Volume One, Chapter Three: A Small Token of Gratitude

After changing her clothes, Song Shuning went to check Shen Qiyuan’s pulse.

Moments later, she confirmed the poison within him and said she had a way to detoxify it.

A flicker of danger appeared on Shen Qiyuan’s usually impassive face. Narrowing his eyes, he looked at Song Shuning and said in a low voice, “Do you understand the consequences of deceiving me?”

“The poison you carry is not the deadly toxin you mentioned, but a fire poison that destroys one’s heart meridians. Although you’ve suppressed the poison over the years, you’ve never truly cured the fire poison inside. That’s why each night you endure the torment of burning pain in your chest, your body feels unbearably hot, and your head throbs intensely, correct?” Song Shuning recited the author’s description of him from the novel.

Shen Qiyuan sat up straight. “You can really cure my poison?”

“Yes, I can,” Song Shuning nodded.

She could use silver needles to ease his pain; as for completely detoxifying him, that would take time.

For now, survival was the priority.

Seeing Song Shuning’s confident demeanor, Shen Qiyuan tapped his fingers on the table. After a moment, he nodded. “Very well, consider today’s matter a token of my goodwill. If you can ease the poison within me, I vow to keep you safe in the capital. If you can fully cure me, I will ensure your family’s fortunes rise steadily.”

Hearing this, Song Shuning’s heart skipped a beat. No wonder he was the most cunning villain in the story! To hear him promise her family’s success—this was no small thing.

“I recall seeing a remedy for fire poison in one of my master’s ancient texts. I will study it carefully and will not disappoint Your Excellency.”

Shen Qiyuan gave a grunt in affirmation and called Mo Feng over. “Escort Miss Song to see the play.”

Mo Feng coldly gestured for Song Shuning to follow him. As she reached the staircase, she turned back to Shen Qiyuan. “How can I contact Your Excellency? Should I come here directly?”

No matter what, he seemed the strongest ally she could latch onto at the moment. To avoid being easily betrayed again, she wanted to secure this support firmly.

“If you find the antidote, then...” Shen Qiyuan began.

“Before that, I can administer acupuncture to ease your pain,” Song Shuning interrupted, afraid he might ask her to find the cure first—what if she were harmed in the process?

Someone like her, who wouldn’t survive even one episode of a palace intrigue drama, desperately needed a protector.

Shen Qiyuan glanced back at her, as if noticing the urgency in her eyes—the desire to heal him.

“My men will find you later,” he said without looking back.

Relieved by his words, Song Shuning followed Mo Feng downstairs and out of the Star-Picking Pavilion. She wanted Mo Feng to escort her out of the Yuzu Garden, but he said, “Miss Song, you should return to the courtyard you were in earlier. You might still catch the play there—it’s a small kindness from our master.”

---

Puzzled, Song Shuning nodded and wandered back to the courtyard where she had narrowly escaped earlier. Hearing the commotion inside, she stepped in and saw several noble ladies whispering outside a closed door. Someone was comforting the beautiful woman with her head bowed inside.

That was her sister—the novel’s heroine.

Song Shuning approached. “Sister, what’s wrong?”

She had escaped, so why were they still talking about Lin Shaoxuan’s scandal?

Song Shuyun hurried over anxiously. “Ning’er, where have you been?”

Other noble ladies gathered around as well.

Lin Shaoyan, who had remained silent, glared at Song Shuning as she entered and said coldly, “You country bumpkins have no manners. Do you realize the trouble you’ve caused by running around today?”

She had caused Qingya sister to lose her honor! How could Qingya face anyone now?

Song Shuyun glanced at Lin Shaoyan and said sternly, “We country folk may lack etiquette, but we understand shame. We would never shamelessly engage in intimacy without a matchmaker’s consent before marriage!”

Song Shuning blinked. No matchmaker’s consent? Could it be that Lin Shaoxuan had been with another woman?

She recalled Shen Qiyuan and his guard telling her to watch the play—as a token of gratitude for her help today.

Could it really be as she feared?

Good heavens!

Is this the benefit of clinging to a powerful patron?

He was already settling scores for her?

Lin Shaoyan pointed at Song Shuning. “Where did you go? Don’t you know you’re not allowed to run around the Yuzu Garden? What if you disturbed the noble living behind the Star-Picking Pavilion? Can you take responsibility?”

Someone lived behind the Star-Picking Pavilion?

Why hadn’t she noticed before?

As Song Shuning was about to answer, Song Shuyun stepped protectively in front of her, coldly staring at Lin Shaoyan. “Miss Lin, instead of worrying whether my sister has offended any nobles, perhaps you should consider whether your brother’s actions today might reach the ears of those so-called nobles you associate with.”

Lin Shaoyan’s expression stiffened.

---

At that moment, a young lady in a purple gauze dress, adorned with pearl flowers in her hair, entered holding a box. She smiled at Song Shuning and said, “Miss Song, this is a gift from my master in gratitude for your help today. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, present this token at the Star-Picking Pavilion, and they will surely assist you.”

The maid left the wooden box and departed.

Song Shuning opened the box to find a dark red wooden token intricately carved with patterns and characters.

Song Shuyun looked at her in surprise. “What is this about?”

The others pricked up their ears. It was said the Star-Picking Pavilion was built by the late emperor’s own sister, the illustrious Princess Ronghua!

Song Shuning was surprisingly connected to the Star-Picking Pavilion?

She didn’t dwell on it, simply thinking it was a pass given by Shen Qiyuan.

With this token, the noble ladies looked at her differently—even Lin Shaoyan, who had been rude to Song Shuning earlier, couldn’t help but glance at her twice. The Star-Picking Pavilion, a place even they couldn’t approach, now counted Song Shuning as a guest?

Some ladies who had looked down on the Song sisters approached, curious how Song Shuning had saved the pavilion’s mistress and who this mistress was, but Song Shuning had already tucked the token into her sleeve, ready to leave.

She linked arms with Song Shuyun and whispered, “Sister, let’s go home.”

Song Shuyun glanced at the still-closed door and said gravely, “Everyone here witnessed today’s events. Lin Shaoxuan and Miss Jiang’s affair is out in the open. Though our Song family is humble, we don’t cling to things desperately. This marriage was arranged by Marquis Dingyuan, not sought by us! If Young Master Lin is so displeased, he should ask his father to cancel the engagement rather than humiliate others at the Spring Banquet!”

Song Shuning lowered her eyes, thinking that the humiliations he planned were far crueler than anyone imagined.

Glancing at Lin Shaoyan, she vowed that since she knew what the original owner had endured, she would repay this grudge in time.

Lin Shaoyan felt uncomfortable under Song Shuning’s gaze and looked away, avoiding eye contact.

She was the one who had tricked people to capture and drug Song Shuning—surely she didn’t know the whole truth.

Just then, the door opened. Lin Shaoxuan and Jiang Qingya, both fully dressed, stepped out. Jiang Qingya, her eyes red, knelt before Song Shuyun and said, “Miss Song, the Young Master and I have long been in love and pledged ourselves to each other for a lifetime. But a year ago, when the Marquis returned to the capital, Young Master Lin was told his father arranged a marriage for him. This...”

“Long-standing love, yet he didn’t inform his mother, sent matchmakers to propose, and waited for his father to return from the battlefield to tell him about this arranged marriage?” Song Shuning blinked. “And when he heard of the betrothal, he didn’t resist. Only now, as your sister’s wedding approaches, does he seek intimacy with you in such a place? Such moving love indeed.”

This green tea actress was truly a master of deception.