She only felt that perhaps, if she embraced him once, Wenren Lin might truly feel better.

When she had been young and felt wronged and in pain, she had always wished there could be someone to hold her and coax her.

Wenren Lin was clearly dissatisfied with such a meager answer. His beautiful eyes under thick brows narrowed slightly, and he inclined his head: “It is not Your Highness’s fault, it is that this prince has not taught you clearly enough.”

Saying so, he propped against the couch’s edge and leaned down. Zhao Yen was pressed down by his weight and toppled backward, hurriedly clutching at his robe.

Before her head struck the couch, a large hand firmly cupped the back of her crown, and immediately the shadow pressed down over her.

“If I bite the red pearl, would Your Highness perhaps understand better?”

Wenren Lin gazed at Zhao Yen’s instantly flushed face, the corner of his lips carrying a tender smile.

It was as if, under the influence of poison, he no longer bothered to disguise even that thin veneer of gentility. His emotions overflowed, like a demon in the dark of night, bewitching the heart.

Zhao Yen, fearing he might again be provoked into spitting blood, opened her mouth and bit down on the knuckle pressed against her lips, saying: “No, I do not want to.”

Wenren Lin indulged her gnawing upon his knuckle, his expression unchanging as he said: “Something else would also be fine.”

Zhao Yen simply lifted her hand to cover his lips.

The two faced each other, one above and one below. Zhao Yen, panting slightly, said: “I remember the Grand Preceptor once said, teaching me those… obscure matters was not to toy with me, but to let me make a choice without regret with a clear mind. Now you are ill, and in the same way not in a clear state.”

She said earnestly: “You need rest, Wenren Lin.”

It was the first time she called his full name. Wenren Lin felt a rush of novelty.

He did not force her, only went along to lightly bite Zhao Yen’s tender palm, then drew her hand down from his lips, and lay down at her side.

Both were somewhat weary, Zhao Yen also lay on her side, curling herself slightly.

Wenren Lin seemed unaccustomed to having someone sleep by his side, his dark eyes half-open, his hand loosely placed upon her slender waist. Zhao Yen, with no leisure to care for him, closed her eyes on her own.

The lingering glow of the setting sun gradually drew in and faded, time dripping away.

Zhao Yen was awakened by the sound of knocking.

Her eyes opened suddenly—at her side Wenren Lin’s figure was no longer there. Zhang Cang’s deliberately lowered voice came from outside the door: “Wangye, the Taiji Hall has already sent twice to summon you, waiting for you to go and handle it…And also, Princess Changle, upon learning the news of the Crown Prince’s assassination attempt, insists on rushing to the Eastern Palace to visit. That side can scarcely conceal it any longer.”

Zhao Yen glanced at the hazy night outside the window, then suddenly rose and said: “Trouble Deputy General Zhang to have Liuying delay them for two quarters of an hour. Gu, will return immediately.”

As they spoke, Zhao Yen reached for the eunuch’s cap by the couch and put it on, hastily slipping on her shoes as she rose.

Wenren Lin was already dressed neatly. Aside from his face being somewhat cold and pale, there was no sign at all of poison flare. He came over, straightened Zhao Yen’s cap for her, then lifted a finger to unfold the tucked-in lapel of her robe, smoothing it out inch by inch.

He pinched Zhao Yen’s cheek, speaking words of unclear meaning: “As for the turmoil in the court at present, you need not get involved.”

Zhao Yen started slightly, and at once knew some trouble must have broken out in the palace. She nodded and said: “Understood.”

Wenren Lin only curled his lips faintly and let her go.

With the carriage from Prince Su’s residence escorting, the way was clear, and by a shortcut through the north gate she entered directly into the Eastern Palace. Altogether it took no more than a quarter of an hour.

Zhao Yen finally understood why Wenren Lin’s nightly visits to check her lessons always came so timely and sudden.

Just as she slipped back into her sleeping hall under cover of darkness, she heard in the courtyard the sound of Huo Zhenzhen quarreling with someone.

“It angers me to death! Even your temper is like that fox’s. Why is it that all the people I hate bear such a similar face!”

“And I still find it strange, why does the Princess always find fault only with me? Could it be that you care too much for me, and so think all under heaven resemble me?”

