Jiayi had felt pain before during her life in the Forbidden City, quite a bit of it. But somehow, the stinging nettle of pain in her feet felt brand new.

"Jiejie, are you alright?" Molan whispered as she pressed a cloth to Jiayi's forehead.

"I'm fine," Jiayi bit out.

The entire production of Jiayi's "punishment" was far more dramatic than she thought it would be. At first, Jiayi couldn't get Xiang pin to agree to any punishment that she suggested. No flogging, no face slapping, no food withholding, and certainly nothing that could possibly injure Jiayi's 'precious hands.' It was frustrating. Jiayi understood that Xiang pin, at her heart, was incredibly kind in a way that most of the women in the back palace would never be, but if there were too light a hand for Jiayi's punishment, there wouldn't be a need to call for a doctor.

Ultimately, her mistress begrudgingly agreed to Jiayi's plan of feet whipping. It was a very common punishment for maids as no unsightly marks were left for anyone to see.

"Why is Xiang pin being so cruel to you all of a sudden, jiejie? You weren't even gone for the entire afternoon!" Said Molan.

"Hush, Molan. You can't speak that way about Her Highness. I got off light. Can you imagine what someone like Shen huang gui fei would have done to me?"

Molan sighed and nodded, "That's true. Lift your feet. Let me see if the bleeding stopped,"

After tearful begging by Molan and Ping'er, Xiang pin allowed the two girls to whip up a bowl of warm water and ginger for Jiayi to soak her feet in. Jiayi knew that Xiang pin had planned to let them do that from the get-go, but they had to keep up appearances.

Molan dried her foot and peered at the split and blistered skin. The gugu who administered the punishment hadn't gone easy on her. It would be days before she was up and walking and even more before she was walking without pain.

When Molan pressed the cloth to her feet, Jiayi hissed.

"Sorry, jiejie. Just hold on a little longer. The doctor should be here soon. Just rest. Hopefully, Xiang pin takes it easy on you until you're better,"

Jiayi grabbed Molan's hand, "Meimei, you know I deserved this, right? I was disobedient. You can't be mad at Xiang pin for doing the right thing and punishing me,"

Molan frowned and squeezed Jiayi's hand, "But she's never been this mean before,"

"It's my fault. Xiang pin is only being my rightful master. I'll get better faster than you think. I promise,"

Ping'er opened the door to the maid's room and stuck her head inside, "Jiejie, Su taiyi is here,"

Jiayi gave Molan's hand one final squeeze and then shooed her away, "You don't have to wait here with me. I'll be fine,"

"Okay, jiejie," Molan said, picking up the basin of lukewarm water and following after Ping'er, leaving the door open behind her.

Su taiyi was a tall, willowy man with a sparse beard and big ears. He smelled strongly of dried herbs, and his hands were dry and rough as he dressed Jiayi's feet.

"I'll tell your mistress you'll have to stay off your feet," he said, pressing a stinging powder into the cut, "Behave yourself and don't aggravate Her Highness into undoing all my hard work,"

"Yes, taiyi,"

Jiayi reached under the covers rumpled across her legs, and groped for Bai gonggong's gift. She had scraped out the rouge and pressed it into a cheap, chintzy jar. She sat silently, gripping the jar tightly in her hands as Su taiyi quietly continued his work. He tied off the bandage and packed away his things before getting to his feet.

"Change the bandages every few hours or so," he said, placing a few folded piles of white cotton on the low table beside her.

"Thank you, taiyi. Could I bother you about something else?"

Su taiyi sighed and then shrugged, "Go on,"

Jiayi pulled out the rouge and unscrewed it, "My brother sent me this rouge. He said he bought it from a traveling merchant. I think it's nice, but each time I use it, it makes my face itch. Do you mind taking a look at it?"

Su taiyi looks less than thrilled to be bothered with such a useless task, just as Jiayi thought he would. She reaches under her pillow and pulls out a few lumps of silver.

"Please, taiyi," she begs.

He most likely had better things to do, but money had a way of changing priorities.

"Fine," he said, "I'll send it back with my findings in a few days,"

"Thank you, taiyi,"

The doctor grunted and went out the door. Jiayi wasn't alone for long before Pie'er shuffled inside, her arms full. She dumped everything on the bed next to Jiayi. It was piles of fabric, shoes, and jackets.

"Sorry, jiejie. Her Highness told me that these were your responsibility until you're back on your feet and can wait on her again,"

Jiayi rustled through the work and sighed. It reminded her that she still hadn't started on Prince Han's gift. The way things were going, she might never get the chance.

