Сhарtеr 23: Thе Сlоud-Lаcquer Wоod Brush Was Aсtuаlly Ехсhаngеd for а Jаdе Pendаnt!
Shеn Mingshu, whо had been сoрying lecturе notеs, curlеd hеr lip in disgust upоn hearing this.
Thоugh shе nо lоnger cаrеd, shе hаd to admit thаt Xiаo Zheng hаd never givеn her anуthing truly valuablе.
Тhеy hаd grоwn up togethеr sincе сhildhood, аnd she had sрent nеаrlу all hеr girlhood уears with him.
Lin Qingуаn hаd only entered Chengwen Асademy at thе bеginning of this yeаr аfter passing the entrance exam due to her exceptional musical skills.
She and Xiao Zheng had known each other for merely a few months, yet Xiao Zheng treated her better than he had treated Shen Mingshu in all their ten years together.
In the past, such words would have deeply saddened her.
But after being reborn, she had reflected on many things.
In her previous life, after marrying into the Xiao family, the Madam of the Xiao household managed the household affairs and would give her some fabric each month for her to make clothes.
Yet whenever she wore those clothes, her skin would easily turn red.
It was only then that she realized: back in her maiden days, because her skin was too delicate, she couldn’t wear even slightly coarse fabrics.
Jiang Xun had specially sought out a silk shop in Jiangnan, which delivered gauze and silk fabrics to her every month—fabrics as fine as cicada wings, softer than clouds and rainbows, which had to be soaked in fragrant dew for three days before tailoring.
Then the fabrics would be sent to Moonweave Pavilion to be made into new clothes before being delivered to her.
Jiang Xun had truly taken excellent care of her.
Shen Residence, evening meal.
These past few days, attending classes during the day and sewing clothes at night had taken a toll on Shen Mingshu. Her complexion grew increasingly poor, and her slender, pale fingers trembled so much she could barely hold her chopsticks steady.
Jiang Xun glanced at her, his eyes filled with concern.
“This won’t do,” he said, setting down his teacup. “I’ll go invite Dr. Meng to examine you in a moment.”
Shen Mingshu did not resist this time and agreed directly.
She, too, could sense that something was wrong with her body.
After the meal, she stood up and said she was returning to Little Round Studio.
Just as she stepped out of the hall, she suddenly swayed and collapsed forward.
“Mingshu!”
Jiang Xun panicked instantly, darting forward in a flash to catch her in his arms.
His heart seemed to skip half a beat.
The person in his arms had a burning forehead, a face as pale as paper, and shallow, weak breaths—as if she might vanish from his embrace at any moment.
Jiang Xun was utterly distraught.
“Go fetch Dr. Meng! Hurry!”
He scooped her up in his arms and strode swiftly toward her courtyard.
Inside Little Round Studio, the lamplight was dim, and the bed curtains hung softly.
Shen Mingshu lay on the bed, her cheeks flushed with an unnatural redness, while her lips were frighteningly pale.
Dr. Meng sat by the bedside, his brow furrowed deeply as he gently pressed his fingertips to her pulse.
“The Second Young Miss is suffering from intense heart-fire, which has disturbed her five viscera, leading to fever and fainting. Her qi and blood were already deficient to begin with, and this illness struck suddenly, with a high fever—it is truly dangerous.”
Stroking his beard, he found it strange. “I’ve watched the Second Young Miss grow up. In my memory, her constitution has always been stable, never falling so severely ill before.”
Upon hearing this, Xiao Tang’s eyes immediately reddened. “It must be because of that jade pendant!”
She explained anxiously, “The Young Miss was perfectly fine all along. It was only after she took off the jade that she started feeling unwell…”
“Jade pendant?” Jiang Xun turned to Xiao Tang, his voice lowering. “What jade pendant?”
Xiao Tang choked back a sob. “It’s the jade the Young Miss used to wear every day. It was given by an enlightened monk when she was born, specifically to protect the Second Young Miss’s safety.”
“Before her mother passed away that year, she instructed the Second Young Miss to wear it close to her body every day. The Young Miss had worn it faithfully all these years, but ever since she took it off that day…”She lifted her sleeve to wipe her tears. “It’s only been a few days, and the young lady has already fallen ill.”
Jiang Xun’s gaze fell on Shen Mingshu’s face, pale and almost translucent.
He remembered that piece of jade. Before her death, Lady Shen had said that this child’s fate was too weak and needed to be anchored by jade.
“Where is that piece of jade now?”
Xiao Tang sobbed, “That piece of jade was taken away.”
“Taken away?” Jiang Xun frowned. “By whom?”
“It was all because of that brush,” Xiao Tang explained frantically. “To buy the brush, the young lady sought out Mr. Zhang and offered five thousand taels of silver, but Mr. Zhang refused. Instead, he took a fancy to the precious jade the young lady wore close to her body.”
“To buy the Cloud Lacquerwood Brush, the young lady gave him her own mutton-fat jade…”
As her words fell, the room suddenly fell silent.
Jiang Xun stood frozen in place, unmoving. Only one sentence echoed in his mind.
“The young lady gave him her own mutton-fat jade…”
That jade was the protective talisman Lady Shen had left her before her death. She had worn it for over a decade, never parting with it day or night.
Yet she had…
She had actually exchanged that long-cherished protective jade pendant for a brush to give to him!
Jiang Xun’s throat tightened. He looked up at the figure on the bed, her cheeks still flushed with fever, as fragile as peach blossoms in the rain.
She had become like this for his sake…
A surge of warmth filled Jiang Xun’s chest, overwhelming emotions rising within him, nearly drowning him entirely.
Qing He was also completely stunned.
When he first saw the Cloud Lacquerwood Brush, he had merely marveled that the Second Young Lady had finally begun to care for His Lordship.
Only now did he realize that the brush had been exchanged for something so precious…
Good heavens.
The night was deep, and the candle flame flickered.
Jiang Xun sat by the bedside, placing a damp cloth on the young girl’s forehead.
The cloth had only just been replaced but was already scalding hot from the fever.
Shen Mingshu slept restlessly, her brows slightly furrowed, strands of hair clinging messily to her temples.
Yet even in illness, she remained breathtakingly beautiful.
He reached out to brush aside the damp hair on her forehead, a sour ache swelling in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
How could she be so good to him, so good…
Just then, the door was pushed open, and Qing He entered quickly, his footsteps light.
“My lord, I’ve found out. That Mr. Zhang did indeed arrive in Yecheng a few days ago. It’s said he brought his daughter to seek treatment from a reclusive physician. He’s currently staying in a small courtyard outside Yecheng.”
Yecheng was only a hundred miles from the capital. Traveling day and night, one could reach it in a day.
“Make the arrangements. We’ll set off first thing tomorrow morning.”
Qing He nodded in acknowledgment. “Yes.”
The room fell quiet once more.
Jiang Xun stood up, soaked a cloth in cool water, wrung it out, and placed it back on Shen Mingshu’s forehead. As he turned, his gaze caught the fabric spread open on the table.
It was an unfinished garment, the stitches fine and meticulous, the edges neatly pressed, and all loose threads tucked away.
The fabric was water-cloud satin, its color subdued and elegant, clearly intended for a man.
Who was this meant for?