After seeing Chen Jinan, it was time to head to the training grounds. As soon as Feng Lezhen sat in the carriage, Shen Suifeng followed. She immediately covered her face with cloth and looked at him unhappily. “Get out.”
“Your Highness keeps calling Young Master Chen ‘Jinan, Jinan.’ But when it comes to me, it’s just ‘get out’?” Shen Suifeng’s tone suddenly turned sarcastic.
Feng Lezhen frowned. “I’m not joking with you.”
“Nor am I joking with Your Highness.” Shen Suifeng stared steadily at her.
The two were locked in silence for a while before Feng Lezhen finally broke it coldly. “Mister Shen, you are too willful.”
Shen Suifeng chuckled. “I’ve been willful for quite some time now. Your Highness will just have to tolerate it.”
With that, he directly removed the white cloth covering his face. Feng Lezhen paused for a moment, then simply took off hers as well—after all, since he had gone this far, it would seem petty for her to keep covering up.
Seeing her do this, Shen Suifeng smiled and took a small bottle of pills from his chest, handing it to her. “One a day.”
“Will it prevent infection?”
As soon as she accepted it, he offered her a cup of hot tea. “Better than nothing.”
Feng Lezhen smiled and took the pill with the tea.
The carriage continued toward the training grounds. Without Ah Ye chattering beside her, Feng Lezhen actually found the quiet almost too peaceful.
As if sensing her thoughts, Shen Suifeng took the initiative to speak. “Your Highness, do you think Liu Mingde will cause more trouble?”
“He only did those disgraceful things earlier to stop me from sending the commoners to the training grounds. Now that they’ve all been sent there, there’s no need for him to take more risks and offend me,” Feng Lezhen said, glancing at him casually. “After all, this matter was proposed by me. If the people can’t be cured, he can push all the responsibility onto me.”
“Your Highness is putting pressure on me.” Shen Suifeng smiled bitterly.
Feng Lezhen spread her hands. “I never said that. It’s just that Mister Shen is so capable—I believe you’ll surely find a cure within five days.”
“I’ve said before—”
“You are a doctor, not a god.” Feng Lezhen finished his sentence.
Shen Suifeng chuckled and said nothing more.
Feng Lezhen had been running around all day. Finally finding a moment to rest, she closed her eyes to nap, but just as she was starting to drift off, Shen Suifeng suddenly said, “Actually, I alone am enough at the training grounds. There’s no need for Your Highness to go.”
Feng Lezhen opened her eyes and looked at him.
“Your Highness has already provided the people with better housing today and made sure they’ll receive treatment. That is already a great merit. There’s no need to take further personal risk. If you’re worried you’ve already caught the disease, you could just stay in some remote, deserted place. There’s no need to stay among the sick people.” Shen Suifeng added.
“You think I shouldn’t go?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“I see Your Highness has lofty ambitions—there’s no need to risk your life here. If you were to fall in this place…” Shen Suifeng didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication was clear.
Feng Lezhen let out a light laugh. “In the past, when Feng Ji wanted to build the Grand Canal and I strongly opposed it, someone also advised me to step back.”
Hearing her call the current emperor by name, Shen Suifeng remained calm—it was clear he was someone who didn’t fear authority.
“I did not step back then, and that’s why I’m here in Yingguan now.” Feng Lezhen met his gaze directly. “Everyone says I hold power over the court because the late emperor supported me. But if I were the kind of person who ignored the people for personal gain, I wouldn’t have reached my position as a woman. Since I am supported by the people, I should be willing to risk my life for them. This is the founding principle of the Feng family for over a hundred years—it’s what I’ve learned as the way to rule. Besides…”
She lifted her lips into a meaningful smile. “Right now, the training grounds aren’t somewhere you alone can handle.”
Shen Suifeng’s brows furrowed slightly. He didn’t fully understand what she meant, but by that evening, he understood clearly—
“All this time, we’ve been the ones delivering medicine to the prison. We know the people’s conditions better than you. Why should we change medicine just because you say so?” said one of the local doctors.
“I’m a patient too! My rash is nearly covering my whole body. I’m starving and dizzy. How can I still work to take care of other patients? I have no strength! I need to rest!” cried a younger patient with milder symptoms.
“Doctor, I really can’t expose my rash to the sun. It gets unbearably itchy. We always used to treat rashes by rubbing dirt from the base of the City God Temple walls—it’s blessed by the City God. After applying it, it would usually get better in a day or two.” said a stubborn old man who refused to listen to advice.
In just half an hour, Shen Suifeng’s head was about to explode. If these were high officials ignoring his advice, he could simply walk away. But they were fellow doctors and poor commoners—he had nowhere to vent his frustration. He could only try to patiently explain and persuade each person.
It was at this moment that Feng Lezhen arrived, walking calmly. The people surrounding Shen Suifeng quickly knelt to pay respects.
Feng Lezhen nodded slightly and looked at the group of doctors. “Mister Shen is an imperial physician.”
Shen Suifeng paused and looked at her in confusion, but the doctors’ eyes lit up.
