Yunchu’s Vengeance - Chapter 140
Chapter 140 - I Am Not a Boy
Physician Bi arrived shortly.
Carrying his medical box, he hurried into the inner chamber where Yun Chu lay, pulled out a thread of silk, and rested it across Yun Chu's pulse.
"Blood deficiency generates wind, and it must be avoided when encountered," Physician Bi soon reached a conclusion. "Since she has consumed wild mushrooms, she need only avoid them in the future. I will write out two prescriptions—one to nourish the blood and regulate the body, and the other to relieve the skin's itching."
The physician picked up his writing brush, and before long, he finished writing two medicinal formulas and handed them over. Jiuer took them and immediately instructed someone in the estate who knew how to ride a horse to gallop off to the apothecary to have the prescriptions filled.
"Having practiced medicine for over thirty years, Madam Xie is only the second person I have ever encountered who fell unconscious merely from eating wild mushrooms," Physician Bi stated. "The first one was the little County Princess."
Yun Chu's heart skipped a beat, disbelief written all over her face.
Little Changsheng couldn't eat wild mushrooms either?
This was simply too much of a coincidence.
"Madam Xie may soak in the hot spring shortly; it can swiftly eliminate these newly erupted red rashes," Physician Bi said, casting a glance toward Chu Yi standing off to the side. "Since the little County Princess is also on the estate, why not perform acupuncture on her tomorrow and test what kind of therapeutic effect acupuncture administered inside the hot spring water might have?"
Upon hearing these words, Chu Changsheng's body involuntarily shuddered as she curled into Yun Chu's embrace, trembling uncontrollably all over.
Chu Hongyu sniffled, clenched his little fists, and declared, "Physician Bi is a bad person! He always gives my sister needles; every single pinprick on my sister's body was poked by him. A bad person, a super bad person!"
Physician Bi rubbed his nose.
He had been living alongside the young heir and the county princess for over three years now, and the two little masters would hide the moment they saw him, as if catching sight of some ferocious beast.
However, he was already used to it.
Yet right then, a gentle female voice rang out, "Yu Ge'er, Physician Bi performing acupuncture on Changsheng is to regulate and improve her health. Surely you don't want to see your sister remain this weak, unable even to hold a little kitten, do you?"
Her voice was somewhat hoarse, yet gentle and imbued with strength.
Chu Hongyu naturally understood this reasoning, but every time his sister underwent acupuncture, she would become even more withdrawn than before, making it impossible even for him, her own biological brother, to draw close.
His heart simply ached too much for Changsheng, rather than intentionally hating Physician Bi.
He bit his lip, loosened his grip on Yun Chu's hand, skirted around the screen, and walked out. Stopping right in front of Physician Bi, he raised his head and said, "Physician Bi, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said you were a super bad person. Can you forgive me?"
Physician Bi's eyes nearly popped out of his head in shock.
In the past, whenever the young heir called him a bad person, it wasn't as if the Prince hadn't tried to discipline him, but the young heir simply wouldn't listen to the Prince at all.
Yet with a single simple sentence from that Madam Xie, the young heir had actually taken the initiative to come over and apologize.
It was truly as if the sun had risen from the west.
stroking his beard, he spoke up, "When this old man performs acupuncture on the County Princess, if the Young Heir can accompany the County Princess and talk to her to help distract her attention, then this old man will forgive the Young Heir."
Chu Hongyu nodded. "Even without Physician Bi telling me to, I would have done just that."
Physician Bi burst into hearty laughter and walked outside alongside Chu Yi.
"Old Bi," Chu Yi spoke in a low, even voice. "Are there many people in this world who fall unconscious and break out in red rashes just from eating wild mushrooms?"
Physician Bi shook his head. "Not many. Throughout my entire life, I have only ever witnessed the little County Princess and Madam Xie... Most people with such symptoms cannot consume triggering foods like shrimp, crabs, or peanuts; wild mushrooms are indeed a rarity."
Something flashed past the depths of Chu Yi's mind, but he failed to catch it.
He had someone escort Physician Bi to the guest courtyard of the estate, then turned to instruct the nannies of the small courtyard. "The few of you, make preparations to attend to Madam Xie as she soaks in the hot spring."
