Chapter 5: The River is Green as Blue (2) I Come to Find My Wife-to-Be…

Hearing this, Meng Xuanli's raised hand froze in mid-air. It was not until He Ruci fell to his knees with a thud that she quietly withdrew her hand and hid it under her wide sleeves.

Although she had found some peace and quiet at home these days, every time she heard the maids mention that the Crown Prince was getting worse, she couldn't help but feel anxious. She had wanted to find an opportunity to visit the Duke's Mansion, but who would have thought that the Crown Prince would find her first.

Could it be that there is a change in the marriage?

He Ruci faced the beaded curtain, lowered his head and said in a trembling voice, "Long live the prince."

You could hear a pin drop in the private room. He Ruci's whole body tensed up, and he raised his eyes quietly, nervously asking, "My Lord, why are you here?"

Lu Guanque walked calmly into the private room, his tone so calm that it made people's heart palpitate: "If you can come, why can't I?" After saying that, he slightly tilted his eyes and glanced back.

Uncle De understood and immediately lowered the curtain, closed the door tightly, and retreated silently.

"Of course I can come, but," He Ruci's voice trembled, "I heard that the prince has been unwell recently, so why did he leave the house today?"

Lu Guanque's eyes moved and fell on Meng Xuanli, with deep thought: "I came to find my wife who has not yet married me."

"Wife...wife?" He Ruci suddenly raised his head, his whole body like a leaf falling in the wind, frightened. "But it's rumored that you, the prince, married the daughter of the Meng family..."

Lu Guanque raised the corner of his lips slightly, walked to Meng Xuanli's side, and looked at him carefully: "Fortunately, the skin is not broken. If it was scratched, I'm afraid there would be blood."

Meng Xuanli came back to his senses after hearing his gentle question.

She lowered her head and shook it slightly: "Thank you for your concern, my Lord. It's okay."

But she thought to herself: How could it be okay? If He Ruci hadn't been so rude and aggressive, why would she have ended up like this?

He Ruci should be taught a lesson for being so unruly.

Lu Guanque paused for a moment, then turned to look at He Ruci, who was kneeling on the ground. His voice was as faint as smoke: "Should I send someone to do this slap for you, or should you do it yourself, Miss He?"

As soon as he finished speaking, He Ruci raised his hand and started slapping himself.

Not long after, Lu Guanque's cold voice sounded again: "Is Miss He's body the same as mine?"

He Ruci didn't dare to answer, she bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth, and could only add a bit more ruthlessness.

Meng Xuanli stood by and saw that her cheeks were red and swollen, with the skin broken and bleeding. Thinking that she had learned a lesson, he bent down to support her.

Unexpectedly, Lu Guanque grabbed her wrist and pulled her up, while ordering the outside world: "Uncle De."

Uncle De came in and glanced down at the embarrassed He Ruci.

"Send her back."

Lu Guanque's voice was low, but every word was as cold as ice: "Please advise Lord He to let his daughter learn the proper etiquette at home. She is not allowed to leave without permission."

"My Lord, I don't dare anymore. I really don't dare anymore!" He Ruci was struck by lightning, her pupils suddenly shrinking. She crawled to her knees and threw herself to the edge of Meng Xuanli's skirt, tears streaming down her face. "I can't be trapped at home. If I'm grounded, my life will be ruined. Miss Xuanli, please have mercy on me, please forgive me!"

Suddenly, Meng Xuanli looked at He Ruci's tear-stained face, and her heart finally softened a little. As a commoner, and having begged others in the same way, she knew the difficulty of it.

A trace of sadness crept up her brows, and she couldn't bear to be cruel.

She took a deep breath, raised her eyes to look at Lu Guanque, and said with a faint smile: "My Lord, although Miss He made a mistake today, she also punished herself. Let's be merciful. Why not let her go?"

Lu Guanque's eyes flickered across her face for a moment, and he seemed to understand something. He covered his lips and coughed softly, "Since Ah Li has asked for mercy."

He paused, then turned his gaze to He Ruci: "Then I'll spare you."

He Ruciru was pardoned and was carried away by servants.

The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the window lattice and falls on the ground. In the private room, there are only two people facing each other.

Meng Xuanli saw that his face looked even paler than before, and asked worriedly, "Young Master, are you still able to stand steadily? Why don't you sit down and rest for a while?"

Lu Guanque was helped to sit down by her and took a deep breath. "It's okay, I just feel a little suffocated in my chest after talking too much."

He raised his eyes, his gaze deep: "Would you like to walk with me?"

"How could I refuse the Prince's gracious invitation?" Meng Xuanli replied, still feeling doubtful. "But right now, the Prince is looking for me. Is there something important to discuss?"

Lu Guanque coughed lightly again and looked out the window. "Nothing important. I just happened to be passing by and saw the carriage at your house, so I came in to take a look."

Meng Xuanli understood that her elder sister was under house arrest and she was the only one who could go out by car.

The prince is a very meticulous person.

"Let's find a clinic on the way and take a look at your face." Lu Guanque added with concern.

Meng Xuanli was slightly startled when he heard his thoughts, but then he looked at his pale and tired face and could only agree, "Okay."

