Hearing this, Su Jin pushed open the door of the heated pavilion to look at Shen Xi. She saw him lying face down on the bed with his eyes closed, his complexion haggard and pale, the teardrop mole beneath his right eye dark and lusterless.
Su Jin asked again: “Has he been given medicine?”
“He has. A medicinal decoction with notoginseng as the main ingredient, to be taken twice daily. Lord Shen’s leg injuries are very severe. The dressing must be changed again after three days, then once every seven days thereafter.” Fang Xu said, “Actually, this humble official should keep Lord Shen at the Imperial Medical Bureau for care, but…”
Su Jin knew what he was worried about.
People came and went at the Imperial Medical Bureau—who knew which medical officer or which clerk might be Zhu Zhaowei’s person? Even if the Golden Guards could take shifts guarding around the clock for twelve hours a day, they didn’t understand medical principles. For Zhu Zhaowei’s people to avoid them and strike would be far too easy.
As she was deliberating, Golden Guard Banner Chief Yao Jiang also arrived at the Imperial Medical Bureau. Meeting the worried look in Su Jin’s eyes, he said: “Lord Su may rest assured. Lord Liu did not hold us accountable for the crime of trespassing into the Imperial Censorate’s dark chamber. He only mentioned that you should have come to the Imperial Medical Bureau.”
Su Jin didn’t respond to this. After thinking, she said: “I must trouble Banner Chief Yao to have a few Golden Guards carry Lord Shen to Su’s carriage outside the Gate of Receiving Heaven. Please be careful not to injure him further.” Then to Fang Xu: “Lord Fang, when the time comes to change Lord Shen’s dressing in three days, I must trouble you to accompany me.”
Fang Xu bowed: “Lord Su need not be so courteous. This is what this humble official should do.”
Night had grown very deep. The person driving the carriage for Su Jin this day was not Tan Zhaolin, but Seventh Uncle, the head steward of the Su household. He asked: “My lord, are we returning to the residence?”
Su Jin lifted the carriage curtain to glance at Shen Xi, then raised her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose: “Let me think.”
The Shen residence was out of the question. After the Zhaojue Temple incident, Shen Xi had used these past days to disperse the Shen household members, leaving only Sixth Uncle alone to guard the empty courtyard. The Su residence wouldn’t work either. Tan Zhaolin had returned to his hometown with his wife the day before yesterday to celebrate the New Year festival and wouldn’t return until after the Dragon Raises Its Head festival. Without him there, when Zhu Zhaowei’s people came, there wouldn’t even be anyone who could provide resistance.
The Golden Guards could be used, but the Twelve Guards maintained strict military discipline. The Five Military Commanderies kept clear records of who was on duty and who was on patrol. Now that Zhu Nanxian had fallen into misfortune, Zhu Zhaowei was worried he couldn’t find grounds to discipline Zuo Qian. If she had people assigned to guard the Su or Shen residences day and night, implicating the Golden Guards would be bad.
Su Jin was hesitating when she suddenly saw a single lantern flickering in the distance. Looking carefully, it was actually Zhao Yan’s second daughter Zhao Wan and her maid.
Zhao Wan had been waiting outside this Gate of Receiving Heaven for several hours. Seeing Su Jin look over, she bit her lip, stepped forward, and gracefully performed a bow: “A Wan greets Lord Su.”
It was a slightly cold spring night. She wore a lake-blue cloak, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
Su Jin nodded slightly: “It’s so late yet Miss Zhao the Second still hasn’t returned home. Are you waiting for Lord Zhao?”
Zhao Wan shook her head. The red on her cheeks deepened. Biting her lower lip as if gathering courage, she said: “May I ask Lord Su, is Shen Xi, Lord Shen, in your carriage?” She paused, lowering her eyelids, not daring to look at Su Jin. “If Lord Shen has nowhere to stay, he can go to the Zhao residence.”
Hearing these words, Su Jin frowned slightly and made no sound.
Zhao Wan waited for quite a while. Seeing Su Jin had no reaction, the red from her cheeks spread to the roots of her ears. She spoke again: “My father told A Wan this. Just now when A Wan was leaving the palace, I saw from afar Lord Shen being punished at Xuanyuan Platform, so I asked my father about it. Only then did I learn the Shen family had encountered trouble. Because A Wan’s family has ties with the Shen family, my father sighed and mentioned that Lord Shen could not escape this calamity—even if he survived, he would have nowhere to stay.”
