When Fu Guanchen arrived, Ning Wang (Prince Ning — an imperial prince of the Great Liang court, addressed as “Wangye,” meaning “Your Highness the Prince”) had already sunk back into a deep, heavy sleep. The chamber was dim and quiet. A faint scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air, drifting from the bronze incense burner near the bed. Standing beside the couch was Chi Jun, the prince’s personal guard. His tall frame was stiff as iron, and his expression was grim enough to chill the room.
Fu Guanchen only needed a single glance to understand. The prince had not remained awake for long. This brief awakening… had ended far too quickly again. He walked slowly to Chi Jun’s side, his wide sleeves swaying with each measured step. His voice was calm, though tinged with quiet resignation. “The poison of the Jin Can Gu (Golden Silkworm Gu — a notoriously vicious form of gu poison created through forbidden poison-cultivation methods; once inside the body it spreads slowly and is extremely difficult to eradicate) is far too strong,” he said. “His Highness must rest more.”
Chi Jun’s eyes were bloodshot. In the next instant, he seized Fu Guanchen’s arm tightly, his voice hoarse with desperation. “Lord Fu!” he demanded. “You said the antidote would not clash with the poison already inside the prince’s body. Then why… why is His Highness still not recovering after taking the medicine?!” Fu Guanchen did not struggle against the grip. Instead, he let out a soft sigh.
“No matter how carefully a plan is arranged,” he replied slowly, “there are still four words one must always fear—unexpected complications.” His gaze drifted toward the bed where Prince Ning lay motionless beneath the brocade covers. “The imperial decree of marriage,” he continued quietly, “was something none of us anticipated.” The Qintian Jian (Imperial Observatory — the official bureau responsible for astronomy, astrology, and determining auspicious events for the imperial court) had incited the emperor to issue the decree.
With a single edict, the emperor had bestowed a bride upon Prince Ning. That decision alone had given many people the perfect opportunity. Taking advantage of the prince’s wedding, they had naturally inserted their own people into the prince’s residence. Whether those people wished the prince to awaken…or wished him to never wake again— that remained to be seen. Chi Jun’s fingers tightened around the hilt of the sword at his waist until his knuckles turned white.
His voice was filled with bitter fury. “The border war has just been quelled,” he growled. “And now His Highness has become a thorn in someone’s side!” His breathing grew heavier. “If we’re speaking of outsiders in this residence,” he said through clenched teeth, “then it must be that woman in the West Wing.” His voice sharpened with self-loathing. “I wonder how much of His Highness’s current condition is because of her!” He struck his chest with his fist. “I deserve death! I should have locked her away long ago! Now—now it’s too late!”
The man’s voice suddenly broke. “Sob… sob…” To everyone’s astonishment, the iron-blooded guard covered his face with both hands and began wailing loudly, his shoulders shaking as if the prince were already dead. The scene was so dramatic it bordered on absurd. From the side, Mo Xia (a senior maidservant serving in Prince Ning’s inner residence; maids of higher rank often manage household affairs within noble households) could no longer endure the spectacle. She strode forward, grabbed Chi Jun by the collar, and—without the slightest ceremony—threw him straight out of the hall.
Landing outside with a heavy thud, Chi Jun barely had time to react before Mo Xia spat at him in irritation. “He’s not dead yet!” she snapped. “What are you wailing for?!” After dealing with him, she smoothed her sleeves and turned back toward the chamber. Her voice was respectful once more. “Lord Fu?” Fu Guanchen seemed to return to himself as if waking from a distant thought. Lowering his eyes, he looked again at the man lying quietly on the bed. For a brief moment, yesterday’s memory resurfaced in his mind— the faint swelling he had discovered hidden within Ning Wang’s hair. The corner of his lips curved ever so slightly. “Indeed…” he murmured softly.
“His Highness should have awakened long ago.” Meanwhile— Bai Wan had spent the entire night studying the remaining medicinal residue.
