Chapter 47, Section 47: "This concubine once cared about Your Highness as well."...
Gu Zhan gripped her hand tightly, making her knuckles ache slightly. She tried to pull away slightly, but Gu Zhan only tightened his hold on her hand.
Gu Zhan looked down at her without saying a word.
Shen Mi's shoulders twitched slightly. She looked away, avoiding his gaze, and said, "You're gripping too tightly. It hurts."
Gu Zhan looked at their clasped hands. The woman's fingers were slender, with her middle and ring fingers separated. Her fingers were intertwined with his, and the veins on her palms were bulging from his pressure.
He slowly released his grip, thus freeing himself from Shen Mi's hold, and slowly sat up, smoothing out the wrinkles on his clothes.
Shen Mi loosened her slightly stiff wrists, straightened her open clothes, and leaned against the pillar by the bed.
Looking at Gu Zhan's retreating figure, she felt both helpless and sorrowful.
When she married Gu Zhan at the age of eighteen, she thought that even if Gu Zhan didn't like her, as long as she was obedient and sensible, she could at least treat him with respect. Later, she found that this was not the case. Gu Zhan was a selfish and cold-blooded person who only cared about power and interests. For his so-called power, he could give up everything. So she went to great lengths and fought desperately to escape from that cannibalistic Eastern Palace.
She thought she had only wasted two years in the Eastern Palace. Now that she had come to Runzhou, she could earn a living on her own. Both Su Xingjian and her neighbors took good care of her. Even though she often dreamed of the past at night, she told herself that Gu Zhan would not find her and that all of that was in the past.
But she never expected that such peaceful days would only last for four years. Gu Zhan somehow got wind of it and haunted her like a ghost, wanting to take her back to the East Palace.
She could not resist him, and in order to prevent others from being implicated, she had to compromise and submit to him.
Gu Zhan noticed the woman behind him looking at him, and turned around. "Still thinking about how to kill me and escape from my grasp?"
Shen Mi pursed her bloodied lips and whispered, "I didn't."
"It's best if there is none. If you still want to mention other men in front of me, you can try. I'll report you to the Taiji Palace on charges of 'seducing the emperor's wife and forcing her to have an affair.'" Gu Zhan's gaze turned cold, not only to confirm the truth of her words, but also to warn her.
Shen Mi felt a chill run down her back, and her hands in her sleeves curled up slightly.
Four years ago, it was clearly she who sought help from Su Xingjian, but now Gu Zhan wants to pin all the blame on Su Xingjian, and on such a baseless and unjust charge. If this charge is leveled against Su Xingjian, it will be a capital offense, and it will also bring shame to the entire Su family.
She thought of Su Yuzhao, who came to Yangzhou every summer, and of the young general Song Zhaohuai who was by Su Yuzhao's side.
Song Zhaohuai was sincere and warm-hearted, always with a smile on his face. Unlike Su Xingjian's gentle and refined smile, his smile was spirited and ambitious. One day, he would surely become a hero like his father and brother, protecting his country.
If the Su family truly believes that Gu Zhan's suspicions have caused them trouble, then for her, it would be repaying kindness with ingratitude. How could she possibly live a peaceful life after that?
Having already lost her parents and brothers, she didn't want to lose her friends as well, so this time, she was determined not to involve Su Xingjian.
Cuiwei had been taken away and no one was there to help her. All she could do was try to lower Gu Zhan's guard within the limited time she had, and then proceed slowly.
Shen Mi lowered her eyes and didn't look at Gu Zhan. "I don't have any."
Gu Zhan seemed unconvinced, so he moved closer to her, stretched out his long arm, pulled her into his embrace, rested his chin on the top of her head, and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Shen Mi felt a chill run down her spine at his question. Her eyes flickered as she noticed the large bloodstains on his clothes on his chest. In a moment of quick thinking, she asked, "I'm wondering where I can find medicine for wounds at home."
Gu Zhan was also taken aback upon hearing this, "Injury medicine?"
Shen Mi took a breath and said, "I lost my senses just now and didn't hold back. I didn't see clearly from outside, but now that I'm inside, I can see how horrific the wound is."
