Chapter 9 Gift of Medicine Originally planning to show Xiao Siliang what…

Chapter 9: The Gift of Ointment

Originally, Zhao Linzhang had wanted to show Xiao Siliang what hunting was like. However, after the assassination attempt and with Zhao Linzhang’s hand injured—so he couldn’t even ride a horse—they returned to the manor early the next morning.

News of Prince Zhuang’s assassination attempt had already reached the palace. As soon as they entered the manor, a palace eunuch arrived to deliver an imperial decree.

The Emperor expressed concern over Zhao Linzhang’s injuries and specially permitted him to rest and recuperate. Accompanying the decree were two beautiful palace maids, specially sent to care for him while his hand healed.

In the past, the Emperor had occasionally bestowed beauties upon him, but Zhao Linzhang had always refused. This time, however, he glanced at his injured hand and silently accepted this lavish gift.

The two stunning women turned out to be a pair of twins, with delicate eyebrows and slender waists. When they moved, they swayed like two lotus flowers drifting on a lake. Their voices were as sweet and melodious as spring orioles.

When they laid eyes on Zhao Linzhang, both felt their hearts flutter.

Rumors had it that Prince Zhuang disliked women and was rugged-looking, in stark contrast to the refined and elegant Emperor. They had assumed they were being thrown into a den of wolves.

But upon seeing him today, they found Prince Zhuang strong and powerfully built, with deep, masculine features. Most importantly, Prince Zhuang was unmarried and had no children. If they could bear him a son or daughter, they would be set for life.

Zhao Linzhang didn’t scrutinize their looks closely and instructed Nanny Li to arrange accommodations for them.

With two women who seemed almost like mistresses suddenly residing in the manor, the atmosphere grew livelier. The sound of music and strings filled the air daily. Xiao Siliang, curious about everything, would wiggle his little bottom to the rhythm whenever he heard the melodies.

Seeing how much the child enjoyed it, Zhao Linzhang had the two women perform a dance.

Shen Yunrong, holding the child, sat below Zhao Linzhang. Thanks to the young master, she’d never seen palace dancers perform before, especially ones from the palace.

As the music began, the two women emerged wearing transparent gauze dresses. Though it was early winter and the room was warmed by charcoal braziers, Shen Yunrong couldn’t help but feel cold on their behalf.

Yet the two seemed unfazed by the chill. Their waists swayed gently, and the bells on their bodies tinkled as their skirts fluttered, releasing a strong, fragrant scent.

The overwhelming aroma made Shen Yunrong slightly dizzy. The young master, however, seemed interested only in the music, paying no attention to the graceful dance. When a sudden burst of rapid drumbeats startled him, he burst out wailing.

Zhao Linzhang could neither laugh nor cry. He waved the two women away mid-performance.

“I thought you liked dancing?” Zhao Linzhang walked over and crouched down, lightly tapping Xiao Siliang’s nose. To his surprise, the child grabbed his finger and demanded to be held.

The strong scent of perfume still lingered in the air, and even Zhao Linzhang found it somewhat unbearable. He picked up the child and said, “Godfather will take you out for a walk.”

“Your hand, Your Highness?” Shen Yunrong glanced worriedly at Zhao Linzhang’s injured hand, afraid the child might accidentally hurt him again.

“It’s nothing!” Zhao Linzhang didn’t look at his bandaged hand but instead glanced at the scabbed wound on Shen Yunrong’s neck.

The reddish-brown scar, slightly longer than half a finger, looked like a crack on a piece of beautiful jade.

Shen Yunrong hurried after him. As they strolled through the garden, Xiao Siliang pulled on Zhao Linzhang, pointing insistently toward his bedroom. Inside was a lifelike wooden carving of a horse.

Since Zhao Linzhang had last shown it to him, the child had remembered it and often tried to pull Shen Yunrong toward the room. But she never dared enter Zhao Linzhang’s private quarters without permission and always managed to divert him.

Zhao Linzhang seemed puzzled, so Shen Yunrong explained. He laughed and asked, “You want to see Godfather’s big horse?”

