Seeing that the military physician had already entered, Wei Zhong was quite anxious and called to her in a low voice: “Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty…” The military physician entered and bowed from behind the screen.

Bai Qingyan held Xiao Rongyan’s hand and glanced at his festering wound, then turned her head and said hoarsely: “Come in!”

The military physician entered carrying his medicine chest. Seeing Bai Qingyan sitting on the yellow rosewood footstool beside the bed, he was stunned for a moment, then quickly walked over: “Your Majesty… please move aside so this subordinate can take the Ninth Prince’s pulse.”

Bai Qingyan tried hard but couldn’t pull her hand free, so she looked at the military physician and asked: “Can you take his pulse like this?”

The military physician quickly said, “Perhaps this subordinate should treat the Ninth Prince’s wounds first?”

Bai Qingyan nodded.

The military physician opened his medicine chest, with Wei Zhong helping beside him.

She watched with her own eyes as the military physician cut open the fine cotton cloth that had been wrapped around Xiao Rongyan’s waist, then heated a knife and used it to slowly carve away the rotting flesh from Xiao Rongyan’s body piece by piece.

Xiao Rongyan, even in his sleep, was in such pain that his whole body was covered in sweat, gripping Bai Qingyan’s hand tightly, while she also gripped his hand firmly.

After cleaning the front wound, the military physician applied medicine to Xiao Rongyan and said to Wei Zhong, “Please help turn the Ninth Prince over. This is a penetrating wound, so the back must also be festering and needs the rotten flesh dug out!”

Wei Zhong responded and stepped forward, but Xiao Rongyan’s tight grip on Bai Qingyan’s hand hadn’t loosened at all. The military physician also looked at Bai Qingyan, who was being held tightly by Xiao Rongyan: “Your Majesty…”

“I’ll do it!” Bai Qingyan, still in her armor, stepped over Xiao Rongyan’s body and turned him on his side.

Indeed, as the military physician had said, Xiao Rongyan’s wound was penetrating, and the back had also festered – it was a ghastly sight.

Bai Qingyan looked at Xiao Rongyan, whose mask had slipped from his face, not knowing how he had managed to lead troops here to save her. Remembering what Xiao Rongyan had asked before he fainted – whether she had thought of him even a little bit – her eyes were once again attacked by a sour, hot current.

After the military physician treated the wound on Xiao Rongyan’s back and, with Wei Zhong’s help, rebandaged all his wounds, Wei Zhong finally escorted the military physician out, whispering to him: “The fact that Physician Hong allowed you to follow His Majesty back to the capital proves he trusts your medical skills and character. Speaking of which, you could be considered Physician Hong’s disciple and one of the Bai Family Army’s people, so things that shouldn’t be said… must never be spread outside.”

After saying this, Wei Zhong smiled and bowed to the military physician: “I know saying this to you is unnecessary – when people get old, they can’t help but be wordy. Please be understanding!”

The military physician waved his hands repeatedly: “Master Wei, you’re too kind! Even if I weren’t from the Bai Family Army, I’m still a person of the Great Zhou! The Ninth Prince was injured while leading troops to rescue Jiangzi City. His Majesty trusted me enough to ask me to treat the Ninth Prince’s wounds – this is all proper and appropriate! I’ll personally brew the Ninth Prince’s medicine and bring it over when it’s ready.”

Hearing the military physician say this, Wei Zhong knew… the physician would only say this much to outsiders. Relieved, he nodded and escorted him out of the courtyard.

The hot water in the small kitchen was already heated. When Chun Zhi saw Wei Zhong return, she asked whether the hot water should be brought in. Wei Zhong thought for a moment and personally mixed the water to the right temperature before carrying it in: “Your Majesty, the hot water is here. This old servant will help the Ninth Prince wash and change clothes!”

