Chapter 21
In the dim candlelight, Wei Luo slightly opened his eyes. What he saw was a gray bed curtain, and he heard a cacophony of voices. He felt dizzy and didn't know where he was.
"My lord has caught a cold, which has caused a high fever. He just needs some medicine. However, he is very weak, so please remember not to go out recently."
The doctor gave a few instructions, took out several packets of herbs, placed them on the table, and after Shen Yao paid the money, he left.
"Chen Yao~"
Wei Luo's voice was low and hoarse. He thought he was very loud, but to Shen Yao, it sounded so weak, like an injured dog lying on the ground whimpering, waiting for its owner's care and comfort.
Shen Yao walked in, sat on the edge of the bed, and asked, "What's wrong?"
On the bed, lightly draped with silk curtains, Wei Luo felt his throat was very dry and his face was burning. He blinked and said, "Water, I want to drink water."
Oh, I'm thirsty!
Shen Yao understood, and quickly brought him a bowl of hot water, handing it to him and earnestly instructing him, "After you finish drinking, lie down for a while, don't fall asleep, I'll go and brew your medicine."
Wei Luo nodded slightly to Shen Yao and asked, "How long does it take to decoct the medicine?"
Shen Yao glanced at the medicine packet on the table and said uncertainly, "It will take at least fifteen minutes."
Wei Luo lowered her damp eyelashes and said softly, "Okay, you should go quickly, don't stay too long."
"Hmm." After watching Wei Luo lie down, Shen Yao took away the bowl of water and a packet of medicinal herbs, and went to decoct the medicine with her mother-in-law.
Behind him, Wei Luo endured the excruciating pain and struggled to his feet. His fever made his legs weak, but his vigilance remained undiminished.
While Shen Yao was out preparing medicine, he checked the room thoroughly to make sure there was nothing harmful before he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he opened one of the windows and lay back down on the bed.
Shen Yao quickly brought over a bowl of dark, bitter-smelling herbal medicine. You could smell its sourness from a distance. "The medicine is here. You're not asleep, are you?"
She placed the bowl by the bedside, glanced at Wei Luo whose face was flushed, gently shook him, and said, "Get up and drink your medicine."
Wei Luo coughed a few times, frowned as he looked at the medicine in the bowl, and said, "This medicine looks so bitter." He looked up at Chen Yao and said, "Go and find me some candied fruit."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yao wanted to slap him, but she patiently said, "In this godforsaken place, where am I supposed to find you candy?"
Wei Luo said again, "It's too hot. You go out first, I'll drink it later." Her delicate, curled eyelashes drooped slightly, and Wei Luo lowered her eyes to avoid the noise.
Shen Yao was slightly taken aback. What's wrong now?
Suddenly, in a flash, she remembered something—
To verify her guess, she said, "The medicine should be drunk while it's hot," and then left.
The room was empty. Wei Luo took out a silver needle from his sleeve and inserted it into the medicine. Seeing no obvious reaction at the needle tip, he felt relieved and swallowed it.
At the same time, Shen Yao also withdrew her gaze from the crack in the door. She was full of anger and cursed as she walked: "I kindly brewed medicine for him, but he suspected me of poisoning him. He really treated my kindness like dirt."
She kicked over a wooden stool with a bang, startling the black dog in the yard, which barked wildly. She snorted, squatted down, and reached out to call to it.
The puppy pricked up its ears, as if assessing the person in front of it for any danger.
A few breaths later, she gently rubbed the silly dog's head and sighed, "Even dogs are better than people, don't you think?"
The silly dog gently rubbed against the girl's soft hand, wagging its tail so hard it flew up.
With a creak, the door was pushed open.
Shen Yao suddenly looked up and followed the sound.
A tall, upright man, carrying a half-full bag of something unidentified, came through the snow.
"Godmother, I've come to bring you sweet potatoes."
The man put down the bag, and the puppy instantly darted out of Shen Yao's palm, wagging its tail and begging for the man's attention. The man clearly disliked the puppy's fawning and kicked it away, saying, "Go away, don't bother me."
Suddenly, he saw Shen Yao, his expression changed drastically, and he stammered, "You, how could you—"
Thinking he suspected her of being a thief, Shen Yao quickly explained, "I'm just a temporary tenant here, you don't need to be afraid."
No sooner had he finished speaking than his mother came out. She said to the man, "Brother, don't worry, he's not a bad person."
She then turned to Shen Yao and said, "This is my grandson-in-law's older brother, Zhao Liang. He's here to deliver sweet potatoes."
Shen Yao gave a soft "hmm" and looked the man up and down. The man suppressed his shock and also observed Shen Yao.
Then, he brought the sweet potatoes into the house and came out to his mother-in-law, saying, "Those sweet potatoes are enough for you to eat for a few days. In a few days, when the weather clears up and the snow melts, I will bring some potatoes and cabbage."
