Chapter 446: Chapter 445: At Least You Have Some Conscience
The stars twinkled intermittently, accompanied by distant animal howls from time to time.
After being hoisted onto the horse again, Shen Hua faced Cui Yun as she sat. Pressing down on his robe, the pain between her legs lessened.
In a moment of bewildered embarrassment, she simply buried her head in his chest and did not move.
Cui Yun also knew to restrain himself and no longer annoyed her. After meeting up with Ying Yi and the others, they even sped up the journey.
He did not plan to sleep, and although Shen Hua yawned, she could not find peaceful sleep. It was torturous, as if all her organs were about to be jolted out.
The night was devoured, the day forcefully ousted the darkness. The pale blue sky was gradually lit.
Feeling hungry, she reached into her bundle to find some dry food and ate a few bites.
Cui Yun’s voice was lazy: "You do have some conscience."
Shen Hua pressed her head down, quickly finished the dry food, and continued to feign death.
Not knowing how much time had passed, she resignedly reached out her slender, delicate fingers to take out a piece of pastry, tentatively offering it to him.
He chuckled softly, biting into it.
Before reaching Hui State, Shen Hua could no longer hold on. Her head tilted, regardless of the bumps, and she fell into a deep sleep.
In a separate courtyard, someone was already eagerly anticipating their arrival.
The woman could not be considered glamorous, with an even more ordinary appearance and simple clothes that were not grand, but she looked extremely serene and composed.
She seemed about the same age as Cui Xuan.
Suddenly, a spark of joy lit up in her eyes.
The sound of horse hooves grew louder, and someone dismounted from the carriage.
A smile formed in her eyes. As she was about to step forward, her gaze fell on the girl tightly wrapped in Cui Yun’s arms.
Liu Chu lowered her voice and said, "Your uncle is in the study, and that young man has been stabbed near his heart, looking frightfully serious. The bleeding has stopped, but he has yet to wake up, and even the doctor is at a loss."
Upon hearing this, Cui Yun did not pause, only tilting his head to give an order, "You go ahead."
Ni Kang held the medicine box: "Yes."
Cui Yun carried Shen Hua to the side room to settle her. The girl’s black hair contrasted her pale skin, and her sleeping face was gentle. He bent down, positioning himself closely, and kissed her forehead.
Unexpectedly, Liu Chu was just outside, watching with a smiling gaze. Cui Yun halted briefly, then quickly stepped forward to give a respectful bow: "Thank you for watching over."
"Go on."
"She won’t be lost while she’s with me."
As he walked away, Liu Chu’s smile grew even deeper.
"The last time at the Marquis Mansion, the old lady and your elder sister-in-law were already anxious about his marriage. Not a single girl from Quansheng could catch his eye, fearing he had no intention of starting a family."
"Apparently, he hasn’t met someone he likes. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it. He personally carried her to the bed with such care, see, he even moved softly for fear of waking her up."
"Just like his older brother, he knows how to care for someone. But in one aspect, Bai is not like him."
As she recalled the past, she lowered her head and chuckled lightly.
She still remembered, once she and Cui Xuan went together to Qiao Si’s courtyard, intending to ask Qiao Si to go out with them to buy rouge.
Upon entering the courtyard, they saw Qiao Si sending Cui Bai out of the house.
"Young man, if you’re busy, there’s no need to come back daily. You’d better rest in the camp. Your returns have been increasingly late these days. The journey back and forth is also tiresome. Each day you barely rest for a while before you have to rush back; hardly getting a few hours of rest."
"That won’t do."
Cui Bai, like good gold and jade, tall as towering trees, his hand resting on Qiao Si’s waist, as gentle as jade: "You’ve just entered the family, I can’t let Mama scold me for neglecting the new bride."
"Nonsense, mother-in-law is too fond of you to do that."
"Then you should also love me, it’s not right to push your husband outside just after getting married."
She and Cui Xuan did not want to intrude on the couple, and were about to quietly leave when unexpectedly, she stepped on a piece of dry wood, startling the two.
