Chapter 155

Chapter 155

Inside the tent, the man who'd been sick was still resting. After every serious illness, he would sleep for a long time. Earlier, circumstances had been special and he hadn't been able to sleep much, but after the fever broke and he learned of the great victory in the south, he would fall asleep the moment his head touched the pillow after taking his medicine. Matters of Jiangcheng had been handed over to Qi Hanzhou, and by the time he returned at night, the other was usually already asleep.

Qi Hanzhou approached and gently picked up the book of odds and ends placed beside him.

Ying Fusheng loved casual reading. While he was ill, he wasn't allowed to strain his mind, so Song An had found him folk books from somewhere—yesterday it was a secret herbal manual from Western Shu, today it was a collection of folk ghost stories... Qi Hanzhou set the book aside and reached out to test the temperature of his forehead, confirming the fever hadn't returned. Seeing his disheveled bangs, he couldn't help but brush aside those two strands of hair.

In all his life, Qi Hanzhou had never felt anything like this—returning to camp after a day of busy work, with another person waiting for him inside. He began to understand why the elders of his family had often spoken of lingering in the warmth of a lover's embrace; this must be what they meant.

He slept more peacefully now that he was recovering. Qi Hanzhou stayed by his side for a while and didn't see him thrash around from nightmares.

With the southern front wrapped up, once the northern campaign was finished, he could finally rest and recover properly.

"Come up."

The man on the bed didn't even open his eyes, just mumbled sleepily.

Qi Hanzhou watched as a hand emerged from the blankets, found his wrist, and gave a gentle tug. It wasn't enough to actually move him, but every time he tugged once or twice like this, Qi Hanzhou would climb into bed and pull him into his arms.

The other cot in the tent sat untouched, his sword and outer robe tossed carelessly on it. Qi Hanzhou blew out the lamp, and Ying Fusheng snuggled up against his neck. During his illness, he would refuse Qi Hanzhou's approach, worried about passing on the sickness, rejecting everything—but stubborn Qi Hanzhou wouldn't take no for an answer, and in the end, too worn out to fight, he'd drift off in his arms.

A frail man like him saw nothing wrong with it, sprawling wherever it felt good, without a care. Ying Fusheng especially liked pressing his forehead against Qi Hanzhou's chest. After being sick, his forehead would throb easily, and pressing it against something helped ease it. He used to like Qi Hanzhou pressing a hand to his head, but now he just leaned in, and Qi Hanzhou would reach out to stroke his back.

The gentle stroking seemed to chase away the shadows in his mind, warding off any lingering bad luck. Ying Fusheng always found it very comfortable, and when he was pleased, he'd tilt his head up and get the kiss he wanted.

After a few times, Qi Hanzhou caught on and always played along. Once Ying Fusheng was content, he noticed Qi Hanzhou liked kissing his ear, trailing down his neck, inch by inch, then stopping short.

Qi Hanzhou never pushed further—he knew Ying Fusheng's body couldn't take it.

Of course, things got heated, the heat between them fading into the scent of the snuffed-out lamp, melting into the dark of the night.

...

Weighed down by a heavy duty, Imperial Physician Chu traveled a thousand li to get to the Jiangcheng camp. When he got there, he felt like he'd been exiled. Along the way, he prayed for the Crown Prince's safety, not even stopping to drink water on the way. Arriving at the Jiangcheng camp at dawn, facing the soldiers doing their morning drills, he didn't stop for a second and headed straight for the Crown Prince's tent.

"Imperial Physician, this way, please."

"How's His Highness? I heard on the way that he was really sick—this can't wait!"

Outside the tent after the night watch, the Light Garment Guards had bloodshot eyes from staying up. Just as one of them yawned, a spry old man darted past them in three quick strides. Two guards reached out to stop him but were too late when some clueless soldier from another camp yelled that he was the imperial physician from the capital.

Imperial Physician Chu had already pushed through the tent flap.

