Knowing that she had a tough childhood in the Marquis Mansion, Ji Lingchuan didn't say anything. Instead, he slowed down his pace.
Song Yihuan noticed this and slightly raised the corners of her lips. She let out a soft sigh. "By the time we get back to the capital, it'll probably be around the New Year. I hope we can find that wandering miracle doctor before then."
Ji Lingchuan knew that she was concerned about her younger brother's illness. He said, "I received a message by carrier pigeon this morning. The last trace of the 'Carefree Miracle Doctor' was in Shigu Town. We'll surely find him in due time."
Song Yihuan's eyes brightened a bit. "Shigu Town? It's not far from the capital. Does this mean the 'Carefree Miracle Doctor' is heading towards the capital?!"
Ji Lingchuan replied non - commitally, "You're quite familiar with geography. You even know that Shigu Town is not far from the capital. Where did you read that?"
Song Yihuan answered quite naturally, "I read it from the Records of Mountains and Rivers."
Ji Lingchuan said indifferently, "Didn't you say you've never been to the Imperial College? The Records of Mountains and Rivers is only stored in the library of the Imperial College. Only students there are allowed to read it. How did you manage to see it?"
Song Yihuan showed a surprised and flustered look. "I—"
"I did go to the Imperial College," she said. "It was my elder sister who took me there. I was just lucky to have her take me, so I could see that Records of Mountains and Rivers."
Ji Lingchuan didn't show whether he believed her or not. He asked another question, "Besides the Records of Mountains and Rivers, what other books have you read?"
Song Yihuan counted them for him in detail. "Besides the Records of Mountains and Rivers, there are also the Commentary on the Water Classic, the Important Arts for the People's Welfare, the Lotus Sutra, The Art of War, and the Illustrated Book of Beasts..."
One or two of these books were the ones she had mentioned to him when they corresponded four years ago.
Ji Lingchuan felt an urge to laugh for no reason. This girl, although young, had a lot of tricks up her sleeve. She was deliberately showing him clues, trying to lead him to investigate the matter of Song Nanxin finding someone to take the exam for her.
It seemed that she already knew that he was Mr. Clever, but had been hiding it all this time. Now she finally showed her true colors.
"Oh, so it seems your elder sister is really good to you. It takes more than a day or two to read all these books. She secretly took you into the Imperial College and let you read so many books. You should thank her."
After hearing what he said, Song Yihuan felt a bit blocked in her heart. She looked at his cold and solemn expression.
So, did he understand what she meant?
Ji Lingchuan suddenly said, "In Xingzhou before, Xuan'er mentioned that you have a sweetheart."
Song Yihuan's heart skipped a beat. She quickly said, "Xuan'er is still young. He doesn't understand anything. Kids say things without thinking. You can't take it seriously."
Ji Lingchuan looked up and stared into her eyes. "He said your sweetheart disappeared for a long time and then reappeared in the capital. You're at an age where you should be married but you're not. Are you waiting for him?"
Song Yihuan avoided his gaze. A bitter smile appeared on her face. "It's up to parents and matchmakers. The way we met can't be known to outsiders. There was never a possibility for us. I can only hide this feeling deep in my heart, and I must."
He almost blurted out, "Why is there no possibility?" But he composed himself. As if to confirm something, he asked, "The way you met can't be known to outsiders? How did you two meet?"
Song Yihuan said, "I'm not afraid of the prince's ridicule. I've only corresponded with him and never met him in person. I don't know what he looks like, what his family background is, what his personality is, or what his name is. However, he is very knowledgeable. When corresponding with me, he often quoted classics. He was very interesting and is the person I admire the most in my heart."
"But four years ago, he suddenly disappeared from the capital for no reason. My mother also suffered. That's how we lost contact. It was only this year that I accidentally got news of him again."
Song Yihuan smiled innocently. "I once mentioned to the prince that his name is 'Mr. Clever'."
Ji Lingchuan's heart was filled with surging emotions that only he knew. The moment he confirmed from her words that she was also thinking about him, he almost couldn't control himself and wanted to hold her in his arms, but he managed to hold back.
"Before, you said in Brother Jiang's place that you didn't want to see Mr. Clever. Now that your mother is no longer a concubine in the Marquis Mansion, have you ever thought about changing your mind?"
He asked hoarsely.
Song Yihuan didn't expect him to ask this question. She replied in a low voice, "So what? We haven't seen each other for four years. He's older than me. I don't know if he has feelings for me. I'm afraid he's already married by now. It's better not to meet."
Ji Lingchuan's heart tightened. She was right. He was already married, and... his wife was her elder sister.
"What if his wife is not the one he wants to marry but he has to? If you don't tell him your feelings, how do you know if he will divorce his wife and marry you?"
"If that's the case, what kind of person would I be? What's meant for me will eventually be mine. If it's not, no matter how hard I try, I can't get it." She said, lowering her eyelashes.
"Moreover, that woman is so innocent. How can I let her be divorced just because I want something?"
Humph. Ji Lingchuan was almost angry enough to laugh.
Innocent?
Such a woman who was uneducated and only interested in having fun, exploited and mistreated her own younger sister, had an affair with another man after marrying him and even had a miscarriage due to pregnancy, and found someone else to consummate the marriage for the sake of status. She was so cunning and vicious. How could such a person be worthy of being his princess?
However, after today's conversation, Ji Lingchuan finally knew how she felt about him and what she was worried about.
Song Nanxin was indeed an obstacle between them. Only by removing this obstacle properly could they be together forever.
Before they knew it, they had arrived at the town's medical clinic.
Unlike other shops that had closed early to go home for dinner, the medical clinic was still open at this hour. An old doctor was inside, looking through the medical records in his hand, looking very serious.
Song Yihuan stopped outside the medical clinic. She said to Ji Lingchuan, "The pills I made for Xuan'er before we left are almost used up. I need to ask the doctor here to make some more for me. It may take some time. If the prince can't wait, you can go do your own thing. You don't need to wait for me."
How could Ji Lingchuan leave her alone here? But seeing that she didn't seem to want him to know her real purpose, he didn't dig deeper. Instead, he said, "It's okay. I'll just wait outside."
Song Yihuan wasn't surprised by his answer. She nodded and then turned around and walked into the medical clinic.
Seeing someone come in, the doctor in the medical clinic put away the medical records in his hand and got up to greet her. "Miss, you're here at night. Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
Song Yihuan explained her purpose. She took out the special disguise powder wrapped in oil paper from her bosom and handed it to the doctor. "Doctor, I have some medicine here. It's almost used up. Could you please identify the ingredients and make another batch for me?"