Outside, the storm was brewing, but Zhuang Dongqing was completely unaware.

After a long journey, dusty and weary, the first thing he did upon returning to the Wangfu was, of course, to take a hot bath.

With more servants around, there was no need for Liu Fu to be the only one running around like a spinning top. All he had to do was prepare the bath tub, clean clothes, and towels for Zhuang Dongqing.

The washroom was filled with steam, and as Zhuang Dongqing submerged himself in the hot water, he felt like he had come back to life.

This was great! He was finally back at the Wangfu, and he was more than willing to be indulged in luxury every day. He could do it!

Letting out a sigh of relief, Zhuang Dongqing leaned over the edge of the bath tub.

So comfortable.

After being out for several days, with limited conditions and two unfamiliar bodyguards, even taking a bath every other day felt like a battle for Zhuang Dongqing. He was afraid of causing trouble for everyone. Now that he was back at the Wangfu, he felt the need to wash every inch of himself thoroughly.

He took a long bath, and Liu Fu even came in to add another tub of hot water for him.

When Zhuang Dongqing finally got dressed and came out, his whole body was flushed red from the hot water, and he looked quite healthy.

He lay on the soft couch, waiting for Liu Fu to wring out his hair. Halfway through, Zhuang Dongqing’s breathing became steady.

After sitting in the carriage all day, he was indeed tired.

Liu Fu quickly finished up with Zhuang Dongqing’s hair, and without calling anyone else, he instead draped a blanket over him. He told the other servants, “Someone stay here to keep an eye on the young master. Be careful he doesn’t roll over and fall off. The rest of you can go.”

With some time left before dinner, Liu Fu took the opportunity to go tidy himself up.

When he was called back, it was already time for dinner.

Liu Fu helped Zhuang Dongqing sit up to wake him.

After drinking a couple of glasses of water, Zhuang Dongqing sniffled and realized, “I’m hungry.”

Liu Fu replied, “The food is ready. Young master, sit for a bit longer and eat when you’re fully awake.”

Zhuang Dongqing nodded.

Dinner was finally not just a simple meal of chicken and duck. Zhuang Dongqing ate until his eyes squinted, feeling like even his tongue was savoring the flavors.

“This is delicious, that is delicious, everything is delicious!”

Zhuang Dongqing devoured three bowls and felt stuffed.

Logically, after dinner, he should have digested a bit, but Zhuang Dongqing really didn’t want to move. The servants brought a lounge chair to the courtyard for him to sit and sip some tea, helping with digestion while getting some fresh air.

The east wing was peaceful and serene.

Meanwhile, in the west wing, Cen Yan had been busy since returning to the Wangfu.

With limited conditions outside, now back at the Wangfu, Master Zhao had to carefully check Cen Yan’s wounds, take his pulse, and prescribe some medicine for recovery.

The two snake bites on his calf were still there, and the surrounding area was dark, not infected, but the wounds hadn’t healed completely.

“Zhuang Dongqing always complains about slow recovery, but it seems just right now.”

Cen Yan said.

Master Zhao carefully examined it again and confirmed there were no issues.

He then removed the gauze.

The two or three knife wounds on his chest had scabbed over, just waiting to fall off.

The key was still the arrow wound on his shoulder. Once the gauze was removed, it indeed had split open.

However…

Master Zhao was surprised, “To heal to this extent is quite fast. Did you use any herbs for external application?”

Cen Yan was somewhat reluctant to tell Master Zhao, but under persistent questioning, he finally said, “When it hadn’t scabbed over, Zhuang Dongqing changed the gauze every other day. After removing the old one, he would wash it with strong liquor and then wrap it with a new one.”

Master Zhao gasped.

“The young master seems to understand some medical principles.”

Cen Yan replied, “Only for treating wounds and caring for patients, I don’t know about medicine.”

Master Zhao nodded, thinking he would have to personally ask Zhuang Dongqing another day.

After rewrapping the shoulder, knowing that strong liquor had been used for cleaning, Master Zhao followed suit and cleaned it with strong liquor again before wrapping it up for Cen Yan.

