After Transmigrating as the White Lotus Crown Princess - Chapter 13

Ning Huan usually woke up late. Seeing that he was still asleep, Mu Jinyu was unwilling to get up as well. Who doesn’t love lying in bed during the winter?

By the time Ning Huan woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.

He lazily opened his eyes, released Mu Jinyu’s hand, and then turned his back to him. “How did the Crown Prince manage to sleep until dawn?”

“Otherwise?” Mu Jinyu felt his hand go empty, and his heart felt a brief void along with it. Seeing that the first thing Ning Huan did upon waking was turn away from him, he felt inexplicably annoyed. “I am currently physically weak, a patient with severe injuries.”

In the storybooks Ning Huan had read, Mu Jinyu was a hardworking tyrant who got up before dawn to kill people. Sometimes, when his madness flared up, he would kill for an entire day; when he wasn’t killing, he would be in the harem venting his excess energy with his concubines. Even setting aside the late-stage plot, the early-stage Mu Jinyu should be up early practicing martial arts, archery, or reading military texts. It was rare to see him lingering in bed.

Ning Huan turned back around and dozed for another fifteen minutes.

Watching Ning Huan’s back, Mu Jinyu grew angrier the more he thought about it, unable to stop himself from letting out several cold sneers. He hadn’t married a Crown Princess; he had married an ancestral aunt. In all his years, Mu Jinyu had never heard of a wife who slept with her back to her husband.

His hand had been held by Ning Huan all night, and it seemed to have been tainted by the fragrance of Ning Huan’s body. Mu Jinyu sniffed his own fingers; the lotus scent accompanied by a faint sandalwood aroma lingered, refusing to dissipate. It was a very pleasant smell.

As he sniffed, he drifted into a daze. After a few moments, Mu Jinyu felt as if he had been struck by lightning again, thinking his own actions were truly unsightly. However, since meeting Ning Huan, Mu Jinyu had been “struck by lightning” almost every day, so he didn’t care about one more time.

He rang the bell by the bed, and Die Qing quickly and efficiently brought in water. Mu Jinyu glanced at Die Qing. “Have A-Xi come and attend me.”

Just as Mu Jinyu had changed his clothes and was about to head out, Ning Huan finally stretched and sat up. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, Mu Jinyu had to acknowledge that Ning Huan looked beautiful just after waking.

The day was bright, and the world outside was a sheet of silver. Snow had fallen on the branches of the pear tree, and some of the bells were weighed down by it. A-Xi, who had slept early yesterday and didn’t know what had happened, couldn’t help but remark, “Waking up to see the tree covered in these—it’s quite pretty. Everyone says the Crown Princess is ingenious and skillful; this must have been the Crown Princess’s doing.”

Mu Jinyu also thought it looked good; after all, Ning Huan had stepped on him to hang these up yesterday. Ning Huan said he wasn’t heavy, but in fact, he wasn’t light either—Ning Huan was a head taller than most girls.

He hadn’t seen them clearly under the lamp yesterday, but now that he was closer, Mu Jinyu looked up at the writing on the prayer slips. The brushwork was vigorous and bold, “iron wrapped in silk” like a thirsty deer running toward a spring. The noble ladies of the capital usually had delicate minds and could not produce such a free and easy script.

Mu Jinyu asked, “Would you say the writing on these is more exquisite than Tang Qiong’s?”

Tang Qiong was the top scholar from last year’s imperial examinations, a famous talent in the current dynasty whose wild cursive script had even earned the Emperor’s praise.

A-Xi didn’t understand such things. He was literate, but he couldn’t recognize such “wild” cursive, nor could he tell if it was good or bad. He could only bite the bullet and offer awkward flattery: “This one, definitely…”

Since this was supposedly written by the Crown Princess, he had to suck up to “her.”

Mu Jinyu glanced at him. “You actually have some modicum of taste.”

Ning Huan’s writing was so cursive that Mu Jinyu could only barely recognize it, relying on half-guessing to understand the prayers on the slips.

“As the moon in its constant course, as the sun in its rising. As the longevity of the Southern Mountains, never waning, never collapsing. As the luxuriance of the pine and cypress, may there be nothing you do not succeed to.”

He read it silently to himself. Mu Jinyu still had many doubts, but he didn’t voice them.

During the meal, Ning Huan calculated the time in his head. There should be one more thing waiting for Mu Jinyu this year.

