Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

Chen Jingang covered the back of his hand, glaring at her with a livid face.

The wound on the back of his hand stung terribly, but Jiang Sese's words, "It's not too late to beg me now," seemed utterly absurd to him.

Is she crazy?

Chen Jingang, enraged, laughed coldly: "Please? Are you out of your mind? This is my private residence, and the area outside is full of my men. So what if you hurt one of my hands? Do you think you can fly out of this courtyard?"

Chen Jingang sneered, his eyes filled with malice as he took half a step closer. "When I lose my patience, you'll know what regret is."

Jiang Sese's eyes were unusually bright, showing no fear. Far from being intimidated by his threat, she slightly raised her chin and said in a clear and calm voice, "I advise you not to get angry easily, otherwise anger will only make the poison take effect faster."

"Poison?!" Chen Jingang's pupils suddenly contracted, and he subconsciously looked at the back of his injured hand.

The wound wasn't deep; it was just a thin cut from the tip of the hairpin, and blood was still seeping out. But besides the burning pain, it seemed... it seemed that a strange burning sensation was beginning to spread.

Chen Jingang's heart skipped a beat.

Jiang Sese: "Your Highness, do you feel your palms are hot? Your mouth is dry? Your extremities are a little cold? Is your chest... feeling a little stuffy, as if there's something stuck in your chest?"

With each symptom Jiang Sese described, Chen Jingang's face paled a little more.

Because her words perfectly captured his feelings at that moment!

His palms were indeed burning hot, as if they had been scorched by fire; his throat was dry and tight, as if he had swallowed sand; and his fingertips seemed a little cold and numb... The faint feeling of tightness in his chest and the slight difficulty breathing made him even more alarmed!

Could it be... could it be that she really...

But in fact, Jiang Sese was completely making things up.

People like Chen Jingang, in their twenties or thirties, living a life of luxury and indulging in excessive sexual activity, exhibit symptoms known as kidney deficiency. But certainly no doctor would dare tell Chen Jingang, "Your Highness, you have kidney deficiency." That would be suicidal!

Chen Jingang could, of course, choose not to believe her, but if he did, he would have to gamble with his life.

Chen Jingang suppressed his turbulent emotions and shouted, his voice stern but his voice weak, "Nonsense! How could a mere superficial wound be poisoned?!"

Jiang Sese has already learned Xie Jue's composure and calmness; no matter what, she must not let the other party see her true strength.

Jiang Sese calmly replied, "Oh? So you've never heard of penicillin?"

The word "penicillin" exploded in Chen Jingang's ears like a thunderclap!

Penicillin! How could he not have heard of it!

It is said to be able to revive the dead and heal the wounded, and even the imperial physicians in the palace regard it as a treasure!

The rumors in Yangzhou were already rampant, claiming it was a miraculous elixir that could bring the dead back to life!

As the saying goes, medicine and toxicology are inseparable!

Could someone who can create such a life-saving medicine not also create... a deadly poison that kills without a trace?!

Chen Jingang looked at Jiang Sese's calm and composed face, but her clear eyes now seemed like a bottomless, icy pool to him. He subconsciously wanted to send someone to fetch the royal physician, but he forcibly restrained himself, afraid of revealing his increasingly intense panic.

What good would it do to call the prefectural physician? What if he couldn't find any poison?

Chen Jingang's eyes flickered with uncertainty.

Should we believe her, or take a gamble?

He was betting that he hadn't been poisoned.

But what if I really am poisoned?

This is a gamble with your life!

What kind of people cherish life the most? Of course, it's those in high positions of power who cherish life the most. As long as they are alive, they can enjoy everything, but once they die, they have nothing left.

"You...you actually dare to..." Chen Jingang's voice finally trembled slightly, his eyes fixed on his bleeding hand, as if it were covered with some kind of invisible poison.

What was originally a faint burning sensation became incredibly clear and terrifying under the influence of his psychological suggestion.

Chen Jingang's breathing quickened instantly: "Where's the antidote?!"

Jiang Sese spread her hands, confident and fearless, and said, "Send me away from here, and I'll give you the antidote when I get back. Don't worry, I wouldn't dare to kill the Prince."

Seeing Jiang Sese's appearance, Chen Jingang believed his explanation of being poisoned even more.

Chen Jingang gritted his teeth, unwilling to let go of this piece of fat meat in front of him.

People say that dying under a peony is still a romantic death.

But Chen Jingang was still unwilling to become a ghost for a woman.

"Good...very good!" Chen Jingang squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, his eyes so sinister they could drip water.

"I admit defeat today! But you'd better remember this: I'll settle this score with you and with Xie Junheng sooner or later!"

Chen Jingang suddenly looked up and shouted sharply into the shadows, "Guards!"

"Prepare the car! Immediately! Take her..." Chen Jingang gave the order almost as if he were vomiting blood, his finger trembling as he pointed at Jiang Sese, "Take her back... back to where she belongs!"

"Your Highness is wise." Jiang Sese nodded slightly.

But her hand, hidden in her sleeve, secretly tightened its grip on the bloodstained hairpin, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

That was terrifying!!

The guard replied expressionlessly, "Yes."

He then turned to the side and gestured for Jiang Sese to enter.

The whole process took less than half an hour. This is why Chen Jingang dared to be so bold.

Fu Yun felt that Jiang Sese had been eating for too long, so she couldn't help but get up and gently knock on the door of the private room.

"Madam? Have you finished using it?" Fuyun's voice was soft and respectful.

Almost as soon as the knocking ended, the door was pulled open from the inside.

Jiang Sese stood at the door, already wearing the plain veiled hat she always wore when going out, the light veil hanging from the brim completely covering most of her face.

"Okay, let's go back."

Fu Yun subconsciously responded with a "yes," but her movements paused slightly as her gaze quickly swept past Jiang Sese's shoulder and into the private room.

There was no one inside.

The several exquisite dishes on the table looked almost untouched.

Jiang Sese had just returned to the Xie residence when she saw Xie Jue lift the curtain and enter.

"Why are you back so early?" Jiang Sese asked, somewhat surprised. "Shouldn't the governor's farewell banquet end so soon?"

Xie Jue did not answer immediately, but walked up to her and looked her up and down with his unfathomable eyes.

"Xie Ping came to deliver a message during the meal, so I left early."

Xie Jue: "Have you caught a cold? You don't look well."

Jiang Sese paused for a moment, lowered her eyes to avoid his gaze, and said softly, "I probably caught a bit of a chill. I felt a little stuffy in the restaurant earlier, but I'm much better now."

Xie Jue glanced at her and immediately ordered someone to fetch the accompanying physician from the manor.

Jiang Sese quickly grabbed his sleeve: "No need, I was just a little tired, I'm fine now."

Xie Jue didn't speak, but just looked down at her hand.

After a moment of silence, Xie Jue suddenly gently grasped her wrist, pulled her a step closer to him, and asked again, "Are you really alright?"

His voice was soft, but his eyes made Jiang Sese feel inexplicably uneasy.

Something was settling down inside, like the calm before a storm.

They looked at each other for a moment, and then Jiang Sese nodded: "Yeah...it's really okay now."

Xie Jue suddenly released his grip, turned around, and left.