General, you should rest now; the lady is even more ruthless.

Jiang Qiqi was initially very angry, but seeing Shen Luo's meek and obedient appearance, she inexplicably calmed down.

Simply put, he's undeniably handsome.

Imagine seeing a handsome guy looking aggrieved in front of you, wanting to speak but afraid of upsetting you, yet afraid of making you even angrier if he doesn't speak... He's caught in this dilemma while secretly observing your mood. How heartless must a person be to stay angry?

Jiang Qiqi sighed; she couldn't stay angry.

She knew perfectly well that everyone has their little secrets, just like her own identity and the treasure she possessed, which she had always kept hidden from Shen Luo.

But poisoning is different, especially when it's a life-threatening poison.

In her view, she and Shen Luo had already been excellent partners who had cooperated perfectly several times. Whether in missions or on the battlefield, partners should not hide anything when it comes to matters of life and death.

Therefore, while Jiang Qiqi felt sorry for Shen Luo for hiding his poisoning and forcing himself to stay healthy, she also felt that his actions were very irrational.

Disregarding her own health would not only cause Shen Luo to bear a lot of extra pressure, but would also lead her to misjudge the strength of the two of them.

The consequences of such a mistake are self-evident.

Most importantly, if she had known that Shen Luo's poisoning was so severe, she should have asked Tang Yiqing back in Liyuan; perhaps he would have had a solution.

Although his main profession is as a Taoist priest, Tang Yiqing seems quite reliable.

Moreover, the Ten-Ingredient Tonic Soup is indeed highly nourishing.

"I can ignore everything else, but I need to know how this poison will affect you."

This was a concession made by Jiang Qiqi.

"Is your leg also related to this poison?"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The room was dark and gloomy, and despite it being summer, it still exuded a chilling aura.

The two Northern Ming masters were bound to the cross and struggled incessantly, but the ropes were specially made and they remained motionless no matter how they channeled their internal energy.

Thirteen instruments of torture were lined up in a row, and they were carefully selected.

"Who are you? Why are you arresting us when we have no grudge against you?" one of them shouted.

Thirteen raised his head. He clearly had thick eyebrows and big eyes, but there was no emotion in his eyes.

"Tell me everything you know."

“We are just two ordinary people, we don’t know anything, what do you want to hear?”

Thirteen picked up a thin wire and held it up in front of their heads.

Once you've made sure it's long enough to go through the skull after inserting it through the ear, you can see that it's long enough.

"Is your Imperial Advisor, Wu Mo, still alive?"

The two Northern Ming people stared wide-eyed in shock upon hearing a name that had not been mentioned for a long time.

"You are Shen Luo's person!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That afternoon, a distinguished guest arrived at the Prime Minister's residence—the Third Prince, Chen Chengfeng.

The Prime Minister's son was not at home, so the Prime Minister's wife, along with a group of female relatives, went to greet the Third Prince.

As for Prime Minister Lü, he didn't tell anyone except his confidants about waking up.

Even Madam Lü and Lü Shuyi were unaware of it.

Even so, he still instructed his trusted confidants to keep a close eye on Chen Chengfeng: "Watch whether Wang Liang's disappearance has aroused his suspicion and he has come to the mansion to test him."

"Yes."

Prime Minister Lü held a string of prayer beads in his hand, a faint smile on his face: If the Third Prince is truly so intelligent and perceptive, then when he inherits the throne, how can Nanyue not prosper!

……

However, the truth was destined to disappoint him.

Chen Chengfeng's visit this time was purely forced upon him.

He's been really bothered by Wang Liang's matter these past few days: the second brother's men are amazing this time, they managed to do it so cleanly.

He personally led the investigation, but no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't find a single clue about Wang Liang's disappearance.

Chen Chengfeng was in a real bind, and just then, word came from the palace that the Empress was urging him to visit the Prime Minister's residence more often so he could cultivate a relationship with the future Third Prince's wife.

That's why he reluctantly came to visit the Prime Minister's residence today.

"Your Highness," Lü Shuyi said, bowing.

Chen Chengfeng waved his hand absentmindedly: "No need for formalities, please sit down."

"Yes."

Then... the two of them just sat there staring at each other.

It was completely dry; there wasn't even a pot of water.

"Well, Your Highness, why don't we take a stroll in the back garden?" Lü Shuyi felt the atmosphere was getting too suffocating, so she took the initiative to suggest changing the location.

