Having sent a servant with the old doctor to take the medicine, Ye Li put Mo Xiu Yao in bed and wanted to leave when she was stopped by him from behind. She turned around and looked at the man who was lying in bed, looking at her calmly then down at his pale and slender hand, her heart fluttered. "What's wrong? Are you still uncomfortable?"
He shook his head with a faint smile and said: "Are you busy, Ah Li."
"Not… very." She had to work on something back in the study but that wasn't urgent. She was just used to taking care of everything out there.
"Then… can you stay with me for a while, Ah Li?" He said softly, his gaze so mild without a trace of forcefulness and Ye Li couldn't bring herself to refuse him.
Sitting back down by the bed without a word and seeing the increasing happiness in his eyes, Ye Li glanced at the blood which hadn't been cleaned yet and asked a little worried: "Would you like to sleep?"
He shook his head and said a little coolly: "It's too cold. I can't fall asleep."
It suddenly occurred to her that people who had lost a lot of blood would indeed feel very cold. People who had spat blood probably felt the same. Instinctively pulling up his quilt for him, she asked: "How about burning some coals for warmth?"
It wasn't winter yet so it wasn't extremely cold but many people had started to burn coals and n.o.bles had stored a lot of smoke-free coals in their homes. Ye Li was in good health therefore she seldom used coals in winter after her mother, Xu-shi pa.s.sed away and she didn't pay much attention that there wasn't any coal in their room since Mo Xiu Yao had better internal energy than she did.
He shook his head, resigned: "I can't stand the smell of coal. Though smoke-free coals are said to have no smoke nor smell… Ah Li, do you understand now? I'm indeed a good-for-nothing when winter comes." As he said that, a few traces of bitterness and sadness crawled into his eyes.
Ye Li stood up and took out another quilt from the wardrobe. Covering it on him, she asked with a frown: "What kind of injury did you have back then? Why is it so odd?" Normally, a cripple, even whose legs were amputated would only feel a pain of their lost legs from time to time but that Mo Xiu Yao couldn't stand coldness and became weaker when winter came can't have anything to do with his legs. Besides, not being able to smell smoke suggested that something was wrong with his respiratory system or lungs.
He said: "I don't know for sure since I woke up one month after I was injured and this body was like this since then." He looked a little indifferent, as if he was just telling a story. Ye Li had seen him like this for multiple times which she had seen on the faces of her comrades who calmed down after the craziness of waking up, finding themselves severely injured or disabled. That made her heart ache more than those mad cries. She didn't know what he looked like when he woke up and found himself like this but his calmness still stung her.
"Well, then follow the doctor's instruction. Please take good rest for now. Your Highness, I've heard that you are in the study for at least seven hours each day recently?" She raised her brows and asked.
Mo Xiu Yao stopped for a second. He said with a slight sigh: "Ah Li… I'll take care of myself, but…" But it wasn't time to rest. For the past half a year, the situation of the state became stranger. Though it seemed that Prince Ding's Manor was far away from that, it would be doomed forever with the slightest carelessness. As Prince Ding he must answer the call of duty.
Ye Li gave him a warning look and said casually: "Is there anything you do that I can't? Even so, let's talk about that when that happens. Forgive me for speaking out of turn, Your Highness. But a loss is still a loss if you rack your brains in the first 99 steps and die at the 100th. So, think carefully if you can live to take the 100th step before taking the first 99 steps."
Mo Xiu Yao was quiet for a good while before he smiled at her and said: "Ah Li, you are right. Then… you'll have to work hard in the future."
"I thought I was Princess Ding." She said calmly.
He replied softly: "Of course, you are always my princess."
Therefore, Ye Li was even busier. Not only did she have to take care of the inner affairs of the manor, but she had to manage its outer affairs as well. With Mo Xiu Yao's help, she was able to manage it in a short time, and her vigorous and resolute style had won her the love and respect of many stewards of the manor. Those who had worked in the manor for a long time, such as Chief Steward Mo and Sun mama were happy about that and would view her with more respect. In case that Mo Xiu Yao was bored lying in bed alone, Ye Li had moved all her work from the study to their room except when she had to meet some stewards. She could talk to him when she was busy with her work and ask him whenever she had a question.
Mo Xiu Yao had a feeling that his princess was like a book that he could never finish since he could never guess what else she was able to do and where her limit was. If it were someone else like her that appeared in his life, he would have felt threatened and sounded that person out or even got rid of that person. Looking at this girl who was working hard while taking time to talk to him with a smile, he only felt a little fire started in his cold heart. Though it was only a smile she had, it had the power that made a person who would sink into a world covered with snow and ice warm and comfortable. He wanted her to do what she wished and looked at her smile quietly. He knew she would shock the world with her brilliance one day. A bright pearl would not be left in the dark forever. In the future, she would get to the top of the world. By then… he was probably not in it anymore.
"Your Highness, My Lady, Chief Steward Mo said that Doctor He came with the medicine." Qing Yu came inside with the report.
Ye Li looked at Mo Xiu Yao who was lying asleep in bed. She nodded at Qing Yu and said in a small voice: "Let Doctor He wait for a moment in the reception room." Though it had only been a few days, Ye Li felt that colder weather did more harm on Mo Xiu Yao's health. Probably since the medicine didn't work on him anymore, he didn't look better after two days of rest.
When she was in the reception room, Doctor He and Chief Steward Mo came forward. She waved her hand and said: "Doctor, Chief Steward Mo, don't mind it. Have a seat before we talk."
