It nourished the stomach!
In the quiet little courtyard, at that moment, footsteps were chaotic. Duan Ming crouched in the kitchen, boiling a pot of hot water, while Young Master Jiang stared at a purple clay medicine pot. You Qingbai was keeping watch in the room, administering needles to the boy on the bed to relieve his pain. Then he heard anxious footsteps rushing in from the courtyard. As soon as the newcomer entered, he headed straight to the bed. Seeing he was in the middle of administering needles, he held himself back for the moment and did not speak to disturb him.
The last needle was taken out from the boy’s Neiguan acupoint. Only then did You Qingbai put the silver needle away and look up. He saw that this Young Master Ji, who had no idea from where he had rushed back, had mud on his boots, and his thin shirt on his back was soaked with sweat. Yet even as he stood there, he still appeared calm and steady, only showing a hint of worry from his furrowed brows.
Ji Hong watched him check the pulse again before he lowered his voice to ask, “How is it?”
You Qingbai rose from in front of the couch and bowed slightly, “My lord, please do not worry. The young sir only suffered from overexertion and irregular meals, which triggered a gastric ailment.”
Earlier, when Duan Ming sent someone to report, he had only said that the little sir suddenly experienced abdominal pain and fainted. During this time of widespread plague, it was inevitable for Ji Hong to imagine the worst, and he had made a fast return to the city. He had been through torment along the way, preparing for the worst possible outcome. Now, upon hearing that it was merely a gastric ailment, he felt as if a heavy stone had landed on solid ground, and he exhaled lightly in relief. But in the next moment, Ji Hong’s brow furrowed again, “Jinnian’s health had always been good. How did he suddenly come down with a gastric ailment?”
You Qingbai shook his head and sighed, “It actually wasn’t so sudden… these past few days, the young sir had been working tirelessly for the medical clinic. I rarely saw him sleep, let alone eat on time. As early as a few days ago, he had shown signs of a stomach problem, and it was my fault for failing to detect it in time. Right before he fainted, he also had some conflict with the attending court physicians. In a moment of agitation, he fell ill with acute gastric pain and fainted.”
Ji Hong’s expression turned grim, but he held himself back and did not lash out. “What is his current condition?”
“This gastric ailment was neither too severe nor too mild. As long as he rests for a few days and takes his medicine and pays more attention to what he eats and drinks, he should be fine,” You Qingbai said. “However, this illness tends to recur. In the future, he must not overexert himself like this again.”
As he spoke, You Qingbai felt some guilt. “Young sir wasn’t originally one of us in the Imperial Medical Office. It was already a rarity that he was willing to help us quell the plague. Had we not been so inept, the young sir wouldn’t have had to labor himself to this extent.”
Ji Hong rested his left hand on the sword at his waist and said coldly, “Since you are incompetent, do not drag others down.”
You Qingbai: “…”
Just then, Duan Ming came in carrying the newly brewed herbal decoction. Suddenly, a flash of cold light appeared, and a long sword was pressed straight against Duan Ming’s throat. A thin line of blood trickled from his neck. A droplet of blood slid down the blade and landed with a drip on the wooden tray. Ji Hong demanded, “I told you to look after him, and this is what became of him?”
You Qingbai instantly felt his breath catch in his throat, staring at them in alarm.
Duan Ming let the sword tip cut into his skin, yet he steadied the tray in both hands, respectfully saying, “I failed in my duty. However, manpower in this city was truly insufficient, and I was overwhelmed. I… neglected the young sir momentarily.”
Ji Hong remained silent for a moment before casually tossing the sword aside. He said unceremoniously, “Send word for Shi Xing to bring a few more people over. If anything happens to him, you can figure it out yourselves.”
“Yes.” Duan Ming smoothly caught the hilt and then passed the bowl of medicine over, with no trace of resentment or complaint on his face. As he was leaving, he looked back at You Qingbai. “Imperial Physician You, if there is anything else, please let me know.”
