Chapter 354 This Official Wants to Bathe Too!

Chapter 354: This Official Wants a Bath, Too!

Although he didn't get what he wanted, watching her clumsy yet earnest expression, Xiao Lingchuan's small regret was soon overwhelmed by a surging sense of satisfaction.

She was still beside him—and that was enough.

To make this companionship last longer, he decided he needed to be a bit more "weak."

In the dead of night, he privately summoned Divine Physician Sun.

"Divine Physician Sun, I need a specific remedy." Xiao Lingchuan's voice was low, but his gaze was sharp as a blade. "A medicine that makes the pulse look like my internal organs are badly damaged."

Divine Physician Sun was horrified, his beard quivering. "Your Highness! Absolutely not! This potent drug—Chaos Powder—drains the vital energy from your organs. Medicine is three parts poison—this one is way worse than three parts!"

Xiao Lingchuan's expression did not waver; instead, he showed an unyielding resolve that brooked no argument. "It doesn't matter. Just give me the prescription. I'm afraid Shuning will see through me. She's too clever. If she realizes I'm faking my illness, she'll leave immediately. Then it'll be too late."

Divine Physician Sun looked at the usually decisive and ruthless Prince Regent, who now showed such vulnerability over a woman, and felt a whirlwind of emotions.

In the end, he couldn't talk him out of it. He took out a tiny porcelain vial from the depths of his medicine box.

Xiao Lingchuan took the vial and swallowed the pill inside.

As the Chaos Powder hit his tongue, a sharply bitter taste exploded, and then his internal organs felt as if an invisible hand was madly churning and tearing at them.

Cold sweat seeped from Xiao Lingchuan's temples, quickly soaking the hair at his temples. His face rapidly lost color, turning paper-white.

He gritted his teeth, stifling his groans deep in his throat.

When Jiang Shuning entered with a bowl of medicine, she saw him curled up in bed, trembling uncontrollably.

"Milord!" she exclaimed, quickly putting down the medicine bowl, rushing to his bedside, and reaching out to check his pulse.

His pulse was chaotic and weak—sometimes surging like a stormy sea, sometimes thin as a thread—clearly indicating heart damage and a severe deficiency of qi and blood.

Jiang Shuning's eyes reddened instantly. "Milord, your heart has been severely damaged. It seems you'll need a long period of careful rest to recover."

Xiao Lingchuan endured the churning agony in his abdomen, forcing his eyes open, but his gaze precisely caught the worry in her eyes.

He weakly pulled at the corner of his mouth, his voice hoarse: "Then... will Doctor Jiang... stay and take care of me?"

"Of course!" Jiang Shuning leaned down and tucked the corner of his quilt, her movements gentle. "Milord was injured saving me. You saved my life. How could I just stand by? Rest assured, Milord, I will take care of you until you are fully recovered!"

Her promise was like a shot of adrenaline, making the searing pain in his chest feel more bearable.

He seized the opportunity, weakly coughed a couple of times, and dangled the real bait: "But... I came to Nanshuo on official business... in a few days, I'll have to return to the capital... you..."

"If you need to return to the capital, I'll come with you until you're fully recovered!" Jiang Shuning immediately responded.

As long as she could keep Little Yejun by her side, what difference did it make where she went?

Hearing this promise he had dreamed of, Xiao Lingchuan almost laughed out loud.

Compared to the ecstasy of this moment, the pain in his gut was nothing.

If she was willing to follow him back to the capital, he would gladly suffer even more.

Completely unaware of his scheming, Jiang Shuning devoted herself wholeheartedly to taking care of this man who had been "gravely injured" while saving her.

Soon, she learned from the yamen runners that the one who had saved Xiao Lingchuan that day was a female dark guard named Ling Wu.

If not for her fighting desperately to protect him, Lord Xiao would likely have fallen into Jiang Tianze's hands.

But Ling Wu herself was blinded by poison powder and could no longer take care of herself.

Hearing this, Jiang Shuning felt terrible about it.

She found Divine Physician Sun and volunteered: "Divine Physician Sun, let me take care of Miss Lingwu's injuries. I'm a female physician; it's easier for me to care for a female patient."

Divine Physician Sun nodded in agreement.

A faint medicinal smell lingered in Ling Wu's room.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes wrapped in thick gauze, drained of spirit.

Every dark moment was pure agony.

