Hadn’t Fafa said so — even in the field of detoxification, Xuanzhao’s imperial physician’s hall was second to none?

She figured the greatest hardship Xuan Yanyu had ever endured was carrying her on his back through the mountain paths.

“He didn’t — Brother Yanyu has no scar at all, does he.” Yan Shiyao turned her head away, aggrieved.

Brother Yanyu’s sword wound had been treated by Imperial Physician Wen, and her wound last time had also been tended by Imperial Physician Wen. She simply could not understand — he was just a physician, so why was he unwilling to speak even now?

Yan Yunning pressed her lips together, then suddenly asked, “A’Jie, if the Chancellor’s wife had done something harmful to me, would you still think she was right to…”

“Ningning, she is our mother. Whatever she does is as it should be.” Yan Shiyao cut in, displeased.

Yan Yunning smiled faintly and withdrew her hand. “And what if she had sent a manservant to assault me? Would that be as it should be as well?”

“That’s impossible, Ningning. How could you think of Mother that way?” Yan Shiyao shook her head, disappointment plain on her face.

“Then what if she already had?” Yan Yunning held her gaze, a thin, cool smile on her lips.

A’Jie had never harmed her. If she trusted her, or showed even a flicker of that gentle, kind-hearted nature of hers — enough to go and confront Chu Wantang — then she would help her by asking Xuan Yanyu for a vial of ointment.

Otherwise, she would not help. She had not the heart to be so magnanimous — not after being harmed by her mother, and then offering her assistance on top of it.

If she hadn’t thought to ask Elder Sister Wen for some of that incense ahead of time, there was no telling what might have happened.

“Ningning, Mother would never do that.” Yan Shiyao’s brow furrowed.

Mother was the finest of mothers — she had doted on her and her brother from the time they were small. Even if Ningning had not been raised by Mother’s side, Mother absolutely would not, could not, harm Ningning.

“Mm.” Yan Yunning nodded. “I have some business with Xuan Yanyu — I’m going in.”

Even with all her trust in her mother, she could at least have asked why she’d said such a thing — could have given it a moment’s thought. If Chu Wantang truly hadn’t done anything, why would she say it out of thin air?

Yan Shiyao bit her lip. “Ningning, could you…”

Yan Yunning raised a brow with a smile. “Could I speak to Xuan Yanyu on your behalf — get him to tell you where Imperial Physician Wen is, so you can send someone to find him?”

“Yes — Ningning, will you help A’Jie? Please.” Yan Shiyao softened her voice in appeal.

“A’Jie, I’m afraid not. You don’t understand — in private, I don’t even dare open my mouth in front of Xuan Yanyu. No matter what I say, he snaps at me. I’m frightened of him. I can’t help you.” Yan Yunning said mildly.

“Really?” Yan Shiyao looked somewhat unconvinced. “Then what are you going in to see him for?”

Yan Yunning’s expression remained perfectly steady. “To clean his room. I borrowed money from him, and he’s having me work it off as his maidservant.”

Yan Shiyao sighed. “And I told you not to buy all those useless things.”

Well — working as a maidservant would teach her a lesson. She would think twice before borrowing money again to spend on things she didn’t need.

The residence’s monthly stipend was more than enough — and yet she had gone and borrowed money from Brother Yanyu on top of it. She truly had no idea how to manage herself.

Yan Yunning shot her a sideways glance, then turned and stepped into Xuan Yanyu’s room.

“Xuan Xixi.” The girl’s eyes curved into a smile as she trotted over to him.

Xuan Yanyu ruffled her head. “What’s the matter?”

“Could I ask you a favor?” Yan Yunning narrowed her eyes with a grin.

“No.” The man leaned back further into his chair.

He had just overheard fragments of her exchange with Yan Shiyao outside — she had most likely come to ask on Yan Shiyao’s behalf for medicine.

“……” Yan Yunning puffed out her cheeks.

Xuan Yanyu tilted his head, his gaze settling on her. “I won’t help with anything involving Imperial Physician Wen.”

