Xie Yuan ignored Xue Suichuan and lowered his gaze.
From his angle, he could see the fine beads of sweat on Shen Yao’s smooth forehead.
“Give me the sword?”
His tone was one of inquiry.
Shen Yao responded with a soft “mm,” her voice trembling uncontrollably, perhaps due to the successive shocks she had endured.
Xie Yuan noticed this and frowned.
He took the iron sword from Shen Yao’s hands. The sword, which Shen Yao had struggled to lift even with both hands, seemed weightless in Xie Yuan’s grasp.
He turned his gaze to Xue Suichuan.
Xie Yuan possessed an exceptionally handsome face, but the countless battles fought in mountains of corpses and seas of blood had left him with a heavy aura of bloodshed.
His lofty, disdainful gaze resembled that of a jade-faced Asura, with a sharp, overwhelming killing intent spreading in all directions.
Xue Suichuan dared not meet his eyes, his entire body stiffening.
“What did you just say?”
Xie Yuan spoke slowly, his voice deep and steady like still water.
Without hesitation, Xue Suichuan knelt down. “Cousin, I know I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! I won’t dare again, never again in the future…”
He had been present on most occasions when the imperial physicians and renowned doctors came to examine his cousin.
He had clearly heard them say, time and again, that Prince Jing’s injuries were too severe, and he might never wake up in this lifetime.
If not for that, how would he have dared to act tonight?
Since childhood, he had been terrified of this Prince Jing cousin, knowing him to be ruthless and impartial.
And tonight, just as he was attempting to take liberties with his cousin’s new bride, he had been caught red-handed by his cousin…
“I am asking you,” Xie Yuan suddenly interrupted, “what you just said.”
He turned the long sword in his hand, its sharp tip touching the ground with a sharp, clear “ding.”
Xue Suichuan trembled, cold sweat breaking out on his back. Hesitantly, he raised his head. “I… I just said…”
Xie Yuan’s face showed no discernible emotion; he seemed to be patiently waiting for him to continue.
Xue Suichuan took a breath and steeled himself. “I said, I’d have them leave later, and we’d… right in front of Cousin’s bed…”
“Not that sentence.”
Xie Yuan’s reminder cut off the rest of those vile, slimy words.
Xue Suichuan paused, struggling to recall before nervously swallowing. “Cousin won’t know. All the imperial physicians and famous doctors in the world have been here, each saying he’ll never wake up in this lifetime. He’s already a useless cripple.”
Xie Yuan nodded. “Yes, that one.”
His voice seemed to carry a hint of laughter, yet it felt neither warm nor friendly—only chilling.
He took a step toward Xue Suichuan.
The sword’s tip scraped across the ground, emitting a grating sound, like a vengeful spirit crawling out of hell to claim a life.
Xue Suichuan felt as if he had fallen into an icy cellar, knocking his head heavily against the floor. “Cousin! I was truly wrong! I beg you, for my father’s sake, spare me! I’m my father’s only son! My father saved your life, and you promised him you’d take care of us!”
Hearing him mention his uncle, Xie Yuan’s eyes darkened.
Xie Yuan stopped in front of Xue Suichuan.
Xue Suichuan looked up, his face already streaked with tears and snot. “Cousin, have you forgiven me? Believe me! I truly know I was wrong…”
“For my uncle’s sake, I will spare your life.”
Xie Yuan’s gaze was profound, his voice cold. “If there is a next time, I won’t mind sending you down to be disciplined by your father personally.”
Xue Suichuan felt as if granted a great reprieve, hurriedly kowtowing three or four times heavily on the ground. “Yes! Yes! Cousin’s lesson is absolutely right! I will be honest and well-behaved from now on!”
Xie Yuan frowned. “Get out!”
Xue Suichuan eagerly responded with an “Aye!” and scrambled to his feet, quickly exiting the room.
Outside the door, Qingque saw him and exclaimed in surprise, “Young Master Xue? Weren’t you already gone? How could you…”
Xue Suichuan had no time to deal with her. Wiping the sweat from his face, he slipped away.
Qingque sensed something amiss and raised her voice to ask, “Princess Consort, are you alright?”
The words “Princess Consort” reached Xie Yuan’s ears, and he visibly stiffened. Though accustomed to wielding swords, for a moment the iron blade in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp.
Shen Yao turned to look at Xie Yuan, her voice soft. “Should we let them in?”
Xie Yuan did not answer directly. Instead, he uttered two words: “Princess Consort?”
His tone lifted slightly at the end.
Shen Yao’s face flushed instantly, filled with embarrassment. “His Majesty intended to arrange a marriage for me and asked whom I wished to marry, so I…”
“So you married me?” Xie Yuan interjected.
Shen Yao murmured an affirmative “Mm,” then remembered he had someone he loved. She added, “It’s alright. Although it was arranged by His Majesty, we can divorce at any time.”
“And after the divorce?”
Xie Yuan stood not far from her, his lashes lowered, the emotions in his eyes obscure and unclear.
“To go find the Crown Prince?”
Shen Yao was taken aback and was about to deny it.
But then she heard a “thud” as Xie Yuan tossed aside the sword in his hand.
Shen Yao couldn’t help but feel astonished.
She had heard that Xie Yuan almost regarded this sword as his wife. He had given it a special name, and after killing and staining it with blood, he would always wipe every part clean with a cloth, maintaining it with meticulous care.
How could he just throw it on the ground like that?
“Shen Yao.”
Xie Yuan called her name, his voice carrying a hint of weariness and hoarseness.
Shen Yao looked over.
“Come here,” Xie Yuan said again.
Shen Yao obediently stepped forward. Seeing his pale face, she parted her lips. “Do you want to…”
Suddenly, a weight settled on her shoulder as Xie Yuan leaned against her.
His head rested on her shoulder, and Shen Yao heard a steady, deep breath.
For a long time, he said nothing more.
“Qingque! Qiushan!”
Shen Yao sighed softly, turned her head, and called out toward the door, “Come in quickly!”
Imperial Physician Wang was urgently summoned to Jingwangfu overnight.
Qiushan stood guard nearby, both anxious and hopeful. As soon as Imperial Physician Wang withdrew his hand from taking the pulse, he eagerly asked, “How is it, Imperial Physician Wang? Will His Highness recover soon?”
“This shouldn’t be…”
Imperial Physician Wang frowned deeply, disbelief evident. “His Highness truly woke up?”
Shen Yao sat by the bedside and chimed in, “It’s true. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Imperial Physician Wang pondered briefly. “This is an impossible occurrence. His Highness’s body is far from recovered. His awakening must have been triggered by some immense stimulus, forcibly breaking through his physical limitations.”
He then asked, “I wonder what happened just now?”
Shen Yao pursed her lips, her fingers hidden in her sleeves curling slightly.
She couldn’t possibly say it was because Xue Suichuan had tried to take liberties with her, right in front of Xie Yuan.
That would damage her reputation.
“According to what the imperial physician says,” Qiushan had already taken a different approach, suddenly enlightened, “if we frequently stimulate His Highness from now on, there is a high chance he might truly wake up?”
Imperial Physician Wang was momentarily stunned by this question, forgetting to ask what had happened. After pondering for a long while, he concluded, “Perhaps… it might really work.”