“Your Highness, when a woman is unwell with her monthly courses, it is considered unclean.”
Imperial Physician Feng kept his head bowed as he spoke carefully, offering his advice. “Men should not share a bed with her during this time. Your Highness may wish to arrange for the young lady to stay elsewhere until she has recovered, then bring her back.”
Feng Xi spoke matter-of-factly—since ancient times, a woman’s monthly courses had been seen as inauspicious, and men were expected to keep their distance.
Xiao Fusu was well aware of this custom, but…
He glanced again at Lin Lin huddled in the corner.
Unclean?
Yes, in a sense—but not quite as he’d imagined.
A strange warmth stirred in his heart, and he had no desire to leave her to fend for herself now.
“You said she has a chill as well,” he said, his brow furrowing with worry. “If she is not here where I can keep an eye on her, I fear her condition could worsen seriously.”
“Ah… even with a chill, with proper medicine and rest, she will recover in time.”
Feng Xi was surprised by how concerned the Crown Prince was for this mysterious woman, forcing a smile as he spoke.
“How can she rest properly if she is not by my side?!”
Xiao Fusu’s impatience grew, and he glared at the physician as he retorted sharply.
“Your Highness, please calm your anger!”
Seeing the Crown Prince’s resolve, Feng Xi knelt at once, not daring to say more and risk provoking him further.
“Write out a prescription, then instruct the Imperial Medical Office to prepare and deliver her medicine on time. You need not concern yourself with anything else. As for tonight’s summons—treat it as if it never happened, and do not speak of it to anyone.”
After a moment’s thought, he waved his hand dismissively. “That is all. You may go and make preparations.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Feng Xi kowtowed, rose to his feet, and bowed deeply before leaving.
“You there!”
Once the physician had gone, Xiao Fusu pointed to the servants waiting in the hall. “Bring several basins of hot water at once! Clean her up thoroughly, and change her clothes and the bed linens—everything must be spotless!”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The servants answered with trepidation, then hurried off to carry out his orders.
The sweet scent of blood filling the sleeping quarters was becoming cloying. Xiao Fusu walked to the wall and opened a window, letting in a breeze carrying the cool, damp freshness of the night air. The chill was invigorating, but it also reminded him of the weak woman in the corner.
Without hesitation, he quietly closed the window again.
When the servants returned with warm water to clean her up, she thrashed and struggled in embarrassment, refusing to let them touch her.
“Go away! All of you—get out!”
She cried out shrilly, twisting and squirming to keep them at bay like a frightened little beast. Weak as she was, her spirit remained fierce.
“Miss, please! The Crown Prince has commanded us to attend to you!”
The head servant girl, holding clean undergarments, stood before her but dared not approach the distraught young woman, her face filled with difficulty as she pleaded.
Lin Lin was not used to strangers touching her body—even women. Her tone was firm. “Leave everything and go! I don’t need your help.”
It was mortifying—for her, this felt like a form of humiliation.
She refused to be treated like a slab of meat on a butcher’s block, displayed and handled as they pleased! No—absolutely not!
“But miss, you need to clean yourself and change your clothes…”
The servant girl looked anxious at her resolute refusal.
“You can leave the clothes and water here. I will take care of it myself.”
Her voice was still full of stubbornness.
“But…”
Without the Crown Prince’s permission, the servants exchanged uncertain glances and did not dare to leave.
“But what? Did I not order you to clean her up and change her clothes? Why is nothing done?”
Having waited outside while she changed, Xiao Fusu could no longer bear the commotion inside. He kicked open the door and stormed in, pointing at the unchanged scene as he roared at the servants.
“Your Highness! The young lady is too modest—she will not let us help her!”
Seeing the Crown Prince’s fury, the servant girl holding the clothes looked terrified, bowing her head as she stammered out an explanation.
“Useless fools! Can’t even handle such a simple task—get out of here, all of you!”
He’d had enough. After half the night of fuss and commotion, dawn would be here soon, and he feared word would reach his father and mother. How would he explain her presence? That would only bring trouble down on his head.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. After scolding them, he waved them all away.
If they couldn’t do it, then he would do it himself!
Fueled by frustration, he strode over and lifted her from the bed as easily as catching a rabbit.
“Ah! What are you doing? Let me go, you brute!”
Before Lin Lin could react, the world spun around her. The man was surprisingly strong—subduing her took almost no effort at all. Soon she was held tightly in his arms, her face pressed against his hard chest.
She felt as if she would suffocate, pinned against him so firmly she could barely move, let alone shout or struggle.
Fearing he might accidentally hurt or even kill her in his haste, she acted on instinct and bit down on his chest.
Even rabbits bite when cornered.
“Ah! How dare you bite me!”
Though a weak woman’s bite was not particularly painful, Xiao Fusu had lived a life of privilege as Crown Prince, his skin as smooth and sensitive as a woman’s. He had never been so roughly handled—or bitten—while trying to carry someone.
He cried out in surprise, his hand reflexively striking her bottom.
It was soft and pliant, with a pleasant bounce to it.
He paused, momentarily stunned, his eyes fixed on her slightly moving, blood-stained curves.
“Wuwu!”
Lin Lin sobbed even harder. As soon as she could breathe again, she cursed him loudly. “You lecher! You big pervert!”
Tears and snot streamed down her face—her misery was plain to see.
He had never done anything like this before, and his face showed the clumsiness of a novice. But still, his cheeks flushed red as he steeled himself, pulling her face back into view and shifting her position so she lay across his lap. He held her fast, ensuring she could not bite him again.
“I won’t look at you—will that satisfy you?”
He panted heavily, pushing aside the intimate thoughts that flitted through his mind. Quickly, he untied the sash from her waist and tied it over his eyes, covering them completely.
Pure white fabric brushed against his skin—soft as a lover’s touch, light as a dream.
Then, like a blind man feeling his way, he ignored her cries and tears as he swiftly removed her soiled clothes, working with deliberate speed.
Dipping a clean cloth into the bronze basin of warm water, he wrung it out and began to clean her gently and carefully, then helped her into fresh garments.