After they left, Feng Yin Wan returned to her manor and bumped into Ye Ting Lan.
Ye Ting Lan had just emerged from the main courtyard. Seeing her, his steps paused slightly.
"Did they leave?"
Although the guards had already reported when the carriage departed, the little one seemed to hold strong animosity towards him. He didn't want to disrupt the atmosphere between mother and son, so he hadn't gone to see them off.
Feng Yin Wan nodded, replying to him with unusual composure.
"They just left. If we calculate the time, they should be able to get out before the city gates close."
It felt as if a great stone had quietly been lifted. With Feng Jin Chen gone, there was nothing in the capital that could hold her back.
Their gazes met, and her heart felt lighter. Ye Ting Lan nodded, his expression also softening slightly.
They looked at each other in silence, yet both understood clearly that with the game reaching this stage, the day of the final confrontation was not far off.
...
That night, the main gate of the Fourth Prince's manor was quietly opened a crack. Two figures cloaked in black flashed in rapidly, one after the other, and the gate was immediately shut again.
The entire manor was silent in the night, save for a faint candlelight in the front hall. Seeing the figures enter, Ye Ting Yu immediately strode forward to greet them.
"Second Brother, you're finally here!"
Ever since he was discovered to be poisoned in Chun Mian Ju last time, he had been waiting quietly at the manor for several days.
He had remained indoors for days, yet his news was not blocked. Hearing all the tidings about the Crown Prince from outside, Ye Ting Yu's anxiety had reached its peak.
Fortunately, tonight, Ye Ting Yan had finally arrived, bringing with him an expert to cure his poison.
His gaze flickered back, and Ye Ting Yu dismissed a servant, leading them to be seated in a room.
The two men removed their cloaks one after another. However, the one behind wore a mask, concealing his true face.
Upon seeing this, Ye Ting Yu frowned. "Second Brother, this..."
Ye Ting Yan shook his head, his expression unperturbed.
"Mr. Miao's identity is special, and it's inconvenient for him to reveal his face. You can wait with peace of mind; he will cure your poison."
His words were naturally trustworthy.
Although Ye Ting Yu still harbored doubts, he nodded upon hearing this and respectfully cupped his hands towards the masked man.
"Then I must trouble you, sir."
The man nodded, exchanged a look with Ye Ting Yan, and then rose to stand before Ye Ting Yu.
As he approached, an indescribable scent emanated from him. It was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, just strange.
Ye Ting Yu instinctively frowned. When he looked up, he saw the man take out a strangely shaped glazed bottle from his sleeve. Whether it was a hallucination or not, he seemed to see something move within the bottle.
Before he could get a closer look, the man extended his hand and offered the bottle.
His eyes, hidden behind the mask, looked at Ye Ting Yu, and his voice, hoarse, spoke, "Swallow what's inside."
The tone was cold, bordering on a command, yet Ye Ting Yu could no longer afford to hesitate.
Because almost the instant these words were spoken, he saw the full appearance of what was in the bottle under the illumination of the surrounding candlelight.
His face contorted in shock, and he immediately recoiled.
"What... What is this?!"
Inside the bottle was a worm!
To be precise, it was a black, not very large, but multi-limbed live insect!
What did he just say?
He wanted him to swallow it?!
Ye Ting Yu turned his head in horror, only to meet Ye Ting Yan's gaze. His expression remained unchanged.
"Mr. Miao is skilled in Gu arts. The poison in your body is incurable by conventional means; only the use of Gu worms can expel it. This, is the method of detoxification."