Chapter 13

"There is, it’s all sugar, have a taste." A look of displeasure had already appeared on Beitang Xian’s face as he slowly lifted the teacup toward An Qixi. It was a gesture that brooked no refusal.

An Qixi swallowed cautiously, her footsteps sluggish as she walked toward him. In his eyes, there was an encouraging look, but in hers, it was a summons to her death!

A thought suddenly popped into An Qixi’s mind: she had already died once, so what was there to fear? Besides, what awaited her might not necessarily be a dead end! Perhaps if she endured, it would be heaven! She would gamble one more time! She would bet that her life was not meant to end here!

In an instant, she solidified this conviction and, instead, lost her fear. She gave the now-suspicious Beitang Xian a charming, naive smile, and with a bit of mischief, took the cup from his hand and gulped the tea down in one go!

At this moment, she realized that life and death were not in the hands of heaven, but in the hands of the cold, complex-looking man before her!

After she foolishly drank the tea, Beitang Xian’s gaze shifted—there was shock, surprise, and confusion, all of which eventually melted into a complexity that no one could decipher.

The new Princess Consort was ill!

On the second day of the wedding, near noon, new news broke from the Prince Xian estate: the new Princess Consort was covered in red spots and suffering from unbearable itching. Her cries had echoed all morning. A large group of imperial physicians and doctors had been summoned, yet none could cure her. Prince Xian, deeply in love with his wife, was struck by a thunderous rage. With a wave of his hand, he shattered a mahogany table, wood chips flying everywhere, and roared: "Kill them all!"

And so, on the first day of the wedding, there were ten miles of red dowry; on the second day, a hundred miles were stained with blood.

The entire nation was shocked!

The Emperor was silent, Beitang Yun was silent, and Prime Minister An was silent!

Outside the festive bridal chamber, a dense crowd of people knelt. They were haggard and trembling, all dressed as doctors. The few at the front, wearing official court robes, were plump and fair-skinned—these were the imperial physicians. However, these physicians were even more terrified, prostrating themselves on the ground.

Beside them lay corpses scattered in disarray! Blinding, scarlet blood flowed past their knees. The nauseating stench of blood mixed with the collapse of those facing death left everyone sweating profusely, feeling suppressed and dizzy.

"Ne-next!" the servant relaying the orders called out, his face deathly pale and trembling.

The first imperial physician in line stood up in terror, only to stumble back a few steps and fall again. No one mocked him, for they all faced the same fate. Staggering into the bridal chamber, which felt like the gates of hell, they were met with luxurious, imposing decor. The thick scent of medicine masked the fragrance in the room, but what caught their eyes was a shocking and unforgettable scene.

On the mahogany bed inlaid with countless jewels and a night-luminescent pearl, the purple bed curtains were stirred by a light breeze, revealing the pair of lovers tightly embraced within.

Beitang Xian, dressed in white silk undergarments, had ink-black hair that was slightly disheveled, giving him a wild air. His jaw, covered in fresh, dark stubble, was set tight, his expression unreadable. Yet, he held the petite figure in his arms so tightly that one could feel how careful he was with her.

The petite figure was also dressed in white undergarments, her black hair tangled with Beitang Xian’s. She clung tightly to his chest, her arched brows furrowed, her full lips exceptionally red and slightly pouted, as she muttered incoherently.

They were a golden boy and jade girl, a match made in heaven! It was hard to imagine this beautiful scene came from the cold-faced Prince Beitang Xian! The imperial physicians were shocked; it seemed the Prince truly doted on Prime Minister An’s eldest daughter! If they couldn't cure her illness...

"Xi'er, be good. It won't itch in a moment, don't move around!" His hoarse voice was filled with exhaustion. Beitang Xian looked haggard as he held An Qixi, his phoenix eyes filled with heartache. Feeling the scorching heat of the delicate body in his arms, a flash of complexity crossed his eyes.

The image of her naive, fawning smile after drinking that tea appeared before him again. Was he really too suspicious? Would a normal person drink a cup of potentially poisoned tea without the slightest hesitation?

An Qixi cursed viciously in her heart: *Beitang Xian, you bastard! A wolf in human skin! Scum! Sooner or later, I’ll make you pay a hundredfold! Ahhh! It itches to death! Why didn't I just die? Why does the stuff in that tea make one itch so unbearably?*

Though she was filled with hatred, not dying meant there was hope for revenge! On the surface, she continued to play the part of someone ignorant of the world. A fool, after all, only knows how to eat and sleep; she should cry when she needs to, throw a tantrum when she needs to, and bite when she needs to!

"Itchy... itchy, itchy... Little Seven is so itchy, it hurts, wuwuwu, Bei-Bei is a liar, don't drink tea, don't drink tea anymore..." An Qixi’s hands were restrained by him, so she kicked her legs wildly, crying and making a scene. After all, fools had that privilege!

She was skillful in her speech, picking at Beitang Xian’s faults and attacking the fragile psychological defenses of humans. She reminded him that she was in this state because of him, prompting a sense of guilt he didn't want to face. This would help ensure he remembered that he owed her, which also served her goal of making him remember her.

Sure enough, Beitang Xian’s face darkened, his sword-like brows knitting together. But at that moment, he sensed someone had entered; he could not let anyone be suspicious. He could only soothe her gently, his voice filled with anxiety and heartache: "Good Xi'er, be good. It’s all Bei-Bei’s fault. When Xi'er is better, you can give Bei-Bei tea too, okay?"

As the words left his mouth, Beitang Xian was startled. *Bei-Bei? What kind of address was that?* He looked with complex eyes at An Qixi, whose pretty face was flushed red and twisted in pain. The thoughts of an idiot were truly hard to understand! But why did he inexplicably accept this form of address from her?

An Qixi chuckled inwardly. Observing his reaction, she sensed his confusion over the name "Bei-Bei." She had played a psychological tactic on him regarding the name! A name is a person’s designation, but names also have special meanings. Depending on the meaning and who is calling, it holds different significance in the heart of the name's owner!

While he was the one who caused her to suffer like this, she had indirectly demanded to call him "Bei-Bei." Out of guilt and the need to maintain his dignity, he would surely tacitly allow her to call him that!

Feeling a little smug, An Qixi happily played along with Beitang Xian’s act, tucking her small face into his chest. Through a thin layer of fabric, she felt his body temperature and scent—so unique and pleasant. She rubbed her face against him and clearly felt him stiffen. She smirked, finally resting her face against his chest, where his heart was beating powerfully, *thump-thump, thump-thump*.

The itch on her face seemed to subside against his cool skin, and her restless heart was slowly calmed by his steady heartbeat.