"Do you already know who poisoned it?"
Jun Mohan stared at her with his narrow, deep violet eyes, not blinking.
"Guess?"
Leng Ruo Li met his gaze and playfully blinked her clear, large eyes at him.
"It wasn't Granny Fang, nor was it Xi Qiu, right?"
Leng Ruo Li was slightly stunned upon hearing this and muttered inwardly, 'This Jun Mohan is truly not simple.'
So, Leng Ruo Li nodded. She pursed her soft, rosy lips and slowly said, "If I'm not mistaken, there should be someone ambushed in the corridor where Xi Qiu sprained her ankle today."
"How do you know?"
Jun Mohan seemed somewhat surprised.
"Because Granny Fang would not poison the Empress Dowager, and Xi Qiu was being watched by Granny Fang and two palace maids, so she couldn't have administered the arsenic. It must be someone hidden who secretly put the arsenic into the Empress Dowager's congee bowl when they weren't paying attention," Leng Ruo Li explained.
As they walked and talked, they quickly arrived at the palace gate. Jun Mohan led her to his carriage and drove towards the bustling streets of the capital. Sitting inside the carriage, her stomach rumbled with hunger, creating an awkward atmosphere, while he sat beside her, engrossed in his military treatise.
After half an incense stick's time, the carriage arrived at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Leng Ruo Li alighted from the carriage and paused when she saw the building before her. Was this fellow inviting her to dinner?
Jun Mohan strode towards the entrance of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion. Glancing sideways, he saw that Leng Ruo Li hadn't followed him. He turned back to find her still standing there, lost in thought, feeling somewhat exasperated.
"What are you still standing there for? Let's go in and eat. Aren't you hungry?"
"Coming!"
Leng Ruo Li snapped back to reality and quickly followed.
Upon seeing Jun Mohan enter, the shopkeeper walked over with a smile to greet him and Leng Ruo Li.
"Your subordinate greets His Highness the Prince and His Highness's Consort!"
The shopkeeper bowed respectfully to Jun Mohan and Leng Ruo Li.
"Rise!"
Jun Mohan said calmly.
Without needing the shopkeeper to lead the way, he strode up the stairs. Leng Ruo Li followed closely behind him to a private room on the third floor, Jun Mohan's exclusive chamber, labeled 'Heaven.'
"Order whatever you like!"
Jun Mohan picked up a menu from the table and handed it to her.
Leng Ruo Li didn't look at the menu names and directly told the shopkeeper standing nearby, "Just bring me a few of your signature dishes. I'm not picky."
"Yes, Your Highness's Consort!"
The shopkeeper replied respectfully.
Hearing this, Leng Ruo Li said to Jun Mohan with some annoyance, "Your Highness, we're not married yet. It's not appropriate for your people to keep calling me 'Your Highness's Consort'."
"It was this Prince who ordered them to call you that!"
"..."
Leng Ruo Li rolled her eyes at him speechlessly.
"Doesn't doing this violate the customs of your era?"
"What do you mean by 'your era'? Aren't you from here?"
The moment she spoke, Jun Mohan seized upon her slip of the tongue, arousing his suspicion.
Leng Ruo Li also realized she had misspoken and quickly added, "What I mean is, we haven't had our grand wedding yet, and you're having your people call me 'Your Highness's Consort' left and right. It's not in accordance with the rules."
"Rules? What this Prince says is their rule. You will marry this Prince and become His Highness's Consort sooner or later, so let them get used to it now."
"..."
This man is too domineering!
Leng Ruo Li felt annoyed and suddenly didn't want to talk to Jun Mohan anymore.
The atmosphere in the private room immediately became tense.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
At this moment, a knock came from outside the private room.
"Enter!"
Leng Ruo Li had thought it was Yin Chen coming upstairs.
However, she was dumbfounded by the men who walked in.
Aren't these Prince Ning, Prince Qing, and Prince Xian? And they were followed by a group of onlookers.
Why have they all gathered together?
"Second Brother, Second Brother's Consort, you're too inconsiderate. You didn't even invite me to eat." the youngest, Prince Xian, complained.
Jun Mohan's gaze, sharp as a knife, swept coldly over Jun Mo Yu. His younger brother's constant chatter was truly bothersome.
"Second Brother, Second Brother's Consort, I've brought Fourth Brother and Seventh Brother to join you for a meal. I hope you don't mind." Prince Ning said with a slight smile, greeting them politely.
After he spoke, Prince Ning waited for several minutes without hearing a reply from Jun Mohan. The atmosphere in the private room immediately became awkward.
Leng Ruo Li had to answer for him.
"Of course, of course. Everyone, please sit down. I just ordered so many dishes."
Although she didn't like dealing with these princes, they were already standing outside the door. She couldn't possibly refuse them in front of so many servants.
"Then Third Brother thanks Second Brother's Consort."
Prince Ning smiled warmly.
Leng Ruo Li also offered him her signature smile. This was her second time seeing Prince Ning.
He was also exceptionally handsome. Although he couldn't compare to Jun Mohan's looks, he was far more dashing than Prince Qing.
His features seemed as if they were meticulously carved. He had sword-like eyebrows, bright stars in his eyes, and a nose like a suspended beam. His bright eyes and white teeth, clad in a dark robe embroidered with python patterns, with his hair tied up by a jade coronet, and a jade pendant symbolizing his status hanging from his waist, holding a folding fan in his right hand, he looked elegant and distinguished, like an ordinary wealthy young master.
At this moment, Prince Ning was also sizing up Leng Ruo Li. Although he had been in the capital for the past few years, he was aware of some of the events that had transpired within the city.
Prince Ning couldn't quite comprehend how Leng Ruo Li, who was originally the notorious eldest daughter of General Leng's mansion, had suddenly ceased to be foolish and had even mastered profound medical skills. This left him very perplexed.
"Ruo Li, I heard you were attacked last night. Were you injured?" Prince Qing suddenly asked after sitting down.
His words made Leng Ruo Li inwardly sneer. 'Playing the crocodile tears act again.'
"Thank you for your concern, Prince Qing. This young lady is fine. Instead, the corpses have fattened the jackals on the mountains."
Leng Ruo Li said to him with a grin.
"Oh, oh, it's good that you're unharmed." Prince Qing smiled. "Would you like me to assign some guards to you to protect your safety at all times?"
"No need! You'd better keep your guards to protect yourself. This Prince's Consort doesn't need your protection. This Prince will protect her."
Jun Mohan, who had remained silent, suddenly spoke, causing the temperature in the private room to plummet.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
The private room door was knocked upon again.
"Your Highness the Prince, Your Highness's Consort, we are here to serve the dishes."
"Come in!"
Leng Ruo Li said softly.
Then, the shopkeeper opened the door, and several waiters followed in, bringing in dishes such as roast duck, beauty pig trotters, and chicken stewed with mushrooms... A total of twelve exquisite dishes were presented, all with appealing colors, aromas, and presentation, looking very appetizing.
Unfortunately, with Prince Qing, who made her lose her appetite, sitting beside her, her desire to eat vanished instantly.