This connection was actually between Zhao Wan’s legitimate mother, Madam Zhao, and Shen Xi’s mother, Madam Shen. The two were distant relatives from the same hometown. After being separated for several years, they both followed their husbands to the capital, so naturally they visited each other frequently. Zhao Wan had even stayed at the Shen residence several times in her childhood.
Su Jin asked coolly: “Does the Zhao residence have a place for Lord Shen to stay?”
Zhao Wan said softly: “In the southwest corner of the Zhao residence, there’s a separate courtyard specially reserved for guests who prefer quiet. It has its own courtyard gate, directly facing Vermillion Bird Lane. It’s currently empty. If Lord Shen has nowhere to go, Lord Su can bring Lord Shen to follow A Wan to the Zhao residence.”
However, Su Jin only looked at her calmly and again didn’t answer.
Only then did Zhao Wan timidly raise her head to glance at Su Jin. Meeting her piercing gaze, she immediately lowered her head and said: “My—my lord, rest assured. This is, this is my father’s intention.”
Su Jin sighed inwardly, only then saying: “Very well.” Then: “Then please ask Miss Zhao the Second to lead the way.”
The Zhao residence was located in the southern part of the city. Driving there would take most of an hour. The Zhao residence’s separate courtyard wasn’t large, but it was exceptionally fresh and elegant. The spring apricot trees in the courtyard had already sprouted new branches with a few flower buds faintly visible. On both sides of the west wing hung a couplet—that calligraphy Su Jin recognized as Zhao Yan’s.
Upon arriving at the separate courtyard, Su Jin immediately instructed Seventh Uncle to go to the Shen residence to invite Shen Liubo to come. Together with the Zhao residence’s servants, they settled Shen Xi on the bed in the side chamber. Then she said to Zhao Wan: “Miss Zhao the Second, Su has something to say to you.”
Zhao Wan nodded slightly and glanced at the maid at her side. The maid understood and withdrew with all the servants.
Only then did Su Jin say: “Su knows that Lord Zhao actually doesn’t know about this. Bringing Lord Shen back to the separate courtyard was Miss Zhao the Second’s own decision.” As she spoke, meeting Zhao Wan’s shocked expression, she continued: “But Su also knows you wouldn’t harm Lord Shen. Outside, wolves and tigers watch hungrily. If you wanted to harm him, you could simply ignore him. Why would you stake your reputation as an unmarried young lady of a noble family?”
Reaching this point, Su Jin clasped her sleeves and bowed to Zhao Wan: “Su truly had no other options and couldn’t think of a better place than the Zhao residence. This time, I truly thank Miss the Second. Su will remember this kindness in her heart and will certainly repay it many times over in the future.”
If there was anything in this capital that Zhu Zhaowei didn’t dare rashly act against, the Imperial Censorate and its high officials would rank first among them. Zhao Yan held the position of Right Censor-in-Chief, second only to Liu Chaoming. Even if Zhu Zhaowei discovered Shen Xi was at the Zhao residence, he would have no way to deal with it for the time being.
Zhao Wan gracefully returned the bow and said softly: “Lord Su may rest assured. A Wan will certainly take good care of Lord Shen. If Lord Su wishes to visit, please come freely. I just must trouble you, my lord—though you are a censor, please don’t use the main gate. You’ll need to go around through Vermillion Bird Lane and use the separate courtyard’s side gate.” She then curtsied again. “I apologize for any slight to Lord Su.”
“This is no matter at all.” Su Jin said. “It’s just that Su has matters in her heart she cannot set aside and must keep watch in the palace day and night. My next visit will have to wait until three days from now. Although Su shouldn’t ordinarily suspect people from Lord Zhao’s household, Miss the Second must still remember—absolutely do not let unfamiliar faces or servants who have been at the residence less than three years come into contact with Lord Shen. Anything given to Lord Shen—water, medicinal decoctions, food, clothing—can only be handled by those you trust most, and everything must be carefully examined.”
Zhao Wan lowered her eyelids and silently memorized this for a moment, then timidly said: “May I ask my lord to write down what you just said? A Wan is afraid she’ll forget.”
Su Jin nodded slightly and sat at the desk. Making do with a pot of cold tea to grind ink, by the time she finished writing, Seventh Uncle had also brought Shen Liubo in.
