Late at night, the Cheng Guang Palace was brightly lit.
Wispy smoke rose from the gilded openwork incense burner, and the dim glow of crimson candles filtered through layers of drapes, faintly revealing a figure lying on a huanghuali wood bed.
His eyes were tightly shut, shadows of gloom lingering between his brows, his face deathly pale. Even in unconsciousness, the fierce, unyielding aura around him remained sharp and intimidating, deterring anyone from approaching.
The Crown Prince furrowed his brows tightly, the poisoned wound sending waves of excruciating pain deep into his bones. His body felt as though it were tossed between a blazing furnace and an icy abyss.
At the same time, fragmented and chaotic voices flooded his ears like a rising tide.
"Why hasn't he woken up yet? The medicine won’t go down—could he really be dying?"
"All these years on the frontier couldn’t kill him, and even a poisoned arrow failed. His life is stubbornly tenacious."
The Empress's voice.
However, the Empress of Dazhao had always been a wolf in sheep’s clothing, skilled at putting on a facade. Even if she wished for his death, she would never openly bare her fangs in front of others.
Had she abandoned all pretense now that he had returned to the capital?
Or was he trapped in some bizarre dream?
"Serves him right! This beast has slaughtered the innocent and incurred the wrath of heaven! Even the gods can’t stand him anymore!"
"What can we possibly do? The Empress ordered us to find a way, but the Crown Prince has been plagued by chronic illness since childhood—his headaches alone drive him to madness. Now, with multiple poisoned arrows piercing him, the venom has seeped into his marrow. There’s truly no saving him this time..."
"Heavens above, whether the Crown Prince lives or dies, I beg His Majesty and the Empress not to punish us! I have an elderly mother and young children to care for—my grandson is still waiting for me to bring him candied hawthorns..."
Those must be the voices of the old foxes from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
From a distance of several zhang away, the Empress’s anxious voice rang out: "Whoever among you can make the Crown Prince drink the medicine, I will reward with ten taels of gold!"
Then came a clamor of servants chattering by his ear, their noise drilling into his skull like a splitting headache.
"Ten taels of gold isn’t worth risking my life! Who dares to feed medicine to that King of Hell?"
"What if he suddenly wakes up while I’m trying and kicks me halfway across the room?"
"I’m about to burst! Should’ve gone to the privy before coming here. It’ll take at least the time of an incense stick to get back to the servants’ quarters. When can we leave? Wait—ten taels of gold? For feeding the Crown Prince? That’s enough to buy a house in the capital! More than I’d earn in a lifetime working in the kitchens! I’ll do it! I’ll do it! Aaah, I’m gonna be rich!"
Insufferable.
The Crown Prince’s frown deepened. He wished he could rise this instant and strangle that chatterbox of a maid.
A moment later, a soft voice echoed through the hall: "Your Majesty, this humble maid is willing to try."
It was unmistakably the same person as the noisy one before, but now her tone was docile and proper.
The moment she spoke, the entire hall collectively held their breath.
The Empress took a step forward, eyeing the petite maid kneeling on the ground. "You truly have a way?"
Yun Kui replied cautiously, "But... may this lowly one dare to ask for another favor from Your Majesty? If the Crown Prince wakes and demands my execution, could Your Majesty..."
The Empress studied her face—a breathtaking beauty, with eyes like pools of autumn water, full lips, and a figure boasting ample curves and a slender waist. Who knew such a peerless maiden was hiding among the palace maids?
After a brief pause, the Empress inwardly sneered.
Another scheming wench aiming for the royal bed.
Outwardly, her expression remained gentle. "Do not worry. If you succeed in nursing him back to health, I will ensure your safety."
"Who is this fool, trading her life for money?"
"Bet she’s planning to feed him mouth-to-mouth."
"Another delusional climber. The last one who tried ended up six feet under—her grave’s already overgrown with weeds."
Hearing these absurd murmurs, the Crown Prince’s temples throbbed, veins bulging in irritation.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yun Kui pressed her lips together and added, "This maid needs to fetch something from the kitchen."
Suppressing her impatience, the Empress nodded. "Be quick."
Yun Kui rose and hurried back to the kitchens, first swiftly relieving herself, then rummaging through the ingredients until she found what she needed. After scrubbing it thoroughly, she returned to the Cheng Guang Palace.
The Empress stared at the strange object in her hand, instinctively covering her nose with her sleeve. "What is this? Can it truly make the Crown Prince drink the medicine?"
"It looks... mildly revolting."
The Crown Prince, hearing this: "..."
Yun Kui explained honestly, "This is a common ingredient from the kitchens. This maid has already cleaned and deodorized it."
As she spoke, the gazes of the physicians and palace staff converged on her.
The kitchen servants recognized it immediately—though presenting it raw to the Crown Prince was borderline blasphemous.
Most of the physicians knew it too, but their expressions were a spectacle in themselves.
The Empress turned to Chief Physician Zhang. "Is there any issue?"
The white-bearded elder flushed but, guessing Yun Kui’s intent, hesitated before finally saying, "It’s worth a try."
Only then did Yun Kui relax.
The Empress nodded. "Very well. Proceed."
