After Li Shimin returned to the mansion, he went to Qingchun Garden. As soon as he entered, he saw Li Jiancheng supporting Jirong’s shoulder as they walked slowly. He hurried over and said urgently, “Elder Brother, you mustn’t!”
Li Jiancheng knew what he was worried about and said calmly, “Physician Xu came to see me this morning and said I’m recovering better than expected—I can try walking on the ground.”
Hearing this, Li Shimin felt relieved, then asked, “What about Elder Brother’s foot ailment…”
“Since I haven’t completely recovered yet, we can’t be certain whether the foot ailment is cured, but Physician Xu said the situation should be optimistic.” Saying this, Li Jiancheng asked, “Have they left?”
Li Shimin nodded, “Yes, Xuanba and I just saw them off. The hunting falcons and falcon-training maidens were given to them according to Father’s instructions, and we’ve already sent people to follow them secretly. Once…” He glanced at Jirong beside Li Jiancheng and didn’t continue.
Li Jiancheng understood his meaning. He walked to a stone bench and sat down, saying, “I’ll depart for Hedong the day after tomorrow and won’t return for at least half a year. I’m leaving matters here to you.”
Li Shimin nodded, “Elder Brother, rest assured. I’ll help Father govern Honghua Commandery well.”
Li Jiancheng stared at him for a long while, then sighed, “I’ve never doubted your abilities. I only worry about your temperament… Shimin, to accomplish great things, you must not have a woman’s compassion, and you must not act on emotion. Otherwise, you’ll not only harm yourself but also those around you.”
Although Li Shimin didn’t think he had done anything wrong, he didn’t want to argue with Li Jiancheng about this matter again, so he said, “I understand.”
After a moment of silence, Li Jiancheng suddenly said, “Shimin, is Wu Meixue truly so important to you? Important enough that you’d risk offending Wang Wei and his companion, even risk putting the Li family in danger, just to protect her?”
Li Shimin looked at Li Jiancheng in surprise, “Elder Brother…”
Li Jiancheng smiled, “Don’t be nervous. I was just asking casually. If you truly don’t want to say, then forget it.”
Li Shimin was silent for a while, then said, “It’s true that I have some favorable feelings toward Wu Meixue, but that’s all. The reason I refused to hand her over to Wang Wei was because I didn’t want to oppress the people under our jurisdiction just to please them. Even if they had taken a fancy to someone other than Meixue that day, I would have done the same.”
Li Jiancheng smiled without speaking. After Li Shimin left Qingchun Garden, Jirong said softly, “Young Master, are you really going to Hedong?”
“That’s right. I’m going to Hedong to handle some matters.” After drinking the medicine handed to him by a servant, Li Jiancheng glanced at Jirong, who was looking down silently, and said, “What, worried that I won’t let you go?”
Jirong said calmly, “This servant believes that with Young Master’s wisdom, you will certainly know that this servant has been wrongly accused.”
Li Jiancheng smiled, “But Zhang Chenyue still hasn’t confessed.”
Jirong glanced at him quickly, “The Ji family has been upright for generations and has no reason to harm the Governor. Moreover, if this servant were truly an assassin, I wouldn’t have helped the Governor hide things from Imperial Physician Zhu before.”
Li Jiancheng smiled without replying. Actually, he already believed in his heart that Jirong wasn’t an assassin, but he hadn’t said so. After sitting for a while longer, he stood up with Jirong’s support and slowly walked toward the house, saying, “Prepare a month’s worth of medicine for me to take to Hedong. Whatever medicinal materials are needed, just take them from the pharmacy.”
Jirong shook her head, “The Muscle-Mending Powder is complex to make. In just two days, it’s impossible to produce that much.”
Li Jiancheng was silent for a moment, then said, “Then we’ll delay a few days. I’ll have Feng Li stay here, and after you’ve finished making it, we’ll depart.”
Jirong lowered her eyes, “That would naturally work, but this servant has a better solution.” Under Li Jiancheng’s puzzled gaze, she said, “This servant would like to accompany Young Master to Hedong.”
Li Jiancheng stopped walking and stared at her for a while, “Why?”
“Although Young Master’s foot ailment has initially improved, it will take another month to heal completely. During this month, Young Master will be traveling back and forth to Hedong. Even with the Muscle-Mending Powder, there are still risks. If this servant accompanies you, at least I can provide some care.”
Li Jiancheng smiled slightly and said coolly, “Or perhaps… you want to find an opportunity to strike and take my life.”
“I won’t.” Jirong said without hesitation, “Even if someone held a knife to this servant’s throat, I would never harm Young Master in the slightest.”
Li Jiancheng said with a half-smile, “When did you become so loyal to this young master?”
“This servant has never had divided loyalties toward Young Master—it’s just that Young Master refuses to believe it.” Before Jirong finished speaking, Li Jiancheng had already grasped her chin. The next moment, burning lips fell upon her full red lips, while the unique masculine scent rushed into Jirong’s delicate nose. Although she had always hoped to gain Li Jiancheng’s favor, she was still an innocent maiden. Suddenly encountering such a situation, she was immediately at a loss, not knowing what to do, and could only let Li Jiancheng take what he wanted between her lips and teeth. After a long while, that burning touch slowly withdrew, and Li Jiancheng’s voice came to her ear, “How’s this? Does this count as trusting you?”
Just as Jirong was about to speak, she heard a gentle voice nearby, “Husband!”
Following the sound, she saw an elegant and refined woman standing not far away. Recognizing who it was, Jirong quickly moved away from Li Jiancheng’s hand and curtsied, “This servant greets Young Madam.”
“No need for ceremony.” The newcomer was Li Jiancheng’s wife, Zheng Shi. She came from the prestigious Xingyang Zheng family and married Li Jiancheng in the eighth year of the Daye era. A few months ago, news came from Xingyang that her father was critically ill. Zheng Shi had deep feelings for her father, so upon hearing this news, she hurried back to Xingyang and cared for him day and night. Perhaps Zheng Shi’s filial piety moved heaven—her father survived that acute illness and gradually recovered. Seeing that her father was fine, Zheng Shi hurried back to Honghua Commandery, arriving just a few days ago.
Zheng Shi seemed not to have noticed the intimacy between Li Jiancheng and Jirong. She stepped forward to help Li Jiancheng sit down and said gently, “This wife has already packed everything you need to take on this trip and given instructions to Aguang and the others about what to pay attention to, especially regarding your leg injury.” Speaking of this, she showed a worried expression, “Husband, can’t you really delay departure for a few more days, at least until your foot injury improves?”
“This entire journey will be by carriage, so there should be no problem. Besides, Jirong will be accompanying me on this trip, so nothing will go wrong.” Li Jiancheng’s words startled Jirong, then waves of joy surged through her heart—by saying this, he was agreeing to let her accompany him to Hedong.
Zheng Shi was startled, then smiled, “That’s right! This wife almost forgot that Miss Jirong comes from a family of physicians, and this Muscle-Mending Powder comes from her hands. With her accompanying you, husband, this wife can rest assured.” She looked at Jirong apologetically, “It’s just that we’re troubling Miss Jirong—having to go to such a distant place. This round trip will take at least half a year away from home.”
Jirong quickly said, “Young Madam, please don’t say such things. This is all what this servant should do.”