Gu Zhan lowered his eyes to look at the woman in his arms.
Just as he expected, the woman nestled obediently in his arms, just like she had been in the Eastern Palace before. She was gentle and considerate, her long, curled eyelashes trembling, her gaze fixed on the wound on her chest, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she were very worried.
He also found it extremely useful.
Shen Mi didn't know if Gu Zhan believed her, and her heart was pounding wildly. Then she felt the man's hand touch her back, and she heard a voice in her ear, "Actually, it wouldn't have been a problem, but if Zhi Niang is worried about me and wants to apply medicine for me, that would be wonderful."
Shen Mi had no choice but to go along with him and said, "Then please let me go, Your Highness, so I can go look for it."
She said this and tried to break free from Gu Zhan's embrace.
Gu Zhan indeed stopped holding her in his arms, and she breathed a sigh of relief and was about to get up when Gu Zhan grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, which startled her.
Gu Zhan's thumb lightly stroked the inside of Shen Mi's wrist. "Doesn't Zhi Niang usually stay at home with Cui Wei? Why would she keep something like wound medicine at home?"
Shen Mi knew this man was very suspicious, so she took the initiative to say, "I have no intention of running away. We always keep medicine for sprains and bruises at home in case of any accidents."
Gu Zhan gave a soft "Oh," his tone as casual as could be. "I know. After all, this courtyard is now heavily guarded, with people patrolling day and night. If you really make any rash moves, then I will have no choice but to take your remains back to Bianjing."
Shen Mi's breath hitched. How come this person has become even more obsessive than before after all these years?
Seeing that she had indeed calmed down, Gu Zhan pulled her back and made her sit in his lap, then called out, "Yang Qing, bring in the wound medicine you brought."
The next instant, the flimsy wooden door was pushed open from the outside.
Yang Qing held a small bottle of medicine in his hands, keeping his head down the whole time and not daring to look at it.
Normally, he would dare to joke around with His Highness the Crown Prince because of their cousin relationship. His Highness was a gentleman and wouldn't hold it against him. But it wasn't until he arrived in Runyang a few days ago that he realized how wrong he had been.
They monitored, surrounded the courtyard with troops, and detained officials like Su Xingjian, all because of this "resurrected" Consort Shen.
He was also glad that he hadn't said a word out of curiosity about Shen Liangdi's affairs over the past few years.
Gu Zhan took the medicine from his hand and said calmly, "Go down."
After responding, Yang Qing immediately withdrew respectfully.
Shen Mi reached out and took the bottle of medicine from Gu Zhan's hand, saying, "Your Highness, please sit for a moment. I will go and boil some water and find some clean handkerchiefs."
Although Gu Zhan released her wrist with his other hand, he closed the hand holding the medicine bottle, not letting her take the medicine away, and only said, "Go."
He still wants to take the medicine? He didn't let Shen Mi use the medicine she kept at home, wasn't it because he was afraid she would tamper with the medicine and take his life while applying it?
He would never let her take the bottle of medicine.
Shen Mi had no idea what Gu Zhan was thinking. It was just a casual action; he hadn't asked her to take it, so she didn't think much of it. She gathered her clothes, got up, opened the door, and left to go to the kitchen to boil water.
Although Yang Qing was the only one in the courtyard, when she was boiling water, she passed by the little den she had built for the tabby cat and saw the black boots outside through a hole that was only big enough for one cat to pass through. Without guessing, she knew that it was heavily guarded.
She became increasingly certain that she absolutely could not confront Gu Zhan directly during this period.
After Shen Mi left, Gu Zhan got up from her bed and carefully looked around at the details of her house in Runzhou.
The room was small; just a few steps inside, you could see the bed. It was far inferior to the Qingluan Palace in the East Palace. The bed, table, and chairs were made of the most ordinary wood. The tea set on the table consisted of simple white porcelain cups, and opposite the wooden table was her dressing case.
The vanity case contained only a few boxes of rouge and powder, and some simple silver and jade hairpins. None of them were exquisitely crafted; for her now, they were enough to hold up her black hair.
