Chapter 64: Beauty

Chapter 64: The Beauty

Qiao Wan, Mu Chi, and their party entered the borders of Great Qi on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, just around the Lunar New Year.

On New Year’s Eve, they reached the outskirts of Yanzhou City, where the army camped for a day’s rest.

Having focused solely on the journey, Qiao Wan grew excited upon hearing that there would be fireworks in Yanzhou City and eagerly went to watch them with Yicui and Wu Jiu.

Yanzhou, a small city near the capital Yan, already showed signs of prosperity, at least as impressive as Jiuyuan City.

There was no curfew that night; the streets were filled with people, adorned with lanterns and banners, bustling with excitement.

Especially when the fireworks soared into the sky and burst into bloom, a light snow began to flutter down, creating a picturesque scene under the glow of the lanterns.

But as Qiao Wan looked up at the fireworks, her poison flared up again.

Without any warning, a fierce, burning pain surged in her chest, and a coppery, bloody taste rose in her throat. After she couldn’t help but cough up blood, her vision went dark.

For a moment, Qiao Wan thought she would suffocate.

In her dazed state, she felt herself being lifted by a figure who rushed over, swiftly carrying her across rooftops. A cold finger pried open her lips, and a bloodied wrist was pressed into her mouth.

Eventually, Qiao Wan’s poison’s effects gradually subsided, and the only sensation left was the faint trembling of the arm holding her.

This was the first time Qiao Wan realized how close she had been to death.

Before falling asleep, she couldn’t help but think that she found Mu Chi more and more incomprehensible.

She didn’t understand why Mu Chi repeatedly risked severe blood loss to save her. She had entertained absurd thoughts, but the painful lessons from past moments of unrequited affection and subsequent harsh disillusionment had taught her not to overthink things.

Moreover, his past exploitation of her, along with the contempt and lethal intentions he had once shown, were all too real.

Qiao Wan let herself drift into deep sleep.

Mu Chi ordered Si Li to supervise the army’s return to the capital while he, accompanied by only a dozen guards, sped back on horseback.

When Qiao Wan woke again, she was already in a carriage on the way back to Yan. Her body felt completely normal, as if the poisoning on New Year’s Eve had been nothing but an illusion.

It was only then that she realized she was being held in someone's cold embrace. As she shifted slightly, the arms around her tightened.

Qiao Wan frowned impatiently but didn't bother struggling. She let the person behind her hold her, thinking that since someone was eager to serve as a cushion, she might as well make herself comfortable.

They traveled without stopping, and on the seventh day of the first lunar month, the party finally arrived safely in Yan.

This was Qiao Wan’s first time in the capital of Great Qi, and she couldn’t help feeling a sense of novelty.

Yan was different from Lingjing. Lingjing, situated in the picturesque Jiangnan region, was elegant and beautiful, while Yan was more majestic and prosperous.

Ornate carriages crowded the streets, golden whips flashed endlessly, and both sides were lined with splendid shops and bustling markets. Knights-errant rode leisurely on horseback, revelers staggered with wine in hand, the sound of *huqin* filled the air, and scholars sang and drank heartily.

The carriage stopped in front of a mansion in the city.

At first, Qiao Wan noticed nothing unusual as she alighted from the carriage, but upon entering the residence, she couldn’t help but pause in surprise.

The mansion before her was strikingly similar to her princess manor in Lingjing.

Pavilions and towers, with upturned eaves and blue tiles, covered corridors, and carved beams—all were deeply familiar.

Qiao Wan walked into the bedroom and found herself distracted at the sight of the interior, which was identical to her former chambers.

"Princess is beautiful! Princess is beautiful!"

"One to make fish sink and birds alight!"

A strange, sharp voice rang out from within. Startled, Qiao Wan lifted the curtain to see a golden cage by the window, where a long-tailed parrot with emerald feathers stood on a peachwood perch, calling out.

Qiao Wan stepped forward and noticed a patch of jet-black feathers under the parrot’s left wing.

This was the same parrot she had raised in her princess manor. Later, fearing that Mu Chi might associate caged birds with his traumatic past at the Songzhu Pavilion, she had ordered it moved to the backyard to be cared for by servants.

She never expected Mu Chi to have brought it here.

Surveying her surroundings, she saw that the jewelry on the dressing table and the luxurious clothing in the chests were all in styles she had once loved.

