Xiao Rongyan unhurriedly lowered his head closer to Bai Qingyan, speaking softly: “This life may be brief, but what joy is there without you?”

The cool breeze lifted a corner of the bed curtains once more, causing the fragrant sachets and wind chimes that her sisters had tied to the bedhead to pray for Bai Qingyan’s to tinkle and chime.

The two drew ever closer. He simply gazed quietly into Bai Qingyan’s eyes, tentatively touching her nose tip with his own.

Bai Qingyan held her breath. The palm of her hand gripping Xiao Rongyan’s wrist began to tingle, as if she had suddenly lost all strength, her fingers hanging limply on his wrist.

Bai Qingyan lifted her head and gently touched Xiao Rongyan’s lips, gazing into his profoundly deep eyes…

The tingling, numbing flutter between lips and teeth made Xiao Rongyan’s hand supporting himself on the bed tighten. He gripped the brocade quilt beneath Bai Qingyan firmly, exerting all his self-control…

Bai Qingyan still had injuries. A gentle kiss that barely tasted should stop there, yet he couldn’t help but move a few inches closer to Bai Qingyan, lightly touching her lips again. His throat rolled as he spoke: “Rest well and recover these next few days. I will come to visit you. I imagine… the Bai family will surely permit me to visit you, considering how I strove to protect the Bai Mansion this time.”

Hearing footsteps approaching from outside the courtyard, Xiao Rongyan kissed Bai Qingyan’s forehead once more, stood up composedly, straightened his clothes, and then stood aside.

As soon as Chun Tao lifted the curtain and entered, she bowed to Bai Qingyan: “Miss, Second Madam has returned!”

Second Madam Liu had obtained century-old ginseng and returned, going directly to find Physician Hong, who was brewing medicine in the small kitchen, asking him to examine whether this ginseng could be used for Bai Qingyan.

Xiao Rongyan formally bowed deeply to Bai Qingyan: “Then, Rongyan shall not disturb Miss’s recovery…”

“Master Xiao, if the Crown Prince asks about my injuries, Master Xiao should know what to say. Bai Qingyan need not instruct you further on this.” Bai Qingyan also looked seriously toward Xiao Rongyan, though her ears were already burning red.

“Miss Bai is currently unconscious. Whether she can survive depends entirely on whether she awakens after three days. Xiao Rongyan is also deeply worried and will certainly search for good medicines and skilled physicians for Miss Bai upon returning!” Xiao Rongyan said.

“Thank you for your trouble, Master Xiao!” Bai Qingyan nodded. “Chun Tao, see Master Xiao out…”

Chun Tao acknowledged and bowed to Xiao Rongyan: “Master Xiao, please!”

Xiao Rongyan bowed once more to Bai Qingyan, raised his eyes to look deeply at her, then turned and left.

Upon leaving, Xiao Rongyan encountered Second Madam Liu again. After thanking him, Second Madam Liu instructed Nanny Luo and Chun Tao to escort Master Xiao to the mansion gates together to show proper respect, before entering the main room to see Bai Qingyan.

As soon as Liu saw Bai Qingyan, tears began streaming down her face. Earlier on the road, Liu had encountered Bai Jinse and already understood how to describe Bai Qingyan’s condition to outsiders. But seeing Bai Qingyan’s pale, bloodless complexion, Liu felt distressed.

The Crown Prince returned to his mansion soaked through. Without bothering to change clothes, he first went to see Chancellor Lu, Chancellor Li, Minister of War Shen Jingzhong, and Minister of Justice of the Court of Judicial Review. He handed all subsequent matters to Chancellor Lu, instructed Li Mao to oversee the capture of Liu Ruofu, and gave Li Mao the feathered arrow that had struck Bai Qingyan as evidence, ordering Chancellor Lu to severely punish the criminals from the south before going to change his clothes.

