Chapter 43

 

At this moment, someone knocked on the door. Cao An thought that it was Zhao Shu who had gone to invite a doctor, so he hurriedly open the door.

When the old man with the white beard and green clothes arrived, Yuan Ci Xian came back to her senses, and quickly moved to the side to make room for him.

“Please sir, take a look at my Master.” Cao An said nervously.

The old man was old, so his movements were a little slow. He slowly lifted the curtain, but staggered back after one glance, and said in horror: “It’s the plague, it’s the plague!”

Yuan Ci Xian was stunned and laughed angrily: “Sir, you haven’t even check the pulse!”

The old man waved his hands desperately, not daring to approach: “Once checking the pulse, this old man will die! This evil disease is undoubtedly a plague. It’s not that this old man unwilling to save a dying person, it’s just this old man has eighty years old mother on top, and three years old son below. Please ask everyone to be generous and find someone more qualified than this old man!”

Lu Shi Qing struggled to prop up his upper body, his face showed a bit of helplessness, and he looked at Cao An: “Cao An…”

But halfway through his words, he was cut-off by Yuan Ci Xian’s sharp voice: “Shut up and go to rest!”

“…” Is this how she treats patients?

After Yuan Ci Xian scolded Lu Shi Qing, she rolled up her sleeves, grabbed the old man’s collar, and said fiercely: “Your lip service can get rid any illness, are you afraid of this little plague?”

The old man trembled, shrinking his head and said: “Young lady, please look at your face and be reasonable…”

“Who said I’m a reasonable person? Have you ever seen a reasonable person who looks so beautiful?” She interrupted him and threw him to Lu Shi Qing’s bed, “Don’t talk nonsense, even the plague has to be cured!”

Seeing the old man’s head slammed to the bed, Cao An “hiss” in fright, and hurried forward to help him up.

Lu Shi Qing looked painful, and couldn’t bear to look at it. He glanced at Yuan Ci Xian and said, “You let him go, I didn’t…”

“You shut up and go to rest!”

“…”

Poor Lu Shi Qing was blocked again.

The old man secretly sighed in his heart that forgot to look at the almanac when he went out, and unexpectedly met such a female bully. He tremblingly checked Lu Shi Qing’s pulse, and wrote a prescription with shaking hands that he didn’t know if it would be useful or not. He then was invited to a room downstairs to “stay”.

The female bully said that the consultation fee would be tripled, and all the food and accommodation would be included, but if he couldn’t treat the person, don’t even think about going out intact.

Seeing this, Lu Shi Qing on the sickbed wanted to explain something several times, but he was shut by Yuan Ci Xian’s glare as soon as he opened his mouth. After several times, he simply shut up completely.

Of course, apart from not allowing him to pull off the canopy, and not allowing him to move or talk, she was already very close to the word “good wife and loving mother”, and she was busy back and forth.

Cao An glanced at his master who was burning with happiness, and silently retreated.

Lu Shi Qing’s strength was weak, originally he was very sleepy, seeing that he couldn’t drive her away, he wanted to close his eyes and sleep, but every time Yuan Ci Xian touched his forehead with a cold hand, it made him feel as if he had been injected with chicken blood and the sleepiness disappear. After a few times, he was exhausted physically and mentally. When she leaned over again, he closed his eyes and grabbed her wrist, saying: “Don’t bother, can you let me sleep for a while?”

“Just sleep then!” She said inexplicably, brushed off his hand while took the temperature of his palm by the way, and once again touched his forehead.

This touch was appropriate and also delicate, Lu Shi Qing sighed: “How can I sleep with you like this.”

“I remember that when my father was sick, my mother used to take care of him like this…”

The end of her sentence sounded very aggrieved. Lu Shi Qing froze slightly, he opened his eyes to look at her, only to see that her lips were deflated, her eyes were slightly red, as if she was really worried about him, and there was a bit of guilt in it that he couldn’t understand.

Just now when he closed his eyes and heard her strong tone, he still thought that she didn’t care much, or didn’t believe what the doctor said at all.

His eyes flickered, and he seemed to be a little stunned. After a while, he came back to his senses, frowned and said: “Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t listen to Cao An’s nonsense, I have never been in contact with the plague. I’ve been tired recently, and yesterday there was a lot of cold wind while I’m talking to Jinwu Guards outside. You go back and rest.”

