Transmigrated into a Bride of a Crippled Man, Turns Out to Be the Crown Prince Chapter 3

Shen Yiran crashed heavily onto the pale stone slabs in the courtyard.

A searing pain shot through her back, spreading through her entire body. She couldn’t move for a moment.

This is bad…

She cursed inwardly.

I’ve probably suffered a crushed spinal fracture.

Yun’er, who had been waiting in the courtyard, was terrified by the sight. Her legs trembled uncontrollably.

“Miss! Miss! Are you alright?”

Her knees shook so violently that she could only crawl toward her mistress.

“Yun’er… don’t move me. Let me… catch my breath.”

At last, Shen Yiran managed to exhale.

At the same time, she silently cursed Ren Jingzhi to a miserable death.

If I ever get the chance, I’ll repay today’s injury a hundredfold.

After lying there for about fifteen minutes, she cautiously tried moving.

To her surprise…

She could still move.

“Yun’er… help me to the side courtyard.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Yun’er carefully helped her mistress to her feet, and the two slowly made their way toward the side courtyard.

Huaxi Courtyard lay on the eastern side of the Prime Minister’s Residence.

By the faint lantern light, Shen Yiran observed her surroundings. The enclosing walls stood nearly two meters high, and beneath the cover of darkness, they created an almost suffocating atmosphere.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the night sky.

Moments later, raindrops the size of beans came pouring down.

An icy autumn wind swept through the courtyard, making the old locust tree groan as its branches rustled violently.

“Miss…”

Yun’er’s grip tightened around Shen Yiran’s arm.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Shen Yiran gently patted the girl’s hand in reassurance.

She herself remained calm.

Scenes like this were nothing new to her.

Back in her previous life, her unit had often carried out missions on nights exactly like this.

But remembering the mysterious deaths of the previous five brides brought to ward off misfortune, she couldn’t help feeling a chill run down her already aching spine.

The moment they reached the side courtyard, the doors and windows rattled violently under the howling wind.

Before they could even reach the door, another fierce gust blew it open with a loud creak.

“M-Miss… I’m scared…”

“Don’t be. Come on, let’s light the candles.”

Using the flashes of lightning for illumination, Shen Yiran found a fire striker on the table beside the entrance.

She handed it to Yun’er.

The trembling girl accepted it with shaking hands, gently blew on the ember, and lit the candle.

Boom! Boom!

Two deafening peals of thunder shook the heavens.

Outside, the storm intensified even further.

“Yun’er! Hurry and shut the doors and windows!”

Shen Yiran shielded the candle with her body, protecting the tiny flame from the wild gusts.

Once the doors and windows were secured, the mistress and servant finally relaxed a little.

Only then did Shen Yiran realize that her back no longer hurt quite as much.

Instead…

Her hips burned with intense pain.

Then she remembered.

When Ren Jingzhi had blasted her out of the room, she had instinctively twisted her body in midair. As a result, her hips had taken most of the impact when she landed.

Otherwise…

Her waist would probably have been ruined.

Damn that lunatic.

If this body weren’t so weak, that palm strike would’ve been child’s play for me.

She surveyed the room.

Aside from the bed, there was only a battered table and a few worn stools.

A bronze mirror on the table reflected her face.

“Ghost—!”

She nearly screamed.

Then she remembered…

That face was now hers.

Or more accurately, it belonged to the Original Host.

Even as a doctor who had seen countless horrific injuries, Shen Yiran couldn’t help feeling shaken.

The poisonous tumor covering half the Original Host’s face had already turned a dark purplish color.

In modern medicine, this would be diagnosed as terminal-stage cancer.

Untreatable.

Fortunately, Shen Yiran came from a family of traditional physicians and had also trained extensively in modern military medicine.

Combining Traditional Chinese and Western medicine…

Treating this poison wasn’t impossible.

It would simply take time.

After everything she’d gone through that day, every inch of her body hurt.

And she was starving.

The priority now was treating her injuries.

With a thought, she summoned a medical kit from her Dimensional Space and placed it on the table.

Just as Yun’er finished securing the windows, she froze upon seeing it.

“M-Miss… where did this come from?”

“I packed it with my luggage before I got married.”

The moment she heard that, tears poured down Yun’er’s cheeks again.

Her poor Miss…

She even brought a medicine chest when she married.

She must have known this marriage would only bring suffering.

“Yun’er, stop crying. Come help me apply the medicine.”

Shen Yiran took out the necessary medicines and patiently explained how each one should be used.

Yun’er helped her onto the bed so she could lie face down.

The moment she untied Shen Yiran’s clothes and saw the bruises covering her back, tears once again welled in her eyes.

“His Highness is so heartless…”

“He hurt Miss this badly…”

“It’s fine.”

“They’re only superficial injuries.”

“Just apply the medicine the way I taught you. They’ll heal in a few days.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Yun’er carefully cleaned the wounds with cotton swabs.

After about fifteen minutes, the treatment was finally complete.

Taking advantage of the moment Yun’er wasn’t paying attention, Shen Yiran quietly returned the medicine kit to her Dimensional Space.

Yun’er was easy enough to fool.

But if someone else ever saw it…

They’d certainly accuse her of being some kind of demon or monster.

She’d die even faster.

