Yelu Yan carefully looked at the prescription, handed it to Huo Dun, and said, "You go prepare and brew the medicine yourself."
Huo Dun bent his arm in salute and said, "Yes!"
Yelu Yan looked at everyone in the room and said, "All of you may leave."
Everyone respectfully complied.
Yelu Yan gazed at Li Xianyun and said, "You stay."
Li Xianyun stopped in her tracks.
Youlan looked at Li Xianyun worriedly, afraid Yelu Yan might harm her.
Li Xianyun gently patted her hand and said, "It's alright, go out."
In the vast sleeping chamber, only she, Yelu Yan, and Xiao Dilu on the sickbed remained.
Yelu Yan watched Li Xianyun and spoke indifferently, "This Khan has noticed several detoxifying herbs in the prescription, do you suspect that Minister Xiao has been poisoned?"
Li Xianyun looked at Yelu Yan somewhat surprised, having thought him a brute only good at waging wars, she had not expected him to be so meticulous.
She nodded and said, "Minister Xiao must have been poisoned with a slow-acting toxin, administered over a long period of time."
Yelu Yan clenched his teeth, fell silent for a moment, and then said lightly, "Keep this matter quiet."
"Alright," Li Xianyun said.
Yelu Yan then said, "You will stay here tonight."
"Alright."
Yelu Yan pointed to a soft couch not far away and said, "You can rest over there. If there's anything, this Khan will call you."
Li Xianyun looked back, then turned to Yelu Yan and said, "Thank you."
After giving a kneeled salute to Yelu Yan, she walked over to the couch and sat down.
Li Xianyun could sit properly at first, but gradually began to nod off, her head slowly drooping.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Yelu Yan had been watching over Xiao Dilu all this time. Suddenly remembering there was another person in the room, he looked up only to see the delicate girl, who could not possibly be more fragile, dozing off with her eyes closed, looking quite adorable.
She gently closed her eyes, her eyelashes as dense and long as paintbrush strokes, casting faint shadows on her fair skin, which accentuated her charming allure.
Just as she was about to topple from the soft couch, Yelu Yan abruptly stood up and quickly walked over.
Right when he got there, Li Xianyun's head gently rested against him.
Yelu Yan was completely stunned; he had never been this close to a woman before.
He waited a while, thinking Li Xianyun would wake up, but when she didn't stir after quite some time, he glanced over to see her breathing evenly, deeply asleep.
Yelu Yan raised his hand intending to lay Li Xianyun down on the bed, but hesitated several times, unsure where to touch.
Finally, he supported her shoulder and gently laid her down on the bed. He was about to take off her shoes when he hesitated again.
It was said that the Han are conservative, that a woman's feet should not be seen by any man other than her husband.
So instead, he removed his own outer garment and gently covered her with it.
After doing so, Yelu Yan was stunned; he had never cared for a woman like this before.
What on earth was happening to him?
Perhaps it was because the woman looked too fragile, awakening a sense of pity in him?
But he had seen plenty of pitiable people before and never shown such tender care.
With a hint of puzzlement, Yelu Yan returned to the bedside and continued his vigil over Xiao Dilu.
About an hour later, Huo Dun came in with a bowl of medicinal soup and immediately saw Li Xianyun lying on the soft couch, even covered with the Khan's outer robe.
Startled, Huo Dun's eyes widened. No woman had ever dared to be so bold in the Khan's presence: the Khan was awake, yet she slept first, and even used the Khan's clothing for cover—an act of utter impudence.
Noticing Huo Dun staring blankly, Yelu Yan said displeasedly, "What are you standing there for?"
Huo Dun hurriedly approached the bed with utmost respect, and placed the medicinal soup on the table beside it.
Yelu Yan looked at the medicinal soup and asked indifferently, "Has it passed through anyone else's hands?"
Huo Dun bent his arm in salute and said, "Reporting to the Khan, from gathering to brewing, this subordinate handled it all without anyone else's involvement."
Yelu Yan responded with a cold "Mmm" and ordered, "Help Minister Xiao sit up."
Huo Dun did as commanded, while Yelu Yan held the medicine, spooning the soup little by little.
After administering the medicine, Yelu Yan raised his hand slightly.
Huo Dun quickly leaned in to listen.
Yelu Yan whispered a few instructions in his ear.
At first Huo Dun was shocked, then a solemn expression appeared on his face as he bent his arm in salute and said, "Yes!"
Yelu Yan waved his hand, and Huo Dun immediately withdrew.
Li Xianyun had been asleep for a couple of hours when she came to, hazily thinking she was in her own cozy boudoir. But upon opening her eyes and seeing the unfamiliar surroundings, she awoke with a jolt, sitting up abruptly and hastily gazing toward the bed.
She saw the tall man still sitting beside the bed, staring at the patient on it. He had apparently kept watch all night; this person was evidently very important to him.
Li Xianyun looked down to find Yelu Yan's robe covering her, and with some disbelief, she looked towards Yelu Yan—the man rumored to be as ferocious as a flood and who killed without blinking an eye.
She had fallen asleep, and he had not been angry. Instead, he had covered her with his clothing.
It was truly unbelievable.
Li Xianyun composed herself, folded Yelu Yan's robe, and carried it to the bedside.
Before she could reach him, Yelu Yan turned to look at her, his alertness high.
Li Xianyun reflexively stepped back, frightened by the man's bloodshot eyes that were completely red and his deep, cold, and intimidating tiger-like eyes that were fearsome to behold.
She hesitated for a moment, bit her lip lightly, and handed the robe to Yelu Yan, saying, "Thank you."
Yelu Yan took it and placed it on the back of the chair.