12 Sick
Li Zhaoyi looked at the bedding he handed over, hesitated for a moment, and finally took it.
The two of them leaned against the wall side by side, with a small distance between them, but they could feel each other's body temperature.
The flames in the charcoal basin danced, reflecting the figures of the two people, and the coldness in the temple seemed to be dispelled a little.
It was late at night, but Li Zhaoyi was not sleepy.
She listened to the cries of the refugees outside and the sound of the wind, her heart filled with worry: "Mr. Shen, do you think we can successfully get through this difficult time? Can the refugees rebuild their homes as soon as possible?"
"Yes." Shen Zhiyuan's voice was firm. "Your Majesty cares about the people. I will do my utmost to assist you. As long as the ruler and his subjects are united, and the people work together, there is no obstacle that cannot be overcome."
Li Zhaoyi looked at his determined eyes, and the worries in her heart gradually dissipated.
She suddenly remembered what happened during the day and said softly, "Mr. Shen, thank you for your time during the day. If you hadn't stepped forward to accompany me to the disaster area, I really don't know what to do."
"Protecting and assisting Your Majesty is my duty." Shen Zhiyuan's voice softened. "Your Majesty, you are welcome."
After a moment's silence, Li Zhaoyi suddenly whispered, "Mr. Shen, actually... I don't want to choose a concubine."
Shen Zhiyuan's body stiffened for a moment, and he didn't say anything.
"I issued the decree for the selection of concubines only to quell the rumors in the palace and to make you treat me as you did before."
Li Zhaoyi's voice was filled with a hint of grievance. "But I didn't expect that doing this would actually further distance us."
Shen Zhiyuan looked at her red eyes and felt like being pricked by a needle in his heart.
He knew that his avoidance during this period had caused her to feel wronged.
He was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Your Majesty, I understand your feelings. However, there is a difference between ruler and subject. There are some things we can only keep to ourselves. Once the disaster relief is over and we return to the capital, everything will be fine."
"Really?" Li Zhaoyi raised her head, her eyes full of anticipation.
"Really." Shen Zhiyuan nodded, his voice gentle, "I promise your majesty."
That night, Li Zhaoyi slept exceptionally soundly. Leaning against Shen Zhiyuan, listening to his steady breathing, she felt incredibly at ease.
The next morning, the two of them plunged into the intensive disaster relief work again.
Li Zhaoyi and Shen Zhiyuan worked together to direct the reconstruction of the resettlement site, distribute supplies to the refugees, and visit sick people. The tacit understanding between them grew deeper and deeper, and the previous alienation and awkwardness disappeared unknowingly.
Once, Li Zhaoyi accidentally stepped into a mud pit and almost fell. Shen Zhiyuan quickly supported her. The distance between them was very close.
He could smell the faint scent of ink on her, and she could feel the warmth of his palm. Their eyes met, and the air seemed to grow ambiguous. They quickly separated, their cheeks flushing.
Li Zhaoyi looked at Shen Zhiyuan's panic and couldn't help laughing. This was the first time she laughed so happily since the rumor spread. She knew that the ice between them was slowly melting.
The disaster relief work went smoothly. With the joint efforts of Li Zhaoyi and Shen Zhiyuan, the refugees gradually had shelter and food.
The sick people were also treated. Seeing the smiles gradually appearing on the faces of the refugees, Li Zhaoyi felt a sense of accomplishment.
On the day they left the disaster area, the refugees spontaneously stood on the roadside, waved goodbye to them, and shouted "Long live the emperor" and "Long live Lord Shen".
Li Zhaoyi sat in the carriage, looking at the scene outside the window, her heart warmed. She turned to look at Shen Zhiyuan and said with a smile: "Mr. Shen, look, we did it."
Shen Zhiyuan looked at her brilliant smile, his eyes full of tenderness: "Your Majesty did a good job."
The carriage gradually drove away from the disaster area and headed towards the capital.
Li Zhaoyi leaned against the car window, looking at Shen Zhiyuan's profile, and secretly swore in her heart: After returning to the capital, she must find a way to break the boundary between the monarch and the minister and confess her feelings to him.
She didn't want to miss it again, didn't want to regret it again.
On the way back to Beijing from the disaster area, the sky was overcast the whole time. When we were almost in Beijing, it finally started to drizzle.
Li Zhaoyi sat in the bumpy carriage, feeling cold all over, sneezing several times, and her nose began to feel sore.
While in the disaster area, she accidentally got caught in the rain while helping refugees move supplies. She didn't think it was a big deal at the time, but now she is gradually starting to feel uncomfortable.
"Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?" Shen Zhiyuan, sitting opposite her, saw that her face was pale and her lips were bloodless. He quickly reached out to touch her forehead.
His hand was halfway up in the air but stopped, then he picked up the cloak beside him and said, "Put on the cloak first, don't catch a cold again."
Li Zhaoyi took the cloak and wrapped herself tightly around her, but she still felt cold. She even had less strength to speak. "It's okay. I'm probably just a little tired. I'll be fine after a rest."
She didn't want to make Shen Zhiyuan worry, and she didn't want him to think she was being squeamish, but her physical discomfort became more and more obvious, and her head began to feel dizzy.
When she returned to the Yangxin Palace, Li Zhaoyi was already a little confused due to the fever.
