Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Tang Ming had uncovered the secret concerns buried deep within Zhong Wan’s heart for many years . These worries and the remaining poison in his body started to take their toll on him . One bowl of medicine was merely able to dissipate his fever temporarily; Zhong Wan’s condition did not take a turn for the better at all . One hour later, his fever grew so high that he lost consciousness .
After arriving at the capital, he had been very careful about his health, afraid that if he grew ill, it would interfere with everything . Every time Zhong Wan felt he was about to fall ill, he would take medicine in a flash to suppress the sickness . After he had suppressed it for so many times, the illness accumulated . Festered . And now, it finally found a way out, flaring up with a vengeance .
After Yu She had fed Zhong Wan a piece of candy, he took a seat at the side . He did not eat the evening meal . One hour later, he felt something was strange . Taking a few steps outside of his inner chamber, he called for an imperial physician . He was very suspicious of there being something wrong with the bowl of medicine prior, and had someone check the leftover contents in the bowl . Furthermore, he sent someone to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to summon more imperial physicians . After they had rushed to do their duties for one hour, each of them checking Zhong Wan’s pulse and discussing with each other for a while, they found a representative among them to explain things to Yu She .
Cold enough to freeze, Yu She said, “What do you mean? Since there’s no way to heal him, just let his fever burn out by itself?”
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The imperial physician had spoken in complicated medical jargon for a good while, and now said with much patience, “The fact that his illness has flared up isn’t necessarily a bad thing . Young Master Zhong is not in good health, and every medicine has a trace of poison . Every time he felt a little sick, he would take potent medicine to suppress the sickness, suppressing all the pathological influences in his body . Although he was able to forcibly contain his illness this time, after half a month or a full month, if he’s not careful again, he will relapse . Why not just use a mild medicine and let his illness flare up until there’s nothing left?”
Eyes bright with distrust, Yu She looked at the imperial physician . Steward Feng, who was at the side, advised, “Heir, we’re not knowledgeable of these things, so why not just listen to the imperial physicians?”
Fearing that Yu She was suspicious, the imperial physician said, “Naturally, there is a quicker method . ”
Gaze dark and gloomy, Yu She said, “How long is the quicker method? How long is the slower method?”
The imperial physician lowered his head . “The quicker method would take three to five days for him to recover . The slower method would take at least more than ten days, at most one month . ”
Yu She hesitated .
Xuan Jin’s coffin had already been delivered to the Royal Mausoleum . The funeral arrangements had already concluded . In a few days, the people of Prince Qian An’s estate would leave the capital . Did Zhong Wan want to leave?
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If they procrastinated without end, would he stil be able to return to Qian An?
Previously, Zhong Wan had said he would not immediately return to Qian An after the funeral . But he had only mentioned it once . Just recently, Xuan Qiong had laid a trap for him . So would he have changed his mind?
If he wanted to leave, Yu She would not keep him .
Yu She hardened his heart . Said in a low voice, “The quick—”
“Heir,” said Steward Feng . He glanced at the imperial physician, and the latter retreated . “Let’s hear what Young Master Zhong wants . ”
Yu She frowned . “How could he understand anything when he’s this sick?”
“Taking one’s time to heal isn’t the same as not healing at all . Just before, the imperial physician said that it’s similar to how people help children break their fevers . First, we must apply acupuncture to reduce his fever . It’s estimated that Young Master Zhong would wake up the next day,” said Steward Feng patiently . “I know that Heir doesn’t want to delay Young Master Zhong from returning to Qian An, but we don’t know if he wants to leave, right? If he stubbornly insists on staying, then wouldn’t this be putting him through suffering in vain? Heir should not suspect the imperial physicians . They have taken care of your honored self since young . Their lives and their families’ lives are all in your honored self’s hands . Who would dare to not expend all their effort? Furthermore, it is purely because of the benevolence of doctors that we want to use the slower method . Isn’t it better to report back once it’s completed? Isn’t it because Young Master Zhong’s body is weak that we don’t want to prescribe a medicine that’s too strong, and want to help him recover slowly? Also…”
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Each word of Steward Feng poked at the softest parts of his heart . “These imperial physicians are all the most highly-skilled practitioners in the country . Young Master Zhong won’t find better treatment than he would here . Once he returns to Qian An, where could he find such good imperial physicians? Let’s not talk about acupuncture . There probably won’t even be any doctors who can diagnose him properly . Otherwise, how would Young Master Zhong’s body have gotten to this state these past few years? For certain it’s because there aren’t any good doctors in Qian An!”
