Chapter 62

Su Yan carefully wrapped the last layer of clean, soft gauze around Su Zhelan's wrist, his gentle movements contrasting sharply with his still ashen face.

He carefully examined the wound on his chest where blood had been drawn, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed that there were no signs of redness, swelling, or inflammation, though his brows remained tightly furrowed.

"Alright!" Su Yan's voice remained firm, carrying an unquestionable commanding tone. He gently patted Su Zhelan's legs, which were wrapped in a thick blanket. "Lie down now! Close your eyes! Sleep! Resting is more important than anything else! If you dare to have any more wild thoughts, I'll prick you with a needle!"

Su Zhelan felt a slight warmth in her heart from his familiar, threatening concern, and she wanted to laugh a little, but she felt mostly tired and weak.

He nodded obediently, lay down on the thick, warm cushion, pulled the blanket up, revealing only his slightly reddened eyes, and looked timidly at his master.

Su Yan felt a tightness in his chest under that gaze, and the anger he had finally managed to suppress was about to resurface. He suddenly stood up, the movement so large it created a gust of wind, startling Su Zhelan into instinctively shrinking back.

"What are you looking at! Close your eyes!" Su Yan growled irritably. Seeing that Su Zhelan immediately closed her eyes, he snorted heavily, turned around, and strode towards the small medicine stove that had been specially prepared in the corner of the room.

The charcoal fire in the medicine stove was burning brightly, warming the nourishing and blood-tonifying medicinal meal prepared for Su Zhelan. Su Yan picked up the prepared herbal packet beside him—it contained his carefully selected blood-tonifying ingredients, as well as several rare herbs to nourish the heart and blood vessels.

He deftly untied the medicine packet, poured all the herbs into a clean earthenware jar next to him, then picked up a kettle of hot water that was warming on the stove and roughly poured water into the jar, splashing water everywhere and almost scalding his hands.

The action was venting his anger, as if the pottery jar were Sheng Chi's head.

"Hmph! You idiot general! Your brain is stuffed with donkey hair!" Su Yan muttered through gritted teeth as he vigorously stirred the herbs in the jar with a wooden spoon. His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

"You've made my apprentice suffer so much! Take your blood! Take the blood of your ancestors! When I'm free, I'll make you taste the 'seven-day itch'! You'll be rolling on the ground begging for mercy!"

He grew angrier and angrier as he cursed, and he stirred the medicine pot with increasing force, making a dull "clanging" sound as the wooden spoon hit the pot's side.

The medicinal liquid churned in the jar, and a rich aroma of herbs mixed with a faint smell of blood filled the air.

Gu Linzhao sat on a low couch by the window, slowly wiping a set of silver needles.

Hearing Su Yan's low-pitched curses, he shook his head helplessly, but a faint smile appeared on his lips. He looked up at Su Zhelan, who was lying on the soft couch and seemed to be asleep—the boy's eyelashes were closed, but the slightly trembling eyelashes and the curled fingertips under the blanket revealed that he was actually awake and listening intently to his master's cursing.

Gu Linzhao didn't point it out, but calmly and unhurriedly put the cleaned silver needles into the needle pouch one by one.

With her eyes closed, Su Zhelan listened to her master's familiar, gunpowder-filled curses, felt the reassuring aroma of herbs in the air, and the cozy warmth from the charcoal fire... Her nerves, which had been stretched to the limit for days, strangely began to relax little by little in this noisy and warm atmosphere.

Hearing the master's scolding now, it was more reassuring than any calming melody.

He quietly buried his face in the soft blanket, inhaling its sun-dried scent, and his body completely relaxed.

The fear, despair, and coldness of the past few days seemed to be somewhat dispelled by the warmth inside the room and the master's scolding.

Although the road ahead remained uncertain and his body was still weak and aching, at least for this moment... his master was by his side. This realization, like a reassuring pill, settled heavily in his heart.

Su Yan was still cursing by the medicine stove, but his hands never stopped moving. He precisely controlled the heat, occasionally lifting the lid to check the consistency and color of the medicine, and skimming off the foam with a spoon.

His focused and efficient movements formed a strange harmony with the "warm greetings" he kept uttering to Sheng Chi and his ancestors for eighteen generations.

The aroma of medicine grew stronger, lingering in the warm air. Su Zhelan's breathing gradually became steady and long; this time, she was truly asleep.

