She refused to marry.

Su Wanwan suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.

It wasn't the poison that caused it, but rather her inability to face Ying Zheng's feelings.

It's all the author's fault for portraying him as a heartthrob.

She can't even do the things that a scumbag would do so easily.

"Your mission is to obtain the Tiger Tally and lead troops to suppress the city. Can you put aside your personal feelings for a while?" Su Wanwan tried to pull her hand back.

Ying Zheng grabbed her hand, "Who told Wanwan to appear in front of me? If I had stolen the Tiger Tally and come back, Wanwan would probably already be married."

Su Wanwan sighed helplessly, "Should we make our move on the day the Crown Prince chooses his consort?"

"Hmm, I haven't decided yet, but Wanwan's suggestion has given me some advice." Ying Zheng frowned.

Su Wanwan put her hand on her forehead; her lips... were like they'd been blessed.

"Still feeling unwell?" Ying Zheng touched her forehead.

"I'm fine now." Su Wanwan propped herself up. "I need to go back. Feng Chenjun is keeping a close eye on me. If he finds out anything, what kind of trouble will he cause?"

"Feng Chenjun? He's already ill and bedridden. He doesn't have time to deal with your affairs." Ying Zheng helped her put on her shoes.

"Your Majesty is ill? When did you fall ill? How come I didn't know?" Su Wanwan frowned.

"You care about him a lot?" Ying Zheng asked, displeased.

"Lord Fengchen is the former master of the Su family. He has saved my life time and time again. What does Your Highness think?" Su Wanwan got up, walked to the table, and drank a few sips of tea.

Yuan Zijin brought over a bowl of herbal soup. "Miss Su, this is herbal soup prescribed by the divine doctor. Drink it while it's hot."

"You still haven't told me what illness His Majesty has?" Su Wanwan asked, raising her eyes.

"The internal injuries left over from last time have worsened because they weren't properly treated at home. When I visited last time, he was already vomiting blood." Ying Zheng blew on the medicine.

"His Majesty started coughing up blood a long time ago, and it seems his condition has worsened..." Su Wanwan frowned. "Isn't the Princess going to do anything about it?"

Ying Zheng scooped up a spoonful and fed it to her lips, "Because of Xiao Yuluo, the mother and son have fallen out."

"Who is Xiao Yuluo?" Su Wanwan took the soup spoon and drank the soup herself.

"The daughter born to General Xiao's concubine."

Su Wanwan almost choked.

"What does this have to do with her?"

"The Eldest Princess was the final culprit who drove Xiao Yulu to her death. After learning the truth, Feng Chenjun developed a grudge against the Eldest Princess and fell ill from the accumulated resentment." Ying Zheng wiped the medicine from the corner of her mouth.

"But I thought the Princess and the Emperor seemed to be getting along quite well before." Su Wanwan turned her head in confusion. "Did you tell the Emperor that?"

"The truth that His Majesty learned from the Crown Prince after that time in prison." Ying Zheng took a deep breath.

Her gaze changed whenever the emperor was mentioned. When did her gaze, which should have belonged to her, shift to someone else?

"Wanwan, would you like to come with me?" Ying Zheng's eyes held a hint of jealousy.

Su Wanwan shook her head. "I won't leave."

Ying Zheng chuckled self-deprecatingly; how could he possibly take her away now?

Su Wanwan had dinner at the Prince's residence and was not sent back to her residence until after 5 PM.

In the following days, she stayed at home arranging her third sister's wedding and pondered whether or not to visit Feng Chenjun.

Her father was about to come looking for her because of this.

"I heard that His Majesty is failing. Why don't you come with me to see him?"

"Um."

Su Wanwan made porridge and milk tea and put them in a food box.

The carriage stopped at the front gate of the Princess's residence. Following her father, she walked to the main hall, where a nanny greeted her, had her belongings put down, and registered her name and the gifts she had given.

Su Wanwan noticed that everyone else was carrying valuable items, but she was the only one carrying a food box.

When it was her turn, the nanny glanced at her and waved to the maid behind her.

The maid stepped forward. "Miss Su, this way please."

Su Wanwan didn't understand what he meant and thought that she had taken too little.

The maid led her to the entrance of the East Garden.

