As dusk fell, Jiang Zhiyi leaned against the windowsill in the warm chamber, her left hand propping up her chin, while her right hand idly swayed a peacock feather cat toy.
On the floor, the little raccoon-striped cat had gone from enthusiastically pouncing and jumping at first to now lazily sprawling, occasionally lifting a paw, giving her what little face it could. After all, any cat teased from morning till night would never want to see a cat toy again in its life.
One played carelessly, the other was exhausted from being played with. Both human and cat basked in the slanting western sunset, both looking rather wilted.
The long day was finally coming to an end. Jiang Zhiyi had never so eagerly awaited the arrival of night.
Last night, when the mood had been just right, she had finally managed to ask the question she’d been holding back for so long. But the result was: flowers had intentions, but the flowing water was drowsy…
Knowing how tired he had been lately, she couldn’t bear to reproach him, so she didn’t wake him up, though she had tried several times, but truly couldn’t rouse him. She thought she would speak to him in the morning, but when she opened her eyes at dawn, the bed beside her was already empty.
If she hadn’t asked the question, it would have been fine. After all, the New Year was still some time away, and there was no rush for a day or two. But having asked it only to have it sink like a stone in water with no response, wasn’t that like having a fishbone stuck in her throat?
Now that special breakfast had been sent to him for a day, she wondered when she would get his reply…
She only hoped that when he saw that item, he would remember her heartfelt words from last night. If he couldn’t remember, it wouldn’t matter—as long as he wasn’t blind, he should understand what it meant.
Jiang Zhiyi glanced at the golden splendor of the sunset outside the window, continuing to prop up her chin, listlessly teasing the cat.
Just then, Xiaoman hurriedly entered from outside: “Princess, Qing Song has come with a message from Young General Shen. Would you like to receive him?”
Jiang Zhiyi clutched the cat toy and suddenly straightened up: “Yes, quickly invite him in.”
Qing Song was promptly ushered in. With his eyes fixed straight ahead, he performed a respectful bow to the noble seat. Carefully raising his eyelids a little, seeing the expectation in Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes, he forced out a smile: “Princess, my master says that since your cold has greatly improved, and given yesterday’s idle gossip, he will not come over tonight. He asks that you take care of your precious health and be sure to rest well…”
The light in Jiang Zhiyi’s eyes dimmed, and she softly uttered an “oh,” sighed, and leaned back against the windowsill. After a moment of silence, she suddenly seemed to remember something and straightened up again: “Did he eat the breakfast I sent over today?”
Indeed, there’s no escaping fate, whether good or bad…
Qing Song’s gaze flickered: “The master ate it, he did…”
“Just ate it?”
“Of course not, just that, he also… also greatly praised the breakfast you sent, saying it was excellent in appearance, aroma, and taste. Not only was it delicious, but the patterns on the steamed buns were also quite distinctive!”
“?”
Jiang Zhiyi was stunned: “What patterns?”
“Those red markings…”
“…Those were patterns?” Jiang Zhiyi’s lips trembled in disbelief. “That was a character!”
“Ah? That was a character?” Qing Song bowed his head in a cold sweat, begging forgiveness. “This lowly one barely recognizes a few characters and was indeed mistaken. Please forgive me, Princess!”
“You may not recognize characters, but surely your master can read?!”
Qing Song kept his head lowered and said with difficulty, “When the master studied at Tianchong Academy in the past, he would frequently climb over the wall to skip classes. Later, he went to the frontier to fight in wars, so perhaps with some characters that have many strokes, he indeed might…”
Jiang Zhiyi closed her eyes to calm herself for a moment.
She had thought that as long as he wasn’t blind, he would understand what it meant. How could she have imagined that in this world, some could see yet still be blind!
A moment later, Jiang Zhiyi opened her eyes and angrily threw the cat toy in her hand.
“Tell your master to read more books when he has time!”
