Chapter 129: Just Wait to Be Buried Along with Me

"Do not picture me as so delicate; that day was purely an accident. Am I not already almost fully recovered?"

Hearing this, Jin'er finally withdrew her hand. "Those are your own words. If it acts up again, see how I deal with you!"

Yue smiled, the corners of his lips curling into a perfect arc. In the warm afternoon sun, he looked breathtakingly beautiful.

Jin'er stared at him, unable to look away, until Qing Yue suddenly and unexpectedly pecked her on the lips, snapping her sharply back to reality.

"Hey, you!" Jin'er felt a bit vexed. He had taken plenty of advantage of these past two days, and now he actually dared to kiss her right in front of Shiyuan. He was truly becoming more and more brazen!

Ignoring the anger in her eyes, Qing Yue pulled her down to sit beside him, leaning close to her ear to whisper, "I like kissing you just as much as you like staring blankly at me."

At these words, Jin'er’s pretty face flushed crimson in an instant. See? This was the consequence of daydreaming; from now on, she must strictly remember not to gaze at him for more than three seconds!

"I want to hear a tune," Jin'er pouted and said.

Yue smiled gently at her, unhooked the short flute from his waist, and brought it to his lips, playing a soft melody.

Immediately, the flute notes drifted and lingered, blending with the sound of the oars parting the water and the warm breeze sweeping across the surface of the boat. It felt indescribably comforting.

Jin'er drew up her legs, wrapped her arms around her shins, and rested her chin on her knees, closing her eyes slightly to enjoy the melodious flute music. She could tell that his tune no longer carried the lingering sorrow of the past; instead, it drifted with a faint sense of delight and happiness, which made her feel quite relieved.

If hurting Moyan was inevitable, then at least she had the ability to avoid harming Qing Yue, right? Well, perhaps not necessarily; after all, anything could happen in the future. For now, aside from letting nature take its course, she truly had no idea how to cope.

Over the next few days, Jin'er tirelessly asked Qing Yue to play tunes for her from time to time, a request Qing Yue was more than willing to fulfill. As long as she liked it, he would gladly play from morning until night without stopping.

Seeing Jin'er and Qing Yue noticeably closer than before, Shiyuan could only choose to avoid them. When they were at the bow, he went to the stern; when they were at the stern, he went to the bow. Still, he couldn't help stealing quiet glances at her every now and then.

He had originally thought that kissing her would change things between them, but now it seemed to have only brought the two of them closer...

Forget it. Didn't he always tell himself not to harbor any extravagant hopes? Being able to see her every day and hear her voice was already an extra grace from the heavens.

"Ah! We've finally arrived! Haha! It seems traveling by water really is much faster!" Jin'er was the first to leap ashore, crying out in high spirits.

"Of course it is," Qing Yue smiled and followed her, with Shiyuan bringing up the rear.

The surroundings were bustling with activity. This was the largest dock in the Tu Kingdom, where numerous merchant ships docked to unload cargo, and it also featured an aquatic product trading market. At this moment, cries of peddlers and sounds of bargaining rose one after another.

Jin'er walked along, looking left and right with a face full of curiosity. As they reached the main thoroughfare of the town, they were surrounded by leisurely pedestrians heading to the market. Consequently, Qing Yue and Jin'er instantly became the focal point of everyone's gazes.

Jin'er didn't mind much on her own, but seeing all the matrons and elderly women shifting their gazes from her face to the man beside her, and noticing quite a few men staring blankly at Qing Yue to the point of almost drooling, she felt a slight wave of depression.

Entering a tavern, they found a secluded corner and sat down. Jin'er gloomily said to Qing Yue, "I really want to put a veil on you. You're completely stealing my thunder."

Qing Yue pursed his lips and smiled. "Did you think I'd feel comfortable seeing all those elderly women looking like they wanted to pounce on me?"

Jin'er let out a snort of laughter. Ha, well, that was true.

Her gaze shifted, and upon catching sight of the "stranger" sitting to her left, her laughter stopped abruptly, startled for a moment. But after staring at him for a long while, she burst into even more exaggerated laughter, nearly slapping the table.

