During a royal banquet, Xu Yang drinks wine.
Nothing happens immediately.
But later that night:
He feels dizzy.
His hands tremble.
He coughs lightly.
His pulse becomes weak.
Royal physician says: "It is exhaustion."
But Zhou Ye notices something strange.
The smell of his breath. The pale lips. The cold sweat.
She freezes.
This is not exhaustion.
In her previous life, yao was a doctor.
Zhou ye had read medical books.
I remembered the symptoms clearly.
This was a slow heart poison.
If treated wrongly, it would quietly stop his heart. Zhou ye said
And the palace physician was about to give the wrong medicine.
Her heart pounded.
If I speaks — she exposes herself.
If I stays silent — he dies.
She chooses him.
She dismisses everyone.
"I will take responsibility." zhou ye said
She prepares charcoal to absorb the toxin.
She forces him to vomit.
She uses warming herbs to stabilize circulation.
She keeps him awake through the night.
No one in this era knows this treatment.
Only her.
Because zhou ye carries knowledge from the future.
At dawn—
His pulse stabilizes.
He survives.
And when he wakes…
He sees her sleeping beside him, still holding his hand.
Something changes inside him.
Not strategy.
Not ambition.
But feeling.
After that night —
Xu Yang watches her differently.
Zhou ye woke up.
Are you feeling better?
Xu Yang whispers weakly: "Why are you helping me?"
Her answer is soft:
"Because you are my husband."
Xu yang smiles gently
"I have to go out "
You can't go out, because you are under the weather.
I am okay, don't worry about me.
How can I not worry about you?Someone has given you poison.
Don't worry, I'll be home soon.
It's okay, but please take care of yourself.
Xu yang leave .
Xu yang quietly orders his shadow guard to:
Find the servant who poured the wine.
Check who prepared the banquet drinks.
Bring him the remaining wine jar.
Xu Yang smells it carefully.
There is a faint bitter scent.
Not common poison.
Something rare.
He realizes:
This was prepared carefully.
Not by a random assassin.
By someone with power.
He Checks the Kitchen Records
In the palace, every ingredient is recorded.
He secretly reads the supply list.
One herb catches his attention:
A rare warming root normally used in small doses…
But deadly when mixed with alcohol.
Only high-ranking officials can request it.
And the request came from—
Minister Wen's household.
His eyes darken.
But he still says nothing.
He calls the servant who delivered the wine.
Calm voice.
Gentle smile.
"Were the cups switched?"
The servant trembles.
Xu Yang doesn't shout.
He just places a dagger on the table quietly.
Silence is more terrifying than anger.
The servant confesses:
"I was ordered to place the marked cup before the Third Princess… but someone bumped into me."
Xu Yang freezes.
So it was meant for her.
Not me.
For the first time—
His chest tightens with real anger.
It was late night.
The palace corridors were silent.
Only moonlight entered Xu Yang's study.
Across from him stood his most trusted friend and shadow guard — Jing Mo .
Xu Yang's face was calm.
Too calm.
He poured tea slowly.
Then said quietly:
"Investigate my father."
Jing Mo froze.
"…Your Highness?"
Xu Yang's eyes did not lift.
"I want to know if he is working with Minister Wen."
Silence filled the room.
No one dares to suspect the Emperor.
But Xu Yang continued:
"Find out if they were involved in the banquet poison."
His voice lowered.
"And whether the target was… the Third Princess."
Now the air turned heavy.
Jing Mo understood.
This was not just politics.
This was personal.
Jing Mo asked carefully:
"If the Emperor truly intended harm… what will you do?"
Xu Yang finally looked up.
His expression was unreadable.
"If he touches her again—"
He stopped.
His fingers tightened around the teacup.
The porcelain cracked slightly.
"I will not remain a filial son."
Jing Mo could say:
"You are risking much… for one woman."
Xu Yang replies coldly:
"She is not just a woman."
And he doesn't explain further.
Zhou ye fell asleep at table while waiting for xu yang.
In the morning! Xu yang enter the room
Xu yang saw zhou ye sleeping on the table, she fell asleep while waiting for me.
Xu yang looked at her lovingly.
Zhou ye woke up and look at xu yang
"Suddenly she hugged him".
"He was shocked"
I waited for you, why didn't you come? I thought something had happened to you. You had promised that you would come soon.
I'm so sorry zhou ye
Where are you last night! Zhou ye said
I'm busy with my work
Why did I hugged him !( Zhou ye thinking about it)
Take your medicine and rest, I'm leaving!
Xu yang took the medicine and fell asleep.
Zhou ye was in the garden and was wondering where the hero was that night and what work he had done, why did he forget me.
princess, you have not studied medicine, so how did you cure xu yang from poison? Song lan said.
You don't know how smart I am and if you say something now, no one will be worse than me.
Go get me something to eat.
Yes, princess.
Then Xu yang woke up.
It was midnight.
Rain fell softly over Gusu.
Jing Mo entered Xu Yang's study silently and knelt.
"I found something."
Xu Yang did not look surprised.
"What is it?"
Jing Mo placed a sealed letter on the table.
"The courier from Minister Wen was intercepted outside the city. He will not speak again."
Xu Yang's gaze lowered to the seal.
The wax carried Minister Wen's emblem.
But beneath it—
A second imprint.
Faint.
Almost invisible.
The imperial dragon crest.
His father's private mark.
The air turned cold.
Xu Yang broke the seal calmly.
Inside, the message read:
"The plan during the banquet failed.
The Prince drank the prepared cup.
The girl remains alive.
Awaiting further instruction."
No name written.
But no explanation needed.
"The girl."
That meant her.
Not a political enemy.
Not a rebel.
Just her.
Xu Yang's fingers tightened.
The paper crumpled slightly.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then quietly:
"So it was never about me."
Jing Mo lowered his head.
"Your Highness… shall we act?
Xu Yang stood slowly.
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Burn the letter."
Jing Mo looked up in shock.
"But this is proof."
Xu Yang's eyes were dark.
"If this reaches the court, it becomes rebellion."
Silence.
"I am not ready to fight my father."
Not yet.
Then his tone shifted.
"But if he moves against her again…"
He did not finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Jing Mo understood.
War would begin.