By dawn, she had already made up her mind. Early the next morning, she quietly left Prince Ning’s Residence (a princely estate granted by the emperor to a prince of the royal family) and returned to the Bai family residence to retrieve several of her medical texts. As she stepped out through the prince’s gates— a shadow silently followed her. Today was the sixtieth birthday celebration of the old matriarch of the Du family, the household of the Mianguo Gong (Duke of Mianguo — a hereditary noble title granted by the emperor to a powerful aristocratic family). Such an occasion was considered highly auspicious.
Nearly the entire Bai family had gone to the Du residence to offer birthday congratulations. Because of this, the Bai household had been left unusually quiet. Bai Wan slipped through a side gate unnoticed and headed straight toward Zimei Yuan (Purple Plum Garden — a courtyard within the Bai residence, where she once lived). The Bai family possessed many of her old medical books. Yet she only selected a few volumes she knew would be useful.
Clutching them carefully in her arms, she left again. On her way back toward Prince Ning’s residence, she passed by Qi’s Pharmacy, a modest herbal medicine shop along the street. After a moment’s hesitation, Bai Wan turned and stepped inside. She intended to purchase several additional herbs. Standing before the counter, she lowered her head slightly. Her cheeks flushed faintly with embarrassment. “I’m… very sorry,” she said softly. “I’ll have to purchase on credit this time.”
Across from her, Shopkeeper Qi (a pharmacist and herbal medicine merchant; such shopkeepers often work closely with physicians in traditional Chinese medicine practice) smiled kindly. “We have worked together for many years,” he replied warmly. “I trust Miss Bai’s character.” Even so, Bai Wan insisted on writing an IOU note. She carefully handed the slip of paper to him. “I will definitely repay the debt once I have the money,” she said earnestly. Shopkeeper Qi had barely opened his mouth to respond— when a light laugh suddenly drifted in from the doorway.
“Allow me to pay for my Second Sister.” The voice was gentle… but carried an unmistakable note of mockery. As the man spoke, he walked inside. When passing by Bai Wan, whether by accident or design, he deliberately brushed against her shoulder. Their sleeves touched. Bai Wan’s face turned deathly pale. Like a startled rabbit, she immediately stepped several paces away.
She recognized that voice. But she did not dare look up. Instead, she hurriedly turned toward Shopkeeper Qi, murmured a quick farewell, and rushed toward the exit, clutching the herbs and books tightly in her arms. Behind her, the man’s voice followed lazily.
“Why is Second Sister avoiding me now?” His tone dripped with malicious amusement. “Has your temperament changed after marrying into the prince’s household?” The malice in his voice was undisguised. Persistent. Relentless. He strode forward and easily overtook her. Then he stepped directly into her path, blocking the road. Bai Wan had no choice but to stop. Slowly… she lifted her head. Her gaze collided directly with the man’s eyes.
Those eyes were filled with ridicule and vulgar amusement. Her face went even paler. Her voice trembled slightly. “Young Master Du… please step aside…” The beauty’s soft, trembling voice was like a delicate hook. It scratched irresistibly at Du Zhan’s heart. Du Zhan stepped closer instead. A lazy smile curved his lips. “You used to be so close with my concubine,” he said lightly. “Didn’t you want to become her sworn sister?”
He tilted his head slightly, studying her expression. “Or…” he continued with a mocking laugh, “have you begun looking down on the Du family after climbing the social ladder by marrying into a prince’s household?” Bai Wan slowly closed her eyes. At that moment— memories from her previous life surged forward uncontrollably. She saw once again the scene where Du Zhan and several other young masters surrounded her, laughing and mocking her as though she were a toy.
These sons of noble families— born into prestige and luxury— appeared elegant and refined on the surface. But beneath that polished exterior…
they were nothing more than beasts wearing human skin. In the past, Bai Wan had frequently visited the Du household to treat the concubines’ illnesses. During those visits, she had encountered Du Zhan several times. For reasons she never understood— Du Zhan had completely misunderstood her character.
In his eyes, she was a frivolous woman who secretly shared his immoral tastes. Again and again, he hinted that she should surrender herself to him. Bai Wan refused. Firmly. Yet Du Zhan treated her resistance as though it were a game of cat and mouse. He even found amusement in her attempts to avoid him. And so his harassment only grew worse. Later, in her previous life, Du Zhan married Bai Heng, becoming her brother-in-law. But even after that, he made no effort to conceal his interest in Bai Wan. His behavior only deepened Bai Heng’s jealousy and resentment, causing Bai Wan endless suffering behind closed doors.
