C160 – Life Is a Man’s Life
Crown Prince Zhao rode his horse while Tang Yue engaged in a yful skirmish with Ping Shun and Zhao Sang on the carriage. Both of them exhibited remarkable audacity, entering the carriage under the Crown Prince’s keen gaze. Fortunately, Tang Yue managed to withstand the pressure.
“Why haven’t we seen Huangfu Chun aroundtely? Has His Highness confined him?” Zhao Sang had never held much affection for thisd. He always found him excessively vivacious. Honorable men like them remained oblivious to being deceived.
Despite no one ever openly admitting their honesty.
“I’m not sure. I’ll check on him once we return.” Tang Yue also found it peculiar. Given Zhang Chun’s disposition, he didn’t seem the type to keep such a low profile.
The group entered the Crown Prince’s Pce. Tang Yue guided Zhao Sang and Ping Shun to Zhang Chun’s residence. Following his noble title inheritance, Zhang Chun should have moved to his own Marquis’s Mansion. However, he continued to reside in the Crown Prince’s Pce, citing his youth as the reason.
“Where’s the young duke?” Tang Yue stepped into the courtyard and inquired of a servant boy attending to Zhang Chun.
The youngd appeared flustered, his legs nearly giving way when Tang Yue grabbed him. He remained silent for an extended moment.
“What’s happening? Where is he?” Tang Yue’s brow furrowed.
“I can’t… Would anyone in the Crown Prince’s Pce lose face?”
“I’m asking you a question. Are you daft?” Zhao Sang grasped the servant and gently pped his cheek.
“No… young master, the young master is inside…”
Tang Yue regarded him with suspicion. “Are you certain?”
Without waiting for a response, he kicked the door open and entered the room. A waft of warm air enveloped the space. Beneath the coversy a human-shaped figure.
“Could it be? You’re still sleeping at this hour?” Tang Yue chuckled and approached to pull back the nket.
The individual beneath the nket stirred, rolling over to continue sleeping, undisturbed.
Tang Yue frowned anew, sitting at the bedside and patting the figure’s back. “Hey, were you out thievingst night? Have you had your dinner?”
Tang Yue grew rmed as Zhang Chun remained unresponsive. He gently tugged Zhang Chun closer and noticed the redness of his face, the sweat on his forehead. A basin of cold water sat beside the bed, its cloth handkerchief soaking within.
He ced his hand on Zhang Chun’s forehead, testing his body temperature. Then, he opened Zhang Chun’s eyes and examined his pupils. Only then did he ascertain that thed was sick and running a rather high fever.
“What’s happening?” A concerned Ping Shun inquired from the side. His bond with Zhang Chun was peculiar—they hadn’t known each other long, yet their friendship felt remarkably deep, as if they had known each other in a previous life.
“He has a fever.” Tang Yue then called out, “Someone,e!”
Without dy, the four servants hurried into the room, keeping their heads bowed as they knelt on the ground.
“What happened? When did the Young Marquis fall ill? Can you provide any details?”
The servant, who had been seized by Tang Yue, stepped forward and spoke in a hushed tone, “Young Master, the Young Duke began feeling unwell the previous night, but he didn’t wish to trouble anyone.”
Zhao Sang was taken aback by the servant’s unbending attitude. Didn’t they understand that a chill in the air could be deadly? “If he didn’t want help, why did you secretly inform the butler? Are you not servants of the Crown Prince’s household?”
If the Young Duke were to pass away in this room, all the servants attending to him would meet the same fate!
“Yes… the Young Duke insisted… it’s just a minor fever. Nothing to worry about. It’s Lunar New Year, we don’t want to bring bad luck to everyone.”
At this time, such beliefs were prevalent, particrly among affluent families, who were cautious about anyone falling ill during Lunar New Year celebrations, especially when they were conducting ancestral ceremonies.
Tang Yue sighed and covered Zhang Chun with a nket, then instructed someone to fetch another nket. Afterward, he examined the young man’s pulse and prescribed a remedy.
The room fell silent, with everyone cautious not to make a sound. After a while, the Heir to the Noble State of Duke Heng asked in a daze, “Tang Xiang, does Huangfu fear troubling you? Should we have him stay at my ce?”
Tang Yue’s back stiffened, and he turned around with a bitter smile. “Please don’t jest. He just doesn’t feelfortable here.”
He understood this sentiment all too well. It was akin to his own experiences when he had first arrived in this world—feeling lost in an unfamiliar environment.
Fortunately, he had the support of the Yueyang Marquis’s family and knew Crown Prince Zhao, gradually integrating into this era. He had built a career, found love, and established a home.
Zhang Chun, however, was in a different situation. He had justnded in this new environment, devoid of rtives and a small circle of friends. Despite his cheerful exterior, he carried a fragile heart, especially being so young. It was easy to see him as carefree, but his heart remained sensitive.
The Crown Prince’s residence also had a pharmacy. Tang Yue sent someone to collect the prescribed medicine. When it was prepared, he brought it back to the room. He poured a cup of warm water and fed it to Zhang Chun bit by bit.
Zhao Sang and Ping Shun sat beside the bed, their expressions grave. Zhao Sang even reached out to touch Zhang Chun’s forehead.
