Jiang Suizhou felt a thud in his heart. Then, flickers of happiness arose
within.
Could it be? He knew that Huo Wujiu would be suspicious of him and
would never believe that he was just trying to save his life from the Hou
Zhu.
It was true that he did not want to save his life under the Hou Zhu. After all,
although the Hou Zhu tormented him, he would not torment him to death.
What he wanted was to retrieve his head from being under Huo Wujiu's
butcher's knife.
This made no difference to Huo Wujiu whatsoever.
Luckily, I said it at this moment. Jiang Suizhou thought to himself.
Looking at Huo Wujiu's deepening frown, Jiang Suizhou was convinced
that it must be because he could not trust him yet. That meant Huo Wujiu
still doubted what he had said.
This was as it should be. After all, for Huo Wujiu, he was in the rival camp.
It would have been strange if Huo Wujiu believed him immediately after he
said so.
With that in mind, Jiang Suizhou composed himself seriously and said,
"This Prince knows that you may not believe my words. When all is said
and done, it sounds somewhat absurd to you. But…"
Huo Wujiu, however, suddenly interrupted him.
"I believe you." His voice was smooth, but seemed colder than usual.
Jiang Suizhou was stunned: "This Prince is saying…"
Huo Wujiu raised his eyes to look at him and said, "Cooperate. What you
were going to say is for us to cooperate, right?"
Jiang Suizhou nodded: "Yes, but…"
But, why was there something indescribably strange when the words came
out of Huo Wujiu's mouth?
Huo Wujiu looked at him with deep eyes and then said in a slow voice,
"You're trying your best to protect me. I can see that, although I don't know
why you have such confidence in me. If there really is a day like you said, I
would never return kindness with ingratitude."
Jiang Suizhou listened blankly.
Huo Wujiu's remarks were reasonable, which was not only in line with his
open and aboveboard personality, but also the attitude Jiang Suizhou had
always wanted to win.
But…
Jiang Suizhou felt a lingering abnormality deep inside, but he couldn't put a
finger on it. Huo Wujiu's remarks obviously were positive, but when they
came out of his mouth, he felt a kind of unspeakable pent-up frustration. It
even carried a trace of a piercingly cold chill.
Jiang Suizhou was in a daze when he saw Huo Wujiu glance at him lightly
and asked, "Are you relieved?"
Jiang Suizhou nodded woodenly.
Huo Wujiu gave him an unfathomable glance, then put down the chopsticks
in his hand. He placed one hand on his wheelchair, turned directions, and
moved straight away.
Jiang Suizhou came back to his senses only a few moments later.
He picked up the cup of tea on the table and took a sip thoughtfully.
He didn't doubt that Huo Wujiu would go back on his word, but…
After contemplating for a moment, he shook his head.
Maybe people like him who conquered the sands and fought in wars are so
cold and fierce when they make promises to others?
——
Huo Wujiu didn't regain his senses all night.
Absurd?
Indeed, he was a Prince of an enemy country, and although his situation
wasn't favorable, he was still pampered. His life was at least safe. It was
indeed quite absurd that such a person would say such things as placing his
hopes on an enemy general and even cooperating with a crippled prisoner
of war.
…But even more ridiculous was, didn't he believe him, too?
Huo Wujiu only felt that he was smitten by some spirit. His mind was
obviously perfectly normal, but it was like he was struck with a stifling
blow on matters related to Jingwang. He felt wooly-headed without rhyme
or reason.
Now it seemed that what Jiang Suizhou said to the eunuch was nothing but
a prevarication, and shielding him, as he had claimed, was also to prevent
Jiang Shunheng from getting what he desired. He had nothing to rely on in
this land, and it was only right to put his hopes on him.
But he himself was confused and believed in that nonsense that couldn't
stand up to scrutiny.
Huo Wujiu barely slept throughout the night. As soon as the day dawned, he
immediately moved to the wing room that Meng Qianshan had arranged for
him.
He knew that he should feel humiliated.
But the emotions that permeated his heart seemed not quite similar to
humiliation.
Something surged up from the pit of his stomach and soaked the meridians
in his chest till it numbed, like being densely pricked by a row of small
needles. Although it didn't hurt much, it made him uncomfortable all over.
Before this, he hadn't yet experienced what it meant to be 'aggrieved'.
The Anyin Hall courtyard was so large that it was easy to find a comfortable
and spacious room. Coupled with Meng Qianshan's attentiveness, it only
took one night to arrange a vacant room on the east wing, facing the sun.
The room was nearly as big as the main house, and the light was especially
bright. It was the best room for sunbathing among the wing rooms.
When Meng Qianshan prepared the room, he, more or less, wanted to
please Madam Huo.
But Madam Huo didn't look the least bit happy.
The ancestor still had a cold face, and even the aura around him seemed a
bit more intimidating than usual. Although Meng Qianshan did not know
the reason, he still knew how to discern expressions, so after sending the
ancestor over, he hurriedly retreated with the others.
The sun gradually rose, and Li Changning took Wei Kai to Anyin Hall.
It would take a few days for the herbs he prepared to have a noticeable
effect. After taking Jiang Suizhou's pulse, Li Changning adjusted several of
the medicines he used, then handed the prescription to Meng Qianshan and
asked him to concoct the medicine for Jiang Suizhou.
After performing all these, a maid led the two of them to the room where
Huo Wujiu was staying.
When they entered the room, Li Changning randomly found an excuse and
sent all the servants out of the room. When only the three of them were left
in the room, Li Changning carried his medical kit over and walked to Huo
Wujiu's side.
"General Huo," he bowed and saluted Huo Wujiu.
