Chapter 37 The Red Thread
With their worries about Zhuang Dongqing put to rest, the three of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Once she calmed down, Liu Qi remembered something else and quickly stepped forward, "Master, why are you awake? Are you still dizzy? Take a rest."
Upon hearing Liu Qi's words, Zhuang Dongqing noticed that Cen Yan's voice sounded a little unsteady. Looking at Cen Yan's expression, he couldn't quite figure out what was wrong, so he quickly composed himself so as not to cause trouble for everyone.
Cen Yan: "The crying was so loud that it woke me up."
Liu Qi: "..."
Liu Qi: "Then I'll ask them to go to the outer room next time."
Cen Yan closed his eyes briefly and said wearily, "No need, there's no next time."
These kinds of things only happen once every few years, and there's no way to prepare in advance; you just have to be flexible and adapt to the situation.
Liu Qi should only be...
He then reported on the subsequent reactions of Eunuch Feng and the Imperial Medical Academy.
After they finished speaking, and judging that it was about time, Zhuang Dongqing asked in a low voice, "What exactly happened?"
Cen Yan: "Help me sit up, and I'll tell you slowly."
"oh."
Just as Liu Qi moved, he saw Zhuang Dongqing, who was nearby, help Cen Yan sit up. Liu Qi paused, then turned around and went out, bringing in a teapot and cups of water, mixing them and handing them to the two of them.
It wasn't complicated, but what Zhuang Dongqing saw was that he was faking illness.
But... it can't all be said to be an act, because the various bodily reactions weren't performed.
"The snake venom on my leg was applied by Master Zhao. It was taken from a snake with very low venom venom. He keeps a few snakes there as medicinal materials. Since the bite mark hadn't healed yet, he just let the venom seep into the wound, and that's how it turned out."
"Pulse and heartbeat. Eating some seasonal poisonous mushrooms won't kill you, but it will cause some very critical reactions."
"None of them are fatal; medication can help."
Sitting back, Cen Yan spoke slowly, his voice weak and his face deathly pale.
"ah?"
Zhuang Dongqing asked in surprise, "What, are you taking this acting for real?"
His expression perfectly conveyed his genuine disapproval.
Cen Yan glanced at Zhuang Dongqing with a smile and said indifferently, "Do you think they're all pushovers if you can't really fool the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital?"
Although he said it with a smile, Zhuang Dongqing inexplicably sensed a hidden helplessness in his voice.
With her head down, Zhuang Dongqing went to check Cen Yan's leg. She had seen the imperial physician press it before, and he had also reached out his hand. It was swollen and black, and looked like it was in a bad state... Perhaps the dosage of snake venom was not small.
Cen Yan said softly, "...It's alright, you'll feel better after taking the medicine."
That's a lie.
There is no serum available in this era, so even if you take medicine, it is impossible to solve the problem at its source.
Ultimately, it still depends on the body's resistance to metabolize these toxins.
If you try to tough it out, you'll definitely suffer.
Liu Qi also said, "Yes, Young Master Zhuang, don't worry, the antidote is already brewing. Shall we bring it over to drink right away?"
After asking, Cen Yan shook his head, "Let's wait a while. If a second batch of imperial physicians is to be sent today, it should be soon."
After thinking for a moment, Cen Yan said, "If no one comes by Shenshi (3-5 PM), we'll drink some more."
Liu Qi agreed.
Zhuang Dongqing silently pulled the blanket up for Cen Yan, looked up at him for a moment, and suddenly asked, "Are you dizzy?"
"……fine."
Zhuang Dongqing: "...Lie down and stop talking."
Liu Qi thought of something and chimed in, "Yes, Master, you should lie down and rest. This morning when we used the poison, Master Zhao said that dizziness and lightheadedness are normal, and that we should rest after using the poison."
After he finished speaking, he saw Cen Yan's indifferent gaze sweep over him.