As dusk settled, the steam in Shuyu Courtyard wafted in the warm glow of the lanterns, carrying the aroma of herbs and sulfur.

As Xiao Qiyun carried the heavy food box into the courtyard, he saw Su Yan and Gu Linzhao sitting around a small medicine stove in the corner of the courtyard.

Su Yan remained expressionless, holding a palm-leaf fan and fanning the fire in a haphazard manner, seemingly muttering something under his breath. The firelight illuminated his tense profile.

Gu Linzhao sat quietly to the side, casually handling the medicinal herbs in his hands.

"Mr. Su, Mr. Gu." Xiao Qiyun's voice was as clear and gentle as ever, and he nodded to the two of them. "Thank you for your hard work. I brought some dinner with me."

Su Yan glanced at him, snorted in response, and then looked back at the medicine jar, clearly still angry.

Gu Linzhao nodded gently: "Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."

Xiao Qiyun placed the food box on the stone table in the courtyard, deftly opening the lid to reveal a delicate four-tiered food tray, steaming hot and fragrant. As he neatly arranged the bowls and plates, he said, "Please have some first, both of you. As for Zhelan..."

Before he could finish speaking, his gaze had already drifted involuntarily to the window in the main house that emitted a warm yellow light. It was quiet inside.

"He's lying inside," Su Yan said in a muffled voice without looking up. "We just changed his dressing; let him rest."

Xiao Qiyun nodded and said no more. He quickly set out the bowls and chopsticks, and even carefully served soup to Su Yan and Gu Linzhao before turning around and walking faster than he had come, heading straight for the main house.

Gently push open the slightly ajar door, and a warm, richer scent of calming herbs wafts out.

The room was warm from the charcoal fire, and the light was soft. Xiao Qiyun's gaze immediately fell on the large, soft couch in the inner room.

Su Zhelan was leaning against the headboard on thick, soft pillows, covered with a warm brocade quilt. His face was still pale, but he seemed more lively than when he had just left Hanshui Courtyard.

He wasn't asleep; he just stared blankly out the window at the hazy night, his eyes slightly vacant, lost in thought. A freshly changed, clean white bandage was wrapped around his wrist, glaringly bright in the warm light.

Xiao Qiyun's heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, a bittersweet sensation. He walked over quietly and gently placed the warm, nourishing medicinal meal he had specially prepared on the low table beside the bed.

The slight noise startled Su Zhelan. He slowly turned his head and saw Xiao Qiyun standing by the bed. A look of confusion and surprise flashed in his eyes, as if he hadn't expected him to come at this hour.

"Your Highness..." Su Zhelan's voice was a little dry and hoarse, and she subconsciously tried to sit up straight.

However, before he could finish speaking, the moon-white robes before his eyes swayed!

Without warning, Xiao Qiyun suddenly bent down!

Su Zhelan felt a cool, refreshing breeze, carrying the slight chill of the night wind, instantly envelop him! The next second, a slightly trembling yet forceful embrace gently encircled him!

Xiao Qiyun's movements were so fast that Su Zhelan had no time to react, and it completely took him by surprise! His body froze instantly, and his mind went blank!

Xiao Qiyun carefully wrapped his arms around Su Zhelan's shoulders and waist, avoiding his heart, his touch as light as if he were embracing a fragile glass doll.

He buried his face deep into Su Zhelan's neck, his warm breath, slightly rapid, spraying onto Su Zhelan's sensitive skin and causing a slight shiver.

Su Zhelan could clearly feel Xiao Qiyun's body trembling slightly, a deep-seated fear and lingering dread that had been suppressed with great effort. He could even feel Xiao Qiyun's warm nose gently brushing against the skin on the side of his neck, with an almost greedy sense of confirmation and attachment.

"..." Su Zhelan was completely stunned, frozen in place, even forgetting to breathe.

“Ze Lan…” Xiao Qiyun’s muffled voice came from the crook of his neck, terribly hoarse, as if his throat had been rubbed by rough sandpaper, carrying a deep, overwhelming weariness and…fear, like someone who had just survived a catastrophe. “Do you know…I…I was so worried…”

His arms tightened a little more, but he still didn't dare to use force, as if afraid that if he exerted even the slightest force, the person in his arms would dissipate like quicksand: "Don't do this anymore... don't scare me like this anymore... don't... make yourself... half-dead..."