Ye Xuanjiu, a step too late, saw his world go dark. As Imperial Physician Chu pushed open the tent, a wave of herbal medicine smell hit him. Catching sight of a figure in the distance, he was about to drop into a deep bow—"This old servant is late, Your Highness—"

Before he could finish, he saw Qi Hanzhou standing before him. He halted mid-step, catching sight of Qi Hanzhou in casual dress, he hadn't fully composed himself, his clothes a bit rumpled, his sword still lying on the bed. Qi Hanzhou calmly fixed his wrist guards, picked up his sword, and met Imperial Physician Chu's gaze.

"The Commander's here too," Imperial Physician Chu quickly amended.

Qi Hanzhou gave a small nod. Before Imperial Physician Chu could make small talk, he heard coughing from within the inner tent, followed by the Crown Prince's voice. This reminded Imperial Physician Chu of his urgent business, and he hurriedly grabbed his medical case and rushed inside.

Early in the morning, Imperial Physician Chu's arrival brought Old Wu and Miss Chen from the pharmacy as well.

By the time they arrived, Imperial Physician Chu had just begun taking the Crown Prince's pulse. The Crown Prince seemed to have just woken, leaning against the edge of the bed, half-closed eyes listening to the physician's inquiries.

The moment his fingers touched the pulse, his gaze couldn't help but drift to the Crown Prince. Looking, listening, asking, and feeling—at first glance, he spotted a red mark rising on the Crown Prince's neck. The Crown Prince's skin was naturally fair, his complexion easy to read, and that red spot on his neck appeared there with subtle significance, so conspicuous it was almost glaring. The battle-hardened Imperial Physician Chu found himself unable to look away.

After a long moment, Imperial Physician Chu remarked: "There really are a lot of mosquitoes here in Jiangcheng."

Miss Chen: "..."

Old Wu frowned, thinking to himself that this was nonsense—what mosquitoes? Not even half a mosquito could get into His Highness's tent! But as he followed the gaze, he suddenly lost his words.

The most skilled at regulating the body in all the realm—first was Old Wu, the veteran military physician of Liangzhou, second was Imperial Physician Chu, the famous doctor of the capital, and adding Miss Chen, who could neutralize a hundred poisons—three great physicians sat in attendance, yet all were distracted by that red mark on the Crown Prince's neck.

"How is it?" Ying Fusheng asked.

Imperial Physician Chu: "Your old servant will take another look."

Ying Fusheng looked at the physician but said nothing.

The pulse-taking suddenly became an interminable process. When the three physicians finally went out for a consultation, they met the curious stares of the Light Garment Guards outside the tent. The three physicians turned and headed to the medicine tent instead.

That Qi Hanzhou and the Crown Prince had a close relationship was known throughout the Jiangcheng camp—not to mention that the capital had issued orders for the Brocade Guard to secretly protect the Crown Prince, so Qi Hanzhou's night watches were no secret in the camp. But when a relationship wasn't restrained, or had gone too far, it couldn't be hidden from Imperial Physician Chu, who had spent years in the deep palace.

Old Wu glanced at Imperial Physician Chu: "Making a fuss over nothing."

In their southern frontier, sworn brothers were a common thing.

The two of them were responsible for Ying Fusheng's health, and the matter between Qi Hanzhou and the Crown Prince couldn't be hidden from them. But this Imperial Physician Chu, who had stumbled upon the secret by accident, seemed to have suddenly pried open the gate to this hidden truth. Imperial Physician Chu wrestled with himself for a long time before finally saying: "Reckless! This old man has been truly reckless!"

"You are only a physician," Miss Chen reminded him.

"His Highness's pulse..." Imperial Physician Chu hesitated before continuing: "This time, his foundation has been damaged."

A weak, feeble pulse—the sign of depleted vitality.

After a long consultation in the medicine tent, when Imperial Physician Chu delivered medicine at noon, his gaze no longer strayed to the Crown Prince's neck. But just as he set down the medicine, the Crown Prince asked from beside him.

"How is my body?" Ying Fusheng asked.

Old Wu, Miss Chen, and those around him all preferred to speak only of the good.

Imperial Physician Chu was different—once asked, he would speak the truth.

Imperial Physician Chu briefly described the pulse condition, then hesitated slightly before saying: "It's just..."

Ying Fusheng: "Speak freely."

