Qiao Chu

The autumn scenery in the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion was richly painted.

However, the mansion no longer held its former liveliness. Prince Zhongshan's family members had been imprisoned, awaiting exile, while the servants had already been sold off.

Walking through it felt exceptionally quiet.

"Your Majesty, look—there's even a hot spring here," A Le exclaimed in delight, pointing ahead.

Now that the main generals and officials were working at the prefectural government office, the Empress had taken up residence in the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion. Although she had more affairs requiring her attention, it was still much more relaxed compared to wartime, allowing her to stroll through the mansion.

During their previous two visits, they hadn't had this opportunity.

Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze from the artificial hill nearby and looked at the hot spring, smiling as she remarked, "Prince Zhongshan certainly knew how to enjoy life."

A Le hurried over and tested the water with her hand. "Should we have A Jiu soak in the hot spring? Would it be good for his health?"

Chu Zhao shook her head with a smile. "It's best for him to stay indoors away from sunlight while he recovers. If we put him in water to soak, he might faint right away."

Then she added, "He should be waking up around now."

With that, she turned and walked away. "Let's go check on him. It's time for his medicine."

A Le quickly stood up from the hot spring pool. "Miss, you just came out—it's not like he can't take his medicine himself!"

But Chu Zhao had already walked off without looking back.

A Le stamped her foot in frustration, then took another look at the beautiful surroundings. "We've been staying in the Zhongshan Prince's Mansion for so many days, yet I still haven't gotten a proper look at what the mansion is like. It seems this third visit won't give me the chance either."

Sighing, she hurried after her mistress.

Inside the mansion's rooms, it was even quieter. Xie Yanlai slowly opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused as if he couldn't distinguish between dream and reality. The strong scent of medicine filled his nostrils...

When he had been hidden under Deng Yi's bed, to conceal the presence of an extra person and allow for immediate administration of medicine, Deng Yi—claiming his own injury from an assassination attempt—had practically filled the room with medications.

"How long did I sleep?"

"Which medicines are for today?"

"Is the congee ready? Has today's chicken soup been prepared? Let me taste it first—he complained it was too salty yesterday."

Fragments of women's voices drifted from outside the door. Xie Yanlai's scattered gaze gradually focused, shining with vitality. His throat felt slightly itchy, and he coughed lightly. The murmuring voices immediately ceased, replaced by hurried footsteps approaching the bedside.

"You're awake."

Chu Zhao leaned over him with a cheerful smile, not waiting for a response before turning to give orders. "Bring the medicine quickly."

Xie Yanlai frowned. "Making me take medicine right after waking up? Medicine all day long—these past few days I've taken more medicine than in an entire month. I'd rather have Deng Yi taking care of me."

Chu Zhao smiled and sat on the edge of the bed, deftly yet gently helping him sit up and lean against the headboard. "Deng Yi had no choice. He couldn't call a physician to see you, so he could only randomly give you whatever medicine was available. He couldn't use too much either, afraid of being discovered. You're lucky you didn't die from his treatments."

A Le brought over the bowl of medicinal soup and handed it directly to Chu Zhao, not bothering to offer to take over herself. She knew it would be useless—her assistance wasn't needed here. After setting up the small kang table and arranging a row of small dishes containing dried and fresh fruits, she stepped aside.Chu Zhao held the medicine bowl, feeding Xie Yanlai while snorting, "You're grateful to him? He wasn't looking after you—he was using you as a bargaining chip. He didn't give me any warning beforehand. If I had killed him outright, what about you? You'd have struggled alone and eventually died under his bed. And when I spared his life, his first question was whether his mother was still alive. Only after learning she was did he offer to trade his life for yours. If I'd said his mother was gone, you'd have died in that bed too."

The woman's voice chattered in his ear. Xie Yanlai seemed to hear it, yet not quite grasp it. Only one thought circled in his mind.

Back then, Deng Yi had said, "You're lucky to have met her."

Logically, he should have considered meeting Deng Yi his good fortune, since Deng Yi saved him.