At last— Bai Wan gathered the courage to slap Du Zhan across the face. Even now, she could still remember the look in his eyes at that moment.
Cold. Vicious. Sinister. Like the gaze of a poisonous snake. Yet before Du Zhan could take revenge— the Bai family had already sold her off to the Yongxi Hou (Marquis of Yongxi — a high hereditary noble title granted by the emperor). And her tragic fate had begun from there .This lifetime was different. Now, Bai Wan belonged to the household of Ning Wang (Prince Ning — an imperial prince of the royal clan, addressed respectfully as “Wangye,” meaning “Your Highness the Prince”).
She was no longer the powerless daughter of the Bai family who could be bullied at will. And certainly not someone Du Zhan could toy with however he pleased. She drew in a slow breath, silently strengthening her resolve. Yes—she wanted to climb. Climb higher and higher until she stood at the very top. Only then would those people lose the ability to trample over her. Only then would they not even dare to bully her again.
Bai Wan steadied her heart, forcing herself to meet Du Zhan’s gaze directly. “I heard that today is the birthday banquet of your esteemed matriarch,” she said calmly. “Young Master Du should not be here causing trouble.” She deliberately emphasized the last four words. Du Zhan burst into laughter. Tilting his chin slightly upward, he looked down at her with blatant contempt. “Bai Wan,” he drawled, “who do you think you’re pretending to be?” His eyes were full of mockery. “Your dear elder sister has already told me exactly what kind of person you are.”
As he spoke, he casually lifted his hand— reaching toward the veil covering her face (in noble society, women often wore a thin face veil when traveling outside to preserve modesty and avoid attracting attention). Bai Wan’s expression changed instantly. Her eyes turned icy. So that was it.
In her previous life… it had been Bai Heng who secretly spread rumors about her. Twisting the truth, smearing her reputation—
drawing those shameless flies to swarm around her endlessly. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Before his hand could reach her, Bai Wan swiftly stepped aside. Her gaze toward him was filled with naked disgust.
Without saying another word, she turned to leave. Du Zhan’s face darkened immediately. A cold laugh escaped him. In the next moment, he grabbed her arm violently. “Trying to leave?” He pulled her sharply, dragging her toward himself. Bai Wan let out a startled gasp. Fear flooded her eyes as she struggled desperately to break free. In the chaos— the veil slipped from her head. The cloth bundle on her back fell to the ground.
The medicinal herbs she had just purchased scattered across the dusty road. Du Zhan’s lips curled into a sinister smile. Through clenched teeth, he sneered, “You’re married to that half-dead Prince Ning—you can’t possibly be satisfied, can you?” His grip tightened around her arm.
“Your sister treated you so viciously. Don’t you want revenge?” His voice lowered into a coaxing whisper. “Come with me. I’ll help you deal with everything.”
“What do you say?” That familiar feeling returned. The terrible helplessness of being completely at someone else’s mercy. It surged over Bai Wan like a suffocating tide. Her eyes instantly reddened. With all the strength she could muster, she pushed him away fiercely.
At this hour— it was midday. The streets and alleys were quiet and deserted, the blazing sun driving most people indoors. Beside Qi’s Pharmacy stood a cosmetics shop. Just then, two young women happened to step out of the store, chatting and laughing. The younger girl suddenly caught sight of the scene outside. Her expression changed abruptly. She quickly grabbed the sleeve of the woman beside her. “Look!” she whispered urgently. “That’s the eldest son of the Duke of Mian’s household!”
The other woman was dressed far more extravagantly. Her clothing was bright and luxurious, the silk shimmering in the sunlight. Gold ornaments gleamed among the coils of her carefully styled hair—clear signs of her noble status. She lifted her eyes slightly. After seeing what was happening, she let out a scornful snort. Her face was full of disdain. “That shameless libertine who can’t control himself,” she said coldly.
