Chapter 14: Listening to the Autumn Rain, His Eyes Reflected Only Those Beautiful Autumn-Water EyesSince that awkward disagreement between the two, Jiang Weixu had not returned to the residence for many days. Seeing his strong reaction, Su Zheyun even felt a hint of shame. Shen Bingwen, however, came by often, saying that the matter of the house had been arranged and that she could move in at any time.It was July, the transition from late summer to early autumn. The stifling season had finally come to an end, and gusts of autumn wind carried a coolness—the most comfortable time of year. Yutang was helping her pack up her belongings scattered around the room. She hadn't brought much with her, but there was no shortage of things to move.The brocade quilt of lake silk, the plain silk pillows, the change of clothes, the pine-soot inkstick on the table… Su Zheyun watched the wooden boxes pile up more and more, unable to suppress a smile."Yutang, you're practically emptying this room.""What's wrong with that? Having everything ready saves you the trouble of buying new things. When you bring your sister over, I'll make her a few outfits—children love new clothes the most.""Alright, I'll bring her to meet you then, and she can call you big sister.""What nonsense are you talking about!" Yutang shot her a glare, wrapping the jade pendant in cloth. "Take care of yourself when you're out there. If you need anything, come to the prince's residence. Don't be fooled by His Highness's cold face and hard heart—he's actually very tolerant with people."Su Zheyun nodded in agreement. Indeed, he was quite tolerant. Had she offended anyone else, she might have died eight hundred times over by now."Master Su!" A servant from the prince's residence came to report. "His Highness is handling the refugees in the southern outskirts and requests your presence.""Very well." Su Zheyun rose, and Yutang fetched the cloak from the rack to put it over her shoulders."You go on. I'll keep an eye on them while they move these things over."Su Zheyun had no worries on that front. She flashed Yutang a smile and headed to the southern outskirts.On what had once been barren wilderness, the southern outskirts were now covered in shabby hovels—broken cloth draped over withered tree branches, straw mats rolled up in mud, one after another with no room to even set foot.Officers and soldiers patrolled everywhere, their spears glinting coldly, armor clanking in unison with their orderly steps as they maintained order at the scene.The moment Su Zheyun stepped off the carriage, a sour, foul stench hit her in the face. A guard beside Jiang Weixu spotted her and led her to the porridge station, where the unpleasant odor was masked by the fragrance of rice."Your Highness." Su Zheyun called out from beneath the awning. Beside her, several vats of thick rice porridge steamed with heat, and refugees were queuing in lines to receive their portions."Come with me."Su Zheyun followed. On another patch of wasteland, makeshift shelters had been erected, beneath which lay dozens of the sick. Coughing rose and fell in waves, and their faces were covered in alarming rashes.Four or five physicians had silk cloths covering their noses and mouths. Not far away, medicinal broth simmered over a stove, its bitter scent permeating the air.The red rash looked familiar to Su Zheyun. She was about to lean in for a closer look when Jiang Weixu reached out and stopped her."The epidemic is dangerous. What are you getting so close for?"His voice was low. Su Zheyun smiled at him, speaking with earnest sincerity. "I once received guidance from a wandering physician. I thought perhaps I might be of help?""Still, don't get close. Summon Imperial Physician Qin."Lu Xun received the order and left. Su Zheyun had no choice but to retreat, disappointed, and remained inside the shelter examining the prescription handed to her by the physician.Imperial Physician Qin chattered endlessly in her ear. She nodded along, feigning agreement, all the while staring at the characters on the prescription as if they were celestial script.Why on earth did I study history in university? I should have studied medicine!Su Zheyun set down the prescription and, after a moment's deliberation, said: "All drinking water must be boiled. The clothing and bedding used by the sick must also be steamed at high temperatures. The common folk and the sick must be strictly separated. Sprinkle lime around the area—if there's no lime, boil vinegar, or burn mugwort leaves and atractylodes."Seeing how confidently she spoke, Imperial Physician Qin nodded and humbly sought further