Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]

The dawn of Li Xinyuan's 17th birthday brought neither joy nor Liu Mingyun's letter. Xueyue was still woefully absent, and with her, absent was what he hoped to be a response.

Naturally, he received none. All he wanted was reassurance, nothing more.

His heart was in a perpetual state of unrest these days, sleep and rest came to pass on the rarest of occasions.

He would tire himself out with a steady stream of patients and teaching the other doctors at the clinic. Through word of mouth, people found the Divine Phoenix Clinic in Zhejiang Province remarkable.

Still, at night he would lay awake, eyes on the ceiling and ears straining for any noise.

News and words spread fast, and those of any war even faster.

The war between the Heavenly Demon Cult and their long time nemesis XijinYao Clan had officially begun, after this tense standstill for months.

Li Xinyuan's heart sank at the news. His worry for neither the martial artists of the Cult nor for those of Iron Wall, it truly lay with Cheon Yerin. If the physicians had strictly followed his given regimen, she should have recovered already.

He hoped she recovered already.

After all, it was not beyond the river of possibilities that the enemy would attack the Cult through any means. This was war.

War was unkind.

The surgeon's hands clenched into tight fists as he glided through the hallway, making his way from one patient to another.

Zhejiang Province which was mostly governed by the Namgung clan was safe from the flames. For now. Every single person with power was biding their time, watching, waiting for the tension to implode.

For the Cult to weaken so they may sink their teeth and get a piece of what was left.

The thought made Li Xinyuan shake his head in horror. He couldn't rest even on his birthday. Resting gave him free time. Free time would make him spiral.

Just as he settled in front of a distressed patient, trying to calm them down, the door of the Clinic flew open.

Loud, frantic, and brazen.

This was his first impression of Namgung Suyeon. She was — in his knowledge — the youngest of the Namgung siblings in this generation.

He could see the effects of favourable upbringing.

Li Xinyuan raised an eyebrow, casting her a pointed look before turning back to his patient. Whyever she was here, unless it was the female lead, he had no business knowing.

His business lay only with the female lead — Namgung Jihye.

As he was asking the patient about their ailment, he could hear rapid footfalls approaching from a distance, from within the clinic, actually.

Before the surgeon could react, Hu Lijing and Bai Huiqi — both in disguise — burst. The older of the two even had his claws drawn.

Talk about paranoia. He snorted.

The nine-tailed fox spirit strode to him, eyeing the young lady suspiciously as he slotted himself in front of the surgeon.

"Who is this?" Beside Li Xinyuan, Bai Huiqi appeared, candid in movements but tense in expression.

Gently, the surgeon placed a placating hand on Hu Lijing's arm, pushing him back slightly.

"I suspect she has brought a patient. Or trouble. Whichever it may be, it is none of our concern." He whispered softly, "Go back to what you were doing."

Bai Huiqi nodded, and was the first to withdraw. As the fox spirit of winter left, the surgeon felt something pushed against himself.

"May many more years of joy bless you."

Li Xinyuan looked down and saw a luminescent white peony with a blue glow tucked against his lapel.

Joy bloomed in his chest, warmth curling like a coil as he smiled at Bai Huiqi's retreating figure.

"Lijing." He pressed his hand further against the nine-tailed fox's arm, hoping to pull him back. "I'm well. Calm down."

Hu Lijing's eyes narrowed as he watched with distaste the commotion a single lady was causing. He did not like the noise in the slightest.

"This is a hospital." He glowered, turning to face his ward instead. "Are these the manners taught by that clan? To stir a ruckus in a place like this?"

Li Xinyuan grimaced at the questions, wincing on Namgung Suyeon's behalf. "Hush, she might hear you."

"Let her. I shall teach her a lesson in decorum."

"While I'm very keen on such things, please not on my birthday."

"..." If it wasn't your birthday—

Li Xinyuan smiled tightly, he could almost hear what Hu Lijing left unsaid as the latter scowled over his shoulder.

After the nine-tailed fox spirit calmed down and left, the surgeon sat down in front of his patient heavily. He could feel the shocked state he was receiving.

Really, Hu Lijing could not be blamed for his reaction.

After the numerous assassination attempts, though failed, not only the surgeon himself, but Hu Lijing and Bai Huiqi had grown paranoid as well, constantly fearing for Li Xinyuan's safety.

It took some time, but after treating the patient and giving him medication, Li Xinyuan was free.

Free to eavesdrop on the persistent commotion by the door.

Hm, Namgung Suyeon had yet to leave. Did she not get her solution? And was that a new voice he heard just now?

Did someone join in the fun?

He frowned contemplatively. Should he…? No, Li Xinyuan shook his head, chiding himself. Don't pry. Unless you're needed, don't pry at all. Don't want to end up with worse trouble. Learn your lesson, dumbass—

"Doctor Baek!"

Li Xinyuan flinched with a start, nearly toppled over upon hearing his fake name.

"Y-yes! Yes, Dr. Mun?" Putting on a skittish facade, he scurried over to the door, wringing his hands. "How can I be of help?"

The man named Dr. Mun looked at him, his eyes were apologetic that seemed to say: Forgive me, Dr. Li. But I feel only you can handle this.

Li Xinyuan gave him a trembling smile that concealed his anger. This bastard, his eyebrows twitched. He knew I didn't want to deal with this girl but still put me in this spot?

If not for the amiable and skittish facade he was wearing at the moment, the surgeon would have torn him a new one. Sure enough, letting some people know his identity was a mistake.

Still, with a smile and hunched form, he turned to Namgung Suyeon, looked her up and down to take in her somewhat roguish appearance, and let out a sigh internally.

There goes my peaceful birthday.

"What seems to be the matter, Young Miss..?" He made a puzzled face, pretending to not know her.

"Namgung Suyeon."

Li Xinyuan barely suppressed an erratic twitch in his brows. For a gentry-class young lady, her tone was rather gruff, was it not?

"Young Miss Namgung," he nodded curtly. Well, if she could not afford him courtesy, then neither could he. "What led you to cause such a racket?"

Namgung Suyeon's eyes widened, stunned by the doctor's audacity. "Racket—?!"

However, before she could do much as let her fury at the man know, her oldest sister's hand squeezed her arm in warning. Mouth snapped shut, Namgung Suyeon let herself be pulled back. Shame clawing her throat shut.

Her oldest sister, the eldest of the Namgung siblings, stepped forward.

"Forgive me, Doctor Baek." She bowed low, apologetically. Her long black hair spilled over her shoulders. Clad in the finest of silks, her entire being seemed to glow with a faint light. "My sister is rather ill-tempered, please show mercy."

Her voice was like wind chimes carried in the breeze, soft and pleasant to ears.

Standing before her, Li Xinyuan stiffened, face set in stone as he looked down at the top of her head, the sage green silk she was donning and the beautiful hairpins adorning her head.

Namgung Jihye?

"I am called Namgung Jihye, the eldest daughter of the Namgung clan's head." The fucking female lead cupped her hands in front, saluting him as her back straightened. "Allow me to apologise, once more, on her behalf. Could I trouble you to come with us to our clan?"

"Your clan?" Li Xinyuan replied, his tone was still nervous but stiffer. "Whyever would the Namgung clan be in need of our assistance?"

In desperation, he shot a frightening glare at Dr. Mun behind him.

Namgung Jihye gave him a sad little smile.

"That," she began slowly, "I cannot disclose here. I must insist you and the doctors come with us. All you need to know is that it is a matter of great importance."

For a man who had spent more than a year traveling to meet her, Li Xinyuan wanted to run away now that he knew the world's consciousness was after him.