As it turned out, the ugly man sitting beside them—whose face was wrinkled and scorched on one half, while the other half was half-hidden by unkempt hair—was actually Shitou!

"Hahaha... What on earth are you doing? When did you turn into this look?" Jin'er asked, looking at him speechlessly. Had it not been for his stiff expression and familiar gaze, she truly would not have recognized him.

"When we got off the boat," Shiyuan replied. His gaze and voice were somewhat cold, seeming rather displeased. Only then did Jin'er realize she had been far too inattentive toward him. A pang of guilt rose in her heart, and she hurriedly reined in her laughter, feeling too conscience-stricken to say any more.

After the meal, the three of them didn't rest. They went straight to a post station, rented two horses, and continued their journey. As the group passed the bulletin board in the marketplace, they noticed an imperial notice posted upon it. Upon reading the content, they discovered that the crown prince was critically ill, and a massive reward was being offered for renowned physicians.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... This notice has been up for more than ten days, and still no one has dared to take it down," a woman in front remarked to her companion.

"Where are there so many renowned physicians to be found? The Emperor has posted notices looking for doctors to enter the palace quite a few times over the past two years. For the sake of the silver, those half-baked quacks have probably all tried their luck already; how could anyone else be left?" the other woman replied.

"Alas, that's true. The crown prince's constitution is simply too frail; neither imperial physicians nor common doctors are of any use, and now his condition has worsened even further. What do you suppose will happen to our Tu Kingdom if the worst truly occurs?"

"Hush! Are you courting death? Daring to curse the crown prince—if the officials hear you, it'll cost you your head! Let's hurry away!"

Watching the group hurry off, Jin'er couldn't help glancing back at the notice, her eyes caught by the words "massive reward." From now on, she had begun living a life of leisure, and money was an extremely important commodity—the more, the of it, the better.

Although the Myriad Poisons Sect was wealthy, firstly, she hadn't carefully reviewed their accounts beforehand and didn't know if their surplus was large, especially considering they had to support so many people; and secondly, curing a critically ill crown prince of a nation—let alone the bounty—might even earn her a noble title. It wasn't entirely impossible.

Just as Jin'er made up her mind to give it a try, Shiyuan beside her had already dismounted, stepped straight up to the board, pulled down the notice, rolled it up, and tucked it into his robe.

Jin'er blinked in slight surprise, watching him remount. When had this guy developed such tacit understanding with her? He knew her thoughts without even waiting for her to speak?

"The person you need to help me save is the crown prince," a low voice reached her, shattering the word "telepathy" in Jin'er's mind.

Jin'er pouted, silently cursing herself for being a fool, but then a sudden question popped into her head: "Um... if he gets cured, can I keep the bounty?"

Seeing her wide eyes staring at him in eager anticipation, Shiyuan couldn't help but feel a flicker of amusement. Seeing her display such a money-grubbing look for the very first time was truly adorable.

Noticing the fleeting smile in his eyes, Jin'er quickly straightened her expression, turned her head away with an awkward pout, and ignored him. If he wasn't going to give it to her, he should have just said so—such a stingy person!

"As you wish."

Jin'er had just turned her head back, muttering curses under her breath, when she suddenly heard him say "as you wish." Joy instantly bloomed across her face, and she turned to Shiyuan, saying with a cheerful smile, "It's a deal!" With that, she suddenly gave the horse beneath her a light slap. The horse whinnied and bolted forward, leaving Qing Yue behind, unprepared, to let out a cry of alarm as he nearly tumbled from his saddle.

The weather in the Tu Kingdom seemed much colder than in the Jin and Fire Kingdoms. The further north they went, the colder it got. Along the way, the wind stung their faces like blades, and they couldn't help shivering. Qing Yue thoughtfully pulled out his own outer robe to wrap around Jin'er, having her sit sideways in front of him and burying her face in his chest to shield her from the biting wind.

Upon reaching a major city, the group hurried to the largest clothing shop in town and bought several thick, warm outfits.

Stepping out of the shop, Jin'er had already changed into a relatively thick yet far from bulky pink brocade robe embroidered with white peonies, complemented by a finely crafted white fox-fur cloak, followed by a pair of warm leather boots she had just purchased. As she stepped out of the doorway, snowflakes began to drift from the sky.

