Chapter 8. Your next task is to stay...

Yu Yao screamed in pain and writhed wildly on the bed.

She was only wearing a thin silk nightgown, and her exposed skin was scratched red and covered with hideous bloodstains.

Upon seeing this, the palace maids who were serving them all knelt down and pleaded, crying, "Your Highness, please stop scratching! If you keep doing this, you'll leave scars!"

Yu Yao glared at them with red eyes: "You make it sound so easy! I'm itching so badly I'm going crazy! I wish I could peel this skin off! Where's the imperial physician? Why isn't the imperial physician here yet!"

Hurried footsteps came from outside the palace. Thinking it was the imperial physician, Yuyao was surprised to find it was her mother. She immediately got out of bed barefoot and rushed towards the empress.

"Mother, Mother!" she cried out, tears welling up instantly. "It's so itchy, so itchy all over!"

The Empress rushed forward and, upon seeing the horrific state of her daughter, her phoenix eyes widened in shock and fury.

"Where is the imperial physician? Has the imperial physician arrived yet?"

Just then, the Empress's most trusted physician, Physician Zhang, arrived, panting, carrying his medicine chest.

Hongying quickly grabbed a thick cloak and draped it over Yuyao, trying to cover her up and stop her from scratching any further.

After examining the pulse for a long time and carefully inspecting several red spots, Physician Zhang said with a solemn expression, "Your Majesty, Princess Yuyao's pulse is floating, rapid, and erratic, indicating that her blood and qi are agitated, like a rash caused by a sudden attack of internal heat."

"Your Majesty, I will write a prescription to clear heat and relieve itching, and have the Imperial Hospital send over the White Jade Cooling Ointment. Apply it evenly to the princess's skin three times a day to slightly relieve the burning and itching."

"However... this ailment comes on suddenly, so the princess must calm her mind and absolutely must not scratch it, otherwise it may fester and leave scars."

Yu Yao clutched her head and screamed, "It itches so much! Quickly prepare water for me, I need to take a bath!"

Upon hearing this, Physician Zhang was greatly alarmed and repeatedly kowtowed to dissuade him: "Your Highness, you must not touch water at this moment! If dampness seeps into the broken skin, it may cause a high fever, and the illness will only worsen!"

Yu Yao was already driven to madness by the intense itching and wouldn't listen to any advice. She pushed away the palace maid who tried to stop her and struggled barefoot to rush into the bathhouse.

Seeing this, the Empress was both heartbroken and furious. She shouted sternly, "What are you all standing there for! Stop the princess immediately! Granny Sun, go and fetch my calming incense. Imperial Physician Zhang, prepare your prescription and ointment immediately! If you delay any longer, I will hold you responsible!"

"Yes!" Physician Zhang hurriedly withdrew.

Yu Yao was held up by several palace maids, but she still couldn't stop twisting her body, trying to rub her shoulders and cheeks against the bedpost to relieve the itch.

The intense itching on her skin drove her to the brink of madness. Tears streamed down her face as she stammered, "Mother, Mother, I'm so itchy, so itchy, I can't stand it! I'd rather die and be done with it!"

Seeing her in such pain, the Empress felt as if her heart was being torn apart. She stepped forward and hugged her tightly to prevent her from hurting herself again. Her voice was choked with sobs as she said, "Yao'er, be good. Just bear with it a little longer. The medicine will be here soon. Your mother will stay with you."

Not long after, the Imperial Hospital's White Jade Cooling Ointment arrived. Hongying immediately followed instructions, dipped the ointment in it, and carefully avoided the broken areas as she applied it to Yuyao.

The Empress looked distressed. "How could this happen? Did you eat something you shouldn't have recently, or did you go to some unclean place?"

Yuyao thought about it carefully, then shook her head. Hongying said, "Your Highness's diet and daily life have been normal recently, just like always."

Recalling what Physician Zhang had just said, the Empress composed herself. Perhaps it really was an autumn rash...

Just to be on the safe side, she ordered all the palace maids and eunuchs in Yaoguang Palace to thoroughly check the princess's food, clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, and even the objects she played with recently, but they found nothing unusual.

Despite taking the medication, Yuyao was still tossing and turning, groaning incessantly from the itching.

The Empress summoned Physician Zhang again. After examining her pulse, Physician Zhang maintained his previous diagnosis that Princess Yuyao had autumn urticaria.

Following this, the other imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Academy were also summoned. After taking turns examining the patients, they all reached the same conclusion as Physician Zhang.

"Useless, a bunch of useless trash!" The Empress cursed angrily, watching helplessly as Yu Yao scratched herself until she was covered in wounds and bloodstains, but she was powerless to do anything about it.

Yu Yao was in a daze, muttering incoherently, "Itchy, itchy, kill me, kill me!"

Her struggles gradually weakened, her voice grew fainter, and finally, she fainted.

Worry-Free Tavern.

Yunniang was holding a pot of newly brewed wine, smiling as she filled the cups of her regular customers.

"Oh, Master Zhang, it's been a long time since you've come. What's wrong? Has the aroma of wine from elsewhere made you forget about our Apricot Blossom Intoxication?"

Master Zhang laughed heartily at this and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "Miss Yun, what are you saying? No matter how good the wine is elsewhere, it can't compare to this cup of intoxicating wine that you poured yourself."

After exchanging a few jokes with the guests, Yunniang glanced at the counter and noticed an upside-down jade wine cup that had appeared there sometime earlier.