Qiao Wan didn’t know when Mu Chi had prepared all this, and a sudden sense of bewilderment washed over her.

She had thought that after leaving Lingjing without looking back, she had completely put the past behind her. Only now did she realize that she still occasionally missed those bygone days.

The city where she had grown up, the princess manor she knew so well.

"I’ve already had items from *Jinyinzhai* sent to the shop. From now on, you’ll live here," Mu Chi’s voice came from behind her.

Qiao Wan’s eyelashes trembled slightly as she turned around.

Mu Chi stood at the doorway, silhouetted against the light, his snow-white fox fur cloak bathed in a soft glow.

For once, Qiao Wan didn’t argue with him and simply acknowledged quietly.

Mu Chi said nothing more, his gaze fixed on the woman standing by the bed. After a long moment, he lowered his eyes, feeling a slight warmth welling up in them.

This long-vacant mansion had finally welcomed its mistress.

"Your Highness," the steward’s respectful voice came from outside the door, "Imperial Physician Song has arrived."

Before meeting Imperial Physician Song, Qiao Wan had imagined him to be like the court physicians she had seen before—dressed in official robes, refined and scholarly. But upon seeing him, she realized how wrong she had been.

Imperial Physician Song, named Song Pan, was tall and imposing with a long beard, appearing to be in his fifties or sixties. What surprised Qiao Wan even more was that he was blind in one eye. The eye looked as if it had been poisoned, dark and dull, surrounded by jagged scars.

After greeting Mu Chi, Song Pan bowed respectfully and then proceeded to feel Qiao Wan’s pulse.

But the moment he discerned her condition, he jolted in surprise and quickly glanced at Mu Chi.

Few people knew that the Crown Prince of Great Qi had been replaced, but he was aware. The former crown prince had tormented this new prince countless times, inflicting not only physical pain but also feeding him numerous poisons.

Yet the new prince’s constitution was extraordinary—his inability to feel pain allowed him to cut his flesh and draw blood to concoct antidotes and counteract the toxins.

After repeated instances, the new prince’s body accumulated both toxins and antidotes, to the extent that even his blood had become a precious antidote.

The young woman before him had long been accumulating poison, yet she could still move about like a normal person. Clearly, she had ingested the new prince’s blood to counter the poison.

"How is it?" Mu Chi asked with a furrowed brow.

Song Pan released her wrist and stood up. "Your Highness, this young lady has been accumulating poison for too long. I must return and carefully study ancient medical texts before I dare prescribe a treatment."

Hearing this, Qiao Wan felt a faint relief.

If the Imperial Physician said so, it meant there was still a chance of recovery for her.

In the following days, Qiao Wan remained at the estate.

The new store of Jinyin Zhai was located in the most luxurious area of Yandu and was still under preparation. Yicui occasionally went to check on its progress, accompanied by Uncle Zhang.

Wu Jiu enrolled in the academy on the second day.

What troubled Qiao Wan, however, was that Mu Chi had concealed his return to the capital. Except for going out on the first day, he spent the rest of his time as if residing permanently in this mansion, choosing to stay here all day rather than returning to the Eastern Palace.

Three days later, Song Pan appeared once again at the entrance of the mansion, claiming he had found a method for detoxification.

Song Pan led Qiao Wan and Mu Chi to a secluded courtyard at the back of the mansion, entered an inner chamber, and opened a sealed secret room.

A wave of intense cold surged from within, making even Qiao Wan shiver involuntarily. Yet instantly, the searing heat burning inside her core seemed to be suppressed.

Beside her, Mu Chi’s icy fingertips stiffened slightly.

Qiao Wan looked more closely and realized the chamber was lined with walls of clear, glistening ice.

"These are blocks of ice excavated from Lian Mountain," Song Pan explained. "This ice can suppress the accumulated toxins in your body. I’ve prepared a prescription. Starting tomorrow, you must decoct and take the medicine daily. After taking it for the duration of one incense stick burning, come here for a half-hour herbal fumigation. In about six months, roughly seventy to eighty percent of the toxins in your body will be eliminated. If everything progresses well, after six months, you’ll only need to continue taking the medicine for a few more months without further steam treatments."

