Little did he know how Yu Shan had foreseen this, but this time, it seemed he was going to disappoint her!
Everyone thought he should carry his concubine out of the water, and logically, that was indeed the case, but he didn't go closer. Instead, he called out to Yi'er, who was nearby.
Yi'er was sent by Hongli to serve Lan Rong. She was taller than the other maids, and Lan Rong usually didn't let her serve him closely, so she would quietly wait by his side.
At the Fourth Prince's command, Yi'er immediately understood and went to the hot spring. She jumped in, and with a long arm, carried the concubine horizontally ashore.
Qiu Cha was dumbfounded when she saw this, thinking to herself, how come this Yi'er is usually so quiet and has such great strength!
She picked up the concubine directly, wouldn't that mean the mistress would lose a great opportunity to get close to the Fourth Prince?
Once ashore, Lan Rong's breathing eased slightly. Qiu Cha quickly brought clean clothes for her mistress to change into. With the help of two maids, Lan Rong slowly walked to the rocking chair and sat down to rest.
Hongli then asked the female physician what was going on, "Is Lan Rong's body unsuitable for soaking in hot springs?"
The female doctor shook her head and, based on what she had seen and her many years of medical experience, guessed:
"The concubine's condition is suitable for hot spring therapy, but she has a phobia of water. With the Fourth Prince by her side, she may gradually relax and temporarily forget those nightmares. Once you leave, she will lose her support, and the fear in her heart will spread, leading to difficulty breathing and unbearable pain. This is a psychological problem, which needs to be alleviated slowly."
In the end, it still came down to him having to accompany him. Hongli gave a faint reply but did not express his opinion.
The female doctor then took her leave, saying she would come again the next evening to perform acupuncture on the concubine.
The summer night was cool, but Lan Rong had just come out of the hot spring, and the breeze made her sneeze. Hongli then ordered Qiu Cha to help her back, and he followed her.
After entering the room, Qiu Cha helped her mistress into the tent, and then turned to ask the Fourth Master, "Should I go and prepare hot water for the Fourth Master?"
Hongli did not respond, but waved his hand, signaling her to leave.
After Qiu Cha curtsied and took his leave, Hongli sat at the table, his knuckles idly tapping the surface. In the candlelight, his expression was inscrutable.
Seeing this, Lan Rong couldn't figure out his thoughts and blamed herself, sobbing softly, "It's all my fault for being weak and afraid of water. I've made you stay with me for so long, and I'm sorry for making you suffer."
She thought Hongli would comfort her and say it was alright, but Hongli slowly raised his eyes, his gaze falling on her face. His look wasn't the gentle, tolerant one she had imagined; instead, it carried a hint of impatience.
"The only reason I'm here is because your injuries were inflicted on my behalf. Whether you want to soak in hot springs, have acupuncture, or request any precious medicinal herbs, I can satisfy your every whim. But if you want me by your side at all times, I'm sorry, I don't have the time. I'm busy with official duties during the day and deserve a good rest at night. If you truly care about me, then please stop tormenting me!"
"But I am really afraid of water. I didn't mean to make things difficult for you."
Glancing at her, Hongli bluntly pointed out, "Yesterday the female doctor said she wanted to soak in a hot spring, why didn't you say you were afraid of water?"
"I also want to recover as soon as possible, which is why I agreed to the female doctor's suggestion. I thought I could overcome it, but I didn't expect to still feel panicked when I got to the water." As she spoke, Lan Rong started to cry.
"It's my fault for being useless and delaying Fourth Master for so long. Qiu Cha has already gone to prepare hot water. Fourth Master can rest after washing up."
"You think I'll stay here just because you're sick?" She was up to her old tricks again. Hongli looked directly at her, his eyes full of impatience. "Lan Rong, do you know what kind of person I hate the most? Someone who tries to scheme against me! You saved me, and I am indeed very grateful to you. You can use this gratitude to benefit your family and to make yourself rich, but if you want to win my affection, then you are sorely mistaken."
"Your life is your own. If you're sick, cooperate with the doctor and get treatment. If you can't soak in the hot springs, then go back to the manor and continue with acupuncture. Don't try to find excuses to make me accompany you anymore. I don't have time! You can take treatment or not, but what I hate most is being threatened!"
The current situation was completely different from what Lan Rong had expected. She suddenly realized that Hongli's thoughts were different from ordinary people's; she could never figure them out. Frustrated, she burst into tears and tearfully expressed her stance.
"Fourth Master, you are wise. I did not threaten you. I am genuinely afraid of water. You know what happened back then!"
The threat was hard, but she was using a softer approach: "You're trying to blackmail me with your supposed favor! You don't think no one can see through your little trick, do you?"
"I've seen countless plays, and your acting is indeed quite good. Unfortunately, I don't have feelings for you, so I won't fall for that. Only by remaining law-abiding can you attain wealth and glory. If you harbor any further ambitions and try to squander my gratitude, don't blame me for wiping out the debt of gratitude I owe you!"
Hongli's tolerance has its limits. He might overlook it once in a while, but if it's a repeated act, he'll be too lazy to play along.
After bluntly pointing out the truth, Hongli turned around and left without paying any more attention to Lan Rong's situation.
Meanwhile, Qiu Cha had just prepared hot water and was about to help Fourth Master wash up when she saw him storm out of the room in a rage.
Qiu Cha, who was carrying hot water into the room, was puzzled and couldn't help but ask, "Why did Fourth Master leave? Wasn't he supposed to stay overnight? Did someone from Huatang Pavilion come looking for Fourth Master?"
Unable to keep Hongli with her, Lan Rong was greatly disappointed. She clutched the blanket tightly and choked back tears, "Fourth Master thought I was faking illness, but I am really sick. I am really afraid of water!"
The master was still ill, and the Fourth Master had already passed away. It was truly heartbreaking. Qiu Cha kindly comforted him:
"Fourth Master was very concerned about you before! But after he went to Huatang Pavilion, his attitude changed. I guess it was because Su Gege gossiped about you to Fourth Master, otherwise Fourth Master would not be so heartless."
Lan Rong only wanted to achieve her goals through her own efforts and didn't want to cause trouble with Su Yushan. She had no intention of harming anyone; she simply liked the Fourth Prince.
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