With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

"I do not need a woman's help."

Hearing this, Yun Nian turned her head away, not wanting him to see her tears. "I understand. Your Highness just thinks I'm meddling and causing you trouble. Next time, Yun Nian will not act on her own initiative or meddle in other people's business."

Seeing her extremely aggrieved appearance, Qin Jiuchen frowned slightly.

He paused for a moment before saying, "That's not what I meant."

"So what do you mean?"

Yun Nian turned back, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at him. "Your Highness is the same. As soon as you arrived, you started criticizing and lecturing me, blaming me for being reckless and foolish. I was thinking that it was fine if Your Highness didn't understand me and thought I was just causing trouble."

"Your Highness...you should be able to understand my thoughts. But I didn't expect that you would blame me just like him..."

She became more and more aggrieved as she spoke, and her tears flowed even more fiercely. The tip of her small nose turned slightly red, and her sobs were soft and fragmented.

Qin Jiuchen looked at her tear-streaked face, which was full of accusation and sadness.

Her words were like a tiny needle, gently pricking him.

He slowly lowered his hand that was supporting him against the wall.

Why do you think I would understand you?

Yun Nian paused in her sobbing, then looked up with teary eyes, seemingly surprised that he would seize on this topic and ask her a question.

She blinked, tears still clinging to her long eyelashes. After a moment's thought, she whispered, "Because Your Highness is wiser than the Heir Apparent. The Heir Apparent only sees my recklessness and the danger I'm in, while Your Highness understands why I did what I did and values ​​the lives of the people."

Upon hearing this, Qin Jiuchen's eyes darkened, and he stared at her for a long while, making Yun Nian's heart start to pound again.

After a long pause, he finally let out a cold snort.

"Little liar."

The peculiar tone evoked a unique emotion in Yun Nian's heart.

She subconsciously pouted, turned her head away, and said with a mix of grievance and reproach, "Your Highness never trusts Nian'er. When has Nian'er ever lied to you?"

Her voice rose slightly at the end, as if she were accusing someone, or perhaps she was being coquettish.

Qin Jiuchen's gaze followed her tilting head and naturally fell on the wound on her neck.

Under the moonlight and the faint light from afar, the pale yellow traces of medicinal powder were inexplicably glaring.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was low and hoarse, "Do you prefer the Crown Prince to apply the medicine for you, or me?"

Yun Nian turned her head back, opened her still watery eyes, and looked at him with some surprise.

She blinked, her long eyelashes fluttering.

Qin Jiuchen, however, did not let her go. His eyes were fixed on her gaze, and he lowered his head slightly, moving a little closer to her.

The two were already very close, and as they got closer, his prominent nose almost touched her forehead.

His crisp, clean scent aggressively invaded the air around her.

He made a soft "Hmm?" sound through his nose, his breath brushing against her forehead.

Yun Nian's heartbeat suddenly went out of control, pounding against her chest.

The magnified handsome face before me appeared even more three-dimensional and profound in the dim light, with sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and slightly pursed thin lips, exuding a fatal attraction.

Her cheeks began to burn uncontrollably, and her breathing became slightly rapid.

She instinctively shrank back.

Under his intensely imposing gaze, she opened her mouth, "Nian'er likes Your Highness..."

Qin Jiuchen raised an eyebrow, a dark glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.

However, Yun Nian quickly added, "Nian'er likes the prince's medicine; it's more cooling and won't hurt."

The barely perceptible smile in Qin Jiuchen's eyes deepened as a result.

He took two steps closer to her.

Their noses touched, and their breaths mingled completely.

The moonlight streamed down from behind him, outlining the perfect profile of his face and allowing her to see more clearly the swirling eddies in his eyes that seemed to draw people in.

Yun Nian's fingers curled up in nervousness, gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.

My cheeks were burning hot, and my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my throat.

A fluttering, unsettling feeling, like a subtle electric current, coursed through my limbs and bones.

His gaze was so aggressive and alluring that she had the illusion that she would be captivated by it and unable to extricate herself.

He's standing so close, he wants to...

As if possessed, Yun Nian slowly closed her eyes.

Her long eyelashes trembled nervously like the wings of a startled butterfly, revealing her inner tension.

However, the expected touch did not occur.

A moment later, she heard a soft laugh.

Qin Jiuchen's languid, sexy voice drifted into her ears:

"Is Miss Yun expecting something?"

Something seemed to explode in Yun Nian's mind.

She suddenly opened her eyes and met Qin Jiuchen's eyes, which were filled with a mischievous smile.

There was no trace of the solemnity and pressure that had been on his handsome face just moments before.

She understood instantly.

A surge of intense shame and anger welled up inside her, burning her ears bright red.

She glared angrily, her eyes wide, and raised her hands to shove forcefully into Qin Jiuchen's chest: "Your Highness! Just say what you want to do! Why are you toying with me!"

Qin Jiuchen took half a step back and looked at her with a leisurely air.

Yun Nian turned around angrily, her back to him, and quickly covered her burning cheeks with her hands.

So embarrassing.

She actually... closed her eyes just now!

What is she expecting?!

She now wishes she could dig a hole in the ground and disappear into it, never to come out again.

Qin Jiuchen saw her back as she was so embarrassed and angry that she was about to jump up and down, and her slender shoulders trembled slightly.

The smile in his eyes grew even wider.

He crossed his arms and leaned casually against the earthen wall, speaking slowly, "Miss Yun's natural demeanor is even more adorable than usual."

"You...you stop talking!"

Yun Nian's muffled voice came through her fingers.

At this moment, a guard rushed over, knelt down on one knee a few steps away, and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to report.

"Your Highness, we have received a distress signal from Commander Chensha! He is located deep north of Yeling Mountain!"

This news was like a bucket of cold water being poured over my head.

Yun Nian suddenly turned around, rushed to the guard, and asked anxiously, "Where's Qi Luo? Is there any news about her? Is she with Chen Sha?"

The guard was taken aback by her question and shook his head: "Reporting to Miss, the signal only shows Commander Chensha's emergency distress message and does not mention anyone else."

Yun Nian's heart sank, and her face turned pale again.

Qin Jiuchen had regained his usual cold and solemn demeanor.

He ordered in a deep voice, "Immediately assemble a squad of elite troops, prepare torches, ropes, and medicine. I will personally lead the search."

"Yes!" The guard accepted the order and quickly withdrew to make arrangements.

Qin Jiuchen looked at Yun Nian and saw her anxious expression. "The north side of Yeling Mountain is a primeval forest with complex terrain, and it is especially dangerous at night. You stay in the village and wait for news. I will have someone inform you as soon as I know the whereabouts of Chen Sha and Qi Luo."

Yun Nian bit her lower lip and nodded. "Alright, Nian'er will wait here. Your Highness, please be sure to find them and bring them back safely."

Qin Jiuchen gave her a deep look and murmured an "Mmm".