The old lady was getting old and her health was failing, so He Caiqiong, along with Wuyou and Wuhui, took turns caring for Wushuang.
Others don't know so much, and their worries are only about her health, which Jun Nian personally invited to Datong City to bring in the best doctor in the city to oversee and treat her.
Wu Hui feared that Wu Shuang's illness stemmed from a mental illness. The secret she had never wanted to reveal was finally spilled to her stepmother one night.
All the thrilling events, the facts and speculations, were like a grand drama, leaving even the usually calm and resourceful He Caiqiong stunned for a long time.
"It wouldn't be that bad. If His Majesty were determined to punish Prince Ying, he wouldn't have arranged a marriage between He Yao and Gesang." She was older and thought things through more clearly. After a moment of contemplation, she found the key point. "Think about it, which is more shameful: publicly admitting that Prince Ying, his own nephew, has made a mistake, or arranging a marriage between his granddaughter and nephew?"
Wu Hui said, "Incompetence varies in degree. If a mistake is made, and one is reprimanded or punished, as long as one corrects the error, one can still try again. But the latter..."
They will inevitably be the subject of gossip, and the gossip may continue for generations.
He Caiqiong nodded, and was about to say something when Chu Wan, who was dozing off by the bedside, suddenly sat up: "Brother is here!"
She heard the words "Prince Ying" in her dream and mistook it for the announcement of Chu Yao's arrival. But when she opened her eyes, she found the room peaceful and quiet. Everyone in the room, whether standing or sitting, was in the same position as before she fell asleep. Clearly, "Brother has come" was just a beautiful dream.
Chu Wan sat back down in disappointment, not forgetting to adjust the hot towel covering Wu Shuang's head.
He Caiqiong gestured for Wu Hui to be quiet, indicating that she should not bring up the previous topic again. Then she went forward and sat on the drum stool next to Chu Wan, and asked softly, "Wanwan, would you like to go and sleep with Wuyou for a while?"
Even with the connection of being Wushuang's future sister-in-law, Chu Wan was still a guest in the Jun family. So when Wushuang fell ill, He Caiqiong, as her second aunt, took care of her tirelessly, and her cousins Wuyou and Wuhui took turns serving her, but it was impossible to assign Chu Wan any chores.
But Chu Wan refused to leave Wu Shuang's side, no matter how much everyone tried to persuade her. She had never taken care of anyone before and didn't know what to do, yet she imitated them perfectly. When He Caiqiong fed Wu Shuang medicine, she served her tea and water; when He Caiqiong bathed Wu Shuang, she lifted her skirt and climbed onto the bed to help undress her. After a few days, she became adept at everything, practically becoming the best "little mother."
Taking care of a patient is extremely exhausting. Chu Wan had never experienced hardship before, and with consecutive nights of lack of rest, her once radiant face quickly became haggard, and anyone could see that she was utterly exhausted. He Caiqiong saw this and felt sorry for her. Every time she advised her to leave and get a good night's sleep in another room, Chu Wan would toss and turn and only answer with a few words.
Firstly, Shuangshuang is my good friend, and I can't just ignore her since she's sick here.
Secondly, Shuangshuang is my sister-in-law, and since my brother is not here, I have a responsibility to help take care of her.
This time, Chu Wan still shook her head and refused to leave.
Her still-childish face paired with a resolute expression was both adorable and endearing.
He Caiqiong was absolutely smitten with her. One moment she was overjoyed at Wushuang's good fortune to have such a considerate sister-in-law, knowing she wouldn't have to worry about incompatibility after marriage. The next moment, she was worried about Wu Hui's marriage. With Chu Wan as a comparison, she would also carefully consider the character and temperament of the sisters in the groom's family when choosing a husband for Wu Hui. Occasionally, she would sigh, lamenting that Junwei was too young and Junheng too old; otherwise, she would definitely marry Chu Wan to her.
Speaking of Junheng, it's another troublesome matter for the Jun family.
He suffered two blows because of his birth mother and Tang Biqiu's affairs, which eventually led him to volunteer to join the army in the Northwest, where he stayed for nearly ten years. Jian Zhong never returned home, communicating only through letters, which naturally delayed his marriage.
The old lady, concerned for her eldest grandson, took the initiative to find him suitable partners. Each time, she selected a girl who was good in temperament, appearance, and family background. After two or three years, when the girl reached marriageable age, she would get engaged and married. This process repeated itself three to five times. In her letters home, the old lady lamented that Junheng was outwardly respectful and comforting, but in reality, he never showed up, which truly infuriated her.
