72. Wait
◎Personal care◎
Chapter 72
Ji Ci hurried to the dormitory and pushed the door open. Feeling a little dizzy, he raised his hand and pressed his solar plexus.
Several female doctors and the Imperial Physician were gathered around the bed, their expressions filled with anxiety. When Ji Ci came in, they all stepped aside, leaving the Imperial Physician alone to continue acupuncture treatment, concentrating fully on the patient.
He walked forward and looked at Jiang Qiuye, who was lying on the bed with her last breath. He became more and more nervous, but he did not dare to disturb the imperial physician.
A moment later, he squatted down in front of the bed and reached out to hold her soft pancreas. It was too small, too thin, and the bony fingers were clearly visible. Such a hand, such a fragile and fragile woman, unexpectedly burst out with such tremendous strength at that critical moment.
Originally, he should have protected her. She had clearly become his for the sake of protection. But in the end, she was the one who protected him.
He exerted force and held the hand tightly.
Watching the imperial physician slowly put away all the needles, he spoke, controlling his tone and asking as calmly as possible, "How is the princess?"
The imperial physician turned sideways and bowed, saying, "Your Highness, after treatment, the princess is now fine, but she has a high fever. I have prescribed a new internal medicine and have instructed the female physician to stay here to clean and change the dressings on the wound. As long as the fever subsides tonight, she should be fine."
Ji Ci's hand trembled slightly, and he said, "Give the medicine to me, and I will take care of it myself."
"...Yes, Your Highness." The Imperial Physician was stunned for a moment before explaining all the matters. He had done his best to do what he was supposed to do. The rest was up to fate and the princess's own luck. He stood up and left with the female doctors.
Jinhong and Mingyue's eyes were red as they went to boil the medicine and fetch water respectively. After preparing everything, they left the bedroom. For the past few days, Prince Qi had been restless at night taking care of the princess, personally feeding her medicine and wiping her body, never asking anyone else to do it.
They saw all of this. Although Prince Qi looked the same as usual, only those who were close to him could feel the decadence and dejection that came from within.
The room was empty, and Ji Ci first poured the medicine while it was still hot, as usual, personally passing it on with his tongue. Even in a coma, this little wife was still very vigilant, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pry open her teeth.
Mingyue and Jinhong had both been defeated when they fought together before, so in the end he had no choice but to try it himself. Unexpectedly, she was completely defenseless against him. As soon as he approached her, she naturally opened her mouth and swallowed the bitter medicine.
He really didn't know what to do with his little wife.
His emotions were so tormented and complicated that even he, who usually had a clear mind, couldn't make sense of the chaos.
After feeding her the medicine, he followed the imperial physician's instructions, undressed her, cleaned the wound, and applied new medicine. Even though the bleeding had long since stopped, the wound still looked horrifying. It was only half an inch from her heart, and she must have been in great pain.
After doing all this, soak the handkerchief with freshly drawn cold well water and apply it to the forehead to cool down.
The beauty on the sickbed looked like a withered and fallen autumn leaf, her face pale and would break at the slightest touch.
He had cared for his mother in this way as a child, and his current situation seemed to take him back to that crowded thatched cottage in Jinshui. His mother had also died in front of him after suffering from a high fever and long-term hunger.
He said in a low voice, "Ye'er, as long as you can get better, I will not pursue the matter between Sisi and her maid."
After a moment's silence, he couldn't help but smile bitterly, "Perhaps I don't want to pursue this matter at all. In fact, when Jingzhao Yin came to see me that day, I didn't tell him what Sisi said after she blocked me. Instead, I just asked them to close the case."
At that time, he didn't know what attitude to adopt to get along with this person who he loved and hated, and who was both spoiled and evil.
The person on the bed still didn't respond. He reached out and moved the covers, wrapping her tightly around him. He wasn't one for sweet talk, but at this moment, he wished he could be as smooth-talking as she was. Maybe she'd wake up after hearing his sweet talk.
Well, he had to admit that even facing her sleeping body, he seemed to have thousands of words to say, but still didn't know how to organize the words.
He looked at her for a while, and finally took out the book "Jade Notes" from the cabinet beside him, and read it to her word by word as he had done in the past few days.
He couldn't say nice things, but it was easy for him to read her favorite stories.
He might have already accepted that she was such a vulgar person, who loved these bizarre stories, loved dressing herself up beautifully and gorgeously, loved extravagance, changed his palace beyond recognition, and loved to compete with others.
