The night was dark and windy, and the magistrate's yamen, which had been noisy all day, finally quieted down.
Because Feng Jue was missing, the yamen had increased patrols. The escort team patrolled the yamen in groups of ten, holding torches. Every half hour, several teams would depart simultaneously to inspect the yamen.
In the dead of night, Li Man'er, who had been lying on a small couch, suddenly opened her eyes. She took a small section of an incense for calming the nerves from her spatial dimension and lit it. She occasionally waved the incense to make it burn faster.
Li Man'er's constitution was taken care of by the spiritual mist spring water, and she was now considered immune to most poisons. Ordinary incense for calming the nerves had no effect on her.
Liu Ya, however, was different. Although she was a martial artist and usually vigilant, she would never have imagined that Li Man'er would plot against her. Therefore, she was completely unguarded and fell into a deep sleep.
Li Shu was already unconscious, so he wouldn't wake up even without the incense. As for Jiao Niang, who slept in the screened room, she was exhausted from serving Li Shu every day, and her head would hit the pillow and she'd fall asleep immediately. Even without incense, ordinary disturbances might not wake her.
Everyone inside the room had been dealt with. The guards outside the room would be handled by the next arrival.
After midnight, two faint sounds were heard in the courtyard.
Li Man'er frowned, thinking, "They're too careless. If you're coming, at least be quiet."
However, soon a louder commotion came from the door. The two guards at the gate were subdued, and then the door was pushed open.
Li Man'er did not light a lamp and saw two dark figures flash into the room before quickly closing the door.
Li Man'er sighed, resignedly got up, and bowed to one of the dark figures, "This humble subject, Li Man'er, greets His Ninth Highness."
It had been a long time indeed, and he was still haunting her.
The two dark figures were none other than His Ninth Highness, Qi Yihan, and Ah Qi, whom Li Man'er had rescued before.
"Miss Li, there is no need for formalities. You saved Ah Qi, and I have not yet thanked you."
Ah Qi rolled his eyes, thinking his prince was too rigid. He spoke to Miss Li like a block of wood. She was his savior, shouldn't his prince be more polite?
"Your Highness, please sit." Li Man'er was used to it. His Ninth Highness always appeared aloof and unapproachable, no matter the time or place.
Qi Yihan did not stand on ceremony. He sat down, extended his wrist, and said, "I have been away from the capital for over two months. It is time for my follow-up examination."
Li Man'er rolled her eyes and resignedly placed her hand on Qi Yihan's wrist.
Qi Yihan's pulse was as rapid as a storm, concealing a deep-seated ailment that had injured his heart and lungs. It was truly...
"Your Highness, as a royal bloodline, you do not take care of your body and have sustained such a serious injury again." Li Man'er withdrew her hand, not knowing what to say.
Ah Qi was anxious, "Miss Li, can His Highness's injury be healed? We have consulted many doctors, and they all say he needs to rest for three to five years to recover. But His Highness has important matters to attend to and no time for such extensive rest!"
His prince's life appeared glorious, but who knew the reality?
The imperial family was heartless. The relationship between the Emperor and the prince was not as people saw it. The common saying that the Emperor treated the prince like his own son was utter nonsense.
The Emperor was merely wary of the prince; he did not truly dote on him! Assassination attempts and underhanded tactics appeared every year. If the prince were not intelligent and had not been strategizing against the Emperor for so many years, he would have been long dead and gone.
"Resting for a few years would, of course, be ideal. But you do not have that option right now." The Ninth Prince was a formidable, albeit hidden, ally. She could still rely on him. On the surface, they had no connection, but in reality, she had saved his life, and there was no better relationship than this.
Ah Qi said with some concern, "Can Miss Li heal him?"
"Naturally?" Li Man'er glanced at Ah Qi. "Do you think I am a quack doctor like Duan Xu?"
The room was very dark, with only the faint moonlight and Ah Qi's shining white teeth.
It was no wonder Ah Qi's mouth was stretched wide open and couldn't close. Duan Xu was the Imperial Physician Director, and only Li Man'er dared to call him a quack.
"Miss Li, then please write a prescription." Ah Qi was delighted. Regardless, Miss Li was a capable person. As long as she could heal the prince's injury, he wouldn't mind scolding Duan Xu as a quack in front of him.
"His Highness's injury is severe and cannot be treated with ordinary decoctions. Moreover, many of the medicinal ingredients are extremely precious, and it might be difficult to gather them in Mobei for some time."
Ah Qi was stunned. "Then what should we do?"
Li Man'er, looking pained, took out a porcelain bottle from her chest, held it for a long time, and finally reluctantly gave it away. "This is the Regeneration Pill refined by my master. There is only this much. Take one pill a day for seven days."
She turned her head away, her face showing reluctance. "You should leave quickly. If you stay any longer, I might regret it."
"Miss, this medicine has such miraculous effects that seven days are enough?" Ah Qi, holding the bottle in his hand, trembled with excitement. He couldn't believe it! Even Duan Xu, if he were here, wouldn't dare to boast such a claim.
Oh, he forgot. Duan Xu, the Imperial Physician Director, was a quack in Li Man'er's words.
Li Man'er turned her head back and reached out to snatch the bottle from Ah Qi's hand. "Your mouth is too talkative. If you don't believe me, give it back."
Ah Qi shielded it with his hand, protecting the bottle in his embrace. "No, no, I believe you, I believe you." Ah Qi, who usually liked to joke, suddenly became serious and bowed to Li Man'er. "Thank you, Miss, for your great kindness."
Li Man'er deliberately raised her eyebrows and looked at His Ninth Highness, Qi Yihan. "What does Your Highness say?"
"Ah Qi is right. Thank you, Miss, for saving my life. My word is my bond. If you face any difficulty in the future, I will not stand idly by."
Li Man'er reluctantly agreed with Qi Yihan's words. "Your Highness, you should leave quickly. Remember, you can only take one pill a day. This contains seven days' worth. After Your Highness takes the medicine, you will know that what I said is true." She waved her hand, as if afraid she would regret it.
In the dark night, Qi Yihan's lips curved slightly upwards. "Good. Be careful in the yamen. Starting tomorrow, the two guards at your door will be replaced by my men. You will have more freedom when you come and go, but do not act recklessly. This is still within the Xiao family's control."
What did she hear!
The guards at the door would be replaced by His Ninth Highness's men? Qi Yihan's influence reached so far; he had infiltrated the enemy's ranks!
However, this was a good thing for her. The person named Qi had finally done something useful.
"I know, I know." Li Man'er said with a smile. "It's late. Your Highness should go back and rest your injuries. Farewell."