"It's just that with His Highness's foundation so repeatedly damaged—years of lingering illness from youth, followed by successive serious ailments—with such prolonged consumption, this old servant fears that in the future, producing heirs may prove difficult." Imperial Physician Chu lowered his voice. Some things revealed by the pulse could only be reported truthfully: "To be frank with you, on this journey here, there have already been proposals in the court regarding Your Highness's marriage..."

With this great victory in the south, the Crown Prince's prestige had risen, and the Emperor's attitude in court clearly showed satisfaction with the Eastern Palace. Among the court's powerful ministers and great families, who didn't have sharp eyes? Seeing that the Emperor showed no sign of refusal over several days, they had already begun preparing to add people to the Eastern Palace. By age, many princes had long been married; the Crown Prince's situation in his youth had been special, and these years had been consumed by affairs of state—the Empress Dowager hadn't raised it, and few in court had mentioned it.

The Ning family had long been destroyed; behind the Crown Prince stood the Xiao family, supported by countless civil officials.

But what bond could be more solid than a marriage alliance? There was no shortage of those raising the matter.

This time, Imperial Physician Chu had come not only for the Crown Prince's health but also to convey the Empress Dowager's message.

If Ying Fusheng had no interest, the Empress Dowager would shield him from it; if he did, whichever young lady he favored, the Empress Dowager would help him deliberate.

But these words, when faced with the Crown Prince, became unspeakable.

"As for marriage, decline it on my behalf to Grandmother—I have no such intention. As for the matter of my pulse, report it truthfully to Father, whatever the result." Ying Fusheng said.

Imperial Physician Chu was startled—what was to be done about this!

The heir to the throne was set, and descendants were the continuation of the Ying line of Dayuan; this matter had always been of utmost importance in court. If the matter of heirs were raised by others in court, it could become a point of attack in factional strife. Imperial Physician Chu was a physician, but he had truly witnessed the changes in Dayuan over these years—from the capital to Jiangnan, and now to Western Shu—the peace brought to the people by the Crown Prince's various measures.

Such a Crown Prince taking the throne is a blessing for Dayuan.

If it was about heirs... Chu Taiyi wanted to say more, but when he looked up and saw the sharpness in the Crown Prince's eyes, he knew he couldn't bring it up again, so he stopped and said, "This old servant understands."

The moment Chu Taiyi left, Weng Yanqing came out of the side tent.

During the day, when Qi Hanzhou was away, Weng Yanqing would bring news from the rest of the southern front. The Crown Prince hadn't sent Weng Yanqing away during Chu Taiyi's report, meaning he wanted him to hear it. Junior General Qi's relationship with His Highness had never been a secret since it started, but Junior General Qi was, after all, a man—and a member of the Qi family. No matter how pure the bond, it would be hard for it to be accepted in the line of succession.

Weng Yanqing said, "I understand what Your Highness is thinking."

Ying Fusheng had known since childhood, trapped within the palace walls, that some things could only be obtained by standing high enough. Heirs meant nothing to him; there were others carrying the Ying bloodline besides him. A hundred years from now, they could adopt from a collateral branch—there were plenty of candidates.

But hiding his condition at a time like this would be deceiving the Emperor.

It wasn't advantageous. In his current position, he didn't need to convince the court officials; he needed the Emperor's trust.

So what if the court factions attacked him over it? What he wanted, he'd hold firmly in his grasp.

Did sitting on the throne depend on having heirs? No. It depended on him.

He wanted this vast realm—and he wanted Qi Hanzhou too.

Ying Fusheng knew that greed had to be matched by capability.

Outside the tent, Qi Hanzhou didn't lift the flap. His senses had been extraordinary since childhood—nothing inside escaped him. He watched Chu Taiyi hurry toward the pharmacy, his gaze briefly landing on those secretly discussing matters with Weng Yanqing through gaps in the tent, and he hid his other emotions behind lowered eyes.

"The physician just finished—aren't you going in, Junior General?" Ye Xuanqi asked.

Ye Xuanjiu quickly shot him a look. Over the years, he'd come to understand the Junior General less and less, and it was precisely for this reason that he vaguely saw the younger General Qi in the Junior General.

Qi Hanzhou shook his head and headed toward the Vanguard Battalion.

To match him, he needed to become the unyielding blade at his side.

...

