Ye Tinglan did not answer, his dark eyes fixed on her shoulder, and he spoke in a low voice.
"Did your left shoulder suffer a serious injury before?"
She was not a delicate person, nor was her internal energy excessively depleted. If she was in such pain, it was likely that the old injury was already extremely severe.
Seeing that he had stopped and made no further moves, Feng Yinwan secretly relaxed, then straightened her back with a cold expression.
"This has nothing to do with His Highness, and you needn't worry about it."
She gave him a wary glance, then nodded, "It's getting late, I bid you farewell."
With that, she stepped towards the door. However, the moment her fingertips touched the door panel, her body was suddenly held fast.
Behind her, a frigid aura instantly enveloped her, and Feng Yinwan's heart felt as if it were suspended in mid-air.
"What are you doing?!"
Even in the hall today, his actions had been so presumptuous.
Ye Tinglan remained silent, his long, jade-like fingers landing on her left shoulder.
Her acupoints were sealed, and Feng Yinwan couldn't summon her internal energy. Sensing his movements, she immediately warned him.
"Your Highness, please mind your manners!"
This threat was empty, no different from a joke. It was clear that Ye Tinglan had no intention of listening.
His fingers traced up her collar, and with a slight tug, he intended to pull it open. Feng Yinwan, enraged, struggled despite her pain.
"Ye Tinglan, how dare you!"
He actually wanted to strip her clothes!
Feng Yinwan struggled fiercely, and the injured area was pulled, causing her face to immediately turn pale.
Seeing this, Ye Tinglan's eyes darkened, and he released his grip, stopping his actions.
"Let go!"
As she tried to struggle again, her wrist was gently but firmly held. Behind her, Ye Tinglan's low voice sounded like a warning.
"Don't move."
His fingers returned to her shoulder.
Feng Yinwan frowned but at that moment felt a trace of warmth flowing into her.
Startled for a moment, she immediately turned her head in surprise.
Was Ye Tinglan... infusing her with internal energy?
She glanced sideways at him, her gaze falling on the faint dark circles under his eyes. Ye Tinglan lowered his eyes, his long, thick lashes growing excessively well.
His gaze focused on her shoulder. His expression was concentrated, and where his fingers touched, strands of warmth unraveled, immediately dissolving more than half of her pain.
Her shoulder felt numb.
Feng Yinwan was lost in thought, momentarily forgetting to push him away.
After a moment, seeing that her complexion had improved, Ye Tinglan's eyes deepened, and he withdrew his hand.
"It's done."
The moment the restraint was removed, her internal energy was restored.
Feng Yinwan should have struck him with a palm, but considering what had just happened, she suppressed the coldness in her eyes and ultimately did not attack.
She merely looked up at him, her brows furrowed, and reiterated with a stern expression, "Your Highness, our relationship is one of cooperation. Please behave with propriety and self-awareness, and do not take any further liberties."
She did not know the reason for Ye Tinglan's strange behavior today, nor did she wish to probe further.
Refining the Hundred Wood Spirit Rhinoceros into pills and eliminating the villains of the Xuanmen were the reasons she stayed.
Beyond that, nothing else was to be discussed.
A faint warmth seemed to linger on her palm. Ye Tinglan listened quietly, and when he looked up again, his expression had returned to its previous indifference.
"Since you are injured, get it treated as soon as possible. I still have use for you at the moment."
He spoke quite self-righteously.
His cold tone immediately smoothed away the lingering doubts in Feng Yinwan's heart. She gave him a cold glance and immediately turned to leave.
"You needn't worry about me, Your Highness, I won't die!"
Before she had taken two steps, the study door closed, but the footsteps behind her followed at a leisurely pace.
Feng Yinwan's brow furrowed, and she directly used her Qinggong.
Farewell!
When she returned to Hengwu Courtyard, the candlelight in Feng Jin Chen's room had already been extinguished.
Recalling how the little dumpling had tearfully tugged at her skirt before she left for the palace that day, begging her to return early, Feng Yinwan felt a pang of guilt.
Sigh, forget it, she would take him to the Four Seas Cloud Banquet for a meal tomorrow.
Yawning, she was just about to go back and wash up for bed when she turned her head and nearly bumped into Ye Tinglan.
Feng Yinwan's heart tightened, and she immediately retreated.
"Why is Your Highness following me again?"
Ye Tinglan's face remained expressionless. "I haven't seen you in a few days. I came to see this little dumpling."
Feng Yinwan: "...Are you alright?!"
Who visits someone in the middle of the night?
His face was so grim; what if he scared her son?
She really couldn't offer him a pleasant expression in response to his words. "Chenchen is already asleep. If Your Highness wishes to see him, please wait until tomorrow."
"It's alright, I'll just go in and take a look."
Feng Yinwan: "..."
I mind! My son needs to sleep!
Ye Tinglan had no intention of listening to her. He took a long stride, walked past her, and went forward.
The moment he approached, Xiwen and Jianye appeared. Knowing they couldn't stop him, Feng Yinwan waved her hand and followed him in personally.
Perhaps the quality of the door was exceptionally good, as it opened without a sound.
The room was silent. On the couch, the little dumpling slept peacefully, a faint tear track still visible at the corner of his eye.
Feng Yinwan glanced at it, then guiltily looked away.
Alright, this little fellow did look quite sad...
She would let him eat more tomorrow.
She would allow him to add an extra dish.
Having made up her mind, she nodded, and as she was still contemplating charging the bill to Prince Mo's mansion, Ye Tinglan spoke.
"You still have not told me your given name."
Having been in the mansion for several days, she had never referred to herself by any name. He hadn't cared before and hadn't pressed for it, but now, a hint of curiosity was stirring in his heart.
For those... impossibilities that should not be.
Feng Yinwan was still thinking about the money. This sudden question came out before she could think, and she almost blurted out her name.
The moment she realized, cold sweat broke out.
"Your Highness can call me Sanqing."
"Sanqing?"
Ye Tinglan's eyebrows twitched slightly. "That name doesn't sound very pleasant."
The old man in Yunzhou, far away, was so angry he woke up in the middle of the night.
What? What did you say?!
Feng Yinwan's lips stiffened for a moment. She couldn't help but comment, "Your Highness is quite direct."
After speaking, she frowned again, feeling that she should take back her words.
No, the word "direct" shouldn't be used for Ye Tinglan.
After all, he was like a tortoise that had been trapped for a thousand years, harboring his feelings for ten thousand years; the word "direct" was too demeaning for him.
"Since Your Highness has seen him, please return. Do not disturb Chenchen any further."
Ye Tinglan did not seem displeased by her urging him to leave. As he had said, he took one look and then withdrew.
Feng Yinwan gently closed the door. Before she could utter the words "seeing off the guest," another sentence fell into her ears.
"This position of concubine, you likely cannot avoid taking."
Ye Tinglan stood with his back to her, his voice somewhat muffled, yet it still reached her clearly.
Feng Yinwan frowned and, without thinking, protested aloud.
"Why?"
This made no sense.
Ye Tinglan turned around as if in response to her question, his dark eyes churning with emotion.
"Their base of operations is in the palace. To thoroughly investigate this matter, you must enter the palace."
And you must do so with legitimacy, without revealing your identity.
You must not display your medical skills, nor your pill-making skills.
Feng Yinwan was confused. "What does entering the palace have to do with being a concubine?"
According to that logic, she should be a consort.
Ye Tinglan glanced at her, his long, narrow eyes narrowed.
"You only need to remember what I've told you. You will know in due time."