Between making her suspicious and making her lose hope, he chose suspicion.

The headache had already intensified to an unbearable point. The black mist appeared before Xiahou Dan’s eyes as he forced out a rather roguish smile: “I don’t remember.”

Yu Wanyin turned and left.

Xiahou Dan only remembered hearing the sound of her opening the door and leaving, as well as the inquiring voice of the palace guard outside. After that, there was only darkness.

“Crown Prince.”

Zhang San heard the voice and hurriedly turned around, respectfully saying: “Imperial Grandmother.”

The palace servants in the distance, whom he had been directing, also stopped their work to pay their respects.

The dignified woman glanced behind him: “What are you doing here?”

“In response to Imperial Grandmother’s question, a few days ago was the Flower Festival. After seeing the arrangements in the Imperial Garden, your grandson had an idea to plant some flowers for Imperial Grandmother.”

Zhang San had been eavesdropping on ancient people’s conversations daily, so now he spoke more naturally: “By Imperial Grandmother’s birthday, these flowers should bloom, perfect for offering birthday wishes to Imperial Grandmother.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression softened slightly: “I notice the arrangement of these flower seedlings seems to have some particular design.”

Zhang San smiled tightly: “Imperial Grandmother is perceptive. This is a picture of two dragons playing with a pearl, symbolizing auspiciousness.”

He hadn’t heard a response for a long time.

Zhang San looked up somewhat anxiously.

The Empress Dowager’s expression turned cold: “The empire of Da Xia needs only one true dragon.”

Zhang San: “…”

How am I supposed to respond to that?!

The Empress Dowager looked at his bewildered appearance and after a long while revealed an expression close to pity: “Your mother died early, and the Emperor has already found new love. Soon he will appoint a new Empress, and after that, there will be a new Crown Prince. In this vast palace, only I care for you.”

Zhang San had only one thought in mind.

He must please this Empress Dowager today. Because those flower seedlings were his only hope of recognizing his kind.

With sudden inspiration, he pledged: “Imperial Grandmother misunderstands. Those two dragons I planted, one represents Imperial Grandmother, one represents your grandson.”

Empress Dowager: “…”

Zhang San waited nervously.

The Empress Dowager smiled: “Now that’s my good grandson. Don’t worry, no new imperial sons will be born in the palace.”

Based on Xiahou Dan’s recent pattern of alternating between two sides, tonight should be Xie Yong’er’s turn to serve in the bedchamber.

Xie Yong’er arrived at the imperial bedchamber all dressed up but was stopped at the main door.

The guard said: “His Majesty has already retired.”

This early?

Xie Yong’er was confused and suspected Yu Wanyin was causing trouble. She bit her lip and took out a piece of broken silver from her sleeve, offering it: “My good sir…”

The guard’s sword slid out of its sheath by three inches with a “shing.”

Xie Yong’er was greatly startled and quickly stepped back.

“Oh my, Consort Xie,” the Chief Eunuch An Xian pushed open the door, smiling and saying, “Unfortunately today, His Majesty has a headache and is irritable. He ordered that no one is to be seen. Please return, Consort.”

“Master An, speaking of this, Yong’er has learned some massage techniques.” Xie Yong’er smiled flatteringly and reached into her sleeve again, but saw An Xian looking at her, frowning and shaking his head.

She stopped in her tracks.

Inside the imperial bedchamber.

Bei Zhou finally couldn’t bear it anymore. He applied some medicinal oil to his palms, rubbed his hands together to warm them, and reached toward the person lying on the bed with eyes tightly closed.

Before he could touch the man’s temples, a cold hand gripped his wrist.

The tightly closed eyes suddenly opened, dark pupils surging with fury, which was painfully suppressed after recognizing the visitor: “Don’t touch me, Uncle Bei.”

Bei Zhou said compassionately: “You’re in such pain, let Uncle massage you, it will make you feel better.”

Xiahou Dan just kept holding his wrist tightly.

