It turned out to be him

Pei Songsheng's condition continued to fluctuate. Half a month later, Doctor Wang brought a newly prepared antidote.

It was still an ordinary-looking pill like last time, but the handwritten note that came with the medicine contained a long and eloquent paragraph, which was not like Doctor Wang's usual style at all. Just looking at the ink marks all over the paper made people feel heavy.

Imperial Physician Wang explained that this medicine, a potent blend of the toxicity of the Heartbreak Grass, could neutralize the Soul-Separating Powder, but its inherently overbearing properties would also put Pei Songsheng in imminent danger. Without compromising the potency of the medicine, he had added some herbs that delayed the onset of the poison, effectively delaying its onset for twelve hours. Within those twelve hours, he must draw out the poison through acupuncture, or Pei Songsheng would die.

He also said that in order to ensure that the antidote's medicinal properties are maximized, it must be taken when Pei Songsheng's Lihunfen is in effect.

After reading the handwritten letter, Cheng Yayin's face darkened.

Pei Songsheng had been in good condition for the past two days and had remained lucid, meaning he couldn't take the antidote. The most foolproof solution would be for Doctor Wang to be by his side when the poison took effect. He could administer the antidote in front of him, and then use acupuncture to draw out the poison. However, there were too many variables involved, and Cheng Yayin wasn't sure if such a good opportunity would be forthcoming.

Pei Songsheng, who was standing by, gently stroked her furrowed brows and said softly, "At least there's an antidote for the Soul-Separating Powder poison. That's a good thing."

Cheng Yayin was still worried: "But you will also be poisoned by the intestinal grass. If you don't detoxify it in time, you will..."

"That's twelve hours. No matter what happens, we'll definitely be there in time." Pei Songsheng handed the small box containing the antidote to Cheng Yayin. "This medicine is in your safekeeping. You decide when to use it. I believe you can make all the arrangements."

Cheng Yayin silently clenched the small box in her hand, feeling the weight of over a thousand pounds pressing down on her. This was the key to Pei Songsheng's life or death. She knew that Pei Songsheng had placed his life in her hands. No one else could be entrusted with this task.

She solemnly put the medicine box close to her body, deciding to carry it with her at all times, and to regard it as equivalent to her own life.

*

When Pei Songsheng was awake, he would be busy with his official duties as usual. Although he tried to stay at home as much as possible at Cheng Yayin's request and postponed things whenever possible, he could not refuse to go to the palace to see the emperor.

Before he was about to leave, he said to the worried Cheng Yayin, "Don't worry, I've been feeling fine these past few days. If anything goes wrong, I'll definitely come back quickly."

Jian Zhu also said solemnly, "Don't worry, Madam. I will definitely take good care of you."

Cheng Yayin was extremely worried: "You can't enter the palace. What if something goes wrong when your master meets the emperor? If he loses his manners in front of the emperor, it will be a serious crime."

Jian Zhu fell silent, scratching his head, not knowing what to do.

Pei Songsheng gently separated Cheng Yayin's unconsciously twisted fingers one by one, held them in his palm and kneaded them, calling her back to her worries. "A Zheng, it's okay. Didn't I say Xue Zhi would go with us? He knows my situation. If anything really happens, he can help cover it up."

Cheng Yayin felt a little relieved. But when she heard that Xue Zhi was going to see the emperor, another worry came to her mind.

Xue Zhi, a minor official in the Dali Temple, was not supposed to have the opportunity to see the emperor. However, he solved the case of the antique theft. Despite being deliberately kept in the dark, he still managed to unravel the mystery and identify the real tomb robbers. He then uprooted the entire chain of theft, laundering, and reselling, exposing it to the public.

The case implicated many people, including many officials at the imperial court. Upon hearing the news, the emperor was furious, but at the same time, he was impressed by Xue Zhi's ability to solve the case, and allowed him to enter the palace to personally explain the case.

Cheng Yayin knew that being summoned by the emperor was a great honor, and it would surely smooth Xue Zhi's career. She was happy for him, but also worried. She knew that Xue Zhi had already discussed with Pei Songsheng and planned to take advantage of this audience to report the missing person's case directly to the emperor.