Gu Zhan had no interest in women's things, but if it was related to Shen Mi, he thought he wouldn't mind learning more. So he picked up a box of rouge, opened it, and saw that the contents hadn't been touched much, as if they had only been used a few times.
He snorted coldly. As expected, she had no intention of leaving this place for long; she hadn't taken any of these things with her.
Among these rather crude items, he did spot a small box containing a jade pendant whose craftsmanship was quite exquisite.
Although the jade wasn't of the highest quality, the patterns on it were exquisite. It was as if it was specially edged with gold and wrapped in fine silk to protect it from damage. The back of the jade pendant was engraved with the four characters "Sui Sui Ping An" (meaning "Peace and Safety Every Year"), while the front featured a rabbit pattern strung on a red thread, making it look like it was meant for a child.
Gu Zhan couldn't help but think of the child in Su Xingjian's arms that day, the child who called Shen Mi "Mother" in the teahouse, and a sudden wave of irritation washed over him.
If what Shen Mi said is true, that her relationship with Su Xingjian was merely a gentlemanly one, and there was nothing between them, then what was the origin of that child?
Just then, Yang Qing said from outside the door, "Your Highness, there are some matters that I dare not act on my own authority. I hope Your Highness will make the decision."
Gu Zhan frowned, took the jade pendant out of the box, and played with it in his palm. "Come in."
Hearing the door being pushed open from the outside, Gu Zhan turned around, casually pulled out a wooden stool next to the table, lifted his robe, and sat down. "Speak."
Yang Qing closed the door and stood two steps away from him at the doorway, nodding: "Just as Your Highness predicted, since Your Highness received the order to go south and quell the rebellion in Huizhou, Prince Wei, though still in his fiefdom, has become restless. News came from Bianjing at that time that Prince Wei submitted a memorial stating that he had been away from the capital for five years and had not been able to fulfill his filial duties to the Emperor and Consort Li during those five years, which he felt deeply guilty about. Consort Li also cried to the Emperor, saying that she missed Prince Wei and also missed the little daughter that Princess Wei had given birth to, who was sadly separated from her mother before she was even a year old and went to Prince Wei's fiefdom."
Gu Zhan's gaze remained fixed on the jade pendant, without raising his head: "So, the Emperor has given his permission?"
Yang Qing said, "According to our spies in the capital, the Emperor has relented to Consort Li, and it seems he intends to summon Prince Wei back to the capital for the New Year at the end of this year."
Once a prince is enfeoffed, he cannot return to the capital without an imperial edict, except in cases of major funerals. This is the rule. That's why Gu Zhan went to such great lengths to force the emperor to issue an edict ordering the elderly Prince Wei to return to his fief, preventing him from cultivating his own power and building connections in court. If the emperor summons Prince Wei back to the capital this year, he will likely not let the matter rest after the New Year and will leave the capital on his own initiative, which will then cause another troublesome situation.
Yang Qing tentatively spoke up: "Therefore, Your Highness may not be able to stay in Runyang any longer and must return to the capital as soon as possible. In the five years since Prince Wei left the capital, Your Highness has been the only one in the court. Although the Emperor trusts Your Highness very much and is willing to entrust you with important responsibilities, even if Your Highness intends to keep a low profile and put the Emperor first in everything, too many merits will inevitably be suspected of overshadowing the Emperor. Father also sent a letter the other day, instructing Your Highness to be cautious. If Prince Wei uses Your Highness's visit to Huizhou to redress the injustice and manipulates things so that the people of Huizhou only remember Your Highness's kindness and bypass the Emperor, I'm afraid Your Highness will have a hard time dealing with it after returning to the capital."
Gu Zhan knew what Yang Qing wanted to say. Whether it was a message hidden in a fish's belly, words formed by ants piling up, or nursery rhymes spreading throughout the streets, as long as the person behind it was willing, it wouldn't be long before the news reached Bianjing. If he lingered in the Runyang area, and others used it as an excuse to make trouble, he would be accused of using the pretext of suppressing a rebellion to bolster his own power in the region.
