Chapter 111: Treating the Regent
Wei Wanlan was dumbfounded.
The old woman’s retort caught him completely off guard. He maintained eye contact with her, but couldn’t utter a word for a long time.
Actually, the excuse he concocted was merely to stop pretending to be a married couple with the Regent. Pretending to be siblings had little to do with the original owner, the Little Emperor. He thought Su Jingzhi would find it acceptable.
But he hadn’t expected to be tripped up by a hunched-back old lady. He was so anxious he was on the verge of tears.
Wei Wanlan was flustered inside, yet he had to try and smooth over the lie he had already told. His red-rimmed doe eyes blinked earnestly:
“Wuu… Grandma… I… this humble girl went back to her maiden home, and only then came out to play with her elder brother.”
Logically, it made sense.
But it was a stretch. A massive stretch.
Seeing him like this, the old woman couldn’t help but feel sympathy. However, she and her husband were advanced in years; they didn’t want to take in people of unknown origins, nor did they wish to make things difficult for others. She was just about to ask a couple more questions to understand the situation before deciding whether to let Wei Wanlan stay or go.
Who knew that a figure would suddenly appear from the corner of the wall.
This person was covered in blood and wounds, stumbling along, startling the old woman. It turned out to be an extremely handsome man.
Following the sound, the young man approached the little girl who was shedding tears. Bearing his terrifying injuries, he still held her hand, wiped away the tears of the woman outside the door, and only then turned his head, his eyes clouded like thick fog.
The old woman was even more astonished; this man was blind!
Such a strange combination—the woman exquisitely beautiful, the man’s background unfathomable. No wonder the entire village had warily shut them out.
Since the old woman had opened the door, she didn’t dare provoke them. She stood there dazed, pondering how to respond, intending to tactfully send the two away.
Unexpectedly, the man covered in wounds suddenly spoke:
“My wife and I traveled here from Luoyang. We have no enemies; we indeed encountered bandits and just fell from the hillside. I am injured and have lost my sight. She was afraid the villagers wouldn’t dare take me in, so she lied to you.”
Wei Wanlan obediently apologized: “I’m sorry. I lied to you that we were siblings.” Looks like we have to continue playing husband and wife. Wei Wanlan was actually puzzled inside; Su Jingzhi was quite polite. The Regent surprisingly learned to speak like a normal person all of a sudden.
In short, the two of them, one tall and one short, stood before the old woman.
The man’s voice was steady, his tone unlike that of a vicious bandit. Even though he looked like a bloody man, he didn’t seem the type to become an outlaw; no mountain stronghold could accommodate such a character.
The woman was more like an unpolished, innocent piece of jade, continuing to look at her with naive expectation, while also nervously clutching the sleeve of the man beside her. Her reliance on him was endearing.
What was there not to understand?
The old woman thought to herself, perhaps these two were some noble scions from the Eastern Capital. Those grand households were full of messy arranged marriages and frustrating affairs. The true lovebirds, unwilling to be separated by their families’ arrangements, simply eloped out of the city. As for lying about being siblings traveling together, the young girl was just thin-skinned.
The old woman’s tightly furrowed brows slowly relaxed.
Ideally, as an elder, she shouldn’t encourage elopement. At least according to the values of the time, such illicit unions without matchmakers were considered shameful.
But she couldn’t resist how obedient and pitiful Wei Wanlan was. Su Jingzhi gave an impression of steadiness and reliability, and was willing to sacrifice himself to protect his beloved woman in front of bandits. The old lady was a sentimental person; she was willing to believe they were truly devoted to each other, and helping them achieve their happiness was acceptable.
So the door fully opened from the inside out.
“Come in. Don’t just stand outside.”
Wei Wanlan beamed with joy: “Thank you, Grandma!”
Saying this, he hurried to take off the pearl flower from his head and stuff it into the old lady’s hand.
The old lady pushed it back without much reaction, refusing to accept it.
“This old woman is over sixty; I can’t wear these young girls’ hairpins and ornaments. In a remote place like Yichuan Village, since we have no guests, we don’t even have a cup of good tea. If you don’t mind the poor reception, help me with laundry, cooking, cleaning, and watering the fields every day, so this old woman can relax a bit…”
“We can do that! Thank you!”
Naturally, he still went by the alias Xiao Wan.
The family they were staying with was surnamed Lu. It was said they were a branch of the Fanyang Lu clan, but having migrated here, they probably couldn’t be found on the family tree anymore.
Old Man Lu was a refined old scholar. The family had a few acres of meager fields. During the slack farming season, he would teach three or two little children in Yichuan Village to read.
