Reborn After Widowhood – Chapter 63
Chapter 63
After collecting various medicinal herbs, Li Dongbi made a kind of ‘‘. This was an external medicine, and after applying it for about ten days, hemorrhoids could be eliminated. Afterward, there was still a need for a recovery period of about a month.
In these ten days, Chen Tingjian would definitely have to endure various discomforts.
Li Dongbi explained all this clearly first.
Chen Tingjian had decided to treat his illness, so he was not afraid of taking medicine, but he was worried that his daughter-in-law princess would inquire about his condition out of concern.
Sun shi knew what he was thinking as soon as she saw him muttering to himself. Meeting such a good-looking husband, she could only cooperate.
Sun shi went to Siyi Hall and said to Hua Yang: “Princess, the old man’s illness is not serious. It’s just that he is too stubborn and doesn’t want to delay Jingzong’s errand. Moreover, if you live here, Xiaozong’s place is far away so it’s fine, but Bozong would definitely notice something. He would leave his errands and come back to honor the old man…”
Hua Yang understood and said with a smile: “Don’t worry, Mom. Please also tell Father to recuperate with peace of mind. We will return to Ningyuan today.”
Sun shi‘s eyes suddenly turned red.
Her eldest daughter-in-law was also very filial, gentle and considerate, but this was the princess from the palace in front of her, and she treated them like she was their own daughters. How could she not be touched?
“Princess, what I said to Imperial Doctor Li were not polite words. Having a daughter-in-law like you makes my life really worth it!”
Wiping the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, Sun shi said very loudly!
Hua Yang was ashamed instead.
In her previous life, it was destiny that her father-in-law died of illness, but Chen Bozong died unjustly in prison, which was directly related to her younger brother. Sun shi also suffered the blow of losing her husband and son one after another before passing away.
If it was another powerful official that treated her respectable and amiable husband’s family like that, Hua Yang would have used her princess’s momentum to ask for the other person’s life, but that was her biological brother.
Hua Yang would be angry with her brother for being confused, but she would never retaliate against her brother.
Everything Hua Yang had done in this life was out of sympathy and compensation for everyone in the Chen family. She just hoped that good people would have a good death, not that she was a good daughter-in-law.
In the morning, Chen Jingzong had gone to the military station. Hua Yang asked the maids to pack their stuffs, and before leaving she met Li Dongbi first.
Li Dongbi: “Princess, do you want to inquire about Cabinet Elder’s condition?”
It’s not that he refused to tell, but Cabinet Elder had told him not to spread the word.
Hua Yang smiled and said: “With you here, I don’t need to inquire and feel relieved. But Cabinet Elder has a heavy responsibility on his shoulders, and I ask you to please stay here for a while. When Cabinet Elder is completely worry-free, you can go back to Wudang to collect medicine, how about it?”
Li Dongbi stroked his beard: “Princess, don’t worry, since I am treating Cabinet Elder, I must carry this through.”
Hua Yang: “Then before you leave, please let me know. I want to send you off, and there is also something else I want to discuss with you.”
Li Dongbi was a little surprised. He looked at the princess opposite and agreed.
Hua Yang said goodbye to her mother-in-law again and left in a carriage. She also asked Zhou Ji to send someone to the military station to tell Chen Jingzong, asking him to go back to Ningyuan directly in the evening.
However, at dusk, only Fu Gui came back and said that the prince consort was worried about Cabinet Elder’s illness and went to the Chen family’s ancestral house.
Hua Yang was not too surprised.
Looking at Chen Jingzong’s attitude towards his nephews and nieces, one could tell that this person looked cold on the outside but hot on the inside. It was true that he was like water and fire with the old man, but after all, he was his biological father, and there was no animosity. How could he be cruel and ignore his sick father?
In the ancestral home of the Chen family, Chen Tingjian was using the Kuzhi Nail prepared by Li Dongbi. He couldn’t eat dinner and lay silently on his bed to bear the unspeakable pain.
“Master, Madam, the Prince Consort is here.”
