"So, it turns out we have two old folk here. Are they here to help, or are they here to retire?"
Perhaps catching the skepticism on Yan Weichi’s face, Nurse Zhang smiled and said, "My Lady, you must be hungry. I’ve already prepared some food. Would you like to have a bite?"
She hadn't realized it until now, but at the mention of food, Yan Weichi felt so hungry she was seeing stars.
She hurried to the main hall following Nurse Zhang and found that the place had indeed been cleaned up. Although it was still somewhat dilapidated, it was at least a place to settle down.
However, what satisfied Yan Weichi most wasn't the environment. It was the table full of delicious dishes. Four courses and one soup, a mix of meat and vegetables, with crystal-clear white rice and a rich, fragrant fish soup.
*Good heavens! Is this paradise?!*
Yan Weichi sat down immediately and began to feast.
When she was halfway full, she suddenly remembered to ask, "Oh, that’s right, has the Crown Prince eaten yet?"
Nurse Zhang smiled. "His Highness the Crown Prince is still sleeping."
Yan Weichi sighed. "When I left, he still had a fever. I don’t know how he is now. I’ll go check on him first!"
Yan Weichi set down her half-finished bowl and rushed to Shangguan Xi’s bedroom. She pushed the door open to find the room quiet. Walking around the folding screen to the bedside, she found, as expected, that Shangguan Xi had not yet woken up.
Yan Weichi went to his side, first checking his forehead for fever, then grabbing his wrist. After confirming that he was out of danger, she said, "The fever has gone down, so why are you still sleeping so much? You need to get up and eat something."
Shangguan Xi did not respond.
Yan Weichi thought for a moment and said, "Alright, fine. For the sake of your handsome face, I’ll let you sleep for another hour. If you’re not awake in an hour, I’m going to wake you up!"
With that, she gave his handsome cheek a playful, light touch before turning away with a smile. She didn't know that the moment she turned around, Shangguan Xi opened his eyes. He reached up to wipe his cheek, only to find his fingertips covered in grease, carrying the faint scent of braised pork ribs.
Shangguan Xi was speechless, wishing he hadn't woken up at all.
***
Yan Weichi returned to the front hall to continue her meal. Nurse Zhang, who was pouring tea, said, "His Highness the Crown Prince has had a difficult first half of his life. To be able to marry a lady as kind and beautiful as you, he is surely destined for happiness in his later years!"
Gnawing on a rib, Yan Weichi turned to Nurse Zhang and asked curiously, "Difficult? Isn't he the Crown Prince? How could his life be difficult?"
Nurse Zhang sighed. "My Lady may not know, but the Crown Prince lost his mother at eight and was sent to the army by His Majesty at fourteen. His Majesty wouldn't even allow him to reveal his identity. He had to slog his way from a common soldier to the commander of the three armies. Ten years have passed, and while the other princes lived in luxury, His Highness the Crown Prince hasn't had a single night of peaceful sleep."
Yan Weichi nodded thoughtfully. "I think I’ve heard about that. Hey, Nurse, sit down and tell me!"
She gestured for Nurse Zhang to sit.
Nurse Zhang dared not. "No, no, I wouldn't dare."
"Oh, what are you afraid of? It’s just the two of us here. Sit down so we can chat properly. If you keep standing, I have to look up at you—wouldn't that be exhausting?" She wanted to understand Shangguan Xi’s situation better. After all, they were now husband and wife; if things went poorly for him, she would suffer too!
Seeing Yan Weichi insist, Nurse Zhang sat down beside her, picking the fish bones out for her while continuing, "Whatever My Lady wishes to know, this old servant will tell you everything."
Yan Weichi nodded and asked, "I heard the Crown Prince suffers from the Cold Gu Poison. How did that happen?"
Nurse Zhang nodded. "That is true. The year the Crown Prince was eight, he traveled outside the palace with the Late Empress and encountered mountain bandits. In the aftermath, the Late Empress was killed, the little princess went missing, and the Crown Prince was struck by a hidden weapon, contracting the Cold Gu Poison."
So, Shangguan Xi had a younger sister. "Was the little princess ever found?"
Nurse Zhang shook her head and sighed. "She was never found. Only her swaddling clothes were discovered in the river. They were covered in blood. It is highly likely that the little princess..."
Nurse Zhang left the rest unsaid, and Yan Weichi understood—the outlook was grim.
Yan Weichi thought for a moment and continued, "I’ve never seen the Cold Gu Poison, but I’ve heard of it. It’s supposed to be incurable; when it flares up, the blood freezes, and the victim should die on the spot. How has the Crown Prince managed to live so long?"
Nurse Zhang continued, "There was an enlightened master back then called Daoist Fuyi. It was he who saved the Crown Prince, using his unique internal energy to suppress the poison."
"I see. How do you know so much, Nurse?" Yan Weichi asked, a bit puzzled. Wasn't she just a servant of Prince Xiaoyao's estate?
Before Nurse Zhang could answer, Yu Feiyan’s voice came from the doorway: "Because Nurse Zhang is my wet nurse, and Daoist Fuyi is the master of both the Crown Prince and me."
Nurse Zhang stood up. "Young Lord, I shall take my leave."
Yu Feiyan nodded, signaling her to go. Yan Weichi looked at Nurse Zhang’s retreating figure and then back at Yu Feiyan, sitting across from her. "Was it you who told her to tell me all this?"
Yu Feiyan was slightly taken aback, then awkwardly said, "It... it wasn't that. Old folks are just talkative!"
Yan Weichi smiled. "Alright, I’m not dense enough to miss that trick. It seems you and Shangguan Xi are quite close. Are you that afraid I’ll mistreat him?" Telling her all these tragic details was clearly an attempt to stir up her sympathy for him.
Yu Feiyan quickly replied, "Everything Nurse Zhang said is true. The Eldest Senior Brother is surrounded by danger. If you intend to stay, you naturally should understand the situation. If you want to leave, there’s still time."
She couldn't leave. She had already offended the Duke of Anguo and her own father. She had skills but no power, no money, and no martial arts. Where could she go in this world? Without the protection of the Crown Princess title, the moment she stepped out of the Crown Prince's Mansion, the Duke of Anguo’s Crouching Tiger Saber would surely come for her.
Therefore, she wasn't leaving.
Yan Weichi put down her chopsticks. "Don't act like we’re facing an existential threat. It’s just political infighting; that’s a minor matter. The Crown Prince has already won half the battle by marrying me!"
She raised an eyebrow and smiled at Yu Feiyan, leaving him stunned.
"You... you really are..." he muttered, unable to finish his sentence.
Yan Weichi helped him out: "Shameless, right?"
Yu Feiyan pursed his lips and didn't deny it.
Yan Weichi smiled. "Having a big mouth with no real skills is called being shameless. Having both the skills and the mouth to back it up, like me, is called... well, you know!"
She wasn't sure what idiom to use. Yu Feiyan couldn't help but laugh. She didn't have many obvious merits, but her optimism was certainly genuine! Placing her beside the cold, unsmiling Shangguan Xi might actually bring him a lot of joy.
Yu Feiyan thought for a moment and decided to test her. "Since you’re so capable, perhaps you can handle the repairs for this dilapidated Crown Prince's Mansion as well?"