Chapter 79

After the doctor entered, the door of Qingpu Residence was completely closed.

The imperial guards and shadow guards guarded Qingpu Residence like an iron bucket, afraid that not even a sparrow could fly in, yet they could faintly hear the bustling sound of people coming and going from outside the courtyard.

Shen Yu walked for a while and then turned back, holding a knife and leaning against the eaves with the guards.

She wasn’t on duty today, but for some reason, she felt uneasy when she was far away. Standing here, however, made her feel much more at ease.

As the sky gradually darkened, Er Ya came out with Da Huang to find her.

Er Ya said, “Da Huang has been constantly barking tonight, I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”

Shen Yu squatted down and rubbed Da Huang’s head, murmuring, “Do you also know that something’s wrong?”

Dogs are intuitive creatures, sometimes even more accurate than humans.

So, a person and a dog sat crouched under the eaves, waiting, hoping for good news to come from inside.

In the middle of the night, the door of Qingpu Residence finally opened, but it was a guard who rushed out.

Shen Yu peeked out and only saw the courtyard brightly lit, with maids and servants bustling back and forth like ants on a hot pan.

The courtyard gate closed tightly again. Half an hour later, two imperial physicians arrived from the palace.

Xie Tingzhou’s illness was dangerously severe, and it wasn’t until morning that it began to ease and stabilize.

Before falling asleep, he closed his eyes and asked, “Where is she?”

Xian Feng and Chang Liu understood who he was referring to, but didn’t acknowledge it.

“She has already gone back long ago,” Chang Liu said, somewhat dissatisfied.

His Highness treated Shi Yu so well, yet she just left without even asking, as if she were a heartless person.

Xie Tingzhou’s breathing gradually calmed down, and he slowly fell asleep.

He slept until the afternoon.

Li Jifeng heard that Xie Tingzhou was ill and hurriedly came from the palace.

As people often said, he was like a mud that couldn’t stick to the wall. The ministers looked down on him, and even those noble sons, apart from playing with him, preferred to flatter his brothers, because any one of them had more potential for advancement than him. Even if Li Jifeng were to be made a prince in the future, he would still be a powerless idle prince.

But Xie Tingzhou was different to him. He was the Crown Prince of Beilin, destined to become the future king of Beilin. Many noble sons wanted to get close to him, but he truly treated Li Jifeng as a brother.

Li Jifeng stepped into Qingpu Residence, hesitated for a moment, glanced at Shen Yu at the door, and then walked in.

Li Jifeng’s voice arrived before he did. He entered the courtyard and shouted, “Brother!”

Xie Tingzhou had just woken up, feeling unwell, and was sitting at the table eating porridge.

He didn’t have much of an appetite to begin with, and Li Jifeng’s shout completely put him off his food.

When Li Jifeng entered, he saw Xie Tingzhou put down his chopsticks and asked, “Are you okay?”

“I would be better if you didn’t come,” Xie Tingzhou said.

Li Jifeng was already used to his mouth and sat down without hesitation.

He usually ate a lot of meat, but now he felt like eating something light. Seeing the dishes on the table were alright, he picked up his chopsticks.

“I only heard about you calling the physicians last night. What happened?” Li Jifeng asked with concern.

“It’s just an old ailment,” Xie Tingzhou said casually.

Li Jifeng asked worriedly, “The residual poison hasn’t cleared yet?”

Xie Tingzhou didn’t answer, just picked up the teacup and took a sip, immediately furrowing his brows.

He needed his medicine, so the servants removed the tea, which was plain water.

After a few sips, Li Jifeng remembered the person standing at the door and shook his head, “You’ve only been together for a few days, and you’ve already chased her out of the courtyard?”

Xie Tingzhou didn’t understand, “What?”

“Your delicate lover, standing guard at the courtyard door, wasn’t it your punishment?” Li Jifeng pointed his chin, “Isn’t that her?”

Xie Tingzhou fell silent for a moment, “Chang Liu.”

“Chang Liu!” Li Jifeng raised his voice.

Chang Liu was waiting at the door and hurriedly entered, “Master, what are your orders?”

Both of them were addressed as “Master” when summoned, as it was difficult to distinguish between them when called by “Your Highness.”

Xie Tingzhou glanced at him and asked, “How many steps from here to the courtyard gate?”

Chang Liu was stunned, “I’ve never counted.”

Xie Tingzhou said, “Then go and count.”

Chang Liu scratched his head with suspicion, starting to count from the door as he walked.

“One hundred and thirty-five, one hundred and thirty… Oh, when did you arrive?” Chang Liu looked at Shi Yu at the courtyard gate.

Shen Yu said, “I’ve been here all along, what’s wrong?”

Chang Liu turned his head, ran back, and knelt down at the door, “Master.”

Xie Tingzhou asked, “How many steps?”

Chang Liu stuttered, “One hundred and thirty-six, I was wrong.”

Seeing Shi Yu standing at the door, he understood the purpose of Xie Tingzhou asking him to count the steps. But he made the mistake of answering without confirming the distance, which was an error that a guard shouldn’t make.

“Let her go back,” Xie Tingzhou said.

“Yes.” Chang Liu quickly went out to inform Shi Yu.

However, he ran back again, “Master, he said he won’t leave.”

“Look at that,” Li Jifeng exclaimed, “How loyal and devoted. In such cold weather, the beloved can’t even be seen, yet still guards outside. You heartless man.”

Xie Tingzhou lifted his eyelids to look at him, “Have you eaten enough?”

“Not yet, why?” Li Jifeng…

A piece of pastry was stuffed into his mouth, choking Li Jifeng. After struggling, he finally managed to get the pastry out, pointing at Xie Tingzhou, “You’re trying to harm the future heir!”

Xie Tingzhou pretended not to hear and said to Chang Liu, “Let her come in.”

It was windy today, and it was very cold outside the courtyard. If it weren’t for the fact that Shen Yu practiced martial arts all year round, her body might not have been able to bear it long ago.

Xie Tingzhou watched her briskly walk in, followed by Da Huang at her feet.

There was only him in the room, and Li Jifeng had been sent to the side hall by him.

Shen Yu remembered Xie Tingzhou’s fear of the cold, so she closed the door as soon as she entered, swept her gaze around him, and then settled

back on his face.

His complexion was a bit paler than usual, but his lips were redder.

“Why didn’t you leave?” Xie Tingzhou asked.

After Da Huang entered the room, he sniffed around on his own.

Shen Yu glanced at him and said, “His Highness asked me to think about how to explain it properly. I’ve already figured it out.”

Xie Tingzhou’s eyes deepened, as the answer could be inferred with a little thought.

Shen Yu took a breath and slowly exhaled. This was the first time she had admitted her difficulties to someone.

“I…”

“No need to say,” Xie Tingzhou interrupted her just as she started.

Shen Yu was stunned.

Xie Tingzhou lifted his gaze and said slowly, “Things that will make you sad, don’t think about them again.”

She looked at him in shock, feeling comforted by his words, realizing for the first time how aggrieved she was.