After flirting with the aloof prince, the concubine ran away pregnant.

The leather belt was loosened, and the outer robe was taken off.

She folded the clothes and placed them aside, keeping her eyes down the whole time, neither looking at them nor touching them carelessly.

Xie Xun suddenly clenched his fist and slammed it on the sandalwood table next to him.

Afu's breath hitched. "The Crown Prince?"

Xie Xun closed his eyes briefly, veins bulging on his forehead. The next moment, he said in a deep voice, "Get out."

Afu didn't react in time.

"go out!"

The low growl startled Afu, who immediately took two steps back.

Afu already felt that Xie Xun was too dangerous today, so without hesitation, she curtsied and prepared to leave: "This servant takes her leave."

But as soon as she reached the door, she saw Changsong carrying in cold water with his mute servants Abian and Ajiao, his face even more anxious than before.

"Sir, the water is ready!"

Xie Xun didn't look at them, but instead raised his hand to press his temples, his voice chillingly cold: "Hurry up."

Changsong quickly had cold water brought into the bathroom.

Afu was about to go outside to wait when Changsong stopped her.

He lowered his voice: "Miss Afu, with the young master in this state, no one can get close to him."

Afu looked troubled. "You know the young master's rules. He just gave the order that I also have to stand guard outside the washroom."

Changsong waved his hands anxiously, "How can we wait outside? What if something goes wrong inside? How can we bear the responsibility?"

After saying that, Changsong remembered something and hurriedly ran out of the courtyard, leaving only Afu and Abian and Ajiao carrying water buckets standing in front of the washroom.

Less than fifteen minutes later, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the courtyard gate, mixed with the faint clattering of bottles and jars in the medicine box.

Afu looked up and saw that Madam Hou had already strode into the courtyard, followed closely by Granny Cui, and a doctor carrying a medicine box was half-dragged and half-pulled along at the back.

"Where is Xun'er?"

Afu quickly bowed and said, "Reporting to Madam, the young master is in the washroom."

Lady Hou's face darkened considerably: "Open the door."

When the doctor entered, Xie Xun was already sitting in the cold water wearing his undergarments, his forehead hair was soaked, his eyes were half-closed, his face was still flushed, but his aura was frighteningly cold.

The doctor's expression changed after just one glance.

"This...this fragrance..."

Lady Hou called out sternly from outside the door, "Quickly check on the young master's health!"

The doctor left to take Xie Xun's pulse, and as soon as his fingers touched the silk cloth on Xie Xun's wrist, he was so shocked by the burning hot pulse that he broke out in a sweat.

"Madam, the young master has been poisoned by the aphrodisiac incense, which is extremely potent and ordinary antidotes are ineffective."

The outside suddenly became deathly silent.

Afu stood by the door, her fingers tightening.

Aphrodisiac.

really.

All she wants now is to disappear.

The more you know about these secrets, the harder it is to extricate yourself from the situation.

She's getting her freedom next month and really doesn't want to get involved now. If something happens that requires her to keep quiet, it will be difficult for her to leave the manor again.

Lady Hou's voice tightened: "No solution?"

The doctor wiped his sweat: "We can only try to tough it out. If he can pull through, that would be best. However, the young master's constitution is inherently prone to internal heat, and the medicine is quite potent. Forcibly suppressing it might harm his health. For now, we recommend focusing on relieving the symptoms..."

He stopped there and didn't dare to continue.

How could Lady Hou not understand? But her son suffers from severe celibacy and has not had a woman by his side for so many years. What should she do?

Xie Xun suddenly opened his eyes. "Mother, go back. Your son is fine."

Lady Hou's eyes reddened: "Xun'er, don't be stubborn."

Xie Xun's fingers gripped the edge of the pool, his knuckles turning white.

"Everyone, leave." His voice was frighteningly hoarse.

Lady Hou dared not provoke him any further, and could only lead everyone back to the courtyard.

Once the door closed, everyone outside fell silent.

Everyone knows that the young master hates women getting close to him.

Over the years, countless beautiful maids in the Marquis's mansion have tried to get close to him. At best, they were chased away; at worst, they were sold off. The only ones who could truly get close to the young master, besides the young lady Taoyao who lived in Luoqi Garden, were the maid Afu.

