Shen Miao’s heart immediately tightened.

If Xie Jingxing could have concealed it even slightly, he would likely have put on a brave face and acted as if nothing had happened. After all, the Yongle Emperor would not mention “the Rui Prince is injured” in front of the Lu and Ye families. That the Emperor now made almost no attempt to hide it—did this indicate the matter was already so serious that it couldn’t be concealed?

Madam Ji stood beside Shen Miao and immediately gripped her hand, probably fearing Shen Miao would be anxious. She instead tried to comfort her: “In the hunting grounds, friction is inevitable. Perhaps he accidentally injured himself somewhere. With so many guards protecting him, there shouldn’t be any serious issues.” Yet concern was increasingly evident on her face.

Shen Miao didn’t want Madam Ji to become flustered as well, so she agreed with her words, though inwardly she thought differently. Since the Yongle Emperor had let Xie Jingxing leave the city first, not exposing him to these officials, Xie Jingxing’s injury must be more than just a “minor friction.”

She scanned the surroundings but saw neither Xie Jingxing’s Iron Clothes nor Gao Yang, which made her even more anxious.

The Yongle Emperor seemed unwilling to say more. Even though he had hunted the male lion, his expression showed no particular joy. People speculated about the Rui Prince’s injuries, but they knew the Yongle Emperor was displeased. Everyone knew the deep brotherly affection between the Rui Prince and the Yongle Emperor. Regardless of how serious the Rui Prince’s injuries were, the fact that they had entered the inner grounds together, yet only the Rui Prince was injured, certainly displeased the Emperor. Thus, no one dared to approach the Emperor at this moment, not even Jing Consort, who had set aside her usual arrogance to serve carefully by his side.

Since the lion had been hunted, people naturally had no reason to remain at the hunting grounds. The Yongle Emperor was returning to the palace, and the various officials and their families would return to their residences. While everyone was being cautious, Lu Zhengchun, of all people, casually inquired about the Emperor’s sixtieth anniversary celebration. The Yongle Emperor, who typically still preserved some face for Lu Zhengchun, today merely snorted coldly and departed, his displeasure evident to all the officials who whispered among themselves. Lu Zhengchun, however, not only didn’t appear angry but seemed somewhat pleased, making his fierce face look truly terrifying.

Shen Miao also needed to hurry back to the Rui Prince’s residence, concerned about Xie Jingxing’s injuries. Madam Ji and Ji Yushu also wanted to go, but Shen Miao shook her head and said: “This matter is still unclear and probably not as simple as it seems. If Aunt and Yushu go now, it might allow others to exploit. I’ll go back first to see what’s happening, and Aunt and Yushu can come when His Highness is better.” After a pause, she added: “Especially at a time like this, we must not lose our composure.”

Although Ji Yushu and Madam Ji didn’t understand the full story, they had navigated the whirlpools of imperial power before and gradually grasped the meaning behind Shen Miao’s words. Master Ji agreed with Shen Miao’s assessment, so Ji Yushu and Madam Ji no longer insisted on going along.

They parted ways, and Shen Miao immediately rushed with Mo Qing’s group toward the Rui Prince’s residence without stopping. Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang tried to comfort Shen Miao: “Madam, please don’t worry. Master’s martial skills are strong; ordinary people can’t easily harm him. Perhaps this is part of Master’s plan to confuse the enemy.”

Shen Miao shook her head: “I have a bad feeling.” It was more than just a bad feeling—it was as if something was gripping her heart, making her extremely uneasy. She wished she could instantly appear at the Rui Prince’s residence to see Xie Jingxing’s condition.

Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang exchanged glances but said nothing more.

When they arrived at the Rui Prince’s residence, Shen Miao immediately headed toward the entrance as soon as she stepped down from the carriage. The guards at the door quickly let her pass. As soon as she stepped inside, she noticed the residence was unusually quiet.

Normally, Uncle Tang would have come forward to greet her, calling out “Madam has returned” and offering sweet soup or the like, but today not a soul was in sight.

Anxious, Shen Miao walked straight into the courtyard without hesitation. There she saw Uncle Tang pacing back and forth in front of a room door, looking worried.

Shen Miao’s heart sank, and just then Uncle Tang spotted her. She immediately approached him and, without any pleasantries, asked directly: “How is he?”

“His Highness is severely injured. Young Master Gao is treating him now,” Uncle Tang sighed worriedly. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen His Highness like this.”

Shen Miao thought for a moment, then pushed the door open and walked in.