Good news from the southern front reached camp every day. The Crown Prince seemed unfazed, but those watching closely noticed that every time good news came, he'd eat half a bowl more of porridge than usual. Because of this, the camp cook would go all out to make something good at those times.

The good news from the southern front lifted the spirits of everyone in camp. Each day, aside from rooting out the Secret Faction, the rest of the work was managing provisions. The people of northern Western Shu had settled down, and this year brought good rains. Everything was moving in the right direction—the first time the southern front had known stability since the Western Shu war.

Only those who'd lived through war truly understood how precious this stability was.

Ying Fusheng left the tent for the first time in half a month. The fresh mountain air mixed with wisps of cooking smoke, bringing a sense of calm. Jiangcheng had been repaired over the past half month, its fortifications restored to their former strength. Provisions were sent up the mountain, then delivered to Liangzhou via the new supply route Qi Hanzhou had planned.

Everything was improving, except Qi Hanzhou now returned to camp half an hour later than usual.

Ying Fusheng would sometimes drift off to sleep before he arrived.

At night, he'd vaguely sense someone holding him as he slept, too tired to open his eyes.

When he woke during the day, the space beside him was empty, only the lingering scent of the other's presence remaining. The traces left in the tent revealed the other's frequent visits—a few fresh white flowers on his desk, or sweet fruits picked from the mountains... All left by Qi Hanzhou.

The Vanguard Battalion's ten thousand troops were placed under Qi Hanzhou's command. The Emperor's decree, delivered by Chu Taiyi, also ordered Qi Hanzhou to oversee the defense of Jiangcheng in Western Shu. The Vanguard Battalion, which had fought alongside Qi Hanzhou in the surprise assault on the Prince of Pingnan's residence, now became his men.

Not just these troops, but also Jiangcheng's original soldiers and civilians who volunteered to enlist.

All told, there were over twenty thousand troops.

Qi Hanzhou trained these men using the methods he'd used with the Light Garment Guard on the northern border.

His approach to commanding troops was different from others. He was the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and had once been the Qi family's Junior General. Over the years, despite his youth, his experience set him apart—he knew his own soldiers' weaknesses and his enemies' caution.

The Vanguard Battalion went out early and came back late each day, and Qi Hanzhou followed suit.

Though the southern front was pacified, the northern front wasn't over yet. If the Northern Barbarians broke through the sandrock, northern Western Shu would descend into chaos again.

For this reason, the imperial army didn't dare relax.

Meanwhile, Ying Fusheng didn't stop either. After recovering, he had to handle Western Shu's prefectural affairs.

He'd purged a large number of corrupt officials, but Western Shu still needed officials who served the people. Who would be suitable was a matter for the Eastern Palace to decide.

After the imperial examination scandal years ago, the scholars who had entered court had presented their pledges of loyalty when Ying Fusheng took office. Some had since joined the Eastern Palace, while others continued to work in the court. When the court discussed the appointment of new officials for Western Shu's prefectures this time, Ying Fusheng recommended them. After years of observation, those who had once written petitions for the common people had hearts that cared for the masses.

Western Shu's prefectures did not need high-ranking officials; they needed people who could serve the people.

After his illness, he was more mindful of his health. This time, after exerting himself, he did not feel as sluggish as before. He told the physicians, and they said they had developed new methods of regulation.

The pharmacy was filled with the scent of medicinal herbs every day.

The epidemic had struck suddenly, and after the illness, the Crown Prince's condition had stabilized. Thanks to the heavy tonics and medicines administered earlier in Jiangnan and the capital, his foundation had been laid. Chen Xuqiu and Wu Lao had been regulating Ying Fusheng's health during this period, and whether due to the epidemic or other reasons, although the Crown Prince's constitution was weak, it was far better than they had anticipated.

In the past, a major illness would take half a year to recover from.

This time, after only half a month, his recovery had exceeded expectations.

When Chu Taiyi arrived, the two pulled him in to study suitable methods.

"This time His Highness fell ill, no famous medicines were used—only local remedies from Western Shu," Chen Xuqiu said, unfamiliar with the region and relying on Wu Lao to identify them. "Wu Lao says there are century-old medicinal herbs deep in the Western Shu mountains. Your arrival is timely—if you can identify the good herbs, we will have a foundation for regulating His Highness's health in the future."