Now he understood what that meant.

Because Deng Yi knew she would show him mercy and wouldn't harm his mother, he saved him to repay the debt...

Hmm... Deng Yi only revealed his whereabouts after confirming his mother's survival. To Deng Yi, his mother's life was most precious—so was this trading his most precious for her most precious?

Deng Yi believed he was her most precious.

Eh? He was her most precious?!

He—

"Ah, you're so well-behaved today," Chu Zhao said cheerfully. "You finished the medicine so quickly."

Whether from his distracted thoughts or the medicine itself, Xie Yanlai started coughing.

"Was the sip too big? Are you choking? Is it too bitter?" Chu Zhao hurriedly patted his back and picked up a piece of preserved fruit from the table to pop into his mouth. "Have some candy."

Xie Yanlai, torn between irritation and amusement, grabbed her arm to stop her. "I'm coughing! Trying to choke me more by feeding me?"

Chu Zhao laughed. "I don't know any better—I've never waited on anyone before."

Smooth talker, Xie Yanlai snorted.

Seeing his cough subside, Chu Zhao waved her hand—still gripped by Xie Yanlai—and said, "Have a piece. The medicine really is awful."

Xie Yanlai watched her hand hover near his lips and instinctively opened his mouth. Then he noticed his own hand clutching her wrist—so slender and soft, it seemed it might snap with a little pressure...

He released her as if burned, took the preserved fruit from her hand, tossed it into his own mouth, and looked away.

"Tired?" Chu Zhao stood to support him. "Lie down." Then asked, "Want something to eat? I've stewed chicken soup and made wontons..."

She softly listed the dishes she'd prepared.

Xie Yanlai turned back, frowning. "Isn't the Empress busy? Why spend all day here with me?"

Chu Zhao replied, "My most important duty now is caring for General Xie."

Her smiling lips seemed the same as her usual playful grin, yet somehow different... or perhaps it wasn't her that had changed, but his own heart. Xie Yanlai looked away again. "Thank you for Your Majesty's grace."

He paused.

"I didn't kill Xiao Xun for you."

So she didn't need to treat him like this.

"I know," Chu Zhao said softly. "You did it for yourself—because your heart compelled you."

Xie Yanlai glanced at her but, as always, found it hard not to smile when speaking with her. Suppressing a laugh, he said, "So you don't need to be so indebted to me.""I'm not feeling eternally grateful to you," Chu Zhao said, pressing a hand to her chest with utmost seriousness. "I take care of you for my own heart's sake."

Her heart! What does her heart want! Xie Yanlai's own heart skipped a beat, and he exclaimed, "What nonsense are you spouting now? What does your heart have to do with me?"

Immediately after speaking, he regretted it.

He was the one talking nonsense—what kind of words were these?

Chu Zhao pursed her lips into a smile, neither pressing the issue nor answering what her heart had to do with him. "Alright, lie down first. I have something to tell you."

What now? Xie Yanlai didn't refuse, allowing Chu Zhao to support him as he slowly lay back.

Neither spoke, and the room fell into silence. It was rare for the two of them to share such a quiet moment. Xie Yanlai couldn't shake the feeling that the atmosphere was somewhat strange—perhaps because she had helped him lie down, bringing them uncomfortably close. His gaze inevitably fell on her face.

Pale, delicate, with clear, luminous eyes and brows like rare, flawless jade—nothing like the girl who had once feigned foolishness at the relay station.

She had grown up...

Four years had passed already. How quickly time flew.

A hand touched his face, startling Xie Yanlai back to awareness. A soft sigh reached his ears—the girl was studying his face too.

"You've grown so thin you're barely recognizable," she said. "Not as handsome as you used to be."

Xie Yanlai was both annoyed and amused. "Nonsense! I've always been good-looking!" He pushed her hand away in embarrassment. "Stop touching me."

Chu Zhao withdrew her hand with a laugh and sat down.

"I've been thinking about some things these past few days," she said, her gaze gentle as she looked at him. "Xie Yanlai, this time, you should just die."