You Qingbai followed Duan Ming out in a trance, only snapping back to his senses when he saw Duan Ming wiping away the blood. Ji Hong’s sword was not just a reproach for failing to protect the young sir, but a warning to others. It turned out that the boy was that important to the Heir of the Duke of Li. Merely a gastric ailment was enough to send that cold-faced deity into a fury. If something truly dreadful happened, wouldn’t that ancestor overturn the entire Imperial Medical Office?
Recalling the scene in the room just moments ago, he felt a chill down his spine. After handing the prescription and further instructions to Duan Ming, You Qingbai dared not linger a moment longer and hurried back to the medical clinic.
But as he walked back, You Qingbai could not help recalling the strange furnishings in that room: some things were austere and elegant, while others were lively and whimsical. Although the room was spacious, there was only one bed. How did two people sleep there? Could it be they slept together?
Indeed, they were on friendly terms, so sleeping in the same place was not inappropriate. Yet You Qingbai still felt something was off, though he could not say exactly what it was.
——
The room quieted down again. After Ji Hong lit a stick of calming incense, he walked to the bed and sat down, reaching out to gently smooth the furrow on Yu Jinnian’s brow. That youth curled up like a wrinkled willow shoot, and he was as thin as the shoot as well. Although You Qingbai had already administered needles, his complexion still looked terrible, and he wondered how awful it must have been when it first flared up.
Yu Jinnian moaned twice with his eyes shut, his body curled like a shrimp, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead—perhaps it started hurting again. Ji Hong rose to call for someone, but the boy suddenly grabbed his hand. He seemed to have had a nightmare, mumbling in his sleep. Ji Hong could not make out what he was saying at first, but when he leaned in close to listen carefully, it vaguely sounded like he was calling his name.
Ji Hong hesitated for a moment but sat back down in the end, lightly reversing his grip on Yu Jinnian’s hand, and slowly hummed an ancient foreign tune.
It was a tune his mother had once played. It came from an instrument rarely seen in the Central Plains. Though its shape was unusual, the sound it produced was gentle and melodious. Unfortunately, his mother did not have a singing voice. This tune was something a nanny later learned and taught him. It was said to be a lullaby. Ji Hong sat by the bed, humming softly while his fingers tapped lightly on the back of the boy’s hand.
On the half-opened window lattice, a little sparrow landed, chirping noisily. Ji Hong was about to wave it off, but that bird, so used to feeding in a hundred households, did not fear strangers. It even pecked once at the index finger he extended, its pair of black-pearl-like eyes blinking repeatedly. From time to time, it let out a “cheep,” as though echoing his singing.
Ji Hong hesitated for a moment. Seeing that the boy on the bed appeared slightly more relaxed, he drew his hand back again, letting the bird continue its chirping.
He did not know how much time had passed when he heard a soft rustling by his ear. Startled, he sat up, only to realize he had dozed off at the bedside without knowing it. The one tiptoeing around the room was not his little sparrow, but Duan Ming.
Ji Hong asked, “What time is it?”
Duan Ming picked up the bowl of herbal medicine, which had long since gone cold, and carried it out. He then brought in a pot of cold tea, saying anxiously, “Your Lordship, it is already midnight. You also did not eat much today. The kitchen kept some lotus-root-and-pork-rib soup warm. Shall I bring you a bowl?”
Ji Hong still had Yu Jinnian’s fingers entwined in his own. He shook his head. “No need. Bring me the unaddressed official documents from the county yamen.”
Duan Ming sighed, withdrew, and gave orders for someone to fetch them from the yamen. Ji Hong set a small table at his feet, lit a half-dim candle, and quietly flipped through the folded papers with one hand while Yu Jinnian held the other.
Late at night, Old Master Luo Qian came to check on Yu Jinnian again. He also said that Yu Jinnian would remain asleep for a while yet, and that stomach pain came from internal distress unlike other illnesses. Since the lad was still able to sleep well, it was a good sign, far better than being in too much pain to rest at all. He advised Ji Hong repeatedly to get some rest, yet some people simply would not listen.