Yuan Ci Xian lowered her eyes and sighed: “Sure enough, people who are dying, their words are kinder. But you don’t need to comfort me. I hurt you, and I’m sorry. Although I haven’t been able to make you willingly marry me yet, but if you die because of me, I will definitely become your widow. It’s just that your Lu family may have no successors…

“In this way, I will find a suitable marriage for Shuang Yu in the future, and I will definitely let her first son be given surname Lu. As for your mother, I will also take care of her like my own mother. By the way, do you have any important relatives in your hometown in Luoyang? I will bring them to Chang’an, and let them live a good life.”

“…”

Looking at Yuan Ci Xian who had the face ‘I have considered everything for you, do you have any unfulfilled wishes?’, Lu Shi Qing blinked slowly and dully three times.

What is she talking about, is he going to die?

Before Lu Shi Qing had time to ask questions, he suddenly heard someone knock on the door, and when he turned around, he saw that it was Cao An who brought the boiled soup medicine.

Yuan Ci Xian got up and took the porcelain bowl, told him to retreat, then brought the medicine to the bed and said, “Get up, I’ll feed you the medicine, no matter what, treat dead horse as living horse’s cureit means even if there’s no hope, you should try your best.”

“Dead horse” Lu Shi Qing braced his elbows to sit up, and his brain that was a little dull from the fever, spun quickly.

When he was in Shuzhou, he did travel among the villagers several times to control the plague, but in his impression he had no contact with the plague. His cold this time should only be caused by fatigue and the wind.

At the beginning when he heard Cao An’s nonsense, his head was dizzy, so he didn’t react for a while and didn’t ask questions in time. Seeing the doctor’s attitude later, it was obvious that Cao An had bribed him. When Yuan Ci Xian was very anxious, he also wanted to explain, but was interrupted by her again and again.

And then, after receiving her meticulous care, his heart felt ticklish for a while, and he thought just say it later. Until he opened his eyes and saw her eyes were red, he couldn’t bear it, and clarified the truth.

But she didn’t believe it, and she even already prepared what to do after his death, as if he really wouldn’t live long.

This really overthrown Lu Shi Qing. Could it be that his brain was burnt out and his thinking was wrong. And that Cao An had never deceived Yuan Ci Xian in order to enhance the relationship between the two of them. He really came into contact with the plague without knowing it, and he was already terminally ill now?

He took a few sips of medicine from the spoon Yuan Ci Xian handed over, recalled what she had just said, and then said in shock, “Yuan Ci Xian, did I really contract the plague? You said it was you who caused it… You poisoned me?”

Could it be that he misunderstood, it was not political enemies that Shaohe warned him about, but Yuan Ci Xian?

She was stunned: “What are you talking about? If you are poisoned to death, who will be my backer.”

Lu Shi Qing froze slightly, but his reaction was quicker now, and he grasped the main point: “What do you mean your backer?”

She knew that she made a slip of the tongue, but thought that it was still a question of whether Lu Shi Qing would be able to return to Chang’an alive. And because of the guilt in her heart, she didn’t deny it, let out a low “um”, revised the cause and effect, and explained: “I had a dream one day that I died a miserable death. In the dream, the Bodhisattva told me that there is a particularly good-looking gentleman in Chang’an City. If I can find him as a backer, this dream will not become a bloody reality.”

“…”

The corner of Lu Shi Qing’s mouth twitched slightly, and thought that her ability to lie was getting better and better, but seeing her serious expression, he couldn’t help doubting that what she said was true.

After all, this absurd-sounding story could indeed explain her various actions in the past six months.

But isn’t he going to die?

He pulled the corners of his mouth: “Then what if I die? Chang’an City still has other gentlemen. Are you going to change to another backer?”

Yuan Ci Xian thought that she had no more mountain to rely on, and history had changed for her. She sighed: “Didn’t I already say that I’m going to be your widow? I won’t look anymore, just resign to my fate.”

Lu Shi Qing thought her self-defeating appearance was funny, thought for a while and said: “Call Cao An for me, and then wait at the door.”

“Why, do you want to give your last words?”

“…”

How can there be such a person who desperately curses their backer to death?

He said helplessly: “Yes, to give the last words. For a dying person, I assume you will respect my wishes, and will not do things such like eavesdropping.”

Yuan Ci Xian left with a face full of reluctance, and patiently waited at the door for a while. She then saw Cao An coming out with a dejected face, as if he had been scolded.

She didn’t have time to ask any more, and hurriedly went into Lu Shi Qing’s room, guarded back in front of his bed, and asked seriously: “Do you need me to call someone else for you?”

Lu Shi Qing choked.

