“What is she to you?”
The old physician in the pharmacy looked curiously at the man.
As a doctor, his duty was to heal the sick and save lives. Normally, he would not ask unnecessary questions. But seeing a stern, sword-carrying man radiating killing intent while carrying a young woman wrapped so tightly she was almost completely hidden naturally aroused suspicion.
“My wife,” Gong Yue replied firmly.
The physician asked no more questions and took An Jin’s pulse through a silk handkerchief.
After a while, he stroked his white beard and said leisurely, “Fortunately, you brought her here in time. And fortunately, you met me. Otherwise, your wife might have burned her brain out from the fever.”
Gong Yue’s fist tightened slightly.
He had not expected it to be this serious.
It had only been a few days, yet she had already fallen so gravely ill.
For the first time, he began to question whether bringing her away had truly been the right choice.
Along the journey, he had asked her countless times whether she regretted it.
Every time, she answered that she did not.
But now, he was the one feeling regret.
He should not have taken her so early.
His gaze suddenly lifted toward the direction of the Yao residence, countless thoughts churning in his mind.
If they had not already become husband and wife, perhaps he would have sent her back.
After suffering like this, she should understand that they were not suited for one another.
Then his eyes dropped back to the girl in his arms.
Filled with tenderness, he gently touched her fever-reddened cheek.
“Will she be alright?” he asked.
The physician was busy writing out a prescription. Catching sight of the man’s obvious devotion, he silently added several expensive ingredients to the list.
“She’ll be fine. A few doses of medicine and she’ll recover.”
Gong Yue took the prescription, tossed down a silver ingot, and left.
“My thanks.”
The pharmacy was fairly well-known in the capital.
The front hall was crowded with people waiting to have prescriptions filled.
Voices overlapped, footsteps came and went, and the place was noisy and bustling.
The girl who had been lying quietly in Gong Yue’s arms suddenly stirred.
“Yue’er…”
With so many people around, the air felt stuffy.
In her feverish haze, An Jin felt as though she were suffocating.
Her limbs began to move restlessly.
The cloak wrapped around her slipped down, revealing most of her delicate, beautiful face.
Fortunately, it was already their turn.
Gong Yue immediately caught her hand and wrapped her back up securely.
“Be good. We’re almost done.”
“Old Ma, your master really doesn’t treat his servants like people. That kick was vicious.”
“Old Ma? Old Ma?”
The middle-aged man called Old Ma snapped out of his daze.
His expression turned urgent as he grabbed the arm of his fellow townsman working in the pharmacy.
“Old Li, who was that man? Which doctor did he see?”
The two men came from the same hometown.
Old Li knew a few characters and had found work at the pharmacy.
Old Ma had trained in martial arts since childhood and worked as a guard at the Yao residence.
He was one of the guards assigned to watch the embroidery tower.
Because of his failure, Minister Yao had kicked him squarely in the chest.
He had come to the pharmacy to get medicine for his injuries.
Old Li had no idea why he was asking, but he looked in the indicated direction.
The tall, handsome man cradled the petite girl in his arms while carefully listening to the pharmacist’s instructions.
Anyone could see how much he cherished the person he held.
Old Li nodded.
“I remember them. Physician Zhang treated them. I think it was just a cold.”
Having received confirmation, Old Ma immediately headed toward Physician Zhang’s consultation room.
“Physician Zhang, did you get a good look at the person that tall man brought?”
Physician Zhang was in the middle of examining another patient and frowned at being interrupted.
“No. I only know she was a young woman. The man said she was his wife.”
Wife?
Old Ma thought bitterly.
That was clearly their unmarried young miss.
He asked another question.
“What illness did she have?”
“A cold. She’ll be fine with proper rest.”
“Will they come back to this pharmacy?”
This time, Old Li knew the answer.
“Physician Zhang prescribed six days’ worth of medicine, but the man only took three days’ worth. They’ll probably return in three days.”
Old Ma was also a martial artist.
At a glance, he could tell that the man possessed profound internal strength.
If he followed recklessly, he would surely be discovered and alert the enemy.
It would be better to determine their movements first and act when the opportunity arose.
