After Transmigrating as the White Lotus Crown Princess - Chapter 15

Two hours later, Ning Huan was soaking in the bathtub, his mind drifting away once again. He began to miss the heating villas he visited every winter; back then, he could spend the entire day leisurely soaking in hot springs.

Suddenly, a voice sounded in his mind, filled with disbelief: “You’ve almost cured the male lead’s injuries?”

Ning Huan: “Mmh?”

“The male lead, Mu Jinyu,” the System said. “I haven’t been back for a few days—how did he gain two pounds?”

Originally, Mu Jinyu was as thin as a skeleton, his whole being haggard and worn. Now, he actually had a bit of vigor and no longer looked like a madman who might kill someone at any moment.

Ning Huan closed his eyes.

The System said: “On his path to becoming Emperor, he is supposed to endure countless tortures and pains. Now that his illness is being cured and he has no hatred for you, how will he have the motivation to rebel and become Emperor later? A ‘sweet, naive’ person cannot become Emperor!”

Ning Huan pondered for a moment: “So the ultimate goal is to make him Emperor? No matter the method, as long as he becomes Emperor, it’s fine?”

“That’s right. He is the protagonist of this entire world. Once he becomes Emperor, my mission ends.”

“And what about me? Can I go back after he ascends the throne?”

The System once again lost its voice.

Ning Huan emerged from the bathtub and draped a set of clothes over himself. His dark hair was rubbed until it was semi-dry, no longer dripping water.

Die Qing had also noticed that recently, the “Miss” seemed to favor white, cyan, and green dresses; she used to love pink, goose yellow, and pale purple, but hadn’t worn them lately. She brought over a bowl of bird’s nest soup. Ning Huan’s body was also somewhat weak, so he used nourishing food daily to maintain his health—a habit of many years.

Die Qing said: “The bird’s nest we brought is almost gone. Tomorrow I’ll have someone look outside to see if any is for sale.”

Mu Jinyu walked in at that moment: “What?”

Die Qing became nervous and fearful whenever she saw the Crown Prince. Although he was very handsome, his tall frame and cold expression exerted a deep sense of pressure. She repeated her words in a small voice.

Mu Jinyu said: “It’s hard for you to buy good bird’s nest outside. The best quality is all sent as tribute to the palace. Do you like it?”

Ning Huan propped his chin on one hand, looking at Mu Jinyu with a half-smile.

Mu Jinyu leaned in: “Feed me a bite. There are dozens of boxes of the best quality in the storehouse; I’ll give them all to you.”

Ning Huan raised the small green-glazed bowl decorated with gold. The matching spoon held a bit of translucent bird’s nest, and Mu Jinyu lowered his head to take a taste. It was watery and tasteless—the flavor was too bland, as no chicken broth or milk had been added. Bird’s nest was the saliva of swiftlets; Mu Jinyu didn’t particularly like it, and he found it strange that Ning Huan enjoyed it.

Ning Huan continued eating his bird’s nest while Mu Jinyu sat beside him, watching. Actually, he had come over for a reason, but after seeing Ning Huan, Mu Jinyu forgot why he had come.

Ning Huan’s movements were elegant and his eating manner was refined. His long hair was loosely bound with a pea-green ribbon, and he wore a pea-green shirt. His skin was already white, and the pea-green color was fresh and elegant, making him look as white as fresh snow, as if he were carved from ice.

Mu Jinyu said: “Is it because you eat this every day that you’ve grown so white?”

Ning Huan paused, narrowing his eyes to wonder if Mu Jinyu was flirting with him. Looking closely in the dim yellow lamplight, Mu Jinyu’s features were indeed excellent: a pair of narrow phoenix eyes slightly upturned, a nose bridge as straight as a mountain peak, and thin lips slightly pursed. He looked as if he were asking a serious question, not as if he had lecherous intentions.

“No.”

Mu Jinyu tapped the table: “The bird’s nest is getting cold.”

Ning Huan could eat no more. After Die Qing cleared the dishes, he said: “The Crown Prince came over because of the injuries on your body?”

Mu Jinyu finally remembered the reason: “The wound has festered. What medicine should be applied?”

