Ye Luan’s eyes widened in shock as she surveyed the surroundings.
Where was this?
Why was she floating?
She tentatively reached out her hand to touch, only to find that she couldn't grasp anything. She could even pass directly through walls.
What was happening? Where was she?
"Ma, that little lunatic is biting people again. Should we increase the dosage this time? The Prince wants to refine him into a monster. We can add more poison and no one will notice."
"Add it. That little monster has been soaked in the poison vat for so many years, he won't die anytime soon."
Ye Luan heard the words spoken by the people carrying trays in the corridor and was slightly startled.
She glanced at the architecture around her and suspiciously followed them.
"Little monster, come out."
In a dark and gloomy water prison, a child was locked up with a group of beasts.
It was unclear what kind of brutal fighting had occurred. The beasts were either dead or crippled, their bodies covered in blood.
And the child's hand was still biting onto a piece of raw meat still covered in blood.
Red eyes and white hair!
Ye Luan looked at the expressionless child in astonishment.
She had returned to Xiao Chizhan's childhood.
That child was him in his youth, looking to be only four or five years old.
"Xiao Chizhan!"
She cried out his name in surprise, only to find that no one could see her, and no one could hear her.
Ye Luan eagerly followed, and when she saw Xiao Chizhan being dragged out, she frowned. She immediately wanted to save him but passed directly through his body.
She opened her mouth in shock. When she tried to touch again, she found she still couldn't feel anything.
A piercing cry of pain reached her ears. Ye Luan snapped back to attention and quickly followed.
"Ah, ah, it hurts, it hurts! Hold down this little monster and beat him to death—"
"He's gone too far! Beat him hard. No one will care if he dies anyway."
Ye Luan watched in horror as Xiao Chizhan, chained to an iron rack, was brutally whipped.
"Xiao Chizhan!"
She lunged forward, only to miss again, passing straight through his body.
She couldn't save him!
She couldn't save him.
Ye Luan watched with her own eyes as he was beaten until he was covered in wounds and then thrown into the woodshed.
No one came to see him.
There was no water, no food. His body burned with fever, but he stubbornly endured.
She was like a spirit, floating in the air, witnessing everything in this world.
She saw him being refined with poison and his flesh gouged out. She saw him fighting with wild beasts for survival. She saw him being beaten and humiliated by his so-called relatives.
She also saw him being insulted by his peers, pranked and locked in a coffin, almost suffocating to death.
She also saw him, as young as he was, being confined in the slave-refining grounds of Youzhou, his organs being sold, and being bullied.
The two words "Da Nu" (打奴 - slave), branded nakedly on his back, were like a shameful mark that trapped him.
Could it be that he wasn't naturally a Qiongqi (穷奇 - mythical beast)? Was it to cover up his ugly past that he deliberately branded Qiongqi on his back to conceal the truth of "Da Nu"?
She looked at everything happening there in shock, her heart aching so much she couldn't speak.
"A'luan, A'luan, wake up—"
The faint moonlight fell into the room. Wei Qingge looked at the tear-streaked person and called out anxiously.
Ye Luan opened her eyes, and a face loomed large before her.
"Oh my, you're finally awake. What did you dream about? You were crying so much."
Hearing the familiar voice, Ye Luan looked at her with slow reactions, stiffly twisting her neck to look around.
Yun Shang Que!
She was still alive.
It was a dream.
But why was it so real?
"What did you dream about? You kept calling out, you scared me to death."
What did she dream about?!
Ye Luan sat up rigidly.
She had dreamt of him in his childhood.
In just a few short days, he had been whipped, refined with poison, harmed, bullied, and almost had his legs broken by the powerful nobles as a slave.
He had lived such a tragic life.
"Here, drink some water."
Ye Luan took the cup of water. Thinking of the scenes in her dream, her chest felt a tight pain.
She clutched her chest and took a deep breath.
What happened later? What happened to him later? She had only glimpsed a corner of his past, what had he become later?
No, that wasn't right. It was a dream.
It wasn't real. She was just imagining things.
"I changed your clothes for you. That set was covered in blood and was filthy, so I took the liberty of changing them."
Wei Qingge saw Ye Luan's dazed expression and quickly waved her hand. "A'luan."
Ye Luan came back to her senses, shook her head, and asked, "Has he woken up?"
"No, the imperial physicians are watching over him. Don't worry."
"Come, eat something. You've been unconscious for a day and a night."
It was a bowl of sweet rice porridge.
Ye Luan took the bowl and ate it quickly.
After finishing, she got out of bed.
"Where are you going?"
Wei Qingge watched her hasty departure and quickly followed.
Inside the room, there was a strong medicinal scent.
When Ye Luan pushed open the door, she saw imperial physicians on both sides, changing his dressing. She walked slowly towards Xiao Chizhan, who lay pale on the bed.
"How is he?"
At that moment, footsteps could be heard from outside.
Everyone turned their heads and saw Tantai Ye and others striding in.
Lan Murou immediately spotted Ye Luan standing there in a daze and quickly walked over.
"A'luan."
When she heard that A'luan had fainted, she pleaded with Tantai Ye to take her to Beigong.
Ye Luan turned back and nodded silently.
"Reporting to the General, the Prince's injuries have improved considerably, but he lost too much blood and has fallen into a coma."
"Stop the nonsense! It's been so many days, and he's still not awake. Has his heart meridian been injured?"
The imperial physicians exchanged fearful glances, and then one of them stepped forward.
"General, please calm your anger. The Prince's wounds did affect his outer ribs, but the blade was not long enough to pierce his heart. He received timely treatment and the bleeding was stopped."
"Moreover, after days of observation and treatment, his life is no longer in danger. As for why the Prince has not woken up, this subordinate truly does not know."
Tantai Ye roared, "I'm telling you, if he doesn't wake up, none of you will live."
The imperial physicians were terrified and respectfully lowered their heads.
What a misfortune.
The attacker had excellent control. Although his heart was not injured, it was too close to his heart, and he bled profusely. They had used all their skills, and the best medicine that Young Master Li had obtained had also been used. They had done their best.
If they died, they could only leave it to fate.
Ye Luan looked at the unconscious man and lowered her gaze slightly.
She thought of a possibility. Perhaps there was a poison in his body that was incompatible with the medicine, which was why he had not woken up. However, those toxins had already formed antibodies in his body, and they could only wait.
"The medicine is here."
An imperial physician walked in with freshly brewed medicine.
Ye Luan immediately stepped forward to take the medicine. "I'll feed him."
She held the medicine and sat by the bed. She carefully blew on the medicine in the spoon, ensuring it was not too hot, and then brought it to his lips.
"Imperial Physician Fang, he has regained consciousness and can swallow."
Ye Luan looked at his movements with surprise, her slightly swollen eyes flashing with joy.