✺

The longer Su taiyi took to return to Jiayi with answers, the more nervous she became. In the dead of night, Xiang pin had come to visit her, near tears. She hadn't enjoyed watching Jiayi get beaten and was tied in knots about how much pain she was in. Jiayi had comforted Xiang pin, knowing that her pain would be getting them answers and one step closer to figuring out what Shen huang gui fei was up to. In theory, at least.

It had been days since Jiayi had given Su taiyi the silver, and still, there was no word from him or anyone at the Imperial Hospital. Jiayi stared at the slipper in her hands, half covered in white roses. Xiang pin had done an excellent job at "adding" to her punishment and giving her a chance to rest with her feet up, but there was only so much embroidery and mending you could do before your eyes crossed. Being sequestered in her bed was good for her feet but bad for her mind. Did Bai gonggong have someone spying on Xiang pin? Did Shen huang gui fei start showing back up to the morning greetings? Was she surprised to see Xiang pin look so healthy if she did? It was like Jiayi was stuck in the dark.

The door swung open, and Jiayi fumbled to look busy. The others wouldn't take Xiang pin's punishment seriously if Jiayi looked like she was enjoying herself. It was strange, though. She hadn't heard the usual rucus Xiang pin and the others made when she returned to her rooms. She hadn't heard anyone come to the door at all.

For a moment, Jiayi thought it was Xiao-Fan, one of Xiang pin's newer eunuchs, but when the eunuch lifted his head, she saw a welcome face.

Prince Han!

"My lord!"

Jiayi tossed the slipper aside. Muscle memory had her standing to greet him, only for her to be hiss in pain.

"Sit down, sit, please. Don't stand on formality," Prince Han said, coming to her side to help her back down.

Jiayi was giddy. As pathetic as it sounded, Prince Han was a wonderful balm to her jumpy nerves. She couldn't believe he dressed up as a eunuch again and snuck in to see her! However, the look on Prince Han's face dampened her joy.

"My lord, are you alright?"

Prince Han stared at her, his mouth softly parted in confusion, "Am I alright? Jiayi, the gugu whipped your feet into ribbons,"

Jiayi wiggled her toes, "It's not as bad as it sounds. The physician Xiang pin called for me didn't sound worried at all,"

"How benevolent of your mistress," Prince Han said with a sneer.

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Jiayi was taken aback by the venom in his tone, "My lord–"

"How could she do this to you? After all you've done for her, after all the times you've put yourself in harm's way for her sake–she still has the gall to treat you this way because you wander off for a few hours? That's ridiculous!"

Jiayi was shocked by this sudden spark of anger. Prince Han was, well, a prince! And not one who was granted the title; he was of noble blood! Xiang pin was well within her right to do anything she wanted with Jiayi's body, punishment or no. Something like this shouldn't have been surprising.

"Xiang pin had to–"

"She had to?" Prince Han interrupted, "Is that what she told you? Jiayi, Xiang pin is so favored that she could kill me and get away with it. No one would dare put up a fuss about something as silly as not being by her side night and day,"

"My lord, listen to me–"

"You should leave,"

A mix of a laugh and a cough squawked from Jiayi's throat, "What?"

Prince Han didn't look amused, "I don't think you should serve Xiang pin any longer,"

"My lord, please," Jiayi pleaded, trying to reel the conversation back in, "I can't just abandon my mistress,"

"Jiayi, you must. I can already see what's happening to Xiang pin. I thought I was imagining it, but I can't ignore it any longer now. Xiang pin has changed. His Majesty's favor has gone to her head. It won't be long until she dreams of besting De gui fei or Shen huang gui fei. She'll be foolish enough to attack the Empress when that isn't enough for her. When she fails, where will that leave you? Do you honestly think she'll protect you?"

Prince Han's face was pale and pinched, his eyes wet around the edges. It disarmed her and stole away any of the words on her lips. Guilt ate away at her. She wished she could have told him about her and Xiang pin's plan, but there just wasn't enough time. It had been so long since they last spoke to each other. Had Prince Han been worrying himself sick the whole time?

"I–"

"Please," he said, dropping to the ground. He pressed his forehead to Jiayi's knee, "I can find you another post somewhere far from here, where you'll be safe. Please,"

"My lord, it's okay,"

Prince Han lifted his head to peer up at her, "Jiayi–"

Jiayi clasped her hands over his mouth, "Please. Let me explain,"

Taking a deep breath, Jiayi told Prince Han a version of the events that transpired with Bai gonggong. It included an added detail that the eunuch threatened to sabotage the Imperial exam results of Wei Jiayi's brother.