“Today is his grandmother’s birthday banquet, and yet he dares to harass a respectable woman in the street.” Her brows knitted together in irritation. “I should summon the guards immediately.” Just then— amid the brief struggle between Bai Wan and Du Zhan at the end of the street— the woman caught sight of Bai Wan’s face. She froze.
“No wonder Du Da (“Da” meaning “eldest,” a common way to refer to the eldest son of a noble family) has been bewitched.” Her eyes widened slightly. “With that figure and appearance… even I…” The young girl beside her coughed hurriedly and tugged at her sleeve. “Princess,” she whispered cautiously, “that looks like Prince Ning’s newly married princess consort.” The noblewoman’s expression changed instantly.
“What did you say?!” Her voice sharpened. “The Bai family woman who was brought here for a political marriage alliance?”
“Yes… yes,” the young girl—Pei Yun—replied nervously. She glanced at the princess’s suddenly dark expression and spoke hesitantly. “Should I… go bring her over here?” The woman was none other than Princess Ning Le (a princess of the imperial clan; royal princesses held extremely high status within the aristocracy). Ning Le frowned. Her gaze locked firmly onto Bai Wan. Her eyes burned with an intensity that seemed as though it could bore a hole through her.
For a long moment, she said nothing. Then she let out a cold laugh. Without another word, she turned and began walking in the opposite direction. Pei Yun halted in place, clearly conflicted. Behind her, Ning Le stopped impatiently and turned back. “A-Yun!” Her tone was sharp.“Come.” Pei Yun pursed her lips and sighed softly. In the end, she followed the princess. The two of them had only taken a few steps—
when suddenly a piercing scream echoed through the street. “I would rather be buried with Prince Ning than see your disgusting face!” Princess Ning Le stopped abruptly. Her back was still turned toward the sound. For a long time, she simply stood there without moving. Behind her, the man’s furious curses continued to ring out. Ning Le clenched her teeth. Suddenly she spun around. “Go and see what’s happening,” she ordered the guard beside her. Back on the street— seeing Du Zhan raise his hand high— Bai Wan squeezed her eyes tightly shut.
Yet instead of fear, an unexpected sense of satisfaction filled her heart. Cursing him… had felt incredibly satisfying. Even if she were beaten for it— she would not regret a single word. Seeing the twisted rage on Du Zhan’s face brought her a strange sense of relief. I will never live such a pathetic life again. However— the expected slap never came. Bai Wan cautiously opened one eye. To her surprise, she saw that Du Zhan’s raised wrist had been firmly seized. Someone had stopped him.
“Do you know who I am?!” Du Zhan’s face darkened as he ground his teeth in fury. “How dare you lay hands on me!” His servants instantly rushed forward, surrounding the newcomer. The man who had intervened was a guard. His expression was cold and utterly emotionless. “Young Master,” he said flatly, “you have disturbed my lady’s peace.”
“Please leave immediately.” Within the entire imperial capital— there was only one woman who would dare humiliate Du Zhan so openly, despite the immense power of the Du family. Du Zhan suddenly froze. His eyes flicked toward a distant corner of the street. Sure enough—
he spotted a familiar figure standing there. His anger gradually faded. With a sharp motion, he yanked his hand free. “Hmph.” He snorted coldly.
Then he shot Bai Wan a vicious glare. Before leaving, he stomped repeatedly on the books and herbs scattered across the ground in frustration.
Only after venting his anger did he finally storm away. Bai Wan let out a long breath of relief. She hurriedly bent down to gather her belongings.
She had intended to thank the guard— but when she looked up again, she realized he had already disappeared. Even the distant figure at the street corner was gone. Elsewhere— “That’s it! She’s entangled with the Duke of Mian’s household!” Chi Jun gulped down an entire pot of water in one breath before launching excitedly into his report.
He enthusiastically recounted everything he had witnessed. “From the way they looked,” he declared confidently, “it seems she had an improper relationship with Young Master Du before!”
“And now—even after marrying into the prince’s residence—they’re still involved!”
