MSW Chapter59

96

Illness strikes like a landslide, but recovery is as slow as drawing silk.

 

Mu Peixuan, a martial artist in the prime of his youth with a robust constitution, rarely even caught a cold throughout the year. Yet, this illness descended upon him fiercely. For several days, he suffered from a persistent low-grade fever, leaving him in a constant state of drowsiness. Duan Linzhou watched with growing anxiety, deciding to stay in the room and care for Mu Peixuan without leaving his side.

 

During his illness, Mu Peixuan became incredibly clingy, needing to hold Duan Linzhou’s hand in his. If he woke up and didn’t see him, he would get out of bed to search for him.

 

It had just rained, and the weather had turned cooler. When Duan Linzhou saw Mu Peixuan in only a thin layer of clothing, his feet bare and his face pale, his heart skipped a beat. Helplessly, he could only stay by his side. Yet, the confused and feverish Mu Peixuan would still ask him, “Duan Linzhou, where did you go?”

 

Duan Linzhou held the young man’s warm and firm arm and replied, “Second Brother Lu needed to speak with me about something.”

 

Mu Peixuan asked eagerly, “What’s it about?”

 

Duan Linzhou chuckled, patiently explaining, “Some matters in the merchant guild. I’ll tell you about them when you’re fully recovered.” He then asked Mu Peixuan, “Why did you just come out like this? What if you catch another chill—”

 

Mu Peixuan pursed his lips slightly. “I woke up and didn’t see you.” He said.

 

Duan Linzhou looked at Mu Peixuan and reached out to touch his forehead. It wasn’t hot. Mu Peixuan tilted his head up to look at him, his eyes devoid of any sharpness, appearing genuinely docile. Duan Linzhou couldn’t resist gently pinching his cheek and whispered playfully, “Why have you become so clingy since you got sick, hmm? I might as well just tie you to myself.”

 

Mu Peixuan leaned his cheek against Duan Linzhou’s slightly cool palm with affection, thinking, That wouldn’t be bad at all.

 

Perhaps because he rarely took medicine, and Old Physician Ji’s prescriptions were particularly bitter, Mu Peixuan’s eyebrows and nose would wrinkle up when he drank it, making Duan Linzhou laugh. So, he instructed Liu Guang to prepare some candied fruit. As a result, Mu Peixuan would take a piece of candied fruit after his medicine and then feed one to Duan Linzhou.

 

Having drunk medicine for three years, the bitter yellow concoctions were almost like water to Duan Linzhou. Suddenly being offered a piece of candied fruit by Mu Peixuan, he found it cloyingly sweet, but he didn’t refuse.

 

Normally, he already couldn’t bear to refuse Mu Peixuan. Now, the sick Mu Peixuan seemed even more pitiful, quiet, and still. When a headache tormented him, he would take Duan Linzhou’s hand and press it against his forehead, a layer of moisture welling up in his eyes, a look Duan Linzhou had never seen before. His heart would instantly soften, and he would be utterly captivated, naturally becoming even more considerate towards Mu Peixuan.

 

When Xu Ying heard that Mu Peixuan was ill and came to visit him, he saw Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou each with a bowl of medicine and a plate of candied fruit on the table.

 

Xu Ying looked at Mu Peixuan, then at Duan Linzhou, and chuckled. “I’ve seen people having fun together, but never seen them taking medicine together.”

 

He said to Mu Peixuan, “Your Highness, you are indeed extraordinary. This could be considered sharing joys and hardships together.”

 

Mu Peixuan was speechless.

 

He glanced at Xu Ying and said, “Did you come to visit the sick or to find amusement?”

 

Xu Ying raised his hand as if taking an oath. “Heaven and earth bear witness, the moment I heard you were ill, I came here without stopping. Look—” He shook the oiled paper bag in his hand. “I even made a special detour to Bazhen Fang to bring you emerald bean cakes and lotus pastries.”

