Chapter 18 Only after looking at each other did Shen Yun belatedly realize what he had done…
Realizing what she had done belatedly, Shen Yunrong felt as if she were being roasted on a fire, her whole body burning hot. Zhao Linzhang's command to "don't move" made her even more afraid to move, still holding the finger in her mouth.
She opened her misty eyes, only to be met with Zhao Linzhang's even heavier breathing.
She was just following her mother's example; when she accidentally hurt her finger, she would suck on it to stop the bleeding.
Last night's long talk brought her closer to the prince, and for a moment she forgot the vast difference in their social status. When she saw him cut his finger, before she even thought about it, she had already put his finger in her mouth.
Zhao Linzhang's rough fingers caressed the warm, smooth, and tender flesh, something he had never experienced before. The small wound didn't even hurt. His heart pounded violently, and his eyes were filled with intense emotions.
Realizing too intimately, Shen Yunrong felt that finger lightly scrape her tongue. Her scalp tingled instantly, and a tingling sensation spread throughout her body. Like a sparrow struck by an arrow, she sprang to her feet, ignoring Zhao Linzhang's words, "Don't move," and spat out his finger.
She turned around and picked up the little boy sitting on the carpet: "The little boy must be hungry, I'll go feed him first!"
Zhao Linzhang watched the fleeing figure, then looked at the wound on his finger, and lowered his eyes.
Shen Yunrong ultimately couldn't eat the roasted rabbit. Little Siliang, whether from soaking in the hot spring or teething, had a burning hot mouth when he was nursing.
She dared not delay and hurriedly sent her maid to inform Zhao Linzhang.
There was also a doctor in the village, and Zhao Linzhang hurriedly arrived with him.
All the tender feelings vanished as the child whimpered in discomfort. Zhao Linzhang, looking anxious, asked with concern, "Dr. Lin, what's wrong with the child?"
“I tried to feed the young master rice cereal, but he wouldn’t eat it. I tried to feed him milk, but he vomited it all up in no time.” Shen Yunrong’s eyes were red with worry. She had been taking care of this child for so long and he had never gotten sick.
The doctor stepped forward to examine her, but before he could even touch the small white lotus root, Xiao Siliang waved her little body in fear and cried out.
Shen Yunrong did not expect the child to struggle so much. For a moment, she could not hold the chubby little body with both hands, and it looked like the child was about to fall off her shoulders.
A pair of strong, powerful hands wrapped around her shoulders, and she and the child snuggled into Zhao Linzhang's arms.
Shen Yunrong's heart skipped a beat, and her face turned deathly pale. She dared not imagine how badly the child would have been injured if the prince hadn't caught her. The more she thought about it, the more frightened and terrified she became.
"Your Highness, please forgive me! It was my fault."
"Take the child to see a doctor first." The crying Siliang made Zhao Linzhang quickly look away from that fair and plump neck.
With Zhao Linzhang holding him tightly, the doctor quickly took his pulse and, after a moment of contemplation, said, "Your Highness, the young master's pulse is floating and tight, indicating that cold has invaded his body, causing him to feel chills and fever. I will prescribe medicine to help the young master dispel the cold!"
"It must be because we caught a chill last night." Zhao Linzhang's eyes were full of guilt. He hadn't slept with the child, and he hadn't even noticed when the child kicked off the blanket.
These words made Shen Yunrong feel even more guilty. Taking care of the child was her responsibility, and the child got sick and almost fell because of her inadequate care.
"This servant deserves to die!" If Shen Yunrong hadn't been holding the child, her knees would have gone weak and she would have knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
"Everyone gets sick sometimes. After the doctor prepares the medicine, you still have to go through the trouble of feeding it to the child." Zhao Linzhang had seen the imperial nephews in her brother's palace, who would call the imperial physician every few days. Under her care, Xiao Siliang rarely got sick. The only two times he fell ill were because others were taking care of him.