Bai Qingyan had originally wanted to do it herself, but with her hand tightly gripped by Xiao Rongyan, she looked up at Wei Zhong standing respectfully outside the screen and responded: “Good…”

Soon, Wei Zhong came in with hot water and changed several basins before managing to clean Xiao Rongyan somewhat. Because Xiao Rongyan was gripping Bai Qingyan’s hand tightly and wouldn’t let go, they couldn’t put an upper garment on him and could only cover him with a blanket first.

Seeing that Bai Qingyan was still in full armor, Wei Zhong said: “If Your Majesty trusts Miss Chun Zhi, this old servant will have her come in to help Your Majesty remove the armor so you can be more comfortable!”

Bai Qingyan nodded and came down from the inner side of the bed to sit on the small embroidered stool Wei Zhong brought for her: “Let Chun Zhi come in!”

Although Chun Zhi was timid, she was loyal.

Wei Zhong responded and went out. When he brought Chun Zhi in, since Wei Zhong had already briefed her, Chun Zhi wasn’t particularly surprised to see Bai Qingyan’s hand being tightly gripped by Xiao Rongyan. She helped Bai Qingyan remove her armor, draped a cloak over her, brought a brazier to place beside Bai Qingyan, and quietly asked if she wanted some food: “Shall this servant feed you?”

Before coming in, Wei Zhong had told Chun Zhi that Yan’s Ninth Prince had led troops to save all of Jiangzi City this time, and before fainting, he had gripped their young miss’s hand tightly without letting go. Their young miss, to repay the life-saving debt, allowed the Ninth Prince to hold her hand. Chun Zhi believed this.

“Young Miss must be tired too!” Chun Zhi looked at Bai Qingyan’s tightly gripped hand and said, “Why doesn’t this servant try to pry open the Ninth Prince’s hand?”

“Forget it. You go rest. Bring me a cushion – I’ll just lean here and rest for a while!” After Bai Qingyan finished speaking, she added, “Tonight, neither you nor Wei Zhong needs to keep watch outside. Go rest!”

“How can that be!” Chun Zhi glanced at Xiao Rongyan. “This… is after all an outsider male!”

“The courtyard is full of Bai family guards. It doesn’t matter! Go!”

Chun Zhi didn’t dare disobey Bai Qingyan and could only respond and withdraw.

Hearing the door close, Bai Qingyan carefully moved the mask that was lightly covering Xiao Rongyan’s cheek. She tucked the blanket corner around him, lowered her head to kiss the hand that was gripping hers tightly, and gently caressed Xiao Rongyan’s well-defined features. Tears began to well up in her eyes.

She didn’t know if it was because she was pregnant, but Bai Qingyan had never felt herself so prone to tears before.

Having fought all day and been woken up in the middle of the night, Bai Qingyan was extremely exhausted. She sat on the footstool, rested her head on the cushion, and fell asleep in no time.

It wasn’t until Wei Zhong brought in Xiao Rongyan’s medicine that Bai Qingyan stirred awake. She looked at Xiao Rongyan, who was still sleeping soundly, gently withdrew her bruised hand from his grip, took the medicine bowl, and said to Wei Zhong: “Help him sit up, I’ll feed him.”

“Yes!” Wei Zhong lifted the hem of his robe and stepped on the footstool to help Xiao Rongyan sit up.

Bai Qingyan tried using a spoon but found it wasn’t working. Wei Zhong quickly said: “Your Majesty, since the Ninth Prince is unconscious with a high fever, we’ll probably have to pour it down his throat! Let this old servant do it!”

Bai Qingyan looked at Xiao Rongyan’s completely colorless face and said, “I’ll do it!”

She set the spoon aside, gently pinched Xiao Rongyan’s chin, and slowly poured the medicine into his mouth bit by bit. Seeing Xiao Rongyan’s throat move as he swallowed the medicine, Bai Qingyan carefully poured in the second mouthful.

Soon, the bowl was empty. Wei Zhong laid Xiao Rongyan back down and said to Bai Qingyan, “The military physician said he’ll come to give the Ninth Prince acupuncture half an hour after taking the medicine!”