Chapter 54: Illness

Chapter 54: The Onset of Illness

In the cramped carriage, Qiao Wan was held tightly by Mu Chi, their bodies pressed together without an inch of space between them.

Hearing Mu Chi’s tone, as if sparing Wen Xubai was a grand act of mercy, she couldn’t help but chuckle: "So even you know 'paramour' sounds unpleasant? And you still expect me to return the betrothal agreement first?"

"But who are you to me? By what right do you demand I return it?"

Mu Chi stared at the mocking smile on her lips, the corners of his eyes slowly reddening. After a long silence, he said, "It was you who said it back then—‘Let’s stay together forever.’"

On that Lunar New Year’s Eve, even knowing he had given the *guqin* score to Qiao Qingni, she had looked into his eyes and spoken those words with utmost sincerity.

Hearing him dredge up words from so long ago, Qiao Wan found it even more amusing: "And it was also you who used me for so long to obtain the *Snow Bodhi*, even deliberately pushing me toward others."

Mu Chi’s face paled: "Then what about on Yanming Mountain? What were you truly going to say to Qiao Heng?"

She had originally intended for Qiao Heng to bestow a marriage upon them. He had always known that.

That engagement should have been theirs.

At the mention of Yanming Mountain, Qiao Wan paused, her brows furrowing tightly before she let out a cold laugh: "So you knew, after all?"

She nodded with feigned seriousness: "Right, His Highness the Crown Prince is so clever, he could guess what I was going to say with his toes. But after witnessing His Highness’s heroic leap off the cliff to save Qiao Qingni, I’m only glad I never said it, that I never entangled myself with a madman like you."

"Qiao Wan!"

"Am I wrong?" Qiao Wan glared at him, "You’re a complete madman who has never been able to stand seeing me well. Before, you used me, even contemplated killing me several times. Now, you want to ruin the peaceful life I’ve built."

"Your so-called peaceful life means being with Wen Xubai?"

"Rather than with you?" Qiao Wan retorted sharply. She fell silent for a moment before continuing, "You saw it earlier, didn’t you? Today, he came to teach Wu Jiu how to play the *guqin*. He treats me well, and he treats Wu Jiu as his own child. That alone is something you could never do—"

"What if I could?" Mu Chi suddenly interrupted, his voice hoarse, speaking without thinking, "Would you then be with me?"

The moment the words left his mouth, the carriage fell into a profound silence.

Mu Chi belatedly realized what he had just said, his expression stunned and horrified. The hand holding Qiao Wan trembled slightly, loosening its grip.

Yet, in his heart, he found not an ounce of regret.

Qiao Wan was equally startled by his words, staring at him in astonishment, unsure of his intentions.

Just then, a commotion erupted outside the carriage. Someone said, "Brother Li Yuan seems to be in high spirits today."

Qiao Wan frowned slightly upon hearing this, then her expression shifted.

Those outside were clearly the scholars they had encountered earlier by the warm pool—Wen Xubai’s classmates and close friends.

The "Li Yuan" mentioned was the one who had called her "sister-in-law" earlier.

Only a carriage wall separated them. Not long ago, she had been playing the *guqin* with Wen Xubai, but now she was in such "intimate" proximity with Mu Chi. The thought made her suddenly reach out, intending to push Mu Chi away with all her might.

In the next instant, a sudden, sharp pain seized her chest, brief but intense.

Qiao Wan frowned, thinking it was only the fourteenth of the month and dismissed the thought, her eyes fixed firmly on Mu Chi.

Mu Chi, jolted back to awareness by Qiao Wan’s push, also recognized the scholars’ voices. He recalled how they had teased and offered congratulations to Qiao Wan and Wen Xubai earlier—so openly, so publicly.

While he could only approach her at night, in an empty carriage.

Mu Chi’s throat constricted dryly, a dull ache spreading through his chest. Yet, he muttered with a low laugh: "Why hide, Qiao Wan?"

"Didn’t you say I’m your paramour? Even if it’s Wen Xubai outside, I have ways to make him stand there, watching and listening to the two of us. Even…" He paused, raising a hand to touch her cheek, "—I could make him never see or hear again!"

Qiao Wan glared up at him furiously, about to retort, when the pain in her chest surged again, accompanied by a searing heat.

The pain was overwhelming, forcing Qiao Wan to double over unconsciously, simultaneously evading Mu Chi’s touch.

Mu Chi’s hand hung frozen in the air: "What…"

His words cut off as he noticed her flushed cheeks and pale lips, his voice instantly laced with panic: "Qiao Wan!"

Qiao Wan faintly heard someone calling her name but lacked the strength to respond. Her vision faded in and out.

Usually, the pain only lasted half a day on the fifteenth of each month. Why had it come early this time?

