This time, Qin Yuanxi was genuinely shocked. He had only argued with Lu Bohuan. How did it lead to him fainting?
What’s going on? Shouldn’t it be him, the one who’s pregnant, who’s supposed to faint, right? Prince Lu was strong and robust. When he was Zhao Tuo, he used to practice wielding swords and weapons every day. How could he just faint like this? Isn’t there something wrong with this situation?
“What happened? What’s going on? He was fine. Why did he faint just like that?”
Qin Yuanxi anxiously stood by the bedside, watching Yan Shaoning take his pulse, examining his eyes, and even inserting needles, yet he remained unconscious. The lack of modern medical facilities made him uneasy; they couldn’t do an X-ray or blood tests. It’s not that he didn’t trust traditional Chinese medicine, but it seemed a bit uncertain.
“Can’t you figure it out? You’ve used needles, but why isn’t he waking up?”
Yan Shaoning put away the needles and sighed, “I really can’t see any problem. Everything seems normal. The needle was just an attempt to wake him, but as Your Majesty observed, it had no effect.”
“What?!” Qin Yuanxi couldn’t stay calm. He stood up and paced around, “Summon the imperial physicians from the palace. With so many physicians, you can figure out the reason after discussing, right? How could a healthy person suddenly faint and not wake up from needle pricks? There must be something wrong!”
“Your Majesty,” Yan Shaoning gestured for Qin Yuanxi to calm down, “Prince’s issues aren’t new. It’s not just my saying, but neither I nor the physicians from the palace can diagnose the reason for his condition, as you’re aware.”
“Well, even if he has some issue, if someone faints, it should mean something’s wrong with his body, right?” Initially, Qin Yuanxi wanted to say that there was something wrong with Lu Bohuan’s brain, but he realized it was inappropriate and retracted his words.
In Lu Bohuan’s case, it was only a mental problem at most, maybe a psychological disorder. It shouldn’t affect his physical well-being, should it?
“It’s hard to say.” Yan Shaoning responded truthfully, “Based on the current diagnosis, Prince is physically healthy and normal. But as to why he fainted, we’ll need further observation to make a conclusive diagnosis.”
“Can’t you see anything at all? Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean there’s no issue,” Qin Yuanxi urged. “You’re a doctor, for heaven’s sake. A perfectly fine person doesn’t just faint and stay unconscious, right? Consider what you’re saying. As a healer, do you find it believable?”
Facing the Emperor’s rebuke, Yan Shaoning was also in a dilemma. He carried the reputation of a divine physician and had dealt with various complex ailments, but the case of Prince Lu was truly perplexing, especially now. Qin Yuanxi was right; Lu Bohuan’s condition had become even more complicated than before, and Yan Shaoning had absolutely no clue about what to do.
“Ah Xi,”
“You’re awake?!”
The voice from the bed was weak, but Qin Yuanxi caught it immediately. “How are you feeling? Is there any discomfort? Do you have a headache? Are you dizzy? If something doesn’t feel right, you must speak up, don’t tough it out.”
“I’m fine; I feel good. There’s no discomfort at all.”
The person on the bed smiled, held Qin Yuanxi’s hand, glanced around the room, and seemed a bit puzzled. “How did I end up here? I can’t remember anything. I recall I was training horses. How did I forget everything?”
“You were training horses,” Qin Yuanxi followed Zhao Tuo’s words and quickly fabricated, “and suddenly you fainted. We brought you here because it was the nearest place.”
“Are you really not feeling any discomfort? You must speak up, even the slightest discomfort needs to be addressed, don’t try to tough it out.”
“I’m truly fine,” Zhao Tuo reached out and touched Qin Yuanxi’s face. He adjusted his hair and wore a gentle smile. “Don’t worry I’m fine; maybe I just didn’t get enough rest. I’ll sleep and be alright.”
“It’s not a problem, Your Majesty, please take care of yourself. Things are different now. Your well-being is the top priority. Don’t worry about me; don’t let my condition bother you, okay?”
“I’m fine, and the child is fine too. Don’t worry about us. Instead, take care of yourself.”
“Your Majesty, the General has just woken up; he should rest and regain his strength.”
Qin Yuanxi wanted to say more but was stopped by Yan Shaoning. Qin Yuanxi had been thinking he could stay, and it wouldn’t be a problem, but before he could speak, he saw Yan Shaoning giving him a meaningful look. It was evident that Yan Shaoning had something to discuss. Qin Yuanxi reluctantly stood up, “Alright, I won’t disturb your rest. Ah Tuo, sleep well, get some good rest, and if you want anything to eat, ask them to prepare it for you. Get your strength back. I’ll go back to the palace; I haven’t taken my pregnancy medicine today.”
“Your Majesty.”
