"Wait... wait."
She stumbled forward a couple of steps, her knees, still red and swollen from being forced to kneel, ached as she lost her balance and fell to the ground.
Shen Muzhou glanced back. A small, slender white hand reached out from his sleeve and clutched his cloak tightly. His brow furrowed slightly. With one arm, he scooped her up from the ground and held her in his arms.
"Don't... don't kill her. While she's not exactly brilliant, she's extremely loyal to me. Besides, I couldn't possibly fit a hundred of her in my courtyard even if you gave them to me."
"I've already found a way to cure you! If you hurt anyone around me, I'll... I'll..." Her voice grew quieter towards the end.
*I won't cure you anymore.*
She looked at his stern face and couldn't help but recall how he had stood on the execution platform earlier that day, his blade falling without hesitation. She swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Everyone in Nanmin knew that the Ninth Prince was not to be trifled with—ruthless, a killer, and a man of his word.
"You'll do what?" His voice was calm yet sharp, possessing an innate pressure.
Half of her fair, soft neck peeked out from her collar, and she shrank back, a smile on her lips as she tried her best to appease him. "I'll go through mountains of blades and seas of fire to serve Your Highness."
Lin Yanxi was already incredibly beautiful. When a smile graced her eyes, it was as if starlight flowed through them, clear and sweet, shining brightly like a sky full of stars.
A thought suddenly flickered through Shen Muzhou's mind: if he could let go of his obsession with the woman from his dreams, there was no reason he couldn't bring Lin Yanxi back to his manor and keep her.
The thought vanished quickly. While he was distracted, Lin Yanxi suddenly grabbed the soul ring on his little finger, attempting to snatch it back.
A hint of cunning flashed in her blinking eyes. As she grabbed the soul ring, she silently chanted the Immobilization Spell, and with her other hand behind her back, she secretly formed the Wuxiang Seal.
Spiritual energy surged into her body. She felt like two forces were tearing at each other within her, causing a slight discomfort.
Shen Muzhou's deep pupils were devoid of any emotion at that moment. He finally realized how terrifying that fleeting thought had been. To her, she feared him just like everyone else.
The reason she tried so hard to appease him was simply because she wanted her soul ring back and didn't want to offend him.
How could he entertain such an absurd notion of possessing her?
Shen Muzhou felt inexplicably annoyed. With a wave of his hand, he turned away from her.
She stared at his profile in disbelief. She had clearly cast the Immobilization Spell, so why did it have no effect on him at all?
The spiritual energy also withdrew again as she separated from the soul ring, and she could no longer feel any spiritual energy fluctuations within her.
Lin Yanxi chuckled awkwardly, trying to smooth things over. "Ah, I just thought the ring looked a little dirty, so I was cleaning it for you."
He let out a cold snort and didn't dwell on the matter, continuing his question, "Tell me how to cure my old ailment."
The ancient book he had seen today recorded that the method to resolve the Cold Curse involved using blood essence as a guide, along with six Twin Heart Flowers.
The pages were incomplete, and she guessed that the blood essence should be that of a talisman master.
These Heart Flowers were not rare, but the Twin Hearts were incredibly difficult to find in a lifetime. She wasn't sure if she counted as a talisman master now, or if her blood essence could be used as a medicinal ingredient.
"Then tell me first, how did you know this was a soul ring?" She wanted to ascertain how much Shen Muzhou knew about the talisman master lineage.
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau had once predicted that the Heavenly Malice Star would be reborn under the protection of a soul ring. The soul ring was a magical artifact passed down through generations of talisman masters, and it was precisely the Heavenly Malice Star that would bring disaster to Nanmin.
The reason he was holding onto the soul ring was to prevent her from being influenced by it and truly becoming the harbinger of destruction foretold.
"The soul ring is a magical artifact passed down through generations of talisman masters. Your maternal grandfather was the last talisman master of Nanmin. You said this ring was left to you by him, so I roughly guessed."
His tone was flat as he spoke, his dark eyes and long lashes showing no signs of nervousness or slurring that might indicate lying. He should not have lied to her.