Mu Jinyu truly had a hard life. His injuries hadn’t healed, and he coughed every day as if he were going to hack up his lungs, yet the Emperor’s faction was still painstakingly planning to plot against him. Regardless, if only for the sake of his own sleep, Ning Huan had to treat Mu Jinyu’s illness.

Ning Huan asked, “Which imperial physician is good at acupuncture and someone you trust?”

Mu Jinyu replied casually, “Zhao Yi, I suppose.”

Ning Huan said to A-Xi, “Go and invite Imperial Physician Zhao later.”

The porridge boiled this morning was quite good, and Mu Jinyu drank two bowls in one go. He didn’t take Ning Huan’s words to heart; once he was full, he returned to his own quarters.

Two hours later, Mu Jinyu was hungry again. He thought about going back to Ning Huan’s place to scrounge some food, only to see A-Xi leading Imperial Physician Zhao toward Lixue Hall.

Mu Jinyu loathed the group of imperial physicians in the palace. When he was five or six, he fell gravely ill and drank medicine for almost an entire year. At that time, being young, the Empress had the nannies directly force-feed him. This resulted in Mu Jinyu’s later refusal to see imperial physicians.

Zhao Yi was also trembling with anxiety. The Crown Prince had suddenly invited him; he didn’t dare refuse, but in his heart, he truly didn’t want to come. Everyone in the palace knew the Crown Prince avoided doctors. Zhao Yi specialized in acupuncture; with the Crown Prince being so violent, Zhao Yi feared that before the needles could even touch the Prince, the Prince would stick him full of holes instead.

A-Xi mentioned it was the Crown Princess’s invitation. Zhao Yi entered cautiously, performed a salute, and stood to the side with his head bowed. From above, a cool, indifferent voice drifted down: “Imperial Physician Zhao, please sit. There is no need for restraint.”

The voice was so pleasant that Zhao Yi couldn’t help but look up.

He had once gone to the Ning Manor to treat the Madame and had seen the Third Young Miss. He hadn’t thought much of it then, but seeing “her” now, he actually felt the other was beautiful beyond description.

This person seemed to have features carved from ice and snow, and clothes made of clouds. The room was as warm as spring. The Crown Princess’s eyes were filled with a cool intent as he sat lazily on the couch. A snowy white fur blanket covered his lower body, and his upper body wore a snowy white, narrow-sleeved short jacket with a front opening. Threads of pale purple were interwoven into cloud patterns—patterns so subtle one had to look closely to see them.

Noble and dignified. Although born with excessive beauty and dressed exquisitely, there wasn’t a hint of feminine allure; instead, he reminded one of the snow that fell last night.

“Serve tea,” Ning Huan said faintly.

Die Qing rarely received outside guests; it was only after Ning Huan’s reminder that she remembered and hurried to pour tea for Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi asked, “Is the Crown Princess feeling unwell?”

“It is the Crown Prince,” Ning Huan said. “He has old injuries, as the Imperial Academy of Medicine should know. The Crown Prince has been bedridden for months, and his health has shown no improvement.”

Zhao Yi was well aware of this. But the Crown Prince was superior and they were subordinates; if the Prince was unwilling to see a doctor or take medicine, they had no recourse. Zhao Yi had heard that the Third Miss of Dingyuan Marquis had a conflict with the Crown Prince before the wedding. Now that Ning Huan was inviting him, he suspected “she” was using the medical visit to mend her relationship with the Prince.

Zhao Yi pondered for a moment. “The Crown Prince avoids doctors. If you have not obtained his permission and rashly have me treat him, I fear—”

Ning Huan said to A-Xi, “Go and invite the Crown Prince.”

“Yes.”

Zhao Yi took a sip of the tea. It had a rich, milky flavor and was warm to the throat; drinking a bowl in the dead of winter was exceptionally comfortable. This was Ning Huan’s specialty, “Milk-Fried Tea,” which was rarely seen here in the capital.

Ning Huan spoke indifferently: “To treat the Crown Prince, I have consulted many records these past few days and found some secret prescriptions. Later, I will tell you which acupuncture points to strike; you simply follow my instructions.”

Zhao Yi was internally restless. There’s such a thing? He had practiced medicine for decades, and the Crown Princess, after just a bit of reading, dared to direct him? Before he could argue, a person walked through the door.

The newcomer was draped in fox fur, his frame tall and upright yet carrying a slight air of illness, and his features filled with a trace of irritability. A child born of such a world-class beauty like the Empress was bound to be exceptionally handsome, but Mu Jinyu’s violent aura was so heavy that it actually made one overlook his good looks.

