The rain fell all night.
Deep in the night, at the back of the mountain.
"Let's just throw the Sixth Prince down the cliff. There are many wolves at the bottom of the cliff."
"Yes, I think that's a good idea. It's just a shame about the Sixth Prince's delicate skin. If I took him home, I'd surely comfort and cherish him. My wife is ugly and fat, with a perpetually sour face. Just looking at her turns my stomach. I really want to divorce her!"
"Are you crazy! Do you want to die? He's a corpse, but he's still the Sixth Prince, Nangong Li. If your father finds out you have such wicked thoughts, he'll beat you to death!"
"Alright, alright, I was just saying, I didn't really mean to..."
Two guards in plain clothes, carrying Nangong Li, looked at him from time to time. The surroundings were pitch black, making it impossible to see anything. After the rain, the paths were slippery, and the mountain roads were even more difficult to navigate.
The two guards chatted as they walked. At the edge of a steep cliff, they put Nangong Li down.
One of the guards had not finished speaking.
Suddenly, the sparse grass around them rustled, and over a dozen men in green robes, swords in hand, leaped forward.
"Kill!"
Before the two guards in plain clothes could turn around, they had already fallen into a pool of blood.
The leader of the group glanced around, his gaze brightening as a man in white appeared. "Young Master Du, this is the token our Sect Master has instructed me to give you. You can take the Sixth Prince back to the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Hall. The entire hall is now comprised of our own people, so it is very reliable."
The mission was complete, and the men in green left, disappearing into the night.
The man in white, after picking up Nangong Li, also vanished into the darkness.
That night, two uninvited guests appeared at the Poisonous Doctor's Sacred Hall, and Hall Master Meng personally received them.
However, at the same time, a large amount of precious medicinal herbs were used in the hall, keeping the disciples who were dispensing and decocting medicine in a state of frantic busyness.
Nangong Li's abdominal wound was not deep and did not injure vital organs. The wound on his chest was a bit more troublesome, but fortunately, Du Chun was a skilled physician, and Hall Master Meng assisted him. After two hours of work, Nangong Li finally woke up.
Upon waking, the first thing he saw was the handsome and elegant face of Hall Master Meng. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Have I arrived in the underworld? Brother Meng, why are you here too?"
His confused words were interrupted by Hall Master Meng's cold three words: "You are not dead!"
"Huh?"
Nangong Li couldn't believe it. He wasn't dead yet.
It wasn't until Hall Master Meng delivered a ruthless punch to Nangong Li that he finally realized he was not dead.
"You saved me?"
Nangong Li, supporting himself on the bed, sat up.
Hall Master Meng brought over the medicinal soup that had just been decocted by his subordinates. "It wasn't me."
Nangong Li frowned and looked at him. "Then who was it? Who saved me?"
"I cannot say."
After Nangong Li finished drinking, Hall Master Meng opened the door and walked out.
"Why can't you say?"
Nangong Li, clutching his still aching chest, followed him out.
Hall Master Meng paused, then turned around.
Nangong Li bumped into his embrace.
Hall Master Meng was taller than Nangong Li. Looking up, Nangong Li could only see Hall Master Meng's sharp chin.
"Noisy!"
Hall Master Meng raised his hand and struck Nangong Li on the back of his head, knocking him unconscious.
Nangong Li fell to the ground.
Hall Master Meng instructed his subordinates, "Carry this fellow back and let him rest well."
At this moment, in a corner not far away, a white figure, after Nangong Li was carried back to his room, quietly left.
The next day,
In the Summer Kingdom's imperial palace,
At the flower appreciation banquet, many guests arrived, including imperial concubines, wives of court officials, and young ladies from various noble families.
The scene was lively with a multitude of beauties, both plump and slender.
It was also heard that the Third Prince Ouyang Qinglin, who had not yet appeared, had also invited the young lords and masters from various noble families to attend the banquet. The young ladies from various noble families had taken great care in their attire.
It would be wonderful to meet one's beloved at the banquet.
As there were many men at the banquet, and to prevent the new Empress Chen from being too clumsy to preside over the grand occasion, the Emperor of the Summer Kingdom was also invited.
