Ning Huan carefully treated Mu Jinyu’s wounds. He wiped away the dried blood with a damp cloth, applied a layer of specially prepared golden sore ointment, and then wrapped it securely with gauze.
Mu Jinyu glanced in the mirror. Seeing his head wrapped so tightly, he let out a cold snort. “It looks terrible.”
Ning Huan used a wet cloth to wipe the medicinal powder from his own fingers. “It is freezing outside. The wound must be bandaged meticulously so it doesn’t suffer further from the cold.”
Mu Jinyu’s expression remained unpleasant; he looked dark and gloomy.
Ning Huan used his clean fingers to cup Mu Jinyu’s cheek, his face wearing a half-smile. “Where does it look bad? The Crown Prince is clearly handsome.”
Mu Jinyu had never received such praise before, and his heart skipped a beat. Given his status, those who could praise him chose not to; the Emperor wished to skin him alive, the Empress was perpetually in a daze, and the Empress Dowager was entirely indifferent to his existence. As for those below him—could that be called praise? That was mere sycophancy.
Most women in the capital preferred handsome and heroic men. Mu Jinyu possessed an exceedingly beautiful face with well-defined features. His cold, deep phoenix eyes were enough to make any unmarried young lady lose her soul, and he was tall—taller even than a mighty Great General. Anyone with eyes could see he was good-looking.
However, he was too prone to bouts of madness. His actions were either absurd or cruel. The outside world’s evaluation of this “Violent Crown Prince” was not good. Others kept a respectful distance, and certainly no one would go out of their way to say, “The Crown Prince is a bit violent, but he’s quite good-looking.” Good looks couldn’t put food on the table, and no one wanted a ruler who looked nice but chopped off heads every day.
Mu Jinyu didn’t quite believe it. “Really?”
Ning Huan’s aesthetic taste had always been excellent; if he said something was good, no one would find it lacking.
While Mu Jinyu was a bit troubled in the head, his face was truly flawless. Aside from being a bit sullen, a bit too sharp, and looking a bit too much like someone not to be trifled with, everything else was beautiful.
How to describe it—he was like the alpha of a wolf pack, naturally carrying an invincible dominance. He was both rebellious and handsome. Whether it was his deep-set eyes or his high, mountain-like bridge of a nose, everything gave off that impression.
Ning Huan replied, “Really.”
Ning Huan was still running a high fever. After preparing the frostbite ointment, he packed it into small bottles. When Die Qing entered, Ning Huan handed the ointment to her. “Distribute one bottle to each of the servants working in the courtyard for the frostbite on their hands.”
Die Qing was both surprised and delighted. “For us?”
Ning Huan nodded.
Die Qing said, “How could a servant like me be worthy of this? But since you have already bestowed it, I will deliver it to them immediately.”
Ning Huan’s gesture wasn’t purely out of kindness. In this unfamiliar place, many things relied on these subordinates, so they had to be properly managed. Ning Huan was accustomed to balancing kindness with authority, providing appropriate rewards to those below him.
Ning Huan nodded. “When you return, wring out some ice-cold cloths.”
Mu Jinyu touched Ning Huan’s forehead and found it exceptionally hot. “Have you taken your medicine?”
Ning Huan was much more difficult to serve than Mu Jinyu. Now that his grandmother and brother were no longer there to force him, he would delay taking medicine as long as he could.
Outside, Ah Xi saw Die Qing calling over the workers in the yard. There were three or four girls working outside; most of them swept the grounds, did the laundry, and performed heavy chores. There were also two older matrons specifically for cooking, who appeared clean and efficient. Some were originally from the Crown Prince’s Estate, while others had been brought over by Ning Huan from the Ning Residence.
The winter this year was exceptionally cold. Even someone like Ah Xi, who followed closely behind Mu Jinyu, had developed frostbite, let alone the girls who washed clothes and swept the yard in the wind and rain every day. Most of them just bought cheap ointments to rub on, which weren’t very effective. They couldn’t afford the truly useful ones.
Die Qing said, “The Crown Princess Consort has specially bestowed us with fine medicine. This is for frostbite. Everyone gets one bottle. We shall all thank the Crown Princess later.”
Ah Xi watched with narrowed eyes.
He remembered when he first met Die Qing; she was a girl as timid as a mouse, hesitant in everything she did. Now, she had become much more poised and capable.
As Die Qing came through the courtyard, Ah Xi walked up to her. “Sister Die Qing, give me a bottle as well.”
Die Qing gave her own bottle to Ah Xi. “Eunuch Xi has frostbite too? It really is cold this year.”
“Isn’t it? The Crown Princess bestowed this, and the whole courtyard is deeply grateful,” Ah Xi said with a smile. “Few masters consider how difficult it is for those below them. It’s clear the Crown Princess is very thoughtful.”
He poured a little out and rubbed it onto the back of his swollen hand. The medicine had a faint fragrance and felt very moisturizing. Before long, he felt a bit of warmth on the back of his hand; it seemed to actually work.
Die Qing smiled. “Everyone will surely work even harder now.”
After saying that, she hurried off to prepare the ice and wring out the cloths.
