Wei Yan’s expression stiffened slightly. Rather than answering, he replied with a question: “Why would Miss Ling ask that?”

Ling Jingshu’s voice was slow and clear: “Because my instincts tell me that what you just said is not the full truth.”

If it were only because of Prince Yan, why had Wei Yan’s expression been so strange that day — why had he seemed so tense? There was certainly something else at play here!

Wei Yan was evidently unwilling to go deeper into the matter. He sidestepped it: “In any case, the situation within the palace is complex. When you enter the palace in future and see Empress Xu, simply take great care.”

Something moved quietly within Ling Jingshu, and a vague and frightening conjecture began to take shape in her mind: “Imperial Physician Wei — you are being evasive and unwilling to speak plainly — is it because this matter also concerns you?”

Wei Yan’s body went rigid. His expression grew taut, and a flash of wariness and guardedness crossed his eyes. His voice suddenly turned cold: “Miss Ling — asking these questions — don’t you find it presumptuous and reckless for an acquaintance of such shallow standing to probe so deeply?”

So it really did concern him!

Something sank within Ling Jingshu’s heart, though her face betrayed nothing: “I’ll be presumptuous and reckless just this once. You have warned me again and again to be on my guard against Empress Xu — which shows you know perfectly well in your own heart that Empress Xu must have some reason for bearing ill will toward me. Perhaps one day she will move against me. If it is because of you that I have been caught up in this — have I not been implicated unjustly? I feel anxious and uneasy — is it wrong to press you for a few answers?”

Wei Yan was silent, his handsome face drawn extremely tight, with the look of someone who found what he had to say deeply difficult to give voice to.

Could it be……that things were truly as she suspected?!

Ling Jingshu knew the conjecture was absurd, yet looking at Wei Yan’s expression and reaction at this moment, that preposterous notion in her mind grew ever clearer.

“Imperial Physician Wei — Empress Xu…… toward you…… she……”

How on earth was one supposed to put this?

What Ling Jingshu asked was vague and unclear, yet Wei Yan understood it perfectly without any effort.

His first instinct was to deny it.

A grown man of seven feet, and yet coveted by a woman of authority past her fortieth year who held power in her hands. It was the greatest humiliation of his life. He had gone to great lengths to conceal it — not even his own elder sister knew. How could he ever be willing to let a young lady of good family come to know of it?

All the more so because that person was Ling Jingshu……

He absolutely could not admit to this!

Wei Yan’s gaze was complex, and his expression had a faint and barely contained torment to it. The “absolutely not the case” he had been prepared to say somehow transformed, by the time it reached his lips, into: “Previously I pressed you for your secret, and you refused to breathe a single word of it. Now you come pressing me like this. The principle of not doing to others what one would not wish done to oneself — you ought to know it.”

The words were cold and stiff, repelling anyone who came close.

The color drained rapidly from Ling Jingshu’s face.

Not because of Wei Yan’s cold words — but because Wei Yan had not denied it.

Her conjecture was actually true!

Empress Xu actually harbored improper intentions toward Wei Yan!

“She is the mistress of the entire palace — how could she allow herself to entertain such base and vile thoughts.” In the shock that shook her mind, Ling Jingshu’s words came out in some disorder: “Is she not afraid the Emperor will notice? If the Emperor were ever to find out, how could he spare her!”

Wei Yan curled the corner of his lips coldly: “The Emperor is old, with flagging energy, and has grown neglectful of governance. For several years now he has put the greater part of his mind into Taoist practice and the refinement of elixirs — intent on ascending to immortality and living without end. He has had no inclination whatsoever to concern himself with the rear palace. The inner attendants in Empress Xu’s Jiaofang Palace are replaced in batches at intervals — this matter is an open secret within the palace, though never spoken of aloud.”

As is so often said — like mother, like daughter. Princess Changping’s wanton and unbridled conduct was clearly learned from Empress Xu.

Ling Jingshu opened her mouth, but for the moment could not find anything to say.

Should she comfort him? But with something like this, there was truly no comfort to be given.

The opposing party was the high-ranking and powerful Empress Xu. And she had only harbored covert desires toward him — had not truly “acted” on Wei Yan…… other than enduring it in silence, what else could Wei Yan do?

Wei Yan had never taken a wife all this time — it seemed likely that Empress Xu’s covert interference had no small part in that as well!

Wei Yan, not knowing what memory had come to him, let a dark and contemptuous light flash through his eyes: “In those years, when Empress Xu sought to arrange a marriage for me, it was a test. Had I truly married that young lady from a minor branch of the Xu family, I would have fallen completely into the hands of the Xu faction. And so, without any hesitation, I refused — and made a vow never to take a wife.”

“It was because of that vow that I was able to preserve myself.”

Being coveted by someone was clearly no pleasant memory.

Wei Yan’s complexion was very poor. He paused for a moment before continuing: “Later, I established Huichun Hall. As my medical skills improved and my reputation grew, I began examining the pulse of the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Empress Xu also frequently had me go to read her pulse for peace of mind. As my comings and goings to her Jiaofang Palace increased, I became somewhat acquainted with Lüzhu, one of the female officials in the Jiaofang Palace.”

Lüzhu……

Ling Jingshu turned the two characters over silently in her mind. From the name alone, the image seemed to form of a lovely and charming slender young woman.

Bringing up this long-unspoken name, Wei Yan’s own manner became somewhat subdued: “Lüzhu was the most capable and relied-upon female official at Empress Xu’s side. She had a lively and sunny temperament, and every time she saw me she would strike up a few extra words of conversation.”

“I harbored no other thoughts toward her — I simply found her personality pleasing, and occasionally I would exchange a few idle words with her. My elder sister had actually taken a notion to petition Empress Xu to bestow Lüzhu upon me in marriage, though I would not have it. But what I never expected was that Empress Xu came to know of this matter — and a vicious idea was born in her heart.”

Ling Jingshu felt a tremor pass through her, and she pressed involuntarily: “What happened after that?”

Wei Yan’s voice was low: “After that, Lüzhu ‘contracted a virulent disease’ and was dismissed from the palace. Within less than half a year, she was dead.”

There was no need to ask further — everyone would know this was all Empress Xu’s doing in the shadows.

A young and vibrant life extinguished by the merest passing whim of Empress Xu.

Just like her own past life!

The color drained from Ling Jingshu’s face, and she pressed her lips together tightly.

Wei Yan looked at Ling Jingshu deeply: “These things, I have never spoken of to anyone. I am telling you specifically today because I want you to understand the kind of methods Empress Xu employs. Her sudden ‘favor’ toward you — it is absolutely not out of goodwill. Keep that in mind and take great care!”

Ling Jingshu first gave a nod, then suddenly something shifted in her as she turned the words back over in her mind. Her eyes went wide in shock: “What you mean is — Empress Xu would, because of you, harbor jealousy and resentment toward me, and then move against me? But…… but my dealings with you have only been on account of Ling Xiao’s illness — we have had no other connection at all! How could she possibly come to such a misunderstanding!”

Looking at the disbelief written all over Ling Jingshu’s face, Wei Yan felt, for once, something like embarrassment. He lowered his voice and said: “I make it a point to avoid all contact with young ladies of good family in order to prevent misunderstanding. On the rare occasions when a female patient forces an encounter, I generally say as little as possible. Though our dealings have not been close, to anyone who knows my temperament well — what we have already amounts to a degree of unusual closeness.”

Ling Jingshu: “……”

Wei Yan’s awkwardness had made her feel awkward and uncomfortable as well. As though the two of them truly had some ambiguous and unclear relationship……