Old Lady Lu had small feet and a hunched back, so she couldn’t walk fast. Therefore, she generally didn’t go out, staying home to guard the small courtyard, cook, and do some farm work.
But Old Lady Lu was literate and had some zest for life, neither cold nor overly enthusiastic, different from ordinary rural old women in ancient times.
Old Lady Lu informed Wei Wanlan:
“There are no valuable items in the house. The main room is not for lending; the small room is empty. It’s not mealtime now, so you don’t need to worry about cooking for this old woman. Move a chair to let this old woman bask in the sun in the courtyard; the young lady can do as she pleases for the rest.”
Wei Wanlan naturally hurried to comply.
First, he settled Su Jingzhi into the room.
The bamboo chair was placed in a corner outside the main room. Beside the chair were several smooth stone slabs leaning against the wall, bearing poorly erased, clumsy handwriting. It seemed the old couple did teach in the village and occasionally brought children home for lessons.
Wei Wanlan had the illusion of living in his homeroom teacher’s house.
He always felt this old lady spoke and acted like his teacher, possessing an inexplicable sense of authority that was convincing.
The Lu family courtyard was quite small; Old Lady Lu could survey the surroundings while basking in the sun, making Wei Wanlan feel even more like he was being stared at by an exam proctor, extremely uneasy.
Wei Wanlan went to boil some water for Su Jingzhi to treat his wounds.
Who would have expected that just lighting the fire would fill the kitchen with smoke, turning his clean face into a little painted cat, yet failing to ignite even half a flame.
The old lady didn’t intervene, just sat quietly watching. Anyway, the kitchen was built of stone, with nothing flammable.
But the man covered in wounds in the small room couldn’t lie still anymore.
Seeming to smell the smoke, he immediately felt along the wall to find the young girl, stumbling as usual. once he found her, he comforted her while instructing her on how to light the fire. The man’s voice was extremely hoarse, but no matter how weak he was, he had to take care of that young girl, constantly calling “Xiao Wan, Xiao Wan.”
The two of them tossed and turned, teaching and learning for a long time, barely stabilizing the chaotic scene.
“Cough… cough cough cough… cough—”
Wei Wanlan coughed as he poked his head out towards the old lady, forced to admit that besides the sibling matter, he had indeed lied to the old lady again.
“Grandma, I actually don’t know how to cook or light a fire, but I just learned how.”
Wei Wanlan said, blushing.
Then he whispered a few sentences, adding a touch of ingratiating behavior that wasn’t annoying:
“I don’t know how to do farm work either! But I will learn properly! The part about being hardworking is true!”
“Did the smoke choke you?”
“I’ll boil some water and make tea for Grandma in a while; our water is almost boiled.”
Old Lady Lu tapped her knee and nodded slightly.
Her face showed no sign of whether she was satisfied, but in her heart, the drama of a lady from a noble family and a noble young master privately pledging their lives to each other was completely confirmed for the two.
Xiao Wan had no schemes, pure as a sheet of white paper. Her husband protected her tightly; they were in love, not like one deceived the other.
Old Lady Lu felt even more that she had done a good deed by helping them achieve their happiness.
It was just that being older and having keen observation, she could clearly see her man was holding on by sheer force of will. She reminded Wei Wanlan:
“I won’t drink water. You should treat the wounds. There are common medicinal powders at home, and my son’s clothes from his studies in Luoyang are in the small room; the inner wear is brand new. If you still can’t treat him well, my old man will return from the academy soon; he knows the doctor in the village.”
Wei Wanlan nodded hurriedly.
Taking the medicine and carrying the water basin into the small room, he brought Su Jingzhi back to lie down. Su Jingzhi had undried blood and burst wounds, causing blood to drip all the way. Wei Wanlan wiped it clean as he walked.
The door closed. The room darkened.
He undressed the Regent. His face flushed hot again as he moved. Touching Su Jingzhi’s wounds, blood scabs adhered the fabric to the flesh, maintaining a temporary balance of not bleeding.
But this definitely wouldn’t do; he had to separate the clothes from the body so the wounds could heal properly.
—Will it hurt when taking off the clothes pulls at the wounds?
Wei Wanlan’s hands were trembling.
He was afraid to see the Regent purse his lips or frown, because he would feel distressed.
And because Su Jingzhi couldn’t see him now, while he could look directly at him, Wei Wanlan caught all of Su Jingzhi’s expressions, making the sour feeling in his heart even more obvious.
At this moment, Su Jingzhi stopped speaking. He let Wei Wanlan manipulate him. His condition was indeed as Old Lady Lu expected; he was just holding on.