"I know my brother isn't the kindest, but I couldn't let Bai gonggong do that to him. I just couldn't,"

Prince Han still looked skeptical.

"This was the only way to get a physician to test the rouge without anyone knowing?" He asked, "Really?"

"It was the fastest way. We needed to know what was in the rouge to figure out what to do next. It wasn't such a big sacrifice, either. Before I served Xiang pin, a girl I worked with stole something, and my back was whipped even worse than this! At least this time, it's just my feet,"

Prince Han's face slowly morphed from anger to cheek-reddening embarrassment. He fell back onto his haunches and took a deep breath, "As your lord, it's my right to say that this plan was foolish,"

Jiayi felt her own face blush, "Well, what else could we have done? I'm sure Bai gonggong has spies all over. He would know if I went to anyone for help, and then I–my brother would be ruined,"

"Why didn't you come to me?" He asked, "I could've sent the rouge out to get it tested or brought a physician here in disguise! Anything would be better than hurting yourself like this,"

Truthfully, Jiayi really didn't want Prince Han involved at all. Had he not barged in, she would have kept him in the dark as much as possible. It was one thing to go to Prince Han when Wei Jiayi's life was in danger, but when Xi Jiayi–the girl wearing a corpse's name like a jacket– was in trouble? She needed him to be far, far away. Jiayi knew in her heart that there was a high chance that one day Prince Han would learn the truth about her and would be, rightfully, disgusted. But until that day came, Jiayi was happy to keep playing pretend.

"I'm sorry," Jiayi said, reaching out to grab his hand, "There wasn't any time to waste. I know that if I needed you, you'd be there for me,"

Prince Han squeezed her hand, "I would,"

Jiayi smiled, staring at the sight of their intertwined hands. She would have continued staring if a shard of sun hadn't passed over their hands. It was late afternoon at this point. Jiayi had to change her bandages. She regretfully pulled her hand away.

"Thank you for coming, my lord. I'm sorry that I worried you,"

Prince Han shook his head, "If you're in trouble, I want to worry about you. I won't ever stop,"

Those words did something to her insides that she didn't feel comfortable thinking about until Prince Han left the room.

"I promise that Xiang pin is as kind as ever to me," she said, "So please don't let me keep you,"

He nodded and rose to his feet.

"I should leave before your mistress comes back,"

Jiayi bowed her head, "Ah! Before you leave, could you put that basin on my side table for me?"

"Thank you," Jiayi said, filling it with water from the jug on the same table, "It must have slipped Molan's mind that changing my bandages is much easier when I have a basin nearby to wash in,"

"Are you still bleeding?" Prince Han asked.

Jiayi wiggled her feet and flinched, "Yes, unfortunately. Su taiyi sent his junior here to deliver new bandages. When I asked when it would stop, he couldn't give me an answer,"

"He said something about movement of the skin," she continued, "Most importantly, I should keep it clean and freshly dressed,"

"Do you need help?"

Jiayi stilled, "Help with what, my lord?"

"Dressing," He paused, "Your feet."

As an unmarried girl keeping company with her lover in the Forbidden City, few things should scandalize Jiayi at this point. And yet, Prince Han's offering to wash and dress her feet nearly sent her flying. They hadn't even kissed, and he wanted to wash her bare feet?

Jiayi might as well strip down naked and lie on the floor.

But it wasn't really that inappropriate, was it? Jiayi was injured. And trying to wash her feet on her own without breaking open the fresh scabs was hard work with all the twisting she had to do. It would be for the best if she had a bit of help. She would heal faster. And if Prince Han was kind enough to do so...then, well–

Why not?

✺

Prince Han was an unspeakable cad. A brute. A pervert. An all-around scoundrel. He had snuck into Jiayi's rooms to rant and rave about something he knew nothing about and now he was all but asking for her to disrobe in front of him. He wanted desperately to snatch the words out of the air and stuff them back behind his stupid lips.

Instead of the offended screech that he deserved, Jiayi said, soft and sweet, "I would appreciate your help, my lord,"

Prince Han swallowed around the tongue that flopped like a dead fish in his mouth. He brought the basin of cool water down to the floor, where he kneeled before Jiayi. He took a quiet breath and picked up her foot, feeling the rough weave of the cotton wrapped around it. He undid the knot and unwound the bandages, careful not to pull away too quickly and upset her wounds. He gently rested her foot in the water before doing the same to it's partner. There was a cloth folded on the edge of the basin. Prince Han rolled up his sleeves and dipped it in the water with surprisingly steady hands.