*

When they arrived at the clinic, Doctor Li, who was sitting in the office, saw the two people coming in one after the other. He hurriedly stood up to greet them and bowed, "Are you two husband and wife?"

Meng Xuanli, still wearing his veil, was about to explain when he heard Lu Guanque beside him calmly reply, "Yes. My wife's face has been bruised. Please take a look, sir."

After saying that, he gently grasped Meng Xuanli's wrist through his sleeve and followed the doctor into the inner room.

Meng Xuanli lowered his head quietly and let him lead him.

After sitting down, Meng Xuanli took off his veil.

The halo of dusk shone through from behind her. From Lu Guanque's perspective, her entire body seemed to be shrouded in a halo, like a golden lotus blooming in the rosy glow.

Doctor Li's eyes wandered between the two of them, and he asked tentatively, "Have you two been married for a short time?"

Lu Guanque lowered his eyelids slightly and said softly, "More than two months."

Doctor Li's heart skipped a beat when he heard this.

The steward who had just hurried in was still ringing in my ears with the instructions he had given me: If you meet a man and a woman together, first ask if they are husband and wife. If they say yes, then ask about the wedding date. If they say in two months, the man must have a heart disease.

"Sir?" Meng Xuanli saw him stunned and thought that there was something wrong with his injury.

Doctor Li hurriedly came back to his senses, put on a smile and said, "The girl's injury is not serious. Go back and apply some ointment to reduce swelling and dissolve blood stasis. She will be fully recovered in seven or eight days."

Meng Xuanli breathed a sigh of relief, but caught a glimpse of Lu Guanque's furrowed brow. Thinking he was uneasy, she quickly stood up and said, "Sir, I...my husband hasn't been feeling well lately. Could you please take his pulse?"

In this way, we may be able to find out how long he will live.

Doctor Li turned around and met Lu Guanque's gaze. He was startled and quickly lowered his head to avoid her. He replied repeatedly, "My lady, since you are so concerned, I will do my best."

Lu Guanque was delighted. He placed his hand on the pulse pillow, but his eyes were fixed on the doctor. "Sir, I've been ill for five years. I've been taking medicines constantly, but there's been no improvement. The weather has been cold lately, and I've been coughing, wheezing, sleeping, and feeling weak."

Doctor Li's forehead was covered with sweat. He took his pulse and slowly opened his eyes after a moment. He said with a stiff upper lip, "Young Master's illness is a sign of damaged heart vessels."

Meng Xuanli, who was sitting in the back, immediately stood up and came forward, his voice slightly surprised, "Sir, you have an excellent hand. You diagnosed the problem in a matter of moments."

Before Lu Guanque could speak, she asked anxiously, "Sir, is there any hope for my husband's recovery?"

Lu Guanque had his back to her. When he heard this, a sinister look suddenly flashed across his eyes. His face was as deep as an ancient well, and he withdrew his hand calmly.

Doctor Li felt a chill on his back, and after calming himself down, he said solemnly, "I'm afraid the danger is unpredictable."

Meng Xuanli was like a falling flower in autumn. He sighed deeply and wanted to turn away sadly.

"Yes," Doctor Li changed the subject abruptly, twirling his beard, "there is still hope."

"There's hope?!" Meng Xuanli's eyes lit up instantly, and she stepped forward quickly. "Sir, are you saying that my husband's illness can be cured?"

Doctor Li nodded and said seriously, "Of course there is hope."

He looked at Lu Guanque and said, "Young Master, the most important thing to avoid with this illness is depression. You need to be open-minded and always be happy. This is the key to curing the disease and prolonging life."

Meng Xuanli's eyes were filled with stars, so bright that it seemed as if he saw endless hope.

It turns out that the Crown Prince's lingering illness was all due to his inner conflict. His recent worsening of illness must be due to his unresolved worries and anger over the substitutionary marriage.

She stole a glance at Lu Guanque's drooping eyelashes, and a sudden sense of melancholy arose in her heart - it seemed that she had never really understood him.

"Please prescribe some appropriate prescriptions for the disease, sir." Meng Xuanli said earnestly.

"Miss, please follow me to get the prescription." Doctor Li led the way.

After hearing this, Lu Guanque raised his eyes quietly, turned his head to Meng Xuanli and shook his head slightly.

Meng Xuanli approached, smiling gently, and leaned over to whisper in his ear, her breath warm, "The medicine from the Imperial Hospital is good, but it may not suit your constitution. Why not try this folk remedy?"

Her eyes moved with a hint of hope: "Maybe this disease will be cured?"

Meng Xuanli winked at him.

Lu Guanque pursed his lips tightly, quickly concealing the strange look in his eyes, and responded softly in his throat: "Hmm."

Meng Xuanli gradually walked away with the sound of Doctor Li's conversation, and his figure finally disappeared in the shadow of the medicine cabinet.

Lu Guanque clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and smiled faintly.

The shadow of rain outside the window swayed in front of his eyes, and suddenly it transformed into a very small and tender pear flower.

He closed his eyes, like a thief who had stolen a huge secret, and exhaled a long and suppressed breath.

"It seems," he whispered silently, with a twisted sweetness, "it's better to be sick."

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