Zhao Nuan had two major injuries: one was her dislocated arm, and the other was her calf, which had been struck by an officer’s sword sheath.
Due to severe swelling, the old physician broke into a cold sweat before finally managing to reset her arm.
Because she had been bound for too long, some areas had poor blood circulation and turned bluish-purple, requiring incisions to drain the stagnant blood.
As for her calf, not only was it bruised, but a fist-sized hematoma had formed beneath the skin, stretching it to a semi-transparent state.
Duan Zheng felt his head spin when he saw clear water being carried in but half a basin of blood being carried out.
This nursemaid was loyal and clever, and more importantly, she was the nursemaid for the two young masters of the Hou Estate, along with that adorable little girl inside the room…
If something really happened to her, he couldn’t imagine how heartbroken these three children would be.
After addressing these two serious injuries, the physician palpated all the bones throughout her body to confirm there were no issues before proceeding to treat the external wounds.
There were many external wounds—scratches and cuts everywhere, some containing embedded twigs, mud, and other debris, which had already begun to redden and swell.
The old physician was too exhausted to continue, so he directed Shen Mingqing to clean her wounds.
The more Shen Mingqing cleaned, the more his hands trembled. He couldn’t imagine what kind of courage had sustained Zhao Nuan during her escape.
By daybreak, the white-bearded physician plopped down on the ground: “This old man is exhausted to death.”
After covering Zhao Nuan with a quilt, Duan Zheng pushed the door open and entered.
He too had stayed up all night, his eyes bloodshot.
“Old physician, old physician.” He stopped the elderly man, whose eyelids were heavy with sleep. “Could I trouble you to take a look at this little girl as well?”
Only then did Shen Mingqing notice that Yan’er had fallen asleep on a stool.
“Alright, alright, alright.” The old physician clearly knew them well, his expression one of resigned affection, like an elder dealing with youngsters.
Shen Mingqing picked Yan’er up in his arms and removed her clothes.
Unexpectedly, the little girl was in a similar state, especially her back and neck, which were covered in scratches.
“Could you prepare a scar-removing ointment for her, old sir? She’s just a little girl—it’d be best if she doesn’t end up with scars.”
“Fine.” The old physician agreed readily. “Come back in five days to collect it. Ten taels of silver.”
“So expensive! You might as well rob us.”
The old physician laughed: “The Yu Rong Paste I prepare is specially supplied to the imperial consorts in the palace. Charging you ten taels is already a favor.”
“Tch…” Shen Mingqing scoffed. “If it’s so remarkable, why didn’t any consort speak up for you when you were demoted?”
“Hey! Shen, boy, is that any way to ask for a favor?” The old physician slammed the prescription onto the table and stormed off in a huff.
Zhao Nuan slept until the evening of the next day. She bolted upright in bed like a carp leaping out of water, anxiously looking around.
“Yan’er? Yu’er?”
Outside the room, Shen Mingqing was playing with Zhou Ningyu, while Yan’er was eating a candied hawthorn berry skewer nearby.
Hearing Zhao Nuan’s voice, the little girl shoved the skewer into Shen Mingqing’s hand, snatched her younger brother, and ran into the room.
“Mom, Mom, both little brother and I are here.”
“Hey, hey, hey, you little traitor!” Shen Mingqing called after her.
Seeing that both children were safe and sound, Zhao Nuan’s frantically beating heart gradually calmed.
“Let Mom take a look at your brother.”
Zhao Nuan took Zhou Ningyu and placed him on the inner side of the bed, then lifted Yan’er onto the bed as well.
She checked Yan’er up and down, inside and out, even slipping her hands under the girl’s clothes to feel for any hidden injuries she might have missed.
Yan’er squirmed on the bed, giggling: “Hehehe… Mom, that tickles.”
Confirming that her daughter was truly unharmed, mother and daughter embraced tightly.
“Ah-woo… ma-ma ba…”
Yan’er glanced at Zhou Ningyu waving his arms and legs inside, making a funny face: “Little rascal.”
Zhao Nuan released Yan’er, picked up Zhou Ningyu, and unwrapped his swaddling clothes.
