Luo Tan woke once during the night.
As it happened, while Shen Xin and his party were searching all over Fixed Capital for Shen Miao's whereabouts, Luo Ling—who had been watching over Luo Tan and Gao Yang at the residence—suddenly received a report from his subordinates. They claimed to have spotted suspicious activity in the western part of the city. Thinking of Shen Miao, Luo Ling entrusted Luo Tan to Gao Yang and hurried to the west with his men.
The room was now left with only Luo Tan and Gao Yang.
When Luo Tan awoke, only two maids were attending to her—Shen Miao's Bailu and Shuangjiang. Seeing her awake, they were overjoyed and said, "Young Mistress, you're finally awake!"
Luo Tan felt her body somewhat heavy. Lifting the blanket, she saw a strip of white cloth wrapped around her undergarment. Bailu, noticing her concern, assumed she was worried about scarring and reassured her, "Young Mistress, surviving such a calamity means great fortune awaits. The wound was quite severe at the time—it frightened the master and mistress terribly. They called many physicians, but none could help. In the end, it was Imperial Physician Gao from the palace who proved most skilled. Not only that, he left behind a prescription. If you apply the medicine according to the formula, the scar will be very faint—almost invisible."
Luo Tan rubbed her temples, recalling bits of what had happened, and asked, "How long was I unconscious?"
"Young Mistress, you were out for nearly three days," Shuangjiang replied.
"Three days?" Luo Tan was startled. Suddenly remembering something, she asked anxiously, "What about my cousin? Has she been found?"
Bailu and Shuangjiang's expressions darkened as they shook their heads.
Luo Tan's heart sank. She asked, "How are Aunt and Uncle holding up?"
"The city is under lockdown. The master and mistress have been searching everywhere for the young lady, but there's been no news," Shuangjiang said. "Right now, we don't even know how she's doing."
"Three days—how can there still be no news after three days? Those people aren't sorcerers; they couldn’t have just made her vanish into thin air!" Luo Tan exclaimed agitatedly.
Bailu and Shuangjiang exchanged glances but could only lower their heads in silence.
Luo Tan clenched her fists, her anxiety mounting. She remembered clearly seeing the two assailants knock Shen Miao unconscious and carry her into the carriage. Then... Luo Tan's thoughts stirred as she suddenly recalled what Shen Miao had said to her in the carriage.
"Remember, if you manage to escape, find a way to send word to Prince Rui's Residence. Tell them there’s a matter for negotiation—the price can be discussed later."
Shen Miao had told her in the carriage that if anything happened, she should seek out Prince Rui. Though Luo Tan couldn’t fathom how Shen Miao had any private dealings with Prince Rui of Great Coolness, she knew from their two years in Xiaochun City that Shen Miao was not one to act without reason. She stood up abruptly, intending to leave, which startled Bailu and Shuangjiang. They hurried to support her, saying, "Young Mistress, what do you mean to do? Let us handle it. Your injury hasn’t healed yet—don’t risk reopening the wound."
As Luo Tan stood, she felt a wave of weakness, likely from lying in bed too long. Her legs felt unsteady, which frustrated her—she had always prided herself on her martial prowess and robust health. Yet she insisted, "There’s something I must do. Don’t stop me."
Before she could finish, an unfamiliar male voice came from outside: "Where do you think you're going?"Luo Tan looked up to see a young man walking in from outside. Dressed in white robes, he had the air of an elegant gentleman and was quite handsome. Holding a tray, he casually placed it on a small table, then drew a fan from his waist and began to wave it leisurely as he repeated his question: "Where are you going?"
Luo Tan frowned. "Who is he?"
Shuangjiang quickly explained, "This is Imperial Physician Gao from the palace. He's the one who treated Young Miss Shen and restored her health. He's currently staying at our Shen residence to administer acupuncture and change her dressings."