"Could you," he cleared his throat and brushed his fingers against the edge of her pants, "I don't want your pants to get wet,"

Inch by inch, the demure pale green fabric slid upwards, revealing a pair of milky white calves dotted with darling short black hairs.

Prince Han wanted to sink his teeth into the meat of it.

He wrapped his hand around one of her ankles as delicately as he could and lifted it from the water. The bottom of Jiayi's foot made him fight a wince. The skin was a crisscross of raised welts, all in the throes of healing, with some still bleeding sluggishly.

He wiped the raw skin lightly, dipping the cloth back into the water as needed. He wanted to stay focused on his task; he earnestly did, but he couldn't stop looking. Jiayi's feet were warm in his hands as he watched the water slip down her skin.

"Is there, um," he cleared his throat, "Salve? For your wounds?"

When Jiayi didn't reply he found her staring down at him, her hands clasped in her lap, her eyes glossy.

"Jiayi," he said with a light shake to her foot, "Salve?"

"Oh! Yes,"

She handed him a small jar and spatula. He patted her feet dry and began to spread the paste. He would buy Jiayi a pair of slippers. She wouldn't be able to wear flower pot shoes in this place, but he could get her a fine pair of slippers. Something soft to cradle her healing feet. In red.

Wedding red.

Prince Han blinked out of his fantasy as he finished tying off the end of the bandage. He needed to get himself together. He quickly washed and dressed Jiayi's other foot and decided not to acknowledge the way he couldn't bring himself to stop touching her at any given point.

"The bandages aren't too tight?"

Prince Han let his hands go slack as Jiayi flexed her feet.

"It feels wonderful, thank you, my lord,"

Prince Han's hands tingled. He wanted to put his hands on her again.

"Jiejie?"

Jiayi's eyes snapped to his, alarmed. Prince Han was no better. How had they not heard Xiang pin return? The voice was muffled and far off. It wasn't so close that they'd barge in at any moment, but not far enough for Prince Han to scurry out the window.

"The bed," Jiayi said, "Get under the bed!"

She lifted the bed skirts and Prince Han crawled under, not giving it a second thought. The fabric dropped, blotting him from the world.

The door creaked open.

"Jiejie?" Someone called again, "Su taiyi is here,"

The floorboards groaned as someone else stepped into the room.

"You said your face itched when you used this?" An old voice asked.

"Yes, taiyi,"

It was Su taiyi then.

"That's because it was eating the skin off your face,"

Dead silence.

"What do you mean, taiyi?" Jiayi asked.

"I would suggest you mend any rifts between yourself and your brother guniang," said Su taiyi, "This gift is not only full of cheap dyes but packed to the brim with bai zhu, thunder god vine, and fu zi,"

Prince Han's breath caught in his throat. He was no doctor, but her recognized the herbs that Su tiayi listed. They were are poisons.

"Oh no, jiejie," a voice softly muttered.

"Mixed with some nasty compounds," Su tiayi continued, "I couldn't tell what it was but I can tell you that it ate a chicken down to the bones in just a few days,"

"That was going to happen to my face?" asked Jiayi.

There was fear in her voice and Prince Han knew she wasn't putting on an act.

"Worse, more likely. You girls like to be made up. It's good you didn't use it for too long. Even Hwang taiyi might not be able to save you. If he did, it wouldn't do much good. You'd be disfigured at best, deformed at worst,"

"Thank you, taiyi,"

Su taiyi sniffed, "More bandages?"

"No, taiyi," whispered Jiayi.

A hum and then the sound of the floorboards as Su taiyi left.

"Molan," said Jiayi, her voice tired, "Do you mind bringing me some tea?"

"I'll be quick, jiejie!"

As soon as the door shut, Jiayi yanked up the covers, "Go quickly, my lord. She'll be back any moment,"

Prince Han, like the fool he was, took his time climbing through the window, choosing to grasp Jiayi's hand tightly.

"If you have any trouble, tell me. It doesn't matter what it is. Find Sang'er or Chang Lingxiu, just tell me,"

Jiayi nervously glanced between their hands and the door. His heart was pounding just as fast, he needed to leave but first he needed to know that if Jiayi was truly in trouble, she'd find.

"Promise me," He urged.

She gripped his hand tight, "I promise,"