Chapter 49: Difficult to Handle

She ended up seriously ill from overthinking and emotional stress?

Zhao Hai frowned as he went to check on Chunhua.

Chunhua said, “This servant only knows that during last night’s Mid-Autumn banquet, my lady’s mood wasn’t good. Before that, I didn’t notice anything strange. Later, when she was admiring the moon, I boldly guessed that she might be missing her family who are far away.”

When Zhao Hai heard this, he felt it was a reasonable explanation. So he went to report to Emperor Xuanyuan Ling.

Xuanyuan Ling had only been moved when he saw Shen Qing’s lack of appetite last night. He hadn’t expected her to actually fall ill.

“Is it serious?”

“This servant thinks it’s not light at all. She’s running a high fever. The imperial physician said she’s caught a chill, worsened by excessive worry and emotional blockage. The illness came on very fiercely.”

Xuanyuan Ling frowned. “Why would she be so worried?”

Zhao Hai thought to himself, Of course the Emperor would ask that. He replied, “Chunhua said she had been fine before, but last night was the Mid-Autumn Festival. Perhaps Shen Liangren was missing her family.”

Xuanyuan Ling was momentarily stunned. That little girl’s bright, cheerful smile always lifted his spirits. He had forgotten that she was still young, and had come to the palace far from home. On such a festival night, instead of being joyful, her heart was filled with sorrow.

Missing her family?

Xuanyuan Ling recalled how cautiously Shen Qing had approached him that night—as if he were her only support in this palace.

“Prepare the carriage.”

On the other side, Chunhua and Fangyun were watching over Shen Qing. Their expressions were filled with worry. They hadn’t noticed anything earlier, but now that she had collapsed from illness, they felt lost without their anchor. Seeing her lying unconscious made them deeply anxious—not just out of duty, but because they truly cared for her after spending so much time together.

When Xuanyuan Ling arrived, the imperial physician, still concerned after hearing Zhao Hai’s words, had not yet left. However, the Emperor went straight into the room to see Shen Qing.

Zhao Hai wanted to say, Be careful not to catch the illness, but seeing the Emperor go in without hesitation, he held his tongue.

Xuanyuan Ling frowned at the sight of her. Shen Qing, lying there so small and delicate, looked far younger than usual. Her normally rosy lips were pale, while her cheeks burned bright red with fever—she was really this sick?

“When will she wake up?” Xuanyuan Ling was visibly displeased by her lifeless state.

Chunhua quickly answered, “The physician said that after taking the medicine, once the fever subsides, she should regain consciousness. But because her heart is weighed down, she’ll still need careful emotional care.”

“Mm. Take good care of your mistress.”

Chunhua immediately agreed.

Of course, Xuanyuan Ling didn’t stay. Abandoning state affairs to accompany a woman was against his principles. If he had stayed, it might have done more harm than good for her.

After Chunhua and Fangyun respectfully saw the Emperor out, the medicine was ready not long after.

The two of them helped Shen Qing take the medicine. More than an hour later, her fever gradually subsided.

Although she hadn’t yet woken up, they were finally able to breathe a little easier.

At that moment, Shen Qing felt something was very wrong. She felt like her feet couldn’t touch solid ground—floating and drifting in a haze. Vaguely, she heard some sounds, like a heart monitor, yet also like nothing at all. The sounds seemed both distant and near.

She tried to see clearly but couldn’t. It seemed… she heard her parents’ voices. But she couldn’t make out what they were saying. She wanted to respond, but couldn’t make a sound.

She had no idea how long had passed. Everything around her remained shrouded in gray, like a nightmare. With an astonishing force of will, Shen Qing told herself:

Wake up. You must wake up.

And then—she did. Suddenly, she jolted awake with a loud gasp.

She nearly jumped out of bed, startling Fangyun, who had been keeping watch beside her.

Shen Qing looked around, momentarily dazed. She didn’t know if she was in the modern world or the ancient one. Her parents’ voices had disappeared, replaced by Fangyun leaning over.

“Liangren, you’re awake! You’ve been unconscious all night.”

Shen Qing had been in bed all night without waking—now it was already midday.

She stared at Fangyun blankly, clearly unable to gather her thoughts. Then, suddenly, tears fell.

She hadn’t gone back. She was still here.

This time, the tears were real—Shen Qing truly broke down for the first time.

She cried with raw emotion, pitiful and sincere.

She thought of her parents, her life in the modern world, and how it had abruptly ended—only to continue here.

She thought of this wretched imperial harem life—full of schemes, where one had to curry favor with the Emperor, and couldn’t even freely go outside. She had felt stifled before, but she hadn’t cried.

Today, however, she let it all out. Her tears poured forth, as if releasing all the sorrow from her transmigration.

Xuanyuan Ling had just arrived at the door when he heard her crying. His steps paused.

He had come because she had looked so pitiful last night. He hadn’t expected to hear her crying when he got here.

He walked in to find Shen Qing sobbing uncontrollably. Upon seeing Xuanyuan Ling, and thinking about her wretched life, she couldn’t hold back and cried even louder.

Xuanyuan Ling was momentarily stunned. Then, watching her tears flow like a broken dam, his heart felt both irritated and chaotic.

Strangely, though, he wasn’t annoyed.

He wasn’t annoyed at all. In fact, it was the first time he had ever felt this way about a woman—unsure, awkward, and completely at a loss.

Just… what should he do with her in this kind of situation?