Seeing Xiao Beili acting even more arrogant than the previous Yuchang Marquis Heir, Shen Mingtang couldn't help but smile.
Since he wasn't afraid, then she didn't need to be either.
Shen Mingtang stepped toward Qin Shi. After confirming that Qin Shi's condition was stable, she turned to look at Xiao Beili.
"Could Your Highness send someone to take my mother and me to a medical clinic for examination?"
"Unnecessary." Xiao Beili refused her and snapped his fingers. "Zhi Yuan, come in."
Hearing Zhi Yuan's name, Shen Mingtang fell silent.
Having 'drifted' by Xiao Beili's side for many years, she knew that he had a highly skilled physician named Zhi Yuan.
Xiao Beili had faced countless desperate situations in the Southern Jin Kingdom, and each time he was rescued by experts.
This Zhi Yuan was one of those experts.
Soon, a woman wearing a black veil and dressed entirely in black quickly entered the room and stood before Xiao Beili. "Your Highness."
"Examine her." Xiao Beili slightly lifted his chin.
Zhi Yuan nodded and efficiently went over to take Qin Shi's hand, placing her fingers on Qin Shi's wrist to check her pulse.
After a moment, she stood up. "This Madam has been drugged with Sleepy Powder. Fortunately, not much was used. She should wake up in about a quarter of an hour."
Hearing it was only Sleepy Powder, Shen Mingtang's tightly clenched hand relaxed slightly.
It seemed what Shen Mingyue had planned was despicable, but the Great Zhou Dynasty strictly controlled medicine shops. Ordinary people couldn't obtain those harmful drugs, while Sleepy Powder was easier to acquire.
Then Zhi Yuan added, "Although it's not much Sleepy Powder, this Madam's body is extremely weak and cannot be compared to an ordinary person."
"Can you treat her?" Xiao Beili asked.
Zhi Yuan nodded without hesitation. "I can treat her."
When it came to regulating health, she considered herself only moderately skilled, as her true expertise lay in creating and antidoting poisons.
However, Qin Shi's condition would be easy to regulate.
She only needed to intervene slightly.
"Shall I find time to regulate this Madam's health?" Zhi Yuan asked tentatively.
She glanced at Shen Mingtang, unable to hide her curiosity. Starting from Yu Momo to Qingshan, the prince's most trusted guard, everyone seemed to quite like this Miss Shen.
Qingshan had even secretly told her that the prince seemed to like Miss Shen.
They all agreed that since the prince had suffered so much in the Southern Jin Kingdom, it would be wonderful if he could meet a woman he liked in the future.
Just considering how this Miss Shen was willing to take a sword for the prince showed that she had a good heart.
Unfortunately, she had been away from the capital searching for medicinal herbs at that time and hadn't had contact with this young lady.
"Thank you, Zhiyuan Guniang." Shen Mingtang expressed her gratitude.
Zhi Yuan nodded and turned to leave.
Suddenly, Xiao Beili spoke up. "Stay by her side these days. There's no need to return to the residence unless necessary."
These words not only stunned Shen Mingtang but also made Zhi Yuan stop in her tracks.
Zhi Yuan hesitated. "Your Highness, your health…"
"Temporarily fine." Xiao Beili shook his head casually. "Just go."
The little fox's circumstances had already been explained to him by Yu Momo – stolen birthright, switched identities, suppressed for fourteen years, having endured great suffering. Tsk.
Fortunately, she had met him.
Seeing her prince's insistence, Zhi Yuan knew his temperament and didn't bother to persuade him further.
She turned and left.
"Your health doesn't look good either. If you let Zhi Yuan stay with me, what will you do?" Shen Mingtang asked.
Xiao Beili glanced at her idly. "This prince dislikes people who talk too much."
Shen Mingtang was speechless.
Qingshan brought in new clothes from outside. "I went to find Liu San Guniang and borrowed these from her. She specifically found a new set."
"Liu San Guniang?" Shen Mingtang felt inexplicably familiar with the name.
Qingshan nodded. "She said you just borrowed her cloak and asked you to remember to return it."
Shen Mingtang now knew who it was.
When she was pushed into the water by Liu Zhaoniang earlier, she had indeed borrowed a young girl's cloak.
Just then, there was movement at the door. She listened carefully to the footsteps—it wasn't just one or two people.
They're here!
A cold smile flickered across Shen Mingtang's face as she quickly walked out.
