Young Miss from the Feng Family - FJXM Chapter 28

“Your Highness, there’s trouble at the manor!” The messenger whispered something into Long Tian Ao’s ear, causing his expression to grow serious. He turned to Li Gongzi and said, “Li Gongzi, we’ll meet again another day.”

Back at the War King’s Manor, Long Tian Ao surveyed the scene before him—people moaning and groaning in discomfort.

“All of these people have been poisoned,” Long Tian Ao stated, his gaze shifting to Feng Jiu Ge.

Feng Jiu Ge raised her hands in exasperation. This time, it really wasn’t her doing.

“Why are you looking at me, Your Highness? You know I wasn’t even here today,” she protested. Did she really look that much like a suspect?

“So, you’re admitting that you were the one who spiked the food with laxatives last time?”

Feng Jiu Ge inwardly cursed herself. She had walked right into that one. Forcing an awkward laugh, she quickly decided not to mention the previous incident again.

“If it happened once, it could happen again. What proof do you have that you’re not responsible for this poisoning?” Long Tian Ao pressed.

“I’ll prove it to you,” Feng Jiu Ge snapped back. How dare he pin this on her? She was more than capable of handling this situation.

“Xiao Wei, bring my medical kit!”

“Does Feng Jiu Ge actually know medicine? She seems pretty professional,” Mu Qing remarked with a raised eyebrow. “Long Tian Ao, did you investigate her thoroughly?”

“Yes, everything checked out. No issues,” Long Tian Ao replied, though inwardly, he knew there was more to Feng Jiu Ge than met the eye.

“Such a simple poison, and they have the nerve to use it!” Feng Jiu Ge huffed, feeling insulted by the low level of the toxin.

“Xiao Wei, give them each a detox pill from the second compartment of my kit.”

In just a few moments, Feng Jiu Ge had the situation under control.

“All done, Your Highness. Next time you encounter a poison you can’t solve, then you can come to me. Otherwise, you’re just insulting my skills.”

With that, she walked away with a swagger, leaving Mu Qing chuckling behind her. “Feng Jiu Ge… supposedly grew up in the countryside, treated like a nobody. She was only brought back to the capital a few days ago by the Prime Minister. Yet we can’t dig up anything else on her. There’s definitely something off about her.”

“I’m aware,” Long Tian Ao said. “But until she does something against us, there’s nothing we can do.”

“Keep someone on her. The moment she does something suspicious, we’ll act.”

“Also, keep an eye on the Crown Prince’s movements.”

“Your Highness suspects the Crown Prince is behind this poisoning?”

Long Tian Ao didn’t reply, his eyes distant as he thought.

“Has anyone from the Divine Healer Valley come down recently?”

“No, none,” Mu Qing responded.

“Long Tian Ao, you ask about the Divine Healer Valley almost every day. Could it be you have someone special there?” Mu Qing teased.

“Yes,” Long Tian Ao admitted, taking Mu Qing by surprise.

“What?! Really? Who is it? Tell me!” Mu Qing asked excitedly.

Long Tian Ao shot him a cold glare. “As my strategist, don’t you have anything better to do?”

Feeling the chill of Long Tian Ao’s warning, Mu Qing quickly backtracked. “I just remembered something I need to do!” He hurried off, leaving Long Tian Ao standing there, deep in thought. “Xiao Jiu, are you doing well?”

“Today’s training is underwater endurance. You must remain hidden in the water while our experts try to find you. If you come up before time is up, you’ll be forced back in,” the harsh training regimen was announced.

Feng Jiu Ge sighed deeply. She had been mentally preparing herself to tough it out and build some strength, but underwater training? No way.

“Report!” she called out.

“What is it?”

“I’m not feeling well. I can’t go into the water.”

“A grown man, afraid of a little water?”

“I need to speak with your prince!” Feng Jiu Ge insisted, refusing to budge. There was no way she was getting into that water, not with her condition.

“The prince isn’t here. Tell me what it is,” Mu Qing said, clearly intrigued by her persistence.

“Can you make decisions?” Feng Jiu Ge eyed him skeptically.

“Of course!”

“Are you sure?” Feng Jiu Ge was doubtful, remembering how she was brushed off the last time she tried this.

“Absolutely! I’m the strategist, after all!” Mu Qing puffed out his chest, trying to look authoritative.

“Alright then, I need you to keep this confidential,” Feng Jiu Ge leaned in close, whispering in his ear, “I’m a woman, and it’s that time of the month. Surely, you won’t make me go in the water, right?”

“What?!” Mu Qing froze, his fan mid-flutter. Of all the explanations he had considered, this was the last thing he expected.

His gaze dropped instinctively, but Feng Jiu Ge quickly smacked him across the face.

“What are you looking at?”

The others around them watched in shock, silently praying for Feng Jiu Ge. She had just slapped the notoriously cunning Mu Qing—surely, she was doomed.

To everyone’s surprise, Mu Qing actually apologized. “I’m sorry!”

Mu Qing’s reaction left everyone dumbfounded. The cold-hearted strategist was actually apologizing?

“Take a few days off to rest,” Mu Qing said quickly.

“Thank you, Mu Qing. And please, keep this between us,” Feng Jiu Ge added with a smile.

“Of course,” Mu Qing stammered.

Seeing this, Xiao Mingyu sidled up to Mu Qing, trying his luck. “Mu Qing, actually, I haven’t been feeling well either these past few days…”

“Get lost!”

Unfair! This was blatant favoritism! Xiao Mingyu stormed off in a huff.

“Did you really give Feng Jiu Ge a few days off?” Long Tian Ao asked, curious about what Feng Jiu Ge had done to earn such leniency from Mu Qing.

“Yes, Feng Jiu Ge isn’t fit for training right now,” Mu Qing explained.

“Not fit? You and I both survived the battlefield. You know as well as I do that these people will face worse. As long as they’re alive, they have to complete the training,” Long Tian Ao didn’t understand Mu Qing’s sudden leniency.

“I know, but…”

“Just give her a few days. Trust me on this one,” Mu Qing insisted, quickly running off before Long Tian Ao could question him further.

Watching Mu Qing’s retreating figure, Long Tian Ao frowned. Mu Qing was hiding something. Feng Jiu Ge wasn’t feeling well? He was determined to find out what was really going on.

Feng Jiu Ge, finally granted some rest, lay curled up in bed, feeling miserable. The condition she had developed after returning from the snowy mountains left her body unnaturally cold, causing her severe pain every month.

“Xiao Wei, do we have a hot water bottle? Please prepare one for me,” she murmured weakly.

Just then, Long Tian Ao entered the room, catching her in a moment of vulnerability.

“A hot water bottle in this heat? Are you planning to fake an illness?” he asked coolly.

“Your Highness!” Feng Jiu Ge shot up in bed, startled.