GTB Chapter 96

Chapter 96: Getting Sick

Chapter 96: Getting Sick

At the entrance of Jade Shop, the afternoon sun slanted across the entire street, the road surface washed spotless by the rain of the past two days.

Jiang Jiuchu and Ji Shutíng each carried a bag of new pastries onto the carriage. Inside, Jiang Jiuchu saw Ji Shutíng gazing at the hairpin in her hand, a smile plastered on her face that wouldn’t go away. She chuckled and said, “This is only your second time meeting, and he’s already given you a love token?” Jiang Jiuchu really didn’t expect that Ji Shutíng would capture Gu Changxuan’s heart after only personally delivering pastries once.

Ji Shutíng looked at the hairpin again and again, then tightly clutched it in her hand, excitedly hugging Jiang Jiuchu’s arm. “Jiuchu, I’m so happy! I’ve never been this happy in my entire life.”

Seeing her so happy, Jiang Jiuchu couldn’t help but smile along. “This is just the beginning! Wait until Master Gu comes to propose marriage one day. Won’t you be so happy that you can’t sleep for days and nights?”

“Mmm, mmm, then I’ll wait until our wedding night and sleep with him enough all at once.”

“You’re really not ashamed.”

Jiang Jiuchu didn’t expect that Ji Shutíng would be so frank when talking about herself. However, she was really envious of her, being able to marry someone she loved. How could she not be happy?

“What kind of relationship do we have? Why would I be shy with you? Besides, you’re already married. Your skin shouldn’t be so thin.”

Ji Shutíng was a little curious, wondering how Jiuchu, with such thin skin, managed to spend every night with the Seventh Prince?

Thinking of the last time she accidentally encountered the Seventh Prince at Xianpin Pavilion, the two of them didn’t seem to say a word, as if they didn’t know each other.

A thought suddenly popped into her mind, and she asked Jiang Jiuchu, “Jiuchu, do you and the Seventh Prince sleep together at night?”

Jiang Jiuchu was stunned by these words and looked at Ji Shutíng in surprise. “Why do you ask that?”

“It’s just that I feel like you two aren’t close, not like you sleep on the same bed.” Seeing Jiang Jiuchu’s startled expression, the doubts in Ji Shutíng’s heart grew even more.

“Of course we sleep on the same bed. Where else would we sleep if not on the same bed? There are no other guest rooms in our courtyard.”

Jiang Jiuchu said these words, but she was incredibly amazed. She didn’t expect that Ji Shutíng could see through it. As expected of her best friend, she could sense something was wrong with just one look.

“Oh, right. Unless that Seventh Prince isn’t a man, how could he ignore such a beauty like you in front of him.”

Ji Shutíng didn’t think too much about it. After all, she still thought it was impossible to get married without consummating the marriage.

The carriage slowly drove and stopped in front of the Ji residence gate. Ji Shutíng jumped out of the carriage and asked Jiang Jiuchu, “It’s still early, do you want to come to my house for a while?”

Jiang Jiuchu glanced at the sun, which was already slightly setting in the west. “Never mind! Maybe next time!”

In Crabapple Courtyard, Jiang Jiuchu had just crossed the threshold when she felt that the atmosphere was a little off.

Green Willow, who was in the courtyard, saw that her young mistress had finally returned and ran over quickly, softly saying, “Young Mistress, the Empress Dowager has come and is in the house!”

“The Empress Dowager has come?” Jiang Jiuchu looked at Green Willow in shock.

“Yes.” Green Willow nodded, turned her head to look at the main house, and explained to Jiang Jiuchu, who was full of shock and doubt, “His Highness is sick. The Empress Dowager was worried about His Highness, so she brought the imperial physician. Young Mistress, please go in quickly!”

“His Highness is sick? When did this happen?”

Jiang Jiuchu thought about it. He was fine when they had breakfast together this morning! Later, he went to the study, and she went out of the manor. How could he suddenly be sick!

As she walked towards the main house, she listened to Green Willow beside her saying, “At noon today, His Highness had a slight fever and didn’t feel well, so he didn’t eat lunch. After Governess Li noticed, she notified the Empress Dowager, so the Empress Dowager rushed over with the imperial physician.”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded, quickly crossed the threshold, thinking that Shí Yan was sick, but she had been out of the house for most of the day. The Empress Dowager was probably going to be angry.

