Mu Yanming walked out of the room without looking back.
When Bai Ke saw Mu Yanming coming out, he called out, "My lord..." After shouting, he hesitated for a second and suddenly didn't know whether he should speak or not.
"If you have something to say, just say it. Why are you hesitating?" Mu Yanming frowned slightly and noticed Bai Ke's abnormality.
Bai Ke scratched his head. "The princess came here just now, but... she left after only hearing the first half."
"Okay. Let's go to the military camp." Mu Yanming walked forward expressionlessly, but in his heart, he was calculating how to explain things when he got back...
Mo Qinghuan returned to Ling Yu's room. "Let's go."
Dan'er and A Si followed her out of the Jujun Tower. A Si went to the Jishitang, while Mo Qinghuan returned to the prince's mansion.
She saw that Mr. Situ and Lu Zixiu seemed to be discussing something, but when they saw her coming in, they stopped.
"Is your injury better?" Mo Qinghuan wasn't being polite. She sat down at the stone table.
Lu Zixiu nodded with a smile on his face, but Mo Qinghuan could tell that they all seemed a bit unnatural.
"Much better. Thank you, princess, for your concern."
Mo Qinghuan glanced into his eyes and then looked away. She smiled and said, "That's good. Then I won't disturb you. I'll go back to my room. You can continue your conversation."
She stood up and walked towards the Yangyang Hall. The smile on her face disappeared the moment she turned around.
Dan'er noticed Mo Qinghuan's mood. After entering the room, she closed the door. "Miss, is there something wrong?"
Mo Qinghuan sat down in front of the table and rubbed the ring on her hand. "This Young Master Lu seems to have become a bit strange since he got injured. Although I can't really say what the problem is, I always have a bad feeling."
She pinched her chin and her eyes landed on the teacup. "Dan'er, help me prepare paper and a writing brush."
"Yes, miss." Dan'er went to the writing desk to grind the ink. Mo Qinghuan was still thinking about what was wrong with Lu Zixiu. Just as she was thinking, there was a knock on the door.
"Your Highness, Miss Zhao from the Duke's Mansion is here."
Mo Qinghuan raised her eyebrows slightly. "Bring her directly here."
"Yes."
Not long after, the gatekeeper brought Zhao Yiyi over. By this time, Mo Qinghuan was already sitting in the pavilion in the courtyard.
There were two plates of snacks on the stone table and a pot of tea being warmed on the stove.
Zhao Yiyi glanced at the steaming tea and inexplicably thought of what Mo Yao had said before about Mo Qinghuan being able to poison people.
"Miss Zhao, come and sit down." Mo Qinghuan sat at the stone table in a lofty posture, but this posture of hers didn't give people a feeling of disgust. Instead, it seemed as if she was born to sit in a high position and look down on everyone.
Zhao Yiyi walked up the steps step by step and came over to sit opposite Mo Qinghuan. She couldn't help but wonder in her heart why Mo Qinghuan didn't meet her in the main hall but brought her to the yard instead.
Mo Qinghuan saw what was on her mind and smiled faintly. "Miss Zhao, what are you afraid of? Do you think this princess will do you any harm?"
Zhao Yiyi shook her head. "I wouldn't dare, Your Highness. It's just... I came today to ask if Your Highness has developed the antidote for my mother?"
"Has Miss Zhao found the person who poisoned your mother?" Mo Qinghuan gracefully picked up a cup of tea, took a sip, and then gently put it down.
Seeing her unhurried manner, Zhao Yiyi didn't dare to urge her. After thinking for a while, she then said, "Replying to Your Highness, I have a suspect, but there is still no evidence. Moreover, my father is already investigating this matter. Don't you think the most urgent thing is to wake up my mother first?"
Mo Qinghuan pushed a cup of tea towards her. "I can save your mother, but I also want Miss Zhao to do me a favor. I wonder what Miss Zhao thinks?"
Zhao Yiyi pursed her lips and looked at Mo Qinghuan. "Your Highness, please tell me first what this matter is so that I can consider it."
Hearing this, Mo Qinghuan burst out laughing. She quickly covered her lips with a handkerchief. "Miss Zhao doesn't really think this princess is discussing this with you, does she?"
Zhao Yiyi looked at Mo Qinghuan's face. She was clearly smiling, but that smile made her feel a chill. She adjusted her breathing and forced a smile that was uglier than crying. "Please tell me, Your Highness."
Mo Qinghuan smiled in satisfaction. She took out a small dark - green bottle from her belt and put it on the table. "This is the antidote for the root - coiling flower."
"What is Your Highness's request?"
Mo Qinghuan sat up straight and looked at Zhao Yiyi seriously. "There is no request for now, but you owe me a favor. When I need your help in the future, if you haven't gotten married yet, you should use all the power of the Duke's Mansion to help me once. Of course, if you're married, you should also persuade your husband's family to help."
Without thinking, Zhao Yiyi picked up the medicine bottle. "Okay, I agree!"
Mo Qinghuan held out her hand in front of her.
Zhao Yiyi took a deep breath and tightened her grip on the medicine bottle. "Okay, let's seal the deal with a high - five. If I break this promise, may I be struck by lightning!"
"Dan'er, see Miss Zhao out." She turned her head and told Dan'er.
After Zhao Yiyi curtsied, she followed Dan'er out.
Mo Qinghuan watched her back disappear through the palace gate and then relaxed. She stood up, turned her neck, and looked up at the sky. It was already past the ninth hour. She wondered if Mu Yanming would come back for lunch...
...
Gu Qinglan returned to the Gu family in a daze. Gu Yishu was practicing swordsmanship. When he saw Gu Qinglan, he put down his sword and walked over.
"Sister, why did you drink so much during the day? If Father sees this, he will surely scold you." As he said this, he helped Gu Qinglan sit down on a stool.
"Yishu..." She looked up at her younger brother. Suddenly unable to hold back her grief, she hugged her brother and cried.
Gu Yishu was completely confused. He didn't know how to comfort her and was all thumbs.
"Alright, alright, sister. Don't cry. I heard from Father that Eldest Cousin and Second Cousin are coming back soon. If anyone bullies you, tell Eldest Cousin and Second Cousin. Let them avenge you, okay?" Gu Yishu gently and patiently coaxed Gu Qinglan.
Hearing the news that the two cousins were coming back, Gu Qinglan immediately stopped crying and sat up straight.
"Really?" She looked into Gu Yishu's eyes. Gu Yishu pursed his lips. "Sister, why would I lie to you about this! I heard Father and Brother Gu talking about it with my own ears."
"In that case, Aunt must be very happy. But the two cousins have been sent away to learn martial arts for several years. There hasn't been any news that they were coming back. Why are they suddenly coming back?"
Gu Qing, whom Gu Yishu called Brother Gu, walked over. "Because the emperor may be appointing a crown prince soon, so..."
He was an adopted son of Gu Fucheng. He was picked up by Gu Fucheng back then and had been treated like a real son for all these years. However, Gu Qing had never given up looking for the whereabouts of his biological parents over the years.
Gu Qinglan stood up and walked up to Gu Qing. She looked up at him and asked, "Eldest Cousin and Second Cousin are both Aunt's sons. Which one do you think Father will support?"
Gu Qing shook his head with a mysterious smile. Just as Gu Qinglan was about to ask again, Gu Fucheng walked over.