Chapter 125: I Pledge My Life to Wield the Pen for the Princess

The commotion from the assassination attempt was too great to ignore. When Cen An heard from Rong Qing that the Princess was injured, he rushed to grab his medicine box.

"Hurry, hurry! Let’s go!"

As Cen An was led over, the first thing he saw was Xiao Li slowly approaching along the covered walkway.

She was on her feet and looked as if nothing was wrong, but her fox-fur cloak was stained with blood, which was still dripping onto the ground.

Cen An hurried forward. "Princess, where are you hurt? If you’re wounded, you can’t keep walking. You need to lie down and let someone carry you inside for treatment."

Xiao Li’s gaze didn’t waver. She continued forward without pausing.

Not daring to touch her, Cen An could only turn to look at Rong Qing.

It was a rare sight. The tall, formidable warrior’s brow was deeply furrowed and his expression was tense. He was overcome with anxiety, yet so cautiously deferential that he didn’t dare approach her.

Cen An asked urgently, "Where exactly is the Princess hurt?"

Rong Qing’s gaze dropped. "Her hand. An arrow went straight through her palm."

’Her palm... It’s not a fatal wound, but if treatment is delayed, there will be serious complications.’

"Princess."

Hong Yue and Lan Yue hurried over. They wanted to support her but feared aggravating her wound, so they could only trail behind cautiously, praying she would go to her quarters and see a doctor.

Frail and weak, Song Junzhan arrived a little late. He came face-to-face with Xiao Li, and upon seeing her condition, he held his tongue and simply stepped aside, clearing the path for her.

Everyone expected Xiao Li to continue walking and quickly get inside to a doctor, but she stopped right next to Song Junzhan.

She tilted her head up slightly. Her gaze was hollow and unfocused, her eyes chillingly devoid of light.

"A single stone on the board is surrounded on all four sides. To break the deadlock and save the stone, what must be done?"

Song Junzhan answered, "Lie dormant, build up your strength, and wait for the opportune moment."

Xiao Li lowered her head slightly, her gaze falling upon his face as a bit of life returned to her eyes. "You’re speaking of yourself, are you not?"

Song Junzhan looked her straight in the eye, his gaze firm. "The board is merely an inanimate object. What matters is the wisdom and courage of the player holding the pieces. If the one who is trapped is in your hands, Princess, then when the moment arrives, they will shatter their shackles and soar to the highest heavens. I believe that nothing in this world can stand in your way."

’He has more confidence in me than I do.’

Xiao Li let out an involuntary laugh and reached her hand toward him.

It was her wounded hand, a gruesome, terrifying sight of mangled flesh and dripping blood.

Song Junzhan’s crystal-clear eyes constricted, but he did not pull away.

Her bloody fingertips touched his cheek and dragged lightly across it, leaving a smear of red.

She suddenly curled her lips into a faint smile—one that was chilling, strange, and radiated an inexplicable danger. "Get close to me, and you will die."

Song Junzhan suddenly swept the hem of his robe aside and dropped to one knee. He tilted his head back to look up at her, his gaze trembling but resolute. "I, Song Junzhan, am weak of body and cannot serve as your guard, Princess. However, I possess a wealth of knowledge and a loyal heart. If you will have me, I am willing to pledge my life to you and wield my brush in your name!"

’There was that resilient spirit of his again.’

’He was so obviously weak, with a face that seemed too ethereal for this dusty world, yet one could still feel that stubborn defiance in him, that refusal to bow to fate.’

’Xiao Li much preferred warriors. Her business was killing and causing trouble, so people like Rong Qing were ideal—the more, the merrier.’

’A scholar was of little use to her.’

’But Song Junzhan... he was like a pearl hidden by dust among the scholars of this age. Even knowing he was of no use to her, she couldn’t bear to see his talent completely buried.’

The massive blood loss made her feel faint, but her mind was clearer than ever.

"Aren’t you devoted to restoring the imperial examinations? What do you want with me?"

