Chapter 426: Nursing Injuries

Chapter 426: Healing

“What are you thinking about?” Tang Wanzhuang’s soft voice came from beside him.

Zhao Changhe snapped back to reality and smiled faintly. “Nothing. Just lost in thought for a moment.”

“Did Ying Wu’s words stir something in you?” Tang Wanzhuang continued feeding him medicine, adding, “I also feel your fortune is extraordinary, as if it’s heading straight for the ancient times, guided by something.”

Zhao Changhe wrinkled his face as he took a spoonful. “Your tone makes it sound like you’ve sensed this for a while, but you’re not too concerned?”

Tang Wanzhuang said, “I’ve never encountered such a thing, so it’s hard to judge what it is… And you’ve been keeping it to yourself, not trusting me that much…”

Zhao Changhe’s face twisted like a gourd.

That Daiyu-like bitterness was practically overflowing.

Tang Wanzhuang said it, but she didn’t seem displeased. Her hands were still gentle as she fed him the medicine, continuing, “But worrying is useless. Would you be willing to give up tracing the ancient times? Or even abandon your own path of cultivation?”

Zhao Changhe said, “I can’t give it up.”

“Then what’s the point of overthinking? It only makes you hesitant for no reason.” Tang Wanzhuang smiled lightly. “Just keep it in mind. When you truly encounter something related in the future, you’ll already have a sense of it and won’t be caught off guard… In any case, no matter what happens, only when your cultivation is strong enough will you have the choice to decide for yourself. Like His Majesty—whether his situation now is good or bad, it was ultimately his own choice.”

Zhao Changhe nodded. “That’s true.”

“In short, with His Majesty’s precedent before you, it’s a reference. Better than having no reference at all and stumbling in the dark.”

Tang Wanzhuang knew her place. Whether Zhao Changhe was the crown prince she intended to support or something that had already changed, he should have his own secrets and his own decisions. As a subject, or as whatever else, her role was to assist.

A little petulance was fine, but she wouldn’t truly dig into it.

There was another irreverent thought she didn’t voice—she felt that in this matter, Xia Longyuan was almost like a precursor king for Zhao Changhe.

“Are you feeling better now? If so, take your medicine.” Tang Wanzhuang chided, “You had a sacred Buddhist remedy that could heal your wounds, but you gave it up just to touch me a couple of times. Now you’re stuck lying here for another month. Comfortable?”

Zhao Changhe stared fixedly at her gentle way of feeding him, taking small sips. The medicine was bitter, but it was all sweetness.

“If I could touch you one more time, another month in bed would be worth it…”

Tang Wanzhuang pretended to smash the bowl over his face, and Zhao Changhe raised his hands to protect himself.

But the medicine was already gone. Tang Wanzhuang casually set the bowl aside, angrily pulled his hands away, and took a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth. “Now you’re like a helpless child, can’t even take medicine, can’t even wipe your own mouth?”

Zhao Changhe said with utter confidence, “I’m your baby. With Auntie here, why should I do anything myself?”

“Who’s your auntie?”

“Go out and ask—who doesn’t know Tang Buqi is my brother?”

“Tang Buqi never got this kind of treatment in his life. You want to be like him? Fine, I’ll go get a broom…”

“What for?”

“Tang Buqi grew up getting beaten with it!”

“…I’m not his real brother. The treatment is different.”

Tang Wanzhuang viciously twisted the handkerchief around his mouth, pressing it until he could only go “mmph mmph” and couldn’t be cheeky anymore. Satisfied, she took the handkerchief and stood up to tidy things.

Just as she rose, her wrist was grabbed.

Turning around, she saw Zhao Changhe’s eyes sparkling, clearly reluctant for her to leave.

Tang Wanzhuang’s heart softened. She said gently, “Alright, you really are like a child. I’m just going to clean up—”

Before she finished, a strong pull came from her wrist.

Tang Wanzhuang didn’t resist. She “naturally” fell into his arms.

But the idiot grunted, his chest hurting from the impact. Tang Wanzhuang glared up at him in exasperation. “Still want to play?”

“Play.” Zhao Changhe embraced her, turned over, and easily pinned her beneath him, kissing her passionately.

Tang Wanzhuang closed her eyes and yielded. Now, it was so familiar.

Sometimes she wondered—was he a master at playing the long game to catch the big fish?

Yesterday, she had been agonizing over dual cultivation, not even sure if she was willing. If he had forced it, she might have refused in the end, and he might not have succeeded, only to plummet in her esteem.

But he had sealed her acupoints, not to take advantage, but to stop her from giving him the medicine. He had forced it entirely into her mouth, not sharing a single bit of its power. His only concern was restoring her meridians.

