In the speeding carriage, Qin Shuang tightly grasped Qin Guan's hand, "What if that person is a bad guy? Should we just trust him like this? He didn't even show himself... Ninth Sister, I'm scared..."
The sky had already darkened. With only an hour left before nightfall, even at their current speed, it would be at least the first watch by the time they returned to the Herb Garden. Yet Qin Guan felt that any later would truly be too late.
"He escaped from the Herb Garden. Why would he lie to us?"
Qin Shuang looked on the verge of tears, "But... but I don't even know who he is."
Qin Guan narrowed her eyes for a moment before suddenly asking, "When we approached the haystack, he was using the wooden stick with his left hand, wasn't he?"
Qin Shuang was momentarily stunned, unsure why this was relevant, "I... I can't remember... maybe? Why does that matter? Can you figure out his identity from that?"
Qin Guan's gaze grew distant for a brief moment, "The silk fabric of his clothes was of noble quality, and his boots were embroidered with silver threads. Though he was imprisoned and disheveled, his inner garments and boots still bore traces of his original status. That Huzhou silk is top-grade, worth a hundred gold per bolt—only aristocratic families could afford it. The silver-threaded boots speak for themselves. He's no commoner from Chishui River, absolutely not."
Qin Shuang was dumbfounded, "But what does that prove? It doesn't mean he isn't hostile toward us."
Qin Guan took a shallow breath, "Do you remember the cat corpses we found in the house?"
At the memory, Qin Shuang's pupils contracted, and she nodded. Qin Guan continued, "Those cat corpses were torn apart, yet the wounds were remarkably clean—made by a blade..."
Qin Shuang gasped, "You mean... those cats were killed by someone..."
Nodding, Qin Guan lowered her voice, "I also noticed that the cats' internal organs had been meticulously removed. Such precision could only come from a medical practitioner. And I know some doctors practice their techniques on animals."
Horror filled Qin Shuang's eyes, "Who... are you saying..."
"With so many cat corpses, it couldn't have been done on a whim. It must have been one person killing cats daily over a long period. Who in the Herb Garden has both the authority and medical expertise to do this?"
Qin Shuang gasped, "But Divine Doctor Sun is a good man! He's saved so many lives!"
Qin Guan pressed her lips together, remaining silent for a moment. Of course, she hoped Sun Haoyue was a good person. She wished she was wrong.
"Let's return to that man," Qin Guan swiftly redirected the conversation. "He couldn't have been imprisoned just a day or two. Yet the drugs used on him were only common Tendon Weakening Powder and aphrodisiacs. This shows his captor merely wanted to restrain him. As for silencing him, it was likely to prevent him from speaking recklessly. In short, his captor meant him no harm."
"Simply put, Haoyue meant him no harm."
Qin Guan's eyes darkened, "He comes from nobility. Since he appeared in the Herb Garden, his status must be equal to Sun Haoyue's. And if Sun Haoyue meant him no harm, then he likewise bears no ill will toward Sun Haoyue.""The moment I mentioned Fifth Sister's disappearance, his expression changed. I suspect he must have known something, yet he didn't immediately reveal the reason. Perhaps he didn't want to expose the secrets of the Herb Garden in front of outsiders. But since we helped him, after much hesitation, he still told us we should return to the Herb Garden now."
Two carriages were arranged, with Qin Shuang insisting on squeezing into the same one as Qin Guan. Now, there were four people inside the carriage. Qin Guan's voice was steady and composed, and the other three listened attentively. After a brief pause, Qin Guan continued, "From this, we can deduce only two possibilities about his identity: either he is from the Sun family of Lianzhou, or he is from the Bai family of Yizhou."
Qin Guan narrowed her eyes slightly, recalling something else. "And at that time, when I mentioned that Fifth Sister had been invited to Yizhou by the Bai family's young master, his reaction was one of utter astonishment—as if the idea was completely absurd to him. He didn't believe the Bai young master had invited Fifth Sister to Yizhou. Plus, he wielded the wooden stick with his left hand..."
Qin Shuang stared at Qin Guan, as did Wan Xing and Fuling beside her.
Finally, Qin Guan declared, "Because he is Bai Feiyu."
As those eight words fell, Qin Shuang and Fuling gasped sharply. Qin Shuang's eyes widened. "How is that possible? If he's the Bai young master, then who is the one we met earlier?"
