For a moment, the sleeping chamber was so quiet that only the faint sound of water could be heard.
"Splash... splash."
Across the nearly frozen air, Yun Zhao stood proudly, facing off against Yan Nantian.
With one hand, she pressed Wen Nuannuan's face into the water, her body slightly swaying with the other's struggles, but her gaze never wavered, sharp as a blade, piercing through Yan Nantian.
Behind him, palace attendants and guards stood on either side, their eyes fixed on their noses, their noses fixed on their hearts.
No one dared to move.
Yan Nantian lowered his hand from his forehead and raised his eyes to meet hers.
She had thought he would confront her directly.
Instead, their eyes met, and Yan Nantian suddenly chuckled, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
Yun Zhao: "?"
Yun Zhao: "What are you laughing at!"
He waved his hand: "I told you, stop reading those lowbrow novels."
Yun Zhao's anger subsided slightly, and she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
He raised his right hand and clapped it against his right cheek, then moved his hand to the left and clapped his left cheek.
Yun Zhao: "?"
What was he doing?
"See the difference?" Yan Nantian patiently explained, "The handprint is different when you slap yourself versus when someone else slaps you. One has the thumb on top, the other has the thumb on the bottom. She wanted to frame you, at least she shouldn't have used her right hand to slap her right cheek."
Yun Zhao: "..."
Wen Nuannuan froze completely, not struggling for a while.
"Zhao," Yan Nantian said, holding his forehead, "You underestimate a victor in the palace intrigues too much, don't you?"
Yun Zhao felt a bit guilty but still maintained her righteous demeanor: "I didn't say you believed her! I'm teaching her a lesson because she framed me! Can I just take this lying down, huh?"
He smiled with curved eyes: "Of course not."
Yun Zhao's gaze flickered, and she hesitated slightly: "Yan Nantian, you've seen what kind of person she is, do you think she'll let me off easy?"
Gurgle... bubbles began to rise in the water.
She had added "Next Year Today" to the water, a poison that would seal the throat with blood, and next year's today would be her death anniversary.
This person... would it be better if she died?
"I have my ways," Yan Nantian approached her, "I've found clues about her mother's whereabouts. No one knows whether Wen's mother is dead or alive. As long as she falls into my hands, her life or death is up to me—if she dares not to listen, I'll skin her mother alive."
His expression was gentle, but his bones exuded a chilling confidence.
Yun Zhao felt a little jump inside her, and her grip on Wen Nuannuan loosened by three points.
To be honest, Yan Nantian treated her truly beyond reproach. What he said made sense, and his solution was the best strategy.
If she let go now and pulled Wen Nuannuan out of the water, maybe, just maybe, she could still live?
The bubbles were already coming out, and whether she choked or not was just a matter of moments.
Yun Zhao was torn internally.
She knew she had already wronged Yan Nantian several times.
He had been so open-hearted with her, thinking of her at every turn, was she really going to be willful and impulsive again?
He would be hurt too, wouldn't he?
Yun Zhao's expression wavered, and she hesitated, tightening her fingers slowly, lifting Wen Nuannuan up little by little—
A gust of wind just then came through the window.
It brushed past Yan Nantian and landed on her.
Yun Zhao froze.
She smelled the scent on him. Familiar sandalwood mixed with the hated jasmine.
He had changed his clothes last night, and there had been no smell then.
Yun Zhao's throat tightened as she coldly questioned, "Did you meet Wen Nuannuan today?"
Yan Nantian frowned slightly: "What?"
Yun Zhao stared at him, enunciating each word: "The jasmine on you, it stinks."
His gaze instantly turned cold.
In an instant, he softened his expression and explained to her quickly: "I wasn't aware, maybe someone played a trick. Trust me, Zhao, I'll investigate and give you an explanation."
His eyes spoke.
Apart from anger, there was a hint of grievance—Zhao, we said no doubts.
With so many examples of her wronging him, Yun Zhao couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.
She had promised not to doubt him, yet again and again.
Yan Nantian walked up to her, lowering his eyes to look at her.
"Zhao, you've taught her enough, haven't you?" He paused and told her, "His Majesty wants to see Wen Nuannuan, he has questions for her."
Yun Zhao: "Ah?"
Yan Nantian: "I'll explain the details later, I'll take her to the Forbidden City first. Don't worry, I won't let her speak nonsense in front of His Majesty..."
His gaze fell into the water, and Yan Nantian's face changed dramatically!
He sucked in a breath, suddenly reaching out to grab Yun Zhao's wrist.
She looked down and saw the once clear water now murky—Wen Nuannuan had vomited black blood, like ink spreading in the water.
Ah, it was too late.
"Zhao!" Yan Nantian's veins bulged on his forehead, he growled at her through gritted teeth.
Yun Zhao raised her eyes to look at him.
Even at this moment, he still remembered to hold back his strength, not hurting her hand.
His fingers trembled slightly as he tightened his grip on her wrist, pulling Wen Nuannuan out of the water.
"Splash—"
In the chaotic, distorted water light, the beautiful characters on the gauze blurred.
Wen Nuannuan was already heavily poisoned, her face as pale as gold paper, blood constantly seeping from the corners of her mouth.
Yan Nantian signaled a guard to step forward, taking Wen Nuannuan, sealing her heart meridian, and sending True Qi into her body.
Yun Zhao honestly confessed: "It's 'Next Year Today'. Once swallowed, there's no saving."
