When Xie Yao woke again, night had already fallen. A single dim lamp glowed in the room. Amid the quiet, she could hear the man’s soft, even breathing beside her ear.
Gu Changze was still asleep with his eyes closed, his gentle features as serene as a still ink painting.
Looking at the pale luster of his face, Xie Yao couldn’t help but recall how he had stood in the corridor earlier that afternoon, waiting for her. Later, when he began to feel unwell, they returned together to rest. And now, with Gu Changze still asleep, he likely hadn’t eaten lunch either.
Xie Yao turned over, intending to get out of bed and instruct the steward to prepare dinner. Unexpectedly, the moment she moved, the arm wrapped around her tightened slightly and its owner opened his eyes.
“A-Yao.” His voice carried the hazy softness of someone who had just awakened.
“Did I wake Your Highness?” Xie Yao asked gently.
“It’s nothing. It was about time to get up anyway.”
Xie Yao looked at him anxiously. “Does Your Highness feel any better now?”
“After sleeping for a while, I’m much better than before… cough, cough.” Gu Changze had barely spoken when a weak coughing fit overtook him.
Alarmed, Xie Yao quickly supported him and was about to call for a physician.
“It’s an old ailment. There’s no need to worry.” Resting his head lightly against her shoulder, Gu Changze gazed at her anxious expression with clear, gentle eyes and spoke softly. “A-Yao, if you wish to meet Young Master Xiao again in the future, whether for a short while or a long one, could you tell me beforehand?
“Young Master Xiao has always been arrogant by nature, and there was also the incident a few days ago when he spoke out of turn after drinking. Although he and you grew up together, I cannot help worrying that it might harm your reputation.”
With those words, he effectively explained why he had waited beneath the corridor for so long. He had been worried about her. Considering that he had stood there despite feeling unwell, Xie Yao was in no position to refuse anything he asked. She nodded repeatedly.
“All right. I’ll tell Your Highness from now on.” She looked at him with concern. “Does your head still hurt, Your Highness? Let me massage it for you again.”
A faint, unreadable glimmer flickered through Gu Changze’s eyes. He leaned a little further into her embrace. Half-reclining together on the couch, he let Xie Yao’s cool fingertips brush across his forehead as she gently massaged his temples.
Only after another half hour had passed did the two finally rise and head to the front hall together.
After dinner, according to custom, they could not stay the night outside the palace. Xie Yao therefore planned to return to her maiden chamber and gather a few belongings she had left behind before the wedding.
Gu Changze accompanied her into the room.
As Xie Yao searched through items on her dressing table, Gu Changze’s gaze fell on a box set off to one side. “What’s this?”
“These are some of the little things I liked when I was young. My mother sorted them out for me before. A few days ago, when I got married, the steward gave this box to me, so I thought I’d take it back to the Eastern Palace as well.”
The toys and trinkets of her childhood were not especially sentimental. Still, Princess Consort Xie had painstakingly mended some of the needlework stitch by stitch in later years, and Xie Yao treasured them dearly.
Gu Changze nodded, his gaze lingering on the box. “May I take a look?”
Xie Yao walked over and opened it for him.
Most of the contents were old keepsakes. As Gu Changze examined each item one by one, he occasionally listened to Xie Yao recount amusing stories from her childhood. After he had gone through nearly everything, his eyes settled on a letter tucked away at the very bottom.
“What is this?” His gaze stayed fixed upon it.
“Do you remember, Your Highness, how I mentioned in the Eastern Palace garden yesterday that I’d once gotten lost? This was given to me by the person I met in that cave.”
With a laugh, Xie Yao unfolded the paper. Inside was a drawing of fireflies. Though the brushwork was somewhat rough and the painting itself far from masterful, the artist’s sincerity was unmistakable. Against the dark background, the fireflies seemed vividly alive.
“It’s been kept for three years already. It’s gotten a little worn.” Xie Yao was about to fold the picture away when Gu Changze deftly took it from her hands and studied it carefully.
“I’ve heard that Your Highness is exceptionally skilled at painting. How is it that even such a simple drawing has managed to catch your eye?”
Gu Changze gently traced the aged xuan paper with his fingertips. After a long moment, he replied, “Not at all. I think it’s very beautiful.”
Every stroke upon it was one he had recreated countless times during sleepless nights and fleeting dreams. Yet no matter how many times he tried, he could never recapture the state of mind he’d had that night.
