Shengjing Noble

The candlelight in the Buddhist temple swayed in the night wind, stretching Yan Qinghuan's shadow very long.

She knelt in front of the Buddha, seemingly reciting scriptures devoutly, but in fact her whole body was tense and she was listening to everything in all directions.

The footsteps outside the door were getting closer and closer, and finally stopped at the door of the Buddhist hall.

Yan Qinghuan raised the corners of his mouth slightly and continued to recite the scriptures with his head down.

"Qing Huan."

Lu Chengan's voice came from behind, pretending to be gentle but unable to conceal the anxiety in it.

Yan Qinghuan turned around slowly and saw her husband standing at the entrance of the Buddhist temple, followed by the two so-called "guests".

"Husband?" She pretended to be surprised. "It's so late, is there something wrong?"

Lu Chengan walked into the Buddhist hall, looking around: "I heard that you found the original border map of your father-in-law? Such an important thing should not be kept by one person."

Yan Qinghuan lowered her eyes to hide the coldness in her eyes: "How did my husband know?"

"This..." Lu Cheng'an was speechless, then forced a smile and said, "It has spread among the servants in the mansion. Qing Huan, the blueprint is of great importance, so just give it to me."

Yan Qinghuan slowly stood up and patted the non-existent dust on her skirt: "I put it in a very safe place." She paused deliberately, "Just..."

Before he finished speaking, there was a sudden noise outside the Buddhist hall.

Lu Chengan's face changed, and the two "guests" quickly hid behind the curtain.

A moment later, Mrs. Lu came in, supported by her maid, holding a bowl of steaming medicine.

"Qing Huan, you are still reciting sutras so late, be careful not to catch a cold." Mrs. Lu smiled and handed over the medicine bowl, "Here, drink this bowl of ginseng soup to nourish your body."

Yan Qinghuan looked at the dark brown liquid in the bowl and sneered in his heart.

This is not ginseng soup at all, it's clearly a poison that can penetrate the intestines!

But she didn't show it on her face, and took the medicine bowl respectfully: "Thank you for your concern, mother-in-law."

The moment the edge of the bowl touched my lips, a bitter smell rushed into my nose.

Yan Qinghuan suppressed her discomfort and pretended to drink a few sips, but in fact she spat most of the medicine onto the handkerchief in her sleeve by wiping the corners of her mouth.

"Okay, it's late, let's all go back and rest." Mrs. Lu looked at the "empty" bowl with satisfaction and winked at Lu Cheng'an, "Cheng'an, send your wife back to her room."

Yan Qinghuan pretended to be dizzy and shook his head lightly: "I suddenly feel a little dizzy..."

Lu Chengan held her with false concern: "I'll take you back."

When Huairou returned to the courtyard, she saw her master being helped back. Her face looked strange, and she hurried forward in fear: "What happened to the princess?"

"Nothing, I'm just a little tired." Yan Qinghuan waved her hand weakly, "My husband, please go back. I want to rest."

Lu Cheng'an wanted to say something but stopped himself, and finally left in disappointment under Huairou's vigilant gaze.

As soon as the door closed, Yan Qinghuan straightened her back and spat out a wax pill from her mouth - that was the outer layer protection of the detoxification pill that she had placed under her tongue in advance.

"Princess!" Huairou exclaimed, "What's going on?"

Yan Qinghuan took out the handkerchief soaked with the medicine juice and said, "This is the 'ginseng soup' that Madam Lu gave me. You should secretly ask Madam Xu to test it to see what kind of poison it is. Remember, don't alert the enemy."

Huairou's hands were shaking slightly as she carefully put away the handkerchief: "Are you okay?"

"It's fine for now." Yan Qinghuan rinsed his mouth, "Don't tell anyone about what happened tonight. Starting tomorrow, I want you to announce to the public that I'm sick, the more serious the better."

The next morning, the news that the princess was ill spread throughout the mansion. Huairou went to ask for a doctor with red eyes, while Madam Xu boiled medicine with a worried look on her face.

Mrs. Lu came to visit with "concern", and left with satisfaction when she saw Yan Qinghuan lying on the bed with a pale face.