Though managing tasks single-handedly posed many inconveniences, Ji Hong still managed to address them one by one. By the time he looked up again, it was already broad daylight outside. The candle beside him had burned down to a stub. Mornings arrived early in the summertime; that little sparrow from before had long since flown off somewhere to hunt for worms. The city gradually bustled with voices, and there were vendors going door to door selling embroidered sachets.
These days, with the epidemic raging, nothing sold well. An old woman had walked through several streets and failed to sell even a single sachet. Not until she reached Lu Alley did she encounter a kindhearted but unfamiliar youth who bought more than a dozen sachets at once. The sachets were filled with nothing special, just homemade sun-dried herbs. For Jiang Bingren, who bought the sachets, those few coins were merely what he typically tipped his servants. He did not think it a waste at all.
He hung a dozen sachets by the windows in the courtyard. A gentle breeze stirred them, bringing forth a faint fragrance that even seemed to blend into the rice congee steaming in the pot, infusing it with a natural aroma.
Yu Jinnian blinked awake in a daze, his mind still lingering on the moment when he spoke with Duan Ming and You Qingbai the previous day. He gazed at the plain gauze canopy overhead for a while before slowly coming to his senses. He had slept too long, so his head still felt groggy. After staring blankly for quite some time, he finally remembered that he had collapsed because of a stomachache.
Ji Hong quickly set aside the papers and gripped his wrist firmly. “You’re awake? Where does it hurt?”
Yu Jinnian noticed his appearance and asked in confusion, “You didn’t sleep all night?”
“I read some letters,” Ji Hong replied evasively, helping him sit up and adjusting the pillow behind him. “Does it still hurt?”
Yu Jinnian answered weakly, “A bit, but it’s better than yesterday.”
Seeing how pale he looked, Ji Hong felt both concern and a flicker of anger. “How could you not know how to take care of yourself? When I wasn’t around, you didn’t even eat or sleep properly?”
Yu Jinnian tried to give him a carefree smile, but the dull pain in his stomach would not stop, leaving him with a grimace in the end. “Who said I haven’t been eating? Who told you—wait!” He suddenly remembered something that he had not finished doing and kicked off the thin blanket, trying to get out of bed. “How was His Highness? Also, Duan Ming said they found some foreign merchants—”
With that abrupt movement, the pain that had receded flared up again, and he instantly curled over, clutching his abdomen.
“I already arranged matters at the county yamen. For the next few days, I won’t go anywhere; I will just keep an eye on you. You also shouldn’t dash around busily. Even without you, the medical clinic wouldn’t collapse. As for those foreigners, let them stay at the county yamen a few more days.” Ji Hong pressed him back onto the bed. He then used his own body as a barrier, blocking his attempt to get up. After that, he rubbed his palms until they were warm, slipped them into Yu Jinnian’s collar, and repeatedly massaged from his chest to his navel. He also used his fingertips to gently press his Neiguan and Zusanli acupoints. “Both Old Master Luo and the imperial physicians have instructed that if you don’t properly nurse this stomach ailment now, it might become chronic in the future, and then a full recovery would be much more difficult.”
“It was just a stomachache; it wasn’t that serious.” Yu Jinnian clutched his stomach and muttered softly, “How did you know this technique?”
Ji Hong smiled and said, “My family did have a divine physician, so why couldn’t I secretly learn a move or two?”
Yu Jinnian felt a bit pleased with himself. “That would be stealing a master’s skill. Did you pay your tuition?”
Before he could finish gloating, Ji Hong leaned over and kissed the newly awakened patient until he was lightheaded. “Was this enough?”
Yu Jinnian: “…”
“Since you’re awake, I will have someone warm up the medicine.” Ji Hong did not tease him further, but when he said Yu Jinnian was not allowed to leave the bed, he absolutely meant it—he would not even let the boy’s toes touch the floor. He called out toward the window; then Duan Ming pushed the door open and entered. Ji Hong asked Yu Jinnian quietly, “You haven’t eaten anything all day. What would you like?”
