Shen Lingzhen returned to her quarters still feeling a bit downcast.
Jian Jia and Bailu exchanged glances. They tried probing her with a few gentle questions, but seeing she wasn’t willing to explain, they gave up. Following her instructions, they brought out a cross-collared narrow-sleeved ruqun that was easy to move in, along with a simple front-fastening long robe. They helped her dress layer by layer.
It wasn’t until they were tying her waist sash that she finally spoke. But what she said came out of nowhere: “They say even a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring. Then tell me, how should one repay a life-saving debt?”
Jian Jia thought for a moment. “I once heard a storyteller at the teahouse say: if the benefactor is good-looking, you offer yourself in marriage. If not, you promise to be their ox or horse in the next life.”
“And what if the one repaying the debt offers herself, but the benefactor refuses to accept it and instead treats her with suspicion and caution?”
Jian Jia immediately sensed something was off. “Has Young Madam run into some trouble?”
The details of Shen Lingzhen’s recent disappearance and rescue involved a mysterious man of unknown identity. If word got out, it would surely stir gossip and scandal. Thus, Duke Ying and the Princess Royal had tightly sealed the matter, even Jian Jia and Bailu knew nothing of this “life-saving benefactor.”
It wasn’t that Shen Lingzhen didn’t trust them. But the incident concerned Huo Liuxing’s secret, and she couldn’t make decisions on her own. Until she fully understood the situation, she dared not speak of it openly. So she offered a pretext: “It’s not about me. I came across a similar story while studying and felt sorry for the one repaying the debt.”
“Perhaps the benefactor has his own reasons for keeping his distance,” Bailu offered gently. “I think, if one truly wishes to repay a kindness, it should be done in a way that touches the heart, by respecting the benefactor’s wishes. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be turning gratitude into resentment?”
Shen Lingzhen paused, then touched her nose thoughtfully. “Maybe I was being unreasonable.”
Jian Jia immediately objected. “How could you be unreasonable? If you say it, it’s reason enough! If a girl like you offers herself in gratitude, who would dare refuse? Just point him out and I’ll chop him down!” She nudged Bailu with her elbow. “Wouldn’t you say so?”
Bailu caught on and echoed with three quick “yes”s. “Yes, yes! What I said earlier was about other people. When it comes to our Young Madam, it’s a whole different matter.” She glanced at Jian Jia. “I’ll chop him with you!”
Their antics finally drew a laugh from Shen Lingzhen. Thinking back on Bailu’s earlier words, she realized her frustration had been somewhat misplaced. Her brows relaxed, her lips curved into a smile. “My husband said he’d take me to the night market. Hurry up, you two, don’t keep him waiting.”
But as the saying goes, good things never come easy.
By the time Shen Lingzhen reached the front courtyard, she was told that Fourth Prince had arrived under the cover of night, returning from a two-day inspection of Qingzhou’s border defenses.
The night market would have to wait. First, she had to greet the honored guest.
In the main hall, Huo Liuxing and Yu Wanjiang sat to the left and right, on the lower seats. At the head sat a young man with thick brows and bright eyes, dressed in a sapphire-blue round-collared robe, chatting amiably with the two.
It was Zhao Xun.
Shen Lingzhen stepped into the hall and offered a formal greeting to Zhao Xun. “Your Highness, Fourth Prince.”
Zhao Xun feigned annoyance. “You little thing, always so proper. Where’s the fun in that? How many times have I told you, when we’re in private, just call me Cousin. Come, sit.”
She had no choice but to change her address. “Cousin,” she said softly, then turned to salute Yu Wanjiang before finally taking her seat.
Truth be told, though she had grown up around this Fourth Cousin, they were hardly close. For one, her mother had always taught her to maintain strict boundaries between subjects and royals, even among peers. For another, Zhao Xun’s personality was bold and impulsive. Though he was already past twenty, he still acted on whims and fancies. Shen Lingzhen, by contrast, was quiet and disciplined; they simply didn’t operate on the same wavelength.
Take this wedding escort trip, for instance. Upon arriving in Qingzhou, Zhao Xun had suddenly decided to inspect the border defenses on a whim. And now, late at night, he’d shown up unannounced at their residence.
Of course, being a legitimate prince of imperial blood, he didn’t really need to observe such formalities.
Zhao Xun glanced at Shen Lingzhen’s attire, then turned to Huo Liuxing. “Judging by my Cousin’s outfit, were you planning to take her out?”
