Chapter 96
Murong Qiufeng woke up purely out of hunger. As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by a dim room cloaked in darkness.
Before he could fully regain his senses, the warmth of breath brushing against his face pulled his attention elsewhere. His body stiffened. Once he focused, he noticed the familiar face so close to his own.
Suddenly, memories of that hazy kiss surfaced. Was it a dream? Regardless, the thought left him flustered. When he tried to move his head, pain shot through his neck.
A hand steadied the back of his head, preventing him from moving. A hoarse voice broke the silence, “Don’t move.”
Shangguan Ye had already opened his eyes, staring at him intently.
Murong Qiufeng felt his face flush. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his throat was so parched that no words came out. At that exact moment, his stomach growled loudly, making him even more embarrassed.
A flicker of amusement crossed Shangguan Ye’s eyes. Gently supporting Murong Qiufeng’s head and shoulders, he said, “Stay still,” as he carefully propped him up with a soft pillow he had prepared earlier. He then got out of bed, flexing his stiff hand, and went to pour a cup of water. Using his inner energy to warm it, he handed it to Murong Qiufeng. “Don’t move around,” he reminded again, his tone firm but caring.
Murong Qiufeng sat there, dazed, holding the cup. The warmth seeped from his palm into his heart, and a small smile tugged at his lips.
The door creaked open, and light spilled into the room. It was only then Murong Qiufeng realized it wasn’t still night; the windows and doors had been covered with black cloth, casting the room into darkness.
Yuxiang entered, smiling brightly. “Ah, you’re awake just in time for a dressing change.” She strode to the window and began removing the cloth coverings.
“Why all these black cloths?” Murong Qiufeng asked, puzzled, watching her collect the fabric.
Yuxiang chuckled, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “The prince didn’t want the sunlight disturbing your rest, so he had the entire room covered. At first, he even wanted to seal the entire house.”
Murong Qiufeng froze, his eyebrow twitching at the thought. Then his expression softened. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Not too long, just about two days,” Yuxiang said lightly before continuing in a teasing tone, “But you can’t blame me for that. It was the prince’s order. He figured you wouldn’t stay put if you woke up, so he had me give you something to help you sleep. It worked well, though—your recovery has been excellent. You must have eaten some rare herbs in the past with how quickly you heal. Now, turn your face so I can tend to your wound.”
Murong Qiufeng wanted to ask more, but Yuxiang didn’t wait. “Oh, don’t worry about the Xiang Manor. The prince has everything under control. The prime minister is recuperating, and Madam is taking care of him. As for the hypnosis incident, it was caused by a monk’s song at the temple and the Soul-Capturing Incense. Luckily, you cut it off in time. Apart from some lingering exhaustion and guilt, your mother is fine.”
Only then did Murong Qiufeng exhale in relief.
“The wound is healing nicely,” Yuxiang remarked as she unwrapped the bandage. “Another two days, and we can remove the stitches. But this scar might not fade entirely—I’ll make a special ointment to help with that. The prince’s hands have been so busy these two days, though. I might just boil some pig trotters for him to replenish his strength,” she added with a sly grin, clearly enjoying her own joke.
“Pig trotters?” Murong Qiufeng asked, puzzled.
Yuxiang laughed, leaning in conspiratorially. “Oh, young master, the prince hasn’t left your side for two days. And you know what? To make sure your head stayed balanced for your wound’s recovery, he used his hand as a pillow the entire time. I bet his arm’s so numb now that even a blade wouldn’t hurt him.”
Murong Qiufeng froze, his ears instantly reddening. He didn’t say anything, but his embarrassment was written all over his face.
Just as Yuxiang finished changing the dressing, Shangguan Ye walked back into the room, carrying a tray of simple dishes—porridge and side dishes. He paused, noticing the faint blush lingering on Murong Qiufeng’s face. “What’s wrong? Is the dressing changed? How is it?”
Yuxiang smirked knowingly. “The wound’s healing well. Another half-month of rest, and he’ll be good as new. Now, I’ll go prepare the medicine.” With that, she quickly gathered her things and slipped out of the room.
Murong Qiufeng, still sitting at the bedhead, looked toward the door, his ears burning a deeper shade of red.
Shangguan Ye, noticing his reaction, raised an eyebrow. “What were you two talking about? Why are you blushing?”
“Nothing,” Murong Qiufeng replied hastily. After a pause, he added awkwardly, “Thank you… for everything these past two days.”
Shangguan Ye’s lips curled into a faint smile as he set the tray on a small table beside the bed. “Last time, you cooked for me. This time, I’ll cook for you. Try it—I think it turned out well.” He scooped some porridge and held the spoon near Murong Qiufeng’s lips.
Murong Qiufeng stared at him, surprised. “You made this?”
“Why? So surprising? Back when I first joined the army, I started as a cook.”
“A… cook?” Murong Qiufeng couldn’t imagine a royal prince wielding ladles instead of swords. It seemed surreal.
“Eat first.”
Murong Qiufeng hesitated before reaching out to take the bowl. “I’ll feed myself.” His gaze briefly landed on Shangguan Ye’s arm. “Doesn’t your hand hurt?”
“The one hurting is you,” Shangguan Ye countered smoothly, handing over the bowl and chopsticks before moving to pour a glass of water.
Now that Murong Qiufeng looked closer, he could see the fatigue etched on Shangguan Ye’s face—stubble darkened his chin, his eyes carried exhaustion, and his clothes looked slept in. He’d likely not rested properly at all. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you?” Murong Qiufeng asked, noticing there was only one serving on the tray.
“I ate just now in the kitchen,” Shangguan Ye replied casually, lying without a hint of hesitation.
At that moment, Yuxiang returned with a smile, announcing, “The preparations are ready, Your Highness.”
