“Beautiful?” Mu Wuxia’s interest was piqued. “Bring her over, let me see!”

Lady Li sighed helplessly, “Your Highness, that’s a person, not a dish. You’re drunk. You should return to rest early. This person fainted here; we can just have the guards send her to a civilian clinic…”

As she spoke, the guards had already carried Jiang Taohua over. Mu Wuxia looked at her. Although she was covered in dirt, her face was exceptionally clean. He felt she looked somewhat familiar…

“Your Highness,” Lady Li tried to persuade him again, but Mu Wuxia raised his hand to silence her. He rubbed his eyes and looked carefully at the woman.

“Someone bring a lamp,” he ordered.

The guard was stunned for a moment, looked at the Crown Prince’s serious expression, and hurriedly brought a lamp over.

In the soft, yellow light, Jiang Taohua slept peacefully. Mu Wuxia stared at her in a daze, feeling as if he was dreaming of this woman again. But this time was different; her features were finally clear. He reached out to touch her, and she didn’t disappear.

“It’s you,” he murmured. Mu Wuxia instantly sobered up. He pinched himself to make sure it wasn’t a dream, then immediately lifted Taohua into the carriage.

“Your Highness?” Lady Li was startled. Seeing how dirty the woman was, she instinctively exclaimed.

The person in his arms frowned as if about to be awakened.

Mu Wuxia drew in a sharp breath and glared at Lady Li. “What are you shouting for? Get out, go to the carriage behind.”

Dumbfounded, Lady Li had no idea what was happening. Seeing his anger, she could only pick up her skirt and get off the carriage, joining the concubines in the rear carriage.

Carefully placing Taohua in the carriage, Mu Wuxia quietly instructed those outside, “Return quickly, and summon an imperial physician.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The procession set off again, speeding towards the imperial palace.

Taohua had calculated that Mu Wuxia would save her. If for nothing else, he would be curious about how she came back to life, so she was certain he would take her back.

However, she hadn’t expected Mu Wuxia’s obsession with her to be so deep. Throughout the journey, disregarding her filthy state, he held her tightly, constantly saying, “I’m drunk, but I’m sure I’m not mistaken. It’s you, it must be you.”

His tone was cautious and slightly trembling, making her both surprised and inexplicably guilty.

So even when she wasn’t using her charm, Mu Wuxia still liked her this much? This made her feel a bit uncomfortable. If it were a stranger without any feelings, she wouldn’t feel any pressure deceiving them. But this fool… she felt somewhat reluctant.

The carriage had already entered the imperial palace. Mu Wuxia didn’t give her any chance to escape. He summoned an imperial physician to examine her, had palace maids attend to her bath and change of clothes, and finally had her dressed properly lying on his bed.

“This young lady seems to have been poisoned with a strange toxin,” the imperial physician said as he took her pulse, his expression extremely serious. “In my many years of medical practice, this is the first time I’ve seen such a pulse. The poison is not mild, but it seems to be suppressed by something. Once that suppression is gone, it will be fatal!”

Mu Wuxia turned pale with fright and quickly asked, “Is there any way to cure it?”

The imperial physician hesitated for a moment before bowing, “This subject is not confident, but can only take some of this young lady’s blood back for careful study. The Crown Prince should not worry.”

“Take blood?” Mu Wuxia sat by the bed, frowning. “She already looks much more haggard. Take only a little blood.”

The imperial physician looked up at him in surprise, then quickly agreed. He pricked Taohua’s fingertip and took a small drop of blood.

After instructing the imperial physician and sending palace maids to brew medicinal soup, Mu Wuxia, completely forgetting his status as Crown Prince, busied himself for a while before returning to Taohua’s side. He said with concern, “Why is it that every time I see you, your life hangs by a thread?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Taohua frowned and opened her eyes. Looking at him, she said, “Thank you, Your Highness.”

“You’re awake?” Mu Wuxia was delighted, then startled. “You’ve been awake for a while? Don’t be afraid, this is the Eastern Palace. No one dares to bully you here.”

Propping herself up to sit, Taohua pressed her lips together and said, “This commoner shouldn’t be in such a place. Thank you for saving my life, Your Highness. Please send me away at daybreak.”

These words were sincere. She still had some conscience; since he was so kind to her, she couldn’t stay here to deceive him.

“Please don’t,” Mu Wuxia hurriedly said. “You’ve been poisoned with a strange toxin. I’m having people help cure you. You’ll die if you leave.”

“This commoner was meant to die long ago,” Taohua smiled. “You’ve saved me multiple times, and I have no way to repay you. I can’t stay here and cause you to be criticized.”

Mu Wuxia frowned, “No one dares to criticize me now, and I’m not afraid of criticism. Heaven has finally given me this chance to reunite with you. I won’t let you go again no matter what!”

The corner of her mouth twitched, and Jiang Taohua couldn’t help but ask, “What do you see in this commoner?”

“I don’t know,” Mu Wuxia said righteously. “If I knew, I might not like you this much.”

Taohua was stunned. Looking at his passionate eyes, she didn’t know what to say for a moment.

This person turned out to be so sentimental, so reckless when it came to emotions. No wonder Shen Zaiye only saw him as a stepping stone.

