After safely escorting Hui'an back to the courier station, Li Hao clasped his hands and turned to leave.
"Imperial Sister!"
As Hui'an walked towards her room, Yu Chengxuan appeared on her path. Hui'an stopped and gazed at him. Yu Chengxuan leaned against the doorframe, as if waiting for her return.
The wind today was a little stronger than usual, ruffling Hui'an's hair and lifting the hem of her skirt beneath her cloak. She raised a hand to tuck a stray strand behind her ear, letting the edges of her clothes flutter in the breeze with a rustling sound.
"Is Imperial Brother looking for me?" Hui'an asked, bewildered.
Ever since she had left the Regent's Estate and moved back to the courier station, she and Yu Chengxuan had maintained a distance. She never provoked him, and he rarely sought her out. Why was he specifically looking for her today, and even waiting for her?
"Does Imperial Sister think I am here to bathe in the cold wind?"
The word "bathe" was spoken with extreme sarcasm, yet his face wore a harmless smile. If she hadn't known his true nature, Hui'an might have suspected herself of being overly sensitive.
Hui'an choked back a reply and walked to the door, pushing it open. "Come in and talk!"
Yu Chengxuan stepped into the room. Hui'an took off her cloak and placed it on the screen, shaking off the chill before sitting down in a chair. As Yu Chengxuan reached for the teacup, Hui'an began, "That's last night's stale..." Before she could finish the word "tea," she saw a wisp of steam rising from the spout as the tea poured into the cup. The rising steam, like wisps of smoke from a kitchen chimney, blurred Yu Chengxuan's handsome face.
Yu Chengxuan looked up, as if he hadn't heard Hui'an's words, and asked, "What did Imperial Sister say?"
Hui'an's expression was grim. She had left early today and hadn't asked her maid to make fresh tea. Logically, the pot should have contained stale tea. Yet, the tea in the pot was clearly freshly brewed. It was obvious who had ordered this pot of tea.
Hui'an didn't know what Yu Chengxuan was trying to express by doing this.
"It's nothing!"
Hui'an shook her head, suppressing the emotions swirling in her heart.
Yu Chengxuan smiled and poured tea for Hui'an. As the tea landed in the cup, a tea leaf swirled in with the liquid, sinking to the bottom. As the cup filled and Yu Chengxuan stopped pouring, it slowly floated back up.
It bobbed and swayed, finally drifting on the surface of the tea.
Plainly visible.
Much like certain people's thoughts and actions, which were equally plain for Yu Chengxuan to see.
"Imperial Sister, please!"
Yu Chengxuan put down the teapot and gestured for Hui'an to drink. Hui'an picked up the cup and took a sip. The tea was bitter and difficult to swallow.
Yu Chengxuan asked, "How is it? Does it taste good?"
Hui'an put down the teacup. "It's bitter and astringent, hard to swallow!"
"Is that so?" Yu Chengxuan picked up his teacup and took a sip. His expression suddenly contorted. He put down the cup and laughed, "Indeed, as Imperial Sister said, it's unbearably bitter and astringent."
As he was laughing, Yu Chengxuan's expression changed in the next second. "How can the tea in Imperial Sister's room be such inferior stuff? Did those dog slaves treat you so poorly? Fortunately, I've already punished them before your return!"
Hui'an's expression shifted slightly.
The maids by her side included those who had accompanied her to Linyuan and those Yu Chengxuan had sent to her after arriving in Linyuan. Since her engagement to Nan Yujin, she had gradually won the maids over.
After all, these maids would remain in Linyuan with her in the future. If she wanted a better life, they needed to understand who their true master was.
However, Hui'an hadn't expected that by not bringing her maids with her today, Yu Chengxuan would cripple her newly gained influence.
And he had given such a righteous excuse for it?
Hui'an gritted her teeth and said with a forced smile, "Imperial Brother, those were my maids. By punishing them over my head, aren't you going too far?"
"Is that so? Too far?"
Yu Chengxuan didn't think so. He smiled, his smile radiant, and his tone was gentle. "Haven't I not directly chopped off your hands?"
"You..."
Hui'an's pupils contracted sharply. The brighter Yu Chengxuan's smile, the more surging the malice in his eyes. Hui'an felt as if she had plunged into an ice cave; every cell, every drop of blood, every inch of her skin seemed to be frozen layer by layer by frost, ready to shatter at the slightest touch.
Seeing Hui'an's frightened expression, Yu Chengxuan gradually retracted the malice in his eyes. The sharp killing intent and murderous aura vanished in an instant, so quickly it seemed as if they had never been there.
"Alright, I won't disturb Imperial Sister's rest. After all, there aren't many days left for rest."
Yu Chengxuan finished speaking, stood up, and walked out.
He left Hui'an alone, sitting in her spot for a long time without moving.
...
A secret guard was captured from Nan Yuan'er's side and is now imprisoned in the Prince's Estate.
According to Xuan Yi's report, the martial arts style of this secret guard is identical to that of the two people outside the Suihua Pavilion in the Nan Estate.
Including the previous two, this is the third secret guard discovered from Nan Yuan'er's vicinity. It is highly unusual for an official to have secret guards. Even more so, for them to be wasted on protecting Nan Yuan'er. This makes it even more abnormal.
