Upon hearing this, Lin Feng actually felt that her words made a great deal of sense. Although Bai Shiyue possessed remarkable medical skills, she was still young after all, and a woman at that. It remained uncertain whether she could find an antidote, so having another doctor take a look would provide an extra layer of reassurance.
Lin Feng frowned and pondered for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "What you say does make some sense... But where am I supposed to find someone right now? Furthermore, the Prince is unconscious at the moment, and without his orders, I cannot simply leave the estate..."
Li Fuyin knew Lin Feng's disposition. Although his martial arts were formidable and his strength impressive, he was fiercely loyal and obeyed only Li Mexiao's commands. Persuading him was likely not going to be easy.
Right now, however, the entire Marquis of Yongan's Estate was under Lady Bai's control, and Li Fuyin could find no other helpers. The only person who could help her leave the estate was the Lin Feng standing right before her.
For a moment, Li Fuyin could no longer afford to hesitate. She grabbed Lin Feng's arm and said with an expression of resolute determination: "I pretty much know where he is. Take me with you to find him, and I will definitely bring the doctor back!"
Hearing her say she wanted to come along, Lin Feng hesitated, clearly feeling that taking a delicate young woman out with him was highly inappropriate. Moreover, she was the Second Miss of the Marquis's Estate and the future Princess Ning; if anything were to happen to her, he, as a bodyguard, could not bear the responsibility.
Li Fuyin lowered her head and rubbed her eyes until they were red, putting on an appearance as if she were on the verge of tears. With a pretty and indignant tone, she said: "Lin Feng, what are you thinking? Do you not want to save the Prince? I am his future Princess, which means I am also half-master to you in the future. I order you to take me to find a doctor immediately!"
Seeing that the young lady was on the verge of tears yet still clutched his sleeve and refused to let go, Lin Feng was clearly at a loss. He stood rigidly frozen in place, his face slowly turning crimson.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Fuyin squeezed out two tears and pleaded: "I beg you, Big Brother Lin Feng, please help me. I will never tell a soul, and I certainly won't tell the Prince..."
"Alright then, but let's make it quick and return promptly. You must not tell anyone about this..." After hesitating for a long time, Lin Feng finally consented in a daze. Relaxing his clenched fists, he turned around, presented his back to Li Fuyin, and squatted down halfway.
"Thank you, Big Brother Lin Feng!"
Li Fuyin curved the corners of her lips and leaped onto his back without a moment's hesitation, allowing him to carry her.
Things having reached this pass, she naturally had no regard for the traditional barriers between men and women. Besides, she had tamed men like Lin Feng before in her past life.
Furthermore... although Li Mexiao's own martial arts were mediocre, his personal bodyguard, Lin Feng, was an expert whose true abilities were deeply concealed.
Li Fuyin remembered that this bodyguard Lin Feng was no ordinary person. Although he appeared outwardly to be an ordinary guard, in her past life he had saved Li Mexiao's life on multiple critical occasions and secretly killed many people for him. Later on, he even replaced Zhao Yunchi to become the commander of one hundred thousand cavalrymen—a remarkably sharp and handy blade indeed.
If she could bring him to her service, it would undoubtedly save her a great deal of trouble in the future...
Carrying her on his back, Lin Feng quickly departed the Marquis of Yongan's Estate. He employed *qinggong* to vault over walls, moving with lightning speed. Even with the added weight of another person, he still traveled as smoothly as flat ground without the slightest hindrance.
Even though Li Fuyin had been mentally prepared, witnessing firsthand the pure, profound internal energy and the vigorous, agile *qinggong* techniques within Lin Feng still drew an involuntary sigh of admiration in her heart.
"Second Miss, please do not move around so much. Be careful not to fall."
Feeling the person on his back constantly looking around as if she felt not the slightest bit of fear, Lin Feng felt a slight trace of doubt arise in his heart. Being a man of few words in his daily life, he nevertheless found himself unable to resist speaking a few extra words to her.
"Ah... Will I fall?"
As if only just realizing the danger, Li Fuyin asked in a blank, bewildered tone, "I thought... with Big Brother Lin Feng's strength, I wouldn't be in any danger... Even if I did fall, you would definitely catch me, right?"
Despite saying this, she grabbed onto him a bit tighter, resting her chin on his shoulder as she whispered: "Although I am indeed a little scared inside, I... I kept thinking about how the Prince was injured, and I wanted to find a doctor for him as quickly as possible so he could get better sooner, and after that I simply didn't have time to be scared."
The young lady's soft, melodious voice drifted over from behind his ear, seemingly filled entirely with Prince Ning Li Mexiao. Yet, innocent as she was... she seemingly had no idea that the person the Prince truly cared for in his heart had never been her...
At this thought, Lin Feng could not help feeling a trace of sympathy for her. He did not know how to describe this sensation; it felt as though his heart had been lightly scratched by a cat's paw, making him pity this pitiful, frail young girl all the more.
Yet no matter how much pity and reluctance he felt, Lin Feng did not utter a single inappropriate word. For he was no ordinary person—he was Li Mexiao's personal guard, a loyal-to-the-death subordinate bought by him. He was bound to be loyal to Li Mexiao for the rest of his life. Not to mention that the Prince was merely utilizing a woman's affections; even if the Prince ordered him to kill her with his own hands, he would not soften his heart.
