“Why are you shouting so loudly? Be careful he hears you.” Facing Ah Ye’s questioning, Feng Lezhen calmly countered, “Do you think I’m the type of person who would wrong myself for something like that?”
Ah Ye was stunned for a while, then finally muttered, “I guess not…”
Once she said that, she let it go and started reporting on the defense of the training grounds.
When they got to the serious matters, Feng Lezhen’s expression became a little distant. “I fear the secret of the training grounds can no longer be kept.”
“Why?” Ah Ye didn’t understand. “Didn’t that doctor fail to escape?”
“But you caught him outside the training grounds,” Feng Lezhen pointed out.
Knowing Liu Mingde’s personality, he probably had spies stationed all around the training grounds. This could not be hidden from him.
Ah Ye understood but still felt it wasn’t that bad. “Even if Liu Mingde saw it, he would only know we captured a doctor. When he asks, we can just make up a random excuse. He’s stupid anyway, easy to fool.”
“If he were stupid, he wouldn’t have hidden the plague for so long.” Feng Lezhen smiled lightly. “If he weren’t sharp enough, how could a useless man, only skilled at forming factions, have reached his current position?”
Even if he didn’t know about the orchids, he would surely guess that the situation was turning against him. And with his temperament, if he couldn’t fully figure something out, he would rather burn it all down to be safe.
Looking at her serious eyes, Ah Ye gradually realized the situation was spiraling out of control.
After a long time, she whispered, “What should we do now? Sneak away?”
“The city gates are sealed. How can we sneak away?” Feng Lezhen sighed. “We’ll have to take it one step at a time.”
Though she said that, doing nothing was not an option. She ordered Ah Ye to find Chen Jinan and send him with her token to nearby towns to gather more men— as many as possible. She also wrote a secret letter to be rushed back to the capital, but unfortunately, Liu Mingde was smarter than she expected. As soon as he sensed something was wrong, he tightly sealed the city gates. Ah Ye had no chance to meet Chen Jinan, and the secret letter never made it out.
The training grounds were surrounded one evening. The commoners, who were out strolling, saw a large number of soldiers and torches. At first, they thought the soldiers had come to escort them home and were overjoyed. It wasn’t until Feng Lezhen’s people blocked their path and the two sides drew their weapons that the crowd realized something was wrong.
In the midst of the tense standoff, Feng Lezhen appeared alongside Shen Suifeng. When she saw Liu Mingde on horseback, she smiled faintly. “Lord Liu, what a grand display.”
Liu Mingde also smiled and dismounted respectfully. “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Feng Lezhen looked at him indifferently. “What brings Lord Liu here at this late hour?”
“Oh, nothing much. I just heard that the doctors Your Highness brought have been recklessly using medicine, causing the plague to become more dangerous than before, posing a threat to the entire empire. I was deeply concerned. After much thought, I’ve decided to resolve this matter with a heavy heart. I trust Your Highness, being so understanding, will fully cooperate. Once this is over, I will personally go to the capital to speak well of you.” Liu Mingde’s face was full of flattery, but every word was laced with poison.
Hearing that he was also implicated, Shen Suifeng raised his eyes and glanced at him. “There’s no such medicine in this world that can make a plague more dangerous. Lord Liu, you’re giving me too much credit.”
“How could I not when Mr. Shen is so capable,” Liu Mingde shamelessly continued, “After all, using detoxifying herbs to treat a plague—well, that’s not something just anyone would think of.”
All the supplies and medicine delivered to the training grounds passed through his hands. Although Shen Suifeng had deliberately used herbs that could be applied to both detoxification and plague treatment, after the incident with Doctor Li, Liu Mingde had still sensed something was wrong.
No wonder he was making a move now. It turned out he had deduced the plague’s connection to himself through those few herbs.
Shen Suifeng and Feng Lezhen exchanged a look. They knew they couldn’t talk their way out of this today.
“Cut the nonsense!” In the midst of silence, Ah Ye couldn’t hold back anymore. “What exactly do you mean by that?!”
“Was I not clear enough?” Liu Mingde pretended to be confused and looked at Feng Lezhen. “If Your Highness doesn’t understand, I can explain it in more detail.”
Feng Lezhen stared at him for a long time before suddenly smiling. “You want to kill me.”
