Chapter 27 Shen Yunrong was really sick. She told her mother, but unexpectedly...

Shen Yunrong told her mother, and to her surprise, her mother immediately agreed to move away from here.

"It's because Mother didn't understand. We shouldn't have come back in the first place!" Mother Shen had heard a lot of rumors these past few days. She was only unable to move half of her body; she wasn't deaf or blind.

"Mother, it's really inconvenient to see a doctor here." This is no longer their hometown that can accommodate them. Today there is Shen Tieniu, and tomorrow who knows who will be, pretending to give them and their daughter a good reputation, to force them into marriage.

"Mother knows!" Mother Shen's eyes are not blind and her ears are not deaf. How could she not understand the hidden meanings in the words spoken by the neighbors she had known for half her life when they came to visit her?

She shouldn't have come back in the first place, letting her daughter hear such foul language.

The courtyard was all tidied up. Shen Yunrong and her mother arrived at the new courtyard in a carriage driven by Liu Hu, and it was already evening.

A familiar figure rushed up from the doorway and lifted the carriage curtain: "Miss, Madam, you've finally arrived!"

"Xiao Qiu!" Shen Yunrong exclaimed in surprise as she helped her mother up, looking at Xiao Qiu, who should have been working in the Prince's mansion.

"It is this servant. The prince said that the young lady is used to using this servant, so he asked this servant to come out and serve the young lady." Xiao Qiu helped Shen Yunrong and helped Shen's mother down from the carriage.

"This is what caused you to lose your job!" Shen Yunrong said, feeling very embarrassed.

"How could that be? Miss, you don't know! The prince returned my indenture and even gives me an extra tael of silver every month. I never dreamed of such a good thing." Xiao Qiu still looked excited as she spoke.

Shen Yunrong had also worked in the Prince's mansion, so she understood why Xiao Qiu was so happy. Away from the constraints of the mansion, although it wasn't as wealthy, it was a place of freedom.

Xiao Qiu excitedly introduced the courtyard to Shen Yunrong and her mother. Although the courtyard was small, it had everything one needed.

Shen Yunrong wanted to thank Zhao Linzhang in person, but he didn't come even after dark. He was already busy, and he must be extremely tired after running back and forth for her these past few days.

As the moon rose high in the sky, Zhao Linzhang's figure finally appeared in the small courtyard, and Shen Yunrong hurriedly went to greet him.

"Are you settling in well? Are there enough people to help you?"

"That's enough, that's enough. My mother falls asleep with a smile every day because she can live in such a nice courtyard." There was a cook, a gatekeeper, and Xiao Qiu helping her take care of the children and her mother.

"Well, if there's anything else missing, just tell Liu Hu and the others." Liu Hu and Xiao Zheng stayed behind to look after them.

"You, is there something you need?" Zhao Linzhang belatedly realized that Shen Yunrong was waiting for him at the door.

"Thanks to Your Highness these days, I've prepared a few dishes today. I wonder if Your Highness has eaten yet?" He hesitated, embarrassed to say the words of thanks directly.

"I haven't eaten yet." Zhao Linzhang looked at her, bathed in the hazy moonlight. She was no longer looking down at him with her eyes lowered; there was anticipation in them.

I just ate a dry biscuit on horseback, and now I feel very hungry.

The dishes were ordinary fare, and Shen Yunrong didn't know if he would come, so she cooked two extra dishes for him every day.

"Sit down with me!" Zhao Linzhang said, putting down his chopsticks as he saw her standing beside him, about to serve him food.

"Your Highness, this is against the rules!"

“You are my daughter’s mother, you don’t need to pay attention to these rules.” Zhao Linzhang acted as if she wouldn’t eat until she sat down.

As expected, this dispelled Shen Yunrong's concerns. She sat down properly, ladled out a bowl of bamboo shoot and old duck soup, and handed it to him: "Your Highness, thank you for these past few days. You've given my daughter and me a place to stay."

"No need to thank me for these small things!" Zhao Linzhang thought she had changed her mind, but it turned out she was just expressing her gratitude.

He suddenly lost his appetite, drank a few sips of bamboo shoot soup, and asked about his daughter.

“Ruoyu goes to bed early, otherwise she would call for her father all day long.” Shen Yunrong shook her head as she spoke. She had been teaching her daughter for several days, but she still couldn’t call her mother.

Speaking of his daughter, Zhao Linzhang's tired eyes lit up with joy: "I also want to come back soon."

Shen Yunrong noticed that he had little appetite, and was rubbing his brows from time to time, his eyes filled with fatigue.

"Is Your Highness feeling unwell?"

"It's alright, this short journey is nothing." Zhao Linzhang felt a little dizzy. He had been too busy these past few days and couldn't help but want to see the mother and daughter. He hadn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.

"I'll go get some hot water for the prince to wash his face!"

"No need to trouble yourself, I'll go check on Ruoyu and then head back!" Zhao Linzhang stood up and swayed slightly, managing to catch himself by pressing down on the back of his chair.

"Your Highness, if you are unwell, I will go and fetch a doctor."

