The Old Lady smiled faintly. "Status and rank are merely empty titles. True talent and knowledge will speak for themselves. I am curious to see how skilled this Nangong Shuang is in medicine, whether her abilities are as remarkable as her musical talent."
"I will not disappoint you, Old Lady," Nangong Shuang replied respectfully, though she felt a sense of alertness rising within her. Li Yingxue clearly harbored animosity towards her, and this Yao Yan likely concealed hidden dangers.
As the atmosphere around Qin Hui grew lively, many approached Nangong Shuang to inquire about her musical skills, even those young ladies who had previously held biases against her status changed their attitudes. Only Li Yingxue remained sullen, her eyes glinting with resentment.
In the carriage back to the mansion, Qian Wan'er excitedly grasped Nangong Shuang's hand. "Nangong Shuang, you were amazing! That piece you played was so beautiful that even Li Dajia couldn't stop praising it!"
Qiao Er nodded vigorously beside her. "Yes, sister, your skills are exceptional! Li Yingxue was left speechless by you; it was truly satisfying!"
Nangong Shuang smiled slightly but did not let the praise cloud her judgment. Although she had triumphed at Qin Hui today, she had drawn considerable attention, particularly from the Dowager of the Duke of State, who seemed quite interested in her.
What worried her more was that Li Yingxue's Yao Yan was clearly a trap, yet the Dowager of the Duke of State had already taken it upon herself to respond on her behalf, leaving Nangong Shuang with no choice but to attend.
"Nangong Shuang, what are you thinking about?" Qian Wan'er asked with concern.
Snapping back to reality, Nangong Shuang replied softly, "Nothing much, just considering how to prepare for tomorrow's Yao Yan at the Li residence."
Qian Wan'er suddenly understood. "Oh, you're worried that Li Yingxue will make things difficult for you? Don't be afraid; I will accompany you. Besides, with the Dowager of the Duke of State present, she won't dare to go too far."
Nangong Shuang nodded without saying much more.
Upon returning to Qian Mansion, night had fallen. As Nangong Shuang entered her small courtyard and was about to rest, Qiao Er rushed in with a tense expression. "Sister, someone has sent a message!"
Nangong Shuang took the envelope and saw "To Nangong Shuang" written on it in strong and vigorous handwriting—indeed it was Xiao Zhongyan's.
She quickly opened the envelope and read a few brief lines: "Be cautious of the Yao Yan at the Li residence; there may be traps. Someone from Shadow Pavilion has set their sights on you. The three-day agreement still stands; be very careful. Yan Bi."
Nangong Shuang's heart sank; just as she suspected, the Yao Yan at the Li residence was a deception!
"Who delivered this?" she asked urgently.
Qiao Er shook her head. "I don't know; it was a servant who looked quite ordinary. He handed it to the doorman and ran off."
After pondering for a moment, Nangong Shuang decisively said, "Qiao Er, tomorrow you will disguise yourself as me and accompany Miss Qian to the Li residence. I will disguise myself as you and protect you from the shadows."
Qiao Er's eyes widened in surprise. "Sister, that's too dangerous! What if someone discovers..."
"Don't worry; I know what I'm doing," Nangong Shuang reassured her. "Just remember a few medical principles I've taught you for general questions. If anything tricky comes up, just say you're feeling unwell; I'll step in to help."
After hesitating for a moment, Qiao Er finally nodded. "Alright, I'll listen to you."
Nangong Shuang nodded in satisfaction and began to carefully consider all possible scenarios they might encounter tomorrow. It was clear that Li Yingxue harbored hostility towards her; this Yao Yan must surely hold some secret schemes. Moreover, Xiao Zhongyan's warning only confirmed her suspicions.
The phrase "Someone from Shadow Pavilion has set their sights on you" was particularly concerning. Ever since that night when she escaped from Meihua Villa, people from Shadow Pavilion had been secretly tracking her movements. If she were to expose her identity during the Yao Yan at the Li residence, the consequences would be dire.
Lost in thought, a faint sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard. Nangong Shuang stood up alertly, signaling Qiao Er to hide in the inner room.
"Who is it?" she asked softly.
The footsteps stopped, and a familiar voice replied, "It's me, Guan Chunyi."
Nangong Shuang let out a sigh of relief, quickly hiding Xiao Zhongyan's letter before opening the door to welcome him.
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