“I wouldn’t dare. Your Highness is simply unwilling to see the plague spread further. To ensure peace for the empire, you chose to end your life here at the training grounds. We all deeply admire your sacrifice,” Liu Mingde quickly said.
Feng Lezhen’s expression was indifferent. “I am the Eldest Princess of the Great Qian. If I really die, I doubt you’ll get to decide what the cause of death will be.”
“Your Highness will have died from the plague. Though I wish to preserve your noble body, I also worry it would bring further disaster. So, most likely, the only thing returned to the capital will be a box of ashes.” At this point, Liu Mingde couldn’t even be bothered to pretend.
Feng Lezhen smiled. “Lord Liu, you truly are ruthless in your methods.”
“It’s all for the sake of the Great Qian,” Liu Mingde sighed, then took a step back. The false kindness on his face was completely replaced by cold cruelty. “Leave no one alive.”
When these words were spoken, the commoners who had already sensed something was wrong looked at each other in panic, not knowing what to do.
The soldiers drew their swords and advanced. Shen Suifeng’s gaze turned cold as he quietly shielded Feng Lezhen behind him, while Ah Ye led the hidden guards to block the soldiers’ path.
“Liu Mingde has gone mad! Are you all mad too?! Do you know what crime it is to plot against the Eldest Princess? Your entire family could be executed!” she shouted.
The soldiers immediately hesitated.
“What are you waiting for? Kill her!” Liu Mingde barked.
But the soldiers still dared not move.
Ah Ye quietly let out a sigh of relief and was about to continue persuading them when Liu Mingde spoke coldly, “Your entire families are in Xijiang City. What are you afraid of her for?”
This sentence was both reassurance and a threat. The soldiers exchanged glances, gritted their teeth, and charged toward the training grounds.
The commoners completely panicked, screaming and scattering in all directions. Ah Ye kicked a soldier aside and shouted back, “All of you, get back to your houses!”
Her tone wasn’t exactly polite, but to the commoners, it was like she had pointed out an escape route. In an instant, everyone fled toward their homes, leaving the entrance of the large training ground empty except for Feng Lezhen and Liu Mingde’s forces.
The sound of battle shook the sky. Under Shen Suifeng’s protection, Feng Lezhen retreated step by step, but her eyes remained fixed on the battlefield. Her people were all battle-hardened, far superior to these city guards, but even the most skilled warriors were not made of iron. Facing wave after wave of soldiers, they began to show signs of exhaustion.
The training ground was surrounded by thorns, with only the main gate as an entrance. If the gate was lost, the entire training ground would fall. Watching her people get pushed back repeatedly, Feng Lezhen’s face grew colder and colder. Shen Suifeng drove a silver needle into a soldier’s wrist, forcing him to release his blade from the pain. When he looked up, he met Ah Ye’s grave gaze.
“Mr. Shen, take Her Highness and leave!” she shouted.
Shen Suifeng said nothing, immediately wrapping his arm around Feng Lezhen’s waist to take her away, but Feng Lezhen grabbed his wrist and gently shook her head.
“Your Highness…” His brows furrowed tightly.
Feng Lezhen’s eyes were as cold as frost and snow. “Since he dares to come kill me, he must be fully prepared. Even if we escape, where can we run to?”
Liu Mingde had already mounted his horse, looking down and taking in the whole battlefield. When he saw Feng Lezhen refusing to flee, he chuckled, “Your Highness has a proud backbone. I admire you!”
Before his voice fell, a soldier came galloping from afar and whispered a few words in his ear. Liu Mingde’s grin grew even more arrogant. When Feng Lezhen’s gaze swept over him, he smugly said, “Your Highness’s men are indeed loyal. They’ve even begun attacking the city.”
Feng Lezhen frowned slightly.
“Unfortunately, with that small number of troops, they’re nothing compared to Xijiang City’s forces,” Liu Mingde sneered. “Your Highness, you may rest easy and go ahead. It won’t be long before you’re reunited with them underground.”
The hidden guards were still falling back, and the soldiers had unknowingly pushed into the main gate. Meanwhile, Liu Mingde, who had stayed behind, was now surrounded by only a few personal guards.
Feng Lezhen stared at him for a long while before suddenly laughing. “Victory or defeat—there’s no conclusion yet.”
Liu Mingde raised his brows slightly and was about to ask what she meant when Feng Lezhen suddenly raised her voice. “Ah Ye!”