“……” Yan Yunning softened her voice. “Xuan Xixi, just this once — help me just this one time. Please.”

Xuan Yanyu’s throat moved. “No.”

“Xuan Yanyu, honorable Crown Prince.” Yan Yunning clasped his hand and pouted. “I’m begging you~”

The man turned his head away and refused to look at her.

Yan Yunning took hold of his face and turned it back toward her, holding his gaze with her own, meeting those deep and fathomless eyes. “Help me.”

Xuan Yanyu’s throat shifted again. Yan Yunning placed her forefinger against his lips and said in a commanding tone, “You can only nod.”

Xuan Yanyu: “……?”

“Be good — nod your head.” Yan Yunning blinked at him.

Xuan Yanyu: “??”

“There — you’ve agreed. I’ll go find Ye Chen in a moment and tell him, so he can take me to Imperial Physician Wen.” Yan Yunning murmured to herself.

Xuan Yanyu: “……???”

“Xuan Yanyu, will you please help me.” The girl deflated and tugged at his hand with a small whine.

Xuan Yanyu’s lips curved with amusement. He reached out and drew her by the waist into his arms, saying in a low voice, “All right. I’ll have Ye Chen fetch the ointment for you in a moment.”

“What ointment?” Yan Yunning looked up at him, puzzled.

Xuan Yanyu’s expression paused. Hadn’t she been asking for medicine on Yan Shiyao’s behalf?

Yan Yunning reached into her sachet, took out a medicinal pill, and held it to Xuan Yanyu’s lips. “Have a taste of this.”

The man did not hesitate — he pressed his lips around the pill resting on the girl’s fingertip and swallowed it.

Yan Yunning said unhurriedly, “Do you know what that was? And you just swallowed it?”

She had half expected him to ask, or even to refuse.

After all, his identity was one of particular importance — without him, Xuanzhao would have no heir to the throne.

“I don’t.” Xuan Yanyu frowned slightly.

Where on earth had she gotten something that tasted this awful?

Yan Yunning let out a bright laugh. “Xuan Xixi, you’re done for. That pill is meant to control you — once you ascend the throne and become the Prince of Xuan, whatever I tell you to do, you’ll do. I’ll be the true master of Xuanzhao, and you’ll be nothing but my subordinate.”

Xuan Yanyu’s brow arched, and he leaned close to her ear, his voice low and quiet. “This palace is willing.”

Yan Yunning swallowed, pressed a hand over her wildly pounding heart, and then spoke again. “Well then — after I begged you for so long just now, you only agreed then? You’re not treating your master with any kind of proper deference.”

The man’s nose grazed lightly against her cheek, his voice low as he explained, “I thought you were asking on Yan Shiyao’s behalf. If you’d said so from the start, I would have agreed much sooner.”

Yan Yunning felt a warmth rise in her cheeks, and fumbled for words. “You… you said you were willing to be my subordinate — so that means… whatever I say, you have to comply.”

Xuan Yanyu let out a low laugh. “That would depend on what you say. I’d have to give it some consideration before deciding.”

Yan Yunning: “……”

Give it some consideration. If he were ever actually someone’s subordinate, he’d be dead within half a day — no, within a quarter of an hour — for sheer insubordination. And that would be the generous estimate.

Yan Yunning pulled out her half-spent incense stick. “Smell this — isn’t it awful?”

Xuan Yanyu bent his head and took a light sniff, his brow creasing. The smell was remarkably similar to that pill he’d just taken.

“Terrible, isn’t it? And the pill was just as vile.” Yan Yunning asked with a smile.

“Yes. Where did you get these?” The man pressed his lips together.

She hadn’t been taken in by some street charlatan, had she?

He had just swallowed the thing — was it too late to be sick?

“I got them from Elder Sister Wen at Qingyu Stronghold. They’re for escaping in a critical moment — but the incense smells awful and the antidote tastes disgusting. I was thinking, could Imperial Physician Wen perhaps improve the formula? And more importantly, produce a larger supply.” Yan Yunning held her breath and tucked the incense stick back into her sachet.

She couldn’t waste it — there was still one use left in it.