The doorman dropped to his knees, terrified, and begged for mercy.

"This servant... I’ll go find Miss Shen and bring her back right now."

Just then, Xie Yuanjiu pushed the door open and entered, sparing a glance for the doorman.

Her voice was gentle. "Brother, please don’t be so anxious. I’ve already had people search the nearby streets and alleys. There was no sign of Miss Shen."

"Could she have gone home already? After all, she was able to walk on her own, so it can’t have been that serious."

Before Xie Mingxu could speak, the Divine Doctor Sima Han spoke up, his expression grim. "Miss Xie Si, you are mistaken!"

"The plague is no small matter, especially for someone so young. I gave her three consecutive doses of potent medicine, and it was barely enough to bring her fever down."

"Even if she were to leave, she would have to force herself. Based on my experience, in her condition, she couldn’t have even made it out of the long alley outside! You are not a doctor, and you don’t understand medicine. It would be best if you didn’t speak so carelessly."

Xie Yuanjiu flinched at the rebuke. A flash of displeasure crossed her eyes, but she quickly suppressed it.

She turned back to Xie Mingxu, about to speak, but he decisively sheathed his sword.

"I’m going to her home to check." With that, he hurried out, not sparing Xie Yuanjiu a single glance the entire time.

Suddenly, Xie Mingxu returned and hauled Sima Han onto his back.

"You’re coming with me." He grabbed the Divine Doctor’s medicine chest on his way out.

Xie Mingxu rushed away. Sima Han’s trembling voice could be heard from outside. "You’re running too fast! My old bones are going to be rattled to pieces!"

After they had all gone, Xie Yuanjiu stood alone in the room, taking deep breaths to calm her displeasure.

’I can’t lose my temper. I am now the only legitimate daughter of the Xie Mansion. I must remain composed and demure!’

Second Madam had arrived at some point and was now peeking in through the doorway.

"Jiu Jiu, why did your brother storm out again? Hasn’t that Shen Ningning left already?"

Xie Yuanjiu came back to her senses. "Brother is worried. He has to go and check on her."

Second Madam was stunned. Fearing she would say the wrong thing, Xie Yuanjiu walked over, took her arm, and led her out of Xie Mingxu’s courtyard.

"Why is your brother so concerned about Shen Ningning? If he finds out we were the ones who schemed to drive her away, will he be furious?" Second Madam asked, filled with trepidation.

Xie Yuanjiu pressed her lips together. "Mother, remember this: we didn’t drive her away. We didn’t do anything. Shen Ningning chose to leave on her own."

Flustered, Second Madam clutched her chest and nodded. "Right, right... It has nothing to do with us."

「On Wolf Mountain.」

Shen Ningning lay quietly in the Lotus Pond, her small body floating on the surface of the azure water.

Her little face was fair, her long eyelashes dark and thick. Her sleeping expression was tranquil, a clear sign she was no longer in discomfort. Previously, even with her eyes closed, her brow had been tightly furrowed.

Now, the little one’s lips had regained their cherry-pink hue. Her long, dark hair swayed gently in the water, making her skin appear as white as fine jade.

After soaking in the Spiritual Spring Water, the wound on Mo Lingwei’s knee also stopped bleeding.

He never let go of Shen Ningning’s small hand. His brow was furrowed, and he couldn’t bring himself to eat the food Grandma Qin had brought.

"If she hasn’t woken up by tomorrow morning, I’ll carry her to the palace to see the Imperial Physician," Mo Lingwei discussed with Grandma Qin.

Her face full of worry, Grandma Qin looked at the little one in the water and sighed.

"Ningning rarely gets sick. What could have happened this time?"

Mo Lingwei lowered his gaze, his voice deep. "This is my fault."

Had he not been poisoned and fallen unconscious, the Emperor would not have temporarily sent Shen Ningning to the torture room to await her fate.

Although she wasn’t punished, such an environment had still taken its toll on her.

The Black Wolf King stood by the edge of the Lotus Pond, its wolf eyes gazing coldly at Mo Lingwei.

’It knew it. This boy was unreliable!’

Mo Lingwei removed the Buddha Bead Relics from his wrist and wrapped them around Shen Ningning’s tiny one.