Qin Guan lowered her gaze. "That one was an impostor."
Qin Shuang felt a chill run down her spine. "If... if he's fake, why would he send gifts to Fifth Sister? Why would he visit her? He must have noticed Fifth Sister's affection for him."
The more she spoke, the wider Qin Shuang's eyes grew, until she suddenly exclaimed, "They targeted Fifth Sister! They wanted to harm her!"
Qin Guan remained silent, only glancing out the carriage window at the darkening sky as if in tacit agreement. Qin Shuang's eyes reddened. "No wonder you insisted on returning to the Herb Garden after reading that note. If the Bai young master is fake, Fifth Sister is in grave danger. No wonder we never encountered her—has she been left behind in the Herb Garden?"
Qin Shuang's mind raced, her words tumbling out urgently. Beside her, Fuling broke into a cold sweat. "What a sinister scheme. They lured Fifth Sister in, knowing we wouldn't expose the matter. Once we left the Herb Garden, we'd never suspect she was still trapped there. If we chased after her and couldn't find her, we'd likely assume she had met misfortune while eloping alone. Given the scandal, the Marquis's household would probably find a way to erase her from existence—by then, she might already have suffered in the Herb Garden."
"She might not even last that long. Tonight could be..."
Qin Guan's voice carried a trace of coldness, her heart heavy with turmoil.
She hadn't expected this—never in her wildest dreams. When she saw those cat corpses, she knew Sun Haoyue had been practicing on them. At the time, she found it cruel, but Sun Haoyue's unparalleled medical skills justified his methods. As long as he didn't harm people, she wouldn't interfere as an outsider. But she never imagined—never dared to imagine—that the unthinkable would happen to Sun Haoyue himself...Had she not encountered the real Bai Feiyu, all her speculations would have remained just that—mere conjecture. She wouldn’t have risked returning to the Herb Garden. But since Bai Feiyu’s appearance had exposed the deception, she had no other choice.
Qin Shuang still clung tightly to Qin Guan’s hand. “Tonight? Will we make it in time? Third Brother and Steward Zhou are still nowhere to be seen. Will that guard really manage to bring officials from Ji County? Does Miracle Doctor Sun know martial arts? Can we… can we even fight those people?!”
Qin Shuang was so terrified her voice trembled. Qin Guan squeezed her hand in return, her own heart uneasy. She hadn’t wanted to bring Qin Shuang along, but the girl had insisted. This time, she only took the remaining guards, leaving behind the luggage-laden carriage along with Wan He, Xiu Zhi, and the other coachmen. She wasn’t going there to fight.
“I don’t know if we’ll make it in time, but it certainly won’t be quick.”
Qin Guan didn’t know why Sun Haoyue had kept Qin Xiang there, but she thought of Aunt Lin, Xiao Lizi, and Da Cheng. How had their illnesses been cured? The Zhang family’s girl had died, yet Aunt Lin had suddenly learned how to make Tea Cake…
Qin Guan considered possibilities so bizarre even she found them hard to believe. Yet she wasn’t certain—she even doubted whether such a thing was possible at all. “Third Brother and Steward Zhou must be on their way to us. We’ll meet them, discuss briefly, and then return to the Herb Garden together. Qin Manor has many guards, but the Herb Garden only has servants. We’re not without a chance. As for the officials, they will definitely come.”
“But it’ll take them a full day and night to arrive…”
Qin Guan shook her head. “That was when it was snowing. Not anymore. The guard will reach the county office tonight, and by noon tomorrow, they’ll be here…”
“Then we’ll have to wait through the night too.”
Qin Guan pressed her lips together. “We have to wait. We have to stall the people at the Herb Garden.”
Qin Shuang was both frightened and confused. “How? If we suddenly return, they’ll know we’ve discovered something. Won’t we just be walking into a trap?”
“One person disappearing is one thing, but so many at once? Impossible.”
Qin Guan gave Qin Shuang’s hand another reassuring squeeze. “Stay calm. I have a plan.”
Meeting Qin Guan’s steady gaze, Qin Shuang felt slightly reassured. But moments later, she lifted the carriage curtain to peer at the rapidly receding scenery outside. “Third Brother took several guards with him. If something happened, there’d be signs. So why haven’t we seen him yet? And Steward Zhou—wasn’t he supposed to take this road?”
