Чистая вода и прекрасные горы

Глава 32

The person on the bed coughed heavily and asked softly, "Xiaoxia, it's been about half a month since the Princess left, hasn't it?"

"yes."

Qin Lanruo sighed and brought over the medicine, "There are only a few sips left, would you like to drink them all at once?"

The person on the bed started coughing again, and I, feeling agitated, lifted the curtain and went into the inner room.

"Sister, you're back." Qin Lanruo hurriedly put down the soup she was holding and came to greet her. "I thought you were too busy with the Empress. The Prince has been thinking about you. How is the Empress?"

I affectionately put my arm around her hand. "It's still the same, nothing seems to be getting better. I heard that you've been busy with everything these days. It's a good thing you left me here in the manor, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to stay in the palace to take care of things for so long."

As I spoke, I glanced at Lu Li on the bed. There seemed to be a glint in Lu Li's eyes. When he saw me looking at him, he gave a pale smile. "You just need to take care of Mother. Why worry about me? I was just afraid that you would have to take care of both sides and run around. That's why I didn't have anyone call you."

I forced a smile at him and said, "It's because your mother feels sorry for her son and rushed me back to take care of you."

Lu Li opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he started coughing. I took the opportunity to sit down in front of his bed and gently patted his back. "Why are you coughing like this? Didn't the imperial physician come? Did you disobey your sister's advice and secretly write a memorial again?"

"Fine, I won't write anymore?" Lu Li gave a bleak smile.

Qin Lanruo stepped forward and handed me a handkerchief. "Only you, little sister, can keep the prince in check. He won't listen to anything I say."

"Thank you for your trouble, sister." I smiled and turned to instruct Xiaoxia, "Boil the sour pears I brought from the palace with rock sugar and send them to the master. They are a good medicine for coughs."

Qin Lanruo quickly seized the opportunity to say, "Now that my sister is back, I won't linger here any longer. I'll go back to my room first."

"I was thinking of having a heart-to-heart talk with my sister."

"There's plenty of time. The prince's illness is more important. Why don't you talk to the prince about some private matters?" Qin Lanruo smiled, lifted the curtain, and went out.

Only the two of us remained in the room. Lu Li leaned weakly against the bedside, and I looked around, refusing to meet his gaze.

"You didn't come back, and you didn't even send a message... Is it because you're still angry with me?" Lu Li asked softly. "I was furious the day I left, but did you read that letter? And did Lu Zhen try to cheer you up?"

I became agitated again, and forced a smile. "How could I be so petty? I've long forgotten about these things. I really was just too busy with my aunt's affairs. I've been feeling restless and have a lot on my plate these days, so I didn't send anyone a message, which made you worry, Grandpa."

He shook his head. "No, I just thought you were still holding your breath."

Are you thirsty?

He shook his head, then suddenly grasped my hand. "I feel you're different from before."

"What's different?"

"His eyes, the way he looks at me isn't as sharp as before, and the way he looks at everyone else is different now."

"That's great."

He shook his head. "Because you have something on your mind, you learned to hide your true feelings in your eyes."

"Oh?" I chuckled softly.

What's making you feel so uncomfortable?

I stopped laughing and turned my head to the side. "What could be wrong? Women are bound to have little emotions."

"Let's talk when you're ready. But... it's not good to keep things bottled up inside for too long... it can make you sick..."

He gently closed his eyes and lay down. I kept changing his cold compresses all afternoon until his fever subsided a little. It was already evening when he drifted off to sleep, his head resting on the edge of the bed.

"Your Majesty..." Liu Shang gently woke me up in my ear.

I struggled to get up and saw that I was half-sitting on the ground, leaning against the footstool.

Taking the wet wipe Liu Shang handed me, I asked softly, "How long have I been asleep?"

"One hour."

I nodded, put on my robe, and went out into the twilight.

A cold wind blew in my face, making me a little more awake. Things had come to this point, and I was already exhausted.

"Your Highness, the Third Prince is waiting in the main hall of the front garden."

I responded, thinking to myself that what was bound to happen would happen eventually.

Chapter Twenty-Eight: I am weary, where does your heart lie?

"What wind blew Third Brother here?" I said with a smile as I stepped into the house.

The Third Prince, Prince Yu, sat at the table with a cold face, not saying a word.

"Why is that, Third Brother?" I sat down next to him and gently pushed a cup of tea towards him.

"I heard that your sister-in-law has taken that wretched girl Qin Lanruo under her wing?"

I chuckled and feigned confusion, "Qin Lanruo... are you referring to that talented woman? I'm not that lucky."

Prince Yu smiled maliciously, "Sister-in-law, don't get arrogant just because you have Father and Mother backing you up. I don't believe you can control everything."

He flung his sleeves and stood up. He kicked the round wooden chair beside him with a thud. "I refuse to believe I can't find a woman."

Watching his retreating figure, I smiled weakly. His domineering and arbitrary nature was utterly unacceptable to Qin Lanruo. Leaving the house, I walked along the corridor back to the back garden. After taking a few steps, a small figure suddenly bumped into me.

"Has Mother returned?"

I quickly squatted down to help him up, took out a handkerchief from my sleeve and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "My little darling, if your father sees you running around in this windy weather, he'll surely give you a good scolding."

“Mother, I caught a sparrow on the hill behind the house. Please keep it a secret.” Lu Zhen said in a serious tone.

Looking at the sparrow in his hand, which was about to die from being handled so roughly, I felt a pang of pity and smiled. "Of course, I won't tell your father. But... if you release this little sparrow, wouldn't it be better for me to take you to the palace tomorrow to shoot geese with your uncle's brothers?"