Zhao Linzhang didn't blame her at all, which made Shen Yunrong feel even more guilty.
Zhao Linzhang had a broad chest, and Xiao Siliang reached out for him to hug her. After the medicine was ready, Shen Yunrong wanted to hug him and feed him the medicine.
"Your Highness, I'll feed the young master his medicine!"
Xiao Siliang turned around and rested her head on Zhao Linzhang's shoulder.
"I will feed him." Zhao Linzhang felt a surge of tenderness as the little boy nestled against him.
Shen Yunrong handed over the medicine, which had been cooled by blowing on it, and Zhao Linzhang sat down in the chair next to her.
Xiao Siliang only tasted a little bit of the medicine that Zhao Linzhang scooped up with a spoon, and his originally docile little body immediately began to twist and struggle. Zhao Linzhang was flustered and held down the struggling little hands, but the spoon was kicked away by the wild little feet.
Shen Yunrong rushed forward and pressed him down, but Xiao Siliang kept his mouth tightly shut, shook his head, and large tears slid down his chubby face. He couldn't understand why the two people who usually loved him the most would treat him like this today.
Shen Yunrong was heartbroken to see her child like this, but now that the child was older, he was eating less milk, and when she took medicine and fed him breast milk, the medicine wasn't effective at all.
He could only harden his heart and say, "Young master, open your mouth and drink the medicine so you can get better."
No matter what Shen Yunrong said, Xiao Siliang always pursed her lips tightly. Zhao Linzhang pinched her chubby little face with one hand and said sternly and resolutely, "Force-feed!"
After much effort, Shen Yunrong managed to force the medicine down Zhao Linzhang's throat. Before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, Xiao Siliang suddenly vomited up all the medicine, spraying the dark brown liquid all over Zhao Linzhang.
Shen Yunrong wished the medicine was sprayed on herself. Afraid that Zhao Linzhang would get angry, she took out her handkerchief to wipe the medicine off his brocade robe.
"Your Highness, please forgive me, but children are most afraid of hardship."
"It's nothing, you little rascal!" Zhao Linzhang shook his head, showing no fear or anger like Shen Yunrong. His expression remained normal, and he only cared about the child's illness. He released the child and asked someone to prepare more medicine.
She took the handkerchief from Shen Yunrong's hand: "I can do it myself."
Shen Yunrong held the child and comforted her, unaware that Zhao Linzhang, after wiping himself, casually tucked the handkerchief into his sleeve.
Xiao Siliang's fever subsided after taking the medicine. Seeing that he had a fever and could not soak in the hot springs that night, Zhao Linzhang returned to his residence before dark.
Xiao Siliang's illness came on quickly and went away quickly; she was almost completely recovered the next day, with only the occasional childish cough.
As the Spring Festival approaches, Zhao Linzhang is even busier, with banquets every day.
As they clinked glasses and listened to the same flattering words over and over again, amidst the sounds of traditional music, he stopped thinking about the soft, moist touch of his fingertips that day.
He often returned home late at night, and fearing the cold would affect the child, he would rest after washing up. It had been almost seven days since he had seen the child or her.
If he doesn't see her, he won't overthink things. Perhaps he should listen to his elder brother and marry a princess, then he won't have any wild thoughts.
At the palace banquet, amidst singing and dancing, the emperor raised his cup in a toast to celebrate the peace and prosperity of the nation.
After several rounds of drinks, the Emperor, as if he could read minds, had Zhao Linzhang sit to his left.
"Seventh brother, it's the end of another year. Your mother still misses you for not being married. What kind of woman do you like? Even a fairy from heaven, I will find her for you."
Looking at his elder brother, who was the same age as him and already had four or five sons, Zhao Linzhang surprisingly did not refuse outright this time.
He imagined a beautiful woman with a delicate face and crimson lips holding his finger, and the image flashed through his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
The emperor noticed something amiss. He had assumed his younger brother was self-disciplined and abstinent from women, much like the senior monks in a temple. He leaned forward slightly, his curiosity and delight evident, and asked, "Is she from some noble family whom I have personally decreed to marry?"