Shen Mingqing entered from outside: “Ah, he’s already been examined. The child is fine.”
“Thank you.”
Though Zhao Nuan voiced her gratitude, her hands never stopped moving.
Such is a mother’s nature—only seeing for herself could set her mind at ease.
Shen Mingqing watched from the side, thinking Zhou Ningyu resembled a piece of white rice cake in Zhao Nuan’s hands, being thoroughly kneaded inside and out.
Only after confirming both children were unharmed did Zhao Nuan turn to Shen Mingqing leaning against the door.
“Might I ask who this gentleman is…?”
“My surname is Shen.”
Zhao Nuan’s first instinct was that he belonged to the Shen Family.
But like the Zhou Family, the Shen Family had suffered high mortality rates from years of warfare, leaving them so sparsely populated they lacked any collateral branches.
Her mind rapidly sorted through possibilities, then her eyes widened: “The second young master of the Shen Family?”
The Marquise Shen Yunyi had two elder brothers.
The eldest brother Shen Yunlian died in battle at the frontier at twenty-two, leaving no children.
The second brother was the current Guardian General Shen Yunmiao, now defending Suyeg Pass, who married Lu Shi.
After giving birth to their first son Shen Yuelang, Lu Shi’s health deteriorated. Several years later, she died from massive hemorrhage while delivering their second son Shen Fengqing.
Thus, Shen Fengqing was disliked by his father from birth.
At fourteen, he was personally executed by General Shen after being accused of raping and murdering a dancing girl.
While at the Hou Estate, Zhao Nuan often heard the Marquise lament about ‘the second young master of the Shen Family’.
‘That child was clever, but unfortunately as stubborn as my brother’
‘If my nephew were still alive, how could the Sun Family spawn claim the title of capital’s most handsome man?’
‘That child was a ne’er-do-well, but also ill-fated. I don’t believe he would kill’
Zhao Nuan studied the man leaning against the door carefully. Handsome he certainly was, just with messy hair, unkempt beard, and rather slovenly appearance.
But this didn’t add up.
If it were faked death, surely the Marquise would have known?
Seeing Zhao Nuan’s constantly shifting expressions, Shen Mingqing revealed a roguish smile: “It’s exactly what you’re thinking. Also, I go by Shen Mingqing now.”
“Young Master Shen.” Seeing this, Zhao Nuan stopped puzzling over it, greeting him with this address.
Hearing she was awake, Duan Zheng came to discuss matters with her.
Today Zhao Nuan noticed Duan Zheng not only lacked one eye, but also the ear on the same side.
Judging by the raised scar on his face, it appeared his ear had been sliced off with a single blade stroke that continued down across his face.
“Uncle Duan.”
“Didn’t scare you, did it?”
Zhao Nuan shook her head: “How did this happen?”
“Ambushed on our way back to the capital with the Marquis.” Duan Zheng sat in a chair, a trace of sorrow in his recollection.
After guarding Yunzhou’s border for so many years, who would have thought he’d ultimately be wounded by his own people?
Zhao Nuan sighed. When the hares are gone, the hounds are killed; when the birds disappear, bows are stored away. Thus it has always been.
Duan Zheng didn’t wish to dwell on this, asking instead: “What are your plans going forward?”
Zhao Nuan held Zhou Ningyu and played with him: “To Suizhou.”
“Why?” Shen Mingqing frowned, “Though both are border regions, Yunzhou may not be abundant in resources, but it’s far better than Suizhou.”
“For Yu’er’s sake.” Zhao Nuan’s attitude was firm, “Though he’s nominally my son now, when the capital discovers the missing officials sent to investigate me, they’ll surely suspect me.”
“Though Yunzhou’s border general served under the old Marquis, can you guarantee how long they’ll remember the Marquis’s kindness?”
“Suizhou is a place of exile to begin with. By the time the Zhou family arrives, even if they investigate Yu’er, we can simply deny it. Who’s to say the child Chunlian is holding is Yu’er?”
“Besides, he has already reached the exile destination. Would Yuchi really make an infant retrace the journey? If that were the case, the Zhou family wouldn’t be exiled—they’d be executed.”