Mu Jinyu saw the milky tea Zhao Yi was drinking, and it looked quite tasty. He sat down directly and waited for Die Qing to serve tea.

Ning Huan said, “A-Xi, close the door. Crown Prince, please take off your clothes now; Imperial Physician Zhao will perform acupuncture on you.”

“Acupuncture on me?”

Mu Jinyu had never been pricked by a needle in his life. He swept a cold gaze toward Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi’s expression wasn’t great either; his eyes were downcast, not daring to look at him directly. Mu Jinyu immediately questioned coldly: “Zhao Yi, you want to perform acupuncture on me?”

The Crown Prince’s aura was very powerful. When he stared coldly at someone, it exerted immense pressure. Cold sweat broke out on Zhao Yi’s forehead. “This subordinate… I…”

Mu Jinyu let out a cold snort. “I feel that taking a few doses of medicine will be enough.”

What could Zhao Yi say? He knew Mu Jinyu was of this temperament—mad and difficult. No one cared about him anyway; there were plenty of people hoping he would die of illness soon. The Emperor had now realized he’d rather the Crown Prince just die, so naturally, he wouldn’t force him to seek medical attention. The Empress was off in her own world and didn’t know what she was thinking; besides, her gentle nature might not be able to control the Prince.

Mu Jinyu’s currently weak body was entirely the result of his own self-neglect.

Ning Huan said, “Is the Crown Prince actually afraid of these needles? You clearly said yesterday that you weren’t afraid.”

Mu Jinyu naturally wasn’t afraid; he just didn’t like being pricked. After a moment of hesitation, he said, “I have never feared anything.”

When Zhao Yi took the silver needles from the pouch and Mu Jinyu saw the long needles glinting with a cold light, he still felt a bit nervous; he even felt a bit dizzy. Since it was his first time, he didn’t know if it would hurt.

He shed his upper garments, revealing the hideous scar. After soaking in the medicinal bath last night, the scar was showing signs of festering today.

Zhao Yi glanced at Ning Huan. Ning Huan spoke calmly: “Take the points Kongzui, Yuji, Dingchuan, and Feishu.”

Zhao Yi hesitated for a moment but followed Ning Huan’s instructions. Mu Jinyu’s face darkened, but it wasn’t as painful as he imagined. He wanted to look at Ning Huan to see his current expression. However, with his back to Ning Huan, he couldn’t see his face at all and could only hear his cool voice.

Once the needles were removed, Mu Jinyu put his clothes back on without changing his expression, arching an eyebrow at Zhao Yi. No matter what Mu Jinyu’s expression was, Zhao Yi found him terrifying. All Imperial Physician Zhao wanted now was to take his medical bag and leave as soon as possible.

However, his tea hadn’t been finished. Zhao Yi sat back down and finished it. After receiving a lavish reward from the Crown Princess, he left in satisfaction.

Mu Jinyu said, “It didn’t hurt at all.”

Ning Huan found it amusing. “Did the Crown Prince think it would be very painful?”

Mu Jinyu noticed the tea in Ning Huan’s bowl was the same color as Zhao Yi’s. He said to Die Qing, “Where is my tea?”

Die Qing hurried to pour a bowl. The Milk-Fried Tea had just run out, so she gave Mu Jinyu Longjing. Mu Jinyu took the one Ning Huan had been drinking instead. “I want this.”

He took a sip. It was actually quite delicious.

That night, Ning Huan originally thought Mu Jinyu would stop coughing, but he still coughed incessantly in the middle of the night. Ning Huan grabbed Mu Jinyu’s wrist, suppressing the urge to kick him off the bed.

Mu Jinyu felt something blocking his chest. Ning Huan patted his back. He had previously worried Mu Jinyu would spit blood on the bed again, so he had prepared a spittoon by the bedside. He handed it to him now, and Mu Jinyu lowered his head and coughed up a mouthful of stagnant blood.

Ning Huan poured him a cup of warm tea to rinse his mouth, then slept on the inner side of the bed. “Crown Prince, if you cough again during the latter half of the night, I will seal your mouth.”

After coughing up the blood, Mu Jinyu felt instantly refreshed and much better. But hearing Ning Huan’s words, he froze.

How did Ning Huan want to seal his mouth? By kissing him?

Mu Jinyu was startled by this thought. Due to the fluctuation in his emotions, he couldn’t help but start coughing again.