Putting aside their worries about Zhuang Dongqing, the three of them let out a sigh of relief.

Once they calmed down, Liu Qi suddenly thought of something else and hurriedly stepped forward, “Master, how come you’re awake? Is your head still dizzy? You should rest.”

Upon hearing Liu Qi’s words, Zhuang Dongqing also noticed that Cen Yan’s voice sounded a bit airy when he spoke to him. Looking at Cen Yan’s complexion, he couldn’t quite figure out what was wrong, so he quickly composed himself, not wanting to cause any trouble for everyone.

Cen Yan replied, “I woke up because it was too noisy from the crying.”

Liu Qi said, “……”

Liu Qi added, “Then I’ll make sure to ask them to go to the outer room next time.”

Cen Yan closed his eyes and wearily said, “No need, there won’t be a next time.”

Such things rarely happened, and there was no way to prepare for them in advance; they just had to adapt as they went along.

Liu Qi nodded in agreement.

He then reported the follow-up reactions from Eunuch Feng and the Imperial Medical Department one by one.

After they finished speaking and estimated that it was about time, Zhuang Dongqing quietly asked, “What exactly happened?”

Cen Yan said, “Help me sit up, and I’ll tell you slowly.”

“Oh.”

As Liu Qi moved, he saw Zhuang Dongqing helping Cen Yan sit up. Liu Qi paused for a moment, then turned to go out, bringing in a teapot and cups, mixing the tea and handing it to the two of them.

It wasn’t complicated; it was just that Zhuang Dongqing had seen Cen Yan pretending to be sick.

But… it couldn’t be entirely said to be an act, because the various reactions of his body weren’t something one could just fake.

“The poison on my leg was applied by Lord Zhao, taken from a snake with very mild venom. He keeps a few as medicinal materials. Since the bite mark hasn’t healed, the venom seeped directly from the wound, and that’s how it ended up like this.”

“My pulse and heartbeat are weak because I ate some seasonal poisonous mushrooms. They won’t kill me, but they will cause some very critical reactions.”

“None of it is fatal; drinking the medicine will help.”

Leaning back, Cen Yan spoke slowly, and it was clear he didn’t have much strength left. His face was pale as a sheet.

“Ah?” Zhuang Dongqing was surprised. “What? You really went and made it real?”

His expression was very much in disagreement, showing genuine concern.

Cen Yan gave Zhuang Dongqing a sidelong glance and said lightly, “If it weren’t real, how could I have fooled the doctors from the Imperial Medical Department? Do you think they are just a bunch of pushovers?”

Although he said it with a smile, Zhuang Dongqing inexplicably sensed a hint of deep-seated helplessness hidden within.

Lowering his head, Zhuang Dongqing went to check Cen Yan’s leg. He had seen the imperial physician examine it before, so he reached out. It was swollen and dark, looking quite bad… perhaps the dose of the snake venom was not small at all.

Cen Yan gently said, “…It’s fine, I’ll be better after drinking the medicine.”

Lying.

In this era, there were no serums, and even if he drank medicine, it was impossible to solve the problem at its source.

In the end, it would still rely on his immune system to metabolize these toxins.

If he tried to tough it out, he would definitely suffer.

Liu Qi also said, “Right, Young Master Zhuang, don’t worry. The antidote is already being brewed; should I bring it over for you to drink?”

After asking, he saw Cen Yan shake his head. “Wait a bit longer. If they are going to send a second batch of imperial physicians today, it should be soon.”

After thinking for a moment, Cen Yan added, “If no one comes by the time of Shen, then I’ll drink it.”

Liu Qi nodded in agreement.

Zhuang Dongqing silently adjusted the blanket for Cen Yan, then looked up and observed him for a moment before suddenly saying, “Are you feeling dizzy?”

“…It’s okay.”

Zhuang Dongqing said, “…Lie down, don’t talk.”

Liu Qi thought of something and chimed in, “Yes, Master, you should lie down and rest. Lord Zhao mentioned this morning that feeling dizzy and lightheaded is normal after using the poison, so you should just rest quietly.”