He slowly closed his eyes for a moment, calming the emotions stirring within him. When he looked back at Xie Yao, his expression revealed nothing. “A-Yao…”
“Your Highness, why is there blood on your sleeve?” Her expression changed immediately. “Are you hurt somewhere?”
Xie Yao let out a startled cry, cutting him off mid-sentence. Following her gaze, Gu Changze looked down and noticed a faint trace of blood on his sleeve cuff. It had probably gotten there when he left the residence earlier that day.
With a light flick of his sleeve, Gu Changze gave a weak smile. “It’s nothing serious. I coughed up a little blood before I went to sleep this afternoon.”
“How can that be all right? We should return to the palace immediately and have an Imperial Physician examine you.”
At once, Xie Yao closed the box and took Gu Changze by the hand, hurrying him outside.
Their carriage raced from Prince Xie’s Manor and entered the Eastern Palace just before the palace gates locked for the night.
The moment they arrived, Xie Yao hurriedly gave instructions. “Qingyu, go and summon an Imperial Physician to the Eastern Palace to examine His Highness.”
“There’s no need.” Gu Changze reacted quickly and stopped her.
Seeing the concern and confusion on Xie Yao’s face, he explained, “I took some medicine earlier, and I’m already much better. The physicians of the Imperial Medical Bureau have likely retired for the night. There’s no need to trouble them again. You should return and get some rest instead.”
“There are always physicians on duty at the Imperial Medical Bureau. Though it’s late, Your Highness’s health is more important.”
Xie Yao remained uneasy. When she saw that Gu Changze was still insisting, she resolved to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau herself and fetch someone.
“Your Highness Consort, it’s already quite late. Since His Highness says he’s fine, you needn’t make the trip yourself.” Jiang Zhen hurriedly chimed in. “Besides, for some reason, the young master of Chancellor Xiao’s household was injured this afternoon. Chancellor Xiao rushed into the palace to petition His Majesty to send the Chief Imperial Physician out of the palace. Judging from the situation, it seemed rather serious. I don’t know whether they’ve returned yet.”
Xie Yao’s steps abruptly halted. “Who was injured?”
Just before noon, Xiao Min had been perfectly fine at Prince Xie’s Manor.
A twitch crossed Gu Changze’s brow as he shot Jiang Zhen a cool glance.
Unfortunately, Jiang Zhen’s attention was entirely on Xie Yao at the moment and he naturally missed the warning. “Young Master Xiao.”
Jiang Zhen felt it wasn’t exactly appropriate to mention Young Master Xiao in front of the Crown Princess, but seeing how determined she was to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau because of His Highness, he thought he was helping. After all, His Highness doted on the Crown Princess and surely could not bear to see her running around at this hour. If he could persuade her to stay put on His Highness’s behalf, he would probably earn himself a generous reward later.
Quite pleased with himself, Jiang Zhen looked toward Gu Changze expectantly, only to receive a cold glare for his efforts. Before he could figure out what he had done wrong, Xie Yao had already turned back, looking suspicious.
“Did Your Highness leave the residence this afternoon?”
“Of course not.”
No sooner had Gu Changze spoken than he lifted a hand to rub his forehead. His brows knitted tightly as he staggered slightly, his face turning pale and weak in an instant.
“Your Highness!” The frightened Jiang Zhen dropped the whisk he was holding and hurried forward to support him.
“Your Highness!” Xie Yao was equally startled.
Without drawing attention, Gu Changze brushed Jiang Zhen aside and let himself sink into Xie Yao’s arms.
“Your Highness, are you all right?” Xie Yao’s face had gone pale with alarm. This time she wasted no further time. Immediately, she ordered Qingyu to summon an Imperial Physician while she and Jiang Zhen helped Gu Changze back into the room.
Gu Changze sat down on the daybed. Xie Yao handed him a cup of tea and anxiously studied his complexion as she asked,
“Other than the headache, is there anywhere else that feels uncomfortable? Should I have Qingyu summon several Imperial Physicians to examine you?”
“Perhaps the journey back aggravated my condition. This body of mine is truly frail. Whenever I suffer even a slight headache or fever, I can scarcely walk properly.”
Xie Yao took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. The suspicion that had just arisen in her heart gradually faded.
Xiao Min had once been a young general, robust. Meanwhile, Gu Changze had spent the entire afternoon resting indoors because of his headache. Even if he had somehow gone out, could he really have injured Xiao Min?