Zhao Linzhang gave a bitter smile upon hearing this. If it were a noble lady from a wealthy family, he could at least convince himself that they were a good match.
"Your Majesty, I am busy with official duties and have no plans to get married at the moment." He cannot marry just any noblewoman, because they must be of equal social standing.
I don't want to force the image of her that often appears in my mind to submit to me.
The emperor sat back down, and gave the same uninteresting reply again.
"Next year, I'll recommend a few capable subordinates to share the workload. If you still don't get married, my ears will be tired of hearing the Empress Dowager nagging you."
Although the Empress Dowager was not his biological mother, she had raised him for more than ten years. Zhao Linzhang nodded: "Your subject will go to apologize to the Empress Dowager later."
The Empress Dowager has not been feeling well these past two days and has not attended the banquet.
After the banquet, Zhao Linzhang indeed went to Cixi Palace to apologize to the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was old and did not want to be exposed to the cold wind at the palace banquet, so she pretended to be unwell and did not show up.
Upon hearing that Zhao Linzhang had arrived, she hurriedly instructed a palace maid to invite him in.
After a cup of hot tea, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but bring up the old topic again.
"Seventh Prince, although you are not my biological son, I have raised you since you were a child. I treat you as if you were my own son, just like the Emperor."
"I always remember my mother's love and care. I am deeply worried when I hear that she is unwell."
"The fact that you don't marry is my greatest concern, as long as I am well," the Empress Dowager said quietly.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die for my sins and have troubled you. It's just that I haven't met a suitable woman." Zhao Linzhang hurriedly tried to kneel down, but the Empress Dowager got up and helped him up.
"Of the three unfilial acts, the greatest is having no offspring. You have no intention of getting married, and you have no woman you like, all because there are too few women to choose from." The Empress Dowager frowned as she looked at the prince she had raised before her.
His birth mother, Consort Jing, was truly as gentle and quiet as her name suggested. Her son was unlike her in many ways, but he was exactly like her in his quietness.
She was quiet and reserved from a young age, never competing or vying for anything, so she hardly needed any attention. Who knew she had a big surprise up her sleeve?
Even among ordinary people, it's rare to see a young master who's twenty and still unmarried; he's already twenty-five.
"Your son is unfilial, causing trouble for Mother Empress." Zhao Linzhang sat down, but stood up again after hearing these words.
"If you are truly filial, then listen to your mother." The Empress Dowager suddenly had an idea.
"Your subject..." Zhao Linzhang dared not agree, fearing that the Empress Dowager might suddenly issue an imperial decree to grant him the marriage.
"Don't be afraid, your mother will let you choose a princess you like." The Empress Dowager seemed to see through his thoughts.
"Your Majesty, I thank you!" Zhao Linzhang breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't a sudden marriage decree, the Empress Dowager would simply hold a few more palace banquets and invite some noble ladies from prominent families for him to choose from.
But to his utter surprise, the Empress Dowager held the banquet at his Prince Zhuang's residence.
After Steward Tan reported, Zhao Linzhang's expression changed several times before he finally nodded helplessly: "Do it!" As long as the Empress Dowager is happy.
Taking advantage of the flower viewing at Prince Zhuang's residence, the Empress Dowager instructed the Eldest Princess to host a banquet for noble ladies at Prince Zhuang's residence in her name.
Those invited were all unmarried women of suitable age. Everyone knew perfectly well that this was a pretext to select a queen for Prince Zhuang. As a result, each of them wanted to use every trick in the book to dress themselves up.
The Prince's mansion was suddenly busier than during the Spring Festival. Shen Yunrong finally learned that the mansion was hosting a banquet for young ladies from prominent families. She was slightly surprised, but then she understood. The Prince should have been married long ago at his age.
He wasn't in a hurry, but the royal family was.
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