Page 16

If he behaved impeccably, might Fu Yicen... be a little more lenient when settling scores later?

Chapter 16: His Life Hung by a Thread

Zhou Rendong wept in a daze, overwhelmed with anxiety. Fear and despair crashed over him, his body growing feverish.

"Fu Yicen, the child you brought back yesterday has awakened..."

Chu Yu barged in, spotting Zhou Rendong's disheveled state. He quickly approached, brows furrowed, and steadied him.

"What happened?"

"Doctor Chu..." Zhou Rendong murmured, his swollen eyes wide open as they met Chu Yu's gaze.

Chu Yu touched his forehead, startled by the scorching heat.

"Why do you have a fever?"

The toxins were entirely expelled last night; there's no reason for such a high fever to follow.

"Doctor Chu..." Zhou Rendong clung to Chu Yu's sleeve, desperately repeating his name, unable to utter a coherent sentence.

"Lie down, I'll take your pulse." Chu Yu instructed, laying Zhou Rendong flat on the bed and checking his wrist.

Zhou Rendong's heartbeat was erratic, showing signs of distress.

Chu Yu's lips tightened. He ordered a servant to fetch a bowl of cold water, using a chilled towel to cool Zhou's fevered brow.

"Where's Fu Yicen?"

Anger surged within Chu Yu.

With the man nearly delirious from fever, where had Fu Yicen run off to? There wasn't even a soul attending to him!

"It's alright..." Zhou Rendong attempted a wry smile, shaking his head. "I'm fine. Please, don't tell him..."

He felt a mix of fear and sorrow, unsure how to face Fu Yicen.

"Stay still!"

Chu Yu snapped, holding him in place. "Can't any of you give me some peace?"

Just then, Fu Yicen hurried in.

Observing the situation, he frowned and queried, "What's happened?"

"What's happened?" Chu Yu retorted vehemently, "He's burning up! Where have you been, leaving him here uncared for?"

"A fever?" Fu Yicen, confused, swiftly moved closer. The back of his hand brushed Zhou Rendong's cheek, the burning sensation startling him.

He was perfectly fine when left; how did he become like this so suddenly?

"If you don't want him, release him. I'll take him with me and we'll travel the world as healers..."

Fu Yicen brushed off his outcry, "Get the prescription ready."

Chu Yu shot him a disdainful glance, but considering Zhou Rendong's condition, he prioritized preparing the prescription.

"Keep a close eye on him," Chu Yu instructed. "There's another one in the guest room who just woke up; I need to attend to him."

Handing the prescription to the butler, Chu Yu, with a weight of concern on his shoulders, turned towards the guest room...

After taking the medicine, Zhou Rendong drifted into a drowsy sleep.

His dreams were restless, his brow furrowed, eyelashes quivering, occasionally letting out soft whimpers.

Fu Yicen dared not leave; he sat by the bed, gently patting Zhou Rendong's chest in comfort.

It wasn't long before an exasperated Chu Yu returned, this time with an unexpected tag-along.

The young man he'd rescued from the streets yesterday, upon waking, clutched a bloodied letter, clamoring to see Fu Yicen.

The boy's insistence gave Chu Yu a headache, prompting him to reluctantly bring him along.

"I implore the General to intervene!"

Upon seeing Fu Yicen, the boy immediately knelt, bowing his head, "Please, General, help the people of Yunluo Town."

Zhou Rendong was startled awake by the boy's loud plea, sweat beading on his forehead.

"Rendong."

Fu Yicen held his flailing hand, patting his chest soothingly.

Observing the scene, the boy put the letter back in his pocket, moved to the table, poured a glass of warm water, and offered it: "For the young master, to calm his nerves."

Fu Yicen took the glass, discreetly testing the water with a silver needle, before giving it to Zhou Rendong.

The boy, deftly grabbing a towel, dampened it slightly and helped wipe the sweat from Zhou Rendong's face.

"My apologies," the boy murmured. "I wasn't aware the young master was resting. I didn't mean to disturb."

Zhou Rendong began to regain his composure. Recognizing the pale-faced boy, he recalled imploring Fu Yicen to save him.

"It's alright," Zhou Rendong managed a smile. "How are you feeling now?"

"Thanks to your concern, I'm much better."

Zhou Rendong nodded in acknowledgment, lost in thought.

As long as he's alright and safely leaves the General's mansion, he won't be implicated or suffer any repercussions in the future.

Observing Zhou Rendong's ease and the boy's intuitive actions, Fu Yicen was struck with an idea.

"What's your name? What injustice brings you here?"

"I am Yuan Yue, from Yunluo Town in the southwest."

Fu Yicen nodded.

Yunluo Town, in the southwest, bore the brunt of severe floods. When he had escorted the newly-appointed top scholar there in his past life, the landscape was strewn with bodies.

"My father was a head servant in the home of Lord Lu Changjun, the local magistrate. The town was riddled with refugees due to the floods. Instead of addressing this, Lord Lu indulged in revelry daily. In a moment of compassion, my father secretly allowed refugees into the mansion for aid but met a fatal punishment from Lord Lu."

Yuan Yue, red with anger, said, "Since childhood, I've trained in martial arts and the art of Gu in Miaojiang, intending to avenge my father. After keeping watch for a few days, I discovered something..."

He seemed hesitant, glancing at Zhou Rendong, unsure of how to continue.

Upon waking this morning, Yuan Yue learned that the General's wife was an illegitimate child of Prime Minister Zhou, and ironically, the General was a sworn enemy of the Prime Minister.

Considering the intricate relationship, he would not have sought the General's help unless he was truly desperate.

"Speak freely," Fu Yicen urged, having a hunch about Yuan Yue's discovery.

The sins of Zhou Heng were something Zhou Rendong had the right to know.

Yuan Yue sighed.

After all, without Zhou Rendong's intervention yesterday, Fu Yicen might not have saved him.

He has always believed in clear distinctions between gratitude and grudges. He couldn't blame Zhou Rendong for the Prime Minister's actions.

"I came across... the correspondence between Prime Minister Zhou and Lord Lu," revealed Yuan Yue. "In a secret letter, Lu Changjun mentioned having clandestinely transported half of the disaster relief funds to the Prime Minister's mansion, seeking protection."