I put my arm around the strong man's slender waist

Chapter 66

I let go of Shen Qing's hand and looked at him. His face was full of worry, and he seemed hesitant to speak, which made my heart tighten for no reason. I asked in a hoarse voice, "What happened?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, and after a long pause, he changed the subject, saying, "You slept for more than two days..."

"I asked you what happened?" My heart was pounding. The more evasive he was, the more uneasy I became.

He stared at me for a long time before whispering, "Yan Shu is dead."

Author's Note: 4,000 words! It's a little late, but it's still 4,000 words a day! I'm satisfied~

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Want to guess the High Priest's fate? Bet on life? Or bet on death? Place your bets and leave!

78

My head felt heavy and throbbing. It took me a while to process what was happening, and then it started to ache. I shook my head and answered, "Where are Ruan Bicheng and Miaoshou? Where are they now?"

Shen Qing was stunned and looked at me in surprise. "Aren't you surprised? Yan Shu is dead. His body is placed outside the palace. I went to see it myself. He really is dead!"

My head was throbbing with a splitting headache, buzzing and completely unbearable. I snapped, "Shut up! I'm asking where Ruan Bicheng is!"

He was slightly taken aback by the drink, and pursed his lips in dissatisfaction, saying, "He went to the Prince of Licheng, probably to discuss the prince's illness..." Seeing me get up, he frowned and asked, "Where are you going?"

I thought for a moment, then turned back to him and said, "Take me to the King of Licheng. My current identity is that of Miaoshou's maid, and I can't enter the main hall."

"What are you going there for?" Shen Qing asked, increasingly puzzled, looking at me suspiciously. "What are you guys doing? Shouldn't you be looking at Yan Shu's body?" She leaned closer and whispered, "Hey, is Yan Shu really dead? Something just doesn't feel right..."

"Didn't you go and see for yourself? And what about those who couldn't be diagnosed as life or death by Pharmacist Shen?"

Shen Qing stroked his chin and frowned, saying, "I did check, and Yan Shu is indeed dead. But I thought you would be shocked, break down, and cry. That's how it should be... I feel something is wrong with you being so calm now."

I pressed my throbbing temples, too exhausted to deal with him, and said wearily, "I don't know..." Seeing his disbelief, I sighed helplessly, "I really don't know. Even if Yan Shu is really dead, what's the use of me crying and making a fuss?"

He was about to speak when I interrupted him, "Are you going or not?"

He meekly shut his mouth, and reluctantly led me all the way to the main hall of Licheng Palace.

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After the guards entered the hall to report, they welcomed us in. Sure enough, Ruan Bicheng and Miaoshou were there, while the King of Licheng and Baoze sat at the head of the table, and the others sat below.

I stood behind Miaoshou, and Ruan Bicheng beside me poured a cup of tea with her eyes lowered. She asked me softly and without making a sound, "Why didn't you sleep a little longer? You don't look well."

"You slept too much." I lowered my eyes and didn't say anything more.

Then, the King of Licheng, looking worried, asked the skilled healer in the palace, "Will the method the Medicine King suggested work? Will there be any danger?"

Miao Shou sighed and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, even using Yan Shu's heart to save the prince is not a sure thing, not to mention that the heart is no longer usable." He paused and then added, "If I had to explain it clearly, it would be a matter of life and death."

The hall fell silent, and the King of Licheng sat on his throne in silence.

After a long pause, the skilled doctor said again, "Your Majesty, please forgive my disrespect, but the worst outcome for Prince Baoze is death. Why doesn't Your Majesty let me give it a try? Although I cannot guarantee that I can save the prince's life, at least there is still a glimmer of hope."

The King of Licheng remained silent, lost in thought.

Ruan Bicheng glanced at Miaoshou and spoke up, "What is Your Majesty worried about?"

King Licheng sighed after a long while, gently patted Baoze's hand and said, "Baoze has never left me since he was born. I'm afraid that if the Medicine King takes him away, he will never..." His words trailed off, and King Licheng turned his face away, his eyes reddening.

