The Demon Prince

Li Miaoqing was the first to explode: "Xiao Xingyue, don't slander me! At most, I drugged you; I had no reason to kill you!"

Li Shunhua's face darkened further: "If I wanted to kill you, why would I have saved you just now!"

Xiao Xingyue calmly withdrew his gaze, "That's true, you guys are stupid, not as professional as the group tonight."

Li Miaoqing opened her mouth, as if she were muttering something under her breath.

Li Shunhua closed her eyes, as if she was trying to suppress the urge to stab Xiao Xingyue to death.

At this moment, Beitang Jimin pulled out the last silver needle, and Shen Yan spat out a mouthful of black blood. Everyone in the pharmacy breathed a sigh of relief.

Beitang Jimin wiped his hands:

"His life has been saved."

Xiao Xingyue immediately stepped forward: "Where's your hand?"

"You certainly have a lot of demands." Beitang Jimin glanced at him, then pointed to Shen Yan's abdomen:

"The poison has not been cleared yet. You need to take a life-sustaining medicine every three days for half a month."

Otherwise, if the residual poison seeps into the heart, even if the person wakes up, they will never be able to hold a pen properly again.

Xiao Xingyue nodded, and Beitang Jimin continued:

"The person should stay at the Beitang residence to recuperate. There are plenty of medicines and people here, making it safer than your Prince's residence."

"OK."

"That's it?" Beitang Jimin looked at him, his voice tinged with displeasure. "Young Master Xiao, you owe me a favor."

Before Xiao Xingyue could speak, Beitang Jimin had already reached out his hand: "Return Qing'er's medicine pouch first."

Li Miaoqing immediately perked up: "That's right! My medicine pouch!"

Xiao Xingyue said calmly, "That's a problem. I had a runny nose this morning, so I took all the medicine I could find for a cold."

"You!" Li Miaoqing almost choked on her breath: "You ate it all? There were Jade Marrow Pills, Nine-Turn Meridian Protection Pills, and even something to save my life..."

Beitang Jimin's eyebrows twitched, and he was about to speak when Xiao Xingyue said in a serious tone, "Seventh Princess, please calm down. I, Xiao Xingyue, am not the kind of person who would take advantage of you. How about this, I can come to the Beitang residence often to help you refine medicine as compensation?"

Li Miaoqing's eyes lit up. What's the difference between this and eating a free meal and then staying to wash the dishes?

This is a perfect opportunity to enslave Xiao Xingyue!

Just as Beitang Jimin was about to stop her, Li Miaoqing nodded excitedly, "Okay, you'll come over for two hours every day to wash the medicine, grind it, watch the fire, and move the furnace—you can't skip a single one!"

Xiao Xingyue immediately put on a reluctant expression: "This isn't quite right, I'm a dignified heir..."

However, since the Seventh Princess has spoken, and I am a person of my word, and I have the utmost respect for the benevolence of healers, then it's settled!

Li Miaoqing felt that something was wrong.

Beitang Jimin covered his forehead:

"Qing'er, what kind of medicine-making skills do you have?"

Li Miaoqing paused, then Beitang Jimin stared at Xiao Xingyue: "He's trying to get my medical knowledge for free, you silly girl!"

Li Miaoqing: "..."

Xiao Xingyue cupped his hands in greeting: "Don't say it out loud, it will make the Seventh Princess look stupid."

Beitang Jimin was almost laughing out of anger.

Xiao Xingyue glanced at Shen Yan to make sure his breathing had stabilized before bowing respectfully: "Thank you."

Beitang Jimin glanced at him but didn't mock him anymore.

They watched as Xiao Xingyue led Li Shunhua away from the pharmacy.

Only Li Miaoqing was stomping her feet in anger behind them!

……

When Xiao Xingyue left the Beitang residence, the rain had already stopped.

The sky was tinged with gray as Qin Zhenyue stood outside the Beitang Mansion, holding a tattered cloth and half a short blade in his hand.

Qin Zhenyue tossed the dagger to Xiao Xingyue:

"Nothing could be found on the assassin. He came from the martial arts world but did not belong to any sect. His weapon was also a common black market item."

He looked at Xiao Xingyue:

"Do you have any leads? For example, who do you think has a motive to kill you?"

Xiao Xingyue raised his hand and pointed at Qin Zhenyue.

Qin Zhenyue's beard almost flew off:

"You bastard! Your father and I were sworn brothers, why would I kill you?"

Li Shunhua was also quite angry:

"Xiao Xingyue, are you ever going to stop? At this crucial moment, you're still causing trouble for my grandfather?"

"If it's not General Qin," Xiao Xingyue withdrew his hand and looked towards the palace, "then it could be your father, the Emperor."

Li Shunhua's expression changed:

"Impossible! The vote will be held in a month, and you will naturally lose face in front of the world. At that time, the two families will cancel the marriage agreement on their own."

Why would my father bother with you?

Xiao Xingyue stared at her, and said, word by word:

"Because the nine pythons swallowed the dragon."

The air fell silent for a moment, and Qin Zhenyue's eyes gleamed with a sinister light.

Xiao Xingyue continued:

"General Qin said he and my father were sworn brothers. I wonder if he ever had any doubts about the cause of his death?"

A cold wind blew after the rain, and the General of the Western Garrison stood for a long time before speaking slowly:

"Xiao Xingyue, the story of the Nine Pythons Swallowing the Dragon is just a folk legend... His Majesty may not necessarily take action against the Xiao family because of this."

There are many doubts surrounding the deaths of your father and brother in battle on the border. Before a conclusion is reached, remember not to speak carelessly.

After speaking, Qin Zhenyue raised his hand and patted Xiao Xingyue's arm. The pat was heavy, not as a threat, but more like a reminder.

Xiao Xingyue and Qin Zhenyue exchanged glances:

"I understand. I also hope that someone else will take action, not the one I'm thinking of."

Goodbye.

Xiao Xingyue cupped his hands in greeting, then turned and left.

……

On the way back to the Prince's Mansion.

Xiao Xingyue leaned against the car wall with his eyes closed.

Qin Zhenyue and Li Shunhua's words were not without reason; the emperor had a very good chance of winning the vote a month later.

First, humiliate him in front of the world, make the Xiao family a laughingstock because of Xiao Xingyue, and then eliminate him.

Isn't it cleaner? More logical?

There's no need to assassinate him now, especially at this critical juncture, while Qin Zhenyue is in the capital. It's incredibly foolish.

But those assassins didn't seem to only want to kill him; they changed targets swiftly and decisively.

Shen Yan was promoted to a high-ranking official position, and the incident happened that very night. It seems that someone didn't want him to rise to the top.

"The waters of Kyoto are far deeper than they appear; hidden forces are stirring up trouble!"

Xiao Xingyue rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. All he wanted to do right now was get some sleep.

As soon as the carriage stopped in front of the Zhenguo King's Mansion, Chen Manfu and Zhao Yuanbao were already waiting outside.

Zhao Yuanbao said anxiously, "Your Highness! I was terrified when I heard you were assassinated!"

Xiao Xingyue waved his hand.

Chen Manfu continued, "Your Highness, we have distinguished guests in the manor."

Xiao Xingyue paused in his steps: "Who is it?"

Chen Manfu lowered his voice:

"Your Highness, Consort Shu!"