Chu Taiyi was surprised that such good fortune existed.

Wu Lao looked toward the endless mountains beyond the tent. "The world is vast; wonders never cease."

Had the situation not been so urgent, they would not have resorted to local remedies.

His foundation had been damaged, yet fortune had come from misfortune.

The toxins used in the former dynasty's secret medicines all came from deep mountain forests, either from the same source or with compatible properties. Some local herbs in Western Shu were more effective than famous medicines from the capital. If their pharmacological properties could be understood and other regulating methods developed, they could reduce His Highness's daily medication. His Highness's body could never be restored to that of an ordinary person, but with this approach, extending his lifespan was not out of the question—that was the duty of physicians.

The three physicians desired nothing more than this. They wanted to prolong the Crown Prince's life more than anyone.

Dayuan had not yet welcomed its true golden age, and Dayuan could not yet do without the Crown Prince.

The medicines sent to the tent decreased, and Song An and Weng Yanqing came to inquire about the situation.

One day, when the three physicians emerged from the pharmacy, they even saw the two deputy generals of Junior General Qi standing at the entrance like a pair of guardian gods.

People concerned about His Highness appeared endlessly, popping up one or two at a time. Eventually, the physicians grew tired of explaining, though occasionally someone still delivered medicine to the pharmacy door, no matter how many times they had said otherwise.

But fewer medicines was good news for the Crown Prince's health.

Life in Jiangcheng was peaceful, yet beneath the calm, undercurrents surged.

After the Prince of Pingnan's residence fell, the Vanguard Battalion sent men to track the traces of the Prince of Pingnan's Heir's escape, confirming his trail led north, with scouts barely keeping pace. Having plotted in the southern border for years, the Secret Faction behind it all had left escape routes.

But they were unable to reinforce Marquis Cen'an in Jiangnan. After Old General Chen stormed Xuzhou, some of the rebel marquises in Jiangnan switched allegiance to Prince Jin, trying to make up for their past offenses. Marquis Cen'an and his rebel faction had been completely weakened, and rumors spread that Marquis Cen'an was already preparing to flee.

Given Old General Chen's capabilities, he would not let Marquis Cen'an escape Jiangnan. With no one from the Fei family left to pull strings for him, his capture was only a matter of time.

"We followed the black stones and found the bodies," the messenger reported, darting a quick glance at Qi Hanzhou. Only after making sure the Crown Prince was okay with him listening in did he go on, "The Secret Faction is eliminating our hidden agents."

The Prince of Pingnan's heir had gotten rid of several people close to him. News that the Prince of Pingnan had survived wrecked his big plan, and the masterminds left the bodies by the roadside, as if they were deliberately left out for the imperial troops tailing them to find.

Ying Fusheng was silent for a moment before saying, "Bury them properly, and later put up monuments in their honor."

But what was certain was that, judging by Marquis Cen'an's situation, the Secret Faction's setup in the southern border region was probably already a lost cause. Otherwise, they would not have abandoned Marquis Cen'an's military strength and chosen to head north.

Northward—that meant the Northern Barbarians.

The Secret Faction still had contingencies among the Northern Barbarians. This was pure provocation.

For the vengeance of Youzhou City, the death of one Pei Yi was far from sufficient.

Some people's lives should end right here on Dayuan soil, never to be reborn again.

The scout understood. They would send men to Youzhou and also keep watch on the movements at Shayan Pass. This time, the Secret Faction had fled through the deeper mountains further west, likely having already crossed beyond Dayuan's borders. Thus, every movement required heightened attention to prevent their resurgence.

"Keep an eye on news from northern Xishu. Youzhou is the closest—if there's any word from the northern border, report it immediately," Qi Hanzhou instructed.

The generals in the command tent discussed among themselves until a cough broke the atmosphere.

Ying Fusheng coughed slightly, and Weng Yanqing stepped forward. Seeing that the sky had darkened, the generals knew it was time to take their leave.

As they were about to exit the tent, they had only taken a few steps when they suddenly noticed several people rushing from the pharmacy camp, their expressions urgent. One sentence shattered the calm: "Your Highness—"

"The Prince of Pingnan has awakened."