Chapter 32: Hold Me, Look at Me.

The footsteps of passersby halted for a moment, their gazes unwittingly drawn to the youth at the foot of the steps. The still-youthful boy, under the girl’s reproachful tone, stepped into the medical clinic.

The physician on duty in the clinic was an old doctor with a beard even longer than Imperial Physician Yu’s—so long it almost resembled a ginseng spirit. This kind of appearance was typical among physicians, instantly evoking subconscious trust. The old doctor’s eyesight wasn’t very sharp; he wore a single-lens reading glasses, and even then, he had to squint to make out people’s faces. When he looked up, he saw a girl and a boy, both young.

Well-versed in human affairs, the old doctor knew that young people cared about their dignity. He said to the girl, “This condition involves personal privacy. Even between husband and wife, some discretion is necessary. Why don’t you, young madam, wait in the outer room and have some tea?”

The boy widened his round eyes, pursed his lips, and stared at him, clearly wanting to stop him from speaking. Just as the old doctor was puzzled, the girl exploded like a water jar struck by a firecracker: “He’s my male concubine! What ‘young madam’ nonsense!”

The old doctor had a weak heart and was so startled that his reading glasses slipped askew. Clutching his chest, he leaned back as if to retreat. Outside the door, passersby who inadvertently overheard this secret exchanged soft exclamations of “Wow.”

Being mistaken as Little Mute’s husband was already deeply insulting to Zhao Rongzhang. How could anyone think he was worthy of her? Even if she weren’t the Princess, it would still be impossible. However, considering Little Mute’s exceptionally beautiful appearance and fine figure, he could understand why they might jump to such conclusions—after all, they were just ordinary folk who didn’t know the truth. But calling her “young madam,” regardless of whose “madam” she was, was just too insulting!

The old doctor patted his chest to calm himself, nodding repeatedly. “Alright, alright, this… esteemed lady…”

Out of respect for every patient, as soon as he caught his breath, the old doctor ventured to ask again, “Would it be possible… for you to step aside for a moment?”

The “esteemed lady” waved her hand dismissively. “What secrets could he possibly have from me? I’ve long since familiarized myself with every inch of his body. Besides, haven’t you noticed he’s mute? If I don’t interpret for him, who could understand what he’s trying to say? He’s also terribly shy, having been kept deep in the inner courtyard all this time and never seen the outside world. You might frighten him.”

The old doctor adjusted his reading glasses, squinting again and again as he studied the youth with great curiosity. Having lived nearly eighty years, he had seen countless patients—if not tens of thousands, then certainly thousands. Many couples came seeking treatment for marital issues or fertility problems, and he had heard all sorts of strange relationships—uncles sneaking around, aunts straying from their marriages… But a young lady keeping a male concubine in her inner chambers and bringing him out to seek treatment for bedroom troubles? This was a first.

The youth’s long eyelashes fluttered as he secretly fidgeted with the hem of his clothes. The pink hue on his face deepened several shades, almost taking on a coy demeanor. It seemed the girl’s earlier words had stirred a secret delight within him.

Finding the situation quite amusing, the old doctor asked him to extend his hand for a pulse reading.

The boy placed his wrist on the wrist pillow, his other hand quietly picking at his clothes, a pair of lively round eyes fixed only on the other’s ginseng-like beard. The old physician closed his eyes and placed four fingers on the pulse. As soon as his hand made contact, his eyes snapped open again. Thick and smooth, firm yet gentle, like a drawn bow ready to release, or a hidden dragon in a deep pool—how many years had it been since he had felt such an excellent pulse!

He stared at the boy. With such profound inner force, how could he simply be a delicate young man from the inner chambers? Yet, he sighed: “Young master, you suffered much hardship in your childhood.”

The Princess disliked idle chatter and went straight to the point: “So, is there a problem with his physical foundation?”

“No, no, the young master’s body is very healthy. It’s just… he is rather special compared to ordinary people. Mainly in terms of mental state. The young master was born with little need for sleep and has long been sleep-deprived, leading to visual confusion and frequent hallucinations. Though his body is as strong as a mountain, his heart is entangled by withered vines, deeply knotted with melancholy.”