“Mister Shen treated the late emperor himself,” Feng Lezhen added.
The doctors gasped in shock.
“He has served two emperors. I personally went to the palace to request his release—His Majesty reluctantly agreed,” Feng Lezhen said for the third time.
The doctors gasped again, hurriedly apologizing to Shen Suifeng for not recognizing his status and pledging to follow his lead in everything going forward. Shen Suifeng could only laugh in exasperation. Once they left, he said quietly, “My medical skills are far better than those palace physicians.”
“They are the most renowned doctors in Xijiang City. Normally, they only treat the nobility and always judge other doctors based on their patient list. To them, imperial physicians from the palace are the gold standard. As for you…” Feng Lezhen smiled. “A nobody. Who are you, really?”
Shen Suifeng: “…”
After settling the doctors, Feng Lezhen turned to the younger patients. “Times are hard, and there are too few able-bodied people in the training grounds. Are you willing to help me share the burden?”
“Your… Your Highness’s command—we are willing!” They completely changed from their earlier defiant attitude.
Feng Lezhen smiled. “Good. Then you must listen carefully to Mister Shen. Do whatever he asks. When this epidemic is over, I will reward you.”
“Yes, yes!”
Feng Lezhen then looked at the stubborn old men who wanted to go to the City God Temple. “Mister Shen is a divine doctor freshly descended from the heavens. If you want to get well, you should obediently listen to him. He is far more effective than the dirt at the base of the City God Temple walls.”
…The earlier reasoning she gave others could still be called reasonable and convincing, but this explanation to the old men was a bit too perfunctory. Would they even believe her? Shen Suifeng was both amused and exasperated and was about to speak when he heard the old men hurriedly agree in a panic.
Shen Suifeng: “?”
After everyone had left, he silently stared at Feng Lezhen for a long time before finally asking, “What kind of sorcery did you use to convince them?”
“I am the Eldest Princess of Great Qian,” Feng Lezhen answered.
Shen Suifeng laughed. “And so? Can you command the heavens with a single word?”
“You think it doesn’t work because you grew up in the Nanhe Shen family, the wealthiest merchant family in Great Qian. Since you’ve been surrounded by nobility and royalty your whole life, you find them nothing special. But for ordinary people, who rarely even see minor officials, and some even have portraits of the late emperor worshipped at home, someone of my status is no different from a deity to them. Of course, they will listen to what I say.”
Feng Lezhen raised her brows slightly, a hint of provocation in her expression. “Mister Shen, do you still think there was no need for me to come?”
Shen Suifeng was silent for a long time before finally clasping his hands and sincerely saluting. “Your Highness is like a stabilizing anchor in the training grounds. I was shallow in my thinking earlier.”
“Good that you understand.” Feng Lezhen turned and walked away.
Shen Suifeng looked at her straight back and couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh. The next moment, he heard her voice: “When you’re done, go to my room and clean it up.”
“Why not ask someone else?” Shen Suifeng raised a brow.
Feng Lezhen stopped in her tracks. “My people are all guarding outside the training grounds. Who else is there? You can’t seriously expect me to clean it myself.”
“…As you command, noble Eldest Princess.” Shen Suifeng reluctantly agreed, but there was always a smile on his lips.
Feng Lezhen shot him a glance and returned to her chamber.
When Shen Suifeng arrived, it was already past midnight. He had originally thought it was too late and didn’t want to disturb her rest, planning to come first thing in the morning instead. But after thinking it over for a long time, he still ended up going.
Sure enough, Feng Lezhen hadn’t gone to sleep yet. She sat properly in her room, fully dressed, clearly waiting for him. Shen Suifeng couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat—if he hadn’t come tonight, he was sure she would have made him suffer tomorrow.
“How does Your Highness want me to clean?” he asked.
Feng Lezhen tilted her chin toward the bed. “Start by making the bed.”
“Yes.” Shen Suifeng resigned himself and walked over.
Feng Lezhen’s chamber was the largest and best room in the entire training grounds. Everything inside was well-prepared. The bedding had just been dried and sent over. Although Liu Mingde had essentially given up by now, he still didn’t dare to neglect the Eldest Princess when it came to her living conditions—he always sent the very best.
As Shen Suifeng finished making the bed, he noticed two pots of orchids on the table and couldn’t help but chuckle. “Lord Liu really is something. Even at a time like this, he’s still thinking of sending orchids to Your Highness.”
“They were probably moved here from my chamber at the prefectural office,” Feng Lezhen walked over to the orchids and gently touched the lush green leaves. “Ever since last year, when he used a pot of orchids to win over Feng Ji’s favor, this scoundrel has sent nothing but orchids every time he gives a gift. Even now, he’s still at it. Who knows how many he’s planted.”
“The orchids are well cared for,” Shen Suifeng complimented.
Feng Lezhen didn’t seem to care. As soon as he finished making the bed, she immediately began to undress.
Shen Suifeng was briefly stunned, then quickly turned his back, annoyed. “Your Highness really doesn’t treat me as an outsider.”
