He had always been very composed. The haze on his face vanished in an instant. He smiled calmly and said, "Liang Yuzhou, you underestimate me too much."
Before Liang Yuzhou could say something even more provoking, Song Wanchu quickly scooped up a spoonful of congee and fed it to him.
"Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern."
When Song Wanchu saw Taoist Priest Qiu again, just like Shi Luohan, she was both surprised and overjoyed.
Taoist Priest Qiu waited until Liang Yuzhou finished eating, then grabbed his wrist to feel his pulse.
At first, his brows knitted together, and Song Wanchu's heart hung in the air.
But soon, his brows relaxed.
"It can be cured. He won't die."
As always, his words were concise.
But they could soothe people's hearts.
The breath that Song Wanchu had been holding finally let out smoothly.
Taoist Priest Qiu wrote out a prescription and then took out the silver needles he always carried from his belt.
Little Anzi took the prescription eagerly. "I'll go get the medicine myself. I guarantee there won't be any mistakes."
He wanted to gain more favor from the Crown Prince.
Shi Luohan smiled and said, "How could I dare to trouble Eunuch An? You're the most capable person beside the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince needs you all the time. I'll go instead."
Little Anzi wasn't as fast as Shi Luohan. In the blink of an eye, Shi Luohan flew out of the window, mounted a horse, and disappeared.
How he hated it! Why hadn't he learned the skill of flying over eaves and walking on walls?
Taoist Priest Qiu disinfected the silver needles one by one with clear wine and fire. Acupuncture would take some time. The Crown Prince's gaze fell on Song Wanchu's face.
She had lost weight again. Her chin was pointed, and her skin, which should have been soft, white, and rosy, was now sickly pale.
She was looking at Liang Yuzhou intently, even though Liang Yuzhou couldn't meet her gaze.
After hesitating for a moment, the Crown Prince asked, "Wanchu, could I have a word with you in private?"
There were some things he wanted to explain in person.
Even though it seemed beneath his dignity, he was willing to humble himself if it could dissolve Wanchu's knot in her heart.
Before Song Wanchu could respond to the Crown Prince's words, Liang Yuzhou grabbed her wrist and said in a muffled voice, "Wanchu, I'm afraid of needles."
Before he fainted, he coughed badly and vomited blood several times. He had just woken up, and his voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing.
Listening closely, one could detect a trace of panic in his tone.
He was so pitiful.
Taoist Priest Qiu was about to scold him for "telling lies with his eyes open", but he swallowed the words back.
He had already suffered enough. He wouldn't rub salt into his wounds for now.
But Taoist Priest Qiu still couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "You're a big man. Why do you have so many problems?"
Wasn't he just reluctant to let Wanchu be alone with the Crown Prince?
Liang Yuzhou and Song Wanchu locked their fingers tightly. "Your Highness is noble and upright. If you have something to say, just say it here. There's no need to avoid others, right?"
Song Wanchu closed her eyes in embarrassment and helplessness.
Taoist Priest Qiu pulled open his collar and inserted several needles into his chest. "It would be better if your mouth was damaged."
Liang Yuzhou, who had never blinked even when facing swords, mountains of fire, and cauldrons of boiling oil, frowned coquettishly and held Song Wanchu's hand even tighter. "Wanchu, it hurts."
The Crown Prince flicked his sleeves and left.
After Taoist Priest Qiu finished the acupuncture, Liang Yuzhou spat out several mouthfuls of filthy blood and then took the medicine.
"That's all for today," Taoist Priest Qiu said. "Eat more, sleep more, and stop spouting venom. You'll recover faster!"
To Liang Yuzhou, these words seemed to show partiality to the Crown Prince.
He pouted.
"If you had awakened Lu Sihong when he chased Wanchu and me to the Songhe Taoist Temple back then, none of this would have happened today."
Obviously, these words were said out of anger.
Taoist Priest Qiu was so angry that his beard almost stood on end. "So, it's all my fault that you two fought like crazy because of Wanchu, right? If I were Wanchu's elder, I'd tell you and Lu Sihong to get as far away as possible!"
