Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

"Let me ask you again, why haven't you used this prescription yet?" Shen Chuning asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuanyi was startled and put on a pitiful look.

He lowered his head slightly, his lips trembling as he whispered, "Sister An Ning, please don't blame me. It's not that I don't trust you, but... it's just that this prescription wasn't easy to come by, so I must be extremely cautious with it. I'll examine it carefully and confirm its efficacy before I can confidently present it to Father! Sister An Ning, you should know that I have no foundation in the court. If I make even the slightest mistake, I'll be doomed..."

After saying that, he raised his head and looked at Shen Chuning pitifully with eyes full of grievance and helplessness. There seemed to be tears in his eyes, and he only hoped to get her forgiveness.

However, Shen Chuning remained unmoved. She continued to stare at Xiao Yuanyi and said in a cold voice, "If you take this medicine, mild cases can be cured in just three days. Even severe cases can have their symptoms significantly alleviated in seven days. But now, more than ten days have passed, why hasn't the government distributed medicine to treat the people yet?"

Xiao Yuanyi's face was full of hurt, his eyes flashing with a trace of resentment and confusion. He murmured softly, "Sister An Ning, why are you treating me like this? You were not so strict before."

His voice trembled slightly, as if he was hurt by Shen Chuning's words.

Shen Chuning, who was standing aside, had a gloomy face, and her eyes showed determination and resolve.

She looked at Xiao Yuanyi and said in a serious tone, "Why am I so harsh? Don't you understand that every day the government delays distributing medicine, hundreds of innocent people will lose their lives to the epidemic? These are all citizens of Dayong. I originally wanted to give you this opportunity to make a contribution, but since you don't want it, I'll give it to someone else."

After saying this, she stood up without hesitation and made a gesture to leave.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuanyi became anxious and quickly reached out to grab Shen Chuning's sleeve tightly, his face full of grievance.

He asked anxiously, "Sister Aning, who are you going to give this prescription to? Is it my eldest brother? But my eldest brother has always been arrogant and proud, and he won't be grateful to you for a mere prescription! Or... you actually want to give it to my third brother, right? I heard that Concubine Qin went to my father to ask for an imperial decree to grant them a marriage. Are you really going to marry into the Third Prince's mansion? Then why did you ask Prime Minister Shen to hand this prescription over to me?"

At the end of his speech, Xiao Yuanyi became more and more excited, even a little incoherent.

However, facing Xiao Yuanyi's questioning, Shen Chuning simply pulled her sleeve back from his hand. Her eyes were as cold as ice, and she responded without emotion: "I don't know what you are talking about! I only know that this prescription is for saving people. Since you have no intention of saving people, then I can only let it appear in the hands of the right people."

Xiao Yuanyi's face was full of pain, and he held his head tightly with both hands, as if this could alleviate the torment and torture in his heart.

He murmured to himself, "It's not that I don't want to save her, I also have my own difficulties..."

At this time, Shen Chuning stood there quietly, staring down at Xiao Yuanyi in front of her.

Her eyes were as cold as ice, and she asked without any emotion, "Then I'd really like to hear what kind of hardship you have that allows you to watch so many people die day by day without any reaction!"

Xiao Yuanyi took a deep breath, slowly raised his head, and looked at Shen Chuning.

He gritted his teeth and finally mustered the courage to speak: "Before, the tragedy of this epidemic could only be seen outside the city, and only the poor people were infected. The emperor, high above, could not witness the suffering these people endured firsthand, so he had no idea how serious and terrifying this epidemic truly was! And now, the epidemic has finally spread into the capital, and only now has the emperor shown some signs of anxiety. But Sister Aning, just wait a little longer. When the epidemic spreads to the palace and endangers those around the emperor, he will surely feel the true fear and... Then, I can help, and the effect will be much better than it is now."

After hearing this, Shen Chuning widened her eyes, her face full of disbelief.

She could not imagine how the timid and frail little boy had become the cold-blooded and calculating man he is today.

Could it be that people born into royal families are inherently so heartless and disloyal?

Or was it because of Concubine Wei's careful teaching that shaped him into the chilling person he is today?

Was it right or wrong for my grandfather to choose this person to support?

Thinking of this, Shen Chuning couldn't help but fall into deep confusion...

Seeing that Shen Chuning remained silent, Xiao Yuanyi reached out his hand again, trying to grab her sleeve.

However, Shen Chuning was keenly aware of his actions and quickly took a step back, avoiding his outstretched hand.

Xiao Yuanyi looked at Shen Chuning's dodging movements, and a hint of disappointment appeared in his eyes.

But this emotion only lasted for a moment and was soon replaced by the almost crazy look before.

He pleaded bitterly, "Sister Aning, just give me a little more time. In a few days, those who are sick in the palace will definitely show symptoms. By then, I will definitely give the prescription to my father."

Hearing this, Shen Chuning's heart trembled. She subconsciously covered her mouth with her hand and asked in astonishment, "Someone in the palace has actually contracted the disease? Could it be... that this is you who did it?"

Xiao Yuanyi lowered his head slightly and did not answer directly, but his silence said it all.

Shen Chuning's heart sank to the bottom in an instant. She looked at the child in front of her who was once familiar but now somewhat strange, in disbelief, her heart filled with disappointment and anger.

She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, then said coldly, "Now it's not a question of whether I'm willing to give you time. This plague came from the northwest. The chief officials of two cities in the northwest have already obtained this prescription and must have already begun treating the people. I believe that it won't be long before the medicine that can cure the plague will also be introduced to the capital. By then, the prescription in your hand will be nothing more than a worthless piece of waste paper."

"Sister Aning?" Xiao Yuanyi widened his eyes in disbelief, his face full of shock, as if he had suffered a huge blow.

"I always thought you treated me sincerely, but it turned out to be nothing more than this. What you gave me were just the leftovers of others!" At this point, he couldn't help but laugh bitterly at himself, and the laughter was filled with endless bitterness and disappointment.