Chapter 191: Affection Over Time

Doctor Ming insisted that traveling to Qingzhou Prefecture by carriage was completely fine, and the medicine he prescribed indeed reduced Amber’s fever slightly. Zhang Yue thanked him generously for his services and carefully asked for the address of Doctor Feng in Qingzhou Prefecture. In the remaining time, he rushed through his official duties at the county office, gave additional instructions to Magistrate Ma Cheng, and left Lingxi, as well as the members of the Cui and Li families along with several servants, to guard the back courtyard in case of any emergencies.

Previously, when traveling across the country, Zhang Yue had either taken ships or ridden horses, as he always found carriages too bumpy and rarely used them. This time, somehow Ma Cheng managed to borrow a very unusual carriage. In someone’s words, this kind of carriage was used by wealthy families for travel—it was not only sturdy but also extremely stable.

In front of the carriage, there was not only a wind shield but also a partition, so although one could hear the howling wind outside, not much wind could get in through the tightly sealed curtains. The carriage was pulled by two carefully selected horses from the north. It was large and spacious, with two thick satin mattresses on the floor. Zhang Yue added two layers of thick brocade quilts over Amber, and she stayed by her side with Qiuhen. Since the carriage was not very breathable, he didn’t dare use any hand warmers, fearing that the heat from the charcoal might harm her.

Seeing Zhang Yue staring intently at Amber, Qiuhen felt a bit upset. But remembering Lingxi’s instructions before they left, she quickly suppressed that sense of displeasure and gently pulled at Zhang Yue’s sleeve.

“Young master, Sister Lingxi asked the official who went out with Amber yesterday. He said they encountered two strange people at the Xiaonan Mountain pharmacy while picking up medicine. Those two were using a strange prescription, and Amber didn’t recognize it as the Qian Ding Prescription. She fell ill after returning. If she knew you made another trip to Qingzhou Prefecture just for her, she would surely feel guilty.”

“Qian Ding Prescription?”

Whether Amber was sick or not, Zhang Yue had intended to go to Qingzhou Prefecture anyway, so he didn’t think this trip was unnecessary—after all, it involved a life-or-death matter. However, he became wary of the reason Qiuhen mentioned. After all, Amber had been with him for over a year or two. Although he had moved out of his parents’ room after growing up and stopped having servants stay overnight, he sometimes woke up in the middle of the night, and every time Amber would wake up too. He had also never heard her talking in her sleep.

So, if not for some external stimulus, he would never have heard those dreamy words from Amber. But if his guess was correct, could it be that Amber had met a family member? Yet hadn’t all of Qiu Fu’s direct family members been relocated to Hainan? If one of them suddenly appeared now, could there be something behind it?

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

Seeing Zhang Yue’s sharp gaze fixed on her, Qiu Hen immediately turned away in annoyance and mumbled, “It was Sister Lingxi who told me. She said Amber’s illness is serious right now, and you have important matters to attend to and can’t delay. She’s already instructed the servants and asked Ma Dianshi to send someone to investigate quietly. They’ll inform you once the young master returns with results.”

Hearing this, Zhang Yue finally felt relieved. But seeing Qiu Hen’s gloomy expression, he shook his head and handed her the preserved fruit box beside him. “Alright, alright. I just asked casually, and you act so upset. I brought this back from Qingzhou Prefecture. It may not be as good as the well-known brands in Nanjing or Beijing, but it should still be fine.”

Qiu Hen was originally cheerful and easygoing, so her anger passed quickly. Taking the box, she saw that it contained her favorite salted plums and hawthorns. Her face lit up immediately. She glanced at Zhang Yue, picked one, and put it in her mouth to taste, then showed a satisfied smile.

Zhang Yue turned his attention back to Amber. She had always been by his side—helping with bathing, dressing, grooming, writing, and studying. It seemed there were no secrets between them. Yet, just as there was a forbidden area in his heart that no one could touch, Amber’s heart was equally impenetrable. At least it was only during her illness that he had glimpsed that deeply hidden layer. They say love grows over time. He wasn’t heartless—how could he remain indifferent with such a beautiful woman by his side?

“Water…”

A faint moan interrupted his thoughts. He looked down and saw that her tightly closed eyes had slightly opened. Overjoyed, he quickly stepped forward and helped Amber sit up. Qiu Hen grabbed the teapot wrapped tightly in a cotton-padded jacket and poured a cup of tea for her. Since they were on a carriage, despite their careful efforts, some tea spilled. Fortunately, Qiu Hen had already laid down several old clothes underneath, preventing the tea from seeping into the blanket.