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from the tip of his heart, carrying a scalding temperature and a heavy sense of lingering fear, striking Su Zhelan's eardrums and also crashing into his mind, which was blank with shock!

Su Zhelan's body remained stiff, but the warm breath and slight trembling from Xiao Qiyun's neck, along with his hoarse, choked words filled with immense fear and worry, were like invisible warm currents that pierced through the cold, numb defenses he had built up over the past few days.

He had never seen Xiao Qiyun like this before. The ever-composed and gentle Crown Prince was now clinging to him like a frightened child, his voice trembling with tears as he cried out, "I was so worried about you..."

An overwhelming sense of sorrow and an indescribable, complex emotion—mixed with guilt and a hint of hidden warmth—instantly overwhelmed his rationality!

His stiff body softened little by little in Xiao Qiyun's trembling embrace and burning words.

Hesitantly and extremely slowly raised his uninjured arm, his fingertips trembling slightly, and gently, tentatively, placed it on Xiao Qiyun's slightly hunched, taut back.

The fabric beneath her fingertips emitted a warm body temperature and a subtle vibration. Su Zhelan's heart trembled violently.

He opened his mouth, as if to say something, but his throat felt blocked by something, and he could only make a few muffled breaths.

Inside the side hall of Shuyu Courtyard, candlelight shone brightly. A round table was laden with exquisite dishes, steaming hot and fragrant. The food box brought by Xiao Qiyun contained light yet nourishing dishes, clearly prepared especially for Su Zhelan.

Su Zhelan was carefully helped by Gu Linzhao to sit down on a chair with thick, soft cushions. He was still weak, pale, and wrapped in a thick cotton robe, with the gauze on his wrists faintly visible under the wide sleeves.

Su Yan sat opposite him, his face still tense. He held chopsticks in his hand but had no appetite. His eyes would occasionally sweep over Su Zhelan's pale face and wrists, and his brows never relaxed.

Gu Linzhao sat next to Su Zhelan, calmly serving him food. Xiao Qiyun sat on Su Zhelan's other side, his gaze fixed on Su Zhelan, carrying a barely perceptible concern.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber. Su Zhelan sipped the warm, nourishing chicken soup that Gu Linzhao had handed him, the warmth sliding down his throat and slightly dispelling the chill in his body. He kept his head down, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows under his eyes, as if he were hesitating about something.

Finally, he put down his spoon, raised his eyes, his gaze timid and tinged with a barely perceptible worry, and looked at Su Yan across from him. His voice was as soft as a feather:

"Master... Shengxuan... how is he?"

This statement is like a pebble thrown into a calm lake!

Su Yan's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly stopped! He slammed the chopsticks on the table with a loud "bang," the force so great that the bowls and plates bounced slightly! He abruptly raised his head, his eyes, already filled with lingering anger, widened instantly, like a lit powder keg, shooting straight at Su Zhelan!

"Sheng Xuan?!" Su Yan's voice suddenly rose, filled with suppressed anger and frustrated disappointment. "You still have the mind to ask him?! Thanks to you! That kid is now lively and energetic! Eating well and sleeping soundly! The Gu poison has been completely cleared away!"

He grew angrier as he spoke, his chest heaving violently, pointing at Su Zhelan's nose, spitting almost out of his mouth.

"Look at yourself! Look at the grotesque state you are in! Your face is as white as paper! Your wrists are as thin as sticks! A gust of wind could blow you over! That hole in your heart hasn't even healed yet, has it? And you! You still have the leisure to worry about others?! Worry about that bastard who caused you to be locked up and bled out?!"

Su Yan's roar echoed in the quiet hall, making the candlelight flicker. Su Zhelan instinctively shrank back, her face paling even more, her lips trembling slightly. She wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. She could only lower her head in a panic, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

"Ayan!" Gu Linzhao said in a deep voice, reminding him with a hint of disapproval, while placing a piece of deboned, tender fish into Su Zhelan's bowl. "Zhelan has just recovered, don't scare him."

Xiao Qiyun frowned slightly, his gaze towards Su Yan carrying a hint of disapproval. However, he did not directly reprimand Su Yan, but instead turned to Su Zhelan, his voice gentle yet filled with undeniable concern: "Zhelan, Sheng Xuan is indeed out of danger. General Sheng Chi personally took care of him, and the medicine prescribed by Mr. Su is excellent."

