Shen Ninghua did not expect that her words would make Baili Jinchuan think so much more. Although she had told Chu Junyi about the situation in Ping City, she had to find another helper to make provision against emergencies. Judging from both the timing and ability, Baili Jinchuan was undoubtedly the most suitable.
As a prince, Baili Jinchuan was able to control his emotions in the shortest time possible. He suppressed his emotions and changed the topic. “Ninghua, do you have a sweetheart?”
Suddenly hearing this question, Shen Ninghua paused and raised her eyebrows. “Does this question have anything to do with your choice?”
Baili Jinchuan smiled warmly. “No. However, this isn’t the first time we’ve cooperated. I’m just asking this as a friend. I wonder if you can tell me.”
Shen Ninghua sneered in her heart. What’s wrong with these people? All of them were paying attention to her marriage.
“Yes, I have.”
Baili Jinchuan’s eyes moved, and a dark haze flashed in his heart. “Can you tell me who he is?”
“It’s inconvenient to tell you.”
Baili Jinchuan did not seem to insist on getting an answer. Hearing her words, he stopped asking. “I have already made up my mind.”
“Oh? What’s your choice?”
“I choose the former. As long as my reputation is established, controlling the region of Jiangnan is just a piece of cake for me.”
Shen Ninghua looked at Baili Jinchuan who was in high and vigorous spirits. She smiled faintly and said, “Since that’s the case, then you should be well-prepared. Can I go back now?”
“I’m afraid not yet. The excuse was that you were invited by my sister. If you go back so early, those who spied on the situation will find out.”
Shen Ninghua nodded. “Since that’s the case, I’ll eat here before leaving. I don’t have much chance to eat something from the imperial palace.”
Baili Jinchuan curled his lips. “There will be many chances.” When she married him, she could eat whatever she wanted to eat. In the future, when he ascended onto the throne, even the Dragon Liver or the Phoenix Marrow would be within his grasp. As long as she wanted, he would find it for her.
Shen Ninghua did not even raise her eyelids. She did not think so in her heart. These princes were too self-righteous. Did they think that women should cry and fight to marry them because their statuses were high? She really didn’t want to marry them, and she would rather marry an ordinary scholar so as to save her effort.
After Baili Jinchuan left, Princess Anning sat opposite Shen Ninghua, looking a little reserved. “Miss Shen, do you have anything you like to eat? I’ll have someone fetch it for you from the Imperial Kitchen.”
Shen Ninghua smiled and said, “It’s already a blessing of several lifetimes to eat some Imperial Cuisine. How could Ninghua dare to choose at will? Your Highness, please make the decision for me.”
Baili Anning nodded and instructed palace maids in a soft voice. Then, she lowered her eyes slightly. She couldn’t get rid of the unease in her heart. Because of the peculiar smell on her body, apart from the close palace maids and nurses who had been serving her since her childhood, she rarely got close to anyone. She was even unfamiliar with her own brother Baili Jinchuan. Now that she had to face Shen Ninghua alone, she really had a hard time adapting herself.
Moreover, for some reason, even though Shen Ninghua was merely a first daughter of the Prime Minister, she could feel the noble aura from Shen Ninghua, which made it even more difficult for her to feel at ease.
Shen Ninghua said, “Your Highness, you have been in bad health since you were born, right?”
Baili Anning paused for a moment and looked up at her. Seeing Shen Ninghua’s gentle expression that seemed to carry a faint concern, she didn’t feel offended. “Miss Shen, do you mean my stench? Indeed, I have been carrying it since birth.”
“Didn’t you let the imperial doctors take a closer look?”
Baili Anning smiled bitterly. “I saw all the able imperial doctors in the Palace. Even doctor Chen checked on me countless times, but no one has been able to find out where the stench came from.” She had also heard that some people had body odor, but their body odor could be concealed. Not only was the stench on her body extremely pungent, but it was also very strong. Anyone who approached her would feel like being suffocated.
Thinking of this, Baili Anning paused. Shen Ninghua had been sitting face to face with her for a long time. Didn’t she feel uncomfortable?
“Miss Shen, you…”
Shen Ninghua smiled warmly and said, “Your Highness, are you curious why I’m not affected?”
“Yes. Normally, no one could bear to stay by my side for fifteen minutes.”
Shen Ninghua stood up and said, “Your Highness, you should hear that I was once sent to the country villa to recuperate because of my poor health. It took me nearly a year to recover. Although my body has recovered, my sense of smell is somewhat weak.”
Baili Anning nodded. “Yes, I heard from my second brother that you were poisoned?”
“That’s right,” Shen Ninghua nodded. “My skin used to be dark and my entire body was extremely ugly. I was simply neither human nor ghost. I hated my ugly appearance so much that I wished I could die. However, when I met the old doctor who treated me in the country villa, he said I was extremely lucky. I asked him why, and he said that if it weren’t for my dark skin, I would have died long ago.”
Baili Anning asked curiously, “Why did he say so?”
“He said some people may not die after being poisoned because there may be some way to dissolve the toxin. My skin was dark because of the poison in my body appeared on the surface of my skin. The old doctor also said that there were still many manifestations of being poisoned. Some people could limp, some may become as stupid as naive babies, and some may have a foul stench!”
