Chapter 27
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Realizing the waist token was missing, Fu Nian hastily flipped through the bedding and felt around the mattress.
He didn’t find anything.
It really was gone…
Fu Nian stared blankly at the fresh clothes he was wearing, his mind racing as he recalled the events of last night.
He was typically a light sleeper, and it was impossible for someone to come close, take something, and change his clothes without waking him up.
Most likely, it was the sedative powder from yesterday mixed with the scent of incense that made it feel like being trapped in a nightmare, unable to wake up no matter how hard one tries.
Fu Nian regretted not being vigilant enough, and he couldn’t figure out who might have come during that time.
Changing his clothes and wiping his body for him couldn’t be an attempt to harm him. As for why his belongings were taken…
Fu Nian couldn’t understand why.
However, the location of Senior Brother’s residence… Fu Nian remembered that when he escorted that scholar to the capital, the other person had given him the exact address, saying that if things didn’t go well, he could seek refuge there.
At that time, Fu Nian didn’t know that the scholar was a guest under Senior Brother. Now, it seemed like a fortunate coincidence. Once he was able to move in a few days, Fu Nian would return and search for the note that Pei Zhou had left him.
While changing the medicine, Fu Nian was still wondering who had come over these past two days. After thinking for a while, he couldn’t find any clues.
Since someone came the past two days, maybe today he could hope for another visit and catch them in the act.
In the afternoon, Fu Nian felt that the high fever had slightly subsided. At least, he wasn’t as groggy as before. However, he still pretended to be weak, even trembling when drinking the medicine, and his voice was even weaker than the previous two days.
By the time the sun set, as the imperial physician was about to leave, he asked while changing Fu Nian’s medicine, “Has the high fever subsided a bit today?”
Fu Nian shook his head gently.
“Ah…”
Fu Nian heard the physician sigh.
One of the skills of palace physicians was not to discuss the patient’s condition in front of them. Even if the person was almost half dead, they had to say they would recover.
But hearing a sigh meant that today’s performance was probably convincing enough to deceive the physician.
After the dressing was done, Fu Nian weakly asked, “Doctor Xu, will… will I die?”
After asking, Fu Nian saw that the other person clearly paused, looking awkward and unsure of what to say.
Looking at the physician’s anxious expression, Fu Nian knew for sure that he had pulled it off today.
—He was clear about it. Not only would he not die, the fever had mostly subsided. Pretending to be weak, he aimed to lure the person back tonight.
“You’re making it sound serious,” Doctor Xu forced a smile and said, “You’re in good health. This minor injury won’t be fatal. Rest well and don’t overthink it. If you need anything, just call for the medicine child.”
Fu Nian obediently made an “okay” sound to indicate he understood.
In the evening, Fu Nian didn’t wait for the rice porridge and calming medicine to be brought over, he was still lying weakly on the bed.
“Eat up, so I can clean the bowls when you’re done,” the medicine child reminded when he saw Fu Nian lying motionless.
“Could you wait a bit? I’m feeling a bit unwell, I’m sorry,” Fu Nian’s voice was very soft.
Combined with his current bandaged state and his appearance, with limbs injured, he deliberately sounded as if he lacked energy. Fu Nian was confident he could fool the medicine child before him.
Sure enough, after pondering for a moment, the medicine child said, “Alright. I’ll come to collect the bowls later. I’ll go get a new porcelain bowl for you first.”
Fu Nian didn’t refuse.
After confirming that the medicine child had left, Fu Nian finally sat up and carefully poured out the calming powder from the bowl. Then he picked up the rice porridge and smelled it several times, making sure there were no drugs in it before he drank it.
In the past, to be cautious, Fu Nian would have definitely poured out the rice porridge as well. But now, he was genuinely hungry, relying on these plain soups to fill his stomach every day. It was really a waste he couldn’t bear.
After finishing these actions, Fu Nian picked up the water cup again and wet a corner of the blanket. This way, he could cover his nose with the soaked corner when the incense was lit at night, minimizing the interference from the incense.
During the night, Fu Nian remained awake, and when he smelled an unusual fragrance from the incense burner, he quickly covered his mouth and nose with the previously dampened blanket corner, closed his eyes, and appeared to be asleep on the surface. In reality, every nerve in his body was tense.
As expected, not long after, Fu Nian heard slight rustling sounds from outside the window.
Fu Nian had a plan. When the person got close, he would catch them in the act. He wanted to see who was visiting every night.
Was it Senior Brother? Or Rendong? Or maybe… that man.