The last glimmer of light had sunk below the horizon, plunging the sky into darkness. Winter nights came early, and though it was barely past the hour of You, dusk had already settled. Qin Guan stared at the layers of dark clouds piling up in the distance, her heart shadowed by unease. By her calculations, they were nearing the fork in the road that led east.
Qin Yan might have gone straight to Guanyin Town, but why was Zhou Huai also missing?
Qin Xiang’s fate was unknown, Qin Yan and Zhou Huai had lost contact, and now their two carriages—carrying six young women and five guards—were their only fighting force. The most terrifying thing, however, was the sheer unpredictability of what awaited them at the Herb Garden.
……
……The cold night was as dark as ink when the heavy knocking suddenly resounded at the gate of the Herb Garden.
The banging noise, mingled with the chilly wind, echoed around the entrance of the old mansion halfway up the mountain. Nearby stood white walls and black tiles, while further down, the bamboo grove rustled faintly. Beyond that, the towering Goddess Peak loomed in the distance.
Fuling pounded relentlessly on the gate, and after more than a dozen strikes, faint movements could be heard from within.
"Who is it? Who's out there?"
Fuling steadied herself and spoke urgently, "We're from Qin Manor. Our young lady suddenly fell ill on the way. Please inform Dong Shu and Young Master Sun—we've come seeking medical help..."
The person behind the gate seemed stunned. Hadn't Qin Guan and her party just left? And now they were returning with a plea for medical aid...
"Alright, wait here a moment."
The male servant hurried off, his footsteps fading into the distance. Outside the pitch-black gate, Wan Xing held up a wind lantern while Qin Shuang whispered anxiously, "What should I say? I'm scared. How do I pretend? I don’t want to do this anymore..."
Qin Guan calmly looked at Qin Shuang. "Then I'll pretend to be sick, and you handle the talking."
Qin Shuang’s eyes flickered with fear, as if she were on the verge of tears. "I can’t do that either... I... I shouldn’t have come with you. What do we do now?"
Qin Guan gripped her hand tightly. "If you don’t know how to act, can you at least pretend to faint?"
A faint light sparked in Qin Shuang’s eyes. "Yes, I can do that. Fine, I’ll just pretend to faint..."
Qin Guan squeezed her hand firmly and sighed inwardly. Their sudden return with an incomplete party was undeniably suspicious. The only plausible excuse was illness—something that wouldn’t arouse Sun Haoyue’s suspicions. Moreover, with Sun Muqing also present, perhaps they could buy some time tonight until the officials arrived the next day.
With this thought, Qin Guan turned to glance down the mountain path. Neither Qin Yan nor Zhou Huai had appeared yet.
Just then, footsteps approached from behind the gate. Qin Guan and Qin Shuang tensed. Qin Guan gave Qin Shuang a look, and the latter immediately closed her eyes and collapsed inside the carriage.
Qin Guan glanced around before adjusting Qin Shuang’s cape collar slightly.
The biting wind made Qin Shuang shiver instantly. Qin Guan whispered, "Bear with it. Don’t make a sound."
Qin Shuang shut her eyes tightly and lay still as the gate creaked open.
"Young Lady Qin? Is it really you...?"
Dong Shu’s voice rang out as the gate swung wide, revealing the anxious faces of the group and two carriages outside.
Fuling looked on the verge of tears. "Dong Shu, we’re so sorry to trouble you again. Sixth Young Lady suddenly fell ill on the way—vomiting and diarrhea—and just now, she fainted. We had no choice but to turn back. We didn’t bring enough medicine, so we beg Divine Doctor Sun to examine her..."
Dong Shu’s forehead glistened with sweat, as if he had rushed over in haste. His gaunt, wrinkled face flickered with surprise. "Where is Sixth Young Lady? And where is the heir?"
Fuling hesitated slightly, her words faltering. "The heir... the heir is with Fifth Young Lady. She’s also unwell, so we brought Sixth Young Lady ahead."
Dong Shu nodded, refraining from further questions for now, and turned toward the carriage. "Where is Sixth Young Lady?"The carriage curtain lifted as Qin Guan stepped out. She gave a slight bow and said, "I must trouble Dong Shu once more. Truly, within a hundred miles, I knew not where else to turn, so we've circled back here."
