Women disguised as men went to the battlefield and the emperor bowed down in submission.

As dawn broke, Xuan Yuan Yu's internal energy was exhausted. He did not faint, but instead lay down next to Lin Ruo Shui.

Seeing this, Baili Heng wanted to go to bed to continue channeling his internal energy into Lin Ruoshui.

Xuanyuan Yu said in a weak voice, "That's enough. Her body can't take it anymore. Come back in two hours."

Baili Heng gritted his teeth and said, "Okay," then turned and left.

Xuanyuan Yu covered Lin Ruoshui with the blanket, closed his eyes, and waited for the moment of soul exchange.

When Lin Ruoshui woke up, she found that all her strength had been drained and her heart was still aching.

When she saw Chu Ying's body lying in front of her, she remembered what happened last night.

"That damned Xuanyuan Yu, all he does is cause trouble, he almost got himself killed."

She felt Chu Ying's pulse and found it completely gone. "It's over, Chu Ying is dead—Xuan Yuan Yu is dead?" she exclaimed in disbelief.

Lin Ruoshui panicked and weakly cried out, "Someone, someone..."

A royal physician on night watch rushed in, and Lin Ruoshui said, "Quickly call Physician Li, the princess is about to die."

When Physician Li arrived, he felt Xuan Yuan Yu's pulse and found it to be completely absent.

He rushed to inform Chu Xiao, who was in the next room. With tears in his eyes, he knelt down and said to Chu Xiao, "The princess has passed away!"

Chu Xiao, who had just woken up, couldn't believe it. He stumbled over to Xuan Yuan Yu, took out another pill, and handed it to Physician Li, who then fed it to Xuan Yuan Yu.

Chu Xiao sent his guards to Longxi Palace to retrieve his medicine chest. He had studied medicine with his master for many years, and his master could even cure his own mother's illness from birth. As his master's most prized disciple, he was certain he could save his sister.

The guards quickly retrieved the medicine box, and Chu Xiao took out a packet of silver needles. As the needles were taken out, a chilling aura emanated from them.

Imperial Physician Li was stunned. Could this be the legendary Ice Soul Silver Needle? The Emperor actually knew medicine and even possessed this priceless treasure, the Ice Soul Silver Needle. Imperial Physician Li found it hard to believe.

Chu Xiao didn't delay any longer. He dismissed his attendants and had his guards carry the weak Lin Ruoshui out. He took off Xuan Yuan Yu's clothes, leaving him only in a bodice, and deeply inserted the Ice Soul Silver Needle into his body.

Each needle contained internal energy. After all forty-nine silver needles were used, Chu Xiao's forehead was covered in sweat, and he sat weakly on the edge of the bed.

He looked at Xuan Yuan Yu lying on the bed and said, "Little sister, I was wrong. Since you like that man, I agree to let you be together. As long as you can wake up, I will agree to whatever you say."

Xuanyuan Yu remained motionless with his eyes closed. Chu Xiao held Xuanyuan Yu's hand, his eyes filled with tears, and said to him, "Little sister, I just want to find someone who can love you for the rest of your life, so that you can be happy and carefree in the future."

"Your brother never intended to hurt you. How could you be so foolish? What's so great about that man? Is he worth risking your life to protect?"

Xuanyuan Yu's eyelashes twitched almost imperceptibly. Half an hour passed, and Chu Xiao removed the Ice Soul Silver Needle and dressed him.

Xuan Yuan Yu Zhou Shen's pulse shimmered with silver light. Chu Xiao took his pulse, and finally, his pulse began to strengthen. Chu Xiao was overjoyed, and a tear slid down his face.

Baili Heng entered with a worried expression and saw that Chu Xiao was actually crying. He rushed towards Xuan Yuan Yu and said, "No, no, you won't die. I just met you. I don't want you to die!"

Baili Heng was in tears, his face ashen.

Chu Xiao patted his shoulder and said, "She's still alive, just not awake yet. Do you know how to repair her meridians?"

When Baili Heng heard Chu Xiao say this, he realized that he had misunderstood. Why was Chu Xiao crying for no reason, causing him such heartache?

He calmed himself down and said to Chu Xiao, "I will repair your meridians."

"Then I'll leave it to you!" Chu Xiao said gratefully.

Baili Heng was more than happy to oblige, and immediately sat cross-legged on the bed. He placed his hands on Lin Ruoshui's back and slowly channeled his inner energy into her.

The cultivation technique he practices is extremely helpful in treating internal injuries. He can not only repair his meridians but also heal his internal injuries, though it takes time.

He wasn't in a hurry; he would take his time. He hoped to have more opportunities to spend time with Chu Ying.

Chu Xiao sat down and watched Baili Heng heal his sister. He thought Baili Heng was indeed a good person. This kind of behavior, which depletes one's own internal energy to help others heal, is actually very dangerous.

