Chapter 24

Pei Shangjue sat on the sickbed, Mu Yuanzhi's gaze followed his every move without blinking, waiting for his answer.

I've always been eager to learn; I'm very interested in the hidden weapons you made...

Mu Yuanzhi, in pain, broke out in a cold sweat, not wanting to hear any more excuses for Pei Yunxi.

She could already guess what he wanted to say; not having expectations was the right thing.

Mu Yuanzhi's blood-soaked bandage and wan, sickly complexion stabbed Pei Shangjue's eyes; his gaze flickered, and he said again, 'Little sister didn't mean it; hurting you, she must feel guilty and scared, so she didn't dare say it.'

'I said you can get lost.' At that moment, Mu Yuanzhi really wanted to pick up something and smash Pei Shangjue, but she didn't.

She won't be hysterical like that anymore; getting angry at these people only hurts herself; she now needs to rest properly, her emotions can't be too turbulent.

Pei Shangjue's inscrutable eyes dimmed; after a moment he got up and left; before leaving, he still unwilling to give up continued, 'Before you blame her, think about how she didn't hold past grudges and pleaded with Father Emperor for you.'

'Get lost.' That's all Mu Yuanzhi had to say.

In order to defend Pei Yunxi, he's spoken more today than he usually does in seven days, right?

It's ridiculous that she used to be happy half a day just because he said a word to her; he's not depressed, he just doesn't want to bother with people; even when meeting Pei Yunxi he's still able to talk fluently.

After everyone left, the chamber grew quiet; Mu Yuanzhi finally fell into a deep sleep; at midnight she developed a high fever, cold sweat dripping, her body's moisture seemed to have drained away, replaced by blazing flames.

She wanted to call for help, but opening her mouth produced a hollow, hoarse sound, so faint she couldn't even hear herself.

It's all her fault for ordering Hongdou and them not to come in and disturb; she underestimated the consequences of secondary injury to the wound.

If her medicine were still here, taking one just now would have prevented her from becoming like this.

How exhausting...

Mu Yuanzhi struggled, eyes half-closed, and soon couldn't hold on.

Can't sleep!

No one knows her fever won't subside; if she falls asleep now it would be dangerous.

She struggled to open her eyes again; in a daze, it seemed there was a gaze very close by.

Someone fed her something; she instinctively resisted, not wanting to swallow, but she didn't know which acupoint had been struck; her throat loosened, and a cool pill slid in.

Even though Mu Yuanzhi's consciousness was scattered from illness, her deep-rooted vigilance kept her nerves tense; she wanted to reach out and grab that person, but instead her hand was first seized by them.

An inexplicable sense of relief welled up; she actually relaxed her body; soon her limbs felt clear and smooth, and she fell into a deep sleep again.

Upon waking again, the night was still deep; Mu Yuanzhi remained dazed, but she felt noticeably better.

You finally woke up.

A familiar voice came; Mu Yuanzhi opened her dry eyes, turned her head suspiciously, and saw Gu Rongjin sitting casually across from her, drinking tea.

'Was it you who fed me the medicine just now?' Mu Yuanzhi struggled to sit up.

Gu Rongjin split the corners of his mouth into a bright smile: 'Of course it was me, the heir; aren't you moved?'

Mu Yuanzhi wanted to speak, but her mouth was taken over by a bout of coughing; her pale lips coughed until they reddened; weak as she was, she sat on the bed.

Gu Rongjin hurried over to pat her back: 'You don't need to be that moved, do you?'

Mu Yuanzhi caught her breath, and with a sour smile said: 'Can't you be a bit more proper?'

She had wanted to say thank you, but now she couldn't bring herself to say it.

'I'm not just teasing you to laugh, am I?' Gu Rongjin raised his hand and used his fingertip to wipe away the tears Mu Yuanzhi had coughed up; the motion was natural.

Indeed, he always can let her heavy mood relax.

'How did you get in?' Mu Yuanzhi, just recovering from a serious illness, spoke in a faint voice, as frail as her person, like a breeze that could scatter; Gu Rongjin had to sit very close to hear clearly.

'I naturally have a way.' Gu Rongjin, like a conjurer, produced a large brocade box filled with the gold dragon gall grass she urgently needed: 'Here it's all for you; I don't know if it's enough; if not, I'll bring more when I return.'

Of course it's enough; the Imperial Medical Institute probably couldn't store that much even in a year!

Gold dragon gall grass is produced in Miao region; the higher the grade, the rarer; civilians cannot pick it at will; each year it must be offered to the court, and all the tribute grass goes to the Imperial Medical Institute for medicine, then is distributed to the palaces according to standard; only a few senior officials can receive the emperor's gift, Xiao Yichen is one of them; Pingnan Wangfu certainly has some, but having this much is impossible.

'Where did you get this from?' Mu Yuanzhi asked curiously.

'... Can't you think of something better for me? This is mine.' Gu Rongjin pursed his lips.

Mu Yuanzhi didn't believe him, but since he said that she stopped asking; after all, it was his kind gesture to give her.

She lowered her head, fingers kneading the closed brocade box, unable to help asking: 'Gu Rongjin, why are you so good to me?'

'What why? Because you are my wife.' Gu Rongjin said matter-of-factly.

'Cut it out.'

She had never given him a good look; scolding him always came in whatever way hurt him most; she knew herself well, and he basically could not help disliking her.

'Alright, this time I really came to ask a favor.' Gu Rongjin crossed his arms and nodded: 'I have something that requires me to leave the capital, but I can't let anyone know, so I'm pretending to be ill at home; you need to cover for me.'

'Running away?'

Mu Yuanzhi asked seriously; Gu Rongjin choked for a moment.

'No, there's an important matter; in five days, you pretend to come give me, who has been ill and hasn't come out, a check-up, to deal with Xiao Yichen.' Gu Rongjin continued explaining.

Mu Yuanzhi didn't expect him to be so detailed with her: 'Aren't you afraid I'll tell Xiao Yichen all of this verbatim?'

After all, in everyone's eyes, she loves Xiao Yichen to the point of being unable to extricate herself; now ignoring him is because she's sulking, and she often hears such talk.

'Before, I was afraid; now you are my wife, you will surely side with me.' Gu Rongjin still used that line.

Mu Yuanzhi averted her gaze; every time she heard him call her wife she felt uncomfortable.

'You're ill, why would Xiao Yichen go to check?' She didn't understand.

'Because he's bad.' Gu Rongjin took the opportunity to disparage.

'Are you sure it's in five days? What if he goes earlier?' How did he figure that out?

'If I'm wrong, I'll take the blame; it's nothing to do with you, don't feel pressured.'

Gu Rongjin glanced at the sky; dawn was breaking, he should leave.

Mu Yuanzhi still wanted to ask something, but when she lifted her head, Gu Rongjin had vanished.

This person is too mysterious in his comings and goings; just how skilled is his martial arts!

Mu Yuanzhi dragged her sick body to close the window, turned her head and only then discovered that on the table there was also an extra small box, which was the medicine box she had lost when she changed palaces before; opening it, she saw that all the bottles of medicine for bruises and injuries were there.

With these, her fracture will heal faster; compared to the Imperial Medical Institute's medicine, her own preparation is still faster and more effective.

Was this also found and returned for her by Gu Rongjin?