He is scheming and his methods are vicious.
Two completely different types of people from him.
But he was still deeply attracted to her and had to admit that he loved every side of her, the good and the bad.
He had secretly finished reading the book "Jade Records" a long time ago, and he thought the whole book was simply a masterpiece.
Generally speaking, it is a case of robbery and plunder. One person runs away, one person chases, one person runs away again, one person chases again.
Although the plot at the beginning does not conform to the criminal law, it is still logical. In the later period, in order to escape, the heroine entered the Tao, cultivated immortality, and ascended to heaven on the spot.
On the day of her ascension, the male protagonist came to pursue her, but was hit by a horse and flew away! ! ! Success... amnesia.
After becoming an immortal, the heroine leads a lonely life every day. She realizes her feelings and feels extremely regretful. Suddenly, she reverses her roles and comes down to earth to chase the hero who has lost his memory.
It happened again, he ran away and she chased him.
To pursue the hero, the heroine consults a Taoist priest to refine numerous legendary elixirs and gives them to him, hoping he too can ascend to heaven. The hero's memory is restored, which should be a perfect ending. However, due to the long-term use of the heroine's elixirs, the hero develops a terminal illness.
The ending is another twist: it turns out the so-called ascension was all hallucinations caused by the heroine's overdose of elixirs, and she, too, has a terminal illness. Ultimately, both of them die from the disease, a heartbreaking and heartbreaking ending.
The only good thing about this statement is that it serves as a warning, not to take pills recklessly.
He really didn't understand why she liked such a disgusting book.
Whatever, as long as she likes it.
At night, the handkerchief on her forehead became hot again and again. Ji Ci took it off and soaked it in new cold water, then applied it to her forehead again. He sweated under the quilt and cleaned the festering wound for her several times, then changed her into clean and comfortable pajamas.
Over and over again, I stayed up all night.
…
After his meticulous care, Jiang Qiuye's fever subsided, but she remained unconscious. Ji Ci, on the other hand, seemed quite calm. Besides caring for her, he also dealt with official documents sent from the imperial court. He also began to eat on time and rest when tired.
But only he knew what was actually happening. It had been seven days, and now it was the seventh day, but she still hadn't woken up.
And there was no trace of the damn assassin, leaving no clues.
The emperor summoned her and she finally entered the palace after many days.
In a short time, Huo Yong had gathered his troops, generals, and supplies, and was ready to set out to quell the rebellion on the border. The emperor specifically summoned Ji Ci to discuss a strategy with Huo Yong.
By the time it was over, it was almost noon.
When Empress Dowager Zhao heard that he had entered the palace, she sent a female official to call him in for an audience. When he arrived at Shoukang Palace, he found that his cousin Zhao Wan'er was also there.
Zhao invited Ji Ci to stay and had lunch with him. Although he didn't have a big appetite, he still finished off half a bowl of corn. With a gentle smile, she said, "Ci'er's appetite is much better now than before."
Ji Ci put down his chopsticks and smiled calmly, saying, "Thanks to Grandma's kindness, the princess has made great contributions. She has been taking care of her grandson since we got married, and now he can eat without the need for Bi Yuan Wan."
"Besides, my grandson promised the princess to take good care of himself."
Zhao nodded approvingly and said, "The princess may be young, but she's a lovely girl. Grandma, I've seen that she treats you with sincerity." Suddenly, she thought of the recent assassination attempt, and her expression became dazed. "She's willing to risk her life for you, which shows her sincerity. I wonder how she's doing now?"
Ji Ci lowered his eyes, his thoughts unseen. Seeing this, Zhao Shi said to Zhao Wan'er, "Wan'er, I asked the kitchen to make some deer soup. Go and help me see why it's not ready yet."
Zhao Wan'er tightened her chopsticks, knowing full well that this was Zhao's excuse to send her away. She smiled gently and said, "Yes, then Grandma and my cousin will wait for Wan'er to come back."
After saying that, he stood up, glanced at Ji Ci who looked calm, and left the dining hall.
"Ci'er, do you have anything to say?" Seeing that the room was empty, Zhao asked him directly.
Ji Ci raised his eyes to look at Zhao who was sitting in the main seat. Even though she was now old and had white hair, her eyes still carried the same intimidating aura that had once made people submit. But when she faced him, there was an extra touch of kindness in her eyes.
"Grandma, when the Grandpa was seriously injured while leading the army, he returned to the palace and lay on his sickbed, and later passed away. How did you manage to let go of the pain in your heart and single-handedly support the government?"