Bei Zhou: “Sigh, why did the illness suddenly flare up…” After entering the palace, he had already checked every corner and tested all of Xiahou Dan’s meals, but never discovered any poison.

Xiahou Dan curved his bloodless lips slightly: “Perhaps there’s a tumor in my brain.”

“Nonsense, didn’t Uncle check your pulse? There’s nothing like that.”

Xiahou Dan muttered: “Only a CT scan would tell.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Uncle, I want some sweet porridge.”

Bei Zhou immediately stood up: “Uncle will make it for you.”

After he walked far away, a figure quietly approached and knelt at the bedside.

Xiahou Dan stared blankly at the bed curtains for a while, then sighed: “Go invite Master Bai.”

Xie Yong’er walked quite far, still unable to believe she had been sent away.

The Emperor had been infatuated with her, allowing her to wield power in the harem, and had just cleared out a batch of thorns in her side. How could the situation change overnight? Even that ever-flattering An Xian dared to show her attitude!

According to the palace drama convention, it began to rain at this moment.

Xie Yong’er hadn’t brought an umbrella and walked alone in the bitter wind and rain, with erhu background music playing in her mind.

Now she had to find out if there was a bewitchingly beautiful Yu Wanyin hidden behind that tightly closed door of the Emperor’s bedchamber.

Xie Yong’er circled to the outside of the Noble Consort’s palace.

To her surprise, Yu Wanyin was not only in the Noble Consort’s palace but sitting alone in the corridor, holding a palace lantern and looking up at the rain. Her wet hair clung to her cheeks, making her beautiful face appear unusually pale.

Xie Yong’er: “…”

In a scene like this, how can you look more miserable than me?!

Xie Yong’er paused, just about to make a tactical retreat when Yu Wanyin looked over, surprised: “Is that Sister Yong’er?”

She called Xie Yong’er under the corridor to shelter from the rain: “Sister, shouldn’t you be serving the Emperor tonight? Why are you here?”

Xie Yong’er lowered her head: “His Majesty is unwell and has already retired.”

Xiahou Dan is sick? Yu Wanyin was startled.

In the afternoon at the imperial study, he did mention a headache. After she left, had it gotten worse?

Or perhaps… he was just pretending to be ill?

She had become suspicious of his identity, so was he avoiding the question by feigning weakness?

Yu Wanyin regretted leaving the imperial study. What good would it do her to expose him? All along she had been trying to ignore the inconsistencies about him, wasn’t she also avoiding this moment of bewilderment and helplessness in having no one to turn to?

Xie Yong’er observed Yu Wanyin’s expression. She hadn’t expected that this Noble Consort was genuinely unaware.

So the Emperor was truly ill?

Xie Yong’er’s thoughts turned, and she suddenly showed concern: “Sister Noble Consort, you should go see His Majesty. He was in great discomfort earlier and seemed to say he wanted to find you.”

She didn’t want to be the only one to experience being driven away by the guards.

Yu Wanyin’s reaction was somewhat unexpected. There was neither pleasure nor anticipation on her face; instead, she frowned as if experiencing an inner struggle.

Xie Yong’er feared she might back out and was about to offer more encouragement when Yu Wanyin took the bait: “In that case, I’ll go check on him.”

Xie Yong’er watched her leave with satisfaction.

Yu Wanyin opened a paper umbrella and walked into the rain, but suddenly turned back: “Sister, please rest here for a while. I’ll have Little Mei bring you some dry clothes, and see you home when the rain stops. Thank you for coming specially to tell me this.”

Xie Yong’er smiled more brightly, saying slowly: “Sister warned me not to drink contraceptive medicine. That kindness, Yong’er has always kept in her heart.”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

It couldn’t be sincere, could it?

Looking at it now, compared to the two Xiahou men, Xie Yong’er’s level of scheming was so low it was almost adorable.

Yu Wanyin felt a trace of guilt and said gloomily: “I never expected there would come a day when I could confide in you, Sister.”

Xie Yong’er: “…”

It couldn’t be sincere, could it?

Was she just giving friendly advice last time?