"Miss Qin, you speak too formally. Please, come inside first," Dong Shu replied, then glanced at the carriage. Qin Guan looked at Wan Qing and Xiu Yun, who immediately rushed forward with anxious expressions to help Qin Shuang down from the carriage. Dong Shu took one look and saw Qin Shuang's eyes tightly shut, her lashes trembling slightly—whether from cold or discomfort—and her body shivering. "Quick, come inside," Dong Shu urged. "The courtyard where you stayed earlier hasn't been locked yet."
Qin Guan wore a look of urgency. "Dong Shu, has Divine Doctor Sun retired for the night? My sixth sister's illness came on suddenly. Though I've studied medicine, I'm at a loss for what to do. Could we trouble Divine Doctor Sun to examine her immediately?"
Two male servants accompanying Dong Shu led the way. After a brief pause, Dong Shu nodded. "The young master was about to sleep, but something unexpected occurred just now, so he’s likely still awake. I’ll take you to see him."
Qin Guan felt a wave of relief. If they could meet Sun Haoyue and delay him, perhaps they could still save Qin Xiang? Yet a flicker of wariness arose—what incident had Dong Shu mentioned?
"Thank you, Dong Shu. What happened earlier?"
Dong Shu gave a wry smile. "A stray cat, from who knows where, slipped into the young master’s quarters. It took us great effort to catch it. The commotion kept the young master from properly accompanying the young mistress, so he’s likely still unsettled."
Qin Guan knew the estate had many stray cats, so she set aside her concern and glanced back at the others.
They had already entered the gates. As they walked, Dong Shu said, "As before, the guards will stay in the outer courtyard. I’ll take the two Miss Qins to see the young master. After the examination, you may return to your previous quarters."
Having left only that morning, it was natural to return to the same arrangements. Qin Guan could hardly object. After a brief pause at the entrance, the guards—having received Qin Guan’s instructions—were settled in the outer courtyard.
Once arrangements were made, Dong Shu led Qin Guan’s group toward Benevolence Courtyard.
Qin Guan glanced westward. "What is Young Master Sun doing?"
She trusted Sun Muqing. In such an unpredictable situation, his presence could better restrain Sun Haoyue.
Dong Shu replied gently, "Young Master Sun has already retired. After your departure, the estate grew quiet. He visited the young master this afternoon, spoke for a while, shared dinner, then returned to his own courtyard."
Qin Guan hesitated. "My sixth sister’s condition is unusual. Might we also summon Young Master Sun?"
She quickly added, "I’m merely concerned for my sister—I don’t doubt Divine Doctor Sun’s skill..."
Dong Shu nodded kindly. "I understand, Miss Qin. Rest assured, I’ll send someone to fetch Young Master Sun shortly."
Qin Guan felt slightly reassured and turned to look behind her. Since they had to retrace part of the path, Wan Qing was now carrying Qin Shuang, whose eyes remained tightly shut, her body visibly tense. Qin Guan fell back a step to walk beside Wan Qing and patted Qin Shuang’s back. Only then did Qin Shuang’s stiff posture ease slightly.Soon, Dong Shu led Qin Guan and the others to the front of Benevolence Courtyard.
Though it was late, the lights in Benevolence Courtyard were still on. Aunt Lin had been waiting at the entrance from afar and hurried forward when she saw them. "Miss Qin, greetings, Miss Qin. What happened to the Sixth Young Miss...?"
Aunt Lin's voice was full of concern. Qin Guan quickly replied, "We're not sure if she caught a chill. Not long after we set out, she started vomiting and had diarrhea. At times she had a fever, and at other times her body turned icy cold. Later, she even lost consciousness. We had some medicinal pills with us and gave them to her, but they didn’t help. By the afternoon, we had no choice but to turn back."
Aunt Lin, being a woman, stepped forward and squeezed Qin Shuang’s hand. The moment she did, she gasped in shock. "Heavens! The Sixth Young Miss’s hand is so cold! Her cheeks are icy too. Quick, let’s get her inside..."
Qin Shuang, carried on Wan Qing’s back, sighed inwardly. On such a cold day, with her cape collar loose and her hands exposed, of course she was shivering from the cold. But it wasn’t just her hands—her entire body was freezing.
As soon as they entered Benevolence Courtyard, Qin Guan spotted Sun Haoyue waiting at the main door of the house. In Qin Guan’s memory, she had only seen Sun Haoyue twice since arriving at Herb Garden. Seeing him again now, she still felt as though he were an aloof deity.
