Chapter 72: Tuan’er Gets Sick

Translator: Henyee Translations  Editor: Henyee Translations

As August approached, autumn rain fell, dissipating the heat in Chang’an.

There were several major events in Chang’an in August.

The first was the Imperial Examination in early August, and the second was the third-year-old birthday banquet for the little imperial grandson. His Majesty intended to give the little imperial grandson a name.

Although the matter of illicit salt had not yet been solved, Chang’an became lively again with the coming of the Imperial Examination.

Before the Imperial Examination, Qiao Jinniang received a letter from Li Yun, asking her to meet in the Tasty Pavilion.

Qiao Jinniang went to the Tasty Pavilion to see him.

The restaurant had been full of imperial examinees recently, all inquiring about the test questions and discussing literary topics.

“I heard that this time, the Crown Prince will be responsible for setting the test questions. I think there will be some test questions about the illicit salt trafficking.”

“Brother Wu, it makes sense.”

Qiao Jinniang went to the private room. Li Yun smiled when he saw her. “I thought you didn’t want to see me anymore.”

Qiao Jinniang said, “Although our marriage contract was canceled, we’re still relatives. How can we pretend to be strangers?

“This is the pastry I prepared for you, Cousin. You’ll take the Imperial Examination the day after tomorrow. Since it’s getting cooler, food cannot be preserved for too long.

“But this pastry can be stored for ten days or even half a month. You can take it to the examination venue. When you’re hungry during the examination, you can eat it to appease your hunger.”

The Imperial Examination would take three days. Although food would be provided three times a day in the examination venue, the food portions were small, and some people might not be used to the food.

If they were hungry before dinner time, it would inevitably affect their performance.

Li Yun bowed his hands and thanked, “Thank you, Cousin. If I can pass the Imperial Examination, will we still have a chance…

“I have already driven Ruyu away. You can rest assured that I’ll never take any concubine.”

Qiao Jinniang bowed her head and said, “My marriage will be up to my parents.”

An anxious voice came from outside the door. “Alas, Jinniang, why are you here? Come, follow me to the East Palace.

“It suddenly became cold, and Tuan’er got a cold yesterday and is now suffering from a high fever.”

Hearing Princess Fulu’s words, Qiao Jinniang hurriedly said goodbye to Li Yun and followed Fulu to the East Palace.

With Fulu and the secret guards who Lu Chen assigned to her around, Qiao Jinniang directly entered Tuan’er’s palace without being stopped.

Tuan’er’s maids knew Qiao Jinniang’s identity. After saluting Qiao Jinniang, she gave her the position by the bed.

Qiao Jinniang hurried over and picked up the crying Tuan’er.

As soon as she picked him up, she felt that he was as hot as a small stove.

“Tuan’er.”

“Mommy.” With tears in his eyes, Tuan’er put his hands around Qiao Jinniang’s neck. “I feel so uncomfortable, so painful.”

Qiao Jinniang touched Tuan’er’s head. With such a high fever, of course he felt uncomfortable.

“Where’s the imperial doctor?” Qiao Jinniang asked the maid.

The maid saluted and said, “The imperial doctor has already come to examine His Highness and has prescribed the medicine, but His Highness refuses to drink it because it’s too bitter”

Qiao Jinniang frowned and said, “Bring the medicine over.”

It was easy for children to catch colds and get sick. Tuan’er would become very clingy to her whenever he would be sick. At that point, no one could make him drink medicine except for Qiao Jinniang, not even Lu Chen could make him.

Tuan’er leaned on Qiao Jinniang’s shoulder and said, “Mommy, don’t go. I won’t drink the medicine unless you sleep with me.”

Qiao Jinniang took a spoon from the maid and said with tearful eyes.

“Okay, Mommy will sleep with Tuan’er today. Drink the medicine, okay?”

“Bitter.” Tuan’er pouted. “I want to eat candy.”

Qiao Jinniang wiped his little runny nose with a handkerchief. “Mommy will make you a sugar figurine after you recover.”

“I want it now.”

“Drink the medicine first.” Qiao Jinniang put the medicine close to Tuan’er’s mouth.

