81 My cousin's illness
◎Sister Yuan Chu, I want to go!◎
Since Physician Ye was invited by Sima Hong, he would naturally stay temporarily at Sima Hong's villa.
Upon arriving at the gate of the villa, Qi Gu stepped out of the carriage. Sima Hong reached out his hand, knowing that Qi Gu was trying to escape. This time, he forcefully grabbed Qi Gu's hand, not allowing her to escape.
Qi Gu stood on the carriage, looking down at Sima Hong standing beside it. Her heart began to pound erratically. Why did he hold her back when she wanted to stay away from him? In her past life, she had wanted to get close to his heart so much, but she could never get close to him.
Upon seeing this, Hongyan and Fulian looked left and right at the plaque of Sima Bieyuan, but dared not look in the direction of the princess and Lord Sima.
Doctor Ye was a man of great knowledge and experience. He carried his medical kit on his back and kept his eyes straight ahead.
Atai was used to this, but Axiang was still a little confused and whispered, "Young master and princess, they really have a deep brother-sister relationship."
Atai rolled his eyes in annoyance and looked at Axiang, as if to say, "It's really not easy for you to have survived until now."
Qi Gu gritted her teeth and whispered to Sima Hong, "Sima Hong, what are you doing?"
Sima Hong retorted, "You want me to carry you down?"
Qi Gu shut her mouth, afraid that if she said another word, Sima Hong would really carry her off the carriage. She could only let Sima Hong hold her hand tightly and half-help, half-carry her off the carriage.
The once radiant and upright Sima Hong became increasingly difficult for her to understand. After his rebirth, the way he looked at her was complex, leaving her puzzled, even frightened, and making her feel a little...heart palpitations.
She repeatedly warned herself that she could not make the same mistake twice. No matter how good Sima Hong was, he was not hers. She deliberately avoided and suppressed the flutter in her heart, using other things to distract herself from Sima Hong.
She feared that if she lingered even a moment longer, she would succumb once more.
The more she tried to avoid him, the more Sima Hong pressed on, just like that day behind the palace wall when he held her firmly in his arms, almost causing her to break down.
She understood him less and less. She didn't believe that, given a second chance at life, Sima Hong would fall in love with her.
The scene of Sima Hong half-carrying and half-helping Qi Gu down from the carriage was witnessed by Li Shi, who was returning from the outskirts of the city. Li Shi watched as Sima Hong held Qi Gu's hand tightly, while Qi Gu looked down at their tightly clasped hands, then looked up at Sima Hong with dissatisfaction.
It seems that Sima Hong has taken the lead in his daughter Qi's two suitors for the time being. He clicked his tongue twice in his heart, thinking that Zhang Jun was still too naive and straightforward, not as cunning as this young master Sima.
He could tell that there was a strange atmosphere between Qi Gu and Sima Hong, an atmosphere that wasn't present when they were with other people, suggesting that something unusual must have happened between them.
"Oh! Aunt Qi is here." He approached the path, carrying a hoe.
Qi Gu finally managed to shake off Sima Hong's grasp and walked towards Li Shi, "Father, do you remember who this is?"
Li Shi looked in the direction of Qi Gu's gaze and saw an old man with white hair and wrinkled skin, who looked like a hermit master. He looked somewhat familiar. "This is... Doctor Ye!"
Doctor Ye also saw Li Shi. He was surprised that after so many years, the optimistic and open-minded middle-aged man from the war years ago had not changed at all. "Mr. Li, it's been many years. I hope you have been well."
Li Shi put the hoe aside and stepped forward: "Dr. Ye is even more radiant than before. He must have saved people all over the years, and I wonder how many more merits he has accumulated."
"Hahaha," Doctor Ye stroked his flowing silver beard and laughed, "Mr. Li is as humorous and witty as ever."
Li Shi pulled Doctor Ye along, saying, "Come on, Doctor Ye, what a coincidence we have! I must treat you to the best food and wine today."
Li Shiyan treated the Sima villa as his own, ordering his men to quickly prepare fine wine and food.
Looking at her father, who would lose himself in joy, Qi Gu felt a sense of helplessness but even more warmth in her eyes.
She wondered if she should put finding a house for her father on the agenda, since living in the Sima Villa indefinitely wasn't a good idea.
As if he could hear her thoughts, Sima Hong said, "Qi Gu, the political situation is unclear right now. Only by having Mr. Li stay with me can we ensure that nothing goes wrong."