Clad in white robes, the cold wind made his sleeves flutter. Yet his gaze was compassionate as he watched them approach, his eyes eventually settling on Qin Shuang’s back. Under his scrutiny, Fuling and the others tensed up immediately.
"Divine Doctor Sun." Qin Guan curtsied in greeting, deliberately avoiding his eyes. "We truly apologize for the disturbance. We didn’t expect my sister to fall ill halfway, leaving us no choice but to return..."
Sun Haoyue shook his head, his tone gentle. "Come inside first."
Qin Guan had been here before, but that day it had been daytime. All she remembered was that the main hall had been rather cold, along with the words exchanged between Sun Muqing and Sun Haoyue. She had no other impressions. Now, however, it was deep into the night. Qin Guan hadn’t expected the inside of the house to be just as chilly when they entered. A quick glance around revealed only a faint wisp of white smoke rising from an incense burner in the corner. Qin Guan sniffed—it smelled like sandalwood mixed with some other medicinal herbs.
"Place her here." Sun Haoyue pointed to a low couch by the window.
Qin Guan remained standing where she was, but Wan Qing and Xiu Yun hastily carried Qin Shuang over. Seeing this, a faint glimmer flashed in Qin Guan’s eyes. She straightened her collar and smoothed the wrinkled cuffs of her sleeves, then lifted a hand to brush away the stray strands of hair clinging to her cheeks before taking a few steps toward the center of the hall. Sun Haoyue glanced at Aunt Lin. "Serve them tea, then you may retire for the night."
Aunt Lin hurried to pour tea. The room was unbearably cold, and the group had suffered enough from the chill. When the hot tea was served, Fuling and the others drank without hesitation. Qin Guan glanced at them. Even if she had any instructions, she couldn’t voice them in front of Sun Haoyue. Besides, since it was Aunt Lin who had poured the tea, she could only press her lips together and remain silent.
Qin Shuang lay still, while Wan Qing stood by the couch with a pained expression. Sun Haoyue walked over and took a seat beside the couch, preparing to check Qin Shuang’s pulse. Qin Guan’s heart immediately clenched. But there was no avoiding this. She could only brace herself and continue the deception. As Sun Haoyue examined Qin Shuang, Qin Guan couldn’t help but study him closely.Dressed in a white robe with his dark hair half-tied, he appeared casually attired as if preparing for sleep. His demeanor was composed and leisurely, showing no signs of ill intent. Qin Guan swept her gaze across the room but still found nothing unusual.
She almost began to doubt her own suspicions. Yet, recalling past experiences with her father, many culprits had been unimaginable before the truth came to light. Bai Feiyu was an imposter—that fact alone should have kept her resolve firm.
"Miracle Doctor Sun, how is my elder sister?"
Qin Guan asked anxiously, but Sun Haoyue quickly withdrew his hand after taking the pulse, seemingly pondering for a moment. "The pulse doesn't show any major issues, but I can't determine why she's unconscious."
Qin Guan's heart skipped a beat, yet she continued, "To be honest with you, Miracle Doctor, I also know a bit of medicine. But seeing my sister like this, I couldn't pinpoint the root of her illness. Could it be some rare condition?"
Even the most skilled physicians encounter cases they can't fully grasp. It was precisely this uncertainty that Qin Guan relied on to maintain her lie. Sun Haoyue's brow seemed to furrow slightly as he turned and noticed Wan Xing and the others standing.
"Please, all of you, take a seat and wait. I need to examine her more thoroughly."
Though his expression remained serious, his voice was soothing. Seeing this, Aunt Lin poured more tea for them before setting the teapot aside and leaving. Wan Qing, already tense, had no choice but to sit down at the side after Sun Haoyue's instruction.
Sun Haoyue observed the unconscious Qin Shuang. "Miss Qin appears to be merely asleep."
Qin Guan remained composed. "That's exactly what worries us. On the way here, she was delirious and even spoke nonsense."
Hearing this, Qin Shuang grew nervous and let out a few soft whimpers to play along, while Fuling watched in silent alarm—this was hardly the time for such theatrics.
"When did this start? Were there any other symptoms?" Sun Haoyue asked as he lightly touched Qin Shuang's forehead, causing her to shiver involuntarily.
