Without Lin Qingwan's permission, Physician Zhu could not tell Tong Di that she had been poisoned, so he made an excuse that the snow was cold and that her blood and qi were insufficient, which caused her to faint.
Feeling guilty, Physician Zhu asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I've already done my best to come here despite the snow."
Thinking of the dazzling lanterns filling the courtyard, Tong Di lowered her eyes and said, "She must be tired from keeping watch over the young prince on New Year's Eve."
"I don't know, anyway, it was almost dawn when I arrived, and His Highness was already asleep."
Physician Zhu's gaze shifted, and he suddenly pressed closer, asking, "How did you know she stayed up with His Highness for New Year's Eve? Were you here last night?"
Tong Di turned her head to the side, "No, no."
Physician Zhu looked incredulous, then suddenly bent down and lifted his robe, revealing that his boots were indeed half-wet!
"It was cold at night and the snow was thick. It was already daylight when you came over, so the snow on the road shouldn't have gotten your boots soaked."
"Guard Tong, Guard Tong, you're the most honest man by the Crown Prince's side, and you've actually learned to lie!" Physician Zhu lamented, "Sure enough, whoever has a love-struck mind will lose themselves!"
A hint of panic flashed across Tong Di's face. She didn't know what to say or how to defend herself.
He did come.
Because Ruan Tinghuai was drunk and kept saying that Lin Qingwan was looking forward to a lively New Year, Tong Di somehow walked back to the courtyard and heard the little prince's laughter at the corner.
The young prince calls his father "father" and says he wants Miss Qingwan to be his crown princess.
Tong Di stood there stunned until the cold air crept into his body from the soles of his feet, at which point he shivered and realized that the Crown Prince had not stopped the young prince.
The chill sobered him up considerably. Whether it was finding Commander Xiao to set his bones, scaling the courtyard wall to deliver medicine, wearing the armbands she gave him every day, or rescuing someone from the flowerbed at all costs... how could he forget that all of this was originally the Crown Prince's idea?
Physician Zhu stretched and said, "Mu Xue has gone to prepare the medicine. You stay here and watch over her. I need to catch up on some sleep."
"Damn, they won't even let me have a holiday during the Chinese New Year."
Only Tong Di remained in the room, so quiet that he could hear Lin Qingwan's faint breathing. He glanced at her a few more times and felt his heart race.
Only when she pressed her hands to her chest did she realize that Hongfeng was still in her arms.
The New Year's money should be placed under the pillow. Tong Di took a deep breath and tiptoed over.
Lin Qingwan's eyebrows and eyes were beautifully sculpted, and her skin was fair and smooth. Tong Di forced himself to look away, not wanting to take advantage of her vulnerability!
He trembled as he stuffed the red envelope under his pillow, just as Lin Qingwan's eyelashes fluttered and she slowly opened her eyes.
Tong Di's breath hitched, and her pupils constricted, as if she were doing something shameful.
When Lin Qingwan opened her eyes, she saw Tong Di standing cautiously in front of her bed. Her mind was still relatively clear, but she was a little dazed from just waking up. Her voice was lazy and low, "Guard Tong."
She followed Tong Di's gaze to the red seal beside her. "What's this?"
Tong Di's heart was pounding in her throat, and she stammered, "It's...it's the New Year."
"New Year's money for Miss Qingwan."
New Year's money?
Lin Qingwan stared at him blankly, her gaze uncontrollably burning, which made Tong Di even more flustered. He hurriedly put down the red envelope and ran out, but stopped in front of the inner room and hurriedly said, "May the New Year bring you peace and happiness forever."
He hadn't read many books; he heard this from the concubine and the young prince when they were paying New Year's greetings to the Crown Prince.
Lin Qingwan felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and her eyes lit up. "Thank you."
"I also wish Guard Tong a better New Year than the last."
For the first time in her life, she woke up on New Year's Day to receive blessings and lucky money. Although they weren't relatives she had longed for since childhood, at this moment, kinship didn't matter to her; what mattered was that someone was thinking of her.
She stared in the direction where Tong Di had disappeared, remaining lost in thought for a long time.
Mu Xue came in carrying a bowl of medicine, and kowtowed to her with a smile, saying, "Miss, may you have a healthy and prosperous New Year."
Lin Qingwan felt warm both physically and emotionally. "Good Muxue, I didn't have time to prepare your New Year's money yesterday. I'll give it to you after breakfast."
Mu Xue waved her hand, "Miss has already given me a lot of money. I only hope that Miss will be well and that I don't need any more New Year's money."
Lin Qingwan got out of bed and felt energetic again. "Your young lady may not have much else, but she has plenty of money, and there will be even more in the future."
"Take it if it's given to you."
Mu Xue was overjoyed, beaming from ear to ear, "Thank you, Miss!"
After drinking the medicine, Lin Qingwan learned from Mu Xue that she had vomited blood all over the Crown Prince again, and that Physician Zhu had rushed over in the middle of the night in the snow and spent a full hour saving her.
"Give Physician Zhu a generous consultation fee," Lin Qingwan said.
Mu Xue said, "Don't worry, Miss. I've stewed a chicken for Physician Zhu. He loves gnawing on chicken legs."
Lin Qingwan thought to herself that she would find a way to get him even a tiger's leg, let alone a chicken leg, because she was so grateful for his repeated rescues. She had always felt that life was meaningless and that she would die sooner or later, but the surprise she felt when she opened her eyes today made her glad that she was still alive.
"My beauty! Daddy gave me New Year's money!"
As soon as Feng'er got out of bed, she ran over to her with a thick red envelope, saying, "I counted it, it's a full five thousand taels!"
Feng'er shoved it directly into her arms, saying, "Here you go."
"What are you going to do with me?"
“Since you’re my mother, of course all of my New Year’s money is kept by my mother.” Feng’er called her mother so naturally.
Lin Qingwan trembled upon hearing this.
The Crown Prince's words from yesterday were still ringing in her ears. Lin Qingwan said seriously, "Your Highness, please don't make such jokes in the future. If Your Highness's reputation is ruined by me, I will truly be repaying kindness with enmity."
Feng'er corrected her, "No, no, you should take responsibility for ruining someone's reputation."
“You married your father because you both loved each other, not because you repaid kindness with enmity.”
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