Amidst this abnormality, only one thing is clear: the number of secret guards under Nan Chaoyin's command might be several times, or even more than ten times, what they had previously estimated.
"Did they talk?"
Nan Shiying asked.
Xuan Yi shook his head. "All the necessary methods have been used, but the person is too stubborn to break."
Nan Shiying hummed and said indifferently, "Then kill them!"
"Aren't you going to interrogate them yourself?" Xuan Yi was extremely surprised. If this had happened before, the Princess Consort would have handled it herself. What was happening now? Had she changed her ways? Did even torture no longer provide her with pleasure?
Nan Shiying waved her hand, her tone listless, lacking energy. "No need. Since Jia Huan has used all his methods, there's no difference whether I go or not!"
Xuan Yi didn't believe that was the reason, but since the Princess Consort didn't want to go, he wouldn't persuade her. He simply said, "Your Highness, Nan Chaoyin has gone to summon an imperial physician!"
"Who did he summon?"
"They say it's Imperial Physician Zhang from the Imperial Hospital."
Nan Shiying clicked her tongue. "It's fine. No matter how he's treated, Nan Yuan'er will become a cripple anyway."
Xuan Yi said nothing further. Yes, who could blame them? The patrol battalion had sent Nan Yuan'er to Tongji Pharmacy. If she had been sent to another pharmacy, perhaps Nan Yuan'er's hand wouldn't have been disabled.
However, speaking of which, the closest pharmacy to the rouge and powder shop was Tongji Pharmacy. Nan Yuan'er was destined to be sent there.
So, did Her Highness deliberately choose this place?
...
At Tongji Pharmacy, Imperial Physician Zhang did not re-bandage Nan Yuan'er's wounds. The doctors at the pharmacy had already done their best, and he had no more skillful methods.
Imperial Physician Zhang simply examined Nan Yuan'er's broken bones, sighing as he did so.
"Prime Minister Nan, your daughter's injuries are truly severe. Unless..." Imperial Physician Zhang looked up at Nan Chaoyin. Nan Chaoyin's face was so dark it looked like water could drip from it. Imperial Physician Zhang's voice caught in his throat, but adhering to the principles of medical ethics, he continued, "Unless the divine physician of Medicine King Valley is willing to treat your daughter, I fear your daughter's right hand will have difficulty even holding chopsticks in the future."
"Imperial Physician Zhang, are you saying Yuan'er's hand will be crippled?" Nan Chaoyin's eyes widened, bloodshot and engulfing his pupils. Imperial Physician Zhang felt as if he were being stared at by a pack of tigers and wolves. He gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yes!"
"If I take Yuan'er to Medicine King Valley now, can her hand still be saved?"
Imperial Physician Zhang shook his head, shattering Nan Chaoyin's last glimmer of hope. "It needs to be quick. Within a day, it might still be curable. If too much time passes, the bones will fuse together, and then it will be too late... Furthermore, your daughter's injuries are not suitable for arduous travel. If you take your daughter on the road, she might not even reach Medicine King Valley before her body collapses."
"Therefore, Prime Minister, there is only one solution now!"
Imperial Physician Zhang didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present understood his meaning. If they wanted Nan Yuan'er to not be crippled, they would have to invite Feng Luan, the owner of Tongji Pharmacy and a direct disciple of the Poison Elder of Medicine King Valley, to treat her.
"Is there truly no other way?" Nan Chaoyin asked.
"Or... the Poison Elder?" Imperial Physician Zhang said a useless thing. He knew he had said something useless and cupped his hands to Nan Chaoyin. "Prime Minister, forgive my lack of talent. I am truly unable to treat your daughter's injuries. I am deeply ashamed. I shall take my leave now."
Imperial Physician Zhang packed his medical box and hurried away first.
The proprietor of Tongji Pharmacy stood respectfully by. Gouzi brought the prepared medicine and placed it on the table in front of Nan Chaoyin.
Nan Chaoyin looked at Gouzi, his expression changing repeatedly. Gouzi gave him a puzzled look, took the tray, and walked out. The proprietor of Tongji Pharmacy remained standing by.
Nan Chaoyin slowly raised his hand, then lowered it midway. He picked up the bowl, went to Nan Yuan'er's side, and fed her the medicine. After feeding her, Nan Chaoyin took Nan Yuan'er back to the Nan Estate.
...
In the Prince's Estate, upon hearing that Nan Chaoyin had not taken any action in the end, Nan Shiying couldn't help but sneer. She had thought Nan Chaoyin loved Nan Yuan'er dearly, but now it seemed that was all there was to it. He could have ordered his secret guards to directly control Tongji Pharmacy and hold Gouzi and Yadan hostage, threatening them to treat Nan Yuan'er.
Yet, in the end, he did nothing. Could it be that he had accepted fate?
While Nan Shiying was pondering, a message arrived from Jia Huan. It stated that the spy Nan Fu had planted in the Prince's Estate had placed the contact slip in a crevice in the wall hidden among the weeds in the backyard of Xinyuan Pavilion.
The spy had just placed it when Jia Huan retrieved it.
Jia Huan handed the slip to Xuan Yi, who then presented it to Nan Shiying. Nan Shiying opened the slip and, upon seeing its contents, a cold glint flashed across her face.
She was willing to abandon the Qingyuan spy line for Nan Yuan'er!