Luo Tan's brows knitted tighter. Though she possessed a somewhat masculine temperament and lacked the delicate softness typical of women, she shared the same appreciation for beautiful things as countless other women. Back in Xiaochun City, whenever there was a handsome young actor on stage, Luo Tan would even drag Shen Miao along to reward him, which showed how much importance she placed on a man's appearance. Under normal circumstances, encountering such a dashing young man in white, Luo Tan might have been more amiable. But now, with her mind preoccupied with Shen Miao, even if she met a celestial being, she wouldn't have the heart to admire them. She said bluntly, "Physician Gao, I have urgent matters to attend to."
Gao Yang was momentarily taken aback. He had been addressed as "Lord Gao" or "Imperial Physician Gao," but never as "Physician Gao." It made him feel like some common clinic doctor, the kind who would hastily grab a medical kit and rush out when summoned—a mere barefoot physician.
For someone as fastidious and self-respecting as Gao Yang, this was nearly unbearable.
He gave Luo Tan another glance. Unlike the fair and delicate women of the capital, her complexion had a healthy wheat-like hue. Even in her weakened state, standing there, she exuded vitality like a thriving plant, with a straightforward charm. Her frown as she glared at Gao Yang made her striking features even more pronounced. This was the first time Gao Yang had encountered someone who, just three days after being stabbed, could be so full of energy. Recalling the shock he had felt when he first saw Luo Tan's injuries, he couldn't help but marvel. Such wounds would be hard for even a man to endure, yet Luo Tan, a young woman, had stubbornly held on until she was found—her will to survive was truly remarkable.
Gao Yang considered himself someone who cherished beauty and grace, but he disliked women like Shen Miao, whose cunning and ruthlessness made her a terrifying tigress, and he equally disliked Luo Tan's rough, stubborn, and utterly un-feminine toughness. He immediately retorted, "General Shen and his wife entrusted me with your treatment. I've healed you, but if you run around and relapse, I won't bear the blame for ineffective treatment. So, I must ask you not to move about recklessly."
Luo Tan, anxious, forced herself to explain patiently, "I have urgent business outside. I'll personally explain it to Aunt and Uncle Shen later. This has nothing to do with you. Is that acceptable?"
"Unacceptable," Gao Yang said. "As an 'Imperial Physician,' I must take responsibility for my patients." He emphasized the words "Imperial Physician" heavily, hoping Luo Tan would understand that he was not some common clinic doctor.
Luo Tan failed to notice his emphasis and instead grew even more irritated. Exasperated, she snapped, "Who are you, a mere doctor, to control me?"
"First, I am an Imperial Physician. Second, before Luo Ling left, he entrusted you to my care. If you truly have urgent matters, I can handle them for you. Just tell me what they are."Luo Tan bit her lip. Shen Miao had told her that the matter regarding Prince Rui must absolutely not be revealed to anyone else—it was only because Shen Miao trusted Luo Tan that she had confided in her. Luo Tan had always been stubborn, and given Prince Rui's sensitive status, she knew this must never be exposed to outsiders, not even Shen Miao's maids. She glared fiercely at Gao Yang.
"If the young lady has changed her mind, it would be best to take the medicine first. Once you recover sooner, you can naturally attend to important matters," Gao Yang said with a smile.
Luo Tan had Bailu bring the medicine bowl and downed it in one go with a series of gulps, displaying an almost heroic air. After finishing, she slammed the bowl down with a "thud" and said to Gao Yang, "There! Satisfied?"
"I am impressed," Gao Yang clasped his hands in salute. Bitter medicine was good for the body, but the brew prepared for Luo Tan, given the severity of her injuries, was especially foul—even the smell alone was unbearable. Yet Luo Tan drank it without batting an eye, earning silent admiration for her iron-willed resilience.
Luo Tan declared, "I need to rest now. Physician Gao, please leave as soon as possible. Bailu, Shuangjiang, you two may withdraw as well. I can't sleep with people in the room—it's too noisy."