Yunniang immediately smiled at the guests and said, "Please enjoy your meal, I'll be right back," before slipping through a small door on the side of the counter into the backyard.

The autumn wind was bleak, swirling up a few withered yellow leaves from the ground.

A man dressed in dark purple tight-fitting clothes and wearing a silver mask is practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.

The sword flashed, a chilling aura filled the air, and snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Zhan Xiao seemed to sense something, and with a sudden movement of his sword, the snowflakes in the sky vanished. He then silently gazed at the newcomer.

Yunniang stood by the railing, her gaze sweeping over him without any attempt to look away, and she clicked her tongue twice.

That physique, that skill, that chilling aura...

She said to Zhan Xiao, "If you were to take off your mask and walk down the street one day, I wonder how many young ladies in the capital you would win over."

Zhan Xiao remained silent, his expression calm and composed. Yun Niang put away her teasing expression and asked seriously, "What is the situation at the Princess's residence? Do you know who was behind the assassination?"

After a moment of silence, Zhan Xiao’s voice remained as cold as ever: “Everything has been taken care of. When I fought the assassins, I found that their martial arts style was ruthless and cunning, and their teamwork was excellent. They were like specially trained assassins. Only the Tian family could find such people.”

Yunniang paused, a hint of seriousness flashing in her eyes.

The Imperial Family?

"This capital city is not peaceful either. Princess Yuhe is known for being weak and powerless, yet she still managed to get herself killed."

She was talking to herself when she suddenly remembered something and pulled a silver note from her sleeve: "This is the Lord's reward for your merit in this mission."

Yunniang handed the silver notes to Zhanxiao and said in a serious tone, "Your next task is to continue to stay in the capital to protect Princess Yuhe. This is a top-level task personally assigned by the Lord last night. You should know its significance."

There are four levels of tavern quests.

The highest level is Heaven, followed by Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow, with Yellow being the lowest, which usually involves minor matters like teaching local thugs a lesson.

Top-tier missions offer the highest rewards but also carry the greatest risks. The targets are either royalty or nobility, and the matters are of utmost importance, allowing no room for error.

Zhan Xiao glanced at the number on the banknote, his gaze calm.

Yunniang admired him; if it were anyone else, they would have been overjoyed to see such a number.

Over the years, Zhan Xiao has earned enough gold and silver to buy land, become incredibly wealthy, and live a carefree life. Yet, he still lives in this Worry-Free Tavern, taking on the most dangerous missions.

She was deeply puzzled by this and tried to probe his past several times, but he always deflected her questions with just a few words.

Yunniang composed herself and said seriously, "Since the master has designated this as a top-level mission, it means that Princess Yuhe's life is still in danger. You must proceed with caution."

Zhan Xiao didn't say much, only nodded slightly: "Mm."

The princess's residence is now surrounded by elite guards sent by Grand Commandant Lou, and Jiang Fushi stays inside, passing the time by reading or making medicine.

After a midday nap, a maid announced that Lou Bingling had arrived.

Jiang Fushi changed into a simple and elegant casual dress and met her at the waterside pavilion in the mansion.

"Your Highness, are you well? I heard that a thief broke into the manor that night; it was truly terrifying. How could such a horrible thing happen in the very place of the Emperor, in the princess's residence!"

Jiang Fushi gently shook her head and gave a reassuring smile: "It's nothing, I was just a little frightened, but I wasn't hurt. Thank you for your concern."

Lou Bingling breathed a long sigh of relief: "It's good that Your Highness is alright." The worried look on her face eased slightly.

She opened the food box she had brought, took out the delicate pastries one by one, and said softly, "These are the Osmanthus Dew Cakes I made, and a bottle of calming Flower Dew. Please try them and see how they taste."

Jiang Fushi looked listless. As instructed, she picked up a small pastry, but only looked at it in front of her without any appetite.

"Your Highness?" Thinking she was upset, Lou Bingling said, "It's all in the past now. Your Highness, please don't dwell on it anymore, lest you upset yourself. Have a piece of pastry and a sip of flower dew, and you might feel better."

As she spoke, she picked up the white jade pot and slowly poured the clear dew of a hundred flowers into the glass cup, then handed it to Jiang Fushi.

The sweet floral dew, upon entering the mouth, seems to carry a hint of indescribable bitterness, lingering on the back of the tongue for a long time.

Lou Bingling waved away the servants standing around her: "Your Highness, have you heard? Princess Yuyao has fallen seriously ill. She has developed a horrifying red rash all over her body, which is so itchy that she cannot sleep at night. The Imperial Hospital has consulted with her several times, but they are helpless."

Jiang Fushi said calmly, "...I've heard a little about it."

Of course she knew about this; it was she who had given Yuyao the drug.

Lou Bingling continued, "I don't know what's wrong, but for several days now, Yuyao hasn't gotten any better. The Empress is taking care of her in Yaoguang Palace every day."

Upon learning that Yuyao was suffering terribly in the palace, Jiang Fushi felt no joy at all.

A flock of birds, wintering in the sky, flew forlornly across the gray expanse. With a sorrowful expression, she couldn't help but say, "Look at those birds on the horizon, they can still spread their wings and fly away, seeking freedom in the world. But I am here in this magnificent palace, yet I am like a trapped beast, like fish on a chopping board."

"If they can break into the princess's residence at night today, they might just storm into my bedchamber and take my life tomorrow."

"How is this princess's title any different from a death warrant?"