Wenren Lin deliberately slowed his voice, ensuring Zhao Yān could hear him.

The Emperor hadn’t noticed that momentary exchange of glances. Surprised by Wenren Lin’s words, he placed one hand on his crossed knee and asked, “Which family’s daughter is she? If her background is suitable, I can arrange this match for you.”

“Suitable background” meant someone without power or influence, whose marriage would not affect the balance of power at court.

Zhao Yān understood this perfectly and feared Wenren Lin might blurt out some shocking name—like Princess Changfeng, for instance.

After all, he always liked to use this to intimidate her.

That brief silence felt as long as sixty years.

Each breath was an immense challenge to Zhao Yān’s composure.

“I caught only a glimpse of her at the banquet before she hurriedly departed, so I haven’t had the chance to ask her name,” Wenren Lin said with a perfect, subtle smile, glancing again at Zhao Yān as if sincerely seeking advice. “Does Your Highness know which family’s daughter she is?”

Zhao Yān certainly knew, but how could she dare tell the truth?

…

…

She seized the opening he had given her and replied calmly, “There were many guests at the banquet, and I didn’t pay close attention. I would request the Grand Tutor to describe the lady’s features, so I can have someone search for her.”

The smile in Wenren Lin’s eyes deepened until her eyelashes trembled anxiously again. Only then did he utter an “Hmm” and say, “I trouble Your Highness.”

With this, the dangerous topic was finally put aside.

The Emperor probably had some urgent matters to discuss with Wenren Lin, so after giving Zhao Yān a few instructions, he dismissed her.

After leaving the Taiji Palace, her senses, suppressed by tension, gradually returned, and the aches spread throughout her body. Yet Zhao Yān felt oddly relieved.

She took a deep breath of the moist, rainy air and, leaning on Liu Ying’s offered arm, said, “Let’s go to the Chongwen Hall.”

Because she had been delayed by reporting to her father at the Taiji Palace, Zhao Yān was already two quarter-hours late when she climbed the stone steps of Chongwen Hall, supporting her sore waist and abdomen.

Pei Sa, the heir of Marquis Jinping, sat sideways in his seat, idly twirling a brush in boredom.

Zhou Ji was arranging the incense ash in the censer with a bronze press, quietly and methodically. In his plain blue everyday clothes, he resembled an elegant bamboo by the window reflecting the rainy light, showing no sign of impatience or irritation.

Zhao Yān remembered that when she had been drugged, she thought she heard someone calling Zhou Ji’s name from a distance, and felt somewhat guilty.

Zhou Ji was an upright gentleman who lived a straightforward life and never lied. Yet when she was delirious from the drug, she had momentarily considered dragging him into her troubles.

Provoking Wenren Lin was terrifying, but it had one advantage: as long as Wenren Lin didn’t want to expose what happened at the Spring Banquet, no one could touch her. In this world, there were almost no one who could overrule Prince Su.

A mere fifth-rank lecturer like Zhou Ji would likely lose his life for witnessing the Crown Prince’s secret, regardless of the outcome.

Fortunately, among her misfortunes, she hadn’t implicated more innocent people. With this in mind, Zhao Yān composed herself, took a breath, and addressed him with more seriousness than usual: “Lecturer Zhou, I am late.”

Pei Sa rose to bow, and upon noticing the cold sweat on Zhao Yān’s temple, was startled: “Why does Your Highness look so unwell?”

Zhao Yān didn’t want to recall the unfortunate events of the past two days.

She took the handkerchief Li Fu handed her and sat down with difficulty behind the desk, saying, “It’s nothing. I caught a chill at the flower-pinning banquet.”

As spring warmed, the thick winter carpets had been replaced with thin woolen Persian rugs, which weren’t as soft and thick as the winter ones.

Zhao Yān knelt to sit, but the pain in her lower abdomen increased, and the place where they had joined was uncomfortably pressed against her ankles.