instruction: "I know of lime and mugwort leaves, but why boil the water and steam the clothing?"Su Zheyun faltered for a moment, her eyes darting to Jiang Weixu sitting quietly to the side, and a sudden surge of confidence rose in her heart."My master said so. He traveled widely practicing medicine and treated no fewer than a thousand strange illnesses. He always did things this way, so naturally there must be a reason for it."Imperial Physician Qin harbored no suspicion and turned to relay her instructions.Su Zheyun let out a long breath. Jiang Weixu did not expose her either, instead taking her to inspect other areas.Among the refugees, women, children, and the elderly were numerous, their faces and clothing caked with mud. Occasionally, arguments broke out among the men over food, but they were quickly suppressed by the surrounding soldiers. The situation remained more or less under control.The journey was bleak and lifeless. Dragonflies flew low, and large dark clouds pressed down from the sky, dimming the light.It was going to rain. Su Zheyun felt a twinge of worry. The refugees' makeshift hovels could not possibly withstand wind and rain. If they got soaked and caught colds, with mosquitoes breeding in abundance and refugees packed together, the epidemic might well erupt among them.Jiang Weixu had thought of this as well, and instructed Lu Xun to arrange for the refugees to stay at nearby temples and Daoist shrines. Su Zheyun stepped forward and added, "Why not also post notices to requisition vacant civilian homes, with the court providing monetary compensation? For wealthy merchants in the capital willing to contribute money or grain, the court can bestow the title of 'Righteous Citizen,' and those who give generously can even have memorial arches erected in their honor. There are also those charitable estates nearby—they can be cleaned up and used as lodging. Though it may be considered inauspicious, it's still a place to stay."Lu Xun looked toward Jiang Weixu, and only after seeing him nod in approval did he leave with the guards."Who would have thought—you understand both medicine and the human heart?"Su Zheyun fell a step behind, walking beside him, raising an eyebrow with a smile. "I simply understand history."Jiang Weixu gave her a long, searching look. His black shoes had already been splattered with mud from all the walking, yet he paid it no mind.Thunder crackled at their ears, and a serpentine bolt of lightning illuminated the path beneath their feet for a brief instant. The black clouds gathered ever thicker."Your Highness," Su Zheyun jogged two steps to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with him, "it's about to rain. Let's quickly find a place to take shelter."Guan Yang, who had been nearby, also drew closer. "Your Highness, there's an abandoned, dilapidated temple up ahead. Why not take shelter there for now, and once the carriage from the residence arrives, we can return home.""Very well, let's hurry then."The group rushed toward the temple. The outline of the building was already in sight when the rain came down first.The rain fell urgently, pattering down upon them. Su Zheyun quickly raised her hand to shield herself, but it was of no use—by the time she reached the temple, she was soaked through like a drowned chicken.The temple was small, a wild shrine built by the common folk. The vermilion couplets pasted on the door had long since peeled away completely, revealing the grayish-white bare wood beneath.Her hair was plastered into a wet mess, stray strands sticking messily to her face. Her clothes, inside and out, had absorbed all the water. She casually wrung them out, and large droplets came cascading down."Ugh!" The first rain she'd encountered in the capital had certainly given her a rude welcome. She sighed inwardly. Inside the temple, Guan Yang had already started a fire. Jiang Weixu sat before the flames and beckoned to her, so she dragged her heavy body over."Take off your clothes and dry them by the fire. Wearing wet garments invites the wind-cold." By the fire, Jiang Weixu had already removed his outer robes, leaving only a thin inner garment clinging to his body, the muscles of his abdomen faintly visible.Guan Yang had already gone out to contact the others. Su Zheyun quickly shook her head, removing only her cloak and placing it beside his clothes. Her face felt hot—it must have been from sitting too close to the fire."There's no one else here. You needn't be shy. If you come down with a fever, it'll be nothing but trouble." Having said that, he was about to reach out, but remembering Su Zheyun's fear of men, he