Though Han Yan’s words were entirely true, Imperial Physician Wu had come here still harboring some uncertainty. If his attitude had been hesitant before, after hearing Han Yan’s words, his decision was now almost immediate. He heaved a deep sigh, looking at the veiled figure opposite him. Those eyes visible above the veil held a cold, mocking gaze, showing no trace of sorrow – only deep understanding.
Could she truly feel no sadness? Did she have no feelings for Fu Yun Xi? Imperial Physician Wu couldn’t help but wonder. Yet when news of Fu Yun Xi’s announced marriage to the Western Rong Princess had spread, rumors had circulated about how the once-favored Princess Xuan Qing had been devastated. Though exaggerated, such rumors never arose without some foundation.
Han Yan’s fists were tightly clenched, her heart racing, though her face betrayed nothing. She knew she was gambling, betting on Imperial Physician Wu’s reaction – if his resolve wasn’t firm enough, he would naturally reveal the truth. Her apparent composure masked mere speculation. To get Imperial Physician Wu to speak truthfully, she needed not only to confuse his thoughts with a direct statement but also to leave him no time to think.
She smiled slightly: “Imperial Physician Wu, only by speaking openly can we find a solution.”
“I don’t know how you learned of this,” Imperial Physician Wu said softly, his gaze heavy with burden. He had decided to reveal everything – there was no point in matching wits with a young lady. He had watched Fu Yun Xi grow up and understood something of what was in his heart. If the young lady knew everything, perhaps she would return to Fu Yun Xi’s side. Though she would suffer, compared to letting Fu Yun Xi bear the pain alone, Imperial Physician Wu chose to be a bit selfish. Silently apologizing to Han Yan in his heart, he continued: “He indeed has… an incurable illness.”
Han Yan felt as if a massive thunderbolt had struck her from above, leaving her dizzy and disoriented. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms, the sharp pain helping her regain some clarity. She drew a deep breath, forcibly swallowing back the blood that threatened to surge forth.
Seeing Han Yan’s expressionless face, Imperial Physician Wu became more convinced she had known this all along. But if she had known, why would she move out of Prince Xuan Qing’s manor? This young lady was as unfathomable as Fu Yun Xi at times – impossible to predict her next move. Imperial Physician Wu asked: “Do you remember when you were poisoned with the spring poison?”
That had happened a year ago, at a palace banquet when the Empress Dowager had targeted her, placing spring poison in her wine. Later, thanks to Fu Yun Xi bringing Han Yan back to Prince Xuan Qing’s manor and Imperial Physician Wu’s treatment, she escaped disaster.
“This old one forgot to tell you,” Imperial Physician Wu stroked his small beard. “The ‘Broken Flower’ poison you suffered from was incurable. It was the Prince who saved you.”
Han Yan was stunned. She had little memory of being poisoned, only feeling as if she had dreamed a long dream, awakening to find everything peaceful again. Now Imperial Physician Wu’s words struck her like a heavy hammer. If the spring poison was incurable, beyond even Imperial Physician Wu’s divine medical skills, how had Fu Yun Xi saved her?
Seeing Han Yan’s confusion, Imperial Physician Wu explained: “The Prince saved you with his blood. His blood is naturally the coldest substance in the world. The spring poison you suffered was intense – poison fighting poison finally neutralized its effects.”
“The coldest substance?” What did that mean? Han Yan couldn’t help but ask.
Imperial Physician Wu looked at her and slowly said: “The Prince was afflicted with a cold poison when very young. This cold poison… is incurable.”
When those words “incurable” were spoken, Han Yan felt her heart pierce with pain, more grievous than hearing the spring poison was incurable. After the masked man had saved Han Yan, she had been almost certain it was Fu Yun Xi. That piercing cold aura about him was too familiar – even with his voice changed and features obscured, she could recognize him instantly.
Whether Fu Yun Xi’s desire to save her was expected or unexpected, Han Yan couldn’t say. But one thing she could be certain of with Fu Yun Xi’s skills, a mere imperial guard shouldn’t have been able to wound him. No matter how dire the situation, Fu Yun Xi wouldn’t make such a mistake. There could be only one possibility – something had happened to Fu Yun Xi, something that had caused him to fall to a mere imperial guard.
At this moment, Han Yan recalled something from long ago. Perhaps because the experiences of her previous life and this one were so vastly different, she had truly believed her past life was merely a dream and gradually forgotten it. But now she remembered: in her previous life, Fu Yun Xi had also fallen gravely ill after returning from the battlefield. The illness had come violently, nearly claiming his life. The Emperor at the time had searched everywhere for skilled physicians but to no avail. Finally, the Western Rong Princess had volunteered to marry him for good fortune, and the illness had slowly improved. Whether it was ultimately cured completely, Han Yan never knew – because after that, she had died.
Because this life had changed so much, with even the timing of Fu Yun Xi’s military campaign being different, Han Yan had forgotten about his illness. She had thought she could change many things after being reborn, but life, death, illness, and aging were destined trials. Even with heaven-defying abilities, Han Yan couldn’t alter these. So was there truly no solution?
Imperial Physician Wu, seeing Han Yan’s extremely complex emotions, sighed deeply and continued: “Perhaps you only know he was poisoned, but not its origin. Very well – I see you are no ordinary woman, so I shall tell you the full story.”
Fu Yun Xi had achieved fame in his youth, elegant and refined, born with a silver spoon as imperial nobility. To many, he appeared truly outstanding, perhaps destined for an unbounded life – a fortune that generations of ancestors’ accumulated merit couldn’t achieve. But the bitterness within would never be seen by outsiders.
When Fu Yun Xi was young, his mother Consort Jing passed away. In life, Consort Jing had been the Emperor’s most beloved consort, receiving treatment that even the Empress couldn’t match. Consort Jing had three sons; on the day her youngest was born, she died in childbirth, leaving only Fu Yun Xi and the current Emperor, who was then the Crown Prince.
The Empress had been good to Fu Yun Xi and the Crown Prince. Having no sons herself, she raised them as her own. The Empress was a typical loving mother; after the previous Emperor’s death, the Crown Prince ascended the throne with the careful assistance of the Empress Dowager. The current Emperor’s attitude toward the Empress Dowager showed how much weight she held in his heart.
Fu Yun Xi had also been close to the Empress before, but in his fourteenth year, for unknown reasons, he suddenly volunteered to fight against Western Rong. The Emperor refused, and the Empress Dowager cried for several days, her eyes red with tears, but no one could change Fu Yun Xi’s determination. He went to the battlefield thus indifferently, returning laden with military achievements.