After saying that, he noticed Cen Yan’s indifferent gaze sweeping over.

However, Zhuang Dongqing was quicker than Liu Qi, helping Cen Yan lie down without giving him a chance to refuse.

Cen Yan fell silent for a moment but ultimately didn’t resist. With Zhuang Dongqing’s help, he lay back down.

Hao San saw that he wasn’t needed in the inner room anymore, so he exchanged a few words with Cen Yan and left.

Earlier, to facilitate the imperial physician’s examination, the window had been opened, letting in quite a bit of light. Worried that Cen Yan might feel uncomfortable, Liu Qi got up to close it.

Zhuang Dongqing adjusted the blanket for Cen Yan and thought of something else. He went to the foot of the bed and let down the pant leg that had been rolled up to check the wound on Cen Yan’s calf, moving carefully and thoughtfully.

During the time he was doing these things, Cen Yan’s gaze was fixed on him. Zhuang Dongqing didn’t notice.

When he finally looked up and met Cen Yan’s eyes, he realized Cen Yan had been watching him all along, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit flustered.

“Are you angry?”

Zhuang Dongqing shook his head.

Cen Yan’s voice, weakened, sounded even gentler, “Why do you look so unhappy?”

Zhuang Dongqing sat back at the head of the bed and muttered, “It’s not something to be happy about, pretending to be sick like this.”

Cen Yan chuckled, but Zhuang Dongqing didn’t understand.

Cen Yan closed his eyes and smiled lightly, “It sounds like you care about me.”

His voice was soft enough for Zhuang Dongqing to hear clearly.

Zhuang Dongqing: “…”

Zhuang Dongqing replied, “Of course, everyone in the Wangfu relies on the Wangye.”

“Is that so?”

Cen Yan’s smile faded slightly, and Zhuang Dongqing vaguely felt he had said something wrong, but he didn’t see any change in Cen Yan’s expression, which made him uncertain.

Zhuang Dongqing had never been one to dwell on things he didn’t understand. After a moment of silence, he softened his voice, “Then, I’ll go out. You should sleep for a while?”

Cen Yan replied, “It was too noisy just now; my head hurts, and I can’t sleep.”

“…”

“Then… should I keep you company and talk for a while?”

“Sure.”

When Liu Qi returned after closing the window, he heard the two of them and promptly refilled their tea, saying he would go down and keep watch, letting them call for him if needed.

Liu Qi lifted the curtain and went out, leaving only Zhuang Dongqing and Cen Yan in the inner room.

It should have been awkward, but perhaps because Cen Yan had his eyes closed, or perhaps because he had already gotten used to sharing a room with Cen Yan during their escape, Zhuang Dongqing felt it was okay now that Liu Qi had left.

Cen Yan didn’t speak, and Zhuang Dongqing tried to find a topic, “This poison, it won’t just be used this once, right?”

“Not just once. If it’s less, the imperial physicians will come two more times; if more, who knows? It’s not impossible for them to come every day.” Cen Yan said calmly, “But today is the heaviest dose; it will be reduced appropriately later, so it should be better.”

Zhuang Dongqing hesitated to speak.

It was as if Cen Yan could see through him with his eyes closed, and he asked, “What do you want to say?”

Zhuang Dongqing honestly replied, “I want to say it’s not good for your health, but it feels a bit like standing and talking without any pain, so I probably shouldn’t say it.”

“Liu Qi and Hao San also advised me like this; there’s nothing wrong with saying it.”

Originally meant to comfort Zhuang Dongqing, but unexpectedly, the other party was quite stubborn and retorted, “It shouldn’t be said, after all, it’s not what you think.”

Cen Yan was left speechless.

Zhuang Dongqing’s voice remained soft and gentle as he quietly said, “It’s not what you think. I can’t solve your problems for you. Saying these two extra sentences won’t help you; it will only trouble you, so it shouldn’t be said.”

Cen Yan let out a breath.

Really…

Still keeping his eyes closed, but the noisy chaos seemed to have drifted far away, and his heart felt soft.

