King Zhao's jealousy
Jiang Wanzhi practically tiptoed back to Wanzhi Pavilion like a thief. It was already broad daylight, and the servants in the mansion were already busy. She was afraid of being seen looking like she hadn't returned all night and that her clothes might still smell of medicine.
"Miss! You're finally back!" Chun Tao and Qiu Ju rushed up to her anxiously, and seeing her exhausted appearance, they felt even more distressed. "You... stayed at the Prince Heng's residence all night?"
Jiang Wanzhi waved her hand weakly, then collapsed onto the soft couch, gulping down several mouthfuls of warm tea before she could catch her breath. "Don't even mention it. His Highness Prince Heng is seriously ill, with a persistent high fever. I... I really couldn't just leave like this." She explained vaguely, but her heart was filled with unease.
The two maids exchanged a complicated look. Chun Tao couldn't help but mutter softly, "Miss, you...you just returned from a boat trip with Prince Zhao, and then went to Prince Heng's residence to keep watch all night. If word gets out..."
"I know, I know!" Jiang Wanzhi scratched her hair in frustration, buried her face in the pillow, and let out a muffled wail. "It's all over, Jiang Wanzhi, you're such a scumbag! A player! A master of time management!"
The little voice inside her has already begun a heated debate:
For (Conscience Version): You were simply acting out of humanitarian spirit! Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda! Prince Heng helped you last time too! You're just repaying a debt of gratitude!
Opposing view (rational version): Bah! You're just too weak-willed! You were clearly developing a good relationship with Prince Zhao, the atmosphere was ambiguous, so why did you go and provoke that iceberg? Didn't you know to avoid suspicion? Now look what's happened, you can't clear your name even if you jump into the Yellow River!
For: How was I supposed to know he would get so sick? Besides, I had no ulterior motives when I was taking care of him! I was simply doing a good deed, like Lei Feng!
Opposing view: What would His Highness Prince Zhao think if he knew? Would he believe you were "pure of heart"? Would you believe it if you were in his shoes?
"Ahhh! Stop making noise!" Jiang Wanzhi suddenly sat up, her hair a mess, her eyes filled with despair. "I'm like Pigsy looking in the mirror—I'm caught in the middle, no one here!"
The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt, especially when she recalled King Zhao's eyes, which always held a gentle smile. If he knew... would he think she was a fickle woman who could please everyone?
This feeling of unease made her restless and unable to even catch up on sleep.
...
Meanwhile, at the Prince Heng's residence.
Zongzheng Hengyu slowly awoke in the afternoon. The weakness after the high fever subsided and the pain from his wounds came over him at the same time, but his mind was clear. He opened his eyes, and the first thing he felt was the burning thirst in his throat.
“Water…” he began hoarsely.
Yan Cheng, who had been standing by his side, quickly stepped forward, carefully helped him up, and fed him a few sips of warm water.
After clearing his throat, Zongzheng Hengyu leaned back on the pillow, took a breath, and his deep gaze swept across the bedchamber, gradually piecing together some blurry fragments of memory from last night.
A gentle wipe on the forehead, warm water on the lips when thirsty, a deep and soft female voice... and a brief, warm, and soft touch on the wrist.
It's not a dream.
His eyes darkened slightly as he looked at Yan Cheng, his voice still weak from illness, yet undeniably assertive: "Who was it last night?"
Yan Cheng lowered his head and respectfully replied, "Your Highness, it was Miss Jiang from the Prime Minister's residence. She heard that Your Highness was seriously ill and came to visit you. Seeing that your fever was recurring, she... took the initiative to stay and take care of you all night, and only left when Your Highness's fever subsided just before dawn."
It really was her.
A barely perceptible, complex emotion flickered in Zongzheng Hengyu's eyes. He closed them, and the image of Jiang Wanzhi's face—sometimes lively and cunning, sometimes panicked—appeared in his mind. This woman always seemed to appear when he was at his most vulnerable and vulnerable, showing him a side of him that no one else knew.
"Did she... say anything?" he asked casually, his fingertips unconsciously twisting the corner of the blanket.
Yan Cheng recalled for a moment: "Miss Jiang stayed up all night and left exhausted. She only told the physician to take good care of His Highness and didn't say anything else."
Zongzheng Hengyu remained silent for a moment, then stopped asking. His unfathomable eyes churned with emotion; whatever her purpose, he would remember this "favor."
...
Jiang Wanzhi spent most of the day in Wanzhi Pavilion like an ant on a hot pan. Just as she was about to force herself to lie down on the bed and catch up on sleep, Qiuju rushed in excitedly: "Miss! Miss! Someone from the Prince Zhao's mansion has come with an invitation to have tea at Qingfeng Tower tomorrow!"
Jiang Wanzhi's heart skipped a beat, almost leaping out of her throat. Here it comes! Is he here to interrogate her? Or... does he simply not know anything?
She nervously accepted the beautifully crafted invitation, which bore the elegant handwriting of King Zhao himself. It invited her to a gathering at Qingfeng Tower at noon the next day, without mentioning anything about King Heng.
To go or not to go?
Of course I have to go! Wouldn't it make me look even more guilty if I didn't go? Jiang Wanzhi gritted her teeth, replied to the post, and said she would definitely be there on time.