Hearing Song Pan’s words, Qiao Wan’s eyes lit up at the thought that she might truly survive safely. The irritability of the past few days vanished completely.

She took a deep breath, gazing at the ice around her, but before she could exhale, her hand was suddenly seized: "You haven’t taken the medicine yet. Staying here too long might cause discomfort."

Qiao Wan stiffened and instinctively tried to pull away.

Seeing this, Song Pan quickly stepped forward and said to Mu Chi, "This young lady is fine, but Your Highness, your constitution is inherently cold. Remaining here too long could endanger your life. It would be best to leave soon."

Only then did Qiao Wan notice that Mu Chi’s face was deathly pale, and his hand was even colder than usual—colder, it seemed, than the surrounding ice.

Qiao Wan pressed her lips together and finally stopped resisting.

Song Pan left the prescription and departed. Qiao Wan returned to her bedchamber. Looking at Mu Chi beside her, she remembered it was he who had brought her to Yandu and arranged her detoxification. Awkwardly, she murmured, "Thank you."

Mu Chi was slightly startled, about to respond, when Si Li’s weary voice came from outside the door: "Young Master."

Qiao Wan quickly said, "Si Li is back. He must have something important to discuss with you. You should go see him!"

She spoke so fast that after finishing, the room fell into brief silence.

Mu Chi glanced at her uneasy expression, smiled faintly after a pause, and replied, "Alright."

Si Li’s triumphant return with the army stirred great excitement throughout the Great Qi court. Over the past two years, Great Qi’s territory had expanded repeatedly. Now that Mu Chi had returned victorious, military and state affairs were bound to overwhelm him.

Qiao Wan began taking the medicine every day. After ingestion, she endured excruciating, burning pain; yet following her sessions in the ice chamber, she felt indescribably relieved.

Concerned about possible complications, Song Pan monitored her for two days. Only after confirming no abnormalities did he feel reassured, instructing her to send for him immediately if anything arose.

Qiao Wan thanked him and agreed.

During the day, Mu Chi was occupied with settling military matters and issuing new decrees for the newly acquired territories, keeping him extremely busy.

Qiao Wan welcomed the peace and quiet.

However, every night, half-awake and half-asleep, she always felt someone holding her tightly from behind, their chin resting gently on the nape of her neck, breathing steadily and rhythmically.

It felt like a dream.

Until one night, Qiao Wan went to bed early and woke up thirsty in the middle of the night. She unconsciously licked her dry lips and was about to sit up when a hoarse voice came from behind: "Thirsty?"

Qiao Wan froze—realizing that the person who held her waist every night was not a figment of her imagination.

Mu Chi, however, remained calm. Dressed only in underclothes and barefoot, he got up and poured her a cup of water. After watching her drink, he simply pulled her back into his arms and fell asleep again.

Qiao Wan stared at his back for a long time but ultimately couldn't break free from his embrace. She could only turn to face away from him, growing increasingly convinced that to him, she was nothing more than a tool to help him sleep.

*

Several more days passed, and the Jinyin Zhai was nearly complete.

That day, after inspecting the studio, Yicui hurried back to the mansion to deliver the good news to Qiao Wan. Unexpectedly, as she reached the back gate, she saw a carriage parked there.

The mansion steward stood before it. Moments later, the carriage door opened, and a wave of perfume and powder scent drifted through the air as several elaborately dressed women quietly stepped down.

The steward nodded to the women, and upon turning around, noticed Yicui standing nearby.

Flustered, he quickly clasped his hands and greeted, "Miss Yicui."

Yicui returned the gesture and rushed toward Qiao Wan’s bedchamber.

The steward turned back and looked at the beauties beside him.

For nearly three years, the Crown Prince had been a changed man. Unlike before—when he indulged nightly in revelry, drowning himself in wine and women—he now lived alone in this empty mansion, avoiding female company and speaking little.

Soon after, the Crown Prince led troops on campaigns to the east and west.

Court officials speculated that perhaps his focus on military affairs accounted for his restraint.

Now that His Highness had returned victorious, the entire court held him in high regard. Even the most stubborn senior ministers had altered their attitudes toward him.

The Crown Prince’s close attendants believed that now that he had returned, he would surely wish to indulge. Thus, they sent these women.

The steward reasoned that since they were His Highness’s trusted aides, they must understand him well. Moreover, the Crown Prince’s past fondness for beautiful women was widely known throughout the court.

