Taohua, now alone, had no room for struggle or resistance. She could still speak civilly with him, but if he remained until dawn, he would surely be captured. Where did he get the confidence that she would agree to his proposal?
“It’s not like I’m staying for free,” Shen Zaiye glanced at her sideways. “I’ll give you what you want.”
“What thing?” Taohua looked at him suspiciously. “My lord isn’t trying to trick this concubine again, is he?”
Shen Zaiye snorted softly, “Don’t you remember what I said at the side gate?”
The side gate? Taohua recalled and narrowed her eyes, “You intended to gather people like Leng Fengchang for your use.”
The scene of Gao Teng rescuing Leng Fengchang on the city wall was indeed impressive. This snake’s words sounded beautiful, and many would surely be tempted. She hadn’t settled this score with him yet, but he brought it up first.
“When people contact me, I’ll give you their list,” Shen Zaiye said. “Don’t you want this?”
How could she not want it? Taohua’s eyes lit up, and she immediately hugged his leg. “My lord truly intends to give it?”
“Indeed,” Shen Zaiye replied. “As long as you let me stay here for a few days, and you accompany me, I’ll hand over the list.”
Was it that simple? Taohua was surprised. She stared at him for a while before asking, “Why is my lord helping this concubine so much?”
“I’m not helping you,” Shen Zaiye turned his head away. “If I used these schemes to attack your small capital, wouldn’t that make me incompetent? Consider this giving you a three-move advantage in Go. In the end, we’ll see if you have the ability to turn the tide.”
Tears welled up in Jiang Taohua’s eyes as she threw herself into his arms. “So what Mu Wuyin said back then wasn’t entirely wrong. My lord is truly a good person.”
Mu Wuyin? It had been a long time since he heard that name. Shen Zaiye narrowed his eyes, gripping her shoulders to look at her. “You still remember him?”
“What?” Taohua looked bewildered.
“Mu Wuyin,” Shen Zaiye said displeased. “He’s already dead.”
Taohua laughed dryly, lowering her eyes guiltily. “I just mentioned him in passing. My lord needn’t take it to heart.”
Shen Zaiye snorted lightly, pushing her back onto the bed before undressing and lying down himself. “It’s late. Let’s sleep.”
Taohua swallowed, looking around uneasily before closing her eyes. This was the royal palace of Zhao. If someone saw him here in the morning, wouldn’t all hell break loose?
However, she finally had something to hold while sleeping again. Although she was embracing a venomous snake, it made her feel incredibly secure. Her worries soon vanished, and she drifted into a peaceful slumber.
Taohua had expected to be woken by Qingtai’s scream the next morning. However, when she awoke, the palace was eerily quiet. Opening her eyes, she saw that Shen Zaiye had vanished.
Could last night have been a dream? Taohua felt disoriented.
“My lady,” Qingtai entered with a basin of water, her expression complex. “You’re awake? Let this servant help you up.”
Taohua looked at her, probing, “Did something happen?”
Qingtai nodded, sighing, “Lord Qian and the Prime Minister fought in the courtyard early this morning. Now they’re in a private discussion in the side hall. It’s been half an hour with no sound.”
Her master discovered him? Taohua was stunned, but it made sense. With Qian Baimei’s high internal energy, Shen Zaiye couldn’t hide anywhere.
But what could these two possibly discuss?
After quickly tidying herself, Taohua hurried to the side hall. Pushing open the door, she saw the two men sitting calmly. Shen Zaiye’s lip was slightly bruised, but his demeanor seemed relaxed.
Her master’s expression was grave but softened upon seeing her. “You’re awake?”
Taohua laughed dryly and sat beside him, looking between the two men. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing much,” Qian Baimei said. “I just had a chat with him.”
Shen Zaiye nodded, “We seem to have found common ground.”
What common ground could these two possibly have? Taohua pointed at herself directly, “Is it about me?”
“Naturally,” Qian Baimei sighed, emotions churning in his eyes before he suppressed them all. He smiled at her, “We both think you should rest well in the palace for a while. I’ll handle things with Chang Jie, while he’ll stay here to take care of you.”
“Take care of me?” Taohua looked at Shen Zaiye, puzzled. “What’s there to take care of? Aren’t I fine?”
“Fine?” Shen Zaiye’s smile faded as he grabbed a nearby mirror. “Look at your complexion.”
Since leaving the capital, her complexion had never looked good. She had grown increasingly thin, like a sheet of paper that could be blown away by the wind.
“Well…” Taohua touched her face. “Some tonics should help.”
“I’ve invited a friend from the jianghu to examine you,” Qian Baimei said. “The palace physicians are mostly mediocre, but he’s well-versed in rare poisons. He should arrive in a couple of days.”
Shen Zaiye nodded, “I’ve brought some medicinal herbs that should be useful for you.”
