The mad princess forces love upon him, and the aloof imperial advisor trembles every night.

If she knew... if this obsessive little madman knew that he not only held her all night, but also personally stripped her naked, their skin touching, their true essence flowing together... that already raging obsession would probably burn through her soul, until death do them part.

With this in mind, he carefully and slowly withdrew his arm from under her neck, and then quickly stood up.

He raised his hand, his fingertips forming a hand seal, and a faint golden light flickered, as if he intended to dress her in her scattered red clothes from afar.

However, the light fell on her several times, but the red dress remained completely still.

Si Chen was taken aback, then realized—that's right, his spiritual power had never worked on her.

He frowned and silently stared at the woman in red for a moment.

Finally, he bent down and picked up the elaborate red dress that resembled a wedding gown.

Four hundred years of untouched worldly hands awkwardly and stiffly gathered the fabric, wrapping it around her slender arms and brushing against her thin, fragile shoulders.

The ties were tangled and complicated, but he patiently straightened them one by one, threaded them through the knots, and tightened them.

His fingertips occasionally brushed against the skin on the side of her neck, cool and delicate, causing his Dao heart to tremble silently once again.

The act of simply choosing clothes was more mentally taxing than predicting the fate of the nation.

As a thin layer of sweat beaded on his forehead, Bai Chuan's respectful yet barely concealed urgent voice came from outside the door: "Reporting to the Imperial Preceptor, His Majesty has personally come to the Zhaixing Pavilion to see you."

Si Chen tucked the blanket around her, his voice now as cold and still as a calm lake: "Your Majesty, I have tidied myself up and will now leave."

"Yes," Shirakawa replied, then paused, unable to resist asking in a low voice, "Grand Preceptor, the Eldest Princess, she..."

"She's alright. After she wakes up, she'll be allowed to move freely within the Star-Picking Tower." Si Chen pondered for a moment. "There's a protective array outside the tower; she won't be able to leave before the Heaven-Sacrificing Ceremony."

Shirakawa still had concerns: "But the Princess is highly skilled in martial arts and has a fiery temper... What if she causes a scene inside the building..."

"Let her be," Si Chen said, walking towards the copper basin to wash his hands. His tone was calm and resolute. "As long as she doesn't leave this building, let her cause all sorts of trouble."

Water trickled through his fingers, and he suddenly added, "By the way, go to the Princess's residence and have that maid named Liuyun prepare another set of the meal we made last night."

Shirakawa hesitated for a moment: "But... what if the princess wakes up and still refuses to eat?"

Si Chen had already walked to the mirror.

The person in the mirror had a slightly pale complexion and silver hair like a waterfall, still the immaculate and unattainable national advisor.

Only a dark red stain remained on his cuff, dried and rusty. He ran his fingertips over that spot, his eyes deep and serene.

"Prepare it," he said. "I have a way to make her eat it."

Shirakawa said no more, bowed, and quietly withdrew.

Si Chen looked at the bed one last time.

She remained asleep, her red dress highlighting her snow-white face, her silver hair covering the pillow, giving her a bewitching beauty on the verge of collapse.

He raised his hand and performed a basic cleansing incantation. As his spiritual energy swept over the area, the wrinkles on his purple robe and the bloodstain instantly disappeared, restoring it to its pristine state. His silver hair also became smooth and flowing again, with each strand exuding a cold, aloof luster.

He straightened his clothes, suppressing all the weariness, the lingering pain of the backlash, and the absurd yet forbidden warmth of that night into the deepest, cold pool of his eyes, leaving no trace.

Then, he turned around, pushed open the door, and stepped into the dawning light.

Her clothes brushed past the threshold, still carrying a cool, untouched fragrance.

———Phoenix Palace - Side Hall———

The medicinal fumes were so strong they were choking.

Chu Xuanche overturned the medicine bowl, shards of porcelain scattering everywhere, and brown medicine liquid spilled all over the floor.

His eyes were bloodshot, like those of a trapped beast, as he stared intently at the kneeling imperial physicians:

"Useless! You're all useless!! What use are you to me?! You can't even heal this little injury?!"

