The general, hardened by a hundred battles, has a reputation that shakes the world.

When Cheng Jingyun stepped out of the emperor’s grand tent, he saw Third Master Cheng waiting not far away.

Upon seeing him, Third Master Cheng hurriedly asked, “Fourth Brother, did His Majesty place any blame?”

But Cheng Jingyun replied with a question of his own, “How is His Highness the Crown Prince?”

This question clearly made Third Master Cheng’s voice falter. “The imperial physicians are all over there; we don’t know his condition yet. But when we first carried the Crown Prince back, I took a careful look—though the wound wasn’t to a vital spot, still…it’s hard to say.”

The ever-proud Duke Cheng finally lowered his brows and, weighing the sword at his waist, looked deeply dejected.

Third Master Cheng frowned. “Fourth Brother, it’s not that I want to criticize you, but today was truly too dangerous. And think about A-Wei—if anything happens to the Crown Prince, what will become of her as the Crown Princess Consort for the rest of her life?”

Had Fu Lancheng not been injured today, Cheng Jingyun would certainly have retorted, “The Crown Prince’s own fate is uncertain; how could he possibly care for a mere consort?” But now, with Fu Lancheng lying there because of his own mistake, he simply couldn’t say it.

“When A-Wei was first wed to the Crown Prince, I was against it. If not for the Empress meddling in between—”

Third Master Cheng quickly cut him off. “Fourth Brother, be careful what you say!”

Outside the Crown Prince’s tent, wave after wave of people came but were all turned away by the imperial physicians, until only Xu Guiyi was left.

“Your humble servant greets the Crown Princess.” A clear voice startled the frostbitten Xu Guiyi from her daze.

“Marquis Gongmin?” she turned toward the sound, and in the thin moonlight saw Nangong Mingchen standing there.

Even in this icy weather, he smiled as warmly as ever. “I heard the Crown Prince’s injuries have stabilized, so I’ve come to visit.”

Xu Guiyi’s face was already stiff from the cold, but she managed a faint smile. “Thank you for your concern.”

Nangong Mingchen nodded with a smile and stepped closer. “It’s freezing, Crown Princess. You should return and rest soon.”

If she were willing to leave, why would she still be here? “I’ll go back once the imperial physicians finish changing his medicine.”

Nangong Mingchen shook his head helplessly. “Crown Princess, you’re as stubborn as ever, just as you were as a child—never knowing to take care of yourself.”

At that, Xu Guiyi fell silent, and Nangong Mingchen, too, became quiet.

After a pause, he spoke. “Shall we go in and visit the Crown Prince together? Your health has always been frail, and if you stay out in this wind any longer, you won’t last. Then the two of you—a wounded husband and a sick wife—would make quite the pair!”

Xu Guiyi said cautiously, “I’m afraid…going in might be a disturbance…”

Nangong Mingchen shot her a sideways glance, then took her by the hand, leading her toward the tent. Yet as they entered, he quietly released her hand.

To outsiders, it simply appeared as Marquis Gongmin and the Crown Princess, one after the other, coming to visit the Crown Prince.

The physicians had just finished applying new medicine to Fu Lancheng’s wound when they saw Xu Guiyi and Nangong Mingchen enter and hurriedly saluted.

“Imperial Physician Jiang, we’ve come to see His Highness,” Nangong Mingchen greeted an elderly physician.

Xu Guiyi nodded absently and went straight to look at Fu Lancheng.

The physician beside her saw how pale and hollow-eyed she was and stepped forward to comfort her. “Crown Princess, please do not worry so much. His Highness was not wounded at a vital spot—”

“But he lost a great deal of blood,” Xu Guiyi interjected anxiously. Is that truly nothing?

Imperial Physician Jiang sighed. “The arrow struck with force; the Crown Prince’s injury is indeed severe. But the bleeding has been stopped, and I have just administered a medicinal decoction. If he can make it through tonight, his condition should stabilize.”

Xu Guiyi went to look at Fu Lancheng. He lay there quietly; from excessive blood loss, his face was as pale as the snow.

She worried for Fu Lancheng, while Nangong Mingchen worried for her.

“Imperial Physician Jiang, please also check on the Crown Princess. She has waited outside in the cold for a long time; she mustn’t catch a chill.”

“I’m fine,” Xu Guiyi had just said, when a large sneeze overtook her, startling Imperial Physician Jiang, who quickly ordered, “Bring a bowl of ginger soup for the Crown Princess, quickly!”

Xu Guiyi wanted to protest but was interrupted by several more sneezes, rendering her speechless.

Soon ginger soup was brought in, followed by Xiyue and Qingyu.

“I won’t drink it,” Xu Guiyi said. She had disliked ginger since childhood, unable to tolerate even its smell.

The imperial physicians would not let her off. “Crown Princess, please drink it. This is made from old ginger and is the most effective remedy for the cold.”

At the mention of old ginger, Xu Guiyi’s brows knit together as she cast a pleading look at Xiyue.

Xiyue herself brought the soup over. “Crown Princess, please drink it.”

Xu Guiyi’s eyes widened in protest, but she remained resolute.

The physicians continued to extol the virtues of bitter medicine, and Nangong Mingchen frowned as well. By then, Qingyu had already moved to hold Xu Guiyi in place, while Xiyue brought the bowl to her lips.

So, under the watchful eyes of all present, the Crown Princess was forced to drink a bowl of ginger soup by her own two maids.

Xu Guiyi: “…”

But the ginger soup came too late. The next day, Xu Guiyi developed a high fever, her whole body burning, unable to get out of bed.