Xiao Siliang clapped his hands happily at the mention of the horse. Zhao Linzhang carried him toward his bedroom, saying, “Godfather will take you to see the big horse!”

Shen Yunrong watched their retreating figures. They looked just like an ordinary father and son. If not for the term “godfather,” it would be hard to tell the child wasn’t the Prince’s own. In fact, Prince Zhuang was more devoted than some biological fathers.

As they entered the courtyard where Prince Zhuang resided, they saw Liu Hu walking with a slight limp.

Without Zhao Linzhang’s explicit permission, Shen Yunrong dared not enter the bedroom. She waited by the door and spoke softly with Liu Hu.

“Brother Liu, is your injury feeling better?”

Liu Hu shifted his leg, trying to stand straight despite the embarrassment. “It’s fine, just a minor injury.” In truth, he hadn’t been able to get out of bed for three days.

“I should have begged for mercy on your behalf that day,” Shen Yunrong said, seeing how unsteady he looked. She regretted not being bolder then.

“His Highness was already merciful. Twenty strokes were nothing but superficial wounds. If anything had happened to you or the young master, I could never atone for it, even with my life.”

Inside the room, Zhao Linzhang held the child as he touched the wooden carving. The child was so excited he left a trail of drool. When Zhao Linzhang turned around, the young nursemaid was nowhere in sight.

Before he could step out, he saw her smiling gently—a relaxed, uninhibited smile he had never seen her show in his presence. A cold breeze tousled the loose strands of hair at her temples. Watching the two chatting happily, Zhao Linzhang’s grip on the child tightened unconsciously.

Xiao Siliang began to cry uncomfortably. Hearing the cries, Shen Yunrong turned immediately. “Your Highness, the young master is probably hungry. Let me take him.”

Zhao Linzhang handed the child back to her with a dark expression. Shen Yunrong, unaware of what had happened, assumed the child had annoyed him and quickly comforted the boy in her arms.

But the child’s interest in the wooden horse hadn’t waned. Once back in familiar arms, he pointed insistently toward Zhao Linzhang’s bedroom, wanting to go back inside.

Shen Yunrong hesitated. Without the Prince’s permission, she didn’t dare enter.

“Si Liang still wants to see it. Take him inside,” Zhao Linzhang said, noticing the child’s reluctance to leave.

The last time she had entered Zhao Linzhang’s bedroom, the lights had been dim, and she had been too afraid of incurring his displeasure to look around.

The wooden horse was nearly half a person’s height. Xiao Siliang loved sitting on it. As Shen Yunrong held him, Zhao Linzhang stepped behind a screen. She didn’t dare look in that direction.

The room wasn’t as opulent as she had imagined. In fact, it was even simpler than the young master’s quarters. Only the pearwood Eight Immortals table gleamed with a soft, polished sheen. Though Shen Yunrong knew little about such things, she could tell it was made of the finest wood.

Faint rustling sounds came from behind the screen. Xiao Siliang focused on riding the wooden horse, but in the quiet room, the noises made Shen Yunrong couldn’t help glancing over involuntarily.

A wide robe flashed from behind the screen, and Shen Yunrong quickly averted her eyes, lowering her head.

Zhao Linzhang walked over to her and extended his hand. “This jade skin ointment can help fade scars. Take it.”

In his palm lay a pure white porcelain bottle with two red characters indicating it was for imperial use.

Shen Yunrong hadn’t expected Zhao Linzhang to be searching for ointment for her. Humbled, she shook her head. “Your Highness, this is too precious!”

“Take it. It’s only valuable if it’s put to use. Otherwise, it’s just a lifeless object.” Zhao Linzhang’s voice deepened when he saw her hesitation.

This was the same Prince who struck fear into the hearts of criminals in the courtroom, whose mere hum could make them tremble. Shen Yunrong, terrified, steadied the child with one hand and reached out with the other to accept the gift.

“This humble servant thanks Your Highness for the reward.”

