Chapter 48. It's clear he treats her like an object in his grasp. ...
The doctor took out a pen, ink, paper, and inkstone from his medicine box and stood by the table writing a prescription without saying much.
Normally, Huaxi Lane is inhabited by ordinary people from Runzhou City. People with money and status in Runzhou would not live in such a place where peddlers and laborers gather. No one knows when such an important person came.
When he arrived at the door today, he saw Prefect Qian of Runzhou. Prefect Qian instructed him to do whatever the people in the room asked him to do. He couldn't say much about his status, but he was someone they couldn't afford to offend. He told him to be careful with his words and actions. He kept this in mind, so he was busy writing the prescription.
Yang Qing stood behind Gu Zhan. Actually, he shouldn't have interrupted matters related to Consort Shen, but His Highness had already planned to leave Runzhou today and travel north along the Grand Canal back to Bianjing. The ships for the return journey were already prepared, and he was conflicted.
He hesitated for a long time before bowing slightly to Gu Zhan. "My lord, we have been stuck in the Runyang area for six days. It is probably not advisable to delay any longer in the capital."
On the day the Huizhou rebellion was quelled, Your Highness wrote a memorial to the Taiji Hall, stating that you would soon be setting off to return to the capital. Judging by the time, the memorial should have already been delivered to Bianjing by now. However, if Your Highness continues to linger here, it may not only hinder the Prince of Wei's return to the capital, but also arouse the Emperor's suspicion.
Shen Mi gripped the blanket tightly. Seeing that Gu Zhan did not respond for a long time, she could only resort to a desperate measure of retreat.
She propped herself up from the bed, her eyes lowered. "My lord, my body is not in any serious condition," she said, coughing twice to the side. After a few breaths, she continued, "I beg you to consider the bigger picture."
Gu Zhan noticed the woman's pale face and weak breath as she spoke, and his brows furrowed even more.
A moment later, he approached, gently stroked the woman's thin back with his palm, and helped her lie down. "I know what I'm doing, you should lie down first." He then tucked the blanket around her.
Shen Mi didn't know what he meant. He neither said he would return to the capital nor that he wouldn't, and she couldn't urge him any further, so she could only wait and see.
Seeing that she didn't stubbornly resist, Gu Zhan turned to look at the doctor.
The doctor had already written the prescription and stood by with his hands clasped and head bowed.
Gu Zhan glanced at Yang Qing: "Take the prescription the doctor wrote and go get the medicine first." He paused slightly, then said to the doctor: "Let's talk in private."
The doctor presented the written prescription with both hands and followed Gu Zhan out of the room, barely daring to utter a sound other than "yes".
Shen Mi was left alone in the room. She lay on the edge of the bed, wanting to see what Gu Zhan was going to do.
However, the two voices could not be heard clearly. They could only be seen standing by the earthenware jar outside the courtyard through the crack in the open window. The doctor nodded and said something to Gu Zhan. Gu Zhan tilted his head and looked very serious, like a husband listening to the doctor because he cared about his wife's health. There was no trace of the arrogance that the former crown prince had shown.
Shen Mi bit her lip tightly, not wanting to miss any of Gu Zhan's expressions. If Gu Zhan really intended to return to the capital, she would have to make other plans.
The two seemed to stand in the courtyard and talk for a long time. Then, Gu Zhan actually personally escorted the doctor to the door, where they ran into Yang Qing, who was returning with the medicine.
Yang Qing followed Gu Zhan into the room, but only stood by the desk.
Gu Zhan pulled a piece of floral stationery from under the paperweight on Shen Mi's desk, wrote a few words on it, and waited for the ink to dry before folding it up and handing it to Yang Qing. As he walked toward Shen Mi, he said, "Seal it and give it to Qian Zhen. Tell him that I was attacked by bandits on my way back to the capital and was seriously injured. I am currently recuperating in Runzhou and need to postpone my return to the capital."
Yang Qing was quite surprised. He looked up at Gu Zhan, then quickly looked away, put the flower letter back into his pocket, and nodded in agreement.
Gu Zhan glanced at the medicine Yang Qing was carrying and said, "Before we leave, release Cuiwei and tell her to prepare the medicine."
He gave the order calmly, without turning around, and walked towards Shen Mi.
When Shen Mi heard that he was truly concerned about her health and planned to stay in Runzhou to accompany her as she recuperated, she breathed a sigh of relief, but her face still showed worry.
She frowned and looked at Gu Zhan: "Your Highness is clearly doing this for me. Isn't that a crime of deceiving the emperor?"