As soon as the maids’ voices came in, Chen Tingjian suddenly opened his eyes and immediately winked at his wife.
Sun shi was very pleased: “You always think that the Old Four doesn’t take you seriously as a father. Look, the Old Four is so filial.”
Chen Tingjian: “He obviously wants to see my joke!”
Sun shi: “He laughs at you, and you laugh at him. It’s not like he never made a fool of himself when he was a child.”
While the couple was talking, Chen Jingzong had already followed the maid in. He was actually wearing clean regular clothes, his hair was wet on his temples, and he looked like he had washed his face.
Sun shi asked curiously: “You are so particular even when the Princess is not around? Or do you know that the area around your father who is recovering from illness needs to be kept clean?”
Chen Jingzong said expressionlessly: “The Princess didn’t inform me that she went back. If I had known she was already in Ningyuan, why would I have run here in vain?”
Chen Tingjian snorted: “Then you should think carefully about why the princess didn’t inform you.”
It must be that the son has never been able to please the princess, and the princess does not regard her son as a real prince consort at all.
Chen Jingzong: “Then you should also reflect on why should the Princess look down on you so much that she would move out even though she knew you were sick, and not even want to pretend to be a filial?”
Chen Tingjian didn’t bother to answer. The princess was obviously considerate, not disrespectful or unfilial.
Sun shi: “Okay, I’m tired from taking care of my grandchildren all day long. If you want to quarrel, just wait until I go out and started again. No one will stop you from quarreling all night long.”
Chen Tingjian closed his eyes.
Chen Jingzong walked to the end of the bed, looked at the old man from head to toe, and finally looked at his butt. Just as he was about to speak, Sun shi came over with a glare: “Shut up, your father has been given medicine and needs to rest. You’re already fulfilling your filial piety by coming here. Now quickly go back and rest!”
Chen Jingzong had basically guessed that the problem was either in the front or in the back. Looking at the old man lying on his stomach, the answer was very obvious.
This Zhuangyuan and Cabinet Elder was still a mortal after all.
He returned to Siyi Hall.
Hua Yang took away all the people who were serving her, leaving only a gatekeeper. Chen Jingzong went directly to the inner room to sleep.
The bed was full of her fragrance, which disturbed him from sleepiness.
At dusk the next day, Chen Jingzong still returned to his ancestral home first, but he didn’t see the old man. After hearing from his mother that the old man was fine, he strode away, mounted his horse and rushed directly to Lingzhou City.
After bathing and changing clothes in Liuyun Hall, Chen Jingzong came to Qifeng Hall and saw her sitting on the couch in the side room reading a book. He first walked around the inner room and found something soaking in the lotus bowl.
The irritability in his heart suddenly disappeared completely.
He returned to the side room and stood by the couch, staring at her without saying a word.
The gaze was like two lines of fire, making Hua Yang feel uncomfortable all over. She put down the book and glared at him: “Why are you back so late today?”
Chen Jingzong: “I went to the old house.”
Hua Yang was very surprised and immediately asked: “How is father’s condition?”
Chen Jingzong: “It’s already being treated, but it’s not going to get better so quickly.”
Hua Yang nodded. It was also not good to ask too much.
Chen Jingzong suddenly smiled: “I thought you would be worried about the old man’s illness that you couldn’t eat and drink, but I didn’t expect you would still be in the mood for that.”
The tip of Hua Yang’s ears felt hot, she lowered her eyes and said disdainfully: “It has nothing to do with Father’s illness. I just know you too well. You could only endure it when we were in Wudang Mountain, but how can you bear it when we’re already back? Rather than letting you toss me in the middle of the night, it’s better to get it done as early as possible so I can still have a good sleep.”
Chen Jingzong said no more.
It was just that night, Hua Yang didn’t get good night’s sleep. She didn’t say anything before going to bed, she didn’t say anything when she was woken up by Chen Jingzong at midnight, but when it was dawn in the morning, Chen Jingzong actually came at her again!
When Chen Jingzong stood beside the bed to change clothes, Hua Yang was still lying softly on the bed, covered with a quilt that he helped cover.
