“It’s strange! The girl’s illness is really strange!”
Outside the room, Lu Zhao and Kong Lin never expected Shen Qingyao to be alone in the room or to eavesdrop behind the door. Therefore, they didn’t walk far away, and their conversation was only slightly quieter, not deliberately lowered.
So every word they said fell clearly into Shen Qingyao’s ears.
Kong Lin appeared somewhat troubled and very puzzled. One hand leaned on his cane, the other on the medicine box at his side. His thin fingers tapped on the box intermittently, making a slightly anxious sound.
Shen Qingyao lowered her eyes, looking at the bloodstain in her palm, and her pupils shrank. Then, as if nothing had happened, she closed her hand and rubbed it behind her back, causing the faint traces of red to disappear. She moved slightly and found a gap where she could see the two people outside.
At this moment, Lu Zhao had his back turned, so she couldn’t see his expression, but she knew it wouldn’t look good.
“What do you mean by ‘strange’?”
“This illness of hers, though it recurs frequently and is very debilitating, shouldn’t lead to sudden death overnight. These days, with careful nursing, even if it hasn’t been cured, it should at least show signs of improvement, as it did before.” Kong Lin frowned. Because he had seen Shen Qingyao’s pulse improving before, he had become more convinced that he could cure her. But…
“But for some reason, it has now worsened rapidly.”
Shen Qingyao tightened her hand. Kong Lin didn’t know, but she did. It was because the system forcefully matched her with the plot progression, directly fast-forwarding her to a critical illness nearing death.
Thinking about it, she increasingly wanted to drag out this unreliable system and give it a good beating.
It was fine when advancing the plot, but once it had to give rewards, it malfunctioned. It was hard not to believe it wasn’t doing it on purpose.
Outside, Lu Zhao listened to Kong Lin’s words and fell into a long silence.
After a while, he moved slightly, raised his arms, respectfully and devoutly crossed them over his chest, then slowly lowered his head and bowed to Kong Lin with solemnity and gravity, saying softly, “Please, Master Kong, you must save her.”
Inside the room, Shen Qingyao suddenly felt a pang in her nose.
She watched Lu Zhao’s bowed figure, her vision gradually blurring. He had always been a noble young master, a clear-stream-like immortal, who never even made such a grand gesture when meeting the Emperor. Even when faced with countless Gods and Buddhas, he trusted only in himself.
But now, he placed all his hopes entirely on someone else and was pleading humbly. His hands, his waist, his pride, were all bent for her sake.
After a brief rest in the palace for two or three days, Lu Zhao took Shen Qingyao back to the Duke’s Mansion. Thinking of her parents whom she hadn’t seen for several months, she informed Princess Duanhua and Lu Zhao and prepared to visit her parents’ home.
Leaning back against the chair with a smile, Lu Zhao watched the busy little girl going in and out, asking again, “Are you sure you don’t need me to accompany you?”
Shen Qingyao turned her head strangely and looked at him. Didn’t they agree on this already? Seeing Lu Zhao’s sticky and aggrieved eyes, Shen Qingyao felt that their roles might have been reversed today.
Suppressing a smile, she approached and lightly pinched Lu Zhao’s handsome nose, teasing, “Lord Lu! Young Master Lu! Wake up a bit! There are so many things waiting for you! If I keep dragging you along, tomorrow my Eldest Sister will come here with a rope to drag you out!”
After all, without Lu Zhao’s superhuman labor, Xiao Mu, who was already very busy, probably wouldn’t have time to accompany her Eldest Sister.
Thinking back to this morning when Lu Zhao accompanied her out of the palace, Shen Qingli’s pitiful eyes caught Shen Qingyao’s attention, making her burst out laughing. She playfully rubbed Lu Zhao’s face and softly said, “Young Master Lu, don’t be lazy and affect our sisterly relationship! Be a good boy and go to work.”
Lu Zhao, watching the little girl pretend to be dignified while advising him, found it amusing. Then he heard her next sentence and clicked his tongue. With a firm grip on her wrist, Shen Qingyao fell into his lap. Lu Zhao stared at her for a while before softly saying, “Affect your sisterly relationship? Isn’t it they who affect our marital relationship?”
Lu Zhao held her close and accused, “Since returning to the capital, Yaoyao, you haven’t cared about me.”