Upon entering, she was immediately hit by the heavy smell of blood. Iron Clothes, who was at Xie Jingxing’s side, was silently wringing a cloth in a basin; the amount of fresh blood in it was enough to make one’s heart sink. Gao Yang’s brows were furrowed tightly. Seeing Shen Miao enter, he was momentarily startled before saying: “You… already know, right?”

Shen Miao quickly walked to the bedside. Xie Jingxing’s eyes were tightly closed, his face as white as paper, his lips pale. His upper garments had been opened, revealing multiple arrow wounds on his abdomen, with the deepest being a knife mark. Unlike the last time Shen Miao had seen him, this knife wound was clearly new, but because it overlapped perfectly with the old scar, it was much deeper—old wounds not yet healed now compounded with new ones.

What chilled Shen Miao’s heart most was that the blood around the wound had a purplish tinge. She pointed at Xie Jingxing’s wound, her voice unsteady: “This—”

“Poisoned,” Gao Yang cut her off bluntly.

Shen Miao felt as if struck by lightning.

After a moment, she composed herself: “Can you cure it?”

Gao Yang shook his head.

“This isn’t just one poison but several mixed. If I want to cure it, I must first identify what poisons these are. That requires time, but his wound can’t wait that long.”

“If it can’t wait that long, then find a way to make him wait! His life is in your hands—there can’t be the slightest mistake!” Shen Miao shouted fiercely.

Gao Yang was stunned. He knew Shen Miao wasn’t as gentle and kind as she appeared, but this was the first time he had seen her so harsh and commanding, like a superior instructing a minister.

Even Iron Clothes was shocked. He had always thought that although the future young mistress was intelligent and calculating, her attitude was too soft. She usually wore a gentle smile, lacking some ruthlessness, which might eventually become a burden at Xie Jingxing’s side. Now, seeing Shen Miao like this reminded him of the late empress.

Shen Miao took a deep breath to calm herself before asking Gao Yang: “How many days can he hold on at most, and how many days do you need to cure his poison?”

“He can last seven days at most, while I need at least half a month to create an antidote,” Gao Yang showed an expression of helplessness and resignation for the first time. “The most urgent matter now is that he can’t even last seven days—his old wounds have reopened.”

Shen Miao looked at Xie Jingxing. Lying in bed, he appeared very peaceful, like a sleeping noble young master. Yet within this proud exterior, which seemed to live a life above others, lay hidden many battles of swords and spears. The last time Shen Miao had seen Xie Jingxing’s body, she had noticed many old scars.

Suddenly, she thought of something and said to Gao Yang: “Wait a moment.” She then left the room and went to another chamber. Jingzhe and Guyu were waiting outside. They hadn’t gone to the hunting grounds that day but had waited at the residence for Shen Miao, only to witness the severely injured Xie Jingxing arrive. Already worried, they now feared Shen Miao might be overwhelmed with anxiety and wanted to offer some comfort, but saw her head straight for the dressing table, pulling out a small box from a drawer below it and opening it.

Inside the box was a round object and a medicine bottle. Shen Miao grabbed the bottle and hurried back to the room where Gao Yang was, handing him the bottle and saying: “There are three Guiyuan Pills in here. Could they help him?”

The box contained the dowry gifts that Luo Tan and Feng Anning had given Shen Miao when she got married. Luo Tan had given her a compass, while Feng Anning had provided three Guiyuan Pills. Guiyuan Pills were meant to help extend life, giving those near death a bit more time. They were precious items left by a great Ming Qi court physician, and Feng Anning had generously given her three. Shen Miao suddenly remembered them, wondering if they might help Xie Jingxing.

Gao Yang was delighted and asked: “Where did you get these?” He took the bottle, poured out one pill, examined it carefully, sniffed it, and said: “Yes, these are indeed Guiyuan Pills. They’ll help with these, he should be able to last ten days.”

Shen Miao breathed a sigh of relief, only to hear Gao Yang add: “But I may not be able to develop an antidote within ten days.”

“Whether you can develop it or not, you must try. If it doesn’t work, we’ll deal with it then. Right now, as a physician, don’t concern yourself with what can’t be done,” she said coldly.

Iron Clothes and Uncle Tang, who had followed them in, looked at Shen Miao in surprise, not expecting that at a time like this, a woman could remain so composed.

In truth, Shen Miao wasn’t as calm as she appeared. She just knew that panic would accomplish nothing at this point. She needed to keep her mind clear to think about what to do next.

Gao Yang nodded and said: “I’ll now administer acupuncture, along with the Guiyuan Pill, to stabilize him temporarily. Please step outside for now.”

Shen Miao glanced at Xie Jingxing, feeling as if something was tightly gripping her heart, then walked out. Once outside, she said to Uncle Tang: “You all go ahead. I’d like to be alone for a while.”

