tinged with a sob, conveyed extreme timidity and fear to perfection: "Father, did Father really say that?"
The person gently reassured her, "Yes, Miss. Miss, don't be afraid, this servant will stay with you."
Nan Shiying looked intently at the other person, then nodded with a sob.
The visitor smiled.
Nan Shiying, with her head bowed, also smiled.