She hadn’t seen Tuan’er for a few days, but he could already spoke much more fluently.

Tuan’er closed his eyes and drank the medicine, then frowned in a very exaggerated way. “I’ve already taken my medicine. Now I want a sugar figurine.”

Fulu tittered. “Tuan’er is so cute.”

Seeing that there was still a lot of medicine left, Qiao Jinniang said, “You have to finish it.”

The little rice ball drooped his head, simply took the medicine bowl and emptied it. “Okay, I’ve finished it. Now I want the sugar figurine and Mommy has to accompany me.”

Qiao Jinniang ordered the servants to bring a stove and a pot over and began to boil sugar with Tuan’er.

Fulu said, “Jinniang, you can even make sugar figurines? You’re awesome!

“Your carving is already so exquisite. The sugar figurines you make must be very beautiful. Make one for me first.”

Qiao Jinniang nodded. She then smeared a layer of oil on the empty plate and drew with the boiled syrup on the plate.

“Huh? Jinniang, why did you draw such an ugly person?”

Qiao Jinniang was a little ashamed and said, “I don’t know how to draw, so the sugar figurines I made are generally not good-looking, sorry!”

Fulu: “…”

As night drew near, Fulu could not stay in the East Palace any longer, but Qiao Jinniang was in a dilemma.

Tuan’er had just drunk the medicine again and fell asleep in her arms, but as long as she moved slightly, he would wake up.

He clutched Qiao Jinniang’s sleeve with tears in his eyes, not letting Qiao Jinniang leave.

Although the fever had subsided, Tuan’er’s little face and nose were still red.

Occasionally, he would cough, looking very weak. No matter how ruthless Qiao Jinniang was, she couldn’t bear to leave at this time.

A maid walked up to Qiao Jinniang and said,

“Don’t worry, Miss. I’ve made proper arrangements. Princess Fulu will send you back to the Duke Mansion tomorrow, so please stay in the East Palace today. Can you leave when the little highness is better?”

“The little highness cried ‘Mommy’ all night yesterday. He looked so pitiful.”

Qiao Jinniang sighed. Since Lu Chen was not in the East Palace, she could stay here for a night.

After taking care of the little rice ball for a day, Qiao Jinniang was very tired.

There was no telling if she caught a cold yesterday too or was infected by the little rice ball.

She felt a little drowsy…

“Miss, if you don’t mind, please wear my new clothes tomorrow.”

Qiao Jinniang nodded and said, “Thank you very much then.”

Qiao Jinniang held Tuan’er and hurriedly groomed with the help of the maids. Then she lay down beside Tuan’er and fell asleep.

…

Outside the gate of Chang’an, a group of people were riding back as fast as they could.

Lu Chen ordered Zhou Siming to arrange for soldiers to surround the Right Prime Minister’s mansion, while he went to the Imperial Palace to see the Emperor.

When he arrived at the Imperial Palace, he went straight to the Queen’s palace. Seeing him, Eunuch Quan said with an embarrassed expression,

“Your Royal Highness, you can’t go in! His Majesty and Her Majesty have already slept.”

Lu Chen said, “Eunuch Quan, I have something important to report.”

Eunuch Quan’s face blushed slightly red and asked, “Does Your Royal Highness want to copy out the Historical Records ten times more?”

Hearing this, Lu Chen blushed too.

When he was a child, every time he made a scene and wanted to see his mother at night, he would be punished by his father to copy the Historical Records ten times.

It was not until he accidentally broke into Lin Mo’s room and caught him and a woman on bed when he was sixteen did he understand why his father punished him.

For god’s sake, his father was no longer young. Did he want to give him a younger brother or a younger sister?

Lu Chen said to Eunuch Quan, “Please tell my father that the Governor of Shu has confessed that the person behind the illicit salt trafficking is the grandfather of Prince Lu, Right Prime Minister Zhou.

“I’ve already had soldiers surround the Right Prime Minister and Prince Lu’s mansions.”

Eunuch Quan broke out in a cold sweat. “Yes, Your Royal Highness. By the way, the little imperial grandson got a cold last night.”

Lu Chen frowned and went straight back to the East Palace. After the exhausting journey, he wanted to take a good shower…