SWHCBB 26

Chapter 26: Sickly Beauty, My Husband Looks Like a Pretty Little Doll When Ill

The princess’s visit was sudden, yet not subtle, she arrived with eighteen attendants and guards in total, even bringing an imperial physician.

Outside the General’s Manor stood a grand and finely adorned carriage, surrounded by guards and palace maids.

Wen Yan stepped down from the carriage with the help of a maid. Her eyes swept across the humble and understated plaque of the General’s Manor, and she furrowed her brows ever so slightly.

Though she wore a brilliant court dress, her attire was not ostentatious. Only two pearl hairpins were casually placed in her hair. Her brows were unpainted, her lips faintly tinted. Yet even dressed so simply, she stood out strikingly in front of the manor. When she glanced toward her guards, she exuded a natural, commanding aura without needing to raise her voice.

Compared to Wen Jue, who had inherited their mother’s beauty, what first struck people about her was her innate nobility, and the instinctive fear that her presence stirred.

If Wen Jue was like a piece of hidden, veiled jade, gentle and seemingly harmless, inviting admiration only to leave one consumed before they realized—then Wen Yan was the blazing sun, brilliant and searing, impossible to look at directly or approach lightly. Her danger was clear and open, warning off all ill intentions.

Just as a guard raised his hand to knock, the manor doors opened from the inside. It was Jiang Chuang, followed by the steward and Chen Lin.

The Grand Princess had sent her visit request an hour earlier, so Jiang Chuang had everything prepared in advance.

“Your subject Jiang Chuang pays respects to Your Highness.” He bowed and stepped forward.

Wen Yan glanced past him, frowning with concern.

“No need for formalities. Where is Zhiyu?”

Jiang Chuang couldn’t answer outside, so he raised his hand in invitation.

“Your Highness, please come in.”

Noticing his guilty expression, Wen Yan narrowed her eyes but said nothing. She gestured for the others to follow, leaving only a few guards at the gate.

Once the doors were shut, Jiang Chuang led Wen Yan toward the main courtyard. Only then did she speak again:

“What exactly is wrong with Zhiyu? The family banquet is only days away, there had better not be any mishaps.”

The Sixth Prince had been stirring up trouble lately, and Zhiyu had shown no reaction. Even Changning’s reports seemed to be hiding something.

Jiang Chuang began to sweat. Zhiyu had just been carried out from Bai Yuan’s room by him, still unconscious with a high fever. How was he supposed to explain this?

The Divine Physician had warned him not to tell anyone else about Wen Jue’s treatment. Yet he also knew Wen Yan was not one to be easily deceived.

So he chose to reveal part of the truth.

“Zhiyu… caught a chill some days ago and hasn’t been feeling well. He’s still resting and hasn’t woken up yet.”

Wen Yan’s expression darkened.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Take me to him, now! You know his health is weak, how could you be so careless?”

“I… it’s my fault.” Jiang Chuang dared not argue. “Please, this way.”

Wen Yan quickened her steps, her face full of worry, still rebuking him.

“He’s my only brother. He’s gentle and kind, never good at saying no, and too pure-hearted. His health is already fragile, you absolutely cannot take advantage of his forbearance and treat his body recklessly!”

Jiang Chuang felt utterly wronged by the scolding. What was she even talking about?

What recklessness!?

But he didn’t dare to argue.

“Yes, I was wrong!”

Then it hit him belatedly, she must’ve thought they had been too intense again… Although that wasn’t entirely false, Jiang Chuang still silently cried injustice in his heart.

Wen Yan, too worried to scold further, brought the imperial physician into the inner courtyard and headed straight to the couple’s bedroom. Since Zhiyu was ill and bedridden, she made no effort to observe formality.

Before entering, she paused slightly as she glanced into the room. Though most manors in the capital were laid out similarly, unless one specifically renovated them, it was clear Jiang Chuang didn’t spend much time in the capital and hadn’t bothered with any modifications.

That made it easy for Wen Yan to notice what was different about this house.

Steps had been leveled flat, pebble paths replaced with bricks, railings installed throughout, and handrails newly built along the corridors. Even in the bedroom, there were handrails, a custom cane stand by the bed, a warding sword, and a bamboo wind chime hung above the headboard—its long red string ending in a white jade safety charm resting on the bed.

Her brother, Zhiyu, lay there on the bed, his long hair neatly combed and laid across his chest, boots placed tidily by the bedside.

Wen Yan glanced at Jiang Chuang, who gave her a guilty, flattering smile.

Forget it. At least he did care about Zhiyu. Understandable, after all, Zhiyu was so good anyone would fall for him. You’d have to be blind not to.

She stepped up to the bed and gently called,

“Zhiyu… Zhiyu, it’s your sister.”

But as she got closer, her heart ached. The person on the bed looked so pale and thin, chin sharp and cheeks sunken. His complexion was terrible—he clearly wasn’t doing well.

Wen Jue’s eyelashes trembled, and he actually opened his eyes. From dazed to lucid, his gaze slowly focused. His lips moved weakly,

“Sister?”

“It’s me. Where do you feel unwell? Don’t worry, I brought Imperial Physician Li. He knows your condition well. You’ll be fine soon.”

Zhiyu nodded faintly, then asked,

“Where’s Yunchuan?”

Jiang Chuang, already waiting by the side, quickly stepped forward and grasped his hand.

“I’m here. It’s still early afternoon, you haven’t slept long.”

“I want to sit up.”

Jiang Chuang half-supported him into a sitting position, then placed a cushion behind his back so he could lean comfortably. Once Zhiyu was settled, Jiang Chuang instinctively kissed the back of his hand.

“Anywhere else uncomfortable? The kitchen’s warming the lotus seed soup you like, want some now?”

But Zhiyu hadn’t forgotten his sister was still present. He shook his head.

“Let Imperial Physician Li check my pulse first.”

He then covered his mouth and coughed a few times, each cough tugging at both Wen Yan’s and Jiang Chuang’s hearts.

Jiang Chuang got up to give space. The physician stepped forward without delay.

Zhiyu obediently lifted his sleeve and extended his arm. His long hair fell forward, making his pale face appear even more colorless. His blank eyes stared ahead, he looked just like a lifeless porcelain doll.

All this time, Jiang Chuang had no idea how he endured it. The recurring illness had hollowed him out. Time and again, Jiang Chuang wanted to ask Bai Yuan how long it would last, but always swallowed the words.

Just imagining Zhiyu suffering like this for years, ten years, even, kept Jiang Chuang tossing and turning at night. He tried every way he could to coax him to eat and smile, hoping to ease just a bit of his suffering.

Wen Yan glanced at the clearly distressed Jiang Chuang, then looked back at her brother.

Now she thought back, Zhiyu once said to her that the best way to dismantle Prince Yi’s influence without a single soldier was through Jiang Chuang. And the best way to reach Jiang Chuang was to marry him.

In that, he hadn’t been wrong.

From her view, Zhiyu had already achieved more than half his goal.