energetic
Later, Gu Jinghong learned the truth.
That year, the Crown Prince, accompanied by the fourth prince Xiao Chengyan, was on an imperial tour of the southwest when a plague broke out.
No one could have predicted that it was not a natural disaster, but a man-made one—the old Prince Ning, Zhao Mi, in order to seize power amidst the chaos, colluded with the remnants of the Nanfeng Kingdom and obtained the insidious and strange drug "Intestinal-Piercing Evil".
The symptoms of this poison are indistinguishable from those of a plague, but it can be spread through water and is even more potent. The "epidemic" that broke out in many parts of Southwest China was actually a carefully planned poisoning operation by Zhao Micheng.
However, a variable appeared in the game – Xiao Chengyan.
While the Crown Prince was seriously ill, Xiao Chengyan was unusually healthy and took over government affairs with an iron fist, repeatedly hindering Zhao Micheng's plans.
Zhao Micheng cruelly abandoned a real plague patient in Mengxing Village. The village's water source had already been contaminated by the "Intestinal-Piercing Evil," and the real plague and the deadly poison intertwined, instantly turning the place into a living hell. The situation deteriorated rapidly, far exceeding that of other areas.
This is a treacherous scheme that kills two birds with one stone. If Xiao Chengyan were to investigate in person, he would easily contract the disease and die; even if he were to survive, Mengxing Village would become a deadly predicament that he could not escape.
Xiao Chengyan eventually passed away.
The Mengxing Village he saw was littered with corpses, nine out of ten houses were empty, and a stench permeated the air, making it resemble a ghost town. There were very few survivors, and all he could see was deathly silence.
After examining the village, the accompanying coroner and physician reported, their faces ashen: the situation in this village is the most horrifying; there is no cure and no one can save them.
Moreover, its toxicity and pathogenicity are extremely strong; once it spreads, the entire southwest will be doomed.
The only solution now is to burn down the village and completely purify it to prevent future troubles.
Everyone was horrified when they heard the words "burn the village." To leave a whole body for burial was a common understanding at the time; to set the village ablaze was utterly cold-blooded and vicious.
Even the crown prince, who was on his sickbed, forced himself to protest in a hoarse voice upon hearing the news.
The next day, Xiao Chengyan stood on the edge of despair and death. Before him lay certain death, and behind him were countless lives in dire need of protection. He knew better than anyone that once this fire was lit, it would not only burn away the source of the plague, but also his lifelong reputation, and he would be forever stigmatized as a "murderer."
After a moment's thought, he raised his hand and said decisively, "Burn."
The raging fire engulfed Mengxing Village and ignited public anger in the southwest. A torrent of condemnation poured in, accusing the court of "incompetence" and "tyranny." The Crown Prince, deeply affected, suffered a rapid deterioration in his health and died suddenly. Xiao Chengyan was then falsely accused of plotting to murder the Crown Prince.
Fortunately, the former Valley Master of Medicine Master Valley, Xuan Rushi, arrived in time and brought the multi-point outbreak of plague under control. Xiao Chengyan himself led the charge and used an iron fist to control the riots, and the situation gradually stabilized.
After this battle, Xuan Ru Shi appreciated Xiao Cheng Yan's courage and responsibility in making difficult choices in a desperate situation, and Xiao Cheng Yan respected Xuan Ru Shi's benevolence and medical skills. The two formed a deep friendship despite their age difference.
Upon hearing this, Gu Jinghong realized with surprise: "So, Your Highness and Xuanru met for this reason?"
Xiao Chengyan said, "Yes. Before she died, Xuanru asked me to take care of Xuanru, so I try to make time to go to the Medicine Master Valley every year. This girl loves money and is very independent. She only spends the money she earns herself, so I have to go to her place for recuperation for a period of time every year."
Gu Jinghong seemed to remember something: "Wait—that's not right."
Xiao Chengyan was taken aback by her sudden seriousness and reached out to pull her back into his arms: "What has troubled you so much, Ah Hong?"
Gu Jinghong pressed his hand down, her expression serious: "Aru's mother is most skilled in poisons. If she were there, she would naturally be able to quickly distinguish whether the water is poison or plague. That would be different from the real plague in Mengxing Village... But since you are friends despite the age difference, and you are the prince who commands the southwest, why didn't she tell you about this?"
Xiao Chengyan smiled knowingly—his A-Ning was always so perceptive, just like she was when she was a child.
He tucked a strand of hair behind Gu Jinghong's ear and said, "Ah Hong, you were in pain all night last night, weren't you tired?"
Gu Jinghong's face suddenly flushed crimson, and she instantly felt an uncontrollable heat rising within her, but she still maintained a serious expression: "Your Highness, please don't cause trouble."
Xiao Chengyan was amused by her forced seriousness: "Alright, alright, it's not my fault, Ah Hong, please continue."
"What I wanted to say was, Your Highness, what do you think of the appearance of Chief Physician Tan and Aru from the Imperial Medical Academy?"
"...The two of them do indeed have some similarities."
Gu Jinghong's eyes gleamed: "Is it possible that the two of them..."
Xiao Chengyan then stroked her hand while holding it tightly; the touch was still silky smooth. "Ah Hong, this matter must be handled with care. Xuan Ru has always been extremely resistant to mentioning her biological father."
Suddenly, Gu Jinghong recalled the day she mentioned her father to Xuanru. Xuanru appeared fine on the surface, but she keenly shifted the focus to the "imperial physician's monthly salary," indicating that she was indeed unwilling to mention it.
