Ying Tao nodded and said, “I know. Beimo Wang is the Emperor’s only younger brother and is highly trusted by His Majesty. I’ve heard many people in Jingcheng fear him.”
Jiang Suihuan was puzzled. “Why are they afraid of him?”
Ying Tao scratched her head. “It’s said that Beimo Wang is extremely handsome, but his temperament is unpredictable and his methods are cruel. Anyone who offends him meets a terrible end, so everyone in Jingcheng fears him.”
Such a temperament? Should she still ask him to repay his debt of gratitude? Jiang Suihuan fell into deep thought.
As night fell, Ying Tao brought in a basin of water. “Miss, it’s time to change your dressing.”
Although the scars on Jiang Suihuan’s face had completely healed, the knife wounds on her body were so deep that they needed two more dressing changes to fully recover.
“I’ll change it myself. Go and do something for me.” Jiang Suihuan took out the bracelet Meng Qiao had lost to her and handed it to Ying Tao. “Tomorrow, go to a pawnshop and pawn this bracelet. Bring me back the silver bills.”
Ying Tao asked in confusion, “If Miss needs silver, you can just ask Madam for it. Why pawn the bracelet?”
Jiang Suihuan explained, “Although I am the legitimate daughter of Houfu, I am still someone who has been married once. How could I have the face to ask my mother for money? Moreover, I plan to move out of Houfu soon and will need money for many things. Since this bracelet isn’t mine anyway, just go and pawn it.”
Ying Tao’s eyes immediately reddened. “Why does Miss want to move out of Houfu? Then this servant won’t be able to serve you anymore.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll take you with me when I leave.”
Hearing this, Ying Tao wiped away her tears and happily went out.
Jiang Suihuan glanced at the tightly closed windows and door, then lowered her head and slowly untied her clothes to change the dressing on her wounds.
As half of her garment slipped down, revealing her fair and luminous shoulder, just as she was about to remove the gauze from her chest, a soft chuckle suddenly sounded in her ear: “Nanming Wangfei is quite humorous, actually telling those people that Luanzang Gang is a place with excellent feng shui. This prince has never heard of such a thing?”
Startled, Jiang Suihuan quickly pulled her clothes back on and looked up to see a tall, elegant man standing by the open window. He was dressed in dark black robes, wearing a purple jade hair crown, and was lowering his head while playing with a hairpin, his fingers long and slender with distinct knuckles.
The night breeze gently rose, causing the red Lingxiao Flowers by the window to sway slightly in the wind. The faint moonlight spilled over the man’s ink-black hair, creating a scene as exquisite as a finely crafted painting.
But Jiang Suihuan had no time to appreciate this. She demanded sharply, “Who are you? How dare you trespass into Houfu!”
The man raised his eyes to look at her, his thin lips curling slightly: “Does Nanming Wangfei not recognize this prince?”
Jiang Suihuan stared somewhat dazedly at the man’s face. He was exceptionally handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, a high nose bridge, and sharp, clear features as if meticulously carved – dazzlingly striking.
After staring for a long moment, she realized the man before her looked extremely similar to the man she had saved at Luanzang Gang. She cautiously asked, “Are you Beimo Wang Gu Jin?”
The man lying on the ground that day had been pale and bloodstained, completely different from this leisurely and elegant appearance, which was why she hadn’t recognized him immediately.
The man seemed satisfied with her answer, his smile captivating: “It seems Nanming Wangfei has recognized this prince. By seniority, you should address me as Imperial Uncle.”
The candlelight was dim, and with such a handsome man suddenly appearing before her, the atmosphere in the room instantly turned somewhat ambiguous.
Jiang Suihuan shifted uncomfortably. “In that case, Imperial Uncle, barging into my bedchamber late at night is rather inappropriate.”
Gu Jin’s smile vanished, and in that instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, sending a chill down Jiang Suihuan’s spine.
Outwardly maintaining her composure, she discreetly placed her left hand behind her back, retrieving a scalpel from the laboratory she always carried with her, gripping it tightly.
Unaware of her action, Gu Jin approached Jiang Suihuan, his voice icy. “This prince was rescued by someone at Luanzang Gang earlier. That person left behind a hairpin, asking me to find her to repay the favor. Yet, following the trail of this hairpin led me to you.”