“Hmm?” Qin Yuanxi hadn’t taken a step away before he was called back. Anxiously, he stood by Zhao Tuo’s side and asked, “What’s wrong? Is there something you want to say?”
“It’s nothing, will Your Majesty come by tonight?” When Zhao Tuo finished this sentence, a faint blush appeared on his face, barely noticeable without a closer look. Qin Yuanxi smiled, nodded happily, and said, “I’ll come. Where you are, I’ll be there too. I’ll finish my work and then come to accompany you.”
Zhao Tuo was a straightforward and honest person. Despite the fact that they have done everything they should and shouldn’t do, and the child in his belly that could hardly be hidden, Zhao Tuo, had never said any words of love to him, nor had he shown the typical feeling of attachment between lovers. But just now, when he called for Qin Yuanxi, that feeling was truly heartwarming.
In the past, when they first got together, Zhao Tuo was reserved, behaving like a loyal minister. Any actions outside of that made him feel as if he was overstepping his boundaries and being disrespectful towards Qin Yuanxi. However, as time passed, he became more relaxed and informal. It felt liberating not to have to follow strict rules and protocol. Yet, what had just happened was different. It was a new and more equal dynamic.
At that moment, Qin Yuanxi realized that in Zhao Tuo’s heart, he wasn’t an untouchable emperor but just a lover – and that was enough.
Crossing this milestone is not easy for Zhao Tuo, who was typically straightforward and honest, not like Prince Lu, who had those ‘ambitious’ traits. Qin Yuanxi was genuinely happy about the change in their relationship. It was a significant step toward the kind of love he desired, a wonderful development for both of them.
On their way back to the palace, their footsteps became noticeably lighter.
Following Qin Yuanxi, Yan Shaoning returned to the palace as per their usual routine, examining his pulse before addressing the joy clearly written on Qin Yuanxi’s face. He directly said, “Your Majesty seems quite happy to return with General Zhao, isn’t he?”
“What are you saying, Physician Yan?” Qin Yuanxi adjusted his expression and asked, “Have you, the physician, married yet? Do you have a significant other? You have none of that, so how could you possibly understand my feelings? You don’t get it.”
“In that aspect, I certainly don’t understand, but there’s something I must remind Your Majesty.” Yan Shaoning restrained his expression and spoke solemnly, “Regarding whether General Zhao is aware of Prince Lu’s existence, perhaps Your Majesty should reconsider.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying that Ah Tuo knows about Prince Lu?” Qin Yuanxi furrowed his brows. “How do you say it?”
Zhao Tuo and Lu Bohuan had many differences, and the most crucial one was that Lu Bohuan had always been aware of Zhao Tuo’s existence and had the ability to settle matters, making Zhao Tuo’s identity legitimate and reasonable. But Zhao Tuo was different. In his consciousness, he and Lu Bohuan were entirely separate individuals and belonged to opposing factions. Zhao Tuo saw himself as a loyal minister with unwavering loyalty, while Prince Lu was the ‘traitor’ with ‘wolfish ambitions’. They were fundamentally incompatible.
“What did he say when he woke up, Your Majesty? Do you remember?”
“I remember. What’s the issue?” Qin Yuanxi recalled the words Zhao Tuo had spoken after waking up, and he saw no problem with them. He couldn’t understand where Yan Shaoning was finding a problem. It all seemed like a normal conversation.
“He said, ‘I don’t remember anything at all’ and ‘Why am I here?'” Do you recall, Your Majesty?”
Qin Yuanxi nodded. “Is there a problem with that?”
“Yes, there is more than a problem; there is a significant issue.” Yan Shaoning’s expression turned grave.
“Your Majesty, I’ve been treating Prince Lu for many years, and I have a deep understanding of his condition. Under normal circumstances, their switching is mostly self-consistent. Do you understand what I mean? When Prince Lu fainted and General Zhao woke up, his consciousness remained at the point when he last fell asleep. In other words, the time when Prince Lu was present didn’t exist for General Zhao. If that time didn’t exist, how can he say he ‘doesn’t remember anything at all’ when waking up? When your Majesty gets up from a nap, would you say, ‘I don’t remember anything at all’?”
Before Qin Yuanxi could fully digest Yan Shaoning’s words, he dropped another bombshell. “He remembers, not only does he remember, but he might even have been conscious all along when Prince Lu was present. He knows everything Prince Lu experienced, he knows everything that happened around Prince Lu, maybe from the very beginning or at some point, but in any case, regardless of the situation, General Zhao is undoubtedly conscious!”
This left Qin Yuanxi utterly baffled, his mind turned into a jumble of confusion. He couldn’t form a rational thought, but he absorbed Yan Shaoning’s words.
So, if it’s as Yan Shaoning says, isn’t Zhao Tuo deceiving him?
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)