Shen Qingyao lifted her head with a puzzled expression. This person was even more adept at acting cute than she was!
The current situation was somewhat similar to when she had to play a persona before. Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but play along, putting on an expression of a scoundrel who cherished him deeply. She earnestly said, “How could that be! I clearly care the most about my Elder Brother Lu Zhao!”
Seeing him still unmoved, Shen Qingyao thought for a moment, then kissed him on the cheek and brought her nose close. Their breath mingled as she softly said, “Elder Brother Lu Zhao, be good~ Work hard, and tonight I’ll bring you the desserts my mother made!!” as if coaxing a child.
Lu Zhao was momentarily stunned. Shen Qingyao took the opportunity to slip out of his arms, giggling as she ran towards the door, shouting as she ran, “I’m leaving, I’m going first!! Elder Brother Lu Zhao, remember to come for me after you’re done!”
Watching her cheerful figure, Lu Zhao slowly touched the cheek that had just been kissed, a smile of indulgence and affection spreading across his lips. He stood up, straightened his clothes, and also walked out. Hmm, he needed to focus on work.
The turmoil in the capital lasted only about a month, which was relatively short compared to the prolonged wars that had dragged on for months without end. However, this was the capital.
Over the years, there had been princes and nobles within the palace who had seized the throne, and palace coups were not uncommon, but most of them were handled discreetly within the palace, such as holding an Emperor hostage or administering poison. It was truly a rare occurrence for troops to actually confront each other under the city walls, Xiao Mu and Xiao Jing were the first to do so in the past hundred years.
After detaining the royal and noble prisoners for nearly half a month, Xiao Jing had long frightened them. The capital, which had always been bustling, had become desolate.
But even in desolation, it couldn’t stop the lively thoughts of the people in the capital.
There were few descendants of the late Emperor, and several capable ones had been almost ruined by Xiao Jing. The remaining ones were not up to the task, and discerning people all knew that in the future, the world under this Great Liang Dynasty would be controlled by Xiao Mu.
For a while, those who were busy disassociating themselves from Xiao Jing and trying to gain favor in front of Xiao Mu were endless. Even the Shen family was bustling.
After all, the Shen family had married two daughters, one was Xiao Mu’s lawful wife and future Empress, and the other was the wife of Lu Zhao, who was now the most trusted minister of the new Emperor…
When Shen Qingyao arrived, she was startled by the lively scene in front of her eyes. She looked back and forth several times, finding it hard to believe that this was her home.
The Shen family had never been so lively before.
Shen Qingyao’s return this time was impromptu and not notified in advance, so she was blocked by those guests coming and going at the door for a while.
Some people thought she also came on behalf of her family to curry favor, so they pulled her aside to talk for a long time, saying that she should follow the rules of arriving first and not cut in line. They also mentioned that it was difficult to enter the Shen mansion, as Master Shen did not want to form factions, and Madam Shen claimed illness. They had been turned away several times before.
Shen Qingyao couldn’t help but smile and cry at the same time upon hearing the familiar shouts from the gatekeeper, who recognized her promptly. He exclaimed in delight, “Third Miss is back! Third Miss is back!”
The lady who had stopped her earlier finally understood her identity, feeling too surprised to say anything coherent. Before the lady could react, Shen Qingyao was already warmly welcomed inside amidst joyous exclamations. Soon after, the gates of the Shen residence closed, shutting out the guests.
Great, the lady was shut out once again.
Several months had passed since Shen Qingyao last returned home, and she felt like she had entered a different world. Initially, she had treated herself as an outsider, here only for a mission, feeling a sense of familiarity with the place but not really caring about it.
It wasn’t until she recalled many things at the south that she realized this was where she had grown up, where she cherished her fondest memories. It was these memories that sustained her during the painful treatments in modern times, even when she couldn’t remember anything.
This wave of emotions peaked the moment she saw her own mother.
That night, Mother Shen was captured by Xiao Jing, injured her foot and was shocked. Now, with her daughter’s return, she could only lie in bed, unable to get up.
Shen Qingyao looked at her mother’s exhausted figure, which seemed to have aged several years. Her eyes immediately welled up with tears as she softly cried out, “Mother.”