His fingertips tapped lightly on the table. "I know what I'm doing. After resting tonight, I'll prepare to return to the capital tomorrow."
Shen Mi boiled water in the kitchen, picked up the kettle, and intended to go straight back to her room, but then remembered that these gauze and medicines were usually kept in Cuiwei's room, so she went into Cuiwei's room instead.
After arriving in Runzhou, Cuiwei no longer needed to follow the rules and have her bedchambered outside her tent as she did in the Eastern Palace, so she left this empty room for Cuiwei to live in.
Because the house was passed down from her mother, it was old and not very soundproof. While Chen Mi was searching for clean gauze and handkerchiefs, she overheard Yang Qing and Gu Zhan's conversation.
Should we head back to Bianjing tomorrow?
This plan is absolutely impossible!
If she were in Runyang, she could still find a chance to escape. Once she escaped, Gu Zhan would be eager to return to the capital, and she would be free again, far from the emperor's reach. Once she returned to Bianjing, it would be much more difficult to escape again.
Escaping the Eastern Palace was already a troublesome matter, not to mention that the gates of Bianjing were not so easy to enter or leave.
As the imperial capital, Bianjing was naturally heavily guarded, and the checks at the city gates were extremely thorough. Unlike Runyang, where there were many peddlers and laborers, many checks were just for show, and one could often avoid them by paying a little money.
Four years ago, when she left Bianjing, she rode in a carriage arranged by Su Xingjian. Su Xingjian changed her identity and specially chose a city gate where there were many people and relatively loose checks. The city gate guards were busy and dared not offend the Su family, so they hurriedly let her leave.
If she were captured and brought back to Bianjing again, she really couldn't find any other way to avoid troubling Su Xingjian.
So Shen Mi put down the kettle in her hand and, instead of rushing back to her own room, stayed in Cuiwei's room to listen to what other useful news Gu Zhan and Yang Qing might have to say to her.
Before, when Gu Zhan was in Bianjing and in the Eastern Palace, no one dared to eavesdrop on him, let alone imagine that she would be able to hear their conversation clearly through the wall.
Seeing Gu Zhan's composed attitude, Yang Qing didn't dwell on the matter and said, "There's also Prefect Su. After all, he's an official appointed by the court. If the Emperor really intends to summon Prince Wei back to the capital to share power with you, I'm afraid you'll have to win over Prime Minister Su's support. It's not a good time to directly take action against Prefect Su, is it?"
He spoke these words with trepidation, for he could see that His Highness the Crown Prince cared deeply about the relationship between Consort Shen and Prefect Su. However, the matter involved many people, and his father had repeatedly instructed him in his letter that he had no choice but to say a few words.
Gu Zhan played with the jade pendant in his hand and said, "I am not so confused as to be that foolish. What I said in the courtyard was just for Consort Shen to scare her."
Furthermore, if there were truly no other entanglements between the two, Su Xingjian had been by his side since childhood and possessed outstanding talent. Why would he risk losing his support in the court over such a trivial matter?
Shen Mi breathed a sigh of relief when she heard through the wall that Gu Zhan wouldn't lay a hand on Su Xingjian.
Gu Zhan then asked Yang Qing, "What about the child who was taken out of the city by a woman in a carriage yesterday?"
Shen Mi was taken aback. Could Gu Zhan be referring to Madam Xu and Yao Jie?
She practically pressed herself against the wall, afraid she wouldn't hear a single word of their conversation.
Then she heard Yang Qing say, "Those two are heading towards Hangzhou, and they will pass through Suzhou. Your Highness, rest assured, the prefect of Suzhou has already been informed, and they have been temporarily detained in Suzhou to await Your Highness's orders."
Gu Zhan nodded. "I understand." He then waved his hand, signaling Yang Qing to leave.
Shen Mi's heart, which had finally calmed down, was filled with anxiety again. How were Madam Xu and Yao Jie doing now?
Gu Zhan didn't touch Su Xingjian because he had reservations, but Madam Xu was just a commoner, wouldn't something really happen to her?
