Lu Zhaoling waved his hand to block.
Ever since Chu Tianjiao had hit the back of his head, he had been seeing double.
So the direction of his wave was off by a few inches.
The bowl ended up smashing right into his forehead. And most of the remaining medicine splashed onto his face.
Lu Zhaoling let out a cry of pain.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye, and except for Chu Tianjiao herself, no one else had time to react.
Chu Tianjiao, half-reclining on the bed, exclaimed in a high-pitched voice: "Fourth Prince, why have you come?"
Although both Nanny Li and Qingluan could tell that Chu Tianjiao had done this intentionally, the Fourth Prince being injured in the Marquis of Liyang Mansion was something that could potentially lead to punishment, so they both gave Chu Tianjiao a disapproving look.
Nanny Li hurriedly went out to call for the mansion's doctor, while Qingluan called for maids to come in and tend to Lu Zhaoling.
Fortunately, due to the rush, the temperature of the medicine in the bowl wasn't high enough, so although Lu Zhaoling's face was scalded red, it didn't blister.
However, a lump had formed right in the middle of his forehead.
On the back of Lu Zhaoling's head, there was already a dent from when Chu Tianjiao had hit him with a rock on the night before their wedding, which was still being treated with medicine.
Now with an additional lump on his forehead.
This dent and lump strangely balanced each other out.
Lu Zhaoling's double vision disappeared, but he felt that everything in front of him was somewhat distorted. In order to see clearly, he had to focus intently on one point, unknowingly beginning to develop an inward squint.
Long-term inward squinting is colloquially known as "cross-eyed."
Chu Tianjiao, while admiring her handiwork, managed to squeeze out a few tears, looking exactly like someone who was both remorseful and worried about Lu Zhaoling.
"Your Highness, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have complained about the medicine being bitter and thrown things around, wuwuwu..."
Lu Zhaoling, accustomed to seeing Chu Tianjiao's fierce demeanor, was seeing this delicate side of her for the first time. Two-tenths of his anger subsided.
Chu Tianjiao continued to cry and lament, "Your Highness, why did you suddenly come? Is it about our wedding?"
Reminded by her words, Lu Zhaoling remembered the purpose of his visit, and had to forcefully suppress the remaining eight-tenths of his anger.
"Sister Chu, this isn't your fault. I came in too suddenly."
Qingluan and the little maid used cold water to clean Lu Zhaoling's face.
The mansion's doctor also arrived, and after examination, provided some ointments for burns and swelling.
"Your Highness's injury isn't serious. The lump on your head will subside in two or three days, and as for the burn on your face, you just need to apply the medicine regularly. As long as you don't scratch it, it should be fine."
The doctor was from the Marquis of Liyang Mansion and had been instructed to downplay the severity even if it was serious.
As long as they could send Lu Zhaoling out of the mansion, if the injury worsened later, it wouldn't be the mansion's responsibility.
After the doctor left, Lu Zhaoling refused to leave.
He furrowed his brow and focused intently, carefully observing Chu Tianjiao. Noticing that she indeed looked ill, he tentatively asked:
"Sister Chu, you've had this cold for several days now. Are you feeling any better lately?"
Chu Tianjiao coughed twice and said in a weak, timid voice: "It comes and goes. I don't know when I'll fully recover."
Lu Zhaoling, convinced that the disruption of his marriage to Chu Tianjiao was the doing of other princes, felt a bit anxious:
"Sister Chu, Mother Consort says that the sixth day of next month is an auspicious date. She will request an imperial decree for us to remarry. You must get well soon!"
Chu Tianjiao put on a troubled expression and looked up at Lu Zhaoling, saying:
"Your Highness, perhaps we shouldn't get married after all? I don't want to harm you. The high monk said our birth charts are incompatible. I'm afraid that if we're together, it might hinder your grand ambitions."
Chu Tianjiao deliberately emphasized the words "grand ambitions."
Lu Zhaoling didn't believe a word about the high monk. In his view, before the imperial betrothal, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had already matched their birth charts and declared them extremely compatible.
That Monk Miaoyin from Anguo Temple was likely instructed by one of his royal brothers to intentionally speak nonsense to disrupt his marriage alliance with the Chu family.
While thinking this, Lu Zhaoling put on an expression of unwavering love, placing one hand on his chest and vowing:
"Sister Chu, my feelings for you are as true as heaven and earth. I don't care about incompatible birth charts. As long as we truly love each other, no amount of hardship or obstacles can keep us apart."
