Volume 1, Chapter 35: How the Divine Physician Heals!

The cool night breeze rustled the bamboo leaves in the courtyard, yet it could not disperse the suffocating, deathly silence that hung around the stone table.

Su Qingxue stood frozen. She felt as if her blood had ceased to flow, a chilling, unspeakable sensation creeping through her very bones.

A madman. A complete and utter madman!

That was the only thought racing through her mind. Even when he was still the exalted Eighth Prince, he would hardly have dared to plot the assassination of a Deputy Commander of the Garrison—a man wielding actual military power—within the estate of a local magnate. And that was not to mention that he was now a deposed prince, a fugitive wanted by the entire empire!

What gave him the right? Where did he find the audacity to be so arrogant, so lawless?

For the first time, Su Qingxue genuinely questioned whether her decision to partner with Ye Xuan had been right. This was not merely walking a tightrope; it was standing on the edge of an abyss, testing the limits of madness, or perhaps even leaping headlong into the void.

She looked at the man before her. He stood there with such calm, his plain green robe appearing unremarkable against the night, yet the aura of domineering control and insanity emanating from him made her feel as though she were suffocating.

Ye Xuan took in her shock and horror, the playful glint in his eyes deepening. He enjoyed seeing her like this—this cool, collected, and brilliant woman, losing her composure because of his schemes.

"Why?" Ye Xuan slowly paced toward her, looking down at her with a voice as indifferent as if he were asking if her tea had gone cold. "Do you not trust me?"

Su Qingxue snapped her head up, her cold, phoenix-like eyes filled with struggle and bewilderment. She opened her mouth, but her throat was so parched that no sound could escape.

"It doesn't matter," Ye Xuan said, seemingly unbothered by her silence. "Trust is not something that is spoken; it is proven." He raised a finger and gave it a gentle shake. "You don't need to believe me now. You only need to wait and watch. Before long, you will see the first piece of evidence—proof that I have the power to say 'no' to that Wang Defa."

His words lacked any outward heat, yet they carried a cold, unquestionable pressure, as if he were stating an immutable fact.

Su Qingxue’s heart hammered against her ribs. She forced herself to calm down, her mind racing as she attempted to analyze every possibility behind his words. What was he planning? What were his hidden cards? Could it be that he had other arrangements hidden within Yun'an City? But how could that be possible? When he arrived here, he had been fleeing for his life, just as she was.

Countless thoughts flickered through her mind, only to vanish into a blank void. She realized she could not see through this man at all. He was like a bottomless mist; just as you thought you caught a glimpse of his intentions, you discovered only deeper darkness and the unknown beyond.

Finally, Su Qingxue took a deep breath, suppressing the turbulent waves in her heart, and squeezed a few words through her teeth: "I... will wait and see."

She kept her own counsel and kept her final path of retreat open. If Ye Xuan’s so-called "proof" was merely a bluff, she would not hesitate to activate her backup plan—even if it meant knocking him unconscious to drag him out of Yun'an City.

Seeming satisfied with her answer, Ye Xuan nodded and turned, leaving her with his back. "Go. Tell that little girl that I accept her request. Tell her to prepare for the banquet with peace of mind."

...

When Su Qingxue brought the news back to Liu Yuexue’s room, the young girl’s face, previously clouded with disappointment, instantly blossomed with dazzling radiance.

"R-really? Cousin?" Liu Yuexue stood up from the bedside in excitement, grabbing Su Qingxue’s hand, her eyes filled with incredulous joy. "Young Master Ye... he really agreed to stay?"

"Yes." Su Qingxue looked into her cousin’s clear, pure eyes and felt a complex mix of emotions, ultimately just nodding gently.

"Wonderful! Simply wonderful!" Liu Yuexue spun around in place, like a happy butterfly. "I knew it! I knew Young Master Ye wasn't the type to fear evil forces! He is a true, towering hero!"

The girl’s face overflowed with pure joy and admiration. That unreserved trust made Su Qingxue’s heart feel even heavier. She did not know if this upcoming banquet would be a celebration of new beginnings, or a bloody prelude that would bury them all. That night, some were joyous and others filled with worry; it was destined to be a sleepless one.

...

The next day, as the sky just began to pale.

Liu Chengye had not slept all night, dark circles ringing his eyes. He paced outside Ye Xuan’s courtyard, checking the time repeatedly, his face etched with anxiety. Finally, the courtyard gate creaked open.

Ye Xuan emerged in his green robe, looking refreshed, as if the insane plan set the night before were nothing more than an inconsequential dream.

"Young Master Ye!" Liu Chengye approached him like a man seeing his savior, taking two steps in one. He forced a smile that looked worse than crying and whispered in a pleading tone, "Young Master, you... you are finally awake! I have made all the arrangements. The most hidden ferry landing outside the city, the boats, and the trusted boatmen are all ready. It is enough for you and Miss Su to leave Yun'an City without anyone noticing!"

He glanced around nervously as he spoke, terrified of being overheard. "That Wang Defa is a madman! His men are searching the whole city. Every moment you stay here adds to the danger! Young Master, I beg you, please leave! The debt of saving my daughter is something our Liu family will repay in the next life!"

Liu Chengye was truly terrified. He was merely a merchant who wanted to protect his business and his daughter in peace; he had never imagined becoming an enemy to the Deputy Commander of the Garrison.

Yet, faced with his anxiety and pleas, Ye Xuan’s expression remained unmoved. He simply looked at Liu Chengye calmly and asked, "Master Liu, if I leave, and Wang Defa cannot find me, what will happen?"

Liu Chengye froze, his face turning deathly pale. It was true—if Ye Xuan left and Wang Defa could not find his target, where would his boundless fury be directed? Without a doubt, it would fall upon the Liu family! The family that had harbored the "culprit"!

"This..." Liu Chengye’s lips trembled, unable to speak.

Ye Xuan patted him gently on the shoulder, his tone still calm but carrying a power that settled the heart. "I, Ye Xuan, have received the kindness of the Liu family. There is no way I would lead disaster to a benefactor's doorstep and then wash my hands of it. I am not capable of such a thing."

That one sentence left Liu Chengye overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes rimmed with red. He had not expected that in this moment of life and death, the first thing Young Master Ye would think of was the safety of his family.

Yet, moved as he was, the reality of his fear remained undiminished. "But... Young Master, that Wang Defa, he..."

"It is of no consequence," Ye Xuan interrupted, a meaningful arc touching his lips. "He will not do anything to us."

"What?" Liu Chengye doubted his own ears. Wang Defa would come to beg him? To beg the enemy who had broken his son’s legs? How could that be possible!

Ye Xuan offered no further explanation. He simply looked up at the sky and said slowly, "Master Liu, what you must do now is not arrange for my escape. Instead, go and prepare the most magnificent banquet in history. Send out the invitations and invite every prominent figure in Yun'an City. Remember, the bigger the better, the more sensational the better."

"I want everyone to see..." Ye Xuan paused, a cold, icy glint flashing in his deep eyes. "...how a divine physician cures an illness."