Chapter 9: Exercise

Chapter 9: Exercise

Moon-Gazing Hall.

Xiao Yan was leaning by the window, flipping through a casual book, trying to glean more about this world from bits of text here and there.

"Your Highness, it's time for your medicine."

A eunuch entered, gently placing a bowl of pitch-black herbal brew on the small table beside him.

The heavy scent of herbs instantly filled the air.

Xiao Yan raised his eyes and gave it a casual glance.

He mentally called out to Xiao K:

"What is this? Is this Prince Yu sick?"

"Host, hold on. Let me analyze it."

While Xiao K was analyzing, Xiao Yan put down the book, picked up the bowl, and stirred it absentmindedly.

Soon, Xiao K's pixel screen flashed an exaggerated expression.

"w(ﾟДﾟ)w"

"Host, don't you remember? On your first day here, the imperial physician diagnosed you with an illness..."

An illness diagnosed by the imperial physician?

Xiao Yan's hand froze, nearly dropping the bowl.

Xiao K continued in its cute electronic voice: "I detected excessive amounts of velvet antler, cistanche, and epimedium in the liquid. Therefore, I conclude it is... a powerful aphrodisiac!"

Xiao Yan's mind was instantly in turmoil, a mix of emotions.

This emasculating potion, he didn't even want to hold, let alone drink.

"Clang."

He set the bowl down heavily on the table.

The eunuch who had delivered the medicine also gave a start.

Without acknowledging the eunuch, Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and asked Xiao K:

"Do I have to drink this junk?"

He had a healthy, pure body, and he didn't want it ruined by such a potent drug!

But Xiao K's words dashed his last hope: "Yes, host. According to the plot, you must drink it. Because the character Prince Yu is meant to be physically depleted; he relies on this to... you know."

The veins in Xiao Yan's temples started throbbing: "And a normal person like me has to drink this crap?!"

Xiao K said meekly: "You don't have to actually drink it down, just make others think you did."

The eunuch below was still bowing, like a cowering quail, and two more stood by the outer door, ready to attend at any moment.

With them all watching, how could he get rid of the medicine?

Xiao Yan's face suddenly darkened.

It seemed as if the smell had triggered some extremely unpleasant memory.

"You wretched scoundrels!" he barked furiously. "What are you standing around for? Get out of here!"

It sounded as if his pride had been wounded by the medicine, making him furious with embarrassment.

"Yes! Yes! This servant will leave at once!"

The eunuch, relieved to be dismissed, scrambled out, crawling and rolling.

The two by the door also withdrew.

The hall was instantly empty except for Xiao Yan.

And the bowl of herbal brew, still emitting its eerie steam and strong odor.

After confirming that no one was around, Xiao Yan's feigned rage vanished, replaced by a look of pure disgust and exasperation.

Without hesitation, he picked up the bowl, strode briskly to a lush potted plant by the window, tilted his wrist, and poured the entire bowl of potent tonic into the flower pot as fertilizer.

Watching the dark liquid seep into the soil, Xiao Yan clapped his hands and silently said "Hang in there" to the plant.

"Host, what a waste! (´-ω-`)" Xiao K tsk-tsked in his mind.

"Waste?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes internally. "Then why don't you drink it for me?"

"No, no." Xiao K instantly backed down.

---

Liu Qingci put on a light blue robe.

It was a hastily acquired ready-made garment, so the fit was off.

The fabric hung loosely around his slender frame, yet unexpectedly lent him an ethereal, almost celestial poise.

Under Fu'an's guidance, he walked in silence toward Prince Yu's bedchamber.

Just as he reached the outer door, he happened to see a eunuch, carrying an empty medicine bowl, hurrying out with his head down.

A few drops of dark liquid still stained the bottom of the bowl, emitting a strong herbal smell.

Liu Qingci's pace faltered almost imperceptibly.

Prince Yu... had just taken his medicine?

He recalled the prescription he had seen earlier at the physician's office and then thought of Xiao Yan's notorious reputation for debauchery.

It was obvious what kind of medicine Prince Yu was taking.

Then entering at this moment... would be like a lamb walking into the lion's den.

Liu Qingci's hand, hidden in his sleeve, tightened silently, and his steps grew heavier.

Inner courtyard.

Xiao Yan was unsettled by the bowl of medicine.

He decided to get moving.

The original owner was a lazy pleasure-seeker who hated to exercise, but Xiao Yan was different—he'd always had a regular workout routine in his past life.

He took a stroll around the fairly spacious courtyard and found that there was nothing you could actually use as equipment.

"Host, the original owner only ever thought about eating, drinking, and having fun. He even made excuses to skip archery and riding since childhood. How could there be any proper workout gear in this yard?" Xiao K's emotionless electronic voice echoed in his mind. "That stone bench over there is heavy enough, but the original owner would at most grab it to smash someone when he was pissed."

Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the courtyard and finally landed on an old banyan tree not far away.

The tree had a thick, low-hanging branch, about shoulder height from the ground.

He walked over.

"Host, what are you doing?"

Xiao Yan tested the branch's weight-bearing capacity and said with satisfaction, "This will do in a pinch."

Xiao K was impressed but totally confused: "Go for it, host (ง •̀_•́)ง"

Xiao Yan hooked the back of his calves over the rough branch, letting his entire upper body hang completely in the air.

Then he began his movements.

Xiao K soon went starry-eyed: "Wow! Host, your physical fitness is amazing! It's like night and day from the original owner!"

Xiao Yan: "Shut up! Don't mess with my concentration!"

Xiao Yan crossed his arms over his chest, his entire upper body like a drawn bowstring, powering his abs as he curled his torso up over and over.

At the peak of each rep, he deliberately paused for a moment, fully contracting his abs, demonstrating incredible control before slowly lowering himself back down, nearly parallel to the ground, without any wobbling.

Every curl and descent had a rhythmic quality, his core muscles were pushed to the limit.

The ancient tree's leaves swayed slightly with his movements.

When Liu Qingci entered, that's exactly what he saw.

He stood frozen, even wondering if he had come to the wrong place.

But from this angle, he could clearly see Xiao Yan's face.

His face was flushed from the workout, sweat dripping down his cheeks, veins faintly visible on his neck and forehead, with tightly pressed lips and focused eyes that radiated a kind of savage intensity.

Liu Qingci's eyes drifted downward.

Liu Qingci's gaze paused for a moment.

Xiao Yan's… core strength was really that amazing?

"Host, host, Liu Qingci is here! Right behind you!"

Xiao Yan finished his last set, did a clean flip, and landed steadily on his feet.

His chest heaved, his breath a little ragged.

He casually grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat from his face, then looked at the frozen Liu Qingci, raising an eyebrow:

"What's up?"