The name has been updated from ‘Wen Renlin’ to ‘Wenren Lin.’ Apologies for the error.

Chapter 60: Anomaly

“Close your eyes.”

Wenren Lin leaned down to instruct Zhao Yan, his breath carrying a biting chill. “This prince’s current appearance is rather unsightly. I need to clean up first.”

The icy exhale felt sharp, as if it pierced through the delicate skin on Zhao Yan’s neck and burrowed deep into her flesh.

Even without looking, she could imagine the excruciating pain Wenren Lin was enduring. Suppressing a shiver, she obediently closed her eyes.

Wenren Lin chuckled softly and praised, “Good girl.” He raised his clean hand to gently stroke the back of Zhao Yan’s head. “This prince needs some time. If you’re tired, go rest on the couch for a while.”

Zhao Yan nodded and replied, “Alright.”

The large hand resting on the back of her head had firm, well-defined knuckles. It gave a satisfied rub, carrying a hint of tenderness amidst the overwhelming, icy malevolence.

As the hand withdrew, heavy footsteps slowly turned a corner, paused, and then ascended the wax-polished wooden stairs to the upper floor.

Only when the sounds completely faded did Zhao Yan cautiously open her eyes.

Her vision was blurry at first, but it gradually cleared. She noticed the small red-lacquered wooden box on the table had been opened, and the space where the medicinal pill had been was now empty.

Wenren Lin had taken the pill, and Zhao Yan felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

She needed time to process everything that had just happened. Lifting the soft, gauzy curtain, she sat dazedly on the couch in the inner chamber—the very couch where she and Wenren Lin had first entangled.

Zhang Cang, accompanied by two silent young eunuchs, hurriedly carried large buckets of hot water upstairs and then back down. Perhaps due to the urgency, they didn’t notice Zhao Yan sitting quietly behind the curtain in the inner chamber.

Resting her chin on her hand, Zhao Yan gradually pieced together some of the finer details. For instance, why Wenren Lin had been so confident in entrusting his secret to her judgment.

It was like the first archery lesson they had together after meeting at the end of last year, when Wenren Lin deliberately placed the only sharpened arrow in her hands…

He was exceptionally skilled at baiting and gambling to gauge Zhao Yan’s subtle feelings toward him.

That was why, even in the midst of a situation where he should have been vulnerable and disheveled—coughing up blood—he could still smile with such composure and strength. In both chess and psychological games, Wenren Lin stood firm as a mountain, never losing.

Yet Zhao Yan knew deeply that her ability to sit here safely, pondering these trivial matters, was in itself a significant victory.

Wenren Lin had chosen to gently pushing her to make a choice, without ever laying a finger on her.

Perhaps between them, it was no longer clear who had won or lost.

If it had been last year, Zhao Yan wouldn’t have dared to imagine a day when she and Wenren Lin would expose their vulnerabilities to each other, quietly embracing in mutual dependence.

Surprisingly, she didn’t find this feeling repulsive.

Zhao Yan wasn’t sure how long she had been sitting in the inner chamber. She only knew that Zhang Cang and the others had gone upstairs to change the hot water four times. The light from the window slanted, and the sunlight shifted from a pale white-gold to a brilliant crimson-gold.

The room gradually darkened, and the commotion upstairs ceased.

After a long while without hearing any new sounds, Zhao Yan began to feel uneasy. She hesitated, wondering if she should go upstairs to check.

Just as she stood up, the sound of unhurried footsteps came from the wooden staircase.

Wenren Lin, loosely dressed in a snow-white robe and still damp from his bath, lifted the curtain and entered. He first lit the lamp with a fire starter, then turned and took Zhao Yan’s hand, leading her to sit on the couch.

Only then did Zhao Yan snap out of her daze. She had been sitting there foolishly for most of the afternoon, even forgetting to light the lamp.

The warm glow of the lamp gradually filled the room. Wenren Lin’s complexion was still pale, his lips a cold, vivid red, but the calmness in his eyes had returned, no longer carrying that terrifying dark crimson.