“This woman is absolutely no good!” Standing nearby, Mo Xia looked at him as if he were a complete idiot. “If they were still involved,” she retorted bluntly, “why was she crying and refusing him?” Chi Jun puffed out his chest confidently. “You don’t understand!”
“It’s called playing hard to get!”
“She must have provoked him first, and now Young Master Du is angry and came to settle scores with her!” Mo Xia stared at him in disbelief. Finally— unable to endure his nonsense any longer— she punched him squarely in the shoulder. Then she shook her head and walked away. Chi Jun rolled his eyes. A moment later, he turned back eagerly. His eyes shone expectantly as he looked toward Fu Guanchen.
“Lord Fu,” he asked eagerly, “what do you think?” Fu Guanchen looked at him silently for a long moment. Then he suddenly asked a quiet question.” You watched the entire scene…”
“…and did nothing to help?” Chi Jun froze. He blinked blankly. Then he nodded. Fu Guanchen suddenly let out a soft chuckle for reasons unknown. His tone sounded casual, almost teasing. “I remember that when we were stationed at the border,” he said, “you were the most righteous among us. Always eager to uphold justice and help the weak.” His eyes curved faintly with amusement. “You caused no small amount of trouble for Wangye (Prince Ning — a prince of the imperial clan, respectfully addressed as ‘Your Highness the Prince’) in the jianghu (the martial world — a realm of wandering martial artists and unofficial power networks outside formal government authority) because of that.”
He paused slightly before asking, “So why did you hold back today?” Chi Jun froze, clearly caught off guard by the sudden mention of his past behavior. He scratched his head awkwardly, looking slightly embarrassed. “I… I used to be too impulsive,” he admitted sheepishly. “But I’ve changed now.” Then he lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Besides… what if that Bai woman actually wanted to leave with that Du fellow?” He shrugged. “If I interfered and she ended up staying because of it, wouldn’t that be troublesome?” His face fell slightly.
“I was actually hoping she’d leave quickly.”
“But unfortunately… she came back anyway.” Fu Guanchen looked at him for a long moment. His gaze was deep and unreadable. Then he simply turned and walked out into the courtyard. Outside, he called softly, “Mo Xia.” (a senior maidservant responsible for attending to matters within the inner residence of the prince’s household) approached quickly. Fu Guanchen leaned closer and spoke to her in a low voice, quietly giving several instructions. That evening— after drinking the Anshen Tang (Calming Soup — a medicinal herbal tonic traditionally used to soothe the mind, regulate sleep, and restore vitality)— Bai Wan felt unusually listless. Her limbs were heavy and her spirit somewhat sluggish.
Mo Xia noticed her pale expression and urged gently, “Princess Consort, you should return to your chamber and rest.” But Bai Wan shook her head firmly. Lowering her gaze, she stared blankly at the sleeping man on the bed. Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. “I… was not here last night.”
“So tonight… let me remain here.” Originally, her intention in coming to Prince Ning’s residence had indeed been to gain favor and secure a stable foothold. But she could not afford to appear negligent now. Earlier, when no one was watching, she had secretly taken Ning Wang’s pulse.
To her surprise, his condition had stabilized considerably compared to before. If things continued this way— he might awaken at any moment.
Because of that possibility, Bai Wan dared not leave. She needed to watch carefully. She could not afford to miss even a single moment.
If Prince Ning were to awaken under her careful nursing… the situation would undoubtedly become extremely favorable for her. Mo Xia’s face reddened slightly when she heard Bai Wan’s words. She opened her mouth, clearly wanting to say something. But she stammered for a long time without managing to speak. In the end, she simply nodded and left quietly. After midnight, Bai Wan was left alone to keep watch.
The palace courtyard had fallen completely silent. In the stillness of the night, however, Bai Wan’s thoughts refused to settle. Again and again, the events of the day resurfaced in her mind. Mo Xia had mentioned earlier that the calming soup had been prepared by Fu Guanchen. He had supposedly brewed too much medicine and casually given her an extra bowl. Bai Wan had carefully tasted it. There had been nothing unusual in the soup. It was merely an ordinary tonic. Still… she could not shake the strange feeling.
