Qi Yihan possessed a physique that was lean yet muscular, his abdominal muscles clearly defined but not exaggerated, their texture fine and springy to the touch, leaving Li Man'er lingering.
To think that the pampered Ninth Prince had such a physique, tsk tsk, one truly couldn't judge a book by its cover.
Adhering to the principle of "what I touch, I gain," Li Man'er began to take advantage of Qi Yihan’s body subtly. However, pilfering had its methods; being too obvious would raise questions about her professional ethics and character.
Li Man'er meticulously located acupuncture points, inserting her needles as her fingers lightly traced his abdomen and chest, occasionally applying pressure. Princess Wuyou stood nearby, completely oblivious to her illicit touching.
As a descendant of the Mysterious Doctor, did she still need to locate acupuncture points? This was clearly blatant profiteering.
After a few needles were inserted, the greenish poison spots on Qi Yihan's face gradually faded, the restless Gu King quieted down, and Qi Yihan's suffering was alleviated.
"Acupuncture alone can relieve pain?" Princess Wuyou was astonished. She had never heard of acupuncture being so fast and effective for pain relief. Previously, Young Master Jiang had attempted to use acupuncture to help the Ninth Prince with his pain, but with little success. She never expected Li Man'er to be so skilled, merely inserting a few needles into the Ninth Prince had calmed him down; it was truly miraculous.
Acupuncture alone, of course, wouldn't suffice, but Li Man'er's silver needles had been soaked in the spiritual mist spring water from her spatial realm beforehand. The spiritual mist spring water naturally subdued malevolent entities, thus doubling their efficacy.
"Your Highness, we must make a decision now: whether to suppress the Gu poison first or to extract the Gu King directly. Once the Gu King is removed, the one who planted it will surely know," Li Man'er knew that there were many complex connections involved, and tracing the person who planted the Gu would require a long-term plan.
Princess Wuyou hesitated for only a moment before immediately replying, "Then let's suppress the Gu poison first! Everything will be decided after the Prince wakes up."
"Yes," Li Man'er took a pill from her medicine box and offered it to Princess Wuyou for inspection. "Your Highness, please look at this pill. It is called An Xiang. Taking this pill can suppress the Gu poison for two months. Although the Gu King within the Ninth Prince is potent, it can still be suppressed. For these two months, the Ninth Prince will not feel any pain."
Princess Wuyou was overjoyed and grabbed Li Man'er's hand. "Is this true?"
"Not a single word of falsehood."
Princess Wuyou's heart pounded rapidly. When it came to matters concerning the Prince, every decision was difficult for her. Fortunately, the Prince had given her instructions beforehand, and she only needed to follow them.
"In that case, administer this pill to the Prince. When will the Prince wake up?"
Li Man'er's expression remained unchanged, and she maintained her respectful demeanor. "After the hour of Zi [11 PM-1 AM], the Prince will awaken."
Princess Wuyou nodded. "Administer it!"
Li Man'er placed the An Xiang pill into the Ninth Prince's mouth and added, "This medicine dissolves upon contact with the mouth and does not require water. I have three more pills, which can ensure the Prince's safety for eight months."
"That is good. You have been a great help this time." Princess Wuyou quietly stepped forward to examine Qi Yihan's complexion, her entire body tense, as if in a state of alert.
Li Man'er, with her keen senses, immediately detected that Princess Wuyou was different from her usual self.
So, Princess Wuyou was skilled in martial arts.
She subtly took a step back and quietly stood to the side.
Qi Yihan's complexion had returned to normal. The Gu poison spots on his face had completely receded, and his breathing was steady. He looked as if he were merely sleeping.
It was truly miraculous.
Princess Wuyou had witnessed the Ninth Prince's agony during his Gu poison outbreaks. For someone as resolute as the Ninth Prince to be tormented to the brink of death demonstrated the potency of this Gu poison.
Young Master Jiang was renowned from a young age, and his medical skills were exceptional, yet he could not treat the Gu poison as effortlessly as Li Man'er.
Princess Wuyou's thoughts raced. Her attitude towards Li Man'er became increasingly cordial. "You must be tired after working for so long. Go back and rest first."
It seemed Princess Wuyou did not wish for her to stay.
Li Man'er's lips curved into a slight smile, though Princess Wuyou's attention was not on her and thus she did not notice.
"Your humble servant takes her leave."
Li Man'er packed her medicine box and hurried away, reaching the outer room in a few steps.
Awu and Aqi saw her and immediately gathered around. "How is it? How is the Prince?"
"He's fine now."
"Fine now?" Aqi exclaimed incredulously. "How is that possible? You were only inside for half an hour."
"Nothing is impossible for this auntie. If you don't believe me, go in and see for yourself. Move aside." She nudged Aqi with her shoulder and slipped into the room.
Zi Yan was not present. Li Man'er saw that the lamp in the side room was lit and quickly knocked on the door. "Zi Yan? Zi Yan, are you there?"
The door was opened by Aunt Min, who smiled innocently. "Miss, are you finished? Miss Zi Yan was feeling sleepy and just fell asleep."
Li Man'er saw Zi Yan slumped over the table and then smiled. "Please wake her up, Auntie. We need to leave."
A faint scent of aphrodisiac still lingered in the room, which an ordinary person would likely not detect. Therefore, Zi Yan wasn't just asleep; she had been drugged.
Afraid that her maid would be a hindrance?
A flicker of annoyance flashed in Li Man'er's eyes, but Aunt Min, who turned to call Zi Yan, did not notice.
Zi Yan, as she got up, was perplexed. How had she fallen asleep so suddenly? However, nothing was more important than her young lady. She patted her cheeks to clear her head and quickly went to the door to take the medicine box from Li Man'er. "Miss, are you alright?"
Li Man'er shook her head. "Let's go back!"
"Yes." For some reason, Zi Yan felt that her young lady was unhappy.
"Young Lady, it's dark outside. This old servant can send you back!"
"No need." Li Man'er walked away. Zi Yan bowed to Aunt Min before following closely behind Li Man'er.
Aunt Min frowned as she watched the backs of the two women, wondering if she had been discovered.
Upon returning to the Lakeside Pavilion, Li Man'er told Zi Yan to rest. She then untied her hair, climbed into bed, and mentally replayed the key points.
Princess Wuyou knew martial arts.
Her relationship with the Ninth Prince was intimate. While the Prince Consort might not be completely cuckolded, it was likely close.
Therefore, Princess Wuyou's true identity was questionable.
And then there was Aunt Min, who also seemed to be hiding her strength. Where did she get the drug from? Was it the Ninth Prince who ordered her to do it, or Princess Wuyou?
Whose subordinate was Aunt Min truly?
All of this, though seemingly unrelated to her, was inextricably and ambiguously intertwined.
"These nobles of the Zun Kingdom are truly interesting."