“What?” Baili Anning suddenly stood up and her sleeve swept over the teacup on the table. The cup fell to the ground with a bang.
The palace maid at the door immediately asked, “Your Highness, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I knocked down the teacup. Miss Shen and I only meet for the first time, but we feel like old friends. We will have a long chat. No one should come in and disturb us without my instructions!”
“Yes, I see.”
Baili Anning slowly sat down and took a few deep breaths before asking, but her voice was still trembling. “Miss Shen, are you serious?”
Shen Ninghua smiled faintly. “How could I lie about such a thing?”
“Then…that means I stink because I was poisoned?” Baili Anning looked at Shen Ninghua anxiously, afraid that she would give a negative answer.
“Your Highness, if you don’t mind, can I feel your pulse?” Shen Ninghua asked.
“Of course.” Baili Anning immediately lifted her sleeves and stretched her wrist out in front of Shen Ninghua.
Shen Ninghua smiled. She used a handkerchief to cover Princess Anning’s wrist before feeling the pulse.
Baili Anning tried her best not to lose her composure, but the nervousness in her heart almost made her unable to control her expression. As soon as Shen Ninghua withdrew her hand, Baili Anning asked anxiously, “Miss Shen, am I poisoned?”
Shen Ninghua paused for a moment, then she smiled and nodded. “Although my medical skills are shallow, I am sure that your stench is caused by poison.”
“Can you remove it?”
“As long as there are ingredients for the antidote, it can be removed from your body!”
Baili Anning covered her lips and tears rolled down her cheeks. Even though she tried her best, she still let out a sob.
For so many years, she had endured strange gazes. She was clearly a noble princess, but she was as despicable as mud. How could she not feel wronged? Today, when she heard that she was poisoned and that the poison could be removed, she wished she could cry out all the grievances in her heart. But when she thought of the palace maids who were guarding the door, she had to control herself by biting her sleeve fiercely and suppress all her emotions.
After about fifteen minutes, Baili Anning finally calmed down a little.
“Miss Shen, please don’t laugh at me. I’m just too happy.”
Her voice was a little hoarse from crying, but her face was glowing with the hope of getting rid of the big stone in her heart.
Looking at Baili Anning’s face that was full of vitality, Shen Ninghua half-jokingly said, “Your status is noble. Don’t be too excited. Otherwise, I won’t be able to leave the imperial palace.”
“Although I’m not a favored princess, I can still protect you. How could I let my great benefactress get hurt?” Baili Anning wiped away her tears and smiled.
“I don’t dare to accept your gratitude now. It’s better for you to thank me after I remove the poison from your body.”
Baili Anning nodded happily. “If you need any medicinal ingredients, write them down and I’ll send someone to prepare them.”
“There are not many precious medicinal ingredients, but there are many different kinds. The detoxification process will also take a long time. I think you also understand that the poison in your body is not easy to remove. Otherwise, the imperial doctors wouldn’t fail to diagnose it.”
“That’s right,” Baili Anning nodded. She had thought of this. “How long will it take?”
“If things go smoothly, three months is enough.”
“Alright, three months will do. Ninghua, you are my great benefactress. If you meet any difficulties in the future, as long as I can do something for you, I will spare no effort to help you.” Baili Anning said earnestly.
Shen Ninghua smiled. “Then I’ll thank you first.”
The two of them had lunch and chatted for a long time. Only when the palace maid reminded them did Baili Anning reluctantly send Shen Ninghua out.
But as the carriage ran a little farther from the Palace gate, it started to run towards a secluded place.
Shen Ninghua’s eyes turned icy as she coldly asked the coachman, “This isn’t the way back to the Shen Mansion, right?”
The coachman waved his whip to make the horse run faster. “Miss, don’t panic. My master wants to see you. Everything has been arranged. You don’t need to worry about the Shen family.”
Shen Ninghua’s heart skipped a beat. This person’s manner of speaking showed that he didn’t care about the Shen family. Either he was too arrogant or he was too confident. Who exactly was the master that the coachman spoke of?
The carriage continued forward, and it took about an hour before it came to a stop.
Shen Ninghua got off the carriage and saw a tall door in front of her. The door was very ordinary, and the stone lions on both sides were slightly old, making it even more difficult for her to guess the owner of the house.
The coachman stepped forward and knocked on the bronze ring thrice before a voice came from inside the door, “It’s getting late. Who is it?”
The coachman uttered the code words. “It’s been a long trip. May I have some spring water?”
The door creaked open. The coachman walked back and respectfully said to Shen Ninghua. “Miss Shen, please.”
Shen Ninghua walked in with her usual expression.
Just as she entered the courtyard, Shen Ninghua heard the door behind her creak shut.
The front yard was very ordinary, and it didn’t look any different from those of the average wealthy families. But when she walked around the corridor to the backyard, she immediately stopped in surprise.
A patch of water came into her view, shining with sparkling light under sunshine.
The entire backyard was extremely spacious, but three-quarters of it was dug and filled with water to form a small lake. At the center of the lake, there was a bamboo building which was more than ten meters away from the shore. It stood verdant on the surface of the water, reflecting a green and clear light.
Shen Ninghua stood still, and a small boat had already rowed over.
“Miss Shen, my master is waiting for you. Please get on the boat.”