The sound of a dagger unsheathing echoed, and Qiao Wan felt a cold palm pressed against her mouth. The thick, metallic tang of blood instantly flooded her senses.

Mu Chi frantically gathered Qiao Wan into his arms and leaped out of the carriage. His legs wobbled upon landing, but the person in his arms remained steady. Their figures, intertwined in red fur and white garments, vanished before anyone could discern them.

But moments later, Mu Chi halted abruptly not far away. He summoned a shadow guard, glancing back at the carriage: "Take him with you."

*

Si Li had been tasked by His Highness with fortifying Guyang today and hadn’t accompanied him to the warm pool, only sending shadow guards for protection.

Returning to camp in the evening after finishing his duties, a shadow guard respectfully handed him a sleeping child, saying only that His Highness had ordered it.

Si Li stood rigidly, holding the child. His hands, accustomed to killing and wielding weapons, had never held something so soft. Stiff and bewildered, he decided to seek out His Highness for clarification.

Approaching His Highness’s tent, he noticed the guards usually stationed outside were standing farther away than usual: "Why are you posted here?" Si Li asked, frowning.

The guard saluted quickly, eyeing the child in Si Li’s arms curiously before replying, "Reporting, Chief Si. His Highness returned in a rush earlier. He ordered the braziers inside reduced to just one, sent for the military doctor to prepare medicine, and commanded all soldiers to keep their distance."

It was the first time they had seen the Crown Prince so panicked and distraught, his eyes bloodshot, his hand bleeding profusely.

Si Li was alarmed: "His Highness is injured?"

"Only a superficial wound," the guard hurriedly explained, "It’s the lady His Highness brought back who’s injured."

His Highness carrying a lady?

Si Li frowned deeply, then suddenly understood, a chill running down his spine. He was grateful he hadn’t entered abruptly into the tent as usual.

The only woman Si Li could imagine His Highness carrying was Princess Changle.

Then he recalled the recent investigations: when Princess Changle first arrived in Jiuyuan City, she was often seen carrying an infant. Those around her said the child sometimes called her sister, sometimes mother—most likely her love child…

Si Li gave the child in his arms a complicated look before turning back to his own tent.

Inside the tent.

Qiao Wan felt as though a fire were raging in her chest, her awareness waxing and waning.

Now, she felt herself being supported against someone’s chest, being fed medicine spoon by spoon.

The person’s movements were unusually tender, and the chill emanating from him felt soothing against her feverish skin.

But the medicine was acridly bitter. Qiao Wan tried to refuse, but the liquid seemed determined to defy her, seeping through her clenched lips no matter how she resisted. She could only use her tongue to push out the excess in protest.

Mu Chi watched the dark, brownish medicine trickle down the corner of Qiao Wan’s lips. He remembered how she had listed weakly in front of him during their ride back, much like when he had carried the corpse back then on Yanming Mountain.

Mu Chi paused, couldn't help but hold her tighter, and rasped, "Qiao Wan, open your mouth and take the medicine."

Qiao Wan kept her lips tightly shut, refusing.

Mu Chi gradually calmed down, his voice softening. "You need to take the medicine to get better, Qiao Wan."

Qiao Wan remained motionless.

Mu Chi was silent for a moment, then slowly leaned close to her ear and spoke word by word, "Wu Jiu."

The moment he spoke, Qiao Wan's eyelashes trembled. After a long moment, she parted her lips and slowly swallowed the medicine.

Mu Chi's gaze wavered slightly. Was that boy really so important to her?

Mu Chi continued feeding her the medicine, and this time Qiao Wan did not refuse a single sip.

After finishing the medicine, Mu Chi still felt uneasy. He made another cut on his palm and let his blood drip between her lips. Watching as her furrowed brows from the pain gradually relaxed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He then gave her a few sips of honey tea before gently laying her down on his own bed.

The tent was exceptionally quiet, with only the occasional crackling sound from the charcoal brazier nearby.

Mu Chi gazed at Qiao Wan lying on his bed, his mind wandering.

For over the past three years, whenever he ordered reports on Qiao Heng's condition, he had often wondered if Qiao Wan was living like this too.

Now that he had seen it with his own eyes, he dared not imagine what she had been through these past three years.

"It's so hot... Yicui..." the woman on the bed murmured softly in her sleep.

Mu Chi snapped back to reality and looked at Qiao Wan, her cheeks flushed from the heat. After a long moment, he stepped forward and embraced her from behind.

As if sensing his coolness, Qiao Wan unconsciously moved closer to him.

Mu Chi watched her make the same motion she used to make back at the princess's residence, his eyes growing distant.

Now, only when she was unconscious would she not reject his closeness.

As if bewitched, Mu Chi couldn't help but slowly lean closer. Watching her closed eyes, he gently rested his chin in the crook of her neck and whispered softly in her ear, "Princess."