Gu Zhan sat on the edge of her bed, put one of her hands under the covers, and held the other hand in his own, playing with her fingers. "I'm injured, isn't that a fact?"
Shen Mi was running a fever, her mind was hazy, and her consciousness was not very clear. Upon hearing Gu Zhan's words, she immediately became more alert. "It is my fault. I beg Your Highness to punish me."
The woman's hands were soft, but they felt hot in Gu Zhan's hands. Looking at her dry lips and sickly face, he felt a strange tightness in his heart. He put her hands back under the covers and softened his tone: "Be more obedient in the future, and I will just consider this an unintentional mistake on your part, that you were just too rough with your hands."
Shen Mi was terrified. She gently looked away from Gu Zhan and responded with a nasal tone.
As he turned his head, the handkerchief that was stuck to his forehead fell onto her neck. Gu Zhan reached out to pick it up, and his knuckles accidentally touched her burning neck, his heart filled with complicated emotions.
Seeing that Shen Mi had closed her eyes, he didn't say anything, but simply picked up the handkerchief and got up to rinse it in the cool water again.
He had actually planned to take Shen Mi back to the capital today once her fever subsided. He would simply bring this doctor along on the boat to take care of her. Starting from Yangzhou, they would travel north along the Grand Canal. At this time of year, the current would be favorable, and they would arrive in Bianjing in just a few days. Once in Bianjing, there would naturally be more skilled imperial physicians and better medicines waiting for Shen Mi. She could also enjoy exquisite treatments in the Eastern Palace, with a large number of palace servants attending to her, allowing her to recuperate peacefully.
However, the doctor's words while they were outside made him change his mind.
The doctor asked him if Shen Mi had ever been exposed to cold before, such as falling into water or catching a chill in winter. Perhaps seeing him hesitate for a moment, the doctor became certain of his guess and said that Shen Mi's health was not good and he had always had some ailments. He said that in the past, he had not taken good care of himself because of accumulated stress. Now, he would get a fever as soon as he was exposed to wind. Traveling now would be difficult, with bumpy roads on land and strong winds on water. It was not a good idea to travel now. He should be careful and rest quietly. After this cold passed, he could slowly recuperate. Otherwise, the ailments he had accumulated when he was young would accumulate more and more, and he might die young after a serious illness in a few years.
Gu Zhan's heart sank. Shen Mi's illness was indeed caused by him, and he did not want Shen Mi to leave him again, so he finally listened to the doctor's advice.
Hearing the sound of Gu Zhan washing the towels, Shen Mi became even more agitated. On one hand, she had a headache so bad that she wanted to fall asleep completely, and on the other hand, she was thinking about what to do next. The more she thought about it, the more her head ached.
With her eyes closed, she didn't notice Gu Zhan's movements. Suddenly, a chill covered her forehead, and at the same time, she felt a coldness on her neck. She gently opened her eyes and saw that it was Gu Zhan checking her body temperature with his hand. Her lips moved, and she called out, "Your Highness."
Gu Zhan frowned, as if sighing softly, "It's still so hot, but after the medicine is decocted, drinking it and sleeping for a while might help."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Mi's voice was a little hoarse, and her throat hurt as soon as she spoke.
"Would you like some water?" Gu Zhan asked, helping her sit up.
Shen Mi did not refuse. She leaned against the bedpost and watched Gu Zhan get up to pour her water.
Gu Zhan didn't let her get the water glass, so she took a few small sips of warm water from his hand. The warm water flowed over her sore throat, and she felt a little better.
After only a few sips, Yang Qing brought in a bowl of medicine.
As soon as he entered the room, the bitter smell of medicine filled the entire space.
Shen Mi's nose was stuffy and she couldn't smell anything, but she did see Gu Zhan frown and look disgusted. "Didn't I tell you to put in a few more sugar cubes?"
Yang Qing lowered his head and said, "Your Highness, the sugar cubes have already been released."
Gu Zhan saw the bowl of dark, steaming medicine in Yang Qing's hand, took it from him, and placed it on the table beside him. "I remember there are candied fruits for sale at the entrance of Huaxi Lane. Go and buy some."
Yang Qing accepted the order and withdrew.
Shen Mi was not moved by Gu Zhan's meticulous attention to detail; instead, she felt terrified.
No wonder her escape last night hadn't escaped Gu Zhan's notice. It turned out that he had been monitoring and observing her place closely, even remembering details like where the pharmacy was and where the candied fruit shop was at the alley entrance.