The young eunuchs carried away the cooled water from upstairs and soon returned with a few light dishes of porridge and side dishes. They placed them on the small round table beside the couch, then exited the room with downcast eyes, closing the door behind them.

“Have you been sitting here foolishly all afternoon?”

Wenren Lin scooped a bowl of fragrant mushroom and chicken soup with a small spoon and brought it to Zhao Yan’s lips. His voice was low and languid.

“Mmm… I can do it myself.”

Zhao Yan took the bowl of chicken soup and sipped it slowly. She hadn’t had much to eat at the banquet earlier, and after running around all afternoon, she was indeed hungry.

After a moment, she set the empty bowl aside and turned to observe Wenren Lin’s expression. “Are you still feeling unwell?”

Wenren Lin took a sip of the porridge with one hand, then frowned and set the bowl down.

“Perhaps if Your Highness were to kiss me, I wouldn’t feel so bad… Who knows?”

His eyes sparkled with amusement as he repeated his usual teasing, this time even more boldly.

Zhao Yan averted her gaze, her fingers fiddling with the fabric of her skirt, her lips pressed together.

After a moment of internal struggle, she finally turned slightly and loosely wrapped her arms around Wenren Lin’s waist, resting her forehead against his chest.

The fabric of his robe was thin, and she could feel the firm, well-defined muscles beneath, as well as the faint coolness of his body that even the hot water hadn’t been able to warm.

…Well, this was fine too.

Wenren Lin’s eyes flickered with surprise at her uncharacteristic softness today.

He casually removed the eunuch’s cap from Zhao Yan’s head, then leaned down slightly, resting his chin on the top of her head, his hand gently stroking her hair.

In the quiet, Zhao Yan couldn’t help but ask, “If I had chosen to exploit and blackmail you into serving me, what would you have done?”

Wenren Lin chuckled softly at the word “blackmail.”

The term held no real meaning for him; there was no hypothetical scenario where he would allow himself to be controlled. If he had been willing to submit to others, he wouldn’t have climbed over mountains of corpses to reach where he was today.

“Kill Your Highness…”

Zhao Yan stiffened, but then she heard the deep voice continue from above her head, “…Of course, I couldn’t bear to do that. In that case, I would have no choice but to strip Your Highness of the disguise of the Crown Prince and keep you by my side under a more obedient identity.”

“Can’t you just say everything in one go?”

Zhao Yan relaxed her body again and, after a moment of silence, asked, “Did my choice satisfy you?”

“Your Highness has always been clever.”

Wenren Lin twirled a loose strand of hair at the nape of her neck, neither confirming nor denying.

Seizing the opportunity while he was in a relatively good mood, Zhao Yan weighed her words carefully and asked, “Your health… is it due to poison?”

Wenren Lin lowered his eyelids and leisurely replied, “Yes.”

“What happened?”

“Grand General personally administered it.”

“What?”

Zhao Yan lifted her head from his embrace, her eyes filled with surprise.

“Grand General Wen Ren, my biological father,” Wenren Lin repeated calmly, his gaze steady on her.

Zhao Yan stared at his composed face, unable to comprehend the answer.

She had assumed that the poison in Wenren Lin’s body was the result of a scheme by some enemy or rival… How could it have been administered by his own flesh and blood? It defied all reason.

Zhao Yan faintly sensed that she was about to touch upon something deeply significant.

“Grand General… doesn’t like you either?”

But even a vicious tiger wouldn’t harm its own cub. No matter how much her mother disliked her or how angry she became, she had only sent Zhao Yan to Huayang as punishment.

“He is strict, but he loves his children dearly,” Wenren Lin softly denied, then added, “Every single one of them.”

“Then why would he…”

“Shh, Your Highness has asked too many questions today.”

Wenren Lin moved his thumb upward, gently pressing it against Zhao Yan’s lips. “What I’m curious about is how Your Highness, whose heart has always been as hard as a stone and utterly devoid of sentiment, suddenly seems to have gained some understanding?”

Zhao Yan was stumped by the question.

This was something she had been repeatedly asking herself ever since she had uncontrollably embraced Wenren Lin as he coughed up blood and mocked himself.