In the next moment, he pressed the hairpin against Jiang Suihuan’s neck, coldly stating, “If Nanming Wangfei has a moment, perhaps you could explain to this prince exactly what is going on?”
The rumors were true—this man was truly unpredictable!
Without a second thought, Jiang Suihuan swiftly swung her left hand, thrusting the scalpel toward Gu Jin while her other hand snatched the hairpin and tossed it aside.
Unexpectedly, Gu Jin was already prepared and effortlessly dodged the attack.
In the blink of an eye, the scalpel in Jiang Suihuan’s hand ended up in Gu Jin’s grasp.
Holding the scalpel in one hand and gripping Jiang Suihuan’s neck with the other, a dark glint flashed in his eyes. “This little blade is quite unique. I wonder if tracing it across Wangfei’s face would make her more compliant?”
Jiang Suihuan was bewildered. She had trained in ancient martial arts since childhood, and ordinary men were no match for her. Once, she had fought five men simultaneously without losing ground. Yet this time, she had been defeated in less than a second. Just how profound was this man’s martial prowess?
Recalling the scene she had witnessed at Luanzang Gang that day, she suddenly calmed down. “It was I who saved you at Luanzang Gang that day, and I was the one who left the hairpin.”
But Gu Jin remained skeptical. “The person who saved this prince that day possessed remarkable medical skills. Yet, as far as this prince knows, Nanming Wangfei has no knowledge of medicine.”
His gaze fell on Jiang Suihuan’s smooth complexion, and his voice grew colder. “That person’s face was covered in scars. Nanming Wangfei’s delicate, flawless skin doesn’t resemble it in the slightest.”
He tightened his grip, making it difficult for Jiang Suihuan to breathe. Gritting her teeth, she retorted, “I truly am the one who saved you! If you don’t believe me, go out and inquire whether I appeared on the streets that day, my face covered in injuries!”
“As for the scars on my face—if I could heal your wounds, I could heal my own!” Jiang Suihuan glared furiously at Gu Jin. “When I saved you that day, you mistook me for an enemy and nearly slashed me with your sword. Now, you suspect me of impersonating your savior. Twice, you’ve repaid kindness with hostility—how unlucky can I be!”
“Moreover, I am no longer Nanming Wangfei! Please address me as Miss Jiang!”
Gu Jin paused for a moment, then released his grip. “This prince has investigated you. You were lost and wandering since childhood and were only brought back to Houfu at the age of ten. Whether before or after that, you never had any exposure to medicine.”
“Furthermore, the original Miss Jiang was gentle and kind-hearted, but now…” Gu Jin glanced Jiang Suihuan over, silently completing the unspoken thought: She resembles a fierce little beast, vengeful and unyielding.
Jiang Suihuan gasped for breath, her heart filled with tension. This was the first time since her transmigration that someone had noticed she was completely different from the original owner of the body.
Concealing her inner nervousness, she spoke with a cold expression, “The reason I know medicine is because I once found a medical book, though I’ve never treated anyone else. As for my drastic change in personality, it’s because I nearly died and gained a new perspective on life. Is that reason sufficient?”
Gu Jin stared straight at her, as if he could see right through to her innermost thoughts, making her inexplicably uneasy.
After a moment, Gu Jin curled the corner of his lips and said, “This prince has no interest in your affairs. Since you truly are my lifesaver, I can grant you one condition. What do you want?”
“Any condition?” Jiang Suihuan’s eyes lit up.
“Mm.” Gu Jin nodded, then added cautiously, fearing she might make an exorbitant demand, “As long as it’s within my capabilities.”
Jiang Suihuan was deeply conflicted. Given the current situation, what she needed most was silver, but she couldn’t ignore the child in her womb either. She didn’t even know who the child’s father was, and searching on her own would take who knows how long.
As the night deepened, Gu Jin’s expression gradually grew impatient. “When you’ve made up your mind, bring the hairpin to Bei Mo Prince Manor to find me.”
Just as Gu Jin turned to leave, Jiang Suihuan grabbed his sleeve: “I’ve decided!”