The old woman smiled broadly and said kindly, "That's enough, don't send any more. I'm just an old woman with white hair, I can't eat too much."
"Aren't there still guests here?" Zhao Liang looked at Shen Yao with a complicated expression.
The old woman smiled and said, "He's just a passerby, asking to stay the night."
Zhao Liang hummed in response and said nothing more. But before he took his leave, his deep eyes lingered on Shen Yao for a long time, making her feel a chill down her spine, before he finally left.
Shen Yao frowned. Her woman's sixth sense told her that this man was not simple. His eyes were like those of a wolf, and when he looked at you, it was as if he could strip you naked and reach straight to your soul.
She thought about it carefully and was sure she hadn't seen that person before. But she wasn't worried. She'd deal with whatever came her way. There was a big Buddha statue inside, so why should a nobody like her worry?
Once I calmed down, my stomach started rumbling in protest. I had been busy decocting medicine and had only managed to eat a small black steamed bun, which was hardly filling.
Now that she saw the sweet potatoes the man was carrying, she started to crave them. With sweet sweet potatoes, who would want to eat the hard-to-swallow steamed buns?
So she took out her purse and set her sights on the bag of sweet potatoes, saying, "Grandma, could you sell us some?"
The old woman smiled helplessly, took the money, and the two of them went inside to roast sweet potatoes.
Sweet potatoes had just arrived in China during this dynasty, having just crossed the ocean. As a newly emerging food crop, they were quite popular, enjoyed by everyone from high-ranking officials to ordinary people, who all praised them as a delicacy.
While roasting sweet potatoes, Shen Yao chatted with her mother-in-law.
The old woman had a son, but he and his wife passed away early, leaving behind only a granddaughter. However, the granddaughter also passed away last year, leaving her all alone in the family, utterly alone and forlorn.
The mother-in-law talked a lot about her son and daughter-in-law, and Shen Yao listened attentively. However, when her granddaughter was mentioned, it seemed to touch on a painful memory for the old woman, so she stopped talking about it.
Shen Yao, being sensible, didn't ask. After a while, she produced a thick book from somewhere and handed it to her.
“Water Margin!” Shen Yao exclaimed.
The old woman smiled and nodded, saying, "My granddaughter is about your age and loves reading Water Margin. If you're bored, you can read to pass the time. This old woman is getting old and not as energetic as she used to be, so I'm going back to my room to sleep."
Outside, it had gotten dark without us even realizing it.
After seeing her mother-in-law back to her room, Chen Yao moved a small stool and sat by the charcoal fire, flipping through a book. Although she was very familiar with *Water Margin*, the characters were in traditional Chinese, which she didn't recognize. Reluctantly, she closed the book and focused on roasting sweet potatoes.
The sweet potatoes had been buried under the charcoal fire for over an hour, and their aroma had spread for miles. Thinking they were almost ready, she used fire tongs to take them out. Just as she was about to peel them and enjoy them, she suddenly heard a noise behind her.
Turning around, she saw Wei Luo standing behind her, looking at her with the eyes of someone catching a thief. "Chen Yao, are you eating alone?"
"Uh, it's just baked and I'm about to bring it over to you."
Reluctantly, Shen Yao handed Wei Luo the half-peeled roasted sweet potato she was holding, but he didn't take it. Instead, he frowned and asked, "What is this?"
"Sweet potato, haven't you ever seen one before?"
Wei Luo raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
Shen Yao explained briefly, "It's called sweet potato, also known as yam, and it came from the Americas, far across the ocean. It has a sweet aroma and is very popular."
Wei Luo said "Oh," but still didn't take it. Instead, he picked up the Water Margin book from the stool, flipped through it, and then instructed Shen Yao, "Scoop out all the fruit pulp and put it in the bowl before I eat it."
"Huh?" Shen Yao suddenly widened her eyes, looking at Wei Luo as if he were a monster: "You're eating sweet potatoes, why do you want me to peel them?"
She's not a servant who waits on people!
Wei Luo raised his eyes and scrutinized her closely. Suddenly, he said with displeasure, "Chen Yao, I am the ruler, and you are the subject. Have you forgotten the proper etiquette between ruler and subject?"
Ha, using his status to intimidate people again!
Shen Yao was furious, her eyebrows twitching. Looking at the sweet potato in her hand and then at Wei Luo's arrogant face, she finally softened her temper and yielded.
A higher-ranking official can have absolute power over you!
She grabbed a bowl, scooped out sweet potatoes one spoonful at a time, and slammed it in front of him, grinning, "Alright, Your Highness, please enjoy." She paused, then added, "Your Highness, would you like someone to test for poison?"
Wei Luo looked up from the book, met the woman's eyes, and said softly, "Your Highness doesn't need anyone to test for poison. Your Highness would like some water."
After he finished speaking, he picked up the bowl, took the book with him, and left with the words, "Bring the water quickly."
Shen Yao gritted her teeth and stomped her feet in anger.
