Ji Cheng’s sudden illness frightened Liu Ye’er and Yu Qian’er, who quickly sent for a physician and informed the Old Madam that Ji Cheng was too ill to pay her respects.
Physician Li had just left when Imperial Physician Lin arrived from the palace. Both diagnosed Ji Cheng with heatstroke symptoms.
The Old Madam sighed repeatedly, “Ah, we should have anticipated this. With both Yu’s wife and Jing’s wife pregnant, everything has fallen on Cheng’s shoulders. She’s truly capable, managing everything flawlessly.”
However, Ji Cheng was just one person. With the scorching heat, it was a miracle she had held out this long before falling ill.
Li Rui felt uneasy. It wasn’t a serious ailment, just a heatstroke. Was it necessary to call for a physician and even summon an imperial doctor from the palace?
Imperial physicians were typically responsible only for the royal family’s health. Ordinary families could request their services either through imperial favor or personal connections during the physician’s off-duty hours.
Li Rui knew that Imperial Physician Lin was the Deputy Director of the Imperial Medical Academy, highly skilled and favored by the palace ladies. Even her grandmother, Princess Zhenping, might not be able to summon him if she fell ill.
“It seems Second Sister-in-law is the most precious in our family. Even a mere heatstroke warrants Imperial Physician Lin’s attention. The Old Madam truly dotes on her,” Li Rui gossiped privately with Cui Long.
Cui Long, though proud, was also filial to the Old Madam. However, she wasn’t as sweet-tongued as Ji Cheng and didn’t feel as favored. It was impossible not to feel some resentment.
“Second Sister-in-law’s illness came on so suddenly. The Old Madam is just concerned,” Cui Long placated Li Rui.
Li Rui pouted, once again finding the conversation with Cui Long uninteresting.
Ji Cheng’s illness kept her bedridden for three days. Her good nature was evident as even the maids and servants pooled money to buy her get-well gifts. Though strict, she was never cruel to her subordinates, rewarded generously, and promoted based on merit rather than background.
As a result, while people might gossip about her strictness, they genuinely worried when she fell ill.
Surprisingly, even Princess An He, usually uninvolved in such matters, made an unprecedented visit to Nine Li Courtyard to check on Ji Cheng.
In truth, Princess An He was an easy-going mother-in-law, much to the envy of Cui Long and Li Rui. However, this didn’t exempt daughters-in-law from showing filial piety.
Ji Cheng catered to Princess An He’s preferences perfectly. The princess loved wine and enjoyed song and dance, so Ji Cheng had people search far and wide for fine wines and melodies. These weren’t necessarily expensive but required time and effort to collect. Thanks to Ji Cheng’s previous management of the Ji family’s businesses, many shopkeepers were still willing to help.
Ji Cheng didn’t lack money, so she instructed them to collect slowly. Additionally, as Princess An He had become obsessed with opera in recent years—an idea Ji Cheng had suggested to Huang Yuanniang—Ji Cheng also sourced scripts for Huang Yuanniang from various places, offering high prices for new works on diverse themes.
Previously, Ji Cheng hadn’t fully understood Princess An He’s self-indulgent attitude, thinking she should pull herself together, drink less, and not confine herself to Nan Xun Hall, as it was detrimental to her health.
But now, Ji Cheng almost wished she could emulate Princess An He, losing herself in wine. However, she lacked the princess’s privilege and couldn’t indulge her emotions freely.
Ji Cheng could somewhat understand An He now. With so many unresolvable worries weighing on one’s heart, causing pain at the slightest touch, it was easier to withdraw from the world and find solace in solitude.
Princess An He appreciated her daughter-in-law’s “perceptiveness” and “tact.” She didn’t need a daughter-in-law who would pester her under the guise of filial piety.
However, while everyone came to visit Ji Cheng, the one person who should have come never appeared, not even a glimpse of his robe.