"Your most important thing right now is to take care of yourself." He paused, his gaze falling on Su Zhelan's bandaged wrist, his voice even softer, "Your qi and blood are severely depleted, and your heart meridian is also damaged. You need to calm down and recuperate, and absolutely must not overexert yourself."

As Su Zhelan listened to Xiao Qiyun's words, she felt a sense of comfort and concern, which warmed her heart. However, her master's furious rebuke still pierced her heart like a needle.

He nodded silently, taking small bites of the fish that Gu Linzhao had given him. It tasted like nothing, but his eyes were gradually reddening as he struggled to hold back his tears.

With Gu Linzhao and Xiao Qiyun blocking his way, Su Yan felt his anger was trapped, unable to vent, which made his face even more unpleasant.

He glared at Gu Linzhao, then at Xiao Qiyun, and finally his gaze fell on Su Zhelan's pitiful expression as she ate her rice with her head down. He was even more furious!

"Hmph!" Su Yan snorted heavily, grabbed his chopsticks, and angrily stabbed at a piece of stewed tendon in the plate, as if the tendon were Sheng Chi's head. "Eat! Eat well, everyone! Especially you!"

He pointed his chopsticks at Su Zhelan and said fiercely, "Eat all of this! If you dare leave a single bite, I'll make you drink three bowls of bitter soup!"

Startled, Su Zhelan shuddered and quickly stuffed another mouthful of rice into her mouth, nearly choking and coughing.

Gu Linzhao sighed helplessly and gently patted Su Zhelan's back: "Eat slowly, don't rush."

Xiao Qiyun picked up the soup bowl, scooped a spoonful of warm soup, blew on it gently, and brought it to Su Zhelan's lips: "Have a sip of soup to soothe your nerves."

The warm soup slid down my throat, as if soothing the wrinkles in my heart.

The charcoal fire burned brightly in the warm room, dispelling the chill of the winter night.

Sheng Xuan leaned against the soft couch covered with thick brocade, her shoulder blades wrapped in thick medicinal cloth, the area most severely affected by the Gu poison.

Although the poison had been cleared, the healing of the wounds was accompanied by excruciating pain, and every breath pulled at his flesh, making it impossible for him to sleep.

"Making a fuss again?" Sheng Chi's voice came from the doorway, carrying a hint of barely perceptible fatigue. He was carrying a bowl of steaming medicine, and the hem of his moon-white brocade robe was stained with unmelted snowflakes, clearly indicating that he had just rushed over from the council hall.

He placed the medicine bowl on a small table beside the couch, and gently stirred the dark brown medicine with a silver spoon, making a crisp sound that was particularly clear in the quiet, warm room.

"The imperial physician said this medicine should be drunk warm, but you insisted on letting it cool to the bone." His tone carried the usual reproach of an elder brother, but it lacked some of the usual sternness and contained a hint of weariness.

Sheng Xuan didn't reply. His gaze was somewhat unfocused. He looked over Sheng Chi's shoulder at the end of the corridor, where the night was dyed red by lanterns, as if trying to penetrate the layers of courtyards to see a figure that was deliberately hidden.

"What are you thinking about?" Sheng Chi handed him the bowl of medicine, his fingertips casually touching the back of his cold hand. "Is your wound hurting badly?"

The bitter aroma of the medicine wafted through the steam. Sheng Xuan's gaze slowly focused on the dark brown medicinal soup before him, but he did not immediately reach for it.

He suddenly raised his head, his pale face filled with a stubborn inquiry, his voice somewhat hoarse: "Brother, where is Zhelan?"

Sheng Chi paused almost imperceptibly as he handed over the bowl. He lowered his eyelashes, the thick lashes casting a small shadow beneath his eyes, concealing the emotions that had surged within him. When he looked up again, his expression had returned to normal, and his voice was steady: "Helping to organize medicinal herbs in the military camp. You know the medical staff are short-handed."

"Liar." Sheng Xuan's voice suddenly turned cold, filled with the anger of being fooled. He abruptly raised his hand, not to take the medicine bowl, but to slam it heavily onto the small table! A few drops of dark brown medicine splashed out, landing on the smooth lacquered surface and leaving dark spots.

“My bodyguard said he wasn’t even in the camp!”

He gripped the brocade spread along the edge of the couch tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force, his sharp eyes piercing Sheng Chi: "Did you make things difficult for him? Did you extract something from the cult? Did you lock him up?!"

