C13 Medicine Pill

"Does he not understand my intentions? There's no one more loyal than me."

A glimmer flashed in Liu Shengqing's eyes before he fell silent again. "So, has Zheng returned yet?"

"That's the strange part. There's still no word from him."

The palace was a whirlwind of intrigue, where every step was fraught with danger. But far away from the capital, Ruan Qingge, now dressed as a man, was enjoying her newfound freedom.

"You still haven't told me your name."

Ruan Qingge took a bite of her candied fruit, squinting at the man in black beside her. "Look around, everyone's staring at you. Hurry up and take off that face mask."

"Ahem."

The man in black cleared his throat, pulling down the mask with a hint of awkwardness as he walked through the crowd, speaking in a low voice. "When are you going to give me the antidote?"

"What's the rush? When will you get me the money I asked for?" Ruan Qingge tilted her head, holding out her hand. "Without the money, I'm not so easy to deal with."

With the mask off, the man revealed a strikingly handsome face, his skin slightly tanned and features sharp. Ruan Qingge was surprised that her captor had such a good-looking face, which made her even more amused. "Never mind, no hurry. Just tell me your name first."

"Liu Yunzheng!"

The man in black quickly spat out his words, frowning impatiently, "I've already brought you to a safe place. Why are you going back on your word?"

"Being alone in this unfamiliar place is so boring. Wouldn't it be better if you stayed with me a few more days? Otherwise, if you let me escape secretly, your boss might not be too happy."

The two of them were currently in a bustling market at the foot of the capital. People glanced curiously at Liu Yunzheng, dressed in his peculiar black attire.

Liu Yunzheng looked over Ruan Qingge's blue outfit and said in a strange tone, "You wore men's clothes under your wedding dress, clearly planning to escape. How could you be bored? And why did you paint your face like that in the bridal sedan? I really thought you were ugly, but you're not bad-looking at all."

"Of course, I had to be fully prepared. If I didn't escape, even if I wasn't taken away now, life in the prince's mansion would be unbearable. If the prince saw my beauty and suddenly fell for me, wouldn't I be trapped? Thankfully, Xiao Rongjuan was smart enough to send you guys. He probably doesn't want this marriage either, so why should I become a pair of resentful spouses with him?"

"Hmph, you definitely can't marry the prince, but I wasn't sent by him," Liu Yunzheng said, initially disdainful of Ruan Qingge's confidence, but by the end, he raised his chin with a hint of pride on his face.

As they spoke, the once bustling street was suddenly filled with the sound of galloping hooves, followed by the sharp noise of a horse being reined in. The horse neighed loudly, the sound cutting through the crowd and adding to the chaos.

Ruan Qingge didn't catch what was said, but she noticed a crowd gathering ahead, their gasps of surprise reaching her ears.

"Oh no, did someone get trampled?" a bystander exclaimed in shock.

Ruan Qingge's professional instincts kicked in, and she pushed through the crowd. She saw a woman lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath her, reminiscent of a modern accident scene.

"Where are you going?" Liu Yunzheng called out, startled as he watched Qingge rush forward. He quickly followed her.

Ruan Qingge checked the woman's breathing—it was faint, but she was still alive. Relieved, Qingge felt for a pulse, then tore a strip of cloth from her clothing to bandage the wound on the woman's head. She pulled a small bottle from her pocket and administered a pill to the injured woman.