Huo Wujiu put down the book in his hand and raised his eyes to look at the
two of them.
"General, Doctor Li has come to check your injuries!" Next to him, Wei Kai
pushed the wheelchair beside the bed for Huo Wujiu with a smile.
"General, you still don't know, right? Yesterday, Doctor Li's words were
used to fool Jingwang! Yesterday, he checked your injuries and knew with
certainty that he could cure you of this kind of disability caused by sharp
weapons!"
Huo Wujiu glanced at him lightly.
Wei Kai immediately understood what he meant and scratched the back of
his head, laughing, "I know, My Lord must have guessed it a long time
ago."
Just then, Huo Wujiu suddenly asked, "What about Jingwang's illness?"
Both men in the room were taken aback.
For a moment, Wei Kai and Li Changning looked at each other.
They both knew in their hearts that treating Jingwang was just a pretense,
just a way to penetrate the Jingwang Manor.
Why did the General ask this?
After a short silence, the two of them met Huo Wujiu's dark eyes.
"Can he be cured, perhaps?" he asked.
Li Changning replied, "General, Jingwang's weakness was caused by a
drug that was administered since childhood. It's impossible to cure it
immediately, but as long as the right herbs are used and slowly regulated,
we should be able to extract the root of his disease in about three to five
years."
Huo Wujiu lowered his eyes and no longer spoke.
Li Changning glanced at him, and then at Wei Kai, and was momentarily at
a loss deep inside.
"Then…Do you want me to cure him or not, General?"
Huo Wujiu hesitated, but when he raised his eyes again, his gaze was tinged
with shades of cold intent.
Did he want it? What did he have to think about? He and Jingwang were
now only in a 'cooperative' relationship. He just needed to protect him in
the future. Who drugged him, or what illness he contracted was none of his
business, right?
With this in mind, he spoke coldly.
"What has it got to do with my intentions?" he questioned.
Li Changning was left even more clueless.
Then he heard Huo Wujiu say, "Since you came to his house to treat him,
shouldn't you be thinking about how to cure him? Could it be that you're
waiting for him to take vengeance on you?"
Li Changning's heart shivered.
Sure enough. He knew that Jingwang was not a good stubble.
Nonetheless, why did the General's words sound like…like he wanted
Jingwang to be cured?
Li Changning couldn't figure it out, so he could only follow Huo Wujiu's
orders: "I understand! I will do my best to cure Jingwang!"
Wei Kai's eyes were about to pop out, and he itched to kick Li Changning.
Didn't you hear how much the General hated Jingwang? How dare you say
that you want to cure him? What a thickhead!
But then he heard Huo Wujiu anwer with a hum.
"Don't tell him," he added.
Li Changning answered evenly.
Wei Kai was dumbfounded: "General, why is this?"
Huo Wujiu's lips moved, but he swallowed back the words that were on his
lips.
He said so, naturally considering that the fewer people who knew about it,
the better. After all, it would take a long time for Jiang Suizhou's body to
heal, so Jiang Shunheng wouldn't notice it for a while. However, the
moment he caught the least bit of wind of it, Jiang Shunheng would
definitely try every means to stop it.
But…
Why was he considering so much for Jingwang?!
Waves of irritation surged inexplicably deep in Huo Wujiu's heart.
After a pause, he said coldly, "As a bargaining chip. It will be useful in the
future."
The two faces in front of him showed the look, That explains it. They
thought that the General was superior in strategy. His foresight was truly
beyond the reach of subordinates like them.
Only Huo Wujiu himself knew how chaotic his heart was.
Jingwang had none of those messy intentions towards him and only wanted
to cooperate with him. This should have been an uncomplicated and worth
celebrating matter for him. He was a little upset at first, and he thought it
was just because he was confused like that silly eunuch, Meng Qianshan.
However, this feeling, which should have been forgotten in the blink of an
eye, actually intensified with the passage of time.
Huo Wujiu couldn't figure out why he felt like he had lost something
important.
——
Jiang Suizhou woke up early in the morning and found that a person was
missing from his room.
Huo Wujiu was gone.
Meng Qianshan told him that Madam Huo had woken up and had moved
out early when he learned that his room was tidied up.
Jiang Suizhou felt that he should be relieved.
After all, as an adult, who didn't want to have their own personal space?
The torment of being forced to eat and live with Huo Wujiu for so long
finally came to an end today.
Huo Wujiu moved out, and before he left, they also cleared things up
between them. Huo Wujiu promised him that he would no longer have to worry about being killed by Huo Wujiu himself, so for him, it should be a
good day all in the same day.
However, he somehow felt that something was missing.
It might be because as soon as he transmigrated, he was forced to live with
Huo Wujiu. At the same time, Huo Wujiu was too quiet and disciplined, and
didn't add any trouble to him.
Because of this, when the person disappeared abruptly, he felt that the room
was a little empty, as if something was missing.
This feeling haunted Jiang Suizhou's heart. He didn't notice it, but he
unconsciously ate a lot less for breakfast.
But Meng Qianshan, who was waiting by his side, took everything in with a
sharp eye.
When Jiang Suizhou drank his medicine and sat on the edge of the bed to
read a book absently, Meng Qianshan came to his side and said with a
smile, "Your Highness, you have nothing to do today anyway. The day is
perfect outside, so why don't you go out to catch some rays, and while at it,
go to the wing room to see how that doctor is treating Madam Huo's legs?"
———————————————-
The author has something to say:
Li Changning: I have this lingering feeling that the General is speaking
sourly.
Wei Kai: ? You know nothing! That's the General mapping out a strategy.
It's called being unfathomable. It's called being cold and ruthless!