Uncle Tang seemed to want to say something, but finally said: “Whatever happens, Madam must take care of herself. We servants will do our utmost to assist you.”

Shen Miao acknowledged him. After Iron Clothes and Uncle Tang left, she dismissed Jingzhe and the others, then stood outside the room looking at the courtyard, feeling utterly exhausted.

After a while, she sat down on the steps in the courtyard.

The weather in June was already hot, especially in Da Liang, where warmth came early, but the ground was cool, and the wind was blowing—Shen Miao felt a chill. She wondered what she should do if something truly happened to Xie Jingxing. Perhaps she should think about her future life and what she would need to do—that would be the rational approach. But at this moment, she couldn’t bring herself to rationally analyze the future, as if those outcomes were something she refused to even consider.

When had Xie Jingxing become so important to her that the thought of losing him made the rest of her life seem tasteless? If one had never tasted honey, its absence might be bearable, but once tasted and then lost, everything became unacceptable.

Footsteps approached, and Pei Lang had somehow entered the courtyard. Seeing her sitting on the steps, he sat down beside her. After a moment of hesitation, he said: “Don’t worry, he’s a prince of Da Liang—he won’t succumb so easily.”

Shen Miao remained silent. Her eyes dimmed slightly, making Pei Lang feel a bitterness in his mouth and an ache in his heart. Come to think of it, he had never seen Shen Miao like this before. In front of Pei Lang, she had always been confident and assertive, always seeming to want to outdo him. When Pei Lang was imprisoned in the Ding Prince’s dungeon, he had wondered if Shen Miao would feel guilty or concerned about his life. What would Shen Miao look like when she worried about someone? Now he finally saw it—when Shen Miao worried about someone’s life, she had no sharp edges; she was as vulnerable as any ordinary woman.

It felt as though, despite sitting close to Shen Miao, the distance between them was vast.

Pei Lang said, “You should go inside. The wind is strong.”

“There’s no need,” Shen Miao looked outward. “Your body isn’t fully recovered yet. Don’t worry about me—go rest first.”

Pei Lang was silent for a moment, then said: “Let me keep you company.”

Shen Miao didn’t bother to persuade him otherwise. Her thoughts were entirely focused on Xie Jingxing’s condition in the room, not on Pei Lang at all.

Gao Yang worked tirelessly through the entire night.

Shen Miao also sat through the entire night.

The night at the hunting grounds when she had waited for news of Xie Jingxing while Madam Ji dozed, Shen Miao hadn’t slept either. She had now gone two days without closing her eyes, yet somehow remained alert.

When the rooster crowed for the third time, Gao Yang opened the door and came out. Seeing Shen Miao and Pei Lang sitting on the steps outside, he couldn’t help but be surprised: “Have you been sitting here all night?”

Shen Miao rubbed her numb knees and asked Gao Yang: “How is he?”

“He’s stable for now. The Guiyuan Pill worked well. Next, I’ll be researching the antidote method in my room—no one is to disturb me.” He looked at Shen Miao again: “For these days, I entrust him to your care.”

Uncle Tang, who had come upon hearing the news, couldn’t help but ask: “What if you haven’t emerged after ten days?”

Gao Yang didn’t respond, and the atmosphere in the room instantly became heavy.

“Go ahead,” Shen Miao broke the silence. Her voice was completely calm, as if the person hanging between life and death wasn’t her husband.

Gao Yang looked at her earnestly: “I also hope to succeed. If I fail, I will never be happy again in this life.”

He turned and left.

Uncle Tang looked at Shen Miao, then at Pei Lang, and said: “Madam, Young Master Pei, you’ve been up all night without eating. Now that the master’s condition has stabilized, please eat something and rest. We wouldn’t want the master to recover only to find you’ve fallen ill.”

Shen Miao nodded and said, “Bring it to the room. I’ll rest there so I can watch over him. Also, send word to Madam Ji that His Highness’s condition is temporarily stable, though he hasn’t awakened yet, so they shouldn’t come over for now.”

Uncle Tang nodded. Pei Lang looked at Shen Miao, saw her sit down in a chair at the bedside inside the room, his eyes darkening slightly, and then he also left.

Guyu quickly brought over a bowl of porridge. Shen Miao asked her to leave and close the door behind her. Only Shen Miao, the unconscious Xie Jingxing, and Iron Clothes remained in the room. As she ate, she asked Iron Clothes: “What exactly happened? Can you tell me now?”

Iron Clothes hesitated.

Shen Miao put down what she was holding and stared at him sternly: “You accompanied him into the inner grounds that day. No one knows better than you what happened. Even if you recognize only him as your master, you cannot keep me in the dark.”