“You’ve already seen everything. What’s the point in covering up now?” Feng Lezhen calmly changed into her sleepwear.
Shen Suifeng deliberately ignored the rustling behind him. “All of that was accidental—I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“You sound pretty aggrieved.” Feng Lezhen chuckled.
A faint smile tugged at Shen Suifeng’s lips. “I am aggrieved. How does Your Highness plan to compensate me?”
“What about offering myself to you?” Feng Lezhen asked.
Shen Suifeng’s smile deepened, but just as he was about to speak, he suddenly recalled the sight of her lifting her skirts and climbing the city tower just to see Chen Jinan. The smile in his eyes quickly faded.
“Forget it. I have no intention of sharing a wife with others.” His tone was faint as he rejected her.
Feng Lezhen paused briefly. When she looked up at him again, he had already left.
“You didn’t even finish sweeping the floor,” she muttered helplessly, then simply lay down and went to sleep.
The next morning, before the sun was fully up, the strong smell of medicine already wafted through the air. Feng Lezhen no longer felt like sleeping. She got up, dressed, and went out.
In just one night, dozens of large cauldrons for decocting medicine were set up in the drill grounds. A steady stream of herbs was delivered into the grounds as if transported from thin air. The physicians helped Shen Suifeng process the medicinal ingredients, and patients with even a bit of strength were assigned by area to deliver food to other patients. Everything proceeded in an orderly and efficient manner.
Feng Lezhen watched Shen Suifeng move between the medicine cauldrons and the patients. It wasn’t until he saw her and jogged over that the corners of her lips lifted slightly into a smile.
“Mister Shen, thank you for your hard work.”
“Your Highness, please cover your mouth and nose,” Shen Suifeng said almost at the same time.
Feng Lezhen had no choice but to take out a handkerchief and firmly cover her mouth and nose.
“Although Your Highness showed yourself in the prison yesterday, that doesn’t mean you should just let yourself go. Until there are no symptoms, it’s best to be cautious,” Shen Suifeng reminded her seriously.
Feng Lezhen replied, “Understood.”
Shen Suifeng hadn’t expected her to be so obedient. He paused, suddenly unsure how to continue the conversation.
“What does Mister Shen plan to do today?” Feng Lezhen took the initiative to change the subject.
Shen Suifeng came back to his senses. “I’ll first try a few treatments I’ve read about in the books, then adjust the prescriptions based on how the patients respond. But with this approach, I can’t have everyone take the medicine at once. So I plan to choose about a dozen people first. Once the effect is confirmed, I’ll begin administering it to the others.”
“If only a dozen people are taking the medicine, why use so many cauldrons?” Feng Lezhen asked in confusion.
Shen Suifeng smiled. “Most of the medicine is for external application—it can make them feel a bit more comfortable. And some will be processed into strengthening pills to help the body resist the illness.”
“The kind of pill you gave me yesterday?” Feng Lezhen asked.
“More or less,” Shen Suifeng replied. “Though these are much cheaper.”
Feng Lezhen nodded. “So the ones I received were the expensive kind.”
“Mm, already added to your tab,” Shen Suifeng nodded seriously.
Feng Lezhen immediately gave him a sidelong glance.
After exchanging a few words, Shen Suifeng was quickly called away again and didn’t get a break until around midday. When he looked over at Feng Lezhen, she had somehow procured a chair and was now sitting on the high platform of the drill ground, sipping tea and resting. From time to time, commoners greeted her from afar.
“Her Highness really plays the role of a stabilizing pillar without even breaking a sweat,” he couldn’t help but remark with a touch of sarcasm.
Feng Lezhen looked completely calm. “Sitting in the sun and drinking tea is physical labor too, don’t underestimate it. I’ve been sitting here all morning—my back and waist are already sore.”
“Then it truly has been hard on Your Highness,” Shen Suifeng said with a laugh.
Feng Lezhen replied coolly, “Naturally. What can I say? I love my people like they were my own children.”
Shen Suifeng had no way to deal with Her Highness the esteemed Princess. After chatting idly with her and regaining some energy, he went back to work.
By afternoon, the teapot was already empty, but seeing everyone busy and running about, Feng Lezhen didn’t summon anyone to refill it. It wasn’t until she returned to her room at dusk that she remembered she wanted some tea to moisten her throat—only to find the teapot inside the room was also empty.
“Ah Ye,” she called out instinctively, only to remember that Ah Ye was currently stationed outside the training field and couldn’t come to serve her.
With Ah Ye not there, and Shen Suifeng nowhere in sight either, the noble Princess had no one to send. Left with no choice, she picked up the teapot and headed to the kitchen herself. But the kitchen was completely empty, and the large cauldrons on the stove had long been requisitioned. After hesitating between going to the drill grounds to fetch hot water or just drinking some cold, she eventually chose the latter.
By the time she returned to her room from the kitchen, Shen Suifeng was already cleaning it for her. Without even lifting his head when he heard her footsteps, he asked, “Where did Your Highness go?”
