Chapter 42 This chapter tells the story of how she was born so that she would never leave his sight...
Shen Yunzhi returned to Yunxi Courtyard, recalling Cui Hong's promise, and gently touched her heart with her palm.
This is a risky move, but the odds of winning are high.
Regardless of Cui Hong's motives or reasons for targeting Cui Huai, this is a matter between the brothers. In her past life, she was too deeply entangled with Cui Huai and failed to notice the undercurrents, instead being used by Cui Hong. Now that Cui Hong has been used by her, it's not fair to say they're even, but no matter what happens afterward, she won't feel guilty.
Having gone through it herself, she was certain that Choi Hong had a way to help her.
That experience can also help her further discern the deeper meaning behind Cui Hong's words and actions.
However, she wouldn't truly place her hopes on Cui Hong.
All she needed was for Cui Hong to help her get rid of Cui Huai later.
After his fever subsided, he slept for a day before finally waking up.
Upon learning that Shen Yunzhi had visited him twice at Qiyun Residence, and that she had come alone once, his mood improved slightly, and he did not ask Lin Yue to invite her to Yunxi Courtyard.
However, after waiting for half a day, he didn't see Shen Yunzhi, but only Cui Lizhu and Cui Hong. Cui Lizhu and Cui Hong inquired about the condition of the imperial physician Cui Huai, and seeing that Cui Huai had finished his medicine, they got up to take their leave so as not to disturb his rest. Cui Huai, lying on the bed, however, asked Cui Lizhu to stay.
Cui Hong and Cui Lizhu turned around and looked at Cui Huai at the same time.
After a few breaths, Cui Hong left first, and Cui Lizhu returned to the bedside: "Big brother, what's wrong?"
Cui Huai asked in a low, hoarse, and slightly weak voice, "Why are there only the two of you?"
Choi Yeo-joo didn't respond for a moment.
Cui Huai then asked, "Where is Zhiniang?"
“Zhi Niang isn’t in the manor. She didn’t tell me what she was going to do,” Cui Lizhu replied in a low voice.
Recalling Shen Yunzhi's words, and finding herself alone with Cui Huai, Cui Lizhu felt an urge to persuade him. However, this impulse was fleeting; she opened her mouth, but forcibly suppressed it... She asked, "Big brother, is there something you need from Zhi Niang?"
Cui Huai, however, was only concerned with one other thing: "Where did she go?"
“I don’t know either,” Choi Yeo-joo said.
That's the truth.
Even the fact that Shen Yunzhi went out today was something Cui Lizhu learned from the Princess of Chu.
"I think it's time to go back," she added.
Cui Huai grunted in response and did not question her further. After a short while, Cui Lizhu came out of the room.
The room was silent. Cui Huai stared at the top of the tent, thinking about Cui Lizhu's words. He wondered what Shen Yunzhi had gone out to do. Images of her holding the crape myrtle flowers given to him by Huo Ming and her embracing Chen Zhaoyu under the plum tree kept flashing through his mind.
A fire, a mixture of anger and jealousy, burned fiercely in his heart.
The thought of him being sick for only a few days and wondering what she was doing behind his back filled him with an urgent desire for her to never leave his sight.
He tolerated both Huo Ming and Chen Zhaoyu.
Isn't that enough?
Why would there be other people?
Why didn't she have any ulterior motives when facing Huo Ming and Chen Zhaoyu?
Cui Huai felt a tightness in his chest, as if the fire was spreading to every part of his body, seeping into his bones and blood, causing him to feel waves of pain all over his body. His eyes were blazing with fire, and he could no longer lie still. In a flash, he threw off the brocade quilt and stepped out of bed barefoot. Because he got up too suddenly, he touched the cold floor and swayed.
"Your Highness?!"
Shen Yunzhi walked around the screen and saw Cui Huai standing by the bed with a face as white as paper and sweat beading on his forehead.
She hurried forward and reached out to support him, saying, "Your Highness is still seriously ill; how can you get out of bed so easily?"
Cui Huai slowly turned his face as if he hadn't had time to react.
When his gaze fell upon Shen Yunzhi's face and he saw the concern in her eyes, he snapped out of his reverie and asked, "Where did you go today?"
Shen Yunzhi helped him back to bed to lie down.
Seeing Cui Huai staring straight at her, Shen Yunzhi said, "I went to Baiyun Temple."
