SWHCBB 37

Chapter 37: To Die for Him Is My Honor

Bai Yuan had been decocting medicine. Upon hearing Jiang Chuang’s words, he said nothing more, simply picked up his medicine box and followed him to the inner courtyard. When he saw Wen Jue, the latter had already lost consciousness and was being carried to bed by Changning, his eyes tightly shut.

Changning stood off to the side wiping his tears, terrified. This was the first time His Highness had truly fainted. Before, he merely slept for long periods, but now… how had his illness worsened so much? What was happening?

Yet His Highness had told him not to inform the Princess and said he would recover. Changning’s heart was in turmoil, until Jiang Chuang dragged him away.

Bai Yuan placed his hand on Wen Jue’s wrist, his brows furrowed tightly. Saving someone destined to die, it was truly as hard as defying the heavens.

Changning, driven to the doorway by Jiang Chuang, stared wide-eyed. “General, why won’t you let me guard the door? I want to be by His Highness’s side! What if he needs me and I’m not there?”

Jiang Chuang couldn’t explain too much. His heart was heavy. Although Bai Yuan had repeatedly assured him there was hope, his anxiety had never once abated. “The divine physician dislikes others nearby when he treats patients.”

Changning didn’t understand. “Is he really a divine physician? If he were, why is His Highness’s illness worsening the longer he’s treated? What if he’s just a charlatan?”

Jiang Chuang let out a heavy breath. All he could say was, “Trust the divine physician.”

Changning still didn’t get it and murmured miserably, “Seeing His Highness in such pain, yet unable to share the burden… it’d be better not to treat him at all. He was fine before all this started…”

“All just appearances,” Jiang Chuang couldn’t help but retort. “Who’s to say he hasn’t been silently enduring all this time while pretending to be fine? In this world, no one wants him better more than I do.”

Changning bristled. “I’ve been His Highness’s servant for so many years, it’s no exaggeration to call him family. If he wanted my life, I’d give it without hesitation! General, if you can’t do the same, then please don’t say such things lightly.”

Jiang Chuang looked at him. In his past life, Changning truly had done what he claimed, using his body as a shield to help Zhiyu escape that prison, never leaving it himself.

“I’m sorry. I misspoke.” Jiang Chuang sincerely apologized. Changning was clearly stunned, he hadn’t expected the general to take his words to heart, let alone apologize. Clearly, Jiang Chuang didn’t see him as merely a servant.

Jiang Chuang added, “But you’ve underestimated my feelings for him too. If I could die for Zhiyu…” He smiled. “That would be my honor.”

Changning was dumbfounded. How had he spoken exactly what was in his heart? To die for His Highness in battle, to be remembered forever by him, that was the highest honor he had ever dreamed of.

Jiang Chuang looked up at the sunset. The remnants of sunlight streaked the sky like molten fire. His eyes filled with melancholy. “Such a beautiful sunset… I hope that one day Zhiyu can see it too.”

Changning looked up as well. He’d never paid attention to how beautiful sunsets were. He only ever looked where His Highness looked. Only now did he realize, the sunset was truly beautiful.

At that moment, Bai Yuan emerged from the room, staggering, propping himself up against the doorway. Jiang Chuang and Changning rushed over.

Jiang Chuang asked, “Divine Physician, how is Zhiyu? When will he wake?”

Bai Yuan said, “He won’t die. He’ll wake when it’s time.”

Changning looked like he wanted to say something, but upon meeting Jiang Chuang’s gaze, he swallowed it down.

Bai Yuan looked worse than anyone. Anyone else would have thought he was the patient, not the physician.

Jiang Chuang said, “Divine Physician, you seem very weak. Should I have the kitchen prepare some nourishing food for you?”

“I want pig’s blood, chicken blood, duck blood…” Bai Yuan thought for a moment. “Raw. I need them for medicine.”

“Got it.” Jiang Chuang turned to Changning. “Changning, help the divine physician back.”

