How did these two meet?
Xuan Yi pondered for a moment, then turned and ran towards the study.
"What is she up to now?"
Ever since Nan Shiying entered the prince's manor, she had been restless. If she didn't stir up trouble daily, she felt as if she were physically uncomfortable. Even Ji Jinmo found it a bit of a headache.
Xuan Yi kept his head down, not responding.
He couldn't, what if she was just pretending to be difficult?
Ji Jinmo remained silent for a moment, put down the memorials from officials to Ji Hong that his subordinate had copied, fiddled with his coral bracelet, and strode out of the study.
Xuan Yi exchanged a glance with Xuan Thirteen, and they immediately followed.
...
The manor's pharmacy.
Shen Yue was squatting on the ground, sorting herbs. Hearing the movement behind her, she turned to look.
In the backlight, she couldn't quite make out the person, but the scent of bamboo ink that wafted towards her revealed the visitor's identity. As for the person beside them, Shen Yue assumed it was someone from the manor and didn't pay much attention. Without standing up, she handed the prescription to Wei Yuan: "Master, you're here at just the right time. Take a look at this prescription for me. Which of these two herbs would be more appropriate to use here?"
Wei Yuan glanced at Nan Shiying. Holding the prescription, he coughed, gesturing to Shen Yue that there was a guest.
Shen Yue blinked, then immediately stood up.
Seeing the person, she blinked again.
This person was unfamiliar.
Well, not entirely, she seemed to have seen them somewhere before.
This strange feeling of being both unfamiliar and somewhat familiar made Shen Yue look at Nan Shiying a few more times.
"Master, who is this..." Shen Yue asked.
Wei Yuan's lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he introduced, "Feng Jiu of Quanzhou."
"Quanzhou, Feng Jiu?"
Shen Yue blinked, a hint of joy suddenly spreading across the corners of her eyes. "Then do you know Feng Luan of Quanzhou?"
Nan Shiying revealed a look of surprise and asked with a puzzled expression, "How did you know I know Feng Luan?"
Shen Yue couldn't help but roll her eyes.
One is called Feng Jiu, the other Feng Luan, and both are from Quanzhou. Any fool would guess you know each other!
Perhaps Nan Shiying also felt she had asked a foolish question. After an awkward laugh, she unfurled her fan, posed as a dashing young man, and raised her eyebrows: "Feng Luan is my elder brother."
Wei Yuan looked at his foolish disciple who "knew it all," then at the little trickster who was both brother and younger sibling but actually a girl, named Feng Jiu and also Feng Luan, but whose real name remained unknown. He shook his head helplessly.
"Really?"
Shen Yue's eyes lit up immediately. She hurriedly asked, "Then where is your brother? Could you introduce me? I just want to ask him if he used poison that day, what kind of poison it was, why only Liu Ling and his servants were affected, and no one else. Also, what kind of place is Quanzhou? I've never heard of it. Is your family scholarly, or..."
Shen Yue's words tumbled out in a torrent, a barrage of questions hitting Nan Shiying's ears. It was a stark contrast to the aloof demeanor she had displayed when attending to her earlier.
Nan Shiying glanced at Wei Yuan, who offered her a warm smile.
His bright white teeth were so dazzling that Nan Shiying felt an urge to knock them out.
She cupped her hands towards Wei Yuan and Shen Yue and said, "Um, the Prince is waiting for me in the study. I'll take my leave first."
Saying this, she turned to run.
In the backlight, a tall and straight figure was walking gracefully towards the pharmacy. The scent of falling cherry blossoms that wafted in with the breeze made Nan Shiying's escape abruptly halt, her face instantly turning pale and green.
The dazzling light gradually disappeared as he walked forward. Nan Shiying saw Xuan Yi trailing behind him with his head down and couldn't help but glare at him.
She silently cursed: Traitor!
She just changed clothes and strolled around the manor, and he had to report her?
Xuan Yi wore a wronged expression under Nan Shiying's glare. You can stroll around as you please, but why are you getting friendly with men from outside? I'm doing this for both our lives!
Ji Jinmo glanced at Nan Shiying, his brows raising slightly.
This light green robe, when worn by her, gave her a delicate and refined aura, like a serene chrysanthemum in the form of a young man.
But the fit of the clothes...
Ji Jinmo's face darkened instantly. Not only had she taken his clothes, but she had also altered them to be smaller?
Sensing the fierce aura in Ji Jinmo's phoenix-like eyes, Nan Shiying smiled ingratiatingly at him, fiddled with her sleeves, and praised, "Your Highness, you are truly handsome and radiant today!"
Wei Yuan looked at Nan Shiying with some surprise.
Why are you so timid when you see the Prince?
This was vastly different from his impression of her as a fearless troublemaker, someone who would poison for a meal's cost or strip Liu Ling's clothes at the slightest disagreement!
Ji Jinmo chuckled with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. His gaze swept past Nan Shiying and landed on Wei Yuan.
Wei Yuan smiled at Ji Jinmo, the curve of his lips appearing as if meticulously measured for optimal proportion. A true gentleman, no doubt: "Jinmo, I've come to freeload a meal."
Ji Jinmo remained silent.
He looked at Nan Shiying, then at Wei Yuan.
Although no words were spoken, Nan Shiying felt Ji Jinmo's immense exhaustion, his urge to crush either of them, or perhaps both.
Nan Shiying took a step back, creating distance between herself and Wei Yuan, indicating that she barely knew him. At most, they were acquaintances... no, complete strangers.
Wei Yuan, catching sight of her retreating movement from the corner of his eye, his smile faltered slightly.
Seriously, do you have to be like this?
Ji Jinmo's sclera had a faint blue tint, as clear as ice formed from a cold, deep pool, making his pupils appear even more profound and dark. Wei Yuan's scalp immediately tingled. Fine, he admitted, he did have to be like this!
Wei Yuan reached into his怀 and quickly took out a medical book from his chest, handing it to Ji Jinmo. He explained with a slightly stiff smile, "Actually, I came to give you this medical book."
Ji Jinmo lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes lingering on the book in Wei Yuan's hand, then shifted to Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying, understanding his intent, snatched the medical book from Wei Yuan: "I get it, I understand, I'll go back and study right away."
Nan Shiying smiled at Ji Jinmo, then turned and shot Wei Yuan a fierce glare, her eyes seeming to hold a thousand sincere and warm greetings to his family.
Wei Yuan touched his nose, his expression unreadable as he looked at Ji Jinmo, then at Nan Shiying who had already run off.
"Jinmo, she..."
"You do as you please!"
Ji Jinmo threw out the sentence and turned to leave.
Shen Yue, who had been too scared to speak, suddenly exclaimed, realizing the truth: "I knew why Feng Jiu looked familiar! It's because he looks like the Princess Consort."
Wei Yuan turned sharply, confirming, "You said Feng Jiu looks like whom?"
"The Princess Consort, Princess Consort Nan Shiying."
Wei Yuan suddenly froze.
Nan Shiying?
That ugly-faced, vulgar, sickly woman who wouldn't live past twenty, Nan Shiying?