"Wow! It's snowing! Haha!" Jin'er took a few steps forward, tilted her head back to look at the sky, and reached out her hands to catch the fluttering snowflakes. She watched them turn crystal clear in her palms before quickly melting, her face filled with childlike wonder and delight.

Winters in the Jin Kingdom rarely saw snow, and Mist Flower Island was spring-like all year round without a trace of snow, so she hadn't seen a snowfall in several years.

The snowflakes falling through the air grew denser and larger. Overjoyed, Jin'er ran and spun in circles along the street, laughing a silvery laugh as she let the countless snowflakes land on her body and face, imagining that she was a snowflake herself, dancing gracefully along with them.

Shiyuan and Qing Yue followed quietly behind her. One wore a calm expression with a gentle warmth welling up in his eyes, while the other had the corners of his lips curved in a radiantly charming smile; yet neither of them missed a single trace of the smile on Jin'er's face.

Being able to quietly watch such a pure and joyful smile on her face was truly one of life's greatest blessings.

The snow fell for the better part of the day, turning from heavy snow into scattered flurries by evening.

Jin'er went up to the roof of the inn alone, laid the hem of her cloak over the thick layer of accumulated snow, and sat down. Drawing up her legs and resting her chin on her elbows propped on her knees, she stared blankly at the snow-white rooftops shrouded in the hazy twilight.

When alone and quiet, she couldn't help thinking of him again. What was he doing right now? Was he asleep? Or was he still wading through endless, tedious memorials?

Suddenly, Jin'er felt a warmth at her back as an arm encircled her shoulders. Turning her head, she saw that Qing Yue had already seated himself beside her, wrapping her in yet another layer with his own cloak.

"Aren't you cold?" His melodious voice reached her ear, making Jin'er feel a sudden warmth in her heart.

"Not really." She lifted her eyes to look at his breathtakingly beautiful face, and after just a single glance, she found herself reluctant to look away. She suddenly had the fleeting feeling that this sky full of snow was falling just for him.

"Snow is truly beautiful..." she murmured, staring at him in a daze. Perhaps because of the infatuation in her eyes, despite her words being about the beauty of the snow, the charming smile on Qing Yue's face deepened considerably.

"No matter how beautiful, it still cannot compare to you," he murmured softly and seductively, like a potent aphrodisiac that left Jin'er feeling lightheaded. In her daze, she was startled back to awareness by his sudden, light kiss.

"Your sorrowful look makes my heart ache," he pulled away slightly from her lips, murmuring softly.

Jin'er was stunned. A sorrowful look? Did she have one? While she was still dazed, the soft touch on her lips returned, gently and tenderly shifting, slowly sweeping away her melancholic thoughts.

In the end, Jin'er lost herself in Qing Yue's intoxicating tenderness, leaning back weakly against the crook of his arm as he greedily claimed her. It wasn't until his kiss moved to her earlobe, his hot, quick breaths brushing against her sensitive skin, that Jin'er snapped back to her senses with a trace of panic. She shrank her neck back to dodge the kiss he intended to plant on her ear.

"Jin'er..." Qing Yue's melodious and soft voice was huskier than usual, yet intensely sensual, making Jin'er swallow hard despite herself.

"I... I'm sleepy." As soon as the words left her mouth, Jin'er wanted to bite her own tongue. To utter such a pathetic excuse without even looking at the current atmosphere...

True to form, Qing Yue chuckled softly. Without a word, he leaned closer and kissed her flushed, pink cheeks. He adored her bashful, nervous appearance to no end.

Jin'er shuddered, bit her lip, and shrank back again. "Can we stop, please? I want to go back to my room." Her body was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Having tasted the pleasures of intimacy several times before, her physical desires were naturally much easier to arouse than before. If this continued, she truly feared she wouldn't have the strength to resist his tender yet sweet-talking offensive.

Seeing Jin'er blushing and looking nervous and uneasy, Qing Yue only wanted to kiss her more, the flicker of lust swirling in his eyes growing heavier. "I can't bear to let you go..." Words laced with longing and suppressed desire slipped out, and the next moment, he turned slightly to shield her, pressing her backward as his burning lips landed on the delicate skin of her neck.

