After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

"Mother, please don't speak yet, just rest."

Shen Jingque tucked the cloak into her hands, her nose tingling with tears, but she managed not to let them fall.

She turned to Ji Qianshang and said, "Master, leave Mother to me, and the others will be saved as well."

"rest assured."

Ji Qianshang took the purse, glanced at the palace women groaning all over the ground, and said, "These poisons vary in severity. I'll distribute the medicine. Don't wander off."

Before she finished speaking, a noblewoman scrambled to Shen Jingque's feet and grabbed the hem of her skirt.

"Miss, please save my master! He's foaming at the mouth and he's about to die!"

Shen Jingque pointed behind her.

"The man carrying the medicine box is my master. Go to him to get your medicine, and remember to tell him who you are and how long you've been poisoned."

The noblewoman thanked him profusely and scrambled towards Ji Qianshang.

Several more palace ladies rushed forward, chattering amongst themselves.

"My husband has also been poisoned!"

"And my young lady! Please, sir, save her first!"

"Don't push."

Ji Qianshang shouted, "Please be gentle! Anyone who tries to squeeze out another one will not get a single one!"

This shout startled the chaotic crowd.

A commotion also arose on the other side of the platform.

The head of the Imperial Medical Academy hurried down, bowed to Ji Qianshang, and looked both surprised and suspicious.

"Can the medicine in this gentleman's hand truly cure this poison? His Majesty's health cannot withstand the slightest mishap."

Ji Qianshang didn't even look up, and casually slapped a pearl into his palm.

"I can give you the medicine, but whether or not you give it to His Majesty is your business, and I will not take any responsibility."

Upon hearing this, the imperial physician hesitated again.

Ji Qianshang knew about the discord between the emperor and Xiao Mingyue, and he had no intention of saving that heartless, treacherous emperor.

He even suspected that he had poisoned himself!

Seeing that Xiao Mingyue's complexion had indeed improved, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy gritted his teeth, took the pills, and rushed back to the high platform.

Shen Jingque squatted down beside Xiao Mingyue and tidied her loose hair. The tension in her heart eased slightly, but she suddenly realized that something was missing.

She stood up abruptly and looked around.

"Where's my older brother?"

A young palace maid nearby quickly answered, "Are you referring to Commander Xiao of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Miss?"

"Yes, where is he?"

The palace maid said, "Lord Xiao was not poisoned. After the incident, he ordered the Embroidered Uniform Guard to seal off all the palace gates and personally led people to investigate the source of the poison."

Before he could finish speaking, Xuan Qi strode in from outside the palace gate.

"Young Miss, the eldest young master has ordered his men to provide you and Her Highness the Princess with personal protection. He said that the person who poisoned you may have left a backup plan."

Shen Jingque nodded, and was about to speak when a sharp voice suddenly rang out from outside the hall.

"Fire! Fire!"

The panic that had just been suppressed inside the hall surged up again.

Someone exclaimed in surprise, "How could the fire start at this time?"

Someone leaned on the corner of the table to get up. "Has an assassin arrived?"

Ji Qianshang roared, "Anyone who dares to run around will have their poisonous blood rushing to their heart, and even the King of Hell couldn't stop them!"

Shen Jingque's heart tightened, and she quickly walked to the palace door and peered out.

The firelight shone through the night sky from a remote location, in the northwest corner of the Cold Palace, and the flames did not rise very high.

She frowned.

The fire was peculiar; it neither burned the main hall nor the sleeping quarters, as if it were deliberately designed to distract people.

She turned to return to Xiao Mingyue's side, but her ankle was suddenly grabbed by a hand.

Shen Jingque looked down.

Xiao Jingchen lay half-prone on the ground, one hand supporting himself on a pillar, the other hand gripping her ankle tightly.

His forehead was covered in cold sweat, his lips were ashen, and every rise and fall of his abdomen seemed to be suppressing a surge of excruciating pain.

The moon-white brocade robe was stained with the vomit of others, the jade crown was askew to one side, and the hair was messily stuck to the cheek.

The young eunuch serving him trembled, looking as if he wanted to help but dared not.

Xiao Jingchen muttered to himself, raising his eyes in a daze.

"Imperial Physician, summon the Imperial Physician."

Shen Jingque glanced towards the high platform. The imperial physicians were gathered around the dragon throne, their shadows completely obscured.

Xiao Jingchen saw it too.

A young eunuch hurried past, and Xiao Jingchen reached out and grabbed the hem of his robe.

"Go and summon the imperial physician; I have been poisoned."

The young eunuch glanced at him in alarm, then looked towards the high platform, his face showing distress.

"Your Highness, please forgive us. Several imperial physicians are currently treating His Majesty. The head physician said he will come to treat Your Highness soon."

Xiao Jingchen's fingers slid off the hem of the dress.

The little eunuch ran off in a flash.

Xiao Jingchen fell back to the ground, then slowly got up, his back against a pillar, his chest heaving violently.

His gaze fell on the dragon throne on the high platform, which was illuminated by the lights, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips.

It's laughable that he, as a prince, seems like an insignificant speck of dust in this world.

He was neither the eldest son nor the most intelligent, nor the most favored.

In a life-or-death situation, even medical treatment takes a backseat.

His will to survive made him grab onto anything he could, repeating the action over and over again.

Help me, help me.

Call the imperial physician to save me.

However, the next moment, a face came into view, getting closer.

She had fair skin and rosy cheeks, a round face, and eyes like two glass beads, staring at him intently under the light.

Her delicate eyebrows were furrowed tightly, making her look extremely fierce, as if someone owed her eight hundred taels of silver.

Xiao Jingchen felt that he was probably going to die.

Otherwise, how could hallucinations occur?

How could a stepdaughter of commoner origin be qualified to attend a banquet in the palace?

His lips moved, but he hadn't had time to figure it out yet.

A crisp sound rang out on her face.

One cheek burned, and he loosened his clenched teeth, his mouth instinctively opening to breathe.

A perfectly round pill was then inserted.

A bitter taste rose to the back of his tongue, followed by a small hand pinching his chin, forcing him to swallow.

"Swallow it."

Shen Jingque's voice came from above, carrying an uncompromising arrogance.

Xiao Jingchen's Adam's apple bobbed as the pill slid down his esophagus.

Shen Jingque released her hand, rubbed her fingertips on the hem of her clothes, took a half step back, and looked annoyed.

"Xiao Jingchen, remember this: you now owe me a life."