After frowning and pondering for a long while, she finally answered in a small, honest voice, “I don’t know.”

She just felt that perhaps holding him would really make Wenren Lin feel better.

When she was young and felt upset or wronged, she had always wished for someone to hold and comfort her.

Wenren Lin was clearly dissatisfied with her terse answer. His beautiful eyes, framed by thick lashes, narrowed slightly as he nodded. “It’s not Your Highness’s fault. This prince hasn’t taught you clearly enough.”

With that, he leaned forward, bracing himself on the edge of the couch. Zhao Yan was pushed backward by the weight of his upper body, and she hastily grabbed onto his lapel.

Just before her head could hit the couch, a large hand firmly cradled the back of her head, and then a shadow loomed over her.

“Perhaps if I add another red pearl, Your Highness will understand better?”

Wenren Lin gazed at Zhao Yan’s instantly flushed cheeks, a hint of a tender smile curling at the corners of his lips.

He seemed to be affected by the poison, no longer bothering to maintain the facade of gentleness and refinement. His emotions were laid bare, like a demon tempting souls in the dark of night.

Fearing that he might be provoked into coughing up blood again, Zhao Yan opened her mouth and bit down on the finger he had pressed against her lips. “No, I don’t want to.”

Wenren Lin indulged her as she gnawed on his finger, his expression unchanging. “We can do something else instead.”

Zhao Yan simply raised her hand and covered his mouth.

The two of them stared at each other, one above the other, as Zhao Yan panted and said, “I remember you once told me that teaching me those… subtle things wasn’t to tease me, but to help me make clear-headed choices I wouldn’t regret. Now that you’re ill, you’re not in a clear state of mind either.”

She spoke earnestly, “You need rest, Wenren Lin.”

It was the first time she had called him by his full name, and Wenren Lin felt a surge of novelty.

He didn’t push further, only nipped lightly at Zhao Yan’s delicate palm before pulling her hand away from his mouth and lying down beside her.

Both of them were tired, and Zhao Yan curled up slightly as she lay on her side.

Wenren Lin, seemingly unaccustomed to having someone sleep beside him, kept his dark eyes half-open, his hand resting loosely on her slender waist. Zhao Yan, too preoccupied to pay him any mind, closed her eyes and drifted off.

The last rays of the setting sun gradually faded, and time slipped by.

Zhao Yan was awakened by a knock at the door.

Her eyes snapped open, and Wenren Lin was no longer by her side. Zhang Cang’s deliberately hushed voice came from outside the door: “Your Highness, the Tai Chi Palace has sent someone to summon you twice. They’re waiting for you to handle the matter…

Also, the Changle Princess has learned of the Crown Prince’s assassination attempt and insists on rushing to the Eastern Palace to visit. We’re struggling to keep up the pretense.”

Zhao Yan glanced at the hazy night outside the window and quickly sat up. “Please ask Liu Ying to delay for another half-hour, Zhang. I’ll return immediately.”

As she spoke, Zhao Yan grabbed the eunuch’s cap from beside the bed and put it on, hurriedly slipping into her shoes and getting up.

Wenren Lin was already fully dressed, his face pale but showing no signs of the earlier poisoning. He walked over, adjusted Zhao Yan’s hat, and then flipped out the collar of her robe that had been tucked in, smoothing it down inch by inch.

He pinched Zhao Yan’s cheek and said cryptically, “For now, stay out of court affairs.”

Zhao Yan was momentarily stunned but quickly understood that something must have happened in the palace. She nodded, “Understood.”

Only then did Wenren Lin curl his lips into a slight smile and let her go.

With the escort of the Su Palace’s carriage, the journey was smooth and unobstructed. Taking a shortcut through the north gate, they arrived directly at the Eastern Palace in just a quarter of an hour.

Zhao Yan finally understood why Wenren Lin always managed to visit so promptly and unexpectedly whenever he came to check on her studies at night.

As Zhao Yan made her way back to her bedchamber in the dark, she heard the sound of an argument between Huo Zhenzhen and someone else in the courtyard.