She realized that Gu Zhan was far more cunning than she could ever be. All the methods she had thought of before were no longer worth trying. All she could do was remain calm and wait for an opportunity.
Not long after Yang Qing left, the scalding hot medicine had cooled down to a suitable temperature for consumption.
Gu Zhan picked up the medicine bowl, stirred it gently a few times, and fed it to her with a spoon, saying, "It might be a little bitter."
In reality, Shen Mi could neither smell nor taste anything. The so-called astringent medicine was no different from the warm water she had just drunk. However, she pretended to be very bitter but did not resist it. She said, "I am not afraid of bitterness. I only hope that I can get better soon and not delay Your Highness's important business."
Seeing the expression on the woman's face as she "suppressed the bitter taste of the medicine," Gu Zhan felt a dull ache in his heart.
Huaxi Lane wasn't deep, and Yang Qing was fast on his feet. Just as Shen Mi finished drinking her medicine, Yang Qing returned carrying candied fruit wrapped in oil paper.
Gu Zhan took the candied fruit from Yang Qing and held it to Shen Mi's lips, saying, "Take it easy."
Shen Mi did not refuse. If she wanted to gradually dispel Gu Zhan's suspicions, she could only go along with him and make him think that she had really given up.
After serving the candied fruit, Yang Qing tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind him.
Gu Zhan didn't let go of Shen Mi, but instead half-encircled her in his arms, letting her rest her head on his uninjured shoulder, and placing his arm on her waist and abdomen.
He looked down at the woman's slightly moist lips after drinking the medicine, like flower petals covered in morning dew, and couldn't resist kissing them.
Shen Mi was completely taken aback by his actions. She instinctively made two "uh-uh" sounds and tried to push him away, but her hands were firmly held in place.
Although she didn't want to do these things with Gu Zhan at all, and even felt a chill down her spine, she had no choice but to temporarily give up in order to continue the performance and endure his sucking and grinding.
Noticing that the woman in his arms was having trouble breathing, Gu Zhan released her and saw that her eyes were glazed over, which pleased him greatly.
After catching her breath, Shen Mi finally regained her senses. The handkerchief on her forehead had fallen into someone's arms, and she only stopped Gu Zhan when she saw his gaze fall on her neck. "Your Highness, I am still ill; I'm afraid it's not appropriate for me to..."
However, Gu Zhan only kissed her forehead lightly and did nothing else. "I know, it's just that I haven't seen you for four years and I miss you very much."
Shen Mi kept her lips closed and remained silent.
Gu Zhan rested his chin on the top of her head, his fingertips idly twirling her loose, falling hair. "When we return to Bianjing this time, we'll do things the same as before. I will submit a memorial requesting that you be made Crown Princess. I've already sent word back to the Eastern Palace to have Danfeng Palace, which is closest to my Qin Zheng Hall, prepared. Although Danfeng Palace has always been the residence of the Crown Princess, it's only a matter of time before you move in. If you're used to living in Qingluan Palace, you can continue to live there if you wish. After you leave, I've already had Qingluan Palace renovated, and it's exactly the same as before. Don't cause any more trouble, okay?"
His tone was unusually gentle, so gentle that it was as if he had become a different person. If it were before, Shen Mi would probably have felt that she had married the right person, a considerate husband. But now, even though she was in his warm embrace, she felt a chilling coldness.
She couldn't help but recall how Gu Zhan had held her like this after her miscarriage, telling her to live a good life together from now on. However, whenever she disobeyed him, she was met with punishments like house arrest and confinement.
It was from that moment that she came to a complete understanding that the so-called imperial favor was nothing more than something that could be given and taken away at will, with no say in her affairs. Although Gu Zhan claimed to treat her as his wife and might even give her the position of Crown Princess, in the end, he was always aloof and never respected her wishes, treating her only as a sparrow that would be fed if she obeyed.
As she regained some clarity and understood the situation, she simply said, "I will follow Your Highness's arrangements."
Gu Zhan seemed to enjoy her compliance, helping her lie down and lowering the curtains for her. "I see you don't look well, rest a while longer."
Shen Mi had expended a lot of energy today and had also figured out that she couldn't play mind games with Gu Zhan for the time being. With less frustration in her heart, she lay down and closed her eyes, but soon she was overcome by sleepiness.
Seeing that Shen Mi had fallen asleep and was breathing steadily, Gu Zhan's gentle expression vanished in an instant. He pushed open the door and asked Yang Qing, who was guarding the corridor, "Where is Su Xingjian?"
