“Can’t you be a little gentler with me?” Zhuo Qi managed to smile even in this situation, earning Han Yan’s grudging admiration. He continued, “I was injured, and when I dove in just now, the wound reopened.”
“If you were injured, why act so tough?” Han Yan said irritably. Someone like Zhuo Qi was truly asking for trouble, and now this situation was giving her a headache.
Zhuo Qi looked at her with a slight smile: “Don’t be afraid, I’m fine.” Despite his words, he was practically leaning his entire weight on Han Yan. She could feel his trembling and weakness -, he was enduring unbearable pain, yet even now he thought to comfort her. Han Yan’s heart softened slightly.
“What should we do now?” Han Yan supported him. “If you don’t get a doctor to look at your wound quickly, it could become chronic.” From her previous life, Han Yan knew that prolonged illness often resulted from not treating diseases promptly. Zhuo Qi had lost so much blood; that without immediate medical attention, serious complications could arise.
After a moment’s silence, Zhuo Qi asked: “Could you take me back to the inn?”
Han Yan was startled: “What?”
“Take me back to the inn,” Zhuo Qi said. “I can’t make it back myself. If you want to help, find a carriage and a doctor for me.”
Han Yan was displeased – this wasn’t her responsibility. She barely knew Zhuo Qi and his appearance always brought her trouble. Surely others should help him in this situation. She looked at him: “Are you joking? Where are your attendants? Surely a Xi Rong Prince can find someone to serve him?”
Hearing this, Zhuo Qi smiled faintly. Unlike his usual rakish or domineering smiles, this one carried a hint of mockery and melancholy. His voice was emotionless: “Do you think Xi Rong people in Da Zong can appear openly before the public? Do you know why the Xi Rong Prince came to Da Zong? Attendants – each additional person who knows my identity is an additional danger.”
Han Yan was stunned, remembering her earlier suspicion that Zhuo Qi was being hunted by Xi Rong people. She felt sympathy. The current Emperor of Xi Rong wasn’t Zhuo Qi, but as a prince, people would naturally hunt him to ensure absolute security. Even in Da Zong, there was an invisible conflict between the Seventh Prince and the Crown Prince. Being part of a royal family meant having no control over one’s fate. Outsiders saw only boundless wealth and privilege, but only those within knew how painful that privilege could be.
Seeing Han Yan’s expression, he smiled painfully again: “But with you, this is the first time I’ve voluntarily revealed my identity.”
Han Yan saw him speaking with increasing difficulty. Today’s events were ultimately because of her – if she hadn’t tried to find that hairpin, Zhuo Qi wouldn’t have jumped into the lake, his wound wouldn’t have reopened, and they wouldn’t be in this predicament. This man had never actually harmed her; perhaps disliking him because Ai Lin Na was too arbitrary. More importantly, Zhuo Qi’s words had touched Han Yan. She understood that feeling of being alone, having no one to trust. In her previous life, she had been just like that, struggling in misery, having a family that was no family at all, with those closest to her being the ones who wanted to harm her.
Looking at Zhuo Qi was like seeing another version of herself. Han Yan wondered if she could become someone Zhuo Qi trusted because, for people like them, trust was precious – if that trust wasn’t accepted, it would completely destroy them. She had been given a chance to relive her life, but Zhuo Qi wouldn’t get such an opportunity.
She stood up and studied Zhuo Qi intently for a long while, her feelings complex, before finally nodding gently: “Alright.”
Zhuo Qi’s eyes instantly brightened, and he suddenly gave Han Yan a smile. This smile was pure and bright, showing joy at her willingness to help. At this moment, Zhuo Qi looked just like a child. Han Yan’s heart unconsciously softened as she helped him stand: “Where are Ji Lan and Shu Hong?”
Zhuo Qi started: “Over there. I sealed their pressure points.”
Han Yan glared at him, and Zhuo Qi avoided her gaze.
When they found Ji Lan and Shu Hong, Zhuo Qi released their pressure points. Ji Lan immediately ran to Han Yan’s side: “Young Miss, are you alright? Did this person harm you?”
Han Yan shook her head and said: “Go find a carriage. We’ll take him back.”
“Eh?” Shu Hong looked at Han Yan in surprise, then at Zhuo Qi, finally noticing how he was leaning entirely on Han Yan, his face extremely pale, appearing injured. Earlier, she and Ji Lan had been talking when suddenly their pressure points were sealed. Shu Hong had been extremely worried that Han Yan had encountered bad people. Now seeing Han Yan unharmed, she felt relieved, but Zhuo Qi’s presence made them suspicious. Surely he was the one who had sealed their pressure points – what was his relationship with their Young Miss, and why did she seem so concerned about his injuries?
Shu Hong and Ji Lan had seen Zhuo Qi several times before and naturally knew his relationship with Han Yan wasn’t friendly – he had even threatened her the first time they met.
Han Yan had no time to explain to them, only saying: “He’s injured. We can’t abandon him. Ji Lan, go find a carriage.”
Ji Lan hesitated, still confused, but quickly left to search for a carriage. Only Shu Hong remained by Han Yan’s side, examining Zhuo Qi suspiciously. Zhuo Qi grew increasingly weak; initially, he could still speak with Han Yan, but later fell silent. When the carriage arrived, Han Yan helped Zhuo Qi into it, got in herself, and headed for the inn he had mentioned.
Throughout the journey, Zhuo Qi leaned quietly against the carriage wall with his eyes closed. This unusually quiet side of him was displayed before Han Yan, who glanced over to see his slightly furrowed brow, unhappy even in sleep. Han Yan thought of Fu Yun Xi, who also liked to furrow his brow slightly – she wondered what troubled him.
As she pondered this, the carriage stopped at the inn’s entrance. Han Yan helped Zhuo Qi into his room and had Shu Hong find a doctor to examine him. Fortunately, all three women had worn veils before leaving, so no one had seen their faces. The doctor arrived quickly, checked Zhuo Qi’s pulse, and wrote a prescription. It turned out that besides the serious wound at his waist, Zhuo Qi had also been poisoned. Although it had been partially treated earlier, the cleaning hadn’t been thorough, leaving residual poison in his body. Today’s swim in the lake had worsened his condition.
After the doctor left, Ji Lan and Shu Hong went to prepare the medicine. Han Yan stayed in the room with the now-unconscious Zhuo Qi. Looking around, she saw it was a very simple room, lacking the refinements of ordinary nobles, filled with common items that wouldn’t draw attention. Looking at this room alone, who could imagine it housed a Prince of Xi Rong?