Xiao Changyu's face still bore the deep, scabbed wounds—two dark red gashes that struck the eye painfully.
After drinking the poisoned wine, he collapsed weakly into Bian Xianyi's arms, his complexion turning pale and cold sweat beading on his forehead. "My lady, by drinking this in your stead... might it ease the hatred in your heart?"
"Sixth Lang, oh Sixth Lang..." Large teardrops fell from Bian Xianyi's eyes as she trembled, wiping the sweat from his face contorted with restrained agony. More perspiration seeped through, and she could feel Xiao Changyu's faint shivering—just like her own heart.
"Don't... cry..." Xiao Changyu struggled to lift his hand, which Bian Xianyi immediately grasped tightly. "It's my failure... that I cannot give you rightful status. You took risks to be with me... I should bear the consequences."
"No, no! It's my fault! I shouldn't have tempted you..." Bian Xianyi shook her head, tears flying from her eyes. "I don't deserve this from you..."
In truth, she hadn't been drawn to him initially. As the legitimate son of the Minister's household, Xiao Changyu was among the princes who held slightly more regard than the Twelfth Prince alone. Ambitious and proud, she never wished to lose to anyone. Xiao Changyu possessed the title of prince but neither imperial favor nor ambition.
She never considered marrying him—until the Minister's household fell from grace, and she became a criminal slave. Knowing she could never hope to be a proper wife in this life, she remembered this prince who remained devoted to her. She began deliberately pleasing him, step by step ensnaring his heart.
She never imagined he would treat her so well: remaining chaste for her, repeatedly refusing the palace maids gifted by His Majesty for guidance, twice declining marriage proposals and the emperor's gracious matchmaking offers. For her, he was willing to cast aside his princely dignity, all to grant her the status of his rightful wife.
"I... knew all along..." Xiao Changyu smiled through immense pain. "None of that... matters. In the end... I gained your genuine heart..."
"Sixth Lang, no! I cannot lose you..." He was the one who treated her best in this world, more sincere than even her parents. "A Xi! A Xi!"
The stunned A Xi snapped back to reality and hurried forward to check Xiao Changyu's pulse. Upon doing so, his face paled in shock, and he looked up abruptly at Shen Xihe, who remained expressionless.
"Lady Bian... it's... it's the Poisonous Mushroom," Sui Axi reported, his face ashen.
Bian Xianyi's pupils contracted, her entire body stiffening. It was the very poison she had feigned—Shen Xihe had actually obtained it, intending for her to suffer the consequences of her own deception. Yet ultimately, it had harmed the one she loved most.
Soon, blood began trickling from the corners of Xiao Changyu's mouth, nostrils, and eyes.
Shen Xihe lowered his gaze. "Leave now. This matter is concluded. I hope you will conduct yourselves wisely."
Bian Xianyi stared blankly, utterly broken, as Sui Axi helped her support Xiao Changyu to his feet. Sui Axi spent a fortune to purchase a carriage and swiftly drove it out of the city.
Only when they reached the outskirts did Sui Axi jump down from the carriage. "Lady Bian, allow me to administer acupuncture to His Highness."
A faint light returned to Bian Xianyi's desolate eyes. Not daring to delay, she immediately moved aside and helped remove Xiao Changyu's robes, watching intently as Sui Axi applied the needles.
After one full hour, Sui Axi finally withdrew the needles, his face slightly pale. Clasping Xiao Changyu's wrist to check his pulse, both held their breath—each moment stretching like a year. After waiting for half an incense stick's time, Sui Axi finally breathed a sigh of relief, tears welling in his eyes. "It worked! We must quickly find an apothecary to prepare the medicine!""Recite the prescription to me. Take Sixth Brother to the village first—I'll gather the herbs and find you," Bian Xianyi said.
Sui Axi immediately recited the prescription to Bian Xianyi, who traced the characters on her palm with a finger as she listened. After hearing it once, she memorized it and swiftly leaped off the carriage.
Sui Axi brought Xiao Changyu to the village where they could take shelter, promptly retrieved the hidden medicinal wine, boiled it in a vat until it reached a bearable temperature, then uncovered it and placed Xiao Changyu inside before continuing with acupuncture.
Soon, Bian Xianyi rushed back and silently went to brew the medicine, having already asked the doctor about the decoction process while gathering the herbs.
By the time Sui Axi finished soaking him in the medicinal wine, Bian Xianyi's medicine was ready. After cooling it, she administered it to Xiao Changyu: "As long as His Highness wakes by tomorrow, he'll be fine."
The two kept vigil over Xiao Changyu throughout the night.
At daybreak, they grew increasingly anxious, their worry deepening until dusk. As the last glimmer of twilight vanished from the horizon, it seemed to extinguish Bian Xianyi's final shred of hope—just then, Xiao Changyu suddenly opened his eyes, sat up, and vomited a mouthful of black blood. "It's done! His Highness is safe now," Sui Axi exhaled in relief. "This method drains vitality—Your Highness will likely need three to five years of careful recuperation to fully recover."
"Set off. Leave," Xiao Changyu grasped Bian Xianyi's hand, enunciating with difficulty.
"But your condition..."
"Go!" Xiao Changyu's eyes reddened with urgency.
"Alright, alright—we'll leave now. Don't fret," Bian Xianyi hurriedly worked with Sui Axi to prepare the carriage and depart.
Even after they settled in a new location, Bian Xianyi still felt it was unreal. She frequently reached out to touch Xiao Changyu's face, terrified he might merely be her hallucination.
"Xianyi, I'm still alive," Xiao Changyu clasped her hand in return, his voice gentle.
"What exactly happened?" Bian Xianyi remained perplexed.
Sui Axi had always been at the Princess Manor—she couldn't have performed acupuncture on Xiao Changyu. Xiao Changyu's condition couldn't be identical to hers, and their symptoms differed. Moreover, Shen Xihe wouldn't have provided a fake poison.
"I merely gambled with my life once," Xiao Changyu smiled faintly.
"The County Princess's poison wasn't counterfeit—it was Your Highness..."
"A Xi, call me Sixth Brother from now on. There is no 'Sixth Highness' anymore," Xiao Changyu corrected.
"Yes, Sixth... Sixth Brother," Sui Axi responded somewhat stiffly. "Sixth Brother had taken an antidote in advance to counter the poisonous mushroom."
It was a risky method—had Zhaoning County Princess used any poison other than the poisonous mushroom, Sixth Brother would have certainly died.
"It was too dangerous! Do you realize how close you were..." Bian Xianyi shuddered at the thought.
"But we won the gamble, didn't we?" Xiao Changyu held Bian Xianyi's hand. "This was our only way out."
Losing the gamble would have meant death regardless—he had to take the chance.
"I've implicated you," Bian Xianyi voiced deep remorse.
"Why did you act against the County Princess? Moving our plan forward?" Xiao Changyu asked.
"This," Bian Xianyi produced an intricate openwork incense ball she always carried. "I returned to my room that day, and it was hanging at my bedside."
Inside the incense ball was a slip of paper bearing delicate calligraphy instructing Bian Xianyi to kill Zhaoning County Princess—otherwise, her affair with Xiao Changyu and their disruption of the palace would be exposed to the world.She and Xiao Changyu were deeply in love with each other, and at such an age, it was natural for them to have more intimate contact. However, for some reason, someone had gotten hold of some leverage against them. Thus, she knew that she and Xiao Changyu were being watched. To avoid becoming pawns and being forced to do things against their will, they had to escape as soon as possible.
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