Just as Nangong Mingchen had said: husband injured, wife ill—a perfect match!

Because of these two incidents, the winter hunt was completely called off. The emperor ordered many more physicians and troops dispatched from Guangling.

When Xu Guiyi was finally able to get out of bed, she went to see Fu Lancheng but encountered the emperor instead.

“Daughter-in-law pays respects to Father Emperor.”

The emperor looked exhausted and somewhat dispirited, but when he saw Xu Guiyi, his tone was gentle. “Has your cold improved, Crown Princess?”

With her head still muddled, Xu Guiyi replied evenly, “Much better, thank you for your concern, Father Emperor.” She glanced at the still-sleeping Fu Lancheng, “Your Majesty has come to see His Highness. When he wakes, he will surely be glad.”

The emperor suddenly felt a pang within him. “Will he? Will the Crown Prince be happy to see me?”

How long had it been since father and son had shared a proper meal or spoken a warm word?

“I had many brothers, yet as a youth, I could never see the late emperor. Later, when I had sons of my own, I thought I had taught each of them with care. But the Crown Prince…” Always walking the opposite path from my own.

The emperor spoke softly to himself. Xu Guiyi felt no need to defend Fu Lancheng, simply listening in silence.

When the emperor had tired of speaking, he left quietly, and only then did Imperial Physician Jiang, who had been waiting outside, enter.

Seeing Xu Guiyi, he saluted and insisted on taking her pulse, also asking Xiyue if she had taken her medicine as prescribed.

“When will His Highness the Crown Prince awaken?” Xu Guiyi asked.

Imperial Physician Jiang smiled. “He woke briefly both yesterday and today, but his body is still too weak, so he fell asleep again.”

“You have my deepest gratitude, Imperial Physician Jiang, and all the court physicians,” Xu Guiyi said, rising to offer a formal bow.

“To serve is my duty; I cannot accept such courtesy from Your Highness,” replied Imperial Physician Jiang, a kindly old man.

Three days later, the imperial procession returned to the capital. After several hours’ journey, they finally left Jiulong Mountain behind.

Xu Guiyi looked back at the snow-covered mountains, recalling all that had happened in those past two weeks, and could not help but feel a surge of dread.

It was likely the emperor would not return to Jiulong Mountain for many years to come.

Back at the Eastern Palace, Xu Guiyi had to receive a constant stream of visitors for the Crown Prince and tend to Fu Lancheng’s daily needs.

One day, Nangong Mingchen came again to the Eastern Palace, ostensibly to visit the Crown Prince.

But Xu Guiyi felt that, given the relationship between the Nangong family and the Crown Prince, his visits were far too frequent.

She dismissed her attendants. “If you have something to say, Young Marquis, please speak plainly.”

Nangong Mingchen wore a dark purple robe embroidered with golden lotus and crane patterns, a deep red sash at his waist, his hair flowing, his eyes clear and bright—truly as handsome as a jade statue.

At their first meeting, Xu Guiyi had thought him somewhat reminiscent of Imperial Consort Nangong; but looking closely today, she realized that had he been born a woman, his beauty would have surpassed hers.

“They found a group of the assassins from Jiulong Mountain. Though all are dead now, some information was extracted before their demise.” He had followed Prince Qi to the Supreme Court for three days to obtain this news—highly confidential, indeed.

Xu Guiyi’s heart leapt at this, for she had many questions.

But one must always be wary of the Nangong family…

In a flash, she asked, “Didn’t the Supreme Court already reach a conclusion? They said it was remnants of the Baiyue tribe.”

Nangong Mingchen always greeted others with a smile, but before Xu Guiyi, his expression darkened. “The Baiyue remnants are entrenched in the southern border. For them to travel a thousand miles north to Jiulong Mountain to assassinate the emperor—never mind the risk, could southern men even endure the freezing northern winter?”

In truth, the emperor had long harbored intentions of waging war on the south. This time, he simply needed a scapegoat.

Xu Guiyi replied calmly, “So, Young Marquis, what are you trying to say?”

Nangong Mingchen didn’t waste words. “Those assassins were the old followers of the Pei family. Six years ago, General Feihong died in battle, fifty thousand imperial guards perished with him. Beneath the walls of Chulan City, the bones lay in heaps. Yet His Majesty not only refused to honor them, but accused them of reckless ambition, declaring their deaths a pardon for their crimes. Thus, resentful, they turned traitor and have opposed the court ever since.”

Xu Guiyi bit her lower lip, gripping her wrist to steady herself. “Didn’t you say the fifty thousand imperial guards all died? Where did these assassins come from?”

Nangong Mingchen sighed almost inaudibly. “At that time, General Feihong commanded the troops of five northern cities. Besides Chulan, there were other trusted subordinates. The Crown Princess surely remembers that Third Master Cheng of the Duke’s household was dismissed from his post in Xizhou a few months ago?”

Xu Guiyi replied evenly, “I remember. Since Third Master Cheng was dismissed, the position of Xizhou Vice Commander remains vacant.”

Nangong Mingchen’s gaze was sharp. “And do you know who held that post before Cheng Jingyuan?”

She knew. She said nothing.

But she could not say it aloud. “I’m not sure.”

Nangong Mingchen stated, word by word, “Wen Xianqing, Commander of the Dragon Guard, younger brother of the Grand Marshal Wen Liting. Six years ago, at Chulan City, he led twenty thousand Xizhou troops to reinforce the garrison, but they were ambushed. His entire force fell into Dabie Mountain—none survived.”