Chapter 17 You scoundrel, you don't appreciate kindness! ...

Chapter 17

"What are you saying, young master? I don't understand."

Miao Wei denied any connection to Shuyu Manor. Jiang Yuchu spoke bluntly, and Miao Wei's expression showed a hint of helplessness. "Does the young master mean that he is worried that a weak woman like me might do something detrimental to the Princess?"

Jiang Yuchu opened her mouth and answered truthfully, "Your Highness, the Princess, is of noble status, so it's always good to be cautious."

Miao Wei: "If that's the case, young master, you can rest assured. I only met His Highness once. Whether you believe me or not, His Highness will make his own judgment. The fact that I was able to leave the Yong'an Marquis's residence shows that His Highness at least trusts me. Why would you need to come back and say such things?"

Jiang Yuchu was speechless. He knew that the other party was most likely related to that "Master Shen". Given the way Shuyu Manor operated, they would never reveal any information they wanted to know. Such a stalemate was indeed inappropriate, so he had no choice but to take his leave.

After Jiang Yuchu left, Shen Suining emerged from the shadows. She let out a soft sigh and remarked, "This family is really troublesome."

Miao Wei said worriedly, "They are so vigilant, Ningning, you have to be careful."

"Don't worry," Shen Suining reassured Miao Wei, helping her back home.

When the two returned to the inn, Shen Fengyu had not yet returned; only Shen Yan and Xun Zong were there.

"Ningning," Shen Yan immediately stood up upon seeing Shen Suining return, "How did it go? Did you see the Princess?"

“Sister Miao went to see her,” Shen Suining handed half of the jade pendant to Shen Yan. “She should have recognized this token, and I think she will listen to what Sister Miao said. However, it’s hard to say about the other guests who were present that day.”

Shen Yan gripped the jade pendant tightly and paced back and forth, seemingly struggling for a long time. "Ningning, you've done your best."

"Father, do you mean that as long as we make sure the Princess's wine is safe, that's enough?" Shen Suining saw Shen Yan's pain. On one side were his wife and children, his former comrades-in-arms, and on the other side were his mother and the entire Shuyu Manor. "The banquet was hosted by the Princess. If there are any problems with the guests, she will also be in trouble."

“But Ningning, you need to know that once you take action and destroy this conspiracy, we may never be able to escape unscathed from this capital city.”

"So you mean we're just going to abandon this?"

Shen Yan closed his eyes and didn't say anything.

Upon seeing this, Shen Suining turned and walked out, but Shen Yan shouted behind her, "Ningning! What are you going to do!"

“Father always says Mother is two-faced, how come he’s learning her faults today?” Shen Suining stopped and didn’t turn around. “I know Father is afraid of implicating us, but I’m even more afraid that Father will spend the rest of his life in regret for betraying his old friend. I can’t sit idly by.”

...

On the day of the banquet held at the Yong'an Marquis's residence, Shen Suining and Shen Fengyu disguised themselves as maids of the female members of the household and sneaked into the residence through a side gate.

The guests arrived early, and the Princess and He Hansheng were busy greeting them in the front yard, with Jiang Yuchu following along.

The absence of those two troublesome individuals gave them some leeway.

After entering the mansion, the two split up. Shen Suining went to put the antidote in the wine, while Shen Fengyu went to destroy the ice chest. Neither of their tasks could be guaranteed to be foolproof, so they could only try their best.

Just as Shen Suining said, if she stood idly by, she feared that Shen Yan would feel uneasy and would have no face to face his former best friend in the future.

The Marquis's mansion is large with many courtyards, so you have to search room by room. In addition, the mansion is heavily guarded and the guards are extremely vigilant, which makes it even more difficult.

Concerned for the children's safety, Shen Yan was unwilling to wait any longer and wanted to go with them, but Xie Chang found him just before they were about to set off.

Xie Chang told Shen Yan that Wang Jingde, the eunuch by the Emperor's side, had sent word that Shen Yan should go to the old Qin family residence for a chat.

Like a sudden blow to the head, Shen Yan could only force a smile and watch Shen Suining and the others leave, while he went alone to keep this appointment with an uncertain future.

When Shen Yan arrived at the old house, he thought it would be a desolate and ruined place. After all, when he resigned from his official post and left the capital, he was just the same age as Shen Suining, and now he was approaching fifty.

Unexpectedly, the old house had already been renovated, and the original name "Qin Mansion" had been changed to "Pu She". The entire garden was modeled after the architecture of Jiangnan.

The blue bricks and white walls made Shen Yan feel somewhat dazed for a moment.

He entered the gate and discovered that not only the exterior had been renovated, but the layout and furnishings of each courtyard were also in accordance with the standards of the Jiangnan region.

Shen Yan was somewhat moved and was about to take a closer look when a voice, unable to hide its joy, came from behind him: "More than twenty years have passed since we parted. I wonder if this gift I have prepared will meet your approval, brother?"

