The Dandy's Duchess

Chapter 152: Bickering is a Form of Affection (6)

Prince Yun's face brightened. "Then, Qianyue, did you also take Young Prince Rong's Tianshan Snow Lotus Pill?"

Yun Qianyue was about to deny it but thought better of it. Considering all that Rongjing had gone through to exhaust his internal energy and cure her of the aphrodisiac poison and his own cold ailment, it was best not to reveal everything. She nodded. "Yes."

"Thank the heavens! It's a blessing that you're both unharmed!" Prince Yun looked at Yun Qianyue with great relief, joy evident in his gaze.

Yun Qianyue remained silent.

"But... are you feeling unwell in any way? Your brother knows medicine; he should check your pulse right away!" Prince Yun's joy faded as he recalled Yun Muhan's earlier mention about the aphrodisiac's potential lasting harm, which could prevent future pregnancies.

"No need." Yun Qianyue shook her head, though as soon as she said that, Yun Muhan had already placed his fingers on her wrist. She glanced at Yun Muhan but didn't resist. After all, her loss of martial skills would be something he would learn of sooner or later.

As soon as Yun Muhan touched her pulse, his expression changed slightly.

Prince Yun anxiously watched Yun Muhan, his face marked with worry. Noticing Yun Muhan's subtle shift in expression, his heart pounded harder. He waited a moment but could no longer hold back. "How... how is she?"

After a brief silence, Yun Muhan let go of Yun Qianyue's wrist, giving her a glance before answering Prince Yun. "She has lost all her martial skills. Aside from that, her body is extremely weak but otherwise fine."

"That's good, that's good. Losing martial skills is no big deal; she can always regain them through practice," Prince Yun said, finally relaxing. He turned and headed toward the door, saying, "I'll go express our gratitude to Young Prince Rong. If not for his assistance, I dread to imagine the consequences!"

Yun Qianyue watched Prince Yun leave without any intention to stop him. Yun Muhan also refrained from intervening.

Just as Prince Yun reached the doorway, Mo Li's voice came from outside, "Miss, the Crown Prince and Fourth Prince are here!"

"Tell them I need to rest and will not be seeing anyone," Yun Qianyue commanded coldly, her expression turning frosty.

"Qianyue, this... the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince came specifically to see you. Would it be inappropriate to refuse?" Prince Yun paused and looked back at Yun Qianyue. Seeing her indifferent expression, he sighed and said in a low voice, "For the past three days and nights, the Crown Prince has not slept. He's been tirelessly searching and working to rescue you and Young Prince Rong."

"Hmph. I doubt he's innocent in all this. His efforts to save me may have only been to cover up the truth." Yun Qianyue scoffed. She didn't believe for a moment that Ye Tianqing was uninvolved—especially with the so-called "chance encounter" by the prayer tree. Claiming he was praying for the Empress was something she found hard to believe, especially in the dead of night. She recalled the faint fragrance she had smelled from the tree. From the moment she descended, she had felt lethargic and unsettled. There was no way Ye Tianqing wasn't involved.

"What do you mean?" Prince Yun looked startled.

"When I went to the prayer tree that night, I ran into Ye Tianqing. Shortly after, the aphrodisiac's effects kicked in. Think about it. If Rongjing hadn't been there, I'd be facing a fate worse than death at Ye Tianqing's hands." Yun Qianyue's words were blunt. It was clear that what she meant was unspoken yet understood. Naturally, Ye Tianqing didn't have Tianshan Snow Lotus Pills to save himself; he had only himself. She sneered, "Don't you think it was too much of a coincidence that he was there? Didn't he have three days to pray for the Empress? Why go specifically at that time of night?"

Prince Yun's expression changed multiple times. He glanced outside, where he saw Ye Tianqing and Ye Tianyu being stopped by Mo Li. He lowered his voice and said to Yun Qianyue, "This will require a slow, thorough investigation. Be cautious about making accusations without evidence. After all, he's the Crown Prince."

"Yes," Yun Qianyue agreed.

Seeing that Yun Qianyue was indeed disinclined to meet them, Prince Yun nodded. "Since you don't wish to see them, then don't. You need rest. I'll head over to see Young Prince Rong. I won't be leaving the temple tonight and will check on you again later." With that, he stepped out of the room without waiting for her response.

"I'll also go see Young Prince Rong. You're surely exhausted; get some rest," Yun Muhan said, standing up.

"Alright," Yun Qianyue nodded.

Yun Muhan left the room.

As soon as Prince Yun and Yun Muhan stepped out, Ye Tianqing and Ye Tianyu immediately shifted their focus from Mo Li to them. Ye Tianqing urgently asked, "Uncle Yun, how is Sister Qianyue? Is she badly injured? I've already sent someone to the capital to bring back two female physicians from the Imperial Hospital to examine her."

Prince Yun was taken aback and glanced at Ye Tianqing. "Your Highness, there's no need to trouble the Imperial Hospital. Have you forgotten that Muhan is skilled in medicine? He just examined Qianyue himself. Besides her loss of martial arts, she's only slightly weakened physically. You need not worry."

Ye Tianqing's face stiffened momentarily. He glanced at Yun Muhan, quickly masking his emotions, and smiled. "I acted out of haste and momentarily forgot about Young Master Yun's medical expertise. I only thought that Master Lingyin, being a monk, might be suitable for attending to Young Prince Rong but perhaps not for Qianyue. So, I arranged for two female physicians from the Imperial Hospital. They're already on their way down the mountain."

"Then perhaps Your Highness could send a messenger to intercept them," Prince Yun suggested.

"No, it's fine. More help is always better. The female physicians from the Imperial Hospital specialize in treating women's health issues, and they can provide nourishment and care for Qianyue's weakened condition. Their presence won't hurt." Ye Tianqing insisted.

"Very well," Prince Yun nodded.

Yun Muhan cast a chilly glance at Ye Tianqing, his eyes cold beneath his calm expression. He was well aware of Ye Tianqing's intentions in calling for female physicians. Most likely, he wanted to ensure Qianyue's chastity, given that she and Young Prince Rong had been trapped together in the temple's underground chamber for three days and nights.

"Sister Qianyue never cared much for the arts or needlework but has always been passionate about martial arts. Losing her skills like this must be hard on her," Ye Tianqing sighed as he looked toward the central room. The evening shadows prevented him from seeing inside clearly, but his expression was one of deep sorrow.

"Yes, she has always loved martial arts," Prince Yun sighed. "Still, Qianyue's martial skills were never her strongest suit. She can always start training again. So long as her health remains intact, we can consider this a blessing."

"Uncle Yun, that's not entirely accurate. Sister Qianyue was quite skilled in martial arts, especially in lightness skills," Ye Tianyu, who had been silent until now, interjected. "Even I'm no match for her lightness skills. Losing her abilities this way will definitely upset her."