Iron Clothes hastily said: “It’s not that, Madam. I’m just not very clear about Master’s plan this time either. Since he discussed it with the Emperor, even the Mo Yu army wasn’t involved. But something unexpected seems to have happened midway. The Emperor’s life was in grave danger in the inner grounds—someone ambushed from within the Imperial Guards. Master took a knife meant for the Emperor and was seriously wounded. The knife was poisoned; someone wanted the Emperor’s life.”

In an instant, Shen Miao connected the dots, and her suspicions formed a vague answer. This hunt was a contest between the Yongle Emperor and the Lu family, or perhaps just the Lu family. The Yongle Emperor wanted to use his own life to bring down the entire Lu family. The Lu family wanted to take this opportunity to deal with the Yongle Emperor, not knowing the Emperor had decided to die if necessary.

But the Yongle Emperor hadn’t informed Xie Jingxing of this mutual destruction plan, or perhaps the Emperor knew Xie Jingxing wouldn’t agree. That’s why Xie Jingxing had said “the plan has changed.” To save the Yongle Emperor’s life, Xie Jingxing had sustained such serious injuries.

Shen Miao silently looked at the young man lying in bed. Usually, he was proud and mischievous, skilled at holding everything in his palm, masterfully planning and calculating, yet making it all seem effortless behind his casual smile. Because he always presented himself as strong, people forgot that in some ways, he was just an ordinary person—subject to the cycle of birth, aging, illness, and death. Once injured, he could also be in danger and might even disappear from this world completely.

Shen Miao’s heart suddenly ached as she recalled what Xie Jingxing had said to her before entering the inner grounds: “I’ll wait for you to return.” Looking at him now, it seemed cruelly ironic.

But the effect of the Guiyuan Pill wouldn’t last long. If Gao Yang couldn’t develop an antidote within ten days, what then? Shen Miao frowned as she looked at Xie Jingxing, her nails gradually digging into her palm.

She needed to consider both the present and the future. If the present couldn’t be secured, then the chief culprit would surely taste tenfold suffering.

In the Weiyang Palace, the Yongle Emperor angrily swept the memorial documents in his hand to the ground.

The Xiande Empress sighed and bent down to pick them up.

“The Lu family is bold enough, with wild ambitions.” The Emperor’s face was as dark as water. “Even at a time like this, they still show off their martial prowess before me. I wish I could flay his skin and drink his blood!”

“The Lu family has committed evil deeds relying on their power, and this time they’ve gone even further. If not for Jingxing’s selfless protection—” The Xiande Empress didn’t finish.

Hearing this, a flash of pain crossed the Yongle Emperor’s eyes, and he said: “I wish I had died instead.”

“Jingxing is a child who values loyalty and righteousness deeply. Your Majesty knew he wouldn’t agree, so you didn’t tell him beforehand, right? In other words, even if Your Majesty had arranged everything, it might not have made Jingxing happy. For him, it’s a shackle. Your Majesty never considered his feelings.”

The Xiande Empress’s words were pointed, showing no deference to the Yongle Emperor. The Emperor, already in a foul mood, was almost enraged at her words.

“Your Majesty needn’t be angry. Currently, Jingxing hasn’t awakened yet. The most pressing matter is to focus on the solution rather than blame,” the Xiande Empress reminded him, seeing his reaction.

The Yongle Emperor closed his eyes briefly and said: “I know. He is my only brother.”

“Gao Yang is caring for Jingxing’s injuries. There’s been no news from the Rui Prince’s residence yet. But Your Majesty, what’s more important now is that the Lu family has already begun to act.”

“I know,” the Yongle Emperor’s lips curled slightly. At this moment, he looked seven or eight parts similar to Xie Jingxing’s usual demeanor—smiling, yet making others feel his cold danger. He said: “He wanted to deal with me. Since I didn’t die, it’s my turn to deal with him. We both have military power. The Lu family has lived long enough. This time, if Xie Yuan has even the slightest ill fate, I will have the entire Lu clan, all nine branches, accompany him in death.” He paused, then added word by word: “Even if Xie Yuan recovers, they will have no escape.”

The Xiande Empress nodded slightly, looking at the sky outside. Outside the palace in June, what had been bright sunshine a moment ago was now covered with dense clouds.

The weather was about to change, after all.

At the Gao family residence, Gao Yang had just returned when he heard an angry voice: “Gao Yang, you’re clearly from Da Liang’s Long Yi, yet you lied to me saying you were from Ming Qi’s Ding Jing. You’re not a physician at all—you’re Da Liang’s Minister of Guards. You liar!”