Jin'er trembled, letting out a soft moan as her heartbeat quickened inexplicably. "Don't... not like this..." Her mind was still quite clear, but her body was, damn it, starting to grow excited.

Instead of stopping, Qing Yue's breathing grew even heavier. He freed one hand and slid it up her waist, slowly moving upward.

Jin'er’s chest rose and fell rapidly, her breathing shallow and hurried. A part of her felt a craving for it, but the greater part was resisting. Though she believed in gender equality and a relatively open view of sexuality, she preferred intimacy that stemmed from deep affection and natural progression—unlike now, when her mind was filled with hesitation and a lingering sense of guilt toward Moyan.

Just as Qing Yue was about to brush against her fullness, Jin'er fiercely grabbed his hand, gritting her teeth as she said with difficulty, "No! I'm not... ready yet."

At these words, Qing Yue finally halted. He raised his head to look at her, then helped her back up into a sitting position.

Though he truly longed to possess her and had almost lost control just moments ago, he had promised to wait for her, and wait he would. He would patiently wait until she willingly and completely accepted him.

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After traveling for several more days, the trio finally arrived at the imperial capital of the Tu Kingdom. Upon reaching the gates of the imperial palace, Shiyuan fished out the reward notice from his robe and handed it to the guards at the gate.

"Hand over your weapons," the guard captain said after glancing at the notice, looking the three of them up and down with displeasure and speaking in a gruff voice.

Qing Yue looked at Shiyuan, and seeing him hand over his weapons, he had no choice but to surrender his sword as well. Because everything had happened so suddenly earlier, Jin'er hadn't had time to grab her flying flower sword, so she carried no lethal weapons on her at the moment—just her medical pouch.

However, her beloved Hundred Flowers Fan had always been kept on her person. Of course, no one would mistake that for a weapon.

The group was led by several guards toward the crown prince's palace, while a guard had already gone ahead to report to their emperor.

At the palace gates, Jin'er noticed that the Tu Kingdom's palaces looked grand and imposing; once inside, that sense of magnificence and grandeur grew even stronger, and she couldn't help looking around curiously as she walked.

Led through numerous winding corridors, the three finally arrived before a resplendent, golden palace. Had she not read the plaque outside, Jin'er would have absolute assumed this was the Emperor's own sleeping quarters. It was luxurious beyond measure.

Standing at the entrance, another group of guards stepped up to search them for weapons. This time, Jin'er didn't escape the search, though fortunately, the person searching her was a female attendant, so she didn't mind.

The attendant pulled a fan from her person. Her previously expressionless face blossomed with astonishment the moment she opened it, clearly captivated by the Hundred Flowers Fan.

"Announce the visitors from outside the hall!" Until the elongated, lingering cry of the eunuch echoed from within, the attendant snapped back to her senses, handed the fan back to Jin'er, and stepped aside.

Jin'er folded the fan, tucked it back into her robes, and followed her guide into the Crown Prince's Palace. Along the way, pavilions and terraces, small bridges over flowing water, and fragrant flowers presented a breathtaking view. Every single detail was flawless and meticulously crafted.

Entering the front courtyard, Jin'er was even more struck by the carved balustrades, jade railings, and gilded luxury all around. Tsk, tsk, tsk... What a lavish crown prince!

Upon entering the main hall, Jin'er immediately spotted the Tu Emperor seated high above, bearing a weathered yet majestic expression. After they performed the formal kowtow, the Emperor swept his gaze over the three of them, told them to rise and speak, and finally let his eyes rest on Jin'er, who stood front and center.

"You are a physician?" The Emperor frowned as he looked at the pretty young girl, making no effort to conceal the suspicion in his voice, his eyes carrying a hint of displeasure.

Things were getting truly preposterous; even a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl wanted to come and try her luck?! If Lingfeng's life weren't hanging by a thread, leaving him unable to miss a single chance, he would have had them thrown straight into the celestial prison right now!

"Replying to Your Majesty, indeed I am." Jin'er raised her head to meet the Emperor's gaze, showing no fear of his scrutiny or displeasure, and replied in a light, neither servile nor overbearing tone.