“The kitchen,” Feng Lezhen answered and began pouring herself some water to drink.
Shen Suifeng casually glanced at her and, seeing she still held the teapot, paused. “There’s no hot water in the kitchen—where did Your Highness’s tea come from?”
“It’s not tea,” Feng Lezhen said as she finished a cup and poured herself a second.
“What is it then?” Shen Suifeng said with a smile.
“Raw water.” Feng Lezhen replied. Just two sips into her second cup, he took it from her.
“I remember mentioning just last night that no one should drink unboiled water. Has Your Highness already forgotten?” Shen Suifeng said helplessly.
“I haven’t.”
“Then why drink it?”
“I was too lazy to fetch hot water,” Feng Lezhen said innocently.
Shen Suifeng: “…”
After a short silence, he sighed and resignedly went to the training grounds to fetch hot water.
“From now on, I’ll bring Your Highness water on schedule. Please drink less raw water. Even if it isn’t contaminated with the plague, an upset stomach would still be troublesome.” He reminded her.
Feng Lezhen shrugged. “Actually, the raw water in Xijiang City tastes pretty good—there’s a faint, indescribable fragrance.”
“Raw water can’t be fragrant. Don’t make excuses, Your Highness,” Shen Suifeng replied blankly.
Feng Lezhen looked at him silently for a moment, then suddenly recalled that back in the capital, when Qing Wangfei was late taking her medicine, he refused to treat her at all.
“What’s Your Highness thinking?” he suddenly asked.
Feng Lezhen smiled slightly. “I was thinking about one of your rules—that you won’t treat patients who don’t follow medical instructions. That time, Qing Wangfei broke that rule and you gave up on her. I wonder if I’ll end up like her.”
“How could Your Highness be the same as her?” Shen Suifeng refuted without thinking.
“Why not?” she asked, lifting her gaze.
Shen Suifeng froze. When their eyes met, he fell completely silent.
Feng Lezhen didn’t press him—just stared quietly, waiting for an answer.
The night was peaceful, not even a breeze. Though the room’s door was open, it was so quiet it seemed they could hear each other’s heartbeat.
After a long pause, Shen Suifeng looked away and said, “Your Highness carries the people in your heart and upholds righteousness. You’re nothing like those idle officials who take up space and do nothing.”
Hearing his answer, Feng Lezhen gave a faint smile. “Then I must thank Mister Shen for the praise.”
Shen Suifeng tugged the corners of his lips, feeling he should say something more—but Feng Lezhen suddenly set down her cup. “I’m tired.”
“…Then Your Highness should rest.” Shen Suifeng didn’t look at her and turned to leave.
Feng Lezhen leaned casually at the table, playing for a while with the cup of hot water, before finally setting it down. Shen Suifeng stood at the doorway for a long time. Only when the last bit of warmth on his body was stripped away by the night chill did he finally walk away slowly under the cover of darkness.
On the second night at the training grounds, Feng Lezhen didn’t sleep well. She felt an intense itchiness over her body, but was too tired and only scratched a few times in passing.
After a restless night, she woke up drenched in sticky sweat. She lay still for a while, then slowly rolled up her sleeve.
After a long while, she gave a helpless smile.
Meanwhile, Shen Suifeng was distributing medicine to the commoners while glancing toward the platform from time to time.
The sky was already bright, but the platform remained empty. Each time he looked up, he couldn’t help but be momentarily distracted.
“Doctor Shen? Doctor Shen?”
“Hm?” Shen Suifeng came back to his senses.
“What are you looking at?” the patient in front of him asked in confusion.
Shen Suifeng smiled. “Nothing.”
Even as he said it, he looked again—and finally saw someone appear.
She wore a purple dress today, a striking sight in the cold wind of the season. The moment she showed up, she drew everyone’s attention.
“Our Princess is truly beautiful,” an old man praised.
Beside him, a girl—likely his daughter—hurriedly tugged his sleeve. “Don’t speak carelessly. You’re not someone who should be commenting on Her Highness.”
“I wasn’t commenting, I was praising! Her Highness is not only beautiful but also kindhearted. She won’t hold it against an old man like me.”
Shen Suifeng smiled silently at the words. As soon as the other doctors came to take over, he immediately headed toward the platform.
“Your Highness’s dress is particularly beautiful today,” he said with a smile as soon as he approached.
Feng Lezhen had a white cloth covering her face. Upon hearing this, she merely glanced at him and said coolly, “The more splendid and dignified I look, the less people think I fear the plague. And the more at ease the people feel.”
“Your Highness’s reasoning is always so strange,” Shen Suifeng said as he prepared to step up to the platform.
But Feng Lezhen suddenly spoke, “Mister Shen.”
Shen Suifeng looked up at her.
“I want to be alone for a while,” she said, looking into his eyes.
Shen Suifeng paused, a little surprised, and instinctively asked, “Your Highness, are you angry?”
“Why would I be angry with Mister Shen?” Feng Lezhen countered.
Naturally, it was because of what he said last night. Shen Suifeng quietly looked at her, not speaking.
