Chapter 93: The Madman

Chapter 93: The Madman

The ladies-in-waiting gently helped Rong Bi back onto the bed, while others stepped forward to unfasten her heavy outer robe and remove her burdensome floral tiara, golden hairpins, and jade bracelets from her wrists and arms. After a long day, she was finally able to shed these layers of constraints, allowing her to relax slightly. However, the heat still lingered on her face, making her feel parched. She couldn't help but ask a nearby court attendant, "Could you please bring me a cup of water?"

The court ladies were taken aback, and Palace Matron Zhou harrumphed, clearly displeased with Rong Liangdi's lack of propriety. However, considering the prince's intense gaze, she refrained from reprimanding her openly and simply instructed someone to serve tea.

Observing Rong Bi, Yuan Jun noticed a hint of fatigue in her eyes, yet her cheeks bloomed with a rosy glow, as if she was overly affected by the alcohol. He wondered if she had perhaps imbibed too hastily. This suhe xiang wine was renowned for its health benefits and had long been reserved for the enjoyment of nobles in the palace. His gaze shifted to find Li Dongfu standing behind a screen, his eyes fixed intently on Rong Bi. The candlelight danced upon his face, casting intermittent shadows.

A sudden sense of alertness surged within Yuan Jun's heart. He abruptly stood up, but was instantly struck by a wave of dizziness. A surge of warmth radiated from the area of his abdomen where he had just consumed the wine.

Yan Xin approached to support him, "Your Highness?"

Yet, Yuan Jun's gaze was fixed on Li Dongfu, filled with a chilling murderous intent, "What kind of wine did Eunuch Li bring?"

Li Dongfu lowered his eyes and deeply bowed, "Your Highness, it was just some wine to heighten the mood. Once its effects wear off, there will be no harm."

Avoiding the prince's piercing gaze, he mechanically conveyed the emperor's order, "His Majesty has a verbal decree. As the Crown Prince is of great value, on this day of his wedding, he should indulge in joy and contribute to the royal lineage sooner. If the consummation does not go well, it would imply the concubine's failure to please. Since she does not gain the favor of the Crown Prince, she will be granted a cup of poison, and her family will be punished for her offense."

What a reckless edict! Yet, recalling that this emperor had indeed persisted for years in using young maidens' first blood for alchemy, everyone understood that he was truly so arbitrary as to kill a concubine who could not satisfy the Crown Prince. Palace Matron Zhou and others nearby drew sharp breaths, lowering their heads in silence, too terrified to utter a word.

Yuan Jun's hand clenched abruptly around his sleeve, staring coldly at Li Dongfu. Rong Bi had already been gently helped to lie on the couch. Her mind was sluggish, unable to fully grasp the situation. She only sensed a surge of heat that made her uncomfortable, so she turned her head and urged, "Water."

Yet, no one dared to approach the concubine of the crown prince.

Yuan Jun lowered his eyelashes and walked over a few steps. He poured tea on the table, then went to help Rong Bi sit up, holding the teacup to her lips. Rong Bi's face was flushed red, resembling someone drunk. She eagerly opened her mouth to drink the water.

Despite the water soothing her, the heat within her soon intensified. She felt like a clay pot simmering on a small fire, with boiling broth bubbling and steaming. She was burning up, yet she lacked any strength in her entire body. The crown prince came over to support her arm with his slightly cool fingers, wiping away the excess water from the corners of her mouth. For some reason, this small act of tenderness stirred a sense of dependency within her.

The crown prince gazed at her with regret and anger in his eyes, but also a lingering loneliness and sorrow that had long been etched on his brows. That melancholic air had always evoked sympathy for the crown prince within her. Now, as she looked at him, her mind was a jumbled mess, unable to comprehend what was happening at this very moment.

She seemed to hear the Crown Prince lower his eyelashes and utter a command, either asking them to withdraw politely or simply ordering them to get out. Either way, all the servants in the room swiftly exited, leaving the space utterly empty.

The crown prince leaned down and whispered something in her ear, which she didn't quite catch. Nevertheless, he gently lifted her and nestled her into the soft blankets. Then, he bent down and kissed her on the lips.

Her eyes widened as his lips and tongue entwined with hers, igniting a sudden rush of heat within her brain. Every limb seemed to be aflame, and she couldn't pinpoint the origin of this intense longing. Yet, she found herself instinctively responding to his tender embrace, yearning for him to hold her even more tightly, to satiate the desire that had blossomed within her heart.

And then she was held even closer, as if she were being enfolded into the Prince's embrace, with kisses that grew more fervent. The Prince's eyes were dark and luminous, like a fierce beast about to break free from its cage. But upon seeing the scar on her shoulder, his intensity softened. He lowered his eyelashes, tenderly caressing her wound, and even bent down to affectionately kiss the star-like scar.

Her hair was damp with sweat, but the Crown Prince showed no disdain. Instead, he tenderly brushed it aside and gently touched her forehead, seeming to be reassured as he softly comforted her, "Sleep now. Everything will be better when you wake up."

Indeed, she fell into a soft and tranquil sleep.

However, having consumed alcohol and exerted herself, her slumber was not prolonged. As the first light of dawn crept in, she stirred back to consciousness, feeling the weariness and discomfort in her limbs. For a fleeting moment, she was perplexed, unable to recall the reason for her current state.

She shifted slightly, and the person beside her instantly awoke. He opened his eyes, revealing dark pupils that seemed to have never closed, as if he had been awake the entire night. "Awake? Is there anywhere else that hurts? I've instructed them to summon the imperial physician."

Looking at the Crown Prince's face, Rong Bi felt momentarily disoriented. His hairpin was removed, and his long hair flowed loosely, secured only by a cloth band. He wore nothing but a white silk robe. Seeing her in a daze, he grew concerned, sitting up and gently touching her forehead.