Just like before she had left.

In her daze, Qiao Wan felt as though she had returned to Lingjing, still the arrogant and domineering princess she once was.

The cool breath on her ear felt extremely soothing. Unconsciously, she nuzzled closer to the cold source behind her, finding a comfortable position.

Mu Chi felt her body press against his and stiffened.

Soaking in the medicinal bath had done nothing to cool him, but her closeness ignited the same scorching heat within him, spreading from his chest down to his abdomen, coursing through him relentlessly.

Mu Chi unconsciously tightened his arms around her, leaving no gap between them.

Qiao Wan struggled uncomfortably in her sleep.

Mu Chi's breath trembled faintly, his eyes glazed with an unusual, mesmerizing mist. He whispered her name softly, "Qiao Wan... Princess..." His voice later softened to a murmur by her ear.

When Qiao Wan woke again, the sky outside was beginning to lighten with the dawn.

The burning sensation in her chest had eased, and the pain was gone. A cool hand held her tightly, its owner leaning against her shoulder, breath evenly brushing the back of her neck—clearly still asleep.

Memories of the previous day flooded her mind, and Qiao Wan's body stiffened abruptly, a wave of irritation rising within her.

But then she recalled that it was this person behind her who had saved her yesterday, even feeding her his blood. The faint taste of iron still lingered on her lips.

Her feelings instantly grew complicated.

A moment later, as if remembering something, her eyes widened, and she glanced around.

Then, moving carefully, she lifted Mu Chi's arm away, cautiously got out of bed, put on her clothes and shoes, and hurried outside.

As she lifted the tent flap, the cold, murderous aura outside struck her. Rows of neat tents stretched as far as the eye could see, and in the distance, she could hear the synchronized sounds of soldiers training and weapons clashing. The air above the camp seemed thick with the smell of blood.

Qiao Wan pressed her lips together and wandered aimlessly for a while before finally spotting a guard. She hurriedly asked, "Was there a child with me yesterday?"

If Mu Chi had brought her to the camp, what about Wu Jiu, who had fainted?

The guard, having evidently heard about the Crown Prince bringing back a woman and a child, pointed toward Si Li's tent. "If you mean the child His Highness brought back yesterday, he should be in Commander Si's tent now."

Qiao Wan breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that the little beast still had some conscience left.

She turned and quickly walked in the direction the guard had pointed. Just as she reached Si Li's tent, the flap was lifted, and Si Li walked out, stiffly holding a clearly just-awakened Wu Jiu, whose eyes were slightly red and face tense.

"Wu Jiu," Qiao Wan called.

Wu Jiu's panicked little face instantly lit up. He turned his head, wide-eyed, toward Qiao Wan, about to speak.

Qiao Wan quickly glanced at Si Li.

Wu Jiu blinked, then stretched out his arms toward Qiao Wan and called out pitifully, "Mother—"

Qiao Wan took Wu Jiu into her arms and patted his head.

Si Li watched the two embracing, his expression growing even more complicated.

He still remembered how Princess Changle, dressed in red, had been noble and unrestrained back in Lingjing. Now, though her appearance hadn't changed at all, she had a child?

And since the young master already knew about this, why had he brought the child here...

"Thank you for taking care of Wu Jiu last night, Guard Si," Qiao Wan said, turning to Si Li.

Si Li quickly bowed with clasped fists. "There's no need for courtesy, Princess Changle."

Qiao Wan paused, then smiled. "Since I left Lingjing, there has been no Princess Changle in this world."

Si Li thought for a moment, troubled, then settled on a compromise. "Miss Qiao," he said, then glanced at Wu Jiu and tentatively asked, "And this is..."

Qiao Wan lied without batting an eye. "My child."

Si Li fell silent. After a long moment, he asked, "Do you know where the young master is?"

Qiao Wan replied, "He's still asleep."

Si Li's expression visibly showed surprise, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Still asleep?"

For over the past three years, the young master had been lucky to sleep one or two hours a day. Sleeping until broad daylight like today was almost unheard of.

"Why?"

Si Li quickly shook his head.

Qiao Wan pressed her lips together, took Wu Jiu's small hand, and said, "Guard Si, Wu Jiu and I are rather inconvenient here. Could you please arrange a carriage to take us away?"

Si Li was about to speak when his gaze fell on a spot not far behind Qiao Wan, his expression growing even stranger than before.

Puzzled, Qiao Wan turned around, her fingers still for a moment.

Mu Chi, wearing only a thin white inner robe, was walking hurriedly through the stern and desolate military camp, his steps frantic and his expression flustered, as if searching for something.

When his eyes landed on Qiao Wan, he abruptly halted, looking at her from afar. His expression gradually softened, and he strode purposefully toward her.

Author's Note:

Puppy: Got to stick close to my wife today~