From her perspective as an ancient person, she truly couldn’t have anticipated anyone would deliberately reject the imperial seed. So was her poisoning purely self-inflicted?

But… if the scheming female lead from the original text completely stopped being villainous, wouldn’t her preemptive struggles become one-sided persecution?

Yu Wanyin was already walking toward the imperial bedchamber. Xie Yong’er stared confusedly into the rain, opening and closing her mouth, but ultimately made no sound.

Thunder rolled, and a flash of lightning tore through the sky, reflecting a pale light on the guard’s sword.

Guard: “Please return, Noble Consort. His Majesty will see no one.”

Yu Wanyin had originally been hesitant to face Xiahou Dan, but seeing this situation, her heart became anxious: “What’s wrong with His Majesty?”

The guard remained tight-lipped.

Yu Wanyin’s palace lantern had already been extinguished by the rain. The paper umbrella couldn’t block the heavy rain coming from all directions, leaving her completely soaked and shivering: “Could I trouble you to report to… to Matron Bei…”

“Noble Consort Yu?”

Yu Wanyin turned around. Bei Zhou, dressed as a matron, was about to enter the hall with a bowl of sweet porridge.

She quickly grabbed him and whispered: “Uncle Bei, let me go in and see him.”

Bei Zhou gave her a scrutinizing look, perhaps remembering her righteous declaration of “doing him” on the boat that day. His expression softened slightly: “Follow me.”

Xiahou Dan had curled up completely under the covers, forming a ball. Bei Zhou called him twice and pulled back the covers to expose his head: “Wanyin is here.”

Yu Wanyin was frightened.

Xiahou Dan’s long hair was disheveled, and his face was as white as paper. He looked at Yu Wanyin with effort and said hoarsely: “Thank you, Uncle. Please leave the porridge for now.”

Bei Zhou tactfully left.

Yu Wanyin sat on the edge of the bed and asked cautiously: “Shall I feed you?”

Xiahou Dan made a nodding-like movement, but immediately gritted his teeth and froze, veins bulging on his forehead as if even that slight movement caused extreme pain.

Yu Wanyin helplessly supported him, not daring to use much force. After a while, Xiahou Dan himself made up his mind and sat up. Yu Wanyin quickly pulled over two soft pillows to support him.

She reached out to pick up the bowl of porridge but was stopped by Xiahou Dan.

Xiahou Dan took a long, deep breath and spoke in a low, gentle tone: “Let’s talk.”

“There’s no rush, rest well first…”

“You guessed correctly,” he interrupted. “I’m not a CEO.”

Xiahou Dan: “Before transmigrating, I was a mediocre actor who couldn’t make a name for myself despite playing bit parts for many years.”

Yu Wanyin looked at him in astonishment.

This could explain his convincing performance as a tyrannical emperor.

“But if that’s all, why did you deliberately deceive me?”

“I didn’t mean to deceive you. At that time, you guessed I was a CEO, and I just went along with it.”

“Why?”

Xiahou Dan smiled, his lips completely bloodless: “I’ve always had bad luck, so when I first transmigrated, my initial reaction was that I would die in this godforsaken place. Then you appeared, like a savior from heaven, holding the script, determined to succeed, immediately planning a desperate comeback… Looking at you, I felt there was still hope.”

He closed his eyes briefly, his Adam’s apple moving with difficulty: “I was afraid of losing you. Once you discovered I was such an incompetent failure, you would leave me, wouldn’t you? If you left, I would be finished.”

Yu Wanyin was at a loss for words for a moment: “…It’s not quite what I imagined.”

“Oh?”

“I thought you would be carrying some deep, dark secret.”

Xiahou Dan didn’t allow himself to pause for even half a second and smiled gently: “It seems this poor acting skill still has some use after all.”

He sighed and looked at her frankly: “But now you know, I don’t have much chance of winning. Even if Prince Duan is just a fictional character, his tactics surpass mine a hundredfold. So that promise still stands: if you choose to leave, I completely understand and won’t stop you.”

He leaned against the pillow, his eyes like those of a harmless large dog.