This familiar gesture seemed to trigger something within her. The jumbled fragments of memories from the previous night flooded Rong Bi's mind: the Crown Prince changing into formal attire for their wedding ceremony, the emperor's blessing, the shared cup of wine...and then...

Amidst the jumbled fragments of her memory, she recalled the prince's dark, mesmerizing eyes that seemed to ensnare her in their depths last night. She remembered his breath upon her face, the fine sheen of sweat on his handsome countenance, and his kisses, along with those intimate embraces that filled her with bashfulness.

Her eyes widened. "Last night..."

Yuan Jun observed that her forehead was not warm, assuming it was merely the disorientation of just waking up. He got up, tested the temperature of a cup of water on the table, and handed it to her. "It's my fault that I've implicated you. I'll take responsibility."

Rong Bi: "..."

Rong Bi gradually recollected Li Dongfu's words. Having resided within the body of the Crown Prince on multiple occasions, she was well acquainted with Li Dongfu and knew that his delivery of imperial edicts was always imbued with the emperor's will. "Why would His Majesty coerce you into consummating the marriage?" she pondered aloud.

Yuan Jun lowered his eyelashes, "I have bound myself in my own cocoon. I didn't expect..."

"He has taken the elixir and gained a connection to the divine, yet he still hasn't encountered a genuine opportunity for ascension. He's anxious. He believes that by breaking my virginity, he can ruin my divine connection, making me equal to him. Then, the divine connection would return to him."

Rong Bi's eyes widened in disbelief at how this emperor had become so obsessed with immortality to such an extreme. She gasped, "Then what should we do?"

Yuan Jun gave a cold laugh, "He's already lost his mind, seeking answers from ghosts and gods instead of the people. This so-called divine connection is nothing but a figment of his imagination..." A divine connection conjured by taking elixirs, how could it have anything to do with his virginity? He knew his father was irrational, but never imagined he would be delusional enough to think his divine connection stemmed from his purity, believing that losing it would strip him of his supposed "divine fate."

From this perspective, it seemed the ministers had long sensed the emperor's madness. How could anyone fathom the thoughts of a mad ruler? And how could such a mad emperor still hold power on the imperial throne? Who knew what other insanities he might commit?

His gaze fell upon Rong Bi, and he found himself unable to continue. After all, this young lady before him did indeed have a fate that could be described as blessed by the heavens - their divine connection was not mere fiction. However, the reality was that their soul exchange had disrupted her life.

Previously, he had deliberately kept himself from interfering in her life, allowing her to enjoy her peaceful days and cherish every moment with her family, savoring simple meals together. Clearly, these were the things that brought her joy. He had witnessed her and her brothers' efforts in planning a small restaurant; it must be thriving now that it has opened its doors to customers.

Yet now, she was compelled to enter the palace walls because of her father's absurd and irrational obsession, leaving behind her family and the comfortable life she had built for herself. If that so-called virginity could truly halt this soul-exchanging ordeal, then she would earnestly wish for it to be true.

Yuan Jun lifted his gaze to meet hers, his eyes as cold and composed as frozen ice. The feral ferocity and malevolence she had witnessed the previous night seemed locked away beneath the depths of his icy stare. His voice was rational and steady as he spoke, "You need not worry about these matters. Just stay here in the palace with peace of mind for now. As for the rest, I will find a solution. It was my fault that you and your family were innocently dragged into this. In the future... I will do my utmost to make amends."

Rong Bi was taken aback, catching in that fleeting moment a spark igniting within Yuan Jun's usually somber eyes. However, his eyelashes swiftly veiled the flicker of murderous intent that had revealed itself, and he rose abruptly from his seat. Fetching his robe from beside the screen, he donned it himself before stepping out and summoning, "Attendant, assist Lady Rong in rising."

A few palace maids entered, assisting her with changing clothes, grooming her hair, and dressing her up.

Rong Bi rose, feeling her legs weak and a slight flush on her cheeks. Despite this, she heard the Crown Prince giving orders behind the screen: "Inform His Majesty the Emperor and Empress Dowager that Rong Liangdi has an old injury and will be excused from paying respects."

To her surprise, Palace Matron Zhou was still waiting outside. She hurriedly said with a smile, "Your Highness, rest assured. Last night, Rong Liangdi had already paid her respects to Her Majesty the Empress. At that time, Her Majesty instructed Rong Liangdi to focus on serving Your Highness. Thus, there's no need for further formal greetings."

Yuan Jun continued, "Rong Liangdi has two maid servants named Hong Ying and Bai Ying. They were gifts from her elder sister to attend to her daily needs. Please inform the Empress that they were originally maids in the Princess' residence and should also be brought into the palace to serve Liangdi. This way, she'll have someone close by to tend to her."

Palace Matron Zhou steeled herself and replied, "This servant will report to the Empress immediately."

Yuan Jun insisted, "I want to meet them today." His tone was firm, leaving Palace Matron Zhou completely intimidated. "Yes, this servant will attend to it right away."

Yuan Jun gave further instructions, "Since Rong Liangdi is new to the palace, ensure that all her provisions are allocated to her palace, Han Gong. Treat her with respect."

Palace Matron Zhou hastily agreed, and Yuan Jun then turned to Yan Xin, asking, "Where's Li Dongfu?"

Yan Xin quickly smiled, "Eunuch Li... after receiving the congratulatory handkerchief last night, he returned to report to the Emperor."

Yuan Jun gave a cold laugh. "Tell him to arrange for imperial physicians to examine Rong Liangdi immediately. If there are any repercussions from the wine, he'd better watch out for his skin."