Huo Liuxing nodded. “We just finished dinner. I thought I’d take her out for a walk to help with digestion.”
“That means I’ve come at the wrong time,” Zhao Xun said with a smile.
“Your Highness, not at all,” Huo Liuxing replied courteously.
“I’m not here on urgent business,” Zhao Xun continued. “Since that’s the case, why don’t I join you for a walk to help digest dinner?”
Huo Liuxing smiled modestly. “Urgent or not, Your Highness’s affairs must always take precedence.”
Zhao Xun waved his hand. “It’s not my affair, it’s yours.” As he spoke, he gave a subtle signal to one of his attendants.
The attendant bowed and left. Moments later, a middle-aged man entered the hall, carrying a medicine chest. He wore a black headscarf and sported a neatly trimmed mustache.
Huo Liuxing’s smile didn’t waver. “And this gentleman is?”
“‘South Luo, North Huang’—have you heard the phrase, Cousin-in-law?”
Huo Liuxing nodded. “North Huang, the living Hua Tuo; South Luo, the miracle healer. ‘South Luo, North Huang’ refers to the two legendary physicians of Great Qi. But I’ve heard that Master Luo has been traveling the world for the past seven or eight years, studying medicine. Without great fortune, one wouldn’t easily encounter him. Could this be…”
“I’m not so lucky as to have met the master himself,” Zhao Xun said with a chuckle, gesturing toward the man. “This is Physician Lu Yang. In his youth, he was a top disciple under Master Luo. He now serves by my side. Not long ago, I personally witnessed him cure a patient who had been bedridden for three years due to weakness in the legs. That made me think of you.”
At this point, no further explanation was needed. Everyone present understood the Prince’s true purpose. He had brought a physician to treat Huo Liuxing’s old injury.
Shen Lingzhen suddenly grasped the implication, and her heart skipped a beat.
To treat an illness is a blessing. But what if, in the process, it’s revealed there was no illness at all?
Yet Huo Liuxing remained calm and composed. “My leg has been crippled for ten years. I’ve tried every method imaginable. I’ve long since stopped hoping. Still, I’m grateful Your Highness keeps me in mind.”
“It’s not me who remembers,” Zhao Xun replied, his smile carrying a hint of deeper meaning. “It’s the court. The Huo family has guarded our northwestern borders for decades, ensuring peace for Great Qi. The court does not forget its loyal servants.”
Huo Liuxing nodded. “Your Highness flatters me. It is merely the duty of a subject, hardly worth calling a merit.”
“You needn’t be so modest, Cousin-in-law,” Zhao Xun said. “The Huo family’s merit is recognized not only by the court, but by our enemies and the common folk alike. I grew up hearing the old palace attendants speak of a mighty general from Western Qiang who once admitted: as long as the Huo clan guards the northwest, he would never dare cross the border with his troops.”
“During my inspection of Qingzhou’s defenses, I heard many commoners praise Commander Huo. What was that phrase they used…” He furrowed his brow, thinking. Then his right fist struck his left palm, and his eyes lit up. “Ah! They said—‘He loves the people like his own children.’”
The moment those words fell, the entire hall seemed to tighten, as though strung with invisible threads pulled taut.
Yu Wanjiang’s expression froze ever so slightly.
Huo Liuxing appeared momentarily stunned, then smiled. “I’ve spent so many years in this house, seeing only a sliver of the sky. Had it not been for Your Highness’s words today, I wouldn’t have known that even the common folk now speak with such eloquence.”
Zhao Xun’s smile faded a touch. He dropped the subject and nodded toward Lu Yang, signaling him to step forward. “Lu Yang, take a good look at Young Master Huo’s legs.”
Huo Liuxing gave a calm nod. “I’ll trouble you, Physician Lu.”
Shen Lingzhen’s hand, hidden within her sleeve, quietly clenched into a fist. She watched as Kongqing stepped forward to assist, helping Huo Liuxing remove his boots and gently roll up his robe and trouser legs. Lu Yang opened his medicine chest and took out a wooden mallet, then began tapping various acupoints along Huo Liuxing’s legs.
Each tap of the mallet felt like it landed on Shen Lingzhen’s own heart, drumming up a storm of unease.
But seeing Huo Liuxing so composed, she dared not intervene, lest she ruin things with misplaced worry. She kept her eyes fixed on the mallet, and whenever a strike seemed heavier than the last, her hand twitched in sympathy.