“His fever is quite high. Is he seriously ill?”
“Yes. He dyed taking the medicine, and his fever hasn’t subsided. If it persists for another two days, it could have dire consequences,” Tang Yue replied with a hint of helplessness.
“When you think about it, he truly has a challenging life. Growing up without parents or elders must have been tough for him,” Zhao Sang suddenly realized that he had no reason toin.
Tang Yue thought of Zhang Chun’s previous life and let out a quiet sigh. As he had told Tang Ya before, everyone’s life had its unique challenges.
“Each person’s fate is their own, Sang. Life takes various paths.”
Zhao Sang sneered, “I get it. When will you stop your habit of teaching people lessons?”
Tang Yue rolled his eyes, silently thinking, I taught you because I care about you. Who’d want to waste their breath otherwise?
After administering a bowl of medicinal soup, they waited patiently for another half an hour. Finally, Zhang Chun stirred awake, only to be startled by the room filled with people.
“Oh my God! Am I about to kick the bucket? Did you alle to witness my demise?”
Tang Yue smacked him hard on the head. “We came to send you off. If I hadn’t shown up today, I’d have ordered a coffin for you tomorrow.”
“Haha…” Zhang Chun chuckled awkwardly. “It’s not that bad, is it? It’s just a minor cold. I’ll be fine with some rest.”
“Do you not realize you have a fever? Do I need to remind you how many people sumb to a cold each year or be mentally impaired due to high fever?”
“Don’t scare me. It’s not like I haven’t had a fever before. I can’t be that foolish,” Zhang Chun replied, shifting slowly and lying back down, feeling aches throughout his body and weak limbs.
“Don’t you know you’ve had a fever for three days and nights? Do you have anymon sense?” Tang Yue questioned, teeth gritted.
“It’s been… three days?” Zhang Chun’s expression shifted dramatically. Though his face remained flushed, some unhealthy pallor had crept in.
“What do you think?”
“Brother, hehe… Well, you’re a miraculous doctor, aren’t you? This little issue is nothing, right?” Zhang Chun wrapped his arms around Tang Yue’s and began to act a bit spoiled.
Tang Yue leaned in closer to his ear and hissed, “Cut it out! You, of all people, should know best whether I’m a miraculous doctor or not. And since you know I’m a doctor, why did you hide it from me?”
Zhang Chun rubbed his ears and edged away slightly. “Isn’t it the New Year season?” He was aware of Tang Yue and the Crown Prince’s recent busy schedules, where they often went without seeing anyone for days and nights. Besides, it was the New Year. Could it be that they wanted everyone preupied with his illness?
Ultimately, he was just using this ce as a temporary residence. He was merely a guest. A guest ought to behave as such.
He had already been shameless enough totch onto Tang Yue, a fellow viger. If he caused any more trouble, he’d end up hating himself.
“Can’t you take a break from treating patients during the New Year? Moreover,” Tang Yue continued, “it’s just a matter of taking some medicine. Do you n to drag the Lunar New Year on forever? Is that fun?”
“Alright, brother. I know I messed up. Aiya, I’m feeling sleepy again. Can I sleep?”
“Still sleeping?” Zhao Sang hurried over and pulled him upright. “No, no. We heard you’ve been sleeping for three days. Come on, let’s chat. y some cards; we can sleepter.”
Ping Shun spontaneously grabbed a deck of cards and ced a small table on the bed. He sat on one side, casting a nce at Tang Yue.
Tang Yue conceded defeat to them and sent someone to inform Crown Prince Zhao before joining the game.
Tang Yue diligently monitored Zhang Chun’s body temperature every hour and administered medicine four hourster. He only rxed once the fever had subsided.
Zhang Chun observed the people around him and couldn’t deny feeling touched. After all, Tang Yue hailed from their hometown, and in his eyes, Zhao Sang was an aristocratic young master. Such a person should not treat him as a friend, despite their hometown connection.
This left him greatly ttered.
Ultimately, he struggled to assimte into the role of the Loyal and Brave Marquis. He couldn’t grasp anything,cked a sense of purpose, and found it ufortable to live there.
Before he departed, Tang Yue inquired, “Have you learned how to write?”
“Yes,” Zhang Chun replied. It had been a while, and not learning wouldbel him as foolish.
“Alright then, starting tomorrow, you don’t need to bother with nearly everything. Just stay by my side. All those high-minded principles of governing the country and the Four Books and Five ssics are meaningless,” Tang Yue advised.
Zhang Chun chuckled inwardly. While his lips wore a smile, he retorted, “Let the Loyal and Brave Marquis run errands for you? Aren’t you afraid for your life?”
Tang Yue snorted, “If you’re running errands, I’d think your legs are too short. I’ll have you observe people and situations. That’s far more valuable than studying in seclusion.”
“You don’t need to be so literal,” Zhang Chun acknowledged, realizing that he was currently not very tall and uncertain how much he could grow.
Tang Yue curled his lips. Knowing that Zhao Sang and Ping Shun nned to visit him tomorrow, they left together.
Once everyone had departed, Zhang Chuny in the quiet room, staring at the ceiling for a while. Eventually, he drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep, a wee change from his previous restless nights.