Having not seen him for these days, this young man had lost a full circle of weight. There was still a book placed beside his bed.
“Young Master, why are you reading again? How can you recover your spirit like this…” Caijuan cried, going over to take the book in her hands while scolding the other maids. “How are you looking after Young Master? Didn’t I say he’s not allowed to read books?”
The maids lowered their heads looking aggrieved.
“Young Master said the county examination isn’t far off…” they said meekly.
Ancient imperial examinations?
“Health is the foundation of revolution. If you don’t take care of your body, how can you do well on any exam?” Qi Yue said, reaching out to touch Chang Yunqi’s forehead. “Stop pretending to sleep – it would be better if you were really sleeping.”
Feeling the woman’s soft hand on his forehead, Chang Yunqi was indeed startled into opening his eyes and hurriedly dodged away.
“So hot!” Qi Yue didn’t let him move, saying with a frown, “Why isn’t there a compress on?”
“Originally there was, but Young Master wanted to read…” a maid said quietly.
“Hurry and bring it,” Caijuan scolded.
A young maid quickly wrung out a towel and applied it properly to Chang Yunqi.
“It’s nothing, just wind-chill. These maids can’t keep their composure and have disturbed you,” Chang Yunqi said with closed eyes and a hoarse voice.
Qi Yue looked at him, naturally understanding his complex feelings at this moment, and sighed.
“I’m a physician – this is a physician’s duty,” Qi Yue said.
A physician’s duty… Chang Yunqi’s hands under the blanket clenched and relaxed.
“Thank you,” he said with closed eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Though they say mother and child are connected at heart, in this matter, you are you and she is she. Don’t overthink it,” Qi Yue said.
Chang Yunqi was about to say something when A’Ru hurried over with her medicine box, and Chang Yuncheng naturally followed as well.
Learning it was because of studying that injured his health, Chang Yuncheng gave Chang Yunqi a thorough scolding.
“It’s just a small county examination – what are you nervous about? Haven’t you always prided yourself on your good scholarship? A county exam reduces you to this state?” he said.
Qi Yue glared at him.
“Can’t you say nice things nicely?” she said in a low voice.
“No,” Chang Yuncheng answered simply and decisively.
The two stood very close together, and Qi Yue wrinkled her nose at him.
With Chang Yuncheng’s arrival, Chang Yunqi could no longer keep his eyes closed, so he saw this scene and slowly closed his eyes again.
Qi Yue examined his heart and lungs while A’Ru took his temperature. Soon the summoned physician also arrived. Now all the physicians in Yongqing Prefecture knew that Marquis Dingxi had a divine physician, so being called to diagnose illness made them both excited and anxiously reverent.
“Young Madam, could you please review whether this prescription is usable?” The physician who had taken the pulse and written a prescription held it out to Qi Yue with trembling hands.
How would she know? Qi Yue smiled helplessly.
She had said countless times that she truly couldn’t prescribe medicine, but saying it never convinced anyone and required more explanation. Too lazy to explain, she simply nodded and hummed in agreement.
I received the divine physician’s approval!
The physician joyfully handed over the prescription.
“Third Young Master is very weak and needs nourishing supplements, otherwise what should be a minor illness will greatly damage his vitality,” the physician said respectfully again.
Seeing Qi Yue nod again with a serious expression, the physician was so delighted his whole body itched, and he finally retreated unsteadily.
“Still not eating properly?” Qi Yue asked.
“No,” Chang Yunqi answered from the bed.
“Yes, he hasn’t eaten for several meals,” Caijuan said instead, glancing at Qi Yue with tears about to fall.
“Really useless, not even cherishing yourself,” Qi Yue scolded with wide eyes, then turned to tell the maids, “Go wait in the kitchen. I’ve made soup – in another half hour it’ll be ready. Bring it for Third Young Master to eat.”
Made soup? Chang Yuncheng’s eyebrow twitched. That’s my soup…
After repeatedly instructing Chang Yunqi to take good care of his health and not stay up late studying anymore, the Prince and his wife took their leave.
Daily banquet attendance was also physically demanding work, and having happily drunk several extra cups at Second Madam’s place recently, by the time they returned to their room, Qi Yue was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.
Seeing Qi Yue yawning as she walked out, Chang Yuncheng called to her.
“I’ve already washed. It’s cold outside – don’t walk back and forth. You can wash here,” he said.
Qi Yue turned to look at him, yawning again without any image to maintain.
“I won’t share with you,” she said.
Chang Yuncheng watched with a dark face as she walked out.
After bathing, Qi Yue was extremely tired and quickly fell asleep. The maids extinguished the lights and carefully withdrew. Chang Yuncheng listened to the breathing from the other side and heard she was asleep. After much hesitation, he still put on clothes and came out.
The night-duty maid was called over.
“Go see if Third Young Master has finished the soup,” Chang Yuncheng said quietly.
The maid was somewhat puzzled but seeing the Prince’s stern face didn’t dare ask more, quickly bowing her head and leaving.
The maid knocked at Third Young Master’s courtyard gate and conveyed the Prince’s words.