“Yes!”
A figure leaped into the air, flipped over, and landed right behind Liu Mingde’s horse, driving a dagger half an inch into his neck. Liu Mingde let out a miserable scream as Ah Ye shouted, “Everyone, stop!”
The sudden turn of events left everyone momentarily frozen in shock, unable to react. Only Shen Suifeng glanced at Feng Lezhen again. Seeing her calm expression, he let out a self-mocking smile.
“Open the city gates,” Ah Ye ordered coldly as she pressed the dagger harder against Liu Mingde.
Liu Mingde’s face turned pale from the pain, cold sweat soaking through his robes in no time. At this point, all his arrogance was gone, his eyes filled with terror. Yet when Ah Ye demanded he open the city gates, he still gritted his teeth and gasped, “You… you’re dreaming…”
Before he could finish the word “dream,” the dagger pushed in a little deeper, making him stiffen and scream again, too afraid to move.
Ah Ye sneered and was about to continue threatening him when the old b*stard suddenly snapped, “No one is allowed to open the city gates! If we let them leave today, we’ll all be dead…”
Ah Ye wanted to slit his throat on the spot, but meeting Feng Lezhen’s gaze, she forcibly held back.
“I swear on my life,” Feng Lezhen spoke slowly, “if you turn back now, I will let this go. No one will trouble you for this matter ever again.” She glanced at Liu Mingde as she spoke. “But if you remain stubborn… I sent a secret letter to the capital long ago. None of you will survive.”
“Don’t listen to her nonsense…” Liu Mingde immediately tried to refute, but Ah Ye choked his throat and silenced him on the spot.
The soldiers grew even more hesitant, unsure of what to do.
Just as they were frozen in confusion, the commoners—who had fled earlier—began peeking out from various corners when they realized things had gone quiet. Seeing Feng Lezhen still persuading the soldiers, a few bold ones came forward.
“Her Highness always keeps her word. She’s way more trustworthy than that scum official! If you don’t believe her, are you really going to follow this scum to your graves?!”
“Erwa, are you really going to kill your own aunt?!”
Xijiang City wasn’t large. The people had lived here for generations, and most were related if you traced back a few generations. More and more commoners emerged and recognized their relatives among the soldiers, shouting themselves hoarse, causing many of the soldiers to tear up.
Seeing that the situation was collapsing, Liu Mingde suddenly began to struggle fiercely. Ah Ye had been instructed by Feng Lezhen not to kill him, so she loosened her grip slightly to avoid accidentally taking his life. But precisely because she let up, Liu Mingde tumbled off the horse.
He clutched his neck, ignoring the pain all over his body, and glared angrily at the soldiers who no longer obeyed him. “If you dare disobey orders again, once the city guards finish off those petty rebels outside the outer city, I will execute all nine generations of your families!”
Unlike the soldiers of the yamen, the city guards were personally managed by him over the years. He had planted his own people among them, and by now, they only took orders from him.
Sure enough, after hearing his threat, panic reappeared among the soldiers, and those who were wavering once again picked up their blades.
“Erwa!”
The sickened commoners cried out in grief and anger.
The soldier called Erwa took a deep breath and spoke with sorrow, “Forgive me, Aunt. I cannot forsake the lives of my entire family just for yours.”
The plague was actually poison, not a true epidemic. Whether someone was affected depended on their family’s financial status and dietary habits. In most cases, either the whole family remained healthy, or the entire household was wiped out. The fact that these soldiers were still standing here meant their close relatives were likely unharmed as well.
Compared to their own blood relatives, distant kinship ties suddenly didn’t seem so important.
Seeing that the soldiers were slowly coming back under his control, Liu Mingde let out a cold laugh and was about to say something when urgent hoofbeats approached from afar: “My lord! My lord, bad news, my lord…”
Liu Mingde’s neck was killing him, and the words he hated most at this moment were “bad news.” He immediately roared, “What’s bad news now? Don’t tell me they’ve broken through?!”
“N-No, my lord, they haven’t broken through. In fact, they’ve stopped attacking, but…” The messenger hesitated.
…Stopped attacking? Could Chen Jinan be retreating? Ah Ye was briefly surprised and immediately looked at Feng Lezhen, only to see that she remained calm and composed.
“Your Highness isn’t worried at all?” Shen Suifeng lowered his voice, asking the very question on Ah Ye’s mind.