Although Gu Zhan had never said it directly, she suddenly realized when she recalled the scene of her reunion with Gu Zhan at the teahouse that day that Gu Zhan attacked Yao Jie'er because he probably thought Yao Jie'er was her daughter with Su Xingjian in Runzhou, since their ages matched perfectly.
So, as long as I clarify this matter with Gu Zhan, will Madam Xu and Yao Jie be safe?
After making up her mind, Shen Mi looked in the mirror, composed herself, pushed open Cuiwei's door, walked around the corridor, and arrived at her own room.
Thinking that Gu Zhan was inside, she gently raised her hand and knocked on the door.
Gu Zhan assumed Yang Qing had something else to say, so he asked in a low voice, "What is it? We can talk through the door."
Then he heard Shen Mi's voice, "Your Highness, it is I."
Shen Mi pushed open the door as she spoke.
Gu Zhan noticed that she was carrying a kettle in one hand and a clean gauze and handkerchief in the other. His brow relaxed, and his tone softened. "Why did you knock on the door before entering your own room?"
Shen Mi stood before him, bowing her head and saying, "I'm afraid I might disturb Your Highness."
Since Gu Zhan wants her to be obedient and sensible, then she will see it through to the end.
When Gu Zhan saw her lowered head and meek appearance, he was not as happy as he had expected. Instead, he felt a bit depressed and suffocated.
He placed the jade pendant on the table to the side and said, "You don't need to do this in the future."
Shen Mi nodded in agreement, went to the side to pour the hot water from the kettle into the basin, then draped a clean gauze and silk handkerchief over the edge of the basin. She walked to Gu Zhan's side, placed the copper basin on the table, and as she looked down, she saw the jade pendant on the table.
This jade pendant was meant to be a gift for Yao Jie'er. Yao Jie'er had recognized her as her godmother so hastily that day that she didn't have a proper gift for her. The next day, she went to Runzhou City to find a shop and ordered this small jade pendant. However, before she could give it to Yao Jie'er, this incident happened.
Why is she here? Has Gu Zhan already touched her dressing case?
She thought about the things in her dressing case and realized that apart from this jade pendant, there shouldn't be anything else of importance.
She had already packed the travel permits and household registration documents she planned to use when she fled into that bundle, which she had left by the door. Just now, when she went to the kitchen to boil water, she picked it up again and carefully placed it in the kitchen.
Thinking of this, she finally calmed down.
Shen Mi looked at Gu Zhan, who was dressed in white, and walked around to his front. The blood seeping from his chest had spread into a large patch, and the color was darker than before, so it should have stopped.
She pursed her dry lips. "Please, Your Highness, remove your outer robe so I can clean your wound and apply medicine."
Gu Zhan banished the chaotic thoughts from his mind, loosened the belt around his waist, and half-undressed his robe and undergarments, revealing his strong upper body.
The wound had been left untreated for a while, and part of the undergarment had become stuck to the wound with blood.
Seeing this, Shen Mi took out a small pair of scissors from her dressing case and said, "Let me cut it for Your Highness."
Gu Zhan did not refuse.
When Shen Mi made her move, at the last moment, her wrist lost its strength, so the stab wasn't very deep. In addition, she had used that hairpin for two years, so it wasn't very sharp, and the injury wasn't actually that deep.
But when she cut open the undergarment and saw the bloody hole in Gu Zhan's chest, and the bloodstains all around, she couldn't help but twitch her eyelids.
Shen Mi took a deep breath, rinsed a clean silk handkerchief in hot water, took it out, and gently wiped away the bloodstains around Gu Zhan's wound.
Her movements were very gentle, her warm breath gently caressing Gu Zhan's skin, yet her expression was exceptionally focused, as if her eyes were only on the wound and the application of medicine, causing Gu Zhan's thoughts to momentarily drift away.
Shen Mi patiently wiped the bloodstains clean, then fetched some wound medicine, saying, "It might hurt a little."
Shen Mi flicked her wrist, spilling some medicine first. Seeing that Gu Zhan's expression was normal, she dared to continue. After applying the medicine, she took a clean gauze and wrapped it around Gu Zhan's wound.
