Chapter 17: They Don’t Know and Think I’m the Female Lead

“Yes.” Mo Ying cupped his hands and responded.

He left the study. Pei Ji leaned back on the grand counselor’s chair, his handsome face sharpened by the candlelight, his features even more defined.

At that moment, Jiang Huaiyue had just finished her rice ball and was about to go wash up and sleep when she suddenly turned and saw a figure dressed in black standing inside her room.

She was so startled she nearly screamed out loud, her voice trembling with fear: “You… who are you?”

“The princess must be very forgetful.” The man in black spoke coldly.

Jiang Huaiyue clutched the edge of her clothes tightly and thought for a long time in her mind, finally concluding he must be the male lead’s subordinate.

Probably because she refused the male lead yesterday and he hadn’t had time to assign her any tasks, so now he was sending someone over.

But she wanted to say that the security of Pei Ji’s Prince Residence was terrible—how could just anyone get in?

“Did the imperial brother send you?” she asked softly.

The man’s voice was utterly emotionless, his tone cold: “My master ordered me to tell the princess: obtain the Military Token of the Divine Strategy Army within half a month, or if anything happens to the princess’s health, don’t blame my master for being ruthless.”

Hearing the man’s words, Jiang Huaiyue’s expression froze for a moment. No, this was too much. She was just a cannon fodder—how did her life get this miserable?

If they didn’t know, they might mistake her for the female lead. Was it really necessary to torment her like this?

She had wondered why Jiang Jingchen was so indifferent—she thought he was the male lead, and maybe he had some conscience, wouldn’t resort to such low tactics.

But no, it wasn’t that he didn’t have it, just that the time hadn’t come yet.

“Well, imperial brother, you must be overestimating me.” Jiang Huaiyue gave a forced smile.

Having her steal Pei Ji’s stuff was like trying to pluck feathers from a tiger’s mouth.

If she got caught, her hard-earned life would be lost again.

“My subordinate only delivers orders from the master. If the princess has questions, she can ask the master in person.” The man in black spoke like a government official.

Seeing he was deaf to reason, Jiang Huaiyue felt there was no point in arguing.

“Then what exactly does it mean when you say the princess’s health is in danger?” Jiang Huaiyue asked nervously.

She had thought long and hard but had no memory of Jiang Jingchen doing anything to the original owner. So what was going on exactly?

Was she poisoned, cursed, or something else? She needed to know the specifics to treat it properly.

“The princess can ask the master herself.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Huaiyue blinked, and in an instant, she was alone in the room.

If it had been before, she would have been amazed. But now, knowing something was wrong with her health, she felt restless and uneasy.

She leaned on the table and sighed softly, her delicate face furrowed with worry. Countless thoughts surged in her mind with no place to vent—it was truly a heavy burden.

What Jiang Huaiyue didn’t know was that after the man in black left her room, a figure appeared on the rooftop and silently descended into the main courtyard of the prince’s residence.

Water Pavilion Residence.

Pei Ji had finished washing up, wearing a white long robe. His usual cold aura had softened a bit; he looked like a refined gentleman in a clear breeze after the rain.

He sat on the soft couch by the window, in front of him a chessboard, playing against himself.

Fu Yao arrived quietly in the night and entered the room. She knelt on one knee and cupped her hands: “Prince, I heard His Majesty ordered the princess to steal the Divine Strategy Army’s Military Token. The princess hesitated and didn’t want to comply, but it seems the princess has been poisoned.”

She then recounted everything she had seen and heard in detail.

Fu Yao was the most skilled female undercover guard under Pei Ji’s command. Ever since Jiang Huaiyue married into the family, she had been secretly monitoring her from the shadows.

Pei Ji placed a piece on the chessboard and softly asked, “Poisoned? Do we know what kind of poison it is?”

Fu Yao replied, “Not yet. Judging by the princess’s reaction, she doesn’t even seem to know when she was poisoned.”

“I see. Keep watching her closely and bring Mo Ying in.” He parted his thin lips lightly, his expression calm.

“Yes.” Fu Yao responded promptly, stood up from the floor, and turned to leave.

Pei Ji looked at the chessboard, recalling the trade Jiang Huaiyue had discussed with him earlier, his interest gradually growing. He was curious to see how she would choose.

Mo Ying soon entered. “Prince, you summoned me?”

“Recently, the guards around the study have become lax. Hide someone nearby and give Jiang Huaiyue an opportunity.” After saying this, he glanced at the trapped white pieces on the board and tossed down a chess piece.

The opportunity has been given to her. Whether she can seize it depends on herself.

Mo Ying immediately understood his meaning: “Understood.”

——————

Ever since Jiang Huaiyue realized she might have been poisoned, she felt as if her life was already at its end.

She struggled in her mind for a long time, debating whether to steal that military token. If she didn’t steal it, her life would be in someone else’s hands; if she did, whether she could succeed was uncertain, and she might die at any moment.

No matter how she thought about it, death seemed inevitable. She was almost ready to give up.

After much internal struggle, she decided to first go see a doctor. What if she wasn’t poisoned? Or maybe the poison she had could be cured? Success or failure—she needed to find out first.

With that thought, she asked Qiuchan to help her prepare and change clothes. Just before leaving, she remembered something: “Qiuchan, get me a veil.”

She had to disguise herself, just in case she met someone familiar and it would be awkward.

Though Qiuchan didn’t quite understand why, she obediently fetched it.

“Princess.”

Jiang Huaiyue took the handkerchief and covered her face. Her beautiful features were mostly concealed, leaving only her bright, lively eyes visible. Her figure was graceful, her waist slender as a willow—this disguise somehow made her even more captivating.

Qiuchan smiled and complimented, “The princess looks beautiful.”

Jiang Huaiyue cleared her throat and said loudly, “Sweet talker, let’s go!”

She left the mansion with Qiuchan. After some inquiries, they found the best clinic in town and went inside.

The clinic was called Huichun Hall. Seeing such a familiar name, Jiang Huaiyue couldn’t help but wonder if every clinic in novels had the same name.

Inside the clinic, the air was thick with the scent of Chinese herbal medicine. Jiang Huaiyue frowned in discomfort, the smell reminding her of the bitter medicinal soups she drank in her previous life for irregular menstruation.

Before she could think further, a young apprentice came over and asked, “Miss, are you here to buy medicine or for a consultation?”

“I’m here for a consultation,” Jiang Huaiyue replied softly.

While speaking, she looked around. Although the clinic wasn’t large, consultations were separated by gender, which was a good way to protect clients’ privacy.

“Please come this way, miss.” The apprentice smiled brightly and gestured for her to proceed.

Jiang Huaiyue followed him to an inner room. Upon entering, she looked up and saw a curtain, behind which someone was sitting.

“Please sit down, miss.” A gentle female voice came from behind the curtain. Curious, Jiang Huaiyue glanced over and then knelt on the cushion in front.