Yan Qinghuan waited until the footsteps faded away, then immediately sat up from the bed, took out the border map and his father's diary that he had hidden last night, and read them carefully again.

In the last few pages of his diary, my father mentioned a person called "Shadow", saying that he was a traitor in the court, but he did not specify who he was.

"Who could it be..." She murmured to herself, and suddenly remembered Zhou Jin, the head of the Military Affairs Department mentioned by Fu Mulan.

That person knew who his father met before leaving Beijing, and perhaps also knew the identity of the "shadow".

While he was thinking, there were three light knocks outside the window - it was Fu Mulan's secret signal!

Yan Qinghuan quickly opened the window, and Fu Mulan rushed in like a gust of wind and landed silently.

"You..." He was about to speak, but suddenly frowned and moved closer, sniffing her lips, "Have you taken poison?"

Yan Qinghuan was startled. She didn't expect him to be so perceptive: "Just pretending..."

Fu Mulan grabbed her wrist and felt her pulse without saying anything, his face becoming increasingly gloomy: "Seven Days to Break the Soul! The Lu family is so bold!"

"What?" Although Yan Qinghuan guessed that it was poison, he didn't expect it to be so cruel.

"This poison is colorless and tasteless. The initial symptoms are similar to a cold. He suddenly died after seven days, and even the imperial physician could not find any clues." Fu Mulan took out a small jade bottle from his bosom, "Take it, it can detoxify."

Yan Qinghuan took the jade bottle but did not take it immediately: "I can't detoxify now."

Fu Mulan narrowed his eyes: "What do you mean?"

"Take advantage of their trick." Yan Qinghuan lowered her voice, "I pretend to be seriously ill, and the Lu family will definitely let down their guard. Besides..." She sneered, "I want to see when Lu Chengan is going to collect my body."

Fu Mulan's eyes darkened, and he suddenly reached out and pinched her chin, forcing her to open her mouth, and stuffed the pill directly into her mouth: "Nonsense! This poison is harmful to your body, you can't delay."

The pill melts in the mouth, and a cool feeling flows from the throat to every part of the body.

Yan Qinghuan was caught off guard and started coughing: "You...!"

Fu Mulan had already turned around to get some water, and when he came back his face was still grim: "Drink it, don't let the medicine lose its effect."

Yan Qinghuan had no choice but to drink the water obediently.

Fu Mulan's expression eased a little, and he sat down opposite her: "There is news from Zhou Jin."

"Have you found out who the 'shadow' is?" Yan Qinghuan asked anxiously.

Fu Mulan shook his head: "Zhou Jin died suddenly three days ago. It was said that he fell into the water, but I suspect he was silenced."

Yan Qinghuan gasped: "What a coincidence?"

"However, he left clues before his death." Fu Mulan took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, "This is a list he secretly copied from the archives of the Ministry of War. It contains all the people who have had secret dealings with Beidi in the past three years."

Yan Qinghuan took the note, which listed more than a dozen names, one of which was Lu Mingyuan - Lu Chengan's deceased grandfather!

"Sure enough..." She held the note tightly, "The Lu family has had problems for a long time."

Fu Mulan nodded: "What's more troublesome is that Lu Cheng'an has contacted the Beidi envoys and will be outside the city to receive the border defense map in three days."

"So soon?" Yan Qinghuan was surprised, "But I haven't..."

"He knows it's fake news." Fu Mulan sneered, "You told Luo Yurou where to hide the map, and he sent people to search for it, but found nothing."

Yan Qinghuan bit her lip and said, "Then we have to hurry. The Lu family wants to poison me and is eager to sell the picture. It seems that they are planning to run away after getting the money."

"That's right." Fu Mulan's eyes were deep. "I have set up an ambush outside the city, waiting for them to trade. But before that..." He looked at Yan Qinghuan, "You must ensure your own safety."

"I know my limits." Yan Qinghuan had just finished speaking when she suddenly felt dizzy and her body swayed.

Fu Mulan quickly supported her: "The poison has not been cleared yet, don't be stubborn." His voice softened unconsciously, "Lie down and rest, I'll watch over you."

Yan Qinghuan wanted to refuse, but she felt so dizzy that she had to lie down.

