"Bear with it." Xiao Xun's voice remained cold and hard, but his movements carried a strange caution that was inconsistent with his personality.

His fingers pressed and kneaded the key joints of her ankle with precise force, carrying an irresistible strength.

Xin Jiuwei gasped in pain, feeling a clear soreness and pain in her ankle, but what terrified her even more was Xiao Xun's posture and movements at that moment!

He knelt before her, his tall figure looming over her, head bowed, intently examining her foot injury. This posture was far too intimate, far too… transcending their cold, contractual relationship!

She could clearly see his lowered eyelashes, straight nose, and tightly pursed thin lips.

The pungent, earthy scent emanating from him, a mixture of dust and blood, forcefully assaulted her senses. The pressure of his fingers seeped through the fabric, carrying a scalding, undeniable presence.

"The bones are fine, but the tendon is twisted," Xiao Xun quickly concluded, his tone returning to its usual coldness. He released his grip, stood up, and moved swiftly and decisively, as if the brief moment of "overstepping" had never happened.

Xin Jiuwei's heart was still pounding wildly; the warmth and strength of his palm still seemed to linger on her ankle, and the heat on her cheeks hadn't subsided. She lowered her head, not daring to look at him, and only mumbled a reply, "Mmm."

At this moment, the guards who had been startled and others who had rushed over after hearing the commotion gathered around. Chen Qing and Xin Kui rushed to the front and breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Xin Jiuwei being protected by Xiao Xun and was safe and sound.

"Your Highness! Miss Xin!" Chen Qing hurriedly stepped forward.

"Dispose of this beast." Xiao Xun pointed at the huge wild boar carcass on the ground, his voice cold and filled with murderous intent. "Investigate! Why did this beast escape the hunting circle? Why was it so ferocious? Find out for me!" His gaze swept over the crowd that had arrived, especially the Second Prince Xiao Zhuo, whose expression changed slightly, and several generals in charge of the hunt. Finally, it landed on Qin Lang, the young silver-armored general in the distance.

Qin Lang also rode up and arrived. Seeing the scene, his handsome brows furrowed, and he clasped his hands in a fist salute to Xiao Xun: "Sixth Prince, this humble general has failed in his duty! This wild boar... seems to have been given a stimulant drug, which is why it is so ferocious and abnormal!"

Xiao Xun's eyes grew even colder. He didn't respond to Qin Lang, but instead instructed Chen Qing, "Send Miss Xin back to her tent to rest, and summon the imperial physician." After saying that, he didn't look at Xin Jiuwei again, mounted his horse, and rode towards the depths of the hunting grounds, clearly to investigate the source of the wild boar's rampage.

Xin Jiuwei was helped onto her horse by Xin Kui and Chen Qing and taken back to her tent. The imperial physician arrived quickly, examined her, and confirmed that it was just a minor sprain. He applied ointment and instructed her to rest.

Only Xin Jiuwei and Xin Kui remained in the tent.

"Miss, are you alright?" Xin Kui asked worriedly, looking at Xin Jiuwei's still flushed cheeks and somewhat dazed gaze.

Xin Jiuwei leaned against the soft couch, a cool ointment drenching her ankle. She raised her hand, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the spot where Xiao Xun had just held her ankle, where a lingering burning sensation seemed to remain. Her mind replayed the resolute figure of Xiao Xun rushing to her rescue, the focused and forceful gaze as he knelt, examining her ankle, and the unwavering command, "Don't move."

"It's nothing." Xin Jiuwei's voice was somewhat unsteady. She forced herself to calm down and suppress the chaotic images in her mind. This was just an accident, just a contract. He saved her because she was still useful; he checked her injuries because he didn't want his pawn to become useless prematurely; his domineering attitude was simply his consistent desire for control.

She kept repeating these cold reasons in her mind, trying to dispel the unwanted flutter in her heart. However, the touch of Xiao Xun's strong arms, the violent pounding of his heart, the burning temperature of his palms, and the fleeting, almost anxious concern in his eyes... these details were as clear as branding, stubbornly impacting the ice wall she had built.

“Have someone keep an eye on what’s going on outside,” Xin Jiuwei closed her eyes, her voice regaining its usual calmness, tinged with weariness, “especially… that young General Qin.”

"Yes," Xin Kui replied, looking at her young mistress's trembling eyelashes as she closed her eyes to rest, lost in thought. Some things seemed to have truly changed.

A faint scent of herbs filled the tent. After the imperial physician left, Xin Jiuwei leaned back on the soft couch, the ointment on her ankle providing a continuous cooling sensation, but it couldn't calm the turmoil in her heart. Xin Kui silently withdrew and stood guard outside the tent.

Xin Jiuwei closed her eyes, trying to clear her thoughts. The wild boar attack was no accident. Its ferocious behavior, Qin Lang's guess—"it was given a stimulant"—all pointed to a meticulously planned assassination. The target was her. The Second Prince Xiao Zhuo? Remnants of Yongjia's faction? Or… Qi Huaiyu using someone else's hand? Whoever the mastermind was, the methods were becoming increasingly insidious and ruthless.

She opened her eyes, her gaze falling on the enormous boar tusk in the corner of the tent. Chen Qing had brought it to her while she was applying medicine, saying it was His Highness's order. Xin Jiuwei looked at the gleaming, sharp weapon, feeling no gratitude, only a chilling coldness. Had Xiao Xun left this tusk as a warning? Or… to make her remember this "life-saving grace"?

The curtain was lifted, and a gust of cold wind rushed in, carrying the familiar scent of pine and ink.

Xin Jiuwei subconsciously tensed up.

Xiao Xun walked in. He had changed out of his dusty riding clothes and into a black casual outfit, which made him appear even more upright. His expression was still cold and hard, with a hint of weariness between his brows, clearly indicating that he had just finished dealing with matters outside. His gaze fell directly on Xin Jiuwei's ankle, which was wrapped in bandages.

"What did the imperial physician say?" he asked, his voice low and steady, revealing no emotion.

"It's nothing serious, just a minor sprain. A few days of rest will do the trick," Xin Jiuwei replied calmly, avoiding his gaze.

Xiao Xun walked to the edge of the bed, but did not sit down. He simply looked down at her. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out, not to hand her medicine, but to take out a smaller, plain white porcelain bottle from his robes and place it on the small table beside the bed.

"Three times a day, massage it in to release the medicinal properties." His tone was commanding and left no room for argument.

Xin Jiuwei glanced at the porcelain bottle; it was a secret imperial medicine, even more precious than the one Lin Wanyi had given her. She didn't touch it, nor did she thank her, only giving a faint "Mm."

Xiao Xun's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, seemingly scrutinizing the true emotions beneath her calm exterior. Xin Jiuwei lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes obscuring everything within them.

"Regarding the wild boars," Xiao Xun's voice rang out again, carrying a chilling tone, "it has been determined that the minor official responsible for driving away the prey in that area was bribed to mix a potent drug into the wild boars' bait. The person has been dealt with."