Chapter 22: Who’s Taking Advantage of Whom

The next day, Xia Jiujiang slept like a log. After being so thoroughly unsettled by Jun Buwen’s uncharacteristically forward behavior, she’d thought she’d toss and turn the whole night, but instead, she slept undisturbed well past sunrise.

When Xia Jiujiang awoke, she squinted her eyes open just enough to find Jun Buwen’s face mere inches from her own. His eyes gleamed like countless galaxies, and his features were so striking that Xia Jiujiang was momentarily stunned.

To be greeted by such a blood-stirring vision of masculine beauty first thing in the morning—was the universe testing her self-control?

“You… why are you so close to me?” she stammered, swallowing nervously.

Jun Buwen looked at her with a teasing glint in his eye. Just who was the one getting close to whom?

Suddenly coming to herself, Xia Jiujiang grumbled, “You took advantage of me!”

How could Jun Buwen be so close? Hadn’t she insisted last night that they each claim half the bed? Yet here he was, so completely lacking in self-restraint.

Jun Buwen reminded her, “I beg you, Princess, take a clear look. Who’s really taking advantage of whom here?”

He found it rather amusing that the woman who’d swollen his lips with a kiss the very first time they met could pull such an innocent face now.

Pushing herself up, Xia Jiujiang realized, to her disbelief, that she was nestled in Jun Buwen’s arms, her hand brazenly resting on his chest—and, even worse, her leg was draped over his.

“How… how did I end up in your arms?” she exclaimed.

With a displeased frown, Jun Buwen replied, “You threw yourself at me. You tell me, how did you end up here?”

Last night, it was Jun Buwen who’d found sleep elusive. Xia Jiujiang had punched him in her sleep, rolled over to press him down, and even kicked him in the waist. Sleeping beside her truly required courage.

More than once, he’d been tempted to kick her off the bed, but he didn’t want to make a scene, nor did he fancy resigning himself to the floor. So after much compromise… Xia Jiujiang had taken full advantage, her restless hands and feet landing wherever they pleased.

Each time she draped her hand over him, Jun Buwen would move it away, but within moments, it would find its way back. Over and over this went. It almost seemed as if she was deliberately throwing herself at him, though in her deep slumber she hardly seemed to be acting.

She slept soundly, snoring gently, while Jun Buwen was left brooding with dark circles under his eyes.

Blissfully unaware of her own misdeeds, Xia Jiujiang rolled her eyes, “You… you’re being awfully generous, letting me take advantage of you, lying on top of you. Why didn’t you push me away?”

Jun Buwen replied earnestly, “How could I? If I pushed you and you got hurt, wouldn’t you blame me? It’s best to stay put no matter what the enemy does. That way, you can wake up in the morning and see just how bold you are.”

Left speechless by this retort, Xia Jiujiang had to admit she’d already witnessed her own audacity—she’d nearly gone so far as to ravish Jun Buwen in her sleep.

“You… you must have done this on purpose,” she stammered.

Jun Buwen sighed, “It was you who insisted on dividing the bed, and you who kept crossing the line. Just look at the state you’re in after a night’s sleep.”

Looking down, Xia Jiujiang discovered the carefully placed line of string dividing the bed had been kicked who-knows-where, and she had shoved Jun Buwen to the very edge, claiming the majority of the space. She felt a bit like the cat that got the cream and then pretended innocence.

Jun Buwen sat up, arms dangling, looking thoroughly sore and exhausted. He had intended to test Xia Jiujiang, but ended up only tiring himself out.

Seizing the opportunity, Xia Jiujiang clicked her tongue, “You make it sound like you fought a battle all night long. Your frail little body can’t handle it?”

Jun Buwen replied, “Exactly. You’ve never seen yourself sleep—you grind your teeth, snore, drool, and that’s just the mild stuff. You toss, kick, and turn every which way.”

Xia Jiujiang’s mouth dropped open in shock. How could she possibly have so many nighttime antics? But recalling her posture upon waking, she conceded it might be possible.

Before she could dwell on it, Jun Buwen was so amused by her incredulous look that he burst out laughing.

“You’re teasing me! I do not grind my teeth, snore, or drool,” she protested, trembling with indignation.

Having gotten his fill of teasing, Jun Buwen was in rare good spirits.

Last night, as Xia Jiujiang thrashed about, he’d half expected her to reveal her fox’s tail at any moment. Given how she’d approached him, coupled with her strange skills and mastery of controlling insects, Jun Buwen suspected she’d come to seduce him.

So he’d deliberately tested her, sharing a bed to see if she’d betray herself. But she’d simply slept like the dead, showing no sign of ulterior motives. In fact, it was Jun Buwen who’d overthought things.