The nannies lowered their hands and acknowledged the command. "Understood, Your Highness."
The servant returned with the medicine, and after it was brewed, Yun Chu drank it down. The swollen, painful sensation in her throat subsided quite a bit, though dense red rashes still covered her body.
She stood up, preparing to go soak in the hot spring to ease them.
Chu Hongyu pestered her, "Aunt Yun, wouldn't it be great if I soaked with you..."
Before Yun Chu could say anything, Chu Yi's voice cut through from outside the doorway: "Chu Hongyu, what did I tell you? Men and women must keep a proper distance!"
"I'm not a boy, I'm a girl!" Chu Hongyu brazenlythickened his skin. "Aunt Yun, just pretend to treat me like a girl! I want so badly to soak in the hot spring with you."
Yun Chu: "..."
For a moment, she truly didn't know what to say to that.
Still, he was ultimately just a four-year-old child, not yet at the age where rigid rules of separation between men and women applied.
She had attendants prepare clothing, changed the two little fellows into outfits specifically meant for soaking in the hot spring, dressed herself as well, and holding both children by the hand, stepped into the hot spring pool together.
Chu Yi's face was as dark as the bottom of a wok.
Though he couldn't see that side, he could hear the sounds; that brat's peals of laughter had startled the birds right out of the trees.
Madam Xie simply spoiled this boy far too much...
"Your Highness!" At that moment, his attendant walked in and reported, "Consort Yin requests Your Highness to enter the palace for a visit; there is an urgent matter to discuss!"
Chu Yi rubbed his fingertips.
The urgent matter in his imperial mother's mouth was, eight times out of ten, about him taking a primary consort.
Although he had previously relaxed his stance and agreed to take a primary consort, Yu Ge'er was intensely averse to this matter, to the point of even falling into the water because of it.
He spoke up, "Go tell the nanny who brought the message that I already have someone in my heart, and ask my imperial mother not to labor herself over this matter anymore."
The attendant's eyes widened in sheer astonishment.
The Prince had someone in his heart?
He stayed by the Prince's side every single day; why hadn't he known?
Yet not a single woman had ever appeared around the Prince! How could he suddenly have someone in his heart out of nowhere?!
Wait no...
The attendant's gaze drifted toward the direction of the hot spring pool. Though he couldn't see over there, he could clearly hear the young heir calling out "Aunt Yun" at every turn.
Could it be... Madam Xie?
But Madam Xie was already married, with a husband and children of her own!
"What are you standing there dazed for?"
Chu Yi let out a cold bark.
Snapped out of his reverie like waking from a dream, the attendant hurriedly retreated to carry out the order.
Chu Yi's expression was dark and obscure.
The person in his heart... who was the person in his heart?
Back in his fifteenth year, as he marched off on campaign alongside General Yun, she had stood atop the city walls to bid farewell to the Yun army.
At that time, she was merely ten years old. He dared not entertain any thoughts whatsoever, and every trace of nascent feeling was ruthlessly strangled by his own hands in its cradle.
If he had known beforehand that upon returning five years after the campaign, he would be drinking at her wedding banquet, would he still have hidden those feelings away?
Chu Yi gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile.
Even if he let the Yun family know his feelings, it would be of no use.
The Yun family would never allow a Yun daughter to marry an imperial prince, and His Majesty would unquestionably never bestow a marriage decree between him and her.
That hidden, secret sentiment had actually long since been slowly buried by the long river of time... yet the two children had inexplicably entangled themselves with her...
Every single meeting, every single conversation, every instance of drawing so close to her was like a pot of water pouring onto the soil of his heart, causing that seed, which had long since perished, to begin slowly sprouting and pushing forth tiny green leaves...
Yet, he couldn't!
He could not ruin her.
Chu Yi turned around and strode out of the small courtyard.
Yun Chu and the two children were soaking in the hot spring pool. Though it was the height of midsummer, the surroundings were shaded by lush foliage, and blocks of ice had been placed about, keeping the heat entirely at bay.
Like a little water snake, Chu Hongyu darted back and forth through the hot spring pool, bursting into hearty laughter from time to time. His joyous laughter infected Chu Changsheng, bringing a sweet, lovely smile to the little girl's face as well