"Creak—"

At the slight sound of the door opening, Ling Wu tensed, her ears pricking up warily. Her hand instinctively reached for the dagger under her pillow, her voice full of caution: "Who is it?"

"Miss Lingwu, it's me." A gentle female voice came. "I'm Jiang Ning—Dr. Jiang."

"Jiang..." Ling Wu's body instantly tensed, nearly blurting out "Princess," but remembering Xiao Lingchuan's instructions, she forced herself to change it: "...Miss Jiang. Are you looking for me?"

"I came to take care of you."

"Take care of me?" Ling Wu was astonished, repeatedly waving her hand, "This servant is unworthy... No need, Miss Jiang. Just take good care of Milord. I... others will tend to me."

"Your injury is to your eyes; many things are inconvenient. In this yamen, I'm the only female physician right now. It's better if I look after you." Jiang Shuning walked to the bedside and gently placed her hand on Ling Wu's. "I heard you haven't bathed since you returned. The weather in Nanshuo is hot and humid; it must be very uncomfortable. How about I help you undress and bathe?"

The summer in Nanshuo was sticky enough to drive one mad.

Ling Wu had always valued cleanliness; she felt terrible if she didn't bathe for a day.

But with her eyes injured, it was truly inconvenient, so she could only endure, never thinking to ask for help.

She never expected Jiang Shuning to think of this for her, and was deeply moved.

The Princess was indeed the same as before—gentle, considerate, thinking of others in every way.

When she finally immersed herself in the comfortably warm water, feeling a pair of gentle hands washing her body, the nerves that had been tense for days finally relaxed.

Her eyes burned, and she nearly shed tears.

"Miss Jiang... thank you." Her voice had a hint of sob. "You're so kind."

"Miss Lingwu is too courteous." Jiang Shuning's voice carried a light smile, coming through the steaming water. "I'm a female physician; taking care of patients is my duty."

Lingwu's heart was a whirlwind of emotions.

Princess, you are no physician.

You are the treasure that the Prince lost and found again, kept close to his heart.

Being served so meticulously by you...

I wonder if the Prince will be mad with jealousy?

Sure enough, it wasn't long before Xiao Lingchuan's jealousy spilled over.

Jiang Shuning had just finished drying Ling Wu and helping her into clean undergarments. Carrying the basin of water back to Xiao Lingchuan’s room, she was met by a pair of grievance-filled, peach blossom eyes that seemed about to shed tears.

He was propped up against the headboard, looking utterly frail and pitiful, yet his eyes were bright and sharp, fixed on her like a large, neglected dog.

The air was thick with jealousy, sour and palpable.

Before Jiang Shuning could speak, he struck first, his voice laced with a hint of barely concealed grievance and self-righteousness: “I want a bath too!”

Jiang Shuning paused, holding the basin, and spoke as gently as she could: “My Lord, you have so many wounds, some deep enough to expose the bone. It’s best not to get them wet, lest they fester.”

“The weather in Nanshuo is so hot and humid. I sweat every day. If I don’t bathe, I’ll start to stink!”

Xiao Lingchuan didn’t care about wounds at all. He only knew she had personally bathed someone else, while he, the man who had nearly lost his life saving her, was stuck here growing resentful.

The more he thought about it, the more unbalanced he felt. He turned his head to look at Divine Physician Sun, who was examining his medicine chest and trying his best to stay out of sight. Xiao Lingchuan raised his voice: “Divine Physician Sun, what do you think? In my condition, shouldn’t I get a bit of cleaning?”

The summoned doctor stiffened, the corner of his eye twitching uncontrollably.

Your Highness, have some shame!

Just so the Princess would take care of you alone, you’re willing to make any absurd request.

He grumbled to himself but dared not show it. Forcing himself to comply, he said:

“Your... My Lord makes a valid point. A proper bath can indeed be good for the body. But you can’t use ordinary hot water. It’s best to add some medicinal herbs that soothe the muscles, invigorate the blood, and strengthen the body. The steam will help the medicine absorb into your skin, and you’ll recover faster.”

The moment he finished, Xiao Lingchuan seized the opportunity. A hint of triumph bloomed across his sickly face, and he looked at Jiang Shuning with burning intensity, his tone brooking no objection: “Then I’ll trouble you, Doctor Jiang, to serve me a medicinal bath.”

Jiang Shuning: “...” So her opinion didn’t matter at all, did it?