"Oh dear..."
"How audacious of this maid to treat His Highness like this..."
Even in his unconscious state, the Crown Prince could hear the hushed discussions in the hall—along with voices that shouldn’t have been audible at all.
As if... he were hearing their innermost thoughts?
Yun Kui carefully poured the medicinal broth into the sheep’s intestine casing, tying both ends securely. The filled casing swelled into an unmistakably suggestive shape, prompting several physicians to avert their eyes awkwardly.
"Avert thy gaze, avert thy gaze..."
"Tsk, looks like a giant sausage."
"Used two of those just last night..."
The Crown Prince was baffled. What in the world was this thing? How was she planning to administer the medicine?
What kind of ingredient was so repulsive, yet Physician Shen had "used two"?
"Used"?
Yun Kui borrowed a silver needle from an assistant, poking a small hole at one end of the casing. Stepping toward the motionless man on the sandalwood bed, she chanted inwardly:
"Please, please, just drink the medicine. Don’t wake up now! Heaven above, let me get those ten taels of gold smoothly!"
The Crown Prince’s eyes remained shut, his jaw clenched. As the girl’s mental ramblings faded, a slight weight pressed against his eyelids, blocking out the faint light that had seeped through before.
Yun Kui’s heart pounded wildly, nearly leaping out of her throat. She lifted the drapes and immediately covered the Crown Prince’s face with a handkerchief, leaving only his mouth exposed.
This way, she wouldn’t have to face his terrifying visage. Even if he woke abruptly, he wouldn’t see her face right away—buying her time to beg the Empress for mercy.
"Yun Kui, you genius!"
Little... Sunflower...?
Mark my words, you little—
Before he could finish the thought, a warm, soft touch grazed his jaw, carrying the gentle fragrance of a woman.
The Crown Prince’s mind blanked momentarily, veins faintly pulsing at his neck in his unconscious state.
No one had ever dared to touch him.
Yun Kui pinched the Crown Prince’s chin, her gaze lingering on his jade-like yet icy skin and the sharp, cold contours of his face. She froze for a moment.
Just this glimpse of his jawline was strikingly handsome, though his lips were excessively pale, his skin nearly bloodless, and his touch colder than winter snow.
Were it not for the faint signs of breath, the Crown Prince would resemble a corpse more than an actual corpse.
Even blindfolded and unconscious, the oppressive aura of authority radiating from him was palpable, sending chills down one’s spine.
Yun Kui took a deep breath.
"Huh, his tongue is so pink."
Crown Prince: ???
Suppressing her nervousness, Yun Kui gripped the Crown Prince’s gaunt, pale jaw, forcing his lips slightly apart with her fingertips. Then, in one swift motion, she squeezed the medicinal broth from the sheep-intestine casing straight into his throat.
The imperial physicians: "..."
"She actually managed to pour it in."
"Clever method, but... the process is rather unrefined."
"I can hardly bear to watch."
A bitter, pungent taste flooded the Crown Prince’s throat, and his eyes snapped open in an instant.
Before he could react, his throat instinctively convulsed, swallowing the foul-tasting medicine.
Having held his position for years, he had always been highly vigilant about anything entering his mouth. No one had ever dared to force-feed him like this.
This was a first.
Unaware that the man beneath her had awakened, Yun Kui prepared to squeeze in more medicine when her wrist was suddenly seized in a vice-like grip.
Already engaged in a perilous task, the abrupt pain in her wrist scared her half to death. She shuddered violently, dropping the sheep-intestine casing in fright.
A cry rang out in the hall: "The Crown Prince has awakened!"
The Empress and the physicians rushed forward to examine him.
Before the Crown Prince could remove the cotton cloth covering his eyes, Yun Kui wrenched her wrist free, scrambled to the floor, and knelt with her head bowed.
The Empress glanced at her and instructed her chief maid, Qing Dai: "Take her away and reward her."
Grateful beyond words, Yun Kui kowtowed without raising her head and hastily retreated.
The Crown Prince removed the cloth and slowly sat up.
Under the candlelight, his pallid face was sinister and devoid of warmth. His bloodshot crimson eyes, filled with chilling hostility, seemed to freeze the marrow of anyone who met his gaze.
The Empress stiffly forced a smile, her expression morphing into one of maternal concern: "Crown Prince, you’ve finally awakened! Are you still unwell?"
The Crown Prince lifted his gaze impassively to the lavishly dressed woman before him.
Years had passed, and the Empress had grown even more plump and regal. Her gaze toward him remained as gentle and affectionate as ever.
Yet what the Crown Prince heard was a voice starkly at odds with her benevolent facade.
"He woke up just like that?"
"The diluted Seven-Li Powder they brewed actually worked so quickly?"
"Damn it, why didn’t those arrows finish him off?"
The Empress shuddered under his stare, barely maintaining her composure. She quickly turned to the physicians: "Chief Physician Zhang."
Chief Physician Zhang stepped forward to take the Crown Prince’s pulse. After a moment of deliberation, he frowned: "The pulse is erratic, and the poison has invaded the meridians. The remnants of the toxin must be purged with further doses of Seven-Li Powder, supplemented by acupuncture and external application of Golden Sore Ointment. Otherwise, the poison may penetrate the organs and damage the heart."