Fu Guanchen’s attitude toward her seemed somewhat more relaxed than before. Yet after dinner, he had asked her several odd questions.
What time had she fallen asleep last night? Where had she gone during the day? His gaze had been extremely sharp. As though…
he already knew everything. Then there was that cryptic sentence. He had looked at her meaningfully and said—
“Ning Wang should not still be unconscious.” Did they suspect her? Did they believe she had tampered with Prince Ning’s body? Bai Wan’s fingers tightened slightly. In truth— there was no one in this world who wanted Prince Ning to wake more desperately than she did.
She had absolutely no intention of harming him. Except… for those two small bumps she had accidentally caused earlier. Thinking of that, Bai Wan’s heart sank. Ever since falling ill at the end of winter, she had barely rested properly.
After arriving at Prince Ning’s residence, she had worked herself to exhaustion. Every night, she developed a low fever. Her mind was overwhelmed with worries. One moment she recalled Du Zhan’s humiliation earlier that day. The next moment she thought of the cautious, guarded atmosphere within the prince’s residence. Fear. Anxiety. Sadness. Her heart ached. The tangled emotions pressed heavily against her chest until her eyes reddened once again. Even so— work still had to be done. Bai Wan dampened a handkerchief with warm water.
Then she carefully loosened the ties of Prince Ning’s night robe (sleeping garments worn by noblemen; typically made of soft silk or fine cotton).
Kneeling beside the bed, she began gently wiping his body. The room was quiet. Drip. Drip. Suddenly— two cold tears slipped from her eyes.
They fell silently onto the man’s chest. Prince Ning’s body was strong and well-built. His muscles were firm, his skin warm even in sleep.
The tear droplets rolled across his chest, tracing the natural lines of his muscles before slowly sliding downward.
If those tears flowed into the wound on his body— Bai Wan’s eyes widened in alarm. She hurriedly reached out to wipe them away.
But while she was busy wiping the moisture from his chest— she failed to notice something. The man lying beneath her had tilted his head ever so slightly. His brows had drawn together faintly. His breathing had grown heavier. Strangely— the more she tried to wipe away her tears…
the more they continued to fall. Like pearls spilling from a broken string. One after another.
Endless.
In the end, the man’s chest became completely damp. There was no way to wipe it dry. Feeling somewhat helpless, Bai Wan finally lowered her body closer. If she leaned forward like this— her tears would not fall onto his wound. Yet the emotions within her heart surged like a rising tide.
They could not simply be stopped at will. Tears streamed down Bai Wan’s cheeks. Through her blurred vision, she watched helplessly as the defined lines of the man’s abdomen slowly became wet.
After a moment— she gave up entirely. With a frustrated sigh, she tossed the handkerchief aside. Covering her face with one hand, she began to sob softly. “Your Highness… Prince Ning…” Her voice trembled faintly. “May the Bodhisattva (a compassionate enlightened being in Buddhist belief, often prayed to for mercy and salvation) above relieve your suffering…”
“I have served you so devotedly…” As she murmured those words, she absentmindedly wiped the dampness from his chest and abdomen with the sleeve of her robe. Then— suddenly— a powerful hand seized her wrist. “Ah—!” A startled cry escaped her throat. Terrified, she instinctively tried to pull away. But before she could move— her other wrist was seized as well.
Both hands were restrained instantly. Bai Wan’s head jerked upward. Her breath caught in her throat. The man on the bed— had opened his eyes. His gaze was cold as ice. He looked down at her with a faint, ambiguous smile. One hand firmly restrained her wrists. For a brief moment, his eyes seemed distant—as if recalling something. Then the anger in his expression deepened. With a sudden motion, he pulled her sharply toward him. Bai Wan lost her balance. She fell heavily against his solid chest. Now she was trapped in his arms— forced to tilt her head upward.
Her eyes were still wet with tears. They met his gaze directly. His black eyes were deep and unfathomable.
Sharp.
Piercing.
Bai Wan trembled slightly, staring at him in stunned silence. Prince Ning… was awake.
Author’s Note
Daughter:
[Crying] [Crying]
Are those… abs?
[Pity]
Touching…
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