The candlelight still burned in the tent at the fourth watch.
Since returning to the camp, Ye Tinglan had shut himself inside his tent.
Neither going to bed nor sleeping, he simply sat by that body, his face, stern all night, now appeared dejected and numb.
Even now, he still couldn't accept the fact that Feng Yinwan was dead.
They had shared dinner together just a few hours ago, the soft touch on his lips felt as real as if it were only moments ago.
She had agreed to return to the capital with him, and tomorrow was the day of their departure.
He had thought that after dealing with the last matter, he could finally relax and return to the capital with her at peace.
Who would have thought...
A knot of frustration tightened, piercing his heart in an instant.
Ye Tinglan's body trembled, and a mouthful of fresh blood suddenly erupted from him.
"Your Highness!"
Qi Xuan had come to report, but upon reaching the tent's entrance, he heard such a commotion. He immediately disregarded everything else and rushed inside.
Against the backdrop of his black robes and dark hair, his handsome face was now frighteningly pale.
Blood was continuously seeping from between his fingers, dripping down.
The Prince was spitting blood!
A look of immediate terror crossed Qi Xuan's face, and he moved to step forward, but his progress was instantly halted by an overwhelming aura of coldness.
Ye Tinglan raised his eyes, a smear of blood still clinging to his pale lips.
"Get out."
Before the last syllable had even fallen, his chest convulsed again.
Another mouthful of fresh blood surged uncontrollably, and Ye Tinglan's body weakly collapsed backward.
The chilling aura dissipated in an instant.
In the tent behind, the imperial physician was treating Yu Ping's foot injury.
Having just shaken his sleeves down and preparing to set the bone, the tent flap was suddenly torn open.
Qi Xuan burst in like a madman, grabbed him, and pulled him outside.
"The Prince has vomited blood and fainted, hurry and treat him!"
"Wh-what?!"
The scene of Ye Tinglan's cold-blooded massacre at the bottom of the cliff was still vivid in his mind.
Upon hearing this, the imperial physician's body trembled, and his legs immediately began to shake.
"Qi... Guard Qi, my medical skills are shallow, I dare not treat the Prince casually, n-no, perhaps you should find someone else."
How dare he, at this moment, go to treat that killing god!
Qi Xuan, however, paid no heed. He grabbed the physician and threw him before Ye Tinglan's bed.
"Treat the Prince immediately! If you dare to be the slightest bit negligent, I will not spare you!"
As he spoke, his sword was already drawn, its cold gleam still faintly tinged with the lingering scent of blood.
This was the very sword that had slain the black-clothed assassins at the bottom of the cliff!
Seeing this, the imperial physician trembled like a sieve, ignoring the cold sweat dripping from his forehead. With trembling hands, he began to take Ye Tinglan's pulse.
The atmosphere in the tent became extremely tense.
Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Qi Xuan's eyes flickered with anxiety, and he urged again.
"How is the Prince's condition now?"
It had been half an hour since he had fainted, yet the Prince's complexion was still extremely pale.
He recalled the two mouthfuls of blood that had been inexplicably vomited, and his heart felt as if it were being squeezed, throbbing painfully.
The imperial physician dared not conceal anything. He lowered his head and could only answer truthfully.
"The Prince's heart meridians had been injured before, and the injury seems to be quite severe."
"Heart meridian damage should require good rest and not the use of internal energy. However, tonight..."
"Forcibly channeling energy, the Prince's body was already unwell. Then, in his rage, the suppressed emotions attacked his heart, which led to him vomiting blood and fainting."
Casting a furtive glance at Qi Xuan's expression, he shook his head and concluded.
"For now, only rest is required."
How could Qi Xuan not know his Prince's state of mind? But such a great matter, how could the Prince easily break free from his grief in a short time?
He tightened his grip on his sword unconsciously and nodded, "Understood. You may leave now."
Having felt like sitting on pins and needles for the past half hour, the imperial physician had used up all the courage he had for the rest of his life.
Now that he heard he could leave, he quickly picked up his medicine box and walked towards the exit, only to be called back just as he reached the door.
"Wait."
The imperial physician's heart immediately leaped into his throat. "Qi... Does Guard Qi have any other instructions?"
Remembering that he had been urgently fetched while treating Yu Ping's foot injury, he frowned again and instructed.
"Go back and check on Miss Yu Ping again."
The imperial physician visibly relaxed, "Yes, yes."
As for taking the pulse, he had indeed not lied.
Ye Tinglan woke up half an hour later, but his complexion remained as pale as before.
Qi Xuan stood guard by his side. Seeing this, he immediately stepped forward.
"Your Highness."
Ye Tinglan's gaze instantly focused, as if he hadn't noticed the pain. He immediately got up.
Looking around, the body was no longer in the tent. His face immediately turned cold.
"Where has the Princess Consort's body gone?"
His sudden movement startled Qi Xuan, and seeing him about to get up and leave the tent, Qi Xuan immediately knelt.
"This subordinate took the liberty of ordering people to move the Princess Consort's body onto the carriage beforehand."
The damage to the heart meridian was irreversible. His Highness's condition was currently serious and he could not engage in any more strenuous actions.
Facing the Princess Consort's body would likely cause him even greater distress.
"Insolence!"
With this low roar, Ye Tinglan's breathing became unstable again.
Qi Xuan moved to support him but was once again repelled by the chilling aura.
Seeing that he was about to channel energy again, Qi Xuan's heart tightened, and he quickly presented an item.
"Your Highness, there is a secret message from the palace."