The wounds on the Prince of Yan's body were deep and severe. Even with his strong endurance, the sharp pain when the medicine touched the wounds made him gasp and break out in a cold sweat.
A fierce glint flashed in Dongfang Heng's deep eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and looked up at Shen Lixue: "How are his injuries?"
"The wound is deep, but fortunately it didn't break the bone. After applying medicine and resting for a few days, it will be fine!" Shen Lixue carefully cleaned the wound, took out some wound medicine, and carefully applied it to the wound of the Prince of Yan. Then, with her fair hands, she picked up a strip of white cloth and carefully bandaged it, circle by circle.
Looking at the bandaged wound, Dongfang Heng's expression softened considerably.
"Your medical skills are quite good. May I ask who your teacher is?" The top-grade wound medicine was applied to the wound, and the pain was instantly relieved. The Prince of Yan gently stroked the white bandages wrapped around his arm, a faint smile flashing in his sharp eyes.
"The Ghost Doctor of Southern Xinjiang once gave me a medical book, and all my medical skills were learned from it. He can be considered my half-master!" The fact that Shen Lixue's soul transmigrated with medical skills is unbelievable and would definitely shock everyone if it were told. Now is a time of great turmoil, and it's best to avoid trouble if possible.
"She learned medicine by reading books without a teacher. The Princess Consort is indeed a rare and extraordinary woman!" Prince Yan looked at Shen Lixue and praised her softly.
"Your Highness, you flatter me!" Shen Lixue smiled slightly. She felt that the Prince of Yan was deliberately making small talk, as if he was avoiding something.
After carefully examining the Prince of Yan and confirming that all the wounds had been bandaged without any omissions, she methodically packed away the medicines and neatly placed them into the medicine box.
Dongfang Heng put down his teacup, his sharp eyes fixed on the Prince of Yan: "Prince of Yan, how long do you intend to conceal your true identity?"
Shen Lixue was taken aback and turned to look at the Prince of Yan. Hiding his true identity? Could it be that he wasn't the Prince of Yan?
The Prince of Yan frowned slightly, his expression unchanged, and looked at Dongfang Heng with a puzzled look: "I am the Prince of Yan of Xiliang, you all know that very well, so what do you mean by concealing my true identity?"
"Are you sure you are the Prince of Yan of Xiliang?" Dongfang Heng looked at the Prince of Yan calmly, his dark eyes like a deep pool, so deep and calm that they were frightening.
"Of course!" The Prince of Yan parted his thin lips slightly, his tone arrogant.
With his white robes fluttering, Dongfang Heng's slender figure instantly appeared in front of the Prince of Yan. His jade-like fingers swiftly reached behind the Prince's ear and carefully searched for the edge of the mask. His sharp eyes suddenly narrowed. How could this be?
"I did not disguise myself!" The Prince of Yan looked at Dongfang Heng with a gentle smile, a smile that revealed a hint of pride and affection.
“You are not the Prince of Yan of Xiliang!” Dongfang Heng’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly, his tone unwavering.
The Prince of Yan raised an eyebrow and said mockingly, "Who else could I be but the Prince of Yan?"
"You are..." Dongfang Heng looked at the Prince of Yan's ordinary square face, his lips moved, but the answer he was about to say did not come out: "In short, you are definitely not the Prince of Yan!"
"Do you have any evidence?" Despite his identity being questioned, the Prince of Yan was not angry. He looked up at Dongfang Heng and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"It will be here soon!" Dongfang Heng's sharp gaze swept back and forth over the Prince of Yan, as if searching for something.
Shen Lixue walked over with a set of clean clothes: "Prince Yan, your clothes are all stained with blood and can no longer be worn. I see that you and Heng are similar in build, so your clothes should be similar as well. However, he only has white brocade robes. Do you like white?"
Young people tend to prefer white, as it gives them a clean and refreshing look. Middle-aged people, on the other hand, prefer darker colors, which convey composure and stability. When Shen Lixue met the Prince of Yan in the palace, he wore a noble and dignified robe in a darker color, which was completely different from the light white of the white robe.
"It's alright, I don't care about the color of the clothes!" The Prince of Yan took the white robe, took out his undergarment, and slowly put it on. His original undergarment was stained with blood and was in terrible condition. He had taken it off when cleaning his wounds and applying medicine.
He had many wounds and couldn't get wet for the time being. Fortunately, Shen Lixue had cleaned up most of the bloodstains, and large and small white bandages covered most of his body, so he didn't need to take a bath.
The inner garment was neither too big nor too small, fitting the Prince of Yan perfectly. His slender fingers lightly fastened the white jade buttons, and as he glanced at the gloomy-faced Dongfang Heng, a slight smile appeared on his lips: "I never thought that a man in his forties could still fit into the clothes of a twenty-year-old..."
Was the Prince of Yan praising his own good physique, or was he implying that the Prince of Yan couldn't find evidence of his true identity?
A thin layer of anger welled up in Dongfang Heng's eyes. His deep gaze watched as the Prince of Yan's slender fingers deftly fastened the buttons, his tanned skin gradually disappearing beneath his white inner robe. Suddenly, a cold glint flashed in his sharp eyes, and he abruptly reached out and grabbed the Prince of Yan's arm: "Prince of Yan, are you still unwilling to acknowledge your identity?"
The Prince of Yan paused, raising an eyebrow at Dongfang Heng: "What is my other identity? Prince An, why don't you tell me?"