Song Junzhan gave the answer he had pondered for many days. "Your words that day, Princess, were a revelation. I, Jun Zhan, have thought on them day and night and have finally found my answer. Rather than water a flower destined never to bloom with my own blood, it is better to choose an enlightened ruler and begin a new golden age."

’A new golden age... Such bold words. That was far more ambitious than just restoring the examinations.’

’And he had chosen her.’

In the face of such absolute strength and his own admiration for it, her gender was not an issue.

The strong are respected for their strength, not because they are men.

Xiao Li watched him for a long moment. She made no promises, and he did not grow anxious, simply waiting in silence for her verdict.

The glaring smear of red on his face looked like a brand, marking the entry of a fallen Immortal into the mortal game.

At last, she spoke slowly. "There is no room for the weak in a Hunter’s team. I will wait for you to prove yourself."

’She had some confidence in Song Junzhan. She just didn’t know how far he would go, and she hoped he wouldn’t disappoint her.’

’If things had stayed as they were, it would have been simple. She admired Song Junzhan and found him pleasing to the eye. When she was in a good mood, casually asking the Emperor a question for him or revealing a bit of the truth was no trouble at all.’

’But taking him under her command was another matter entirely.’

’For a man to stand by her side, looks were merely a bonus; ability was the number one priority. She would never accept a man as her subordinate out of attraction or pity.’

Having said her piece, she placed her uninjured hand on Hong Yue’s. She needed support to keep herself from falling.

Song Junzhan bowed deeply to Xiao Li. "Your subordinate obeys."

Cen An was dumbfounded.

’Wait, what just happened? They only exchanged a few words. How is my brother suddenly the Princess’s subordinate?’

"Jun Zhan, what are you doing?"

Cen An wanted to shake his foolish friend to his senses, but the next moment Rong Qing grabbed him and hauled him away. Treating the Princess’s injury was the priority.

Xiao Li’s injury was severe. The arrow had pierced her palm and damaged the bone. On top of that, she had lost so much blood that her entire arm was now numb.

Cen An: ’...’ ’It wouldn’t have been this serious,’ he thought, ’but she made it worse by delaying.’

He cursed her inwardly but still treated the wound diligently.

’Forget the fact that this Princess was a vicious viper whom he couldn’t escape if he failed. For his brother’s sake, he had to heal her properly.’

He mentally forced a stiff smile. ’What rotten luck. How did things turn out this way?’

’It was all so bizarre he couldn’t make sense of it, but he was sure of one thing: there would be no shortage of unpaid, under-the-table jobs for him in the future.’

Cen An’s medical skill was beyond question. He stopped the bleeding, sutured the wound, and applied medicine, guaranteeing that it would heal without a scar.

The excessive blood loss, however, could only be replenished slowly over time. Not even a Divine Doctor could instantly restore what was lost.

When he finished treating the Princess, he rushed back, ready to demand an explanation from his friend, only to find the man in question had already prepared tea and was waiting for him.

"AHEM!"

Cen An put on a deliberately stern face, walked over, and sat down. "So, talk."

He waited for Song Junzhan to come clean, but instead, Song Junzhan’s first words were, "How can this chronic cough of mine be cured?"

Cen An frowned but still answered, "I’ve already found all the necessary medicinal herbs. We’ll need to set aside time for acupuncture to clear the stagnation, then follow up with medication. The actual effects will depend on your recovery. If all goes well, we should see results in a month, at the very least."

Song Junzhan’s was a chronic ailment; even with good medicine, it would take time to heal.

"Fine. One month, then." His tone was clearly filled with urgency.

How could Cen An not know why he was suddenly so eager for a cure? He was about to die from sheer frustration. "Is there nothing else you have to say to me? I told you so much this morning. Did it all go in one ear and out the other?"

Song Junzhan looked at him, his expression calm and serious. "Cen An, she is the person I have been waiting for all this time. You may not understand now, but you will one day."

"Meeting her is the greatest fortune of my life!"