Chapter 2

The next moment, Xiao Heng suddenly grabbed his daughter's neck.

"No wonder you don't dare to come out and see me. It turns out you've been seeking a wild man behind my back and even bore a bastard child."

Looking at my daughter's flushed face, I reached out full of distress to grasp Xiao Heng's hand,

but my soul passed through Xiao Heng's palm once again.

I can't save Grandma Li, nor can I save my daughter.

All my screams were drowned in the wind, unable to reach anyone's ears.

Grandma Li, unwilling to let her daughter suffer, broke free from the guards and rushed forward to grab Xiao Heng's hand.

"Prince, let go! She's not a bastard child, she's your..."

Before she could finish, the guard who rushed over punched her in the face.

Xiao Heng released his daughter and frantically turned the Jade Ring.

"Xie Yajun, I'll give you three days!"

"If you don't come out in three days, I'll burn this village and drain this little bastard's blood to use as a new medicine guide for Yun!"

After throwing down these words, Xiao Heng left. I was anxiously circling but could do nothing.

Three days later, Xiao Heng came as promised, this time accompanied by Xin Yun.

Her complexion was sickly pale, her thin lips lightly pursed, and her brows slightly furrowed.

Appearing fragile like a willow in the wind, she was particularly endearing.

Xiao Heng gently wiped away the perspiration from her forehead caused by her heart illness.

Seeing this scene, my heart ached a little.

Only when facing Xin Yun would Xiao Heng be this gentle.

This time, in the mountains, welcoming Xiao Heng and Xin Yun were only Grandma Li, daughter, and the invisible me.

Xiao Heng's face was ashen: "Yun is in unbearable pain, yet Xie Yajun is truly so heartless and vicious, still unwilling to come forward and give her blood to save someone."

"Didn't Medicine King Valley always claim that life is without distinction, saving a life surpasses building seven pagodas?!"

"As the sole heir of Medicine King Valley, does she intend to defy her ancestors' teachings?"

Xiao Heng seemed to forget that Xin Yun was also a disciple of Medicine King Valley.

"I'm giving you one last chance, hand over Xie Yajun."

"As long as she's willing to save Yun, I can forgive her, and she can still return to Prince Manor and be the Princess Consort!"

Xiao Heng considers himself sufficiently lenient.

Yet Grandma Li still shakes her head.

"Prince, Yajun was tortured to death shortly after arriving in the wilderness five years ago."

"Those people threw her corpse in the back mountain, left to be gnawed by wild beasts."

"I collected her body and buried it in the back mountain. If you don't believe me, go and see."

Then, Grandma Li patted daughter's head with a face full of sorrow.

"She used her life to protect this child. When she died, she only had this blood-covered little bundle by her side and no one else."

Xiao Heng took a deep breath and laughed in rage, "Good, very good! Even now, you all still try to deceive me!"

"I only had her come to the wilderness to temper her character. Without my order, who would dare kill her?"

"It's obvious she was out stealing affection, ashamed to face me!"

Xiao Heng completely overlooked the viciousness that flashed in Xin Yun's eyes when she heard this.

He doesn't know that it was Xin Yun who had people drain my blood and cruelly dug out my child.

Nor does he know that she believed the rumors, thinking that drinking all my blood would cure her heart illness.

That's why she resolutely killed me, to eliminate the threat forever.

Xin Yun's gaze at daughter was full of calculation and malice.

"Ah Heng, brother... I'm in so much pain! Am I going to die?"

Xiao Heng tenderly stroked Xin Yun's back.

"Yun, no matter what, I will save you!"

Leaning on him, she weakly said, "Ah Heng, even if little junior sister doesn't want to come out to save me, she must be blaming me for taking you from her side!"

"It's my fault. I only hope that in the days ahead, little junior sister can accompany you for me, then I'll be at peace."

Listening to Xin Yun's sobbing, Xiao Heng's heart almost shattered with pain.

He held Xin Yun tightly, speaking in a heavy voice, "Yun, don't say that, you haven't wronged her! We fell in love first; what does Xie Yajun count as?"

"Don't be afraid, if Xie Yajun doesn't want to be the medicine guide, there's still her daughter. Medicine King Valley's special medicine man constitution passes from mother to daughter, not son. Xie Yajun gave birth to this bastard; she must pay the price for her recklessness!"

Upon hearing this, a flash of uncontrollable pride appeared in Xin Yun's eyes.

But she put on a face that seemed unwilling in her heart, "But Ah Heng, brother, if we drain little junior sister's child's blood, she'll surely be angry if she finds out..."

Xiao Heng's sinister eyes almost bled, "She dared to betray me and consort with another, even bore a child; why should I care about her feelings!"

With his command, the guards with knives walked toward my daughter!

Grandma Li protected her desperately, shouting at Xiao Heng.

"Prince, don't harm the child! I'm really not lying; she truly is your daughter. Carefully look at her face!"

Xiao Heng hesitated, unconsciously examining his daughter's face.

I watched Xiao Heng's bewildered expression, as my thoughts drifted back to the past.

Six years ago, I came down the mountain to gather herbs and encountered Xiao Heng, unconscious at the foot of the mountain, and brought him back to Medicine King Valley for careful care.

After he woke up, he stayed in Medicine King Valley for over a month and said he wanted to repay me.

The scenery in the valley was beautiful and secluded; far from the city bustle, we had a wonderful time.

Xiao Heng treated me as if I were precious, accompanying me in gathering herbs daily and cooking meals for me.

If I accidentally got injured and bled, even if it was a minor wound, he would be extremely worried, wishing he could take the injury for me.

He would even set aside his dignity and learn opera to cheer me up when I was unhappy.

What adolescent girl had seen such grand gestures?

Disregarding the advice of my father and brothers, I secretly fell into a passionate romance with Xiao Heng.

Until a month later, Xiao Heng received a message from home. Leaving behind a letter promising to return to marry me, he suddenly vanished.

After he left, within three days, bandits invaded Medicine King Valley, killing, looting, and destroying wantonly.

The once-idyllic haven became ruins overnight.

My father and brothers died tragically, leaving only me and a few fellow disciples who were out giving free treatment survived.

And at that time, Xiao Heng personally ordered troops to annihilate those mountain bandits.

Then, I learned he was the only prince of another surname in the current dynasty.