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It’s very discouraging to see people reading from aggregator sites after I spent hours translating.
He was injured?
Wei Luo’s steps slowed before she stopped walking.
Zhao Jie had gone to Shanxi to help with the disaster relief. It wasn’t like he had gone to a border station that had barbarians and bandits. Why was he injured? She hesitated for a moment. It was only a moment, but Zhao Liuli saw this and took the opportunity to bring her inside Prince Jing’s residence. As they walked, Zhao Liuli explained,
My older brother was ambushed on the way back. Someone wanted to take his life. Both his chest and shoulder have wounds. The doctor is currently staunching his bleeding…
Prince Jing’s residence was located in the capital’s Southwest’s Sheng Ye subdivision. Only high officials and nobles lived here. There weren’t many pedestrians on the clean road, so Zhao Liuli’s voice was especially distinct.
Zhao Liuli pulled Wei Luo into Prince Jing’s residence. They took a small limestone-path to the back of the residence. At first, she didn’t really believe Zhao Liuli’s words, but Zhao Liuli’s tears didn’t seem fake. In addition, as they walked closer to Zhao Jie’s personal courtyard, she saw more servants hurriedly coming and going. They seemed to all be busy with one thing. Wei Luo’s heart gradually sunk. Even if she didn’t want to, she had to start believing that Zhao Liuli’s words were true.
Zhao Liuli’s eyes were red. She wiped away her tears and said,
When I was looking before, the wound was deep and long. There was blood everywhere on older brother’s body… He doesn’t want imperial mother to worry and only told me. But, imperial mother will know sooner or later… Ah Luo, don’t blame me for asking you to come here. I know about the matter between you and my older brother. My older brother likes you. He’ll be really happy even if you only come to look at him.
Wei Luo pursed her lips. A long time later, she said,
… If this happens again in the future, you have to tell me in advance.
This was related to a young lady’s pure reputation. Zhao Liuli’s actions were really improper. Wei Luo would treat this time as Liuli not thinking clearly because she was too worried and decided that she wouldn’t argue with her about this.
Zhao Liuli repeatedly nodded. She didn’t know if Wei Luo would listen to her earlier words. After taking another two steps, she said,
Let’s walk faster. My older brother’s personal courtyard is right in front.
At Jin Courtyard, the servants were hurriedly entering and exiting. Just as Zhao Liuli and Wei Luo walked to the entrance, they saw a young servant carrying out a basin of bloody water from inside. Seeing them, she quickly saluted,
Your Highness…
Seeing the basin of bloody water, Zhao Liuli’s face immediately paled and she nervously asked,
How’s my older brother?
The young servant girl was eleven years old. Her hair was combed into two buns and she was wearing an aquamarine robe. She attentively and respectfully said,
The doctor has already stopped Prince Jing’s bleeding. He’s currently wrapping his wounds…
Hearing this, Zhao Liuli went around her and led Wei Luo into Zhao Jie’s inner room.
Seeing the bloody water in front of her and not knowing the way, Wei Luo followed her inside.
There weren’t many people in the inner room. There was only Zhu Geng and two doctors. Zhao Jie had probably driven out the other people. The two young girls went around the divider screen made of twelve pieces of sandalwood decorated with plum flowers, bamboo, and pine trees.
Zhao Liuli impatiently asked,
Older brother Zhu, is my older brother awake?
Zhu Geng didn’t need to reply to her question. Zhao Jie was sitting on black lacquered bed carved with spirals. His upper body was bare and showed his excellently strong chest. The white beard doctor was wrapping layers of bandages around his wound. The wound on his left shoulder was already wrapped up in thin, white silk. She couldn’t tell how serious his injury was. However, the wound on his left arm was still exposed to the air. She could clearly see that the wound was as deep and long as Zhao Liuli had said.
His wounded skin and flesh were exposed. Although the bleeding had stopped, it was still a ghastly site.
