The County Magistrate's residence was brightly lit, with people bustling about in a flurry of activity.
Duan Wang had been poisoned. The dagger wielded by Si Dangjia was coated with a deadly toxin—a specially prepared weapon, intended to ensure Zhou Jin's death by poison if the blade itself failed to kill him.
"Your Highness, it's all my fault for letting you get injured."
Song Xingzhi, his neck wrapped in bandages, had been keeping vigil by Zhou Jin's bedside since regaining consciousness, his eyes red-rimmed with distress.
Song Xingzhi had known the prince since he was eight years old. The two had grown up together in the military camp. To Song Xingzhi, the prince was not only his master but also an elder brother figure.
"Xingzhi, you've saved me many times before. There's no need to blame yourself."
Zhou Jin was well aware of Song Xingzhi's tendency to become tearful and couldn't bear to see him wallow in guilt. To Zhou Jin, Song Xingzhi was family.
"Doctor, how can this poison be cured? Give us an answer, quickly!"
Seeing Zhou Jin's lips tinged with blue and the occasional ooze of black blood from the wound on his back, Song Xingzhi was heartbroken.
"General Song, this poison is extremely peculiar—it resembles toxins from the Western Frontier. I have little expertise in this area. You must seek a more skilled physician without delay."
"Given the rate at which the poison is spreading, if an antidote isn't found within two days, I fear His Highness's life may be in jeopardy."
As a mountain bandit who had traveled far and wide, robbing merchants from all routes, Si Dangjia naturally possessed an arsenal of bizarre and unusual poisons.
"Go find the antidote now! If anything happens to His Highness, you'll all be buried with him!"
The moment Song Xingzhi heard his prince's life was at risk, he grew frantic. If his lord were to die, these useless people had no right to live.
"Perhaps you could let me try. I have some knowledge of poisons from the Western Frontier."
Xu Bao'er stepped forward. If Zhou Jin died, wouldn't she become a young widow? And with a child in her womb, the baby couldn't be born without a father.
"A-San, you know medicine too?"
In recent days, Song Xingzhi and Xu Bao'er had grown much closer. His form of address had shifted from "Young Master Zhang" to the affectionate "A-San."
Song Xingzhi's beautiful peach-blossom eyes lit up in surprise. He hadn't expected Zhang San to not only have clever ideas for dealing with bandits but also know how to treat people.
"Just a little."
Xu Bao'er smiled modestly. Earlier, Jing Lie had given her a bottle of medicine in gratitude, claiming it was a Western Region Secret Medicine capable of curing hundreds of poisons.
"Ding dong, congratulations to the host for obtaining the important item: Baicao Wan."
The system's reminder had been so obvious—it was practically cheating. Xu Bao'er was no fool; she knew this medicine would surely come in handy.
"But… you can't use His Highness Duan Wang as a practice subject!"
The elderly physician, noting Xu Bao'er's youth, feared she might accidentally kill the prince. If the young General Song flew into a rage, they could all be executed. He had no desire to die.
"It's fine. Let her try."
Zhou Jin's decision was final.
"Everyone, please leave. I'll take care of His Highness."
Such a perfect opportunity to be alone—Xu Bao'er had no intention of letting it slip away. These third wheels needed to clear out immediately.
She was going to seduce your prince.
After exchanging a glance with Zhou Jin, Song Xingzhi understood his lord's intention and promptly dismissed everyone.
As Song Xingzhi closed the door, he recalled the way his prince interacted with Zhang San. It didn't quite resemble the dynamic between two men, giving rise to an unsettling thought.
"His Highness hasn't had a woman all these years… Could it be that he prefers men?"
The idea sent a shiver down his spine. He slapped his own forehead and muttered, "Stop overthinking.""
"His Highness is definitely a real man."
Only Zhou Jin and Xu Bao'er remained in the room. Faced with the living King of Hell before her, Xu Bao'er showed no fear.
She took out the bottle of Baicao Wan, poured one pill into her palm, and extended it to Zhou Jin.
"Your Highness, this medicine is called Baicao Wan. Take it. Within a few days, you will recover."
"Thank you."
Under the candlelight, Zhou Jin's gaze was thoughtful.
Xu Bao'er knelt by the bedside and proactively fed the Baicao Wan to Zhou Jin. Inevitably, her fingers brushed against his lips—thin and cool.
Zhou Jin suddenly grasped Xu Bao'er's jade-like hand that had been lingering near his lips, holding it in his palm and playing with it delicately.
His wheat-colored skin intertwined with her extreme whiteness. Xu Bao'er felt her breath grow as heated as the palm of his hand.
Who said only women could be seductive? The Duan Wang before her was like a male fox spirit when he flirted, no less captivating than any woman.
Zhou Jin's right hand grasped the jade hairpin in Xu Bao'er's dark hair, giving it a gentle tug. Her hair cascaded down.
Xu Bao'er timidly raised her head, her eyes sparkling with life. Dressed in a satin white brocade robe with hibiscus patterns, she resembled a fairy who had fallen to the mortal world.
Zhou Jin's breath tightened.
Her delicate oval face, a pair of captivating fox-like eyes that shone like moonlight—clear and flawless. Cherry lips, a delicate nose, and a small lip bead especially suited for kissing.
His large hand caressed Xu Bao'er's face, his thumb gently stroking her fair, pink-tinged cheek. Under the candlelight, her face resembled a peach in June.
"Who are you?"
"What is your purpose in approaching me?"
Zhou Jin had sent people to investigate Xu Bao'er's identity. A noblewoman as bold and eccentric as her made it difficult to uncover her background.
Even during bandit suppression, she dared to hide in a tree and watch.
Zhou Jin didn't care if Xu Bao'er was after power or wealth. He worried she was sent by someone else.
Xu Bao'er's eyes wavered slightly. Asking about her identity was something she absolutely couldn't reveal. She feared that if she spoke, Zhou Jin might strangle her right there on the bed.
She needed to deceive Zhou Jin first.
"This humble girl admires Your Highness, so she disguised herself as a man to get close to you."
"Since that first meeting, this girl has been unable to forget you."
Not daring to tell the truth, Xu Bao'er instead lavished praise on Duan Wang. What man doesn't enjoy being admired by a woman?
She had him firmly in her grasp, her words flowing effortlessly.
Xu Bao'er wasn't yet sure how much affection Zhou Jin held for her. She would wait until he was madly in love with her before dealing with him harshly.
"Your identity makes you so hesitant."
"In that case, how should I propose to you?"
Propose? Xu Bao'er's eyes widened, feeling indescribably strange.
Could her performance that night have been so poor? Even with that display, couldn't she win back Zhou Jin's heart?
This wicked man who took everything and left nothing.
Because Zhou Jin's inner thoughts frequently involved killing members of the Xu Family, Xu Bao'er had proactively requested the system to block Zhou Jin's inner monologue.
It was annoying to listen to!
"But Your Highness already has a Duanwang Fei. This humble girl will not be a concubine."
Xu Bao'er wanted to hear how Zhou Jin planned to deal with her, the current Duanwang Fei. She wanted to tease him. When he discovered the truth and realized he had been fooled by her, would he be furious?
Mentioning Duanwang Fei deepened the darkness in Zhou Jin's eyes.
The Xu Family's substitution in marriage had made him the laughingstock of the entire capital. Xu Bao'er's scheme to consummate the marriage and publicly slander his impotence was utterly shameless and malicious—truly worthy of being Xu Yu'er's blood sister.
"I will divorce her as soon as I return."
Zhou Jin had not divorced Duanwang Fei before, not only to prevent the Empress from planting spies, but also because he intended to personally kill that woman.