"What do you mean!" Qi Gu looked at Sima Hong nervously and asked, "Is someone trying to harm Father?"
"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to Mr. Li. But, Aunt Qi, you have to follow my arrangements. It can't be like the last time."
Sima Hong's words weren't really meant to scare Qi Gu. With Prince Yi back in the capital, the Guo family's mind was becoming increasingly unsettled. Coupled with the incident at the last palace banquet, the struggle for the crown prince was brewing. In the eyes of outsiders, Li Shi was still a member of the empress's camp, and those people were ruthless and insane in their quest for the throne.
Even he himself had survived several assassination attempts; he couldn't let Aunt Qi and those she cared about fall into situations beyond his control again...
"So Father is really in danger!" Qi Gu's heart tightened.
"Don't worry, not for now. I will send people to protect Mr. Li."
Qi Gu, however, seemed to be thinking of something, and her bright eyes were now clouded with shadows. "Sima Hong, you must protect my father. You can't let him suffer like I did in my past life, okay?"
Sima Hong felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw Qi Gu like this. He knew that the events of his past life had made it impossible for Qi Gu to completely trust him anymore.
“Qi Gu, at that time, I made thorough preparations, and the Empress also… but none of us expected you…” In the end, it was he who made the mistake; he was too confident in himself.
The memories of her past life were too painful; Qi Gu didn't want to dwell on them. All she wanted was to protect her father. "Don't say anything more. None of that matters anymore. Just promise me this time that you'll protect Father. If there's anything you need to do in return, just tell me clearly, and I'll cooperate." Qi Gu stopped looking at Sima Hong and let out a long, soft sigh: "I will cooperate, as long as you explain things clearly to me..."
Sima Hong's heart ached even more. He couldn't help but hug Qi Gu tightly. Qi Gu's head rested against his chest. Only by truly holding the person in his arms and feeling her warmth and the softness of her body could he feel that he had not lost her and that she was still alive this time!
“Qi Gu, okay, okay, I promise you…” Sima Hong comforted the person in his arms: “Qi Gu, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”
Qi Gu was momentarily lost in thought as she smelled Sima Hong's scent. She thought she would no longer feel anything from Sima Hong's embrace, his scent, or his warmth.
But just like in her past life, his presence made her feel at ease. It was ridiculous, because in her past life, the very person who brought her that peace of mind ultimately ordered her to be shot. She shouldn't be so attached to his embrace anymore, but what was she doing now? She couldn't bear to part with this strong embrace, the embrace she had cherished so much in her past life!
After a brief moment of distraction, Qi Gu suddenly snapped out of it, pushed Sima Hong away, and said, "Sima Hong, all I want is for you to protect my father." Then she turned and went into the courtyard without looking back.
The next day, as soon as Qi Gu left the palace, the golden carriage stopped. Just as she was about to ask Hong Yan what was wrong, she felt the carriage sway twice, and a pair of slender, fair hands lifted the curtain and entered the carriage.
"Are you that free?" It's like you're waiting for her at the palace gate every day.
"I have just finished court, please escort me, Princess." Sima Hong readily sat down next to Qi Gu, not noticing at all that Qi Gu was reluctant.
Aunt Qi didn't want to go; she was going to her aunt's and uncle's house today. She had already arranged with Doctor Ye to see her cousin and uncle today.
As for Sima Hong, after court, he either goes back to the Sima residence or goes to his villa; why would he follow her?
"Aunt Qi is truly heartless; Physician Ye is still in my residence."
“You…” Qi Gu’s expression changed quickly, “I would be very happy to escort you back to your residence.”
“I have already ordered someone to take Doctor Ye to the Marquis of Quzhou’s residence. If we set off now, we can arrive at the Marquis of Quzhou’s residence together with Doctor Ye.”
Qi Gu hurriedly said to Fu Lian, "Fu Lian, let's go to Aunt's house."
Just as Sima Hong had said, Qi Gu's carriage and Doctor Ye's carriage arrived at the Marquis of Quzhou's residence together.
As Qu Zhouhou watched Qi Gu and Sima Hong dismount from a horse, he realized that Sima Hong was being quite open about his thoughts. Remembering his elder sister's words, Qu Zhouhou couldn't help but take a few more glances at Sima Hong.
Sima Hong nodded slightly to Marquis Quzhou, allowing Marquis Quzhou to scrutinize him.
