In times of chaos and famine, I traded one pound of rice for two royal flushes.

"Thank you, Guard Xue." Qin Shaolang cupped his hands in thanks.

"No need." Xue Yi's expression remained cold. "I'm just following orders."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and prepared to leave.

Just as he brushed past Qin Shaolang, his back to the still-present Blood-Clad Guards outside the courtyard, his right hand made a gesture with lightning speed.

It was an extremely subtle gesture: the index and middle fingers were brought together and tapped lightly twice on the side of the body before being quickly withdrawn.

Qin Shaolang's pupils suddenly contracted.

He recognized that gesture!

It was a secret code used by military doctors to pass information back in the day!

It means: Alert! You are safe!

This Xue Yi not only knows medicine, but he also has a military background!

He is definitely not just Wei Zhongxian's henchman!

Watching Xue Yi's receding figure, Qin Shaolang's heart was filled with turbulent emotions.

He slowly closed the door and reopened the cellar entrance.

Imperial Censor Liu crawled out, his face pale, still shaken.

"Many thanks to Physician Qin for saving my life..."

Qin Shaolang ignored his thanks; he had only one thought in his mind.

Who exactly is Xue Yi?

Was he loyal to Wei Zhongxian, or... someone else?

Or rather, he is not loyal to anyone; he is only loyal to himself.

The mysteries grew bigger and bigger, like a snowball rolling downhill.

Qin Shaolang felt he was getting closer and closer to the truth, yet he also seemed to be shrouded in an even greater fog.

He went to Wei Qing's room.

Wei Qing was wiping the "Snow Wolf Spear" when he saw him come in, and he was somewhat surprised.

"Any discoveries?"

Qin Shaolang didn't speak, but simply stretched out his hand and used the tea to trace the gesture Xue Yi had just made on the table.

Upon seeing that gesture, Wei Qing's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly stood up from his wheelchair!

Because of the excitement, she felt a sharp pain in her injured leg, her body swayed, and she almost fell.

Qin Shaolang quickly helped her up.

"How...how do you know this gesture?" Wei Qing's voice trembled.

"It's Xue Yi." Qin Shaolang looked at her. "He just used this gesture to tell me that it's safe outside."

"Impossible...this is impossible..." Wei Qing muttered to himself, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. "This gesture is the 'wolf signal' used by the Zhenbei Army to transmit the highest-level military intelligence! Apart from my father and a few trusted generals, there's no way any outsider could know about it!"

Qin Shaolang's heart sank as well.

A son of Wei Zhongxian and an assassin, who actually knew the Zhenbei Army's top secret code.

The information hidden behind this is truly chilling.

He suddenly remembered something, looked at Wei Qing, and asked solemnly:

"General Wei, think carefully. Was there a young general surnamed Xue, or... a physician, in the Zhenbei Army back then?"

Wei Qing was still trembling slightly from excitement. She held onto the armrests of her wheelchair and slowly sat down again, her chest heaving violently.

"'Wolf's Letter'... the highest-level military intelligence code of the Zhenbei Army. Besides my father, only the three deputy generals from that time, and the chief medical officer of the army, Doctor Xue, knew it." Wei Qing's voice was hoarse. "Of the three deputy generals, two died in battle, and one was punished along with my father. As for Doctor Xue... he also disappeared after that defeat."

Doctor Xue!

Qin Shaolang's heart suddenly raced.

He looked at Wei Qing and asked, enunciating each word clearly, "Does this Physician Xue have any children?"

Wei Qing's face turned deathly pale instantly. She seemed to have thought of something, her lips trembled, but she couldn't utter a single word.

A man who was adopted by Wei Zhongxian, an assassin, a master of needles, and someone who knew the Zhenbei Army's top-secret codes.

All the clues pointed to an unbelievable possibility.

This Xue Yi is very likely a descendant of the missing Divine Doctor Xue!

Was he staying by Wei Zhongxian's side for revenge, or did he have other motives?

Qin Shaolang felt like his head was about to explode; the more clues he found, the thicker the fog became.

"Sir, what should we do about Imperial Censor Liu?" the monkey whispered from outside the door, interrupting Qin Shaolang's thoughts.

Qin Shaolang came to his senses, glanced at Liu Zheng, who was still in shock in the study, and then at Wei Qing, whose face was solemn.

He knew that now was not the time to dwell on Xue Yi's identity. The most important thing was to make good use of every card he had.

"Let him go through the tunnel first," Qin Shaolang instructed the monkey. "Tell him I've received the list and to wait for my news."

After dismissing Imperial Censor Liu, Qin Shaolang returned to his desk. He needed a new plan, one that could involve the Empress, Wei Zhongxian, and even Xue Yi.

His gaze fell on the prescription written for the emperor.

Have it.

The next morning, Qin Shaolang entered the palace again.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Wei Zhongxian was having breakfast with the Emperor, but of course, he was just watching the Emperor drink a small half bowl of rice porridge.

"Doctor Qin has arrived," Wei Zhongxian said with a forced smile. "I wonder if there's any new progress in His Majesty's condition?"

"Your Excellency, although the strange poison in His Majesty's body has been temporarily suppressed, its root cause lies in the deficiency of Qi and blood, and the damage to his fundamental nature. Ordinary medicines can only treat the symptoms and cannot cure the root cause," Qin Shaolang replied with a bow, his tone neither humble nor arrogant.

"And what is your opinion, Doctor Qin?"

"To cure it completely, we need a rare medicine as a catalyst." Qin Shaolang's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly resonated throughout the entire hall: "Heavenly Snow Lotus."

"Snow lotus from Tianshan?" Wei Zhongxian narrowed his eyes.

This is a legendary sacred medicine, rarely seen even once in a century, and extremely precious.

"That's right." Qin Shaolang nodded. "Only the purest and most yang medicinal power of the Tianshan Snow Lotus can dispel the cold toxins in His Majesty's body and restore his vitality. Otherwise, it will all be in vain."

Wei Zhongxian remained silent, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

At this moment, the emperor on the dragon bed suddenly spoke weakly: "Cough cough... Tianshan Snow... Lotus... I remember, in the imperial treasury, there seems to be... another one, which was a tribute from the Western Regions back then..."

Wei Zhongxian's eye twitched slightly.

"Your Majesty is right." He immediately put on a smiling face. "I've remembered too. However, that snow lotus has always been stored in the secret vault of the Imperial Pharmacy, under the personal supervision of Her Majesty the Empress. This..."

He deliberately feigned a troubled expression.

Qin Shaolang immediately replied, "In that case, I humbly request an audience with Her Majesty the Empress to explain the principles of the medicine and request the necessary medicinal ingredients for His Majesty! This matter concerns His Majesty's health and cannot be delayed!"

His words were spoken with righteous indignation and unwavering loyalty.

This was exactly the effect Wei Zhongxian wanted. He wanted to use Qin Shaolang as a tool to probe the Empress's true intentions.

"Doctor Qin is commendable for his loyalty." Wei Zhongxian nodded in satisfaction. "Li Fu, go to Fengluan Palace and inform them that Doctor Qin is seeking medicine for the Emperor, and we request that he be granted an audience with the Empress."

"Yes, Godfather." Eunuch Li accepted the order and left.

Qin Shaolang kept his head down, and no one saw the fleeting coldness on his face.

The fish is about to take the bait.