 

Bazhen Fang was a long-established shop in Ruizhou, specializing in pastries. Their pastries were sweet but not cloying, and many people bought them. They often sent servants to buy them.

 

Mu Peixuan thanked him. Xu Ying plopped down, looked at Mu Peixuan’s face, and asked, “Are you feeling better? How did you suddenly get sick?”

 

Mu Peixuan replied, “A cold entered my body, but I’m much better now.”

 

Xu Ying said, “Then that’s good. You really gave me a fright. In all these years, you haven’t even had a minor cold, let alone a serious illness. This sudden bout…” He rambled on, “You must take your medicine properly and not rely on your youth to avoid leaving any lingering health issues.”

 

Mu Peixuan said, “Xu Ying, when did you become so long-winded?”

 

Xu Ying chuckled in exasperation and said to Duan Linzhou, “Boss Duan, look at our Xiao Junwang. He really doesn’t appreciate kindness at all.”

 

Duan Linzhou looked at them with a smile and said, “His Highness is ill. Xu Qianhu, please be understanding.”

 

Xu Ying was speechless.

 

Being sick is so great, huh?

 

Xu Ying didn’t stay long in Wen’an Courtyard. Mu Peixuan still needed rest. When Duan Linzhou offered to see him off, Mu Peixuan stood up as well, clearly intending to go along. This sight inexplicably made Xu Ying’s teeth ache. He waved his hands and said, “Don’t bother seeing me off, I’ll go myself.”

 

With that, he scurried away as if his feet were oiled.

 

Duan Linzhou couldn’t help but smile. Mu Peixuan’s expression remained unchanged, not feeling the slightest bit embarrassed by his actions. He hooked his fingers into Duan Linzhou’s palm and said, “He’s gone.”

 

Duan Linzhou chuckled. “Xu Ying means well.”

 

Mu Peixuan didn’t seem to care much. “Do you believe me if I say he’ll go back and immediately climb the wall to cry to Fang Yuan?”

 

Duan Linzhou burst out laughing.

 

Mu Peixuan’s constitution was strong. By the third day, he had recovered significantly. On this day, Li Yixin suddenly came to Wen’an Courtyard.

 

In just a few days, Li Yixin had lost a noticeable amount of weight. She looked at Mu Peixuan and said, “Thank you for your trouble during those days.”

 

Mu Peixuan was taken aback. He looked at her, shook his head, and said, “You’re too kind, Sao-zi.”

 

The few of them sat in silence for a moment. Mu Peixuan said softly, “Big Brother is gone. Sao-zi, you still have Jinyu and Jintang. You must take good care of yourself.”

 

Li Yixin was silent for a while, then forced a smile. “I understand, I understand…” she said, “I still have Jinyu and Jintang. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything rash.”

 

Mu Peixuan didn’t know what to say.

 

Suddenly, he heard Li Yixin ask, “Ah Xuan, let me ask you something. Did your elder brother… did he suffer when he passed?”

 

Ruizhou had also experienced a bout of the plague, but it was within a controllable range, and Li Yixin hadn’t witnessed it firsthand. However, the plague was a serious matter. She had heard the servants in the mansion talk about it with terrified expressions, mentioning the red rashes and the patients constantly vomiting blood, suffering immensely. Just imagining the gentle and refined Mu Peizhi becoming like that was like a knife twisting in Li Yixin’s heart.

 

Mu Peixuan’s mind conjured up the image of Mu Peizhi before his passing. His fingers tightened within his sleeves as he said, “Big Brother was a martial artist. Although he couldn’t withstand the plague, he passed away with dignity—”

 

His words were carefully chosen to avoid the most painful details. However, Li Yixin seemed to find solace in them. Her eyes were red as she murmured, “Then that’s good, then that’s good.” She turned her face away. Duan Linzhou, who was beside her, offered a handkerchief. She thanked him softly. After a moment, her emotions stabilized, and she looked at Mu Peixuan. “Did your elder brother have any last words to say?”