He had already asked Cao An, he was the one who caused the trouble, and the doctor was indeed bribed. But right now, with Yuan Ci Xian looking at him so earnestly, he couldn’t even say that she had been deceived.

He opened his mouth, hesitated several times, and finally frowned and said: “…no, go back to your room and sleep.”

Yuan Ci Xian refused to leave no matter what. Lu Shi Qing was already tired and his voice hoarse, and because of a guilty conscience, his words had no deterrent effect, and he couldn’t drive her away. Moreover, after drinking the medicine for the cold, his eyelids couldn’t hold up anymore, and after being dragged down by her, once he touched the pillow he fell unconscious.

It was after midnight when he woke up again, and when he opened his eyes, he found that Yuan Ci Xian was sleeping beside the bed with her head rested on his quilt, and her fingertips were still in his palm.

The charcoal fire in the room had been completely burnt out, and the candle was about to be burned out too. Through the dim halo, he saw her frowning slightly, her long curled eyelashes casted a thick shadow under her eyes, and her jade nose was slightly red, as if it had been frozen.

Lu Shi Qing rubbed his eyebrows and sighed. How did he fall asleep.

He lightly lifted the quilt, bent down after getting out of the bed, lifted her arm with one hand, while putting the other under her calf. When he was ready to lift her up, he suddenly paused. Staring at her pair of plump lips that was so close, making his Adam’s apple rolled.

He suddenly remembered the nonsensical dream that she told before. In fact, compared to what he once thought, that she approached him to pry some political secrets, the remarks about being a backer made him feel more comfortable.

True, she approached him to take advantage of him, but he had something worth her to use, so it didn’t seem too bad.

So what if she used him? He would be her backer, and then demanded something in return.

He slowly lowered his head, and when he was about to touch her lips, he stopped again.

Forget it, next time, wait until his “plague” is cured.

Lu Shi Qing slowly and solemnly picked her up and sent her back to the room next door.

The next day, Yuan Ci Xian woke up under the bright light. When she realized where she was, she hurriedly got out of the bed and ran out. But when she was about to knock on Lu Shi Qing’s door, she was stopped by Zhao Shu in the corridor.

He looked hesitant, as if he had something to say to her.

Yuan Ci Xian swallowed nervously, supported herself on the door frame and said, “Speak up if you have something to say, I can stand it.”

Zhao Shu plucked up the courage and said directly: “County Princess, you are so good-looking, this servant really can’t bear to see Master and Cao An continue to deceive you and play you around.”

She froze for a moment, frowning in confusion.

He continued: “Master is just suffering from a cold, and the fever subsided this morning. The plague thing, it’s all fake. I saw with my own eyes yesterday that Cao An bribed the doctor with some gold, just as you were lying in daze in front of Master’s bed.”

Yuan Ci Xian’s expression froze: “You say it again?”

Zhao Shu wrinkled his face and said: “This servant can’t say any more, or I will be punished by Master.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the door in front of Yuan Ci suddenly opened, and the person who opened the door was well-dressed and full of energy, looking like he was really fine.

Lu Shi Qing stood there, and seemed relieved. When Zhao Shu stopped Yuan Ci Xian, he actually heard it, but he didn’t come out to stop him. After all, paper can’t contain the fire, so it’s better to let him die quicker.

Yuan Ci Xian was indeed furious, her eyelashes quivered a few times, and asked, “Lu Shi Qing, did you really lie to me?”

Lu Shi Qing nodded. Although there were many unexpected things last night, and this deception was not his intention, but he did not explain to her immediately after he found out the truth, so he should admit it.

Yuan Ci Xian was so angry that she became speechless for a while, laughed in disbelief, stared at him for a long time, then turned around to go downstairs and said, “Shi Cui, pack the luggage, let’s go home.”

At about noon, Yuan Ci Xian returned to Yuan Mansion.

Yuan Yu got the news before that she would be back today, and when the servant reported that the young lady had arrived, he high spiritedly went out to meet her. But when he stepped out of the mansion, he only saw her and Shi Cui, as well as a team of Jiwu Guards who carefully followed behind and not daring to approach. He couldn’t help but wondered: “What about Lu Zishu? How dare he not send you home?”

Yuan Ci Xian originally missed her brother, but now she was blinded by “hatred” and snorted coldly: “Dead. ”

Yuan Yu was shocked and grabbed her arm: “What did you say? Lu Zishu died? How did he die?”

Yuan Ci Xian glanced at him, gritted her teeth and said, “I stabbed that nasty person to death!”

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