Gao Yang, still smiling, exited with the two maids.
Once everyone had left, Luo Tan stood up and hurried to the window to peek outside. Bailu and Shuangjiang were sweeping the courtyard on the other side. Quickly, she rummaged through the room for her outer robe and cloak, throwing them on in a few swift motions. After a moment's thought, she also gathered several bottles of topical medicine from the table and tucked them into her sleeves. Then, she dragged a stool to the window and began climbing out!
When it came to sneaking out for fun, Luo Tan and her younger brother Luo Qian had honed their skills to perfection back in Xiaochun City. By the end, even if Luo Liantai locked them in their rooms with iron chains, the siblings would still find a way to pick the locks and carry on as usual.
So being confined to the Shen residence didn't faze Luo Tan in the slightest. The urgent matter now was to reach Prince Rui's Residence and find Prince Rui. Luo Tan firmly believed Shen Miao's words—she was convinced that as long as she found Prince Rui, Shen Miao could be saved.
However, the wound on her waist was indeed not fully healed, and even slight movements tugged painfully at it. Luo Tan ignored the discomfort, pressing one hand to the injury as she successfully climbed out the window. With practiced ease, she found a secluded corner of the courtyard, pushed aside the weeds by the wall to reveal a dog hole, and crawled through without hesitation.
Luo Tan performed all this effortlessly, unaware of a figure in white standing in the distance, gaping in astonishment at her actions.
Gao Yang could hardly believe his eyes.
Even if the Luo family was a military aristocratic family, even if Xiaochun City had a bold and unrestrained culture, even if... Luo Tan was still a young lady from an official household. Climbing out windows and crawling through dog holes—how did she even come up with such ideas? Gao Yang had thought Shen Miao was already an anomaly in Ming Qi, but it seemed her cousin was no less extraordinary. Truly, birds of a feather flock together. Shaking his head, he followed after her nonetheless.
Luo Tan was going mad.
Afraid of alerting others, she hadn't taken a carriage from the Shen residence when leaving. Now that she was outside, it was inconvenient to hire another one, leaving her no choice but to walk. Though Prince Rui's Residence wasn't terribly far from the Shen estate, for someone who had just clawed her way back from the brink of death, the distance felt unbearably long.
Yet Luo Tan refused to give up.The Luo family's descendants had always been known for their resilience and ability to joke around. Even Luo Qian, who was usually carefree and playful, could hold his ground when things turned serious. Luo Sui had taught the younger generation since childhood the family motto of never giving up. That was why Luo Tan, despite feeling dizzy and struggling to walk, never once thought of giving up midway.
Gao Yang watched from afar. At first, he lazily fanned himself with a folding fan, as if merely observing a spectacle, but by the end, even his fanning had stopped.
The young girl was completely wrapped in a cloak, making it hard for others to see her clearly, but Gao Yang noticed every detail. Luo Tan was trembling uncontrollably, stopping every few steps to lean against the wall and rest. No one knew better than Gao Yang how severe Luo Tan's injuries were. Earlier in the Shen residence, though he had deliberately teased her, what he said wasn't wrong. Luo Tan's wounds could easily reopen, and pulling at them would undoubtedly be excruciating. He could almost picture the beads of sweat constantly forming on her forehead.
What was surprising, however, was that Luo Tan never stopped. Every time Gao Yang thought she had paused for too long and wouldn't continue, she would push forward again. This piqued Gao Yang's curiosity—he wanted to see what Luo Tan was so desperate to do that she would crawl out despite her condition.
The short distance seemed agonizingly long, and Luo Tan missed the days when she could skip and jump freely. When the words "Prince Rui's Residence" finally came into view, her legs gave way, and she nearly collapsed.
But she didn't fall—because a pair of hands caught her from behind.
Luo Tan turned her head and saw the elegantly dressed "Dr. Gao," fan in hand, helping her up.
