Chapter Fifteen: Everywhere, Everywhere

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Fifteen spoke without emotion, “Killing him is the proper course.”

Fifteen had assumed Song Qingcheng might be soft-hearted like a noble lady and feared harm, so she warned her.

Sixteen nodded in agreement, “Yes, Miss Song, keeping this man around is a menace. It’s better to kill him quickly.”

“You’ve misunderstood. Miss Song’s medicine is specially made for men like this. After taking it, their virility vanishes completely; they suffer nightmares every night and endure great pain.

Whenever we encounter scoundrels or ruffians on the road, we use this method. It never fails. Traveling far and wide, we’ve never suffered a loss this way.” Taohong took out the medicine and explained proudly.

Her lady was truly formidable.

It was just a pity that Taoxi wasn’t here; otherwise, tonight she could have beaten this man until he was begging on the ground.

Taoxi knew martial arts. Before coming to the capital, she accompanied Song Qingcheng to gather herbs but accidentally fell off a cliff and was injured, so she had to remain in the herbal valley to recover.

Song Qingcheng had thought it would be a short time, planning to return before Taoxi healed. Now poisoned herself, she had to wait for Taoxi to come find her.

Fifteen turned and looked at the person before her. Though she could not fight, she was not weak; she lived by her own wits and abilities, relying on no one.

She seemed to understand a little why the young master favored her.

Curious, Sixteen leaned closer, “Ah, how magical! Let me try some; I want to see for myself.”

Taohong skillfully pried open the man’s mouth and forced the medicine in. Moments later, the man clutched his lower body, crying out in pain, his body twisting like a writhing worm, flailing about.

“Help... save me, please!”

Song Qingcheng stepped back to avoid contact, squatted down, and poked him with a stick. “Speak. What brings you to the Shen residence at this late hour? If you don’t speak, I’ll give you another dose.”

The man endured for a second, then blurted out everything, “Someone wants me to capture you, to ruin your purity and marry you off.”

“Who?”

The man’s face twisted fiercely, sweat mingling with tears. “I don’t know... I only know this much. I really don’t know anything else.

I’ve told you everything. Can you give me the antidote now?” he gasped weakly.

Song Qingcheng shook her hands apologetically. “Sorry, this medicine has no antidote. If your master is so powerful, let him help you.”

“Throw him out.” Song Qingcheng waved her hand, then remembered the medicine in her jar and hurried over, hoping it hadn’t been overcooked.

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Fifteen’s face remained cold as she grabbed the man and, using lightness skills, leapt over the corner wall and flew away.

Song Qingcheng stirred the medicine inside while Sixteen followed, curious about everything. “I heard Miss Song lives in the herbal valley. Isn’t it very secluded there? Does she rarely see others?”

The young master waited eagerly every day for news of Miss Song. As a subordinate, Sixteen wanted to help well, hoping to make her the young master’s wife.

Song Qingcheng multitasked, “There aren’t many people there. Besides a few children living there, no one can enter the herbal valley.”

The valley was mysterious. When she first arrived, it took winding paths for a long time to enter. Those children seemed to have enemies, so they could only hide inside, unable to leave.

“Well, Miss Song...” Sixteen was about to speak further when suddenly her collar was tightened. Fifteen appeared after finishing her task. “Miss, there are still matters to attend to; don’t disturb.”

Fifteen carried the man away. Sixteen, unable to resist, was forced to leave. From afar, her dissatisfied murmurs could still be heard. Song Qingcheng chuckled and shook her head, her hands never ceasing their work.

After the herbs were boiled, they were moved to another place, the fire stoked again. Taohong yawned as she approached, “Miss, it’s late. Why not rest first and continue after waking?”

“Almost done. You go get some rest.”

Understanding Song Qingcheng’s nature, Taohong said no more, helped gather firewood, then returned to her room.

When Song Qingcheng finished, she bottled the medicine in a white porcelain vial. Looking at the dimly brightening sky, she stretched, put away the vial, and went to rest.

After a drowsy sleep, Song Qingcheng opened her eyes to Taohong’s smiling face. A faint smile touched her lips as she hoarsely asked, “Why are you so happy?”

Taohong grinned, “Young Master Shen wants to teach you lightness skills and is waiting outside.”

Taohong knew her mistress always regretted not being able to learn martial arts, so she was genuinely pleased to see this chance.

“How long has my cousin been here?” Song Qingcheng suddenly became alert, realizing she had kept him waiting again.

“Almost since breakfast. When he saw you sleeping, he handled some affairs and then came back,” Taohong helped her wash up.

After washing, Song Qingcheng ate a few simple bites, dressed neatly, and went to learn lightness skills.

Shen Runzhi waited outside, but there was another person beside him—a man in red with peach blossom eyes and a lock of hair falling over his forehead.

As Song Qingcheng approached, the man blew the hair from his brow, cocky and lewd. “So you are the crown princess the prince intends to wed? You look quite nice.

Why not marry me instead? I am...”

Before he could finish, Song Qingcheng revealed a silver needle from behind her back. Before it could pierce him, the man was flung away—indeed, literally thrown out. Hidden figures kicked him out of the courtyard.

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Song Qingcheng blinked in surprise as Shen Runzhi grabbed her hand, lifting her into the air. Startled by the loss of control, she clutched his hand tightly.

In an instant, they reached the rooftop. She exhaled softly as Shen Runzhi’s voice echoed above her, “Remember this feeling.”

“What?”

Before she could react, they flew again. With no place to hold on, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

As she flew, Song Qingcheng gradually adapted, beginning to sense the lightness of her body. She loosened her grip slightly to relax.

Noticing her change, Shen Runzhi’s lips curved into a faint smile; a flicker of admiration shone in his eyes.

After circling a few times, he brought her down to the ground. “Yaoyao, remember?”

A little dizzy, she paused a moment then nodded, “I remember. Cousin’s teaching method is... very special.”

She had seen Taoxi practice martial arts from the basics onward and had expected to begin with horse stances. Suddenly flying through the air caught her off guard.

“The simplified version doesn’t require those steps. The hunt is in a few days; preparation now will prevent accidents. Yaoyao, you must be careful.” Shen Runzhi’s words echoed those from her previous life.

In that life, they rarely interacted. A few days before the hunt, she accidentally bumped into him while carrying something.

He had said the same thing. Cold-faced and heartless, Shen Runzhi’s gaze was icy. “Be cautious. Bring more people in a few days for the hunt to avoid danger.”

Song Qingcheng thought he disliked her and arrogantly retorted, “No need. Cousin, you should bring more people yourself to avoid danger.”

Afterward, she abandoned the items on the ground and left in a huff.

Unbeknownst to Song Qingcheng, Shen Runzhi carefully picked up that piece of cake and placed it by his bed, gazing at it day and night.

She could not understand how she had thought to bring so few people, which led to the accident—falling off the cliff and getting entangled with the crown prince.

“I understand, cousin. This time at the hunt, I will bring more people. You must also be careful. Don’t let any fierce beasts harm you.”