Yu She was startled . Wavered .
Steward Feng attacked while he was winning . “The best imperial physicians and the best medicine are all in our estate . Does Heir really not want to help Young Master Zhong heal from his illness completely?”
Agitated, Yu She said, “Have them apply acupuncture! Wait until he… until he wakes up . Then we’ll listen to what he wants . ”
Overjoyed, Steward Feng left .
After Yu She had given the order, the imperial physicians no longer wasted time . They quickly prepared, their apprentices carrying a few charcoal basins into Zhong Wan’s room . Once the room heated up, they removed his clothes .
All along, Yu She had stayed in Zhong Wan’s room . Steward Feng also did not dare to advise him to leave . Before they started the acupuncture, Yu She had people shut the curtains .
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The imperial physician in charge of the acupuncture was rather perplexed . There wasn’t even a servant girl in the room . So why were they being so secretive?
But the imperial physician dared not ask too much . After they shut the curtains, he wiped his hands . Started the acupuncture . Yu She turned around completely .
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Zhong Wan was still asleep . The imperial physician said near whisper, “If he rouses during midnight, it’s fine to feed him some plain rice congee . However, he cannot have too much . After we check his pulse again, we can prescribe him medicine . ”
Yu She nodded and had someone escort the imperial physician out .
The charcoal basins in the room had been carried out . Only a small portable stove remained, an exquisite pot resting above it . And inside was simmering congee .
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Yu She had the servants leave as well . He sat by the side of Zhong Wan’s bed alone . He did not sleep the whole night .
Early the next morning, at the first glimmer of light, Zhong Wan finally opened his eyes . His body ached from the fever . The moment he had awoken, he felt as though his whole body had fallen apart . It hurt so much, to the point where he was wheezing . Once Yu She had roused, he left the room to call the imperial physician over and check Zhong Wan’s pulse . Then he returned to his own room to freshen up .
After he had freshened up and changed clothes, Steward Feng rushed over . Yu She’s heart leaped . He tried his best to remain calm and collected . “What did he say?”
Steward Feng strived his best to appear natural, but his eyes betrayed his joy . “Young Master Zhong said he’d have to bother the imperial physicians in slowly healing him . ”
Yu She threw the silk cloth in his hand into the basin of water . From his lips came a drawn-out sigh . “Then let them slowly treat him . ”
Zhong Wan had awoken, yet Yu She did not return to the former’s courtyard . Yu She had been punished to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors, and seriously worked on the official business that had accumulated immensely . He did both at the same time . The old eunuchs that came to see him were all secretly amazed . They didn’t know why Young Prince Yu’s personality had changed out of the blue .
Two days later, Zhong Wan’s condition improved a little . He was able to leave the bed and eat . However, Yu She was only a bit less worried . He once again summoned the imperial physician who had applied acupuncture to Zhong Wan before .
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The imperial physician requested Yu She to dismiss the servants from the room . Yu She’s heart sank .
In his chest was a faint sense of unease . “Did his fever return? Or did his illness grow more severe?”
“It’s none of these,” the imperial physician rushed to say . “Young Master Zhong’s condition has already started to take a turn for the better . Heir need not worry . However… Because Young Master has recovered a little, there seemed to be something amiss during the pulse reading . ”
“What’s amiss?”