Luo Tan stood furiously at the door. She looked somewhat haggard, with dark circles under her eyes. Looking at Gao Yang, she clearly demanded an explanation.

Gao Yang had returned to prepare medicines—his pharmacy was in his residence, which also had many medicinal ingredients. Since the Gao residence and the Rui Prince’s residence were quite close, he had returned to his residence to concoct medicine. He hadn’t expected to face Luo Tan’s questioning upon his return.

The maid beside Luo Tan looked apologetically at Gao Yang. On the day of the royal hunt, she had followed Gao Yang’s instructions to keep Luo Tan away, but Luo Tan had slipped out on her own and happened to see Gao Yang walking among the officials. Luo Tan might be absent-minded about small matters, but she was quite shrewd about important ones. She immediately questioned the maid upon returning, and seeing that she couldn’t hide it anymore, the maid had no choice but to tell her everything.

For Luo Tan, this was difficult to accept. If Gao Yang were simply a physician, it wouldn’t matter whether he was in Da Liang or Ming Qi. But he was Da Liang’s Minister of Guards, yet had served as a physician in Ming Qi—in Luo Tan’s eyes, this made him no different from an enemy spy. Moreover, the Luo family was military. As a child, Luo Tan often went with Luo Qian to watch operas where loyal and brave heroes frequently died from the scheming of spies.

Luo Tan’s impression of Gao Yang had been quite good despite some minor flaws, and he had always taken care of her. Now, discovering that the person who had cared for her was actually “bad,” Luo Tan couldn’t accept it.

This was truly misfortune upon misfortune. Gao Yang was frantically busy with Xie Jingxing’s situation, and now he had to deal with Luo Tan as well. Previously, he would have patiently explained to Luo Tan, but now time was truly scarce. Thinking that Shen Miao must also be suffering, alone in a foreign country with her husband’s life hanging by a thread, perhaps having a sister by her side would help. He said to his servant, “Tell her. I’m going into the room now—no one is to enter.” Then he headed straight for his pharmacy.

Luo Tan had thought Gao Yang would explain some difficulties, as she still couldn’t believe he would do something so despicable. Unexpectedly, not only did Gao Yang not explain but seemed to confirm her suspicions by directly ignoring her and entering the room. She said: “Hey, what do you mean? First, explain to me clearly—”

“Miss Luo,” Gao Yang’s servant quickly stopped her and said: “Let me tell you. The situation is quite complicated. The master went out today to treat someone—the Rui Prince at the Rui Prince’s residence has had an accident and needs the master’s treatment.”

Luo Tan was stunned: “The Rui Prince—isn’t that my brother-in-law? What happened to him?”

The servant wiped his brow: “It’s a long story…”

Meanwhile, Shen Miao was leaning by Xie Jingxing’s bedside. She blinked and sat up again.

After dozing for a while, her spirit had improved. Looking at the man on the bed, still with his eyes tightly closed as if asleep, she felt relieved to see he was stable for now. Nevertheless, her heart remained unsettled.

Shen Miao felt that since her rebirth, she had always lived steadily, possessing knowledge of future paths that others couldn’t grasp. She had never been forced into desperate situations. But now, she was truly experiencing helplessness for the first time in this life. Although it wasn’t happening to her directly, it felt worse than if it had been herself.

Yet she neither had medical skills nor knew how to cure poison. All she could offer were three Guiyuan Pills, placing all her hope on Gao Yang—something Shen Miao wasn’t accustomed to. She slowly reached out and held Xie Jingxing’s hand that lay outside the blanket, as if this somehow reassured her.

Uncle Tang came to bring Shen Miao hot tea and snacks. Shen Miao wasn’t resting or eating well, and she looked haggard. Uncle Tang said, “Madam, please eat something. Continuously caring for the master is exhausting.”

Shen Miao thanked him and, after a moment of hesitation, asked: “Uncle Tang, was His Highness like this when he first arrived in Long Yi two years ago?”

Two years ago, one reason Xie Jingxing returned to Long Yi was that on the northern frontier battlefield, there were Emperor Wenhui’s troops within Ming Qi’s Xie family army seeking to take his life. Xie Jingxing had escaped death but not serious injury. It seemed it had also been a life-or-death situation, and fortunately, Gao Yang had been by his side. Combined with Xie Jingxing’s good fortune, there might otherwise be no Rui Prince today.

Uncle Tang was startled and looked pensively at Xie Jingxing on the bed, his eyes full of memories: “So Madam knows about that too. Indeed, when the master first returned to Long Yi, he was brought back in a similar state. The physicians all said there was no hope, and even Young Master Gao was helpless. But in the end, the master pulled through—it was truly a miracle.”