Inner Demons, Nolan Must Not Come to Jiangnan for Nothing

Prince Nolan’s move wasn’t just to put pressure on the Prince of Jiangnan and Prince Colin, nor was it payback for their amusement at his and Serena’s predicament. What he really wanted was to seize a chunk of Jiangnan’s power for himself.

Prince Colin and Prince Nolan both saw right through it, and soon enough, Serena did too. But she was far from pleased that Prince Nolan had dragged Simon Sun into the middle of this power struggle.

Serena frowned slightly but didn’t interrupt Prince Nolan. She just stared at her cup, lost in thought. Whatever was running through her mind, nobody else could guess.

Dr. Redwater and Divine Doctor Guile exchanged glances—Prince Nolan hadn’t come after them. They patted their chests in relief, traded winks with Victor Yun and Caleb Wang, silently celebrating their narrow escape.

But their celebration was short-lived. As soon as Prince Nolan finished with Prince Colin, he turned his sharp gaze on them.

They might not have handled every detail themselves in Jiangnan, but they’d always done their best. Still, life here was so comfortable that they’d grown complacent—nobody pushed them, so everything got done at a snail’s pace. Even the strongest outsider can’t just bulldoze through local interests…

And that’s how trouble brewed. Only when Prince Nolan called them out did they realize just how slack and passive they’d become.

“Looks like we really have been dragging our feet,” Dr. Redwater finally admitted. Serena couldn’t help but laugh—Prince Nolan could put anyone on the spot. He had a real knack for chewing people out.

Since the Medical Academy was her responsibility, Serena stepped in when Prince Nolan’s tone grew harsh, speaking up for Victor Yun and Caleb Wang: “It’s always hard starting out. They just arrived in Jiangnan—they barely know the place. Sure, the Prince of Jiangnan is backing them, but there are plenty of things he can’t control. Even the strongest outsider can’t just steamroll local powers. Honestly, they’ve done a great job.”

Building an academy and hospital this big in Jiangnan was bound to step on some local toes. No matter how much oversight the Prince of Jiangnan had, there were always things happening under his nose that he couldn’t touch.

With Serena stepping in to help, the weight on Victor Yun and Caleb Wang’s shoulders lifted a little. They gave a quick update on the Medical Academy, explaining how busy they’d been lately.

Prince Nolan nodded and let it go. Since Serena had spoken, he gave her that respect—sometimes, you have to give face where it’s due.

With money and manpower, building the Medical Academy wasn’t hard—the real headache was the equipment. Victor and Caleb were genuinely stressed; the best refined iron the smiths could forge still fell short of Serena’s standards.

Serena knew this too, and she didn’t push. After all, the Nine Provinces are rooted in traditional medicine—she only planned to introduce Western ideas bit by bit.

“For the equipment issue, I’ll have Ethan Banks—Left Bank—reach out to you. He’s got a real knack for making instruments, and Simon Sun’s already done some homework on it. You three should work together.” Serena glanced at Prince Nolan, deliberately pulling Simon toward the Medical Academy and the center of Jiangnan’s power.

She didn’t want her apprentice turning into a politician. Simon’s hands were made for saving lives—not for grabbing power.

Prince Nolan shot Serena a look, but she kept her head down, missing his gaze entirely.

Prince Nolan could tell Serena had her own plans, so he let it drop. Not long after, the Prince of Jiangnan strode in, glaring at Prince Colin and the others before formally greeting Prince Nolan: “Ninth Uncle.”

“I’m tired. I’m off to bed.” The Valley Master was no fool—he knew exactly when to bow out of politics, and the moment the Prince of Jiangnan showed up, he was the first to slip away.

None of them were idiots. Seeing Prince Nolan go after Prince Colin, everyone realized a power split was brewing between Prince Nolan and the Prince of Jiangnan. One by one, they started making excuses to leave—but after so much time lazing around in Jiangnan, their reasons were laughably flimsy.

“If you’re going to put on a show, at least act like you mean it.” Serena was the last to leave, making sure Prince Nolan and the Crown Prince had the room to themselves.

She’d known from the start—Prince Nolan didn’t come to Jiangnan just for medical treatment. This man was always calculating, always measuring the power in others’ hands. If he wouldn’t even spare distant Northlyn, there was no way he’d let the riches of Jiangnan slip by.

Autumn harvest had just ended, and the borders were starving. Jiangnan’s merchants were loaded, and Prince Nolan was bound to skim off his share. As for Jiangnan’s authority—if it stayed in the Prince of Jiangnan’s hands forever, Prince Nolan would never rest easy.

Family ties? In the capital, Prince Nolan’s own nephews were fighting him tooth and nail.

Serena didn’t care how the rest of them fought, as long as they didn’t drag Simon Sun into it. Everything else was just noise.

Instead of heading back to her room, Serena went straight to find the Valley Master. He wasn’t the least bit surprised to see her. “I knew you’d come looking for me.”

“Why’s that?” Serena asked, genuinely curious. She was sure she hadn’t let anything slip.

“Because…” The Valley Master let out a sly chuckle. “Prince Nolan chewed out everybody except me. That means you two must have something important to ask.”

“You really are a sly old fox.” Serena gave the Valley Master a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed.

“You two wouldn’t be here unless you needed something.” The Valley Master grinned, full of pride. “Go ahead—whatever problem you can’t solve, just say it. Not to brag, but when it comes to medicine, you’re not even close to my level.”

After losing to Serena so many times—every patient he couldn’t cure, she did—the Valley Master had been stewing for ages. Now that he had a chance to even the score, there was no way he’d let it slip by.

“Your medical skills are truly extraordinary, Valley Master. I’m not even close.” If you want help, you have to show it. Serena bowed sincerely, flattering him a bit more until he looked satisfied. Only then did she get to the point: “Valley Master, Prince Nolan’s been acting strangely lately. I suspect something is wrong, but I can’t find any cause. I’d like your help.”

Serena explained all of Prince Nolan’s abnormal episodes, handing over her detailed examination notes—which showed his body was healthy, with no signs of poisoning.

The Valley Master had started out hoping to show off, but now he got serious.

He listened to Serena’s account, asked her a few more questions, then studied her report with real focus.

When he finished reading, the Valley Master didn’t say a word—just sank deep into thought.

A diagnosis like this wouldn’t come easy.

Right now, Serena felt just like any anxious family member—desperate for answers, but terrified of what she might hear.

Time ticked by in silence. With no answer from the Valley Master, Serena grew more and more uneasy. She wanted to ask, but worried she’d break his concentration.

“Serena…” The moment the Valley Master spoke, Serena snapped to attention, hope written all over her face.

“Do you believe in inner demons?” The Valley Master didn’t answer about Prince Nolan’s illness—instead, he asked a question.

Serena nodded. “You mean psychological or emotional defects? I understand.”

“Exactly.” The Valley Master nodded. “It could be trauma or wounds buried deep in the mind or heart. Some people seal it away, but every so often, it erupts and disrupts their life.”

“Are you saying Prince Nolan is haunted by inner demons?” Serena knew the Valley Master wouldn’t bring this up for no reason.

But Prince Nolan was so strong—what kind of inner demon could possibly shake him?