In the quarters of the Imperial Guard Garden, the lamp was lit in the middle of the night, accompanied by a ruckus that drew a large number of Imperial Guards from outside the Imperial City. However, they were quickly pacified, and after something was said, the guards dispersed.
The lights gradually went out, except in one room, brightly lit with many people standing.
"Lord Heir, I'm fine,"
said a young man with a bronze complexion, looking at Zhu Zan standing before him.
He was clearly woken from his sleep, wearing only shorts, bare-chested, with a puzzled expression.
Zhu Zan ignored him and spoke to someone behind him.
"You, check him," he said.
Behind him stood two men in undergarments, one middle-aged and the other somewhat older, both looking quite displeased, obviously also roused from sleep.
They each carried a medicine chest and stepped forward upon hearing the command.
"Where does it hurt, young master?" they examined him while asking.
The young man gave a resigned smile.
"I'm not hurting anywhere," he said.
"Zhang Baotang, didn't you say your shoulder was hurting?" Zhu Zan asked.
The young man called Zhang Baotang paused, then chuckled.
"Lord Heir, you actually remembered," he said.
Earlier that day, he had mentioned it in passing, not expecting the Princely Heir to bring a doctor in the middle of the night; he was at a loss for words.
"Lord Heir, you are really good to me," he said sincerely.
Zhu Zan looked uncomfortable and somewhat disgusted.
"I was worried that I hurt you when I threw you," he said, "and that the blame would fall on me; I am still awaiting punishment."
Zhang Baotang laughed heartily.
The doctors, hearing this, checked his arm straightforwardly, causing Zhang Baotang to grimace as they pressed.
"It does hurt a bit here," he said.
After a moment of massaging, the doctors asked when the pain began and how it started. Knowing that it was when he was thrown during a spar with Zhu Zan, the doctors stepped back irritably.
"It's just a sprain," they said. "If you really fear the pain, use some medicinal herbs to promote blood circulation and remove stasis. It will be alright without them."
The word 'fear' was obviously said with a hint of complaint.
Which robust young man fears pain? Zhang Baotang quickly shook his head.
"It does not hurt anymore," he said.
"You two examine him carefully," Zhu Zan insisted, his expression displeased, staring distrustfully at the doctors. "Are you sure it's nothing?"
Could they not be sure?
Are you the doctor or are they the doctor?
Even if you are the Lord Heir, you can't bully people like this.
The doctors, already frustrated from being woken up in the middle of the night for what they thought was a life-threatening emergency, only to find a sturdy young man who had just taken a fall.
He's not a clay doll; what of it if these soldiers take a fall? And to be so certain there's something wrong.
Looking at Zhu Zan and then at the visibly embarrassed young man, they internally sneered.
No wonder the Duke of Chengguo's heir isn't married at his age; perhaps he has other inclinations.
"Lord Heir, our medical skills are limited, we really can't see any issue. If you're not at ease, please consult someone more adept," they said indifferently.
Zhu Zan was about to speak when Zhang Baotang hurriedly stood up to mediate.
"Brother, I'm truly fine," he earnestly said, then thanked the doctors with a bow, and ordered a soldier to fetch a bag of money for them, which he insisted on sending back with them.
The doctors finally relaxed and left.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Zhu Zan asked again.
"I'm really fine, it was just something I said casually…" Zhang Baotang began, then paused.
At that moment, that girl had claimed to be a doctor, and she evidently knew the Lord Heir.
So, to give her face, he had subconsciously said his shoulder hurt.
And that girl had said…
"Is it your right shoulder that hurts?"
"I'll give you a couple of needles, and a prescription as well."
That girl had insisted his shoulder pain was an ailment.
So…
Zhang Baotang looked at Zhu Zan, suddenly realizing.
"Lord Heir, is that Miss's medical skills really that remarkable?" he asked.
Zhu Zan hummed.
Remarkable… it couldn't be denied, but…
"You needn't bother about it," he said, frowning, "She's not a proper person."
Not a proper person?
That girl?
It seems the Princely Heir is really familiar with her.
Zhang Baotang couldn't help but want to ask, but Zhu Zan had already strode away, flicking his sleeves.
"You sleep," he threw back a sentence and left the room.
The night was about to pass, and even the distant night market gradually dimmed.
On this street, everything remained asleep; a figure appeared in the darkness, walking silently and stopping in front of a door.
A light suddenly lit up in the night, illuminating the sign on the door, but it flashed just for an instant, not even revealing the visitor's face before it vanished.
The figure stepped back a few steps and disappeared into the darkness.
In the stifling summer night, a breeze suddenly started; the branches in the courtyard shook lightly, making a soft clashing sound.
The branches swayed and stretched towards the wide-open window on the third floor of a small building where a figure suddenly leaped in from the tree like a cat.
But immediately, it arched its body like a cat, clutching the window edge, motionless.
The night seemed to fall back into silence.
The east gradually brightened, and from the window, you could faintly see the bed next to it.
A thin mosquito net partially concealed the girl lying on her side inside.
"Hey."
The figure by the window let out a low shout.
"Wake up quickly."
The girl on the bed seemed to be sleeping deeply, not moving an inch.
The figure tilted its head slightly and carefully shrugged its shoulders, biting something off its shoulder.
"Don't move," said the girl on the bed, her voice heavy with sleepiness, "Don't think the mechanism will give you a chance to launch a Hidden Weapon at me."
Zhu Zan indeed stopped his movement and spat.
"Really petty-minded, setting such malicious traps even in sleep," he said.
Miss Jun laughed.
"So, Princely Heir, what brings you to my window in the middle of the night?" she asked.
She spoke still lying in bed without getting up.
Zhu Zan chuckled awkwardly.
"It's nothing, just passing by," he said.
Miss Jun laughed silently, slowly sitting up and pulling back the mosquito net.
"That really is a coincidence," she said, "Would the Princely Heir like a cup of tea?"
"Enough, Miss Jun," Zhu Zan said irritably, "Quickly remove this damn thing; I came to ask you something."
Miss Jun smiled, got out of bed, and walked towards the window.
She moved slowly; although only a few steps away from the window, she moved back and forth, left and right, proceeding slowly.
Now that the day was brightening, the green light revealed closely scattered silver and gold threads on the ground, outlining a square array.
Miss Jun was carefully walking through the array, step by step.
Zhu Zan rolled his eyes.
Even in her own room, she had set up a mechanism so complex that even she had to be careful not to misstep; how many people had she offended to live like this?
Just knew she wasn't a decent person.
"That's not fair to say; I'm an herb gatherer, and gathering herbs is very dangerous," Miss Jun said softly, looking at Zhu Zan, "The Princely Heir knows this too, I had to set up defenses."
Herb gatherer.
Zhu Zan chuckled.
"Alright, please have a seat," Miss Jun said, retracting the metallic threads and pointing to a chair nearby.
Zhu Zan jumped down from the window, looking fierce, but landing silently.
He didn't sit.
"My friend's shoulder hurts; is it really sick?" he asked bluntly.
So, it was for this.
"Of course, I'm a doctor, I don't lie," Miss Jun said.
Zhu Zan scoffed.
"Don't lie?" he said, "Then what about biting on a branch to cure a sore throat?"
Biting on a branch.
When they first met on the desolate mountain, wary of each other yet helping each other, him carrying her down the mountain with a branch in his mouth.
Miss Jun laughed heartily.
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Good morning, it's Monday~ I'm asking for all kinds of votes~ (It's Tuesday for you, but it's my first day at work this week ^O^