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

When Xiao Mingyue stepped into Yingzhu Garden, the first person she saw was Shen Yan.

The scholar in the blue robe stood bowing beside the stone steps, his robes dusty and his black hair disheveled. As he lowered his head, the beauty mark at the corner of his eye was clearly visible in the sunlight.

Hearing the noise, he looked up and met Xiao Mingyue's gaze.

Xiao Mingyue paused for a moment.

She inexplicably recalled a deer she had once released in the royal hunting grounds, which stood in the woods, looking at her timidly with pleading eyes.

It's strangely attractive.

She coughed lightly, looked away, and looked at Xiao Changgeng.

"What happened?"

Shen Yan felt as if he had finally found someone to talk to, and quickly bowed down.

"Your Highness, my daughter is young. If she has offended you in any way, I, Shen, am willing to take full responsibility."

His voice was strained, but he still shielded Shen Jingque behind him.

"But Your Highness, please understand that my father and I are by no means spies."

Shen Jingque peeked half her head out from behind him.

She glanced at Xiao Mingyue, then at her own cheap father.

Wow.

Her dad's face is really striking.

The princess's glance just now may have contained scrutiny and suspicion.

But she still caught a glimpse of that hesitation, a moment of being captivated by beauty.

Xiao Changgeng leaned back in his wheelchair, his face even more somber than usual.

"The little girl barged into the Shadow Bamboo Garden and smelled something wrong with my medicine."

Xiao Mingyue lowered her brow. "Medicine?"

Ji Qianshang stepped forward, carrying the dregs of the medicine, his face extremely pale.

"Your Highness, this girl is right." He spread out the dregs of the medicine. "The Crimson Marrow in the medicine has been replaced with Red Thread Root. With this change, the efficacy of the medicine has completely changed."

"The combination of snake grass, red thread root, and gray shell flower will suppress the excretion of toxins. Chang Geng was already poisoned and had not been cleared. If he continued to drink this medicine for another three to five months, he might really become a cripple."

Xiao Mingyue's face darkened inch by inch.

Xiao Changgeng's father was once her deputy general, who died on a snowy night in the Northwest.

His wife was already seriously ill, and before she died, she only had time to entrust her young child to her.

She brought Xiao Changgeng back to the capital, taught him principles, taught him martial arts, and watched him grow from a young boy running around the courtyard into a decisive commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Her leg injury already made her feel guilty.

Now, someone actually dares to tamper with his medicine in the Princess's residence.

Xiao Mingyue turned to look at Ji Qianshang, "Is there a problem with the medicinal herbs sent by the Imperial Medical Bureau?"

Ji Qianshang shook his head, "I have inspected all the medicinal materials sent by the Imperial Medical Bureau, and there were no problems before they were put into storage."

He picked up another pinch of dregs and held it up in front of his eyes.

"I suspect that some of the medicinal herbs were switched after they entered the mansion."

"The person who changed the medicine is very knowledgeable about medicine. They know how to process the red thread root into the shape of cinnabar marrow, and they also know that I only inspect the medicine that has been put into storage and will not turn over all the dregs after decoction."

By the end, Ji Qianshang's face was flushed.

He is the son of the legendary physician Ji Wuyai.

He gained fame at a young age, and countless people in the capital offered him money to see him.

But now such a big mistake has occurred, allowing a twelve-year-old girl to uncover the flaw from the dregs of the medicine.

That's a slap in the face.

Shen Jingque understood this kind of awkward situation very well, so she considerately refrained from mocking him.

Xiao Mingyue slowly clenched her fists at her sides.

"Okay." She chuckled. "Very good."

The bamboo leaves in the courtyard rustled in the wind.

Shen Jingque rubbed her arms, and suddenly felt a chill.

"Blue Kite".

Qingyuan immediately stepped forward, "Your Highness."

"Seal off this batch of dregs, and keep a sample along with the remaining broth in the medicine furnace," Xiao Mingyue ordered through gritted teeth.

"Have Xu Bo thoroughly investigate the source and circulation records of all medicinal materials in the manor. For each medicinal material, from its departure from the Imperial Hospital to its arrival in the manor, trace who handled it, which storeroom it was placed in, and who unlocked it—do it all."

Qingyuan clasped her hands in a fist salute, "Yes."