The next day, Jiang Wanzhi dressed up carefully, avoiding being too formal and appearing deliberate, while also avoiding being too casual and seeming disrespectful. She chose a light blue gradient-dyed ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), which was fresh and elegant, and tried her best to look natural and composed.
Qingfenglou was a famous teahouse in the capital, elegant and quiet. Jiang Wanzhi was led to a private room on the second floor facing the street. The moment she opened the door, she saw Prince Zhao, Zongzheng Zhaoran, already sitting there, elegantly preparing tea. Sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, illuminating his moon-white robes, making his face appear like jade and his temperament gentle and refined.
"Wanzhi is here, please have a seat." King Zhao raised his head, his face still bearing that warm and welcoming smile, as if nothing had happened.
Jiang Wanzhi sat down with a nervous heart, forcing a natural smile: "Your Highness, I've kept you waiting."
“I just arrived too.” King Zhao pushed a cup of freshly brewed tea in front of her with a smooth and effortless motion. “Try this newly arrived Lushan Yunwu tea. It has a refreshing taste. You should like it.”
Jiang Wanzhi took a sip as instructed. The tea was fragrant and refreshing, but she found herself somewhat unable to enjoy it. The two chatted casually about anecdotes from the capital, poetry, and songs. The atmosphere seemed harmonious, but Jiang Wanzhi always felt that beneath Prince Zhao's gentle smile, there was a subtle, almost imperceptible, probing intent.
Sure enough, after chatting for a while, King Zhao casually brought up the topic: "Speaking of which, I heard yesterday that Ninth Brother's residence seemed to have invited the imperial physician, but his old injury has relapsed? How is the situation?"
"They're here!" Jiang Wanzhi's heart tightened, and her fingers gripped the teacup slightly. She tried to make her tone sound calm and appropriately concerned: "Yes, I've heard about it too. I happened to be passing by the vicinity of Prince Heng's residence yesterday, so I thought I'd go and visit him. His Highness... his injuries seem to have relapsed, causing a high fever, and he looks quite dangerous."
She downplayed the issue, making no mention of the fact that she had kept watch all night.
King Zhao gave a soft "Oh," picked up his teacup, and gently stirred the floating leaves with the lid. His gaze fell on the rising steam, and his tone remained gentle, yet seemed to carry an indescribable meaning: "Is that so? Wan Zhi is truly thoughtful. Ninth Brother is cold and aloof, and doesn't like people getting close to him. It's rare that you could visit him; I suppose he... well, he should appreciate it."
The words sounded harmless, but Jiang Wanzhi keenly detected a hint of sourness and probing. He knew! He definitely knew that she had not only visited, but had stayed for a long time!
Jiang Wanzhi immediately became uneasy and quickly explained, "Your Highness is too kind. I just felt... that His Highness Prince Heng had helped me a few times before, so it was only right and proper for me to go and see him. Besides, the situation didn't look too good at the time, so I... stayed a little longer..." Her voice grew softer and softer as she spoke, lacking confidence.
King Zhao raised his eyes and looked at her. His eyes, which were always smiling, were exceptionally clear at this moment, as if they could see through people's hearts: "Wan Zhi is kind-hearted and grateful, which is a good thing."
He paused, his tone becoming even gentler, which only made Jiang Wanzhi more flustered. "However, Ninth Brother is deep-thinking and unpredictable. You need to be careful when you interact with him. I... am worried that you will suffer."
These words sounded like concern, but Jiang Wanzhi sensed a simmering jealousy within them. She hurriedly waved her hands, "No, no! I just went to take a look, and I'll leave right away! Really! I'm not familiar with His Highness Prince Heng!"
Seeing her flustered appearance as she tried to distance herself from the situation, a hint of a smile flashed in the depths of King Zhao's eyes, but his face remained gentle and worried: "That's good. I was just afraid that your good intentions would lead you into unnecessary trouble."
These words struck Jiang Wanzhi's Achilles' heel! This was exactly what she feared most! She immediately pledged her loyalty: "Your Highness, rest assured! I understand! I... I will definitely be more careful in the future and try to stay away from trouble!" She was practically swearing an oath to the heavens.
Seeing her confident expression, King Zhao finally revealed a more genuine smile, as if the dark clouds had dissipated: "With Wan Zhi's words, I am relieved. Come, try this tea and snack, a specialty of Qingfeng Pavilion."
The atmosphere of the conversation seemed to lighten up again. King Zhao stopped mentioning King Heng and instead talked about other lighthearted topics, even telling a few witty anecdotes, which made Jiang Wanzhi temporarily forget her previous tension and reveal her carefree smile again.
However, from an angle unseen by Jiang Wanzhi, Prince Zhao's hand, holding the teacup, tightened slightly at the fingertips. He had naturally already learned through his spies that Jiang Wanzhi had spent the night at Prince Heng's residence. It would be a lie to say he didn't mind.
Reborn into this world, he thought he could control everything, but he felt a few unpredictable emotions towards this unpredictable woman.
He couldn't openly express his jealousy, as that would make him seem petty and might scare her away. He could only use this roundabout method to remind and hint at her, letting her realize for herself which side she should be on.
Seeing Jiang Wanzhi's bright smile return, King Zhao silently reminded himself: Patience is needed. Zongzheng Zhaoran needs more patience.
Jiang Wanzhi was the only warmth he longed to grasp on his cold path of rebirth. He absolutely could not let a moment of jealousy ruin all his previous efforts.
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