The Royal Physician hesitated, his grip on the needle unsteady.
"I've never seen anything like this..." he muttered.
The apprentice whispered, "Could it be instinct?"
What they didn't know was that Hua Jing had always been deathly afraid of needles!
Even as a child, she had refused to have her vaccinations, making everything difficult for her mother!
Her fear of needles was so deep that it was practically ingrained in her body.
Like now, she was unconscious, yet her body rejected the threat of the needle on a subconscious level.
"Proceed," Zhao Yan ordered, his voice low and menacing.
The Royal Physician swallowed hard as he leaned closer again
But before the neeould touch her skin reacted once more, he hand twitching even more violently.
One of the maids dropped a cloth into the basin of water with a loud splash.
Then, it happened.
Hua Jing suddenly sat up, and her eyes flew open.
They were wide and bloodshot.
Her chest heaved up and down as she sucked in a deep, shuddering breath.
Her head shot up from the pillow, her damp hair clinging tightly to her face.
Her voice was raw, filled with fury and pain.
She looked around unconsciously, her gaze locking on the shocked faces surrounding her.
Then, without warning, she grabbed Zhao Yan's knuckles, her grip tight and unrelenting.
She shook him violently, her voice echoing through the room.
"I am going to kill her!"
The room fell deathly silent.
Hua Jing's voice still echoed faintly in the air, her furious shout hanging like a storm cloud.
Everyone stood frozen, as if time itself had stopped.
Zhao Yan blinked, his sharp gaze locked onto Hua Jing's face.
Her hands were still clutching the lapels of his robes tightly, shaking him with a force he hadn't expected.
The maids, who had gathered near the physician, exchanged wide-eyed glances. Their mouths hung open in shock, and one of them even looked like she might faint.
The Royal Physician stood stiffly, his needle still suspended mid-air. His face had gone completely blank, as though he were unsure whether to scream or continue his work.
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
The scene was both terrifying and, strangely, funny.
Hua Jing blinked.
Then blinked again.
Her eyes, wide and bloodshot, stared intensely at Zhao Yan as if she were ready to devour him.
If looks could kill, Zhao Yan would have been dead already!
Zhao Yan, for his part, looked utterly bewildered.
With how ferocious this wife of his looked, he wondered what in the world he had done to make her so angry!
His brow furrowed as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.
"W-what are you…?" he started, his voice trailing off.
Hua Jing didn't seem to hear him. She kept blinking, her expression dazed yet fierce, her grip unrelenting.
If anything, her grip became even tighter.
The Royal Physician coughed awkwardly, trying to regain his composure. The apprentice next to him nudged the physician, his face pale as he whispered, "S-she was unconscious just a moment ago…"
The words were barely audible, but the entire room felt it.
How in the world is she awake now?
Zhao Yan glanced down at the lapels of his robe, which were still being held hostage by Hua Jing's small yet surprisingly firm hands.
"Hua Jing," he said slowly, his voice laced with both confusion and a touch of irritation. "What—"
Before he could finish, Hua Jing suddenly froze.
Her expression changed.
Her spirit, now fully inside her body, seemed to realize where she was and what she was doing.
Her gaze dropped to her hands, still tangled in Zhao Yan's pristine red robe.
The room felt even more suffocating now.
She swallowed hard.
"Oh…" she mumbled softly, her voice suddenly small and very unlike the furious shout from earlier.
She quickly let go of Zhao Yan's lapels, her face flushing as her hands flew up in surrender.
"I'm… I'm sorry," Hua Jing said, her voice hurried and unsteady.
The entire room seemed to release a collective breath, though nobody dared move or say a word.
Zhao Yan stared down at her, his brows drawn together as his sharp eyes examined her face. "What… was that just now?"
Hua Jing ignored him, brushing awkwardly at his lapels as if trying to smooth the invisible wrinkles she had caused.
"I'm sorry," she muttered again, her voice embarrassingly soft. "I didn't mean to—" She paused, brushing the robe a little more carefully now.
"As if I dirtied them…" she added under her breath.
Zhao Yan's expression darkened, his confusion only deepening.
"You…" he started, but then stopped, shaking his head slightly.
The maids, who had been silent until now, were beginning to exchange glances. A few stifled their gasps with their hands.
The Seventh Consort had been unconscious a moment ago.
Now, she was awake, sitting up with all the energy of someone who had merely taken a nap.
And to top it off, she had grabbed the prince by the robes.
The shock still lingered on their faces, but behind their wide eyes was a clear spark of excitement.
It was obvious that this would be the juiciest gossip to hit the corridors in a long time.
Zhao Yan pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperation settling into his features.
The Royal Physician, having finally gathered his wits, took a tentative step forward.
"Your Highness," he said cautiously, looking toward Zhao Yan. "I should… check the consort's pulse. To ensure she's truly all right."
Zhao Yan gave a slight nod, stepping back to allow the physician to approach.
Hua Jing, now much calmer, watched him warily as he reached for her wrist.
The Royal Physician placed his fingers carefully against her pulse point, his brow furrowing as he focused.
The entire room held its breath.
The maids leaned in slightly, their curiosity practically radiating from them.
The physician remained silent for several moments, his expression unreadable.
His brows scrunched up, "The seventh Consort..."