The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

"Zong Yuan," she said patiently, "Miss Liu is innocent, but now she is unjustly imprisoned and her life hangs in the balance. If you truly love her, you should help her find out the truth and clear her name, instead of taking advantage of her vulnerability."

"Innocence?" Zhao Zongyuan scoffed. "She's a murder suspect now, what innocence can she possibly have? Sister Wang, you're only protecting her out of pity. But if you pity her, who will pity me? I've been losing my appetite and sleep because of her, can you really bear to watch me suffer like this?"

Zhao Jinyu took a deep breath, suppressing his anger: "You're just lusting after beauty, not truly in love! Aren't your dozen or so wives and concubines enough for you in your palace?"

"Whether it's true love or lust," Zhao Zongyuan snapped his fan shut, took a step closer, and a ruthless glint appeared in his eyes. "In any case, I'm determined to have this woman. Sister Wang, if you don't agree, I'll go beg Father. Then, you won't even have any dignity left!"

Looking at his face, distorted by desire, Zhao Jinyu suddenly felt utterly unfamiliar. Was this still the same little brother who used to follow her around as a child, calling her "sister" in a childish voice?

She closed her eyes and waved wearily, "You can go now."

Zhao Zongyuan snorted coldly and turned to leave.

He left, but Chen Shimei came again.

"Your Highness, please understand," Chen Shimei, dressed in official robes, his face showing concern for the country and its people, spoke with a tone that was gentle yet sharp, "This official is not acting out of personal favoritism. It's just that this woman has a strong and fiery temperament, and keeping her in the government office will ultimately be a hidden danger. Since the young prince has taken a liking to her, it would be a great blessing to have her serve in the prince's residence. This official assures you that he will handle everything properly and will not cause Your Highness any trouble."

His so-called "proper handling" was nothing more than making Liu Xinyi "voluntarily" sign and seal the document, completely confirming her crime, and then quietly sending her to the Prince's mansion to become a caged bird.

Looking at his sanctimonious face, Zhao Jinyu felt a wave of nausea.

"Lord Chen," she said coldly, "Miss Liu is currently a wanted criminal, and her case is still pending. As the prefectural magistrate, instead of investigating the matter thoroughly after your daughter's death, you intend to treat her as a plaything and give her away. Aren't you afraid that if word gets out, it will ruin your reputation as an 'upright official'?"

Chen Shimei's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled, "Your Highness is too kind. I was merely helping the young prince with his affairs; how could it be considered a 'plaything'? If Your Highness is unwilling, I dare not force you. However..." He paused, then changed the subject, "Your Highness knows the young prince's temperament. If he gets angry and causes trouble for the prince, I'm afraid it won't be good for Your Highness either."

This is a blatant threat.

Zhao Jinyu stared at him and said, word by word, "Chen Shimei, I am a member of the royal family, a princess of the Great Song Dynasty. How dare you, a mere prince consort, threaten me?"

Chen Shimei's smile remained unchanged as he cupped his hands and said, "This humble official dares not. This humble official is merely speaking the truth; please, Princess, reconsider."

After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Zhao Jinyu standing alone in the empty courtyard.

She suddenly felt incredibly tired. On one side were her blood-bound brother and the powerful Prince Xiangyang's mansion; on the other, an innocent and wronged woman and the public good she represented. She was caught in the middle, torn between a rock and a hard place.

She walked to Liu Xinyi's door and gently pushed it open.

Liu Xinyi remained seated by the window, holding a medical book. Hearing the noise, she looked up and saw the weariness and helplessness on Zhao Jinyu's face, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"Princess," she said softly, "you need not be troubled. I... have my own plans."

Zhao Jinyu was taken aback: "You..."

Liu Xinyi shook her head and stopped talking. She just stared at the bare plum tree branches outside the window, her eyes eerily calm.

A few more days passed.

Zhao Zongyuan completely abandoned all pretense of civility.

That day, he led several burly guards from the Prince's mansion and barged directly into the courtyard.

"Sister Wang," he shouted from the courtyard, "I'm not here to beg you today, I'm here to tell you—I'm taking this woman away today!"

Zhao Jinyu burst out of the room, shouting angrily, "How dare you!"

"What wouldn't I dare to do?" Zhao Zongyuan sneered. "She's a murder suspect, and Chen Shimei has already given his approval. I'm merely doing the court a favor by taking her into custody at the Prince's residence. Sister Wang, can you stop me?"

He waved his hand, and several guards tried to rush into the room.

Zhao Jinyu stood in front of the door, glaring angrily at the fierce-looking guards: "Let's see who dares!"

The guards looked at each other, not daring to step forward.