“This is infuriating! Even your temper is just like that fox Liu’s. Why do all the people I dislike have the same face?”

“I was wondering the same thing. Why does the princess single me out? Could it be that you’re so fixated on me that you think everyone else resembles me?”

It was Liu Baiwei’s voice.

“Shameless!”

Huo Zhenzhen’s voice followed, “Before, it was the fox spirit blocking my way, and now it’s you, a man, trying to monopolize my brother the Crown Prince? Please step aside.”

Seeing that the argument was about to escalate, Zhao Yan quickly changed out of her eunuch’s attire, grabbed an outer robe, and draped it over herself. She coughed lightly and opened the door to her bedchamber.

“What are you two arguing about?”

Both Huo Zhenzhen and Liu Baiwei turned to look at her, one overjoyed and the other relieved.

“Brother Crown Prince! Are you alright?”

Huo Zhenzhen lifted her skirt and ran over, followed by two rows of palace maids carrying trays.

“I’m fine. The assassin didn’t harm me. I was just tired and took a short nap.”

Zhao Yan lied without batting an eye, then glanced at the two rows of servants behind Huo Zhenzhen. “And this is…?”

“Oh, these? I heard about the assassination attempt on you, so I asked my parents to prepare some tonics to help calm your nerves.”

Huo Zhenzhen’s temper flared up quickly but also subsided just as fast. She waved for the maids to bring the items inside, then snorted at Liu Baiwei, “Unlike some people who come to visit the Crown Prince empty-handed. How rude.”

Zhao Yan pressed her fingers to her temple and spoke gently, “Thank you, Princess. However, my constitution is weak, and I cannot handle such strong tonics.”

“Ah, you can’t eat them?” Huo Zhenzhen’s eyes flickered. “No matter, they can be given to the attendants! They worked hard to protect you, Brother Crown Prince, and deserve a reward.”

Zhao Yan patiently agreed, then coughed lightly and said, “It’s getting late, and the palace gates will close soon. Princess, you should return to the Princess’s residence. Otherwise, your parents will worry.”

Huo Zhenzhen hesitated, looking at Zhao Yan.

The Crown Prince’s face was the same as always, but she felt that something was different, as if there was now a subtle, elusive distance between them.

Reluctantly, she said, “Then, Brother Crown Prince, rest well. I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

Liu Baiwei gave Zhao Yan a look that said, “This is giving me a headache,” then stepped forward and said, “I’ll escort the Princess.”

“No need!”

Realizing that might be impolite, the young girl slightly raised her delicate chin and added reluctantly, “Thank you!”

After watching Huo Zhenzhen leave, Zhao Yan immediately returned to her bedchamber and rummaged through the pile of discarded eunuch robes to retrieve half of a booklet.

Only now did she have the time to properly examine the contents of this half-booklet.

The booklet recorded the names of individuals who had exchanged elixirs with the Divine Light Master, along with detailed dates, types of elixirs, and dosages. Unfortunately, most of it had been burned, leaving it incomplete and without context.

Sitting under the gauzy lamplight, Zhao Yan flipped through the pages and managed to deduce some clues. For instance, many members of the royal family and nobility had sought various longevity elixirs from the Divine Light Master, including several high-ranking officials in the court.

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

On the last page, she even found the words, “Ningyang Marquis sought for his wife…” before the text was cut off, the rest of the content burned and impossible to verify.

“Uncle?”

Zhao Yan hadn’t expected that even her upright and honorable uncle would have dealings with the Divine Light Master.

However, considering human nature, it was understandable.

Her aunt, Rong Fuyue, suffered from heart failure, and despite consuming countless rare medicinal ingredients, her condition showed no improvement. Her uncle, who adored his wife, must have been desperate enough to try anything.

Zhao Yan set the booklet down and gazed at the flickering lamplight, her thoughts inevitably turning to Wenren Lin.

The antidote Wenren Lin took contained the venom gland of a candle snake as a key ingredient. Could this also be connected to the Divine Light Sect?

Now that the Divine Light Master was dead, what would become of his poison?

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