Xiao Changyu’s face bore scabbed wounds, two very deep cuts, their dark red color jarring to the eye.

After drinking the poison, he collapsed into Bian Xianyi’s arms, his complexion turning pale as cold sweat beaded on his forehead: “Princess, by drinking in her place… can I… quell your hatred?”

“Sixth Brother, oh Sixth Brother…” Large tears fell from Bian Xianyi’s eyes as she trembled, wiping Xiao Changyu’s face contorted in suppressed pain. More and more sweat seeped out, and she could feel his body trembling slightly, just like her heart.

“Don’t cry…” Xiao Changyu struggled to raise his hand, which Bian Xianyi clutched tightly. “It’s my fault for being incapable, unable to be with you properly, forcing you to take such risks just to stay with me. I should bear this consequence.”

“No, no, it’s my fault, I shouldn’t have seduced you…” Bian Xianyi shook her head, tears flying from her eyes. “I’m not worthy of such sacrifice…”

Initially, she hadn’t truly loved him. He was from the Minister’s legitimate line, and among all the princes, Xiao Changyu was only slightly more presentable than the Twelfth Prince. Proud and arrogant, she had always refused to be second to anyone, and Xiao Changyu, though a prince, had neither the Emperor’s favor nor ambition.

She had never considered marrying him until the Minister’s household fell and she became a criminal slave. Knowing she could never be a proper wife, she remembered this prince who remained devoted to her. She began deliberately courting his favor, step by step ensnaring his heart.

She had never imagined he would treat her so well—remaining chaste for her sake, repeatedly refusing the Emperor’s gifts of palace maids, twice declining marriage, rejecting His Majesty’s kind intentions to arrange marriages, willing to cast aside his princely dignity just to give her the status of a proper wife.

“I… I knew all along…” Xiao Changyu smiled through immense pain. “None of that… matters… I finally… earned your true love…”

“Sixth Brother, no, I can’t live without you…” He was the person who treated her best in this world, more sincere than even her parents. “Axi, Axi!”

The stunned Axi finally came to his senses, rushing forward to check Xiao Changyu’s pulse. Upon examination, his face drained of color. He looked up sharply at Shen Xihe, who remained expressionless.

“Lady Bian… it’s, it’s death cap mushroom poison.” Sui Axi’s face turned ashen.

Bian Xianyi’s pupils constricted as her whole body stiffened. It was the same poison she had pretended to use—Shen Xihe had found it, intending to make her lie become truth, to let her taste her own medicine, but in the end, harmed the person she loved most.

Soon, blood began seeping from Xiao Changyu’s lips, nostrils, and eye sockets.

Shen Xihe lowered her eyes: “You may go. This matter is settled. I trust you’ll conduct yourselves appropriately.”

With a vacant stare, Bian Xianyi, soul-stricken, helped Xiao Changyu up with Sui Axi’s assistance. Sui Axi had bought an expensive carriage, and they quickly drove out of the city.

After reaching the outskirts, Sui Axi jumped down from the carriage: “Lady Bian, let me apply acupuncture for His Highness.”

A glimmer of light returned to Bian Xianyi’s lifeless eyes. Not daring to delay, she immediately made room, helping remove Xiao Changyu’s clothes while watching Sui Axi’s needlework intently.

An hour later, Sui Axi, slightly pale, finally withdrew his hands and checked Xiao Changyu’s pulse. The two held their breath, each moment stretching like a year. After half an incense stick’s time, Sui Axi finally relaxed, tears welling in his eyes: “It worked. Let’s quickly find an apothecary for medicine!”

“Recite the prescription to me. You take Sixth Brother to the village first, and I’ll bring the medicine to you,” Bian Xianyi said.

Sui Axi immediately recited the prescription while Bian Xianyi traced the characters on her palm with her finger. One recitation was enough for her to memorize it, and she quickly jumped down from the carriage.

Sui Axi took Xiao Changyu to a village where they could take shelter, immediately retrieving hidden medicinal wine and heating it in a vat. When it cooled enough to touch, they immersed Xiao Changyu in it, and Sui Axi continued with acupuncture.

Soon Bian Xianyi returned and silently began brewing the medicine. She had asked the apothecary about preparation methods when buying the ingredients.

By the time Sui Axi finished the medicinal bath, Bian Xianyi’s decoction was ready. After letting it cool, they gave it to Xiao Changyu: “As long as His Highness wakes tomorrow, he’ll be fine.”

They kept vigil over Xiao Changyu through the night, remaining anxious and worried through the next day until dusk. As the last ray of sunlight disappeared on the horizon, taking with it Bian Xianyi’s last glimmer of hope, Xiao Changyu suddenly opened his eyes, sat up, and vomited a mouthful of black blood.

“It’s alright now, His Highness is safe,” Sui Axi said with relief. “This method has damaged his vital energy. His Highness will need three to five years of careful recuperation to fully recover.”

“Set out… leave…” Xiao Changyu grabbed Bian Xianyi’s hand, forcing out the words.

“But your condition…”

“Go!” Xiao Changyu’s eyes reddened with urgency.

“Alright, alright, we’ll leave now, don’t worry.” Bian Xianyi hurriedly worked with Sui Axi to prepare, and they drove the carriage away.

Even after they had settled, Bian Xianyi still felt it was somewhat unreal. She kept touching Xiao Changyu’s face, fearing he might be just an illusion.

“Xianyi, I’m still alive.” Xiao Changyu grasped her hand, his voice gentle.

“What exactly happened?” Bian Xianyi still couldn’t figure it out.

Sui Axi had been in the Princess’s mansion and couldn’t have treated Xiao Changyu, and Xiao Changyu couldn’t have been like her—besides, their symptoms were different. Moreover, Shen Xihe wouldn’t have given a cup of fake poison.

“I just wagered my life once.” Xiao Changyu smiled slowly.

“The Princess’s poison was real, His Highness…”

“Axi, call me Sixth Brother from now on. There is no Sixth Prince anymore.” Xiao Changyu corrected.

“Yes, Sixth… Sixth Brother.” Sui Axi said somewhat stiffly. “Sixth Brother had taken something beforehand to counter the death cap mushroom poison.”

It had been a risky method—if Princess Zhaoning had used any poison other than death cap mushroom, the Sixth Prince would have died without question.

“It was too dangerous, do you know you nearly…” Bian Xianyi’s heart still raced thinking about it.

“But we won the gamble, didn’t we?” Xiao Changyu held Bian Xianyi’s hand. “It was our only way out.”

Losing the gamble would have meant death anyway; this was his only chance to try.

“I’ve brought you nothing but trouble.” Bian Xianyi felt deep remorse.

“Why did you move against the Princess? Advance our plan?” Xiao Changyu asked.

“This.” Bian Xianyi had been carrying an exquisitely carved hollow incense ball. “That day when I returned to my room, it was hanging by my bed.”

Inside the incense ball was a note, written in tiny, elegant characters, ordering Bian Xianyi to kill Princess Zhaoning, or else her affair with Xiao Changyu would become known to all under heaven.

She and Xiao Changyu had fallen in love, and at their age, naturally had become more intimate. Somehow evidence had fallen into someone’s hands, and so she knew they had been targeted. To avoid becoming pawns and being forced into more unwilling acts, they had to escape early.