Yue Qing stood frozen, watching Yan Chi’s unhurried movements. His lips curved up, forcing a stiff smile, “Your Highness is…”

Yan Chi calmly fastened the last button of his collar, “The wound on my back hasn’t healed yet.”

His answer was simple. Yue Qing’s lips twitched, but he couldn’t say much—after all, the wound on Yan Chi’s back had been inflicted by him. Though Yue Qing accepted Yan Chi’s explanation, he felt quite uncomfortable inside. Fortunately, seeing the medicine bottle in Qin Wan’s hand helped him breathe easier. “The carriage is cramped. If Your Highness is uncomfortable, why not wait until we reach Li Shui Lake and board the boat to let Ninth Young Miss examine you?”

Yan Chi shook his head, “Ninth Young Miss’s medical skills are excellent. It’s fine for now.”

Then, looking at Qin Wan, he said, “The Imperial Princess is waiting for you outside.”

Qin Wan’s heart pounded. When Yan Chi mentioned the Imperial Princess waiting for her, she had assumed it would be at Li Shui Lake. Who knew she would be waiting on this main street? The Marquis An Yang’s mansion was in the western city, Qin Manor in the east, and Li Shui Lake they were heading to was in the south. Since the Yue family had invited Qin Wan, they thought to escort her together, so they waited on Jing Zhou City’s widest central avenue. But no one expected that when Yue Qing threw open the curtain, he would see such a scene.

Qin Wan alighted from the carriage and approached the Imperial Princess, making a graceful curtsy.

Madam Jiang and Yue Qiong were present, with Yue Ning supporting the Imperial Princess. Yue Jia and Wei Yan Zhi also stood nearby. The entire group possessed extraordinary bearing and wore magnificent attire—their mere presence drew frequent glances from passersby.

The Imperial Princess quickly pulled her up, “Originally Ning’er was to fetch you, but this old woman suddenly felt like going out for a walk. With Jing Shu and Ning’er watching over me, we sent Little Seven to get you. How is Little Seven’s wound?”

Qin Wan felt something was strange, but didn’t show it on her face, “It’s starting to heal. Imperial Princess need not worry. As for you, your wound hasn’t completely healed yet—you must be careful today.”

The Imperial Princess coughed lightly, “Rest assured, I understand. But there’s a blessing ceremony today that I didn’t want to miss after much consideration. I don’t know how many more Mid-Autumn Festivals I’ll see in Jing Zhou City, so I’m indulging myself this once.”

She tightened her grip on Qin Wan’s hand, “Come, ride with me, and Ning’er too—the three of us together.”

Yue Ning was already supporting the Imperial Princess, and seeing this, Qin Wan also helped support her. Four or five large carriages were parked by the street, all bearing the Marquis An Yang’s household insignia. The Imperial Princess led Yue Ning and Qin Wan into the first carriage, while the others boarded the remaining carriages. The wheels began turning, and the carriages proceeded in formation, making an impressive procession toward Li Shui Lake.

In the carriage, the Imperial Princess held Qin Wan’s hand and asked, “Is Little Seven’s wound truly not serious?”

Qin Wan nodded, “Yes, Prince Yu’s wound has begun healing. Because I used strong medicine, His Highness’s wound is quite itchy. When I asked earlier, His Highness mentioned the wound was uncomfortable, so I worried the medicine might be inappropriate and examined it in the carriage. Imperial Princess need not worry—my medicine will speed up the wound’s healing, and Prince Yu will recover soon.”

A thoughtful look flashed in the Imperial Princess’s eyes. Yue Ning snorted lightly, “Didn’t you say he had many wounds? If so, how can he not even endure this bit of itching?”

Because of the discovery of the left-handed person, Yue Ning’s suspicions about Yan Chi hadn’t dissipated. Even in front of the Imperial Princess, she showed no intention of concealing them. Qin Wan smiled wryly, “Perhaps there were no doctors in the military camp. Now that there is one, naturally, he speaks up.”

Yue Ning raised her eyebrows without speaking. The Imperial Princess’s face showed a warm smile, “Little Seven suffered in the past. The Northwest region is the harshest place in all of Da Zhou. It was hard enough for his father, yet he sent him there too. I tried to dissuade him once back then, but it was useless. Now that he’s come to Jing Zhou, we must take good care of him.”

The Imperial Princess held Qin Wan’s hand, “I heard before that Little Seven disliked others treating him or examining him, but now it seems Wan’er can manage him. I now owe Wan’er an even greater debt!”

While Qin Wan verbally demurred, her mind recalled the twisted, hideous scars on Yan Chi’s body. Those scars, whether from knives or swords, were particularly large—clearly showing they hadn’t been properly treated when first inflicted. She had originally assumed it was because Yan Chi had no one around who could treat his wounds each time he was injured, but now hearing the Imperial Princess’s words, she finally understood.

The lack of doctors and medicine was one aspect; on the other hand, he truly disliked seeking medical treatment.

Yue Ning raised an eyebrow, “Is that so? I’ve also heard that Prince Yu had a terrifying reputation in the West, though it’s not apparent since he came to Jing Zhou. If he truly was so averse to seeking medical treatment, why did he let Qin Wan treat his wounds?”

The Imperial Princess’s face maintained its warm smile, but her eyes grew deep with thought.

Qin Wan’s brows furrowed slightly, “If His Highness’s wound wasn’t treated this time, it would have affected his internal organs and left lasting damage…”

The implication was that Yan Chi only allowed Qin Wan to examine him because his injury had reached a point where treatment couldn’t be delayed any longer.

Yue Ning, being direct, lifted her chin and said frankly, “I think you trust Prince Yu quite deeply, and as for how he treats you… it’s somewhat different…”