Zhao sighed and said, "How can I support the government? In fact, Grandmother would rather be buried with your grandfather. But the situation is unstable, the princes and nobles are ready to make trouble, and the late emperor is too young."
"In this world, many things are beyond our control. We just do them. Why are there so many emotions? This is not just about the current situation, but also about your grandfather's concerns and regrets."
Ji Ci knelt and saluted Zhao, then stood up after a moment and asked, "Grandma, please allow me to ask you a question. If you spend a long time with someone and find that she is not what you thought she was, will you be disappointed?"
Zhao looked at him and shook her head after a moment. "In this world, everyone has a thousand faces. Hundreds of faces make up one person. Why do you find that they are not what you thought they were? This is not false. I am just seeing another side of these hundred faces."
"Which of these one hundred faces is most important to you? Everyone has their own opinion. After all, whether it's Grandma or you, you're all mortals, aren't you? As for disappointment, it's also different for everyone, not a unified doctrine like the 'New Laws of the Great Jin Dynasty'."
Ji Ci frowned and continued, "It's been seven days, and the princess still hasn't woken up. Grandma, if the princess doesn't wake up again, how will I... cope with it? I don't know if I can still hold the overall situation and control everything like you did back then."
Zhao remained silent, looked at him for a moment, and finally said, "Ci'er, you've made up your mind, haven't you?"
Her favorite grandson was more opinionated than anyone else. Time and facts had proven most of his views correct. But when it came to the word "love," he suddenly became timid and self-deprecating, all because of his love.
He was startled, and without saying anything more, he lowered his eyes and curled the corners of his lips. He glanced at the clepsydra, saw that it was late, and with a worried look in his heart, he bowed to Zhao and said goodbye.
When he walked a short distance out of the dining hall, Zhao Wan'er came to meet him head-on, holding the deer soup she had just received. Seeing him leave, she asked, "Jian Xi, why didn't you wait until you had the deer soup before leaving?"
"Thank you, Madam Lou, for staying. I am truly concerned about you, Princess. Besides, I am already full, so I will take my leave."
"Cousin." Zhao Wan'er called out to Ji Ci, who was about to leave. She lowered her head and bit her lip, saying, "I haven't seen you for these years, and I've become more and more distant. I didn't want to marry the King of Han back then. I was forced by my family to do it in order to appease the princes and nobles in the south. These past few years... I haven't had a good life."
As his cousin, Zhao Wan'er was three years older than him and had taken special care of him since childhood. At that time, Empress Qiyuan intended to appoint Zhao Wan'er as his concubine, but later the plan was abandoned due to the incident of poisoning the crown prince.
Zhao Wan'er was married off to the King of Han during his wanderings. Kings across the country were constantly rising up and establishing their own kingdoms, and over the years, she had single-handedly maintained peace among the southern nobles, a significant achievement.
Ji Ci's expression softened after hearing this. Zhao Wan'er asked doubtfully, "Cousin, have you ever thought about whether you would marry another woman if the princess never wakes up?"
He shook his head. "Madam Lou is overly concerned. The princess is blessed by heaven and will definitely get through this. If...if heaven really doesn't fulfill our wishes, I have no intention of marrying another. She blocked the sword for me, and she will be my only wife in this life."
"To be honest, before I met my wife, I had already decided to remain single for the rest of my life. It wasn't until I met her and got to know her that I finally broke my own bottom line."
Zhao Wan'er still had a gentle smile on her face, but she was filled with resentment in her heart. She had originally thought that her childhood friendship with Ji Ci, as well as her achievements and grievances over the years, were her greatest advantages.
The woman's vainness, indulgence, and willfulness are bound to be only temporary. Once the novelty wears off, the man will start to miss the first person, himself.
But now she blocked the sword for Ji Ci. This friendship of life and death must have left the deepest mark in his heart, which was not what she wanted.
Fortunately, in these seven days, there has been no news of the princess waking up. If that woman is really dead, she can use her childhood friendship with Ji Ci to accompany him in his most difficult times, and she will definitely be able to replace his position in his heart.
Zhao Wan'er's hand holding the deer soup trembled slightly with excitement. Just as she finished thinking and wanted to continue speaking, a voice came from a distance. It was Tian Qu.
"Your Majesty!"
Tian Qu ran towards Ji Ci, bowed to the two of them, and said with an overjoyed expression: "Prince! The princess has woken up!"
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