The room was warm. After Ning Huan had ground the herbs, a faint medicinal scent lingered. Mu Jinyu added a handful of calming incense to the brazier to mask the smell of the medicine and took the tray from Die Qing’s hands.
Mu Jinyu placed the cold cloth on Ning Huan’s forehead and pulled him into his arms. “Sleep for a while. Use my lap as a pillow. I’ll watch over you here.”
Ning Huan rested his head there, his cheek pressed against Mu Jinyu’s lower abdomen. Because his fever had not subsided, Ning Huan’s skin flushed with a slight crimson hue, and his arms also turned red, looking like rouge seeping into snow.
With his head throbbing in waves of pain, Ning Huan’s white teeth bit down on his lip in endurance, as if trying to force his way through the discomfort. Mu Jinyu moved Ning Huan’s chin with his fingers. “Don’t bite.”
Ning Huan gave a soft “Mhm.” After a short while, he suddenly felt something hot and hard poke his head.
Mu Jinyu’s body went stiff. He didn’t know why this happened for no reason; his body often didn’t listen to him. It was likely because Ning Huan’s face was too beautiful. He quickly moved Ning Huan down a bit, keeping Ning Huan’s face away from his lower abdomen.
Ning Huan simply assumed Mu Jinyu’s elbow had accidentally bumped him and did not open his eyes.
For a long while, Mu Jinyu sat there as if on pins and needles. He silently recited several verses of the Heart-Cleansing Incantations, trying his best to banish the chaotic images of fooling around with Ning Huan from his mind.
Finally, Ah Xi crept in and whispered a sentence into his ear: “Prince Yue has returned. He came back to the capital yesterday and probably heard that His Majesty struck you today, so he came specifically to take a look.”
Mu Jinyu understood even without Ah Xi saying it.
He picked Ning Huan up and carried him further onto the bed. Ning Huan opened his eyes. Mu Jinyu tucked him into the quilt. “Go back to sleep. I’m going to have a few drinks with Prince Yue.”
Ning Huan felt weak all over. He turned his back to steady himself. It would be much quieter without Mu Jinyu around, but Prince Yue was no saint; he coveted Mu Jinyu’s position as Crown Prince and loved to provoke him. After a moment, Ning Huan still got out of bed and had Die Qing bring his cloak.
By the time Mu Jinyu went over, Prince Yue had already been waiting for fifteen minutes. Seeing the gauze wrapped around Mu Jinyu’s forehead, Prince Yue laughed and said, “It’s been a while, and it seems Imperial Brother’s complexion has improved. Could it be because you married the Crown Princess? Haha, Imperial Brother’s forehead wound—could it be that the Crown Princess bandaged it for you?”
Everyone knew the Crown Prince and his Consort were not on good terms. Prince Yue also knew Mu Jinyu had gone to the Imperial Academy of Medicine today, so he deliberately poked at the sore spot. However, Prince Yue also found it strange because it was common knowledge that the Crown Prince was mentally unstable and never cared for his own body. In the past, if he angered the Emperor and was injured by something thrown at him, he would just carry on as usual. This time, he actually went to the Imperial Academy of Medicine for bandaging.
Mu Jinyu’s lips curled coldly. “Indeed.”
Prince Yue heard it as sarcasm and laughed twice more. “The Empress Dowager has actually returned to the palace. I just went to see her, and she even gifted me a string of Buddhist beads for protection. Oh, right—I heard the Empress fell ill and couldn’t get up after being forced to kneel by the Empress Dowager. I wonder if Imperial Brother will feel at ease after leaving the capital.”
Mu Jinyu’s eyes darkened. He naturally had his people in the palace; if it were just a struggle between concubines, he could ensure the Empress’s safety even if he left. But the matter of the Afuyong (opium) was a thorn in his heart. His only worry was the Emperor taking action himself. If the Emperor wanted to kill someone, he, as the Crown Prince, certainly couldn’t stop it.
The servant girls set the wine table, and the two sat opposite each other to drink.
“So, Prince Yue has arrived. Pardon me for not greeting you sooner.”
A cold, beautiful, and slightly hoarse voice drifted over. Both Mu Jinyu and Prince Yue turned their heads.
They saw Ning Huan leaning against the doorframe, a fox-fur cloak wrapped around his thin, tall frame. Above the snow-white fox fur was a face flushed with a sickly, beautiful red. His narrow, indifferent eyes swept over the two of them. “Are you drinking?”
Prince Yue was utterly bewildered: When I saw Ning Huan last time, was he this beautiful? Or were my eyes failing me? No wonder that brat Prince Rui calls Ning Huan a goddess every day.
Even if Prince Yue didn’t like men, seeing Ning Huan’s appearance would be enough to twist his preferences back around.
He was in the middle of pouring wine, and in his distracted state, the wine overflowed and spilled all over the table.
Prince Yue knew that the current Empress was originally the Emperor’s sister-in-law; after the older brother died, the sister-in-law was supposed to marry the younger brother. This time, when Mu Jinyu left, he certainly wouldn’t come back alive. Would Ning Huan then marry him, or marry that brat Prince Rui?
Mu Jinyu coughed, and only then did Prince Yue realize he had emptied the entire pot of wine onto the table.
Furthermore, Mu Jinyu’s gaze looked as if he wanted to kill someone.