To others, she looked like she was simply distressed for her husband.
Huo Liuxing turned his head and gave her a reassuring smile. “These legs haven’t felt pain in years. You don’t need to worry.”
Shen Lingzhen thought to herself: That’s not what I’m worried about… But with so many people present, she couldn’t say it aloud. So she nodded and played along. “I’m hurting on your behalf.”
Huo Liuxing leaned in and whispered, “So… have you forgiven me?”
His breath brushed against her ear, warm and teasing. Shen Lingzhen flinched, grabbed her earlobe, and gave him a mock glare. “Who said that? I haven’t forgiven you yet…”
Behind them, Kongqing shrank his chin and wore an expression that screamed: My dear lord, flirting in front of elders and royalty? Truly scandalous… scandalous!
The tense atmosphere in the room gradually eased.
At the head of the hall, Zhao Xun pondered for a moment before speaking. “Well now, Cousin-in-law, martial artists tend to have sharp hearing, you must know that better than anyone. It can’t be helped. So…” He leaned forward half a step, resting his elbow on his knee, and asked with amused interest, “What’s this little spat between you two? Come on, tell me, I’ll be the judge.”
Shen Lingzhen’s face flushed crimson. She glanced awkwardly at Huo Liuxing.
Huo Liuxing turned to respond, smiling. “Your Highness has me stumped. If I knew why she was upset, I wouldn’t be in such a bind.”
Shen Lingzhen sighed inwardly. You really don’t know? Keep pretending, then. Outwardly, she played along with his fib. “Why am I upset? Naturally because my husband kept something from me.”
Huo Liuxing looked half amused, half exasperated, but his tone remained gentle. “What did I keep from you? Go on then, say it in front of His Highness and Mother. Let’s hear it.”
If I really said it, we’d all lose our heads, Shen Lingzhen thought. Is he trying to test my improvisation skills now?
Suppressing her frustration, she had a sudden spark of inspiration. “I asked my husband if he was hurt anywhere, and he insisted he wasn’t. But I saw it with my own eyes, his elbow had a huge patch of skin scraped off. To suffer such a serious injury and hide it from me, how is that not his fault?”
“…”
At that, not only Huo Liuxing, but Zhao Xun, Yu Wanjiang, Kongqing, Jingmo, Jian Jia, and Bailu all froze in stunned silence.
Even Lu Yang, who had been tapping away with his wooden mallet, paused mid-diagnosis and looked up at Shen Lingzhen in wide-eyed shock. Realizing his lapse in decorum, he quickly lowered his gaze.
Seeing the atmosphere freeze, Shen Lingzhen worried that her lie might’ve been too clumsy. She quickly moved to provide “evidence.” Rising to her feet, she gently lifted Huo Liuxing’s arm, rolled up his wide sleeve, and pointed to a faint patch of reddened skin on his elbow. “Physician Lu, look, this is the injury. I told my husband to treat it properly, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“…”
Yes, it should be treated properly, before it heals completely in another hour or so.
Zhao Xun stepped forward, squinted at the tiny scrape, and burst into hearty laughter. “Mm, this one’s on Cousin-in-law.”
Yu Wanjiang couldn’t help but smile. “Liuxing, Lingzhen’s just worried about you. What a thoughtful girl.”
Shen Lingzhen gave her supportive Cousin and Mother-in-law a grateful smile, then sat back down with perfect composure.
Zhao Xun leaned down and whispered to Huo Liuxing, “My Cousin was raised like a precious jewel by my Aunt and Uncle. She never got a bump or bruised. To her, something that looks like it might scar probably does feel serious. Be patient with her.”
Huo Liuxing gave a soft cough and nodded. “Of course.”
Straightening up, Zhao Xun clasped his hands behind his back and gave orders. “Lu Yang, treat Mister Huo’s wound.” Then he signaled to an attendant nearby. “Go prepare the carriage. Once the diagnosis is done, I’ll join my Cousin and Cousin-in-law for a night stroll.”
Just as Shen Lingzhen finally let out a quiet sigh of relief, her heart leapt again.
She glanced toward the direction the attendant had exited. For some reason, the night outside looked unusually dark, eerily so.
Author’s Note: Delicate-as-dew Shen Lingzhen: “That’s a huge wound, how can none of you see it??”
