The Number One Scholar's Wife in a Monarch-Minister Story
The palace banquet last night hadn't run especially late, but today wasn't a rest day. So just after the hour of the tiger, Shen Yunxiu rose from bed as her inner clock dictated.
But even after washing and dressing, and then settling herself at the octagonal table in the front hall, there was still no sign of Chen Yao.
"Where is the lady?" Shen Yunxiu asked Dou Kou, who stood nearby.
Because of her past experiences, Chen Yao's sleep had always been light; she usually woke even earlier than Shen Yunxiu, and always insisted on accompanying her through breakfast before gently seeing her off.
Dou Kou reported in a low voice, "Young master, the lady still hasn't gotten up."
Like Shen Yunxiu, she found it unusual that Chen Yao was still in bed.
Hearing this, Shen Yunxiu frowned slightly.
She remembered how, after coming out of the changing room last night, the girl's mood had seemed low. Especially when they returned to the banquet, she hadn't eaten more than a few bites of the palace desserts she normally favored.
At the time, seeing the girl's sullen look, Shen Yunxiu had vaguely sensed something amiss. But since Chen Yao didn't want to talk about it, she hadn't pressed.
Unaware that the changing room in the side hall had a hidden door—and having indeed kept her eyes fixed on it the whole time without ever seeing anyone approach—she naturally couldn't guess the reason.
Her thoughts churned inwardly, but her face betrayed nothing. She simply said to Dou Kou, "I'll go check on her."
With that, she stood and headed toward the backyard.
The front hall and backyard of the Shen residence weren't far apart, so Shen Yunxiu quickly reached Chen Yao's room.
She raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door, asking gently, "Yao Yao, are you up?"
But there was no response from within.
Shen Yunxiu's heart sank slightly. She knocked again, a little harder, and raised her voice. "Yao Yao, I'm coming in."
With that, she pushed open the closed door with a little effort.
The room was still dim, and the gauze curtain before the canopy bed blocked her view. She could only vaguely make out the girl on the bed slowly sitting up, propping herself on her arms.
Chen Yao drew the curtain aside and looked up at Shen Yunxiu standing in the doorway.
But just as she was about to speak, she couldn't help covering her mouth with her hand and coughing softly. Then she said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Yunxiu ge—I mean, Yunxiu, I only just heard you come in."
The girl wore only a thin, plain undergarment, her black hair loose, most of it cascading over one shoulder, making her already delicate face look even paler and more fragile.
Because she had just coughed, her eyes and the tip of her nose were faintly red, giving her a pitiful, sickly look.
Shen Yunxiu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly walked over. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she reached out to steady her shoulder, her tone full of concern. "Yao Yao, are you feeling unwell? Are you sick?"
Before waiting for an answer, she raised a hand to press against her forehead. It was indeed warm—she seemed to have a slight fever.
Chen Yao obediently leaned into her like a little cat seeking shelter, half weak, half dependent.
Her voice was small and fragile. "Yunxiu, I feel like my chest is tight, and I have no strength at all."
"Yao Yao, be good, you're sick," Shen Yunxiu shifted her arm to let her lean more comfortably against her shoulder, her voice gentle and soothing.
Then she raised her voice and called out, "Dou Kou, send someone to fetch the resident physician from Xinglin Hall to the residence at once!"
"Yes!" came the quick reply from outside, followed by hurried footsteps fading away.
In less than half a cup of tea's time, an old physician carrying a medicine box hurried in behind Dou Kou.
"Physician, please take a careful look at my wife's condition," Shen Yunxiu immediately stepped aside to make room.
"I'll do my best," the old physician said with a slight nod.
He stepped forward, carefully placed his medicine box on the small stool beside the bed, then reached out to rest his fingers on the wrist the girl extended.
He concentrated, feeling the pulse carefully, then let his gaze rest on the girl's complexion.
Finally, he withdrew his hand, stroked his beard, and said slowly, "The lady has caught a chill, compounded by pent-up worries..."
Shen Yunxiu looked down at the girl in her arms, her brow furrowing more and more with each word.
Fortunately, the old physician concluded, "But it's nothing serious. I'll prescribe a formula to dispel wind and regulate the qi. Have the servants decoct it immediately and take it warm, then rest properly for two or three days, and she'll recover."
Chen Yao lowered her eyelids, concealing the guilt in her eyes, and nodded obediently.
System 04, watching from her mind, was stunned. "So that's why you deliberately let the hot water cool down so much before bathing last night, and then stayed up all night reading that angsty novel you never liked before? You were planning this all along."
"What else?" Chen Yao raised an eyebrow, sounding perfectly righteous. "Even if I'm not experienced, after being bullied like that by Xiao Mingting last night, it's only natural that I'd get a little sick from the shock, isn't it?"
Too busy talking to System 04, Chen Yao naturally didn't pay much attention to the physician's instructions. She basically relied entirely on Shen Yunxiu to take care of things.
After seeing the physician off and arranging for the medicine to be decocted, more time passed.
Shen Yunxiu looked out the window at the sky gradually brightening. She wasn't off duty today, so she still needed to report to the Ministry of Revenue on time.
She stroked Chen Yao's hair again, instructing carefully, "Rest well. Once the medicine is ready, make sure to drink it while it's warm."
She also told Dou Kou to take good care of her, and after everything was arranged, she left in a hurry, not even stopping for breakfast.
After Shen Yunxiu left, the room fell silent.
When Dou Kou brought in the bowl of medicine, Chen Yao stared at the dark, bitter-looking concoction on the bedside table and couldn't help but fall silent.
She deliberately coughed softly, a hint of weariness on her small face, and said in a weak, soft voice, "I feel a little dizzy. I'd like to lie down alone for a while. Once the medicine cools slightly, I'll get up and drink it myself. Dou Kou, you may go take care of other things."
"Yes, madam," Dou Kou acknowledged.
Though a bit worried, since her mistress had said so, she didn't dare linger. She quietly withdrew and carefully closed the door behind her.
Once the footsteps faded, Chen Yao, alone in the room, immediately let her little face fall, frowning in distress as she stared at the bowl of medicine by the bed.