When Qin Wan saw Fan Xin at Xun Niang's place, Fan Xin had just awakened from unconsciousness. He appeared to be only in his twenties, yet due to severe injuries, he looked not only emaciated and sickly but also bore a deathly pallor as if his time was near.
Xun Niang hadn't expected Yan Chi to bring Qin Wan along, but recalling Qin Wan's reputation, she understood Yan Chi's intention. Xun Niang said, "Brother Fan, this is Yongci County Princess. The Empress Dowager has issued a decree bestowing marriage, so Yongci County Princess will soon be our heir apparent's consort."
Fan Xin's lips were dry, cracked, and purplish. He weakly twitched his lips and spoke in a hoarse voice, "This subordinate pays respects to the County Princess... I cannot perform proper greetings... my apologies..."
Qin Wan waved her hand dismissively and leaned forward to check Fan Xin's pulse. As Fan Xin moved his lips as if to speak, Yan Chi interjected, "No need to say anything. The County Princess possesses exceptional medical skills. I brought her here to save you."
Fan Xin seemed momentarily surprised, then weakly smiled, "This humble subordinate... Your Highness—"
Yan Chi looked at Fan Xin, "No need for such words. I'm saving you for Father King's sake as well."
At these words, Fan Xin's eyes immediately reddened. Xun Niang clearly didn't know what had happened yet. Hearing this, she glanced at Yan Chi, then at Fan Xin. Seeing neither wished to elaborate, she quickly withdrew to prepare medical supplies.
After checking the pulse, Qin Wan leaned closer and said, "I need to examine your wounds."
Fan Xin moved his lips again, hesitating to speak, but Qin Wan didn't wait for his response. She pulled back the thin quilt covering him and opened his garment. Fan Xin's face was deathly pale with dark circles under his eyes, appearing critically ill and devoid of vitality.
Seeing Qin Wan examining him, he stopped speaking. By the time she finished the examination, her expression had turned grave.
Meanwhile, Fan Xin, unable to endure any longer, had fallen unconscious again.
Xun Niang entered from outside carrying several medicine packages. Sighing as she looked at Fan Xin, she said, "Brother Fan was brought here last night. He keeps waking and falling back asleep, never remaining conscious for more than an hour at a time."
Moreover, Fan Xin was running a fever, and his wounds had begun to emit an odor due to festering.
Fortunately, summer had already passed, otherwise the decay would likely have been even worse.
Yan Chi looked at Qin Wan, "Well? Can he be saved?"
Qin Wan replied, "He has nine wounds in total. The others are manageable, but the abdominal and left thigh injuries are particularly severe. They appear to be from something like short arrows that were pulled out without proper bleeding control. Now both wounds are festering inside and out. He has lost too much blood and must be in excruciating pain. It's remarkable he has endured this long."
Knowing Yan Chi wanted to hear something else, she paused before adding, "He can be saved, but I cannot guarantee complete success."
"What are the chances?"
"Fifty percent. It also depends on whether he can pull through."
Yan Chi frowned deeply, "How will you treat him?"
"By excising all the rotten flesh from his wounds and reapplying medicine. The abdominal injury is most critical—it concerns his survival. The leg injury merely drains his vitality. The worst outcome would be... losing his leg."
Yan Chi thought of Fan Xin's exceptional martial skills and nodded, "Alright, proceed with treatment."
Qin Wan took a shallow breath, seemingly organizing her thoughts about treating Fan Xin. After a moment, she asked Xun Niang, "Have you prepared the tools?"
Xun Niang nodded, "Yes, everything is prepared."
Qin Wan acknowledged this, "Bring paper and brush. I'll write down the medicinal ingredients and other necessary items."Xun Niang fetched paper and brush, and Qin Wan swiftly filled an entire sheet. Taking the list, Xun Niang went to make final preparations while Qin Wan’s heart sank slightly. "Was he injured while protecting the prince?"
Yan Chi nodded. "Yes."
Qin Wan marveled at Fan Xin’s willpower. With such severe injuries, he would have long succumbed if not for sheer determination. If Fan Xin was wounded this gravely, Prince Rui and the others must have faced equal peril.
Shaking her head to dispel these thoughts, Qin Wan first removed Fan Xin’s robe. Once Xun Niang had prepared the necessary items, Qin Wan washed her hands and began treating Fan Xin.
Fan Xin’s limbs were tied to the bed rails. Additionally, Qin Wan had prepared anesthetic powder, first forcing a bowl of medicinal soup down his throat before cleaning the wounds. She removed her outer robe and rolled her sleeves high. Xun Niang watched from the side, witnessing this side of Qin Wan for the first time.