Cui Huai then asked, "What are you going to Baiyun Temple for?"
"What does Your Highness wish me to do?" Shen Yunzhi asked him.
Cui Huai paused for a moment, then confessed in a hoarse voice, "Thinking that you might be meeting with someone I don't know, I wanted to go find you."
Shen Yunzhi said calmly, "He went to see someone."
Cui Huai frowned, his face darkening.
Shen Yunzhi presented a talisman to Cui Huai: "I obtained this talisman and had it blessed by the master in the temple. It is meant to be seen by people." She placed the talisman beside Cui Huai's pillow. "The Second Young Master said that His Highness's punishment this time was related to me... His Highness is so ill. I do not know medicine and I am uneasy. I can only ask for a talisman to comfort His Highness."
Cui Huai glanced at the amulet lying quietly beside his pillow.
After a long silence, Shen Yunzhi said, "Your Highness has been unconscious for several days. Even if the fever has subsided, you still need to take good care of yourself. I will go back now."
The fire in his heart had vanished without a trace, but Cui Huai was even more aware that his mind was foggy.
He caught a glimpse of Shen Yunzhi turning around out of the corner of his eye. He reached out to stop her, but only touched a corner of her clothes. He then leaned over and grabbed the corner of her clothes, and then fell off the bed again.
Shen Yunzhi reacted quickly and caught Cui Huai a second time.
She squatted by the bed, and Cui Huai leaned almost entirely against her, his face half-buried in her neck.
A familiar, subtle fragrance wafted into my nose.
Cui Huai, in a daze, intoxicated by the scent, was somewhat disoriented and suddenly lost track of time.
Shen Yunzhi shattered his illusions and quickly pushed him back onto the bed.
"What is Your Highness doing?" she asked, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her voice betraying her displeasure.
Cui Huai looked up at Shen Yunzhi.
He still held onto her clothes, his low, husky voice tinged with pleasure: "You care about me a lot."
Shen Yunzhi immediately denied it: "Your Highness is overthinking it."
Cui Huai released her hand and let her leave: "Come earlier tomorrow."
...
It is true that Shen Yunzhi went to Baiyun Temple to ask for a peace charm for Cui Huai, and it is also true that she met him.
It wasn't a high-ranking monk from the temple, but Huo Ming.
Inquiring about Huo Ming's whereabouts was too strange, but finding out about the Seventh Princess Cui Xuan's whereabouts was much easier. Since her marriage to Huo Ming, whenever Cui Xuan appeared in public, Huo Ming was always present. Wherever Cui Xuan was, Huo Ming was bound to be there too, thus making things convenient for Shen Yunzhi.
After arriving at Baiyun Temple, Shen Yunzhi did not deliberately seek out Huo Ming, but instead offered incense and prayed for talismans as usual.
Huo Ming spotted her and quietly came to find her while she was waiting for the monk to consecrate the amulet.
When they met again, the two remained silent.
Shen Yunzhi didn't say a word, and left immediately after receiving the talisman.
She had her own purpose in meeting Huo Ming.
There are some things that she and Choi Yeo-joo cannot accomplish on their own, and even if Choi Yeo-joo could, she doesn't want Choi Yeo-joo to know, so she has to ask others for help.
Huo Ming felt guilty towards her and was willing to help her with even the smallest favor.
In particular, she wouldn't be asked to explain too much, so she wouldn't need to give Huo Ming any explanation.
Everything is going according to plan.
Her expression of concern for Cui Huai, who was ill, was also intentional.
Previously, she had been tough in front of Cui Huai, and this illness was a good opportunity to make Cui Huai think that she had softened and accepted him. In fact, she was numbing him so that he would not do anything like sending people to guard her. For her plan to succeed, it was very important that she could act freely. If she was watched day and night, she would most likely fail to achieve her goal.
Shen Yunzhi went to see Cui Huai again, just as he had said.
Just then, the servant brought in the medicine and porridge.
After resting for an extra day, Cui Huai's energy and spirits had improved, and his originally pale complexion had eased considerably.
He washed and sat up against the headboard, while the servants put down the tray and left.
"I feel weak all over. Could you feed me some porridge and medicine, Cousin Zhi?"
Cui Huai glanced at the food and medicine on the small table beside the bed and then made a request to Shen Yunzhi.
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Author's Note: I'm late, so I'm sending out small red envelopes (cash gifts) to everyone. [Please!]
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