C6 Token

"If we're lucky, neither of us will die."

Chi Rongyan thought for a moment before retrieving a small bottle from the medicine cabinet and handing it to the man.

"If you're willing, take one of these the next time the poison acts up. It should help."

"Are you asking me to be your guinea pig?" Xie Xuanmo looked at Chi Rongyan, his voice icy.

He noticed the slyness in her eyes. Even though he was mostly convinced by her, he couldn't help but wonder how she'd react when her intentions were called out.

He expected her to panic, but to his surprise, she admitted it openly.

"So what? It's not like it'll kill you. This poison was lost to time long ago, and you're the first person I've encountered with it. Naturally, you're my only option for testing. You won't lose anything."

...There was no arguing with that.

She was no ordinary girl.

Anyone else would be too intimidated to say such things to him. Yet, she wasn't just unafraid; there was even a hint of excitement in her voice.

"Then I'll take it."

Quietly noting her name, Xie Xuanmo adjusted his collar and pocketed the bottle. Just as he was about to leave, he felt a small, warm hand grasp his wrist.

He instinctively frowned but saw that Chi Rongyan had already closed her eyes.

Before he could react, a flash of white light passed before their eyes, and the two found themselves back behind the rock garden. A hint of surprise finally appeared on Xie Xuanmo’s usually calm face.

Chi Rongyan noticed he seemed to have questions, so she quickly started thinking up excuses in her head. Maybe she could just run off without explaining anything? But he’d probably catch up to her. Or perhaps she could say it was all just a dream? No, that would make it seem like she was treating him like a fool.

As she pondered, she suddenly heard voices coming from the front hall.

“If you want to call off the engagement, I would agree. But even though the old Duke didn’t specify back then, everyone in the capital knows your family accepted Yan’s father’s token. If you get engaged to the second family’s daughter, what will people think of my Yan?”

“Madam…”

“I don’t agree with this. Even if you insist on marrying the second family’s daughter, you must return Yan’s father’s token first. Otherwise, how can this be justified?”

“Please reconsider, ma’am…”

“Until you return the token, don’t bring this up again. Nanny, show our guest out.”

As someone emerged from the main hall, Chi Rongyan quickly shifted her curious gaze away and continued to hide with the man behind the rock garden.

Xie Xuanmo’s eyes flashed with surprise once more. Once everyone had left, he finally asked, “Your fiancé just came to break off the engagement, and you didn’t seem to care at all?”

"My fiancé?"

Chi Rongyan paused, then suddenly slapped her thigh. "I got so caught up in the excitement, I forgot. But I’ve never met him, so it doesn’t matter much. If the engagement is off, it’s off."

"Do you know what token your father gave him?" Xie Xuanmo, not usually one for many words, felt compelled to share what he knew. "It’s half of a tiger tally."

A tiger tally? The kind that can summon an army?

Rongyan wanted to ask more, but the man tossed her a token and vanished before her eyes. Only a voice lingered in her ear, seemingly from nowhere.

"If you need to find me, go to the Jade Loft Pawnshop. Show them the token, and they’ll bring you to me."