Qin Guan replied, "About an hour after we left this place. At first, we thought it was just the jostling of the carriage, but soon she began vomiting and had diarrhea, followed by a fever..."
Even Qin Guan knew her explanation sounded absurd, but having started the lie, she had to commit to it. As she spoke, her mind wandered—if Qin Xiang was still in the Herb Garden, where might she be kept?
"Her forehead doesn't feel feverish now," Sun Haoyue remarked before abruptly changing the subject. "Where is Qin Shizi?"
Qin Guan, certain Sun Haoyue had something to hide, stammered, "Third Brother... he had other matters to attend to... and couldn't spare the time, so he sent us back with Sixth Sister to seek treatment."
Sun Haoyue nodded slightly. "Then I'll prescribe a remedy to try."
Qin Shuang wasn't actually ill, and Qin Guan doubted Sun Haoyue had diagnosed anything. Yet, seeing him prepare a prescription, she couldn't very well stop him. Meanwhile, Dong Shu placed the tea Aunt Lin had poured beside Qin Guan. "Miss Qin, your hands are red from the cold. Have some tea. The young master and young mistress dislike the smell of charcoal, and since there's no Earth Dragon heating in the outer hall, you must be freezing."
Qin Guan remained wary and shook her head. "No need to worry about me, Uncle Dong. Sixth Sister's condition is more pressing."
Dong Shu smiled. "Don't fret. With the young master here, any illness can be cured."
Qin Guan's eyes flickered. "Divine Doctor Sun's skills are indeed unparalleled. I heard Aunt Lin, Xiao Lizi, and Da Cheng were all cured by him?"
As Sun Haoyue wrote the prescription at the desk, Dong Shu nodded. "Indeed. Aunt Lin fell ill in her later years, while Xiao Lizi and Da Cheng were already sick when we bought them. The young master healed them all. With him around, no one in the household need fear illness, big or small."
Qin Guan curved her lips slightly. "What illness did Aunt Lin have?"Dong Shu chuckled, "It's a heart condition. Sometimes it flares up suddenly, so painful she can't even catch her breath. Everyone thought she wouldn’t live much longer, but who would have guessed the young master actually cured her."
Qin Guan blinked her eyes. "How can such an illness be cured?"
At her question, Dong Shu suddenly let out a dry laugh. His aged voice was hoarse and raspy, and for some reason, the sound sent a shiver down Qin Guan’s spine. Dong Shu paused before answering, "This old servant doesn’t know. But since it’s heart pain, the problem must lie within. Naturally, the cure must come from inside."
He tapped his chest with his cane.
Qin Guan found Dong Shu’s expression unsettling and pressed further, "Cure from inside? How?"
Dong Shu glanced at the teacup beside Qin Guan. "If the saucer under this teacup were broken, but Miss Qin didn’t want to discard the cup or its lid, what would you do?"
A chill crept up from Qin Guan’s feet. She hadn’t drunk any tea, yet Dong Shu’s figure suddenly blurred before her eyes. She blinked hard, but his image doubled. Her head grew heavy, and when she turned her gaze, she saw Qin Shuang lying motionless on the couch while Fuling and the others had collapsed onto the chairs. Qin Guan’s face paled as she tried to speak, but her lips wouldn’t obey.
From nearby, Dong Shu sighed. "Ah... gone is gone. Why did you have to return?"
With that, he slowly walked toward them.
Qin Guan’s eyelids grew heavier. Just before darkness swallowed her, she heard Dong Shu ask Sun Haoyue, "Young master, what should we do with them...?"
Struggling to hold onto consciousness, she heard Sun Haoyue reply in his usual compassionate tone, "Lock them below."
......
The rustling of skirts against the stone floor lasted a long while. When it finally stopped, Qin Guan was placed on the cold, damp ground. The silence was absolute, broken only by the occasional crackle of a lamp wick.
After a long pause, footsteps and dragging sounds approached. Soon, someone was beside her. The steps retreated, then returned—repeating three or four times before finally staying.
This was a hidden underground chamber. Within the entire Herb Garden, only three people knew of its existence.
Dong Shu stood watching Qin Guan and the others when footsteps echoed behind him.
He turned. "Young master, how long will they sleep?"
Sun Haoyue descended calmly, his expression indifferent. He glanced at them. "A day."