"She probably didn't sleep well last night." Zhao Linzhang insisted that nothing was wrong and went into the inner courtyard to check on his sleeping daughter.

Shen Yunrong was worried, so she turned around and went out to ask the cook to prepare hot water. As she turned the corner, she heard Liu Hu's voice: "The prince is not made of iron. How can he take such a long trip? He has to receive envoys from the foreign court in the capital and then rush back here without stopping."

A dull voice replied, "Speak less and act more carefully, and do your job well!"

"Xiao Zheng, come with me to persuade the prince to stay for the night. Didn't you see that his eyes are all black?"

"His Highness has his own plans, so don't interfere!"

Shen Yunrong then understood why Zhao Linzhang was so exhausted; he had been working day and night, rushing to the capital during the day and returning at night.

A sharp, tingling pain shot through her heart, and she turned and went to the kitchen.

Carrying the hot water back to the inner courtyard, Zhao Linzhang silently and attentively looked at his daughter's sleeping face, with Xiao Qiu waiting beside him.

Shen Yunrong looked up and gestured for Xiao Qiu to go down first.

Hearing the voice, Zhao Linzhang didn't turn around, but said softly, "Look how much the child has grown!"

"Hmm, the little clothes are too short."

"Then buy some clothes that fit the child. She is a young girl and cannot wear clothes that do not fit."

"Everything is ready. We'll change her into it when it gets warmer in a few days."

Shen Yunrong put down the wooden basin, wet a towel, wrung it out, and handed it to him: "Your Highness, please wipe your face!"

Zhao Linzhang took the hot towel and covered his face with it, which relieved much of his fatigue from the past few days.

"Actually, if Your Highness doesn't mind, you can stay overnight. There is a bedroom reserved for Your Highness in the east wing."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Linzhang pulled down the towel, a look of surprise on his face: "You saved this for me?"

"This was prepared by the Prince, so naturally there should be a bedroom for the Prince!" Shen Yunrong couldn't explain why the largest east wing room was left empty, while she, her mother, and her daughter lived in two small rooms in the west wing.

Suppressing the strange emotions in his heart, Zhao Linzhang gazed at her and asked, "You care about me? You don't hate me anymore, do you?"

"I have never hated the prince!" Actually, she had hated him, but she stopped hating him after learning that it wasn't his fault.

"Don't worry, I'm doing whatever I want for you willingly, you don't need to think about repaying me."

When Zhao Linzhang got up this time, his body leaned backward uncontrollably. Fortunately, he was sitting on a chair, so the chair back still hit the back of his hand.

Shen Yunrong was now certain that he was feeling unwell, and disregarding the proper separation between men and women, she quickly stepped forward to support him, saying, "Your Highness, please be careful!"

Touching his hand, it was burning hot!

You have a fever!

No wonder he felt so tired and unwell today. Zhao Linzhang touched his forehead with the back of his hand; it wasn't very hot.

"It's probably too hot, I have to go back!" There's still a lot of things waiting for him in the capital.

"How can you go back looking like this?" Shen Yunrong asked anxiously, grabbing his hand.

With his mind somewhat muddled, Zhao Linzhang looked down at the delicate white hand covering the back of his hand, and couldn't help but reach back and clasp it.

"I won't die, I'll be fine after a bit of fresh air outside!" Zhao Linzhang stroked the smooth skin in his palm. If it weren't for his duties, he wouldn't want to go back.

"How can you stand in the wind like this!" Shen Yunrong's hand was grabbed, and she hurriedly coaxed him to stay. Caught off guard, she stood on tiptoe and pressed her forehead against his.

Zhao Linzhang's mind was already in a daze and in a mess. He was breathing heavily, and the sudden closeness made his heart beat fast.

"It's really hot!" Shen Yunrong was afraid that she had wrung out hot towels with her hands earlier and that her hands were too hot to feel accurately. Now she used her forehead to feel the unusually hot temperature.

"Hmm!" Zhao Linzhang just stared at her intently, and heard her shout loudly for Xiao Qiu to say something. Xiao Qiu then ran out.

She pushed him back into the chair, and met his naked, fiery gaze. Shen Yunrong's hand was tightly gripped by him, and she couldn't pull it out no matter what she did.

"Let go of me first, I'll go get you a glass of water!"

"If I don't let go, you'll just drift far away from me again."

The ailing Zhao Linzhang had lost his imposing presence; his eyes were slightly red, and his voice, nasal and low, was hoarse. Shen Yunrong had never heard him speak with such weakness before, and a tender pang pierced her heart. She did not continue to struggle to pull her hand away.

"I'll take you to the east wing to rest. I won't leave!" Shen Yunrong waited for Xiao Qiu to come back to see the child, then took Zhao Linzhang's hand and got up.

Liu Hu and Xiao Zheng, who caught up from behind, stepped forward to help him: "Your Highness, let us help you!"

Zhao Linzhang quickly clenched his fists and dodged away.

"Brother Liu and Brother Xiao, please check if the doctor has arrived yet. I will take the prince to the east wing to rest first."