If they were to be ambushed by the enemy at this moment, he would likely lose his life. Chu Xiao was truly moved by this man's selfless help for his sister.

At this moment, Chu Xiao's impression of Baili Heng improved considerably.

Two hours passed, and Chu Xiao had to leave temporarily due to matters at court.

Only Baili Heng and Xuanyuan Yu remained in the room. Baili Heng, having exhausted his inner strength, gently laid Xuanyuan Yu down and lay down beside him.

Baili Heng looked at the woman in front of him. Even though her face was completely bloodless and almost transparently white, he thought she was extremely beautiful at that moment.

He took the woman's hand, feeling the slight warmth from her palm, and closed his eyes in peace.

It was dark. Lin Ruoshui had fainted when she was carried away. When she woke up, she felt much stronger.

Her lips were pale, and her steps were unsteady. She entered the room where Xuan Yuan Yu was. As soon as she entered, she saw Bai Li Heng holding Xuan Yuan Yu's hand as they slept.

She looked at Xuan Yuan Yu speechlessly, thinking, "He really shouldn't wake up right now, or he might fly into a rage if he saw her being held by the hand by what he considers a strange man while they were sleeping."

Lin Ruoshui chuckled, her face full of black lines, but she didn't separate them. She took Xuan Yuan Yu's pulse and found that it was much stronger than before.

In her heart, she said to Xuanyuan Yu, "When you feel better, I'll take you to the hot springs and we'll switch places."

Chu Xiao pushed open the door and entered. When he saw Lin Ruoshui, he acted as if he didn't see her at all, treating her as if she were invisible.

He was displeased to see that Baili Heng had fallen asleep holding his sister's hand. He felt that it was improper for a man and a woman to be alone together.

So Biyu, Bilan, and Wanqing were summoned. When they saw that their mistress, whom they had only known for a short time, was so badly injured, they all knelt down and wept silently.

Chu Xiao waved his hand, and his guards appeared, carrying Baili Heng, who appeared to be asleep but was actually unconscious, out of the room.

"Help the princess wash and change her clothes. King Chu, please return!" Chu Xiao said.

The three maids quickly got to work.

Lin Ruoshui didn't want to leave, but staying would only anger Chu Xiao.

So she had no choice but to go to another room in the Imperial Medical Bureau.

Lin Ruoshui lay on the bed, thinking, "Xuanyuan Yu's meridians are all broken, and it may take some time to recover."

This disease is incurable even in the 21st century. Fortunately, Chu Xiao's medical skills are excellent; otherwise, Xuan Yuan Yu might have died long ago, and he would have been a man for the rest of his life.

When Lin Ruoshui entered the room, there were no lights on, and the room was pitch black.

As she was lost in thought, she heard the sound of the window paper being pierced. By the moonlight, she saw a bamboo tube inserted into the window. Wasn't this the common trick of picking flowers?

She held her breath, avoiding inhaling the sleeping smoke blown in through the bamboo tube.

She closed her eyes, pretending to be unconscious on the bed, to see which audacious person would dare to attack the prince in the palace.

Fifteen minutes later, the door bolt was pried open, and a person tiptoed into the house.

She lit the oil lamp, held it up to Lin Ruoshui's eyes to confirm it was the King of Chu, then placed the lamp on the table and dimmed the wick to its lowest setting.

Then she started taking off her clothes. She wasn't wearing much to begin with, and in a flash she was down to just her undergarment.

Lin Ruoshui secretly opened her eyes for a moment, then was startled. She quickly sat up to stop her. She said, "Don't take your clothes off anymore. I don't feel anything when I see them."

The man was startled and hesitated for a moment before disobeying her. He then took off the last piece of clothing, his undergarment, and shamelessly went to the bedside, gazing lovingly at the man he was drooling over.

Whenever she closed her eyes, the handsome face of the King of Chu would appear, making her feel restless and wanting to rush up to him and pounce on him immediately.

The woman said in a seductive voice, "From the first moment I saw Your Highness, I fell in love with you. Does Your Highness not like me?"

"Princess Shangde, a princess should act like a princess. Does the Emperor and the Empress Dowager know about your behavior?"

"As long as you're willing to marry me, they definitely won't stop you," Chu Wan'er said as she approached.

Lin Ruoshui said, "How could I possibly be interested in a woman as ugly and shameless as you? Yesterday, you were having an affair with another man, and now you say you like me. You have truly disgraced the royal family."

Chu Wan'er admitted that she behaved promiscuously, but she wouldn't admit that she was ugly.

"You... I, the princess, am beautiful as a flower, how could I be ugly? Are you blind, Your Highness?"

"Get out of here! Take a good look in the mirror. I don't want to see you again!"

"Hmph, you look down on me, but I'll take a liking to you." Chu Wan'er was furious, her eyes blazing with anger, and her whole body trembling.