"Where did that happen?" After thinking for a moment, Yi Shangyun asked urgently.
"It should still be within the borders of Nan'an Kingdom, at the border with my Western Qin," Xuan Yuanhao said after a brief recollection.
Yi Shangyun frowned deeply, seemingly lost in thought, but then, as if sensing something, said, "Nan'an Kingdom... His Highness traveled to various countries after leaving the palace, naturally concealing his identity. This person clearly knew His Highness's identity; otherwise, how could he possibly harm a mere boy like this? But who is this poisoner? And why choose Nan'an Kingdom? Is it a conspiracy by Nan'an Kingdom itself, or is someone deliberately framing Nan'an? By the way, we might as well hear His Highness Prince Qin's opinion. He is a member of the court and the Crown Prince's uncle; he will certainly do his utmost to investigate this matter."
Upon hearing Yi Shangyun mention the words "Prince Qin," Xuan Yuanhao immediately asked curiously, "You actually know my royal uncle?"
Yi Shangyun suddenly didn't know how to explain, so she quickly avoided his questioning gaze and said, "This servant works in the palace, so naturally I have seen His Highness Prince Qin several times."
As she spoke, she lowered her head guiltily. How could she hide her hasty averted gaze and shy blush from the boy who was already 10 years old?
Xuanyuan Hao kept his eyes fixed on Yi Shangyun, who seemed unable to sit still any longer. Suddenly, he stood up and hurriedly gathered up the medicine bowl and ointment, preparing to escape.
"Woman Yi, I've just realized that you don't just wear a veil to hide your face because you're afraid of catching smallpox. What is it?" Xuan Yuanhao had only just noticed this when he stared at her. When he first saw Yi Shangyun after waking up, she had always been wearing a veil, and beneath that veil, one could vaguely see...
Upon hearing Xuan Yuanhao's question, Yi Shangyun hurriedly reached out to touch the birthmark on her face and said, "Your Highness, I have an ugly red birthmark on my face. I removed it to avoid offending others."
"Hmph, all you do all day is make up so many nice stories to deceive this Crown Prince, telling me not to give up, not to lose all hope. Aren't you the same? You hide your birthmark all day long, afraid to show it to anyone. What will happen to my face after I recover...?"
As Xuanyuan Hao spoke, he became increasingly agitated, and in a fit of rage, he grabbed the bowl of medicine he had just taken and smashed it violently against Yi Shangyun...
Clearly, the unexpectedly flying medicine bowl caught Yi Shangyun off guard. She instinctively closed her eyes, turned to the side, and crossed her arms to quickly shield her head.
Just as the medicine bowl was about to smash towards her, something flew in from the bedroom door with a "whoosh," followed by a "crack" as the porcelain bowl fell to the ground with a crisp yet piercing sound.
Yi Shangyun then slowly opened her eyes and saw that the porcelain medicine bowl had fallen right onto the floor in front of her. If it had been any bigger, it would have scraped her body and cut her.
Looking up again, she saw Xuan Yuanhao sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes wide with surprise, staring blankly at the entrance of the bedchamber. Then he opened his mouth and said, "Uncle Qin, how...how did you get in? Didn't Father Emperor order the Donghua Palace to be quarantined and sealed off?"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun hurriedly turned around, only to be met with Xuan Yuanhan's cold, sharp eyes and chilling face. That expression was truly lethal; Yi Shangyun immediately felt as if she were fragile, unable to look directly at him, and quickly lowered her head to bow, saying, "This servant greets Your Highness, Prince Qin."
However, Xuan Yuanhan remained expressionless in the face of the two people in front of him, and did not say a word to either of them.
At this moment, he stood imposingly at the entrance of the palace, his black hair completely tied back and dressed in a black robe. His figure was tall and straight, resembling a deity. His dark, deep eyes stared at the scene before him for a moment before he took a deep breath. Then he strode forward towards Yi Shangyun, grabbed her arm tightly, pulled her away, and turned to leave the palace.
Caught off guard, Yi Shangyun struggled desperately from his large hand, utterly terrified. "Your Highness, where are you taking me? Your Highness, you can't come here! Your Highness's status is far greater than mine, and this place is dangerous! Your Highness, you've only recently married; if others, especially the Princess Consort, find out you're dragging me like this..."
Suddenly, Xuan Yuanhan stopped and turned around abruptly, his eyes meeting Yi Shangyun's, interrupting her. His hand remained tightly holding hers, as if he were afraid that if he let go, he would never be able to hold it again.
His already cold and sharp gaze intensified, and he even seemed to bite his lip in anger.
Even though his face and eyes were full of anger, after a quick blink, he forcefully pulled the thin, small, and soft body in front of him, who looked like a frightened bird, into his large, warm embrace.
"Your Highness...no!" Yi Shangyun exclaimed, her eyes wide and her breath catching in her throat. As if instinctively, she stretched out her thin little hands, desperately trying to break free from his embrace. But with her strength, how could she possibly shake the passion of Xuan Yuanhan, who was in the prime of his life?
He had been patiently waiting, preparing countless ways to punish this woman upon seeing her. But now that he had finally met her, he realized that none of those methods were useful at all.