Her fingertips brushed against Zhao Linzhang’s warm palm, feeling icy and smooth.

Zhao Linzhang deliberately ignored the sensation. “In this manor, aside from the study, you may take Si Liang anywhere he wants to go.”

Since the incident where Zhao Linzhang had shielded her by grabbing the blade with his bare hand, Shen Yunrong had grown less afraid of him. Especially when he held her in his arms, she felt a sense of security she had never known before—as if he could hold up the sky if it fell.

Now he had given her what was clearly an imperial-grade ointment. Who said the Prince was cold and unfeeling? A genuine, joyful smile spread across her face. “Mm.”

Instead of a formal, distant “thank you,” her soft acknowledgment lifted Zhao Linzhang’s previously gloomy mood.

Xiao Siliang, having played to his heart’s content, finally remembered he was hungry and tugged at Shen Yunrong’s collar, smacking his lips.

Shen Yunrong hurriedly excused herself with the child. Zhao Linzhang watched them leave, noting how she carefully tucked the ointment bottle he had given her into her chest. The thought that she treasured his gift warmed him.

Liu Hu, watching the Prince smiling gently on the steps, marveled at how fatherhood seemed to have softened him, making him almost kindly and benevolent.

No wonder his old mother kept urging him to marry, going on about how wonderful the girl next door, Miss Shen, was. He hadn't originally been interested, but after hearing so much about her, it started to sound pretty good.

Though she was a widow, her looks were even more charming than those of unmarried girls. Her voice was gentle, nothing like the battle-axes he usually dealt with. Having such a woman as his wife might not be so bad after all.

As Zhao Linzhang turned his head, he saw Liu Hu also gazing at Shen Yunrong’s retreating figure with a dreamy, lovesick smile. He snapped, "Liu Hu, how old are you this year?"

Liu Hu snapped out of his daydream and, seeing his lord asking a question he’d never cared about before, once again marveled at how much he'd changed.

He answered honestly, "My lord, I’m twenty this year!"

"You’re not married yet?"

"Who’d want someone like me, a man who lives by the sword?" Realizing he’d misspoken, Liu Hu quickly added, "And with how busy I am every day, not even having time to drink water, wouldn't that be a raw deal for a wife?"

The more he spoke, the worse it got. Liu Hu wished he could slap himself—his cursed mouth just wouldn’t cooperate today.

"Truth is, I just haven’t met a woman who catches my eye," Liu Hu finally said the right thing, secretly wiping sweat from his brow.

And here he was talking about himself—the prince was already twenty-five and still unmarried. Outsiders said he was still hung up on his late fiancée, but having been by his side for so long, Liu Hu had never once seen him mourn her. That didn't seem to be the reason.

"You should get married too!" Zhao Linzhang threw over his shoulder before heading to his study after Xiao Liu's briefing.

The emperor’s sacrificial ceremony was next month, and as the chief organizer, he would be busy again soon.

After washing up, Shen Yunrong took out the ointment Zhao Linzhang had given her. What woman doesn’t care about her looks? She was also afraid of leaving an ugly scar on her neck.

Uncorking the bottle, she caught a whiff of the fragrant ointment. She gently scooped a little and dabbed it on the wound—it felt cool and soothing.

The prince treated her differently, and even she, dense as she could be, could sense Zhao Linzhang’s intentions. But she didn’t want such dizzying wealth.

She still had a daughter. Her status meant that if she entered the prince’s mansion, she would have to part with her child. Besides, how could the prince have genuine feelings for someone like her? It might just be a passing whim—once he grew tired of her after a few days, leaving would be difficult.

She took out her small bundle, which contained the rewards she’d received over the days. She had originally planned to sell the ointment, but with the words "For Imperial Use" on it, even if she dared to sell it, no one would dare to buy it. She used it herself, though it felt like an extravagance.

Just a little longer. Once winter passed and spring arrived, she could return to her daughter and old mother to open a small shop.

With thoughts of a better future, she lay down beside the young master. Now that he could roll over, she slept with him to prevent him from falling off the bed.