Chapter 14: CH 14

Gu Yan didn’t let Ye Zi call for anyone nor did he let Ye Zi touch him. He went to the restroom by himself to clean up and stop the bleeding. When he came back out, Ye Zi was already fully dressed, sitting mindlessly at the table sipping tea and eating fruit.

It was the kind that Ye Zi liked very much.

Seeing Gu Yan come out, Ye Zi poured him a cup of tea and handed it over, concerned: “The weather is dry these days, remember to drink plenty of hot water to avoid getting excessive internal heat[1].”

Gu Yan looked at him and took a deep breath: “……Got it.”

Gu Yan sat down beside him. He stared at his face for a moment before falling onto the fruit plate.

Ye Zi thought he wanted a bite and quickly protected the fruit plate: “This fruit also causes excessive internal heat.”

There weren’t many of this kind of fruit left in the Prince Rui Manor. With each plate, there was less for him to eat. Even Ye Zi was only willing to eat a small plate every day now.

Gu Yan laughed softly and stretched out his hand, wiping away the bright red juice from his lips with his fingertips: “These are all yours, I won’t snatch them from you.”

Ye Zi shifted his head to avoid his hand and changed the subject: “Is there anywhere else that is uncomfortable? Do I really not need to call a doctor?”

Gu Yan asked in a low voice: “Are you worried about me?”

Ye Zi said: “Of course I’m worried, how can someone get sick every day all year round? What are you going to do in the future if you’re already like this at a young age?”

Gu Yan stroked the rim of the cup and a faint smile spread on his face: “I thought you would hate me. I forced you to stay here and threatened you to marry me. There has never been a precedent for a male consort in this dynasty and you will inevitably be subject to criticism when you become Princess Consort Rui.”

Ye Zi nodded thoughtfully: “Thinking about it like this, it’s true that I sacrificed more.”

He smiled and added: “But it doesn’t matter, those people don’t know me, let them say what they want to say. As for the rest, you have taken care of me for the past ten years. If it wasn’t because of you, I probably would have been eaten by that old cat. Take it as me returning the favor now.”

“Returning the favor?” Gu Yan lightly laughed, “Do you know how little demons like you return favors in the novels?”

Ye Zi certainly knew.

No one knew what came to mind, but Ye Zi’s face inexplicably turned a little hot. He lowered his head and took a bite of the fruit: “……I don’t know.”

Gu Yan said: “There is a book pavilion in Chang’an City, there are all kinds of stories and legends collected from all over the world. When I have time, I will take you to check it out. “

Ye Zi brightened up: “Can we go out and play?”

“You want to go out that much?”

“Of course I want to. Ever since I came here, I have never stepped out of the Prince Rui Manor.” Ye Zi said indignantly, “I blame that stupid cat, every time I want to sneak out to play, it always stops me. Do you think it has developed its spiritual consciousness and is deliberately trapping me here?”

Gu Yan smiled and whispered:  “If that’s true, then I’d have to thank it.”

“What?”

Gu Yan shook his head: “Nothing.”

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He thought about it and added: “I heard that the book pavilion regularly invites famous storytellers to come and tell stories and business is booming for them. Xiao Min and the others used to go there, but I have never set foot in it. If you like it, I will take you there to play some other day.”

Ye Zi looked at him eagerly: “……Can’t we go today?”

Gu Yan said: “I’m afraid I can’t today, I still have things to do.”

Ye Zi lowered his head in disappointment.

Gu Yan couldn’t bear it and added without principle: “However, you can come with me.”

The streets of Chang’an City were bustling with vendors hawking on both sides of the road and the streets were bustling with people coming and going.

Ye Zi lifted the carriage’s curtain, as if he was a rustic entering the city. He curiously leaned out the window to look outside.

He had been living in the Prince Rui Manor since he arrived here and at this moment, everything was new to him. If not for the fear of delaying Gu Yan’s business, he would have liked to get off and go for a stroll on the streets.

The carriage was slowly moving on Chang’an Street. From time to time, people would peek inside the carriage and they all showed surprised expressions when they saw Ye Zi. Not long after, many people surrounded the outside, pointing at the carriage.

Ye Zi was puzzled for a moment and immediately came back to his senses.

In this Imperial City, there were four young masters of high status. Because of their outstanding talents and appearance, they were sought after by thousands of girls. They were known as the four young masters of Chang’an and Gu Yan was the most popular among them.

The other three were Xiao Min, the son of Prince Yu, Gu Xuan, the Third Imperial Prince, and Wen Yi, the son of the Duke of Protection.

Because of this, the news that Gu Yan was going to get married earlier caused a lot of commotion in the city. But Princess Consort Rui’s origin and appearance were kept secret, which aroused everyone’s curiosity.

Gu Yan never allowed outsiders to ride in his carriage and now that a young master had appeared in his carriage, his identity was self-evident.

Ye Zi wasn’t afraid of being stared at and didn’t take it to heart at all, but suddenly, a hand fell on his shoulder.

Gu Yan glanced coldly at the outside of the carriage and the discussion was silenced immediately. Afterward, they saw Prince Rui, who in their hearts rejected anyone and everyone, put his arms around the young master’s shoulders and pulled him into the carriage in a half-embrace and half-hug.

The luxurious curtains were lowered, completely blocking the scene inside the carriage.

The streets suddenly became a little more lively.

Inside the carriage, Ye Zi pushed the man away: “What are you doing?”

Gu Yan leaned on his side and said lazily: “Acting.”

Ye Zi looked puzzled so Gu Yan explained: “Recently there are a lot of rumors about you. Although you don’t care, it is related to the Prince Rui Manor’s reputation so I can’t ignore it. It is better to let them see with their own eyes that you are favored than to keep suspecting.”