"Please raise your arm, Your Highness."
Gu Zhan watched as the woman carefully bandaged his wound and casually asked, "You look very skilled at it."
Shen Mi's breath hitched. She didn't know what Gu Zhan was still suspicious of. Could it be that he was still thinking about her and Su Xingjian?
She didn't have time to think it over, and simply said, "I used to care about Your Highness too."
Gu Zhan raised an eyebrow slightly. He never expected that Shen Mi would say such a thing when he asked a casual question.
He watched as Chen Mi washed her hands in the hot water in the basin and asked, "Before?"
Shen Mi forced a smile and said, "About six years ago, I really thought about growing old with Your Highness, so I intentionally learned these things."
In reality, she had honed her skills while bandaging the wounds of her father and brothers and the wounded in the army camp back in Yanzhou. But since she had decided to coax Gu Zhan, she couldn't say this to him.
As Gu Zhan pulled his clothes around his neck, he thought of the two years he spent as a couple with Shen Mi.
Back then, she was never temperamental and managed everything in the Eastern Palace in an orderly manner. After her "death," those who came to mourn her included not only members of the imperial family but also many wives of officials. They all wore sorrowful expressions and spoke of how kind and approachable she was, never causing trouble. Even the Empress, who had never been particularly kind to him when he entered the palace, seemed genuinely saddened by Shen Mi's departure.
She said she had thought about growing old together with him before, but more and more things piled up on them, which led to their current situation.
Gu Zhan sighed softly and turned to look at her. "After returning to Bianjing this time, we will act as before."
Shen Mi simply responded softly, without saying anything more.
Gu Zhan was about to adjust his clothes when he suddenly noticed the torn undergarment. He didn't move and asked Shen Mi, "Are there any clean undergarments at home?"
Shen Mi was taken aback by her question. "There have always been only two women in the household, me and Cuiwei. There are no undergarments that fit Your Highness's size."
Gu Zhan recalled seeing Su Xingjian enter her house that day and frowned as she asked, "Didn't Su Xingjian spend the night at your house?"
Shen Mi then recounted the events of that day truthfully, and concluded by saying, "I have already said that there is nothing between him and me, so why does Your Highness repeatedly suspect me?" She paused, then turned halfway around, "These past few days, there has been a temple fair in Runzhou, and the shops have been open all night. Your Highness could send someone to the clothing store to buy a couple of outfits to make do for now."
Gu Zhan noticed that she was biting her lip and sounded a little annoyed. He suddenly found her tantrum amusing, so he pulled her wrist, turned her around to face him, and asked, "Where is that child? Why did he call you 'Mother'?"
Shen Mi told Gu Zhan about how Madam Xu pitied her for being alone and helpless, and how she asked Yao Jie to recognize her as her godmother. Thinking that she wanted to make Gu Zhan lower his guard, she put on a sad expression and said, "When I see Yao Jie, I always think of the child who died in Taiye Pond. I always feel that Yao Jie is her reincarnation in Madam Xu's womb, so I did not refuse. The jade pendant is also something I planned to give to Yao Jie."
Seeing that her eyes were slightly red and her voice was getting softer, Gu Zhan couldn't help but sigh, "That child, isn't he also a source of heartache for me?"
After all, if he had reached out in time, that child could have been saved.
However, he had to keep the truth from Shen Mi, otherwise, given Shen Mi's attachment to that child, their relationship might fall apart again, which would be even more troublesome.
Shen Mi felt a lump in her throat and didn't say anything.
Gu Zhan was only wearing a robe, without tying the sash. With a slight exertion of his wrist, he pulled Shen Mi to sit in his lap and gently kissed her earlobe. He knew that this was Shen Mi's most sensitive spot.
“Zhi Niang and I are both young, and it’s not impossible for us to have more children. Moreover, our child will definitely resemble you more than that other child.”
Shen Mi guessed what he wanted to do and immediately put her hand on Gu Zhan's body.
Having not seen each other for four years, and with no intention of returning to Bianjing with Gu Zhan, if she let him have his way, she wouldn't be able to escape for at least an hour or two tonight.
