To consolidate the manpower Imperial Preceptor Shi had left behind for Zhong Wan was harder than he had expected. The will of people changed easily. Imperial Preceptor Shi had been gone for many years. The great kindness of the past was unable to withstand the ravage of time.

The people remaining who would sincerely rush about to help Zhong Wan numbered few. Moreover, some people were either led away by the riches and honor before them or were obstructed by their houses full of their children. Zhong Wan did not blame them. Even if one used a previous grace to coerce them to help, in the end, it was Imperial Preceptor Shi’s grace. Zhong Wan was only his student. He did not have that kind of reputation.

Thank goodness that although there weren’t that many people he could use, the ones he could were loyal and capable to the extreme.

This time, they had resolved that matter of those Royal Mausoleum servants very straightforwardly. At present, Xuan Qiong had no choice but to suffer in silence. He absolutely would not dare to make the matter public.

Zhong Wan rubbed his sore shoulder. A low laugh escaped his lips.

Bit by bit, one step at a time.

He knew his body was frail. As such, he didn’t dare to fight too hard. For now, he had to pause probing into Yu She’s background. After he recovered from his illness, that would be a different story.

He recuperated in bed for a few days. And Yu She’s side grew all the more anxious.

A little servant girl who attended to Yu She timidly glanced at him. Trembling, she held a bowl of?lotus seed soup?for him. “Steward said that Heir is suffering from a bit of?excessive internal heat?and needed—”

Without even lifting his head, Yu She said, “Take it away.”

Steward Feng had rushed the little servant girl over here. So she dared not leave. Voice quivering, she said, “In these past couple days, the corners of Heir’s eyes have grown red. It really is from excessive internal heat, and must be—”

“Scram,” said Yu She, cold as ice.

The young servant girl quivered even more. “The internal heat in Heir’s heart is too strong. Relieving it is a must. If Heir does not drink the lotus seed soup, Steward Feng will summon an imperial physician, or perhaps.. Heir wishes to eat something else that does the job??Sweat pear soup??Powdered-root-of-lotus soup?

All of a sudden, Yu She said in a low voice, “Ten days.”

The little servant girl jumped from shock. Blinked. “What?”

“Ten days.” Yu She seemed to be talking to himself. “He hasn’t come or sent any pastries over.”

She saw that Yu She was starting to speak nonsense again. And she grew even more afraid. Timidly, she asked, “What pastries?”

Te Vtf rjlv lc j vjhf, “P vbc’a xcbk. P tjnfc’a fnfc tjv j mtjcmf ab rwfii atfw.”

“Lflg tjr fzmfrrlnf lcafgcji tfja. Pa’r yfaafg ab fja qjraglfr ifrr.” Ktf ilaaif rfgnjca ulgi ijeutfv vgsis. “Lbkfnfg.. lo Lflg kjcar ab fja la, atfc fja la. Qtja xlcv vbfr sbeg tbcbgfv rfio kjca? P-P klii tjnf rbwfbcf wjxf la lwwfvljafis.”

What went through his thoughts was anyone’s guess. At that moment, his pupils constricted. Hoarsely, he said, “Osmanthus cake.”

The little servant girl quickly sounded her acknowledgement, turned around, and left.

It was uncertain whether Yu She heard her or not. Once again, he said near whisper, “We’ve agreed on it. We’ve already agreed on it.. Osmanthus cake.”

Yu She practically was fuming with rage through gritted teeth. “We’ve clearly agreed on it already. Once every ten days, he would come visit.. It’s been ten days, but he hasn’t come, hasn’t come..”

He closed his eyes, adjusting his breathing. He didn’t want to be like this. Previously, Yu she had already decided that he would not do anything drastic for the next few months.

“He’s been held back. So many issues to deal with.. Xuan Rui, this useless person. He’s been held back by Xuan Rui. He’s been held back by Xuan Rui..” mumbled Yu She, without realizing it. After a while, he actually calmed down.

Yu She took a deep breath. And he slumped into his chair, devoid of energy.

He wanted to lie down for a moment. After standing, he caught sight of a servant girl just as she cheerfully and diligently brought a plate of osmanthus cake inside the room.

