Chapter 10: Marriage Is Terrifying

Chapter 10: Marriage Is Truly Terrifying

The three arrived at the courtyard.

Su Zichen quietly sized up the foolish child before him—he was handsome, on par with the other young masters of the marquis's household.

It was just his mind that was... off.

He sighed inwardly.

"Fourth Young Master, let's sit down. Please, have a seat."

The foolish child didn't grasp the proper order between lord and subject.

All he knew was that this person was very gentle. The moment he smiled, his eyes were beautiful—bright as stars in the sky. He really liked him.

He stared at Su Zichen, dimples showing: "Big brother's so pretty. I like big brother."

Su Zichen was startled: "The Fourth Young Master is handsome too."

The foolish child seemed a bit shy, timidly holding out his book to Su Zichen: "A gift for big brother."

His face was unusually earnest, and Su Zichen felt a strange pang in his heart as he looked at him.

He had long heard that the Fourth Young Master, Pei Siming, wasn't right in the head, and had assumed he was just a simpleton. But now that he'd actually met him, although the child was simple, he was kind-hearted and sensible.

When Pei Yuhuai arrived, Pei Siming was happily chatting with the two, waving his hands and feet excitedly.

Tsk, tsk.

You don't come knocking without a reason.

Pei Yuhuai stopped at the doorway, and just then Pei Siming, who was facing him, saw him right away. He clapped his hands excitedly and ran over: "Big brother, big brother!"

The foolish child flung himself into his arms.

"Big brother."

"Aming, be a good boy."

Pei Yuhuai patted his head soothingly, then looked up at the princess and Su Zichen, looking a bit surprised.

"Princess, you've come here to—"

Princess Quying answered first: "Oh, I came to see Siming. Ever since the marriage, the consort's been moping around all day, worried about the Fourth Young Master. He specially asked me to bring Imperial Physician Su here to check on him."

She deliberately stressed the word "specially."

Pei Yuhuai was even more puzzled: "Consort?"

"Yes, the consort said he and the young heir are close from their studies, and he's especially worried about little Siming. So here I am, the princess."

"Then who is Imperial Physician Su?"

"A newly appointed imperial physician, highly skilled. Ordinary folks can't even get him to come—only I, the princess, have the pull to bring him."

Qu Ying pushed Su Zichen forward, as if taking credit.

He looked to be around twenty, with a proper face and an upright demeanor. He met Pei Yuhuai's gaze openly, without any fear.

Pei Yuhuai's scrutinizing gaze kept landing on Su Zichen.

The wind rustled in his ears.

And the foolish child Pei Siming's voice: "Big brother, Aming likes this big brother. Big brother is pretty."

"..."

Oh, he hadn't known his little brother was such a sucker for good looks.

The princess was also beautiful, like a lotus out of water—why didn't he say she was pretty?

Pei Yuhuai patted his head and said to the princess, "Princess, Aming's been like this since he was little. Every imperial physician and famous folk doctor has examined him. This one, I'm afraid..."

He's so young, let alone anything else.

Qu Ying smiled smugly: "Don't underestimate him. He's the personal disciple of His Excellency the National Preceptor. His medical skills are amazing—Father promoted him to imperial physician on the spot."

Pei Yuhuai latched onto the key word.

"National Preceptor?"

"Yeah, a few days ago Father appointed a National Preceptor and also made him Crown Prince Brother's tutor."

The... the Crown Prince's tutor?

Wasn't that Lan He?

Pei Yuhuai's heart tightened. He asked casually, as if he didn't care: "Who is this National Preceptor?"

"He's a renowned Buddhist monk named Lan He. Curious? Want to meet him?"

"..."

If they'd already had deeper dealings, meeting was hardly necessary.

Pei Yuhuai shook his head: "No."

"Alright."

Just as he suspected—they were rivals, and this could be used to his advantage.

"This Imperial Physician Su, how do you plan to treat Aming? If anything goes wrong, the marquis's household won't let you off easy."

The marquis held a high position at court, naturally not someone to be trifled with.

Su Zichen smiled: "The Chan master has taught me well. I also took the Fourth Young Master's pulse earlier, and I have a plan in mind. I'll likely be visiting often from now on."

"Please, go ahead."

The three stayed in Pei Siming's courtyard for a long time, and Su Zichen even gave Pei Siming some medicine.

That evening.

Princess Quying's maidservant came to fetch her. She skipped away cheerfully, with Su Zichen following properly behind, not forgetting to remind Pei Yuhuai to look after the foolish child.

Pei Yuhuai watched the princess flailing around, lost in thought.

He'd known the princess since childhood. Although she was pampered and proud, she was still the emperor's daughter—every move she made still carried royal grace.

When had he ever been so wild and ruleless?

Marriage is truly terrifying.

Is the princess crazy?

Pei Yuhuai shook his head with a pitying sigh and turned back to the courtyard.

In the dead of night.

Pei Siming had a fever, his face flushed bright red, muttering nonsense deliriously, his whole body soaked in sweat.

No matter how they called, he wouldn't wake, and he fell into a coma.

Pei Yuhuai, frantic as a headless chicken, was about to send someone to fetch Su Zichen when he turned and bumped straight into someone's chest.

It was the calming scent of sandalwood.

He'd been so focused that he hadn't noticed someone come up behind him.

Lan He?

Pei Yuhuai jumped in shock, turning his head away awkwardly, yet his tone remained as gruff and overbearing as ever: "What are you doing here? I'm warning you, watch your mouth. Don't talk nonsense."

Lan He was startled for a moment. He was curious how the haughty young lord, after taking the medicine, would remember what happened that night.

"Young Lord..."

"Shut up. Don't speak."

"..."

"First, you tell me—what did you instruct Imperial Physician Su to give Aming? He's burning up so bad he's delirious."

Lan He chuckled softly. This guy really was unpredictable.

"Young Lord, don't worry. My disciple knows what he's about. In another hour, Fourth Young Master's fever will break."

"I don't buy that."

"You've got a real hot temper, Young Lord."

"Stop the nonsense. Hurry up and give me the medicine. Stop dragging your feet. If Aming's mind is damaged, I'll make you regret it."

He was riled up like a wildcat.

Lan He remained calm: "I don't have any medicine. Wait another hour."

"You! Are you messing with me on purpose?"

"With something this serious, you have to be careful."

"Then why did you tell your disciple to prescribe recklessly? If anything happens to Aming, I'll chop you both into pieces—you hear me?"

"I believe you would."

Lan He quietly closed the door and changed the subject: "It's been days since we last met. You've lost weight, Young Lord. Have you been okay?"

Was he actually worried about him?

Pei Yuhuai pursed his lips, suppressing the strange feeling in his chest, and scowled:

"I'm warning you, don't run your mouth. Let's pretend that night never happened. Ahem, it's not like I meant to do anything to you, and your broken vows have nothing to do with me, got it?"

Lan He: "What?"

"???"

The two stared at each other, and Pei Yuhuai said incredulously: "You forgot? How could you forget something this huge? Don't act like you don't know. I didn't mean it—it's all because of the medicine you gave me."