Zhao Zongyuan got angry, pushed his sister aside, and barged into the room.

The moment the door was pushed open, he saw Liu Xinyi.

She remained seated by the window, holding the medical book. Hearing the noise, she slowly raised her head. Her clear eyes held no fear, no anger, not even disgust. She simply looked at him calmly, as if examining a hopeless patient.

That gaze was more piercing than any words.

Zhao Zongyuan suddenly felt a little guilty, but he quickly suppressed his unease and sneered, "Miss Liu, I've come to fetch you personally today, and you're not grateful?"

Liu Xinyi put down her book and stood up. Her movements were slow, yet they carried an unyielding solemnity.

"Your Highness," her voice was clear and cold like a jade chime, exceptionally distinct in the silent room, "I'll make this clear today—I'd rather die than go with you."

Zhao Zongyuan's expression changed: "You..."

"If Your Highness uses force," Liu Xinyi said, enunciating each word clearly, "though my martial arts skills are meager, killing you would be as easy as turning my hand, and I have a hundred ways to commit suicide as well. In the end, what Your Highness will take away is nothing but a corpse."

Zhao Zongyuan took a step back in fright: "You...you dare!"

Liu Xinyi looked at him, a faint smile appearing on her lips. That smile contained mockery, contempt, and a hint of indescribable pity.

"Your Highness might as well step forward and give it a try."

Zhao Zongyuan's face flushed red. He wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. He stared at Liu Xinyi for a long time, then finally stomped his foot angrily and slunk away with his guards.

Behind him, Zhao Jinyu leaned against the door frame, his body trembling slightly.

Looking at Liu Xinyi, she suddenly realized that her thirty years as a princess had been worse than that of this commoner. She had power, status, and a life of luxury, but she had never had this kind of courage to die rather than submit.

"Miss Liu..." She opened her mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Liu Xinyi shook her head and said softly, "Princess, there's no need to blame yourself. You've done your best. I'll walk the rest of the way myself."

Zhao Jinyu stared at her blankly, then suddenly burst into tears.

That night, the stars and moon were dim, and only a single lamp shone dimly.

Liu Xinyi sat cross-legged on the couch, gazing at the dark night sky outside the window, her eyes eerily calm.

She knew Zhao Zongyuan wouldn't let this go. He might back down today, but he'd come back tomorrow. The day after tomorrow, and the day after that—one day, he would act without hesitation. Zhao Jinyu couldn't protect her, Wang Zhonghua was thousands of miles away, and Qin Tiehua's fate was unknown.

She was all alone, trapped in this small courtyard, with no one to turn to for help.

But she would never back down.

She recalled the words her grandfather, Liu Jueming, had taught her: "A doctor must not only treat people's illnesses, but also guard his own heart. If the heart is broken, no matter how good the medical skills are, he is nothing more than a craftsman."

She cannot be Chen Shimei's pawn, Zhao Zongyuan's plaything, or Wang Zhonghua's burden.

She has to forge her own path.

She closed her eyes and began to recall a secret technique passed down by her grandfather from an ancient medical text—"Turtle Breathing Feigns Death, Spirit Concealed in the Heart Orifice."

This method, used by ancient physicians to resist extreme pain or the corrosive effects of poison, involves unique breathing techniques and self-hypnosis to reduce bodily functions to a minimum, akin to hibernation. To outsiders, it appears as a coma or even near death. Only those with profound cultivation and pure inner strength can detect the undying life force within; only those with superb medical skills and a thorough understanding of this method can comprehend the mysteries of the pulse, let alone awaken the patient.

This method is extremely dangerous. If the practitioner's mind is even slightly unstable, or if there is excessive external interference, the feigned death may become real, and the soul may depart into the unknown.

When my grandfather passed this technique on to me, he repeatedly warned me: "This skill should not be used lightly unless absolutely necessary. A single wrong thought can lead to death."

Now, it's a last resort.

Liu Xinyi took a deep breath, clearing her mind of all distractions. Following the difficult incantation she remembered, she adjusted her breathing and focused her mind on her dantian. She felt like a fallen leaf, slowly drifting into a deep pool, sinking deeper and deeper, becoming more and more still.

The surrounding noise gradually faded away; Chen Shimei's conspiracy, Zhao Zongyuan's coercion, and Zhao Jinyu's sighs all became increasingly blurred, as if seen through a thick layer of cotton. She felt like a silkworm spinning its cocoon, wrapping herself up layer by layer.

Before her last wisp of consciousness dissipated, she seemed to see Wang Zhonghua's face.

He was smiling; his eyebrows were sharp and his eyes were bright—he was extremely handsome.

Then, she fell into endless darkness.