Qin Wan’s expression remained focused and stern as she meticulously yet swiftly cleaned the wounds on Fan Xin’s leg, mercilessly cutting away putrid flesh mixed with pus and blood. Fresh red blood immediately welled up. In his unconscious state, Fan Xin suddenly widened his eyes and awoke. Xun Niang quickly pressed him down and stuffed a cloth ball soaked in anesthetic into his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue in agony.
Initially disoriented, Fan Xin grew increasingly clear-headed as the pain intensified—he could even feel the blade scraping away his flesh. Sweat poured from him like rain, his eyes bulging as if about to burst from their sockets, his originally pale face now flushed crimson with pain.
After finishing the thigh, Qin Wan swiftly bandaged the wound.
Soon, she began cleaning the abdominal injury.
This wound was even more severe than the one on his leg.
As Qin Wan made incisions, Fan Xin’s thrashing became so violent that Xun Niang could barely restrain him. Yan Chi had to step in to pin him firmly to the bed. Unlike the leg, the abdominal area was close to vital organs; any sudden struggle could have dire consequences.
Fan Xin gasped hoarsely, his neck stiffening like a dying fish. Qin Wan didn’t spare him a glance, appearing indifferent to his suffering as she worked with precision. Even as blood flow increased, her hands never faltered. After cleaning the wound, she used cotton cloth soaked in strong liquor to wipe away the blood. The combination of wound pain and alcohol elicited low growls from Fan Xin’s throat before he shuddered violently and lost consciousness.
Qin Wan remained unwavering. By the time Fan Xin’s abdominal wound was bandaged, she was drenched in sweat and pale with exhaustion.
Xun Niang’s heart ached for both Fan Xin and Qin Wan, hastily pouring the latter a cup of tea.
Qin Wan waved it aside. "Please watch his wounds, Xun Niang. If he wakes, immediately feed him these two pills. The pain from both injuries will be extreme—he must not move or turn over. Keep him in this sleeping position without shifting."
Xun Niang nodded. Yan Chi then led Qin Wan out of the inner chamber. This wasn’t the waterside pavilion but a row of side rooms. With Fan Xin lying in the eastern chamber, Yan Chi brought Qin Wan to the western Warm Chamber.Qin Wan was utterly exhausted. After walking over, she sat down immediately. Yan Chi stepped forward to wipe the sweat from her brow. "You've worked hard, Guan'er."
Qin Wan shook her head. "The wound may still fester. The injury is too extensive and won't heal easily. These days, unless he remains completely still to minimize bleeding, he likely won't survive. It's been over a month since he was injured, and he's already at death's door."
Yan Chi gently brushed aside the stray hairs at her temple. "Alright, I'll remind him."
Qin Wan nodded, finally letting out a sigh of relief. Yan Chi turned to fetch her outer robe and carefully helped her into it.
Earlier, Qin Wan had been solely focused on saving the patient, completely unaware of how much time had passed. Now, glancing outside, she saw that darkness had long fallen. Yan Chi said, "I'll have Master Yuan bring some food over."
Yan Chi went to relay the message, and soon a meal was delivered to the side room. After the two finished eating, Qin Wan went to check on Fan Xin again, but he still hadn't woken up. Xun Niang seemed worried, so Qin Wan reassured her, "It's better for him to sleep a little longer now."
Noticing the late hour, Yan Chi intended to take Qin Wan home. After examining the wound once more, Qin Wan said, "I'll return tomorrow to change his dressing. The first two dressings require extreme care. If his fever isn't too severe later, that's fine. But if it worsens, regardless of whether he's awake, he must take three more of these pills. Then notify His Highness to find me. If he wakes without a fever, decoct the prescription I wrote for you and feed him a bowl."
Xun Niang repeatedly agreed. Only then did Yan Chi lead Qin Wan out.
They boarded the carriage, which headed straight for the Marquis' residence. Inside, Yan Chi drew Qin Wan into his embrace.
Qin Wan asked, "Do you have court tomorrow?"
Yan Chi hummed in affirmation. Qin Wan continued, "Shall I come alone then?"
Seeing his hesitation, she explained, "I'm still uneasy. The injury is truly severe. I've never seen anyone with such a grave wound travel so far and hold on until now."
Her tone was genuinely urgent, tinged with compassion. Yan Chi suddenly looked down at her intently.
Unaware, Qin Wan went on, "He's your father's personal guard, so his willpower must be extraordinary. But no matter how resilient, he's still flesh and blood. Since you've entrusted him to me, I must save him."