However, Fu Nian quickly dismissed the last possibility. The night when he was fed water, he had thought it might be Chu Zhaoyi. Although Chu Zhaoyi had never used a narrow-mouthed pot to feed him when they used to share a bed…
But on the second night, when someone helped him change clothes and wiped him, Fu Nian’s first elimination was this man. Firstly, this kind of service was something that man couldn’t possibly do while keeping his face, and secondly, that man was clumsy and wouldn’t be able to do it at all.
Suppressing his racing heart, Fu Nian waited quietly for the person to take the bait.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded from outside the door.
The sound was soft, but it was indeed getting closer step by step.
They’re here!
Fu Nian judged the direction of the sound and suddenly reached out his left hand, grabbing the person’s arm.
Feeling the person struggle, Fu Nian quickly opened his eyes.
The room was dimly lit, and Fu Nian looked for a while before finally believing what he saw.
“Why are you awake? Didn’t I light the incense?”
“Why is it you?” Fu Nian confirmed multiple times that the person before him was indeed Chu Yao, only then did he let go of the hand he was holding with a disgusted expression.
As if the hand was dirty, he quickly picked up the water next to him and rinsed the hand he had just grabbed Chu Yao with, then stopped.
Chu Yao also patted his sleeve, seemingly repulsed by him.
“Why is it you?” Seeing Chu Yao didn’t respond, Fu Nian asked with a stern face for the second time.
“Who else did you think it would be?” After Chu Yao finished speaking, he quickly got up from the pallet. “At that time, I saw you with one leg and one arm broken. I got carried away and was heavy-handed. I really apologize. Although I was the one who accidentally injured you and I won’t hold a grudge about your rudeness today but do you really need to wash your hands?”
Fu Nian didn’t respond.
He didn’t dare to ask if the one who helped him change clothes and wiped him last night was also Chu Yao.
Regardless of whether it was true or not, Fu Nian had already assumed it was, and now he felt uncomfortable, itching all over. He wished he could get up immediately and pour a few buckets of water on himself to thoroughly cleanse his body.
Reality was much more absurd than speculation.
“Why aren’t you speaking?” Chu Yao asked impatiently when Fu Nian remained silent.
Fu Nian still didn’t say anything. He laid on the pallet, staring blankly at the ceiling, his expression hollow. It was evident that he was having a hard time accepting this reality.
His only regret now was that if he had known, he would have obediently taken the medicine and fallen asleep under its influence. He wouldn’t have had to see this heart-wrenching face.
“Tsk.”
Hearing Chu Yao’s impatient tone, Fu Nian still laid without reacting.
Sure enough, after a while, Chu Yao got impatient waiting and left briskly.
A long time passed before Fu Nian regained his senses.
If it were Senior Brother or Rendong who had come, it would have been within his expectations. Even that man, Fu Nian wouldn’t find it particularly absurd.
But to think that it was Chu Yao…
In the scorching days of midsummer, Fu Nian shuddered involuntarily.
After lying down for a while, Fu Nian found that he couldn’t control himself from thinking about someone helping him change clothes and wiping him last night…
After thinking for a while, Fu Nian couldn’t help but try to get up from the pallet to wash himself in the courtyard.
The night guard medicine child noticed the movement and thought he needed assistance. He hurried over and happened to see him struggling to get up from the pallet.
“What are you trying to do? I told you to stay in bed and rest, not move around.”
Fu Nian ignored the medicine child’s scolding, “I want to wash up in the courtyard bath.”
“You can’t let well water touch the wound. No, you can’t move around!”
Of course, Fu Nian knew not to let well water touch the wound.
He paid no attention to the medicine child and continued to try and get up on his own.
“Lie down and don’t move! If you’re really uncomfortable from the fever, I’ll bring you some porcelain for cooling.”
“It’s not the fever. It’s alright, I won’t blame you if your master asks tomorrow. I won’t make things difficult for you.” Fu Nian didn’t want to explain too much. Just the sight of Chu Yao was enough to make him uncomfortable, let alone the possibility that Chu Yao was the one who fetched water and helped him change clothes.
Seeing that he was determined, the medicine child had to compromise, “Then wait a moment. I’ll get some bamboo boards to stabilize your right shoulder. And some oilcloth for waterproofing. Let’s talk things out properly, I’ll naturally help you, but don’t be impulsive.”
Fu Nian saw that the medicine child was yielding, so he didn’t make things harder.
He remembered avoiding the wound when he was wiped down last night, so the wound definitely wasn’t dirty.