None of them was worry - free!
"The father is to blame if the son is not well - educated. The Emperor didn't educate the Crown Prince well, Lu Sihong can't control his crazy dog subordinates, and you, as his grand - uncle, don't do your best. All the Lu family members are the same."
"Liang Yuzhou!" Song Wanchu was so frightened that her heart skipped a beat. She quickly covered his mouth.
Could such words scolding the royal family be spoken out?
He was so bold! He even scolded three generations of the royal family!
"You! You can't see, but your mouth doesn't stop. I'm trying to cure you, but you're spitting venom at me?"
Taoist Priest Qiu's chest heaved violently. He looked like a little old man who had been extremely angry with his unfilial descendants. He was almost jumping up and down.
Where was there any trace of his otherworldly air?
Even a god would lose his composure when dealing with someone as tough as Liang Yuzhou.
Taoist Priest Qiu suddenly felt a bit of admiration for the old lady and the old duke of the Duke's Mansion.
How broad - minded they must be to raise Liang Yuzhou without shortening their own lifespan!
Thinking of this, he began to feel sorry for Wanchu's future.
He snorted heavily. "Alright, alright. Don't I know your little thoughts? I'll go find the Crown Prince now. I'll definitely awaken him this time, okay?"
"Thank you, Taoist Priest Qiu," Song Wanchu quickly thanked him on behalf of Liang Yuzhou.
Taoist Priest Qiu walked out and slammed the door heavily.
Then he opened the door again and poked his head in. He smiled lovingly at Song Wanchu. "Good girl, I'm not slamming the door at you. Don't take it to heart."
Song Wanchu didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"You should be more polite to Taoist Priest Qiu. He's an elder."
Liang Yuzhou smiled slyly. "I've known him for more than a year. I know how to get along with him."
Song Wanchu was smart. She understood that his words just now were a hint for Taoist Priest Qiu to persuade the Crown Prince well.
The Crown Prince was different from anyone else. He was a man at the peak of power. He couldn't make a single mistake.
He shouldered the national fortune of the Great Zhou. One wrong step would lead to an abyss.
"Wanchu, does it still hurt?"
"Huh?" Song Wanchu didn't react at first.
"Your ankle. Does it still hurt?"
Song Wanchu had almost forgotten that her ankle was injured.
She rotated her ankle. "Look, it doesn't hurt much. Most of the bruise has disappeared..."
Halfway through her words, her throat felt sour.
How could she forget that Liang Yuzhou couldn't see now?
Liang Yuzhou grabbed her arm and made her sit beside him. His hand groped for her ankle.
"It's almost healed."
Song Wanchu's throat felt clogged. Whenever she recalled the scene when she woke up after falling off the cliff and saw Liang Yuzhou covered in blood, she felt scared.
An arm was placed around her waist. Following her scent, Liang Yuzhou slowly tightened his arm and pulled Song Wanchu into his arms.
"Wanchu, you don't have to be cautious when speaking in front of me. I'm already the happiest blind man in the world."
His chest was still strong and warm. Song Wanchu hugged him back and leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling at ease.
...
Little Anzi led Taoist Priest Qiu to the Crown Prince's room.
The Crown Prince was sitting by the window. The noon sun was soft and bright, but it cast a lonely shadow on the ground.
He just sat there, motionless, like a precious sculpture.
Little Anzi sniffed sadly. "The Crown Prince has been like this for a long time."
The high - spirited Crown Prince had never been so dejected, except during the period when Song Wanchu was conferred the title of a noble lady.
Taoist Priest Qiu had already heard from Little Anzi in detail what had happened in the past two days.
He walked slowly to the Crown Prince's side.
The Crown Prince's eyes moved. He looked at the wise and kind - hearted old man in front of him.
"Hong'er, I ask you, what do you think is the most important thing in Liang Yuzhou's mind? And what is the most important thing in your mind?"