For several consecutive days, Shen Yuance used the excuse of avoiding gossip and didn’t return to Yaoguang Pavilion.
Jiang Zhiyi continued to closely follow the aftermath of this “gossip.”
However, she heard that outside, all was calm and peaceful. Those young masters who had been beaten were, like her elder cousin, quietly recuperating in bed, not daring to pursue or identify their attacker.
It was understandable. After all, they were in the wrong to begin with. If they truly sought retribution, they would inevitably implicate themselves in the grave crime of slandering a princess. Weighing the options, they naturally had to swallow their broken teeth and blood.
After several days of nothing happening, it seemed the gossip had passed. Early this day, Jiang Zhiyi had an impulse and sent a guard to the Shen residence to ask whether Shen Yuance could come over tonight and clarify the unfinished words from before.
Upon arrival, the guard learned that Shen Yuance had been extremely busy these days, receiving medical practitioners from various places daily at his residence, treating the “living dead” deputy general brought back from the frontier.
“From the palace physicians to famous doctors from Chang’an city and even surrounding counties, almost all have been invited by Young General Shen. Seeing how anxious the Young General is, it seems he’s determined not to give up until the person is saved. I estimate he won’t have free time any time soon,” reported the guard upon his return.
Jiang Zhiyi had personally seen the near-death condition of that “living dead” person before, and she knew this person had suffered serious injuries protecting Elder Brother A-Ce on the battlefield. She understood his inability to get away recently, and thinking of this, she even felt she could be forgiving about him not recognizing the character for “double happiness.”
His life-saving benefactor was still hovering between life and death—discussing joyous wedding matters at this time would indeed be inappropriate. As his future wife, she should respect what he respected and protect what he protected. His benefactor was her benefactor, and she should help share his worries!
After some thought, Jiang Zhiyi made up her mind and instructed: “Invite my physician to come with me to the Shen residence.”
At the same moment, in the east wing room of the eastern courtyard at the Shen residence.
Shen Yuance stood before the bed, looking down at the person with weak breathing and an ashen face on the bed, silently listening to that intermittent breathing.
Qing Song wrung out a wet cloth at the basin stand, walked to the bedside, and gently wiped the face of the person on the bed, saying worriedly: “General Gao’s breathing sounds weaker day by day… With so many doctors having visited these days and prescribed so many remedies, why hasn’t the master tried any of them?”
Shen Yuance tugged at the corner of his mouth: “Naturally, I’m waiting for the best prescription.”
“Then, since you haven’t invited any more doctors today, have you obtained a good prescription?”
“Yes, this room will soon be vacated.”
“That’s excellent!”
…But what kind of miraculous prescription could so quickly allow this seriously ill person to get up and leave the room?
Qing Song marveled inwardly, finished cleaning General Gao’s face, washed the cloth again, and when he approached once more, saw Shen Yuance with an outstretched hand: “Give me the cloth and leave.”
Lately, the master often stayed alone in this wing room. Seeing his devotion to General Gao, Qing Song decided not to disturb him further. He handed the cloth to Shen Yuance and withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Only two people remained in the wing room.
Shen Yuance stood silently by the bed for a while, lost in thought. After a moment, slightly bending forward with the damp cloth in his palm, he fixed his gaze on the person on the bed: “They say that although you cannot open your eyes, you can still hear sounds. If I told you that the person you loyally serve sent a poisonous prescription yesterday, intending to kill you, could you still lie comfortably on this sickbed?”
The person on the bed kept his eyes firmly shut, but his brows deeply furrowed, and his exhaled breath suddenly became heavy.
“Being betrayed by the person you trust most—is it not utterly despairing?”
“My elder brother was once in such despair, too.”
The broken breathing grew longer with each sound. The person on the bed struggled for breath with what little strength remained, a murky wetness leaking from the corner of his eye.
Shen Yuance straightened up indifferently, gazing at the newborn morning sun outside the window. He blinked, raised the damp cloth, and slowly pressed it over the man’s face, applying downward force.