At this moment, Tao Yao, dressed in a light pink silk dress, and Granny Wen also rushed over upon hearing the commotion, their expressions anxious.

Tao Yao is Xie Xun's sworn sister, and can be considered half a girl in the Marquis's mansion.

In the early years of the Marquis's mansion's calamity, the wet nurse, Granny Wen, used her own daughter's swaddling clothes to replace the young master in order to save his life, but her daughter, Tao Yao, was left with a cold illness as a result.

Lady Hou's gaze swept over Tao Yao, who was still wiping away sweat as she rushed over, and then slowly fell on Afu, who looked better and was in better health.

Afu immediately lowered her head, trying to minimize her presence.

Lady Hou was furious when she saw her timid appearance.

While her master is suffering the agony of life and death, she's just sitting here pretending to be a block of wood.

Before Lady Hou could speak, Tao Yao had already tidied her slightly disheveled hair and makeup. She stepped forward and knelt down. "Madam, Tao Yao is willing to give it a try."

Afu breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Looking at her frail body, Lady Hou advised, "You are weak; you will surely suffer greatly if you go in."

Tao Yao looked up, her gaze gentle yet firm. "Madam, Tao Yao is willing. Please grant my request."

Lady Hou, seeing her good intentions, couldn't very well refute her.

Tao Yao pushed open the door and went inside. The room quickly quieted down, and everyone outside held their breath and waited.

Afu hid behind the crowd, keeping her eyes down, but secretly began to make plans.

After this incident, Shi'an Courtyard will definitely be in chaos, and she needs to quickly find an opportunity to beg Lady Hou to release the people.

Just as she was figuring out how to open her shop, a roar suddenly came from the washroom.

"I said, get out!"

Then came a loud bang, like something had fallen to the ground.

The expressions of everyone outside changed simultaneously.

Tao Yao walked out with her head down, her hair slightly disheveled, and her dress mostly wet. As soon as she came out, she knelt down on the ground, "Madam, it is Tao Yao's incompetence..."

Lady Hou looked at her like this without any surprise on her face.

She turned and commanded, "Afu!"

Afu's heart sank; there was no escaping it.

She bowed her head and replied, "Yes, sir."

Lady Hou stared at her: "Go inside."

Afu raised her head, her face very submissive: "Madam, this servant is clumsy and afraid..."

"You've served the young master personally for three years," the Lady Hou interrupted her coldly, "and now you're calling me clumsy?"

Afu: "..."

Behind Lady Hou, Granny Cui said sternly, "Ah Fu, when the mistress needs something, a servant should know her duty."

Afu lowered her eyes: "Yes."

If she refuses now, she could be labeled "disloyal to her master" tomorrow, forget about redeeming herself, and it's uncertain whether she'll even survive this ordeal.

But she still held onto a sliver of hope; Tao Yao had been kicked out if she went in, so it would probably be the same for her.

Xie Xun would be better off yelling at her to get out and kicking her out.

In this way, she fulfilled her duty while also protecting herself.

Afu took a deep breath and pushed open the door to the bathroom.

A chill swept over us, and the ground was covered in water.

Xie Xun remained seated in the pool, his wet hair plastered to his forehead, and the corners of his eyes burning red.

His hands gripped the edge of the pool tightly, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.

Afu stood by the door, not daring to go forward.

"Young Master," she said softly, "Madam has asked me to come in and serve you."

Xie Xun looked up at her; her eyes were frighteningly red.

Afu immediately added, "If Your Highness doesn't need it, this servant will leave now."

Xie Xun stared at her, his Adam's apple bobbing.

After a long pause, he uttered two words in a low, hoarse voice.

"come over."

Afu blinked, wondering if she had misheard.

Xie Xun frowned, as if he had reached his limit: "Get over here."

She automatically extracted the keyword "get lost," then immediately turned around and quickly said, "This servant takes her leave."

Just as my hand touched the doorframe, there was a sudden splash of water behind me. "Come back."

Afu froze, the door already a cracked open.

Outside, Granny Cui was standing by the door, looking at her coldly.

Afu smiled slightly and then closed the door again.

She turned around, her face as obsequious as could be.

"I misheard you."