The Emperor let out a barely audible scoff from his nose, then spoke, "Follow me inside." He turned as if to head toward the inner bedchamber, only to be stopped by Jin'er's voice.

"What is it?" The Emperor turned back with a displeased look.

"This commoner would like to ask how much the reward is first, if I may." The notice had said a "massive reward," but she felt it best to get the exact amount of "massiveness" clarified beforehand, lest they renege afterward.

Hearing this, the Emperor raised an eyebrow. "What a daring lass, and quite full of confidence, it seems. I hope your medical skills don't disappoint me too much; otherwise, I cannot guarantee the consequences."

The swindlers and quacks who had come earlier were still locked up in the celestial prison. Did she really think imperial wealth was so easy to swindle?

Seeing Jin'er look at him unconcernedly and without a shred of fear, the Emperor couldn't help viewing her in a new light. The faint glimmer of hope in his heart grew slightly brighter.

"If you can cure the Crown Prince, the reward is ten thousand taels of gold!" He drew a deep breath and spoke in a steady, imposing voice. The palace maids, eunuchs, and Qing Yue's group all turned pale in unison, clearly stunned by the staggering sum.

However, the very next second—

"One hundred thousand taels." A soft, melodious voice drifted over, leaving everyone utterly shocked as they turned toward the source of the sound.

Jin'er's lips curved into a lovely arc, revealing two charming dimples that were faint yet captivating. Her calm demeanor made one wonder if she truly understood what the concept of one hundred thousand taels of gold actually entailed.

"You!" The Emperor's eyes widened, utterly incredulous at her exorbitant demand.

This girl truly had the audacity of a leopard; she actually dared to bargain with him?! Ten thousand taels of gold was more than enough for her to live in extravagant luxury for several lifetimes!

"Your Majesty need not be so shocked. This commoner merely thinks that since His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is noble beyond measure, nothing less than one hundred thousand taels could possibly match his status," Jin'er said with a calm smile, looking completely sincere and harmless.

Hmph, did she think he didn't know how much he cherished his precious son? Look at how lavishly this palace was built—she refused to believe he'd be stingy with a bit of money! If she hadn't been so kind-hearted, she wouldn't have let him off so cheaply.

The Emperor's face alternated between green and white, completely cornered into speechlessness by her words. But after a moment's thought, he reasoned that since she dared to make such an outrageous demand, perhaps she really possessed absolute confidence? At this thought, an immense surge of hope instantly welled up in the Emperor's heart, and a gleam of anticipation bloomed in his eyes.

"Very well! I agree to your terms. But if you cannot cure him..." The Emperor left the rest unsaid, though the implication was clear enough.

Narrowing his eyes, he cast one last deep look at Jin'er, who still showed no sign of fear, before turning and striding forward.

The imperial physicians had all said Lingfeng was at the mercy of heaven, and the worst-case scenario might play out in as little as a month... The mere thought of that terrifying outcome filled him with inexplicable panic and dread.

If this girl could truly cure Lingfeng, let alone one hundred thousand taels, he'd double it several times over if asked! Lingfeng was his most cherished and only son; he could not afford to let him suffer any mishap!

Everyone present was dumbfounded. One hundred thousand taels of gold?! Good heavens...

Jin'er smiled with a raised brow and stepped forward with light, easy paces. Qing Yue and Shiyuan were left behind in the main hall to wait.

"Cough, cough, cough..." The moment she crossed the threshold, Jin'er heard a series of extremely weak coughs.

Paying no mind to the luxurious and exquisite decorations inside the room, Jin'er followed the Emperor straight past the screen and arrived before a massive sandalwood bed draped with pale gold sheer curtains.

At a gesture from the Emperor, two attending maids hurriedly stepped forward to gently draw the sheer curtains to both sides. As the maids stepped away, a young man of about eighteen or nineteen, terribly emaciated and with a pale, slightly bluish complexion, came into Jin'er's view.

He lay flat on the bed, covered by a thick pale gold brocade quilt, with only the area from the neck up exposed. A head of somewhat dry, ink-black long hair was scattered across the pillow, looking as lifeless as he did.

