Mistakenly Treated The Princess As A Concubine - Chapter 128

The scent on the boat had been concentrated by the Embroidered Uniform Guards on the deck. The lower levels seemed empty, with only a few guards accompanying them. Yan Qinglan and Wen Zhuojin walked down together.

The smell on the lower levels was more chaotic, with heavy moisture, mildew, and fishy odors masking many other scents.

Several rooms were empty.

Inside, there was nothing but materials for making poisons.

Wen Zhuojin felt something was off. Earlier, the poison they encountered was indeed from this boat, so there should be some trace of it.

She ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guards to check for hidden compartments while she herself sniffed around, trying to discern any other scents amidst the heavy odors.

Yan Qinglan watched Wen Zhuojin sniffing around like a dog. Even with a special mask designed to block odors, the smell was still unpleasant. With Wen Zhuojin’s sensitive nose, it must have been unbearable.

Just as Yan Qinglan was about to suggest Wen Zhuojin take a break on the deck to get some fresh air, Wen Zhuojin’s movements suddenly stopped. She waved over the Embroidered Uniform Guards and whispered a few words in their ears.

Wen Zhuojin had detected a peculiar smell behind a wooden plank.

Two guards lifted the plank slightly, then quickly covered it again.

As they moved the plank, Wen Zhuojin pulled Yan Qinglan back a few steps.

Sure enough, there was a smell behind the plank, and when it was lifted, a mist of poison spread out. Although they covered it quickly, some still escaped.

Wen Zhuojin had the antidote ready and opened a special smelling bottle to neutralize the poison in the cabin.

After covering the plank for a while, Wen Zhuojin signaled the guards to lift it again.

The guards were on high alert, ready for combat, while Yan Qinglan held a sword defensively, staying close to Wen Zhuojin.

When the plank was lifted again, Wen Zhuojin saw the space inside clearly.

It was a very small area, not even reaching Wen Zhuojin’s shoulders, filled with various materials and tools for making poisons, leaving only a tiny space.

In that small space, a thin figure crouched, chained by the ankle. The wound near the ankle was festering, covered with something to mask the smell of bl00d. The iron chain seemed to have grown into the ankle, digging deep.

The figure held something but was quickly subdued by the guards before throwing it.

The thin figure struggled, emitting low growls like a trapped animal.

Yan Qinglan and Wen Zhuojin exchanged a glance, both frowning.

They had expected a dangerous criminal, but instead found a small child, estimated to be around six or seven years old.

The child was barefoot, dressed in tattered clothes that couldn’t cover the body, with messy hair.

The large eyes seemed blind, devoid of any spark. When struggling, the child didn’t speak, only emitting low groans from the throat.

Seeing the child’s vacant eyes during the struggle and the iron chain on the ankle, Wen Zhuojin was reminded of the first time she met Yan Qinglan.

“Don’t hurt her!” Wen Zhuojin blurted out, and as soon as she spoke, the guard holding the struggling child loosened their grip, and the child collapsed to the ground.

Once released, the child, dragging the chain, tried to attack again. Wen Zhuojin was afraid she would charge at Yan Qinglan, so she stepped in to block.

Despite the poison mist that had been released earlier, the child, locked in this small space, wasn’t poisoned but was covered in it.

The guard had fainted from the poison.

Wen Zhuojin quickly took off her outer robe and wrapped it around the child.

“We are from the government, here to save you. Can you hear me? We are not bad people.” Wen Zhuojin spoke gently to the child.

Wen Zhuojin had always carried candy and poison pills in her pouch for self-defense, which Yan Qinglan knew.

Hearing Wen Zhuojin’s words, Yan Qinglan took a small square candy from Wen Zhuojin’s pouch.

“Here, have some candy. It’s sweet.” Wen Zhuojin took the candy and placed it in the child’s mouth, hoping to calm them.

Yan Qinglan loved sweets, and no matter how bad things were, she always felt better after eating something sweet.

At first, the child refused to open her mouth, but as the sweetness touched her lips and spread into her mouth, her large eyes widened slightly.

Wen Zhuojin successfully placed the candy in her mouth.

“I have lots of candy. If you behave and don’t move or release any more poison, I’ll take you out. Blink if you understand.” Wen Zhuojin spoke to the child’s large, vacant eyes.

Wen Zhuojin didn’t dare to hand the child over to the guards. Her hair, nails, and clothes were all covered in poison, and one careless move could lead to poisoning.

The child’s eyes paused for a moment, then blinked.

After confirming, Wen Zhuojin turned to Yan Qinglan.