After pondering briefly, he immediately went to report to Minister Yao.
…
At the Yao residence.
Madam Yao woke from a nightmare.
The moment she opened her eyes, she burst into tears.
Taohong, who had been standing guard outside, quickly lifted the curtain.
“Madam! Madam, what happened?”
Madam Yao suddenly grabbed her hand.
Her eyes were filled with terror.
“Taohong, I dreamed of Wei’er. I dreamed she was deceived by a villain and became pregnant. Every day she suffered hunger and hardship, wandering without a home. She was abandoned in a ruined temple just before giving birth.”
It was as though she were trapped in the nightmare.
“The temple was filthy and exposed to the wind. My Wei’er lay there with a swollen belly. Childbirth is already dangerous enough, but she was all alone and suffered a difficult labor. She kept crying and saying, ‘Mother, I was wrong.’ She said she should never have run away.”
Taohong’s hand hurt from the pressure of Madam Yao’s nails digging into her skin, but she dared not pull away.
Instead, she continued trying to soothe her.
“Madam, it was only a dream. Dreams are the opposite of reality. Besides, someone spotted Miss at a pharmacy. Master has already sent people to search. She’ll be brought home soon.”
“A pharmacy?”
Madam Yao’s eyes were bloodshot.
“She’s only been gone a few days. How did she already fall ill?”
Hatred surged within her.
“Wei’er has always been obedient and sensible. Someone must have lured her away. If I ever find that villain, I’ll tear him into pieces!”
Taohong continued comforting her and had someone bring calming medicine.
Only after drinking it did Madam Yao gradually settle down.
Leaning against the headboard, she stared blankly into space.
After a long while, she murmured softly.
“Was I wrong? Should I not have forced Wei’er? Did she leave because she was pushed too hard?”
“In the capital, other noble daughters are surrounded by servants and free to ride through the streets. Yet my Wei’er was trapped in that embroidery tower, sewing wedding garments day after day. It was so small, so dark. She was only thirteen years old. How could I bear to lock her in there and then not even visit her?”
By the end, tears streamed down her face.
The pain pierced straight through her heart.
Taohong’s eyes reddened as well.
She had grown up beside the young miss.
Only after Yao Wei entered the embroidery tower had she been reassigned to serve Madam Yao.
No one understood Yao Wei’s suffering better than she did.
Before entering the tower at thirteen, the young miss had been lively and cheerful.
Afterward, she had become almost lifeless.
Only after the trip to Ling Mountain Temple had she shown signs of improvement.
Turning her face aside, Taohong choked back tears.
“Madam, that was Master’s decision. How could you have changed it?”
She meant it as comfort.
Unexpectedly, Madam Yao completely broke down.
Beating her chest, she sobbed uncontrollably.
“I could have! I could have!”
“When Master first proposed it, I refused because I felt sorry for Wei’er. But later, he carefully explained all the benefits.”
“At the time, I thought it would help my sons and my maiden family. In the end… I agreed.”
The nightmare had felt so real.
As though it were something her daughter had truly experienced.
The guilt buried deep within her nearly drowned her whole.
Crying bitterly, she wailed:
“I failed Wei’er. I ruined her!”
“Wei’er was such a good child. So obedient, so considerate. Even when bandits attacked, she only thought about protecting me first.”
“How did I become so blind that I ignored her suffering?”
…
“Yue’er, I don’t want to drink it anymore.”
An Jin leaned against the pillow, clenching her teeth and refusing to let the spoonful of bitter medicine enter her mouth.
A trace of illness lingered between her brows.
She looked as fragile as fine porcelain, stirring pity in anyone who saw her.
Looking at the remaining third of the bowl, Gong Yue could only coax her patiently.
“Be good. Just one more sip.”
An Jin looked as though she might cry.
“I’ve already been drinking medicine for three days. I think I’m completely recovered.”
As she spoke, she grabbed his free hand and pressed it against her forehead.
“See? My fever’s gone.”
When she had been delirious, Gong Yue had forced the medicine down her throat.
Now that she was conscious, every bowl felt like torture.
Still, she knew she shouldn’t be unreasonable.
She had obediently taken it for three days.
Even her meals tasted bitter from the lingering medicine.