At first, she could barely maintain an upright posture, but after a short while, she simply made herself comfortable however she could. With a weary expression, she lay on the desk listening to the lecture, her eyelids heavy from a sleepless night.

Zhou Ji noticed Zhao Yān tilting to one side, seemingly lost in thought.

He remembered the task his teacher had given him—if he wanted to extract information, now was the perfect opportunity while the young Crown Prince’s guard was down.

He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately swallowed the prepared words and instead said, “If Your Highness is unwell, you may summon the Imperial Physician for a diagnosis and then request leave to rest in the palace.”

Zhao Yān returned to her senses slowly, rubbed her eyes, and shook her head: “I stood for too long in front of the Taiji Palace just now and have no strength left. Let me rest here for a while.”

Seeing her truly pallid complexion, Zhou Ji nodded and agreed: “Then I’ll continue with the lecture. Your Highness need not listen; just rest as needed.”

Zhao Yān knew Zhou Ji was a principled person. Since he had been ordered to teach the Crown Prince, he wouldn’t waste a single hour and would lecture until the bell struck.

But he never imposed his principles on others.

So Zhao Yān rested her head on her palm, lying on the desk, and closed her eyes to the sound of his calm reading. In no time at all, she fell exhausted into a deep sleep.

Seeing this, Zhou Ji paused, rose, and took a dried oilcloth cape from the lacquered clothes rack, gently draping it over the frail shoulders of the young Crown Prince.

Wenren Lin emerged from the Taiji Palace with the strong scent of chen xiang incense clinging to him, which made him slightly uncomfortable.

Zhang Cang, who had been waiting beneath the Changqing Gate, approached. He had a paper umbrella tucked under his arm and carried a navy-blue cape to shield against the rain, which he draped sideways over his master.

Wenren Lin looked him up and down and asked, “Are you wearing new clothes?”

“Ha! My Prince is sharp-eyed to notice right away.”

Zhang Cang touched his cleanly-shaven iron-blue chin and chuckled, “I took a bath and shaved clean.”

Zhang Cang had pondered half the night and decided that since he was determined to find a wife and settle down, even though he couldn’t cater to the Prince’s preferences, he should at least keep himself neat and tidy to deserve the Prince’s special regard.

He had thought of many irrelevant things and now eagerly held the umbrella to shield Wenren Lin from the accumulated rain dripping from the eaves.

The umbrella rim pressed low over his head, nearly poking his eye out.

Wenren Lin resisted the urge to swat the broken umbrella away, instead using his finger to push the rim away from his face with a frown.

Zhang Cang followed with the umbrella again, lowering his voice to mutter: “It’s almost the hour of the Snake. Your Highness is going to Chongwen Hall to see the Crown Prince, don’t forget to bring that…”

When he had initially accepted the position of Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor, it was merely to keep the young Crown Prince under his watchful eye, within his grasp, as a puzzle to solve during his boring days.

Now that the mystery had been solved, the “young Crown Prince” should logically hold no further observational value for him, so why continue as the “Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor”?

Wenren Lin was considering finding an opportunity to resign from this position and focus his energy on Prince Yong. After all, to succeed, he would need such pawns to muddy the waters.

Unknowingly, he had climbed the stone steps of Chongwen Hall and passed through the corridor. Looking through the half-open window, he saw Zhou Ji slightly bowing, covering the “young Crown Prince” who was lying on the desk, napping with a garment to ward off the cold.

Pei Sa, with a cold face, also reached out to tuck the edges of her clothes.

Wenren Lin contemplated this, slightly narrowing his dark eyes.

When Zhao Yān hazily awoke, she was lying on a luohan bed with a soft silk spring quilt covering her.

The hall was empty. She blinked her confused eyes and quickly recognized this as the resting place in the rear hall of Chongwen Hall.

But hadn’t she been listening to Zhou Ji’s lecture in the front hall? How did she get here?

