With her deceased husband as her dowry, would Your Highness dare to marry her?

"I poisoned the wine... I poisoned every single jar."

The sweet wine had already gone down my throat; I didn't even have time to vomit.

Pei Jinxuan smiled instead of getting angry, his peach blossom eyes shining brightly. He finished his wine and gently placed the wine pot on the table.

"When did you use those methods?"

"Two days ago, I bribed the drivers who delivered the liquor. They thought I was going to run away, but actually I wanted them to pay with their lives. Your knives are faster than my poison, what a pity."

As soon as he finished speaking, Pei Jinxuan felt a dull, sharp pain in his abdomen, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

The dark-faced guard, Amo, noticed his unusual expression and stepped forward, using sign language to ask: "Are you alright?"

"He's just been poisoned," Lin Ci said casually, as if Pei Jinxuan had just been bitten by a mosquito and it was no big deal.

This woman knows sign language? This surprised Pei Jinxuan.

Alarm bells rang in Amo's mind. He swiftly drew his sword and pointed it directly at Lin Ci's brow.

Pei Jinxuan slightly raised his hand and pressed down on Amo's sword. However, with just this small movement, he felt a sweet taste in his throat, as if something was churning up from his stomach.

Pei Jinxuan suppressed his urge to vomit and said softly, "If I die, you won't live either."

Lin Ci smiled. "I have the antidote." As she spoke, she took out a vermilion-colored pill from her sleeve. "I originally kept it for myself, but I don't need it now."

Amo saw this and reached out to snatch it.

Lin Ci held the antidote tightly in her hand, refusing to give it up no matter what.

She hid her hands behind her back, took a step back, and said, "I have two questions. First: Who are you? Second: How did you find me?"

"None of that matters. What matters is that you are alive and well in front of me."

Finally, Pei Jinxuan couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, Amo glared angrily at Lin Ci. He took out a piece of black jade from his waist and showed it to Lin Ci. The words "Jing An" were engraved on the jade.

Lin Ci thought for a moment, "Someone from the Prince of Jing'an?"

Pei Jinxuan wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth. "That's right. I heard that the legendary healer Xiaoyaozi possessed a forbidden technique that could bring the dead back to life. We searched for a long time and found out that Xiaoyaozi was dead, but his disciple was still alive..."

As he spoke, Pei Jinxuan looked at Lin Ci with clear, sharp eyes, like a sword piercing her.

Is Xiaoyaozi's "resurrection" technique real or fake?

Amo's sword was faster than his gaze; before Lin Ci could react, the sword was already at her neck.

Pei Jinxuan added, "If you know, I'll take you away; if you don't, I'm afraid you'll have to suffer."

Lin Ci looked at his slightly purple lips and said, "You're about to be poisoned."

"With you by my side on the road to the underworld, I have nothing to fear." Pei Jinxuan took out another pot of wine, intending to drink it.

Lin Ci's eyes widened involuntarily. Ignoring the sharp sword at her neck, she snatched the wine pot from Pei Jinxuan's hand.

"I had no intention of harming you. Zhangjia Village tricked my husband into signing a long-term labor contract, and then mistreated and exploited us both. If it weren't for them, my husband wouldn't have died... Now they're forcing me to marry that idiot. A bunch of scoundrels deserve what they got!"

Tears welled up in Lin Ci's eyes as she looked at Pei Jinxuan and bowed deeply.

"You've saved me today. I'm deeply grateful." Lin Ci offered the antidote with both hands. "We're even now."

As she finished speaking, she smiled, a smile both poignant and enigmatic.

Pei Jinxuan calmly accepted the antidote, seemingly having expected her to hand it over, since his death would do her no good.

After taking the pill, Pei Jinxuan closed his eyes and slowly said, "Young lady, that's not how it's settled."

As soon as she finished speaking, her peach blossom eyes opened, and she was stunningly beautiful.

When his gaze fell on Lin Ci, a smile appeared on his lips.

Lin Ci felt a pang of panic. She knew she had been somewhat impolite, so she pursed her lips, thought for a moment, and calmly said, "I know the resurrection technique you requested."

Lin Ci met his eyes without the slightest fear.

Pei Jinxuan's smile deepened. "I knew it wouldn't be a wasted trip. Come with me to the capital, and I'll guarantee you wealth and luxury, and a life free from want. As for that cup of poison... I won't hold it against you."

After saying that, Pei Jinxuan got up and boarded the carriage.

Lin Ci stood still, showing no intention of leaving.

Pei Jinxuan sat upright in the car, looking down at her, and asked, "You refuse?"

"To bring someone back to life, you need a medicinal ingredient, as well as rare and exotic herbs, dragon bones, and phoenix marrow. If you can't get them, taking me with you won't help."

Pei Jinxuan scoffed, "Don't worry, there's nothing in the world I can't get my hands on."

After saying this, Amo respectfully lowered the carriage curtain.

The shadows gradually enveloped Pei Jinxuan's face, and the moment the curtain fell, he suddenly looked up at Lin Ci, like a wolf lurking in the shadows eyeing its prey.