 

Mu Peixuan looked at Li Yixin’s young and gentle face. She was about the same age as his elder brother, not yet thirty. He hesitated for a moment and then said softly, “Big Brother said… he wanted you to take good care of yourself. And in the future, if you meet a good man…”

 

“…You don’t need to remain a widow for him.”

 

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Yixin burst into tears.

 

She wept uncontrollably. Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou didn’t know how to comfort her. They simply exchanged a glance and gently shook their heads.

 

After a long while, Li Yixin finally suppressed the sorrow in her heart. She wiped away her tears and gazed absently at the sunlight slanting through the window. “When I first learned that my father wanted to marry me into the Marquis Mansion, I was very scared,” she said, whether to Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou or just to herself. “My father had just been transferred out of the capital then, unfamiliar with the place, and I had to marry so far away in Ruizhou… later, there was something I needed to discuss with my father, so I hid behind the screen wall and secretly took a look at him.”

 

“Your elder brother noticed and looked over,” Li Yixin lowered her eyes and said. “I was so startled, but when I looked at your elder brother, I forgot everything else.”

 

“Later, I thought, it has to be this person.”

 

Li Yixin shook her head. “Your elder brother told me to remarry, but I’ve already seen the best person. How could I possibly take a liking to anyone else?”

 

Mu Peixuan and Duan Linzhou were both taken aback, looking at the composed and gentle Kunze before them, a touch of emotion in their eyes.

 

Mu Peixuan wanted to say something to comfort Li Yixin, the words reached his lips, and, for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to speak them.

 

Li Yixin said to Mu Peixuan, “Ah Xuan, you don’t need to worry about me.” She looked at the pale-faced young man and continued, “Don’t take those words Mother said to heart. Lord Marquis’s death had nothing to do with you.”

 

“You and Lord Marquis are blood-related brothers. His passing must be hard on you too. And if you hadn’t gone in time to relieve the siege of Fengzhou, Ruizhou might even be under the rebels’ blades today, and Lord Marquis… Lord Marquis wouldn’t have been able to return to Ruizhou,” Li Yixin said. “Mother was just confused and angry. I’ll slowly explain things to her.”

 

Mu Peixuan looked at Li Yixin, shook his head, and said, “There’s no need, Sao-zi.”

 

Ever since his mother had called him a jinx and accused him of causing Mu Peizhi’s death, she had completely severed the deep-seated longing and filial affection Mu Peixuan held for her.

 

No mother in this world would harbor such great malice towards her own child. His mother didn’t love him and never would. That was an established fact, it was unchangeable. There was no need for Li Yixin to wade into this murky water.

 

It was better to leave it at that.

 

“Not being able to bring Big Brother back properly, I do feel guilty towards you, towards Jinyu and Jintang, towards Mother and even towards my father. But I never thought of harming Big Brother,” Mu Peixuan said calmly and softly. “Since things have come to this, I won’t force it.”

 

Li Yixin looked at him for a long time before replying, “Alright.”

 

After Li Yixin left, Duan Linzhou asked Mu Peixuan, “Have you truly let it go?”

 

Mu Peixuan nodded. “You were right,” he said. “Perhaps there was a lack of fate between my mother and me. We were never meant to be mother and son.”

 

Duan Linzhou looked at Mu Peixuan and sighed inwardly, unable to resist reaching out to stroke his hair. Mu Peixuan tilted his face up, grasped Duan Linzhou’s wrist, his wrist bones delicate, his skin pale, and held it tightly before playfully biting it.

 

Duan Linzhou chuckled, rubbing his lips. “Why do you even bite people?”

 

Mu Peixuan simply bit down on his finger, looking up at Duan Linzhou from below, his eyes filled with undisguised admiration and affection, as fervent as the midday sun. It made Duan Linzhou’s adam apple bob. He slipped his hand into Mu Peixuan’s mouth, gently teasing his wet tongue, and said in a low voice, “I’ll eat you up.”

 

A smile bloomed in Mu Peixuan’s eyes as well.