At the crossroads of doubt and resignation, he chose to let her doubt.

The headache had become unbearably severe. Xiahou Dan’s vision blurred with black mist as he forced a rogueish smile, “I don’t remember.”

Yu Wanyin turned and left.

Xiahou Dan only remembered hearing the sound of her opening the door and leaving, followed by the inquiries from the dark guards outside. After that, there was only darkness.

—-

“Prince.”

Zhang San heard the voice and quickly turned around, responding respectfully, “Grandmother.”

The servants he had been directing to work in the distance also paused to pay their respects.

The imposing woman glanced behind him, “What is this?”

“Grandmother, a few days ago was the Flower Festival. Seeing the decorations in the Imperial Garden, I had the idea of planting some flowers for you,” Zhang San, who had been eavesdropping on the ancient speech of the court every day, was now more fluent, “By the time of your birthday, these flowers should bloom, just in time to offer my best wishes.”

The Empress Dowager’s expression softened slightly, “I see the arrangement of these seedlings seems to have some significance.”

Zhang San pursed his lips and smiled, “Grandmother is perceptive. This is a design of two dragons playing with a pearl, symbolizing auspiciousness.”

He didn’t hear a response for a long time.

Zhang San looked up in panic.

The Empress Dowager’s expression was icy, “This kingdom of Da Xia only needs one true dragon.”

Zhang San: “…”

How am I supposed to respond to this?!

The Empress Dowager looked at his bewildered face for a long time before showing a look of near-pity, “Your mother passed away early, and the Emperor has found new affection. Soon, a new Empress will be established, and then a new Crown Prince. In this vast palace, only I care for you.”

Zhang San had only one thought.

Today, he had to make the Empress Dowager happy because those seedlings were his only hope of connecting with someone like him.

Inspired, he declared his loyalty, “Grandmother misunderstood. One of the dragons I planted is you, and the other is me.”

The Empress Dowager: “…”

Zhang San anxiously waited.

The Empress Dowager laughed, “Now, this is my good grandson. Rest assured, there will be no new prince born in this palace.”

According to Xiahou Dan’s recent behavior of alternating between two places, tonight should be Xi Yong Er’s turn to serve in bed.

Xi Yong Er arrived at the palace, adorned beautifully, only to be stopped outside the main hall.

“The Emperor has already gone to sleep,” the guard said.

At this hour?

Xi Yong Er was puzzled, suspecting that Yu Wanyin was up to something. She gritted her teeth and took out a piece of silver from her sleeve, “Sir…”

The guard’s sword flashed out three inches with a “shing” sound.

Xi Yong Er was startled and quickly retreated.

“Ah, Lady Xi,” the chief eunuch An Xian stepped out, smiling warmly, “Tonight is unfortunate. The Emperor is troubled with a headache and has ordered that no one be seen. Please return.”

“Sir An, regarding this, I have learned some massage techniques,” Xi Yong Er smiled flatteringly, about to dig into her sleeve again, but An Xian looked at her, frowned, and shook his head.

She froze in place.

Inside the palace.

Bei Zhou finally couldn’t stand it anymore. He rubbed some medicinal oil into his palms, warmed his hands, and reached toward the man lying on the bed with closed eyes.

Before he could touch his temples, a cold hand clamped onto his wrist.

Eyes that had been tightly shut suddenly opened, filled with a swirling malice that painfully receded upon recognizing him, “Don’t touch me, Uncle Bei.”

Bei Zhou’s heart ached, “You are in so much pain. Let Uncle rub it, it will help.”

Xiahou Dan only tightened his grip on his wrist.

Bei Zhou sighed, “Why did it suddenly flare up again…” Since entering the palace, he had inspected every corner and examined all of Xiahou Dan’s meals, yet found no poison.

Xiahou Dan curled his pale lips, “Maybe there’s a tumor in my brain.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Didn’t Uncle already check your pulse? There’s no such thing.”

Xiahou Dan muttered, “You need a CT scan.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Uncle, I want some sweet porridge.”

Bei Zhou immediately stood up, “Uncle will make it for you.”

After he left, a shadow quietly approached and knelt beside the bed.

Xiahou Dan stared blankly at the bed curtain for a long time, sighing, “Go get Dr. Bai.”

Xi Yong Er couldn’t believe she had been turned away until she walked far away.

The Emperor had clearly been infatuated with her, letting her call the shots in the harem, and she had just cleared out some rivals. How could things change overnight? Even the previously flattering An Xian had dared to show her attitude!

According to standard palace drama tropes, it should start raining now.

Xi Yong Er hadn’t brought an umbrella and walked alone in the bleak rain, her mind playing erhu music.

She had to find out if a captivating Yu Wanyin was hidden behind the tightly shut doors of the Emperor’s palace.

Xi Yong Er circled to the outside of the Consort’s palace.

To her surprise, Yu Wanyin was not only in the Consort’s palace but sitting alone in the corridor, holding a palace lantern and looking up at the rain. Her wet hair clung to her cheeks, making her bright face appear pale.

Xi Yong Er: “…”

In this scenario, why are you even more miserable than I am?!

Xi Yong Er halted, ready to tactically retreat, but Yu Wanyin had already spotted her and called out in surprise, “Is that you, Sister Yong Er?”

She pulled Xi Yong Er under the eaves to avoid the rain. “Weren’t you supposed to attend to the Emperor tonight? What brings you here?”

Xi Yong Er lowered her head. “The Emperor isn’t feeling well and has already retired for the night.”

The Emperor is sick? Yu Wanyin was taken aback.

He did mention having a headache that afternoon in the study. Had it worsened after she left?