After a long while, someone suddenly collapsed. In the ensuing chaos, Shen Suifeng gave her one last deep glance before turning to rush into the crowd.
Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze and stayed like that for a long time without reacting.
That night, Shen Suifeng came again to bring hot water. As soon as he entered, he saw Feng Lezhen standing by the window and took the initiative to speak to her: “Your Highness, why are you still covering your face indoors? Don’t you feel stifled?”
Feng Lezhen came back to her senses. “I forgot to take it off.”
“What were you thinking about, to be so lost in thought?” Shen Suifeng chuckled.
Feng Lezhen glanced at the teapot he had placed on the table and said, “I was thinking Mister Shen is too busy. From now on, I’d better fetch my own water.”
Shen Suifeng was slightly taken aback.
“Go rest now. You don’t need to come here for the time being,” Feng Lezhen said, looking at him with eyes that could almost be called gentle.
But Shen Suifeng couldn’t smile. He stood in silence for a long while before asking, “Your Highness, what do you mean by this?”
“It’s nothing. Go back now,” Feng Lezhen repeated.
Ever since he met her, Shen Suifeng’s bottom lines and temper had been retreating again and again. Compared to before, he was now much gentler, but no matter how gentle, he still had a temper. Being pushed away like this, he simply turned and left.
Feng Lezhen watched his figure disappear before finally taking off the cloth from her face.
By the fourth day of the trial treatment, many of the patients who took the medicine began to show various adverse symptoms. Some worsened with rashes and were on the verge of death, while those who only wiped their bodies and sunbathed showed slight improvement.
This meant everything they had done before was wrong.
Anxiety and unease enveloped the entire training ground. Everyone’s spirits were very low. Sensing the wrong atmosphere, Feng Lezhen gathered everyone together early one morning.
“I know everyone is anxious, but finding the cause of the plague is not something that can be achieved overnight. I promise you, as long as everyone listens to Mister Shen, you will recover one day,” she said gently.
“We, we naturally trust Your Highness and Mr. Shen, but… but didn’t Lord Liu say we only have five days?” someone asked anxiously.
The five-day deadline was known only to Feng Lezhen, Liu Mingde, and a few others at first, but it somehow became public when the people were moved to the training ground—it was clearly no accident.
Feng Lezhen’s expression didn’t change: “I swear on my life, as long as I am here, Liu Mingde has no say. Rest assured, this time I will live and die with you. As long as the training ground is not emptied, I will not leave.”
These words finally settled the people’s hearts. Only Shen Suifeng frowned in disagreement and found her afterward: “Your Highness, as a royal, you should know that some oaths cannot be made so lightly.”
“You don’t even believe in these things. Why are you lecturing me?” Feng Lezhen glanced at him sideways.
Shen Suifeng’s face was cold: “I’m doing it for your own good. If Your Highness doesn’t want to listen, so be it.”
With that, he turned to test the new medicine without giving her a chance to reply.
Feng Lezhen clicked her tongue and returned to the platform.
Perhaps because of her uncompromising vow, Shen Suifeng, who had deliberately ignored her for two days, couldn’t help but look at her this time. When he saw her dozing off in her chair several times, he couldn’t help but frown.
Late at night, after finishing the day’s work, Shen Suifeng was heading back to his room when he overheard two young patients whispering—
“Didn’t Her Highness skip dinner today?”
“Not just that, she barely ate lunch either.”
Shen Suifeng paused, then continued walking in silence.
“How can she go without eating? Should we go ask Her Highness? What if she’s not feeling well?”
“We both have the illness. Greeting her from below the platform is one thing, but if we go up and disturb her now, aren’t you afraid of passing the sickness to her?”
“You’re right…”
The faint whispers were left behind him. Shen Suifeng lowered his gaze as he walked toward his room, but just as he was about to reach it, he suddenly stopped again.
…Forget it. Why bother being angry with a young girl? He sighed heavily. As he changed direction, even his footsteps felt lighter.
The door to Feng Lezhen’s room was tightly closed, but the lamp was still lit. Shen Suifeng hesitated outside for a while but ultimately did not knock. Inside, Feng Lezhen quietly watched his shadow reflected on the window, unmoving for a long time.
Deep into the night, the people gradually dispersed, and the entire training ground seemed to fall asleep.
At some point, the wind picked up again, howling fiercely, sending chills straight into the bones.
Shen Suifeng stood under the corridor, nearly frozen by the cold wind, when Feng Lezhen suddenly opened the door, still wearing the white cloth over her face.
“Mister Shen,” she called him.
Shen Suifeng looked at her, his gaze softening a little. “Your Highness didn’t eat much today?”
“Mm, I didn’t have much appetite,” Feng Lezhen answered.
“Show me your hand.” Shen Suifeng wanted to take her pulse.
Feng Lezhen smiled and declined, “I just didn’t sleep well last night and felt sluggish today, that’s all. Nothing serious.”
Shen Suifeng looked at the faint dark circles under her eyes and, after a pause, suddenly asked, “Your Highness, are you still angry with me?”
