Her voice was as sweet and melodious as an oriole’s song. Though it carried a foreign accent, it only made it sound more enchanting.

“Oh?” Yun Ya seemed to show interest. “Why should I save you?”

The Grand Minister was not following the usual script. Shouldn’t he first ask about the identity of the person before him? The person was stunned for a moment but quickly responded: “I am the Princess of Tong Kingdom. Treacherous people harmed me, drugging me unconscious and sending me to Wei Kingdom as a tribute girl. No matter how I explain, no one believes me! I heard that tonight the King will… will…” Her voice choked. “If Your Excellency doesn’t want the two countries to go to war, please help me escape from this tiger’s den. Tong Kingdom will surely repay you!”

He made a sound of acknowledgment, then summarized: “You don’t wish to be with His Majesty?”

“I cannot be so cheapened!” A princess of a Kingdom naturally could not be used like a tribute woman.

Yun Ya stroked his chin and said: “Look up.”

The woman indeed raised her face. Though the light was dim, it didn’t prevent Yun Ya from seeing her willow-like eyebrows and cherry lips. Her gaze was as soft as if water might drip from it. Her skin was whiter than snow, and more remarkably, her features were more defined than those of ordinary beauties, making her facial features even more striking. Even he couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration: “Truly a State beauty.”

His next question was: “Who told you to find me?”

“A palace maid told me that the King trusts you very much. If you pleaded for me, he would certainly listen! She helped me sneak here.”

Yun Ya smiled: “What she said… isn’t wrong.”

The woman asked joyfully: “You… you’re willing to help me?”

“Why wouldn’t I?” He leaned slightly closer. The woman still couldn’t see his face clearly, but she sensed that this Grand Minister seemed quite young. The light in his eyes was bright and mischievous. Being stared at so intently for a few breaths, she became somewhat dazed, momentarily forgetting her fear and anxiety, as if staring at a strong light for too long, gradually becoming dizzy.

“Which princess of Tong Kingdom are you?”

Soon after, Yun Ya tapped on the carriage compartment: “Return to the manor.”

The wheels began to roll.

After traveling for no more than a few dozen breaths, they passed through the palace gates.

Just as the coachman was about to loosen the reins, several horsemen suddenly galloped out from the side and stopped in front of the carriage. The leader was a sturdy twelve or thirteen-year-old boy with a broad forehead and tiger-like features. He knocked on the carriage door and called out with a grin: “Grand Minister!”

The window opened, and Yun Ya looked out at him with a calm expression: “Prince Wu, no evening lessons today?”

This young man was indeed the third son of the Wei King, Xiao Wu. “Not today. I heard you went to the palace and wanted to find you for a game of chess.”

“Very well, let’s return to the palace.” Just as Yun Ya was about to instruct the coachman to turn around, Prince Wu said loudly: “No need, no need! I won’t delay your return home. Continue on your way, and we can play chess in the carriage. How about that? A game of chess only takes a short while. By the time we reach your manor, the game will be finished.”

After these words, Yun Ya did not respond. Prince Wu blinked and asked: “Grand Minister, is there some inconvenience?”

Yun Ya looked at him and slowly smiled, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Prince Wu had always been bold, but somehow at this moment, a chill surged in his heart, as if being stared at by a fierce ancient beast, making the hair on his back stand on end.

He had just swallowed, and looking more closely, the Grand Minister had returned to his frail appearance, lightly tapping on the door panel: “Stop the carriage, invite Prince Wu aboard!”

Prince Wu opened the door and jumped in, his eyes rolling around as he examined the interior, unable to hide his disappointment. Although the Grand Minister’s carriage was large, it was not as complex as a room. With just two steps, he could walk through the entire space.

“I must disappoint you, I haven’t prepared any snacks here,” Yun Ya seemed unaware of what he was looking for and busied himself setting up the chess board on a low table. “Have a seat. Let me see if your chess skills have deteriorated. Tomorrow I’ll report to your tutor, and it will count as one of your examiKingdoms.”

Prince Wu’s face immediately fell. The Grand Minister didn’t play often, but every time he did, he would utterly defeat him. How could he tell if his chess skills had improved? The tutor’s assessments were strict, and if the Grand Minister spoke poorly of him…

While placing the pieces, Yun Ya asked: “So late at night, who told you to find me for chess?”

“I… I wanted to come myself.” As if! He had never liked the Grand Minister. This man appeared to be only a few years older than him, yet his mind seemed as deep as his father’s. Although he always smiled when they met, Prince Wu always felt that he wasn’t taken seriously at all.

Very peculiar.

Yun Ya smiled slightly. The carriage turned a corner, and as he looked outside, his gaze happened to fall on a cluster of palaces to the east. Darkness had already descended, and only the silhouettes of buildings and trees could be seen. An ordinary person could barely make out the outlines.

Meanwhile, He Lian Jia, who had been holding back for a long time, couldn’t wait to speak after Yun Ya left: “Your Majesty, the Dragon Tiger Golden Elixir is extremely dangerous. You shouldn’t take any more. I’ve heard the alchemists discuss that it might be made by extracting the life force of living people, claiming to replenish life with life.”

The Wei King glared at him: “Have you used it?”

“No, no.” He Lian Jia shook his head repeatedly. That was a medicine specially provided for the King; how could it be his turn to use it?

“The Medicine Master concocted the Dragon Tiger Golden Elixir in front of me using herbal ingredients. When did he ever use any living person?” The Wei King’s expression clearly showed his disappointment. “You are the Grand General. How can you believe in rumors like women do?”

He Lian Jia’s face turned red at once, and after a long while, he finally managed to say: “I just fear that consuming too much might harm Your Majesty’s golden body.”

The Wei King looked at him and suddenly asked: “Are you forty years old yet?”

The topic changed so abruptly that He Lian Jia was stunned for a moment before answering: “Your servant is thirty-six.”

“Thirty-six, in your prime.” The Wei King chuckled. “My fortune is not as good as yours. At thirty-three, during the southern campaign against the Tong Kingdom, I injured my foundation. Afterward… until Yun Ya recommended the Medicine Master, I didn’t regain my former vigor.” His voice gradually grew stern as he patted the armrest. “Do you think I don’t know that the elixir shouldn’t be used too much? But sitting in this chair requires diligent governance. Wei doesn’t need an old and feeble ruler who merely maintains the status quo!”

The Dragon Tiger Golden Elixir lived up to its name. Taking it slowly could make one feel energetic, and occasionally consuming an extra pill could help him become vigorous again, regaining the vitality of his youth. What was marvelous was that there were no side effects. Though called an “elixir,” it was a paste that could be taken long-term as a medicinal paste.

At first, he also had doubts, but after having people test it for a year and a half with no adverse effects—they even appeared more radiant—he became reassured enough to use it himself. Once he started, he couldn’t stop.

He Lian Jia still felt that the King relied too much on Yun Ya, but being unskilled in speech, he could only stammer in the end: “Yes.”

The King and his minister talked for a while longer, but the King’s gaze frequently flickered, clearly distracted. Unfortunately, He Lian Jia wasn’t as perceptive as the Grand Minister, so the King finally had to explicitly dismiss him.

Looking out the window, it was getting dark, and the King couldn’t help but feel restless.

The Dragon Tiger Golden Elixir had another great benefit: it allowed him to regain his masculine prowess in bed.