Zhuang Dongqing was a step ahead of Liu Qi, helping Cen Yan up and trying to make him lie down without saying a word.
Cen Yan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately didn't insist. Zhuang Dongqing came to help him up, and he used the support to lie down again.
Seeing that the inner room didn't need him, Hao San said a few words to Cen Yan and then left.
Just now, to make it easier for the imperial physician to examine him, the windows in the room were opened, making the room much brighter. Fearing that Cen Yan might feel uncomfortable, Liu Qi went to close them again.
Zhuang Dongqing tidied Cen Yan's quilt, then, as if remembering something, went to the foot of the bed and pulled down the trouser leg that Cen Yan had rolled up to check the wound. His movements were meticulous and thoughtful.
While he was doing these things, Cen Yan's eyes were always on him, but Zhuang Dongqing didn't notice.
So she looked up and met Cen Yan's gaze. When she realized that Cen Yan had been staring at her, Zhuang Dongqing couldn't help but feel a little awkward.
Are you angry?
Zhuang Dongqing shook her head.
Cen Yan's voice sounded even gentler because of its weakness, "Why do you look unhappy?"
Zhuang Dongqing sat back down on the edge of the bed and muttered, "There's nothing to be happy about in using poison to fake illness."
Cen Yan laughed, which Zhuang Dongqing didn't understand.
Cen Yan closed his eyes briefly and smiled faintly, "It sounds like you care about me quite a bit."
The sound was actually very soft, just enough for Zhuang Dongqing to hear completely.
Zhuang Dongqing: "..."
Zhuang Dongqing: "Of course, everyone in the Prince's mansion depends on the Prince."
"so."
Zhuang Dongqing's smile faded again. She vaguely felt that she had said something wrong, but she didn't see that Cen Yan's expression was different, so she became uncertain again.
Zhuang Dongqing never dwelled on things he didn't understand. After a moment of silence, he lowered his voice and said, "Well, I'm going out now. You can get some sleep?"
Cen Yan: "It was too noisy just now, and I have a headache so I can't sleep."
"..."
"Then... shall I talk to you for a while?"
"Can."
When Liu Qi returned after closing the window, he heard these two sentences. He immediately and quickly refilled the tea for the two of them, telling them to go and keep watch and to call him if they needed anything.
Liu Qi lifted the curtain and went out, leaving only Zhuang Dongqing and Cen Yan in the inner room.
It should have been awkward, but perhaps because Cen Yan had his eyes closed, or perhaps because he had gotten used to sharing a room with Cen Yan during their escape, Zhuang Dongqing felt fine after Liu Qi left.
Cen Yan remained silent, but Zhuang Dongqing tried to start a conversation, "This poison won't just be used this once, will it?"
“Not only that. If there are fewer cases later, the imperial physicians will come twice more. If there are more, it’s hard to say. It’s not impossible that they will come every day.” Cen Yan said calmly. “However, today’s dosage is the heaviest. We will reduce it as appropriate later, and it will be better.”
Zhuang Dongqing hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
As if he could see it with his eyes closed, Cen Yan asked him, "What do you want to say?"
Zhuang Dongqing truthfully said, "I wanted to say it's bad for your health, but it's easy for me to say that when I'm not in the situation, so I shouldn't have said it."
"Liu Qi and Hao San also advised me in the same way, so what's wrong with saying it?"
Originally intended to comfort Zhuang Dongqing, the other party remained stubborn and retorted, "I shouldn't have said that, after all, it's not what you think."
Cen Yan was speechless.
Zhuang Dongqing's voice remained soft and gentle as she whispered, "It's not what you think, and I can't solve your problem. Saying these two more words will only bother you, so I shouldn't say them."
Cen Yan let out a soft breath.
Really...
My eyes were still closed, but the noise and clamor seemed to have faded into the distance, and my heart softened.
Cen Yan said slowly, "These two lines sound better than the original ones."
Zhuang Dongqing looked at Cen Yan and suddenly asked, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"Or, did you do something to make you happy?"