In short, his mind isn’t quite right? This Little Mute had always thought differently from ordinary people; the things that made him cry or laugh were often hard to understand. Zhao Rongzhang wasn’t too surprised by the old physician’s words. Even now, thinking about his sudden laughter that day still made her uncomfortable. Mother Consort would occasionally laugh like that too.

But she hadn’t spent time finding a physician for him to study this. Zhao Rongzhang urged: “Check him again. Why can’t he ever finish? That night, we tried for hours, and not once did he finish. Is he a lifeless wooden carving?”

The old physician, with his aged bones, did everything slowly. He ignored her and instead instructed Little Mute to open his mouth: “Ah—”

Little Mute blinked his dark, gleaming eyes at her, unsure whether to heed the old man. The Princess grew impatient: “Open your mouth.”

Little Mute parted his teeth, revealing his throat to the old man. The old physician told him to stick out his tongue, and Little Mute spread it over his lower lip. After some observation diagnosis, the old physician furrowed his white brows: “You must open your heart, child. At your age, you shouldn’t be too clever.”

Guan Xuan stared at the old man’s distinct white beard, his fingers rubbing the hem of his clothes.

Zhao Rongzhang truly didn’t understand what riddles the old physician was speaking. Little Mute was dull and foolish; it was obvious just from his appearance. Where was the cleverness? Couldn’t he focus on the key issue?

“Your Ladyship, this child’s condition requires a long-term prescription. I’ll draft one. The medicine won’t be too expensive. Boil a bowl for him every three days. Within three to five months, you’ll see results. My medical skills are highly advanced. If you don’t believe me, you can inquire in this town. Though the medicine is cheap, it’s very trustworthy. Please get a few doses for him.” As he spoke, the old physician was already writing the prescription.

Zhao Rongzhang thought this old man was truly strange. She was the one paying, so why wasn’t he listening to a word she said? But it was just money. No matter how poor she was, she wouldn’t quibble over something so legitimate, and she certainly couldn’t mistreat Little Mute. She took the prescription and glanced at it. Since childhood, she had been constantly taking medicine herself and watching Mother Consort use it. Later, when Emperor Father’s condition became critical and his prescriptions were changed several times, she had paid close attention. Thus, she knew quite a bit about pathology and medicinal herbs. At a glance, she saw that the prescription listed few types of herbs, and the dosages were carefully considered. She knew the old physician wasn’t exaggerating; his skill was indeed no less than that of the old imperial physicians in the palace. Some of the herbs even looked familiar—she had seen them in Mother Consort’s prescriptions.

Though she accepted it, Zhao Rongzhang hadn’t forgotten her original purpose: “Treat his problem of not being able to finish. Is it incurable?”

The old physician examined the girl-like young man, then leisurely asked Little Mute, “Have you never ejaculated before?”

“I have. Once when I was riding him, he came seven or eight times in one night.”

Guan Xuan bit his lip and turned his face away, so embarrassed he wanted to hide, to vanish to the ends of the earth. The more embarrassed he felt, the more impossible it was to hide; the more he couldn’t hide, the more embarrassed he became. Little Mute was so ashamed he nearly curled up like a closing flower.

“Oh, I see. There’s nothing wrong with his body. So why can’t he ejaculate now?” The old physician shifted his gaze back to him, asking unhurriedly. But he wanted the boy to explain himself.

Guan Xuan didn’t understand either. The Princess had asked him this question before, and it wasn’t that he refused to answer. He had even made many efforts regarding this matter, but none had worked. He pressed a hand to his heart, conveying to her: “My body enjoys being humiliated. When it becomes too difficult to bear, it can release.”

“So that night you were so happy, so delighted, because you were being humiliated to the point of unbearable distress?” The old physician’s gaze was kindly.

Zhao Rongzhang, while relaying Little Mute’s words, raised an eyebrow at him when this point came up. Little Mute hesitantly shook his head.