This practice is illegal. If His Majesty takes this case seriously, it's fine. If His Majesty doesn't take this case seriously, then Xue Zhi and Pei Songsheng will face the consequences. But there's no other way. The murderer will continue to commit crimes. If they rely on just the two of them, without strong support, it will be difficult to catch the murderer. They can only take this risky tactic.

But Cheng Yayin didn't want to show this nervousness in front of Pei Songsheng.

She helped Pei Songsheng tidy up his clothes. While Jian Zhu went to harness the carriage and Lan Yue and Yi Xing were busy, Pei Songsheng lowered his head and pecked Cheng Yayin's lips quickly. He said to her in a low and serious voice, "I will come back safely."

Despite Pei Songsheng's assurance, Cheng Yayin still couldn't help feeling uneasy as she watched him leave, and always felt that something was going to happen today.

Not long after Pei Songsheng left, a servant from the mansion came to report that something had been sent from the Jin'an Palace again.

Cheng Yayin's head hurt when she heard this. Ever since they'd parted ways at the palace that day, she'd promised to consult Prince Jin'an on poetry and prose. The palace had been sending gifts to her frequently. They weren't expensive, mostly just brushes, inkstones, and the like. Returning them would have seemed like a formality, so Cheng Yayin accepted them and even prepared some return gifts, performing every act with due courtesy and without overstepping the bounds.

Today's gift from the palace was unusual, personally delivered by the palace's steward. Besides scrolls of calligraphy and painting, it even contained a rare manuscript by a renowned storyteller from the previous dynasty. While these items might be considered valuable, they were merely ancient books, but for a devoted book lover, they were rare treasures. By giving this gift to Cheng Yayin, Prince Jin'an clearly knew her preferences and was catering to them.

This gave Cheng Yayin even more headaches.

The old butler who had brought the gifts boasted about the boxes and crates, "These are the precious manuscripts that our prince collected during his early years while traveling throughout Daxi. He never showed them to anyone, so today he specially sent this old servant to deliver them to Madam. He said that these things would only be worth their weight in gold when they were in the hands of those who truly appreciated them."

Cheng Yayin declined, "Since they are the prince's treasures, how can I let him part with them? Butler Zhu, please take them back. I dare not accept these things."

Housekeeper Zhu was in a dilemma: "The prince specifically instructed me to hand it over to the lady personally. If I take it back, I'm afraid I won't be able to report to the prince."

Cheng Yayin was completely overwhelmed. She had thought the Prince of Jin'an was a bright and intelligent man, but she hadn't expected him to be so muddleheaded that he couldn't even distinguish truth from fiction. He had developed a fondness for her after reading her books and was constantly showing his affection to a married woman. If word got out, who knew what kind of mess it would cause.

Seeing the hesitation in Zhu's face, it was clear that she had been ordered to accept the gift before leaving. Cheng Yayin didn't want to embarrass her subordinates, so she followed him to the Jin'an Palace, firstly to return the gift, and secondly to have a clear discussion with the Jin'an Prince.

Meng Yu was not surprised to see Cheng Yayin. It would be better to say that he had expected it and even prepared tea.

Cheng Yayin didn't sit down, but politely told him the purpose of her visit. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "But you don't like those things? Then I'll give you something else next time."

Cheng Yayin sighed inwardly and said calmly, "Your Highness, liking things and liking people are not the same thing. I admire your unrestrained character. It is an honor for me that you are interested in making friends with me, but if you want anything else, I cannot afford it. Please don't make things difficult for me."

Thunder rumbled faintly in the sky, and inside and outside the house, a hazy cloud of impending rain filled the air. Meng Yu's face was veiled in the shadows, and Cheng Yayin couldn't see his expression. Without receiving a response from him, and unsure if she had gotten through, Cheng Yayin didn't want to linger any longer and bowed to take her leave.

"If you leave now, it will pour before you're halfway there." Meng Yu suddenly said behind her, "I understand what my lady said. I was the one who offended you earlier. You don't have to rush home now. Summer rains are heavy. Wait until this downpour is over before you set off again."

Cheng Yayin looked at the sky and knew that what he said was true, but she was still a little hesitant.

