Chapter 196: Sleeping in the Same Hall

The night was dense, the bed was properly set, and Princess Jiuli stroked Jiurong's forehead as she watched Miss Jun approaching.

"Miss Jun, please go and freshen up," she said.

Having administered acupuncture needles, concocted medicine, and fed medicine, Miss Jun's clothes had already been drenched in sweat three times. Upon hearing this, she did not decline but gave thanks with a bow.

"This way, Miss Jun," said a palace maid leading the way.

The washroom was next door.

This was Jiurong's Castration Room, and Miss Jun scanned the room, noting that little had changed.

She slowly passed by a wardrobe and seemed unintentionally to stretch out her hand, precisely reaching into the gap between the wardrobe and the wall, touching a box simultaneously.

A smile curved on Miss Jun's lips.

This naughty boy, indeed still hiding his toy box here.

But since Princess Jiuli had gotten married and no one was watching over him, who wouldn't discover it? Why was he still hiding it?

Miss Jun's gaze dimmed.

Perhaps, when playing, he was immensely hoping someone would discover and scold him.

Playing alone is always lonely and dull.

"Miss Jun," two palace maids turned around from the side of the bath, "the water is ready."

Saying this, they stepped forward, and Miss Jun, without any hesitation, outstretched her arms, allowing them to help her undress.

Garment by garment was loosened and removed until she was completely bare.

The palace maids bowed their heads and stepped back, watching as Miss Jun gracefully stepped into the bath, submerging herself in the water.

Miss Jun truly was calm and composed; the two palace maids exchanged glances, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.

It was astonishing how she could be served by strange servant girls in a strange place and feel no restraint or discomfort, rather it seemed like a habit.

Being palace maids of Prince Huai's mansion meant being cut off from the world, unaware of any news from outside. Only because there had been many visitors from outside in recent days, and also from what the imperial physicians talked about, they knew that Miss Jun was a skilled doctor. As for her background, they were unaware.

Perhaps doctors who are good with medical skills are all this serene.

The two palace maids lowered the gauze curtain, bowed their heads, and stepped back a few steps to wait silently.

A palace maid came in and whispered a few words to them, gesturing towards the closet outside; the two palace maids were surprised but promptly acknowledged.

Miss Jun did not wash for long and soon came out; the two palace maids fetched towels to wrap around her and dry her, meanwhile leading her outside, where one palace maid opened the closet, which contained neatly arranged undergarments and outer garments.

Miss Jun saw these garments for women. Jiurong was ill; her sister must undoubtedly be staying and eating here, so naturally, clothes had been prepared.

Logically, she could now wear the garments of the palace maids given her current status, but she hadn't expected to be given those of Princess Jiuli.

But it was only because it was her who knew these were Princess Jiuli's garments. If it were someone else, they probably wouldn't think so and would assume they belonged to a servant.

Her sister was always like this, doing acts of kindness that were hard for others to notice, calling them imperceptibly nourishing.

Miss Jun outstretched her arms, having the palace maids help her dress when suddenly her body stiffened, and she couldn't help stepping forward a few steps.

The palace maids, caught off guard, almost tripped.

"Miss Jun?" they asked in a hurry, watching Miss Jun stop in front of the wardrobe, looking at a garment.

Did she want to pick her own clothes? The two palace maids exchanged a glance; that seemed quite improper.

Miss Jun looked at the garment in the wardrobe, feeling a sting in her eyes.

This was not her sister's; this was her own undergarment.

It was an old garment her mother had made by hand for her birthday the year before her parents had passed away.

She had later worn this undergarment when she got married.

She had died, her remains buried in the Lu Family's graveyard. Was this undergarment the only thing left beside her sister and Jiurong?

Miss Jun placed her hand over her heart, lowering her head and coughing to mask the tears that were about to flow.

"Miss Jun, are you alright?" the two palace maids asked with concern.