Of course it wasn’t because he was being humiliated into distress that he kept releasing—where was this silly cat’s cleverness? He didn’t even understand his own body. Wasn’t it because that time he heard her say she would keep many, many men to detoxify herself that his thoughts became completely tangled, running wild? He even threw a small tantrum and fell ill.

Being humiliated could make him release, but she didn’t enjoy humiliating him. And given his strange pain thresholds and tolerance, even beating him until his skin split might not make him release twice. Zhao Rongzhang found the situation quite interesting now, crossing her arms as she waited beside them, curious what the old physician might uncover.

The old physician smiled and asked, “Does your mistress treat you well?”

The Princess pursed her lips slightly, watching Little Mute.

Guan Xuan, still deeply embarrassed, nodded earnestly.

“Do you like it when your mistress treats you well?”

With the Princess right beside him, Guan Xuan’s embarrassment rose another level; his ears were practically steaming. He nodded again.

“That night, did your mistress treat you especially well?”

Zhao Rongzhang thought back—not really, it was just an ordinary day. She simply found him adorable and played with him again and again.

Guan Xuan’s lips trembled slightly, and he nodded once more.

“How exactly did she treat you well?”

Zhao Rongzhang watched as Little Mute clumsily conveyed to the stranger: “She held me the whole time, watching me.”

“Haven’t I held you tightly every time since then? When I’m not distracted, don’t I always watch you? Hasn’t it been like that every time?” Zhao Rongzhang was displeased.

Little Mute glanced at her timidly. The old physician smiled, removed his reading glasses, and wiped them with a special cotton cloth. He asked leisurely, “Do you think your mistress likes you?”

As soon as this question was posed, the youth’s eyes seemed to freeze for a moment, then as if instantly burned to ashes, turning dull and lifeless. He shook his head slightly.

Zhao Rongzhang remained silent.

“She holds you all the time, likes you, brings you to see a doctor—doesn’t that mean she likes you?”

“She doesn’t.” Guan Xuan conveyed this without needing anyone to relay it; the old physician understood. The old physician looked at him pityingly and finally stopped asking.

“Mistress,” the old physician turned to Zhao Rongzhang, “let me check your pulse as well. Judging by your complexion, you have excessive internal heat, and your spleen and lungs aren’t in the best condition.”

Zhao Rongzhang replied awkwardly, “My household has plenty of physicians, very, very skilled ones. There’s no need.”

“Mistress, do you truly not like him?”

Zhao Rongzhang felt deeply offended—why was he actually diagnosing her? She didn’t want to answer, and why should she? If forced to answer, of course she didn’t like him. What was there about him worth anyone’s affection?

This old doctor, when diagnosing her, didn’t consider her privacy at all? Why not have the mute leave? He was mute, not deaf. If he heard this, wouldn’t he be hurt again? Zhao Rongzhang glared angrily at the old doctor.

The old doctor thought to himself, what a truly terrible temper—as if she resented him for nearly making her little husband cry.

But he was very old, and could both rely on his age to act presumptuously and pretend to be blind and deaf. He deliberately asked her little husband, “Ah, good child, tell me, why doesn’t the lady like you?”

The young man kept his eyes lowered, his lips pressed together without moving. The old fellow insisted, “Speak quickly, or this illness can’t be cured.”

Zhao Rongzhang could bear it no longer and stepped in front of him. “What does all this questioning have to do with treating the illness? If you can’t cure it, just say so!”

But the old doctor’s dim gaze didn’t rest on her; it remained fixed on her side, growing even more pitying. Zhao Rongzhang shifted her gaze sideways and saw her Little Weapon, her Little Mute, still sitting there, his posture unchanged, but the fan-like lashes on his face were already damp and sticky, his two dark, round, glistening eyes shedding tears with a soft “plop.”

He had been made to cry after all. Zhao Rongzhang frowned as she watched, seeing Little Mute’s hands gently cupping his chest, slowly and softly beginning to speak to the old man.