Though his probing yielded nothing, Jun Buwen found his mood remarkably bright come morning. Duty called, and unable to linger at the Prime Minister’s estate, he soon departed. Xia Jiujiang, meanwhile, remained to care for Xia Chan’s injuries, staying at the Xia residence as required.

This was Xia Wentao’s plan all along: to ensure Jun Buwen left the Prime Minister’s mansion and that Xia Jiujiang had no protector.

Accompanied by Youhua and Greenbriar, Xia Jiujiang stayed in the Anke Courtyard and had yet to visit Qinlin Courtyard. It was a surprise when Lady Wei came to Anke Courtyard seeking Xia Jiujiang.

Upon entering the room, Lady Wei found Xia Jiujiang leaning against a round table, reading a yellowed book, her beautiful eyes lively and full of spirit.

Somehow, there was now an innate nobility about Xia Jiujiang that left Lady Wei momentarily entranced. She realized her own daughter, Xia Chan, could not compare, and even Xia Yue’er lacked this spark.

Closing her medical book, Xia Jiujiang glanced at Lady Wei, who wondered whether Xia Jiujiang truly had medical expertise.

Lady Wei spoke, “When will Your Highness come to Qinlin Courtyard to treat Chan’er? Though her face is bandaged, without proper medicine it could easily fester and become infected. I must ask for your help.”

Xia Jiujiang scoffed, “So even Lady Wei agrees with Father’s decision? Not to summon a doctor, but to seek help from me—a girl who’s barely studied medicine for a few years and only saved Prince Jin by chance?”

Lady Wei replied, “In fact, I think the master’s decision is right. Yesterday, Chan’er was at fault, but I believe the bond of sisterhood still exists between you. It must have been that Zhang Fu who misled her, causing a rift with you. If, during this treatment, you could mend that rift and ease the tension between sisters, it would be a good thing.”

Xia Jiujiang relented, “Since you put it that way, I suppose I can take a look at Sister Chan’er’s condition.”

With Greenbriar, Xia Jiujiang followed Lady Wei to Qinlin Courtyard. Before leaving, she exchanged a meaningful glance with Youhua, who quietly withdrew.

Feigning ignorance, Xia Jiujiang noted that with Xia Chan’s face bandaged, her expressions were unreadable. She appeared weak and cooperated docilely as Xia Jiujiang took her pulse and examined her.

On the large rosewood desk, paper and ink had been prepared long ago—clearly, they’d planned for Xia Jiujiang to write a prescription.

Taking a sheet of Qiyang paper, Xia Jiujiang placed it atop the pear-blossom paper and, with a flourish, wrote out a prescription.

She handed it to Lady Wei. “Would you like to take a look, Lady Wei?”

Without so much as a glance, Lady Wei passed it to the maid behind her, Dong Ling. “Why bother? I’m no doctor—I wouldn’t understand it anyway. Just send a servant to the pharmacy.”

With a polite, false smile, Xia Jiujiang let the matter pass. She watched Dong Ling’s departing figure and then cast her gaze over the rosewood desk, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Standing, Xia Jiujiang said, “Since I’ve examined the patient and written the prescription, as long as Sister Chan’er takes the medicine as directed, she’ll soon be healed.”

Lady Wei replied, “Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness.”

Xia Jiujiang rose and left Qinlin Courtyard, Greenbriar following at her side. “Why did you agree to treat Xia Chan? She and Zhang Fu schemed against you. If we hadn’t been prepared yesterday, we’d have fallen into her trap. And now she shamelessly asks us to treat the culprit herself.”

Xia Jiujiang smiled, “Even you know that Xia Chan plotted against me. So why would I be kind enough to treat her?”

Greenbriar was puzzled. “But didn’t you write a prescription and say she’d recover if she took it for a while?”

Xia Jiujiang sneered, “That depends on whether Xia Chan actually takes the medicine I prescribed.”

She’d agreed to treat Xia Chan precisely because she knew Xia Chan and Lady Wei would never play by the rules. If they intended to tamper with the treatment, or simply ignore her prescription, then Xia Chan’s face would never heal.

“They’re plotting something else against you, aren’t they? What should we do now?” Greenbriar asked.

Xia Jiujiang replied languidly, “What should we do? Go back to our room and take a good nap—just wait for them to make their move.”

“But what if they really—”

Xia Jiujiang’s lips curled in a sly smile. “Haven’t you noticed Youhua is missing?”

Lady Wei had her schemes, but Xia Jiujiang had her countermeasures. It remained to be seen whose tactics would prevail.