Or perhaps… he was just pretending to be sick.

She had questioned his identity, so he was feigning weakness to evade the issue.

Yu Wanyin had regretted leaving the study. What benefit was there in exposing him? She had been trying to ignore the incongruity she felt about him all along, wasn’t that also a form of evasion? Evasion from the lonely and helpless feeling of having no one to turn to.

Xi Yong Er observed Yu Wanyin’s expression. She hadn’t expected the consort to be genuinely unaware.

So, the Emperor was indeed ill?

Xi Yong Er’s thoughts shifted, and she suddenly showed concern, “Sister Consort, you should go check on the Emperor. He seemed very unwell and even mentioned wanting to see you.”

She didn’t want to be the only one excluded by the guards.

Yu Wanyin’s reaction was unexpected. She showed neither joy nor anticipation but rather a frown, as if wrestling with some internal struggle.

Afraid that Yu Wanyin might back out, Xi Yong Er was about to urge her again, but Yu Wanyin had already taken the bait, “In that case, I’ll go check on him.”

Xi Yong Er watched her walk away with satisfaction.

Yu Wanyin raised her paper umbrella and walked into the rain but then turned back, “Sister, rest here for now. I’ll have Xiao Mei bring you some dry clothes, and we’ll send you back once the rain stops. Thank you for telling me about this.”

Xi Yong Er’s smile grew even brighter, and she said slowly, “I always remember the favor of you warning me about the contraceptive soup.”

Yu Wanyin: “…”

Could it be genuine?

Compared to the two Xiahou brothers, Xi Yong Er’s level of scheming seemed almost endearingly naive.

Yu Wanyin felt a twinge of guilt and said sadly, “I never thought there would come a day when we could truly understand each other.”

Xi Yong Er: “…”

Could it be genuine?

Did she really just kindly remind me last time?

From her perspective as an ancient person, she couldn’t foresee anyone intentionally rejecting the Emperor’s seed. So, the poisoning incident was purely self-inflicted?

But… if the scheming heroine from the original story stopped being a villain entirely, wouldn’t all her preemptive struggles turn into one-sided persecution?

Yu Wanyin had already started towards the sleeping quarters. Xi Yong Er looked at the rain in confusion, but in the end, she didn’t call out.

Thunder rumbled, and a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, casting a stark light on the guards’ swords.

Guard: “Consort, please return. The Emperor isn’t seeing anyone.”

Yu Wanyin had been hesitant about facing Xiahou Dan, but this sight panicked her, “What’s wrong with the Emperor?”

The guards remained tight-lipped.

Yu Wanyin’s lantern had long been extinguished by the rain. The paper umbrella was no match for the downpour from all directions, drenching her completely and making her shiver. “Could you please inform… the nanny?”

“Consort Yu?”

Yu Wanyin turned back. Nanny Bei Zhou, holding a bowl of sweet porridge, was just about to enter the quarters.

She quickly grabbed his sleeve, whispering, “Uncle Bei, let me in to see him.”

Bei Zhou gave her a scrutinizing look, perhaps remembering her defiant “fight him” from that day on the boat. His expression softened slightly, “Follow me.”

Xiahou Dan was curled up under the covers, forming a tight ball. Bei Zhou called his name twice, then pulled the blanket back to reveal his face, “Yu Wanyin is here.”

Yu Wanyin was taken aback.

Xiahou Dan’s long hair was disheveled, and his face was pale as paper. He glanced at Yu Wanyin with great effort and said hoarsely, “Thanks, Uncle. Just leave the porridge here.”

Bei Zhou sensibly left.

Yu Wanyin sat on the edge of the bed, cautiously offering, “Shall I feed you?”

Xiahou Dan made a slight nodding motion but immediately clenched his teeth, veins popping on his forehead as if even that small movement caused immense pain.

Yu Wanyin was at a loss, holding him gently but afraid to apply too much force. After a long while, Xiahou Dan made up his mind and propped himself up. Yu Wanyin quickly pulled over two soft pillows to support him.

She reached for the bowl of porridge again, but Xiahou Dan stopped her.

He took a long, deep breath and spoke in a low, soft voice, “Let’s talk.”

“There’s no rush. You should rest first…”

“You guessed right,” he interrupted, “I am indeed not some big-shot CEO.”

Xiahou Dan continued, “Before I came here, I was a bit-part actor, running minor roles for years without making a name for myself.”

Yu Wanyin stared at him in shock.

That did explain his convincingly tyrannical act.

“But if that’s the case, why go to the trouble of deceiving me?”

“It wasn’t intentional. When you guessed I was a CEO, I just went along with it.”

“Why?”

Xiahou Dan gave a faint smile, his lips devoid of color, “I’ve never had much luck. So when I ended up here, my first thought was that I was doomed in this place. Then you showed up, like a savior, holding the script, determined and full of plans to turn things around… When I looked at you, I felt I had hope.”

He closed his eyes briefly, his Adam’s apple bobbing with difficulty, “I was afraid of losing you. Once you found out I was such a failure, you’d leave me, right? And if you left, I’d be done for.”

Yu Wanyin was silent for a moment, at a loss for words, “This isn’t quite what I imagined.”

“Hmm?”

“I thought you’d have some profound secret.”

Xiahou Dan didn’t let himself pause for even half a second, smiling softly, “Looks like my poor acting still has some use.”

He sighed, looking at her candidly, “But now you know. I don’t have much chance. Even if the Crown Prince is just a paper figure, his cunning far surpasses mine. So my promise still stands: if you choose to leave, I completely understand and won’t stop you.”

He leaned against the pillows, his eyes looking like those of a harmless big dog.