Qin Yuanxi slept in a hazy state.
In the latter half of the night, he couldn’t hold on any longer and ended up lying on the soft couch, falling asleep. Before drifting off, he made sure to remind Zhao Tuo to finish copying the remaining books. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to explain to Regent Prince Lu tomorrow. What if Prince Lu turns his back on him and really wants to beat him? He needed to take care of himself, so he couldn’t let such a situation happen no matter what.
After he fell asleep, Zhao Tuo did follow the instructions diligently and finished copying the books. However, he didn’t do it in the Ancestral Hall as instructed. He carried His Majesty back to the sleeping chamber and stood guard by the Emperor’s bedside. By the time dawn was approaching, he could no longer resist his exhaustion and ended up sleeping on the edge of the bed.
As for how Qin Yuanxi ended up on the dragon bed, not even Zhao Tuo, let alone Lu Bohuan, knew.
At this moment, Qin Yuanxi’s half body was draped over Lu Bohuan, his brows furrowed in discomfort. He felt a little cold and a bit warm at the same time. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but his body was definitely uncomfortable. His consciousness wasn’t cooperating, and he felt like he was back to that night in Changze Town with Zhao Tuo by his side, caring and considerate. Acting on instinct, he placed his hands and feet on Lu Bohuan, wanting to feel more at ease.
Such futile actions were, of course, of no use. Not only were they ineffective, they also successfully darkened Prince Lu’s face. Lu Bohuan pushed Qin Yuanxi’s arm away, moving him aside from the bed. With a stern face, Lu Bohuan glanced at his crumpled clothes.
“What time is it?”
The palace attendant outside had no idea when the Regent Prince had arrived at His Majesty’s sleeping chamber. They hastily replied, and Lu Bohuan approached the dragon bed where Qin Yuanxi was lying. “Your Majesty, it’s time for the morning court.”
Qin Yuanxi felt uncomfortable all over, his mind muddled. His limbs felt weak. Amidst his haze, he heard Zhao Tuo’s voice and managed to open his eyes slightly, only to see a vague figure. Feeling wronged, he said, “Zhao Tuo, I’m uncomfortable. I want water.”
His hoarse voice carried a pitiable tone, making Lu Bohuan pause for a moment before reaching out to touch Qin Yuanxi’s forehead.
It was burning hot.
Previously, when Qin Yuanxi was clinging to him, Lu Bohuan was anxious and flustered, not paying much attention to details. Now, touching His Majesty’s feverish forehead, he realized that Qin Yuanxi might have been feverish all night, and he had rolled into his arms seeking comfort.
He let out a sigh and was about to get up to fetch some water when his sleeve was tugged.
Qin Yuanxi’s mind was clouded from the fever, his eyes watery as he gazed at Lu Bohuan. “Don’t go, you promised to stay by my side.”
He used a slightly coquettish tone and held onto Lu Bohuan’s sleeve with two fingers. Even though Lu Bohuan could easily free himself with a gentle shake, strangely, he didn’t. Instead, he sat at the edge of the bed, embracing Qin Yuanxi in his arms. His expression, however, remained stern, cold, and emotionless.
“Summon the imperial physician,” Lu Bohuan initially ordered, but then changed his mind. “No need for the physician. Send Yan Shaoning over.”
When Yan Shaoning arrived, Qin Yuanxi was already asleep again, snuggled up against Prince Lu. He was sleeping rather obediently, holding onto Prince Lu’s sleeve and not letting go. As Yan Shaoning entered, he saw Prince Lu, who usually appeared as cold as an ice sculpture, holding His Majesty so tenderly as they hugged each other—a sight so rare and peculiar that it couldn’t be described adequately.
Not only was it rare, but also quite strange, emitting an indescribable peculiarity.
“Is His Majesty unwell again?” Yan Shaoning approached and quickly understood the situation. “Prince, please step aside and let me check His Majesty’s pulse first, to assess the situation.”
As Prince Lu tried to move, the sleeve slipped from Qin Yuanxi’s hand, awakening him. His eyes held a hint of confusion and panic, and he reached out, intending to grab Prince Lu’s sleeve again, gripping it tightly. “Where are you going?”
With a pitiful expression in his eyes, he looked like a abandoned puppy. Prince Lu avoided his gaze and pulled his sleeve back, leaving Qin Yuanxi’s hand empty.
Yan Shaoning, as an observer, saw Prince Lu take two steps back, and then His Majesty’s expression turned quite distressed. Chin lowered and silent, he seemed so lost and disheartened. Yan Shaoning was puzzled, unaware of what had happened. He had never seen His Majesty and Prince Lu get along so well before. Could a simple trip outside the palace have led to such a positive change in their relationship?
But that didn’t make sense, did it?