It was festering even more severely than yesterday, with blood even seeping out. The pain reached his heart.

Ning Huan said: “If the Crown Prince trusts me, I will apply medicine after giving you acupuncture today.”

Mu Jinyu arched an eyebrow in surprise: “You know acupuncture?”

“It’s my first time.” Ning Huan indeed had no prior experience; he had only frequently watched imperial physicians perform it and tried it on straw figures. “I shouldn’t kill you. Rest assured, I am naturally gifted.”

Mu Jinyu nearly coughed up blood. Ning Huan truly had the nerve to say that.

The festering wound was exceptionally hideous and emitted an unpleasant fishy smell. Even Mu Jinyu found it repulsive; for some reason, he was unwilling to let Ning Huan see it.

“Then forget it, I don’t feel at ease,” Mu Jinyu said. “Give me the medicine.”

Ning Huan asked: “The wound needs cleaning. Do you know how?”

“I’ll wash it with water.”

Ning Huan took the medicine from a box and gave it to him: “Use a medicinal decoction to wipe it. Wipe it clean before applying the medicine.”

Holding the warm medicine bottle, Mu Jinyu suddenly changed his mind. Ning Huan was his Crown Princess; even if “she” saw it and felt repulsed, “she” was still his wife. Tonight, the two of them still had to sleep together. If Ning Huan really dared to show disgust—

A trace of darkness flashed in Mu Jinyu’s eyes. He pushed the bottle back: “Forget it. You do it; I don’t know how.”

Ning Huan wore a pair of soft-soled shoes. When he stood up, a faint fragrance drifted. The “Soothe the Nerves” incense burning in the room was warm, but the scent of sandalwood and lotus on his body was cold. Mu Jinyu sniffed the cold fragrance in the air and heard Ning Huan tell the maid to boil the medicinal decoction.

Ning Huan took out the needles. This set was brand new, bought with the herbs and never used. He boiled them in a small pot on the stove, and after wiping them clean, Mu Jinyu had already removed his upper garments.

His back muscles were lean and fluid. Ning Huan’s acupuncture technique was not practiced, and Mu Jinyu felt pain but didn’t make a sound. After the needles were applied, Mu Jinyu broke into a slight sweat.

Die Qing brought over a basin of medicinal liquid, with a snowy white handkerchief on the tray. Ning Huan nodded for her to withdraw. He dipped the handkerchief into the pitch-black liquid and used the moist cloth to wipe Mu Jinyu’s chest.

The wound was raw, and the wiping caused a stinging pain that seemed to pull at his heart, making it hard to endure. As the pus and blood were wiped clean, Mu Jinyu looked at Ning Huan thoughtfully.

Ning Huan had a face like a pale pear blossom, yet he was neither coquettish nor charming. The length of his eyelashes was astounding. His long hair was gathered behind his back, and his earlobes were small, round points.

Ning Huan said: “If it hurts, cry out.”

Mu Jinyu didn’t say a word. A year or two ago, he was very formidable, with a strong body and high martial arts skills, able to kill a black bear with his bare hands. Now he was much weaker, no longer possessing his former glory.

The moist handkerchief wiped across the well-defined abdominal muscles, taking away the pus from the wound. Ning Huan’s pinky finger inadvertently brushed against his body, and Mu Jinyu suddenly stiffened.

The wound was handled cleanly. Ning Huan sprinkled the secret-recipe golden sore medicine on the injured area, his voice slightly cool: “It will hurt for tonight, but tomorrow it won’t.”

Mu Jinyu suddenly grabbed his wrist. His fingertips were somewhat rough; although he was the Crown Prince, Mu Jinyu didn’t live in luxury and had thin calluses from writing and archery. The calluses rubbed against Ning Huan’s thin, delicate wrist. Mu Jinyu felt the fineness of the skin there, and his whole being felt a tingling sensation as pleasure spread from his heart throughout his body.

Ning Huan frowned: “You’re in pain?”

Mu Jinyu gave an “Mmh,” his voice slightly raspy: “A little.”