I'm afraid we'll never see each other again.

The skilled doctor also sighed softly, unsure of what to say.

Ruan Bicheng took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Actually, there is another way to save the prince, but... there will be sacrifices."

"What method?" King Licheng asked urgently.

Ruan Bicheng glanced at Miaoshou and nodded to him. Only then did Miaoshou put down his teacup and say to the Prince of Licheng, "All the prince needs is a human heart. Among millions of people, there is always one that suits him."

These words, spoken neither loudly nor softly, landed lightly in the hall, yet they brought everyone to a state of quiet.

Was it Ruan Bicheng's idea? Or was it Miaoshou's own idea?

I was starting to wonder what the difference was between Ruan Bicheng and Yan Shu? Was it their identities? Their backgrounds? Or perhaps it was just their way of expressing themselves?

Ruan Bicheng gave Miaoshou a wink, and Miaoshou stood up and said, "Your Majesty, would you be willing to let Miaoshou give it a try?"

I heard Shen Qing slam down his cup and sneer, "Does a trial require the lives of hundreds or thousands? Is the Medicine King saving lives or taking lives?"

"Junior brother." Miao Shou looked down at Shen Qing, smiling, but his tone was chillingly cold. "People are divided into high and low, noble and lowly. Some people are born lowly, so you can't blame others."

"What a lowly fate!" Shen Qing suddenly stood up from his desk, causing the cups and saucers on the table to clatter. He turned to the Prince of Licheng with his sleeves behind his back and said, "I, Shen Qing, am also a lowly person. I am truly unworthy to be in this hall. Farewell!" He then turned and left.

“Junior brother…” Miaoshou reached out his hand, but ultimately withdrew it, sighing, “Still that stubborn nature.”

At this moment, the King of Licheng in the hall decisively said, "Very well, then let it be as the Medicine King wishes." He then asked, "When will you take Baoze and set off?"

"Immediately," said the skilled hand. "The prince's illness cannot be delayed any longer; the sooner the better. I will take the prince back to Medicine King Valley today."

The King of Licheng nodded and waved for us to step back and prepare.

As Miaoshou was about to leave, he remembered something and casually said, "Your Majesty, I will take care of Yan Shu's body."

The King of Licheng waved his hand, "Follow the Medicine King."

Miaoshou bowed and was about to express his gratitude when Baoze, who had been silent all along, suddenly said weakly, "Yan Shu's body cannot be given to the Medicine King."

I was stunned in the prince's presence. When I looked up, I met Bao Ze's deep, dark eyes. He stared at me and said, word by word, "I will disembowel Yan Shu and hang him on the city gate for three days to avenge Jing Lian!"

He told me that he would never let Yan Shu go, not even if it meant death.

I wanted to say something, but I didn't know what to say. Ruan Bicheng secretly tugged at my finger and said, "Step back first."

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I found Yan Shu's body in the pharmacy, right on the bed. I touched his palm; it was ice-cold and completely cold, as if he were truly dead.

“He’s fine. Miaoshou used some medicine to put him in a state of temporary suspended animation.” Ruan Bicheng said calmly behind me, “I originally wanted to wait until everything was arranged before telling you, so you wouldn’t worry.”

So my coma was also part of the plan?

I know this is his usual style; every step he takes is planned in advance. You don't need to know or understand it; you just need to follow the plan.

So I was surprised when Shen Qing said Yan Shu was dead, but I wasn't surprised after hearing what Ruan Bicheng and Miaoshou said to the Prince of Licheng.

I think they had planned this all along: first, let Yan Shu fake his death, and then take Yan Shu's body away from the palace.

I just didn't expect...

“You don’t need to worry.” He squatted down beside me and whispered, “I promised you, and I will keep my word.”

"Oh? So what are you planning to do?" I asked him, turning my head to the side.

