Chapter 11.1
Meng Qianshan did not succeed in helping Madam Huo move courtyards today.
Once his master found out that Madam Huo was not quite right and did not respond after calling out to him twice, Meng Qianshan raced all the way back and personally went to look for the mansion doctor.
Jiang Suizhou, who remained in the room, ordered the rest of the servants to push Huo Wujiu to the inner room and help him lie down on the bed first.
Huo Wujiu seemed to be running a fever, a severe fever. Although he was still sitting, his reaction was much slower.
He reacted only when someone tried to help him.
The servant was just about to touch his leg when he reflexively raised his hand and blocked the man.
That servant was overwhelmed with astonishment. Then Huo Wujiu looked down and said hoarsely, “I’ll do it myself.”
Calm but resolute. The servant hurriedly looked at Jiang Suizhou and waited for the King’s own order. However, he found that Jiang Suizhou, who was sitting beside him, didn’t look at him and instead fixed his gaze on Huo Wujiu.
Huo Wujiu didn’t pay attention to them. Instead, he braced his hands on the armrests. Although he moved skillfully, it was obvious that he was weak at this time and his movements were somewhat sluggish.
He slowly propped himself up and moved to the bed.
After sitting on the bed, he did not lie down, but propped himself up with the bedpost.
He sat straight and still.
Although Huo Wujiu said nothing, Jiang Suizhou saw some innate pride in his movements.
Jiang Suizhou’s gaze paused and suddenly he couldn’t help but think of Huo Wujiu from the history books.
He was born in Yangguan as the son of the Marquis of Dingbei of the Jing Dynasty. He learned equestrian and archery at the age of six, and hunted tigers at the age of ten. He turned thirteen in the 20th year of Southern Jing, when the Emperor of Jing forced his father to rebel and rise against Southern Jing. In the 23rd year of Southern Jing, his father died in the Battle of Xunyang. His uncle who joined his father in the uprising was also besieged and surrounded by the army.
It was he who took over the commander-in-chief banner in the rebel army and rescued his uncle from the sieg. He won against his stronger enemy and became famous from one battle. Afterward, he defended his uncle and became the commander of the Liang army step by step.
Prior to his capture, he had not lost a single battle and was an irresistible power. In just four years, he invaded Yecheng and drove the Emperor of Jing across the Yangtze River, from which the Liang dynasty divided the river and ruled.
He was a finely dressed young general, riding on a dashing horse. Even if historians wrote about him impartially, they couldn’t deny his legendary character.
He was a hero that Jiang Suizhou had studied countless times through yellowing historical materials, thousands of years apart.
Huo Wujiu was right to be a proud man.
Jiang Suizhou suddenly understood why the emperor broke Huo Wujiu’s legs.
This seemed to be the only way to make him kneel down.
Jiang Suizhou fell into a trance and didn’t notice that he was staring at Huo Wujiu the entire time. He also didn’t notice that even though Huo Wujiu was already burnt out, he was still acutely aware of Jiang Suizhou’s eyes and frowned slightly, staring right back at him.
By the time Jiang Suizhou came to his senses, Huo Wujiu’s eyes had already turned hostile.
Jiang Suizhou read his eyes at a glance.
Huo Wujiu seemed to be asking him wordlessly: Why don’t you get lost?
Jiang Suizhou: “…”
The rare bit of emotion that rose in his heart dissipated cleanly.
Jiang Suizhou withdrew his gaze without giving away what he intended to hide. He masked his guilty conscience with coldness, gathered his cloak with one hand while walking to the bedside, and looked condescendingly at Huo Wujiu from above.
“Why hasn’t the mansion doctor arrived yet?” He coldly asked the servants nearby.
The maids and servants around all knew that His Highness had a terrible temper and was difficult to serve, so they didn’t dare to say a word. Silence reigned in the room for a while.
Nonetheless, only Jiang Suizhou knew that he felt quite embarrassed under Huo Wujiu’s gaze. He was a paper tiger in a hasty search for a remedy to redeem himself.
From the corner of his eye, he looked at Huo Wujiu, but the man had long since lowered his eyes and wasn’t looking at him.
…Even in sickness, you’re extraordinarily unpleasant.
Fortunately, Meng Qianshan came right on time, gasping for breath with the mansion doctor.
It was still Doctor Zhou.
As soon as he entered the room, he saw His Highness standing cold as ice by the bed, as if confronting Huo Wujiu who was seated there. When His Highness saw him enter, he inclined his head slightly, and a pair of icy eyes shot towards him.
Doctor Zhou has always been timid, so he immediately lowered his head, not daring to take another look.
“Come and check him out.” He heard the King’s cold command.
“Look at how sick he is. Don’t let him die in my mansion.”
That voice sounded so nice, the tone arrogant and gentle, but with some faintly audible fine wheezing. From the sound of it, he was in bad health and was out of breath midway.
The doctor hurriedly responded and came forward with his eyes downcast, just in time to see Huo Wujiu sitting on the bed, subtly lifting his eyelids and giving the King a meaningful glance.
He was about to withdraw his gaze, yet as if something had attracted him, his gaze paused and fell on the King again.
Doctor Zhou was about to take another look when his eyes suddenly collided with a cold, hostile and gloomy gaze.
Huo Wujiu had caught him peering.
Those eyes were evidently feeble and cloudy, but they still scared Doctor Zhou. He quickly dropped his gaze, walked over to Huo Wujiu’s bed, put down his medical kit, and began to diagnose him.
Jiang Suizhou sat back again.