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

The lanterns in Jing'an Mansion had been replaced with new gauze, and the pillars of the corridors were polished to a shine. Granny Qian led the maids to set up a feast in the flower hall, where the tables were filled with seasonal fruits and eight-treasure boxes, each item exquisite.

Pei Jinxuan got up very early. He wore a black brocade robe, a dark blue leather belt around his waist, and a jade crown in his hair. When he stood in the flower hall, the fruits and candied fruits seemed rather bland.

The maids all had their own little schemes.

One of the unruly students deliberately spilled tea on Pei Jinxuan, and when he knelt down to beg for forgiveness, he intentionally or unintentionally revealed a section of his fair neck.

Pei Jinxuan frowned, raised his hand, and ordered Granny Qian to chase the person out.

What kind of day is this that people are causing trouble?

Granny Qian, abandoning her usual amiable demeanor, sternly reprimanded, "The Prince detests those who bewitch and seduce him. Keep your eyes, ears, mouths, and noses in check, lest you incur his wrath today!"

After he finished speaking, the flower hall fell silent, and the maids all lowered their heads.

Just then, a series of footsteps approached from afar, and everyone turned to look, only to see Lin Ci.

Today she wore a frosty-colored cross-collar jacket, the collar embroidered with a subtle floral pattern, and a very pale sky-blue skirt that rippled like water as she walked. Only a single white jade hairpin adorned her hair, simple yet elegant.

Before Lin Ci even entered the hall, Pei Jinxuan went up to her with a smile and said, "I told you to sleep a little longer, why are you up so early? Did I disturb you?"

"That's not true." Lin Ci said, opening her palm to reveal a cinnabar-colored pill. "Eat this; it's an antidote to all poisons, just in case."

Pei Jinxuan shook his head and said, "I don't need it."

"It will be too late if we need it. Xuanjing is a master of poisons, and we never know when we'll be affected. I stayed up all night making pills, and I'll give them to everyone in the manor later. Also, I've sprinkled snake repellent in the courtyard, just in case."

Pei Jinxuan frowned slightly upon hearing this and asked, "Didn't you sleep last night?"

"I slept for a while," Lin Ci said, stuffing the pill into his mouth. "You should eat it quickly."

Caught off guard, Pei Jinxuan gulped down the pill.

He couldn't help but joke, "Only you would dare to feed someone medicine like this. Even if it were poisonous rats, you would force it in."

Lin Ci covered her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled while looking down.

"Your Highness~ Your Highness~" the steward hurriedly reported, bowing his head, "The Prince of Liang's carriage is almost here."

Pei Jinxuan frowned. "So early?"

Outside the gate, at the end of the long street, a procession of carriages was slowly making its way over the bluestone slabs toward the Jing'an Prince's Mansion.

The carriage curtains were embroidered with crimson phoenix patterns, which shone like a blazing fire in the morning light. King Liang leaned against the carriage, his eyes slightly narrowed, his index finger tapping lightly on his knee as if conserving his energy.

Xuanjing sat opposite him, his wide monk's robe concealing his hands resting on his knees. His empty eyes were fixed on a sliver of morning light filtering through the curtain.

The carriage jolted slightly, and a pot of kingfisher flowers beside Xuanjing's knees trembled gently, a drop of dew rolling off a petal, so delicate it was almost too fragile to break.

The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the main gate of the Jing'an Prince's Mansion.

The King of Liang lifted the carriage curtain, glanced at the plaque with his own calligraphy above the door, and chuckled.

He got out of the car, straightened his cuffs, and stood in front of the door, looking around for a moment. The newly replaced lanterns under the eaves, the gleaming stone steps, the peach wood charms hanging from the eaves, and the tiles on the roof—everything in sight was spotless.

"Royal Uncle."

The person arrived before the voice came.

The King of Liang withdrew his gaze, and Pei Jinxuan had already come to greet him at the door. He stood on the steps in a black brocade robe, his peach blossom eyes slightly curved, and he cupped his hands and said, "Uncle, you have honored my humble abode with your presence. Please." He stepped aside to let him through the central door, his posture respectful.

With his hands behind his back, King Liang took a deep breath and thought to himself: This Feast at Hongmen is quite interesting.

Thinking it over, he smiled and cupped his hands in response, saying, "My dear nephew, you are truly thoughtful."

As soon as he finished speaking, he stepped over the threshold, followed closely by Xuanjing, who was leaning on his monk's staff. His brown monk's robe trailed on the ground, and his steps were silent. His empty eyes had not moved since he entered the room.

Pei Jinxuan secretly glanced at him a few times, then her gaze was drawn to what was behind him.

It was a golden kingfisher, planted in a pot, vibrant and alluring, like a bird about to take flight flashing before Pei Jinxuan's eyes. It didn't go into the Jingwang Mansion's storeroom with the other gift boxes, but was held in the hands of a servant, never leaving his side.

Pei Jinxuan realized that the King of Liang was using the golden kingfisher as bait to deliberately whet his appetite.

"Royal Uncle," Pei Jinxuan called out to the Prince of Liang.

King Liang turned around, his gaze passing over Pei Jinxuan, and said with a smile, "You all arrived so early?"

Upon hearing this, Pei Jinxuan turned around and saw Sun Huaiyi, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, followed by Zhou Jin, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and Zhao Duan, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate. All three were dressed in ordinary clothes and were walking slowly from the other side of the corridor. When they saw Pei Jinxuan, they all bowed and greeted him.