“Oh! Yaoyao is back? Come here, let Mother have a look.” Mother Shen lovingly looked at her, half-reclined in bed, waving to her.
Shen Qingyao hurried over and nestled beside her mother, calling out again, “Mother,” like a small animal seeking warmth.
Each of these calls softened Mother Shen’s heart. She gently patted her daughter to stop crying, though tears also welled up in her own eyes.
“Alright, alright! Don’t cry anymore! Come, let me see.” Wiping her tears, Mother Shen pulled her closer, seeming to want to inspect her thoroughly. After a while, she smiled and said, “Yaoyao, you’ve grown taller but also lost some weight.”
Mother Shen’s warm palm brushed Shen Qingyao’s temple. Despite her illnesses in Lingnan, the family had kept the news from Mother Shen, but as a mother, Mother Shen still felt sorry for her suffering.
Shen Qingyao blinked and suddenly teased, “Where did I lose weight! Mother, you don’t know! Elder Brother Lu Zhao makes me eat so much every day! This much!”
She exaggeratedly spread her arms wide, eyes gleaming not to complain about Lu Zhao, but to tell her mother that Lu Zhao took good care of her.
Her teasing lightened Mother Shen’s heart a little. Seeing that besides the lingering illness, her daughter was genuinely happy, she became happy too.
Having not seen each other for almost half a year, the mother and daughter naturally had a lot to talk about, and the room was filled with chatter and laughter.
It wasn’t until someone outside announced Lu Zhao had come to pick her up that Shen Qingyao was still unsatisfied.
Upon hearing that Lu Zhao had come, her eyes lit up, but then she reluctantly returned to her mother and said, “Why did he come so soon? I’m not leaving! I’m sleeping with Mother tonight!”
The promise to bring delicious food for Lu Zhao in the morning had been thrown into the clouds long ago.
Looking at her spoiled youngest daughter, Mother Shen smiled warmly and affectionately. Still, she patted Shen Qingyao on the shoulder and said, “Nonsense! You can’t mess around! You’ve got a husband now. How can you be wedded and still stick to your mother’s side?”
She looked like she was scolding Shen Qingyao, but her eyes were filled with smiles.
“Go back, Mother will come to see you in a few days.” Mother Shen gently pushed her on the back and said again, “Young Master Lu values you and even came to pick you up personally. Don’t keep him waiting for too long.”
Shen Qingyao frowned, thinking that it would be fine for Lu Zhao to wait for a while. He wouldn’t blame her for this.
But she stood up from the edge of the bed, and suddenly stiffened. The pain, which she hadn’t paid much attention to all day due to her happiness, surged back. It pricked her, causing her to tremble. Her face, still rosy moments ago, immediately turned several shades paler. Beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.
Taking a difficult breath, she realized the air in Beijing was already icy as November approached, a sharp contrast to the warmer southern climate she was accustomed to. Breathing in felt like another form of pain.
“Yaoyao? What’s wrong?”
Noticing that she didn’t move for a while, Mother Shen asked with concern.
Her throat tickled, but she dared not cough in front of her mother, afraid of worrying her or revealing something alarming.
She quickly shook her head and forced a smile. “It’s nothing, Mother. Your daughter will go home first. I’ll definitely come back to see you in a few days!”
Her mother nodded gently. “Alright, go quickly…”
Once outside the courtyard gate, Shen Qingyao leaned against the wall, clutching her chest. She began coughing violently. Cui Qiao, who was by her side, nearly panicked, but fortunately, this time there was no blood.
She grabbed Cui Qiao who wanted to fetch a doctor, and with a pale face, whispered softly, “I’m fine. I just came out and got choked by the cold wind. No need to call the doctor. Let’s go back first.”
Cui Qiao stopped in her tracks, still looking worriedly at Shen Qingyao. She blamed herself, “It’s all my fault! I forgot that we’re back in Beijing now. Beijing gets cold quickly, especially nearing winter. I should have given Miss another warm coat before we left.”
Shen Qingyao chuckled lightly, not feeling any blame towards Cui Qiao. Instead, upon hearing about the approaching winter, she realized that it was almost November, nearly a year since she transmigrated back her and intercepted Lu Zhao on the day of his marriage proposal.
As she thought about it, she ignored her discomfort and suddenly asked, “Where is Elder Brother Lu Zhao waiting for me now?”