Once the military business was done, Ning Chen let out a sudden rueful laugh.

“Old Pan — why don’t you go and tell Miss Zisu she can head home?”

“My wounds are all on my legs. The insides of my thighs especially — it’s just not practical.”

Pan Yucheng smiled. “From what I know of Miss Zisu, she won’t let up until she’s treated you at least once.”

Feng Qizheng hollered, “Ning Chen — no hiding illness from the doctor! Miss Zisu isn’t the one being shy here. Quit squirming.”

“If you can’t handle it, let her treat me instead — I’m not afraid to drop my pants.”

A twitch at Ning Chen’s mouth. Sure you’re not. You’ve got absolutely no shame.

Pan Yucheng said with a smile, “It’s only treating a wound. It’s not as if anyone’s asking you to give yourself over.”

Ning Chen shook his head helplessly, stood up. “Fine. Let’s go.”

The three of them made their way to the front hall.

Zisu rose, her smile radiant and lovely, walked over, and picked up her medicine case.

“Is Ning the Silver Coat finished? Can we get started?”

Ning Chen nodded. “I’ll be in your hands, Miss Zisu.”

“No need to be polite. Come on — your room.”

Ning Chen: “???”

“The medicine needs you to lie down once it’s applied, and you can’t move around for four hours after.”

Ning Chen frowned slightly, then thought: This is the Mei residence — my turf. What is there to worry about?

He brought Zisu to his room.

Pan Yucheng and Feng Qizheng were about to follow when Zisu stopped them. “You gentlemen wait outside.”

And moved to close the door.

Feng Qizheng threw a hand against it. “Miss Zisu — Ning Chen is no kind of gentleman. If he tries anything with you, shout and I’ll charge right in to save you.”

Zisu smiled sweetly. “Much obliged, sir.”

Feng Qizheng scratched his head, eyes wide with hope. “I’ve got some wounds myself — once you’re done, could you treat me too?”

Zisu nodded. “Of course.”

And closed the door.

Zisu turned. She looked at Ning Chen standing there rooted to the spot, and said with a flirtatious laugh, “Ning the Silver Coat — on the bed. And drop your pants.”

Ning Chen: “……”

Loaded with implications.

But the lady was entirely easy and self-possessed — if he got coy now he’d only look ridiculous.

He turned, walked to the inner room, sat on the edge of the bed, and took off his pants.

Zisu came in and said sweetly, “Ning the Silver Coat — the undershorts too?”

A twitch at Ning Chen’s mouth. Take those off and he’d have nothing on at all.

He grabbed the hem and yanked it up as hard as he could — all the way to the top of his thigh — and said, “Like this.”

Zisu gave a light laugh.

“Ning the Silver Coat, lie down — you’re sitting up and I can’t apply the medicine.”

Ning Chen lay back.

Zisu stepped forward, opened her case, and first changed the dressing on the sword wounds on his leg with practiced ease.

Then she took out a small white jar containing a thick green paste.

With a bamboo spatula, she spread the salve gently over the wound.

“Hss—!”

Ning Chen sucked in a sharp breath.

The inner thigh — rubbed raw. It really did hurt.

“Did that hurt, Young Master?”

Zisu asked.

Whether on purpose or not, she lowered her head and blew softly on the wound.

This was the inner thigh.

Ning Chen’s whole body went rigid.

Then Zisu said in a soft voice, “Ning the Silver Coat — could you shift it a little? It’s in the way, I can’t get to the wound.”

“What?”

Ning Chen didn’t follow for a moment.

Before he could work it out, Zisu took matters into her own hands — moved it from the left to the right herself.

Holy shit!

Ning Chen’s whole body went rigid.

He told himself to stay calm. But what the body does is not something he could control.

Old Second had been fully roused.

Old Second lifted his head slowly, then put on a display for Zisu: one pillar holding up the sky.