Only then did she nod in relief and continue, "In all of Moon幽, only the extremely rare Jiang clan bloodline can sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and awaken the abilities of a talisman master. However, even among the Jiang clan, very few can inherit this bloodline. Those who covet this ability then resort to practicing forbidden arts to gain curse techniques."
"Curse techniques are insidious arts that can only harm others and will result in backlash. You are afflicted by such a curse, which is why you've sought medical advice for years without success."
Shen Muzhou did not seem surprised that someone had used curse techniques to harm him. He merely asked, "Do you know who practiced the curse techniques?"
Lin Yanxi shook her head. She once again gazed at Shen Muzhou's face with a probing look, unwilling to miss any subtle expression that might reveal his true inner thoughts. But he showed none.
His expression was indifferent, neither happy nor sad. He either had grown accustomed to such treacherous methods or was extremely skilled at hiding his feelings.
"Although I don't know who used the curse techniques, but..."
She hesitated, wondering whether to reveal that the jade hairpin gifted by the Crown Prince was imbued with curse techniques.
The court was a complex web, and the conflict between the two factions had been ongoing for a long time. Her father was also entangled in it. It was best to clarify these matters first.
"But I know of a method to break the cold affliction you have, but this method requires the pistil of a Twin Heart Flower. The flower itself is not difficult to find, but the twin aspect is extremely rare."
He rested his hands on his knees and tapped his fingers slowly. "Where can I find Twin Flowers?"
Twin Flowers...
She suddenly remembered seeing flower buds of Twin Flowers in the forest where she first met Shen Muzhou.
Once she cured his cold affliction and retrieved her soul ring, she could sever ties with this terrifying god!
She glanced at him sideways, boldly lying down on the bed, deliberately playing coy to negotiate. She yawned and said, "I've already told you it's extremely difficult to find. What about you? If you're a little nicer to me, for example, if you stop sneaking into the Grand Tutor's manor at night, maybe I can find it faster."
"Or return my soul ring to me. Don't worry, I already said I'd help you, so I'll still keep my promise if you give me back the soul ring."
She blinked, a hint of cleverness showing in her eyes, her shrewdness and calculation unmasked.
He let out a cold scoff, rolled over, and lay beside her, ignoring her words. "I'll come to pick you up tomorrow morning to find the Twin Flowers."
"I already said... no, Your Highness, your manor doesn't have a soft bed for sleeping. I can stay over, but let go of me."
Shen Muzhou found a comfortable position and held her in his arms, a smile unconsciously tugging at the corners of his lips. Because he suffered from the cold, his manor was heated with underground conduits, and he slept in the center of these conduits.
There truly was no soft bed, and especially not a warm hand-warmer like her, which was a rarity.
---
The Imperial Palace.
The astrolabe trembled, pointing southeast of the palace.
"Master, the astrolabe has moved. It's a curse technique that has appeared."
"Mm. Go and investigate. I heard the Grand Tutor's second daughter has suddenly regained her sanity."
"Yes."
"We want her alive. Her vital essence is of great use to us. If she's disobedient, you can dismember her limbs and gouge out her eyes and tongue. As long as she's still breathing, that's enough."
-----
The morning sun shone through layers of colorful clouds onto the carved window frames, casting light into the room. Lin Yanxi slept soundly on the bed, but there was no one beside her.
"Miss, Miss, the Crown Prince is here," Lizi ran in and shook Lin Yanxi awake.
Lin Yanxi, still groggy from sleep, turned over when she heard the Crown Prince had arrived. "What does that have to do with me?"
"It's said he's here to propose marriage to you."
Lin Yanxi instantly woke up and sat up. "What? Not to marry Lin Yuan, but to marry me?"
Lizi's expression was troubled, but she nodded.
When Lin Yanxi entered the main hall, Lin Ze was sitting in the main seat with a sullen expression, and Jiang Wan was seated to the side.
Lin Ze glanced at Lin Yanxi, his gaze pausing for a moment, and his tone became even more resolute. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, the marriage between you and Lin Yanxi was merely a casual remark from the Emperor, not to be taken seriously. Are you trying to force me to marry my daughter to you now?"
