After Li Wen, the Emperor, finally left, Li Xun sat up from the bed with a heaving breath. Sweat clung to his back and forehead, soaking through his inner robes. Yuan Dong quickly stepped forward, drawing warm water to gently wipe him down.
Li Xun studied her movements. Yuan Dong's appearance was indeed delicate, with graceful brows and clear eyes—enough to turn heads even in the inner palace. But what a shame. She was someone with ambitions, someone who had made her own trade-offs to survive by his side.
His gaze swept past her and landed on Miao Qing, who was straightening the corner of the blanket.
"This prince… wishes to take a meal now," Li Xun said, his voice hoarse but steady.
Miao Qing gave a startled cry and immediately turned to leave. Her pace was quick, the hem of her robe fluttering like butterfly wings. Xu Ning, occupying this body, watched her retreating figure, a faint glint of insight flashing through his eyes.
He turned back to Yuan Dong. This woman… she had followed the original host to the borderlands after the marriage alliance, only to fall into the Huns' hands and become their plaything. Loyalty? No. She was not innocent. She had once betrayed this body's trust.
She had acted as a willing accomplice, playing messenger between the prince and General Hua Jin—all for the sake of advancing her own station. In return, the prince had persuaded the Empress to grant her the chance to become a bedchamber maid for the Emperor. A so-called reward. In reality, a calculated exchange in the cruel game of survival within the palace walls.
When Miao Qing returned, she carried a tray of simple, lightly flavored dishes. It was clear they'd been made with care—none of the overly rich delicacies that had contributed to the original Li Xun's declining health.
Xu Ning accepted the congee without ceremony. There was no need to feign politeness. If he was to fulfill this task, he needed strength. Only with a healthy body could he begin.
Miao Qing fed him patiently, spoon after spoon. When the bowl was empty, she dabbed his lips with a soft handkerchief. Xu Ning studied the pair of them—Yuan Dong and Miao Qing. In this life, they had served the prince with diligence and care. But even that hadn't saved them. When the Huns invaded, both were taken and lost their lives in a faraway land.
Such was the tragic fate of women caught in the tide of history.
After the meal, Xu Ning laid down and closed his eyes. He knew well: the body recovered most while sleeping. And sleep came easily when the mind accepted what must be done. The original host had destroyed himself slowly with neglect, but Xu Ning would not follow the same path. He hated those who wasted their health. The body was the foundation of everything.
By nightfall, Li Wen appeared again.
This time, Xu Ning sensed him before he heard him. The Emperor stood silently at his bedside like a shadow carved in stone. The silence was so sudden and heavy that it startled Xu Ning. His eyes flew open.
"I–Imperial Older Brother."
Li Wen's face revealed no emotion. "Do you feel a little better?"
Xu Ning forced himself to sit straighter and nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Imperial Brother. I… I feel much improved compared to this morning."
Li Wen didn't reply. His gaze was calm but unnerving, like the surface of a lake hiding dangerous currents beneath.
The silence stretched long and awkward.
Xu Ning kept his face composed, but inside, he was extremely uneasy. He didn't dare speak recklessly. A single slip could expose the truth—that the soul inhabiting this body was not the Li Xun everyone believed him to be.
He peered at Li Wen out of the corner of his eye. Those dark pupils, so quiet, so unreadable—like a sleeping tiger watching without moving, yet ready to pounce at any moment.
What was he thinking? Why was he here, saying nothing?
Xu Ning began to panic. This eerie stillness was tormenting him.
He finally couldn't bear it and said cautiously, "Imperial Older Brother… you should return to attend the matters of state. Jiahui is well enough now. I don't wish to waste your precious time."
Li Wen remained still for a moment longer. Then he finally gave a faint nod, turned, and walked away without a word.
Xu Ning let out a silent breath only after the Emperor disappeared from view.
It was only the beginning—but even now, Xu Ning knew: walking this tightrope in the palace would require more than caution. It would demand precision, endurance, and a keen eye for all the hidden blades around him.