His lips were chapped with countless cracks yet devoid of any bloodshot color. Only his delicate eyebrows, straight bridge of the nose, and dense, long eyelashes betrayed a trace of former handsomeness.

"Lingfeng, are you feeling any better today?" The Emperor's brow furrowed tightly as he walked over and gently seated himself on the edge of the bed. The care and heartache on his face were deeply etched into his features and eyes. At this moment, he looked entirely like an aged, loving father rather than the majestic, domineering monarch from before...

Jin'er stared at him, feeling an inexplicable ache in her chest. As a father and as an emperor, why hadn't she been blessed with such a fate—to have such a wonderful father?

"Father..." The young man on the bed moved his lips, calling out weakly. His eyelashes fluttered, but he did not open his eyes.

Hearing this, Jin'er hurriedly reined in her sorrowful emotions and turned her gaze to the young man on the bed.

"Lingfeng..." The old Emperor said softly, his heart aching. "Lingfeng, don't be afraid. Father has found a physician for you; this time, you will surely be cured."

"Cough, cough, cough..." The Crown Prince couldn't help another weak bout of coughing, his breathing turning rapid as it felt as though each cough might extinguish his life at any second.

"Lingfeng..." The old Emperor's expression shifted, and he hurried to gently stroke the young man's chest to soothe him.

After a long while, the coughing finally subsided. The Emperor was about to tell Jin'er to come forward and examine him when the young man on the bed softly uttered a sentence that left the Emperor frozen in place, his heart breaking as if sliced by knives.

"Father... let this son go... This son is truly so tired... I beg you..." As his words fell, a single teardrop slid from the corner of his eye, piercing the Emperor's heart and stinging Jin'er's eyes.

"Lingfeng... you, be a little stronger..." The Emperor's lips trembled as he choked back tears. "Your mother left us early. Father... Father cannot bear to lose you too, Lingfeng..."

Seeing those tears threatening to fall, Jin'er couldn't bear to watch any longer. "Your Majesty, please go and rest first. Leave this to me."

Hearing this, the Emperor remembered that such a great hope was still standing right here. He hurriedly lifted his head, blinked back his tears, and composed his expression. Only then did he stand up, walk over to Jin'er, and resume the majesty of a monarch, though his reddened eyes betrayed his grief.

Just as he was about to speak, Jin'er beat him to it. "Please grant me a few days, Your Majesty. I will provide a result by then."

The Emperor opened his mouth as if to say something more, but upon catching the determination and confidence in Jin'er's eyes, he ultimately swallowed his words. He simply nodded, cast one more deep, sorrowful look at his frail son on the bed, and then turned to slowly walk away with heavy steps.

Once he was gone, Jin'er signaled the two maids to withdraw as well. They exchanged hesitant glances, but unable to withstand Jin'er's icy glare, they retreated together.

When only she and the Crown Prince remained in the bedchamber, Jin'er stepped forward, slightly pulled back the quilt at his side, and drew out his emaciated hand. The moment her fingers touched his, she felt a bone-chilling coldness, and simultaneously felt him twitch reflexively, trying to withdraw his hand.

Jin'er gave him no leeway to dodge. With little gentleness, she yanked his hand over and began taking his pulse on her own.

"Go away..."

Though his voice was weak and faint, Jin'er could still detect the impatience and disgust in his tone.

"Shut your mouth and don't distract me!" Jin'er shot him a glare and turned her attention back to taking his pulse with absolute seriousness. She didn't realize that this single reprimand caused the young man on the bed to slowly open his eyes.

No one had ever dared to speak to him in such a tone before; he wanted to see who this death-seeking person was that dared to berate him like this.

Upon seeing the person taking his pulse, Helingfeng's dim, lifeless eyes seemed to brighten slightly. His breathing remained weak, but he forced open his weary eyelids and silently stared at the young woman before him.

No one had ever dared to act so bold before.

Jin'er finished checking his pulse and set his icy hand back down. When she looked up, she found that he had actually opened his eyes and was staring fixedly at her. She suddenly realized that he had single eyelids, the kind sloping upward at the outer corners that she used to adore when watching Korean dramas.

Uh, stop! Where was her mind wandering?!