This was an extremely cramped storage room near the entrance. Sun Haoyue walked past the door and headed deeper into the Hidden Residence. Dong Shu closed the storage room door and followed.
Soon, they arrived before a closed door where a figure stood waiting.
Dressed in silver robes, tall and slender with refined features—it was none other than the "Bai Feiyu" who had appeared earlier.
"Shang Lu, is he awake?"
Shang Lu bowed to Sun Haoyue. "He is awake."
With that, he opened the door, revealing a brightly lit room inside.The room was not large, merely four or five zhang square, and sparsely furnished, yet it was bone-chillingly cold.
Sun Haoyue stepped inside to find the floor paved with ice bricks. In the center of the room stood two crystal-clear Ice Beds. One was empty, while on the other lay a person.
Dong Shu and Shang Lu remained outside as Sun Haoyue approached the bed alone.
Qin Xiang's ink-black hair was splayed across the Ice Bed. Her ornate cape and robes had long been removed, leaving only her undergarments. Though she lay upon the icy surface, her body registered no cold—only an utter lack of strength.
Her mind was foggy. She couldn't recall how she'd come here. She remembered rising early and leaving without a word, intending to go beyond the western gate. But before reaching it, she'd seen Bai Feiyu waiting for her. Overjoyed, she had rushed toward him—and then?
The memory ended there. She'd been awake for half a shichen now, lying terrified in this bizarre room, staring at the empty Ice Bed beside her. Something was terribly wrong.
Just as her tears were about to dry, she heard Sun Haoyue and "Bai Feiyu" speaking.
Who was Shang Lu? Were they talking about her being awake?
Qin Xiang's eyes widened in disbelief.
When Sun Haoyue approached, he saw Qin Xiang's terrified expression—yet acted as though he hadn't. He simply raised his hand to check her pulse. Qin Xiang trembled violently, but when she tried to speak, only a hoarse whisper emerged.
"Sun... he... Bai..."
She felt no pain in her throat, yet after four words, her voice failed completely. Tears streamed down her face. This scene, this setup—it was no jest. What did Sun Haoyue intend to do with her?
"The dosage was slightly off. She's regained consciousness."
Sun Haoyue's detached voice was so familiar. Qin Xiang had once marveled at his celestial beauty upon first meeting him. But now—what did he mean about dosage? What were they doing to her?
"Yes, Master. How much more to add?"
"One qian. Any more and her heart will be unusable."
This exchange between "Bai Feiyu" and Sun Haoyue stopped Qin Xiang's breath. She stared blankly at Sun Haoyue, then with great effort turned toward the doorway—where she indeed saw that silver-robed figure.
Darkness seemed to descend before her eyes. "Th... thir..."
She wanted to cry out "third brother," but the word wouldn't form. From her angle, she could only see Sun Haoyue's exquisite profile and those eyes brimming with pity yet cold as ice. Despair flooded her heart. She suddenly remembered the man who'd held a blade to her throat. What had he said? Something about his daughter dying at Sun Haoyue's hands.
Though numb, Qin Xiang's lips trembled. Tears burst forth like a broken dam, rolling down her cheeks to freeze into tiny ice spikes upon the Ice Bed. Sun Haoyue's fingers moved to her tear ducts. He pried open her eyelids, pressed against her neck, then turned to leave.
"Administer the medicine. Summon me in two shichen. Prepare the container.""Yes, Master."
The voice of "Bai Feiyu" drew nearer, and soon, a face appeared above Qin Xiang. She stared fixedly at Bai Feiyu's face—one she had always found strikingly handsome—but now, it was devoid of any expression. His eyes were cold, devoid of warmth. Without hesitation, he pried open her mouth and poured a strange medicinal concoction down her throat.
With a deft movement, he adjusted her jaw, and with a "gulp," Qin Xiang swallowed the liquid.
Without lingering, Bai Feiyu turned and left. The door creaked shut behind him.
Qin Xiang's mind grew increasingly muddled. Though her eyes felt numb, tears continued to stream down her face. Time blurred—how long had it been? The tears finally dried, but her eyes felt as though they had been blinded from weeping. Just then, the door opened once more.
A sensation like a large hand gripping her throat seized her, and Qin Xiang struggled to breathe. They had come! She was going to die!
At the peak of her terror, a cold yet delicate hand rested on her wrist. It took Qin Xiang a long moment to realize—this hand did not belong to a man...
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