After a while, the medicine child came back with boiled bamboo boards and oilcloth.
It was already starting to get light outside by the time Fu Nian finished binding up his wound.
Fu Nian eagerly walked into the simple, open-air bath area surrounded by woven mats in the courtyard. He was about to undress when he realized that the medicine child had followed him in.
“Why did you come in? I told you I won’t let the wound touch water.”
“One of your hands isn’t functioning, so I have to keep an eye on you. I can’t let anything happen to you.” Seeing him stubbornly uncooperative, the medicine child’s voice was anxious. “I even secretly allowed you to take a shower. If you get a fever again tomorrow morning or if the wound gets wet, I definitely won’t be able to escape blame.”
“I told you I won’t involve you.” Fu Nian was very clear about his own body.
When there’s no poisonous gu influence inside his body, once a fever caused by infection starts to subside, it won’t recur. After all these years wandering around, he had seen far more days like this than he had seen a physician. There wouldn’t be a problem. Moreover, his right arm was tightly wrapped in oilcloth. It would be hard to get it wet.
“No, you can’t!”
Fu Nian paid no further attention to him and began undressing on his own.
Once he had removed his upper garments, he glanced at the chattering medicine boy and rubbed his temples.
As long as he didn’t cause trouble while he was bathing, he didn’t mind if he wanted to watch – that’s what Fu Nian thought.
Setting aside his innerwear, Fu Nian had barely scooped up some water when the medicine boy rushed over. “Let me help you wash! Can you please stand still and not move? I’m begging you.”
Fu Nian sighed.
He thought that pretending to be weak and fragile earlier might have been a bit excessive.
In the midst of this standoff, Fu Nian sensed footsteps outside the bathhouse.
Before he could identify the person approaching, suddenly, two heads appeared at the makeshift doorway of the bathhouse.
One of them seemed to be Ze Wang…
Before Fu Nian could get a clear look at Ze Wang’s face, a hand forcefully pushed his head out.
“Ouch, that hurts!” Ze Wang couldn’t help but cry out.
It was only then that Fu Nian could see clearly. The other person was… yes, that man.
For a moment, the water ladle in Fu Nian’s hand trembled. Fortunately, he didn’t spill the water.
He glanced at the clothes he had just taken off.
Should he put them back on?
Or should he simply stand there like this?
Fu Nian was torn and embarrassed at the same time. His feet felt like they were nailed to the ground, and he didn’t dare to move.
After a long moment of daze, Fu Nian finally remembered to bow.
Setting the water dipper down, he hadn’t even knelt yet when he was halted.
“No need for formalities. We heard a commotion here early in the morning, so we came to see what was happening.”
The voice at the door remained cold.
With his head lowered, Fu Nian could imagine that Chu Zhaoyi’s face must be expressing the words “inappropriate behavior.”
“So early in the morning, we didn’t expect to find you here. We unintentionally disturbed Your Majesty’s presence. I hope Your Majesty forgives us,” Fu Nian said stiffly.
After saying that, Fu Nian wanted to give himself a slap.
At this hour, it was time for the morning court session. Chu Zhaoyi was wearing court attire, and Ze Wang was there too. Most likely, they were passing by after handling political affairs all night. After all, many years ago, he stood in the same position as Ze Wang, accompanying Chu Zhaoyi on the way to morning court.
After saying that, Fu Nian didn’t hear a response for a long time.
“Zhen recalls that you’re heavily injured. The physician must have instructed you to rest in bed,” Chu Zhaoyi said, glancing at the kneeling medicine child. “Why didn’t he stop you?”
“Your Majesty, he couldn’t stop me,” Fu Nian answered before the medicine child could respond.
After replying, Fu Nian felt those piercing eyes land on him.
The profound gaze openly explored his body from head to toe, lingering at his waist as if unwilling to move away.
Fu Nian felt incredibly uneasy under the scrutiny, constantly stealing glances at his clothes not far away.
He wished he had just gone ahead and put on his clothes without thinking. No matter how colleagues looked at him when he wasn’t dressed, Fu Nian didn’t mind, and he wouldn’t be emotionally affected.
But being looked at by this man was different; perhaps it was the intimidation of imperial dignity or perhaps due to his physical disability, but there was an inexplicable sense of shame.
Silence.
Feeling that Chu Zhaoyi’s gaze was still firmly fixed on him, Fu Nian clenched his teeth and thought of something to say to ease this overly awkward atmosphere.
Author’s Note: Hehe
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