Her messy black hair was pushed back by Chen Jingzong, revealing her drunken flushed face, and her eyelashes were wetly closed together.
Chen Jingzong fastened his belt and sat down again.
Hua Yang was obviously very sleepy, but she still looked at him warily.
At this time, Chen Jingzong was wearing a crimson fourth-grade official uniform, and together with the hazy morning light, it made his face look as smooth as jade. But his facial features were too sharp and looked a bit gloomy when he was not smiling.
Hua Yang suddenly noticed something strange about him.
In the past, Chen Jingzong’s mouth would always be dishonest and would deliberately say things to embarrass her, but last night, including just now, Chen Jingzong was just silent and a bit ferocious.
“What’s wrong?” Hua Yang asked blankly. Under normal circumstances, he should be satisfied at this time.
Chen Jingzong touched the corner of her lips: “Nothing. I’m leaving. You can make up your sleep.”
Hua Yang glared at him. He still had the nerve to mention it.
Chen Jingzong smiled, kissed her before she could dodge, and then left.
Hua Yang thought about it carefully and found that this man seemed to have not changed much. He was just so eager last night because he had been a vegetarian for so long.
.
During Chen Tingjian’s treatment, Chen Jingzong would go back every other day to ask about the situation and then leave without staying overnight.
Mid-Tenth Month was the most painful time for Chen Tingjian. He had lost a lot of weight and had no strength to clean up his beard. Fortunately, Sun shi felt sorry for her husband and helped him take care of it in an orderly manner.
After the pain, there was a slow recovery. On the rest day at the end of Tenth Month, the three couples returned to their ancestral home together. By that time Chen Tingjian was already able to move freely. If Li Dongbi had not been there, neither Chen Bozong nor Chen Xiaozong would have known that their father had an illness!
“Father, what illness did you contract, and why didn’t you tell us?”
Because he blamed himself for not being able to fulfill his filial piety in front of his father, Chen Bozong was unprecedentedly harsh on his father.
Chen Xiaozong also said similar words to his mother. Only Chen Jingzong stood beside Hua Yang with a smile that was not a smile.
Chen Tingjian glared at his fourth son and then scolded his two filial sons: “Okay, it’s just a minor illness. Now that I’ve recovered, you don’t need to be nagging anymore.”
Chen Bozong and Chen Xiaozong still looked regretful.
Li Dongbi glanced around the two brothers and felt that he needed to remind Cabinet Elder to teach the two sons, who were also civil officials, the conditioning methods he taught him before.
The family solemnly thanked Li Dongbi.
After having lunch at Chen’s house, Li Dongbi was ready to leave.
Hua Yang asked him to speak in the hall alone: “I wonder what your next plans after collecting medicinal herbs in Wudang?”
Li Dongbi smiled and said: “This old man plan to continue traveling around the world, collecting medicinal herb specimens and prescriptions from various places, and compile them into a book in the future.”
Hua Yang said sincerely: “Your hard work will surely benefit thousands of people and be remembered for generations to come.”
Li Dongbi was also not modest, and said bluntly: “Previously, Princess said that you have something to discuss with this old man. May I ask what it is about?”
Hua Yang lowered her eyelashes, feeling uncomfortable in her heart, and her face also showed sadness: “In recent years, Father Emperor’s dragon body has become worse than before. I would like to ask you to stay in the capital for two to three years. In case Father Emperor’s condition worsens, with you there, I…”
She couldn’t speak anymore and turned her head.
She didn’t like her father’s greed for women, and she also deliberately alienated her father because of the scene she accidentally seen when she was young.
It wasn’t until her father died suddenly, and the father and daughter were already separated by life and death, that Hua Yang began to regret it.
As a daughter, what it got to do with her how her father get along with other women? No matter how lecherous her father was, he had never wronged her as his daughter. Why did she waste time on unimportant thing?
After her rebirth, Hua Yang had always missed her father. But she had no reason to suddenly return to the capital. No to mention there were things she had to resolve in Lingzhou, so she could only wait to leave with her father-in-law and his family next year.