Once he mentioned it, Yu Jinnian really did feel hungry. He looked at Ji Hong with pitiful eyes. “Scallion oil noodles.”
Ji Hong nodded, then turned his head and instructed, “Cook some millet congee.”
“…” Yu Jinnian weakly objected, “Not millet congee, scallion oil noodles.”
Ji Hong continued, “Add a few red dates, cook them until they are soft, and peel off the date skins when you serve it. Remove the pits, too.” Then he turned back and asked gently, “Anything else you want to eat?”
Yu Jinnian felt so frustrated that his stomach hurt. He mumbled a complaint, “You ask me what I want to eat, but you won’t give it to me. Then why ask me at all?”
Seeing he could still throw a little tantrum and grumble a bit showed at least that his spirits were not too bad. Ji Hong finally felt his floating, anxious heart settle. He could not help curving his lips into a faint smile, leaned closer, and placed a soft kiss on the boy’s furrowed brow. “I like hearing you speak. You don’t know how worried I was, seeing you asleep all night.”
“…” Such a simple affectionate gesture subdued Yu Jinnian right away. Though he was still mumbling something, he leaned back obediently against the pillow, waiting for Ji Hong to feed him congee.
Millet congee was easy to prepare, but it took some time to cook. Ji Hong quickly went to tidy himself up and change his clothes while it simmered. When he returned, he was accompanied by the scent of freshly dried sunshine on his garments and the aroma of newly cooked millet. Half-awake, Yu Jinnian opened his eyes and lazed against Ji Hong for a while before opening his mouth to take the spoon. The congee was neither too thick nor too thin, and it tasted mild and smooth. The mashed date flesh blended into the rice; with just a light press between tongue and palate, it would slip down his throat.
Having gone all night without food, Yu Jinnian’s stomach cramped as soon as the congee entered, as if an invisible hand was twisting and churning inside him. Rationally, he knew he should eat something to keep his strength up, but the pain made him instinctively reject anything entering his mouth. Ji Hong coaxed him patiently, “Take two more spoonfuls, then you can stop. Otherwise, your body won’t hold out. Once you feel better, I’ll ask the kitchen to make you something else—would you like wontons?”
Yu Jinnian furrowed his brow and nodded, enduring the pain as he obediently took half a bowl of the congee. He rested a bit, then drank a bowl of medicine.
“Sleep a bit more if you can. It’s rare to have a chance to rest.” Ji Hong set down the empty medicine bowl. “I will stay with you.”
Ji Hong took off his boots and lay sideways along the outer edge of the bed. Yu Jinnian pillowed his head against Ji Hong’s waist, lightly draping an arm over him, speaking in a small voice, “When I was asleep, I seemed to hear someone singing. I wonder if I’ll hear it again when I sleep now…”
“Mm.” Ji Hong wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Seeing him close his eyes, he softly hummed the tune once more. Clearly, it was a foreign melody, yet with his eyes shut, Yu Jinnian felt as though he saw a gentle breeze, blossoms on the mountainsides, heard tinkling streams, the chirping of orioles… and then gradually, all returned to calm. Ji Hong lowered his head to look at him. Thinking he had fallen asleep, Ji Hong closed his eyes as well.
Yu Jinnian, however, opened his eyes just a tiny bit, still reluctant to give up. “Ah Hong, tomorrow I want to eat lotus-root-and-pork-rib soup.”
Ji Hong did not open his eyes and flatly denied it. “No.”
Yu Jinnian raised his head, ready to stake his life to prove his resolve: “Yes, I heard it. Duan Ming said it was simmering on the stove! If you wouldn’t let me drink the soup, then I wouldn’t take my medicine. I might as well let myself die from the pain.”
“……” Ji Hong lowered his head to look at him in silence. “You little thing, you ate only a few spoonfuls of millet congee just now and already felt so awful you were tearing up. Now you’ve already forgotten the pain as soon as the scar healed, and you’re thinking about that pork-rib soup again? Old Master Luo said that you can only have soft congee for the next few days. Otherwise, your stomach wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Yu Jinnian pouted. “Making me eat congee for several days in a row is as bad as going off to become a monk.”