Seeing this, Eunuch Zhang hurriedly wanted to summon the imperial physician, but she stopped him: "Don't...don't summon the imperial physician, otherwise the officials will know and worry. Just...get some sleep first."
After she finished speaking, she couldn't hold on any longer and fell onto the bed, her consciousness gradually becoming blurred.
In a daze, she felt someone gently tucking the corner of the quilt for her, and someone put a warm towel on her forehead, with such gentle movements as if afraid of breaking her.
She wanted to open her eyes to see who it was, but her eyelids felt heavy as if they were hung with lead. She could only let the reassuring warmth envelop her and fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up again, it was already dark outside the window, and only a dim candle was lit in the hall.
Li Zhaoyi moved her fingers and found that her hand was being held. She felt a familiar warmth in her palm. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up along the hand, just in time to meet Shen Zhiyuan's worried eyes.
"Mr. Shen...why are you here?" Her voice was so hoarse that her throat felt like it had been rubbed by sandpaper.
"Your Majesty has a severe fever, and I am worried about you, so I stayed here."
Shen Zhiyuan quickly let go of her hand and picked up the medicine bowl beside him. "The imperial physician has come and prescribed medicine to reduce the fever. I'll warm it for you. Please drink it while it's hot."
Li Zhaoyi looked at the bloodshot eyes and felt her heart tighten. "How long have you been guarding me?"
"It won't be long. Your Majesty, drink the medicine quickly." Shen Zhiyuan avoided her gaze, picked up the spoon, carefully scooped up the medicine, blew it cool before handing it to her mouth.
The medicine was very bitter. Li Zhaoyi frowned after taking a sip and couldn't help wanting to avoid it.
Shen Zhiyuan didn't let her go, and coaxed her softly: "Good medicine tastes bitter, Your Majesty, be patient, and drink the medicine to get better."
His voice was so gentle that water could drip out of it, like coaxing a child, leaving Li Zhaoyi without the strength to resist, and she could only drink the medicine obediently.
After drinking the medicine, Shen Zhiyuan picked up the warm towel again and gently wiped her forehead and palms with meticulous and patient movements.
Li Zhaoyi looked at his serious expression, her heart warmed, but her eyes could not help but redden. Since her father passed away, no one had taken such good care of her.
No one would stay up all night because she was sick, and no one would coax her to take medicine in such a gentle tone.
"Mr. Shen," Li Zhaoyi said softly, her voice tinged with grievance, "Am I really useless? I can't even take care of my own health, and yet I still make you worry."
"Your Majesty, don't say that." Shen Zhiyuan stopped and looked at her red eyes. His heart felt like it was pierced by a needle.
"Your Majesty has been working tirelessly for the people in the disaster area, disregarding your own safety. This is the act of a benevolent monarch who cares deeply about the world. How could it be ineffective?
I worry about Your Majesty because I care about You, not because You are useless."
"Take it to heart..." Li Zhaoyi repeated these four words, and her heartbeat suddenly became rapid.
She looked into Shen Zhiyuan's eyes. The candlelight reflected in his eyes, like starlight, making her want to get closer, wanting to confirm what he said, "Take it to heart."
Is it the concern of a subject for his monarch, or... the kind of affection she expects?
Perhaps it was the effect of the medicine, or perhaps she was just too tired, but Li Zhaoyi's consciousness started to blur again.
She subconsciously reached out and grabbed Shen Zhiyuan's sleeve, her voice filled with tears: "Mr. Shen, don't leave me... Don't hide from me like before..."
Shen Zhiyuan's body stiffened for a moment. He looked at Li Zhaoyi's fragile appearance and felt distressed.
He patted the back of her hand gently, his voice so gentle it could melt the ice: "I will not leave. I will stay here with Your Majesty, forever."
Only after getting his promise did Li Zhaoyi close her eyes with peace of mind and fell asleep again.
Shen Zhiyuan looked at her sleeping face and sighed softly, but did not let go of the sleeve that she was holding. He just carefully adjusted his posture so that she could sleep more comfortably.
For the next three days and three nights, Shen Zhiyuan hardly left the Yangxin Palace.
He personally fed Li Zhaoyi medicine, wiped her body, changed her towel, and even ate a few bites of her meal in the hall.
Seeing him growing increasingly haggard, Eunuch Zhang wanted to share his burden, but he refused: "Your Majesty needs someone to take care of you now. With me here, Your Majesty will feel more at ease."
On the morning of the fourth day, Li Zhaoyi's fever finally subsided and she regained consciousness.
She opened her eyes and saw Shen Zhiyuan sleeping on the bed, his face pale, the red bloodshot under his eyes was heavier than before, and even blue stubble appeared on his chin.
She gently stretched out her hand, wanting to touch his face, but her hand stopped mid-air. She knew that her feelings for Shen Zhiyuan were so deep that she couldn't extricate herself.
In the past, she could still deceive herself and regard this relationship as the friendship between a monarch and his subjects, and the love between a teacher and a student, but after this illness, she could no longer deceive herself.
She liked him, liked his strictness, liked his gentleness, liked his selfless dedication for her, and liked even more his sleepless nights to take care of her.
This feeling, like a vine, has already taken root in her heart, entwining her every breath and every heartbeat.
At this moment, Shen Zhiyuan woke up. He saw Li Zhaoyi looking at him with her eyes open, and quickly stood up: "Your Majesty, are you awake? How are you feeling? Are you feeling unwell?"
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