Qiao Si’s face blushed immediately, her beauty intensified by the rouge, breathtaking.
Cui Bai was also quick to withdraw his hand. Embarrassed, as if afraid of being teased by elders.
They were a proper married couple!
Not like Cui Yun. Taking advantage of his wife and remaining unflustered, calmly requesting her to look after her.
Without a hint of guilt!
————
Meanwhile, Ni Kang pulled back his hand from feeling the pulse and lifted the half-dead patient’s eyelid to check his tongue.
After Cui Yun entered, he exchanged greetings with Liu Huan.
He calmly called him uncle, then went to look at the person on the couch.
Liu Huan spoke softly, "The man from Anzhuang was covered in blood when he was brought here. I have no idea whom he had offended. Judging by his wounds, someone likely intended to kill him with a single stroke. Who is this person? Why are you going to such lengths to protect his life?"
Cui Yun concealed his sharpness, his lips moving slightly: "Yuan Shaqing."
The name sounded familiar, but Liu Huan couldn’t recall at that moment. Fortunately, Cui Yun added lightly.
"The son of Grand Marshal Yuan."
Grand Marshal Yuan?
Liu Huan was abruptly stunned.
Seven years ago, the granddaughter of the Yuan Family was killed by Princess Ji Shimin, and yet both the Imperial Family and Empress Zou favored her, unwilling to let Ji Shimin face any serious punishment.
How could Grand Marshal Yuan tolerate this? In anger, he resigned from his post and the Yuan Family completely left Shengjing, never to be heard from again.
It was then that the position of Grand Commandant passed to Tang Family, the husband of Empress Zou’s younger sister.
He was full of suspicion, but seeing Cui Yun watching Ni Kang perform acupuncture with an indifferent gaze, he suppressed his questions.
Two hours later, Ni Kang wiped the sweat from his forehead, re-bandaged Yuan Shaqing’s wounds, and applied more medicine.
"Marquis, rest assured, his life is not in danger."
"When will he awaken?"
Ni Kang could not guarantee.
Seeing this, Cui Yun pressed his brow.
"As soon as possible."
"Yes."
After giving his instructions, Cui Yun did not leave. His expression flickered between light and dark, and no one could guess what he was thinking.
His face was tired, yet he did not seem to rest for even a moment. Time always seemed insufficient, he wished he could split his body in two.
"Regarding Hui State..."
He had just started.
Liu Huan said, "I have a grasp on the situation."
"Although Hui State is small, its terrain is even more treacherous, bordering Tongzhou to the side, facing the sea to the east, connected to Hengzhou and Fengzhou to the west..., south to Shengjing, and north to Chi City, where the mountains are desolate, the weather harsh, and the earth stern, all things collaborate."
The transportation is convenient. Hence, rumors are even more so.
Once started, they spread everywhere.
Cui Yun then said no more.
Liu Huan sat beside him, "How many days can you stay this time?"
Cui Yun: "Due to urgent matters, at most three days."
"You go back and rest."
He said indifferently, "I still need to go out."
While speaking, he glanced at Ni Kang perfunctorily.
Ni Kang: ...
I got it, I got it! Make Yuan Shaqing open his eyes within three days!
————
Meanwhile, Shen Hua woke up once during the night.
"You can call me auntie just like Yun does. Not knowing your taste, I had the kitchen prepare their signature dishes; try them."
"He might be very busy these days. Since it’s your first time here, why not take you around tomorrow?"
Liu Chu served her some dishes.
"Unfortunately, Hui State is a small place. There aren’t many good places to go, and the shops don’t have fashionable jewelry either. I’m not sure what places girls your age would like to visit."
"If Rong were here, she’d probably be clamoring to see the daughter of Hui State’s wealthy merchant throw the embroidered ball to seek a husband."
Shen Hua was very well-behaved.
She also served Liu Chu a dish.
"If the Commandery Princess likes it, I would like it too."