"Then he’s not fully recovered yet—perfect!"
The Empress said, "In that case, Chief Physician Zhang must spare no effort. The Crown Prince must not suffer any mishap."
Chief Physician Zhang bowed: "This is my duty. I will exert my utmost."
The Crown Prince rose from the bed, his frame taller and more imposing than three years prior. His aura was sharper, more oppressive, his icy gaze sweeping indifferently across the room.
Wherever his eyes landed, silence fell. No one dared guess his next move.
Even the Empress felt a creeping dread. "Crown Prince, your injuries are severe. You shouldn’t be out of bed—"
"What is this lunatic planning now? Who provoked him this time?"
The Crown Prince’s gaze settled on the cowering physicians—most of whom he had encountered frequently in the capital. Since childhood, his chronic headaches had made the Imperial Medical Bureau a second home.
"Physician Chen," the Crown Prince halted before a middle-aged physician.
His voice was calm, his words soft, tinged with the faint weariness of illness—yet enough to instill fear.
Caught off guard, Chen Yi trembled and stumbled through a bow. "Your Highness?"
"Why is the Crown Prince singling me out? Did he discover I omitted three ingredients from the Seven-Li Powder? Impossible..."
The Crown Prince studied him, a faint, humorless smile playing on his lips. "Long time no see."
Chen Yi wiped the cold sweat from his brow. The Crown Prince’s knife-edged grin was unnerving. What was the point of such pleasantries? They had no prior connection.
The Crown Prince then turned to Chief Physician Zhang: "If I recall correctly, Chief Physician Zhang’s grandson is five years old now?"
The sudden mention of his family made Chief Physician Zhang break into a cold sweat. He stammered an affirmation.
The Crown Prince said, "Chief Physician Zhang is advanced in years. Why not retire and enjoy time with your grandson? As for the position of Chief Physician... I believe Physician Chen is qualified."
This Crown Prince had always been arbitrary and unpredictable, making appointments and dismissals on a whim.
With a few words, one physician was promoted to Chief Physician, while another was forced into retirement. The two stood frozen, exchanging bewildered glances.
The Empress exchanged a look with Chen Yi and said, "Let it be as the Crown Prince suggests. I will inform His Majesty tomorrow."
Chen Yi snapped out of his daze and hurried forward to express his gratitude.
The Crown Prince’s lips curled slightly. "Then I entrust my arrow wounds to Chief Physician Chen."
"I will do my utmost," Chen Yi vowed.
The unexpected promotion elated him. The Chief Physician’s position was the pinnacle of the Imperial Medical Bureau—a rank he had expected to take another decade to achieve. Now, it had fallen into his lap like a gift from heaven.
Yet an inexplicable chill crept up his spine. Something felt off.
Sure enough.
A moment later, a voice as cold as death itself murmured, "‘Doing your utmost’ isn’t enough."
"I reward and punish with equal clarity. If Chief Physician Chen succeeds, I will grant him a hundred taels of gold. If he fails... I will have no choice but to charge him with negligence and sentence his family to execution. How does that sound?"
Chen Yi’s legs gave out, and he collapsed to his knees. "Your Highness, spare me! I—"
"Spare you?" The Crown Prince chuckled darkly. "Does Chief Physician Chen presume my poison is incurable? That I won’t last the month, leaving him free to face execution?"
Chen Yi’s face turned ashen, his entire body shaking. "I... I meant no such thing."
The Empress inhaled sharply, her fists clenching unseen.
"Has this madman uncovered something? Impossible. He’s been away from the capital for years and unconscious these past few days. How could he know Physician Chen is mine?"
Hearing her thoughts, the Crown Prince smirked coldly.
His gaze swept over the terrified crowd. Unsurprisingly, most were unfamiliar faces. Even those who might have served him three years ago left no impression.
The Empress noticed what was on his mind and quickly explained, "During all these years you've been away at war, some of the palace maids from the Eastern Palace were reassigned elsewhere, while others were released from service upon reaching the appropriate age. These are the ones who have been brought in over the past two years. You may use them for now, and if any prove unsatisfactory—"
The Crown Prince cut her off bluntly, "They are unsatisfactory."
The Empress's expression stiffened, though she forced a smile.
This Empress is truly living a wretched existence! Those little harlots' sons in the harem all address me as 'Royal Mother,' yet this bastard of the late Emperor shows no respect—acting like some ancestral deity throwing tantrums. Just die already! I refuse to put up with this any longer!
Her cold gaze swept over the trembling maids kneeling on the floor before she managed another strained smile. "Indeed, some are rather useless. Tomorrow, I shall order the Imperial Household Department to select a few more composed and capable ones to serve you."
The Crown Prince neither agreed nor objected, his dark eyes lowering to the milky-white, intestine-like object lying on the carpet.
Realizing what it was, his expression darkened, a flicker of irritation surfacing.
His sharp gaze swept through the crowd in the hall, but no suspicious figure stood out.
That little maid who had just fed him medicine... had she fled?