Ji Cheng waited for three days. Though her mind wasn’t clear, she couldn’t sleep peacefully, often waking up at night feeling as if someone was standing by her bed, only to find no one when she opened her eyes.
People aren’t made of iron, and despite her poor sleep, Ji Cheng eventually fell into a deep slumber after several days of restlessness.
This time, she seemed to truly see Shen Che. He wore a white robe embroidered with gold thread in the Eight Treasures pattern. Although he looked handsome in any attire, Ji Cheng thought he was most captivating in white.
The moment she saw Shen Che, all of Ji Cheng’s pent-up grievances poured out. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She reached out, gesturing for Shen Che to embrace her. This was the bravest act she could muster, overcoming her shame.
But Shen Che just stood there, expressionless and motionless.
Ji Cheng stared at him unblinkingly, only to see him part his lips slightly and say, “Do you now understand how I felt back then?”
Though the words seemed cryptic, Ji Cheng immediately understood. He was referring to the time when he had sacrificed half his power to detoxify her, only for her to give the antidote to Ling Ziyun and not return to his side during his most difficult time.
Ji Cheng’s nose stung as she called out “Shen Che” and sat up.
“Miss,” Liu Ye’er, who had been sleeping on a pallet at Ji Cheng’s feet, quickly got up to support her when she suddenly called out the young master’s name and sat up.
Ji Cheng looked around in confusion, but Shen Che was nowhere to be seen. It had all been a dream. How could Shen Che deign to speak to her now?
Ji Cheng lay back down weakly. “I’m thirsty.”
Liu Ye’er quickly turned to pour a cup of water for Ji Cheng, helping her drink it. When she tried to help Ji Cheng lie down again, Ji Cheng shook her head. “I won’t lie down. You can go out. I need some time alone.”
Hearing this, Liu Ye’er was about to light a candle, but Ji Cheng stopped her.
Ji Cheng sat on the bed, hugging her knees. Liu Ye’er looked back and could only see Ji Cheng’s thin, frail silhouette through the bed curtains, making her nose sting with emotion.
Ji Cheng, however, was lost in her world. Without experiencing it firsthand, one couldn’t understand how hurtful this situation was.
She didn’t blame Shen Che for being heartless. Back then, she had been equally cold towards him, offering no explanation or comfort. The depth of her pain today gave her an inkling of how cold Shen Che’s heart must have felt then.
Ji Cheng tightened her arms around her knees. How could she have been so foolish back then? Even though she had given the antidote to Ling Ziyun, she should have at least stayed by Shen Che’s side during his most difficult time, not letting him feel completely abandoned.
Admittedly, Ji Cheng had been too ashamed to face Shen Che then, but that wasn’t the only reason. Ji Cheng thought that if she had realized how much she liked him at that time, she would have gone back to accompany him even if he had called her shameless.
But Ji Cheng vaguely knew there was another layer of fear in her heart. She feared having to face Shen Che with a lowered head and a submissive attitude. Once he harbored resentment, they would only grow further apart. He always looked down on those who clung to him desperately and would eventually tire of them.
Moreover, he had so many other female companions. As for Zayi, Shen Che hadn’t accepted her only because she was much older than she appeared. If she had truly been as young as her face suggested, Ji Cheng believed she might have already been served tea as a concubine.
Ji Cheng sighed and raised her hands to hit her head lightly. Why did her mind always wander to these useless thoughts? Couldn’t she just let go decisively and with dignity?
But if emotions could be severed so easily with a wave of the hand, they wouldn’t be emotions at all. Feelings are like silk threads, tangled and intertwined, trapping one as if in a spider’s web, unable to move.
No matter how rational Ji Cheng tried to be, no matter how much she could understand Shen Che’s current indifference towards her, she was ill, and her heart was as sick as her body. These past few days had left her exceptionally vulnerable, with too much grievance, resentment, and even hatred accumulating.
Ji Cheng had spent several days in a daze, but she knew she couldn’t continue like this.