For some reason, Lin Ci got goosebumps all over her body. She steadied herself, clenched her fists, and still didn't leave.

"What else do you want?" Pei Jinxuan's voice came through the curtain, sounding somber.

"I said, I need a medicinal ingredient. The ingredient is right here, and I must take it with me."

Pei Jinxuan remained silent for a moment before getting off the carriage.

He wrapped his silver fox fur coat tightly around his shoulders and walked gracefully to Lin Ci.

"Please lead the way, my lady." His expression changed, his eyebrows curved slightly, and he smiled like a fox.

He looks just like Song Xuan. Lin Ci was lost in thought.

Pei Jinxuan noticed something in her eyes and couldn't help but sneer: She was playing tricks just now, but now she's staring straight at people. What kind of descendant of a divine doctor is she? She's just a vulgar person in a good-natured body, a hypocrite.

"Come with me." Lin Ci turned around, her red dress treading on the white snow, and walked along the path towards the back mountain.

Behind the mountain lies Bianye Lake, nestled between two low slopes. Amidst the pristine white snow, the lake's surface is covered with a thin layer of ice, resembling a hazy, gray mirror.

Lin Ci walked to a withered tree with the words "Late Husband" carved on it.

She knelt before the tree and kowtowed three times, pressing her face to the cold earth, and murmured, "We're going to the capital. Don't worry, I will definitely master the forbidden technique and bring you back to life."

Lin Ci spoke softly and earnestly, but she knew in her heart that even her master had failed at this forbidden technique, so how could she possibly do it? However, for the sake of the deceased Song Xuan, she was willing to take the risk and try, even if it meant risking her life.

"Did you cry at the wrong grave?" A very unpleasant voice sounded from behind. Pei Jinxuan had followed us without us noticing. He looked around and said, "There's no grave here."

Lin Ci quietly wiped away her tears and said firmly, "My husband is right here."

After saying that, she stood up and jumped into the icy lake water. Her wedding dress spread out in the water, turning as red as a blot of blood.

Pei Jinxuan was surprised. Before he could give the order, Amo took off his sword and jumped into the lake.

The lake water was so cold it felt like a thousand needles were piercing into his bones. Lin Ci swam to the deepest part of the lake and lay down beside a roll of straw mat, his ten fingers digging into several large stones tied to the bottom of the mat.

Judging from the shape of this straw mat, it is clearly a corpse.

The lake water was too cold, and Lin Ci's hands were no longer under her control. Bubbles kept coming out of her mouth and nose, but she still couldn't untie the rope.

Amo swam closer, took out a dagger from his waist, cut the rope in the water, then pulled Lin Ci with one hand and held the corpse with the other to float to the surface of the lake.

Pei Jinxuan stood still, squinting as he watched. When he saw bubbles rising from the lake, he quickly raised his hand to signal the guards to help the two of them ashore.

Amo, panting heavily, wiped the icy water from his face and gestured to Pei Jinxuan: [Retrieve the corpse]

Pei Jinxuan shifted his gaze and saw Lin Ci lying on a wet straw mat. Her purple lips trembled slightly, and her body was shaking. It was hard to tell whether she was crying or cold.

Pei Jinxuan stepped forward, squatted down, and lifted a corner of the straw mat. Underneath was a brown tung oil cloth, through which the outline of a head could be vaguely seen.

"This is the medicinal ingredient," Lin Ci said softly. Her voice had become hoarse, her wedding dress was plastered on her body, and her black hair clung to her face, making her look as miserable as a female ghost.

Pei Jinxuan frowned. "You mean... a corpse?"

Lin Ci raised her head and stared straight at him, a strange excitement flashing in her eyes. "'Resurrection' must require inanimate objects. Back when my master was still alive, my husband tasted all the herbs in the world and became immune to all poisons."

"If he was immune to all poisons, why did he still die?"

"There are other ways for people to die besides poisoning. I must take him with me; without him, there is no way to bring him back to life."

Pei Jinxuan's fingers caressed the gold thread on the edge of his sleeve. After a long while, he nodded in acknowledgment.

Just as the guards were about to lift the body, Pei Jinxuan suddenly raised his hand to stop them. He carefully examined the straw mat and said, "Open it."

Upon hearing this, Lin Ci threw herself onto the corpse, crying out, "Don't disturb my husband's peace!"

"They're all medicinal ingredients now, what peace and quiet is there to speak of? I need to see what kind of medicinal ingredients absolutely must be taken away. Open."

At a command.

Amo pushed Lin Ci, who was in the way, away. Lin Ci pounced on Amo's hand like a madwoman and bit it hard.

The bite was like a mosquito swatting at a stone; Lin Ci was brushed away again, fell to the ground, and didn't recover for a long time.

With a "whoosh," the straw mat scattered, and a strange herbal scent wafted out. There was no stench of decaying corpses; instead, it carried a hint of fresh grass.

Pei Jinxuan's gaze froze instantly when he saw what was under the straw mat, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes.