Chapter 69 Jiang Qingrong Suspected Poisoned

Chapter 69: Jiang Qingrong Suspected of Being Poisoned

Qin Jiao rubbed his eyes and climbed out of the carriage after him. As he stepped down, he missed the footstool entirely. "Hey, Qing Rong, Rong..."

Qin Jiao jolted awake. But the next second, he was caught firmly in someone's arms. "Why are you always so reckless?"

A familiar soft laugh sounded in his ear. Qin Jiao looked up in disbelief. "Your Highness, why is it you?"

"What, you didn't want to see me?"

"No, I mean, why are you at the Marquis of Pingning's mansion?"

Qin Jiao steadied himself with Xie Nai's help, but the next moment, he also froze, just like Jiang Qingrong. "No, this isn't the Marquis of Pingning's mansion, is it?"

Qin Jiao looked around, his gaze finally landing on the imposing four characters above the gate: "Prince of Lingnan's Mansion." Below the plaque stood a pair of white jade qilin statues flanking the door, majestic and awe-inspiring. These qilins were personally bestowed by the late emperor, the only such pair in all the capital, unmistakably authentic.

"So this isn't my home, it's yours!"

Jiang Qingrong finally came to his senses and shouted at Qin Jiao.

"What nonsense is this?" Qin Jiao rubbed his forehead in exasperation. Only then did he notice that the carriage driver had somehow been replaced by Luo Yue instead of the Marquis of Pingning's guard. The original mansion guards were all following far behind the carriage, too respectful to approach.

Qin Jiao looked at Xie Nai. "Why did you bring us to your mansion?"

"We hadn't finished talking earlier."

"Huh? Didn't we make everything clear? What else is there to say?"

"First, let's go inside."

It was almost midnight now. Qin Jiao didn't want to cut into Jiang Qingrong's New Year's celebration with his family, so he shook his head and said, "It's late. We really shouldn't go in."

"Yes, yes! We still need to get back to the mansion to welcome the new year!" Jiang Qingrong laughed.

Xie Nai ignored Jiang Qingrong and looked directly at Qin Jiao. "When you left the outskirts of the capital before, you said you'd come to the Prince of Lingnan's mansion in person to thank me. But I waited and waited, and you never showed. Today..."

"That's because I was under house arrest after returning to the capital. Why are you so petty?" Qin Jiao cut him off, feeling a bit guilty. "Today really won't work. I already promised to go to Qingrong's house."

Partly because of his promise to Jiang Qingrong, but also because Qin Jiao was still a bit afraid of facing Xie Nai. What happened in that alley earlier was too abrupt, and he wanted to avoid him for a while.

Xie Nai, unaware of Qin Jiao's thoughts, shot a cold glance at Jiang Qingrong. The young man's eyes held a pensive expression.

Under the Prince of Lingnan's meaningful gaze, Jiang Qingrong at first remained composed, but as time passed, Prince Jiang felt a chill creeping up his spine. Not just his back, but even a stabbing pain began to creep into his gut.

The pain grew more intense, and Jiang Qingrong's face gradually turned pale. Until a sudden cramp hit him, and he couldn't help but cry out in agony: "Ah, Qin Jiao, Qin Jiao, my stomach hurts so much!"

"Qingrong, what's wrong?" Qin Jiao hurriedly caught hold of Jiang Qingrong, his expression anxious.

He had been fine just a moment ago. What happened so suddenly?

In an instant, the lively Jiang Qingrong seemed to have his strength sapped away, collapsing to the ground. Cold sweat soaked through his clothes, and sweat as big as beans rolled down his temples. Qin Jiao couldn't hold him up alone, and Luo Yue came over to help.

"It hurts so much! I haven't been poisoned, have I?"

Poisoned?

Qin Jiao frantically recalled what he and Jiang Qingrong had eaten that day, but the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of Xie Nai smiling with a knowing expression.

Something clicked in Qin Jiao's mind. This scene was just like when He Zhao got the Bone-Crushing Pill.

"It hurts so much! Qin Jiao, am I going to die?" Jiang Qingrong clutched his abdomen, wailing incessantly.

His cries got Qin Jiao's heart racing, who had no time to overthink it. He quickly turned to Xie Nai for help: "Your Highness, is Military Doctor Hou in the residence? Could you have him check on Qingrong?"

The dazzling young man stood there, his voice languid and listless: "What did the young gentleman just say?"

"I said I want to ask Military Doctor Hou to take Qingrong's pulse." This guy—still acting all high and mighty even now.

"And now you're willing to come into the mansion?" The man grinned mischievously, while Jiang Qingrong wished he could just drop dead right there from the pain.

"Yes! I'll go! Let's go, stop chatting, you two!!..."

In response to Xie Nai and Qin Jiao, Jiang Qingrong's agonized wails went on and on!

Qin Jiao and Luo Yue together half-carried Jiang Qingrong into the mansion, with a group of guards anxiously following.

"Ouch, it hurts! It hurts so much!"

Jiang Qingrong cried all the way, making everyone in the mansion's hair stand on end.

Qin Jiao could only uselessly coax him: "It's okay, we're almost there. Qingrong, just hold on."

——

By the moat in the capital.

Glowing lanterns shimmered like blooming lotus flowers. As the wind blew, the lanterns drifted, and tens of thousands of lanterns, floating on the river, slowly drifted away, forming a faint white line in the distance.

"Mother, why isn't Father coming back to the mansion with us?" Qin Ji asked softly.

"I don't know." Yu Shuhan's expression was gloomy, and she didn't look too happy.

"Mother, are you upset that Father isn't joining us for the new year?" Qin Han looked at Yu Shuhan with concern.

Earlier at the painted boat, after Qin Yuanshan had dealt with the drunken Zhu Geyong, the group was about to head home when an unfamiliar young servant came looking for Qin Yuanshan. The moment Qin Yuanshan saw him, his face immediately changed color, and he told Yu Shuhan to take Qin Ji and Qin Han back first, while he went off to see someone alone.

"Never mind, let him be busy." Yu Shuhan composed herself and smiled with relief. "Let's go back first. I've prepared red envelopes for the new year. I'll give them out when we're home."

"Great! Thank you, Mother." Qin Han hugged Yu Shuhan's arm and acted cute. "Mother, don't forget to give elder brother a big red envelope too. You weren't here today, but he took good care of me."

Yu Shuhan's gaze darkened. "Alright."

"Mother, I want a big red envelope too!" Qin Ji laughed and leaned in.

Yu Shuhan gave him a hard slap. "You only get a small one, not a big one."

"Why?"

"How can you even ask? You almost lost your sister today!"

"Alright, alright, I was wrong." Qin Ji couldn't argue with Yu Shuhan and hung his head in defeat.

Next to them, Qin Han covered her mouth and snickered. "Let's hurry. If we're too late, elder brother might have already gone to bed."

Earlier at the painted boat, not seeing Qin Jiao, Qin Han assumed he had returned to the mansion ahead of them, like Qin Chaole and Concubine Yin.

"I'm walking, don't rush me," Qin Ji muttered, though he quickened his pace nonetheless.

Yu Shuhan, supported by her two children, wore a gentle and kind expression on her face, but her mind was heavy with worry.

That young servant who came for Qin Yuanshan—he was from the side of that noble. What do they want to do now?

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