He held Ning Huan’s wrist and refused to let go. Ning Huan struggled slightly: “Almost finished, bear with it.”

Mu Jinyu was much taller and larger than Ning Huan; although he was skin and bones, he could still suppress Ning Huan’s thin frame. Ning Huan couldn’t exert any strength, and his wrist was held by Mu Jinyu for a few moments before being released.

After finishing the application, Ning Huan used a hot handkerchief to wipe his fingers, cleaning them one by one until no dirt remained on his jade-like fingers: “Your Highness, put on your clothes.”

Mu Jinyu dressed himself. He said: “I won’t be sleeping here tonight. I have some official business to go back and handle.”

Ning Huan nodded: “Fine.”

After Mu Jinyu left, Ning Huan flipped through a few pages of a book under the lamp and went to sleep early.

Mu Jinyu had a doubt. Just now, he noticed that Ning Huan didn’t have ear piercings on his earlobes. But the first time he met Ning Huan, “she” was clearly wearing a pair of massive Eastern Pearls on her ears. At that time, Ning Huan had even boastfully flaunted them, saying the earrings were a gift from Prince Rui.

He was certain that the current Ning Huan was not the Ning Huan of the past.

Several secret guards knelt before Mu Jinyu; these were people he had trained in previous years. As the Crown Prince, if he were truly a useless waste, he wouldn’t have survived until today even with the Empress’s clan protecting him.

Mu Jinyu rubbed a thumb ring on his hand, his face gloomy and his eyes filled with thick murderous intent. He was naturally violent and didn’t trust anyone—he didn’t even trust himself, because he might go mad and kill himself at any time. Although Ning Huan gave him a good impression now, he still had suspicions.

“Investigate if he is the Emperor’s person,” Mu Jinyu spoke coldly. “Also, investigate if he is a man or a woman.”

“Yes!”

If Ning Huan really was a spy sent by the Emperor, he would definitely…

Mu Jinyu closed his eyes, and the scenes of lingering passion in his dreams resurfaced. The violent aura around him grew heavier, and the bloodshot veins in his eyes became more dense. He wanted to “eat” Ning Huan.

A-Xi approached cautiously, offering a cup of tea: “Your Highness, it is late. You have the morning court session tomorrow; please go to sleep now.”

Mu Jinyu took a sip and his face instantly darkened. He crushed the teacup in his hand: “Disgusting.”

A-Xi was so scared by this mad patient that he quickly knelt: “Should… should Your Highness go to the Crown Princess to ask for a cup of tea?”

Mu Jinyu’s hand was again injured by the shards, blood flowing down his fingers. A-Xi felt the Crown Prince was surrounded by a thick black mist.

Ning Huan was finally able to sleep alone tonight and lay in the center of the bed. He was cultivating sleepiness and was about to fall into a deep slumber when he heard the door click. Then the bed curtains were pulled open, and half a person’s body leaned in.

Ning Huan opened his eyes: “?!”

Mu Jinyu held his hand out to him: “It’s bleeding.”

Ning Huan gnashed his teeth and said with a fake smile: “Your hand is bleeding and you didn’t go to bandage it—does Your Highness want me to lick it clean for you?”

Mu Jinyu’s earlobes turned red. If Ning Huan really wanted to do that, he wouldn’t be able to refuse directly.

“You can handle it however you want.” Mu Jinyu held his hand almost to Ning Huan’s chin, his face tense as he said, “I’m in too much pain to sleep.”

Ning Huan picked the porcelain shards out of his hand. The warm pavilion was a bit cold at night. After applying medicine and bandaging him, Ning Huan immediately crawled back into the blankets: “You’ve been injured twice now. Tomorrow, Crown Prince, replace all the teacups you use with wooden ones.”

Ning Huan didn’t believe Mu Jinyu could crush a wooden teacup; even if he did, it wouldn’t pierce his flesh and force Ning Huan to deal with it.

Mu Jinyu also got into bed moodily. There was only one blanket spread out on the bed now, so he naturally crawled into Ning Huan’s. Seeing him rush in to steal the blanket, Ning Huan had no choice but to give it to him, shaking out another one from the pile to cover himself.