The next morning, Liu Ye’er had assumed Ji Cheng would still be bedridden, as she had barely slept the night before. To her surprise, Ji Cheng seemed to have suddenly regained her energy. After bathing, she dressed properly, using rouge to conceal her pale complexion. Though still weak, she was fit enough to manage affairs.
Meanwhile, on the small path beside Woyun Hall, Chu De was struggling to climb the mountain with his large, fat legs, panting and cursing Shen Che in his heart.
By the time Chu De reached the mountaintop, he was drenched in sweat. The June heat was like a furnace, scorching even in the early morning.
“My lord, oh my lord,” Chu De called out dramatically to Shen Che. “What’s the matter with you now? A few days ago, when I said I wanted to go home to accompany my new Little Nine, you insisted on dragging me out to drink every day, causing Little Nine to give me the cold shoulder. Now when there’s real business to attend to, you’re holed up here not moving.”
Chu De continued to grumble, “Of all places to live, why choose the mountaintop? And so high up too. I’m out of breath just climbing here.” He plopped down next to Shen Che.
Shen Che, disgusted by Chu De’s sweaty smell, immediately moved to a different spot.
Chu De snorted in displeasure, inwardly cursing Shen Che’s moodiness. He hadn’t been normal for so long, all because of a woman.
“What’s the matter? Speak,” Shen Che glanced sideways at Chu De.
Chu De didn’t answer immediately, his eyes fixed on the teapot beside Shen Che. Eventually, unable to resist, he rushed over and grabbed it, pouring the contents into his mouth as if afraid Shen Che might snatch it back.
Shen Che completely ignored Chu De.
After finishing the entire pot of tea, Chu De finally spoke, “In the Southern Frontier, Liu Dejiang pushed the Miao people to revolt. They killed Liu Dejiang and have now captured the county seat. The news should reach the capital tomorrow.”
Shen Che merely grunted in response.
Chu De grew anxious, “Say something, will you? Are we going to handle this or not? If we don’t, I think that useless Ge Song definitely won’t handle it well. The Southern Frontier might fall into chaos.”
Shen Che lazily leaned back in the Chaoyun Pavilion, hands behind his head. “Do as you see fit.”
Chu De moved closer to Shen Che, “What’s wrong with you? Why do you seem so listless about everything?”
Shen Che remained silent.
Chu De knew the reason all too well. Ever since Shen Che had returned from the Western Turkic Khaganate, he had been like this, resembling a world-weary old monk.
Chu De said, “The Nanzhao Princess is about to enter the capital. I hear she’s a great beauty, one in a million. Shall we have someone abduct her for us to take a look first?”
Shen Che still didn’t respond.
“I heard that Master Fang has become the Nanzhao Princess’s teacher. Don’t you want to inquire about it?” Chu De started to gossip.
Shen Che pushed away Chu De’s increasingly close fat face. “If there’s nothing else, you can leave.”
Chu De cursed, “A dog biting Lü Dongbin—not recognizing a good person’s intentions.” Of course, he didn’t dare to voice the latter part of his thought: that Shen Che was destined to fall prey to such a vicious woman.
“What are you thinking? As soon as she falls ill, you get anxious and even invite Deputy Director Lin. Why don’t you just kneel and lick her feet?” Chu De’s words turned venomous in his anger. In this world, perhaps only Chu De dared to speak to Shen Che like this, and if he didn’t dare to speak so boldly, Shen Che probably wouldn’t have allowed him to come to Nine Li Courtyard.
Seeing Shen Che still unresponsive, Chu De couldn’t help but continue, “You’re not thinking of continuing with her, are you? There are plenty of women in this world. There are those more charming than her.”
Shen Che opened his eyes and glanced at Chu De. “You talk too much. Did you choose the wrong gender when you were reincarnated?”
Chu De cursed again about not recognizing good intentions, then got up grumbling, and walked out. He couldn’t help but turn back and say, “If you lower your head to her again this time, even I will lose respect for you.”