After she had sat down, the two of them thanked her and took seats on either of her side.
Doctor He took out a prescription and handed it to her: "This is the prescription that I've been working on for the past few days. Please have a look, My Lady."
Ye Li took over the prescription. Looking at it, she found that most medicine in it wasn't for curing illnesses or injuries but to detoxify. "Doctor He, what is this? If I'm right, taking too much of these kinds of medicine will lead to addition." She put down the prescription and asked seriously. The last item of the prescription was opium. Surely, she knew what it was and what influence it had over a man.
"I didn't know you know medicine, My Lady. You are right. Opium is great for easing pain but will lead to addiction over time. So, I've been thinking whether to add it in the prescription or not." Doctor He said gravely.
Ye Li nodded as a sign of accepting his explanation. "Does His Highness need a great many medicine to ease pain?"
"Yes. The old prescription didn't work because it couldn't suppress the pain that the toxin in his body gave him. Without medicine to relieve pain, His Highness will be in a worse state or even… before getting rid of the toxin. Besides, given His Highness's condition, he can't bear extreme pain. That will trigger his old injury." Doctor He said heavily, tiredness all over his aging face. Clearly, the past few days had been tough for him as well.
Hearing Mo Xiu Yao's condition, Chief Steward Mo turned gloomy, too. "My Lady, what…"
Ye Li shook her head and said: "Take opium out. You've prescribed too much of it which will lead to an addiction in less than a month. That will be even worse to his health."
Doctor He had a bitter smile. He didn't want to prescribe so much opium but too little of it wouldn't work at all. Without experiencing personally, ordinary man couldn't know how painful it was when His Highness suffered from the toxin.
"Why was he all right in the summer?" Ye Li asked.
Doctor He shook his head and said: "He wasn't all right in the summer only the pain was less severe since His Highness suffers from a toxin that is triggered by coldness. During summer, it was warm. Besides, taking the medicine I prescribed to suppress the toxin timely made him as healthy as anyone else. But when it gets colder, the pain caused by the toxin becomes more unbearable. All His Highness's blood is as if they are frozen. For the first two years when it was most severe, he would even lose consciousness for a long time. It has been under control for the past few years but I'm afraid this year…"
"Because of the weather…" Ye Li pondered for a moment before she nodded and said: "I see. Doctor, please reconsider the prescription. Besides, is there an antidote for this toxin?"
Doctor He shook his head and said: "No, not for now. His Highness got this toxin back at the frontier when he was plotted against by Bei Rong. At that time, we sent for the best doctor, Master Shen Yang to treat His Highness. The toxin came from the top of a snow-capped mountain on the border where Bei Rong and Xi Ling met. It was a toxin from the coldest place in the world. It was said to grow in an ice lake at the top of the snowy mountain. The ice lake was so cold that it could penetrate to the bone. n.o.body or animal could return after falling into it. But a flower named "Fiery Lotus" grew in the lake and only its fruit can cure the toxin His Highness suffers from."
As soon as Doctor He finished, Chief Steward Mo said: "But the Fiery Lotus blossoms every 10 years and bears fruit every 15 years. Since six years ago, the Hidden Could Soldiers had sent its men waiting under the mountain. However… we still have to wait another two years before its fruit becomes ripe." What he didn't mention was how much cost the Hidden Could Soldiers would have to pay when they got the fruit and returned to Great Chu through Bei Rong or Xi Ling. But no matter how much it would cost, the Hidden Could Soldiers would definitely get the fruit of the Fiery Lotus and take it safely back to Great Chu even if it cost every life it had.
"Then, does Doctor Shen have any other useful treatment?" Ye Li asked with a frown. She had heard about Shen Yang's reputation as the best doctor in this world even before she got married, whom the emperor might not be able to see whenever he wanted.
Doctor He said: "A year ago, Doctor Shen heard that there was a medicine called the Tail of Phoenix in the islands in the East sea which worked miracle on the toxin that His Highness suffered from, so he took men with him and went to sea at the beginning of this year to search for it. I'm afraid he won't return until the end of December."
Ye Li nodded and said: "I see. I appreciate your hard work, Doctor He."
Doctor He stood up and bade farewell but Chief Steward Mo remained in the room. Looking at Ye Li's knitted brow who was clearly in a gloomy mood. "My Lady…"
She lifted her head and saw Chief Steward Mo's serious expression and a trace of anxiety which he failed to hide. She sighed: "Chief Steward Mo, thank you for working hard all these years."
Chief Steward Mo shook his head a little anxiously and said: "My Lady, you flatter me. I only hate myself for not being able to suffer His Highness's pain for him. Back then, His Highness…" Having watched his young master who was full of mettle turn into such a bad state, his heart was broken as well. Now he was more worried about this young princess though her performance of this past half a year had shocked all of them so far. Those who worked for Prince Ding's Manor did admire their new hostess. Prince Ding's Manor didn't need a princess who was exceedingly beautiful nor a princess who was exceptionally talented, not even a princess who would definitely succeed but she had to be strong enough. But even a girl with the strongest mind couldn't swallow this bitterness, could she? That was why His Highness had not told her about his health and why servants like him never brought it up in front of her.
Ye Li stood up and said with a faint smile: "Don't worry too much, Chief Steward Mo. As long as we are still alive, we'll find a way out. Later, find some people who are good at construction for me. I have some work for them."
Watching her leave slowly, Chief Steward Mo's gloomy eyes were lit a bit. Perhaps this princess… could make a difference.
"Yes, My Lady."