FID – Chapter 1052

Chapter 1052: Failed Product, No Antidote

When Liu Yusheng asked about the medicine, Xue Qinglian grinned.

A sly, mischievous grin.

“It was a failed poison. I happened to test its effects on a whim. It wasn’t bad, so I fed a little to that old thing.”

“……”

“You know how it is with failed products, no antidote. Even I don’t have one. I can’t make it.”

“……”

Liu Yusheng was utterly impressed.

He could even turn a failure into something dangerous.

If he couldn’t make an antidote, who else could?

“The old eunuch lives in the Imperial Household Department, in the northwest corner of the rear palace. If something comes up, just take a stroll there and I’ll spot you.”

They couldn’t chat too long. Earlier, he had first checked that no one was around before speaking casually with her. Talking too long would attract suspicion, and the two girls at the lake had already glanced over several times.

Not being on his turf meant it was better to be cautious.

He couldn’t afford to ruin things. After all the effort it took to sneak in, it would all be for nothing.

Xue Qinglian never liked leaving a job half done.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have lingered in the Liu family courtyard for so long back then.

Seeing him prepare to leave, Liu Yusheng nodded slightly, silently signaling that she had remembered what he said.

Just as he turned, a figure appeared on the small path from the other side.

When Liu Yusheng saw the person, both she and Xue Qinglian’s eyes narrowed simultaneously. Xue Qinglian immediately ducked behind the rockery, hiding his figure.

Fortunately, the person wasn’t walking toward them directly, so there was no confrontation, and their presence went unnoticed.

“Why is she here?” Liu Yusheng frowned.

Xue Qinglian looked in the direction the person had gone. “I guess she was probably invited to treat the old eunuch.”

The direction she was heading led straight to the Imperial Household Department.

“I’ll head back first. If anything comes up, I’ll come to you later.”

“Alright,” Liu Yusheng nodded. “You and Fu Yang both need to be careful. She knows you, and with her cleverness, she’ll likely find any weaknesses you have.”

Xue Qinglian soon left, taking a shortcut toward the Imperial Household Department.

Liu Yusheng remained standing, her brow furrowed, the knot in her thoughts still unresolved after a long while.

Shan Lai.

She hadn’t expected to see Shan Lai in the Xiliang Imperial Palace.

But thinking about it, it wasn’t entirely surprising.

At first, they guessed Shan Lai might be from Miaojiang, but Miaojiang had long disappeared. Xiliang, however, had a Saintess Tribe and a Gu Medicine Clan.

Since Shan Lai existed, she must have come from somewhere—so the most likely origin was the Gu Medicine Clan.

It seemed that, like the Saintess Tribe, the Gu Medicine Clan had an extremely close relationship with the Xiliang royal family.

No one could determine the cause of the old eunuch’s strange illness. In desperation, he turned to every possible healer, and eventually he summoned Shan Lai.

If she could see that the old eunuch wasn’t poisoned, could it be that he had been afflicted with a Gu curse?

Thinking this, Liu Yusheng felt heavy with concern. She didn’t know how skilled Shan Lai’s medicine truly was, but if she discovered that the old eunuch had been cursed or poisoned, then everyone in the caravan would face a thorough investigation.

After all, only the caravan members had the opportunity to get close to the old eunuch and potentially harm him.

Once such an investigation occurred, trouble would inevitably arise. Even with masks on, Liu Yusheng couldn’t be certain that they could still remain perfectly hidden.

“Sister Qian Mei, who was that man who just spoke to you? He looks like one of the escort guards from the caravan, isn’t he?” Qian Lan and Qian Xue had just returned from the lake.

Liu Yusheng snapped back to her senses and smiled at them. “He’s one of the caravan’s escort guards. We chatted a bit on the road, and when he saw me just now, he came over to greet me.”

Qian Lan immediately believed her. Qian Xue was slightly skeptical, but seeing Liu Yusheng speak so openly and calmly, she didn’t press further.

“It’s almost noon. Let’s head back to the Palace of Longevity. Lunch is about to be served, and we don’t want Elder waiting on us.” Before returning, Liu Yusheng cast a glance toward the Imperial Household Department. When Feng Qingbai comes tonight, she must ask carefully about Shan Lai.

Elsewhere, Xue Qinglian returned to the Imperial Household Department first. In the shadows, he found Feng Qingbai and leapt to his side, squeezing close to him. “So, how does it feel being a palace guard?”

Grinning mischievously, Xue Qinglian used internal voice transmission.

He couldn’t speak aloud like he did with Lucky Nannan in here as any sound could be overheard, every word caught.

The man ignored his teasing and remained steady. “Have you seen Shengsheng?”

“How do you know?” Xue Qinglian’s eyes widened as he scanned the man up and down, left and right. “Were you following me just now? Impossible—I specifically checked; there were no hidden guards nearby.”

The most important point: if Feng Qingbai had been present, he would never allow him to chat alone with Nannan.

He was a dangerously possessive jealous type.

“Next time you see Shengsheng, stay away from her. I don’t like others carrying her scent.”

Xue Qinglian’s face twitched. Bloody hell, this guy is insane! Is he a dog? Has he a dog’s nose?

He could even sniff a scent? What the hell did that mean?

As he cursed silently in his mind, the man turned his head, eyes chilling. “Were you really that close?”

“….” He had fallen into a trap. Feng Qingbai hadn’t actually smelled anything. It was just a test!

What could he do now that his expression had given him away?

Xue Qinglian wished he could imitate Honglian, taking a punch to knock himself out, letting Honglian take the punishment instead.

Unfortunately, the punch aimed at him wasn’t faster than Feng Qingbai.

A sideways swipe first knocked his fist away, then the same hand curled into a punch and slammed straight at his face.

It landed.

His nose felt broken.

“Ah!” Clutching his face, tears streaming, Xue Qinglian felt the pain so sharply he nearly lost control.

This guy didn’t hold back at all!

Why did he always have to suffer endless torment whenever he appeared?

Even though it was the same body, that bastard Xue Honglian had watched his own flesh take damage without flinching. He is cowardly as a mouse, a damned immortal turtle!

Wiping his tears, he vaguely caught sight of the man curling another fist to strike again. With a jolt, Xue Qinglian rolled back and held out a hand to stop him. “I have something to say. Lucky Nannan has a message!”

The fist froze right in front of his eyes. Blink, and his lashes almost brushed the man’s knuckles.

Xue Qinglian felt a surge of relief and gratitude. His little name had been saved.

Carefully, he shifted his head away, keeping out of the punch’s path. “I really have something to say. I nearly forgot the main point in all the joking. Shan Lai has arrived.”

Feng Qingbai retracted, cool and calm. “She’s here. If she discovers your poison, deal with it yourself.”

“Brother, I was helping you back then!” Xue Qinglian protested. “And now you betray me?”

“You made the mess, you clean it up, isn’t that right?” The man turned his head, long eyes glancing over with quiet authority.

“Yeah, I should clean it up, absolutely. Leave it to me!” Xue Qinglian’s nose was red, but he forced a grin.

The situation was against him, so he endured.

If he didn’t, he’d just have to go back to sleep.

He couldn’t meddle in such a fun affair—no way!

Just as he prepared to offer another sly smile toward the man, Shan Lai appeared at the gate of the Imperial Household Department. Both of them fell silent and turned to look.