Holding on to stand up, holding on to accompany Xiao Wan to boil water and get medicine…
Holding on just so Wei Wanlan wouldn’t be so afraid, wouldn’t feel lonely and helpless in a strange environment.
But Su Jingzhi’s vision was a pitch darkness that could no longer disperse. He was indeed aching all over and very tired. He didn’t move. Closing his eyes, unable to deal with anything else, he wanted to rest for a moment, which also gave Wei Wanlan a chance, making it easier for Wei Wanlan to operate.
Wei Wanlan was tacitly considerate of him.
He was truly incredibly obedient. Xiao Wan, afraid he would feel tormented, gave him time to sleep for a while, allowing his physical strength to recover temporarily.
Su Jingzhi found this nap very helpful.
And during the rest, he occasionally heard the sound of water. It was Wei Wanlan dipping the handkerchief into water, wringing it out, and gently pressing it on the wounds. This way, the moisture would soften the solidified blood scabs, and he could peel off the soaked clothes layer by layer, minimizing the pain.
Wei Wanlan was very meticulous in doing these things. When pressing the handkerchief on the wounds, he controlled his strength, light as a feather brushing past.
And Su Jingzhi only felt that this body of his, although long invaded by the strange poison, was slowly recovering strength. Because of the little fool’s care and patience, his outer and inner clothes were taken off by Wei Wanlan.
He kept his eyes closed.
Xiao Wan’s fingers stroked over his new and old wounds, sobbing as he sprinkled medicinal powder on him.
The powder sprinkled into the wounds, absorbing moisture and blood stains, feeling cool. The Lu family’s medicinal powder was of good quality; treated wounds wouldn’t fester and would gradually close up.
In fact, what he suffered were really just external injuries. External injuries were terrifying, but he was battle-hardened and intentionally avoided vital points; they could recover with proper treatment.
So the upper body wounds were treated. No bandages, temporarily unbandaged, letting the wounds air out.
Su Jingzhi breathed quietly. Still didn’t open his eyes.
But… what about the trousers?
Su Jingzhi had wounds on his leg.
When “He Xiangu” went around the back to get on the float and attack Wei Wanlan, Su Jingzhi stepped back and swept with his sword tip. He knocked “He Xiangu” off the float, but his left leg was slashed with a long gash by other Turks’ curved sabers.
That wound was usually covered by the robe hem.
Su Jingzhi hoped Wei Wanlan wouldn’t see that wound, or wouldn’t remember it. He closed his eyes. Thinking that after finishing the upper body, he would treat the leg wound himself after waking up.
The little fool understood nothing and was so thin-skinned. Even if he wanted to tease the little fool again, he wouldn’t go so far as to be a rogue to this extent.
Su Jingzhi continued to keep his eyes closed, refusing to remind him.
But who knew, Wei Wanlan was actually untying his waistband.
This made Su Jingzhi’s heart pound like a drum. Usually, he teased Wei Wanlan, but now the tables were turned. He took his trousers off his toes. The edge of the trousers went out from his heels.
Su Jingzhi immediately fell into a dangerous feeling like walking on the edge of a cliff. For the first time, he felt his face heat up a little.
Xiao Wan was facing—
His perception was several times sharper because he couldn’t see.
He clearly heard Wei Wanlan breathe a slight sigh of relief. Hummed and hawed, calling “Regent,” then murmured with emotion in a low voice:
“Fortunately, it’s not too deep a wound…”
The medicinal powder was sprinkled on.
The powder was still very cool; the menthol stimulated the wound, hooking the pain inside the wound like gossamer, lingering and unclear.
Su Jingzhi only felt his breathing become heavier, exhaling nothing but heat, a burning fire searing his abdomen.
But Wei Wanlan, the little fool, misunderstood his reaction:
He actually mistook the secret desire for discomfort.
Wei Wanlan frantically shook him lightly, seemingly afraid he would fall into a nightmare, wanting to relieve his pain. His little claws grabbed his arm, messing around with “treatment” and “detoxification”—Su Jingzhi felt his heart was full of Wei Wanlan everywhere.
Cute Wei Wanlan, restless Wei Wanlan, soft and sweet Wei Wanlan, innocent and ignorant Wei Wanlan…
How could he calm down!?
Su Jingzhi couldn’t control his emotions. He had to continue feigning sleep, enduring it.
And seeing he couldn’t wake Su Jingzhi, Wei Wanlan worried even more, working harder on the “treatment,” occasionally getting up to observe if Su Jingzhi showed signs of waking. At this moment, a magical scene reflected in his doe eyes:
The Regent didn’t get up.
Part of the Regent got up.
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