Cen Yan did all this for the sake of the Prince's Mansion, and as one of those he protected, Zhuang Dongqing was very grateful.
Zhuang Dongqing counted on her fingers and said, "How about I prepare some medicine to control your dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea? I think that's a good idea. I'll ask Master Zhao about it later."
Since we have to be wary of the imperial physicians, and the poison can't be neutralized, and we still have to ingest it every day, then it's fine if we feel a little more comfortable.
"You've been eating so much these past few days, you probably can't eat anymore. Just drink some porridge."
"As for the rest, is there anything you want me to do?"
Cen Yan chuckled: "Is this how you show concern for me?"
"I guess so, I wanted to do my part too?"
Cen Yan: "Anything is fine?"
Zhuang Dongqing: "What do you think?"
After a moment of silence, Cen Yan slowly said, "There is something I've been hesitant to mention before, but since you've asked, I'll tell you."
"Master Zhao said that when a Ren tribe man becomes pregnant, a red line will appear on his lower abdomen, is that right?"
Zhuang Dongqing: "Yes."
"So, can I take a look at that line?"
ah?
Zhuang Dongqing: "..."
"…………"
"Yes, what's so interesting?!" Zhuang Dongqing said stubbornly, but her ears felt a little hot.
Cen Yan remained calm, saying, "The idea of suddenly having a child feels quite unreal. I haven't really felt it, and besides, I don't know how to take a pulse. When we were in the village, your lower abdomen was flat... It still feels quite unreal."
Cen Yan had always wanted to confirm it for himself.
But it was hard to say before.
Zhuang Dongqing has come to our door today, so we need to discuss the pros and cons.
Zhuang Dongqing: "..."
What he said makes a lot of sense, but it doesn't conflict with his reluctance.
Zhuang Dongqing suddenly said, "What did you just ask me?"
Cen Yan: "Pregnancy, red thread?"
"No, the previous sentence."
Cen Yan has a good memory, "You'll agree to anything?"
Zhuang Dongqing could answer now, and said seriously, word by word, "No!"
"..."
I understand, but I don't want to.
Cen Yan wasn't annoyed; instead, she laughed. "You can just refuse me."
Zhuang Dongqing lowered her head, rubbed her ear (which was hot to the touch), and muttered, "You didn't have to mention it!"
*
When Zhuang Dongqing came out again, it was almost lunchtime, and Cen Yan had fallen asleep.
After having lunch in the east wing and taking a midday rest, no more imperial physicians came to the door, and Cen Yan drank the antidote.
Zhuang Dongqing also went to see Master Zhao and shared her ideas about medicine to treat dizziness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Master Zhao approved of her ideas and arranged for her to have the medicine for Cen Yan.
That evening, Zhuang Dongqing asked Cen Yan, and Liu Qi came over in person to ask if he wanted to go to the west wing.
Zhuang Dongqing hesitated: "Can I go?"
Liu Qi: "Of course, you are welcome to come whenever you wish."
Zhuang Dongqing belatedly realized that the people in the Prince's Mansion no longer suspected him. After thinking for a moment, he nodded.
It wasn't until evening that Cen Yan ate some porridge, just plain porridge, and he had no appetite at all. Zhuang Dongqing checked on Cen Yan, ate with him, and then left.
The next day, just as Cen Yan had predicted, the second group of imperial physicians arrived.
Zhuang Dongqing woke up and had just stepped out of the courtyard when she heard a commotion outside. Liu Fu said that people from the palace had come again.
Zhuang Dongqing knew she couldn't act, so she didn't go over to join in the fun this time.
After everyone left, I asked a couple of questions. As usual, I went to check on him after my lunch break and used the poison again. He looked even weaker.
Zhuang Dongqing felt uneasy, but it was indeed something he couldn't help with, so he kept quiet and only did what he could to help, such as accompanying Cen Yan to take medicine or have meals together. He wouldn't refuse if Cen Yan mentioned it.