Cen Yan slowly said, “Those two sentences sound better than the original.”

Zhuang Dongqing looked at Cen Yan and suddenly asked, “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Or, is there something I can do to make you happy?”

Cen Yan was doing all this for the Wangfu, and as someone under his protection, Zhuang Dongqing felt very grateful.

Zhuang Dongqing counted on his fingers, “Should I prepare some medicine to control your dizziness and vomiting? I think that would work; I’ll ask Lord Zhao later.”

Since they had to guard against the imperial physicians, and the poison couldn’t be resolved, they still had to take it daily, so feeling a bit more comfortable would be good.

“You probably won’t be able to eat anything these days, so just drink porridge honestly.”

“As for the rest, is there anything you want me to do?”

Cen Yan chuckled, “Does this count as you feeling sorry for me?”

“Maybe, and I also want to contribute a bit?”

Cen Yan asked, “Anything is fine?”

Zhuang Dongqing replied, “You tell me.”

After a moment of silence, Cen Yan slowly said, “Actually, there is one thing I’ve been meaning to bring up, and since you asked, I’ll just say it.”

“Lord Zhao said that for Ren tribe men, if they are pregnant, a red line will appear on their lower abdomen, is that true?”

Zhuang Dongqing replied, “Yes.”

“So, can I see that line?”

Huh?

Zhuang Dongqing: “……”

“…………”

“Is there anything to see?!” Zhuang Dongqing forced himself to say, but he felt his ears getting a bit hot.

Cen Yan remained calm, “Regarding suddenly having a child, it feels quite surreal. I haven’t had a real sense of it, plus I don’t know how to take a pulse. When I was in the village, your lower abdomen felt flat… it just doesn’t feel real.”

Cen Yan had actually been wanting to confirm this himself.

But he hadn’t been able to say it before.

Now that Zhuang Dongqing had brought it up, it was time to talk about it.

Zhuang Dongqing: “……”

It made a lot of sense, but he was unwilling, which didn’t conflict with the logic.

Suddenly, Zhuang Dongqing said, “What did you just ask me?”

Cen Yan replied, “Pregnancy, red line?”

“No, the previous sentence.”

Cen Yan had a good memory, “Anything can be promised to me?”

Zhuang Dongqing could answer now, and he said seriously, word by word, “Not at all!”

“……”

Got it, unwilling.

Cen Yan wasn’t angry; instead, he laughed, “You can just refuse me directly.”

Zhuang Dongqing lowered his head, rubbed his ears, his hands feeling hot, and muttered, “You could have just not brought it up!”

*

When Zhuang Dongqing came out again, it was close to lunchtime, and Cen Yan had also fallen asleep.

After having lunch in the East Wing and taking a nap, no imperial physicians came to visit. Cen Yan drank the antidote.

Zhuang Dongqing also went to find Lord Zhao, discussing the idea of medicine for dizziness and vomiting, and received Lord Zhao’s approval, arranging it for Cen Yan.

In the evening, Zhuang Dongqing asked Cen Yan, and Liu Qi personally came over to ask if he wanted to go to the West Wing to take a look.

Zhuang Dongqing hesitated, “Can I go?”

Liu Qi replied, “Of course, if you want to come, just come.”

Zhuang Dongqing realized that the people in the Wangfu seemed to no longer doubt him. After thinking for a moment, he nodded.

It wasn’t until the evening that Cen Yan finally had a bit of porridge, plain porridge, with no appetite at all. Zhuang Dongqing checked on Cen Yan and stayed to have a meal with him before leaving.

The next day, just as Cen Yan had predicted, the second batch of imperial physicians arrived.

Zhuang Dongqing woke up, and as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, he heard a commotion outside. Liu Fu said that someone from the palace had come again.

Zhuang Dongqing knew he couldn’t act, so he didn’t go to join the excitement this time.

After the people left, he asked a couple of questions and, as usual, went to check on Cen Yan after the afternoon nap. He saw that Cen Yan looked even weaker after using the poison again.

