Before long, Serena Feng had disguised herself as a timid young female physician, following closely behind Sun Zhengdao. She kept her head down, heart pounding, afraid of being discovered, and played her part as the nervous palace doctor.
In contrast, Sun Zhengdao appeared perfectly calm, as if the person trailing behind him wasn’t Serena Feng, but just any ordinary palace physician.
Her palms had sweated nervously in the carriage, but once inside the imperial palace, Serena Feng grew strangely serene—her whole demeanor as tranquil as autumn water.
Though Sun Zhengdao said nothing, he nodded in satisfaction. So much courage at such a young age—truly, like father, like daughter.
Just as Sun Zhengdao expected, as soon as they entered the palace, they were led straight to the Sky Prison. Word was that Ninth Royal Uncle’s condition had worsened.
Serena Feng’s heart skipped a beat. Internally, she cursed the Emperor’s cunning—Nolan’s allergy wasn’t fatal if treated promptly, but if left unchecked, it could easily become deadly.
Thinking of this, Serena regretted her earlier petty stubbornness.
Sigh... But regret was useless now. All she could do was hope that Nolan’s luck would hold, and that he wouldn’t die from something as trivial as an allergy.
The moment she stepped into the Sky Prison, Serena Feng knew something was wrong.
Oh, come on...
A thick, cloying fragrance filled the air, lingering stubbornly.
The Emperor really was a piece of work. Was this supposed to be a prison? It felt more like the Spring Delight Brothel.
"Achoo." Serena Feng’s nose tingled. Sun Zhengdao paused and glanced back: "Are you alright?"
It was a veiled warning: she could be attentive, but she mustn’t cause trouble.
"I’m fine." Serena kept her head down, acting the obedient novice, while inwardly marveling at how ruthless people could be—this was murder without a trace.
Traditional medicine worked slowly. For someone with Nolan’s allergic constitution, staying here was slow torture. But it wasn’t something she could control.
At the innermost cell, the jailers bowed respectfully. Only after receiving Nolan’s permission did they unlock the door.
Even prison cells had ranks. The Bloodcloak Guard’s dungeons were the worst, but the Sky Prison offered the best treatment—after all, it mostly held members of the royal family.
After Sun Zhengdao and Serena Feng entered, the cell door was locked again. The guards withdrew respectfully, making no move to monitor them.
Serena secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The cell was clean and tidy, with a stone bed covered in fresh bedding—better than what most commoners had. Of course, if the bedding hadn’t been saturated with incense, Nolan wouldn’t be suffering so badly.
Seeing Nolan sitting on the stone bed, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed and looking every inch the noble prince, Serena Feng couldn’t help but feel a wave of sympathy. To stay so alert and composed in this environment was no small feat.
Even now, Nolan Eastlyn maintained his refined grace. Sitting on the stone bed, he seemed almost languid and at ease, nothing like a prisoner. He looked as if he were deep in meditation, his striking features impossible to ignore.
Sun Zhengdao stepped forward, half-kneeling before Nolan to check his pulse.
"How is my condition?" Nolan opened his eyes, suddenly vibrant and alert, showing no trace of illness.
He’s good—he can really put on an act!
If Serena Feng hadn’t known Nolan’s real condition, she’d have been fooled. This man was a master of disguise.
Sun Zhengdao was sharp—one touch of Nolan’s pulse told him the situation was worse than expected. But seeing Nolan’s demeanor, he knew the prince didn’t want anyone to know.
"His Royal Uncle caught a chill and has a slight fever. I’ll prescribe some herbs." Nolan’s body was burning up; even a layperson would notice his symptoms at a glance.
"Mm." Nolan nodded in satisfaction and waved Sun Zhengdao away. The strength in that gesture was anything but weak.
"Come here," Nolan said, his gaze settling on Serena Feng, eyes deep with a hidden smile.
He hadn’t expected the first person to visit him would be Serena Feng.
This woman hadn’t let him down—she was worth a second look.
"Yes." Serena let out a breath of relief, quietly holding a syringe and medicine in her hand—antipyretics, rash ointment, and a small jar of salve, plus a menthol sachet.
"I’m thirsty. Pour me a cup of water," Nolan ordered, so naturally it seemed almost effortless.
Some things were just innate—born to privilege, raised among servants, it was an air you couldn’t fake or envy.
In fact, Serena should have felt honored—Nolan never let people get close. Though he wasn’t hands-on with everything, everyone around him was absolutely loyal.
Serena poured a cup of tea, sniffed it to check for any strange odors, then brought it over, thinking to herself that the Emperor wouldn’t stoop so low as to tamper with something like this.
"Feed me."
Anyone who didn’t know better would think Nolan was flirting with the young female physician. Only those in the know understood he was really finding a way to get close to Serena Feng.
From the moment Serena Feng entered, Nolan knew exactly who she was.
Serena carried a unique scent. As Nolan breathed it in, the heavy floral fragrance in the air seemed to fade.
Serena assumed Nolan was weak and didn’t say much, but as soon as she got close, he reached out and pulled her into his arms with surprising force—definitely not the strength of a sick man.
Serena was startled—she hadn’t expected Nolan to have so much strength left.
"Nolan?"
Most of the water spilled from the cup, splashing onto Nolan.
"Don’t move. Let me hold you for a while."
Nolan’s distinctive bamboo scent washed over her as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in greedily. Serena felt a rush of heat against her skin and froze, her limbs stiff, eyes wide in disbelief—was this really the man who hated being close to anyone?
Sun Zhengdao was clearly a man who understood the situation. He tactfully turned away, leisurely writing out a prescription, acting as if he saw nothing.
In that moment, Serena finally understood—Sun Zhengdao was truly one of Nolan’s people.
"Serena Feng, can I trust you?" After a long moment, Nolan finally lifted his head and murmured at her ear.
Serena felt a tickle at her ear and barely caught the words, but nodded: "I won’t betray your trust, Ninth Royal Uncle."
If being his subordinate was what it took, so be it—as long as she could stay close to this man, she’d have her chance.
With that thought, Serena’s heart felt strangely lighter. She set the cup down on the stone bed.
"Ninth Royal Uncle, please hold still. I’ve brought medicine for your condition—I hope it helps." As she spoke, she shifted slightly, signaling for Nolan to let her go.
"Don’t move. Let me hold you a little longer—your scent is really comforting."
His first words made Serena’s heart flutter, but the second brought a pang of sadness.
So that was it—Nolan was holding her to ease his suffering. Of course, if he didn’t need it, he’d never embrace her without reason.
With a bitter smile, Serena shifted to cooperate, letting him hold her as he wished.
"Ninth Royal Uncle, give me your left hand."
"Huh?" Nolan looked up at Serena, the two of them so close their noses nearly touched, breaths mingling.
He was a man of striking presence—elegant and aloof. She was radiant and dignified. Their bright eyes met, and in the soft glow of the lamp, they seemed perfectly matched in ways words couldn’t describe.