Yang Qing bowed and said, "This morning, I released the man back to Yangzhou and conveyed His Highness's message, telling him to mind his own business and not to interfere in the affairs between His Highness and Consort Shen."
Gu Zhan nodded, "Also, send a message back to have people keep an eye on Consort Li's palace and Prime Minister Li. If either of them is laying the groundwork for Prince Wei to stay in the capital for an extended period, report it to the authorities immediately."
"yes."
Yangzhou Prefectural Government Office.
Su Xingjian was guarded in Shen Mi's guest room all night. He was worried that Gu Zhan might do something drastic to Shen Mi, and he also hated himself for not being able to break the boundaries of the relationship between ruler and subject. He didn't sleep well at all, and his eyes were covered with dark circles.
He had just finished tidying himself up when his attendant stepped forward and said, "In Runzhou, His Highness the Crown Prince has indeed invited the best physician in Runzhou, but not because of His Highness's injuries, but because of Lady Shen."
Su Xingjian, who was sitting in the hall, immediately stood up upon hearing the servant's words, "Xiao Mi? Is she alright?"
It can't be that the two of them really had a falling out and Gu Zhan hit Shen Mi, right?
The attendant said, “My lord, you can rest assured. Madam Shen has only caught a cold and has a fever. You left a message with the doctor beforehand just in case. The doctor said that he told His Highness that Madam Shen’s health was poor and that she should not move around and needed to rest. His Highness believed him and also sent word to dismiss the boats on the canal. It seems that he will stay in Runzhou for a few more days until Madam Shen recovers before returning to the capital.”
Su Xingjian then sat down properly.
Yesterday, he suddenly heard that Gu Zhan had not returned to Huizhou or Bianjing, but was staying in Runzhou. He rushed to Runzhou immediately, but when he arrived outside Runzhou, he vaguely sensed something was wrong. So he kept a watchful eye on things and told his servant not to follow him. He found several well-known medical clinics in Runzhou, bribed them, and told them that if anyone asked them to make a house call in Huaxi Lane, no matter who the patient was, they should exaggerate the illness and say that they should not make any moves in a short time, so as to prepare for a backup plan. Unexpectedly, it really came in handy.
It seems that Shen Mi also intended to delay and seek another opportunity, which makes sense.
He sighed, "It's a pity that this is all I can do to help her."
As Yang Qing said when he let him return to Yangzhou that morning, Gu Zhan is the ruler and he is the subject. If he interferes in this matter further, it will not only be of no benefit to Shen Mi, but will also make her situation more difficult.
He understood this principle and could only hope that Heaven would favor Shen Mi more.
During the few days that Shen Mi was recuperating, Gu Zhan seemed to have truly become a qualified husband. He would blow on her medicine to make it palatable before feeding it to her spoonful by spoonful. Knowing that she liked to eat fish after coming to Runzhou, he would carefully remove the bones from the stewed fish for her one by one. He remembered details such as that she didn't like to eat scallions. He would even personally help her put on her shoes and socks in the morning. Except when he was talking to Yang Qing, he was always by her side.
It was as if they were truly the kind of ordinary couple that Gu Zhan had once described.
When they slept together at night, Gu Zhan would lock her in his arms, not letting her leave, and then kiss her little by little, from her forehead to her collarbone, finally stopping at her chest. Night after night, he would talk about how much he had missed Shen Mi for the past four years, and what they would do in the future.
He was clearly kissing the parts of her body that she was most easily aroused by, yet she felt nothing. Perhaps out of consideration for her body, Gu Zhan never went all the way, and she never strongly resisted.
Cuiwei also said that Gu Zhan was very good to her. He put aside important matters in the capital and did not go back, but was willing to stay in this small town in Jiangnan to accompany her to recuperate. She asked her if she wanted to let go of her previous prejudice and resentment towards Gu Zhan.
Shen Mi didn't think so. On the contrary, the more considerate Gu Zhan was, the more she felt suffocated, because Gu Zhan had a firm grasp on every aspect of her life. If she hadn't firmly refused, Gu Zhan probably would have interfered even with things like her bathing.
She couldn't sense how much Gu Zhan cared about her. She only felt that Gu Zhan treated her as if a woman who should have been obedient to him had suddenly slipped out of his control. Therefore, he had to keep Shen Mi firmly in his arms and make her his possession.
Whenever she thought about this, she felt incredibly afraid of any contact with Gu Zhan, and all she could think about was finding a chance to escape.
That day, Gu Zhan sat on the outside of the bed, took off her cloud-patterned socks, and put her slightly cold feet into his arms. "I see that you look better lately, Zhi Niang."