“No need.” Bai Yuan gritted his teeth and straightened up. “Bring him to me tomorrow. Even if he hasn’t woken up, carry him over. Oh, and starting tomorrow, you may do it with him, but don’t deplete your yang energy too much.”

“You have abundant essence,” Bai Yuan added. “Let him absorb some. Sleeping with him will help replenish him. Just don’t let him overthink. Worry harms the body and spirit and will only aggravate the poison.”

Changning was confused. “Do it? Do it with him? Why do divine doctors speak in riddles like those quacks?”

Bai Yuan was speechless and gave him a glare. Fortunately, Jiang Chuang was on the same wavelength. He listened carefully and immediately asked, “Understood. Then how often? How long should each session be?”

He was fully committed to following the medical instructions to the letter.

Bai Yuan: …Since when could humans talk about such things without even blushing?

“Once every two or three days,” Bai Yuan replied. “As for how long… ask yourself, not me. I’m leaving.”

If he didn’t leave now, Bai Yuan felt like his brain, ears, and mouth would all be contaminated.

Jiang Chuang, far from being excited about the lifting of abstinence, only felt heavier in heart. He bowed respectfully toward Bai Yuan’s retreating figure. “Safe travels, Divine Physician. Changning, go with him. He’s not well, what if he collapses with no one around?”

Bai Yuan considered it and finally allowed Changning to follow.

When Jiang Chuang opened the door again and saw that Wen Jue’s face had regained some color, he finally exhaled a breath of relief. The pastries he had bought still sat on the table, Zhiyu had fainted before he’d even had a chance to take a single bite.

Jiang Chuang opened the oiled paper wrapping, took a bite of the pastry, and looked at Wen Jue with a complaint. “It’s awful. Sickeningly sweet. And you tricked me into buying it!”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but lightly pinch Wen Jue’s cheek. “Bad! If I had known you were going to faint, I wouldn’t have been so obedient.”

The pinch soon turned into a gentle rubbing of his cheek. “Divine Physician Bai said you’re overthinking too much. Did you hear that? Stop burdening yourself with all those court matters. You’re not ascending the throne, so why care about those things? Really now… if the physician hadn’t forbidden it, I’d want to wear you out every day until you were too exhausted to worry about anything.”

His hand moved to gently smooth Wen Jue’s hair at the front of his chest. But as he fussed over it, it gradually became something else entirely, the neckline of Wen Jue’s clothes had grown wider.

“The physician said we don’t have to hold back anymore. Doing it properly can even help your recovery. Wen Xiao Yu! Just you wait, you’re the one who said once a night. Even if you can’t take it, you can’t call it off!”

The moment the words left his mouth, Wen Jue suddenly caught his mischievous hand. Slowly, he opened his eyes and smiled sleepily. “Really?”

His voice was thick with drowsiness, but the trailing tone was soft, clearly teasing him. Jiang Chuang swallowed instinctively.

Wen Jue pulled his hand close and rubbed his cheek against it, speaking lazily, “Is husband feeling greedy?”

How could a newly unrestrained little fox possibly let such a golden opportunity slip away? But Jiang Chuang said nothing now, Wen Jue could only hear his deepening breath.

Wen Jue propped himself up, enduring the dizziness swirling in his mind. Feeling the cool air at his chest, he realized his robes had fallen open quite a bit, but he made no move to fix them. Instead, he leaned forward deliberately. “Yunchuan, why aren’t you talking?”

Jiang Chuang suddenly muttered, “When you fainted, Changning was there.”

“Hm?”

“Changning should be on his way back now, after escorting Divine Physician Bai. The first thing he’ll do is come check on you.”

Realizing what he meant, Wen Jue immediately sat up and reached to fix his robes, only for his hands to be seized and pinned above his head by Jiang Chuang.

“Yunchuan!” Wen Jue’s face flushed red from shame. Behind closed doors, he didn’t mind flirting or teasing in front of Jiang Chuang.