“Sister, let’s break the chain on her ankle first, then we can go up.” Wen Zhuojin said.

Yan Qinglan nodded, and a strong guard broke the chain’s connection point. The part around the ankle couldn’t be removed without tools.

The fainted guard was revived, and they all went up from the lower cabin.

Once on the deck, the light was brighter, and the child’s eyes were forced shut by the brightness.

Wen Zhuojin didn’t let go of the child immediately. She asked for a cloak to wrap around her, covering even her hair, before handing her to a guard to secure, fearing the guard might accidentally get poisoned.

Wen Zhuojin put on the outer robe Yan Qinglan had brought and straightened herself.

“Is this the poison maker?” Yan Qinglan asked.

“Yes, probably. If so, they’re indeed a genius. Let’s go interrogate the boat owner.” Wen Zhuojin nodded.

The boat owner initially denied everything, pleading innocence, acting like a decent businessman, until they brought the child up.

“This child, I found her on the street. Her nose is very sensitive, so I tested her. I didn’t expect her to be so skilled at making poisons. Just by smelling, they can identify the formula and adjust the proportions by feel, matching the official recipes perfectly. So I brought her to the boat to make poisons for me. But she’s very stubborn, always trying to escape. A few times, she almost succeeded… So I locked her up to make poisons… Only when she made a poison would I give her food… It hasn’t been long, just two years…”

Under pressure, the boat owner confessed.

But he didn’t know the child’s name or age.

Wen Zhuojin was furious and kicked the boat owner several times.

Just moments ago, she had heard people praising the peaceful times, feeling that their efforts over the years hadn’t been in vain. Yet, right under their noses, such a thing had happened.

It made Wen Zhuojin furious.

“Send them to the authorities for punishment. Use more severe methods to see what else they’ve done. List all their crimes.” Yan Qinglan ordered the guards to take them away.

As the ruler of the nation, Yan Qinglan naturally couldn’t tolerate such things.

Seeing Wen Zhuojin’s anger, Yan Qinglan reached out to touch her cheek, comforting her.

Yan Qinglan had brought royal physicians, who examined the child after cleaning the boat.

“Judging by her size and teeth, she’s about eight years old. Her eyes aren’t blind; she has night blindness and can see in good light. Apart from external injuries, she has no major illnesses, just weakness from hunger…” the physician reported.

Yan Qinglan and Wen Zhuojin quickly arranged food for the child.

The child, now adapted to the light, had a spark in her large eyes and could see them clearly.

She looked left and right, unable to believe it was real.

“Do you believe we’re good people now?” Wen Zhuojin asked the child.

The child stared at Wen Zhuojin without speaking.

“If you believe us, blink, and I’ll release you. You can eat first, then bathe and change clothes.” Wen Zhuojin continued.

The child blinked.

Once the restraints were removed, Wen Zhuojin checked thoroughly, removing anything hidden in her sleeves, hair, or belt. Finally, she wiped her hands with a wet towel to clean off any poison.

The child watched Wen Zhuojin’s every move, her eyes widening with each discovery.

“Alright, go eat.” Wen Zhuojin said after finishing.

“Eat. You can tell, right? The food isn’t poisoned. Eat safely.” Wen Zhuojin sat at the table with the child, showing her by taking a bite first.

Seeing this, the child finally started eating.

She must have been starving, eating voraciously.

“Sister, we must have arrived just in time. The boat owner wouldn’t have given her poison. The child made the poison herself, using other materials to create a compound. She also made some toxins, probably to use for escape, but she met us instead. The iron chain on her ankle was too tight. Even if the poison worked, it would be hard to escape.” Wen Zhuojin whispered to Yan Qinglan.

Based on the boat owner’s account, Wen Zhuojin felt the child was even more skilled than her.

When she was her age, she didn’t have the ability to create compounds by feel; it took many experiments to get the proportions right.

“How do you plan to handle her?” Yan Qinglan asked softly.

Yan Qinglan also pitied the child’s situation, but seeing Wen Zhuojin’s gentle patience with her, she felt a bit displeased.

“After getting the poison formula I need, I’ll test her skills. If she’s as good as the boat owner said, I might take her as a little apprentice. What do you think, sister?” Wen Zhuojin asked, looking at Yan Qinglan.

Yan Qinglan didn’t speak, but from the slight downturn of her lips, Wen Zhuojin could tell she wasn’t happy.

Wen Zhuojin glanced at the still-eating child, signaled the guards to keep watch, and pulled Yan Qinglan into a room to talk.