It was Liu Baiwei’s voice.

“Shameless!”

Huo Zhenzhen’s voice followed: “Before, it was tolerable to be blocked by that vixen. But now you, a man, would also monopolize Elder Brother the Crown Prince? Step aside.”

Seeing the quarrel about to erupt, Zhao Yen had no choice but to hurriedly shed the eunuch garb, grab a robe at hand to drape over herself, and lightly cough as she pushed open the door of the sleeping hall.

“What are you quarreling about?”

Both Huo Zhenzhen and Liu Baiwei looked over at once—one overjoyed, the other greatly relieved.

“Elder Brother the Crown Prince! You are not hurt, are you?”

Huo Zhenzhen lifted her skirts and ran over, behind her two rows of palace maids holding trays in their hands.

“Gu is not hurt, the assassin did not wound Gu. Just weary, and took a short rest.”

Zhao Yen lied without blinking, then looked toward the two rows of attendants behind Huo Zhenzhen. “And these are?”

“Oh, these! I heard that Elder Brother the Crown Prince had been in danger, so I specially had Father and Mother prepare supplements, to ease your fright.”

Huo Zhenzhen’s temper came and went quickly. She beckoned the palace maids to carry the things inside, then gave a snort toward Liu Baiwei: “Unlike some people, coming to pay respects to His Highness the Crown Prince with empty hands, not knowing propriety.”

Zhao Yen pressed at her brow and said gently: “Many thanks to the Princess. But Gu’s body is weak, and cannot eat such heavy tonics.”

“Ah, cannot eat them?”

Huo Zhenzhen’s eyes turned, “No matter, to reward the attendants to eat is the same! They have worked hard to protect Elder Brother the Crown Prince, they ought to be rewarded.”

Zhao Yen patiently agreed, coughing lightly: “It is already late. In a short while the palace gates will close. The Princess should return first to the Grand Princess’s residence. Otherwise Aunt and Uncle will surely be worried.”

Huo Zhenzhen hesitated as she looked at Zhao Yen.

The Crown Prince’s face was the same as always, yet she felt somehow something was not quite right, as though there was a subtle sense of distance, neither near nor far.

She said with disappointment: “Then Elder Brother the Crown Prince, rest well. Tomorrow I will come again to see you.”

Liu Baiwei gave Zhao Yen a look of headache, then stepped forward: “I will escort the Princess.”

“No need!”

Probably feeling it impolite, the young girl slightly lifted her delicate chin again, unwillingly adding, “Thank you!”

Watching Huo Zhenzhen leave, Zhao Yen immediately returned to the sleeping hall, and from that pile of discarded eunuch garments pulled out half of a booklet.

Until now, she had not had the time to properly examine the contents of this half-booklet.

Within it were recorded the names of persons who had dealings in medicinal pills with the Daoist Master Shen Guang, with year, month, day, as well as pill names and dosages all noted in meticulous detail. Unfortunately, by now more than half had been burned, leaving it fragmented and incomplete.

Sitting beneath the gauze lamp, Zhao Yen leafed through, yet still managed to deduce quite a few clues. For example, many of the imperial kinsmen and nobles had sought various life-prolonging pills from Daoist Master Shen Guang, among them not a few of the court’s key ministers.

The heir of Prince Yong, the Prince of Yingchuan, and the Minister of Works were all listed therein.

On the very last page, she even discovered the words: 【Marquis of Ningyang, for wife seeks…】 At that point it broke off, the rest burned away, unable to be verified.

“Uncle?”

Zhao Yen had not expected that even her broad-minded, upright uncle would have had dealings with the Daoist priests of the Shen Guang Sect.

Yet judging by human feeling, it could be understood.

Her aunt Rong Fuyue’s chronic heart ailment had not been improved by all manner of rare medicines. Her uncle loved his wife as his life; most likely, in desperation, he had grasped at whatever cure he could.

Zhao Yen set down the booklet, gazing at the flickering lamplight, and could not help but think of Wenren Lin.

In Wenren Lin’s antidote there was the candle-snake’s scent gland as the medicinal guide—was that too related to the Shen Guang Sect?

Now that Daoist Master Shen Guang was dead, then what of his poison… how was it to be resolved?