[BL] Eternal Spring

第三十七章

In the midst of winter, the entire imperial palace of Qiangda was thrown into a panic. An assassin had managed to sneak into the king's bedchamber, proceeding to injure and poison him to the point where he was bedridden. Not only that, but the king's bodyguard Liu had broken out of prison and was nowhere to be found.

The Queen Dowager stood above her son's bed, watching the doctor take Jiang Zhilan's pulse again. His face was ashen, lips pale and bloodless, a feverish flush on his cheeks. Underneath the thin skin of his eyelids, his eyes shifted restlessly as if he were caught in a nightmare.

Sweating, the doctor stepped back and bowed to the Dowager deeply. "Your majesty, the king's vitals are still very stable, just that...this servant doesn't know why he won't wake up. Please forgive this servant for his incompetence." The Dowager only turned her gaze to him after a few seconds. She indifferently waved a hand.

"You're dismissed."

"Yes." The doctor bowed once again, collecting his medicine box and exiting the room with his assistants in tow. The Dowager turned her gaze back to the bed, a subtle emotion rising in her gaze. Although Jiang Zhilan wasn't her blood son, he carried her husband's blood in him; the blood of the royal line of Qiangda as well as the blessing of the phoenix mark on his back. He was well protected. At this moment, she suddenly felt tired, the Buddha bead bracelet in her hand clacking softly as it was turned. What hardships hadn't she seen? She'd lived through the inheritance war when her husband seized the throne from his brothers, and the war between the two great kingdoms (Gongzhuan and Qiangda). Her own husband had eventually died from the poison of the Qiangda flower, and now, only these two children were left. Although she'd arranged consorts for him, the Dowager had long stopped caring about Jiang Zhilan's affairs. She was a woman, and the leader of the harem at that. How could she not see in a single glance, the disinterest he had towards them?

Clack. Clack. The beads slipped past one another, creating a rhythmic sound in the still room. After a while, the Dowager turned away. The fate of this kingdom was longer in her hands.

◆◇◆◇◆

Deep in the night, on the fourth day, Jiang Zhilan suddenly opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the thick medicinal scent in the room, small flames creating an ambient air in the room. He rolled his aching muscles, feeling like twenty pound weights were strapped all over his body. But besides that, his breath was stable and the strange burning dizziness had retreated.

Jiang Zhilan struggled to prop himself up. He heard a soft 'kacha' and a familiar pair of hands supported him. Jiang Zhilan looked up, his voice hoarse. "You-" He'd only said this one word when he was pulled into an embrace.

"Are you feeling better?"

"En. Didn't I tell you?" Liu Qingyuan pulled away, a strange look in his eyes.

"But you...were asleep for four days." Jiang Zhilan looked at him in surprise.

"It's been that long? How did I wake up?" Liu Qingyuan paused, gaze shifting slightly. After a while, he didn't say the words he wanted to and instead asked,

"Does your wound hurt?"

"...en, a little. But it doesn't matter. Qingyuan,"

"Mm."

"Did you know that person?"

Liu Qingyuan paused. "...who?"

Jiang Zhilan raised an eyebrow. Still acting? Liu Qingyuan looked away guiltily before slowly confessing.

"Yes." Jiang Zhilan sat waiting for his explanation, gaze boring into Liu Qingyuan's until he reluctantly began to talk. "Actually, she is my shimei. We studied under the same master."