Wei Luo stood in place and stared at him. She didn’t continue walking forward.
Zhao Jie had been injured and lost an excessive amount of blood, so his face was very pale. Even so, he remained calm. He lifted his head and looked at her. His thin lips were smiling. After looking at her for a long time, he didn’t care that there were outsiders here, he stretched out his uninjured arm and greeted her,
Come here, let this prince see how you’ve changed during this month.
He had already been hurt like this and he was still thinking about teasing her.
Wei Luo pursed her lips and didn’t move.
She didn’t move and he didn’t force her to come closer. While the doctor at his side continued to wrap thin, white silk around him, Zhao Jie settled his gaze on her. His dark eyes were smiling as if he didn’t feel the slightest pain.
Not much later, the doctor finished wrapping the final layer of bandages. Before he tactfully retreated, he said,
After the prescription is written, this old one will hand the prescription over to Imperial Bodyguard Zhu. Prince, please drink this medicine in the morning and evening. After ten days, I’ll change the prescription.
Zhao Jie finally looked away from her. Without showing his feelings, he nodded and said to Zhu Geng,
Leave with the two doctors. After you get the prescription, have the servants prepare the medicine and deliver it to this prince.
Zhu Geng acknowledged his order and led the two doctors out of the inner room.
Zhao Liuli was at his beside. Seeing that the situation wasn’t right, she quickly reacted. She smiled and said,
I’ll go see what medicine they need. I have a lot of rare medicine at my place. If imperial brother needs it, I’ll have older brother Yang Zhen bring it over.
Then, she turned around, passed Wei Luo, and left the room.
A moment later, the room was only left with Wei Luo and Zhao Jie.
Wei Luo knew that Zhao Liuli had done this intentionally. After complaining about Liuli in her mind, she lifted her head to look at Zhao Jie on his bed and quickly looked away,
Older brother Prince Jing, you should put on your clothes. I’ll talk with you later.
Because his wounds had just finished being bandaged, Zhao Jie’s upper body was exposed at this time.
He didn’t have a scholar’s body. It was a tall body that had become strong and hard through experience and training, even his stomach had toned muscles. Wei Luo hadn’t seen a man’s body before. After Chang Hong grew up, she had rarely seen him without his clothing. Now, Zhao Jie was half naked and sitting in front of her. She really couldn’t adapt to this sight.
Zhao Jie didn’t make things difficult for her. He nodded, then he said,
My clothes are in the cabinet behind you. It’s not convenient for me to leave my bed. Ah Luo, could you bring it over to me?
To be honest, Wei Luo really wanted to turn around and leave.
It was so improper for a lone man and a lone woman to be inside a room without a definite relationship. But, after hesitating for a moment, on behalf of his injuries, she wouldn’t focus too much about this. Under distress, she decided to bring his clothes to him.
Wei Luo turned around and walked to the cabinet. She selected a sapphire blue robe with a persimmon stem pattern from the cabinet, brought it to him, and said,
Here.
But, Zhao Jie didn’t accept the clothing. He raised his eyebrow and his enigmatic dark eyes enticingly looked at her. Neither quickly nor slowly, his lips curved into a smile.
Wei Luo instantly had a bad feeling.
As expected, he took advantage of this opportunity to grab her hand and bring her into his embrace. Then, he quickly pressed her down into the bed.
The sky and earth spun. Before Wei Luo had time to recover and react, Zhao Jie took unfair advantage and came on top of her. He whispered into her ear,
Dearest, have you finished thinking? Do you want to marry this prince?
The author has something to say:
Song Hui: I’m very gentle. I’ll treat you very well after we marry. Young sister Ah Luo, don’t marry him. Marry me!
Li Song: I’ll only like you. Marry me.
Zhao Jie: I’m rich.
Song Hui & Li Song: …
Zhao Jie: I’ll let you become the empress.
Later, Ah Luo felt that Zhao Jie was too vulgar, so she rejected him.