Realizing he had become Master Zhao’s test subject for medical skills, Cen Yan just closed his eyes and remained silent.

Once everything was done, Cen Yan also needed to wash up.

He had injuries on him and didn’t want the servants to attend to him, so only Liu Qi could pass him things, but even then, he was behind a curtain.

After tidying up, it was completely dark outside.

After dinner, he had discussed matters in the study with Hao San, Xu Si, and Liu Qi, and the night had grown deep.

Cen Yan finally had some free time and asked about Zhuang Dongqing.

Liu Qi detailed, “He took a bath after returning to the Wangfu, slept for a while, sat in the courtyard after dinner, had half a bowl of supper, and then went to bed early.”

Looking at the sky, Liu Qi added, “He should be fast asleep by now.”

Cen Yan asked, “Why did he only have half a bowl for supper?”

Liu Qi replied, “Perhaps he suffered too much outside. He ate three bowls for dinner and felt a bit stuffed.”

Cen Yan chuckled, “I must have misunderstood.”

Seeing the smile on Cen Yan’s face, Liu Qi’s heart stirred. Remembering how Cen Yan and Zhuang Dongqing interacted on the way, he tentatively brought it up, “By the way, master, when Young Master Zhuang first arrived, he said he was temporarily staying in the east wing, but now…”

Before he could finish, Cen Yan’s penetrating gaze swept over, and Liu Qi lowered his head and fell silent.

Knowing what Liu Qi was trying to ask, Cen Yan, who would have never answered such questions before, now said, “I have decided to keep the child.”

Liu Qi looked up, his expression barely hiding his surprise.

Cen Yan continued, “The west wing is busy with people coming and going, and there are many matters to attend to. Plus, Zhuang Dongqing’s health is weak, so it’s better to settle him in the east wing. It’s quiet, and he will be more comfortable.”

“Previously, everything was arranged according to my sister’s preferences. Since he is going to stay, you can ask for his opinions on any changes that need to be made and take action.”

“Start preparing the child’s things as well.”

“As for other matters, we can discuss them later.”

For example, his identity and such would require a formal request for a title, which would take a lot of effort, and in the end, it still had to be approved by the higher-ups. For now… let’s just get through this hurdle first.

Liu Qi nodded, which was also a relief.

Thinking of something, he observed Cen Yan’s expression and quietly said, “What about the Empress Dowager…”

Cen Yan replied, “No need to report to the Empress Dowager. Everything remains as usual. We will discuss it after the child is safely born.”

“Understood.”

Upon closer examination, both Cen Yan and Liu Qi had spent their youth within the palace walls. For the concubines to become pregnant was one thing, but whether they could give birth safely was another. Both subconsciously felt that the child was fragile, and the fewer people who knew before the birth, the safer it would be.

Especially in recent years, the Dingxi Wangfu had made countless enemies in the capital.

Loose lips sink ships.

The fewer people who knew, the better.

After a moment of thought, Cen Yan added, “The two bodyguards who followed Zhuang Dongqing this time are quite capable. Let them stay with him from now on. In the future, when he goes out, you won’t need to assign people temporarily.”

These two bodyguards were top talents drawn from Hao San and Xu Si’s ranks. With Cen Yan’s word, Liu Qi naturally agreed and nodded repeatedly.

With this matter settled, the master and servant discussed some other things before Cen Yan finally got up and made arrangements.

*

The next day, Zhuang Dongqing slept until he naturally woke up.

After breakfast, he remembered Liu Fu’s contract and decided to retrieve it, so he sent someone to ask Liu Qi.

Unexpectedly, Liu Qi came personally, agreeing to let him go out without saying a word, and even brought along the two bodyguards who had been protecting him during the escape, saying they would follow him from now on to ensure his safety.

Zhuang Dongqing had seen the capabilities of these two, so he naturally had no objections.

Afterward, Liu Qi asked about the arrangements in the east wing, whether there was anything he was dissatisfied with after staying for a while. He asked everything, and Zhuang Dongqing answered without thinking too much about it.

