Chapter 39: Are You Okay?

“Since there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first,” Song Ke waved his hand, about to turn and leave.

Mo Ying stopped him. “Doctor Song, please wait a moment. After the prince is done, please help check his condition again.”

Since he was already here, it was better to have him take another look—just in case there was something wrong and they needed to call him again.

“I just want to know what he’s busy with,” Song Ke raised his eyebrows, a refined smile on his scholarly face.

He had originally been a wandering doctor in the Jianghu, and was saved by Pei Ji some time ago, so he had been staying by his side, helping treat his sister A Yuan’s health.

Mo Ying looked a bit embarrassed and whispered, “The prince was poisoned with an aphrodisiac.”

Fuyao was stunned. She glanced at the dizzy Qiuchan and asked, “So, the princess is inside?”

“Mm.” Mo Ying nodded.

“No, if he’s poisoned by an aphrodisiac, why did you call me? The princess is already there,” Song Ke didn’t quite understand. Even if they called him, he wouldn’t have a solution for that kind of poison.

Mo Ying looked conflicted, unsure how to explain—actually, the prince didn’t want the princess to give him the antidote.

Fuyao, having been with him a long time, immediately guessed: “You took it upon yourself to put the princess inside?”

“I had no choice. I couldn’t just watch the prince die,” Mo Ying said.

Fuyao silently gave him a thumbs up.

Song Ke sighed helplessly, “Could you find something to eat? This might take a while.”

Usually people like him, who avoided women, once opened the “floodgates” and added poison, this wouldn’t end in a few hours.

Mo Ying and Fuyao exchanged a glance. Fuyao pointed to a nearby grass hut, “The kitchen is there. Doctor Song, if you want to eat, you can cook yourself.”

Song Ke: “…………”

No wonder he was exactly like Pei Ji with that foul temper.

He stood up, rolled his sleeves, sighed, and went to the kitchen.

The group waited all day from dawn until dusk, but still no one came out.

The rain had just stopped, and the room was filled with an ambiguous, lingering atmosphere. Looking at the person sleeping on the bed, Pei Ji’s eyes were half-closed, lost in thought.

After a long while, he put on his clothes and got up.

The few waiting outside in the courtyard all looked up as they heard the door open.

“Prince, you finally came out,” Song Ke teased.

He thought they’d be waiting from dusk until dawn.

Pei Ji didn’t answer but looked at Mo Ying: “Did you catch them?”

It was really a hassle that Jiang Jingchen had schemed so much for him. He wouldn’t think that after consummating with Jiang Huaiyue, she could hold power over him, huh.

“We caught them. They’re already locked up in the dungeon of the prince’s mansion,” Mo Ying bowed his head and replied.

“Send a message to the palace, have someone poison Jiang Jingchen and send some ‘gifts’ for him to enjoy,” Pei Ji’s dark eyes were deep like ink. Anyone who dared poison him would pay the price.

Mo Ying dared not delay and hurried to arrange it, but then a voice came from behind: “After finishing, come get your punishment yourself.”

“Yes.” He knew there was no escaping punishment.

“Prince, let me check your pulse to see if the poison is cleared,” Song Ke stepped forward.

Pei Ji glanced at him, “No need. It’s already gone.”

The poison was long gone. Why it took so long was a secret only he knew.

“Fuyao, prepare the carriage to return to the mansion.” After saying this, he turned and went back inside.

---

When Jiang Huaiyue woke up, she felt like her whole body was aching to death, especially in some indescribable places.

She seriously suspected Pei Ji must have never seen a woman in his entire life—he nearly killed her.

“Qiuchan, water—” she hoarsely called out, lying by the bed.

The curtain was pushed aside, and a cup of water was handed in. Jiang Huaiyue didn’t even look but took it and drank it all in one gulp.

After finishing, she raised her voice and asked, “Qiuchan, what time is it now?”

“Noon,” came a low, deep voice. Jiang Huaiyue was startled. She pushed aside the curtain and saw Pei Ji sitting on a chair by the window, looking at her.

Recalling the intense intimacy from yesterday, her face flushed deeply.

She never imagined things would turn out like this. How did she end up sleeping with Pei Ji? It was simply outrageous.

Seeing her silent, Pei Ji’s gaze turned slightly cold: “The princess seems not very happy to see me.”

“You’re overthinking, Your Highness. Whether I’m happy or not probably doesn’t matter to you. As you said, yesterday you took the medicine to save me, and I helped you detoxify. That debt is repaid.”

Jiang Huaiyue lifted her eyes and spoke slowly.

Pei Ji smirked, “So?”

“Your Highness, give me a letter of divorce and let me leave.” She met his eyes firmly.

Hearing this, Pei Ji laughed—but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed: “Princess, you’re so naive. I told you, since you married me, in life you belong to me, in death you’re my ghost.”

After speaking, he hummed lightly in his heart—there was no way she was leaving.

Jiang Huaiyue tightly gripped the embroidered quilt, her lashes trembling: “What must I do for you to let me go?”

Pei Ji stared at her, reached out to caress her cheek, his palm stroking gently: “I’m afraid you won’t leave this life.”

His fingers suddenly pressed on her soft lips. Thinking of how she once coaxed him by saying she liked him, he suspected it was all insincere.

For some reason, he suddenly wanted to hear it again.

“Say you like me.”

Jiang Huaiyue was stunned, silently thinking he must be crazy to make such an unreasonable demand.

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

If he was ill, he should get treatment instead of acting crazy.

Pei Ji pressed hard on her lips, “Say it or not!”

Jiang Huaiyue stayed silent, not wanting to respond.

Unexpectedly, the scoundrel grabbed her chin and kissed her.

Half his body pressed on hers. Jiang Huaiyue was almost suffocated: “Let go—mmph—”

His kiss deepened, stealing every bit of air from her lungs. Just when she thought she would suffocate, he slowly released her.

“Say it.” His deep voice allowed no refusal.

Jiang Huaiyue gritted her teeth, “I like you.”

They say knowing when to yield is a virtue. It was just one sentence; she might as well say it.

“Not true.” Pei Ji’s expression turned cold, his tone icy.

He saw no trace of affection in her eyes. It was fake—he didn’t even bother pretending anymore.

Jiang Huaiyue didn’t know what he was really after and said impatiently, “I already did what you asked. What else do you want?”

Pei Ji closed his eyes, realizing his emotions were spiraling out of control. He released her and turned to leave.

After he left, Qiuchan rushed in, sobbing by the bed: “Princess, are you alright? I was knocked out by Mo Ying yesterday. It’s all my fault for not protecting you.”

Jiang Huaiyue shook her head, “Silly girl, it’s not your fault. Stop crying.”

Who could have predicted what happened yesterday? It was just too absurd.

But then she thought it through and knew who was behind it—no one but her imperial brother.

She found it strange—why did the male lead in this book seem so unintelligent and so despicably low? She really didn’t know what was on his mind all day.