Chapter 23 is not just about vassal strategists.

Lin Yanshu was so angry with Li Chengyi that she didn't even want to eat breakfast.

The servants had never seen anyone so brazenly vent their anger on His Highness the Crown Prince. They quickly lowered their heads to avoid him, afraid of offending the two of them.

Li Chengyi looked down at the porridge that Lin Yanshu had slammed onto the table.

He brought the porridge to Lin Yanshu.

Lin Yanshu hasn't eaten; she'll be hungry.

What's more, with her stubborn nature, she wouldn't come out to eat all day.

I'm afraid I won't see myself for several days.

Li Chengyi knocked on Lin Yanshu's door in a low, humble voice, pleading with Lin Yanshu in a soft tone:

"Yan Shu, come out and get something to eat."

"Don't be angry, it's bad for your health."

Those who had never seen Li Chengyi in such a manner before only glanced at him briefly before wanting to leave as quickly as possible.

Lin Yanshu covered her ears in frustration.

Lee Seung-ik is good at yielding and always manages to coax himself into submission.

Only when there was no more noise outside did Lin Yanshu get up, push open the door, and go out to look.

Unexpectedly, Li Chengyi was still standing at the door. He looked up at Lin Yanshu with some trepidation.

Lin Yanshu, with a cold face, tried to close the door, but Li Chengyi reached out and blocked the crack in the door.

He hissed exaggeratedly:

"Hand, inkstone."

Lin Yanshu thought of his recently injured hand and reduced the strength in his hand.

Li Chengyi seized the opportunity to slip in and handed the food box to Lin Yanshu.

Lin Yanshu didn't want to look at him.

She felt angry because she was clearly capable, but Lee Seung-ik just wouldn't let her participate.

Seeing Lin Yanshu's angry expression, Li Chengyi carefully explained:

"Yanshu, this matter is too complicated. I'm just afraid you'll get hurt."

Lin Yanshu looked up at him, angrily using sign language:

"If you go to someone else, won't that person also get hurt because of the case?"

Li Chengyi said softly:

“I just don’t want you to get hurt, like yesterday. I’m scared.”

Lin Yanshu paused for a moment, then stared intently at Li Chengyi, firmly using sign language:

“Ah Zhao, I am not afraid of getting hurt. I just hope that I can realize my ambitions.”

"I don't want to be a delicate flower protected by you forever. I have my ideals and my principles. Being your appendage in this courtyard is not what I pursue in life."

Her eyes shone with the light of conviction, and the autumn wind blew through Lin Yanshu's thin cypress, outlining her slender and resilient figure.

Lin Yanshu's hair swayed gently in the breeze, but he remained as still as a resilient bamboo.

"I am a doctor, and I cannot stand idly by and watch innocent people become mindless drug addicts. I want to do everything I can."

"Saving the common people is my greatest wish."

"I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Ah Zhao, do you understand?"

Li Chengyi could not look Lin Yanshu in the eye.

His eyes flickered:

He knew that Lin Yanshu always had her own ideas.

She practiced medicine with compassion and kindness.

It is undoubtedly selfish of Li Chengyi to trap him in this way.

But he had ulterior motives towards her.

Seeing that Li Chengyi was wavering, Lin Yanshu gently took his hand and held it in her palm.

Li Chengyi lowered his eyes as if he had done something wrong, his eyes misty, like a puppy admitting its mistake:

"But you are different to me than to others."

"It will break my heart if you get hurt."

Lin Yanshu blinked, trying to reassure Li Chengyi:

“Ah Zhao treats me as a close friend and worries about me, which makes me very happy.”

"I promise Ah Zhao that I will protect myself!"

"Can Ah Zhao trust me?"

Li Chengyi was captivated by Lin Yanshu's gaze.

Her sincerity and enthusiasm were as bright and clear as the radiant moon.

He nodded silently.

Lin Yanshu smiled with relief, her eyes crinkling as she took the porridge Li Chengyi had brought and drank it all in one gulp.

Li Chengyi took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the porridge stains from the corners of Lin Yanshu's mouth.

Lin Yanshu lowered her eyes, silently approving of Li Chengyi's actions.

………………

Lin Yanshu wrote out a prescription, which Li Chengyi had arrested. He accompanied Lin Yanshu to the Dali Temple dungeon.

The jailers had already administered the medicine to the patient as instructed.

Lin Yanshu entered the room, looked at the unconscious drug users, and knelt down to take their pulses.

He took out a roll of silver needles from the medicine box and inserted them into the body of the person being treated.

The silver needle changed color as soon as it entered. Lin Yanshu twisted and lifted the needle, and the person under her hand trembled slightly, their eyelids twitching.

Li Chengyi watched Lin Yanshu nervously, then silently took a step forward to shield her.

After a set of acupuncture needles, Lin Yanshu was covered in a thin layer of sweat.

His men quieted down, and their pulses became much calmer.

Lin Yanshu put away the silver needles and rolled up the cloth bag.

She breathed a sigh of relief; her idea was correct. However, these people were too severely poisoned and needed to take the medication continuously to regain their sanity.

Li Chengyi bent down to help her pack her medicine kit, and took out a handkerchief to wipe the thin layer of sweat from Lin Yanshu's forehead:

Are you tired?

Lin Yanshu smiled and shook her head, intending to carry the medicine box on her back. Li Chengyi followed her hand, took the medicine box from her, and slung it over his shoulder.

Lin Yanshu didn't say anything, tacitly allowing Li Chengyi to carry his medicine box on his back.

Li Chengyi knew that Lin Yanshu always had many methods; she was much more capable than he had imagined.

