Chapter Sixteen: Tending to His Wounds

Lie Chang’an had no idea the princess would visit. His back was injured, and since he shared his quarters with several deputy generals, there was little ceremony among men; he lay shirtless on the mat, so his wound wouldn’t press painfully against his back.

Gu Li entered and was met with this scene. However unrestrained she wished to be, she was still an unmarried young woman, and upon suddenly seeing a man bare-chested, her cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment.

Lie Chang’an never expected Princess Danqing to walk in so abruptly. Startled, he hurried to get dressed, fumbling as he rose to greet her, “Your humble servant—”

“You are wounded; there’s no need for formalities.”

Gu Li quickly stepped forward to prevent him from rising. As she drew closer, she saw his back was riddled with pits and scars, all torn and bloodied by sharp sand, a sight both shocking and heart-wrenching.

Guilt and regret flooded her heart. She pressed his shoulder and made him lie back down. “Lie on your stomach. Let me apply medicine for you.”

“No need to trouble yourself, Your Highness. The Emperor already sent the imperial physician to look after me.”

He had been given medicine, but Lie Chang’an, hardened by countless battlefield wounds, regarded this as a minor injury, scarcely worth the effort of applying medicine.

“That won’t do. If you don’t treat it, your back will be covered with scars.”

Only then did Gu Li notice his body was marked with countless scars, all recent. Blades and arrows on the battlefield spare no one. To her, it was normal, yet gazing upon them now, her heart was inexplicably pained.

With these thoughts, she opened the jade skin ointment and began applying it to his wounds.

“This ointment was bestowed by my father, the Emperor. I’m sometimes injured myself, and every time I use this, I heal quickly and without scars.”

Lie Chang’an never imagined the princess would personally tend to his wounds. He lay shirtless on the bed while she sat on its edge, her slender fingers spreading the cool ointment across his back. With every breath, he caught the subtle fragrance of flowers from her, a gentle scent unique to women.

He didn’t know why, but his head felt flushed, his whole body ablaze, overwhelmed by the intimacy.

Gu Li had never done something so intimate for a man before. He was bare-chested, and she was personally applying medicine to him. Not even for her father or elder brother had she ever done so.

Her gaze wandered unconsciously, lingering on his strong, pale chest, recalling the time she leaned against him…

It was as if the cool touch was fire, scorching her fingers, making her cheeks burn with shame and her heart race with confusion.

For a moment, both were lost in their thoughts, heartbeats erratic.

When she finally finished applying the ointment, Gu Li placed the jar at the bedside, gave a few careful instructions, and, knowing it was inappropriate to linger, rose to take her leave.

Lie Chang’an hurriedly bowed in gratitude.

Gu Li left the room, her blush still vivid. Behind her, the man exhaled deeply only after she was gone, wiping his brow and discovering he was drenched in sweat.

As Gu Li exited Lie Chang’an’s garden, she nearly collided with Princess Zhen’an, who was rushing over.

She saw the tray of ointments carried by the maid behind Zhen’an and immediately understood.

Zhen’an had not expected to encounter her difficult younger sister at such a moment. She had heard of today’s events and understood why Gu Li was here.

Yet, for herself, coming to deliver medicine to General Chang’an seemed hard to justify…

As Zhen’an pondered what excuse she could use to cover her budding affections, Gu Li simply brushed past her and walked on.

Zhen’an breathed a sigh of relief, not considering why her sister was so easygoing today and didn’t trouble her, and led her maid into the garden.