When the Crown Princess heard the news, she quickly came out to greet them. Having spent the past few days and nights tending to the ill, her face appeared pale. Even with makeup, she couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes.

  Princess Rongcheng, who was both her cousin and sister-in-w, had grown up pying with her and always shared a close bond. Seeing her in this state, she couldn’t help but sigh and chide her gently.

  “Taking care of Elder Brother is important, but you must also look after your own health. If you wear yourself out too, what will we do then?”

  Though she spoke with concern, she refrained from saying more in the presence of Empress Lu. After all, if left to her own temperament, she would have added: Since the Crown Prince cherishes that other woman so much, shouldn’t she be the one tending to him? Why should our family’s daughter be left to clean up the mess caused by someone else?

  The Crown Princess lowered her head and shook it gently, her usual soft and serene smile on her face. “I feel more at ease caring for him myself. The attendants said His Highness is much better now. If there are no complications, he should be waking up soon.”

  As if to confirm her words, a maidservant rushed out from inside, her face brimming with unconcealed joy. “Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Crown Princess, Princess Rongcheng—His Highness is awake!”

  After so many days, he was finally awake! Princess Rongcheng grabbed the Crown Princess’s hand and let out a relieved ugh. Even Empress Lu allowed herself a rare smile as she hurriedly supported the Crown Princess and quickly entered the hall.

  Inside, the Crown Prince was indeed awake. Though his complexion was pale and his lips slightly dull, he appeared to be in good spirits overall. The attendants and imperial physicians took turns checking his pulse. After their consultation, they knelt before the Empress and reported the Crown Prince’s condition.

  “Now that he’s awake, there is no serious danger. With timely medication at every meal, he should recover fully in about six months.”

  Still, his body had suffered. Already frail, the recent emotional upheaval had taken a severe toll on him, even causing him to vomit blood. Such strain was devastating. Empress Lu’s expression darkened slightly, her brows briefly furrowing before rexing. She nodded warmly at the senior attendant. “I understand. Thank you all for your efforts in caring for His Highness during this time. Now that his condition has stabilized, leave a few attendants here to watch over him. The rest of you may take a well-deserved rest.”

  The senior attendant exhaled deeply, relieved to have fulfilled his duty. He bowed respectfully and withdrew.

  The Empress gnced at the Crown Princess and instructed, “You should also rest. Look at how exhausted and disheveled you’ve become…”

  The Crown Princess looked at the Crown Prince lying on the bed, his eyes open but unfocused. Smiling, she agreed softly, patted Princess Rongcheng’s hand, and stepped out.

  Although the Empress was her aunt, she was first and foremost the Crown Prince’s biological mother. The Crown Princess understood this hierarchy. Since the Empress likely wanted some private words with her son, she tactfully excused herself.

  Having not seen the sunlight for days, the Crown Princess stepped into the courtyard, the golden glow of the snow dazzling her. She raised her hand to shield her eyes as Xiang Zhi hurriedly came forward to support her. Gncing at the hall behind them, Xiang Zhi muttered in a low voice, “Your Highness stayed by his side for so long and didn’t even get a chance to speak with him before being sent away…”

  Her tone carried a hint of resentment. For all that Empress Lu was the Crown Princess’s aunt, she treated the Crown Princess no differently than Consort Fan on most occasions. And now, despite Consort Fan’s people having caused such turmoil for the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess had selflessly cared for him day and night, yet the Empress remained as aloof as ever. Such coldness was disheartening.

  The Crown Princess maintained her smile but gave Xiang Zhi a warning gnce. When Xiang Zhi lowered her head in silence, the Crown Princess sighed quietly. She entered her quarters and allowed Peiyin to pce a warm towel on her face, the heat soothing her fatigue. Only then did she remove the towel and toss it into the tray.

  “Why waste your breath on anger?” she said lightly. “Look at my aunt. Has she ever concerned herself with such petty slights?”

  Standing firm for a moment means little. True strength lies in enduring the long term. The Crown Princess didn’t know what exactly had caused the recent uproar, but it was clearly no minor squabble—otherwise, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have fainted from the stress.

  Some issues don’t show their impact immediately, but over time, the consequences become evident. For now, she had plenty of patience to wait.

  Inside the hall, Empress Lu personally used a warm towel to clean the Crown Prince’s hands. Seeing him awake and seemingly lucid, she handed the towel to a maid and leaned down to meet his eyes.

  “What happened? How could a simple meeting with the Marchioness of Jinxiang make you so upset that you fainted? Did she say something disrespectful to you?”

  She had originally pnned to question the Marchioness herself, but the woman had not given her the chance. Upon returning home, the Marchioness had set fire to the entire Marquis of Jinxiang’s estate, destroying it completely. Even Emperor Jianzhang sighed, menting the disgrace of forcing a noblewoman of the court into such desperation.

  The Empress had thought to ask Consort Fan for details, but Consort Fan simply wept inconsobly, unable to provide a coherent account.

  The Crown Prince stiffly turned his head toward the wall, remaining silent.

  He wished he hadn’t woken up. In his dreams over the past days, he had been free of worries, basking in light-hearted moments, including memories of harmonious times with Consort Fan.

  But upon waking, he was thrust back into a cruel reality.

  He couldn’t forget the blood-curdling scene of Lady Fan’s hysterical cries, her hoarse voice, and her madness. Nor could he erase the image of her thrusting a floral hairpin toward him and demanding, Do you recognize this?

  Lady Fan had once pyed the guqin. When she pyed High Mountains and Flowing Water, it was identical to the shadow he had glimpsed behind the screen two decades ago. She cimed it was her pying that day, revealed the decades-long affair between her elder sister and Han Zhengqing, and detailed how Consort Fan had ruthlessly arranged for her to become Han Zhengqing’s second wife, step by step taking her children and discarding them like trash.

  Lady Fan’s words dripped with blood and despair. She was like a vengeful ghost rising from hell, driven to madness by hatred.

  How could someone harbor such bone-deep hatred without justification?

  Clenching his fists tightly, the Crown Prince felt his breath hitch again, nearly suffocating. His mother’s repeated questioning left him at a loss.

  How could he expin? Should he admit that Consort Fan he had cherished for so many years was nothing like the person he thought she was?