As soon as Shen Liubo saw Su Jin, he wanted to bow. His eyes were already misty with tears: “This old servant thanks Lord Su, thanks Miss Zhao the Second for this life-saving grace.” He blamed himself again: “That day when the young master returned from Zhaojue Temple, he was already very wrong. He said the old master had encountered trouble. These past days he sent off the old madam and dismissed the servants. The rest of the time, he just sat alone in the courtyard in a daze—sitting for entire nights without speaking. Before going to the palace today, he even told this old servant, ‘Sixth Uncle, you should leave too.’ At the time, this old servant felt something was wrong and wanted to stop the young master, but feared delaying the young master’s palace affairs, so didn’t speak up. Who knew such a thing would happen—half his life is gone. Had I known it would come to this, no matter what, I should have made the young master leave the capital to avoid this.”
Hearing him say this, Su Jin sighed inwardly. How could Shen Xi leave? If he left, Shen Tuo detained in the palace shouldn’t face exile but decapitation.
She helped Shen Liubo up and said: “Things have come to this. Grief is pointless. Fortunately, the guards executing punishment didn’t strike with full force. Su has already asked the medical officer at the Imperial Medical Bureau, who said that as long as Lord Shen recuperates well, he can recover in the future.” She paused, as if thinking of something. Her eyes darkened as she continued: “It’s just that Lord Shen blames himself unbearably. With his proud character, never having suffered such setbacks in his life, I’m afraid he never imagined he couldn’t even return to his own home. When he wakes, he will probably be unwilling to remain. When that time comes, I hope Miss Zhao the Second and Sixth Uncle will counsel him repeatedly. If you truly cannot persuade him, remember that the knot in his heart is the Crown Princess. In any case, the injuries on his body are important, and those in his heart can only be addressed slowly.”
Shen Liubo said: “Lord Su may rest assured. Even if this old servant doesn’t sleep or rest, I will take good care of the young master.”
Su Jin nodded, then said to Zhao Wan: “Once this period passes and Su thinks of a solution, I will take Lord Shen away and absolutely will not implicate Miss the Second.”
Zhao Wan lowered her eyelids and shook her head: “It’s no hindrance.” She added: “A Wan only knows that if someone as intelligent as Lord Su has run out of options, if A Wan doesn’t help, there will be no one to help Lord Shen. Lord Su may rest completely assured. My father doesn’t often return home. With Lord Shen staying in this separate courtyard, A Wan can conceal it from him for a while.”
The hour of Zi had passed. Seeing that matters here had been properly arranged, Su Jin gave a few more instructions about medicinal decoctions and herbs, then hurried back to the palace to keep watch.
From his dreams, floating and sinking, Shen Xi heard someone speaking but couldn’t make out clearly what was being said. The pain pervading his entire body was as if he’d been placed in a vat of scalding, turbid water, separated from this world, only seeing repeatedly and vaguely the mulberry tree from when he was six years old, hearing his eldest sister laughing and saying, “Little Xi is greedy and wants to eat mulberries. Elder Sister will help you go pick them by the Huai River.”
Yet he never once dreamed of Shen Jing. Not once.
Shen Xi truly woke on the morning of the third day. The sky had not yet brightened, and candles were lit in the side chamber.
He opened his eyes. By the dim firelight, he made out the person leaning beside the bed and called: “Sixth Uncle.” Having not spoken for several days, his dry, hoarse voice made him pause before asking again: “Where is this?”
During these three days, Shen Liubo’s heart had been in his throat. At Shen Xi’s call, he immediately woke. However, before he could speak, he heard the door being pushed open as someone entered from outside.
It was Zhao Wan, who had risen at the hour of Yin to personally prepare the medicinal decoction and bring it over.
She didn’t know Shen Xi had awakened. Not until she set the medicinal decoction on the table beside the bed and turned her head to look did she discover that Shen Xi’s eyes were open.
The roots of Zhao Wan’s ears immediately reddened again. She pressed her lips together, then softly said: “Lord Shen has awakened.” Seeing Shen Xi had no reaction, she said softly again: “Lord Shen, it’s time to take your medicine.”
Thick medicinal vapors came assaulting his face. Only then did Shen Xi turn his head to look through the mist. His exceptionally beautiful peach blossom eyes held no spirit. He looked her up and down once, then withdrew his gaze and said coolly: “Who are you?” Then: “I don’t know you.”