Tang Wanzhuang knew that at that moment, her heartstrings had been plucked completely, like a spring breeze passing over spring water, rippling across the calm lake. Even Zhuque couldn’t help but show off her intimacy in front of her.

Her meridians were settled, but her heart was stirred. Even today, it hadn’t stopped.

Just like now, the softness outside her heart was held in his hand, from the outside in. He even lowered his head to taste her, saying it was sweet.

Even if he was playing the long game, it was too late to wake up now…

What stubborn talk about not being the crown princess? What stubborn talk about being his master? Now, she was the one who didn’t want to bring it up.

What master? What master gets pinned down and ravished by her disciple and actually enjoys it?

“Alright…” Tang Wanzhuang suddenly reached out and pressed his head against her chest, not letting him move. “You’re injured. I can feel you holding back the pain with every move. How can you be like this…”

Zhao Changhe played dead, lying still on top of her.

In his heart, he was crying without tears. It really hurt. He couldn’t enjoy it fully, let alone go further… He could tell she was willing, but now he was the one who couldn’t.

Who could understand this kind of pain?

“You had to play the hero and give me all the medicine, huh?” Tang Wanzhuang could see his frustration. Smiling, she turned over, and Zhao Changhe flopped to the side like a dead dog.

Tang Wanzhuang propped herself on her elbow and looked at him. “Is the Four Symbols Sect’s medicine all used up?”

“No, but it won’t heal that fast either…” Zhao Changhe said gloomily. “Probably needs a week.”

“What does ‘a week’ mean?”

“Oh, seven days.” Zhao Changhe was deeply frustrated. The mood was perfect now, and Wanzhuang was more than willing. But a seven-day cooldown? What if she got all reserved again? That would be a tragedy.

Tang Wanzhuang was adding fuel to the fire. “Those two women were a bit ruthless. They actually performed a soul search. Now that remnant soul is still dazed. Who knows how long before it returns to normal… We can’t even ask it anything now.”

“Will it become an idiot?”

“No. After all, that remnant soul’s level is higher than ours. It’s just temporarily shaken and confused. It will recover eventually… With some treatment, it might be faster.” Tang Wanzhuang sat up, tidying her disheveled hair and clothes. “Anyway, I should go deal with this. Otherwise, if you go to the Ancient Spirit Tribe and it hasn’t recovered, that won’t be good… Those two women really have no sense of proportion…”

Zhao Changhe was taken aback. “What does going to the Ancient Spirit Tribe have to do with it?”

“I think taking it with you would be beneficial. It knows voodoo, which must be related to the Ancient Spirit Tribe. Whether it’s their enemy or some ancestor of theirs, you can adapt and use it as needed.” Tang Wanzhuang saw that her two attempts to stir him up had failed, and she pouted in annoyance. “You rest. I’ll go. I’ll come back later.”

Tang Wanzhuang was actually afraid that if she stayed, he would force himself despite his injury. Without waiting for his reply, she slipped away.

Not far outside the courtyard, she saw Cui Wenjing standing there, seemingly admiring the scenery.

Baoqin, who had arrived at dawn, was standing guard at the entrance with a red face, not daring to let Cui Wenjing in.

Tang Wanzhuang’s face flushed all the way to her ears. She stepped forward and greeted him with feigned composure. “Marquis of Ji, are you well…”

Cui Wenjing looked at her expressionlessly for a moment before finally speaking. “I am well. I’m afraid some people are not. I suggest you exercise a little restraint… He’s a wounded man. Do you think he’s made of iron?”

Tang Wanzhuang’s face burned with shame. She had no idea how to respond to her rival’s father. Grabbing Baoqin’s hand, she fled like the wind.

The worst part was that this rival was her own doing—the legitimate wife she had tacitly approved. Now, she wanted to travel back in time a year and a half to the Demon Suppression Bureau and slap the face of Chief Tang, who had thought she had everything figured out when she tricked Cui Yuanyang into going to Beimang. “Serves you right for scheming!”

Cui Wenjing watched the mistress and maid flee with a stern face, shook his head, and walked slowly into the courtyard with his hands behind his back.

Zhao Changhe said, “I knew you couldn’t bear to—uh, uh—”

Cui Wenjing casually grabbed the door bolt and paced over. “I really can’t bear to part with you. Seeing that you’re not recovering well enough, why don’t you lie down for a couple more days?”

"Hey hey hey, Old Cui, you... Holy crap, help!"

"If you don't want a beating, it's simple—let's sit down and talk, set a wedding date?"