“Why would I be angry?” Feng Lezhen answered with her usual counterquestion.
She truly didn’t understand, but Shen Suifeng thought she was still angry. Looking into her eyes, he seriously explained, “What I said that night was sincere, but it wasn’t everything. The reason why Your Highness is different to me is not only because of your kindness, but also because…”
He paused and chuckled softly. “Because to me, Your Highness is inherently different.”
“It sounds like you just said a bunch of nonsense,” Feng Lezhen laughed, her eyes curving like crescent moons.
Shen Suifeng also laughed at himself. “I’ve never coaxed anyone before—I’m really not very good at it. Please don’t hold it against me, Your Highness.”
“I’m not blaming you, and I wasn’t angry either. The reason I didn’t let you come these past few days is because…” Her voice gradually slowed until it faded away at the end.
After a long moment, she slowly pulled up her sleeve, revealing her fair arm now covered in red rashes.
The smile on Shen Suifeng’s face instantly disappeared.
“It was already like this when I woke up two mornings ago,” she said slowly.
Shen Suifeng stared at her. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“The trial medicines aren’t working, and the people are already panicked. If they found out that I’ve also fallen ill, they would surely lose even more hope. Also… I was afraid you’d get distracted,” Feng Lezhen said frankly. “Right now, your focus should be fully on the formulas. How can you afford to be distracted because of me?”
Shen Suifeng smiled, but his eyes were cold. “Your Highness is certainly thorough. So why are you willing to tell me now?”
“We’ll likely confirm the formula tomorrow. Telling you tonight won’t make much difference,” Feng Lezhen answered.
“Tell me the truth.”
She paused, then chuckled, “You’ve been standing at the door, refusing to leave. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.”
Even someone who’s died once, someone who always claims to be indifferent to everything, would still feel some fear when truly facing a serious illness. But since the rash wasn’t spreading and her body hadn’t been too affected, she had planned to hold out a bit longer until the time was right to tell him.
But tonight, he just had to come—and wouldn’t leave. Watching his silhouette through the window, she eventually opened the door.
She didn’t say all this. She simply looked at him and said: “I couldn’t hold it in.”
Shen Suifeng’s breath faltered for a moment before he finally said coldly, “If I hadn’t come tonight, were you planning to hide it from me until the end?”
“Of course not. I’m still counting on you to cure me,” Feng Lezhen smiled.
Seeing her utterly nonchalant attitude, Shen Suifeng completely gave up on trying to argue with her.
The door to the bedchamber closed again, but this time Shen Suifeng followed her inside.
Feng Lezhen lay prone on the bed, having taken off all her clothes, with only a thin sheet covering her waist. Her smooth, beautiful body was like fine white jade, and even the rash covering it looked like blooming red plum blossoms—strangely alluring.
Her skin, every inch of it, was like a blade that could kill without a trace.
But faced with such a sight, Shen Suifeng didn’t have the slightest improper thought—in fact, he had the urge to drag her up and scold her thoroughly.
“Is it a lot?” she asked, muffled against the pillow.
Shen Suifeng’s face was expressionless. “It’s a lot. It may even leave scars.”
“Let them stay. They’ll be proof that I truly love my people as my own children.” Feng Lezhen remained optimistic.
Shen Suifeng let out a laugh of disbelief. “Your Highness really fears nothing.”
“Those who achieve great things cannot be easily defeated,” Feng Lezhen turned her head, determined to meet his eyes.
Shen Suifeng immediately pushed her face back into the pillow. “Don’t move.”
“…You’re touching me directly with your hands. Aren’t you afraid of catching the illness?” she grumbled.
Shen Suifeng soaked a cloth in the herbal solution, wrung it out to damp, and applied it to her skin. The hot cloth touched her itchy skin, making her whole back tense up instantly.
“It’s just touching with a hand. I can wash a few more times after applying the medicine. It’s not enough to pass the illness,” Shen Suifeng said casually.
“If touching doesn’t pass it, then me showing my face briefly in the prison shouldn’t have either. So how did I get infected?” Feng Lezhen sounded frustrated.
Shen Suifeng lowered his eyes, carefully wiping her body. “You’d have to ask yourself that. Perhaps you made a vow you shouldn’t have, and Heaven heard it.”
“…You don’t even believe in that, so don’t try to scare me with it,” Feng Lezhen warned, turning her head to glare at him.
Shen Suifeng’s response was to push her face back into the pillow again.
This time, Feng Lezhen stayed quiet. After he carefully wiped down her back and legs, she teasingly asked, “There’s a spot on the front too. Does Shen Suifeng want to help wipe that as well?”
“If Your Highness doesn’t mind, I certainly don’t,” Shen Suifeng responded without flinching.
Feng Lezhen immediately started to sit up, and her ample chest shifted with her movement. Shen Suifeng quickly turned his back, gritting out the words, “Your Highness really does trust me.”
“You said it yourself—you’re a doctor. A doctor treating a patient—what’s there to worry about?” Feng Lezhen’s voice dripped with innocent sweetness.