"You followed me?" Luo Tan shook off his hand, furious.
"Indeed," Gao Yang admitted cheerfully. "You went through all this trouble just to come to Prince Rui's Residence? What do you want with Prince Rui?" He had already guessed Luo Tan's purpose. He had never heard Xie Jingxing mention Luo Tan, so the only connection between them had to be Shen Miao. Luo Tan was likely here for Shen Miao's whereabouts.
Luo Tan eyed Gao Yang warily, her anxiety growing. She hadn't expected to run into him at such a critical moment, leaving her both frustrated and angry. This man, who appeared refined, had actually stooped to the underhanded act of following someone. She berated herself for being too weak to notice his presence—though she failed to realize that even at full strength, she might not have detected Gao Yang's movements.
Luo Tan quickly calculated: Shen Miao's relationship with Prince Rui absolutely could not be exposed, especially to someone from the palace. What if he reported it to Emperor Wenhui and caused trouble? It had to be said that while Luo Tan was usually oblivious, she could think far ahead when it mattered.
"Do you know Prince Rui?" Gao Yang asked.
"How could I possibly know Prince Rui?" Luo Tan retorted firmly. "His Highness is noble and exalted, while I'm just an ordinary daughter of a minor official. There's no way I'd know him!"
"Then why did you come looking for him?" Gao Yang pressed.
Luo Tan stammered, "Because... because..." Her gaze flickered to Gao Yang's face, and suddenly, inspiration struck. She blurted out loudly, "I heard rumors in the capital that Prince Rui is a peerlessly handsome man, so I wanted to see his beauty for myself!"Her grasp of literature was poor, and she often mixed up idioms, even coming up with phrases like "peerless beauty." Gao Yang couldn't help but burst into laughter upon hearing this.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Just to catch a glimpse of such beauty, you disregard your health, dragging your sickly body through all kinds of hardships to come here—all for a glimpse of beauty?" Gao Yang asked.
Luo Tan spoke with conviction, "What do you know? Truly beautiful people are rare in this world. If one exists, even a single glance is precious."
Gao Yang shook his head. "Then this humble one is also exceedingly handsome. Why doesn't the young lady look at me instead, insisting on coming here?"
"Physician Gao, self-awareness is a virtue," Luo Tan retorted. "I won't argue with you. I must go see His Highness Prince Rui." With that, she ascended the steps to the entrance of Prince Rui's Residence and said innocently, "Kindly inform His Highness that I have an urgent matter to discuss."
Gao Yang followed closely behind, exchanging a glance with the two guards. Naturally recognizing Gao Yang, the guards said nothing and opened the gates. One of them spoke, "I will escort you both inside to wait."
Luo Tan looked at Gao Yang. "Why are you here?"
Gao Yang replied, "I, too, wish to catch a glimpse of beauty. If the young lady refuses to let me in, I shall have no choice but to return to the Shen residence. When Lady Shen and General Shen inquire later—"
"Wait!" Luo Tan cut him off, glaring at him resentfully. "Fine, come in with me."
The two guards exchanged puzzled looks, utterly baffled by the situation. They had initially assumed Gao Yang had brought a young lady to Prince Rui's Residence. But now, it seemed more like... the young lady had come to Prince Rui's Residence, bringing Gao Yang along?
After waiting briefly in the main hall, about half an incense stick's time later, the masked Prince Rui appeared.
Luo Tan was anxious. Under normal circumstances, her first close encounter with Prince Rui would have been an opportunity to study him carefully. But time was of the essence—every moment wasted increased Shen Miao's peril. She glanced at Gao Yang, who was leisurely sipping tea, then addressed Prince Rui, "Your Highness, may I speak with you privately?"
To Luo Tan's nervous anticipation, Prince Rui gave a slight nod. Secretly delighted, she thought to herself that the prince wasn't as aloof as the rumors suggested.
