Prince Sun slowly paced into the room, murmuring: “Poor Fifth Brother is probably not feeling well either. Among all these princes, he and Prince Huai were the closest.”
Yuwen Hao went to Prince Huai's manor in the evening, and after coming back, he hid in the study without coming out, not even eating dinner.
Yuan Qingling didn't eat dinner either. She had accompanied Prince Sun for a meal in the afternoon, and was still full now.
Recently, she really had no appetite. Ancient meals were just too greasy.
Yuwen Hao was hiding in the study while she hid in her room, opening the medicine box and taking inventory of the medicines inside.
Antibiotic streptomycin, rifampicin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide - these were four new additions.
She was conflicted.
For early-stage tuberculosis, the treatment period was three to six months, but there was no telling how long Prince Huai had been ill, much less whether the tuberculosis bacteria had infected other areas.
The medicines in the box could last him ten days at most. But once antibiotic treatment began, it could not be interrupted halfway, otherwise drug resistance would develop. Even if treated again, the chances of recovery would be slim.
She could not guarantee the medicine box would be continually restocked with tuberculosis drugs, because it was capricious and beyond her control. An interrupted course of medicine would still doom Prince Huai.
More importantly, it was unknown whether Prince Huai had developed complications from tuberculosis.
If Prince Huai had lived out his life's trajectory without her treatment, dying a natural death, she would have had little to do with it. At most, she would have offered a bolt of fabric at his funeral and lit some incense for this younger uncle.
By intervening with treatment, if Prince Huai still died in the end...
One should not rashly interfere in royal affairs. If unable to cure him, the physician's head would roll. Even if her head remained on her shoulders, she likely faced bleak prospects. She was reminded of when she had boldly treated the Retired Emperor, truly the recklessness of youth.
But if she stood idly by, it would be akin to watching him die. Could she rest easy?
Yuan Qingling sat at the low table beside the bed, hugging Duobao. "What do you think I should do?"
The wounds on Duobao's body had scabbed over, but the surrounding fur was starting to fall out in patches resembling vitiligo, still baring the scars.
"Woof woof!" Duobao nudged her palm with its nose.
"Do whatever you want? Nevermind, why even ask a dog like you?" Yuan Qingling said.
"Woof woof!" Duobao protested. Don't forget who saved you from Marquis Huiding's manor.
Yuan Qingling laughed and patted its head. "Alright, stop seeking credit. I'll get you a big chicken leg later."
Duobao happily turned in circles.
Yuan Qingling's injuries had basically healed, and the palace chef had also returned.
Prince Sun still came over the next day, unaware. Yuan Qingling informed him the chef had returned to the palace. He froze for a good while, just short of bursting into a whimper. If only he had eaten more yesterday, knowing this would happen.
"The imperial delicacies in the palace were not scarce when you were young. Why crave them so now?" Yuan Qingling asked.
Prince Sun was utterly crestfallen. "In my youthful ignorance, I thought all the world's flavors were the same. Only after receiving my own fief and separate residence did I know Father Emperor had gathered the best chefs in the land into the palace."
He waved his hand. "Nevermind. I might as well go see Sixth Brother."
Yuan Qingling's heart stirred. "Can you take me along?"
Prince Sun looked at her in surprise. "Why don't you go with Fifth Brother? He went today too."
"He didn't return to the manor? I didn't know he went. I thought he had returned." Yuan Qingling also hadn't seen him these past couple days, figuring he must be busy.
"I ran into him outside. He said he was going over, probably didn't return to the manor. After all, Marquis Huiding's case is settled now."
"Settled? Has he been sentenced?" So quickly? She thought a case of this magnitude would drag on at least a month or two.
"Stripped of the marquisate, demoted to commoner status, sentenced to exile."
Letting him keep his life truly was a bargain for all the women he had harmed.
"Fifth Brother didn't tell you this?" Prince Sun asked.
"I've seen Second Brother more often than him lately."
"Then your marriage can't be going well!" Prince Sun frowned.
Yuan Qingling summed it up: "No fighting means a good marriage."
Prince Sun looked at her. "Do you two fight a lot?"
"How could that be? My prince and I have an affectionate marriage. How could he bear to hit me?" Yuan Qingling walked inside. "Second Brother, please wait a moment while I change clothes to accompany you."
With Prince Huai's condition worsening, even the less affectionate brothers had come to pay their respects.
When Yuan Qingling arrived, there were many people - imperial relatives and nobles, some unfamiliar faces, including several princesses.
Prince Sun went inside while Yuan Qingling couldn't even squeeze in, only able to pace around outside. She didn't see Yuwen Hao either.
But while wandering outside, she saw Chu Mingcui emerge from within, eyes rimmed red.
Chu Mingcui gave her a glance before turning to leave.
Princess Luoping and Princess Qinping also came out, accompanied by their husbands. The two princesses walked ahead, eyes slightly red but still carrying themselves with proud, elegant grace befitting imperial princesses.
Yuan Qingling had already retreated to the side. The four passed straight by the corridor, ignoring her.
After a moment, she saw Prince Huai's mother Concubine Lu assisted out by palace maids, face ghastly pale and haggard, eyes and nose swollen red - clearly having cried for a long time.
She continued sobbing as she exited. "My poor child!"
Yuan Qingling could hardly stand to see the elderly grieving their young. She thought of her own mother, who knew how distraught she would be at her daughter's death.
She sighed softly.
"Lv Ya, let's go," she said.
Lv Ya asked, "Is the Princess not going in?"
"No." She was afraid she would act rashly once inside.
She could not keep getting lucky. If unable to cure Prince Huai, she could not shoulder this crime.
Better stay out.
She had just turned to leave when she saw someone run out from within, sitting on the stone steps and muffling heartrending sobs into their hands.
A name floated into Yuan Qingling's mind - Princess Changping Yuwenling.
Yuwenling was Noble Consort Xian's daughter, blood sibling to Yuwen Hao.
Yuan Qingling hesitated, wondering if she should go comfort her.
Just then, Yuwen Hao emerged from inside. Not noticing Yuan Qingling, he sat directly beside Yuwenling, stretching an arm around her shoulders. His voice was grieved. "Don't cry. He might hear you and be saddened. We shouldn't trouble his heart."
Yuwenling messily wiped her tears and forced out a difficult smile. "I know. I don't want to cry. It's just seeing him trying so hard to keep our spirits up despite coughing painfully...I really can't help it."
Yuwen Hao heaved a heavy sigh, raising his eyes to see Yuan Qingling standing awkwardly nearby.
"Why have you come?"
"I came with Second Brother," Yuan Qingling said, walking over. His appearance was haggard, complexion even worse than when injured.
"Sister-in-law!" Yuwenling hurriedly bowed, voice nasal with tears.
Yuan Qingling returned the greeting. "Princess!"
"Your injuries haven't healed. Don't run around." Yuwen Hao instructed Lv Ya, "Take the Princess Consort back to the manor."
"Yes!" Lv Ya acknowledged.
Yuan Qingling nodded. "Then I'll take my leave."
She had walked a few steps before turning back to Yuwen Hao, hesitating as if wanting to say something.