Ye Zi understood: “So you brought me out with you because you wanted them to see me?”

Gu Yan looked at him speechlessly for a long time before whispering, “You really are a little fool.”

Ye Zi was not happy: “How am I a fool?”

“Figure it out yourself.” Gu Yan left this sentence mercilessly.

Ye Zi still wanted to retort, but at that moment, the carriage stopped.

They were at their destination.

Ye Zi lifted the curtain and looked out. The carriage was parked in front of a medical clinic called “Yongchun Hall”.

“A medical clinic?” Ye Zi turned around and asked Gu Yan, “Are you not feeling well?”

“No, Dr. Pei prescribed me some medicine before so I have an appointment to pick it up today.”

Ye Zi was stunned: “The medicine you took in the past was prescribed here? You’ve been taking that medicine for so long without getting any better, why not let the Imperial physician come and take a look? This kind of commoner medical clinic……”

“This is not an ordinary medical clinic.” Gu Yan said, “The owner of this medical clinic is surnamed Pei and he is from the southern border. He learned from a great master and is an amazing divine doctor. When he came here with his family in the early years, I helped him open a medical clinic in the city. His medical skills are no worse than the Imperial physicians.”

“Pei Ge?” Ye Zi blurted out a name.

Hearing Gu Yan mention the past, he remembered that there was indeed a doctor surnamed Pei in the novel, but that person was not at all on Gu Yan’s side.

Pei Ge was a divine doctor from the southern border, proficient in medicine and poison. At the same time, he was also a master at making his own poison.

In the novel, this man came to Chang’an with his family and was accepted as a guest of the Third Imperial Prince Gu Xuan. In order to repay his kindness, he started to develop poison under Gu Xuan’s instruction and helped Gu Xuan clear many obstacles on his way to ascend the throne.

But now, the object of his gratitude had turned out to be Gu Yan.

Was this just a coincidence?

Ye Zi pondered, not noticing that Gu Yan’s expression had gradually changed. He suddenly grabbed Ye Zi and asked, “I never said his name, why do you know that his name is Pei Ge? You……”

Did you remember?

Ye Zi froze for a moment, finally realizing that he had made a slip of the tongue.

He shouldn’t know about Pei Ge.

Gu Yan was still waiting for him to answer and Ye Zi avoided the other party’s burning gaze. His anxiety caused cold sweats to break out as he stammered: “I……I heard it from the servants.”

“Hmm?”

Ye Zi said: “Isn’t he the only doctor surnamed Pei in Chang’an City? I heard his name mentioned when the maidservants were chatting.”

Gu Yan stared at him closely, as if he wanted to see if he would slip-up.

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After quite some time, his tightly knitted brow slowly relaxed and he sighed: “Let’s get off.”

The two of them entered Yongchun Hall.

This medical clinic wasn’t small. The patients were lined up in a long line in an orderly manner and at the end of the crowd was a consulting room. Dr. Pei Ge was inside right now treating patients. The doctor’s office was full of people, and Gu Yan and Ye Zi were both dressed as ordinary people, so they weren’t recognized.

A pretty-looking woman greeted them.

The woman was wearing a light yellow dress with a delicate purse hanging around her waist. She looked in her early twenties with lively and delicate brows, and looked particularly pleasing.

“Greetings to Prince Rui. Your Majesty has come earlier than expected today.” She bowed toward Gu Yan and got up, but then dropped her gaze onto Ye Zi.

“Huh, could this be Princess Consort Rui? This commoner, Pei Wan’er, greets the Princess Consort.”

Pei Wan’er was none other than Pei Ge’s little sister.

Pei Wan’er said: “Brother is currently giving consultations inside, you can follow me to the inner room first.”

Gu Yan nodded his head and naturally took Ye Zi’s hand: “Lead the way.”

Ye Zi subconsciously struggled a bit but didn’t break away.

Pei Wan’er’s gaze swept over their hands. She covered her mouth and chuckled softly before turning her head and leading them toward the inner room.

The inner room was the wing room at the back of the medical clinic. The room was lit with a touch of incense and it was much quieter than outside. Pei Wan’er led the two of them into the inner room and poured them a cup of tea, “Please wait a moment, I’ll go find my brother right now.”

Gu Yan said indifferently: “Appreciated.”

Once Pei Wan’er closed the door and left, Ye Zi immediately broke away from Gu Yan’s grasp.

Gu Yan smiled: “What, are you embarrassed?”

“You——” Ye Zi was embarrassed and annoyed as he puffed out in anger, “How could you do that in front of a young lady? Even if we really are married, you can’t be so……so……”

Gu Yan stared at the tip of the other party’s angry red ears and couldn’t help but give it a gentle pinch as he smiled warmly: “You are wrong. If we were really married, it wouldn’t just be as simple as holding hands in front of outsiders.”

He came forward and covered Ye Zi’s ear, saying seriously word by word: “If I like someone, I will lock them up by my side all the time and hold them in my arms all the time. I have to let the whole world know that this is the person I hold in my heart.”

Gu Yan leaned extremely close and these words were spoken almost right next to Ye Zi’s ear.

His voice was softly hoarse with his warm breath grazing his ears gently. This made Ye Zi’s legs so weak that he could hardly stand still.

He looked at Gu Yan in a daze and there was no indifference in the other’s eyes, but an overflowing tenderness instead.

Ye Zi was in a daze, almost believing that he was the one in his confession.

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[1] Internal heat: derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine and believes that it would cause the imbalance of yin and yang → example: eating too much fried/spicy food can cause excessive internal heat which may lead to pimples/acne.