Shen Lixue smiled gently: "We've booked a private room, so we won't go in and disturb you!" Dongfang Heng didn't like dining at the same table with women. Through the half-open door of the private room, Shen Lixue could vaguely see that there was a woman sitting inside. Chu Youran was entertaining guests, so it wasn't convenient for them to go in and disturb her.
"I'm sorry for taking up your time. Please make yourselves at home!" Chu Youran smiled slightly, showing her good manners and tact.
"Until we meet again!" Shen Lixue said goodbye, turned around, and walked slowly forward. Behind her, a servant's voice urged, "Madam, Master is going back to the manor!"
Shen Lixue was taken aback. Madam? Was Chu Youran still the woman sitting in the room?
Shen Lixue turned around and saw a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old walking out of the room. She had delicate features, but her eyes looked somewhat haggard. She held Chu Youran's hand and said apologetically, "Youran, I'm sorry, I have to go back to the manor!"
Chu Youran smiled understandingly: "Sister Ruyi, if you have something to do, please go ahead and do it. I'll come to visit you at your residence when I have time!"
The woman nodded and smiled, "I will have my master inquire about the miracle doctor you mentioned, and I will inform you as soon as I have any news!"
"Thank you so much, Sister Ruyi!" Chu Youran smiled brightly, her eyes filled with gratitude.
"Then I'll be going now!" The woman smiled slightly, reluctantly let go of his hand, slowly turned around, and followed the servant down the stairs, looking back every few steps.
The woman walked out of Zuixianlou and disappeared. Chu Youran returned to her private room, and Dongfang Heng also took Shen Lixue into the No. 1 room of the Heavenly Class. After closing the door, he pulled Shen Lixue to the window and looked out through the wide-open window at the world: "I've seen that servant boy before. He's a servant boy from the Duke of Wen's mansion!"
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "Chu Youran's friend is the concubine of the Duke of Wen?" The woman was not old, but the Duke of Wen's mansion only had one legitimate daughter, Su Yuting. She had met the Duchess of Wen before. The servant called the woman "Madam," so she must be the Duke of Wen's concubine without a doubt.
Dongfang Heng nodded: "They're out!"
Shen Lixue looked in the direction he was pointing and saw a middle-aged man walking confidently down the street. He was too far away to see his face clearly, but she could see the servant from before and the young woman behind him. The woman had her head down and was walking very carefully, looking timid and cowering.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. The Duke of Wen was nearly forty years old, yet he had taken a young woman old enough to be his daughter as a concubine…
Duke Wen and the woman boarded the carriage and drove away quickly. Dongfang Heng withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, "Duke Wen is so eager for a son that he has no fewer than five young concubines aged sixteen or seventeen in his household!"
Shen Lixue raised her lips. According to modern medicine, it is not good to have a child at the age of sixteen or seventeen, and it is not easy to get pregnant. The best age for a woman to conceive is twenty to twenty-four. How could he have a child if he married a concubine who was so young?
"That concubine from earlier was quite favored!" Dongfang Heng paused before saying this.
“I know!” Shen Lixue nodded. In ancient times, concubines had a very low status and could only stay in the courtyard. They were not allowed to go anywhere. The fact that the Duke of Wen allowed his concubine to go out and receive guests showed that he truly doted on her.
"That Chu Youran is on very good terms with the concubine of the Duke of Wen, they call each other sisters!" Dongfang Heng's sharp eyes narrowed slightly.
"Judging from what they said, Chu Youran has just arrived in the capital and asked Ruyi for help in finding out about the divine doctor!" Shen Lixue shook her head. Ruyi was just a concubine of the Duke of Wen's mansion and couldn't be of much help to her.
"Dongfang Heng, is there really a miracle doctor in the capital who can cure all diseases?" If such a person does exist, could he also help Dongfang Heng cure his illness?
