MCSCPM -Chapter 68 Vanity

“What? Your Majesty, this…” Yin Qingyue was about to protest, but unexpectedly, Nangong Lin agreed.

“The Empress is right to consider it. The Crown Prince’s illness is unpredictable. If it flares up like today, it’s better for you to be by his side to treat him immediately. I trust you far more than that group of idle, incompetent imperial physicians!”

It was clear that Nangong Lin was genuinely frustrated with the imperial doctors. At critical moments, they shirked responsibility one after another. They spent their days in the imperial medical institute researching tonics to improve health—useful in theory, but when a crisis came, none could deliver.

“Every field has its specialization; Your Majesty need not be so angry…” He Minmin tried to soothe him gently, but her words only seemed to inflame Nangong Lin further. The doctors’ specialty was disease, yet they couldn’t even handle what little they were capable of. Who knew how many decades of effort had gone to waste!

Sensing she’d misspoken, He Minmin fell silent. “Then, Divine Physician Yin, I ask you to take care of the Crown Prince’s recuperation. When the time comes…”

She left the sentence hanging, looking at Yin Qingyue with a meaningful gaze. Yin Qingyue instantly understood. “I will, Your Majesty.”

The emperor and empress would not linger long in the Eastern Palace. As the sun set and Nangong Xiao’s condition stabilized, they returned to the main palace. Yin Qingyue, meanwhile, was settled in the West Garden, closest to the Crown Prince’s chambers.

At Prince Jing’s residence:

“Your Highness, have you heard? Today, the Crown Prince fell ill in court, and Divine Physician Yin Qingyue’s miraculous hands saved him! She’s staying in the Eastern Palace now!” Cold Feng swore he hadn’t intended to provoke a reaction from the prince—he was just reporting, but the prince insisted on tracking Yin Qingyue’s movements.

“She’s staying in the Eastern Palace?” As expected, Chu Jingcheng’s focus wasn’t quite what Cold Feng had imagined.

“…Yes!” Cold Yi swore he detected a teasing tone in Cold Feng’s voice.

Chu Jingcheng ignored his impudent subordinate, stood up, and said, “Let’s go to the Eastern Palace.”

“Your Highness, are you sure you know what time it is?” Cold Feng twitched his mouth, pointing to the night sky where the moon hung above the willows.

“So what?” Chu Jingcheng never let external matters hold him back.

“I know you don’t care about the time, but we need a reason to go to the Eastern Palace, right?” Cold Feng asked as he walked.

“A reason? Isn’t it obvious?” Chu Jingcheng’s lips curled into a faint, cold smile.

There was no curfew in Xize, so the clip-clop of their horses drew no attention. Outside, two guards accompanied them—one stoic, the other clever but now looking frustrated—as they departed Prince Jing’s residence, heading straight for the Eastern Palace.

Knock knock knock. Cold Feng rapped on the Eastern Palace’s main gate.

“Hello, may I ask…?” The steward was unfamiliar with their faces. But both Cold Yi and Cold Feng carried themselves with such authority that the observant steward immediately concluded they were nobility.

“We’re from Prince Jing’s residence. His Highness just learned of the Crown Prince’s illness and set aside his affairs to pay a visit. Is it convenient now?” Cold Feng quickly gave a reasonable explanation.

“Oh! Prince Jing, please enter. To be honest, the Crown Prince is already asleep. If you don’t mind, you may rest here in the Eastern Palace tonight—it will save you a trip tomorrow.”

“I… I’ll ask the prince,” Cold Feng said, thinking to himself, This steward is quite savvy! He then turned to Chu Jingcheng in the carriage: “Your Highness, shall we stay the night or return tomorrow?”

In the dark night, Chu Jingcheng’s black eyes fixed on the Eastern Palace, as if seeking something… “Then we’ll stay the night.”

Even Cold Yi’s face twitched—Prince Jing seemed overly concerned about this woman from Xize.

The carriage entered through the side gate. Chu Jingcheng and the two guards followed the steward to the reception hall.

“Your Highness, please wait here. I’ll first check if the Crown Prince is awake. If he is, it won’t interfere with your matters.”

“No matter.” Chu Jingcheng sat down, and a maid served freshly brewed tea.

The maid had rarely seen anyone so outstanding in appearance, and even the Crown Prince was seldom in her presence. She could hardly walk, mesmerized by Chu Jingcheng’s side profile.

“You don’t need service here; leave,” Cold Yi said to the maid, seeing Chu Jingcheng’s displeased expression.

Reluctantly, the maid pouted and tapped on Chu Jingcheng’s face as if testing his mood. Seeing his unreadable expression—perhaps his impatience—she finally left, still reluctant.

“Cold Feng, where is she staying?” Chu Jingcheng asked after finishing a sip of water, eager to find Yin Qingyue.

“In the West Garden. Take a left at the end of this path, then another left. You’ll reach it,” Cold Feng replied, giving all the information he had.

“…I’ll go for a walk.” After a moment’s thought, Chu Jingcheng followed the route without even bothering to disguise himself.

“Cold Yi, would it have been better if I pretended I didn’t know?” Cold Feng lamented. Cold Yi glanced at him coolly, recognizing his mistake.

In the West Garden, Yin Qingyue had no idea someone was already heading her way. Only after Mei’er had finally gone to sleep did she dare look carefully at her own reflection in the dim light. The tonics she had been taking in the palace were clearly effective; despite today’s labor, her face was only slightly pale.

Yin Qingyue took out disguise pills and some cosmetic powder from her medicine kit, applying it carefully in front of the mirror.

Satisfied that her appearance matched her previous “ugly” visage, she put the powders away and went to fetch water.

“Ah!” She was startled by a shadow at the door. “You—how are you here?”

Chu Jingcheng, equally caught off guard, frowned. That tone of hers… did it imply he wasn’t welcome?

He was about to speak when he noticed the water she carried had a reddish tint—not blood—but he asked anyway, “Are you hurt?”

“Huh? Oh, no!” Yin Qingyue shook her head, placing the basin on the railing and slowly standing—still with her back to him.

“Why not turn around?” he asked in a low voice.

Yin Qingyue thought to herself: Of course, I don’t want you recognizing me as the one who undressed you and embarrassed you!

Turning around, she now wore a flattering, almost fawning expression. “Your Highness, you are a rare gem among men. Such godlike beauty makes me, a humble girl, feel utterly ashamed…”

She had no idea what Chu Jingcheng was thinking behind that icy expression, but she herself felt nauseated by him—she hoped to disgust him in return and make him leave quickly.

“Are you deliberately provoking me?” Chu Jingcheng stepped closer. A familiar fragrance reached him, but as he tried to smell it more closely, another scent hit him, causing him to cough lightly and frown at the room.

“Oh, that’s my incense. If Your Highness likes, I can gift you some!” Yin Qingyue said, embarrassed. “All women love beauty. I am ugly, so I can only enhance it with fragrance.”

The implication was clear: If Your Highness also loves beauty, I can share my incense with you.

Chu Jingcheng scowled, muttering two words: “No need!”