Chapter 6: Humiliation

Lin Bei acknowledged the order and hurried out with the prescription in hand. He intended to personally purchase the medicine for his Master.

Stepping outside, he called to another young man.

“Lin Nan, I’m heading out for a while. Take good care of Master.”

The young man addressed as Lin Nan was Lin Bei’s younger brother. He was seventeen years old.

Three years earlier, their hometown had been devastated by floods. During their desperate escape, their parents and younger sister had been swept away by the raging waters, and their whereabouts remained unknown to this day.

When the brothers were on the verge of starving to death, they encountered Ren Jingzhi, who was accompanying General Yu on a military campaign.

It was Ren Jingzhi who had saved them.

Seeing that the brothers had nowhere to go, Ren Jingzhi pleaded with General Yu to allow them to join the army together.

Later, the two brothers became Ren Jingzhi’s most trusted aides.

They regarded that act of kindness as a debt owed to a second set of parents and had never forgotten it.

After Ren Jingzhi was poisoned and realized he did not have much time left, he gave them a sum of silver and ordered them to leave the residence to make a living elsewhere.

The brothers were deeply moved but refused to go.

Even if their Master truly had little time remaining, they wanted to accompany him through the end.

Ren Jingzhi had tried to drive them away several times, but neither brother had ever yielded.

Thinking back on everything, Lin Bei’s eyes gradually grew moist.

Seeing that Ren Jingzhi had fallen into a peaceful sleep, Shen Yiran stood up.

“Yun’er, let’s go back.”

Mistress and maid walked back in silence.

No sooner had they left than Lin Nan entered the room.

Back in the side courtyard, Shen Yiran summoned the Medical Kit from her Dimensional Space.

When she opened it, she found a box of anti-inflammatory ointment resting on the top layer.

She liked this Medical Kit more and more.

If it had been a living person, she would have kissed it several times.

It understood her needs far too well.

Taking out the ointment, she beckoned to Yun’er.

“Come here. I’ll apply some medicine for you.”

The gesture was so natural that it felt just like helping one of her best friends in her previous life.

“M-M-Miss… this servant wouldn’t dare!”

Yun’er immediately dropped to her knees, panic written all over her face.

This girl…

The distinction between master and servant was far too deeply ingrained in her.

She would have to help her change that habit.

If Yun’er knelt at every turn, Shen Yiran simply could not bear it.

She immediately bent down and pulled her back to her feet.

“Get up. There are no such formalities with me.”

Unscrewing the lid of the ointment, Shen Yiran carefully applied it to Yun’er’s swollen cheek.

Looking at the five vivid finger marks left by the slap, she ground her teeth in anger.

She should have rewarded that bastard with a dose of Crane Crest Poison today.

“Miss, this ointment is amazing! It’s cool when applied, and it doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”

Yun’er gratefully thanked her mistress.

The ointment had been specially formulated by Shen Yiran’s grandfather.

It was far superior to any ordinary anti-inflammatory ointment.

Besides reducing inflammation and improving blood circulation, it could detoxify the skin and remove scars.

Someday, she would rely on it to eliminate the poisonous birthmark on her face.

Looking at the ointment in her hand, Shen Yiran suddenly missed home again.

When her family learned of her death, they must have been devastated beyond words.

Thinking back over the past two days since her transmigration, every moment had been filled with danger.

She had barely eaten.

She had barely slept.

She truly wanted to go home.

“Miss, it’s time to change your medicine.”

As she spoke, Yun’er gently helped Shen Yiran over to the bed.

With some difficulty, Shen Yiran climbed onto the bed and lay on her stomach.

Now that she had finally relaxed, every inch of her body ached.

Exhaustion swept over her.

While Yun’er carefully treated the wound on her back, Shen Yiran quietly fell asleep.

After finishing, Yun’er gently pulled the blanket over her mistress.

Remembering that neither of them had eaten anything since morning, Yun’er decided to take advantage of Shen Yiran’s nap to ask the kitchen for some food.

Meanwhile, inside a bedroom in Huaxi Courtyard, Ren Jingzhi slowly opened his eyes.

A faint glimmer of hope flickered within his dark eyes.

He remembered everything that had happened that morning.

Apart from attacking that woman—something he had been completely unable to control—he had remained conscious throughout the rest.

He remembered her performing acupuncture on him.

He also remembered her shamelessly uttering those flirtatious words before the Third Prince.

He had no idea what she had done to Yu Gongxuan, but whatever it was had driven the man into such a frenzy that he fled in humiliation.

This poisoning episode had felt different from all the previous ones.

Although he had sprayed the Third Prince with a mouthful of blood…

…his body now felt lighter than it ever had before.

He recalled what the woman had told him the previous night.

She said she could cure his poison.

Slowly sitting up, he called,

“Lin Bei, come in.”

“Master, Brother Lin went out. I’m here instead. Do you need something?”