Meng Yu smiled as he poured out the untouched cup of cold tea opposite him and slowly poured hot tea in it. He looked up at her and said, "I want to apologize to Madam. Madam, you wouldn't even refuse to accept the tea I offer you, would you?"

*

When the first drop of rain fell, Xue Zhi was just walking out of the palace gate.

The rain grew heavier, and in a moment it became a downpour, with puddles dotting the ground and water splashing. Xue Zhi stumbled in the rain, while Pei Songsheng chased after him, holding an umbrella.

Xue Zhi's steps were hurried but fast, like a ghost with no direction. Pei Songsheng hurried forward, grabbed his arm, held an umbrella over his head, and led him to the corner of the palace gate to shelter from the rain.

"Pingzhang, what's wrong with you?" Pei Songsheng looked at the distraught Xue Zhi and asked anxiously, "Why didn't you present the case to His Majesty just now in the Imperial Study? And what's wrong now? You're walking out in the rain like this without a care in the world. Aren't you afraid of getting wet?"

Xue Zhi pretended not to hear, his gaze fixed on the rain. After a while, he asked in a daze, "Brother Pei, where did the screen in His Majesty's study come from?"

A screen? Pei Songsheng frowned as he recalled that the screen was indeed eye-catching. It was embroidered with a golden dragon hovering in the sky, overlooking the mountains and rivers of Daxi. It was a birthday gift presented to His Majesty by Prince Jin'an on the Wanshou Festival last year.

He said puzzledly, "That was a birthday gift presented to Your Majesty by Prince Jin'an last year. It was exquisitely crafted and had a good meaning. Your Majesty liked it very much and has kept it in his study ever since. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Xue Zhi suddenly trembled all over, as if he couldn't stand the chill carried by the rain. Even his teeth were trembling as he spoke: "That embroidery work was clearly done by my sister..."

*

The rain was pouring down, and it looked like it wouldn't stop for a while. Cheng Yayin watched the sky, estimating the time to go out. By this time, Pei Songsheng would be back from the palace. If he didn't see her when he returned, he would be worried.

She asked for her resignation to Meng Yu again, but he said nothing. He just sipped his tea and stared at the cup of cold tea opposite him that had not been touched, with a dark look in his eyes.

The steam from the tea had long since dissipated into the air, and Cheng Yayin felt increasingly uneasy. From the very beginning, she had a feeling something was very wrong. Prince Jin'an was clearly just sipping his tea, not even his expression changing at all, yet for some reason, she felt like he had become a different person. His elegant and uninhibited demeanor had vanished, and a gloomy, gloomy aura seemed to surround him.

Cheng Yayin became more and more anxious. She no longer cared about etiquette and stood up to leave with Lan Yue.

"Am I really not as good as Pei Songsheng?" Meng Yu spoke again from behind.

Cheng Yayin paused, without turning back, and said coldly, "Your Highness, I've already made my words very clear. Since Your Highness is still confused, I might as well make it even clearer. I'm a person who will always be loyal to the person I like. It's not that Your Highness can't compare to him, but I simply won't compare him to anyone else. In my heart, he is the best man in the world. In my life, there is only this man."

Meng Yu behind him chuckled twice, and the laughter made people feel creepy for no reason.

"What a mistake! I thought he was poisoned and that you two would gradually drift apart. I never expected that by accident you would share hardships and become closer. I must blame fate for not letting me know you were Song Lingjun sooner."

Cheng Yayin felt cold from head to toe in an instant and ran away without thinking.

It was still too late. A man suddenly appeared at the door, grabbed her, and covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief. It was the housekeeper Zhu. This old servant looked frail, but surprisingly, he was incredibly strong. He held the handkerchief tightly to Cheng Yayin's mouth. A strange fragrance penetrated her mouth and nose. Cheng Yayin's thoughts gradually became unclear. Her arms and legs were unable to struggle and fell limply.

Before her consciousness sank into deep darkness, every little detail of the past connected in Cheng Yayin's mind like a thread in the grass.

He has connections everywhere, is either rich or noble, and has close ties with the court... and is the "king" in Dulan's heart.

It turned out to be the prince.