Liu Hu watched as the majestic prince followed behind Shen Yunrong like a submissive wife. His outstretched hand was slapped down by Xiao Zheng: "The prince is being looked after by Miss Shen. Go and fetch the doctor!"

It seems the prince is truly ill; his eyes have become clear, and his tall figure pressed against the young lady looks strangely comical.

Xiao Zheng dared not think too much. The prince was unwell and could not return to the capital today. He had to send a message to the capital by carrier pigeon and find a doctor with better medical skills so as not to delay the prince's condition.

Zhao Linzhang decided to put aside matters in the capital for the time being; his elder brother would assign them to others. He was truly foolish; in order to avoid overthinking, he took on so many miscellaneous tasks that weren't his responsibility, which made him sick from exhaustion.

However, the woman beside him, who was holding his hand tightly, would occasionally ask him with concern if he felt unwell. This illness seemed quite serious; he should have gotten sick sooner.

Dazed and confused, Zhao Linzhang took off his coat and lay down in the sun-scented bedding under Shen Yunrong's tugging. He pulled his hand away, his palm damp and cold. He called out anxiously to the figure at the door, "Yunrong, don't leave me!"

"He's really delirious from illness," Shen Yunrong shook her head. She had just whispered in his ear that she would go get him water, but seeing his chapped lips and the doctor not yet arriving, she wanted to let him drink some water first.

"I'll go get you a kettle of hot water!"

"Don't go, I don't want water, you can stay here!"

In the past, if he had a headache or fever, let alone call a doctor, Zhao Linzhang only needed to practice a couple of sets of boxing outside and work up a sweat, and he would feel better. This time, he was too lazy to even move a finger.

Having no other choice, Shen Yunrong sat back down beside him. As soon as she got close, he grabbed her hand, as if afraid she would run away.

"Your Highness, you need to drink more water!"

"Don't call me Your Highness, and don't call me Brother Zhao!" She called Liu Hu and Xiao Zheng "elder brother," but she didn't want to be an elder brother like them.

"Your Highness, you..."

"Call me Linzhang! Or Seventh Brother!" Zhao Linzhang twirled his slender, white fingers, his face flushed as he spoke.

"Seventh Brother!" Shen Yunrong dared not call the prince by his given name even if she had a death wish, so she had to choose the latter form of address.

"Hmm!" This sound made Zhao Linzhang, who was already feeling dizzy, feel lightheaded.

"Your face is so red, are you feeling unwell? The doctor will be here soon!" Shen Yunrong touched his forehead with concern, and it was even hotter than before. No wonder he was talking nonsense.

"I want to stay like this with you forever." His heart was overflowing with sweetness, and he wanted to hold her tightly, but he was afraid that if he frightened her, all the intimacy they had shared that day would be for naught.

"You're sick!" This man is really strange. Usually, he's a dignified and intimidating prince, but when he's sick, he acts like a child.

Soon Liu Hu arrived with the doctor. Seeing the usually stern and unsmiling prince holding Shen Yunrong's hand tightly, Liu Hu dared not look at him again.

After the doctor took his pulse and prescribed medicine, Liu Hu, like an arrow shot from a bow, helped the old doctor out of the room.

In her haste, Shen Yunrong called out, "Brother Liu, could you please have the cook bring over a pot of hot water?"

Liu Hu was no longer visible, only his voice could be heard: "Yes, send it over immediately!"

Sure enough, the cook quickly brought hot water and closed the door for them.

Shen Yunrong finally managed to coax him to let go of her, poured him a glass of warm water, and brought it to his lips: "Drink some water first, it will help you recover faster!"

"I'm fine, don't worry!" Meeting Shen Yunrong's worried eyes, Zhao Linzhang felt a pang of heartache and wanted to get up and punch her a few times to prove that this little illness was nothing to worry about.

Shen Yunrong held the water glass to his lips, as if she would keep holding it until the end of time if he didn't drink it, stubbornly waiting for him to drink.

Helpless, Zhao Linzhang lowered his head, but felt dizzy and his lips slammed heavily against the cup, letting out a muffled cry of pain.

"Seventh Brother, be careful!"

Shen Yunrong pressed her lips to his, afraid of hurting his wound. A warm, moist touch licked her fingertip, which felt like it had been sparked by a spark. She quickly pulled her hand back, but Zhao Linzhang was still not satisfied: "So sweet!"

Looking at Shen Yunrong, who seemed like a completely different person despite being sick, she was so surprised that she didn't know how to respond. She stiffly shoved the water glass into his hand and said, "Drink it yourself!"

"I have no strength in my hands!" Zhao Linzhang panicked. Not only did he have no strength in his hands, but he had no strength in his whole body.

Just as the cup was about to slip from his hand, Shen Yunrong sighed inwardly, caught his hand, and brought it to his lips. This time, he drank it all in one gulp.

"Everyone says you're sick!"

How could anyone refuse to believe they are sick?

"It's so cold!" Zhao Linzhang not only felt weak all over, but also felt a chill all over his body, a feeling he hadn't experienced in many years.

Seeing him hugging her pitifully, Shen Yunrong felt her earlier discomfort from the offense dissipate. He was truly ill and didn't know what he was doing.