"Guan Guan—"
Yan Chi suddenly called her name, the doubled syllables more intimate and lingering than "Guan'er." Qin Wan felt her heart stir, instinctively looking up at him. No sooner had she raised her head than Yan Chi's kiss descended.
His kiss was as tender and prolonged as his soft call. He wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her onto his lap. One hand held her firmly at the waist, the other pressed against the back of her head. With his strong grip, the kiss deepened intensely. Qin Wan gasped for breath, her eyes lightly closed, feeling as though her very soul was being swept away by Yan Chi. She didn't know what had sparked his sudden passion, only that her body grew warm and pliant, instinctively clinging to his shoulders.
Yan Chi was moved by nothing else but the sincerity of her heart toward him.This turn of events was beyond what Qin Wan could have imagined. Even for him, there was only the word "wait." Yet she knew how to help him. Though there were no grand vows of eternal love, she devoted herself wholeheartedly, understanding him and knowing him. True feelings are revealed in times of crisis. Yan Chi had already been fond of her, but now this affection grew deeper and more profound, making him increasingly desire that it must be her and no one else.
Yan Chi’s kisses grew heavier, and his hands began to wander. The small carriage gradually filled with the sound of their ragged breaths. As Yan Chi kissed her, an uncontrollable desire suddenly surged within him. It was as if he were adrift in a stormy sea, at risk of being swept away by the waves at any moment. She was his only lifeline. Holding onto her was the only way he could survive.
Yan Chi pulled Qin Wan tightly into his arms.
He pressed her against his chest, his breathing uneven and distinctly suggestive, yet his eyes held a mixture of pain and a flicker of dangerous, barely restrained impulse. His gaze pierced through the dimness of the carriage, sharp and cold. Only the person in his arms reminded him of what he was doing.
Qin Wan sensed Yan Chi’s unusual state. Though she felt his arms tightening around her almost painfully, she did not resist. Instead, she slipped her hands inside his outer robe and held him tightly in return.
Darkness could conceal all loss of control and madness. The fierceness in Yan Chi’s eyes vanished in an instant. He closed his eyes briefly, and when he reopened them, he had calmed considerably. His grip loosened slightly, and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling her affectionately. "Guan Guan, thank you," he murmured.
Qin Wan was momentarily taken aback before replying, "Don’t worry, I will definitely save him."
A smile tugged at Yan Chi’s lips. He knew Qin Wan had understood him perfectly.
He was the invincible War God of Shuoxi. He had thought no one in the world could be gentler than her, and she was the one who would stand by him through thick and thin. But now, her gentleness had also become his armor. The thought warmed his heart so intensely that Yan Chi, who had never believed in gods or fate, found himself feeling grateful to heaven. At the very least, fate had not taken her away from him.
Yan Chi kissed her ear, then her cheek, and finally the top of her head. Qin Wan looked up at him and saw his eyes bright and shimmering, like scattered starlight. It reminded her of the first time she had seen him—arrogant and untouchable. She reached up and touched his face, repeating, "I will definitely save him."
Yan Chi’s smile deepened. He took her hand and pressed a firm kiss to her palm.
It was already late at night when they returned to the Marquis’s estate. Thoughts of Yan Chi lingered in Qin Wan’s mind like a persistent worry. As she lay down to sleep, she found herself unable to drift off for a long while. After some thought, she took out the Jade Pendant Yan Chi had given her. Clutching it in her palm, her mind wandered—first to the portrait of the Princess Consort of Prince Rui, then to that deep, lingering kiss that had left her breathless. She did not know how much time had passed before she finally fell asleep.
The next morning, Qin Wan woke later than usual. Concerned about Fan Xin’s injuries, she planned to leave the estate after breakfast. Thinking she should inform Hu Shi, she headed toward the main courtyard. When Hu Shi saw her, her expression was somewhat complicated and strange, but she still greeted her with a smile. Just as Qin Wan was about to state her purpose, Qin Shu walked in with a grave expression.
Hu Shi exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you back so early today, my lord?!"Qin Shu spotted Qin Wan at a glance, his steps faltering as his face showed an expression of hesitation, as if he wanted to speak but held back.
Qin Wan’s heart sank. Qin Shu said, “At this morning’s court session, the Emperor announced some news… Prince Rui… Prince Rui was assassinated by enemy assassins while inspecting the border defenses. He has… has passed away.”
Qin Wan stood rooted to the spot. Though she had already guessed it in her heart, her face instinctively showed a trace of surprise, as if even she had begun to guard herself, determined not to let anyone know that Yan Chi had received the news in advance.
And though she had anticipated that the Emperor would eventually announce this news, she hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly.
This indicated that the Emperor had already made all the arrangements.
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