As soon as she entered the house, she smelled a bitter Chinese medicine aroma. She saw the Empress Dowager sitting in front of the couch, turning her head to look at her upon hearing the sound.

She quickly stepped forward, bent down, and greeted her, “Granddaughter-in-law greets Imperial Grandmother. I didn’t know that Imperial Grandmother would come today, so I didn’t greet you at the manor. Please forgive me, Imperial Grandmother.”

“This old one came on a whim, so ignorance is no excuse. However… as Yan’er’s wife, you should have noticed Yan’er’s discomfort earlier. How could you play outside until now?”

“Yes, Granddaughter-in-law respectfully remembers Imperial Grandmother’s teachings. I will definitely pay attention next time.”

Jiang Jiuchu obediently admitted her mistake, but she was secretly complaining in her heart. She had only gone out today. She had stayed at the manor for the past few days. Who knew that this person would get sick today and the Empress Dowager would come? She didn’t know what serious illness it was.

“Imperial Grandmother, Grandson was fine this morning, and only realized he was not feeling well at noon. It’s just a minor cold, so Imperial Grandmother doesn’t need to worry.”

Shí Yan didn’t expect that jumping into a cold pond would cause him to catch a cold. Thinking of the assassination scene last night, his eyes gradually narrowed.

“Don’t be careless. A cold can also lead to serious illnesses. The medicine shouldn’t be too hot anymore. Drink it quickly!”

As the Empress Dowager spoke, she glanced at Jiang Jiuchu, the meaning obvious.

Jiang Jiuchu was stunned for a moment and instantly understood. She immediately stepped forward, bent down, picked up the medicine bowl, and handed it to Shí Yan, who was leaning against the couch.

Shí Yan frowned slightly and looked at the dark medicine bowl in front of him, saying to the Empress Dowager, “Imperial Grandmother, medicine is three parts poison. This little cold really isn’t worth drinking medicine.”

The Empress Dowager stared at Shí Yan without allowing him to refuse. “What good health? If you had good health, you wouldn’t have caught a cold. The imperial physician said that you should take a hot bath after drinking it and get a good night’s sleep, and you’ll be mostly better by tomorrow.”

Listening to the Empress Dowager’s words, Jiang Jiuchu felt inexplicably guilty, feeling that Shí Yan must have caught a cold because he gave her the quilt last night.

“That… Imperial Grandmother is right, Your Highness, drink it quickly! If you delay it and it becomes serious, then you will have to drink even more bitter medicine.”

After she said this, she saw that Shí Yan not only didn’t reach out to take it, but instead looked at her with dark eyes, as if she had said something she shouldn’t have.

But the Empress Dowager was watching her beside her, and she was already making the Empress Dowager unhappy today, so she didn’t dare not to perform well now!

Seeing that he didn’t take it, she murmured and then picked up a spoon, directly feeding it to Shí Yan’s mouth. “Drink quickly, Your Highness is such a big person, why are you still afraid of drinking bitter medicine?”

Jiang Jiuchu was speaking from the bottom of her heart. She didn’t expect that a dignified man would also not like to drink bitter medicine soup.

Shí Yan’s face was a little dark, and he slightly turned his head, avoiding the spoon that was being fed to his mouth. “Hot.”

Jiang Jiuchu was stunned and took back the porcelain spoon to touch the warm porcelain bowl. “It’s okay!”

“Wouldn’t you know if you took a sip?” Shí Yan said, looking at Jiang Jiuchu leisurely.

Jiang Jiuchu seriously suspected that Shí Yan was doing it on purpose. He was drinking bitter medicine and still wanted her to taste it. She wasn’t even sick.

Looking at her grandson’s expression, the Empress Dowager said to Jiang Jiuchu, “Chu’er, just help this boy taste it, so he won’t make excuses.”

Jiang Jiuchu was a little speechless. The Empress Dowager knew that her grandson was making excuses, but she still wanted her to taste it. Sure enough, only grandsons were the real family.

“Yes, Imperial Grandmother.”

As she secretly complained in her heart, she scooped a spoonful and touched it to her lips. “Drink it! It’s not hot.”