Shen Yan was immediately startled, turned around and bowed: "This humble subject... greets Your Majesty."

"Brother, please rise." Li Bo quickly tried to help Shen Yan up. "I came out of the palace to see you today because I didn't want to see you bound by formalities."

Shen Yan looked up slightly and realized that Li Bo was dressed in casual clothes today, which made him look less like an emperor and more approachable, just like when they swore an oath of brotherhood in the chaos of war.

At that time, he was not yet the emperor. He would squat with them on the scorched earth ravaged by war, sharing a piece of spoiled bread, and under the pitch-black night sky, they would talk with great ambition about the dynasty they would build together.

Back then, Shen Yan was the first among many people to stand up and firmly choose Li Bo.

But twenty years have passed, and now the relationship between ruler and subject is completely different. Shen Yan took a few steps back, saying, "This humble subject is terrified and dares not presume to call himself a brother to the emperor."

“Brother, you have been living a carefree life for over twenty years, yet you still remember these manners,” Li Bo said after carefully examining Shen Yan. “It is indeed the mountain air that nurtures people. Over the years, there are no traces of time on your face, and you look exactly the same as you did back then.”

"Your Majesty..." After all, they had gone through life and death together, and Shen Yan was not unmoved. However, he knew better than anyone that Li Bo was no longer the Li Bo he had once been willing to choose.

But Li Bo seemed completely unaware of this, and just like when he was young, he lowered his head, with a hint of youthful grievance, and said in a low voice, "Brother, you are all I have left."

Li Bo spoke of his old friends with a sorrowful tone, “The Marquis of Yong’an is dead, Xie Chang has retired, and all the old ministers who helped us achieve great things back then are gone. Now the court is full of factions and infighting, and even the imperial examinations are controlled by powerful families, so that none of the Jinshi who have entered the court in recent years are pure ministers. My court… has no one left to use.”

While Shen Yan and Li Bo were at the old house, Shen Suining sneaked into a courtyard called "Ta Mei Garden".

Ta Mei Garden is located in the deepest part of the Marquis's mansion, which is relatively quiet and less guarded. Shen Suining went into the library and locked the door from the inside.

The Marquis's mansion was too large, and blindly searching like this was not a solution. Shen Suining rummaged through the cabinets, trying her luck to see if she could find a layout map of the mansion.

Shen Suining reached for a long box on top of the cabinet. It was very light. She picked it up and shook it, feeling that something was amiss.

However, when she opened the box, she found a moon-white belt with jade patterns inside, which looked strangely familiar.

Shen Suining: "..."

Why hide something like this so high up when you can just leave it in the study?

Hearing voices outside, Shen Suining quickly put her things back and crouched by the door to observe secretly.

"My lord, the guests have all taken their seats."

"I'll go over after I change my clothes. Yu Chu, take a few people to get the wine and deliver it to Mother."

"yes."

Shen Suining heard it clearly and was secretly delighted.

It was truly effortless. As long as she followed Jiang Yuchu, she would be able to find where the wine was.

Shen Suining left the library, preparing to follow.

"Who goes there!"

Suddenly, a guard appeared out of nowhere and shouted, immediately attracting He Hansheng's attention. He immediately turned to Jiang Yuchu: "Go protect the Princess."

Shen Suining hadn't expected everyone in the Yong'an Marquis's mansion to be so vigilant. Seeing that her plan had fallen through, she had no choice but to run away first.

However, before she even stepped out of the plum garden, a hidden arrow flew past her and pierced straight through a bamboo stalk.

Shen Suining turned around and saw He Hansheng standing in place, with several guards holding longbows behind him. The bows were already strung, and the arrows were pointed directly at her. It seemed that as long as He Hansheng gave the order, she would be shot into a hedgehog.

Cold sweat broke out instantly. Shen Suining gritted her teeth. She had thought that it would be very troublesome if this person were to stand completely against her, but she never expected that the seemingly gentlemanly and reserved young nobleman would have such a ruthless side.

Shen Suining has always admired such a decisive and efficient style of doing things, but unfortunately, she is standing opposite him today.

She clenched her hands, pondering how to break through the encirclement, but then remembered the identity she was using today. She quickly pretended to be frightened and knelt on the ground: "I am a servant of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. I got lost and ran here. Please forgive me, Your Excellency."

Shen Suining's disguise skills have always been superb, and she has improved them considerably in the past three years. He Hansheng did not seem to suspect anything. He raised his hand and ordered the guards to leave. "I will have someone send you back."

"Thank you, Lord Marquis." Shen Suining breathed a sigh of relief.

He Hansheng called a maid to lead the way for Shen Suining. After leaving the Plum Blossom Garden, Shen Suining took the opportunity to say to the maid, "The Duchess of Zhenguo asked me to get her some wine. I wonder if you could tell me where to get it?"

"I'll take you there."

"Thank you, sister." Shen Suining was overjoyed.

