Chapter 302: Laying Low (1/2)

Nan Jihan happened to see Jun Huang collapse when he entered. He rushed to her, but was waved away by Oleg Cragfiend. “She needs some time to take in the medicine. Don't worry too much.”

Nan Jihan let out a sigh of relief. He looked down at Jun Huang, at her fair skin and delicate features framed by silky hair. She radiated coldness because of the lotus she'd consumed.

“Your Majesty, Northern Qi has delivered a message,” his personal eunuch went up to him and whispered.

Nan Jihan frowned. He'd exchanged a few letters with Nan Xun lately, but not often. This one had arrived earlier than usual. Something must have gone wrong.

He couldn't figure out an explanation, but he was unwilling to leave Jun Huang. He wanted to be the first thing she saw when she woke up, and he wanted to see her recover.

The eunuch couldn't argue with him. He had no choice but to ask the messenger to wait. The messenger, however, pulled a face and insisted that the matter was urgent. The eunuch took him to the side palace after some deliberation.

Nan Jihan scowled and threw the eunuch a glare. The eunuch meekly turned away and played ignorant. With a sigh, Nan Jihan followed the messenger to the study. There were things he couldn't put aside as the ruler of the nation.

“Why are you in such a rush?” Nan Jihan asked coldly, gazing at the man from behind a teacup.

“There was a traitor in the army. Prince Nan went missing after an ambush. Please help us, Your Majesty.”

Nan Jihan shot to his feet, dropping his teacup on the floor and widening his eyes. It took some time for him to recover. With a clouded look, he dismissed the messenger. He stopped his eunuch before he could leave and said, “I failed to keep the servants out of earshot. Remind them not to spread any words. Otherwise you'll all be punished.”

The eunuch shuddered and nodded before leaving gingerly. Nan Jihan stayed rooted to the spot for a long time. Finally, he sent for his men to look into Nan Xun's disappearance and put more people to keep an eye on Jun Huang.

Jun Huang came to not long after. She opened her eyes slowly and realized that she was on her own. She propped herself up. Although she was still a little weak, there was an ease in her movement she hadn't felt for a long time. The poison in her body must have been cleansed.

She rose and walked out of the building. Her maid was shocked and happy in equal measure to see her up and about. She told her that the soldiers in the backyard had been sent by Nan Jihan to protect her. Jun Huang a.s.sumed Nan Jihan was merely feeling paranoid.

“It's a beautiful day. I've been staying in bed for a long time. It's getting boring. I'd like to go for a walk in the royal garden.”

Jun Huang spoke with a smile. The maid agreed and retrieved a cloak for her before following her to the garden.

Flowers bloomed all around the garden as if it'd been spring. Jun Huang walked leisurely, her face soft and her eyes calm.

“It's infuriating that she looks down on everyone just because she's beautiful,” Consort Li said to another consort. “His Majesty has been frequenting her residence for the past few days. Is she really a fox spirit?”

The other consort is a shrewd one. She covered a smile. “Perhaps she is. You've suffered because of her a while ago. It must be karma that she fell ill.”

“Ah, I hear that His Majesty was with her when Northern Qi's messenger came. If Prince Nan Xun hadn't gone missing, His Majesty would still be by her side.”

Jun Huang didn't care about their insults, but she paled and panicked when she heard about Nan Xun's disappearance. She knew it was very likely to be real.

She went off to seek out Nan Jihan, but ran into Nan Guyue first. The princess looked at her worriedly, her brows furrowed. Her expression was telling enough.

Jun Huang stared at her without a word, but didn't act out like the siblings had worried she would. She took a deep breath and managed to smile at the princess. “Tell me the truth.”

Nan Guyue wanted to tell her to not push herself, but Jun Huang shook her head. She was fine. She just wanted an answer.