Seeing his reaction, Liu Qi vaguely understood something but didn’t point it out. The master always had plans for his own matters and didn’t need him to meddle.

Moreover, after all these years, there was only this one person he felt compatible with, so Liu Qi just needed to do his own job well.

After finishing, Zhuang Dongqing took his people out, heading straight to Li Yang’s grocery store.

Li Yang had already made arrangements regarding the contract, and when Zhuang Dongqing stated his purpose, the shopkeeper handed over the envelope containing Liu Fu’s contract. After opening and checking it, Zhuang Dongqing thanked him.

He then asked about Li Yang’s recent situation, only to receive unexpected news.

Li Yang was fine, but his biological mother, the Shu Fei, had passed away.

Zhuang Dongqing was shocked and asked again, but the shopkeeper only said she had died of illness and didn’t know more.

After leaving the grocery store, Zhuang Dongqing was in a daze for a long time.

So, the story was connected like this?

The Shu Fei’s death was the opening of the entire narrative, the catalyst for the male lead Li Yang’s growth.

But…

Zhuang Dongqing looked at Liu Fu and whispered, “When we were at the Xinggong, I didn’t hear anything about the Shu Fei being ill?”

Liu Fu shook his head; he hadn’t heard anything either.

“Young master, perhaps it wasn’t an illness.”

One of the bodyguards spoke up.

The two bodyguards, one named Na Yuan and the other Wang Zhuangshi, the one who spoke was Na Yuan.

Zhuang Dongqing was puzzled.

Na Yuan looked around, took a step closer, and spoke in a voice only the two could hear, “That day, when things changed, the Xinggong was the first to be controlled. The Shu Fei was there that day.”

Zhuang Dongqing’s pupils constricted, “Are you saying…”

The Shu Fei didn’t die of illness; she was killed by the deposed prince’s faction?

Na Yuan replied, “It’s not impossible. It is said that after the Emperor returned to the capital, he fell ill, and there has been much debate in the court about how to deal with the deposed prince, with no conclusion yet. Perhaps it’s to cover up the scandal; who knows?”

If they wanted to leave a way out for the deposed prince, then the Shu Fei certainly couldn’t have been killed by him.

But whether or not it was to leave a way out for the deposed prince wasn’t that important, because no matter how you looked at it, a son killing his father’s favored concubine was always a scandal that needed to be covered up.

Zhuang Dongqing felt dazed.

He thought of several possibilities, and for a moment, he felt a chill all over.

No matter which situation it was, it was still better than dying of illness!

After that, they traveled in silence, and Zhuang Dongqing’s mind was in a whirl. He found a teahouse along the way to take a break.

Unexpectedly, sitting there only made him more frustrated.

He didn’t choose a private room, just sat in the hall of the teahouse, at a window seat.

There weren’t too many people around, but there were some.

So, during his time in the capital, he heard all the rumors about the Wangfu, as well as the two pieces of gossip that had circulated since Cen Yan entered the capital yesterday.

Zhuang Dongqing: “…”

He wanted to get up and refute them but managed to hold back.

He was afraid that if he acted recklessly, it would only worsen the already bad reputation of the Wangfu.

“Liu Fu, settle the bill!”

Zhuang Dongqing said irritably.

After drinking a cup of tea, Zhuang Dongqing was so angry that he left the teahouse, his face all scrunched up.

What nonsense! Clearly, it was the old emperor who refused Cen Yan’s command of the imperial guards, oh right, he had refused two or three times!

But now that they were back in the capital, it turned into the narrative that Cen Yan didn’t want to protect the emperor and colluded with the deposed prince?!

If it were true…

Zhuang Dongqing shook his head, stopping himself from overthinking, just standing there fuming.

The two bodyguards exchanged glances, and Wang Zhuangshi stepped forward to comfort him, “Young master, there’s no need to worry. Rumors have always been unreliable… You just need to know the truth.”

Zhuang Dongqing huffed, “I know, I just… feel it’s not worth it!”