With mouth and nose completely covered by the wet cloth, the person on the bed began to gasp urgently. His skeletal chest rose and fell violently, as if trying to draw what little air remained from his riddled lungs.
Shen Yuance tightened his grip, slowly pressing down on the struggling man.
Watching as the person under his hand trembled like a dying fish, shuddered, and finally the taut string snapped with a hum, everything returned to deathly silence.
Shen Yuance released his force, gently picked up the cloth, and tossed it toward the basin stand.
The cloth fell into the basin with a splash, creating a flower of water.
Ripples spread out in circles. After a while, the water surface returned to undisturbed calm, reflecting a pair of somber eyes.
Shen Yuance stared silently at the murky water surface, standing motionless as if placed in an endless wilderness, having closed off all his senses.
Seeing nothing, feeling nothing.
In the silence, suddenly came three knocks at the door: “tap, tap, tap.”
“Elder Brother A-Ce!”
As if suddenly pulled back to the world by a strong light, Shen Yuance abruptly turned his head to look at the door.
Against the blinding morning sun, a delicate figure was projected onto the door panel.
“Elder Brother A-Ce, I heard you’ve been inviting famous doctors everywhere. Why didn’t you come to me? I have plenty of good doctors at my disposal. Today I’ve brought one for you—see if he can help you!”
Shen Yuance tilted his head to look at the now-silent person on the bed.
“Elder Brother A-Ce?”
“…If you don’t open the door, I’m coming in myself!”
Amid the imperious urging, Shen Yuance paused, pulled the bed curtains closed with one motion, and stepped forward to open the door.
Outside, a person in bright-colored jacket and skirt raised her face, complaining unhappily: “Why did it take so long to open the door! If Qing Song hadn’t said you were inside, I would have left…”
Shen Yuance didn’t answer, raising his eyes to look at the white-haired elder behind her.
Jiang Zhiyi remembered the main purpose and gestured to the person behind her: “This is Physician Huang. He has treated all my illnesses since I was little. To say he’s a living Hua Tuo with miraculous healing hands wouldn’t be an exaggeration. Quickly let Physician Huang take a look.”
The physician nodded slightly.
Shen Yuance: “There’s no need.”
Jiang Zhiyi frowned slightly at him: “I’m quite discerning. If I say he’s a good doctor, he is. Don’t you trust me?”
“Or are you worried that if I help you heal the person, you’ll have no more excuses not to come see me?”
“…”
Shen Yuance exhaled deeply, stepped aside, and raised his hand to gesture the physician in.
The physician entered carrying his medicine box.
Jiang Zhiyi followed right behind, having just crossed the threshold and taken two steps when Shen Yuance extended his arm to block her: “Stand back.”
“Why…”
Shen Yuance: “It’s dirty.”
Jiang Zhiyi uttered an “oh”: “It doesn’t matter. Since he’s your benefactor, I won’t mind.”
However, seeing his arm blocking her, Jiang Zhiyi obediently stopped, taking the opportunity to tug at his forearm and slip her hand through his arm.
Shen Yuance: “…”
At the bedside, the physician gently lifted the hand hanging over the edge of the bed from behind the curtain. His expression suddenly changed, his eyes widened, and he turned to look at Shen Yuance.
Shen Yuance’s expression remained unchanged. One arm was being held by Jiang Zhiyi, while he raised the other: “Since the Princess says you are trustworthy, I also believe in your medical skills. Please don’t hesitate, go ahead.”
The physician slowly turned back, staring at the person on the bed through the curtain. Beads of sweat gradually formed on his forehead. After a while, he tremblingly raised three fingers and placed them on the pulse.
After a long wait, Jiang Zhiyi gazed from afar for a moment: “Physician Huang, how is it?”
After her words fell, there was still no reply.
Looking at the rigid figure, Shen Yuance chuckled softly: “Physician, the Princess is asking you a question—”