"Issue my order again: from today onwards, all medicinal herbs in Yingzhu Garden shall be discontinued, and no outsider shall be allowed to enter or leave the pharmacy without my written order."

Xiao Mingyue looked at Xuan Qi, "You guard it yourself."

Xuan Qi bowed with his sword in hand, "Your subordinate obeys."

Shen Jingque blinked and quickly raised her little hand.

"Your Highness, I have something to add."

Xiao Mingyue looked down at her.

Shen Jingque immediately followed Qing Yuan's example and bowed with her hands clasped in greeting.

There are three possibilities that the medicinal herbs were replaced.

"First, the Imperial Hospital had it replaced before it left the warehouse, but Doctor Ji said he had checked it, so that's unlikely."

"Secondly, after entering the mansion, the storeroom was switched, so the person who had access to the key is suspicious."

"Third, the person decocting the medicine only changes a small amount each time. This makes it less likely to be noticed, and it also allows them to pass the blame onto the medicinal herbs themselves."

"Therefore, we cannot only investigate the pharmacy, but also the servants who deliver the medicine, the old woman who guards the storeroom, and the servants who prepare the medicine."

"And who has suddenly become financially well-off recently, whose family member is sick, and who has connections with people in the palace."

After saying that, she obediently added another sentence.

"Of course, I'm just a kid, I'm just saying."

The courtyard fell silent.

The way the three people from the princess's residence looked at her immediately changed.

What a bright child!

Shen Yan was also stunned.

Didn't his daughter learn about medicine in her dream? How come she also learned how to solve cases?

Xiao Mingyue looked at Shen Jingque, and a new layer of doubt appeared in her heart.

She had just noticed that Shen Jingque was precocious and eloquent, and her words now showed that she was even more intelligent than the daughter of an ordinary poor family.

But she meant no harm. If she were truly a pawn sent by someone else, she could have remained silent today. Xiao Changgeng continuing to drink his medicine was more advantageous to the person behind the scenes.

Xiao Mingyue's mind stirred, and her gaze fell on Shen Yan again.

She had already sent people to investigate Shen Yan's identity. He was indeed a descendant of a previous generation of upright officials, and his background was as simple as a blank sheet of paper.

They... at least they wouldn't be the Empress Dowager's or the Emperor's people.

Thinking of this, she reached out and gently touched Shen Yan's wrist. "Get up."

The fingertips touched the cool skin on Shen Yan's wrist, then parted just as quickly.

Shen Yan was stunned for a moment, his expression remained normal, but his ears turned red against his will.

Xiao Mingyue spoke in a friendly tone: "If I had determined that you were spies, you wouldn't be here now."

Shen Yan's eyes were a little red, and he quickly bowed his head and said, "Thank you for your trust, Your Highness."

Xiao Mingyue had already turned her gaze back to Shen Jingque, "Little girl, if it weren't for you today, Chang Geng's life would have been ruined."

"Speak, what reward do you want?" As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the courtyard looked at Shen Jingque.

Before the little girl could even speak, Shen Yan panicked.

"Your Highness, my daughter just stumbled upon this by accident; how could she dare to claim credit?"

Shen Jingque's eyes widened, and she grabbed Shen Yan's sleeve.

Dad, don't be modest when you have such a great opportunity.

She immediately stepped forward, cupped her hands in greeting, and said, "Your Highness, I would like to ask you to give my father a chance to serve you."

She had already thought it through yesterday. Her father had no status in the princess's mansion and couldn't get close to Xiao Mingyue at all.

We need to find an opportunity for them to interact and spend more time together so that Xiao Mingyue can understand him.

Xiao Changgeng frowned slightly, and his gaze towards Shen Jingque changed instantly. The wariness he had just lowered immediately returned.

The little girl looked so cute, and immediately started trying to get people into the study.

What is the study in the front courtyard of the princess's residence?

Military reports, secret letters, clandestine reports from the imperial court, and border grain and fodder ledgers—everything was classified.

Shen Yan, an outsider who only entered the manor yesterday, whose background hasn't even been fully investigated, wants to get close to His Highness?

He squinted at Shen Yan, who had a blank expression, and sneered.

"Miss Shen does know how to secure a future for your father."

"Anyone who didn't know better would think that Young Master Shen instigated it."