At that moment, her stomach growled loudly again.

Judging by the situation, the Prime Minister’s Residence clearly had no intention of providing them with food.

With another thought, Shen Yiran entered her Dimensional Space.

One shelf by the window of the Medical Clinic was packed with snacks and instant food.

For the first time in her life, she was grateful for being such a foodie.

Otherwise…

She might actually have starved to death tonight.

Originally, she wanted to take two self-heating rice meals.

But afraid that Yun’er would become suspicious, she instead chose two cans of Eight-Treasure Porridge, a box of Red Date and Chinese Yam Eight-Treasure Cakes, and two bottles of cola.

“Yun’er, bring the food from the table.”

The moment Yun’er saw the food, her eyes widened like almonds.

“Miss… where did all this come from?”

“It was already on the table.”

“But… it wasn’t there just now.”

“You were too nervous to notice.”

Shen Yiran lied without batting an eye.

Meanwhile, poor Yun’er genuinely began doubting her own memory.

Picking up a can of Eight-Treasure Porridge, Yun’er examined the strange container from every angle.

After fiddling with it for quite a while, she finally managed to unscrew the plastic cap.

When she looked back…

Her Miss was already eating.

“Miss…”

“How did you open yours?”

She asked, blushing with embarrassment.

Only then did Shen Yiran realize her mistake.

She had been so hungry that she’d forgotten this was Yun’er’s first time seeing canned food.

Taking the can from Yun’er’s hands, Shen Yiran hooked a finger through the pull ring and tugged.

Pop!

The lid opened instantly.

She then removed the folded plastic spoon tucked beneath the cap and handed it over.

Watching the effortless process, Yun’er couldn’t help feeling suspicious.

Ever since Miss had been brought back to the Minister of Revenue’s residence, she’d hardly spoken.

In an entire month…

She hadn’t said as many words as she had today alone.

“This is delicious!”

Fortunately, Yun’er was every bit as much of a foodie as Shen Yiran.

The delicious, unfamiliar treats quickly erased every trace of suspicion from her mind.

After the two had eaten their fill, reason slowly returned.

Along with it came renewed fear.

Outside, thunder continued to roar while rain lashed against the windows.

Yun’er feared ghosts.

Shen Yiran feared people.

After all…

People were far more terrifying than ghosts.

The exhausting day had completely drained Shen Yiran.

If she didn’t get some rest soon, Ren Jingzhi wouldn’t need to kill her.

She’d simply die from exhaustion.

Because of the injuries on her back, she could only sleep face down.

Fortunately, the bed was surprisingly soft.

The bedding was brand new and carried a faint, pleasant fragrance.

I suppose this counts as decent treatment for a bride brought here to ward off misfortune.

“Yun’er, stop standing there. Come sleep beside me.”

“Miss… this servant wouldn’t dare.”

“You sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

She said that…

Yet both of her legs continued shaking like sieves.

Shen Yiran, raised in modern times, had no concept of master and servant.

Seeing Yun’er’s trembling legs, there was no way she could bear to make the girl stand guard all night.

“Stop arguing.”

“Get up here.”

“I’m exhausted.”

“Yes… Miss.”

Still trembling, Yun’er climbed onto the bed.

Thinking about the tragic deaths of the previous five brides, she curled herself into a tiny ball beneath the blanket.

Only after Shen Yiran gently comforted her did she finally drift into a light sleep.

Once she was certain Yun’er was asleep, Shen Yiran disappeared into her Dimensional Space.

Although every part of her still ached, she felt much better than before.

She silently thanked modern medicine.

Its anti-inflammatory drugs and painkillers truly worked wonders.

With injuries like hers, there was no way she’d even be able to get out of bed without them.

While marveling at modern medicine, she walked toward the Intensive Care Unit.

Several hours had passed.

She was still worried about the Black-clothed Man.

After checking the monitors, she found that all his vital signs were stable.

Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

To speed his recovery, she started an IV nutrient infusion and administered ceftriaxone.

After finishing everything, she longed to collapse onto the comfortable bed inside the Dimensional Space and sleep.

But she worried that Yun’er would wake up, fail to find her, and panic.

So she reluctantly returned to the outside world and obediently lay face down on the bed.

Too many things had happened in a single day.

She had intended to organize her thoughts and prepare for tomorrow.

Unfortunately, the Original Host’s body had long since exhausted all its strength.

Her eyelids slowly grew heavy…

Then closed.

..

Meanwhile, in the main residence of Huaxi Courtyard…

Ren Jingzhi sat bound in heavy iron chains.

Every time the poison flared up, he locked himself up before losing control, lest he harm innocent people.

When he had met Shen Yiran earlier…

His poison had been acting up.

If he hadn’t sent her flying with that palm strike…

Once he completely lost control…

He would have killed her.

Looking out at the lightning flashing across the sky, Ren Jingzhi watched as the storm raged with a ferocity greater than the fiercest midsummer tempest.

The wind howled wildly, as if determined to bury and wash away every trace of sin beneath the torrential rain.

Will my sixth bride die tonight?

Did that palm strike kill her?

If she dies…

Will it be because I struck her…

Or because the poison her own family gave her finally claimed her life?

What exactly am I hoping for?

That she survives…

So that perhaps… I, too, might have a chance to live?