Chapter 45: Panic

Chapter 45: Terror

With Ye Wanwan’s indulgence, Qing-sha and the others were well-acquainted with her habits and had long since prepared an extra set of cutlery to the side. Whenever Jiang Feixue came over, it could be set out immediately.

"Wow, what is this? It looks so delicious."

As soon as she sat at the table, Jiang Feixue was drawn to a particular dish, picking up her chopsticks to help herself without any regard for proper etiquette.

Ye Wanwan was not angry at all, only shaking her head with a helpless smile: "You little glutton, have you gone without food for several lifetimes?"

Jiang Feixue ate in large, enthusiastic mouthfuls, thoroughly relishing the taste: "Mmph, that's not the same at all! This is a delicacy from the Imperial Kitchen, something ordinary people could never hope to eat."

Ye Wanwan chuckled softly, deciding not to scold her further as she picked up her own chopsticks and began to eat in a slow, dainty manner.

She had no particular demands when it came to food; as long as it was edible and not exceptionally unpleasant, it would suffice.

Because it was the evening meal, she stopped after eating only half-full—eating too much would make her uncomfortable at night. Jiang Feixue, however, was clearly different and insisted on eating her fill.

The momentary pleasure of indulgence resulted in her being too stuffed to even stand up straight.

Ye Wanwan simply did not know what to make of her.

She had someone brew a cup of digestion-aiding tea for Jiang Feixue, while she herself enjoyed a dessert of iced dewdrops.

Looking at those iced dewdrops, Jiang Feixue felt a profound regret for having eaten so much; now, she couldn't eat a single bite more, and to make matters worse, she felt a little nauseous.

She could only clutch her tea of digestion and watch Ye Wanwan with big, pitiful eyes—a sight that truly made her seethe with frustration.

Just as she was sinking into depression, she suddenly froze, as if laying eyes on something terrifying. Her eyes widened, and her face drained of color with horror: "C-Cousin, your face—"

Ye Wanwan looked at her blankly: "What?"

Jiang Feixue pointed at her, trembling: "Your face!"

The other palace maids turned to look as well, every single one of them turning pale with fright, as though they had witnessed something unimaginably horrifying.

Her face?

Ye Wanwan slowly reached up to touch her cheek. Although she could not see her own face, her daily touches always revealed skin as smooth and delicate as silk. Yet what she felt now was a rough, grainy texture.

In an instant, a wave of terror surged into her heart, sending her into a complete panic.

Disregarding all poise and decorum, she abruptly stood up and stumbled toward the inner chamber, practically lunging directly onto the dressing table.

She stared fixedly into the bronze mirror. The bright mirror surface reflected her appearance, but her face was now covered in patchy, overlapping red blotches, looking both hideous and repulsive.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah—!"

At that moment, all reason completely shattered.

The repressed fear and self-loathing buried deep within her soul burst forth in an instant. She simply could not accept that her face had become this way.

"Ah—!"

"Your Ladyship! Your Ladyship!"

"Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"

That piercing, shrill scream was utterly hair-raising, sounding like the lament of an evil spirit and making one's scalp tingle.

Qing-sha and the others completely lost their composure, running about in utter bewilderment. Yan Chen, however, stepped forward at the very first moment, grabbing the out-of-control Ye Wanwan and pulling her tightly into a firm embrace. The moment she was held, Ye Wanwan coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted directly in his arms.

Yan Chen scooped her up instantly, carrying her swiftly to the bed. He looked at the marks on her body, then glanced back at the table, and without uttering a single word, dashed out.

Someone had already gone to fetch the imperial physician. Qing-sha and the others could do nothing and could only mill around Ye Wanwan in anxious circles.

Yan Chen returned shortly after, holding a vial of medicine. Uncorking it, he prepared to feed it to Ye Wanwan right then and there.

Ye Wanwan kept her teeth clenched shut, her entire body remaining tense even in unconsciousness. Paying no heed to anything else, Yan Chen forcefully clamped her jaw, thrusting the medicine into her mouth with a speed that left Qing-sha too late to stop him.

"Fetch some water!"

Qing-sha was stunned: "Ah? Oh, right away!"

After forcing the water down, Yan Chen finally stood up. His gaze fell upon the collar of Ye Wanwan's robe: "Trouble you, Qing-sha, to loosen Her Ladyship's collar slightly. It should make her feel a bit more comfortable."

With that, he strode out.

Qing-sha looked between him and Ye Wanwan, and ultimately followed his instruction, unfastening the collar and draping a thin blanket over her.