Feng Lezhen replied, “Jinan would never abandon me.”
Her tone was so firm, it pierced Shen Suifeng like a fine needle. He tugged at the corner of his lips, and when he looked up again, his expression was calm.
Liu Mingde was finally relieved to hear that Chen Jinan had ceased the attack. “Then what is it?”
The messenger’s face turned angry: “They’ve captured your entire family—thirty-six people in total, including the young master who just turned one. They’ve tied them all up outside the city walls and demand that you come see them yourself!”
Liu Mingde: “…”
Feng Lezhen blinked slowly, not yet able to react, when Liu Mingde immediately raised his blade and pointed it at the messenger: “Impossible! They aren’t even inside Xijiang City—how could they be threatened by him?!”
“They’re not in Xijiang City, but neither are my people,” Feng Lezhen said leisurely.
Liu Mingde suddenly turned around, his eyes filled with hatred.
“Instead of glaring at me, why don’t you quickly go see what’s going on?” Feng Lezhen gently reminded him.
Before her voice had even faded, Liu Mingde had already mounted his horse and galloped away.
The turn of events had happened so quickly that no one present could react. Especially those soldiers who had already put down their weapons and picked them back up—they were now completely lost, not knowing what to do.
In the silence, Feng Lezhen calmly said, “Still not withdrawing?”
The soldiers snapped out of their daze, and with the clattering sound of weapons hitting the ground, they dropped to their knees in unison. The commoners, who had earlier cautiously tried to persuade the soldiers, now rushed forward to beat and punch them in fury.
Shen Suifeng and Ah Ye quickly escorted Feng Lezhen away from the chaos. As soon as they stopped, Ah Ye impatiently asked, “When did Chen Jinan capture his entire family?”
“You’ll have to ask him,” Feng Lezhen replied, maintaining her composed appearance, though she was honestly a bit stunned too.
“Then what are we waiting for?” Shen Suifeng, who was already on horseback at some point, reached out his hand when she looked over. “Let’s go ask him now.”
Feng Lezhen looked at his hand for a moment, then smiled and placed her hand in his palm. Shen Suifeng pulled her onto the horse and naturally wrapped his arm around her.
“Your Highness, hold on tight,” his voice whispered in her ear, and then they galloped away.
Ah Ye watched the two ride off and finally reacted, hurriedly calling for the hidden guards to follow. But just as the words reached her lips, she hesitated—if she left, no one would be here to watch over the commoners and the soldiers, and there could be danger.
“Miss Ah Ye, go ahead! We’ll be just fine!” The commoners, still panting from beating the soldiers, shouted.
Only then did Ah Ye notice that they had somehow tied up all the soldiers.
“Well… alright then…” She twitched at the corner of her mouth, then decisively took the hidden guards and left.
When she arrived in haste with her men, the city gates were already wide open. Feng Lezhen and Shen Suifeng were surrounded by the city guards, unable to advance or retreat.
“Your Highness!” Ah Ye gripped her dagger tightly. Seeing that the city guards had not yet attacked, she squeezed through the crowd to shield Feng Lezhen. “Your Highness, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Feng Lezhen reassured her.
Ah Ye let out a breath of relief and was about to ask what had happened when she saw Liu Mingde, like a madman, shouting at the city gate but not daring to step forward. Outside the city gates, Chen Jinan—covered in injuries—stood at the front of his troops with a cold expression. Kneeling at his feet were dozens of elderly, women, and children, and on his spear, he had hoisted a one-year-old child.
Ah Ye considered herself ruthless, but when she saw the small child raised so high, her heart still skipped a beat. Thankfully, the child was unharmed and, when he woke in a daze and saw his father, immediately began to wail uncontrollably.
Liu Mingde, who had fathered a child late in life, nearly had his heart shattered by the sound of his son’s crying. He rushed to grab Feng Lezhen, ready to exchange her for his child, but before he could act, Chen Jinan’s cold voice rang out: “Touch even a single finger of Her Highness, and I will kill him.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Liu Mingde’s eyes turned blood-red. “If you dare harm him, I’ll tear Feng Lezhen to pieces!”
Chen Jinan’s eyes darkened as he looked in Feng Lezhen’s direction, but all he could see was a crowd of tense city guards.
After a long silence, he asked coldly, “What time is it?”
“Young Master Chen, it’s almost noon,” someone nearby answered.
