Why is the Dog Emperor Like That? - Chapter 9

Everything was a blur of sound and cold. The water in the palace felt as though it were freezing my very soul.

When I opened my eyes again, my entire body was burning with fever. My mind was heavy and muddled, as if I were trapped in a thick fog. The moment I regained consciousness, the room became noisy and chaotic. My ears were buzzing with static, and it took a long time for me to understand what the people around me were saying.

“Lord Ji is awake! Quick, go and fetch another basin of hot water!”

“Lord Ji, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

Several elderly imperial physicians were scurrying around me like a flock of frantic shadows. Watching them made me feel dizzy, and I closed my eyes, feeling as though I might faint again.

Suddenly, a cold and angry voice rang out nearby. “All of you, get out.”

The physicians were caught in a dilemma. “Little Highness, if we leave, who will look after Lord Ji?”

“I will look after him personally,” the Prince replied.

My lips moved soundlessly as I mouthed two words: “Save me.”

He was born to be a master. Did he even know how to serve someone? I wondered if it was too late to ask for those elderly physicians to come back.

I heard the fading footsteps of the physicians as they left. Palace maids hurriedly brought in several basins of water and left just as quickly. Beside the bed, I heard the messy sound of water dripping. I tried to comfort myself by thinking that it was just a towel on the forehead; surely he could not manage to strangle me with it.

Ten seconds passed. A cold towel was placed on my forehead. Instantly, a massive waterfall descended. It felt as if rivers and seas were churning on top of my head as the excess water from the towel streamed down my face. Was he trying to drown me a second time?

Yin Xiao seemed completely surprised by this turn of events and hurriedly reached out to grab the towel. As he lifted the soaking wet cloth, the water poured out even more freely, splashing all over my face. I let out a sharp laugh of sheer exasperation.

A few minutes later, Yin Xiao finally learned how to wring out a towel. He lightened his touch as much as possible, slowly wiping the water droplets from my face. At first, I mocked him with a few words, but I soon lost my strength. My face felt scalding hot as it rested against his hand.

When Yin Xiao finished wiping my face and tried to take the towel away, I grabbed his hand. I did not have the energy to speak, so I simply pointed at my body and gave him a weary look.

Yin Xiao gripped the towel tightly. His entire face turned red, making it look as though he were the one with the fever. He lowered his head and said, “I will go and call for someone.”

“No,” I whispered, holding onto him with what little strength I had left. I was so weak that I could barely move. “You do it.”

The people serving in Lanyue Palace were either maids or eunuchs. Since I was roughly the same age as them, I felt too embarrassed to let them help. Yin Xiao was several years younger than me and we were familiar with each other; he was the most suitable person for the task.

Yin Xiao’s hands seemed as heavy as lead as he reached out to unfasten my clothes. His movements were slow and stiff. I found it strange. It is normal for a prince to have never wrung a towel, but he must have taken off clothes before. How could a pair of hands as beautiful as white jade not know how to undo a simple garment?

When the cold towel finally touched my burning chest, I let out a long sigh of relief. I closed my eyes and felt Yin Xiao’s fingers moving across my skin. His movements were clumsy and unfamiliar. This was the first time the precious little prince had ever served someone. He was so busy shifting my hair back and forth across my chest that it was almost comical.

Once he finally mastered the correct way to use the towel, I began to feel that something was slightly off. His movements felt strange, so I opened my eyes again. Yin Xiao looked as though he were possessed. His eyes were dark and hidden, and he had a terrifyingly intense expression as he wiped my body. It was quite frightening. Fortunately, the feeling of comfort soon replaced the discomfort of the fever. My eyelids grew heavy, and I drifted into unconsciousness.

The medical conditions of ancient times could not compare to those of the modern era. It took an entire month for me to finally recover. The imperial physicians brought medicine every day, and the Imperial Kitchen prepared light, nourishing meals. My treatment was comparable to that of the young princesses next door.

Feeling guilty about only resting, I called Yin Xiao to my bedside so I could continue teaching him his lessons. Neither of us mentioned our previous argument; we simply moved past it. Occasionally, in the middle of a lecture, my throat would suddenly itch, and I would lean over, coughing. When I straightened up, I would see Yin Xiao watching me with a furrowed brow and a complicated expression. It seemed that he did have a heart after all, and he truly felt sorry for me. I privately thought this was a good sign. The more he felt for me now, the less likely he would be to cut off my head in the future.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Yin Xiao said, “Come in.”

Jin Lan entered and bowed. “Little Highness, he has been executed.”

I shivered and asked, “Who?”

“The person who pushed you into the water,” Yin Xiao replied, his eyes flashing with a cold light. “A eunuch. He was one of my eldest brother’s men.”