Yu She’s gaze changed in a flash.

He clenched his teeth so hard that creaks could be heard. “The tenth day has already arrived. He didn’t come. He had never taken this matter seriously.”

With large strides, Yu She left the room, startling the little servant girl immensely. Flustered, she set down the plate of osmanthus cake and rushed to find Steward Feng.

But there was no way she could outrun Yu She. Once Steward Feng had heard the news, Yu She had left the prince estate long ago.

In Prince Qian An’s estate, Zhong Wan covered his mouth and nose, placing the pastries that Xuan Congxin gave him back into the meal box one at a time.

It was as if he were afraid of burning himself, covering his hand with a handkerchief as he arranged the pastries neatly in the meal box. From start to finish, he did not allow his own fingers to touch the pastries.

It wasn’t until he closed the lid of the meal box that Zhong Wan removed the handkerchief from his hand. He took a couple breaths in comfort. Just as he was about to call a servant over, he heard someone pound at the door. Zhong Wan furrowed his brows. What could have happened at this time?

A servant in Zhong Wan’s courtyard opened the door. In no time at all, someone pushed open the doors to Zhong Wan’s room.

Yu She seemed to have come here by horse, hair in disarray and the collar of his top creased.

Zhong Wan stared blankly. “W-why are you here?”

Yu She stared straight at Zhong Wan, attempting his best to suppress the flames of anger in his heart.

Meanwhile, Zhong Wan realized that Yu She’s expression seemed strange. He thought,?Were my secret actions discovered?

But it didn’t seem that way.

He studied Yu She’s appearance. In disbelief, he thought that for some reason.. Yu She looked as if he had suffered from an enormous amount of unjust treatment?

What happened?

After Zhong Wan had asked this in a soft voice, his only response from Yu She was rough breathing. As if he were trying his best to suppress something.

Zhong Wan had been shut indoors in this house for many days. Because he couldn’t be blown by the wind, the windows could not be opened, and he feared he would infect Yu She with his illness. “Why don’t you head for the antechamber first? I’ll immediately follow—”

Before he could finish speaking, Yu She’s eyes reddened in an instant.

Such a sight shocked Zhong Wan.?This person..

The corners of Yu She’s lips tilted up slightly into a smile of ridicule. “What? Are you scared of me? Or do you dislike me? Zhong Wan.. Have you forgotten? Right.. Only I remember. Only I was waiting..”

“Forget what?” The chill from Yu She made Zhong Wan cough. He used a lot of strength to say, “I’ve been sick for many days. If you stand there, in a little while you’ll be.. infected by me..”

Yu She stared blankly. In a flash, his anger weakened by leaps and bounds.

“You’re.. sick?”

Zhong Wan coughed for a while. Afterward, he retreated two steps. “Just listen to me first. Go to the antechamber first, okay? I—” And the coughs spilled out again.

As he coughed, he used the table as support. But he did not forget to point his head away from the meal box. Yu She stared at him, his lips twitching.

“Let’s just say I’m begging you. Please don’t stand too close to me..” Zhong Wan coughed until he sweated all over. “Xuan Yu didn’t listen to me, staying by my side all day, so yesterday he got a fever. If you also do this—”

Before Zhong Wan could finish speaking, his body felt light. After a bout of dizziness, he was placed on the bed by Yu She.

Lying on the bed, Zhong Wan thought with fear clawing at his chest,?Did, did.. Yu She just carry me?!!

Yu She raised the hem of his clothes and sat by Zhong Wan’s bedside.

He closed his eyes. His expression in this instance recovered immensely. He lifted his gaze. All of a sudden, Yu She said, “Zhong Wan, don’t you find this scene familiar?”

Zhong Wan swallowed his saliva. Stammered, “That year, it truly was you—”

“It was me. I took care of you for half a month.” There was anger in Yu She’s eyes. “You don’t remember? Fine.. I’ll help? jog your memory. Zhong Wan, once you coughed, you started to sweat. Right now, your inner garment should be drenched too, right?”

Without thinking, Zhong Wan replied, “Yes..”

Yu She looked up. “Where are the clean inner garments?”