Yan Nantian closed his eyes.
"Zhao," he slowly opened his eyes, each word articulated clearly, "Zhao. Is it that I'm so unworthy of your trust?"
His eyes reddened, his lips trembling, suppressing to the extreme.
Yun Zhao had nothing to say.
His gaze shifted slightly, falling on the gauze stained with black blood in the water.
Yun Zhao's chest tightened.
He stared at it for a long time. Finally, he blinked, his gaze slowly moving away from the gauze, swaying to look at her, his lips slowly, slowly curving into a smile more pitiful than a cry.
"You can't trample on my heart like this, Yun Zhao."
His voice choked and trembled, the words unfinished, he quickly turned his face away.
Yun Zhao saw a flash of tears.
For the first time in her life, she saw Yan Gege's tears.
The little devil who feared nothing in the world felt a surge of panic.
She reached out and tugged at his sleeve: "Yan Gege... I, Yun Zhao, dare to do and dare to bear, take me to see His Majesty."
She also slipped up.
After a while, his shoulder trembled, and he laughed, "Ha."
He turned back.
It was the first time in Yun Zhao's life that she didn't dare to look into his eyes.
Yan Nantian spoke softly: "Silly girl."
He took her hand and carefully inspected it.
"No poison on your hands?" He asked.
Yun Zhao whispered: "No, I was very careful." She added, "And even if it touched, it's fine as long as it's not swallowed."
She had brought it in hidden under her nails.
"That's good." He said hoarsely, "Don't worry, if the sky falls, I'll hold it up for you."
Yun Zhao shook her head: "No, I'll take responsibility for my own actions."
He let go of her hand, chuckled softly, and glanced at the convulsing Wen Nuannuan.
"Zhao, you and I are one, your trouble is my trouble, understand?" He wore a bitter smile, his tone drifting, "His Majesty has important questions for her, but she really did meet with an accident in my hands."
Yun Zhao's heart was in turmoil, constantly recalling his words.
—You can't trample on my heart like this, Yun Zhao.
"I've said it before, His Majesty is now very suspicious." He helped her tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, "You little jinx, this time you might really have to move in with Third Brother."
Yun Zhao: "..."
Even at this time, he still had the heart to tease her.
She asked: "What can I do to help?"
Seek help from home? Offer a humble apology? Or what? Directly prepare the Cold Palace?
"Your Highness!" a guard reported, "The heart pulse is temporarily stable."
Yan Nantian's gaze focused: "Good. Prepare to head to the Forbidden City."
"Yes!"
Yan Nantian glanced back at Yun Zhao and smiled at her: "If Zhao is fine, you can pray in the palace. Pray that the imperial physician can let her answer His Majesty's questions before she dies."
"Pray?"
"Yes, pray." His lips curved with a hint of mockery, "To the gods in the sky? Or the supreme one on earth?"
He picked up Wen Nuannuan and strode out.
The guards left silently, closing the palace doors.
Yun Zhao knew she was temporarily confined—he would never let her take the blame.
The Eastern Palace quickly became deathly silent.
Yun Zhao stood still for a long time, then turned to look at the pitiful gauze.
After a long while, she hugged her knees and sat down beside the bed.
*
Under the scorching sun, Wen Nuannuan's body was freezing.
She writhed in agony, straining to open her eyes wide as she sought answers from the cold-hearted man before her.
"Why... why..." Her teeth were stained with blood, making her look like a vengeful ghost.
He strode forward with her in his arms, not even lowering his lashes.
After a moment, the corners of his thin, emotionless lips curved into a cryptic smile.
“Why?” he murmured, almost to himself, “Why did I tell you to light the lamp at the second watch yesterday? Why did I tell you to barge into the sleeping quarters today to ask Yun Zhao for someone?”
Wen Nuannuan truly didn't understand.
She shouldn't have harbored that fleeting hope, thinking that his gentle and kind instructions for these strange tasks might have hinted at something romantic... So she had been so foolish in carrying them out.
If she still didn't realize she was being used now, then she truly deserved to be called stupid.
With all her strength, she sobbed, "I just... wanted to save... my mother..."
She didn't want to die! She didn't know this would kill her! She didn't want to die! She didn't want to die!
He finally glanced down at her with a cold gaze.
Wen Nuannuan couldn't describe what kind of look it was.
He wasn't looking at a person, but at a piece of fish on a chopping block. He was not only cutting her apart but also disgusted by the fishy smell and the dirt.
He stopped, and his icy hand slowly moved upward, reaching her back.
Suddenly, a shock.
"Pfft—"
An overwhelming sense of nausea engulfed Wen Nuannuan, and she opened her mouth, spewing out a large amount of toxic blood, followed by continuous vomiting.
In the end, she vomited up the large bowl of clotted milk that he had watched her drink that morning.
All morning, the clotted milk had weighed heavily in her stomach, making her feel uncomfortable all over.
Now it suddenly dawned on her that it had blocked most of the poison, barely keeping her alive.
A deeper thought brought an icy chill.
He knew she would be poisoned! He had known all along! He knew everything!
He had done it on purpose.
"You won't die," he said with a gentle and amiable smile, "As long as you go all out to do things for me... The benefits that are yours will all be given."
His smile was like spring breeze, yet it sent shivers down her spine.
Before, she had only been a little afraid of him, but now it was a terror akin to facing a demon.