“If that’s the case,” Taohua pressed her lips together, “then may this commoner serve as a palace maid for Your Highness? This commoner understands etiquette and will certainly serve carefully to repay Your Highness for saving my life.”

Mu Wuxia looked at her in surprise, then looked down at himself. “Do you know who I am?”

Taohua nodded, “You are the Crown Prince.”

“Knowing that I’m the Crown Prince and that I’ve been thinking of you constantly, you only ask to be a palace maid?” Mu Wuxia couldn’t understand. “Haven’t you thought about becoming my consort?”

Jiang Taohua: “…”

She tilted her head, pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled, “If Your Highness truly thinks so highly of this commoner, naturally I am willing.”

“Really?” Mu Wuxia was delighted. He grabbed her hand and said, “If you agree, I’ll immediately bestow upon you the title of… Oh, right, what’s your name?”

Taohua pressed her lips together and lowered her eyes, “This commoner comes from a poor family. My parents are illiterate. I have no name or surname. Others just call me Wuming (Nameless).”

She couldn’t be blamed for slandering her parents. It was just that in the heat of the moment, she couldn’t think of a good name.

Hearing this, Mu Wuxia felt even more sympathetic. He said softly, “Then may I call you Meng’er (Dream) from now on?”

“…”

Taohua looked at him with a complex expression, really wanting to refuse. What kind of name was that? It would have been better if she had casually chosen one herself. At least it wouldn’t make her skin crawl.

However, he was now her lifesaver, and she couldn’t believe him. She could only respond with a shiver, “Thank you, Your Highness, for bestowing this name.”

“You don’t need to be so excited,” Mu Wuxia said, holding her trembling shoulders with a concerned look. “From now on, you’ll be Consort Meng of my Eastern Palace. With me protecting you, no one will dare to harm a hair on your head.”

“…Alright.”

As soon as the decree to confer the title of consort was issued, the Eastern Palace was in an uproar. Lady Li sought an audience, but Mu Wuxia had already guessed what she wanted to say and directly closed the door without seeing her.

“How can this be so absurd!” Lady Li cried in anger. “Picking up someone from outside and conferring the title of consort, what nonsense is this!”

“My Lady,” a palace maid said quietly, “It’s the Crown Prince’s order. No one dares to defy it. Why don’t you go speak to the Chancellor? Only Chancellor Shen can persuade His Highness.”

That makes sense! Lady Li nodded. The next day, after a court session, she brought people to intercept Chancellor Shen.

“Chancellor.”

Shen Zaiye seemed to be ill. His large official robe made him look even more gaunt. He coughed twice before looking at her and asking, “What can I do for the Crown Princess?”

Lady Li exchanged a few polite words, “What’s wrong with the Chancellor? You look quite ill.”

“It’s nothing,” Shen Zaiye smiled lightly. “Probably just a cold.”

Jiang Taohua was truly formidable. Even though she was gone, just leaving behind a pillow was enough to make him sleepless and exhausted night after night. This illness was probably her revenge. He wondered if she was hopping like a rabbit on the road to the underworld, cursing him as she went.

Thinking of her puffed-up angry appearance, his heart ached dully again. It took a long time to recover.

Lady Li was frightened by his appearance, fearing he might suddenly collapse. She hurriedly said everything in one breath, “Yesterday, the Crown Prince brought back a woman from outside the palace and immediately conferred upon her the title of consort. If this reaches His Majesty’s ears, he will surely be displeased with the Crown Prince’s rash behavior. I can’t persuade the Crown Prince of anything, so I implore the Chancellor to intervene and guide the Crown Prince back to the right path.”

Brought back a woman from outside the palace? Shen Zaiye pressed his lips together and said softly, “He must still be unable to let go of that person from before. Seeing someone similar, he bestowed favor on her.”

How could a dead person like Jiang Taohua still affect so many people?

Lady Li didn’t hear clearly what he said and tentatively called out, “Chancellor?”

“Don’t worry, Crown Princess,” Shen Zaiye said. “I’ll go talk to the Crown Prince right away.”

“Then please go directly to the Eastern Palace,” Lady Li pressed her lips together. “And please keep this conversation confidential from the Crown Prince.”

“I understand.”

After the Crown Princess left, Shen Zaiye stood in place for a while before turning towards the Eastern Palace.

For some unknown reason, he felt the world around him was particularly vast and empty. Even within the palace surrounded by walls, walking felt desolate. Summer had arrived, and the weather was gradually becoming hot, but even wearing his heavy official robes, not a drop of sweat appeared on his forehead.

That chill seemed to seep from the depths of his heart, impossible to warm.

As he stepped through the gate of the Eastern Palace, he vaguely heard Jiang Taohua’s laughter. Looking up, he saw Taohua as usual, wearing a pink embroidered dress, happily pouncing towards him.

Another hallucination? Shen Zaiye lowered his eyes and smiled, but still instinctively reached out his hands, wanting her to embrace him once more.

However, the person before him suddenly stopped. Her bright eyes looked him up and down for a while, and she tilted her head coquettishly, asking:

“Who are you?”

(End of Chapter)