Shen Suifeng suddenly turned back, catching her off guard. She quickly lay back down.
“I am a doctor,” he leaned over and looked at her, his face covered by a white cloth with only his sharp eyes showing, filled with dangerous intent, “but I’m also a man.”
Feng Lezhen blinked. “The long night stretches ahead. I would love to do something with Shen Suifeng, but with my current condition, I’m afraid I’m willing but physically unable.”
Shen Suifeng let out a low laugh, handed her the damp cloth, and said, “Your Highness should rest early.”
With that, he turned and left.
Feng Lezhen quietly let out a sigh of relief, but just as he was about to walk out the door, she reminded him, “Don’t tell anyone about my illness.”
Shen Suifeng waved his hand to signal that he understood.
A faint smile rose in Feng Lezhen’s eyes as she finally had her first good sleep since falling ill.
The five-day deadline passed in the blink of an eye. In order to appear generous, Liu Mingde even deliberately gave them two extra days, only coming to the training ground on the seventh day.
Feng Lezhen had long expected him to come and was fully prepared, but as fate would have it, on the day he arrived, she developed a high fever.
She looked at her pale reflection in the mirror, sat silently for a long time, then began applying makeup. Although her technique wasn’t as skilled as Ah Ye’s, it was enough in a pinch. She then covered her face with the usual white cloth, and looking at herself, there was little difference from her usual appearance.
Shen Suifeng had been waiting at the door for quite a while. Seeing her finally emerge, his brows immediately relaxed. “Why did you take so long?”
“I overslept today,” Feng Lezhen answered slowly. Beneath the white cloth, her breathing was growing increasingly hot, but thankfully her voice wasn’t hoarse, so she appeared no different from usual.
Shen Suifeng didn’t notice anything wrong, only gently reminding her, “Liu Mingde has been waiting outside the training ground for quite some time.”
“That coward doesn’t even dare to step into the training ground,” Feng Lezhen said, slowly walking out.
Shen Suifeng did think her steps seemed a bit unsteady, but he didn’t dwell on it and quickly caught up to her.
As soon as they reached the entrance, Ah Ye happily waved. “Your Highness!”
A flicker of a smile passed through Feng Lezhen’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared when she saw Liu Mingde.
Just as Shen Suifeng had said, Liu Mingde had been waiting for a while. His face initially showed impatience, but upon seeing Feng Lezhen, he immediately turned attentive. “Why did Your Highness take so long to come out? Are you unwell?”
“Is Lord Liu cursing me?” Feng Lezhen replied lazily.
Liu Mingde quickly responded, “This humble official wouldn’t dare, I was merely concerned for Your Highness.”
“Then I must thank Lord Liu for his concern. I am perfectly well.” Feng Lezhen’s tone was calm.
Liu Mingde smiled so hard his face looked like a blooming chrysanthemum. “That is truly a blessing for our Great Qian.”
“Lord Liu didn’t come here just to exchange pleasantries, did you?” Feng Lezhen asked, looking at him.
Liu Mingde immediately latched onto the cue. “Does Your Highness still remember our five-day agreement? The five days have now passed. I wonder, has there been any breakthrough regarding the epidemic? If not…”
“There is.” Feng Lezhen interrupted.
Ah Ye’s eyes lit up, but Shen Suifeng’s expression turned somewhat unreadable.
Liu Mingde was very surprised. After a long pause, he squeezed out a sentence: “Truly?”
“Haven’t you noticed there have been fewer corpses sent out these days?” Feng Lezhen’s head throbbed terribly. She paused to steady herself before continuing, “If there hadn’t been any progress, how could there have been such results?”
“That… that is indeed a blessing for the people,” Liu Mingde stammered.
“This is thanks to Lord Liu. If you hadn’t sent food and medicine on time, there wouldn’t have been today’s results. I don’t have the time to write a memorial to the court—please report this to the imperial court on your own.”
She was practically handing him all the credit. A reward falling straight from the sky was hard for Liu Mingde to resist, though upon meeting Feng Lezhen’s gaze, he sobered slightly. “It was Your Highness who saved the people. How could this humble official dare to take credit?”
“I don’t care for such small credit. You can have it. However, the epidemic has been festering for a long time—it cannot be eradicated in just a day or two. For the sake of Xijiang City, I’m afraid Lord Liu will need to continue providing support.” A gust of wind blew past, making Feng Lezhen feel even more dizzy and unsteady, but luckily the white cloth concealed her condition.
This request wasn’t difficult for Liu Mingde. He calculated the situation and ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation of earning credit. Still, he was careful as he replied, “Then… shall we agree to another five days?”
“Who can say for certain?” Feng Lezhen looked at him.
Liu Mingde smiled. “Even if not everyone can be cured, surely some can. Five days from now, I’ll return to bring the recovered people home to recuperate. What does Your Highness think?”
