Chapter Sixty-Two: Awakened in the Dead of Night

As Su Li Luo resolved her inner turmoil, the worry between her brows faded away. Seeing her mistress become cheerful, Liu Zhu felt joy as well.

At noon, Su Li Luo encountered Yu Xin, and only then recalled something—she had been sending prescriptions to Yun Yan Yi for days now. Most of the formulas from her medical books had already been given, and thinking about what remained, she tightened her grip on the bamboo chopsticks, her face lost in thought.

After the meal, Yu Xin was asked to stay. Confused, Yu Xin looked at Su Li Luo, who took a sip of tea to moisten her throat before speaking, “Yu Xin, go back and tell the Prince of Yi that I have almost exhausted all the prescriptions these days. After delivering one more today, there will be none left.”

Yu Xin looked up in surprise, “Miss, there will be no more? How can I explain this to the Prince?”

Su Li Luo replied testily, “Just tell him the truth. Do you really think prescriptions are endless?”

Yu Xin lowered her eyes respectfully, “I understand. I will tell the Prince exactly as you say.” Su Li Luo wrote out the final prescription and handed it to Yu Xin.

Watching Yu Xin leave, Su Li Luo felt relieved, humming a tune as she prepared her own beauty ointment. Stroking her increasingly smooth cheeks, she glanced at the medicinal herbs beside her and felt a pang in her heart, “These were bought with silver. If my face doesn’t improve, I’ll smash that pharmacy.”

Though her heart ached, her hands moved swiftly. Soon, the ointment was ready. That night, Su Li Luo enjoyed a luxurious medicinal bath, applied her concoctions to her face, and by the end, it was already the late hours of the night. Pleased with her day, she soon drifted into deep sleep.

In the middle of the night, a shadow moved swiftly into Su Li Luo’s room. She slept sweetly, hugging her quilt, turned toward the wall. The figure stood at her bedside, watching her sleep. The gaze was so intense that even in her dreams, Su Li Luo frowned.

The man let out a soft laugh, then suddenly leaned over the sleeping woman. Su Li Luo sniffed, catching an unfamiliar scent, and her eyes snapped open. Seeing a dark figure, she opened her mouth, but her lips were quickly covered by a hand.

“Mmm mmm mmm…” After staring for a while, Su Li Luo finally recognized the intruder and struggled for him to release her.

The man, seeing she was awake, removed his hand and spoke in a low voice, “Did Miss Su sleep well?”

“Prince Yi, are you ill? Sneaking in to scare a young maiden in the dead of night—is that amusing?” Su Li Luo protested angrily, her heart having nearly jumped out of her throat.

“I came here for a reason. What is this about the prescriptions? Why do you claim there are none left?” Yun Yan Yi, clad in black, stood where only faint moonlight allowed Su Li Luo to discern him. She dared not light a candle, lest she alert the maids and old servants.

“Your Highness, do you think my medical books are infinite? I’ve given you so many prescriptions, yet you remain unsatisfied?” Su Li Luo replied stubbornly.

Yun Yan Yi sneered, eyeing her smooth, egg-like skin, and asked coldly, “What about the beauty formulas? Why haven’t I seen a single one? Are you hiding them from me?”

“What beauty formulas? I don’t understand.” Su Li Luo lowered her eyes, fearing Yun Yan Yi would see her anxiety. How could he know about these?

“Su Li Luo, don’t take me for a fool. I’ve seen your transformation these days. If not for those prescriptions, would you have changed so much?” His harsh voice rang out, and Su Li Luo shrank back in fear. If she lied, would he vent his wrath on her?

“I’m still growing, so a few changes are normal. Perhaps you’ve become obsessed with the idea of beauty prescriptions. I have none, and it’s late—Your Highness should leave.” Su Li Luo spoke as she lay back down, unwilling to let her disturbed dreams turn to anger.

“You truly refuse to hand them over?” Yun Yan Yi’s domineering aura filled the room. Feeling the threat, Su Li Luo dared not move. Seeing that force would not work, she tried a softer approach, wiping her eyes and crying softly, “Your Highness is so cruel, must you drive me to my death? These medical books were left by my mother, and only for a better life did I sell them to you. I’ve told you, I have nothing left, yet you refuse to believe me. I have no face to meet my mother; you may as well kill me now and be done with it.”

Yun Yan Yi stood silently, saying nothing. The room was shrouded in darkness, and Su Li Luo could not see his expression. She choked out, “Since Your Highness doesn’t believe me, I may as well join my mother in the earth. No one in this world cares for me; I’ll go to her now.”

She threw off her quilt and tried to get out of bed, but Yun Yan Yi stopped her. Tears streamed down her face, staining the quilt with dark marks. The two were at an impasse until Yun Yan Yi finally spoke, “Why do you need so much silver?”

Yun Yan Yi still harbored doubts, unable to fathom why a prime minister’s legitimate daughter would need to sell her late mother’s belongings to survive.

Su Li Luo paused, sensing an opportunity, and wept harder. “Your Highness, you don’t know. After my mother passed, no one in the manor respected me as the eldest legitimate daughter. When I wanted to borrow silver from you before, it was because the minister’s wife gave me poor-quality charcoal, and I had no choice but to seek your help. Who knew you would…”

“Enough—don’t bring up other matters. Why did you sell the prescriptions?” Yun Yan Yi felt Su Li Luo was slippery, always ready to divert the conversation, making it seem as though he was heartless.

“Well… My stepmother never gives me extra silver, and my allowance is meager. I have no choice but to sell prescriptions to survive.” Fearing Yun Yan Yi’s disbelief, Su Li Luo cried even harder, as if her tears would never cease if he doubted her.

“Did your mother leave you no dowry?” Yun Yan Yi could not believe a prime minister’s daughter lived so miserably. From what he’d seen, Su Hong did not seem the type to mistreat his daughter.

Su Li Luo shook her head gently, “My mother died when I was very young. I scarcely remember her face. No one in the manor ever mentions her, and I’ve never seen any money she left behind. My stepmother only gives the daily allowance, never more. Sometimes, when I fall ill, I cannot even afford a doctor…”

She rambled on, mixing truth and falsehood, leaving it to Yun Yan Yi to discern.

Her words touched the softest part of Yun Yan Yi’s heart, and the coldness in his eyes diminished. He spoke gently, “It seems your days in the Prime Minister’s manor are indeed hard. Why not speak to your father? He doesn’t seem the sort to let you be bullied.”

Su Li Luo inwardly scoffed but now needed to win Yun Yan Yi’s sympathy. Her voice raspy, she replied, “Father is a man, after all. The inner chambers belong to my stepmother, and he cannot attend to everything.”