Feeling a bit overwhelmed by their concern, Taohua grinned and nodded obediently, “I’ll do as you say. As long as there’s no war outside, I’ll rest well.”
If she truly obeyed, that would be miraculous. Shen Zaiye ignored her and glanced at Qian Baimei. They exchanged looks, both somewhat reluctant, but for certain reasons, they had reached an agreement.
So Shen Zaiye settled in Taohua’s palace. Watching him, Jiang Taohua felt as if they had returned to their days in the Prime Minister’s mansion. The difference was that now she sat at the table while he brought things to her.
“Try it,” Shen Zaiye said flatly. “If it’s not right, I’ll have them make it again.”
The bird’s nest soup looked crystal clear and smelled fragrant. Taohua took a couple of sips, her long eyelashes fluttering. “Did you make this yourself, my lord?”
“You’re overthinking,” Shen Zaiye replied. “Qingtai made it. I just brought it over.”
I knew it! Taohua pouted but still finished the soup happily. Spring was approaching, and the weather was warming up. After eating a bowl of hot soup, she began to sweat. She asked Qingtai to prepare water for a bath.
Shen Zaiye waited in the side hall, thinking her bath wouldn’t take long. However, after half an hour, the main hall door remained closed.
Frowning, he kicked open the door and entered.
Qingtai was fretting over the bathtub. Seeing him enter, she hurriedly tried to block his view. “My lord, I was about to help my lady out. Please wait outside for a moment.”
Shen Zaiye narrowed his eyes and looked down at her. “What is my relationship with your mistress?”
“…Husband and wife.”
“And what is your relationship with your mistress?”
“…Master and servant.”
“Which is closer, husband and wife or master and servant?”
“…Husband and wife.”
“Good,” Shen Zaiye nodded. “Then you should wait outside for a moment.”
“Yes,” Qingtai responded, retreating guiltily and closing the door. But after closing it, she realized, why was she the one waiting outside. She had served her mistress for years, and this wasn’t the first time she’d encountered such a situation. The Prime Minister’s current relationship with her mistress was somewhat ambiguous. Shouldn’t he be the one to wait outside?
Though she understood this, Qingtai didn’t dare to go back in and chase Shen Zaiye out. She could only blame herself for being too foolish. How did she always get outwitted?
Looking at the woman asleep by the bathtub, Shen Zaiye chuckled softly. He stroked her hair, wrapped her in a robe, dried her carefully, and dressed her piece by piece.
If Jiang Taohua were awake now, she would surely be shocked by Shen Zaiye’s expression. Sunlight filtered through the carved window, casting a soft glow on his features. His phoenix eyes held a tender, lingering look as if he were cradling a priceless treasure, careful yet joyful.
He always liked Jiang Taohua best when she was unguarded. However, she had truly lost a lot of weight. He wondered if she could regain it in the coming days.
Glancing at her stomach, Shen Zaiye frowned and touched it, feeling as if something was inside. But remembering Madam Lü’s words, he dismissed the thought. For her to become pregnant would likely be very difficult.
“Can I not eat?” At dinner, Taohua looked at the table full of dishes, her face turning pale. “Are you trying to stuff me to death?”
Shen Zaiye picked up his chopsticks, first placing a duck leg on her plate, then ladling some soup into her bowl. “I’m not asking you to finish it all. Just eat as much as you can.”
“But,” Taohua frowned, “I don’t want to eat these.”
“Then what do you want to eat?”
“Sour and spicy chicken,” Taohua said, licking her lips. “There used to be a palace maid who could make it. Chang Jie and I both loved it, but that person doesn’t seem to be in the palace anymore.”
“If they’re not in the palace, what’s there to discuss?” Shen Zaiye irritably pried open her mouth and stuffed in some meat. “Just eat properly.”
Pouting pitifully, Taohua swallowed the food. After eating less than half a bowl, she couldn’t eat anymore and looked at him with puppy eyes.
Shen Zaiye glared at her. “You think this will soften my heart?”
Taohua remained silent, her eyes brimming with tears as she continued to look at him.
Shen Zaiye: “…”
“Fine,” he turned away. “Go exercise in the courtyard. The doctor your master invited will arrive tomorrow.”
“Alright!” Taohua’s expression immediately changed as she happily bounced off to the courtyard. Shen Zaiye glanced at the dishes on the table and pursed his lips.
Feeling constantly fatigued lately, Taohua increased her activity level, running and stretching whenever she could. By the end of the day, she felt much better, though her stomach still occasionally ached. Taking some medicine usually helped.
When the divine doctor Xue invited by Qian Baimei arrived, Taohua obediently let him take her pulse. Seeing his white eyebrows knit together, she couldn’t help but frown too. “Is it serious?”
“Your pulse is quite rare,” Doctor Xue said, withdrawing his hand. “I need to consult my medical texts to determine exactly what ailment this is.”
(End of Chapter)