Pei Jinxuan's eyebrows twitched slightly, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply smiled and returned the greeting, then turned to Prince Liang and said softly, "Uncle, you seem to be in high spirits today, bringing so many distinguished guests?"

King Liang laughed and said, "Nephew, please don't be offended. When I went out, I happened to meet Lord Sun, Lord Zhou, and Lord Zhao. They were saying that today is the fifth day of the month and they wanted to come and pay their respects to you. I thought you were no stranger, so I invited them to come along."

Before he could finish speaking, Sun Huaiyi stepped forward, took out a red New Year's greeting card from his sleeve, presented it with both hands, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, I apologize for my intrusion. Today is the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and I originally came to pay my respects to Your Highness, but I did not expect to meet His Highness Prince Liang at the door, so we came in together. This is my greeting card, please accept it with a smile."

Zhou Jin and Zhao Duan stepped forward one after the other, each taking out a New Year's greeting card from their sleeves and respectfully handing it over. The three cards were placed side by side on the table beside Pei Jinxuan, the red paper and ink characters neat and tidy.

Pei Jinxuan accepted the New Year's greetings from the three officials, returned a deep bow, and said with a smile, "You are all very kind. This manor is quite lively today. Please, everyone."

He raised his hand in a gesture of respect and led the group into the main hall.

The golden kingfisher, carried by a servant, followed behind, its shimmering light like a living bait, hanging brightly in his sight.

The guests took their seats. King Liang sat at the head of the table, with Pei Jinxuan accompanying him in the main seat, and Xuan Jing sitting beside King Liang. The potted golden kingfisher was placed next to Xuan Jing, its turquoise calyx emitting a faint, shimmering light.

Sun Huaiyi immediately noticed the unusual flower. After examining it for a moment, he couldn't help but ask, "This flower has an extraordinary color, unlike any ordinary plant. May I ask, Master, does this flower have a name?"

Xuanjing clasped his hands together, his empty eyes calm and undisturbed. "This flower is called the Golden Kingfisher, a rare species from the Western Regions. I obtained it by chance. Today, I accompanied His Highness Prince Liang to a banquet and heard that Prince Jing'an has a fondness for flowers and plants, so I brought it here for Your Highness to enjoy."

That's a perfectly reasonable statement; they only gave it to you to admire. It wouldn't sound good if word got out that you were arguing over a monk's flower in front of several high-ranking officials.

Sun Huaiyi nodded repeatedly, his gaze falling on Xuanjing. The more he looked at the monk, the more he felt that he had an extraordinary bearing. He couldn't help but praise him, saying, "Master, your speech is refined and your demeanor is dignified. I often read Buddhist scriptures, but my understanding is shallow, and I cannot comprehend many of their meanings. If you have some free time in the future, I hope you can give me some guidance."

King Liang smiled as he raised his cup, "Lord Sun, you are unaware of this. Master Xuanjing's greatest skill is not Buddhism, but medicine."

"Oh?" Zhou Jin and Zhao Duan exchanged a glance, then looked at Xuan Jing at the same time.

Xuanjing kept his eyes lowered and a faint smile on his lips, just like the Buddha in the palace, neither sad nor happy.

"This humble monk has studied medicine since childhood. Although I have lost one of the seven orifices, I can still see diseases with my mind—by hearing sounds, smelling odors, and feeling the pulse, I can discern the deficiency or excess of a person's internal organs."

Everyone looked enlightened.

Pei Jinxuan picked up his teacup and cursed inwardly: Bullshit.

Then, he put down his teacup and said with a smile, "Master Xuanjing is not only a skilled physician, but he also has a unique technique."

He deliberately kept Sun Huaiyi in suspense, and Sun Huaiyi fell for his trap, eagerly asking, "What amazing skill?"

"Controlling snakes. I saw it with my own eyes." As he spoke, Pei Jinxuan looked at Xuan Jing, whose face remained clean and expressionless.

The crowd was in an uproar, exchanging bewildered glances.

Pei Jinxuan continued, "As far as I know, the art of controlling snakes is only prevalent in the Miao region. Since Master Xuanjing is skilled in this art, he must have learned it in the Miao region? And his ordination certificate must have been issued by a temple in the Miao region?"

He paused slightly, as if suddenly remembering something, "However, it seems that temples are not built in Miao territory. Where does Master Xuanjing usually stay?"

Pei Jinxuan seemed to be implying, both openly and subtly, that the monk in front of him was a fake.

King Liang chuckled, slowly finished his tea, and said, "Nephew, you seem quite interested in Master Xuanjing. Do you intend to poach him from my side?"

He then laughed heartily, his dark blue eyes narrowing slightly, a shrewd glint in them. It was nothing more than a mere initiation certificate; he had already made all the arrangements.

Xuanjing put his hands together in a Buddhist salute and said with a light smile, "I am currently staying at Jinguang Temple on the south side of the city. Abbot Liaowu has a past relationship with me, so he invited me to stay at the temple to treat pilgrims. It is a way to form a good connection."

Xuanjing suddenly turned his head, his empty eyes turning towards Pei Jinxuan, and changed the subject, saying, "This humble monk has long heard that there is also a divine physician in the Jing'an Prince's mansion. It is said that his medical skills are superb, and even His Majesty has praised him highly."

He paused slightly, lowered his clasped hands, as if listening intently, "He doesn't seem to be here today. Your Highness, could you allow me to see the Divine Physician?"