Maybe taking a walk will make things a little better.

......

Summer has arrived, and the backyard is lush and green.

Although not as vibrant as in spring when hundreds of flowers bloom, there are still many flowers in full bloom, their fragrance carried on the breeze, refreshing and delightful.

Unfortunately, no one appreciates it.

The two walked one after the other, each more silent than the last.

Chen Chengfeng was already in a bad mood, and now he was even more speechless.

Feelings are something that either exist or they don't; they can't be cultivated. Chen Chengfeng thought to himself.

He caught a glimpse of Lü Shuyi, who was looking down and meek, and felt that nothing about her was pleasing to the eye.

If the other person is Qiqi... he couldn't help but think.

No, Qiqi wouldn't walk obediently behind him like that. She would probably hold his hand and sweetly call out, "Brother Xiaofeng."

She can't stand seeing others frown, and if he's upset right now, Qiqi will be extremely worried...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Prime Minister, the Third Prince doesn't seem to have noticed anything. He's strolling in the back garden with the young lady," the confidant reported back to Prime Minister Lü.

"Understood." Prime Minister Lü wasn't disappointed, since he was currently in the public eye as someone who had been in a coma for a long time, so it was normal that no one suspected him.

As for the Emperor's bestowal of a marriage, he naturally learned about it after waking up.

He didn't feel this disrupted his plans; on the contrary, he was overjoyed.

Once this incident occurred, the conflict between the second and third princes became completely unavoidable.

One side wants to use this opportunity to expand its power, while the other side wants to prevent the other from doing so...

They had no choice but to fight!

These two are not young, and they have been involved in politics for several years.

But in his eyes, the two of them were still immature kids.

Not decisive enough, not perceptive enough, and not ruthless enough.

They may not be particularly talented, but they can only grow by fighting each other to the death.

Only then can we lead Nanyue to new heights of glory.

However, there was one thing that Prime Minister Lü decided to try to balance out.

The Third Prince's family was already powerful, and the marriage was even more advantageous to him. This created a huge gap in initial resources between him and the Second Prince, which could easily affect the final outcome.

In the dimly lit room, Prime Minister Lü stopped turning the prayer beads and stared intently at the still moving shadow on the wall.

Unconsciously, the fingertip repeatedly rubs a bead.

"After dark, quietly leave the mansion and deliver a few letters to me."

"Also, find an opportunity to meet Jiang Qianzhong."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

If Jiang Qiqi's secret is her origin and the Mu family's treasure, then Shen Luo's secret is his leg injury.

Only he and Twelve, Thirteen, Sixteen, and Nineteen knew that his leg was not injured.

When Shen Luo was first rescued, he was indeed covered in injuries, and both of his legs were broken. However, his injuries were not so severe that he would need to be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. After recuperating for more than half a year, he was able to walk normally again.

However, he did not intend to tell anyone else about this, because he needed to appear weak in order to investigate some things.

But now... he's wavering.

Qiqi is a special person to him. Should he say so?

Jiang Qiqi saw the person opposite her remain silent for a moment, then shake their head and say:

"No, although my leg injuries and poisoning occurred in the same war, there is no direct connection between the two."

"I see," Jiang Qiqi replied, her eyes glancing at Shen Luo's legs.

His legs, resting on the footrest of his wheelchair, were straight. The wind blew past his trouser legs, and the thin trousers clung to his body, revealing the muscle lines on his calves.

The questions I had during our first meeting resurfaced in my mind, and this time they were even clearer—

She was certain that in the two months she had been with Shen Luo, she had never seen him give her any leg massages.

But his legs remain the same as those of an ordinary person, without any signs of muscle atrophy.

His legs are really...

Suspicion aside, as the saying goes, everyone has their little secrets.

As long as it doesn't have too much of an impact, Jiang Qiqi expressed her understanding and respect.

She didn't press further and changed the subject.

Just how serious is your poisoning?

Shen Luo lowered his head and pondered for a while: "I won't die anytime soon."

He was telling the truth, but that was all.

Jiang Qiqi was not easily fooled; she immediately saw through Shen Luo's attempt to exploit a loophole in their words.

"How long is 'a while'? Ten years? Or a year?"

Shen Luo remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "...I don't know."

......

Shen Luo was recovering from a serious illness and was not in good spirits, so the two did not chat for long before Shen Luo rested.