Baffled, the imperial physician said, “Two days ago, Young Master Zhong’s fever was very high . We could only see that he had the common cold; as such, we treated him as though he had a common cold in our healing . But after this fever had dissipated, and we checked his pulse again, we actually discovered Young Master Zhong had remnants of a former illness . This doctor dares not pry, but if Heir wants us to heal Young Master Zhong completely, then there’s no choice but to ask one question: what kind of… poison was Young Master Zhong affected with?”
Yu She’s gaze darkened . He tried his best to say normally, “What poison?”
“This doctor doesn’t know . Just a while ago, we asked Young Master Zhong directly about this . He replied that he was unhealthy and took medicine without control these past years, accumulating poison in his body . However…” The imperial physician raised his head and shot a careful glance at Yu She’s expression . “However, from the pulse reading, this is clearly a poison ingested many years prior . Moreover… we don’t know if Young Master Zhong is aware of this . Not to mention, we don’t dare to inquire too much, and could only come to ask Heir . ”
“He himself said it’s from eating medicine,” said You She with a gloomy expression . “So he definitely doesn’t know . ”
Yu She had long since found it extremely amiss . Zhong Wan had been very healthy in his youth . How could he have become a sickly person after a few years? Even if it was because he wasn’t acclimated to the new region, then why were Prince Ning’s children fine?
He had been poisoned .
Who did it?
Such a person could make Zhong Wan willing to accept harming himself . Up until now, was Zhong Wan still protecting this person?
Yu She closed his eyes, concealing the killing intent in them . “Can it be healed?”
The imperial physician wavered for a good while . “Yes . ”
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Before Yu She could ease his worries, the imperial physician said, “However, it will take a long time . We’ll have to treat him for a considerable amount of time until the remaining poison is discharged . This will take a lot of effort . Furthermore, the medicine needs to be considered . The medicinal ingredients… will be hard to find and expensive . ”
Yu She’s worries lessened a shade . He lightly said, “Heal him . If you’re lacking any medicinal ingredients, just talk to the steward . I can definitely manage it . ”
The imperial physician rushed to nod . “Then that’s good . ”
After the imperial physician had retreated, Yu She grasped a brush . Following a long period of sitting in the study, he smashed the writing-brush washer into smithereens .
“Young Master, you really…” Because pleasant surprise had hit him too quickly, Steward Feng kept asking Zhong Wan, “You really won’t leave?”
Zhong Wan had grown thinner one size after his illness . He drank the bowl of medicine Steward Feng had just given him to the last drop . Licked his lips . “Why is the medicine the imperial physician prescribed this bland? It’s not very bitter… If I’m taking this kind kind of medicine, how long would it take for me to get better? I’m really not leaving . Didn’t I say this before?”
“Who would dare to believe that?” Steward Feng sighed . “But… one would fear that at Heir’s side, it’s hard to say . ”
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A dry laugh left Steward Feng’s lips . “For two days, Heir only stayed in his own courtyard and did not speak . Who knows why he’s depressed again? I fear he has once more become dead set on you leaving . ”
Zhong Wan looked down . Laughed bitterly . “He…”
Anxious, Steward Feng took a seat at the side . “Once Heir decides on something, he would not listen to anyone . I don’t dare to advise him . ”
After Zhong Wan had taken his medicine, he felt a bit more energetic . He thought for a moment, and his eyes brightened in a flash . He beckoned . “I’ll help you think of a solution . Just do this first: find someone who can mimic voices and some candles . Then…”
Zhong Wan and Steward Feng spoke for a long time, the latter looking at the former with a strange expression . Then Steward Feng clenched his teeth and stomped, before leaving .
On that night, Yu She lay on his own bed, eyes completely bloodshot .
In the beginning, he thought the best outcome would be to send Zhong Wan back to Qian An . If in the future, Yu She could ascend the throne by a stroke of luck, and Zhong Wan wanted to return, he would naturally return . If Yu She lost his life during the fight for the throne, then that was that .