No one came on the third day.
On the fourth day, another group of imperial physicians arrived.
On the fifth day, His Majesty held court for the first time in a long while and reprimanded the ministers who had previously impeached Cen Yan. He said that Cen Yan was wholeheartedly devoted to the Great Sheng Dynasty and had risked his own safety to protect the Emperor. His loyalty was as clear as day and night and should not be slandered by others.
The matter of protecting the emperor was defined, and the Third Prince was severely reprimanded for his cruelty and the fact that he had abused and killed several servants in his residence. He was also fined half a year's salary as a way of bringing the matter to a close.
Suddenly, the tide turned in the court, and all the ministers became concerned about Cen Yan's condition.
*
Zhuang Dongqing wasn't particularly happy when she heard the news.
After several days of poisoning, Cen Yan developed a severe immune response, unable to eat and suffering from vomiting and diarrhea.
Zhuang Dongqing noticed it in the morning, and in the afternoon she felt that Cen Yan's body temperature was also rising, which made her anxious.
"This can't go on, something bad will happen to him," Zhuang Dongqing said seriously.
After saying this, Zhuang Dongqing noticed that Cen Yan was vomiting up every time he drank water.
Cen Yan asked Liu Qi to help him, and he followed along.
After he finished vomiting, Cen Yan still had the energy to persuade him, saying, "Didn't I tell you to wait outside? Why did you come in? It's dirty."
Zhuang Dongqing: "..."
Zhuang Dongqing handed a clean handkerchief to Liu Qi, asking Liu Qi to help Cen Yan wipe his face, while she helped him.
"knew."
He didn't agree, but his tone was gentle, and he didn't argue with Cen Yan; it was more of a sense of helplessness.
Just as I was getting anxious, the message came back.
Having gotten what he wanted, Cen Yan finally agreed to stop using poison, and Zhuang Dongqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The detoxifying herbs can finally be taken in large doses.
However, the rejection reaction was not so easy to get rid of. Cen Yan vomited even after taking the medicine. There was nothing he could do but wait.
Cen Yan took a nap in the afternoon.
In the evening, Zhuang Dongqing went to see him again and saw that he looked haggard. She felt sorry for him and sat on the edge of the bed and asked him, "Was it worth it? Actually, it was just a word of approval."
When I asked, I thought Cen Yan was asleep.
To everyone's surprise, the person was awake.
"more than."
Cen Yan replied.
"I'll tell you slowly when I'm feeling better."
He paused, then added, "I don't want to get involved in many of the dirty dealings later on. In fact, His Majesty is aware of this; it's just a game of strategy."
But it's your own body that's being harmed!
Zhuang Dongqing clung to this statement, feeling that she had no right to say it.
As one of those receiving asylum, he is a beneficiary of this incident.
After a moment of silence, Zhuang Dongqing realized something: "Are you feeling so unwell that you can't sleep?"
Cen Yan was quiet for a moment, then let out a breath, "...I thought I had done a good job of pretending."
Zhuang Dongqing also sighed.
After much fuss, Zhuang Dongqing was finally able to take her medicine. Cen Yan told Zhuang Dongqing to return to the east wing, but Zhuang Dongqing didn't leave.
When it was just the two of them, Cen Yan laughed and said, "I didn't realize you were so stubborn. Even if you stay here, I won't get better any faster."
Zhuang Dongqing stubbornly replied, "There are always things I can do."
Cen Yan was too embarrassed to point it out, "For example?"
The room was quiet, and Zhuang Dongqing didn't utter a sound for quite a while.
Just as Cen Yan was about to speak again to persuade people to go back, Zhuang Dongqing spoke first.
She whispered, extremely embarrassed, "Do you... still want to see him?"
"What?"
Zhuang Dongqing closed her eyes, her neck turning completely red, and uttered two words at a time:
"Lower abdomen, red line, child..."
"You now..."
"Do you want to see more?"
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