“Jiji,” Yan Xiaohan called him, his gaze deep, “How confident are you about Fu Shen’s ability to stand again?”
Shen Yice gave a bitter smile, “Sir, you overestimate me.”
“Speak frankly,” Yan Xiaohan said.
Shen Yice hesitated for a moment before carefully saying, “Only one or two out of ten. Reconnecting broken bones is easy, but nerve damage, especially with half his kneecap shattered, might take three to five years of recuperation. The key is having someone to care for him constantly. But even then, success is not guaranteed.”
Yan Xiaohan nodded and made a decision, “In that case, from tomorrow, the Jingning Marquis’s injury is in your hands. For any treatment or medication, come to my residence.”
Shen Yice was astonished, “Sir?!”
“Do not be surprised. You would have known this sooner or later,” Yan Xiaohan said calmly, “Just now, His Majesty has issued an imperial edict betrothing me and the Jingning Marquis.”
Like a thunderbolt from the sky, Doctor Shen stood frozen on the spot, stunned.
A moment later, a roar erupted from the main courtyard of the Yan residence: “The Emperor has gone mad?!”
Chapter 11: Probing | A Backstab Provocation The high fever burned from dusk until midnight, and it was not until the end of the hour of Zi that Fu Shen finally fully awakened.
The night was deep and quiet, everything silent. The room was dim, and the bed curtains were quite different from his familiar setup. A lamp remained on the table, casting a soft light over a small area. He caught a faint breath of sound and turned to see a low couch outside the bed where Yan Xiaohan slept, fully clothed.
The events of yesterday flowed into his mind, but could no longer stir up towering waves. Undercurrents surged beneath the surface.
Fu Shen lay uncomfortably, wanting to relax his stiff back. As soon as he moved, Yan Xiaohan woke up. He sat up and reached out to support him. Still not fully awake, he spoke softly, “What’s wrong? Need water or the bathroom?”
He supported Fu Shen with both hands, leaning forward until their foreheads touched: “Seems like the fever has broken.”
Fu Shen did not expect such treatment. He almost did not react, but when he realized something was wrong, he pulled back: “It’s fine… I don’t need anything, just… help me sit up.”
