Thirty strokes of the rod…?

The female medical officer turned so pale she looked as though all color had drained from her face. She immediately dropped to her knees, begging for mercy: “Your Highness, this subordinate merely slipped — my fingertip grazed her wound. This subordinate did not do it on purpose.”

“Drag her out!” The Ninth Prince’s command brooked no argument.

Two female guards immediately burst in from outside, one on either side, seized the female medical officer, and escorted her out just like that.

For nothing more than letting a fingertip graze Feng Jiu’er’s wound — causing Feng Jiu’er to let out a groan — someone was actually going to receive thirty military rod strikes! It was terrifying!

Though the female medical officers here had all undergone training before being selected, and were therefore in better physical condition than ordinary female medical officers, thirty military rod strikes could still leave them with skin split and flesh torn open!

Not even a single touch was permissible! Who still dared to be careless now?

One by one, they trembled and moved with extreme care and caution. Now, who still didn’t understand the meaning of the word “gentleness”?

Whether cleaning the wound or applying medicine, they couldn’t have been gentler if they tried!

Xiao Yingtao let out a long breath and finally felt at ease. Sure enough, having the Ninth Prince here made all the difference.

Yet earlier, when they had gone to find the Ninth Prince to ask for his help, the Ninth Prince hadn’t even been willing to see them.

Now, the Ninth Prince had personally rushed back — was it solely to look in on Jiu’er?

The Ninth Prince and Jiu’er… hmm, the more she thought about it, the more something seemed off. Yet the Ninth Prince was the kind of man who seemed like a celestial immortal…

Xiao Yingtao truly found it difficult to imagine — could a man like that actually develop feelings for a girl?

After all, he himself was already more beautiful than any girl imaginable…

…

At dawn the following day, Feng Jiu’er finally awoke. The very first words out of her mouth upon waking were a cry of pain.

“Dammit — drag all of them out and give each one thirty strokes of the rod!” Zhan Qingcheng, who had kept vigil at the bedside throughout the entire night, wore a deeply dark expression.

The several female medical officers behind him who had likewise kept watch all night turned utterly ashen, and thump after thump, every single one of them dropped to their knees on the ground.

“Your Highness, have mercy — we have already done our best. Your Highness, please have mercy!”

This truly was a disaster falling out of thin air! Feng Jiu’er’s injuries were so severe, with skin split and flesh torn open in multiple places — how could she not be in pain?

Even though the Ninth Prince had already sent the finest and most superior medicines, which had already been applied, pain would naturally linger for a period of time still.

Outside, the female guards burst in again, seizing each of the female medical officers one by one and preparing to escort them out.

Xiao Yingtao, who had also kept watch through the night, kept her head bowed low, not daring to make a single sound.

This time, she had to admit they had been caught in the crossfire while doing nothing wrong. After all, given the severity of the injuries, waking up in pain was inevitable.

Still, before the Ninth Prince had arrived last night, how badly they had treated Jiu’er was truly inexcusable.

So now, being dragged out for the rod — Xiao Yingtao felt no sympathy for them.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, have mercy — we truly did our best to care for Miss Feng! Your Highness…”

“So noisy…” The Feng Jiu’er on the sickbed furrowed her brow and slowly opened her eyes.

“Jiu’er!” A wave of joy surged in Xiao Yingtao’s heart. She wanted to throw herself forward, but she distinctly sensed a certain chill that in an instant pushed her back.

The blood and energy in her chest roiled and churned, and only after a great struggle did it calm down, when she suddenly realized — she had just nearly collided into the Ninth Prince.

She had been so overwhelmed with joy at Jiu’er waking up that she had forgotten the Ninth Prince was right there at the bedside.

It seemed as though the Ninth Prince… permitted no one to touch Jiu’er?

“This subordinate — this subordinate has been impudent.” Xiao Yingtao caught her breath, yet could not suppress the joy brimming in her heart: “Jiu’er, you’ve finally woken up!”

“What’s going on here?” Feng Jiu’er looked at the several female medical officers being led away, frowning. “What did they… do wrong?”