But she couldn't refuse directly, so she said, "Your Highness is still injured. Let's talk about it after you've recovered."
"It's nothing, it's nothing compared to the pain that Zhi Niang used to feel when she couldn't bear it and grabbed my back." Gu Zhan saw her become as gentle and considerate as before, and a soft laugh escaped his throat.
Seeing that Gu Zhan was about to kiss her along her collarbone, Shen Mi had no choice but to suppress her shame and close her eyes, saying, "Your Highness, that bed is a bit loose due to its age. Lately, it has been a bit shaky when I sleep alone. Let's wait until tomorrow to have a craftsman come and repair it before we make a new one."
Gu Zhan looked towards the bed, then remembered that it had indeed been a bit shaky when he sat on it, and was worried that the bed might actually collapse. In the end, he kissed Shen Mi's collarbone and released her.
Shen Mi quickly got out of his embrace and made up an excuse, "I'll go and close the window. Your Highness's clothes are disheveled. Don't let the wind blow on you at night and you'll catch a cold."
Fortunately, Gu Zhan did not stop her.
When she reached the window, Shen Mi opened it, and the wind outside brought a moment of clarity back to her mind.
Fortunately, I managed to calm myself down.
Shen Mi carefully recalled the conversation between Gu Zhan and Yang Qing that she had overheard in Cuiwei's room, and planned what she should do next.
Yang Qing mentioned the Prince of Wei to Gu Zhan. If she remembered correctly, the Prince of Wei's fiefdom was not far from Runyang. She could reach the Prince of Wei's fiefdom by traveling north from Yangzhou. The travel permit and household registration documents she carried were newly made after she came to Runzhou. The name was not her original name, but only her surname was retained. If she went to the Prince of Wei's fiefdom with this household registration document, as long as she kept a low profile, the Prince of Wei would not notice. Moreover, if Gu Zhan wanted to find her again, he could not make a big fuss in the Prince of Wei's fiefdom.
What she needs to do now is to stall for time and absolutely cannot set off with Gu Zhan back to Bianjing tomorrow.
As she said she was closing the window, she gently poked a small hole in the window paper with her finger, right in front of the head of the bed.
Gu Zhan watched her run away, but he wasn't annoyed. He figured he'd have plenty of time to get her later. He turned to Yang Qing and told him to go buy some clothes.
Shen Mi breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that Gu Zhan's expression was normal and that he hadn't noticed the tricks she had done to the window.
That night, Gu Zhan held her in his arms. After four years apart, his "attachment" to her seemed even stronger. The more she moved, the tighter he held her. Later, she didn't dare to move around too much and didn't sleep well. She didn't know when she finally drifted off to sleep.
However, she was indeed woken up by Gu Zhan early the next morning.
Shen Mi opened her eyes groggily, her throat a little dry and hoarse, "Your Highness?"
Gu Zhan touched her neck, his face showing concern: "You have a fever. I have already sent someone to call a doctor."
Shen Mi's eyelids grew heavy, and she closed her eyes again. "Thank you, Your Highness."
Then she heard Gu Zhan get up, seemingly find a silk handkerchief, wash it in the water, and place it on her forehead, bringing a cool sensation.
Before long, Yang Qing invited the doctor to the hospital.
After taking Shen Mi's pulse, he said, "Madam, this is caused by a pathogenic wind entering your body, coupled with excessive fright, which has led to a cold and high fever. I will prescribe some medicine to decoct and drink for a few days, and you will be fine. However, you must rest during this time and avoid any movement, lest your condition worsen."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mi also became nervous.
As she expected, if she became too ill to get out of bed, would Gu Zhan stay in Runzhou for a few more days?
Yang Qing was very hesitant, "My lord, this..."
Shen Mi became even more nervous when she saw Gu Zhan's furrowed brows.
Would he stay in Runzhou longer for her health?
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Author's Note: Today's chapter is 8,000 words long, so it's a bit late. I'll be randomly sending out some small red envelopes~
Please, everyone, give it a good watering! [pity][pity]
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