Wen Ning forced down the urge to strike him, taking a deep breath. Though his words were harsh, the sword in his hand had not yet fallen—there was still room to maneuver.
What did he want? Nothing more than to see what else he could extract from her, or whether she had further use.
Thinking this, Wen Ning allowed a faint smile. “My lord, you are mistaken. If what I say is true, it *does* matter to you.”
Chen Jinfeng raised his brows slightly. Though silent, his gaze clearly urged her to continue.
Wen Ning spoke evenly: “I can treat your illness.”
At those words, the man who had remained so composed finally let his expression shift.
“When I entered just now, I smelled medicine. You had taken a dose earlier, hadn’t you? Though the scent was faint, I could still distinguish chrysanthemum, kudzu root, gypsum, and ligusticum. Chrysanthemum, kudzu, and gypsum are all cooling herbs to clear heat and fire; ligusticum promotes circulation, dispels wind, and relieves pain.”
Meeting Chen Jinfeng’s increasingly dangerous gaze, Wen Ning forced herself to remain calm and concluded: “Combined with the way you pressed your temple when I came in, I deduce you suffer from headaches. Am I right?”
The veins on his hand gripping the sword hilt stood out, his face stripped of all trace of a smile.
Now Wen Ning understood why he so often wore a faint smile—without it, his face was cold as the underworld’s emissary come to claim souls.
His words carried a chill like ice three feet thick: “I underestimated you. But why would you think I’d entrust my body to someone whose intentions are unclear?”
Wen Ning answered calmly: “I understand your concern. A man of your stature is never short of skilled physicians, even miracle‑workers. Yet I can see your headaches are not cured. Why not keep me as another option? I am a physician of sorts, and I believe I have some ability. If you trust me, I will do everything in my power to cure your headaches. Of course, if you choose not to keep me, I understand.”
She paused, then smiled lightly. “After all, though the headaches are painful, they are not fatal, are they?”
Chen Jinfeng narrowed his eyes sharply, as though truly seeing her for the first time. His lips curved in the faintest arc. He had indeed underestimated her—not only her skill, but her courage. To dare provoke him at such a moment—man or woman, she was the first.
After a long silence, his right hand spun the sword in a graceful flourish, finally withdrawing the blade from her throat.
Wen Ning exhaled deeply, relief flooding her chest. Yet she did not relax, still sitting upright, smiling faintly. “So my lord is willing to trust me?”
Chen Jinfeng did not answer her directly. He only said quietly: “You are right. Keeping you here, having one more option, is not necessarily a bad thing.”
After all, under his watchful eye, she could not stir up much trouble.
With that, he leaned back against the wall, looking somewhat weary, eyes half‑closed. “You may leave.”
Wen Ning understood. Though he had chosen to keep her, he still did not trust her. Inwardly, she cursed him again—bound to go bald young!
But such matters could not be rushed.
She rose, bowed, and said: “Then I shall take my leave. If my lord requires me, he may summon me at any time.”
Turning, she walked toward the door. What she did not know was that as soon as she turned, the man who had seemed to rest with eyes closed opened them again. His deep, black gaze followed her slender figure as it receded.
In his mind flashed the image of that silver blade pressed to her neck, highlighting the delicate, smooth whiteness of her skin. A faint restlessness stirred in his chest. Strangely, he had not felt that way before.
Outside, Fang Wu saw Wen Ning emerge so quickly and looked at her with probing suspicion.
Chunxi rushed forward, excited. “Mistress, are you alright?”
Alright? Her courage had nearly been shattered!
Wen Ning only cast Fang Wu a sidelong glance, saying nothing. “I’m fine. Let’s go back.”
Just as she was about to leave the courtyard, a young woman entered, dressed in pale pink robes with wide sleeves. She and Wen Ning met face to face, both pausing in surprise—though for different reasons.
Wen Ning was astonished that another woman would come freely into Chen Jinfeng’s courtyard. Stranger still, the woman wore a veil. Her eyes, though round and lovely, were shadowed with faint dark circles, dimming their liveliness.
Fang Wu quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully. “Young lady, why have you come?”
In this household, the only one he would address so respectfully as “young lady” was Chen Jinfeng’s younger sister—Chen Wuyou.
Wen Ning’s doubts deepened. Why would Chen Wuyou wear a veil in her own home? She followed Fang Wu’s lead and bowed.
Chen Wuyou was no less surprised than Wen Ning. Blinking, her voice was soft and sweet, like cotton brushing gently across the heart. “Fang Wu, who is this woman?”
It was her first time seeing a stranger in her second brother’s courtyard.
Fang Wu clearly disliked introducing Wen Ning, his face stern. “She is Lady Wen, one of the rear‑courtyard concubines.”
“Rear courtyard…” Chen Wuyou’s eyes widened, her round doe‑like gaze full of disbelief. The next moment, she looked embarrassed. “Then… did I come at the wrong time?”
Wen Ning: “…”
Had she misunderstood something? She had not expected Chen Jinfeng’s sister to be such a gentle, harmless soul.
Fang Wu’s expression darkened further. Grinding his teeth, he said: “Young lady, you think too much. The Protector only summoned Lady Wen to ask her some questions.”
Then he shot Wen Ning a hostile look, as if to say: Why are you still lingering here? Leave already.
Wen Ning gave him a mocking smile, then nodded politely to Chen Wuyou.
“I shall take my leave.”
Chen Wuyou’s surprise had not yet faded. She unconsciously watched Wen Ning’s retreating figure and murmured: “This is the first time I’ve seen Second Brother take the initiative to approach another woman…”
Alarm bells rang in Fang Wu’s mind. He quickly said: “Young lady, don’t misunderstand. That woman is full of schemes. Whatever is between her and the Protector, it is not what you imagine.”
Chen Wuyou’s eyes widened slightly. “She is full of schemes?”
“Yes.” Fang Wu nodded firmly, then added urgently: “In any case, she is not fit for you to associate with. If you see her again, treat her like any other concubine—keep your distance.”
Chen Wuyou was gentle and kind by nature. When the concubines first entered the household, they had tried to manipulate her. Once, they nearly tricked her into drinking milk that would have triggered hives, nearly driving Fang Wu to despair.
Later, Chen Jinfeng himself spoke with her, and only then did she stop dealing with the women of the rear courtyard. In this world, she listened most to her second brother.
“I see…” Chen Wuyou lowered her gaze, a little disappointed. “I thought Second Brother was finally finding me a sister‑in‑law.”
Sister‑in‑law?!
Fang Wu’s face twisted as though he had swallowed a fly. Her? Worthy of that?