Shen Mi neither admitted nor denied it, saying, "I rely on the palace's [illegible]."
Gu Zhan hummed in agreement and then said, "Before leaving Runzhou in a few days, let's go to Yangzhou."
When Yangzhou was mentioned, Shen Mi inevitably thought of Su Xingjian, but reason told her that she should not mention him in front of Gu Zhan, so she only looked at Gu Zhan with a surprised expression.
Gu Zhan warmed her feet and said gently, "Just consider it as accompanying me to fulfill my filial duty to my mother and pay respects to my maternal grandfather."
Shen Mi opened her mouth, her face full of doubt, "Offering sacrifices at the tomb? Isn't Her Majesty the Empress from Bianjing?"
Gu Zhan looked at her, "The Empress is not my biological mother."
He told Shen Mi about his background in detail.
Shen Mi wondered if it was just her imagination, but when Gu Zhan recounted his background, she could hear a faint sadness in his tone, as if he were also a victim of the so-called imperial power.
Gu Zhan gently held her hand. "So, Zhi Niang, I must sit on that supreme throne. Only by sitting on that throne can I bring Mother back from the imperial mausoleum. Only then can I protect Mother, you, and our future children forever. Mother is a very gentle person. She is completely different from the Empress. You stayed in Runzhou for four years. She is from Yangzhou. You will definitely have a lot to talk about in the future. You don't need to be as timid as you are with the Empress. You are gentle and kind. Mother will definitely like you very much."
As Gu Zhan recounted Yang Meiren's past in the palace and described her as intelligent and virtuous, Shen Mi was momentarily reminded of her own mother. A pang of sadness washed over her. She tried to empathize with Gu Zhan, but found it difficult. She remained silent, simply listening to Gu Zhan's monologue.
Before Gu Zhan spoke again, his tone carried a hint of coaxing: "Go see the person who is truly connected to me by blood, hmm?"
Shen Mi lowered her eyes; she had no reason to refuse.
Seeing that she agreed, Gu Zhan instructed Yang Qing to prepare a carriage. After all, Shen Mi's health had improved significantly and she could move around. After they went to Yangzhou to pay respects at the Yang family's ancestral graves, they would prepare to return to Bianjing.
The next morning, Yang Qing had already prepared the carriage and was waiting at the entrance of Huaxi Lane, along with all the necessary paper money and other items.
Gu Zhan said that Yang Meiren's parents' graves were originally in the countryside. After learning his true identity, he took the opportunity to go south and buy a better burial plot to move his maternal grandfather's grave. Whenever he had the chance to leave Bianjing and go south, he would always come to Yangzhou.
Shen Mi listened quietly without saying a word.
Unexpectedly, the carriage encountered Su Xingjian outside Yangzhou City.
Su Xingjian, who was on official duty as the prefect of Yangzhou, was on patrol outside the city. He dismounted and bowed to Gu Zhan.
Gu Zhan lifted the carriage curtain, and Shen Mi also saw Su Xingjian through the small window.
After not seeing him for a few days, he seemed much quieter, which gave Shen Mi a sense of disorientation, as if they were from another world.
As friends after all, Shen Mi wanted to exchange pleasantries with him, but considering her current situation, she could only clench her sleeves, purse her lips, and look away.
Gu Zhan was satisfied with her reaction, but he still reached out and pulled her into his arms, telling her to face only him.
Even though she kept her head down and didn't look at Su Xingjian, he didn't want Su Xingjian to see Shen Mi.
Su Xingjian noticed Gu Zhan's actions, only performed the courteous greetings between ruler and subject with Gu Zhan, and quickly took his leave.
The graves of Yang Meiren's parents were easy to find, and they arrived quickly. Shen Mi followed behind Gu Zhan, watching him silently burn paper money and scatter wine in front of the graves, and bow three times with him, without saying a word throughout the entire process.
On the way back, Gu Zhan instructed Yang Qing: "Go and inform the people to prepare the boats for returning to the capital on the canal. We will set off for the capital at noon tomorrow."
Shen Mi was alarmed upon hearing this.
Tomorrow? Then isn't tonight her last chance?
She took a deep breath and gently tugged at Gu Zhan's sleeve: "Your Highness, I'm afraid I'll have a hard time coming to Runyang again. I haven't been to the temple fair this year because of my illness. Would Your Highness be willing to accompany me?"
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Author's Note: Gu Gou's yin and damp attributes are beginning to show. [pat on the head][pat on the head]
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