Jin'er exhaled a depressed breath, avoided his probing gaze, and leaned in to examine his eyelids. Afterward, she instructed, "Open your mouth and stick out your tongue."

Seeing his closed lips remain still, Jin'er glared down at him and impatiently repeated herself.

"You dare show disrespect to this Crown Prince?" Helingfeng frowned slightly, finally moving his lips to speak weakly.

"Oh ho..." Jin'er looked at him with amusement. "Someone who is already wishing for death, and you still care whether people show you respect or disrespect?"

Helingfeng's brow furrowed deeper as he stared fixedly at her triumphant smile. After a moment, a faint scoff escaped his nose. "You're quite pretty... I'll tell Father... to make you be buried with me." At this point, he had to split every single sentence into three parts.

"You!" Jin'er hadn't expected him to say such a thing. She was both exasperated and amused. "I'll accept your compliment. As for that burial business, wait until you're actually dead and dreaming your spring dreams inside a coffin!"

How could this guy be so dark-hearted? She had come out of the kindness of her heart to save him, yet he wanted to drag her down as a burial companion? If not for the sake of those one hundred thousand taels of gold—oh right, and Shitou's sake—she'd have given him an acupuncture needle right now to fulfill his wish for death!

"Are you going to open your mouth or not?" Jin'er raised an eyebrow, a fierce glint in her eyes, which finally made Helingfeng swallow hard. Extremely unwillingly, he slowly opened his mouth and stuck out his tongue.

"Done," Jin'er muttered after inspecting it carefully for a long moment, then turned around and strolled away toward the door with an easy, unbothered stride.

"Cough, cough..." Helingfeng panicked, unable to stop a fresh fit of coughing. His already short, weak breaths instantly lost their rhythm, leaving him feeling as though more air was leaving than entering. If not for a lingering trace of dread toward her previous warning, he might genuinely have let himself breathe his last right then and there just to seek relief.

What use was fine food and jade garments? What use was boundless favor? For over a decade, he had lived alongside medicine every single day, never stepping foot outside this palace even once. No matter how hard he tried or how desperately he attempted to strengthen his body, he could never shake off that cursed medicine jar.

He loathed this version of himself to the core, and the past half-year of being bedridden had felt worse than death itself. If not for lingering thoughts of his Father, he would have ended it all long ago to grant himself peace.

Finally catching his breath, Helingfeng panted weakly, his chest heaving rapidly as he told himself he must persevere. He had to hold on until Father returned so that he could make this dead girl face her just deserts before he could die!

Did she think she could just waltz in, put on a show, prescribe some random ancestral secret remedies, and force him to drink bowls of bitter medicine just to swindle a reward from Father?

Hmph! She was far worse than all the others before her! At least those people had treated him with utmost reverence; but her? She had actually dared to yell at him, glare at him, and threaten him?! Even when he was on the threshold of death, she wouldn't let him leave in peace and comfort—he simply could not swallow this grievance!

"Just you wait to be buried with me, you dead girl... Cough, cough, cough..."

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Following this, the three of them took up residence within the Crown Prince's Palace. The Tu Emperor seemed to place immense hope in her, explicitly granting her a special status within the palace and decreeing that all servants must obey her commands.

After lunch, Jin'er summoned the Crown Prince's personal maid, having her lead her through every nook and cranny of the palace while recounting details of the Crown Prince's daily diet and routine. Through this meticulous investigation, Jin'er gained a deeper understanding of the Crown Prince.

As it turned out, the Crown Prince was born to the late Empress. Due to a premature and difficult labor, the Empress passed away immediately after giving birth, and the Crown Prince had been sickly ever since childhood, keeping company with medicine year-round. The Emperor and the late Empress had been deeply in affection, leading him to dote heavily on the Crown Prince.

After the Empress's death, the Emperor was heartbroken. He dismissed the few imperial consorts he had, keeping only Consort Zhen, and never appointed another Empress. Consort Zhen had only given birth to Princess Yunshang and no other children. Thus, the imperial lineage of the Tu Kingdom's royal family consisted solely of this one prince and one princess, showing just how deeply the old Emperor doted on that dark-hearted Crown Prince.

Heh, dark-hearted Crown Prince? That title had a nice ring to it.

