The mistress who remarried has returned.

Qin Huai placed the arm holding the note over his eyes. Whether it was sweat or bath water, he couldn't tell from his face or the water from the bath, as it trickled down his neck, past his Adam's apple, and into the bathtub.

Their breathing sounded so erratic in the night.

Closing her eyes, she seemed to see her face and neck flushed red in the bronze mirror of the Eastern Palace.

Her reaction during the kiss was so awkward; was it merely a hunting technique? Or was she, even while by the Crown Prince's side, remaining chaste for him, Qin Huai...?

"General," Liu Shun arrived at the door and gently knocked, "Are you feeling unwell? Should I summon a doctor?"

Qin Huai said in a low voice, "No need."

Liu Shun couldn't discern anything from her voice. "I've already accompanied Miss Su to buy a gift, an antique vase, which I paid for with your money. I've also escorted Miss Xue back to her residence to rest."

Qin Huai responded softly, "Let her spend it as she pleases, it's just a few coins."

Liu Shun added, "The plan to capture the spies from Qi is complete. General, you can rest assured that we will not disappoint you."

"Make sure to capture them alive."

As Qin Huai spoke, he raised his hand to touch the lip that Liangdi had bitten, his breathing almost out of control, his brows furrowed tightly, and his body trembled involuntarily. He knew that she had remarried, and in principle, he could not overstep his bounds.

That rainy night in the barracks, she turned seventeen. He decided to take her back to the Qin family mansion the next day, give her a proper status, and then make her his own. However, he caught her in another man's bed, and for the only time in his life, he lost control and laid a hand on a woman...

Seeing that another person had come to report to the general, Liu Shun inquired about their purpose and then personally addressed Qin Huai:

"Just now, the old lady sent someone to deliver a message from the temple on the mountain, saying that she and the madam will return to the mansion a few days before the master's birthday."

As he spoke, Liu Shun paused, but did not hear a response from Qin Huai. He had expected the general to arrange for him to pick up the old lady, but the general remained silent for some reason. Perhaps the general was thinking about something, so he continued:

"There will be too many visitors on the master's birthday. The emperor and Consort Shu will also be there to offer their blessings. The banquet will be held at Yingtian Pavilion, which is high up on the back mountain of the mansion. It will be freezing cold and the wind will be very strong. The old lady told you that you must wear the thick indigo cloak that she made for you on that day."

"understood."

Liu Shun asked, "Master, have you seen the cloak? I remember it was in the carriage, but after I took you back to your residence, I didn't see it in the carriage either. You didn't take it back to your residence either, so how come you can't find it?"

Qin Huai responded, "I didn't notice."

"Your subordinate will retrieve the cloak; General, you need not worry."

Liu Shun thought that if the old lady saw that the general hadn't obediently worn that thick cloak that day, she would definitely punish him, the attendant, for failing to take good care of him.

Could this cloak have been left behind in the Eastern Palace? Liu Shun immediately ordered someone to inquire about it.

If it were left in the Eastern Palace, then this garment would not be lost. No one would treat the garment of the Protector General of the Nation lightly; it would be carefully preserved.

***

Su Yunxi spent another night in the Eastern Palace taking care of the Crown Prince.

After taking the medicine for the past two days, the prince has become much more sleepy. He coughs occasionally but has stopped spitting blood. His broken legs have been stitched up and the bones have been repositioned. After the medicine was applied, the stench has also lessened significantly, and the rotten areas are showing signs of scabbing over.

Although the crown prince was still not fully conscious and could not recognize people, if called repeatedly, he would vaguely cooperate and take his medicine, and could also swallow a few mouthfuls of porridge. Overall, things were developing in a positive direction.

Occasionally, when she wipes his sweat, he will reach out and grab her wrist, subconsciously saying: "Don't worry about this big trouble, you silly concubine..."

Seeing her benefactor's condition improve, Su Yunxi felt much more relaxed.

However, the medicine left by Kang Yin was almost finished for the Crown Prince, who had not yet woken up. Whether Kang Yin could get Qin Huai's permission to come for a follow-up visit depended entirely on Qin Huai's mood, since her body was not very attractive. If he suddenly felt bored and it was not worth doing something that would damage his status in order to get revenge on the Crown Prince, then it was really uncertain whether the Crown Prince's next medicine would be available.

She had no idea what would happen next. All she could do now was try to save his life and live with a clear conscience. If Kang Yin didn't come for his follow-up appointment in two days, she would have no choice but to beg Qin Huai to keep his promise again...

When people are helpless, they even worry about being rejected if they offer themselves up to be humiliated and played with.

Su Yunxi slept for a few days while lying on the table, her back aching from staying up so long.

After waking up, I stretched my limbs and loosened up my muscles and bones.

There was a loud thud outside. Su Yunxi hurriedly went to look and saw that Li Changchuan had sneaked in while she was asleep to peek at the head of the family. When he realized that Su Yunxi was awake, he quickly ran away and accidentally bumped into the door.

Su Yunxi said, "Go ahead and check on him. He's still asleep."

Li Changchuan then touched his forehead, turned around and walked to the Crown Prince. He stood by the bedside, staring intently at the head of the family's face. After a while, he said, "Consort Su, is it possible for the head of the family to wake up?"

Su Yunxi herself was also uncertain. She had been taking the medicine for five days, and three days of it had already passed, but the person still hadn't woken up. She didn't know if Dr. Kang Yin had replied to Qin Huai about the follow-up visit, and she had no idea whether Qin Huai had agreed to the follow-up visit.

But Qin Huai's desire for revenge against her and the Crown Prince was so strong, and she hadn't yet fulfilled her promise. There was no reason for him not to agree. She even prayed that Qin Huai would take revenge on her, and couldn't help but smirk self-deprecatingly, "He'll wake up. Isn't there a saying that good people are rewarded? Don't worry."

Li Changchuan nodded. He could see that Liangdi herself was not confident, but she always gave people positive encouragement and hope, while bearing the pressure and bitterness herself. She was indeed worthy of being the mistress of the Eastern Palace. True feelings are revealed in times of trouble. No matter what princes and noble ladies or beautiful women, none of them could compare to a single hair of Liangdi's head.

As dawn broke, Su Yunxi, thinking of her mother and younger brother at home, picked up the food box and prepared to go home to see them, as well as to get some food for the Crown Prince.

Cooking in the East Palace in a grand manner would inevitably attract attention and be easily prohibited.

Day after day, it's the same simple, repetitive routine, just these two things going over and over again. I don't feel resentful, but I do feel lost about where the future lies, and sometimes I wonder what the point of being alive is besides suffering and torment.

Although Su Yunxi intended to make a living by using her hobby of incense making, her incense-making tools had been ruined beyond recognition at Wang Guirong's place in the front yard.

If she were to spend money to buy tools, she indeed only had two taels of silver, not enough capital to buy them, making it truly difficult to take this step towards self-reliance. However, basic living expenses were a problem she had to seriously consider. Three mouths were waiting to be fed.

It would be easy and convenient for her to find a place to leave on her own, but she couldn't let go of these people in her heart. She couldn't do such a thing, nor did she want to continue depending on anyone.

"Li Changchuan, I'll go home and get some food for Your Highness."

Su Yunxi picked up the food box from the hidden compartment, preparing to leave the East Palace, when she saw the cloak that Qin Huai had thrown away, which she had hidden in the compartment.