Prince Lu held significant power as the Regent, while His Majesty was essentially a puppet emperor. The authority Prince Lu held was obtained from the previous emperor. Logically, the puppet emperor should be at odds with him. Why did it seem like the situation now resembled an abandoned puppy?
“Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?” Yan Shaoning refrained from overthinking. As a physician, his duty was to attend to the patient properly. “Let me check your pulse first.”
His Majesty responded with a tap on his head.
The dragon bed was spacious, and Qin Yuanxi looked at Prince Lu with a somewhat accusing gaze, then wrapped himself in the blanket and curled up like a silkworm cocoon. He wasn’t cooperating at all—no pulse examination would be possible if he remained hidden. His behavior was akin to that of a child throwing a tantrum.
Yan Shaoning turned to Prince Lu with a pleading look. “Prince, what should we do?”
He hadn’t interacted much with His Majesty, and this was technically their second encounter. He truly didn’t know how to handle the situation.
Prince Lu’s expression shifted subtly as he looked at the person inside the bed. He climbed onto the dragon bed, directly pulling the person out. “Behave yourself!”
His tone was far from polite, and it didn’t resemble an attitude towards the emperor. Instead, it was similar to reprimanding an unruly child.
Fierce and intimidating, his gaze transmitted a clear message: behave, or face consequences!
Though Qin Yuanxi was burning up with fever, his instincts prevented him from moving recklessly. He allowed Zhao Tuo to hold him down. After the pulse examination was done, he huffed, “I want candied hawthorns. Zhao Tuo, go buy some for me.”
His tone was naturally demanding, laced with a hint of coquettishness—such intimacy in his voice left Yan Shaoning momentarily stunned. He instinctively glanced at Prince Lu beside him. Prince Lu’s face remained shadowed, devoid of any expression. He didn’t make any move, allowing His Majesty to rest in his embrace as he slipped into sleep once again.
Yan Shaoning didn’t dare to speculate too much. In a hushed tone, he explained the pulse diagnosis to Lu Bohuan: “Chilled wind entered the body, and the pulse is somewhat weak. It’s probably because of being exposed to the cold recently. His foundation is a bit weak. He should be well-nourished and taken care of. I’ll write a prescription, and we can have someone brew the medicine. Drinking it and sweating a bit should help.”
“Alright,” Lu Bohuan responded, then fell silent. However, he didn’t ask Yan Shaoning to leave either. It seemed he was pondering something. Finally, unable to contain himself, Yan Shaoning proactively inquired, “Is there anything else you want to tell me, Prince?”
“You diagnosed him. Did you find any issues?”
“Issues?” Yan Shaoning didn’t understand. “There aren’t any issues. It’s just as the imperial physician said—proper care and supplementation should suffice.”
“No,” Lu Bohuan lowered his head, casting a glance at the person already asleep. He continued, “Something else.”
“Something else?” Yan Shaoning realized, a hint of bitterness at the corner of his mouth. “My Prince, the ailment he has can’t be diagnosed through pulse alone. I noticed it previously because General Zhao’s behavior is slightly different from yours. Additionally, I’ve interacted more frequently with you in normal circumstances, so I could discern a few things. But with His Majesty, I’ve only met him twice in total, today being the second time. I really can’t tell, or is it that you’ve discovered something?”
Discovered? Does it count?
He and the Emperor weren’t particularly close, just maintaining the usual sovereign-subject relationship. The reason for that usual behavior was that the Emperor was young, his wings not yet fully grown, lacking the ability to compete. Once his wings were strong, Lu Bohuan had no doubt that he would be the first target.
Aside from the differences in handwriting, their temperaments were also somewhat different. If you were to say ‘discovery,’ practically everything was different. Yet his situation was distinct from Zhao Tuo’s. Lu Bohuan couldn’t quite grasp what was going on. What puzzled him even more was Zhao Tuo’s relationship with him, and why Zhao Tuo seemed so concerned about him.
Lu Bohuan had already noticed the stack of transcriptions on the bedside table, assuming it was a book copied by the Emperor overnight. However, upon flipping through it, he found that it was mostly his own handwriting. Without a doubt, Zhao Tuo must have come again last night and copied the book, to the point where the two had fallen asleep together!
An abnormally close relationship!
Zhao Tuo was another version of himself, possessing all the acumen he should have. Yet this kind of situation had never arisen before. Now, not only did he let himself be deceived of his military seal, he willingly undermined his own position!
Well, it’s really great!
Lu Bohuan’s expression darkened, and an icy chill seemed to descend upon the spacious chamber, causing the drowsy Qin Yuanxi to feel a hint of cold. He snuggled closer into Lu Bohuan’s embrace, seeking warmth, while the soundly sleeping person remained blissfully unaware that the chill emanated from his side.
The author has something to say:
Lu Bohuan: I’m punishing myself!
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