Moreover, Gu Changze was gentle by nature and rarely quarreled with others. He had no reason to harm Xiao Min.
“What was it you wanted to ask just now, A-Yao?” Gu Changze’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
After a moment’s hesitation, Xie Yao shook her head. “Nothing.”
She rose to her feet. “I’ll go see whether the Imperial Physician has arrived.”
As Xie Yao watched her disappear into the room, Jiang Zhen hurried forward to refill Gu Changze’s tea.
Before his hand could reach the cup, the man reclining weakly on the daybed lifted his eyelids. The frailty vanished from his eyes, replaced by a chilling darkness.
“It seems you’ve been thinking quite fondly of Xiao Min lately. Why don’t you leave the palace and serve him at the Xiao residence instead? Then you won’t spend every day wandering around in front of me, irritating me. I’m afraid I might not be able to resist skinning you alive.”
Jiang Zhen froze mid-fawn and lifted his head in horror. “Huh?”
How had he offended His Highness this time?
Panting for breath, the Imperial Physician entered behind Xie Yao and immediately dropped to his knees with a thud. He barely had time to greet him before hurrying forward to take Gu Changze’s pulse. With trembling fingers, he placed his hand on Gu Changze’s wrist. After a moment of concentration, his heart skipped a beat.
“How is His Highness? What’s wrong with him?”
Seeing the grave expression on the physician’s face, Xie Yao immediately grew anxious.
“Allow this minister to examine him again.” Unwilling to give up, the physician switched to the other wrist and took his pulse once more. After another long moment, he raised his head to look at Gu Changze. “Your Highness, where exactly do you feel unwell?”
Because from what he could tell, the pulse was perfectly healthy.
Gu Changze replied weakly, “I feel unwell everywhere.”
That answer was enough to make the physician’s vision go dark. He nearly fainted on the spot. “Your Highness, you…”
“However, I was probably standing too long this afternoon and felt a little dizzy. Just prescribe some medicine for me. The rest are merely old ailments.”
Fortunately, Gu Changze still possessed a shred of conscience and slowly added the explanation.
Only then did the Imperial Physician breathe a sigh of relief and quickly nod. “From this minister’s examination, Your Highness’s pulse appears quite sound. The dizziness is most likely due to the strong afternoon sun and the fatigue of traveling all day for the return visit. This minister will prepare some medicine for Your Highness at once.”
Xie Yao, however, remained concerned. “Would it be possible for the Imperial Physician to conduct a more thorough examination?” she asked.
The Imperial Physician hurriedly cupped his hands toward her in acknowledgment. “Rest assured, Your Highness Consort. This minister will do everything in his power.”
Whether he would do his utmost was one matter. The Crown Prince not being sick at all was quite another. But if the Crown Prince insisted he was ill, could a mere subject dare declare that there was nothing wrong with him?
Muttering to himself, the Chief Imperial Physician prescribed a few mild tonic remedies before taking his leave from the Eastern Palace.
Xie Yao turned around and busied herself instructing the servants to prepare the medicine. Then she returned to the daybed to check on Gu Changze. By the time he had finished drinking the medicine and all the commotion had settled, it was already past the Hour of Xu.
Xie Yao glanced at Gu Changze, who was resting on the daybed. “Since Your Highness is unwell tonight, you should stay and rest in the front courtyard.”
Gu Changze’s eyelid twitched. He had not expected his little scheme to backfire so thoroughly. Watching Xie Yao pack her things and prepare to head to the rear courtyard, he slowly reached out a hand. His fingers caught her sleeve.
Xie Yao turned around and met his gaze.
The young man wore only a white inner robe. His long fingers slid around her waist, and with a gentle tug, he drew her closer.
The lamplight in the room glowed dimly amber, illuminating his picturesque features. His eyes held their usual warmth and gentleness, yet now carried a trace of fragility. Refined and elegant, he seemed every inch the noble gentleman, as flawless as a jade ornament.
For some reason, Xie Yao felt her heart skip a beat or two.
“A-Yao spent the entire day with me. Now that you’re leaving, I find I’m rather unaccustomed to it.” He let out a soft sigh. His deep eyes stayed fixed on hers as his slender fingers lightly brushed her palm. A hint of reluctance colored his voice.
“Can A-Yao really bear to leave me alone in the front courtyard?” His tone grew even softer. “What if, in the middle of the night, my headache returns? What am I supposed to do then?”