Dongfang Heng's gaze sharpened: "She must be referring to Physician Chen!" Physician Chen's medical skills are superb; within Qingyan, no one can match him.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow: "Can Physician Chen cure her illness?"
Dongfang Heng shook his head, his gaze deep: "According to what you said, her illness was congenital, and the possibility of a complete cure is slim, but alleviating the symptoms is possible!"
Shen Lixue's gaze darkened, and she tentatively asked, "Can't Physician Chen treat your injuries?"
Dongfang Heng's sharp gaze dimmed slightly: "The delay has been too long, and Physician Chen is helpless!"
"Any news about the Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang?" Shen Lixue blinked and quickly changed the subject.
"We've found a trail, we'll be able to find him soon!" Dongfang Heng felt a little happier.
"That's great! Now that we've found him, your injuries can be healed!" As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Lixue suddenly remembered that Dongfang Heng's illness was flaring up more and more frequently, and there wasn't much time left to wait.
"Your Highness!" Zi Mo appeared out of thin air in the center of the room and handed a letter to Dongfang Heng.
Shen Lixue noticed a very special mark on one corner of the envelope, indicating it was an urgent letter.
Dongfang Heng unfolded the letter, quickly glanced through it, and his expression gradually became serious.
"Go ahead and do what you need to do!" Shen Lixue rarely saw him with such a solemn expression; something serious must have happened.
Dongfang Heng's jade-like fingers clenched suddenly, and the envelope instantly turned to ashes. He said casually, "It's nothing. I'll take you back to your residence first!"
"My godfather has assigned guards and secret agents, so you don't need to worry about my safety!" In Qingyan, no one dares to offend the War King, and Shen Lixue herself knows martial arts, so she is not worried about anything happening to her.
"Zi Mo will stay and protect you!" The situation was urgent, and Dongfang Heng didn't have time to explain further. His tone was unusually firm; he didn't want anything to happen to Shen Lixue.
"Okay!" To put Dongfang Heng at ease, Shen Lixue did not object to him.
Dongfang Heng gave a few more instructions, then his slender figure flew out of the second-floor window, reaching dozens of meters away in the blink of an eye. His flowing white robes were like a dream, quickly disappearing into the distant horizon.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. The ancient lightness skill was truly divine.
After Dongfang Heng left, Shen Lixue was left alone and lost her appetite. She paid the bill and walked out of Zuixianlou.
As night deepened and a cool breeze blew, the clatter of hooves sounded. A group of guards in armor, carrying long swords, walked from one end of the street. Their steps were synchronized and well-trained, making a thud on the ground. The leader, dressed in blue, was handsome and had a dignified bearing; it was Lin Yan.
"Li Xue!" Upon seeing Shen Li Xue, Lin Yan dismounted and strode over, a warm smile on his handsome face.
"Cousin Yan, have the street patrols become stricter again?" Shen Lixue saw from the private room window that after nightfall, the interval between patrol teams had changed from half an hour to 15 minutes.
Lin Yan nodded, his gaze grave: "Recently, a terrible incident occurred in the capital. Several beautiful women were disfigured by a mysterious person while walking at night..."
Shen Lixue was taken aback: "Since when did it start?"
"Ten days ago, the mysterious man possessed exceptional agility and swiftness in his crimes, with an entirely unpredictable schedule. When the guards rushed over after hearing the screams, they could only see the victims' gruesome faces; they couldn't find the mysterious man at all..."
Lin Yan sighed softly. Women cherish their appearance. If their face is ruined, their whole life is ruined. Who is so cruel as to destroy the faces of beautiful women?
Shen Lixue narrowed her eyes slightly. Ten days ago?
"Li Xue, I'll take you back to the Prince's Mansion!" The women's disfigured faces were shocking, and now it was the time when the mysterious person would commit crimes again. Lin Yan was worried about Shen Li Xue.
"With so many guards protecting me, nothing will happen, cousin, please don't worry!" Shen Lixue smiled gently, a glint of light flashing in her clear, cold eyes.