She rubbed her stiff neck as she rose, turned her head slightly, and saw Wenren Lin sitting in a chair at the bedside.

The window was half-open, revealing the slanting rain light outside. Wenren Lin sat in this light, reading a military book in his hand.

Zhao Yān instantly became alert, with unpleasant images flooding her mind. She couldn’t help but secretly reach out to feel her clothes…

Thank goodness, her clothes were intact, and her chest wrap was still in place.

The movement was too large, and she bent over again, clutching her stomach to endure another bout of cramping pain.

Wenren Lin heard her movement and looked up from behind his book.

Seeing her frowning and curled up, he knew she hadn’t taken the medicine he had given her last night.

He put down the book, stood up, picked up the boiling water from the small stove outside, poured a cup, and returned to the bedside, placing the steaming cup on the small table.

His unhurried manner carried a sense of elegance.

Zhao Yān stared at Wenren Lin without blinking, her moist peach blossom eyes following his movements slightly.

Only when she saw Wenren Lin take out a small medicine bottle identical to the one sent last night from his bosom, then remove the jade stopper and pour half a bottle of amber-colored liquid into it before her eyes, did she lower her eyelids as if trying to hide.

Wenren Lin did not explain, merely pushing the teacup toward her and commanding: “Drink it.”

Zhao Yān swallowed, her five fingers tightening and loosening before she finally extended a slender, bloodless hand from under the quilt and obediently took the teacup.

The pale golden water steamed with heat. Zhao Yān pursed her lips, then finally tilted her head back, closed her eyes, and drank it in small sips.

It was a bit bitter with a spicy tang. She carefully licked away the water droplets on her lips.

Wenren Lin watched her fleeting crimson tongue tip and couldn’t resist reaching out, his cool fingertip wiping away the lingering moisture on her lower lip.

Their eyes met, and both were momentarily stunned.

The frost-white fingertip pressed against the bright red lip, evoking certain untimely memories. Even though they had done far more intimate things, Zhao Yān still felt embarrassed and flustered.

Fortunately, it was just a fleeting touch, and Wenren Lin withdrew his hand without changing expression, sneering: “This time, are you not afraid that what I’ve given you is poison?”

Zhao Yān pretended to be calm and didn’t answer.

If it were poison, Wenren Lin wouldn’t use it twice, nor would he be foolish enough to act openly in Chongwen Hall.

Indeed, a warmth soon rose in her abdomen, flowing through her blood vessels to her limbs and body. In no time, even the soreness in her waist and legs eased considerably.

This medicine… had such miraculous effects?

Then what was the point of all her fear and pain during the past half day?

Wenren Lin produced a small white jade medicine box from somewhere, leaned forward to place it beside Zhao Yān’s pillow, and indicated: “For external use.”

Ex… external use?

Zhao Yān followed Wenren Lin’s gaze, was startled, and instinctively pressed her knees together.

“I’ll apply it when I return to the Eastern Palace,” she said, avoiding his gaze.

“Your Highness has just experienced your first time with a man, and with me no less…”

Wenren Lin paused imperceptibly, his eyes deepening, “If you delay further, forget about returning to the Eastern Palace; Your Highness will find it difficult to even get off the bed and walk.”

He had hit the mark.

After being jostled about for half a day, she had indeed reached the limit of her endurance.

“Then… please step outside for a moment, Prince Su.”

Zhao Yān turned her head, then realized: yesterday, when she had been drugged and mistakenly entered Hegu Pavilion, she had said the same thing to Wenren Lin.

Fortunately, Wenren Lin didn’t bring up any embarrassing memories. He placed a clean piece of cotton cloth on the table and then went to the outer room.

Zhao Yān thought he had left and carefully unfastened her gold and jade belt, using her finger to scoop some ointment to apply to the painful area…

She never expected Wenren Lin to return at that moment. Startled, she pressed too hard and immediately groaned in pain.

Wenren Lin was carrying a basin of warm water, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Zhao Yān kneeling and huddled in the bedding.

