The morning sun shone over the glistening golden roof. The shining gold, boosted by last night's rain water, added to the majesty of the palace complex.

  None of that mattered to the sleep deprived Third Princess.

  Ever since Chow Qinfen brought news that Jian Zhusi had awakened, she faithfully stood outside the room of the basement floor. Where she hid his brother.

  “Your highness, you should get ready. The morning court is about to convene.” her maid pleaded.

  “I'm not going!” Jian Rongyao answered firmly.

  “...but Princess…”

  Jian Rongyao waved her hand. “I've made my decision. Besides, nobody listens to me anyway. Not even my father and brothers. I think it's alright to miss a day or two.”

  “O-okay Your Highness. Then…shouldn't you send a notice?”

  Jian Rongyao pondered for a bit. “Tell them…tell them I'm preparing to visit Yun Hun Temple.”

  The maid bowed, and left. Leaving Jian Rongyao alone. Continuing her staring contest with the door.

  Moments later, the door swung open.

  “Master physician, how is my brother?” Jian Rongyao wasted no time asking.

  Zhao Lokun and Chow Qinfen bowed. “Greetings Your Highness.”

  Zhao Lokun resumed his noble pose. “So far, His Highness the Fifth Prince is fine. Although…”

  “...What? What happened?!” Jian Rongyao sounded a bit hysterical.

  “It should be nothing. His Highness is just a bit slow when answering. He even had some problems telling us basic details about himself.”

  “Huh? That's a big problem! Did he…did he lose his memory?”

  Zhao Lokun gave her a reassuring smile. “Don't worry, Your Highness. Fifth Prince's memory is fine. He's just a bit slow in remembering. Perhaps a side effect of the treatment. I'll come again to check on him to make sure, though.”

  Jian Rongyao heaved a sigh of relief. She produced a pouch heavy with gold coins. “I trust that you have handled the other arrangement I ask you.”

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  “It's done, Your Highness. I've already found a corpse that looked the most similar to the Fifth Prince. All I need to do now, is to inject this excess energy I extracted from the Fifth Prince's body, and nobody would know that His Highness is still alive.” Zhao Lokun answered as he showed her the compressed energy in pill form.

  “Thank you, Master physician. And thank you for keeping this quiet.”

  Zhao Lokun sighed as he smiled bitterly. “Haih, say nothing of it, Princess. That kid could be considered ss my student as well, with how much he's been bothering me with his questions. Hehehe. Too bad…”

  He said nothing anymore. Both of them bowed, and the Third Princess watched as the maid escorted the Royal Physician and his apprentice up the stairs out of the basement.

  Jian Rongyao turned around, a complicated look on her face.

  “Zhusi…” She stepped into the room.

  ###

  ‘Whoa! She's beautiful. And that dress…’ Jian Zhusi whistled in his head.

  Jian Zhusi could not help but smile. Being tenderly fed congee by a beautiful lady. In bed too, at that. What a blissful life it is. Jian Zhusi even secretly felt grateful to be dead.

  A prompt popped up in his head, destroying the flower bud that is his happiness.

  [The lady beside you is your flesh and blood sister. The Third Princess of Jian Royal Family, Jian Rongyao]

  ‘Ceh. Such a spoilsport’.

  [Apologies, mister President. Although, in this dimension, there are cases for brothers and sisters of the noble blood to…]

  ‘I will have to stop you right there, whatever you are. We'll talk again later’.

  [As you wish sir.]

  Jian Zhusi let out a long exhale. Talking to that machine-like existence in his head is quite exhausting.

  “What's wrong, Zhusi?”

  Jian Zhusi turned to his right. He was delightfully stunned. The worried look of Jian Rongyao, combined with the spoonful of congee still in her hand, Jian Zhusi felt touched.

  His smile turned tender. “Nothing, Third Sister. Just taking my time digesting. Hehe.”

  “Oh right. You just woke up, haha. Let me put this away first. You could always eat later.”

  “Pfft, and miss you feeding me? Come on, there’s not a lot left in the bowl. I can finish it.”

  Jian Rongyao was happy seeing the playful look her brother gave her. For a while, they stopped talking. Only the scraping of the spoon to the bottom of the bowl was heard.

  Perhaps because he was indeed hungry, but Jian Zhusi indeed did not want to stop eating. The big bowl of chicken congee was soon gone.

  “Gosh, you really are hungry. You finished the entire thing!”

  “Hehehe…” Jian Zhusi scratched his head awkwardly.

  After she finished cleaning up, the Third Princess sat beside Jian Zhusi.

  “What’s wrong, Third Sister?”

  Jian Rongyao said nothing at first. Only looked at him. Her hands were tightly clenching on his.

  “Zhusi. You can’t stay here anymore. It’s too dangerous.”

  Jian Zhusi frowned. He was about to ask his sister for clarification. But the prompt appeared again.

  [This Jian Zhusi was attacked two days ago. He tried to fight back, but the attacker broke his Dantian. Causing his demise last night. It is suspected to be an assassination plot to obtain the Cloud Arrow. A flying ship that can protect you from the peril of ascending to the Immortal Realm.]

  ‘The fuck is a Dantian…never mind. Tell me later.’

  [A reminder is set for explaining the cultivation system of this dimension]

  Cultivation? Immortal Realm? Ascension? Jian Zhusi wanted to know what any of the words meant. But he suppressed his curiosity for later

  “I understand, Third Sister.”

  “You-you’re not mad?”

  He smiled to reassure his sister. “I know it's for my own good. I am too weak. Plus, now that my Dantian is destroyed, I am even more vulnerable.”

  Jian Rongyao hugged his brother. “I'm sorry. Your sister is useless. I can't protect you. I don't even know who attacked you.”

  “It's not your fault, dear sister.” Jian Zhusi patted Jian Rongyao.

  A good while later, she let go of her hug. “The Royal Physician has agreed to help me. We'll announce the news that you died in the assassination attempt. I'm sure the Royal Father and Royal Brothers won't waste their time investigating your death.”

  Jian Zhusi was all too familiar with that. When a rich person dies, their families would let the body rot while turning the house upside down for every cent.

  “You will hide in Yun Hun Temple. I have arranged it with Venerable Benliang. Nobody will know who you really are.”

  Jian Zhusi nodded. It was indeed a good plan. Those who joined the Buddhist monastery will cut off their worldly attachments, and assume a new name. Nobody would check on his background, because he will no longer have any.

  “Hehehe, my sister is quite smart.”

  A smug expression appeared on Jian Rongyao’s face. “Hmph! You brat. Who do you think you're talking to? Now rest up. We'll be going to the Temple in a few days.”

  “Yes Third Sister.”

  Jian Zhusi waited for a while after Jian Rongyao left the room. Then, his expression turned serious.

  “Hey! You, inside my head. Are you there?”

  …

  [Yes]