Once they stepped aside into a secluded area, Luo Tan immediately knelt and pleaded, "Your Highness, I beg you to save my cousin!" She repeated the words Shen Miao had taught her, concluding, "Since my cousin trusts Your Highness so deeply, I, too, believe you can rescue her. Though I have nothing to offer now, the Shen family will surely repay Your Highness once she is found. I beg for your help!"
She kowtowed deeply.
Though Luo Tan had her pride, it differed from those who would rather die than kneel before outsiders. She was pragmatic—Prince Rui was, after all, royalty of Great Coolness. A kowtow was no great loss. If a few flattering words could sway him to save Shen Miao, why hesitate? She kowtowed without reservation, unaware that her action seemed to startle the prince.
"I understand," Prince Rui said.
Luo Tan felt something was off but couldn't pinpoint what. Instinctively, she asked, "Does Your Highness agree to rescue my cousin?"
Prince Rui nodded faintly."Thank you, Prince Rui!" Luo Tan joyfully kowtowed again and tried to stand up. But as soon as she rose, her vision darkened, and she collapsed to the ground, fainting.
Prince Rui was startled and instinctively reached out to catch her, calling, "Someone! Gao Yang!"
Gao Yang hurried in from outside, equally shocked. He quickly stepped forward, grasped Luo Tan's wrist to check her pulse, then sighed after a moment. "She's too weak. Brew some ginseng soup for her to drink. Once she wakes, I'll take her back to the Shen residence."
Two maids entered and helped the unconscious Luo Tan lie down on the bed. Gao Yang and Prince Rui stepped outside, where the latter spat in annoyance and abruptly removed his silver mask. "I'm suffocating! Why did you make me pretend to be Third Brother?"
This person wasn't Xie Jingxing at all—it was Ji Yushu.
"We don't know when he'll return. We can't let Luo Tan stay at Prince Rui's Residence until nightfall. If the Shen family comes looking, it'll be hard to explain. Since Xie Jingxing has already gone to investigate Shen Miao's whereabouts, you just needed to play along and send her off early," Gao Yang reasoned.
Ji Yushu waved his hand. "I can't handle this again. In all my years, this is the first time someone's knelt and kowtowed to me—I'm no Bodhisattva! Won't this shorten my lifespan? That girl is too intense. My heart nearly jumped out when she knelt just now. Luckily, nothing gave me away, or Third Brother would beat me if he found out I ruined his image."
Gao Yang remarked, "Thankfully, she's naive."
"Are you saying I didn't act well enough?" Ji Yushu snapped. "The person I impersonated got a kowtow—how is that not convincing?"
Gao Yang waved him off. "I can't be bothered to argue."
"But why did she call you 'Doctor Gao'?" Ji Yushu asked suspiciously. "Have you left the palace to become a physician now?"
Gao Yang: "..."
...
Luo Tan remained unconscious until evening. When she awoke, Gao Yang happened to be bringing her medicine. Without hesitation, she took the bowl and gulped it down in one go, her boldness making Gao Yang's lips twitch.
After finishing the medicine, Luo Tan wiped her mouth and glanced at the darkening sky outside. "I should go back. Where is Prince Rui? I need to thank him."
Gao Yang gave her a sidelong glance. "No need. Prince Rui has already left. If you want to thank him, you'll have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest."
Luo Tan was momentarily stunned, then overjoyed. She assumed Prince Rui had left so quickly to rescue Shen Miao. His swift action after hearing her plea convinced her that he was a kind and noble man, elevating her impression of him in her heart.
Gao Yang watched her sudden cheerfulness in bewilderment. "In that case, get ready to leave."
"Alright!" Luo Tan happily got up from the bed to put on her shoes, then suddenly asked, "Are you coming back with me?"