She was truly pitiful, and yet… made one want to bully her.

Wenren Lin’s lips moved slightly.

With his broad shoulders and long legs, he reached the bedside in just a few steps, placed the cotton cloth in the copper basin to soak, and then gently wrung it out.

As he applied force, his finger bones subtly protruded, and the clear, warm water rushed out from between his slender, powerful fingers, like a spring flowing over cold white jade.

“This medicine needs to be applied after cleaning the area.”

Wenren Lin grasped Zhao Yān’s slender, trembling wrist and pulled her hand out from under the quilt, then gently tapped her tightly clenched fist with his bent finger.

Zhao Yān, rigid, slowly opened her joints.

Her fingertips were stained with a bright red color mixed with the fragrance of the ointment. Wenren Lin lowered his gaze and carefully wiped her clean with the damp cotton cloth.

Zhao Yān raised her eyes, tremblingly, trying to discern some emotion on Wenren Lin’s face.

But to no avail. Wenren Lin’s expression remained leisurely and calm, his thick eyelashes casting a harmless light shadow, without a hint of frivolous intimacy, as if he were merely handling a fragile and beautiful piece of jade.

“Your Highness is unwell, yet instead of resting properly, you run around everywhere. Are you afraid I’ll expose your secret?” Wenren Lin asked in a deep, casual tone, as if making casual conversation.

After he released her hand, Zhao Yān quickly withdrew it, biting her lip and fumbling to dress properly under the quilt.

The hall was very quiet.

There were some matters that Zhao Yān didn’t want to mention, yet she had no choice but to face them.

“I didn’t expect Prince Su would come to Chongwen Hall,” she spoke up first, saying softly, “I thought I no longer held any exploratory value for Prince Su.”

Wenren Lin keenly noticed that she referred to herself as “I” rather than the royal “We” used by the Crown Prince—like a dejected little beast that had retracted its claws.

Even though she had guessed his thoughts, Wenren Lin’s face showed no ripple of emotion.

“Crimson clothes, slender waist, long legs, skin like congealed cream, uniquely exquisite. Just sharp-toothed and sharp-tongued, with a bit of a biting habit…”

Seeing Zhao Yān’s spreading surprise and confusion, he smiled a faint, elegant smile at the corners of his mouth and explained slowly, “Didn’t Your Highness say you wanted me to describe that lady’s appearance to you? This is it.”

Zhao Yān was stunned.

She never expected that her appearance and figure, when described by Wenren Lin, would sound so… so indecent.

Wenren Lin was gratified to see her porcelain-white cheeks flush with blood like rouge. He moved closer and asked with a smile, “Your Highness, have you found her for me?”

Zhao Yān opened her lips, then closed them again.

“Anyway, it’s a thing about to die, what’s the use of finding her?” She lowered her eyes to hide her emotions, carefully choosing her words to probe, “Will Prince Su not kill me?”

Wenren Lin held the cotton cloth stained with bright red, immersed it in the copper basin until the light red color spread like ink and dispersed.

“Why would I kill Your Highness?”

He said, “With such leverage in my hand, Your Highness will be cautious and must weigh your actions more carefully in the future. Isn’t that more useful than killing you?”

“…”

Wenren Lin spoke his threatening words so shamelessly, yet so righteously!

If she weren’t outmatched, and so thoroughly defeated… Zhao Yān would have pounced on him, fangs and claws bared.

“Your Highness thinks the same way, don’t you?” Wenren Lin raised his hand, slightly shaking the water droplets from his fingertips, speaking with unruffled calm.

Seeing those beautiful eyes shed their cowardly disguise and again kindle with sparks of anger, Wenren Lin pressed his lips together in pleasure and smiled.

“Rest well and recover. Next time, this Prince will personally examine you.”

Wenren Lin rubbed the moisture on his fingertips and said meaningfully, “And, incidentally, make up the lessons Your Highness missed today.”