THIP Chapter 60

Mu Liuyin’s expression froze slightly, her mind going blank for a moment. Meanwhile, Mu Qingzhi’s previously curved lips had pressed into a tight line.

“I…” Mu Liuyin’s throat felt dry as she met Qingzhi’s pale, emotionless gaze and the ever-tightening line of her lips. But not a single word of explanation would come out.

Since Mu Qingzhi already knew her true identity, she must also have had evidence to prove it. No matter how Mu Liuyin tried to explain, not a word of it would be believed.

“Since entering the Prince of Qi’s residence to treat Your Highness’s illness, I’ve been nothing more than a physician named Wu Yin,” Mu Liuyin finally said. “What does Your Highness think?”

The atmosphere grew heavy and tense. After a moment, Mu Qingzhi let out a quiet laugh and said, “You must’ve been startled today, Wu Yin. Go rest.”

Mu Liuyin: ???

What did that even mean? She was baffled.

By then, Mu Qingzhi had already wheeled herself to the bed.

Mu Liuyin opened her mouth slightly as if to speak, but then closed it again and silently left Qingzhi’s room.

“Doctor Wu, this way please,” the maid outside said with a polite gesture. She had been following Mu Liuyin closely and, once they returned to the guest room, stood watch right outside her door.

Mu Liuyin let out a soft sigh.

She wasn’t too worried that Mu Qingzhi would try to kill her—not yet, anyway. After all, the formula for the antidote had to be adjusted at every stage of the treatment. Even if she had already given Qingzhi the previous formulas to be inspected by other doctors, none of them could cure Qingzhi’s legs except her.

As for the mission of preventing the fall of Great Chu, after much thought, Mu Liuyin realized something: as long as Mu Qingzhi fully recovered and reclaimed her military command, the Moon Empire’s plan to unify the land could be delayed indefinitely.

The most important task Mu Liuyin had now was to heal Mu Qingzhi’s legs. Everything else, Qingzhi could handle herself.

So even if her identity had been exposed, it wasn’t the end of the world. Once her mission was completed, she would leave this world anyway.

As expected, while Mu Liuyin was forbidden from leaving the Prince of Qi’s residence, Mu Qingzhi made no move to kill her.

However, her wrists were now bound by long chains, each adorned with tiny bells. Every movement she made caused them to jingle crisply.

It was Mu Qingzhi herself who had fastened the chains onto her.

The gesture left Mu Liuyin speechless. Even without the chains, it was impossible to escape from a heavily guarded estate like this.

So, naturally, when Mu Qingzhi tried to put the chains on her, Mu Liuyin refused.

But Qingzhi only smiled and said, “Well, I think the gold of these chains suits you beautifully.”

“…,” Mu Liuyin swallowed her frustration. “But I have to massage Your Highness every other day. Don’t these bells get on your nerves?”

“I find the sound rather crisp and pleasant,” Mu Qingzhi replied with perfect seriousness, though there was laughter in her eyes.

Mu Liuyin: “……”

And to think, at their first meeting, she’d mistaken the Prince of Qi for a transcendent and aloof figure. Ha!

After revealing Mu Liuyin’s true identity that day, Mu Qingzhi had temporarily stopped treatment. Skilled doctors were brought in to thoroughly examine the antidote formula. Just like before, they found no issues. They confirmed that Mu Qingzhi’s legs were gradually healing. At this rate, she’d make a full recovery in about a year.

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingzhi was momentarily stunned. What came to her mind was that night of the assassination attempt, when Mu Liuyin had yanked her from the wheelchair and shielded her with her body.

In truth, Mu Qingzhi had already heard the arrow slicing through the air moments before it struck. What she hadn’t expected was for Mu Liuyin to protect her so instinctively.

Now that the formula had been repeatedly verified, and since her legs truly were healing, Mu Liuyin was allowed to resume treatment.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll poison you and end your life?” Mu Liuyin said with a mocking smile one day.

Mu Qingzhi’s eyes curved slightly. “If I remember correctly, you once told me—at the very least—I can still trust you for now.”

Mu Liuyin raised her chained wrists, and the bells jingled again.

Say that again after you take these chains off!

She sat on a low stool, massaging Mu Qingzhi’s legs. The sound of bells rang constantly.

Seeing Mu Liuyin’s exasperated but helpless expression, Mu Qingzhi let out a soft laugh.

And so, Mu Liuyin’s identity as the Moon Empire’s seventh prince seemed to be treated as no big deal.

A few days earlier, Yue Wuxi had already received word that the assassination had failed. Worried that Mu Liuyin’s identity might be compromised, he sent secret agents to retrieve her. But Mu Liuyin refused to return for now and even concealed the fact that her identity had already been exposed.

After all, many of the Prince of Qi’s shadow guards had been hidden inside the room at the time.

Upon hearing her response, Yue Wuxi felt somewhat reassured, for the time being. Still, he urged her to return to the Moon Empire as soon as possible.

Time flew by. Over six months passed in a blink.

The Prince of Qi’s residence was now full of blooming flowers and lush trees. The ice in the pond had long melted, replaced by clear water dotted with lotus blossoms. It was beautiful.

If not for the ever-present chains on her wrists constantly reminding her of her exposed identity, life in the estate was no different than before.

Mu Qingzhi’s legs had improved significantly—she could now stand briefly. But the remaining poison had yet to be fully cleared, and after nearly two years in a wheelchair, she’d need time and practice to walk normally again.

During this time, though Mu Qingzhi rarely left the estate, Mu Liuyin learned from Xiao Jiu’s reports that she had already begun regathering her former troops. While she didn’t yet have the official military seals, her name alone was enough to rally the loyal soldiers of Great Chu.

Judging by the progress, once Mu Qingzhi fully recovered, the mission would likely be complete.

Mu Liuyin thought about it lazily.

What she didn’t know was that a few days later, when Mu Yinglan came to visit Mu Qingzhi, she casually mentioned that at her age, Qingzhi really ought to take a consort.

Just as Mu Yinglan expected, Qingzhi to put her off with the usual “maybe later,” Mu Qingzhi instead replied with a smile, “To tell you the truth, I already have someone I love—and who loves me in return.”

Her voice was calm and elegant, like a stream flowing through a mountain pass, pleasant to the ear.

“Oh?” Mu Yinglan was surprised. After all, Qingzhi hardly ever left the estate. Where could she have met such a person?

Mu Qingzhi smiled slightly. “Doctor Wu—Wu Yin.”

Mu Yinglan suddenly understood. If it were Wu Yin, then yes, it made sense. After all, she had been staying in the residence for quite some time.

Still, she hadn’t expected Mu Qingzhi to be the kind of person who would fall in love.