MCSCPM -Chapter 284 Her Plan

Seeing the medicine and noticing nothing unusual, Chu Jingcheng had no doubts. He nodded, took the medicine, and drank it. Then he said, “Stay here and don’t go anywhere. Understand?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you.”

Chu Jingcheng glanced at her a few times before leaving. But after only a few steps, he felt dizzy; his legs suddenly wobbled. Immediately, he realized that the medicine had been laced with a sleeping agent.

Chu Jingcheng turned back, frowning in disbelief, as if scolding Yin Qingyue for her “recklessness.”

Yin Qingyue stepped forward and supported him. “Rest well. I’ll take care of this matter.”

“Qingyue…” Chu Jingcheng murmured, but soon fell into a deep sleep.

She held him, guilt filling her eyes. Yet in the end, it was for his own good—she couldn’t allow him to risk going out while still injured.

“If you wake up and scold me, or even hit me, I can accept it. But I cannot let you take a risk with your injuries.”

The elite guards nearby were shocked—they could hardly believe that such a woman existed. Only she could make Prince Jing trust her enough to drink the medicine and only she would worry so deeply for his safety.

“Help me carry Prince Jing into his room.”

The guard hesitated for a moment, then quickly moved to support Chu Jingcheng and laid him gently on the bed.

“Miss Yin, what’s… happening to Prince Jing?”

“He’s fine. He’s just taking a short nap and will wake up soon,” Yin Qingyue said, tears glistening in her eyes as she looked at him lying there.

The guards nodded silently and stepped aside.

Yin Qingyue sat by the bed and bowed her head, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. “Don’t worry. I will find the murderer. You cannot go out injured.”

With no time to waste, she ordered a guard to bring her a servant’s uniform. She quickly changed into it, appearing with the demeanor of a man.

She instructed the nearby guard, “Stay here and watch over Prince Jing. Don’t let anything happen to him. I will go in his place.”

The elite guard immediately objected. “Miss Yin, you can’t go alone! You’re a woman. If the killer is truly on the road, and something happens to you, I wouldn’t know how to explain it to Prince Jing.”

“A woman? So what? The point is to lure the killer out. You just watch over Prince Jing,” Yin Qingyue said firmly.

“No, Miss Yin. You can’t force me.”

“Didn’t you hear Prince Jing say? Seeing me is like seeing him. Can you disobey his orders?” Her eyes were commanding, filled with authority.

The guard, though afraid, was still a man. He bowed his head, unwilling to relent. “Yes, Miss Yin, your orders are Prince Jing’s orders, so I must obey. But seeing you go alone into such danger… I can’t stop worrying.”

“I don’t want to repeat myself. If you block me again and the killer escapes, can you bear that responsibility?” Yin Qingyue advanced step by step. Her voice was sharp. “I captured even that ruthless official Kong Xian. Do you think I can’t handle a single killer?”

“No, I didn’t mean that…”

“Then step aside.” Her tone was suddenly intimidating, and the guard instinctively moved aside.

He had no choice. This woman exuded a commanding presence.

Yin Qingyue reminded him again, “Just watch over Prince Jing.”

After giving her instructions, she mounted her horse and rode nonstop to the outskirts, deliberately acting as if in a hurry to deliver a letter.

Although she rode swiftly, she remained alert, scanning her surroundings. Nothing suspicious escaped her sharp gaze.

Hidden in the trees nearby, a figure dressed in black with a masked face watched her. Seeing this small figure, he snorted, barely taking her seriously.

As Yin Qingyue approached the area where the new magistrate and a guard had been killed, she stopped, deliberately drinking from a water bottle at her waist, while her eyes scanned the surroundings. This area was certainly where the killer hid—the two victims had died here.

The man in black saw his opportunity and quickly drew a silver needle, aiming to strike. But Yin Qingyue had prepared in advance. She casually tossed her water bottle, pulled the reins, and her horse sidestepped. The needle, meant for her, struck the horse’s leg instead. The horse screamed and fell, dying after a few struggles.

The needle was obviously poisoned.

The surroundings were eerily silent. Yin Qingyue had narrowly escaped, yet she showed no fear. She looked at the bushes where movement had occurred and smirked—based on where the silver needle had been fired from, the killer must be hiding there.

Seeing her unharmed, the man in black became cautious. He fired more silver needles, but Yin Qingyue skillfully dodged every one.

She looked toward the killer and said coldly, “Come out. Your poisoned needles cannot harm me.”

The hidden killer was startled. A woman’s voice? Who was this?

“You wanted to kill me, to trap Prince Jing here. I was just delivering a letter. If you don’t stop me, this letter will reach the Emperor soon. Whoever you are, you’ll have no place to escape.” She revealed the blank letter she carried at her waist.

The killer realized his needles could not harm her, and the letter was crucial—he even considered killing her to take it. But he hesitated. This woman was extraordinary; she had dodged his needles with ease. Even his elite guard could only dodge one. Her gaze alone carried authority.

Seeing the killer not show himself, Yin Qingyue decided to draw him out. “Fine. If you won’t come out, I’ll deliver the letter myself.”

She turned deliberately, pretending to relax, and reached to her waist for a powdered substance, keeping her eyes on the shadow below. She was ready for whoever appeared.

The man in black fell for it, thinking she had let her guard down. Drawing his sword, he stepped out to strike her.

But Yin Qingyue had seen his shadow. She deftly dodged and threw the powdered substance at him.

The man inhaled it, his limbs went numb, and his body wobbled.

Still, he tried to strike her. Yin Qingyue pressed his hand and forcefully struck a vital point, Yiyang, and he collapsed, unable to move, though his eyes still moved.

Yin Qingyue patted her hand and said, “This is paralyzing powder. I pressed your Yiyang point. You cannot move at all.”

The man glared at her, furious but immobilized.

She crouched and pulled off his black mask. He appeared to be in his thirties or forties, with a scar on his face—clearly a professional killer.

She said, “You can’t move, but you can speak. Answer my questions truthfully, or you’ll regret it. You’ll neither live nor die.”

“Kill me,” he said coldly.

“Too easy. But if you tell me who sent you, I might spare you. Otherwise, it won’t just be paralyzing powder—it will be poison,” Yin Qingyue threatened.

The man showed no fear and said with admiration, “You’re impressive. Few dodge my needles. You don’t need to follow Prince Jing; follow my master instead. You’ll have a life of ease.”

Yin Qingyue slapped him hard. “Dying, and you still say that?” She grabbed his neck. “You refused gentleness, now feel my strength. Tell me, who sent you? One gentle press, and you’re dead.”

“Go ahead, kill me then.”

“Refuse a toast, take the punishment,” she said, pressing his neck at a specific point. He screamed in pain. “Feels uncomfortable, doesn’t it? Like a thousand snakes biting your chest?”

He, in agony, asked, “Who… are you?”

“Me? Haven’t you heard? When Prince Jing came to the county, he brought a woman with him.”

“You… you’re the divine doctor?” His fear finally showed.

The man realized she was Yin Qingyue, known throughout Beihai. He was doomed.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m not a ruthless killer. Just tell me, who wants to kill Prince Jing and prevent his return to the capital?”

The killer’s eyes darkened. Suddenly, he laughed and said to the dark sky above, “I can’t believe I’d fall to a little woman. Even if I live, I won’t care for such shame.”

He then bit his tongue and died.

Yin Qingyue immediately released his neck, trying to stop him, but it was too late.

Helplessly, the man had been loyal to the wrong master. For a moment, Yin Qingyue felt some pity—but the clue was gone. How could she continue the investigation now?