On the way to the palace,
Two carriages met unexpectedly.
"Which blind fool dares to block the path of our Princess? Do you not wish to live?"
The coachman stood on the carriage, hands on his hips, aggressively shouting.
On the adjacent carriage, a man in black brocade robes, with a cold gaze, had already drawn his sword.
"Presumptuous! How dare you disrespect our Third Prince! Do you wish to die?"
"Pfft!"
From both carriages, the pearl curtains of the windows were simultaneously lifted, and the two individuals looked at each other.
Gu Qianying and Nangong Li never expected to meet again so coincidentally.
Before their gazes could break away, Ouyang Wan'er had already stepped on the back of a eunuch and alighted from her carriage, followed by her personal maid.
"So it's you, Third Imperial Uncle?"
Ouyang Wan'er glanced at Gu Qianying, who was sitting opposite Ouyang Qinglin, dressed in a white dress and exuding a cool, ethereal aura. Her tone was haughty: "Third Imperial Uncle, are you poor or do you have bad taste, to let your woman wear such a vulgar thing to attend a banquet?"
As she spoke, she seemed to be talking to herself. Before Ouyang Qinglin could reply, Ouyang Wan'er added, "Indeed, vulgar people tend to dress vulgarly. After all, you don't deserve such fine silk, humph."
After speaking, she turned and left with her personal maid.
As she said this, Ouyang Qinglin's gaze turned cold. Before he could act, he heard Gu Qianying, looking at Ouyang Wan'er, who was about to board another carriage, say coolly, "Princess!"
Ouyang Wan'er stopped and turned to look at Gu Qianying. "What is it?"
"Nothing, I just think that the Princess's flamboyant attire today suits her very well, like a proud peacock. Indeed, the Princess's taste is extraordinary."
At first glance, this sounded like a compliment, and it made Ouyang Wan'er feel proud. "Of course, everything this Princess uses is of the highest quality, unlike you..."
Gu Qianying, not waiting for Ouyang Wan'er to finish, turned to Ouyang Qinglin. "Third Prince, as far as Qianying knows, peacocks belong to the chicken family, also known as the Yue bird, and are foolish animals that are conceited. Do you agree?"
"Yes, that's right, there is such a saying."
Ouyang Qinglin smiled wickedly. "You little thing, your knowledge is profound, and every aspect of you captivates me." He had intended to playfully poke Gu Qianying's nose, but seeing Gu Qianying dodge, he lowered his hand.
Gu Qianying ignored Ouyang Qinglin's ambiguous words and turned to Ouyang Wan'er. "Princess, what do you think?"
Gulp!
Ouyang Wan'er's expression instantly stiffened, her face turning as colorful as a palette.
"Gu Qianying! You... you dare to call this Princess a foolish bird... You...!"
Glancing at Nangong Mo, who was sitting in the same carriage as Ouyang Wan'er, Gu Qianying withdrew her gaze, lowered the curtain, and ignored Ouyang Wan'er's furious expression, as if she wanted to devour her.
"Let's go!"
Ouyang Qinglin gave the order.
His carriage moved forward first.
Ouyang Wan'er's coachman, who had been so aggressive earlier, immediately became timid after glancing at Ouyang Qinglin's subordinate, whose sabre was gleaming, and obediently gave way.
"Princess, please don't be angry..."
The personal maid tried to comfort Ouyang Wan'er. Ouyang Wan'er raised her hand and slapped her, venting all her anger onto her personal maid.
After a session of pinching, twisting, and slapping, Ouyang Wan'er's mood finally improved slightly.
She glanced at the maid beside her, who dared not make a sound after being tormented, and said resentfully, "What are you still standing there for? Do you want this Princess to stay here and freeze?"
The personal maid shivered and quickly stepped forward to support Ouyang Wan'er.
Ouyang Wan'er got into the carriage.
Inside the carriage, Nangong Mo sat coldly.
"Indeed, they are very similar."
A sudden remark came from Nangong Mo's mouth, his voice as cold as ice.
"What?"
Ouyang Wan'er was stunned, not understanding what he meant.