Recently, her father-in-law was undergoing treatment, and seeing Chen Jingzong often running to her father-in-law’s side, Hua Yang missed her father even more.
But just as she, as a daughter-in-law, could not care about her father-in-law’s hemorrhoids, as a daughter, it was not convenient for her to dissuade her father from indulging on female charm, and it might not be effective even if she did so.
The best way was to ask Li Dongbi to return to Imperial Hospital. Her father eventually always listened to the advice of famous doctors.
After calming down, Hua Yang looked at Li Dongbi again.
Her eye circles were still red, and there was a layer of water in her clear eyes.
An ordinary woman with such an appearance would make people pity her, not to mention that Hua Yang was so beautiful.
Li Dongbi was soft-hearted, but he had his own great ambitions of compiling books. Lingzhou was very close and it was easy to come, but the capital was too far away.
“Princess, although this old man is not in the capital, this old man also aware of His Majesty’s situation. Princess should understand that if a person is sick, it’s useless to have only doctors diagnose him, he also needs to cooperate with the doctor’s instructions. In the early years, when this old man was in the palace, this old man repeatedly advised His Majesty to cultivate his moral and spiritual character, but His Majesty agreed and still went his own way, so even if this old man go to the capital again, it will be a wasted trip.
“Princess, don’t worry too much. This old man does have some medical skills and have earned some false fame among the people. However, the imperial hospital in the palace has gathered famous doctors from all over the world. The medical skills of all the imperial doctors will only better than mine. Once His Majesty is sick, the imperial doctors will do their best to diagnose and treat him.”
There was one remaining sentence that Li Dongbi did not say, that was, if Emperor Jingshun was terminally ill and the imperial doctors could not cure him, then he would probably also be unable to save his life.
Hua Yang pursed her lips. She understood the truth, but she just trusted Li Dongbi more.
Li Dongbi smiled bitterly and bowed deeply to her: “This old man determined to compile a book, and would like to ask the Princess to fulfill this old man’s wish.”
Hua Yang didn’t want to. She wanted to capture Li Dongbi and take him back to the capital.
But she could only think about it, and it was impossible for her to really force people.
“If one day you suddenly want to return to the capital, please be sure to go and see me.” Hua Yang said with the last glimmer of hope.
Li Dongbi smiled: “This old man will remember.”
He then turned around and left.
Chen Tingjian and others were waiting in the yard to see him off together.
Only Chen Jingzong saw that Hua Yang did not come out and entered the hall.
Hua Yang tilted her head, not wanting him to see anything strange about her.
Chen Jingzong looked her over and said with a smile: “You really look like the old man’s own daughter. You are so grateful to Imperial Doctor Li that you cry.”
Hua Yang:…
Although she was annoyed by what Chen Jingzong said, but he gave her a good excuse.
After gathering her emotions, she glared at Chen Jingzong and said, ” Imperial Doctor Li is about to leave, why don’t you see him off?”
Chen Jingzong saw that she had regained her princess’ aura, so he went to follow his family and the distinguished guest who had walked some distance away.
Outside the Chen House, Li Dongbi finally cupped his hands to everyone and got into the carriage.
Hua Yang was the one who invite the divine doctor, so she also sent Zhou Ji to personally escort him, showing due courtesy.
As the carriage gradually drove away, Chen Jingzong’s hands under his sleeves clenched again and again.
He could catch up with Li Dongbi and ask what Hua Yang told him, but she didn’t want to tell him, so why should he rush to find out.
Just like sleeping, she had to be willing to do it.
The Author has something to say:
Hua Yang: It’s so mysterious, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.
Old Four: You don’t need to understand. As long as we can share the same bed, it doesn’t matter if we have different dreams.
I get that Hua Yang is sad and all but if I were Li Dongbi I’d rather die than head back into the imperial palace. Don’t know how it was in real life but in novels Imperial doctors are always getting threatened or beaten or killed flak for stuff that is not their dang fault.