He tucked my stray hairs behind my ear and said gently, "I originally planned to have Miaoshou take Baoze back to Medicine King Valley for treatment. Now, I just want to keep Baoze from being distracted."

"No time to be distracted?" I didn't understand what he meant. "For example?"

He didn't answer me, but said, "Sometimes you can't expect a smooth process if you want a result. You just want the result, don't you?"

He looked at me with a deep, warm smile in his eyes, and spoke with utmost gentleness. I looked at him and smiled back, "Are you going to drug Baoze too?"

The skilled healer was his attending pharmacist; it would be extremely easy for him to tamper with the medicine to make Baoze unconscious and unable to concentrate.

He neither admitted nor denied it, but comforted me, saying, "Don't worry, I promised you I wouldn't hurt Baoze. I'll just make sure he gets to Medicine King Valley safely. Miaoshou will take good care of him."

In the quiet hall, his voice was like the wisps of sandalwood incense burning in a censer, lingering around his hair and permeating his entire being, every word uttered with utmost gentleness.

There seemed to be people moving around outside the palace. I squinted and looked over. A little palace maid said something to the guard. I couldn't hear what she said, but the face she looked at made me pause.

This green-clad palace maid... she must be the one by Baoze's side. What is she doing here?

"What?" Ruan Bicheng asked me.

“Ruan Bicheng…” I looked at him for a long time and finally said indifferently, “I will handle Baoze’s situation myself. You just need to follow your original plan.”

"You'll handle it?" Ruan Bicheng smiled with slight surprise. "You have a solution?"

If there's no other way, then use the most direct and simple method.

I got up to leave the hall, but I couldn't help turning back to ask Ruan Bicheng, "Baoze's illness wasn't something that could be cured by Yan Shu's heart alone from the very beginning, was it?"

“There is only this one way.” Ruan Bicheng turned to look at me. “There is only this one most effective method. You know people don’t like to go through all sorts of trouble. If sacrificing one person can make everyone happy, why bother with all the extra steps?”

Too.

Besides, he deserved what he got.

I had no questions to ask, so I pushed open the door and left the main hall. Before leaving, I turned back to Ruan Bicheng and said, "You stay here and wait for me to come back before you leave."

"Why?" he asked me, frowning.

I thought for a moment and said, "There has to be someone to guard Yan Shu's body, doesn't there?"

===============================================================================

I don't know when the snow stopped, but the ground was covered with silver frost and snow, and the world was shrouded in mist.

I went to find Baoze, and waited outside the palace for a long time before he agreed to see me.

The little palace maid in green beside him led me into the hall.

As he entered the hall, he said, "You came for Yan Shu?"

I entered the inner hall, where he was huddled on the couch, thin and emaciated. I went to the couch and said, "I know he deserves to be torn to pieces, but can I take him away?"

"Why?" he asked me, his eyes clear and filled with confusion. "Why are you wasting your time on him? Do you love him? Or is there something about him that's worth it?"

Why?

He was still Baoze; nothing had changed in his eyes.

I looked into his eyes and smiled. "I don't know... Believe it or not, I really don't know."

Fine snowflakes fluttered down from the green plum tree outside the window. I looked at Baoze from the bedside and slowly smiled, "I hated him too. I tried every possible way to escape him, and even wanted to skin him alive... You don't understand how hard it was for me to get away from him..."

"Then why did you save him?" Baoze asked me bluntly.

Why...?

There aren't that many whys in this world; even I don't know...

As I left, the gray sky was faintly illuminated by an orange glow, so bright that I couldn't open my eyes and my steps felt a little unsteady. So I simply plopped down on the stone steps.

Someone helped me up and said softly, "The ground is cold, go back and rest."

I looked up and saw Ruan Bicheng's deep, dark eyes. I waved to him and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Don't worry, someone is watching over Yan Shu." He pulled me up, supporting me firmly, and said in a deep voice, "Can you walk?"