Mei Wuchang nibbled on the dried flatbread Jiu Yue had brought back for him from afar, taking small bites.
"It's exactly what it sounds like... The Regent has been recuperating on Mount Mingzhi, right? But ever since he woke up, he kept insisting there were assassins on the mountain trying to kill him. He threw tantrums repeatedly and outright refused to stay there."
Jiu Yue looked puzzled. "Huh?"
Mei Wuchang shrugged. "None of the imperial physicians could stop him. In the end, with no other choice, His Majesty sent people to bring the Regent back to his manor."
"And then? Did someone sneak into the manor to harm him?"
"No." Mei Wuchang said mysteriously, "It was the imperial physicians' words that set him off."
Jiu Yue leaned back in shock. "...Did the physicians say he wouldn’t survive the night?"
"...Not that extreme." Mei Wuchang raised a finger. "The physicians said the Regent originally had five months left to live, but after all his theatrics, he’s now down to just one month."
Jiu Yue: "..."
Her eyelid twitched. "Seriously???"
Mei Wuchang shook his head. "Seems real... Didn’t the Prince tell me to keep an eye on things in the capital? I even went to see for myself. You wouldn’t believe it—the Regent looks so ghastly now even ghosts would flee at the sight of him."
Jiu Yue widened her eyes. "That bad?"
"Not an exaggeration at all!" Mei Wuchang shook his head again and resumed tearing at his flatbread. "Back in the day, though the Regent wasn’t as young as those noble sons, his looks and stature still ranked among the finest in the capital."
"But now? He’s like a skeleton draped in human skin! His body is so thin it’s practically paper—a light breeze might just carry him away."
"Have you ever seen someone wear a heavy cloak in the middle of summer?" Mei Wuchang asked her.
Jiu Yue was speechless... Even she couldn’t tell if this was real or not.
"His Majesty holds deep affection for his uncle and wanted to arrange a marriage with a noble daughter to 'ward off misfortune' for the Regent in his final month. Guess what happened?" Mei Wuchang continued.
Jiu Yue couldn’t imagine. "...What?"
Mei Wuchang gazed skyward. "Within just three days, every eligible noble daughter was hastily betrothed. Even commoners with slightly older daughters rushed to matchmakers to arrange marriages... The matchmakers in the capital have been run off their feet!"
Jiu Yue: "..."
She was utterly defeated.
Just how terrible was Sima Qing’s reputation? Even commoners wanted nothing to do with him???
"The 'warding off misfortune' plan fell through, and the Regent, struck by yet another blow... then caused a scene in court. Remember Lord Shen?"
"I do... You said he’s a three-dynasty elder, with little real power but high status."
"Right, him." Mei Wuchang said. "The Regent beat him up in front of all the court officials."
Jiu Yue: "..."
"Lord Shen has never been humiliated like this! Even His Majesty shows him respect!" Mei Wuchang emphasized. "So Lord Shen fought back."
"The two of them brawled right there in court. It took all the officials to pull them apart and end the farce."
Jiu Yue: "..."
A terminally ill man with a month left to live and a frail old man with no strength to fight—publicly brawling in court before the emperor and all the officials... Jiu Yue couldn’t wrap her head around it.
"After that, Lord Shen made a deathbed plea, forcing His Majesty to depose the Regent."
"...So Sima Qing was stripped of his title?"
"No." Mei Wuchang fell silent for a moment before speaking with mixed emotions. "The Regent played the reverse card. He said there was no need for His Majesty to depose him—just build his tomb, and he’d go die on his own."
Jiu Yue: "..."
Madness.
This was genuine madness.
Mei Wuchang sighed. "Even Lord Shen had nothing to say to that. In the end, His Majesty ordered the Ministry of Works to start constructing the Regent’s tomb."
Jiu Yue: "..."
She, too, was speechless.
With Prince Ping away, Jiu Yue decided to investigate for herself... If Sima Qing had truly lost his mind, she wouldn’t mind sending him off to the afterlife right now!
"My Lord, it’s time for your medicine." Fu Yu entered with a bowl of medicine.
Sima Qing waved him off. "After I finish my meal."
"But, My Lord... You haven’t taken your medicine in three days." Fu Yu hesitated.
Sima Qing looked up at him, expressionless. "I haven’t eaten in three days either."
Fu Yu: "..."
To maintain this horrifyingly thin figure, His Lordship was truly going all out.
Fu Yu said nothing more.
Sima Qing savored this meal like never before.
When Jiu Yue arrived, she saw Sima Qing eating with apparent relish.
Fu Yu was startled by her sudden appearance, nearly dropping the medicine bowl. Jiu Yue frowned and steadied it for him.
"What’s with that look?" Her gaze was probing.
Fu Yu forced composure. "...It’s been a while since I’ve seen your face this close."
Jiu Yue: "..."
She relaxed. "Pfft, no big deal. If you like it, I’ll give you the mask later."
She’d thought Fu Yu was afraid she’d come to silence them—if so, Sima Qing must truly be insane.
Fu Yu: "..."
Fu Yu silently shoved the medicine bowl into her hands, gesturing toward the room with hopeful eyes. "I leave the medicine to you!"
Jiu Yue nodded slightly and stepped inside, only to be startled by Sima Qing’s skeletal face.
"...What’s this act about?" She couldn’t help but widen her eyes.
Sima Qing had heard her earlier but had been too engrossed in his meal to acknowledge her.
Now, as she sat across from him, he elegantly wiped his mouth, set down his chopsticks, and asked, "Met Xiao Chi?"
The fact that he could ask this... meant he wasn’t mad!
Jiu Yue sighed in relief and casually pulled out the jade pendant from her neck, returning it to him. "I have."
Sima Qing took it. His hand was icy, starkly contrasting the warmth lingering on the pendant.
As if burned, Sima Qing wordlessly placed it on the table and pushed it back toward Jiu Yue.
"Keep it. You can still come to me for money later," Sima Qing said flatly. "Consider it your token."
To Jiu Yue’s ears, "token" might as well have been "password."
This was her withdrawal slip.
So she took it back, though her gaze remained skeptical. "Didn’t they say you only have a month left? How about you just give me the money now..."
Sima Qing: "..."
A coughing fit overtook him, alarming Jiu Yue, who hurriedly poured him tea. "Don’t get worked up! It was a joke! Don’t you dare fake a medical emergency on me!"
Sima Qing: "Cough... Just stop talking."
Jiu Yue immediately shut up.
It took Sima Qing a while to recover. Seeing the clarity in Jiu Yue’s eyes, he found it almost amusing.
"Don’t worry."
"No matter how long I live," he said lightly, a faint smile at the corner of his eyes, "it’ll be longer than Prince Ping. Does that ease your concerns about me backing out?"
Jiu Yue scoffed softly, giving a slight, dismissive hum.
"What exactly are you scheming?" She shot him an annoyed glare. "At least give me a heads-up. What do I need to do next?"
"The act is already over," Sima Qing replied leisurely. "All you have to do is wait."
"Wait for what?"
"Wait for your chance to strike down Prince Ping."