silently withdrew his hand.Su Zheyun simply shook her head, resting her chin on her knees, curling herself into a ball. "I have a strong constitution, Your Highness needn't worry."The rain poured down like a waterfall. The iron incense burner had grown a layer of rust, and the remnants of incense within had long since gone cold, leaving only a grayish-white stick protruding.The clammy clothes clung to her body, seeping a bone-piercing chill through her. Unable to hold it in, Su Zheyun's nose itched, and a sneeze scattered into the sound of the rain.A weight settled on her back—the half-dry dark outer robe had been draped over her. Su Zheyun gathered the robe around herself and murmured her thanks to Jiang Weixu."If you feel there's no one to attend to you, I can send Yutang over.""No need. My place is too small—I wouldn't want her to suffer there.""If you're short on money, you can draw from Steward Zhou. Whatever troubles you encounter, you can always tell me—especially…" He paused mid-sentence.Su Zheyun turned her head to look at him and caught the faint scent of ambergris on him."Especially the Crown Prince," he resumed, gazing at the dancing flames before him. "He has always been vindictive. Now that he's set his sights on you once, you must be even more careful in your future dealings. But since you live next to Minister Shen, if anything truly happens, you can also seek his help."Su Zheyun curved her lips into a faint smile. "Mr. Shen is quite kind—gentle and warm-hearted, and very humble before both me and Princess Qingyue.""Never mind Qingyue. She's been spoiled by Father and Mother since she was little and has never known her own limits. In a few years, when we find her a consort, he needn't be particularly clever—just docile and obedient to her, so she can continue living without a care.""Actually, the Princess's own wishes should be considered too," she said, sniffing the pleasant fragrance on the robe. "Last time, I saw the Princess and Mr. Shen getting along quite well.""Minister Shen has been renowned for his talent since childhood and is full of ambition—he wouldn't be content to be a princess's consort." His voice was steady, and the sound of rain outside had also lessened considerably. "Besides, ever since his father died in the factional strife, he's reined in his brilliance and closed off his heart. He's too clever—Qingyue wouldn't be able to handle him."Su Zheyun's thoughts drifted elsewhere as her body temperature gradually returned. "Last time, I noticed that the jade pendant the Princess wore seemed to be the same as the one you gave me."A cool breeze swept into the hall. Jiang Weixu stirred the branches in the fire, and the sharp crack of breaking wood rang out louder than before."When I was seven, the kingdom of Yiluo presented a flawless piece of jade. At that time, my mother consort was in favor, and my father the Emperor ordered skilled artisans to carve three jade pendants—one for me, one for Qingyue, and the last for my younger brother who was about to be born."His eyes reflected the blazing fire, the dancing red light like a vengeful asura from the underworld. "Later, when the Emperor left the palace on an inspection tour, my younger brother fell ill with a high fever and convulsions, but the Empress delayed the imperial physicians from treating him. In the end, he died in the bitter cold of winter, and that jade pendant was buried with him."Water droplets dripped from the eaves, and the rain gradually turned into a fine drizzle. This rain came swiftly, but it also passed quickly.Su Zheyun was momentarily struck speechless—touching upon his wound had not been her intention. She paused in thought for a moment, then spoke in a gentle tone, "The departed have already passed; surely the young prince has ascended to paradise. The living, besides cherishing his memory, must also carry on the life he left behind and live well."Jiang Weixu turned his head to look at her.Among the millions of beings in this world, a speck of dust exists but for an instant. In the profound silence, with all sounds and colors of heaven and earth fading away, his eyes reflected only that pair of autumn-water-like beautiful eyes—everything else was nothingness.Outside the temple, someone approached through the water, the rumbling of carriage wheels mingling clearly with the faint patter of rain.Guan Yang and Lu Xun appeared outside the temple. Su Zheyun rose to her feet, her face radiant as spring."Your Highness, it's time for us to step out.""Very well."He swiftly dressed and walked out of the temple.It was time for him to step out as well.

Plotting with My Wife