Miss Jun pressed her hand against a point on her wrist, stimulating a continuous cough, disturbing the palace maid outside who brought tea. Miss Jun slowly regained her composure.

"Shameful," she said hoarsely, taking the tea to soothe her throat and drying the tears on her face with a handkerchief. "I have this chronic dry cough problem."

"Can they not cure her?" the palace maids glanced at each other. Was this what they meant by 'physician heal thyself'?

Miss Jun took a deep breath, set down her tea cup, and composed herself.

"Alright, let's go outside," she said.

The lights in the bedroom dimmed further, leaving only a night lamp beside Prince Huai's bed. Princess Jiuli sat by the bed, moistening Prince Huai's lips with a chopstick dipped in water.

Lu Yunqi stood aside, watching Miss Jun as she came out.

Miss Jun ignored his gaze. Apparently unconcerned that she was only wearing an undergarment, she walked straight to the bedside, bent down to examine Prince Huai, caressing his forehead, cheeks, behind his ears, and neck for a moment, then feeling his pulse.

"We can't tell anything right now," she said.

"Then we'll just have to wait," Princess Jiuli replied, smiling at Miss Jun. "Miss Jun, you should rest first. If you are rested, His Highness will recover too."

Miss Jun nodded.

"Then I will rest now," she said, turning to walk toward a bed arranged on one side, where she took off her shoes and lay down.

Princess Jiuli glanced at Lu Yunqi.

"You should rest too," she said.

It was like a wife's concerned greeting to her husband.

It was not just like; they were indeed husband and wife.

Lying on the bed, facing inward and with her back to them, Miss Jun thought.

"I'm staying right here," came Lu Yunqi's voice, deep and firm, brooking no refusal, like a domineering husband.

Of course, he would not leave; he needed to keep watch, to prevent any mishap in the Emperor's arrangements, just as he himself had once failed.

His sister would definitely not leave either. Even from the brief moment earlier, it was clear she wouldn't leave Jiurong's side for even a second; even in death, she would watch him die, not like it had been with him.

He didn't know how many days after his death she had been informed, but it certainly wasn't immediate. They needed to conceal, to stage his body chopped and broken, everything perfectly covered up before they could make it public, before his sister could come to cry over her sister.

Miss Jun closed her eyes.

She would not rest anywhere else; she needed to stay here to watch over her sister and Jiurong.

Princess Jiuli spoke no more and the room fell silent.

But by dawn, Jiurong's fever had not subsided.

"His fever isn't easy to reduce," Princess Jiuli was not in a hurry to scold anyone, instead, she wore a very understanding look.

Even if Jiurong had died, she probably would have reacted the same way.

"It's fine, he was meant to die anyway," she might have said.

She had resigned herself to that extent.

Miss Jun felt both an urge to laugh and to cry, and she took a deep breath.

But she did not believe it; she trusted that Old Heavenly Father was just, that he let her live and allowed her to follow her master to learn superb medical skills, and even brought her to the capital at the time of Jiurong's illness, solidifying her foothold, giving her a valid reason to treat Jiurong.

How could Jiurong die? No, he wouldn't.

"It's fine, I'll do it again, I think the fever has already reduced a bit," she said, getting out the acupuncture needles. "I'll start with the needles for His Highness first, then I'll go prepare the medicine."

Hearing this, Lu Yunqi, who had been standing quietly at the side without saying a word, looked over.

"Why don't you let someone else prepare the medicine?" he asked quietly.

Princess Jiuli also looked at her.

"Wouldn't that be faster?" Lu Yunqi continued, his eyes cold and sharp.

Miss Jun stood up straight, meeting his gaze.

"Because I don't trust anyone else," she said. "Lord Lu, you know, I have a bet with the imperial physicians, and many people are waiting for me to lose, but I don't want to lose. I trust no one but myself."

Realizing her adverse relationship with the imperial physicians, Princess Jiuli smiled lightly and looked away.

Lu Yunqi stopped looking at her for a moment and waved his hand.