Gu Jinghong was always a stubborn person. She seemed to be muttering to herself, "If Aru really had a father, and he was the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, wouldn't that be a good thing for Aru? People must cherish the family they may have now. If misunderstandings cause delays, then one day in the future... that would be the biggest blow to Xuanru."
Looking at Gu Jinghong like this, Xiao Chengyan suddenly remembered her under the moonlight that day.
She described herself as "a lonely person... not a lonely person, but a solitary one..."
A sudden pang of inexplicable heartache rose within him, and he embraced her tightly: "Ah Hong, let's return to the capital immediately. I must inform my father and ask him to marry you."
Gu Jinghong lowered her head and buried it in Xiao Chengyan's chest, but a hint of uncertainty flashed in her eyes—a head of intelligence in the martial arts world and a prince in charge of the military affairs of Dayong?
Putting aside what Xiao Chengyan is going to do, she hasn't even figured out her own background yet!
Xiao Chengyan patted Gu Jinghong's hair: "Ah Hong is right. I still need to investigate this thoroughly."
After speaking, he put on his robe and went to the adjacent bathhouse to test the water temperature for Gu Jinghong.
After testing the water temperature, Xiao Chengyan turned to look at Gu Jinghong, who lay languidly and tired on the bed, her black hair spread all over the pillow.
In the candlelight, her skin, exposed outside the brocade quilt, was smooth and supple, yet faint traces of red marks left by his passion were also visible.
His eyes darkened, and he walked over, scooping her up in his arms, blanket and all. Gu Jinghong gasped softly, her body suspended in mid-air, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Your Highness..." Her voice was different from its usual coldness, even carrying a soft, post-coital quality, "I can do it myself..."
"Don't move." His voice was deep, gentle, and slightly hoarse. "Let me do it."
The bathroom was filled with steam and a soothing herbal scent.
He carefully placed her into the large bathtub, where the comfortably warm water washed over her body.
However, before Gu Jinghong could recover, she saw Xiao Chengyan unbuttoning the dark-colored nightgown he had casually draped over his shoulders.
As his robe was slowly unfastened, Xiao Chengyan's physique gradually came into view, from his broad, straight shoulders and sharp collarbones to his well-defined pectoral muscles, the firm texture rising and falling slightly with his breath.
The smooth, flowing muscle lines converge downwards, connecting to a well-defined, tight, and slender waist and abdomen. Not only do they bear the perfect physique formed by long-term training, but they are also interspersed with several old scars of varying depths—some are round dents left by arrows, and others are pale, long marks left by sharp blades.
This wasn't the first time Gu Jinghong had seen Xiao Chengyan's figure, but it was certainly the first time she had looked at him so intently.
Xiao Chengyan seemed to notice Gu Jinghong's unwavering gaze, glanced down at the scars on his body, and said, "Did I scare you?"
Gu Jinghong shook her head, turned to the side, and showed him the scar on her back.
This scar is an old one. It's heartbreaking to see such a long scar on a girl's body.
Xiao Chengyan discovered it last night and was heartbroken, leaving several hickeys on the scar.
However, Gu Jinghong's response to him at this moment was simply to tell him that she also felt sorry for him, so how could she be afraid of his scars?
A slight smile appeared on Xiao Chengyan's lips as he stepped into the bathtub.
The water level rose suddenly, and Gu Jinghong's face turned bright red instantly.
Xiao Chengyan wrapped his arms around her from behind, holding her firmly in his embrace, and placed a light, shallow kiss on the scar on Gu Jinghong's back.
"Ah Hong, it's my fault. I failed to protect you... It won't happen again."
As he spoke, Xiao Chengyan picked up the soft cloth floating on the water and gently wiped her shoulders, arms, and back...
When his warm palm brushed across her right collarbone, the movement paused almost imperceptibly, and the butterfly mark disappeared again—so, Aning's mark appeared when she was emotionally agitated and then faded away.
Gu Jinghong's body trembled slightly, and her heart felt as if it had been brushed by the softest feather, a warm, tingling sensation rising within her.
She was initially stiff all over, but under his extremely patient and gentle care, she gradually relaxed and eventually even became drowsy, leaning back comfortably in his strong and reliable embrace.
Of course, this was undoubtedly a "sweet torment" for Xiao Chengyan himself.
With a soft, fragrant body in his arms, skin to skin, and water rippling around him, and being a virile young man experiencing desire for the first time, how could he possibly remain unresponsive?
He could clearly feel the changes in his body, and his breathing gradually became heavier.
But he endured it, only holding her tighter, his chin gently resting on the top of her head, and sighed helplessly, his voice terribly hoarse: "...This is truly torturous."
Gu Jinghong turned slightly in his arms, tilted her head up, and kissed his taut jawline. Her bright, clear eyes looked at him with a unique charm and innocence that came with first love: "How about Your Highness lets me go?"
Xiao Chengyan's Adam's apple bobbed violently. Looking at the person in his arms with such a provocative yet extremely alluring appearance, he almost lost his composure.
In the end, he only gave her a light bite on the lip as punishment, saying, "Stop it...we'll talk about it after you've recovered."
After saying that, he used his inner strength to control himself, quickly washed her clean, wrapped her in a large, soft cotton towel, and carried her back to bed.
He personally dried her body, dressed her in clean, soft nightgown, and finally tucked her back into bed. He then lay down beside her and pulled her into his arms before letting out a long sigh of relief.
Nestled in his warm embrace, Gu Jinghong listened to his strong and slightly rapid heartbeat, feeling the almost overwhelming tenderness and possessiveness, and felt an unprecedented sense of security and happiness.
"Sleep now." He placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm here."
Not long after Gu Jinghong fell asleep, Xiao Chengyan was suddenly summoned by Changfeng and did not return to the camp for several days.
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