If they had run away on the second or third day, there wouldn’t have been this mess!

Oh right, that third prince must have known something; otherwise, how could he have conveniently broken his leg on the first day, distancing himself from the storm? If he really didn’t want to get involved, Cen Yan had plenty of ways to get down the mountain.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Dongqing realized he seemed to have a bit of blind confidence in Cen Yan.

But then again, thinking back to Cen Yan’s arrangements during the coup, he felt that this impression was created by Cen Yan himself.

After all, he had already made all the arrangements before Zhuang Dongqing even reminded him…

In front of him, Na Yuan and Wang Zhuangshi lowered their heads, both forcing a smile.

Realizing something, Zhuang Dongqing said, “Am I just standing here talking without feeling the pain?”

After all, it wasn’t him who had actually been on the battlefield, putting in the effort. If anyone should be angry, it was probably Na Yuan and Wang Zhuangshi.

Zhuang Dongqing apologized, “I just…”

Na Yuan replied, “How could that be? Young master is always thinking of the Wangfu; we all know that. It’s just that there are too many people here with too many opinions…”

“Oh, oh, oh.”

Zhuang Dongqing finally reacted and looked around.

When Liu Fu came out, he had no more thoughts; he just wanted to hurry back to the Wangfu.

As they approached the Wangfu’s main gate, he saw a crowd from a distance.

They were lined up in an orderly fashion, looking quite impressive.

Zhuang Dongqing, who was nearsighted, couldn’t see clearly, but the bodyguards knew, “It’s people from the palace.”

Zhuang Dongqing couldn’t help but think of the rumor about Cen Yan being poisoned and unconscious.

As they got closer, he indeed saw a eunuch holding a whisk in front, followed by several imperial doctors carrying medicine boxes, talking to Liu Qi.

He didn’t catch the opening words, but he caught Liu Qi’s response: “It’s truly wonderful that the eunuch can come. As for the prince’s condition… let’s have the imperial doctors take a look first.”

By the end, his voice was choked with emotion, leaving Zhuang Dongqing confused.

Huh?

What does this mean?

Zhuang Dongqing didn’t understand and was completely out of the loop.

The eunuch reassured him, “The prince risked his life to protect the emperor, showing his loyalty to the country. Upon hearing that the prince was unwell, the emperor was also anxious and specially dispatched the head of the Imperial Medical Institute and two imperial doctors to come and check on the prince.”

“The head of the institute and the doctors are all highly skilled; Liu supervisor, please don’t panic.”

Liu Qi covered his face, moved, “Heaven’s grace is vast; I thank His Majesty on behalf of my prince.”

The chief eunuch by the Emperor’s side, Eunuch Feng, flicked his whisk, “Then please lead the way, Liu supervisor.”

Liu Qi nodded, expressing gratitude a few more times, and led Eunuch Feng inside.

When he turned around, he caught a glimpse of Zhuang Dongqing and exchanged a glance with Hao San.

Once the palace entourage entered the Wangfu, Zhuang Dongqing still couldn’t grasp the situation. Hao San approached him, and Zhuang Dongqing stammered, “I, you…”

For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

With so many people around, how much could he really say?

Hao San understood, “Young master, don’t panic. The palace often sends people to the Wangfu; you’ll get used to it.”

He attributed Zhuang Dongqing’s reaction to being nervous about seeing palace people.

Zhuang Dongqing understood; this wasn’t the time to talk, but…

“What about the prince…”

He started to ask, but then he got stuck. He had many questions, but it seemed like none could be voiced.

He couldn’t just ask why Cen Yan seemed fine, yet Liu Qi was acting so sorrowful. What if the imperial doctors checked his pulse and revealed the truth?

Hao San said, “If you’re worried about the prince, would you like to go to the west wing with me to take a look?”

Realizing something, Zhuang Dongqing felt anxious, “Can I go?”

“Of course.”

“Just follow me, young master.”

Zhuang Dongqing fidgeted with his hands, feeling a bit scared but even more worried, and finally nodded, “Okay.”

He followed Hao San into the Wangfu.