Jiang Qiqi's back was aching from sitting, and just then she heard a lot of noise coming from the courtyard, so she strolled outside.

In the courtyard outside, Lin'er was bowing her head and being scolded by Sixteen.

The reason was that Lin'er accidentally dropped the sledgehammer while swinging it, and the sledgehammer ended up in the east wing.

This caused quite a stir, because not only did she break the window, she also smashed a valuable antique vase inside the house.

The miserly Sixteen was heartbroken!

He clutched the shards and howled for a while, then reached out to snatch Lin'er's hammer:

"Dangerous items, confiscated!"

He tried to snatch Lin'er, but she dodged, shouting, "Why should I!"

"Why should I?" Sixteen laughed.

"Just because that antique vase was an imperial artifact of the emperor of the previous, previous, previous, previous dynasty! Do you know how much silver it was worth? It was priceless! And you just smashed it like that! Confiscated! This murder weapon must be confiscated!"

Lin'er wasn't about to let him have his way. She had recently been learning some characters and reading some books with Xiang'er, and her speech was quite eloquent.

"Don't you know the saying 'a wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall'? You put that vase so close to the window, anything could easily break it! Don't blame me for this!"

She pushed Sixteen's hand away.

Sixteen stumbled from her push, took a deep breath, and said, "I'm too lazy to waste my breath on you!"

Instantly, he dropped his aloofness and abandoned all manners, rolling up his sleeves and lunging to grab the weapon.

Lin'er was not to be outdone, swinging her hammer back and forth but refusing to give Sixteen any.

And then, the two of them started making love.

Xiang'er, standing nearby, acted as a cheerleader, encouraging Lin'er.

There was also a thirteen who happened to be passing by. He squatted down and picked up the broken pieces of the vase, gesturing and trying to see if he could turn them into a hidden weapon.

Jiang Qiqi: "..."

However, she felt that as the lady of the house, she still had an obligation to coordinate the relationships between family members.

It's just an antique vase. Jiang Qiqi is quite wealthy now, so she can afford to pay this amount of money.

She walked over and said, "Okay, stop fighting."

Then, Sixteen and Lin'er actually stopped and looked at her, waiting for her to continue.

Jiang Qiqi was surprised that the two of them were so at ease with each other...

She coughed lightly: "An antique vase, right? How much is it worth? I'll pay for it myself."

Sixteen took out his abacus and did a few calculations: "I'll give you a discount for the sake of the lady, two hundred thousand taels."

Jiang Qiqi: "......"

She turned and left, as if she had made up her mind, without ever looking at them again.

"You can continue, just pretend I was never here."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

It's night, everything is silent.

The candles inside had been extinguished, but the bright moonlight still streamed in through the window, casting a faint veil over the room.

Shen Luo lay on the bed, looking at the person next to her.

He had rested during the day and wasn't sleepy. On the contrary, Qiqi hadn't slept well last night because she was worried about him, but she fell asleep early this morning.

She lay on her side facing Shen Luo, her breathing even, her long eyelashes casting shadows and trembling slightly.

Shen Luo just looked at her quietly, his emotions almost bursting forth.

Jiang Qiqi brought him so many different feelings.

As a highly renowned young general, Shen Luo harbored a certain arrogance even if he didn't show it.

If we go back three months, he would never have imagined that one day he would be so affected by someone.

Over the years, he has only had Nineteen and his group by his side. They all tacitly agree to move towards that goal, and nothing else matters.

Once, in order to achieve a decisive victory, he entered the game with a death wish.

He didn't care about life or death, and being tortured was not even worthy of his attention.

But when he woke up this morning, he realized that Qiqi knew about his poisoning.

He no longer possessed his usual composure.

An indescribable mix of emotions welled up inside me—panic, guilt, and turmoil...

He was so afraid to face her that he fled in panic.

......

I do not know how long it has been.

Shen Luo's fingers slowly moved closer under the blanket until they felt a warmth at their fingertips before stopping.

But it only lasted for a moment.

He followed her fingers and gently took Qiqi's hand in his.

"Qiqi, I'm sorry I can't tell you."

He thought she would be angry and argue with him today.

But she didn't.

Even though she knew nothing, she was so understanding that she didn't press the matter.

I understand his unspeakable predicament.

Looking at her sleeping face, Shen Luo's Adam's apple bobbed, and his breathing became tense.

He leaned in gently and placed a kiss on Qiqi's cheek.

Like cherishing a rare treasure.