Page 117

They had originally prepared a ship for their journey to Yangzhou. But given Master's current condition, it would be far safer for him to stay on Missus Rong Shu's boat.

With a determined heart, Chang Ji decided to smuggle Gu Changjin onto the cargo ships as they departed the harbor.

Bowing deeply to Rong Shu, he vowed, "Missus, please rest assured. Heng Ping has exchanged clothes with Master. Once you leave, I will burn our original ship. With us two diverting attention, those people will assume we abandoned the water route for land travel and won't suspect your guest ship."

Despite his concerns, Chang Ji knew hiding Master here carried risks. Moreover, Missus and Master had already divorced; he didn't know if she would agree.

Staring at the man on the bed, Rong Shu recalled his miserable state upon returning from Yangzhou in her previous life. After a moment of contemplation, she consented.

"As you suggested, we'll proceed accordingly. Don't worry, there are medicines on the guest ship. I will ensure Lord Gu arrives safely in Yangzhou."

Chang Ji's face lit up with relief. Without delay, after setting Gu Changjin down, he bowed deeply to Rong Shu three times before leaping out the porthole. His martial arts skills were exceptional; despite his injuries, no sound of water splashing could be heard when he entered the water.

Upon Chang Ji's departure, Rong Shu instructed Luan Yan to move several screens from the purification room to surround the bed.

"Tell everyone I caught a cold from the wind at the harbor and now have a headache. I can't be exposed to more wind for now." As she spoke, she reached out to help Gu Changjin.

"Miss, allow me," he said.

Yan Qian moved ahead and effortlessly lifted the unconscious man, as if he were a sandbag, tossing him onto the bed.

Rong Shu stretched out her hand to touch his forehead. Indeed, he had a fever.

In Pan Xueliang's previous life, Gu Changjin had set off for Yangzhou shortly after Pan's suicide, almost two weeks earlier than in this lifetime. Had his journey been just as perilous back then?

Rong Shu only remembered that he returned from Yangzhou severely injured, nearly losing half his life. She had no idea if he was hurt on his way there.

There was a barefoot doctor on the passenger ship. Rong Shu considered for a moment and instructed Yan Qian, "Please trouble Sister to inform Mother Zhang about the situation here. Ask her to find a physician to prescribe some medicine and also bring a jar of burning liquor."

Once Yan Qian left, Rong Shu slightly turned Gu Changjin's body. As expected, his shirt at the back was soaked with blood.

She couldn't help but sigh, "You're really... quite unlucky."

Gu Changjin heard her sigh.

But the voice seemed so distant, faint and blurred. He wanted to continue listening, but his fragmented consciousness struggled for a few moments before plunging into a deep darkness.

He thought he would never hear the maiden's voice again. Yet in the next instant, that familiar voice rang in his ears once more.

"Beloved, does it hurt?"

Does it hurt?

It did. His head throbbed, his throat ached, and every limb in his body was in pain. But he couldn't say that; she would be heartbroken if he did.

With a hoarse voice, Gu Changjin said, "It doesn't hurt."

As his words faded, a sudden gleam filled his eyes.

The maiden was sitting by the bedside, holding a bowl of medicine. Upon seeing him awake, her eyes instantly turned red, tears pooling in her apricot blossom-shaped eyes, like dampened peach petals after spring rain.

"Why are you crying?" he croaked.

Seemingly unprepared for his awakening, she stared at him, her teardrops hanging on her eyelashes, poised to fall but not quite. It was particularly pitiful.

Perhaps feeling that she had been overly sentimental, the young maiden hastily wiped her eyes and said, "You refused to take your medicine, and even Chang Ji and the others couldn't force it down your throat. If not for me summoning Doctor Sun—"

At this point, her voice caught in her throat.

This time, he had nearly lost his life.

Gu Changjin understood now. She had cried because they couldn't get the medicine into him when he was unconscious.

"I'll drink it," he whispered softly. Due to his hoarse voice, he repeated himself, "Give me the medicine. I'll drink it."

So, don't cry.

I'll drink any medicine you give me from now on.

The bitter liquid slid down his throat as he gazed at her, unwilling to look away.

However, probably due to the severity of his injuries, once the medicine took effect, he drifted back into a deep slumber.

For a long while after that, he alternated between moments of lucidity and unconsciousness. It wasn't until the wounds on his back began to scab over that he could finally leave his bed.

By then, the capital had already been blanketed by several heavy snowfalls.

In the past, whenever it snowed, she would love to build little snow rabbits and birds under the parasol trees. But this year, her enthusiasm for playing in the snow waned due to his injury.

On that day, when he entered the palace and emerged from the Nourishing Heart Palace, he spotted a small eunuch performing magic tricks, conjuring up palm-sized ice sculptures for Prince An.

Perhaps because he had grown up in the palace, Prince An's disposition was much more composed and less talkative than an average eleven-year-old child.

However, upon seeing the ice sculptures in the eunuch's hands, his distinct black and white eyes widened, revealing a touch of the innocence that children should possess.

Gu Changjin gazed at the lifelike little ice sculptures displayed on the ground by the eunuch. For some reason, he knew that the young lady would appreciate them.

Thus, he strode over.

The eunuch was entertaining Prince An. Upon catching sight of the tall figure approaching, he couldn't help but tremble, assuming that this cold-eyed censor was about to reprimand him.

To his surprise, after greeting Prince An, the man asked, "How did you carve these tiny ice sculptures?"

Upon hearing this, not only the eunuch, but even Prince An, with his round, curious eyes, secretly glanced at him.

The little eunuch had learned this skill from an elder colleague within the palace. He promptly took out a thin, polished stone and demonstrated it to Gu Changjin.

It had to be said that those with sharp minds picked up things quickly.

Within less than an hour, Gu Changjin had carved a cat resting on the ground.

He wrapped the sculpture in fine snow and instructed Chang Ji to deliver it to Songsi Courtyard when they arrived at Wutong Lane.

"Say that it's a gift from the people of Wutong Lane."

Chang Ji accepted the task but paused before adding, "My lord, I've already submitted Pan Xueliang's remains to the Da Li Si prison. Lady Feng requested to see him before the execution."