Chapter 46
### Chapter 46: The World is Full of Handsome Men
Shen Wei was taken aback!
Princess Zhaoyang was the spokesperson for her new shop, and she absolutely could not be bitten to death by a venomous snake today!
Shen Wei grabbed a vase from the table and lunged forward, wanting to smash the two snakes. But the distance was too great, and she could see the snakes about to strike at the princess's face.
Suddenly—
A sharp sound pierced the air as a hairpin punctured the body of one of the snakes.
It was the demure Madam Sun Qingmei, who swiftly pulled out two white jade hairpins from her hair and expertly jabbed one of them.
Whoosh—
One hairpin killed a snake instantly; the other, injured, slithered away into the depths of the forest.
Shen Wei stood there, dumbfounded. She couldn't help but take a second look at the elegant and composed Madam Sun Qingmei. With such a delicate and beautiful face, she was also skilled in martial arts!
The Imperial Guards rushed in, and after Princess Zhaoyang was safe, she angrily demanded, “Give the steward in charge of the banquet thirty lashes! I had instructed that snake-repelling powder be scattered around the banquet area, and yet this happened!”
The guards and the steward all knelt down to plead for forgiveness.
Princess Zhaoyang was still furious, thinking of the snake that had escaped. “Search immediately! We must catch that venomous snake!”
The guards complied and began their search for the fleeing snake. The banquet ended on an unhappy note, and the frightened noble ladies returned to their tents to rest.
Princess Zhaoyang approached Shen Wei and Sun Qingmei, taking their hands in hers, and said gratefully, “In a moment of crisis, only the two of you dared to rush forward to save me. This kindness, Zhaoyang will repay.”
Shen Wei silently noted this in her heart; the princess now owed her another favor.
Princess Zhaoyang was free-spirited and cheerful, making her a perfect friend and ally.
Sun Qingmei then reminded her, “Your Highness, I grew up at the border with my parents and have seen such small snakes before. They are not wild; they are domesticated. The owner feeds them various poisons daily, gradually turning them into deadly snake kings.”
How could a domesticated venomous snake appear in the wilderness?
Or was someone deliberately poisoning?
A cold sweat suddenly broke out on Shen Wei's back as she recalled the Yan Wang (Prince Yan). In the past few years, he had encountered inexplicable dangers while hunting in Dongshan.
Could these two venomous snakes have been meant to kill Yan Wang, but by mistake, they attacked the innocent Princess Zhaoyang instead?
Princess Zhaoyang's expression grew cold as she remembered the near-miss with the snake, still haunted by the experience. She asked Sun Qingmei, “Is there a way to treat a snake bite?”
Sun Qingmei took out a small vial containing antidote pills from her pocket and said gently, “Before I married, I had a chance encounter with the renowned Doctor Mo. He gifted me three antidote pills, and I would like to give one to you, Your Highness.”
Princess Zhaoyang's eyes lit up. “Doctor Mo? Is he the one who excels in both medicine and poison?”
Sun Qingmei nodded with a warm smile.
Princess Zhaoyang did not refuse and gladly accepted the antidote pill, planning to send a generous gift to Sun Qingmei as a token of her gratitude once she returned to the palace.
In the afternoon, Princess Zhaoyang sent a maid to invite Shen Wei and Sun Qingmei to her tent for a rest and some intimate conversation.
Inside the princess's tent, two ice basins emitted a refreshing chill, making the entire space feel cool and pleasant.
Shen Wei had brought along her writing materials and was practicing her calligraphy, writing the piece “Spring Banquet.”
Sun Qingmei, on the other hand, had brought needle and thread, sitting on a soft, luxurious couch, diligently sewing shoes.
Both were busy with their own tasks. Princess Zhaoyang, fanning herself with a hand fan, felt bored and asked Shen Wei, “Why do you practice calligraphy?”
Shen Wei replied honestly, “The prince checks my progress every day.”
When the boss likes to check on work, the employee must put in the effort.
Princess Zhaoyang then asked Sun Qingmei, “Who are you making shoes for?”
Sun Qingmei smiled gently, her eyes reflecting happiness. “My husband is at the border fighting, and his boots are worn out. I want to make a few pairs of durable boots to send to him.”
Sun Qingmei and the young Marquis of the South were a loving couple. Even though her husband had left for battle on their wedding night, she bore no complaints.
She looked forward to his safe return from the border.
Princess Zhaoyang rested her chin on her hand, her gaze lingering between Shen Wei and Sun Qingmei, and sighed enviously, “If Yan Yunting were willing to marry me, I would also be happy to practice calligraphy and make him shoes.”
Unfortunately, Yan Yunting only had eyes for that frail and pitiful Dan Tai Rou.
Princess Zhaoyang loved fiercely, having pursued Yan Yunting for many years, yet she still could not thaw his cold heart.
She didn’t know how much longer she could hold on; perhaps one day, she would find herself unable to continue and would reluctantly choose to give up on Yan Yunting.
There were many handsome men in the world; surely there were better ones than Yan Yunting.
Just then, footsteps were heard outside the tent, and the guards reported loudly, “Your Highness, we have captured the escaped venomous snake. It bit a woodcutter, but the woodcutter has killed it.”
Princess Zhaoyang sighed in relief. “Bring the woodcutter in.”
The tent flap was lifted, and the guards brought in the pitiful, barely conscious woodcutter. Shen Wei set down her brush and examined the unfortunate man.
The woodcutter appeared to be in his early twenties, dressed in tattered clothes, with bloodstains on his ankle from the snake bite. Surprisingly, he was quite tall, but his face had turned a terrifying shade of purple from the poison.
If the purple hue were to fade, he might actually be quite handsome.
Unfortunately, his life was hanging by a thread.
Through a translucent white beaded curtain, Princess Zhaoyang paused for a moment before instructing her maid, “Yun'er, give the antidote to the woodcutter, and then have the guards take him home.”
Shen Wei was astonished; Princess Zhaoyang was actually giving a precious antidote to an ordinary woodcutter?
What a kind-hearted girl, truly worthy of deep friendship.
Maid Yun'er quickly objected, “Your Highness, antidotes are rare. That woodcutter's life is cheap; giving him the medicine is a waste.”
Princess Zhaoyang smiled lightly, appearing unfazed. “After all, it’s a life.”
Yun'er had no choice but to give the precious antidote to the woodcutter. The young man, still conscious, looked toward the beaded curtain, seeing only a vague silhouette.
Suddenly, the woodcutter fainted, and the guards carried him down the mountain.
A minor commotion quietly dissipated, seemingly causing little ripple.
...
In a secluded corner of the hunting tent, two voices whispered.
A man angrily scolded, “Those two five-step snakes were meant to poison Yan Wang Li Yuanjing! You actually used them to try to kill a mere Zhaoyang, and you failed!”
The other man, aware of his fault, admitted, “I was wrong.”
The man sneered, “Tomorrow, we will arrange another assassination. Seize the opportunity and strike decisively.”
“Understood.”
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