Chen Jinan lowered his gaze. “It’s mealtime. Lord Liu must be hungry too. You can prepare some food for him now.”
“Prepare… prepare what food? What are you trying to pull?” Liu Mingde asked warily.
Chen Jinan said nothing. Soldiers nearby carried over a pot so large it would take three people to wrap their arms around it. They quickly set up the pot and started boiling water. A deep sense of dread rose in Liu Mingde’s chest. He repeatedly questioned what Chen Jinan intended to do, but received no response.
Finally, when the water was boiling, a soldier dragged one of Liu Mingde’s concubines out from the kneeling crowd and was about to toss her into the pot. Liu Mingde nearly went mad, screaming for them to stop.
Chen Jinan raised his hand, and the soldier immediately stopped. The concubine, staring at the steaming pot in front of her, screamed in terror and fainted on the spot.
“…Your Highness, Young Master Chen is terrifying,” Ah Ye tiptoed to peek and silently clung to Feng Lezhen’s arm.
Feng Lezhen remained calm and simply asked, “Is he injured?”
Shen Suifeng’s gaze flickered.
“I couldn’t see clearly. Should I take another look?” Ah Ye asked.
“He’s injured,” Shen Suifeng spoke before she could jump up to check. “There are several wounds on his body, and his clothes are torn. He probably didn’t get away unscathed.”
Feng Lezhen immediately frowned.
“We can stop, but only if you release Her Highness and confess to your crimes.” Chen Jinan looked up and met Liu Mingde’s eyes, his gaze cold as death, without a hint of warmth.
Liu Mingde shivered and sobered up a little. “Do you take me for a fool?” With all that he had done, any single charge would be enough to execute his entire clan. Even if he confessed, he would never be able to save his family.
His expression grew more vicious, and just as he was about to fight to the death, Feng Lezhen suddenly said, “If you atone with your life, I can guarantee the safety of your entire family.”
When Chen Jinan heard her voice, a bit of warmth finally appeared in his eyes.
“Why should I trust you?!” Liu Mingde roared in desperation.
Hearing him raise his voice at Her Highness, Chen Jinan’s face darkened. He ordered coldly, “Throw her in.”
The soldier immediately tossed Liu Mingde’s concubine into the boiling water. The woman screamed and frantically climbed out, rolling and crying on the ground for a long time. Once she realized she wasn’t seriously burned, she fainted again.
No one expected that he would actually go through with it. Although the woman had climbed out in time, everyone present was thoroughly shaken.
“Urgh…” Ah Ye’s stomach churned. “I can’t take it anymore, Your Highness, I feel like throwing up.”
Before Feng Lezhen could react, Shen Suifeng calmly stuck two needles into Ah Ye’s hand. Ah Ye covered her hand in shock, about to question him, when Shen Suifeng said casually, “Do you still feel like throwing up?”
“…Not anymore,” Ah Ye replied stiffly.
Shen Suifeng: “On account of Your Highness, I won’t charge you for the treatment.”
Feng Lezhen couldn’t hold back a soft laugh.
Ah Ye: “…” Why does Her Highness always like these strange types?
In the silence, Chen Jinan coldly said to Liu Mingde, “If you show Her Highness any more disrespect, the next to be boiled will be your parents.”
Two elderly people kneeling among the crowd immediately screamed and fainted.
Feng Lezhen, trapped behind the human barricade, couldn’t see Chen Jinan’s face, but just hearing his voice, she could already picture his expression. Her eyes filled with a smile.
“Your Highness,” Shen Suifeng suddenly spoke.
Feng Lezhen returned to herself. “Hmm?”
“It’s nothing,” Shen Suifeng answered calmly.
Feng Lezhen: “…”
The water in the giant pot continued to boil, and the thick steam seemed to press heavily on everyone’s hearts. Liu Mingde, who had been shouting moments ago, collapsed to the ground in defeat after locking eyes with Chen Jinan once again.
“You’re really not afraid… that I might kill her?” he asked hoarsely.
Chen Jinan remained calm. “With Her Highness’s nature, she would rather die than be threatened.”
Liu Mingde let out a bitter laugh, then suddenly burst into loud laughter.
Compared to this man, he wasn’t ruthless enough.
In a confrontation like this, if you’re not ruthless enough, it means you’ve already lost.