Now that she felt much better, she truly didn’t want another drop.
“No.”
His attitude remained firm.
Perhaps realizing he sounded too harsh, he softened his tone.
“This is the last bowl. Later, I’ll visit the physician and ask whether you need to continue taking medicine.”
An Jin looked miserable.
Knowing she could not win, she wrinkled her nose and drank the remaining medicine.
Gong Yue finally relaxed.
Lowering his head, he kissed the corner of her lips.
His dark eyes brimmed with burning affection.
“Be good. Get some sleep. I’ll be back soon.”
In the past, he had always seemed cold and distant.
Now that their feelings were mutual, all that icy indifference had melted away like snow beneath spring sunlight, revealing a tenderness that could intoxicate anyone.
Though they were already husband and wife, and intimacy was only natural, An Jin still blushed and buried herself beneath the blanket.
Only her bright eyes remained visible.
“Then come back soon, Yue’er. And don’t forget to buy candied fruit.”
“Mm.”
After Gong Yue left, An Jin felt bored.
The medicine made her drowsy.
Before long, she drifted off to sleep.
Not much later, she felt cold fingers brushing across her face.
The rough, callused fingertips moved from the corners of her eyes down to her lips, slowly tracing them.
The touch carried a disturbing sense of amusement.
It made her skin crawl.
Her eyelids felt heavy.
Her mind was still muddled.
At first, she assumed Gong Yue had returned.
But gradually she realized something was wrong.
The hand continued downward.
From her chin to her neck.
Playing with her.
Then it tried to pull open the front of her clothing.
Wrong.
Very wrong.
Yue’er would never touch her like this.
Someone had entered their room.
Cold sweat broke out across An Jin’s forehead.
Panic flooded her mind.
She suddenly forced her eyes open.
A face appeared before her.
Half hidden behind a terrifying ghost mask.
Half impossibly handsome.
Only inches away.
So close it was nearly touching hers.
An Jin’s heart almost leapt out of her chest.
Instinctively, she retreated backward.
But the wall behind her left nowhere to escape.
Her lips turned pale.
Trembling, she tried to call for help.
“Who are you?”
The man sitting on the bed seemed equally surprised that she had awakened so quickly.
A green-faced demon mask covered half his features.
A jade flute spun lazily between his fingers.
His eyes were sharp and sinister like a hawk’s, narrowing slightly as they settled upon the girl’s exquisitely beautiful yet vulnerable face.
Then he smiled.
“So she truly is a beauty.”
“A hero undone by beauty. The ancients were right after all.”
Fear churned within An Jin.
From his words, it sounded as though he had come because of Gong Yue.
But why seek her out?
Her voice trembled.
“Are you looking for Yue’er? He isn’t here.”
A strange light flashed through the man’s eyes.
His smile grew even more malicious.
“You call him quite intimately.”
“Do you even know who Gong Yue is before daring to be with him?”
“You probably don’t know his true identity.”
“He’s not only the First Swordsman. He’s also Fengyu Tower’s most infamous assassin.”
“Where do you think his title came from?”
Because there was no mission he could not complete.
No opponent he could not defeat.
The man raised an eyebrow.
Using his jade flute, he tilted up her delicate chin.
“Tsk, tsk.”
“How exactly did Gong Yue deceive a pampered noble young lady like you into abandoning all propriety and eloping with him?”
“Poor thing. In only a few days, he’s already worn you down to this state.”
His gaze roamed over her.
“But I suppose his taste is good.”
“A government official’s daughter is naturally more interesting than some courtesan from a brothel.”
“Once he grows tired of you, he can even sell you for a tidy profit.”
“No matter how you look at it, abducting you was a profitable deal.”
All color drained from An Jin’s face.
She felt as though she might collapse.
What was Fengyu Tower?
She had no idea.
At that moment, she realized how little she truly knew about Gong Yue.
The system, silent for so long, suddenly spoke.
Its electronic voice carried unmistakable urgency.
[Host, don’t let him drive a wedge between you and Gong Yue. Gong Yue has already decided to leave Fengyu Tower.]
[This man was sent by the Tower Master to kill you.]
[Run!]