On the morning of the fourth day, Wushuang finally woke up after her fever subsided. Being young and in good health, she recovered her strength in two or three days and was able to hold hands with her sisters to enjoy the flowers and cool off in the courtyard.
Jun Nian, fearing a relapse of her illness, delayed her departure for several more days. He Caiqiong also took the opportunity when the two were alone to share her deductions with Wushuang, advising her to relax and not worry too much.
Two showers fell in the afternoon, and the weather was cool in the evening. The four Wushuang sisters, accompanied by He Caiqiong, went to play by the lake outside the post station.
The lake is filled with lotus flowers, which are in full bloom at this time of year. As far as the eye can see, the lotus leaves are lush and green, and the lotus flowers are delicate and pink. Against the backdrop of the fiery sunset after the sky clears, it perfectly matches the ancient poem: "The lotus leaves stretch to the sky, an endless expanse of green; the lotus flowers, bathed in sunlight, are a uniquely vibrant red."
Wu Hui is lively and active, and wants to rent a boat to go to the lake to pick flowers and lotus roots.
However, Wu Shuang had just recovered from her illness, and He Caiqiong was afraid that she would catch a cold, so she was unwilling to agree. Wu Hui pleaded for a long time, and finally He Caiqiong had no choice but to give in and let Wang Hongbo come over to accompany Wu Hui and Wu You to board the boat for fun. She took Wu Shuang and Chu Wan to enjoy the cool air and drink tea in the lakeside pavilion.
As dusk approached, a convoy of vehicles could be seen approaching in the distance.
The group was led by two men, each riding a horse. Behind them were three flatbed carts, each pulled by two horses, with mounted guards on the left, right, and rear.
There were only about ten people in total, and since there were no covered wagons, there were probably no women among them. But the whole group was well-organized and did not look like bandits. They were heading towards the official post station, so they were probably government soldiers transporting valuables.
Since there was no danger, He Caiqiong could rest assured and lowered her head again to sip her tea.
After two cups of tea were finished, the group of people had already approached.
He Caiqiong was waiting for the maid to boil water and add fresh tea. She was leisurely waving a round fan in her right hand when she suddenly exclaimed "Ah!" and stood up.
Wushuang and Chuwan, who were leaning side by side on the pavilion railing, turned around and saw He Caiqiong walking quickly down the stone steps. One of the men at the head of the cargo convoy jumped off his horse and strode up to greet her.
Could he be my second aunt's lover from her youth?
Wushuang knew this idea was too boring, but the two people's eager and excited physical posture could not be explained by anything other than that they had known each other for a long time and had a deep relationship.
You should know that she was unwilling to show her longing for Chu Yao in public.
"Aunt!" Wushuang jumped up in surprise as soon as the man spoke.
"Big brother!" This time she ran even faster than He Caiqiong.
The person who arrived was Junheng, who had been away from home for many years. It was dark and Wushuang was far away, so she could not see his face clearly, but she recognized him as soon as she heard his voice.
"Oh, is this Xiao Shuangshuang?" Junheng looked her up and down. "When I left home, you were only up to my thigh, and now you're all grown up."
Wushuang excitedly hugged Junheng's arm, jumping and shouting, "Big brother, big brother, we missed you so much! Why did you get so dark..."
"Haha! The northwest is windy and sunny, and with daily drills in the military camp, it's no wonder I got tanned." Jun Heng's skin not only got darker, but his physique also became much stronger. The once handsome young man had become a standard strongman from the northwest, and even his tone of voice sounded as bold and forthright as a person from the northwest.
Chu Wan had never met Jun Heng before, but she could guess his identity from their conversation. Curious, she stood behind Wu Shuang and peeked over.
"Are you Wuyou? Or Wuhui? How come you've changed so much in just a few years? Your brother doesn't even recognize you." Of course, Junheng wouldn't fail to recognize his own sister; he was just teasing the cute little girl casually.
Chu Wan then stepped forward and politely greeted them, introducing herself.
As the two exchanged pleasantries, the man who had walked alongside Junheng earlier also came over. He was dressed in a sky-blue silk robe, his hair was tied up high, revealing a well-defined oval face with red lips and white teeth. At first glance, he was somewhat androgynous, but upon closer inspection, he was a handsome young man.
But his opening remarks startled everyone.
"Are you Wushuang? I've heard so much about you from your older brother. He said you're smart and quick-witted, and decisive at such a young age. The more I hear about you, the more I like you. I've wanted to meet you for a long time, and today my wish has finally come true." He not only confessed his feelings in public, but also rushed over and put his arm around Wushuang's shoulder, taking advantage of his height to pull the petite Wushuang into his arms.