After drinking the tea in one gulp, Amber glanced around dazedly. She tried hard to turn her head and lift her hand, but her arms felt as heavy as lead, and every part of her body ached. Though her head was foggy, she sensed something was wrong.
“Where am I…”
“Don’t move around. You’re sick right now!” Zhang Yue helped her lie down, tucked the blanket tightly around her, and gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, face, and neck with a towel. Smiling, he said, “The person who’s usually in the best health can really throw us into chaos when she falls ill. Just lie still. If you’re tired, keep sleeping. By the time you wake up, we’ll be in Qingzhou City.”
This might have worked on Qiu Hen, but Amber was already worried. Learning she was sick was one thing; hearing they were heading to Qingzhou City made her try to sit up. Only when Zhang Yue gave her a firm look and propped up her pillow did she reluctantly accept the reality.
The last time she had been this sick seemed like many years ago. Back then, her mother had sat by her side with a smile, speaking kindly just like now, filling the air with warmth…
The carriage jolted along the road, and the three people inside gradually fell asleep. Qiu Hen had set down the jar of preserved fruits long ago, nodding her head like a chick pecking at grains before tilting her head and resting it on Zhang Yue’s arm. Zhang Yue himself slept deeply, leaning on the small table beside him, unaware that someone had leaned against him. Watching the master and servant, Amber was the last to fall asleep, a relaxed smile on her face in her dreams.
Not long after the two carriages and dozens of people entered Qingzhou City, snow began to fall again. At first, it was just a few snowflakes, but soon it grew heavier. The cold wind carrying snowflakes grew even more biting, and pedestrians on the road became sparse. Even the guards at the city gate grew tired, stomping their feet and chatting loudly, unaware that not far away, a man and horse stood in the snowstorm.
The man on horseback wore a snow hat and a large gray coat. The gusts of wind revealed his thick beard. He held his horse at the city gate for a long time, staring intently at the road leading into the city, as if struggling with something. Finally, he turned his horse around, whipped it hard, and rushed back the way he came.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. In a daze, he heard pounding noises coming from outside. Zhang Yue jolted awake instantly. Looking around, he saw Qiu Hen sleeping soundly right beside him. Upon closer listening, he realized the noises were someone tapping on the carriage walls, along with Peng Shisan’s deliberately muffled calls.

Realizing they had arrived, and seeing that Hu Bo was still sleeping peacefully, he didn’t wake her. First, he moved Qiu Hen aside, then shuffled his numb and sore feet to the front to lift the partition and open the curtain. A gust of cold wind mixed with snowflakes rushed in immediately.

“Everyone else has been braving the wind all the way, while you, young master, sleep so well!” he complained, but Peng Shisan suddenly glanced into the carriage and saw two sleeping beauties. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “The Feng family’s clinic has arrived. But it doesn’t seem like they have any doctors who can perform miracles.”

Zhang Yue looked up and saw that the Feng family’s clinic was just a storefront on the street. Its sign was faded, and not a soul was outside. Even inside, it was pitch dark, with no candles lit. Faced with this scene, he grew skeptical himself. But since they were already here, looking around outside was pointless. So he instructed the others to watch over the carriage while he and Peng Shisan entered.

However, there was no one in the dark front room; instead, dim light shone from inside. After a brief hesitation, he decided to go in and take a look. Before he could lift the curtain, he suddenly heard a burst of arguing from inside.

“You’re completely hopeless! Hiding in such a place and still setting such high fees. The rich refuse to come, and the poor look down on you. They say doctors should have a motherly heart. With your heartless attitude, it’s better to close down and never practice medicine again!”

“My affairs don’t concern you, Grand Physician Shi! Go treat your royal relatives. I’ll just run my clinic. Even if I starve to death, I don’t need you to worry!”

“Alright, alright. I won’t talk to you anymore. Just honestly tell me—what’s the deal with the pills the Princess of Han gave to the King of Han? Don’t try to fool me with a few words. I’ve examined those pills—they seem similar to the materials you used before, even the names are the same. Didn’t you say you’d never touch such unorthodox methods again?”

“I did say I wouldn’t make pills anymore. It was a disciple I took who borrowed my pill-making room to do it. There were only a few left with me. I don’t know who spread the word, but a few days ago, a lady came specifically and bought them at a price of a hundred taels of silver each. It was a mutual agreement. How could I have known it was the Princess of Han? If the King of Han really used those pills, then the princess wouldn’t have to suffer any more. Isn’t that great?”

At this moment, Zhang Yue finally recognized from the voices that one of them was Shi Quan, and the other must be Dr. Feng. However, if it were just an argument about something else, it would have been fine, but hearing some truths revealed in their conversation, he couldn’t help but lift the curtain and go in.