Old Fang had been waiting in the Crown Prince’s study for quite some time. Not yet knowing about the Crown Prince’s assassination attempt on the main street, as soon as he saw the Crown Prince return, he hurried forward: “Your Highness, this old servant just heard that when Princess Zhenguo killed Prince Xian, she used a silver spear to lift him with one hand! This is what intimidated the rebel army. Your Highness, please consider… Princess Zhenguo is so formidable, she doesn’t seem to have a weak constitution at all! Your Highness must be on guard!”

Quan Yu followed behind the Crown Prince, gritting his teeth, unable to contain himself. While helping the Crown Prince remove his wet clothes, he said in a soft voice, “Old Fang, Princess Zhenguo was rescuing His Highness! How could that be wrong? Even now, Princess Zhenguo cannot lift that arm!”

“This old servant was present when the imperial physician examined her. She cannot lift it, yet the bone is uninjured! Princess Zhenguo’s archery with the sun-shooting bow never misses – she can certainly pierce a willow leaf at a hundred paces! Her intelligence is exceptional, and especially now… she’s training troops and suppressing bandits in Shuoyang, which means she has soldiers under her command…”

“Old Fang!” The Crown Prince suddenly shouted, interrupting Old Fang’s words.

Old Fang was startled, hearing the anger in the Crown Prince’s voice, and quickly bowed respectfully in acknowledgment.

Seeing Old Fang’s respectful appearance, the Crown Prince pressed his lips together, his throat rolling slightly as he controlled his fury: “Today, I was assassinated… it was Princess Zhenguo who stood in front of me, her heart pierced clean through by an arrow. At this moment, her life hangs by a thread! Look at all that blood on Quan Yu – it’s all Princess Zhenguo’s!”

Old Fang looked toward Quan Yu and saw that his back was covered entirely in blood…

Because of today’s rain, Quan Yu’s clothes were already wet, so when blood fell on them, it naturally spread into large stains.

“Princess Zhenguo is on the brink of death, yet she was still thinking of arranging future matters for me, telling me… that Old Fang is cautious and prudent, that I should rely on you! But what about you? You have repeatedly disparaged Princess Zhenguo before me! You want me to guard against Princess Zhenguo!” The Crown Prince’s voice rose uncontrollably.

After today’s incident of Bai Qingyan sacrificing herself to block the arrow for him, the Crown Prince’s guilt toward Bai Qingyan secretly grew, and he inevitably directed his anger at Old Fang, feeling that it was Old Fang who had bewitched him, causing him to repeatedly suspect Bai Qingyan.

Old Fang’s face turned deathly pale as he quickly knelt and kowtowed: “Your Highness, this old servant does this all for Your Highness! Princess Zhenguo’s prestige in the army is too high – she’s practically another Duke Zhenguo. Your Highness must be on guard!”

“Old Fang!” The Crown Prince forcibly suppressed the fire in his heart, slamming the table with his hand until it rang loudly. “The arrow that Princess Zhenguo blocked for me was right here! Right here!”

The Crown Prince pointed at his chest and roared: “Now Princess Zhenguo lies in bed, and if she cannot survive these three days… her life will be lost! Tell me, how should I still guard against her?! How?!”

Old Fang’s expression changed dramatically. After his lips moved wordlessly, he said without confidence: “That… that could also be Princess Zhenguo using a ruse of self-injury to gain Your Highness’s trust!”

The Crown Prince swept all the writing implements from the table with one motion. The inkstone, brush washer, and jade-green writing brush crashed to the floor in pieces.

“Don’t think I don’t know what little schemes you harbor in your heart!”

The Crown Prince was already filled with guilt toward Bai Qingyan, especially since she had been planning for him even when she thought she was dying. At this moment, the Crown Prince… could not tolerate anyone saying a single bad word about Bai Qingyan.

He raged furiously, berating Old Fang who knelt kowtowing on the ground: “Your loyalty is genuine! These years… I’ve been fortunate to have you by my side, that’s also true! But you… cannot tolerate anyone more talented than you gaining my favor. Do you think I don’t know?”