Chapter 188: Arrival

Chen Li hurried back after finishing brewing the medicine and heard the desperate cry from the lady in the hall. Her voice was hoarse, yet filled with unwillingness, like a nightingale weeping blood in the darkness.

Upon realizing who she was calling for, Chen Li stumbled, nearly spilling the prepared medicine.

As soon as she reached the entrance of the hall, the people inside quickly ushered her in, panicking: “Court Physician Chen, please check on the lady—why has she fallen into another nightmare—”

Lan Wu still had acupuncture needles inserted into her body. Mujin and Lian Xi had been closely monitoring her condition. Seeing her state worsen, they swiftly restrained her hands and feet, preventing the needles from falling out or shifting.

Chen Li rushed forward, checking her pulse and observing her condition before carefully removing all the needles from her body.

She swiftly inserted several new needles into Lan Wu’s acupoints.

The effect was immediate—Lan Wu stopped struggling.

But Chen Li did not relax. She instructed someone to feed Lan Wu the bowl of medicine first.

Outside the hall, a fierce storm raged, with thunder and lightning mingling with heavy rain, plunging everything into chaos.

At the foot of Changyong Mountain, Chu Mingheng rode his horse through the downpour without a cloak, leading his men up the mountain.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but he felt an uneasy premonition. Moreover, today was the day Lan Wu had died in his previous life.

The anticipation of reuniting with Lan Wu gradually faded, replaced by an inexplicable worry—unfounded and unreasonable.

This worry drove him to rush here without stopping, even as the heavy rain soaked his clothes.

The rolling thunder overhead was oppressive, like the low growl of a beast.

The sound of hooves splashed through the mud as they traversed the rugged mountain path, heading upward.

—

“Remove the lady’s clothes and bring the wine!” Chen Li heard Lan Wu’s delirious murmurs and couldn’t understand what nightmare had brought her to this state. Her high fever refused to subside, and if this continued, she would be at risk of severe damage.

Mujin and Lian Xi quickly removed the thin silk nightgown Lan Wu was wearing. Following Chen Li’s instructions, they soaked a handkerchief in strong liquor, wrung it partially dry, and repeatedly wiped Lan Wu’s body.

Yizhen anxiously peered inside from outside, muttering to herself: “What to do, what to do, what to do…”

Lan Wu must not come to harm.

Even if Lan Wu’s sudden condition had nothing to do with her, it was ultimately she who had brought Lan Wu out. If anything happened to Lan Wu, she would truly have to atone with her life.

Outside the hall, strong winds and heavy rain raged. They dared not open the windows for fear of chilling Lan Wu and worsening her condition.

Chen Li instructed them to leave a small gap in the windows and half-open the door to allow air circulation and prevent the hall from becoming stuffy.

After wiping Lan Wu’s body with the liquor-soaked handkerchief several times, her breathing finally began to slow.

Chen Li relaxed slightly but remained vigilant.

“Where is the cold water?” she turned and asked.

A palace maid quickly handed her a handkerchief soaked in cold water.

Chen Li gently placed the handkerchief on Lan Wu’s forehead and instructed someone to loosely fasten her nightgown.

“Is this enough?” everyone asked quietly, still worriedly glancing at the person on the bed.

Chen Li was about to speak, her lips parting slightly, when just then, the sound of a horse’s whinny came from outside the hall.

That sound should have been indistinct amidst the curtain of rain, yet it seemed to come from extremely close by, as if the horse had stopped not far from the hall.

But how could that be—this was the Northern Courtyard. One should dismount upon reaching the main courtyard ahead. Who would dare ride a horse into the sleeping quarters where the nobles resided? Did they have a death wish?

Though they thought this, the sound was by no means an illusion.

Soon, clamor arose outside the hall, and amidst the noise, they clearly heard the panicked voices of palace attendants bowing in greeting.

With the two most esteemed masters of the retreat both present here, to whom could the attendants be paying their respects?

A thought flashed through everyone’s minds, and their eyes widened immediately, growing alert.

Before they could confirm anything, footsteps approached the hall, and at the same time, they heard Princess Yizhen’s greeting from outside—

“Greetings, Imperial Brother—”

Chu Mingheng strode directly into the Inner Palace, pushing aside the curtain and walking briskly inside. Seeing the palace attendants and Court Physicians kneeling before him, his expression remained unchanged, and he said nothing as he advanced to the bedside.

Behind the bed curtains, after three months, he finally saw Lan Wu again.

It felt like a lifetime had passed.

And Lan Wu’s current condition could hardly be described as good.

“How is Guifei?” As Chu Mingheng reached out his hand, he noticed he was drenched from the rain and withdrew it, asking in a low voice.

Chen Li hurriedly reported Lan Wu’s condition in detail.

The more he listened, the darker Chu Mingheng’s expression grew.

“I ordered you all to take good care of Guifei, yet each of you turned a deaf ear.”

“We dare not—” Several attendants immediately knelt, pleading for forgiveness.

But that wasn’t the important matter at hand.

Frowning, Chu Mingheng asked Chen Li, “When will she wake?”

Chen Li was also at a loss and could only reply truthfully, “Her Ladyship is trapped in a nightmare, coupled with high fever and convulsions, which is why she remains unconscious. Just now, we wiped her body with strong liquor, and she has also taken medicine and been treated with acupuncture. She should wake once the fever subsides.”

“Is there anything else that needs to be done?”

Chen Li was taken aback, realizing that His Majesty intended to care for Her Ladyship himself, and replied, “There is cool water in the hall. You only need to change the cloth on Her Ladyship’s forehead from time to time.”

“If Her Ladyship convulses or struggles again, or speaks deliriously in her dreams, Your Majesty may summon me.”

Chu Mingheng gave a slight nod, signaling the attendants to prepare hot water and fresh clothes.

Upon hearing this, everyone withdrew, returning shortly with the items he had requested.

The hall fell quiet once more.

Chu Mingheng dared not sit by her bedside, fearing the chill on his body would affect Lan Wu. So close yet so far, he first washed his hands, warming them, before reaching out to touch Lan Wu’s face.

Even with a gentle pinch, he could feel how little flesh remained.

Chu Mingheng gritted his teeth, thinking to himself that Lan Wu had indeed grown thinner.

“You little troublemaker, here just to torment me.”

She had turned his heart upside down, filling him with worry and longing. Now, after enduring three months and finally seeing her again, she wouldn’t even open her eyes to look at him.

“A-Wu, be good. I’ve come to take you home. Open your eyes and look at me, will you?”

In the brightly lit hall, Chu Mingheng’s gaze was deep and dark, like an unfathomable ancient well, where one could see only the still, unrippling depths.

He reached out to remove the cloth from Lan Wu’s forehead, soaked it in cool water, wrung it dry, and placed it back on her.

Gently leaning down, his cool lips pressed against Lan Wu’s, giving her a soft kiss.