Fu Mulan sat beside the bed and gently tucked in the corners of the quilt for her. His movements were so gentle that they didn't seem like the ruthless and decisive King Xiaoyao.

"Why are you..." Yan Qinghuan asked dazedly, "so nice to me?"

Fu Mulan did not answer immediately.

Yan Qinghuan gradually became drowsy under the effect of the drug. In a state of half-sleep and half-wakefulness, he seemed to hear a deep voice saying:

"Since that first glance at you in Xishan Paddock ten years ago, I have never been able to forget you."

These words were like a thunderclap, instantly shattering Yan Qinghuan's sleepiness.

Her heart was beating like a drum, but she didn't dare open her eyes and could only continue to pretend to be asleep.

Fu Mulan thought she was asleep, so he stroked her hair gently and sighed:

"If anything happens to you, I will make sure the entire Lu family is buried with you."

The mixture of cruelty and tenderness in this sentence made Yan Qinghuan's heart tremble.

She had never been cherished so much by anyone. Even her parents had been away from her for a long time because they had been guarding the border for a long time.

And Fu Mulan, this almost stranger man, is willing to go through fire and water for her...

As her thoughts were churning, she heard Fu Mulan getting up, followed by the sound of the window opening and closing gently.

he's gone.

Yan Qinghuan opened her eyes and looked at the sand tent above the bed, feeling mixed emotions.

Fu Mulan's words made her feel both sweet and painful.

She is a married woman. Even if Lu Chengan is unbearable, the moral code is like a natural barrier between her and Fu Mulan.

"Princess?" Huairou gently pushed the door open and came in. Seeing that her master had woken up, she hurried forward and said, "Are you feeling better? King Xiaoyao just..."

"I know." Yan Qinghuan interrupted her, "What's the situation outside?"

Huairou lowered her voice and said, "Mrs. Lu sent people to ask several times whether you were dead or not. The son-in-law and the cousin were talking secretly in the garden, saying something like 'three days later' and 'a thousand taels of gold'."

Yan Qinghuan sneered: "You really can't wait." She forced herself to sit up, "Huairou, I want you to do a few things..."

Three days later, Yan Qinghuan's "condition" suddenly worsened. He fell into a coma and was barely breathing.

Mrs. Lu hypocritically invited a doctor, who shook his head and sighed after the diagnosis, suggesting that she should prepare for her funeral.

The entire Lu family was immediately filled with joy, and Lu Chengan even began to order the servants to prepare funeral supplies.

Luo Yurou even blatantly moved into the main courtyard, acting as if she were the hostess.

"Miss, you didn't see their true faces!" Aunt Xu said angrily, while helping Yan Qinghuan sort out the copy of the border defense map under the bedding - it was a fake one prepared for fishing.

Yan Qinghuan was lying on the bed, her face as pale as paper - this was disguised by her special makeup.

The real antidote has taken effect, and she is now more awake than ever.

"Let them be happy for a while." She whispered, "Is Prince Fu ready?"

Nanny Xu nodded: "The prince sent someone to tell you that everything is going according to plan. But..." She hesitated, "The prince is very worried about your safety."

Yan Qinghuan's heart warmed up, but then became sad again.

She already knew Fu Mulan's feelings, but how could she talk about love when she hadn't taken revenge yet?

As night fell, Lu Cheng'an sneaked out of the house and headed straight out of the city.

Yan Qinghuan immediately got up from the bed, changed into night clothes, and prepared to follow.

"Princess!" Huairou stamped her feet anxiously, "You haven't recovered yet, it's too dangerous!"

"Don't worry, I won't follow him in person." Yan Qinghuan comforted him, "Uncle Zhao's people will keep an eye on him. I have other important matters."

She quietly came to Mrs. Lu's yard and slipped in when the night watchwoman took a nap.

The lights in Mrs. Lu's room were off, but Yan Qinghuan knew that this old woman had a habit - she hid important things in the secret compartment under the bed.

Carefully entering the inner room, Yan Qinghuan held his breath and listened to Mrs. Lu's even snoring, then quietly crawled under the bed.

Sure enough, there was a hidden small drawer under the bed.

She pried it open gently with a hairpin, revealing a stack of letters and a booklet.