"The real culprit in the teahouse case is... I plan to host a banquet for the relevant families to see if we can find any clues."

Lin Yanshu looked at Li Chengyi with some surprise, as he usually wouldn't bring up these cases to her.

It seems that Ah Zhao listened to what she said.

Li Chengyi felt a little uncomfortable under Lin Yanshu's gaze, so he coughed lightly.

"Would Yan Shu be willing to serve as my strategist?"

Lin Yanshu looked at Li Chengyi approvingly.

Ah Zhao is very smart.

She grabbed Lee Seung-ik's arm, leaning half her body against it, and gestured with one hand:

"Okay, Ah Zhao."

Good, Ah Zhao. Okay, Ah Zhao.

Lee Seung-ik felt it was his previous intention.

His fingertips gripped the bottom of the medicine box, the faint scent of medicine emanating from Lin Yanshu lingering around his nose.

With the soft fragrance in his arms, Li Chengyi felt that Lin Yanshu's body was soft and yielding.

She's so soft and supple all over.

Lee Seung-ik couldn't help but recall last night, and his shameful behavior that night.

His body reacted faster than his brain.

Li Chengyi blushed and stiffened.

He... was afraid that Lin Yanshu would find out.

Lin Yanshu suddenly felt Li Chengyi stop moving, and she looked up at him.

Lin Yanshu noticed that Li Chengyi was in a daze, so she poked his cheek in confusion.

Li Chengyi, panting heavily, gripped Lin Yanshu's fingertips.

His hand was incredibly hot. He pulled away from Lin Yanshu's hand, subtly creating some distance, and regained some of his composure.

Lin Yanshu... is truly a dangerous existence.

Lin Yanshu didn't think much of it; she was thinking about how she could help A Zhao find the real culprit at the banquet.

To avoid alerting the enemy, Li Chengyi hosted a large banquet, including the widow of Minister Shen.

Everyone in the capital thought that this banquet was for the Crown Prince to choose a consort.

For a time, the noble ladies of the capital were all eager to find out Li Chengyi's preferences, hoping to seize this opportunity to climb the social ladder.

………………

On the day of the banquet, Lin Yanshu wore a gauze dress given to her by Li Chengyi.

Lin Yanshu found the clothes of these nobles really troublesome, with three layers inside and three layers outside. Although each piece was very light and thin, it would take her a whole morning to study them.

She wondered, "Do the fine clothes Li Chengyi wears every day also involve so many steps?"

Each layer has a knot.

Lin Yanshu didn't even realize that he had chosen the wrong major.

She was combing her hair when Li Chengyi came to pick her up. Upon hearing his footsteps, she ran out immediately.

Her hair, which wasn't properly secured, was now loose and spread all over her shoulders.

Lin Yanshu pouted at Li Chengyi with a charmingly innocent expression, complaining about the outfit.

Li Chengyi grabbed Lin Yanshu's wrist, spun her around, and discovered that Lin Yanshu was wearing the wrong clothes.

He found Lin Yanshu adorably clumsy, and gently tapped Lin Yanshu's forehead with his knuckles, laughing:

"Idiot, you buttoned it wrong."

Lin Yanshu frowned and tugged at her clothes, her eyes misty, staring at Li Chengyi with no intimidation whatsoever.

He's the stupid one!

Li Chengyi felt that Lin Yanshu was like a wildcat in a rage, making people itch with desire.

Since she's already acting all cute and affectionate with him, he'll help her out.

He bent down and focused on unbuttoning the button that Lin Yanshu had fastened incorrectly.

Lin Yanshu even tied it with a tight knot.

Li Chengyi couldn't help but laugh out loud at Lin Yanshu's antics.

Lin Yanshu naturally recognized the sarcasm in Li Chengyi's laughter.

She gritted her teeth and angrily grabbed Li Chengyi's earlobe; it was soft and cool.

Li Chengyi looked up at her, his fingers deftly untying the knot.

Lin Yanshu felt that her clothes were a little loose.

Li Chengyi skillfully unbuttoned the other buttons, straightened the misaligned buttons, and then straightened Lin Yanshu's belt again.

He tied a bow on Lin Yanshu's waist, thinking it would make him as lively as Lin Yanshu.

Lin Yanshu felt Li Chengyi's large hand caressing her waist; it was a little hot and a little itchy.

She involuntarily shifted her waist slightly, but Li Chengyi grabbed her back.

Lin Yanshu's waist was too thin, and Li Chengyi's hands were too big; a single grasp of his hands covered her entire slender waist.

Lee Seung-ik licked his lips, and couldn't help but think:

Lin Yanshu's waist is so thin! He was afraid that if he pinched her too hard, he would hurt her. Then this delicate girl would definitely scold him again!

We need to feed her more; she's too thin.

After fastening the belt, Li Chengyi straightened up, and Lin Yanshu, holding his hand, lifted him up as well.

He pretended to be wronged and complained to himself:

"Yan Shu, I was trying to help you, and you're repaying kindness with enmity!"

"My ears are all red!"

Lin Yanshu released his hand and looked at his ears, which were indeed red.

Lin Yanshu was still wondering why Li Chengyi had suddenly become so spoiled.

Before she could react, Li Chengyi leaned close to her, his brows furrowed in a pitiful, aggrieved expression.

"pain."

Lin Yanshu tiptoed to Li Chengyi's ear, puffed out her cheeks, and gently blew on the air.

Li Chengyi felt a warm breeze by his ear, and the unique medicinal fragrance of Lin Yanshu entered Li Chengyi's nose through his ear.

He wasn't actually in pain; he just wanted to tease Lin Yanshu.

But now it seems they've shot themselves in the foot.