"Mother, mother, where are you?" Shen Mingyue's crying voice came through.
Soon, someone stepped into the room.
It was a maid dressed in Liu Jia servant's attire, with Shen Mingyue following closely behind, striding in with anxious tears still on her face.
Shen Mingyue froze for a moment. "Why are you here?"
Before her words faded, several madams surged in behind her, their faces filled with curiosity while pretending to be concerned.
Though no one recognized Shen Mingtang, someone spotted Xiao Beili.
"Prince Rui?" a round-faced madam exclaimed.
Only then did Shen Mingyue notice the tall, slender man standing a few steps away from Shen Mingtang. His face was pale, yet his features were exquisitely handsome.
Seeing Prince Rui again, her ears couldn't help but turn red.
A month ago, she had insisted on taking Shen Mingtang out for a stroll. If she hadn't heard that Prince Rui—with his devastatingly handsome face—was nearby, she wouldn't have dragged Shen Mingtang to see him.
And Shen Mingtang wouldn't have had the chance to take a sword for Prince Rui.
Because of this, Shen Mingtang should be grateful to her. Moreover, in that critical moment, if she hadn't pushed Shen Mingtang forward…
Shen Mingyue desperately wished there were a medicine for regret in this world, so she could have been the one to take that sword for Prince Rui!
After whispering among themselves, the other madams deduced Shen Mingtang's identity.
However, they showed clear disdain.
For an unmarried young lady to be alone with a man in a room during an outing, even wearing his cloak—it was utterly improper.
Sensing their attitude, Shen Mingyue's regret immediately lessened.
After today, Shen Mingtang's reputation would be ruined!
A lone man and a lone woman sharing a room!
"Ming Tang, where is my mother?" Shen Mingyue covered her mouth, her face full of tension. "I thought I saw the Yuchang Marquis Heir earlier—he didn't come into this room, did he?"
As soon as she said this, the eyes of those behind her lit up.
They were, of course, here for the spectacle.
"What Yuchang Marquis Heir?" Shen Mingtang feigned confusion. "Mother said she wasn't feeling well, so I helped her back to the room to rest. On the way, we met Prince Rui and asked for his assistance. We've been staying in the room watching over Mother the whole time. We haven't seen any heir."
Shen Mingyue glared. "But it was clearly I—"
Fortunately, she caught herself in time.
If she said she was the one who brought Qin Shi to this room, how could she explain to everyone why she couldn't find Qin Shi and had to make such a scene bringing people to search for her?
Shen Mingtang asked curiously, "What was clearly you, Eldest Sister?"
"Nothing." Shen Mingyue forced a smile, inwardly cursing Shen Mingtang for ruining her plans.
Her aunt had said that if this succeeded, all of her mother's possessions would be hers in the future.
She would never again be manipulated and controlled by her mother.
Without Qin Shi, Shen Mingtang would have no backing in the mansion at all.
Shen Mingtang nodded to her, then looked at the several madams behind her and smiled, "I apologize for troubling you all to search for my mother. She merely has a weak constitution and happened to feel drowsy. There's no need for concern."
The crowd had initially assumed she had been alone with Prince Rui in private, but upon hearing that Qin Shi was also present, their interest waned. Thus, the situation could no longer be considered an improper meeting between an unmarried man and woman.
Earlier, when this Miss Shen mentioned seeing the Yuchang Marquis Heir heading toward the guest rooms and then couldn't find her mother, they had grown curious. Now, however, there was no spectacle to witness.
Some turned their dissatisfaction toward Shen Mingyue, "This Miss Shen ought to refrain from such hysterics in the future. Every noble young lady in the capital maintains elegance and composure in adversity. Look at you—where is the demeanor of a well-bred maiden?"
Shen Mingyue's face flushed crimson as she urgently tried to defend herself. But the crowd paid her no mind, scoffing twice before dispersing.
Soon, only a few of them remained in the room.
"Shen Mingtang, you did this on purpose…" Shen Mingyue, burning with shame and anger, lashed out at Shen Mingtang.
But before she could finish, she saw Shen Mingtang raise her hand. Thinking Shen Mingtang meant to strike her, she immediately lifted her own hand as well. As the legitimate elder sister, disciplining a younger half-sister would draw little interference.
Only when Shen Mingyue's hand was already raised did she notice that Shen Mingtang's hand was not empty.
In Shen Mingtang's grasp was a blood-stained dagger!