Chapter 34 Bringing Up Old Grudges: "Are we still doing business now?"...
Shen Minghuai stroked her hand, "You must never act alone again from now on."
Wang Yan sensed his unease and tried to comfort him with a witty remark, "Going to the toilet... do you want to come along too?"
"Aying." Shen Minghuai had no intention of joking with her.
Wang Yan took his other hand and patted him, saying, "I understand."
Hua Xin and Ying Ming quickly turned their backs and began to analyze the situation, one word at a time.
"This is?"
"Um."
"real?"
"Even after all this, it's still fake?"
"Yes, your hands are all like this and that."
"What do you mean by 'this' and 'that'? It sounds weird."
"A little quarrel is good for the relationship, a little quarrel is good for the relationship."
Wang Yan caught a glimpse of two figures leaning against each other. "What are you two whispering about?"
Hua Xin rebuked, "Tell me, you always lose, your luck is terrible."
Ying Ming picked up the bowl without looking up and walked towards the sink. "Most of the time, you're the one who loses."
"Yeah?"
After the two men left, Wang Yan cleared his throat and said, "Um... I'll do it myself today."
Shen Minghuai quickly agreed, "If you need any help, just call me."
After Wang Yan put on her dress and walked out of the house, Shen Minghuai helped her sit down and immediately asked about her injuries.
“No need to find a doctor. I know some medicine, this injury is nothing. Besides—” Wang Yan took out a medicinal ointment from his pocket, “I also have this, what is there to worry about.”
Shen Minghuai was taken aback for a moment, "You carry it with you at all times."
Wang Yan nodded. She'd just casually tossed it into her bundle that day; who knew it would actually come in handy? She then went on to recount her past travels with Li Changling, her tone unconsciously tinged with resentment. Whether in the capital or in the martial world, she had always been unknown; why had everyone suddenly started paying attention to her for no apparent reason, starting this year on her birthday?
Shen Minghuai lowered his head and stroked the belt hanging from her waist, saying in a low voice, "This journey has been dangerous; you really shouldn't have followed me."
"No one could have predicted this would happen." Wang Yan snatched the ribbon back from his hand. "Do you think I'm a burden?"
"You know that's not what I meant." Shen Minghuai grasped her restless hand, a layer of frost gradually forming between his brows. "In the thick fog, could you even make out his face?"
Wang Yan recalled carefully, "I couldn't see his face clearly. He was wearing a veil, but his sword tassel was unique. It didn't look like it was made of silk or cotton; it looked more like... hair."
Shen Minghuai frowned. "Hair?" A figure flashed through his mind, but before he could grasp it, it vanished.
The two remained silent for a long while. Wang Yan reached out to untie his shoulder straps, but Wang Yan dodged his hand.
"Your jade pendant."
Before Wang Yan could explain, Shen Minghuai gripped her crimson sash tightly in his hand, saying, "You're still blaming me."
Before she could speak again, Shen Minghuai interrupted, "You didn't wear it on the Dragon Boat Festival."
Fearing she would lose the initiative again, Wang Yan immediately covered his lips with her hand, "Listen to me."
Why were you late on your coming-of-age ceremony?
With her slender finger pressed against his lips, Wang Yan continued, "Immortal of the Linjiang River is a property of the Wang family. Did you already know that?"
Shen Minghuai grasped her wrist, and the young lady's jade-like fingers pressed down a little more.
"Can we still be considered a transaction now?"
As soon as he lowered his hand, Shen Minghuai pulled her into his arms, cupping her head in his hands, saying nothing. He didn't give her a single word of explanation. Wang Yan struggled, "You really were using me—"
Shen Minghuai held her tightly in his arms, burying his head in her right shoulder, "Aying."
She detected a hint of bitterness in his voice. Wang Yan didn't know how to react. "What?"
“Aying”.
This sound carried a hint of self-reproach. "Hmm?"
“Aying”.
She heard clearly this time, despite the many dependencies.
"I do not want to become the second Duke of Dingguo."
Wang Yan's hand, which was pressed against his chest, reached out and hugged him tightly. "Okay."
She had expected him to say it was for the sake of Prince Wei and the Shen family, and to elaborate on his unavoidable circumstances, but in the end he only gave her this one sentence.
“On the day of my coming-of-age ceremony, I had a fight with my father. He always weighs the interests in any relationship. Young Master Shen from the Duke of Dingguo’s mansion deliberately arrived late.”
“I knew from the time I was in the capital that Linjiangxian was a property of the Wang family. It was my intention to have Linjiangxian organize the peony banquet. It was both to fulfill our original deal and to make those with ulterior motives suspect the relationship between the Wang family and the Duke of Dingguo’s mansion.”
"It wasn't just about interests from the beginning; now it's all about sincerity."
Shen Minghuai slowly raised his head, seemingly awaiting her final verdict.
He had indeed used her, and she could feel his affection at that moment. Now that they were in the martial world, away from the capital, they had fewer worries, but what would happen in the future? Was his silence due to uncertainty about their future, or was it because once their feelings were spoken, it would mark the beginning of the end for their relationship?
"What about the future?" Wang Yan asked again.
Shen Minghuai's thoughts drifted off to who-knows-where, "In the future... if what I've planned doesn't go as I wish... perhaps there will be no future."
Wang Yan gripped her dress tightly with both hands, still unwilling to give up, and asked, "You still want to participate in the struggle for the throne? Didn't you just say you didn't want to become the second Duke of Dingguo?!"
“Yes. I do not desire such power, nor do I wish to sit in such a position, but Great Yue now needs a wise ruler.” Shen Minghuai had never been so resolute, not even when he first mentioned the idea of leaving the capital.
Although Wang Yan didn't understand the schemes of those in power, as an ordinary citizen, she had her own judgment.