On the candlestick, a solitary lamp flickered slightly. When Shen Yao entered the room, the bowl was already empty, and Wei Luo was sitting by the couch, turning the pages of a book with a rustling sound.
Shen Yao put down the kettle, poured a cup of hot water, and handed it to Wei Luo, saying, "Tea."
Wei Luo took the teacup, drank it elegantly and slowly, and when he put it down, he turned to Shen Yao and asked, "Where are you staying tonight?"
"Hmm?" Shen Yao blinked, suddenly realizing the problem: she didn't have a place to stay tonight!
"Uh... I'll go ask my mother-in-law."
Just as she turned around, her mother-in-law came over with her cane. "Young lady, why don't you rest in my granddaughter's room?"
Shen Yao's brows furrowed with joy, and she was about to nod in agreement when Wei Luo stopped her, "No, she'll stay with me tonight."
Shen Yao: "???"
Mother-in-law: "!!!"
"Aren't you cousins?" she asked, looking at the two of them with a puzzled expression.
Wei Luo put down his book, got up and went to Shen Yao's side. He put his arm around her shoulder, lowered his eyes and smiled, "We cousins have always had a good relationship. We sleep in the same bed and share the same room, so you don't need to worry about it."
The thatched roof swayed gently, and a quiet, desolate chill permeated the night.
A warm yellow light filled the humble room. The two stood tall, gazing at each other, their eyes reflecting each other's fair faces.
The mother-in-law finally left. As she walked out of the room, she shook her head helplessly, as if sighing, or perhaps envious. Back in the room, the window had been open sometime earlier, and a cold wind rushed in, blowing out the light.
She was suddenly startled, and then saw a man's figure emerge from the darkness. "Zhao Liang?"
...
Inside the room, Wei Luo had already put his hand down on Shen Yao. He opened the wardrobe, took out a quilt, placed it on the bed, and said to Shen Yao, "Sleep on this quilt."
"How can we share a room?" Shen Yao asked in disbelief, her body stiffening.
Upon hearing this, Wei Luo glanced at her, then sat down, fiddling with his cloak, and said, "Who's sharing a room with you? You sleep in the bed, I slept all afternoon, I'm not sleepy."
Shen Yao remained standing in the same spot, motionless for a long time.
"One should always be wary of others. Shen Yao, I'm very curious, how have you survived until now? It's truly a miracle!"
“You—” Shen Yao frowned, unable to speak for a moment.
From a safety perspective, Wei Luo did the right thing by having the two stay overnight at his house. Her face was too beautiful, beautiful enough to make any man's heart flutter and harbor improper thoughts.
He was protecting her!
But... but that bed he slept in always felt awkward.
"Don't worry, I'm not so desperate as to make a move on a married woman, let alone you."
Shen Yao finally moved, her brows furrowing as she asked, following his words, "What's wrong with me?"
Who isn't a virgin at heart?
Wei Luo lowered her eyes and chuckled, "Virtuous and gentle, docile and obedient, which of those qualities do you possess?"
Something was gradually gathering in her chest. Shen Yao glared at Wei Luo, resisting the urge to kick him away, and turned to spread the blankets. "Serves you right for not having a woman yet~." Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.
Just as she had laid out the bedding and was about to go to sleep, Wei Luo's voice suddenly came again, "Don't take off your clothes."
Shen Yao: "..."
How can you sleep without taking off your clothes?
Wei Luo lifted his eyelids, looked her up and down a few times, and then said, "You are only allowed to take off your cloak, put on the rest of your clothes."
The tone left no room for argument.
Shen Yao sighed helplessly, but didn't argue with him. She spread her cloak on the bedding, took off her outer trousers, and then crawled into bed.
Outside, it was completely dark. The snow on the ground had frozen into thick ice, and countless icicles hung from the trees. The winter night in the north was cold and desolate.
The bed was warm, and Shen Yao lay down. Soon, sleepiness overwhelmed her, and her eyelids stuck together.
In the dim light, she turned her head and glanced at Wei Luo. He was looking down, engrossed in reading Water Margin, his eyelashes soft and delicate, like spring leaves unfurling.
"This man is actually quite handsome when he's not being fierce!" she thought to herself.
The room quickly quieted down, with only the woman's soft breathing remaining. Seeing that Shen Yao was asleep, Wei Luo put down his book, first applied medicine to his kneecap, and then gradually felt sleepy. He then lay down on the table and fell into a deep sleep, leaving only a single green lamp burning lonely.
Under the same rooftop, just a few walls away, Zhao Liang sat on a stool, his expression serious.
“Godmother, if you want revenge, now is the best opportunity. Please think it over carefully.”
The mother-in-law looked up, tears streaming down her face, her voice choked with sobs, "Is there really no other way?"
Zhao Liang raised his eyes and patiently advised, "That woman's surname is Shen, and her aunt is Consort Shen. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... Let's set the house on fire!"
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