If Feng Lezhen was lying, she wouldn’t be able to produce recovered people in five days. If she was telling the truth, Liu Mingde would claim the merit and report it to the court. Either way, it would only cost him five more days of food and medicine, which wasn’t much. But if he gambled right, great fortune and smooth official advancement awaited him.
Liu Mingde calculated all this clearly and exchanged smiles with Feng Lezhen. In the silent standoff, neither spoke.
After a long pause, Feng Lezhen slowly said, “Ten days.”
Having waited this long, what did another five days matter? Liu Mingde didn’t overthink it and quickly agreed. “Very well, then I shall await Your Highness’s good news.”
With that, he turned and left.
Watching him walk away, Feng Lezhen’s energy visibly drained, and she suddenly found it hard to stand. Shen Suifeng quickly stepped forward to support her. When she turned to look at him, she only saw his deeply shadowed gaze.
It seemed he had realized something was wrong.
“Your Highness!” Ah Ye’s cheerful voice pulled her back to the present. “Did you really find a cure for the epidemic?”
“Of course not,” Feng Lezhen answered, completely confident.
Ah Ye: “…”
“What will you do if in ten days you still haven’t found a solution?” Shen Suifeng asked.
Feng Lezhen’s expression remained calm. “Then I’ll have to trouble Ah Ye.”
Shen Suifeng and Ah Ye both looked puzzled.
Feng Lezhen sighed with some regret. “If there’s still no progress, I’m afraid Lord Liu will worry himself to death and accidentally drown in his own pond.”
Ah Ye and Shen Suifeng: “…” Understood.
After giving Ah Ye a few more instructions, she was truly too exhausted to continue and turned to leave right in front of them.
Shen Suifeng walked by her side, and after only a few steps, he grasped her wrist. “Your Highness has a high fever.”
“Mm.” Feng Lezhen lowered her gaze in response.
“When did it start?” Shen Suifeng asked.
“This morning.”
Shen Suifeng gave a bitter laugh. “Is it because I haven’t yet found the cure, so Your Highness has completely lost faith in me?”
“It’s nothing, I just didn’t say it because I was in a rush to deal with Liu Mingde,” Feng Lezhen replied wearily.
Shen Suifeng’s eyes darkened. “And after you’ve dealt with him? Will Your Highness tell me then?”
“Shen Suifeng,” Feng Lezhen suddenly stopped, looking at him weakly, “Catch me…”
Before she could finish, her vision went black, and she collapsed.
When she woke up again, she was already back in her own bed. Shen Suifeng sat at the bedside, head down, grinding medicine. He didn’t look up, but spoke the moment she opened her eyes: “You’re awake?”
“What are you doing?” Feng Lezhen spoke and only then realized her voice was already hoarse.
“Making a fever patch for Your Highness,” Shen Suifeng replied.
Feng Lezhen closed her eyes. When she opened them again, he was already looking over.
“No need,” she quietly stared at the ceiling. “I probably won’t make it.”
Shen Suifeng’s gaze darkened. “Don’t speak nonsense.”
“It’s not nonsense. My time really is near,” Feng Lezhen coughed twice, a faint flush rising at the corners of her eyes. “I can feel it. I’m dying.”
“You talk as if you’ve died before,” Shen Suifeng sneered, though there was no hint of a smile in his eyes.
Feng Lezhen chuckled. “How do you know I haven’t?”
Shen Suifeng didn’t want to entertain her ramblings and lowered his head, continuing to grind the medicine.
Feng Lezhen stared at him for a long time and then said, “I’ve already written a secret letter. Later, pass it to Ah Ye for me. Ah Ye will deliver it to the Yu family in the capital. Even if I’m gone, my maternal family can still protect these sick commoners. As for you… if you really can’t find a cure for the epidemic, then there’s nothing to be done. You’re a doctor—you’ve seen this kind of thing often. I won’t waste words comforting you…”
“Your Highness, rather than saying so much, why not rest properly?” Shen Suifeng interrupted as he looked up.
Feng Lezhen quietly met his gaze for a long while before speaking again: “You and the Shen family will finally be free of me. Aren’t you happy?”
Shen Suifeng stared at her, as if trying to see straight into her soul.
Feng Lezhen slowly exhaled, smiling at herself: “I didn’t expect that after all we’ve been through, this would be our ending. I wonder if, after I die, you’ll think of me once in a while. Will you ever regret not helping me join forces with the Shen family…”
Before she could finish, Shen Suifeng suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers through the white cloth.
Feng Lezhen’s eyes widened in shock, staring at his face so close she couldn’t react for a long moment. Shen Suifeng also stared at her. Once she finally quieted down, he reached out and pulled off the cloths covering both their faces.
In an instant, their breaths mingled freely, warm exhalations almost burning each other. Feng Lezhen instinctively leaned back, but his hand had already slipped behind her neck and the pillow, forcing her toward him.
Her lips stung from a sudden bite. Feng Lezhen hissed softly, and in the next moment, her teeth were pried open.
The air thinned. The temperature rose. Feng Lezhen’s mind became fuzzy, leaving only one thought—
He’s really gone mad.
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