Chapter Seventy: The Prince’s Tenderness

Hearing these words, Dongfang Qing’s expression changed at once. He sensed that if he kept listening, he might stumble upon a great secret, the kind that, if leaked, would surely cost him his life.

“Your Highness, as long as you trust your humble servant, that is enough. Here is the key to the city tower. Since it has not yet been fully cleaned, Your Highness will have to stay at the posthouse for now. I still have matters to attend to, so please excuse me.”

Interrupting Shen Hezhi, Dongfang Qing hurriedly found an excuse to slip away.

Shen Hezhi found his behavior both amusing and exasperating.

“Your Highness, he is a clever man—perhaps a talent worth employing,” Shen Yi said, somewhat helpless.

“No matter how capable he is, he would never be willing to serve me. Someone as shrewd as he is knows all too well to avoid risks. He understands just how dangerous it is to be near me and hear such words,” Shen Hezhi replied with a smile and a shake of his head, before rising to return to the bedroom at the posthouse.

When Yan Heru saw Shen Hezhi return, she glanced at him coolly and asked, “Your Highness, are you feeling unwell today? If it is convenient, may I examine you now?”

Instead of answering, Shen Hezhi drew closer to her, suddenly wrapping his arms around her waist and whispering into her ear, “If my lady wishes, then any time is convenient. There’s no such thing as convenient or not.”

Flustered by Shen Hezhi’s sudden gesture, Yan Heru’s ears flushed red. She tried to push away the man holding her, but he would not budge.

At this moment, Shen Hezhi acted like a rogue, yet Yan Heru found herself unable to reject him.

“Your Highness, do you not think your current behavior is unseemly?” she asked through gritted teeth.

“Oh? Why would my lady think so? You are my lawful wife—what is there to be embarrassed about? Unless… do you think I am not worthy of you?” Shen Hezhi suddenly feigned sadness.

“No! Just… let me check your health first.” Unable to face his attitude directly, Yan Heru hastily changed the subject.

Shen Hezhi had no intention of letting her go so easily, but just then, his body abruptly changed—his face turned ashen, his limbs grew stiff, and frost began to form on his eyebrows and lashes. The transformation was so swift, it occurred before Shen Hezhi could even react—and then he fainted.

He remained in the posture of holding Yan Heru, and thanks to not having released her, he did not collapse to the floor.

Yan Heru immediately realized the change in the person in her arms and quickly helped him onto the bed.

Only then did she notice that the man before her had become a small figure of ice.

“How could the cold poison flare up so suddenly and so severely this time? Has his body changed again?” she wondered aloud as she unbuttoned his clothes to begin her examination.

Anyone who knew her would understand she was checking his condition, but to an outsider, it might seem like something indecent was happening in broad daylight.

As fate would have it, someone outside the door was watching and, unable to see inside, could only see the silhouettes of two people. Thus, the pair were misunderstood.

Yan Heru was unaware that someone outside was keeping watch, and even if she knew, she would not have cared. After all, there was nothing to be ashamed of—they were a legitimate couple.

Upon unbuttoning Shen Hezhi’s clothing, Yan Heru discovered many scars on his chest and back. Some were recent, others much older—by her estimation, at least ten years old.

Ten years… Ten years ago, he would have been just a child. How could a child have suffered such grievous wounds?

Judging by the wounds, some had nearly been fatal. How tenacious his life must be, to have survived with such primitive medical care.

Yan Heru marveled at his resilience and grew ever more curious about his past.

She quickly took out the herbs she had prepared and applied them to Shen Hezhi’s heart.

These herbs were meant to prevent the cold poison from reaching his heart. By normal logic, it should not have much effect, but Yan Heru had found that many things in this world defied her expectations.

Medicine here possessed a sort of magic. After reading those two books, she realized how much there was yet to explore.

She then took another packet of medicine, dissolved it in hot water, and tried to feed it to Shen Hezhi.

But as she brought the bowl to his lips, she realized he was too ill to drink on his own.

After a moment’s hesitation, Yan Heru drank the medicine herself and then transferred it to Shen Hezhi.

Oh, Shen Hezhi! I must owe you from a past life—otherwise, why would I have come to repay you like this in this one?

Yan Heru closed her eyes, then opened them again, struggling with herself for a moment before proceeding to give him the medicine. Soon, the bowl was empty.

As she fed him the last mouthful, Shen Hezhi awoke.

Yan Heru wanted to push him away, but now that he was conscious, how could he let her escape so easily?

Such a beauty taking the initiative—how rare! Especially when it was the beloved wife he cherished above all.

“Mmm…” Yan Heru struggled desperately, trying to break free from his arms, but Shen Hezhi only held her tighter.

At length, when he felt the woman in his arms had lost all strength to resist, Shen Hezhi reluctantly released her.

“My lady,” he said, gazing down at her flushed face as she lay in his embrace.

Yan Heru was so dizzy from his kisses she could no longer tell up from down.

Seeing her like this, Shen Hezhi swallowed hard, hurriedly let her go, and stood up.

He feared he might not be able to restrain himself and do something to hurt her.

Until she gave her consent, Shen Hezhi would never do anything she might reject.

After he left, Yan Heru gradually regained her senses. Remembering what had just happened, her face reddened even further.

“Are you… are you feeling better now?” she stammered.

Shen Hezhi smiled and was just about to answer when a sudden knock came at the door.