Volume One, Chapter Seven: The Bold Rogue

“Come with me first; it won’t take much of your time.” The man’s tone was deep, yet there was no trace of hostility.

Su Yi’an said no more and followed him to the gate of the Northern Prince’s mansion.

Suddenly, she caught sight of the plaque above the gate and her heart skipped a beat.

Damn!

So soon, my lie has reached the ears of the Northern Prince?

Is he calling me in to settle accounts?

Su Yi’an maintained her composure, standing tall with steady steps as she followed Wu Er inside, her mind already made up:

I will play the fool to the very end.

What could a prince possibly want to argue with a fool like me?

Wu Er led Su Yi’an to the main hall and introduced the person of honor.

“This is the Northern Prince.”

Su Yi’an lifted her eyes to the man seated high within the hall:

Dressed in white, broad-shouldered and slender-waisted, his handsome features framed by two sword-like eyebrows pressed above a pair of narrow, deep phoenix eyes, he radiated an imposing presence even without anger.

Damn!

So this is the Northern Prince—the handsome man barely alive in the ice cellar!

Most importantly, the jade pendant hanging at his waist was the very one she had sold last night!

Double damn!

This time, playing dumb alone won’t get me out of this...

Though waves of shock crashed through her heart, Su Yi’an, an S-level operative, was skilled enough not to flinch even if Mount Tai collapsed before her eyes.

She slightly bowed, her tone calm and unruffled.

“Greetings to the Northern Prince. May Your Highness be blessed with health and prosperity.”

The Northern Prince said nothing but fixed his heavy gaze on the slender, graceful woman before him:

She stole his jade pendant and acted as if nothing had happened, refusing to kneel or plead—it was audacity itself!

Before the prince could bid her rise, Su Yi’an turned her gaze to Wu Er:

Tall and sturdy, his back straight and solid like a wall.

That broad, powerful silhouette seemed familiar...

Suddenly, she recalled!

He was the man in the conical hat who haggled over the jade pendant at the ghost market that day!

He had obtained the Northern Prince’s jade pendant!

He had stopped at a stall selling water buffalo horn combs, and since the prince was poisoned with a heat toxin that required rhinoceros horn to counteract, it seemed he went to buy rhinoceros horn at the ghost market and brought back the jade pendant incidentally, not deliberately searching for it.

That explained it. In such a large residence, losing a jade pendant alone wouldn’t prompt a special search.

Moreover, he intercepted her at the Rejuvenation Hall, meaning he still didn’t know she was from the Su family.

It must have been the silver needle she left in the prince during acupuncture in the ice cellar that led him to the Rejuvenation Hall.

Hence, the shopkeeper just now dared not look her in the eye.

He must have leaked that she bought silver needles there and knew she would visit the pharmacy today to collect medicine.

They were lying in wait to catch her.

They didn’t yet know about her connection with the Northern Prince.

Anyway, I’m leaving tomorrow—why fear?

In an instant, Su Yi’an’s thoughts raced, and relief flooded her heart.

She straightened her posture and met the Northern Prince’s gaze with clear, cool eyes.

Their locked eyes only further enraged the prince:

This audacious scoundrel not only refused to plead but dared to look him straight in the eye! Such insolence!

Seeing his master’s sword-like brows rise, Wu Er immediately sensed his anger and hurried to intervene before he spoke, respectfully cupping his fist toward Su Yi’an with sincere earnestness.

“Miss, your unparalleled medical skills are our only hope to cure the prince’s poison.”

Su Yi’an chuckled inwardly:

Just as I thought.

Now the situation has turned around!

She lifted her chin and spoke with a proud, crisp voice.

“One hundred thousand taels.”

“Why don’t you go rob it then?” the Northern Prince suddenly said.

Though his voice was low, it carried a roaring fury.

This bold rogue not only stole his jade pendant without admitting fault but also dared to openly rob him right in front of his eyes!

Without a word, Su Yi’an turned and walked away.

Is the life of a prince worth so much as one hundred thousand taels?

They went through all that trouble to find me, yet made no mention of the jade pendant—this means no one but me can cure this heat toxin.

If I don’t profit from someone like this wealthy noble, how will I become a merchant who gains a fortune daily?

“Miss, please wait!” Wu Er chased after her.

The prince had suffered the heat toxin for years, having tried every doctor in Nanli to no avail; now he was at his last gasp.

Only after she administered acupuncture in the ice cellar a few days ago was the toxin suppressed for a brief time.

She was merely greedy for money. Offending her would be unwise—she was the prince’s last hope.

Wu Er blocked Su Yi’an’s path, knelt on one knee, cupped his fist, and earnestly pleaded.

“Please, miss, save our prince.”

Seeing the burly man’s tear-filled, pleading eyes, Su Yi’an smiled slightly.

You’re sensible—men’s knees and tears give women like me the best excuse to show mercy.

Taking hold of his arm, she helped him up.

“General, please rise quickly. Such a grand gesture! You flatter me.

The Northern Prince’s military achievements have brought peace to the region. For both sentiment and reason, he deserves to be saved.

It’s just that I was distracted by thoughts of my sick son at home, which led me to offend the prince.

No matter how urgent my son’s illness, it cannot compare to the safety of common folk. I shall treat the prince first.”

Wu Er looked surprised.

Judging by her attire and young voice, she seemed unmarried and quite young, yet she had a son.

He quickly changed his tone.

“Thank you, madam. But may I pay a portion now and the rest once the prince recovers?”

Su Yi’an was a little taken aback.

The general looked strong and robust, but quite astute.

By kneeling first, he morally cornered me, then asked to pay less. If I refused, he might escalate from courtesy to force. A wise woman never suffers a loss upfront.

“Of course.”

Wu Er smiled with relief.

“Please follow me.”

The Northern Prince had long guarded the northern frontier, using his salary to support the families of fallen soldiers. The mansion truly couldn’t spare one hundred thousand taels.

But the treasury still held a box of preserved golden melon seeds.

Four years ago, during a heat toxin flare-up, the prince was assaulted by a fierce woman from the northern wilderness.

Ten months later, a swaddled baby boy and the box of golden melon seeds were left at the army camp’s gate.

The boy bore the same hereditary birthmark as the prince, proving he was undoubtedly the prince’s flesh and blood.

The prince considered the incident a lifelong disgrace.

He disliked the child and forbade anyone from touching the melon seeds or even mentioning them.

At that moment, Wu Er’s large hands gripped the box tightly; biting his lip, he made a firm decision:

Saving the prince’s life was paramount.

Even if the prince later discovered he had taken the box and punished him under military law, he was willing to accept it.

Wu Er presented the box with both hands.

“These golden melon seeds are the deposit.”

Su Yi’an opened the box and inspected it.

“Hmm, acceptable.”

“May I ask your name, madam?”

Su Yi’an answered seriously.

“My surname is Ling. You may call me Ling Lingqi.”

Wu Er had no doubt about her name.

“My name is Wu Er, deputy general to the prince. As you can see, the prince has suffered from heat toxin for years, which sometimes makes his temper volatile. He wasn’t always like this.”

Su Yi’an was perfectly calm.

“No matter. In business, I don’t pick and choose customers’ attitudes—you may choose how you treat mine.”

Wu Er exhaled slightly but looked a bit embarrassed.

“I actually have a somewhat bold request.”