Chu Tianjiao put on a touched expression and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, intending to squeeze out some tears, but couldn't even manage to produce a speck of eye gunk.
Fortunately, her posture was quite convincing.
"Your Highness, your feelings for Jiao'er are something I could never repay even if I died a thousand deaths. It's precisely because of this that I cannot hinder you. Look at today, you just came to see me and suffered this undeserved misfortune. Jiao'er truly fears that Your Highness might be harmed again."
The two began to engage in a battle of dramatic performances...
It must be said that Lu Zhaoling's acting skills were leagues above Chu Tianjiao's.
He spoke eloquently, his words as smooth as flowing water, describing his feelings for Chu Tianjiao as higher than mountains and deeper than the sea.
"Sister Chu, believe me, even if it costs me my life, I will never give you up!"
As the performance went on, Chu Tianjiao became so disgusted with herself that she broke out in goosebumps and began scratching her arms.
Seeing Chu Tianjiao constantly scratching her arms, Lu Zhaoling inwardly sneered: "Truly the daughter of a boor, utterly uncouth, without a shred of ladylike behavior."
Chu Tianjiao took Lu Zhaoling's hand with the one she had just been scratching with, and timidly asked:
"Your Highness, I don't know why, but not only do I have frequent fevers, my face is breaking out in red spots, and now I'm terribly itchy. Could it be, as the high monk said, that this is heaven's punishment?"
Lu Zhaoling observed that the previously small red spots and bruises on Chu Tianjiao's face did indeed seem to have spread.
Qingluan, who had received a hint from Chu Tianjiao, stepped forward and asked, "Young Miss, are you itchy all over? The doctor earlier said your cold was quite strange. If you've started feeling itchy, it might be wind rash. I'll go call the doctor back right away."
Hearing this, Lu Zhaoling was startled. Wind rash was contagious.
He hastily let go of Chu Tianjiao's hand and quickly stood up, taking several steps back.
Chu Tianjiao inwardly mocked, "See? He talks a good game, but when things get real, he can't get away fast enough."
The doctor who had just left was called back again.
After examination, he exclaimed with a panicked expression, "Everyone, stay back! There's an 80% chance the young miss has wind rash."
Lu Zhaoling no longer pretended to be deeply in love and fled in a panic.
As soon as he reached the courtyard, he shouted loudly, "Quick, bring water for me to wash my hands!"
Chu Tianjiao mischievously cried out from inside the room:
"Fourth Prince, Jiao'er has wind rash, Jiao'er is so scared. Can you come in and keep Jiao'er company?"
Lu Zhaoling had no choice but to comfort her from behind the curtain, raising his voice:
"Sister Chu, just rest and focus on getting better. I'll go to the palace right away to request an imperial physician for you!"
With that, Lu Zhaoling rushed out of Green Pine Courtyard.
For some reason, he felt itchy all over.
Lu Zhaoling didn't even have time to bid farewell to Old Madam Chu before hurrying back to his own residence to request an imperial physician to prescribe preventive medicine for wind rash.
Nanny Li returned to the main courtyard and reported the recent events in detail to Old Madam Chu.
Old Madam Chu smiled slightly and praised:
"My eldest granddaughter isn't actually stupid. She's just too lazy to use her brain. If she really puts her mind to it, others might not be able to outmaneuver her so easily."
Nanny Li asked with some concern, "Since the young miss has put on such a show, should we pretend to quarantine her? Wind rash is contagious, after all."
Old Madam Chu shook her head calmly:
"No need. Wind rash is contagious, but pollen allergies aren't. With that girl's temperament, if we keep her confined any longer, she might go mad."
Nanny Li suggested, "Actually, the young miss truly has potential. I merely hinted at your intentions, Madam, and she was able to understand and perform this act."
Hearing this, Old Madam Chu fell into deep thought. After a long while, she sighed and said:
"In the past, I indulged her too much, which almost led to her being deceived by the Fourth Prince. When the second son returns tonight, I need to have a good discussion with him about finding a way to make the girl read more books and arm her mind."
Having successfully driven away Lu Zhaoling, Chu Tianjiao was feeling quite pleased. After washing off her disguise, she was now comfortably lying on a chaise lounge, reading a storybook.
Qingluan came to report that Sang Shen had returned.