Sweat broke out on Ning Chen’s forehead. All he could do was explain awkwardly: “Normal reaction. Perfectly normal reaction…”

Zisu laughed that sweet laugh. “Ning the Silver Coat truly is formidable — no wonder he crushed the Grand Tutor’s hundred thousand men without breaking a sweat.”

Ning Chen’s eyes narrowed to points.

A doctor — why did she know so much about what happened on the battlefield?

But before he could ask, he heard Zisu say in a petulant voice, “‘He’s’ so spirited — Ning the Silver Coat hasn’t touched a woman in a good long while, has he?”

Ning Chen had no idea how to answer that.

Zisu smiled warmly. “Ning the Silver Coat — your loyalty reaches to the heavens. Your heart is set on the realm, you fight bravely for it, protecting us commoners… this girl ought to repay that debt. She’s willing to help Ning the Silver Coat out.”

Before Ning Chen could even register what was happening, he felt a chill below — Ning’s Old Second was fully released.

Then Zisu bowed her head.

“Hss—!”

Ning Chen sucked in another sharp breath.

But the expression on his face was utterly different from the first time.

The first time: pain.

The second time: bliss.

“Miss Zisu, don’t—”

Zisu lifted her head, eyes dreamy and soft, her pale, pretty face flushed deep red, and said petulantly, “Ning the Silver Coat — this girl is willing.”

Ning Chen said, “No — what I mean is — don’t — stop!”

A quarter-hour later, Miss Zisu came to the door with her medicine case.

Before she opened it, she took out a clean white handkerchief and dabbed at the corner of her mouth, then opened the door.

Pan Yucheng and Feng Qizheng came to meet her.

“You’ve done fine work, Miss Zisu.”

Zisu shook her head with a faint smile.

Feng Qizheng’s face was all hope. “Miss Zisu — isn’t it my turn now?”

Zisu gave a nod and took a small white jar from her medicine case.

“Apply the salve inside once a day. Inside three days the wound will heal on its own.”

“You gentlemen will excuse this girl.”

Zisu made a graceful courtesy and left.

Feng Qizheng stared at the jar in his hand, his eyes blank, and said in an aggrieved voice, “Chief — is the difference in treatment really that big?”

“She treats Ning Chen behind a closed door. She treats me with a jar of ointment?”

Pan Yucheng said mildly, “Because your face gives you away.”

“Gives me away how?”

“Lust. Next time you see Miss Zisu, wipe the drool off the corner of your mouth. Having a subordinate like you — I don’t know whether to be embarrassed or ashamed.”

With that, Pan Yucheng went into the room.

Ning Chen heard the footsteps and hurried to get his pants on.

The two of them came in through the doorway curtain and over to the bed.

Pan Yucheng looked at Ning Chen. “How are you feeling?”

“Great… only the technique needs a little work.”

Ning Chen said it without thinking, and the moment it was out he regretted it. What am I even saying?

Pan Yucheng gave him a strange look.

Ning Chen’s mind raced and he hurried to explain: “What I mean is, the salve Miss Zisu applied felt nice and cool — very refreshing. Only her technique for applying it was a little rough.”

Pan Yucheng made a sound of acknowledgment. “Your wounds are on the inner thigh — Miss Zisu probably felt a little awkward.”

Awkward? She and Ning’s Old Second were the best of friends — intimate as lips and teeth… Ning Chen thought.

Feng Qizheng suddenly sniffed. “What’s that smell?”

Ning Chen shot him a look. “What do you think — besides medicine?”

“No, this smell is familiar.”

Ning Chen’s mouth twitched. “Enough of that. Go put the salve on with Old Pan. Miss Zisu’s medicine is no joke — a quarter-hour and it’ll take care of any swelling.”

Feng Qizheng made a sound, turned his head, and completely forgot about the strange smell in the room.

They were all men there, and Feng Qizheng and Pan Yucheng didn’t bother going back to their own rooms — they applied the salve right there in Ning Chen’s.

(End of Chapter 262)