The Crown Prince, clad in a jade-green robe, was as gentle as jade. "Grand Tutor, a ruler's word is his bond. My father has long intended to decree this marriage, but Lin Yanxi had not yet come of age, which is why the decree was delayed."
"Then what about Lin Yuan! If you have feelings for Lin Yanxi, then what happened with Lin Yuan yesterday..." Lin Ze choked on the rest of his words.
Shen Qingyun fanned himself with his fan and said slowly, "What happened between me and the eldest daughter? I only know that I happened to meet the Grand Tutor yesterday while listening to an opera. Was the eldest daughter also at the tavern that day? I truly didn't know."
Lin Ze's face darkened, leaving him speechless. This meant Shen Qingyun had planned to deny everything.
Lin Yuan stood in the corner and softly called out, "Crown Prince brother."
Tears welled in her eyes, and her voice was soft and suppressed, trembling slightly.
Shen Qingyun glanced at her from above. He did not respond. He had made his intentions clear yesterday: Lin Yanxi, he had to marry her.
If Lin Yuan was a smart person, she would know when to retreat and help him achieve his goal. Later, taking Lin Yuan into the Eastern Palace would not be difficult.
If she insisted on clinging to him, he had ways to discard her.
Lin Ze, having followed Shen Qingyun for many years, knew his sinister intentions well and could not allow Lin Yanxi to suffer if she married him.
"In any case, our Grand Tutor's manor dares not aspire to such a marriage!" Lin Ze flicked his sleeve and turned away, no longer looking at him.
Shen Qingyun's eyes were calm as he asked, "Whether one can aspire to it or not is not for the Grand Tutor to decide."
Lin Yanxi had Lizi open the manor gates. She then knelt in the courtyard connecting the manor gates to the main hall.
She knelt there, sobbing dramatically, and deliberately raised her voice towards the outside of the manor, crying out, "Your Highness the Crown Prince, I beg you not to trouble my father anymore. Everything started because of me. I beg the Crown Prince to spare this humble woman's life."
At this time, the main street outside the Grand Tutor's manor was bustling with people. The commoners, hearing the faint cries of a woman from inside, couldn't help but stop and peer curiously inside.
From outside the manor gates, a delicate woman knelt in the courtyard, while the Crown Prince Shen Qingyun, high and mighty, seemed to be pressuring the young lady in the courtyard.
"This... tsk, isn't that His Highness the Crown Prince? He's usually quite gentle, why is he forcing the Grand Tutor's daughter to kneel?"
"Exactly, exactly. What's the difference between this and a bandit forcing a common woman?"
According to the Crown Prince's usual behavior, he would certainly consider his image in the public's eyes and take a step back.
Lin Yanxi had exchanged hairpins with Shen Muzhou at the hairpin banquet earlier. This was Shen Muzhou's attempt to leverage the Grand Tutor's influence. Coupled with Lin Yuan's matter, if he didn't force the marriage today, he might never have another chance. Once Shen Muzhou gained power, his throne would be precarious.
After much deliberation, he decided to proceed with the marriage. Public opinion, after all, was less important than power and status.
Shen Qingyun stood rooted to the spot, unusually biting his lip and saying, "I am the current Crown Prince. I have presented a betrothal gift today, and I will not retract it. Even if it is the Grand Tutor's manor, do you intend to disregard the dignity of the royal family?"
"As for the second young lady's plea to spare her life, hmph, I only hope you can leave yourself a longer path to survival."
The Crown Prince was cornered, using the royal family's dignity to force Lin Ze to marry off his daughter, no longer pretending to be a benevolent figure.
No one dared to speak. Lin Yanxi had not expected him to lash out in desperation. She intended to continue negotiating, but Jiang Wan shook her head at her, signaling her not to further anger the Crown Prince.
The imperial power was absolute, making everyone in the Grand Tutor's manor feel suffocated.
Shen Qingyun was pleased with their reaction. Seeing that no one else spoke, he pressed further, "It seems this marriage is something the Grand Tutor's manor must aspire to, whether he wants to or not."
"I beg to differ."
A clear, familiar voice suddenly sounded.