In the blink of an eye, the afternoon had slipped away. If there was anything particularly noteworthy she had discovered, it was the vast patch of blue brocade flowers in the back courtyard.

These blue brocade flowers were exceptionally gorgeous blossoms with blue petals edged in silver, and leaves resembling those of an orchid, though the plants grew twice as tall as ordinary orchids. Not only was the plant uniquely attractive, but it also carried a mesmerizing, subtle fragrance.

Such flowers were rarely seen or heard of by ordinary people, but she was lucky; Mist Flower Island had plenty of them, and Sister Xue happened to like them quite a bit, so she wasn't unfamiliar with them. Still, why would such flowers exist in the imperial palace, and in such a massive patch?

On second thought, the one place never lacking in treasures was the imperial palace; with money and power, what rare wonder couldn't be procured? Upon reflection, this wasn't really all that extraordinary.

"Jin'er, it's time for dinner." Qing Yue suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling Jin'er.

"No, you and Shitou go ahead. I'm going to the Crown Prince's quarters. From now on, I'll be eating, living, and sleeping right alongside the Crown Prince." Jin'er said naturally, only realizing her words carried an ambiguity after seeing Qing Yue's expression of utter astonishment. She hurriedly added, "Not *that* kind of sleeping, you know what I mean. I just need to investigate a few things."

Dismissing Qing Yue, Jin'er headed toward the Crown Prince's bedchamber on her own, falling deep into thought along the way.

She had diagnosed the Crown Prince that morning: his vital energy was severely depleted and his blood gravely deficient—symptoms truly indicative of a terminal condition. However, since Shitou claimed he had been poisoned with a chronic toxin, she naturally examined him with much greater care.

She had discovered that the deep root of his tongue carried a faint dark tint, a spot ordinary physicians wouldn't notice unless they deliberately looked for it. Moreover, merely noticing this detail only suggested the possibility of poisoning; to physicians unskilled in toxicology, this finding held little meaning. Thus, even if someone else had noticed it, they might not have dared to speak up.

As for why Shitou knew the Crown Prince had been poisoned, she had asked him, but Shitou remained tight-lipped, saying only that he would explain later, leaving her with no choice but to drop the inquiry. In any case, it was none of her business—she only needed to complete the task, collect the money, and leave. She had no desire to muddy these deep waters.

Before she knew it, she had arrived outside the Crown Prince's bedchamber just as a servant was delivering his meal. Seizing the initiative, she took the tray herself and instructed the maid to prepare another portion of her own meal and bring them both together from then on.

Stepping into the room, she walked past the screen, placed the tray on the small bedside table, and bent down to help him sit up.

Without greeting him, she directly went hands-on, paying no mind to whether his eyes were open or closed. It wasn't that she was abusing her patient; rather, she didn't care much for this particular patient, and besides, his fluttering eyelashes clearly showed he was feigning sleep.

Hmph, even in this state, he was still putting on airs and refusing to be honest.

Helingfeng was hauled up somewhat roughly and propped against the head of the bed, feeling thoroughly vexed inside. Though he was indeed emaciated and frail, being hoisted up like a little chick by a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl felt truly humiliating. "Are you even a woman?" Her strength was definitely well above average.

Jin'er shot him a resentful look, picked up a bowl of plain meat porridge, and blew gently on it to cool it down.

Helingfeng cast a sidelong glance at the bland, unappealing porridge and weakly closed his eyes. "I don't want to eat. Take it away."

Why on earth did she insist on feeding him? He truly couldn't understand why his father had granted her such special privileges.

Ignoring him entirely, Jin'er scooped up a spoonful, blew on it a couple of times to cool it further, and then brought it to her own mouth to taste it earnestly.

Watching her actions, a flash of astonishment crossed Helingfeng's dim, lifeless eyes, quickly replaced by extreme dissatisfaction. What was she doing? Even if he refused to eat it, it should be thrown out; it certainly shouldn't be given to her!

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he saw Jin'er scoop another small spoonful, blow on it a few times, and actually bring it straight to his lips. Helingfeng's eyes widened in shock. He shot a look of utter disgust first at the spoon, then at her, and pressed his lips tightly together.