The head imperial physician said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, the tiger's claws have torn too deeply, damaging the very foundation... We are truly powerless to save it..."

"Then die!" Chu Xuanche grabbed the jade ruyi from beside his pillow and threw it at her. "If you can't cure me, you'll all be buried with me—!!"

The jade ruyi struck the imperial physician's forehead, causing blood to gush out immediately. The physician dared not move, only prostrating himself and kowtowing, pleading, "Your Highness, please calm your anger! Your Highness, please calm your anger—!"

"Calm down? How can I calm down?!" Chu Xuanche roared, his voice as shrill as a ghost.

"What difference is there between a crown prince who cannot inherit the throne and a useless person?!"

"Once the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven is over, all the officials and common people will know—their future emperor is a good-for-nothing who will have no heir!!"

He laughed maniacally, tears streaming down his face.

"What will the people think then? What will our brothers do?"

"And that bitch Chu Qingyue—she'll definitely laugh! Laugh the loudest!!!"

"Isn't the Ash Snow Pavilion supposed to never fail?!" Chu Xuanche roared.

"Why is Chu Xuanjing still alive?! Aren't those incriminating facts enough to condemn him to eternal damnation?!"

"Che'er! Calm down!"

The Queen rushed to the bedside and pressed her well-maintained hands firmly against his trembling arm.

"The wound will reopen! The imperial physician said if you get angry again, this wound will..."

"So what?"

Chu Xuanche turned his head sharply, his eyes bloodshot like a spider web.

That handsome face that once drove the noble ladies of Kyoto mad with desire is now nothing but a hideous despair.

"Mother, I have no heir."

His voice was hoarse, and every word was uttered with anguish:

"What's the difference between a crown prince who can't inherit the throne and a useless person? What's the difference between him and those eunuchs in the palace?!"

The empress's face was ashen, her fingers sinking deep into the silk quilt, leaving five twisted finger marks.

She looked at her son—who had been her life's pride and her most perfect creation—but now roared like a trapped beast.

"Che'er..." Her voice trembled, tears welling in her phoenix eyes, "Your mother will... will definitely seek justice for you. I will make Chu Xuanjing pay for his blood debt."

"Justice? Blood for justice?"

Chu Xuanche suddenly propped himself up, and the gauze under his abdomen instantly burst open, revealing a glaring crimson stain.

He seemed oblivious to the pain, staring only at his mother:

"I want Chu Xuanjing torn to pieces! I want the entire Li family to be buried with him! I want—"

"Why must you be angry, Eldest Brother?"

A soft, melodious voice rang out from the sedan chair. With a wave of her hand, Mei Shiliu dismissed the imperial physicians as if they had been granted a pardon.

She slowly raised her eyes, a hint of mockery flashing deep within them, but her face was full of concern:

"Jinxue Pavilion has never failed in its work. It's just... Mother didn't buy any evidence."

Chu Xuanche was taken aback.

Mei Shiliu continued, each word as clear as an ice bead falling onto a jade plate:

"What Mother Empress bought was a life that was connected to Chu Xuanjing by blood."

"So Jinxue Pavilion gave Consort Li's life... to you, no, to us."

"Why didn't Mother buy evidence of the crime?!" Chu Xuanche suddenly looked at the Empress, his eyes bloodshot.

The Empress staggered backward, grabbing the edge of the table for support, her voice hoarse:

"Damn the Ash Snow Pavilion... 300,000 taels of gold for one piece of evidence, minimum purchase of three... I, I simply cannot afford it."

"So I... spent two hundred thousand taels of gold to save my life."

"I thought...they would kill Chu Xuanjing. But...that life...belonged to Consort Li."

Mei Shiliu gently smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt, her tone eerily calm:

"The Empress Dowager spent 200,000 taels of silver to buy the life of Chu Xuanjing, who is related to her by blood."

"Jinxue Pavilion gave us a life—Li Pin's life."

"The transaction is completed on time, with no deception of the young or old."