The Darker the Night, The Brighter the Stars

Imperial Physician Zhou was sweating. He took out a handkerchief and wiped his forehead that was drenched with sweat. Even his back was soaked while his hands and arms shook.

If it were any other person watching him, Imperial Physician Zhou would not be like this. He would be calm and composed while diagnosing and treating his patient.

But alas, he got the short end of the stick. It was unlucky of him to be on duty the day His Highness Prince Jing brought his rumored fiancée to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager.

He was very calm just one second ago but before he knew it, there was an Imperial Guard bursting through the doors of the infirmary, and Imperial Physician Zhou found himself dragged in front of His Highness Prince Jing.

He was scared to the bones when he saw Prince Jing's dark expression, looking calm but ready to murder him any minute.

"You took too long." Prince Jing said coldly to the Imperial Guard. "Go to the training grounds to receive 50 strokes for your tardiness. Now leave."

The Imperial Guard didn't need to be told twice. Still, he felt wronged. He had done his best to bring the Imperial Physician under five minutes but Prince Jing still punished him!

He could only comfort himself by saying that he had lived another day after surviving Prince Jing's anger. Fifty strokes were nothing as long as he was alive. His Highness would usually order 100 strokes as punishment so the Imperial Guard got off lightly which was very good.

Imperial Physician Zhou was not looking very good under the cold gaze of Prince Jing.

"Well?" Prince Jing coldly demanded with his arms behind his back. He stood tall with an imposing aura that could make any man kneel in front of him. The aura of a war hero and a general that had led armies was very strong around him.

Even just by standing alone, he could make people too pressured to move or say anything.

This is what was happening to Imperial Physician Zhou at the moment. He was shaking like a rabbit under the gaze of a deadly predator who was one second away from biting his head off.

"Y... Your Highness Prince Jing, the young lady fainted from shock and stress brought by a smell that she was sensitive to. This is very normal among pregnant women. They are very sensitive to certain kinds of smell." Imperial Physician trembled as he gulped and continued, "This Imperial Physician strongly advises that the young lady distance herself from food or objects with strong smell or taste. Both mother and child will be fine as long as they rest properly and drink the medicine that I have prescribed. It is best to take her home for now since the smell that she might be sensitive to come from the palace..."

"Do not speak a word about this to anyone. You may leave." Fu Yanqing dismissed, his eyes staring at him with frost. Imperial Physician Zhou obeyed without question and hurried to leave like his pants were caught on fire.

He felt like he had aged a decade from this encounter alone and when he was far, he had weakly fallen to his knees while cowering. Their Prince Regent, Prince Jing was really different from the stories.

While others say that he is a ruthless man who doesn't even blink when he kills people. He has the most kills when it comes to women and he was the very first prince who had usurped the throne by killing his own father and mass executing all the corrupt officials publicly at the same time then hanging their bodies at the palace gates for one month for everyone to see.

Not only that, but Prince Jing has also executed all of the previous emperor's concubines excluding Concubine Ning and the Empress Dowager.

This very prince also passed on the Monogamous Law which shook the entire country of Zhao!

In short, Prince Jing was a crazy tyrant.

After what he had experienced, Imperial Physician Zhou could only think of one thing.

Demon.

A man that had survived that kind of ordeal with his hands thick from the blood of the fallen was definitely not human.

That very same man had coldly looked down at him like his life wasn't comparable to an ant.

It was too scary.

Imperial Physician Zhou staggered back to the infirmary and was immediately making plans to write a resignation letter.

Fu Yanqing looked at Zhao Yan's pale face and touched her cheek with his hand.

He closed his eyes and remembered what she told him a few months ago when he was bedridden.

("Hold out your hand. I will massage it and press on your fingers to help you relax and improve your blood circulation.")

He moved both of his hands to her.

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