Ren Jingzhi frowned.

Ever since he had been poisoned, Lin Bei had never left his side.

Why would he leave the residence while he was unconscious?

Before Lin Nan could receive further instructions, Lin Bei returned.

Finding the door open, he walked straight inside.

“Master, you’re awake!”

Lin Bei was overjoyed as he hurried to the bedside.

“You’ve only just awakened. You should rest more.”

Ren Jingzhi noticed the bag of medicine hanging from Lin Bei’s hand.

“Are you ill?”

Lin Bei almost replied, It’s for you, Master.

But remembering the Crown Princess Consort’s instructions, he turned to Lin Nan instead.

“Go prepare the medicine. Stay with it every step of the way while it’s boiling. I’ll remain here with Master.”

As he spoke, he stuffed the medicine bag into Lin Nan’s hands.

It wasn’t that he distrusted his younger brother.

Lin Nan was simply too honest.

He couldn’t keep secrets.

Just look at him—even after returning, he had forgotten to close the door.

Lin Bei could only sigh.

No wonder Master never allowed Lin Nan to serve him personally.

Still, his martial skills were excellent, and he could always be relied upon to run errands.

Putting those thoughts aside, Lin Bei stepped forward, closed the door, and explained,

“Master, that medicine is for you. I purchased it according to the prescription written by the Crown Princess Consort.”

“The Crown Princess Consort…”

The title sounded strangely unfamiliar.

Did that mean he truly had a wife now?

“The Crown Princess Consort specifically instructed that, outwardly, your condition must appear unchanged. No one can know that she’s treating your poison. She’s doing this to protect you.”

Lin Bei faithfully repeated her instructions.

Ren Jingzhi nodded.

“Go tell the kitchen to prepare breakfast. This Crown Prince is hungry.”

After a brief pause, he added,

“And prepare another meal to be delivered to the side courtyard.”

Hearing his Master say he wanted to eat, Lin Bei became even more convinced that the Crown Princess Consort truly could save him.

In the past, he had practically begged his Master to eat even a few bites.

Overjoyed, he nodded repeatedly before hurrying away.

Shen Yiran was awakened by hunger.

The moment she opened her sleepy eyes, she saw Yun’er quietly sobbing beside the bed.

“What happened? Why are you crying?”

“Miss… seeing that you hadn’t eaten anything all morning, this servant went to the kitchen to ask for some food. But the kitchen matron refused… and she… she also said…”

Yun’er could not bring herself to continue.

She feared her mistress would be hurt.

“What exactly did she say? Repeat her words exactly.”

In truth, Shen Yiran could already guess.

She merely wanted confirmation.

Yun’er remained silent for a long while before finally speaking.

“They said… ‘Look at this cheap little slut. With a body as round as hers, do you really think skipping one meal will make her skinny? She’s so ugly that even the King of Hell doesn’t want her.'”

“What the hell!”

Shen Yiran couldn’t help blurting out the curse.

Although she already knew that the Original Host’s appearance and body were widely ridiculed…

…hearing such blunt insults still stung.

It seemed that once things settled down, improving this body’s condition would have to become a priority.

“It’s alright.”

She gently comforted Yun’er.

“We’ll make them eat their own words someday.”

Seeing how calm and composed her mistress remained, Yun’er found it hard to believe.

Ever since marrying into the Prime Minister’s Residence, Miss had changed completely.

It was almost as though she had become a different person.

On that point…

She couldn’t have been more right.

The soul inside her Miss truly had changed.

“Grrr…”

“Grrr…”

Shen Yiran looked apologetically at Yun’er.

This poor girl had suffered so much because of her.

Embarrassed, Yun’er rubbed her stomach.

She simply couldn’t control the growling of an empty belly.

“Yun’er, help me get dressed. Let’s go find ourselves something to eat.”

Yun’er took a fresh set of clothes from their bundle and helped Shen Yiran change.

She then quickly arranged her hair into the hairstyle of a married noblewoman.

Just as the two were about to leave, someone knocked on the door.

“Crown Princess Consort, it’s Lin Bei.”

Shen Yiran signaled for Yun’er to answer it.

“Brother Lin Bei, is something the matter?”

Having endured the same beating that morning, they no longer felt like strangers.

“My Master asked me to bring you breakfast. Please make do with this.”

As he spoke, he handed the food box to Yun’er.

After thanking him, Yun’er carried it back inside.

Though it contained only a few simple home-style dishes, to two people who had not eaten since the previous day, it was a feast beyond compare.

After finishing the last mouthful of rice, Shen Yiran let out a satisfied burp.

“At least that guy still has a bit of a conscience.”

Still…

Living from one meal to the next gave her no sense of security whatsoever.

She would have to find Ren Jingzhi and negotiate some terms.

Even if he was a disabled thigh to lean on…

She intended to cling to it tightly.