Dongfang Heng smiled slightly, a faint smile that carried an indescribable eeriness. His jade-like fingers instantly reached for the Prince of Yan's collarbone, and after a brief touch, he picked up a thin piece of skin. With a sudden force, the thin skin was peeled off in one piece from the collarbone to the forehead, revealing a completely new face.
His face, carved from white jade, was as white as snow, making the sun in the sky pale in comparison. His dark eyes were unfathomable, and his brows exuded a righteous and dignified aura. He was calm and indifferent.
Shen Lixue looked at the Prince of Yan's new face, then at Dongfang Heng, her beautiful eyes filled with shock. The two of them looked seven or eight parts alike. At first glance, it was really hard to tell who was who. Only by looking closely could one tell them apart.
The Prince of Yan was more than twenty years older than Dongfang Heng. His brows and eyes exuded the maturity and composure of a middle-aged man, completely different from Dongfang Heng's refined and cold demeanor: "You...you all..."
"Prince Yan, are you still unwilling to admit your true identity?" Dongfang Heng gently pinched the mask in his hand, his eyes unfathomable. When most people disguise themselves, they would put the edges behind their ears, but Prince Yan had ingeniously placed it on his collarbone, making it indeed difficult for others to detect.
The Prince of Yan's mask was peeled off, a stinging pain shooting through his face. His skin touched the long-lost air, which felt incredibly comfortable. He gently touched his face with his slender fingers, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips. He looked up at Dongfang Heng and sighed softly, "As expected, I couldn't hide it from you. Five years have passed. You've grown up, become smarter, and more capable!"
“Father…King…” Dongfang Heng looked at the Prince of Yan, his deep eyes glistening with tears, which then turned into an unfathomable pool. He controlled his emotions with unparalleled skill, and even in front of his own father, he was unwilling to show his vulnerable side.
"Heng'er!" Prince Yan, also known as the Holy Prince Dongfang Yan, gently patted Dongfang Heng's shoulder, his eyes sparkling with love and relief: "You've grown up safely and become so smart and capable. Your father is very happy!"
"You are the Holy Prince!" When Shen Lixue saw the true face of the Prince of Yan, she had already guessed his identity. The Prince of Yan admitted it himself, but she was still a little shocked. She had thought that the Holy Prince was not dead, but she never expected that he would become the noble Prince of Yan of Xiliang.
The Prince of Yan glanced at Shen Lixue, his gaze kind and gentle: "I have made the right choice in selecting a wife for Heng'er!"
A blush rose to Shen Lixue's beautiful face: "Father, you flatter me!"
"Father, what exactly happened back then? How did you become the Prince of Yan in Xiliang?" Five years ago, there were many doubts about the Holy King and Holy Queen falling off the cliff. Dongfang Heng was too young to investigate. After he grew up, all traces of that year were erased. He wanted to investigate but had no way to find out.
"This is a long story," the Prince of Yan sighed softly, his deep gaze fixed on the branches outside the window. He began to recount the tale: "That autumn, after a rain, your mother and I went to Xiangguo Temple to offer incense as usual. After offering incense in the main hall, a young monk came and told us that an old friend was waiting for us on the back mountain. We went there together, but instead of an old friend, we saw a large group of assassins in black..."
Dongfang Heng's face was gloomy, and his jade-like fingers clenched tightly. He had always suspected that his parents had been murdered, but for five years he had not found any evidence. Now, his biological father had told him the truth of what happened back then, and the hatred in his heart was as overwhelming as a thousand horses galloping.
"Xiangguo Temple is a place where nobles offer incense. We did not expect there to be assassins in black. When we went to the back mountain, we did not bring any guards. It was just me and your mother. Your mother is a weak woman and does not know martial arts..." Dongfang Yan's voice was low and sad, which made the listeners feel sad and disheartened.
Shen Lixue looked at Dongfang Yan, her eyebrows slightly furrowed: "Father, your martial arts are on par with Heng's. Protecting Mother and escaping from the back mountain should not be a problem!" The Holy King is a top expert. No matter how well-trained the black-clad assassins are, they cannot stop him.
The Holy King's lips curled into a bitter smile: "With my martial arts skills, protecting Meng'er and leaving the back mountain is indeed not a problem, but unfortunately, I was poisoned by the smoke. In the main hall where we offer incense, or more precisely, in the incense burner, poisonous smoke was burning..."
Shen Lixue was shocked: "Your and Mother's murder was planned long ago!" Who would have thought that the incense burners on the Buddha statues, where worshippers flocked, were burning not incense for blessings, but poisonous smoke? Who would have thought that the beautiful back mountain where they met was not a reunion with an old friend, but with the Grim Reaper? A tightly planned scheme, one step after another, was designed to target the two of them's personalities and preferences. Someone was determined to kill them both.
The Holy King responded to Shen Lixue's guess with a wry smile. Looking up at the sky, he parted his thin lips slightly and said, "Meng'er and I have two children, Xun'er and Heng'er. We live a very happy and regular life. We are a loving couple, supporting each other through thick and thin. This is the joy of family life. Every two or three months, we go to Xiangguo Temple to offer incense!"
The Holy King would never forget the last time they offered incense. On that beautiful, lush mountain behind the mountain, he was poisoned by the smoke, his inner strength dissipated, and his physical strength was severely depleted. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to protect the woman he loved.
He watched helplessly as the man in black pulled Liu Rumeng from his arms, dragged her to the edge of the cliff, and ruthlessly pushed her off. Her slender body, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted straight to the bottom of the cliff.