"Please announce that Miss Su's second daughter has arrived."

Su Wanwan waited for a while and saw a number of folk doctors walking out of the East Garden looking dejected.

Jian Qingshan came out, his eyes red-rimmed. "Miss Su, please."

Su Wanwan's heart tightened. Was it really going to be no use?

According to the original story, this shouldn't be the case; Feng Chenjun should have lived for at least another six months.

Thinking of this, my heart tightened again.

Deep within the East Garden, in the warm pavilion, Xiao Xuanjing lay pale on his bed, his lips devoid of any color.

Su Wanwan knelt down beside the bed and grasped Feng Chenjun's hand, which was icy cold. "Your Majesty..."

Xiao Xuanjing wearily opened his eyes, "Little fox..."

Su Wanwan felt a pang of heartache. Last time, she still had the strength to slap her hand, but today she was too weak to speak.

"Your Majesty, why are you so ill?" Su Wanwan stepped forward and whispered in his ear.

"Why did the little fox only arrive now?" Xiao Xuanjing closed his eyes to rest.

Su Wanwan felt a lump in her throat. Although Feng Chenjun was usually fierce, hearing his words made her feel indescribably sad. "Your Majesty..."

Xiao Xuanjing's tightly closed eyes opened slightly again. "Why... did you only arrive now...?"

He held her soft, delicate hand tightly in his own.

Su Wanwan was somewhat touched; Feng Chenjun's words truly showed that he considered her one of his own.

But she was timid as a mouse, and from that day on, she never set foot in the Princess's residence again.

She could only let the emperor hold her hand tightly, feeling the icy temperature of Feng Chenjun's body.

Feng Chenjun's breathing grew weaker and weaker. Looking at his pale face, Su Wanwan couldn't help but recall how he looked when he was dying in prison.

"Your Majesty, hold on! You still have to lead the troops... You must go to war in all your might, how can you lie in this bed..."

Xiao Xuanjing opened his eyes and said weakly, "You're right... How can I die in bed... Help me up..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he sat up weakly, coughing incessantly.

Jian Qingshan hurriedly fetched a shawl and draped it over the emperor.

"Has Your Majesty taken your medicine?" Su Wanwan asked.

Jian Qingshan was on the verge of tears. "I've taken all sorts of medicine, but my condition is getting worse every day."

Su Wanwan was anxious; she looked even worse than when she was on the verge of death last time.

"Where are the doctors from the Imperial Medical Academy? Is there no one left?" Su Wanwan stood up.

"The Imperial Hospital now listens to the Crown Prince. How could the Crown Prince save our Lord?" Jian Qingshan choked up.

"Where is the Eldest Princess? The Empress Dowager? Don't they care?" Su Wanwan frowned.

"The Empress Dowager is currently ill at the temporary palace, and the Eldest Princess has gone there to take care of her. Right now, if these quack doctors still can't come up with a solution, our Emperor will... will..." Jian Qingshan didn't finish his sentence.

Su Wanwan thought for a moment, "I'll go find the Crown Prince. He has a divine physician there, who can surely save His Majesty." With that, she was about to leave.

Xiao Xuanjing quickly grabbed her hand, "Don't go... As long as you take your medicine properly, you'll get better. Qingshan, get the medicine..."

He had barely finished speaking when he began coughing violently. Su Wanwan quickly handed him a handkerchief.

After a violent coughing fit, the handkerchief was slowly soaked with blood...

Su Wanwan took care of him for a long time, and only left the East Garden after her father urged her repeatedly.

Upon seeing this, Jian Qingshan quickly closed the gate of the East Garden.

She ran back to the warm pavilion and placed a box of antidote on the table. "Your Majesty, do we really have to make ourselves look genuinely injured to deceive everyone?"

"Only if we can fool the people of the Imperial Hospital can we be considered safe." Xiao Xuanjing, who had been lying weakly in bed just moments before, got up and moved around as if nothing had happened.

"Miss Su is completely convinced now," Jian Qingshan said with a yawn.

"Only if she believes, will the Crown Prince truly believe." Xiao Xuanjing walked out of the warm pavilion with satisfaction. "Is the dungeon ready?"

"Ready."