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But now, it seemed Qian An wasn’t safe .
Just who poisoned him?
And why did they do this?
Why did Zhong Wan keep all of this from him?
When it’s all said and done, was he staying because of Yu She or was it because he wanted to repay his debt of gratitude to Prince Ning? Was he staying to repay Yu She for his kindness?
The more hesitation sprung in his heart, the more he hated Zhong Wan . Hated that he didn’t tell anything to himself . Hated himself for coveting the period of affection between them . After one step in the wrong direction, all subsequent steps led to mistakes . Now, he reached a point where he had to face a difficult choice .
Agitated, he ground his teeth, doing his utmost to restrain himself .
Just when Yu She was about to fall into a bout of madness, he suddenly heard a noise outside his window .
An assassin?
Yu She sneered . There were so many family soldiers in the estate . For this person to avoid them all and enter his courtyard was a testament to his skill .
He’s courting death .
Yu She rose to his feet . Picked up the sword by his bedside . The moment he arrived by his window, he suddenly heard a whimper outside . It seemed like… a sound from some sort of wild beast .
Yu She hesitated . Outside, that wild beast abruptly screamed in a voice that seemed half beast and half man, “Zhong Wan must not leave! Zhong Wan must not leave! Zhong! Wan! Must! Not! Leave!!!”
Not a word left Yu She’s lips .
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The hand holding the sword trembled a shade . Out of instinct, he suspected himself .
Did he… completely go mad?
In utter disbelief, Yu She stared at his hands . Hesitating, he returned to his bed .
The next day, the Yu She who had been howled at by some wild beast all night sat by his desk with dark circles around his eyes . And he was still suspecting himself . Still not clear-headed .
Steward Feng approached the front of the desk without a sound . In a soft voice, he asked, “Did Heir not sleep well?”
A moment of daze, and Yu She said out of reflex, “Tea…”
It was precisely this word that Steward Feng had been awaiting . He rushed to bring a cup of tea . Hands trembling, he didn’t hold it steadily, and some of the tea spilled on the desk…
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Overwhelmed by shock, Steward Feng pointed to the desk . “Heir! Look!!!”
Yu She turned to look at the desk . All he could see was tea spilled all over it . However, the tea seemed sentient and avoided the strokes of characters on the paper, faint characters appearing on the desk: Zhong Wan must not leave .
Yu She’s expression stiffened . For a long time, he did not speak .
He closed his eyes . Tried his best not to wonder whether he had gone mad or if the world had gone mad . In a blink of an eye, he entered his study .
Come noon, the Yu She that had calmed after much difficulty let out a sigh . As soon as he was about to stand, Steward Feng rushed into the study, face full of shock and grasping a dead fish dripping with blood .
“…Now what happened?” asked Yu She .
Terrified, Steward Feng held the dead fish as he said, “Heir! Just now, the kitchen staff was slaughtering fish . This slave thought about making fish soup for Young Master Zhong for the noon meal . Never did this slave think, did this slave think, that after slicing open its belly, this would be found!”
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Steward Feng pulled out from the fish’s stomach a roll of paper that had yet to be soaked through . Reverence painting his face, he handed over the paper to Yu She .
Numbly, Yu She received it . Opened it…
There were five words on the paper: Zhong Wan must not leave .
Yu She was speechless .
Steward Feng was the picture of piety . “This is the Will of the Heavens…”
Yu She crushed the fishy-smelling paper into a ball . Through his teeth, he said each word one by one . “Go… Tell Zhong Wan… I won’t kick him out… And…”
Steward Feng was overjoyed . Before he could turn around, though, Yu She picked up the “Records of the Grand Historian” and tossed it to him . Having a breakdown, he said, “Make him copy ‘Annals of the House of Chen Se’ ten times! Then have him give me that and the copies of the Heart Sutra!”