But Changning was different. If Changning walked in now and saw him half-dressed and being toyed with, it would be mortifying for a long time to come.

Jiang Chuang chuckled in his tone, “Your Highness, you wouldn’t want Changning to see you like this, would you?”

Wen Jue kicked him in the leg and whispered, “Let me go! Or I’ll get angry!”

But the man atop him fell silent. Wen Jue was left only to feel his warmth, his heartbeat, his breath. Jiang Chuang’s breathing was heavy. As he leaned in closer, warm puffs of air trailed across Wen Jue’s skin.

His brows, his nose tip, his lips, his collarbone…

Jiang Chuang didn’t kiss him. He merely stayed close, as though brushing against him with his breath, inch by inch tracing across his skin.

The teasing set Wen Jue’s whole body aflame. Every place his breath touched felt like ants crawling and nibbling, so itchy it was unbearable.

Only one thought filled his mind: How did he get so good at this?

Jiang Chuang resisted laughing as he watched those trembling eyelashes, the gradually blushing porcelain skin, lips bitten red, and the flushed ears like pink jade. Wen Jue’s whole body trembled in his arms.

From seduction to helpless disarray, without a single word.

So this was the same “little fox” who had played him like a fiddle in their past life? All outward bravado, but just a soft bunny inside. And Jiang Chuang had to admit: no matter which version of Zhiyu he faced, he couldn’t resist him.

Footsteps approached from outside. Wen Jue heard them and froze. Jiang Chuang heard too and didn’t tease him further. He quickly pulled the covers over him and stood up.

Wen Jue quietly let out a breath. Thankfully, Yunchuan still knew when to stop.

______

Jizhou, the mountain hideout of the bandits.

A woman in a black dress and veil sat at the head seat. Beside her, a burly, scar-faced man sneaked a glance her way. A few vicious-looking men stood below, but when they looked at her, they all showed fear.

“The court… they sent a few civil officials with guards. No… no sign of that General Jiang,” one bandit reported nervously.

The woman frowned. “Are you sure you didn’t miss him? Maybe they’re pretending to negotiate while lying in wait.”

“The brothers searched thoroughly. Couldn’t find him,” the man answered through gritted teeth.

The scar-faced one turned to the woman. “Physician Cao, what do you think the court is up to?”

“Hmph, they want to subdue you without wasting troops.” Physician Cao sneered coldly. “They never took you seriously to begin with.”

Another man spoke up, “But that official said if we surrender, not only will they overlook our past crimes, they’ll give us work, maybe even official ranks. If nothing else, they’ll pay us to return home and marry.”

The others’ eyes lit up. Life as a bandit meant gambling with your life just to eat, wasn’t surrendering better?

Physician Cao swept a cold gaze across them. That single look made the scar-faced man beside her bark out a warning, instantly silencing everyone.

Physician Cao raised her chin slightly, savoring their submission. The feeling of power was intoxicating.

A pity Jiang Chuang hadn’t come. If he had, she would’ve made him kneel too.

“Believing the court’s promises is the real joke. If you all drop your weapons and surrender, what if they go back on their word? Who among you could escape then? You’d all be butchered like pigs.” Her voice was icy.

The excitement vanished. One by one, the men fell silent, uncertain.

Physician Cao smirked. “Tonight, we host those officials, let them try my new drug. Once they’re unconscious, we’ll lock them up. Don’t act rashly. Let’s see what other tricks they have. Those civil officials are our bargaining chips.”

“Understood!”

The scar-faced man praised, “You really are clever and capable!”

Physician Cao lifted her chin and walked away, disdaining to waste words on these brutes. Back in her room, she removed her veil, it was Su Zhi.

Surrender? To whom? Here, no one could control her. History had emperors who rose from banditry, why couldn’t she be the next?

She wasn’t some empty-headed woman relying on men.

But Su Zhi’s fantasies were quickly shattered by reality. That night, a sudden cry rang out.

“Fire! The place is on fire! Help! Someone save them!”