Ye Chutang guessed who had arrived and immediately held her breath.
The incense's effect was excellent—before Shuang'er could even detect the unusual fragrance, she had already collapsed onto the table.
Ye Chutang pretended to faint as well, slumping onto the table.
The person who had deployed the incense was cautious, waiting roughly the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before finally entering the private room.
Their footsteps were nearly inaudible, a testament to their formidable martial skills.
Qi Yanzhou approached the table and retrieved an antidote for the incense from his robe.
Just as he was about to administer it to Ye Chutang, she opened her eyes and struck at him.
"Miss Ye, I mean no harm."
Intent on testing Qi Yanzhou's martial prowess, Ye Chutang ignored his words, launching a series of ruthless and unpredictable attacks.
At first, Qi Yanzhou merely defended passively.
But after taking a punch to the shoulder and a kick to the stomach, he realized Ye Chutang was no amateur—and that she was fighting to kill. He began to retaliate in earnest.
Though their battle was fierce, it remained eerily silent.
In the end, Qi Yanzhou pinned Ye Chutang against the wall, her right arm twisted behind her back.
"Miss Ye, had enough of your little test?"
He had guessed her intentions the moment she deliberately avoided the furniture.
Ye Chutang nodded. "Enough."
Though her martial techniques were sharp, her internal energy was nearly nonexistent—losing to Qi Yanzhou was only logical.
But given time, the one immobilized would be him.
Qi Yanzhou released her. "I never expected Miss Ye to be skilled not only in medicine but also in martial arts."
He wondered who had taught her—her techniques were refined, yet she lacked the foundational internal energy.
Ye Chutang sat back at the table, downing a cup of now-lukewarm tea in one gulp.
"If I didn’t have some means of self-defense, the grass on my grave would already be a foot tall."
She poured a cup for Qi Yanzhou.
"Your Highness, have a seat."
Qi Yanzhou took the stool beside her. "Aren’t you afraid I’m here to silence you?"
Ye Chutang refilled her own cup.
Through the rising steam, she studied his strikingly handsome face.
"If Your Highness wanted me dead, you wouldn’t have waited until now—nor would you have shown yourself so openly.
Besides, you should be grateful you didn’t attack me. If you had, the one lying dead wouldn’t be me."
She might not be able to defeat him in a fair fight, but she had her tricks—and poison.
Qi Yanzhou eyed her faint smile with curiosity. "With your skills, you shouldn’t have struggled so much in that village."
"Ever heard of ‘hiding one’s brilliance’? If the Lius hadn’t tried to kill me, I’d have been content living a quiet life in the countryside."
"Miss Ye calls being forced to embroider two handkerchiefs a day for thirty coins—just to buy a meal of spoiled rice—a ‘quiet life’?"
Ye Chutang: "..."
Was this man’s tongue dipped in poison?
"I liked it that way."
Qi Yanzhou’s gaze sharpened. "A healer, outsmarted by servants?"
"I treat humans, not animals."
"Then why did you carry a pill to suppress fire poison?"
Ye Chutang sidestepped the question.
"Your Highness, if I’d wanted you dead, that cold spring would’ve been your grave."
Qi Yanzhou knew this—which was why he believed their encounter had been coincidental.
Yet her carrying that pill made him wary.
Seeing his silence, Ye Chutang added, "I went to the cold spring that night to suppress a drug’s effects. I never expected to meet you. What happened afterward… was unavoidable. My apologies."
"You wouldn’t care for titles or silver, so if you ever need my help in the future, just say the word. As long as it’s nothing vile, I’ll oblige."
The memory of that humiliating night darkened Qi Yanzhou’s expression.
Clearing his throat, he took a sip of tea and changed the subject.
"I came for two things."
"Go ahead."
"First, we’ve never met. Second, return the jade token to me."
Ye Chutang agreed readily.
"Of course. How should I return it?"
Though the token was in her spatial storage, revealing it now would only fuel his suspicions.
"In three days, I’ll attend a banquet at the Minister's Mansion."
"I’ll find a way to return it then."
Qi Yanzhou set down his cup. "Miss Ye, don’t hold hope for Ye Jingchuan. He brought you back to—"
Ye Chutang cut him off.
"—to marry me off to Eunuch De in Ye Anling’s place. That’s why they’ve been so accommodating, so protective."
Seeing the excitement in her eyes, Qi Yanzhou realized his concern was unnecessary.
"Eunuch De isn’t to be trifled with. Be careful."
He turned to leave.
Ye Chutang stopped him.
"Your Highness, I keep my word. I’ll cure your fire poison. If it’s convenient, let me check your pulse."
This man was a walking source of merit points!
Saving him would earn her at least fifty thousand—if not a hundred thousand.
Qi Yanzhou hadn’t mentioned the poison because he didn’t trust her.
"What’s your success rate?"
"One hundred percent."
The claim made him skeptical. Even Divine Doctor Xue of Beichen Kingdom had failed—how could she be so certain?
"May I know your method first?"
Ye Chutang understood his caution. Life was precious, after all.
"Of course. In three days, I’ll give you the cure along with the jade token."
Her confidence stirred something in Qi Yanzhou—a desperate hope to live.
He sat back down and offered his wrist.
Just as Ye Chutang reached for it, Ye Anling’s voice echoed from outside, asking a waiter, "Which room is my elder sister in?"
Qi Yanzhou withdrew his hand. "Three days. The Minister's Mansion."
With that, he revived Shuang'er and leapt out the window.
Ye Chutang poured out his unfinished tea and flipped the cup upside down on the tray.
Shuang'er woke, bewildered. "How did I fall asleep?"
"You must’ve been tired."
Before she could say more, Qiulu pushed the door open.
Ye Anling, her head bandaged and dressed in fresh clothes, stood there pale and fragile from blood loss.
"Elder Sister, it’s late. We should return home."
Noting Princess Anping’s absence, Ye Chutang guessed Ye Anling had placated her.
"Weren’t we supposed to buy clothes and jewelry? If you’d rather not—"
Ye Anling, her headache unbearable, handed over all the silver notes from her sleeve.
"Elder Sister, this is all I have. If it’s not enough, have the shop charge the Minister's Mansion."
Ye Chutang took the money without hesitation, tucking it into her sleeve.
"Fine. But I’ve a sharp tongue—who knows what trouble I might stir up for the Ye family?"
Ye Anling, envisioning the chaos Ye Chutang could unleash, reluctantly conceded.
"…I’ll accompany you."
"Then I’ll trouble Second Miss Ye."
Qiulu felt that Ye Chutang was doing it on purpose and said discontentedly, "Young Miss, Second Miss was injured for your sake and needs to return to rest."
Ye Chutang raised her hand and slapped Qiulu across the face.
"What, do the servants now rule the Ye family?"
Qiulu dared not bear such an accusation and immediately knelt.
"Young Miss, please calm your anger. This servant never meant it that way—I was only concerned about Second Miss's injury."
"You may return to the mansion first. Shuang'er, let's go."
With that, Ye Chutang strode away.
Ye Anling, worried that her sister’s reckless behavior would bring trouble to the Minister's Mansion, quickly had Qiulu support her as she followed.
Yet when they tried to leave the teahouse, the waiter stopped them.
"Young Miss Ye, you haven’t paid the bill yet."