A simple, genuine hug from her would be enough to quell all the anger burning in his chest.
Suddenly, Xuanyuan Han whispered tenderly in her ear, "Let me hold you for a while, just a little while..."
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun finally stopped struggling and suddenly quieted down. She then slowly lowered her two small hands and tightly gripped the hem of her clothes, her eyes instantly softening.
She thought she must be out of her mind, suddenly feeling a strange greed for this embrace. But why did this embrace feel so familiar? This embrace was so familiar, as if it had existed through countless lifetimes.
Xuanyuan Han noticed her relaxation and finally took a breath, then hugged her even tighter, and she obediently nestled in his arms.
At this moment, the two seemed to be warming each other, comforting each other's loneliness and solitude hidden deep in their hearts.
This scene was clearly seen by Xuanyuan Hao, who was standing by the window inside the hall, through the window lattice.
At this moment, his eyes widened in disbelief. He muttered to himself, "My Uncle Qin, who has always been aloof, icy, and indifferent to women, can actually be so affectionate. And she's just a lowly medicine girl, an ugly one at that!"
After pondering for a while, he muttered to himself, "You brat, how dare you lie to me, the Crown Prince, saying you're not familiar with Imperial Uncle Qin? If you weren't familiar, why would the usually aloof Imperial Uncle Qin hold you so tenderly? Hmph... just wait and see how I deal with you later."
Outside the window, Xuan Yuanhan finally reluctantly released Yi Shangyun from his embrace, who was standing there awkwardly with her head down, looking dumbfounded.
Xuanyuan Han felt genuinely sorry for her, but at this moment he had already regained his usual cold voice and asked, "How is the Crown Prince's condition?"
Upon hearing this, Yi Shangyun raised his head and replied, "The Crown Prince's condition is well under control, and he will definitely recover before New Year's Eve. Your Highness, please rest assured."
Hearing her say this from her own mouth, Xuanyuan Han felt much more at ease, after all, he still loved this child very much. He then said to Yi Shangyun, "You did very well."
Suddenly, Yi Shangyun raised her eyebrows and said with a delighted expression, "This is the result of the concerted efforts of everyone in Donghua Palace and the Imperial Medical Academy, and it is also His Highness the Crown Prince's good fortune."
Xuanyuan Han looked at her seriously again: her eyes were filled with the kind and benevolent heart of a healer, a heart that made her radiate a dazzling light, as if she were a goddess of love, showing compassion and care for all living beings.
Finally, he left with the words, "Woman of the Medicine Robe, do not forget your promise to me."
A promise? Yi Shangyun thought to herself. Last time at Fenghua Palace, in order to ask Xuan Yuanhan for help in assisting Xuan Yuanyue, she had promised him: if he helped Xuan Yuanyue achieve her wish, the lovers would be united in marriage. Then her body and her heart would belong to Xuan Yuanhan alone for all eternity.
"Could it be that he really... I really can't escape?" Yi Shangyun murmured to himself.
Lost in thought, she drifted off again, while Xuan Yuanhan approached her and whispered softly in her ear, "In this lifetime, you'll never escape."
Yi Shangyun's eyes widened in surprise. She looked up abruptly, her face filled with astonishment, and saw his cold, deep eyes from the side. Those eyes were full of determination and domineering power, which made her feel nervous and afraid...
After saying that, Xuan Yuanhan hurriedly walked away. Watching his departing figure, Yi Shangyun stood there for a long time, unable to move, at a loss.
"Yi Yao Nu, so you're here! You'd better hurry over and see what's wrong with His Highness the Crown Prince!" Zi Yan rushed over, covered in sweat, and said. Yi Shang Yun immediately snapped out of her daze and ran towards the Crown Prince's bedroom in Donghua Palace.
"Your Highness, you can't arrest him! You absolutely can't arrest him!" As soon as Yi Shangyun entered, he saw a group of palace maids, eunuchs, and imperial physicians kneeling on the ground at the entrance of the bedchamber, all pleading with Xuan Yuanhao inside the hall.
"Whether you arrest me or not, what difference does the outcome make? You lackeys and liars, you're all liars. Do you really think I don't know that the scars from smallpox are incurable? I'm destined to be disfigured for the rest of my life, so what's the point of living?"
Xuanyuan Hao stood in the hall, trembling as he leaned against a table with a bronze mirror on it, roaring furiously. Every now and then, he would reach out and scratch the itchy spots on his body. On the floor of the bedchamber, porcelain vases and jars were shattered.
"Alright, leave this to me. You all need to get out of here quickly," Yi Shangyun urged, rushing inside to tell everyone to leave this still unsafe area as soon as possible.
"Yi Yao Nu, you should also be careful," Zi Yan said with a worried expression, her brows furrowed. Surprisingly, Zhang Zhiyuan, standing beside her, also showed some concern for her.
"Don't worry, everyone hurry up and get out." Under Yi Shangyun's constant urging, everyone finally dispersed.
For a moment, only Xuanyuan Hao and Yi Shangyun remained in the bedchamber.
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