Right at this moment, however, the girl's warm body heat pressed against his back, and the wind blew through her hair, carrying a faint, delicate fragrance. His heartbeat involuntarily sped up, and a wholly unprecedented feeling welled up from the depths of his heart. Even knowing full well that he could not harbor feelings for anyone, at this moment, his state of mind was thrown into turmoil.
...
In the southwest corner of Zhuque Avenue stood Jinxiu Pawnshop.
On the surface, Jinxiu Pawnshop appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary pawnshop, but in reality, it was a covert establishment dedicated to buying, selling, probing for, and transmitting information. Only a very few people knew of this, and it was a strategic move that Rong Qi had laid out in the Sheng State long ago.
Li Fuyin knew that this pawnshop was entirely staffed by Rong Qi's people, both openly and covertly. Even if he was not present, the people here would certainly know his whereabouts.
Therefore, Li Fuyin had Lin Feng take her to hide in a teahouse near Jinxiu Pawnshop. At that moment, she was dressed simply and crudely, with an entirely unremarkable appearance. Looking not at all like a noble young lady, she naturally would not attract anyone's attention.
She ordered a pot of the cheapest tea and sat with Lin Feng by the window. This distance was neither too far nor too close, just right for observing the situation inside the pawnshop.
Lin Feng sat rather stiffly at the tea table, watching Li Fuyin as she leisurely sipped her tea with a trace of confusion in his heart. However, since he rarely spoke when outside on errands, he did not ask her why she wanted to drink tea here, but instead became lost in thought watching the young lady's movements, which completely contradicted her unpolished appearance.
For some reason, although she looked ordinary and wore unrefined clothes, the moment she sat down to drink tea, an aura of poise and elegance belonging to those in high positions emanated from her. That unmaskable air of nobility... he had previously only ever witnessed it in one person, and though he had thought he would never see it again in this lifetime, he now unexpectedly caught faint glimpses of the master of Chonghua Palace in Song Yunqing!
The moment this thought surfaced, it was ruthlessly suppressed, and Lin Feng himself found it laughable.
How could a little girl like Song Yunqing... ever be compared to that person?
...
Not long after, a familiar carriage stopped outside the gates of Jinxiu Pawnshop.
Shortly after, Bai Shiyue—dressed entirely in white and wearing a veil-hat—stepped down from the carriage and entered the pawnshop alone.
"Keeper, I wish to purchase some information."
With the pawnshop devoid of other occupants, Bai Shiyue placed a jade pendant into a hidden compartment and spoke in a low voice.
From behind the hidden compartment, a deep voice replied: "Speak."
Bai Shiyue stated: "Where is the Crown Prince of Western Zhou currently located?"
The instant her words fell, the surrounding atmosphere seemed to freeze instantly, plunging into absolute stillness.
Bai Shiyue sensed an intensely dangerous aura surging from behind the pawnshop's screen. At the same time, a cold, sharp gaze locked onto her, appraising her with unbridled scrutiny—a look that made her hair stand on end, her entire body stiffening as her hand instinctively gripped the sword at her waist.
She suspected that the Crown Prince of Western Zhou was right here!
"I am here to seek medicine,"
Bai Shiyue forced herself to remain calm as she said, "There is a poison originating from Western Zhou named Xifeng Hanyue, which causes the victim's entire body to become rigid, their skin like ice, until their blood coagulates and they die. I have come to find the Crown Prince of Western Zhou to beg for the antidote to this poison."
"Bang—"
The screen before her suddenly shattered apart, and a flash of red like an arrow shot from a bow violently lunged forward, hurtling toward Bai Shiyue with astonishing speed.
Before Bai Shiyue could even react, she saw a man with dark hair and crimson robes appear before her eyes like a phantom. His enchantingly exquisite facial features were within arm's reach, yet those beautiful eyes were filled with bone-chilling murderous intent...
Cold fingers clamped around her throat. Bai Shiyue felt her breath cut off, her hands seemingly bound by an invisible force, rendering her utterly unable to move.
How could this be?!
Bai Shiyue's eyes widened in shock, unable to believe that with all her strength, she was being suppressed by Rong Qi without the slightest ability to fight back!
"How audacious of you, to actually run straight into my territory to court death..."
Rong Qi stared at Bai Shiyue's face, scrutinizing it closely for a good while before suddenly bursting into laughter, "You've come to me begging for an antidote? Heh... On what grounds? Is it because of this pretty face of yours? Or perhaps your naive self-righteousness..."
Though she felt Rong Qi's murderous intent, Bai Shiyue's eyes held no trace of fear; instead, they were filled with absolute calmness and certainty. Gritting her teeth, she said: "I have... something... to trade... with you."
"Oh?" Seeing her so resolute, Rong Qi seemed somewhat amused, slightly loosening his grip to let her speak.
After catching her breath, Bai Shiyue continued: "Does His Royal Highness the Crown Prince not very much wish to know the whereabouts of Princess Qingrong? I possess a medicine that can compel anyone to speak the absolute truth!"