Ji Hong remained unmoved. “Alright, go ahead. The Great Compassion Temple is short of young monks to chant scriptures. But once you’re a monk, it will be morning drums and evening bells every day, and you’d have to cut off all worldly attachments—there wouldn’t be any wine to drink.” Then he added, “Nor would I hold you in my arms again.”
“……” Yu Jinnian instinctively tightened the arm he had around Ji Hong, snuggling closer into his embrace.
Thus, Yu Jinnian pulled a long face and drank several bowls of millet congee in succession. Because of his weak stomach, he had to eat small meals throughout the day, and so he ended up seeing multiple bowls of millet porridge, one after another—he grew thoroughly sick of millet. He figured that for the rest of his life, he would never again want to see millet appear on the dining table.
In order to rid himself of the misery of congee as soon as possible, he prepared a batch of Pain-Healing Powder using herbs like Baiji, Haipiaoxiao, Chicken Gizzard Membrane, and Corydalis. He took one qian each time.
Baiji and Chicken Gizzard Membrane both aided the spleen and protected the stomach, Corydalis helped relieve pain, and Haipiaoxiao served to neutralize acid and reduce irritation. Combined with the decoction prescribed by the Imperial Medical Office, he recovered quickly enough, at least no longer bending over in pain, just occasionally feeling a dull ache.
During this time, people from the Imperial Medical Office tried to visit, but Ji Hong blocked them all. Only You Qingbai, who had carried Yu Jinnian on his back that day, earned a trace of Ji Hong’s regard and was allowed into the courtyard to chat with Yu Jinnian and tell him about the conditions of various patients in the medical building. The First Prince’s condition also fluctuated between good and bad, leaving all the imperial physicians worried day and night. Especially since Yu Jinnian fell ill, the Sanyu Pavilion had lost its pillar. Although Imperial Physician Chen held the highest rank, he was a hands-on man who was poor at management, only knowing how to appease people without actually controlling them. Even the hairs at his temples had turned white with worry.
But none of that mattered now. The pressing priority was to make oral rehydration salts as soon as possible to contain the outbreak.
Yu Jinnian, not waiting for his stomach ailment to heal completely, seized a moment on a certain day when Ji Hong went out on official business. He stubbornly forced Duan Ming to take him to see those foreign merchants. By the time Ji Hong got word of it and rushed over, they had already swaggered right through the gates of the county yamen. The yamen runners, knowing this youth had a very close relationship with Lord Ji, naturally did not dare stop him; they only offered a token warning before letting him inside.
As soon as they entered the county jail, they felt the damp, dreary air and darkness. Then they heard a string of foreign gibberish coming from deeper within. Several foreign traders with brownish curly hair, unkempt and dirty, jumped and shouted as soon as they saw the flicker of torchlight, roaring and gesticulating wildly. It was obvious they had suffered plenty in these crude prison conditions.
Duan Ming sighed. “Yes, it’s these men. We can’t understand a word they’re saying. Over the past few days, we tried to find an interpreter, but we haven’t had any luck yet…”
Yu Jinnian cocked his head, pondered for a moment, and relayed, “They said… that you people of Da Xia have no sense of reason. They had valid travel papers and were doing business properly, so how could you just arrest them for no reason?”
Then one of the merchants barked something fiercely, and Yu Jinnian chuckled. “That part’s not fit to repeat; he was cursing your ancestors. Alright, hurry up and let them out. We’re asking them for help. Keeping them locked up here in jail is no way to go about it.”
“……” Duan Ming stared at him, stunned for quite a while before snapping back to reality. “Y-Young Sir, you can actually understand them?”
“Mm, just barely.” Yu Jinnian shook his head and frowned. “Their language is a bit different from what I know, but by guessing and inferring, I can manage to grasp the main points. Basic communication shouldn’t be a problem.”
Ji Hong, who had just stepped down the stone stairs into the prison, froze in surprise when he heard those words.
This boy… how many other skills did he have that Ji Hong knew nothing about?!