Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince
Chapter 162 That Girl Must Have Fallen for You

Chapter 162: Chapter 162 That Girl Must Have Fallen for You

Qi Yu and Li Mingjue had walked around Tuyun Village for a while, admiring the scenery before returning to their room.

"Tuyun Village doesn’t really seem like a bandit’s lair; I would believe it if you said it was a Peach Blossom Spring," Qi Yu said to Li Mingjue on their way back.

Over the past few days, confined to bed and unable to go outside, she had pestered Li Mingjue to tell her a lot about Qingyun Peak and Tuyun Village.

When she heard it was a bandit’s lair, she had been worried for a while, afraid that they might encounter danger.

After all, the last bandit lair she had entered was Heifeng Village, and that certainly wasn’t a place where you could go in and come out unscathed.

Today, upon seeing it herself, Tuyun Village was indeed far different from Heifeng Village.

This place was indistinguishable from the villages at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by mountains on three sides and nestled in a valley, lush with vegetation and flowers in every season.

There were also ample farmlands, which from afar, looked like rows of green waves.

She wouldn’t have doubted if someone said they had accidentally stumbled into Peach Blossom Spring.

Li Mingjue nodded in agreement, "Indeed it is so."

Upon learning that this place was also known as Medicine King Valley, Qi Yu was immediately dazzled, almost wishing she could venture into the mountain now to observe those rare medicinal herbs.

Moreover, the Shi Family had a secret place that stored numerous types of exotic poisons and antidotes.

Qi Yu lamented, saying if not for the timing and location of her arrival being off, she would have come to seek refuge here already.

This was indeed more carefree and relaxing than being a princess.

Upon hearing her unintentional lament, Li Mingjue’s gaze narrowed, and his expression turned dangerous, "Does the Princess truly think so?"

Qi Yu shuddered, immediately putting on a smile and shaking her head against her will, "How could that be? There’s no better place in the world than by the Prince’s side!"

"You’d better think that way." Li Mingjue glanced at her coolly.

Qi Yu promptly raised four fingers to prove her sincerity.

She should not have spoken rashly, spilling someone’s jealousy.

The two of them returned to their room, laughing and jesting all the way; Qi Yu took a sip of tea before asking, "After I was poisoned that day, what did you find out?"

Li Mingjue frowned as soon as the topic was brought up, "That day, I had Shiqi seal off that restaurant, but we failed to find any suspicious individuals. Shiqi suspected it was done by the proprietress, but to me, she didn’t seem likely."

Qi Yu stroked her chin, thought for a moment, and said, "The person who administered the poison must be in the restaurant, yet we have no clues?"

Li Mingjue also found the situation baffling.

At the time, his main concern was to rescue the victim, so he didn’t spend energy identifying the poisoner.

He called over Shiqi, Shen Nanxing, and Ling Xiao, asking them to recount the incident in detail once again.

Shiqi glanced at his Princess and said, "Princess, that day Ling Xiao and I checked all the people in the restaurant and even searched them, but found nothing suspicious."

Qi Yu nodded upon hearing this, then smiled at them, "You’ve worked hard these past few days."

Li Mingjue waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

Turning to Qi Yu, he asked, "Do you perhaps have any ideas?"

Qi Yu slightly raised an eyebrow and then asked, "Do you trust those three?"

"What do you mean?" Li Mingjue closed the door, as he turned around, he seemed to grasp her implication.

Qi Yu nodded, "I’m not doubting their loyalty, but this incident is just too coincidental."

She paused, then continued to analyze, "That day, I passed out after eating that piece of osmanthus sugar lotus root. Did the person poison every dish, or just the osmanthus sugar lotus root?"

Li Mingjue picked up her line, "Soft Muscle Powder is a rare and strange poison. A little is enough to leave one completely weakened and in severe pain. Even if that person had a whole bottle, it’s unrealistic to poison every dish."

At this point, they were nearing half of the truth.

Qi Yu tightened her grip on the cup, took a deep breath, and continued, "That person only wanted to harm me, not you."

Li Mingjue’s brows furrowed, his mind already plotting what he would do to the person once caught.

He had almost lost his Princess.

However, he maintained his composure and asked, "Why do you say that?"

Qi Yu smiled, "Has the Prince not noticed? Although you like desserts, you only eat pastries. When have you ever touched the osmanthus sugar lotus root made in the Prince Residence?"

Li Mingjue looked startled, he had indeed never paid attention to this detail.

Previously, he dined alone, and the cooks in the residence knew his preferences and prepared his favorite dishes.

Later, once he learned that Qi Yu liked Jiangnan cuisine, the residence specifically hired a chef skilled in Suzhou-style cooking to prepare these special dishes for her.

But when they dined together, he nearly never touched those dishes.

Even he had not noticed this detail.

From this, it seemed the poisoner must have known their habits like the back of their hand to so precisely target the osmanthus sugar lotus root.

"Although the poisoner might also flee amid the chaos, we’ve just arrived at Ping’an Town, who would go to such lengths to harm us?" Qi Yu’s eyes grew colder.

This poisoner must have had a deep grudge against her.

And moreover, had been constantly by her side.

That’s why Shiqi could not find any clues in the restaurant, because he never thought the poisoner was right next to him.

Li Mingjue’s expression also grew colder, "You suspect Ling Xiao?"

He said the name without even thinking.

Both Shiqi and Shen Nanxing had grown up in the Prince Residence, always by his side, loyal and devoted.

And since Qi Yu’s arrival, Shen Nanxing had always been by her side, protecting her. Their relationship was so good they seemed more like sisters than master and servant.

It seemed, Ling Xiao was slightly more suspect.

Qi Yu nodded noncommittally, "Besides her, I can’t think of a second person."

She had only known Ling Xiao for half a month, and their relationship was not very close.

Moreover, she could tell, Ling Xiao had a somewhat haughty nature. Although she would carry out orders, Qi Yu could feel that Ling Xiao seemed to harbor some prejudice against her.

"Ling Xiao was ten years old when I found her at the gate of the Prince Residence," Li Mingjue furrowed his brows and thought carefully about Ling Xiao’s background, but found nothing unusual.

But upon hearing this, Qi Yu guessed what Ling Xiao’s purpose might be.

A poor orphan girl developing certain feelings for her savior was nothing unusual.

Plus, with the savior being so handsome, if placed in a storybook, it would make a typical melodrama overflowing with clichés.

She sipped her tea with a slightly sour tone, and said to Li Mingjue, "I guess, that girl has probably fallen for you."