Marquis Qu Zhou pulled Qi Gu aside and asked, "Sima Langjun and you..."
Qi Gu quickly interrupted her aunt, saying, "I just happened to run into him today. It was on my way."
Marquis Qu Zhou looked incredulous. "Really?" However, Marquis Qu Zhou was concerned about his daughter's illness and did not ask any further questions.
Yesterday, Aunt Qi sent someone to say that Doctor Ye had been found and would be coming to treat her son, Azhuang, today. She was so excited that she couldn't sleep all night.
She didn't dare tell her daughter the good news, fearing another disappointment would further damage her daughter's health. She only told her that a new physician had been brought in to treat her.
Qu Zhouhou asked Qi Gu with some unease, "Is this really Doctor Ye?" It wasn't that he didn't trust Doctor Ye, but he was afraid of the feeling of having hope only to be disappointed again.
Aunt Qi said, "Don't worry, Aunt, this really is Doctor Ye."
Having practiced medicine for many years, Ye Ming understands the anxiety of patients' relatives.
Seeing Qu Zhouhou's continued skepticism, he smiled slightly: "Qu Zhouhou, please lead the way so that this old man can first examine your daughter's condition."
Looking at the kind-looking old man with a smile, Qu Zhouhou felt inexplicably at ease. "Alright! Alright! Doctor Ye, please come with me."
At the Marquis of Quzhou's residence, the servants were exceptionally cautious today, even their movements were very slow, presumably because their aunt had given them special instructions yesterday.
Doctor Ye, accompanied by his aunt, entered the bedroom to examine his cousin. Qi Gu and Sima Hong stood outside the screen, and servants immediately brought hot tea.
Qi Gu had no appetite for tea. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. She peered behind the screen, and after what seemed like an eternity, the agonizing silence finally ended with Doctor Ye's words.
"The young woman's illness was congenital."
"Yes, that's right," Qu Zhouhou replied. Her daughter's illness was congenital, and she hurriedly asked, "Can Doctor Ye cure my daughter's disease completely?"
Qi Gu couldn't help but walk behind the screen and sit next to her cousin, who was looking at her expectant face. Looking into her pale, hopeful eyes, she took her little hand and gave her warmth.
Doctor Ye shook his head. "It cannot be cured."
Marquis Qu Zhou could not hide his disappointment. So it really couldn't be cured after all? His daughter…
But then Doctor Ye said, "I have a prescription that the young lady should take for the rest of her life. Although she will not be as healthy as an ordinary person, as long as she takes it on time and is careful not to come into contact with anything she should, she can prolong her life."
Qu Zhouhou's eyes, which had been dim, suddenly brightened again: "Dr. Ye, is this true!"
Aunt Qi knew this was true. In her previous life, her cousin's illness was gradually brought under control under the care of Doctor Ye. She was still thinner and weaker than the average person, could not exert herself, and was prone to illness, but at least she would not die from an illness so easily.
She held her cousin's soft hand and said, "That's great, Zhuang. When you get better, I'll take you to see my experimental field."
Tears welled up in Yuan Zhuang's eyes. "Okay, okay, Sister Yuan Chu, I want to go!"
Marquis Qu Zhou choked up and bowed deeply to Doctor Ye. "Doctor Ye, thank you so much. You are A Zhuang's savior. I, Marquis Qu Zhou, will remember your great kindness. No matter what it is, if you ask for anything, I will definitely do it for you!"
Physician Ye helped Marquis Qu Zhou up, saying, "There's no need for that. Marquis Qu Zhou's love for his children has moved me deeply. I was merely fulfilling my duty as a physician." Physician Ye continued, "Please bring me paper and pen. I will write a prescription first. Marquis Qu Zhou, quickly go and get the medicine for your daughter to brew and drink. I will write another prescription later. Marquis Qu Zhou, find a few capable physicians in your household, and I will teach them how to make pills. From now on, just make the pills for your daughter according to the methods I teach them."
Marquis Qu Zhou was surprised that Doctor Ye was so dedicated and responsible. "Aren't you afraid that your prescriptions will be learned by others?"
Doctor Ye said, "Wouldn't it be great if you learned it? It can benefit more people, and those with the same symptoms in the future will no longer have to suffer from the pain."
"Sir, your virtue is truly admirable!" Marquis Qu Zhou bowed again.
[Author's Note]
I got so engrossed in editing that I forgot all about the world and it was past midnight! [laughing and crying emoji]
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