He wasn't entirely unaware of the rumors circulating in the General's Mansion. When he was delirious from the Gu poison, the guards' hushed conversations pierced his hazy consciousness like needles—Sheng Chi had placed Su Zhelan under house arrest and forbade anyone to visit her.

Sheng Chi's brows furrowed instantly, and an invisible pressure emanated from him.

He suddenly reached out, not to comfort him, but with an irresistible force, and pressed heavily on Sheng Xuan's uninjured shoulder, forcing him to lean back against the soft pillow: "Behave yourself and recover!"

His voice was low, carrying a hint of annoyance at being exposed and suppressed anger, "I will handle Su Zhelan's matter! If you keep causing trouble, be careful your wounds don't reopen!"

The charcoal fire crackled in the warm room, its flickering light casting shadows on Sheng Chi's profile, mirroring the unspoken thoughts within him. He avoided Sheng Xuan's questioning gaze, turned, picked up the medicine bowl, and brought it to Sheng Chi's lips again, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Drink your medicine."

In the days that followed, Sheng Chi continued to come to the warm pavilion every day after finishing his heavy military duties.

Sometimes he would sit quietly by the bed reading, sometimes he would tuck the blanket around Shengxuan and ask about his injuries, but he never mentioned Su Zhelan's name again, as if that boy had never existed.

Sheng Xuan's anxiety grew daily. Several times, when Sheng Chi was away, he struggled to get out of bed, wanting to go and explore the legendary Shuyu Courtyard.

However, just as he reached the door, he was respectfully but forcefully stopped by the guards who stood guard outside like iron towers: "The general has ordered that the second young master is not allowed to go out until he recovers from his injuries."

That afternoon, the warm pavilion was unusually quiet.

In the midst of Shengxuan's drowsy state, he heard familiar, slightly unsteady footsteps coming from the corridor.

His heart skipped a beat, thinking it was Su Zhelan! Overwhelmed with joy, he struggled to sit up, aggravating the wound on his shoulder blade, causing him to gasp in pain.

The door was pushed open, and Sheng Chi entered. He was still holding the medicine bowl in his hand, his steps steady.

The light in Sheng Xuan's eyes dimmed instantly, and disappointment overwhelmed him like a cold tide. He slumped back against the soft pillow, but his gaze remained fixed on the medicine bowl in Sheng Chi's hand.

The rim of the bowl... had a very fine, still-dry... pale red stain.

That wasn't the dark brown of the medicinal juice.

It's blood!

Sheng Xuan felt as if his heart had been gripped tightly by an icy hand! He abruptly looked up at Sheng Chi, his voice trembling violently with extreme fear and anger: "Brother..." He pointed to the pale red stain on the rim of the bowl, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "You...you did...something to Zhe Lan?!"

Sheng Chi stopped in his tracks. He followed Sheng Xuan's gaze to the rim of the bowl, where the pale red color stood out starkly in the light. He silently placed the medicine bowl on the small table, his fingertips even colder than the bowl itself.

He didn't look Sheng Xuan in the eye, but calmly stated, his voice devoid of any emotion: "He's fine. He's just cooperating with the investigation and needs to rest, so it's inconvenient to disturb him."

"Cooperate with the investigation?" Sheng Xuan's voice suddenly rose, trembling with sobs and disbelief. "Is he really such a cold-hearted person?! Knowing I almost died... he wouldn't even come to see me?! Not even a single word?!"

Sheng Chi stood with his back to Sheng Xuan, his gaze fixed on the swirling snowflakes outside the window, remaining silent for a long, long time. Only the crackling of the burning charcoal and Sheng Xuan's suppressed, choked breathing filled the warm room.

Finally, Sheng Chi slowly turned around. His face bore a deep weariness that Sheng Xuan had never seen before, as if he were carrying a thousand-pound burden. He walked to the bedside, his voice low and hoarse, carrying an almost resigned helplessness: "He is not indifferent."

He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, and finally said in a low voice, "When you get better... I'll take you... to see him."

Inside the warm chamber, the charcoal fire still burned brightly, casting long shadows of the two people on the wall, twisting and swaying like silent sighs or unspeakable secrets.

Sheng Xuan stared at the tightly closed door and the corridor guarded by his personal guards outside. The excruciating pain in his shoulder blades seemed to have gone numb. However, it felt as if a huge hole had been ripped open in his heart, and the cold wind howled in, making him feel colder and more desperate than any wound.