"Naturally," Gao Yang replied. "If not for the general and his wife insisting, I wouldn't stay. Many noble ladies in the palace still await my treatment." He emphasized the last part.Luo Tan looked at him with some sympathy. "Physician Gao, you're truly overworked every day. If that's the case, you should hurry back to the palace. It wouldn't be good if your duties were delayed and your pay was docked."
Gao Yang: "..."
Why did Luo Tan always make being an "Imperial Physician" sound like some menial job anyone could do? As if it held no status at all? Gao Yang couldn't fathom it. Gritting his teeth, he said, "No need. I've already taken leave from the Imperial Hospital."
Luo Tan made a sound of surprise, then rolled her eyes when she turned away, hiding her look of disdain.
A grown man with such handsome features, yet he went around stalking innocent young maidens and leering at Prince Ding's so-called "beautiful countenance." No matter how skilled his medical arts, he lacked all medical ethics—shameless! Disgusting!
In any case, Gao Yang ended up following Luo Tan back to the Shen residence. Worried about her wound acting up during the journey, he hired a carriage for the return trip.
By the time they arrived at Shen Mansion, Shen Xin and the others had already returned. Seeing the two of them, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Shen Qiu asked, "Cousin Tan, Imperial Physician Gao, where have you two been?" They had all thought Luo Tan had been kidnapped again—Shen Qiu had even suspected Gao Yang of being some kind of spy, the one who had abducted her.
"That's right, Tan'er. You're still recovering—where did you go?"
Luo Tan stiffened. There was no way she could reveal anything about Shen Miao and Prince Rui. She had to come up with an excuse. Stumbling over her words, she said, "I... I just..."
"I was the one who took her out," Gao Yang interjected with a cupped-hand salute. "Miss Luo's injuries haven't fully healed, but staying cooped up indoors all day with a gloomy mood would only hinder her recovery. I took her out for a walk—it will help her wounds heal faster."
Hearing this, Luo Xueyan's suspicious expression eased, though her tone still carried a hint of reproach as she addressed Gao Yang. "Imperial Physician Gao, your intentions were good, but next time, please inform the servants beforehand. Tan'er didn't bring a single maid with her—we thought something terrible had happened."
Gao Yang flushed with embarrassment. "My oversight. I apologize, Madam."
"Never mind, never mind," Luo Xueyan waved it off.
Luo Tan exhaled in relief. Though her gaze toward Gao Yang still lacked warmth, it was at least less hostile than before. He had taken the blame for her, and she wasn't ungrateful. The Luo family valued repaying kindness, so Luo Tan decided she would compensate him with extra consultation fees later and let bygones be bygones.
"But where is Cousin Ling?" Luo Tan craned her neck, looking around. Shen Xin, Luo Xueyan, and Shen Qiu were all present—only Luo Ling was missing.
"You weren't together?" Shen Xin frowned.
Luo Tan shook her head.
"That's strange," Luo Xueyan said. "Before we left this morning, I told Ling'er to keep an eye on you. When we returned and didn't see either of you, we assumed you'd gone out together. So it was just you and Imperial Physician Gao?"
Luo Tan nodded.
"Could Cousin have gone out to buy something?" Shen Qiu asked. "Even if he went searching for someone, it's getting late—he should be back by now."
The Shen family had a routine of gathering at the mansion in the evening to exchange information about their search efforts. Even if Luo Ling had gone out alone to look for someone, he should have returned by now.
"Could he have found her?" Luo Tan's heart skipped a beat. "Maybe Ling-ge found our little cousin, and that's why he's late?"
Shen Qiu and Luo Xueyan froze, then brightened with hope. "If that's the case, it would be wonderful."
Just then, a panicked voice rang out from outside: "Bad news! Bad news!"
Everyone turned to see one of Luo Ling's subordinates rushing in, covered in blood. "It's terrible—Young Master Ling is in trouble!"
––––––
[Author's Note: Taking a detour with this side plot. Cousin Tan seems to have chemistry with everyone, huh? (:3 」∠) ]
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