Even though His Highness now stayed in Miss Qiao’s room every day, he was still the future ruler of the nation. Who could predict when his interests might shift?

Considering this, the steward said, "Ladies, please follow me."

Yicui hurried back to Qiao Wan’s bedchamber, her brows still slightly furrowed even after closing the door.

Qiao Wan was playing with a parrot and, hearing the door open and close, turned toward Yicui: "What's wrong? Did something happen at the Jinyin Zhai?"

Yicui snapped back to attention: "No," she shook her head, "the studio will likely open by late January."

Hearing this, Qiao Wan felt joy rise in her heart. She hadn’t taken any money from Mu Chi; the Jinyin Zhai was something she had built herself. But seeing Yicui still troubled, Qiao Wan stood and approached: "What happened?"

Yicui pursed her lips and said, "Miss, at the back door, I saw the steward welcoming several brightly dressed women."

Qiao Wan was stunned: "What women?"

Yicui gently shook her head: "I don’t know either..."

What she didn’t say was that she suspected these women were meant for the Crown Prince—especially since, during her recent outings, she had heard stories of His Highness’s promiscuous reputation in earlier years.

"If you don’t know, then don’t dwell on it," Qiao Wan said, not taking it seriously.

But soon, Qiao Wan discovered the truth.

In the afternoon, shortly after Qiao Wan had finished resting, she heard light, feminine laughter echoing in the courtyard. Moments later, two or three women, supported by maids, walked in.

A sweet, floral fragrance filled the bedchamber. Qiao Wan looked up to see that one beauty had already entered, while the other two remained in the outer room. Each had a slender, willow-like waist, wearing only thin dresses despite the winter chill, their figures delicate and graceful, their beauty striking.

The women looked at her, their eyes filled with curiosity and disdain: "Which noble family’s daughter are you, hiding away here?"

Qiao Wan said, "I'm no nobleman's daughter."

The beauty's expression softened, then she asked her a few questions about whether she'd like to join the other sisters in playing the zither or composing poetry. Upon learning that Qiao Wan could do neither, one of them even snorted with laughter, while the leader's eyes grew even more condescending.

Qiao Wan didn’t mind, and didn't hold it against these women. She was suddenly reminded of her mother.

Back then, even in the cold, lonely palace, there were still many lavishly dressed concubines who made a point of harassing her mother. It wasn’t until her mother lay gravely ill on her deathbed that they finally stopped.

Such struggles—whether for the sake of family, children, or love—were all about winning the favor of the one sitting on the dragon throne.

Qiao Wan detested this kind of "vying for favor."

The beauty's expression darkened at the disregard and pity in Qiao Wan’s eyes.

Yicui frowned and positioned herself protectively before Qiao Wan, ready to see the guests out, when the beauty suddenly said sharply, "Since you’re already living here, why put on such a high-and-mighty act?"

This bedchamber was the largest, most luxurious, and most centrally located room in the entire estate. Even the Chinese parasol tree in the courtyard was a fine centuries-old ancient tree.

Hearing this, Qiao Wan paused and turned to look at the beauty.

Yicui had said she didn’t know who these women were, but Qiao Wan could guess—they were most likely the ones the steward had brought in to present to Mu Chi.

She didn’t really know what Mu Chi was like in Yandu, nor did she know whether he intended to keep these women.

If he didn’t want to keep them, she’d have peace and quiet.

If he did, even better.

Maybe he’d find that he could sleep soundly holding another. Then he wouldn’t need her anymore. Once the poison was cured in half a year, he would surely let her go.

"You—" Yicui, generally so mild-mannered, was now filled with anger at how these women were treating her lady. She even felt a surge of resentment toward Mu Chi—why should his romantic entanglements cause trouble for her lady?

Yicui advanced, prepared to physically eject these women.

"Yicui," Qiao Wan stopped her and walked up to the beauty. "Do you think so highly of this place?"

The beauty narrowed her eyes at her but said nothing.

"You want it?"

The beauty snorted. "What if I do?"

Qiao Wan smiled. "Then it’s yours."

With that, she took Yicui’s hand and walked out.

Author's Note:

Another curveball—get ready for the dumbfounded mutt countdown lol

The synopsis is coming soon!

A light 50-break red envelope TNT