In this world, girls are indeed better. Men like He Hansheng, who draw their swords at the slightest provocation, are really not lovable. If she hadn't been quick-witted, she would have almost died here.

The maid led Shen Suining to the wine cellar and pointed, "This is the wine for today's banquet. I'll help you with it right away..."

Before she could finish speaking, Shen Suining knocked the person unconscious with a karate chop. She carefully placed the person on the ground and said guiltily, "I'm sorry, little sister. I'll definitely make it up to you next time!"

Time was of the essence, so Shen Suining quickly took the antidote out of her bosom.

Just as she bit off the stopper from the bottle, Shen Suining sensed someone behind her.

She turned around and saw He Hansheng's face was gloomy. "Who exactly are you? What is your purpose in breaking into my Yong'an Marquis's residence?"

He arrived at just the right time, presumably having followed her all the way here, observing her every move. From He Hansheng's perspective, it's hard not to suspect her identity and purpose.

"..." Shen Suining spat out the cork and chuckled dryly, "If I said I came to save you, would you believe me?"

Before he could finish speaking, He Hansheng struck out with his palm, shattering a jar of Qionghua Dew on the shelf in mid-air.

Wine splashed out, and Shen Suining was shocked. She quickly picked up the maid she had knocked unconscious from the ground, her anger burning, "Are you blind? Didn't you see there was someone here?!"

He Hansheng ignored her and made a move to attack again.

Shen Suining quickly settled the person in a safe place, dodged He Hansheng's moves, and with a flying kick, destroyed several more jars of poisoned wine.

The two went back and forth, neither willing to give in.

He Hansheng caught Shen Suining's flying kick and coldly questioned, "Who sent you to poison me?"

"Can't you understand what I'm saying! I already said I didn't come here to poison you!" Shen Suining was furious. He Hansheng's martial arts skills were already superior to hers, and now he was probably enraged. His moves were extremely aggressive, and in order to protect herself, she had no choice but to take the initiative to counterattack.

With the sound of the jar breaking, the wine spilled all over the ground, and the entire courtyard was filled with the aroma of Qionghua Dew.

After several stalemates, only three jars of the poisoned Qionghua Dew remained unbroken under the eaves. However, the unconscious maid was nearby, and Shen Suining did not want to hurt her. After dodging He Hansheng's attack, she pulled out a long whip from her sleeve and dragged the maid to the other side of the eaves.

Just then, He Hansheng delivered a flying kick to the side. Shen Suining had no time to dodge and was instantly kicked back several meters, her feet almost sparking.

"You scoundrel, you don't know what's good for you," Shen Suining wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes fixed on the last three jars of poisoned wine. "Take them!"

She tossed the bottle containing the antidote to He Hansheng, then kicked a shard of wine from the ground, shattering the three jars. Shen Suining turned and leaped off the roof, running away.

He Hansheng paused in place, holding the bottle. The bottle still retained the warmth of the other person's palm. If she wanted to poison him, she wouldn't have needed to leave him this bottle of "poison."

He realized something and his gaze fell on the direction where Shen Suining had just disappeared.

"My lord!" Jiang Yuchu, who had rushed over, saw the mess on the ground and immediately summoned his guards. "I'll go after them right away!"

“No need to chase after them,” He Hansheng said, holding the medicine bottle in his hand and calmly looking away. “The Princess’s wine is all gone. Go to the cellar and get some wine to take over.”

"But... we've already used two jars of Qionghua Dew at the banquet, wouldn't it be...?"

"It's alright, I'll explain to my mother. As for those two jars of Qionghua Dew, let's not use them for now, let's get rid of them."

Jiang Yuchu hesitated, but still replied, "I will take care of it immediately."

After everyone left, He Hansheng turned around, looked at the wine and broken pieces scattered on the ground, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

...

Shen Suining made her way from the Marquis's residence, leaning against the wall as she hurried to the place she had arranged to meet Shen Fengyu.

She had already destroyed all the wine. Although the price was a bit high, at least Shen Fengyu would be under less pressure. Even if she failed, it wouldn't matter, as she would still have an explanation to give to Shen Yan.

Before Shen Suining even reached the destination, her knees buckled and she vomited blood.

"Ningning?" Miao Wei heard the noise and walked over, feeling her way along the wall.

"Sister Miao," Chen Suining said, bracing herself and trying to make her voice sound normal, "Weren't you waiting at the inn? Why are you here?"

“Master instructed me that if you and Fengyu couldn’t get out, I should take the token to the Princess,” Miao Wei said, her voice quickening as she touched Shen Suining. “Ningning, are you injured? Let me see your hand!”

Miao Wei felt Shen Suining's pulse and felt heartbroken. "How could... how could you be so badly injured? Can you stand up? I'll help you back to get treatment."

"Don't worry, I'm not in any pain," Shen Suining forced a smile. "That bastard was too ruthless. I'm a little tired now and can't stand up. Sister Miao, just wait for me for a moment, just a little while..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Suining fainted in Miao Wei's arms.

A note from the author:

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