"Are you absolutely convinced that King Wei will be a wise ruler?"
Shen Minghuai's thoughts returned, and he told her some earth-shattering news: "The one I want to support is not Prince Wei."
The four of them tidied up the house, leaving the only bed for Wang Yan. The only bedding was brought by Aunt Wu, but thankfully it was summer.
As the sun set, the afterglow spread across the sky like brocade. In an instant, twilight vanished, and night enveloped the heavens. The wind howled, and the rain began to patter down again.
Wang Yan, dressed in her undergarments, climbed onto the bed. A cool breeze seeped in through the window, causing her to shiver involuntarily. Shen Minghuai bolted the window shut, walked to the bedside, pulled the blankets up a bit, and placed his hand on her forehead, his brow furrowing slightly.
"Why do you have a fever again?"
Shen Minghuai's belt was not fastened, and his nightgown was slightly open, with faint light and shadow spilling out from the collar. Wang Yan quickly got up, pulled his clothes back up, and pushed him aside, saying, "I'm fine, go to sleep."
Shen Minghuai squeezed her hand. "We should find a doctor to examine you tomorrow."
As night deepened and dews grew heavy, Wang Yan huddled under the covers, muttering to herself. The surrounding cliffs were all white, frost and snow piled high, and the biting cold engulfed her, leaving only a faint breath.
“Aying”.
"Aying?"
"Aying!"
Wang Yan woke up from his dream again, covered in a cold sweat.
"My fever has worsened again. I will go to find a doctor as soon as it is light."
Shen Minghuai helped her up, fed her some water, wiped the sweat from her forehead with a handkerchief, and said softly, "Did you have a nightmare?"
A person lay fallen between the pristine white world, their hands and feet frozen purple, their eyelashes heavy with snow, as the white expanse gradually faded into the surrounding darkness. Every time she recalled such a scene, it was as if she were walking on a knife's edge.
"No, go to sleep."
Wang Yanfu lay back down with her back to him. Shen Minghuai tucked her hair behind her ear and comforted her, "I've always been here."
"That would be wonderful." Wang Yan pulled the blanket tighter around himself and gradually drifted off to sleep.
As dawn broke, Shen Minghuai stepped out of the courtyard and saw Xiao Tan leading the doctor, who was covered in morning dew, rushing over.
“Yesterday I noticed that my sister looked very unwell, and since you are not familiar with this place, I brought Doctor Sun to take a look at her.”
Shen Minghuai hurriedly welcomed the two into the courtyard.
As soon as the person by the bed left, Wang Yan woke up. She had just changed her clothes when Shen Minghuai quickly brought back a doctor.
Dr. Sun diagnosed that the coldness in her body had accumulated for a long time. Although it had dissipated, it was only a temporary solution and not a cure. The prescription he gave her could only temporarily neutralize the coldness.
"It would be best to find someone to cure my wife's illness as soon as possible."
Xiao Tan leaned closer for a look. "Dr. Sun, are you any good at medicine? My sister clearly has qi and blood deficiency, how come you can't cure her?"
"My lady, this—"
"Dr. Sun, thank you for your trouble."
While Shen Minghuai was seeing off Doctor Sun, Wang Yan asked Xiao Tan for directions to the pharmacy.
Xiao Tan quickly helped her sit down, saying that these medicines needed to be bought in town. Then, her eyes lit up, "How about this? Sister, let the guard from yesterday go with me, and Young Master Shen can take care of you here."
Wang Yan smiled knowingly, "You should ask Young Master Shen about that."
After everyone returned to the courtyard, Xiao Tan brought up her earlier suggestion again, and Shen Minghuai immediately summoned Ying Ming without saying a word.
Ying Ming reluctantly took the prescription from his young master's hands. "Why didn't you send Hua Xin?"
Xiao Tan pulled him out of the house, saying, "Your young master's orders have no reason why. Just obey."
Shen Minghuai stared at Wang Yan, looking as if he wanted to say something but ultimately didn't ask anything.
A portrait of a woman in green hung on a wooden frame, its silhouette cast in the dim, yellow light of the setting sun. Qian Xu carefully traced the woman's features with his five fingers, while another portrait lay half-open on the table.
Jiang An rushed in, bowing his head. "News has come from Yangzhou that they have gone to Xiuzhou, accompanied by two young masters from the Yang family."
Qian Xu unfolded the portrait on the table. "The Yang family... Yang Jiezhou?"
Jiang An nodded and said, "Yes. It is said that Madam Yang is also on very good terms with Young Master Shen."
Qian Xu looked up immediately, "How come I heard that Minghuai is getting quite close to Lady Wang?"
Jiang An hurriedly said, "No matter who Young Master Shen gets close to, it must be for His Highness's sake."
Ding Chen hurriedly entered the hall. "Your Highness, Lady Shang has gone to Prince Su's residence."
"Today is Fourth Sister-in-law's birthday. Fourth Brother has just returned to the capital recently, so we must have a proper celebration." Qian Xu added, "Don't report such trivial matters to me in the future."
Ding Chen caught a glimpse of the two portraits and pulled Jiang An away with him. The woman in green in the painting seemed to possess a bewitching power, drawing a smile from Qian Xu.
"Minghuai, tell me, should I give it to you this time?"
Qian Xu picked up the painting on the table and walked to the wooden shelf to compare it carefully. He frowned and said bluntly, "Aying, she is inferior to you in every way, except for her appearance and personality, which are somewhat similar. She is just like you, too disobedient."
With both hands touching the image on the wooden frame, Wang Yan's painting fell to the ground.
"Ah Ying, you know that even though I've taken other women as concubines, you're still the one I love the most."
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The author's note: Why are all the officials so silent? If they want the throne, they'll just have to hand it over.
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