The little child on the tip of the spear was startled by his father’s laughter and after a long while, choked out a word: “Papa…”
Liu Mingde suddenly raised his head. When his eyes met the innocent and bewildered gaze of his son, his eyes immediately turned red. “Good boy.”
“Papa…” The child began to cry loudly again.
The city guards parted like flowing water, and Liu Mingde, who now looked ten years older, appeared in front of Feng Lezhen. After staring at her for a long time, he suddenly knelt with a loud thud. “Your Highness, can you truly guarantee the safety of my entire family?”
“As long as none of them have taken lives,” Feng Lezhen replied.
Liu Mingde clenched his jaw for a long time before finally saying, “I guarantee that everything was done solely by me. They are absolutely innocent.”
“We’ll only know after my people have verified it,” Feng Lezhen met his gaze. “But I promise you—if they are innocent, they will be safe.”
“Then… thank you, Your Highness.” Liu Mingde bowed deeply.
The hidden guards stepped forward to tie him up, and Ah Ye began rounding up the city guards with a cold expression. The city gate instantly became as noisy as a marketplace. Shen Suifeng was about to escort Feng Lezhen away when Liu Mingde’s elderly mother suddenly suffered a seizure from fright, and Shen Suifeng had no choice but to go over and help.
Amid the chaos, Ah Ye accidentally passed by the still-steaming pot and suddenly felt something was off… this water didn’t seem that hot. On a whim, she secretly tested it with her hand—it was actually just warm water.
Boiling water… warm? She frowned and gave Chen Jinan a puzzled look.
Feng Lezhen let out a soft sigh. When she raised her head and met the blood-soaked Chen Jinan’s gaze outside the city, a faint smile of relief appeared on her lips.
When Chen Jinan saw her smiling at him, the coldness in his eyes immediately faded. He set the one-year-old child down and ran towards her.
“Slow down,” Feng Lezhen’s heart tightened when she saw the wounds on him.
But Chen Jinan didn’t care at all. He only abruptly stopped when he reached her, his bright eyes shining like pearls. “Your Highness.”
Feng Lezhen couldn’t help but let out a small laugh.
From afar, Shen Suifeng glanced over briefly, then quickly turned his gaze away.
Chen Jinan kept staring at Feng Lezhen, his eyes bright but restrained, as if he would keep staring forever if she didn’t stop him.
Feng Lezhen smiled lightly, “When did you capture his whole family?”
“I took them when I borrowed the troops,” Chen Jinan answered.
Feng Lezhen raised her eyebrows slightly, “How did you come up with this idea?”
“I happened to overhear that he values his family dearly, especially since he had a son late in life. I figured with the plague so severe in Xijiang City, he wouldn’t feel safe leaving his family in the city. So, on a whim, when I went to borrow troops, I also stopped by his wife’s family’s house. I didn’t expect I’d actually find them,” Chen Jinan explained.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“You were in the city, I was outside. The walls have ears, so I didn’t say anything. Besides…” Chen Jinan hesitated for a moment before continuing, “I thought I might not need to use them.”
Who would have thought Liu Mingde would dare to try to harm Her Highness? Chen Jinan had no choice but to use his last resort.
Feng Lezhen understood his reasoning, and her smile deepened. “Then how did you know I was in danger today? The city gates were heavily guarded. It seems Ah Ye didn’t manage to send you a message, did she?”
“It was exactly because the defenses suddenly tightened that I sensed something was wrong. Since I hadn’t received a message from Miss Ah Ye, I kept my troops on standby. But when I saw the sudden redeployment of the city guards today, I figured he was making his move, so I ordered the attack,” Chen Jinan explained.
The initial attack was meant to be just a feint, but when he realized the city guards were completely unafraid, he knew the situation was worse than he had expected—so he had to reveal his trump card.
Feng Lezhen quickly understood his line of thinking. Seeing that he still seemed uneasy, she gently reassured him, “You did very well.”
Chen Jinan paused. “Really?”
“Your thinking was meticulous, and you planned step by step.” Feng Lezhen smiled. “Chen Jinan, you really did well this time.”
Chen Jinan’s heart skipped a beat, and all the days of anxiety, worry, and sleepless nights seemed to vanish in an instant. He stared fixedly at Feng Lezhen, and then suddenly collapsed.
“Jinan!”
Before he completely blacked out, he vaguely heard Feng Lezhen calling his name. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to respond before everything went dark.