He cupped her delicate wrist tightly in both his hands.

"Shen Ningning, I was born under an ill omen, but they always say that as the Crown Prince, I am protected by the spirit of the dragon. That no matter what happens, fortune will favor me."

"Now, I’m giving all my good fortune and blessings to you. I only hope you’ll get well."

「That afternoon.」

The wolf pack suddenly sensed something and turned in unison to stare at the gate.

A moment later, a deep voice came from outside the gate. "Is this Miss Shen’s home?"

Grandma Qin froze for a moment before going to open the gate.

Outside stood Xie Mingxu, and on the ground beside him, the Divine Doctor Sima Han, whom he had carried all the way up the mountain.

"You are...?" Grandma Qin didn’t recognize him.

"Good day, Mrs. Qin Sr. My surname is Xie, and I am a friend of Miss Shen. She contracted the plague in the torture room, so I brought her to my residence for treatment. However, Miss Shen must have been afraid of causing me trouble, because she left a note and departed."

As Xie Mingxu spoke, he set Sima Han down.

He added, "But the plague is no small matter. Without treatment from a skilled doctor, it can be very dangerous, so I brought the Divine Doctor with me."

As he finished speaking, Xie Mingxu glanced to the side and saw that behind Grandma Qin, the entire courtyard was filled with wolves. Some were lying down, others standing, all watching him warily.

And at the center of their protective circle was the Lotus Pond.

A small figure floated within it. Xie Mingxu let out a breath of relief. ’Thank goodness, Shen Ningning made it back.’

But then he saw Mo Lingwei and was taken aback.

’Why is the Crown Prince here? Wasn’t he still unconscious?’

The moment Grandma Qin heard the words "plague" and "famous doctor," she immediately stepped aside to let them in.

"Divine Doctor, please, take a good look at my granddaughter. She’s so young, yet she’s suffered so much. It breaks my heart." As Grandma Qin spoke, tears streamed down her face.

Sima Han quickly replied, "Madam, you are too kind. I love nothing more than tackling difficult and unusual cases. I will certainly do everything in my power to ensure Miss Shen recovers."

He then walked to the edge of the pond. After first paying his respects to the Crown Prince, he wasted no time and began to take Shen Ningning’s pulse.

A look of astonishment flashed in Sima Han’s eyes.

"No wonder she could walk out on her own. Her recovery is remarkably fast. There’s just some residual damp toxin left in her lungs that needs to be expelled with acupuncture."

He was about to ask Xie Mingxu to help lift Shen Ningning out of the pond.

But Mo Lingwei stopped him with a cold command.

"Leave her in the water. Administer the needles there. The water in this pond is exceptionally potent; it will benefit her."

’What nonsense is this?’ Sima Han thought.

’How could someone be cured just by soaking in water?’

He glanced at Xie Mingxu, who gave him a slight nod, indicating that he should follow the Crown Prince’s instructions.

Sima Han had no choice but to concede. "Very well, I will administer the treatment this way."

While he was treating Shen Ningning, Mo Lingwei stepped out of the pond.

"Xie Mingxu, come here." He called Xie Mingxu aside and asked coldly, "She contracted the plague, and you took her to your residence to be treated?"

Xie Mingxu nodded, his voice somber. "Yes, Your Highness."

Mo Lingwei’s brows drew together, his eyes turning glacially cold. "But did you know that I was the one who found her? Unconscious, in the alley outside your home?"

When Mo Lingwei woke up that morning, he heard from Commander Lu that the Emperor had temporarily confined Shen Ningning in the torture room.

He hadn’t even had time to confront the Emperor before rushing to the torture room to get her.

But the guards told him that Xie Mingxu had already taken Shen Ningning away that morning.

So, he rushed to the Xie residence.

It was a good thing he went. Otherwise, who knows how long Shen Ningning would have lain unconscious in that long alley before someone found her.

Xie Mingxu was taken aback. "She was that weak? How could she have possibly left on her own?"

Mo Lingwei’s eyes narrowed, his expression frigid. "There must be a reason she left so suddenly. We’ll find out what it is when Shen Ningning wakes up."