Zhuang Dongqing felt uneasy, but it wasn’t something he could help with, so he kept quiet and focused on doing what he could, like accompanying him to drink medicine and eat, and if Cen Yan brought it up, he wouldn’t refuse.

On the third day, no one came.

On the fourth day, another batch of imperial physicians arrived.

On the fifth day, the Emperor finally held court after a long absence, publicly reprimanding the ministers who had previously reported Cen Yan and stating that Cen Yan was wholeheartedly devoted to Da Sheng, disregarding his own safety to protect the Emperor, loyal and devoted, with the sun and moon as witnesses, and should not be slandered by others.

He confirmed the matter of protecting the Emperor and severely reprimanded the Third Prince for his cruel nature, punishing him with half a year’s salary as a conclusion to the matter.

In an instant, the political winds in the court shifted, and all the ministers began to express concern for Cen Yan’s health.

*

When Zhuang Dongqing heard this news, he wasn’t particularly happy.

After several days of using poison, Cen Yan had developed a severe immune reaction, unable to eat, and suffering from continuous vomiting and diarrhea.

In the morning, Zhuang Dongqing noticed this, and by the afternoon, he felt Cen Yan’s temperature was rising a bit, making him anxious.

“It can’t go on like this; he will have an accident.” Zhuang Dongqing said seriously.

After saying this, after a while, Zhuang Dongqing noticed that Cen Yan was even vomiting water.

Cen Yan had Liu Qi support him, and Zhuang Dongqing followed along.

After vomiting, Cen Yan still had the energy to advise him, “Didn’t I tell you to wait outside? Why did you come in? It’s dirty.”

Zhuang Dongqing: “……”

Zhuang Dongqing handed the clean handkerchief in his hand to Liu Qi, letting Liu Qi help Cen Yan wipe his face while he supported Cen Yan.

“I got it.”

He didn’t agree, but his tone was light, and he didn’t argue with Cen Yan, more out of helplessness.

Just as he was feeling anxious, the news came back.

He got what he wanted; Cen Yan finally agreed to stop using poison, and Zhuang Dongqing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The herbal medicine for detoxification could finally be taken in large doses.

But the rejection reaction wouldn’t just go away easily; even drinking the medicine, Cen Yan would vomit. There was no choice but to wait.

In the afternoon, Cen Yan slept for a while.

In the evening, Zhuang Dongqing went to see him again and found him looking haggard, feeling uncomfortable. He sat at the edge of the bed and asked him, “Is it worth it? In fact, it’s just a matter of recognition.”

He thought Cen Yan was asleep when he asked.

To his surprise, Cen Yan was awake.

“Not just that.”

Cen Yan replied.

“Let’s talk slowly when I feel better.”

After a pause, he added, “There are many dirty things I don’t want to get involved in. The Emperor is also aware; it’s just a game.”

But it harms your own body!

Zhuang Dongqing bit down on this sentence, feeling he had no right to say it.

As someone under protection, he was indeed a beneficiary of this incident.

After a moment of silence, Zhuang Dongqing realized something: “Are you feeling so unwell that you can’t sleep?”

Cen Yan also quieted down for a moment, letting out a breath, “…I thought I was doing pretty well at pretending.”

Zhuang Dongqing sighed as well.

After tossing and turning until night, they finally managed to drink the medicine. Cen Yan told Zhuang Dongqing to go back to the East Wing, but Zhuang Dongqing didn’t leave.

When it was just the two of them, Cen Yan smiled and said, “I didn’t expect you to be quite stubborn. You staying here won’t make me recover any faster.”

Zhuang Dongqing retorted, “There are always some things I can do.”

Cen Yan didn’t want to burst his bubble, “Like what?”

The room fell silent for a while, and Zhuang Dongqing didn’t say a word.

Just as Cen Yan was about to speak again to persuade him to go back, Zhuang Dongqing spoke first.

In an extremely bashful voice, he said, “Do you… still want to see it now?”

“What?”

Zhuang Dongqing closed his eyes, his neck turning completely red, and he stammered out the words:

“Lower abdomen, red line, child…”

“Do you still want to see it now?”