When he woke again, he was lying in bed. All his wounds had been treated and bandaged, and his clothes had been changed. Chen Jinan blinked slowly, and after a while, he suddenly remembered Feng Lezhen’s panicked voice before he fainted. He immediately tried to sit up.
“What are you moving for!” Ah Ye rushed over and pressed him back down.
Chen Jinan frowned. “Miss Ah Ye.”
“Don’t move.” Ah Ye shot him a glance. “You’re looking for Her Highness, right? She just stepped out and will be back soon.”
Only then did Chen Jinan slowly lie back down.
The room was quiet. Ah Ye glanced at him several times and finally couldn’t hold back. “That pot…”
Chen Jinan looked at her.
“You tampered with it, didn’t you?” Ah Ye asked directly.
Chen Jinan: “Yes.”
There was something added to the pot to make it look like it was boiling, but in fact, the water was just warm. Liu Mingde’s concubine had nearly gone mad from fear, which was why she didn’t realize the difference between warm and boiling water.
“…I knew it,” Ah Ye let out a breath and then looked at him with a bit of admiration. “I thought so—there’s no way someone like you could actually be that ruthless.”
Chen Jinan was silent for a moment, but before he could reply, Feng Lezhen came in, and his attention immediately snapped to her.
“Your Highness.” Ah Ye stepped forward to assist her.
Feng Lezhen said, “There are some pastries in the kitchen. Go have some.”
Ah Ye’s eyes lit up and she immediately left.
The room was instantly left with just the two of them. Chen Jinan tried to sit up. “Your Highness…”
“Lie down, don’t move,” Feng Lezhen pressed him back onto the bed. “Suifeng says you fainted from excessive worry and skipping meals. You need proper rest now.”
When she mentioned Shen Suifeng with such a familiar tone, Chen Jinan’s eyes flickered, and he stared at her in a daze.
“Is there something on my face?” Feng Lezhen raised her brows slightly.
Chen Jinan lowered his head and pursed his lips. “No.”
Feng Lezhen chuckled and her gaze fell on the bloodstained bandages on his body. “Does it hurt?”
“No.” Chen Jinan replied.
“Liar. How could it not hurt when you’re flesh and blood?”
“It really doesn’t hurt…”
“The wounds I dressed myself naturally don’t hurt as much.”
Shen Suifeng’s voice rang out almost at the same time as Chen Jinan’s reply. Feng Lezhen followed the voice and saw him standing at the door with a half-smile.
“What brings you here?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“Should I not have come?” Shen Suifeng shot back. His tone was as usual, but Feng Lezhen could keenly hear a faint hint of coldness.
Before she could respond, he walked straight in, checked Chen Jinan’s pulse, and handed him a bottle of pills. “Three times a day, ten pills each time, take them for five days and you’ll be fine.”
“Thank you, Mr. Shen.” Chen Jinan accepted the medicine.
“No need to thank me,” Shen Suifeng said, then turned to leave.
Feng Lezhen couldn’t help but laugh. “You came all this way just to deliver medicine?”
“I’m a doctor. Isn’t it perfectly normal to deliver medicine to a patient?” Shen Suifeng smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
Feng Lezhen raised her brows slightly and simply stopped responding.
Chen Jinan lowered his head, counted out ten pills, and swallowed them, immediately frowning from the bitterness.
“Is it very bitter?” Feng Lezhen asked.
He replied, “Not bitter.”
“Pfft…” Feng Lezhen couldn’t hold back her laugh.
Completely ignored, Shen Suifeng’s expression darkened, and he turned and left without another word.
Feng Lezhen continued to chat leisurely with Chen Jinan, then suddenly curled her lips and said, “What a bad temper.”
It was clearly not said to him, but Chen Jinan only paused briefly and didn’t ask further.
As night deepened, Chen Jinan finally couldn’t resist his drowsiness and fell asleep. Feng Lezhen sat alone for a long while before slowly stepping outside.
“Your Highness.” Ah Ye, having eaten her fill, had been waiting outside the door. Seeing her come out, she immediately followed.
But Feng Lezhen didn’t even look back. “No need to follow.”
Ah Ye stopped in her tracks and realized Feng Lezhen wasn’t heading toward the bedchamber. She quickly asked, “Where is Your Highness going?”
“To coax someone.”
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