Zhong Liangyu took the medicine bowl from the cook and sat by the bedside, looking at the slightly dazed Liu Yizhu. He stirred the bowl to dissipate the heat and brought it to Liu Yizhu's lips.
"I'll do it myself," said Liu Yizhu, taking the bowl and draining the bitter medicine in one gulp before handing the empty bowl back.
"You..." Zhong Liangyu wanted to stop him but didn't know how to persuade him. After all, it wasn't him going through this. He sighed, wishing Wei were here - she always knew how to handle Liu Yizhu.
"Tang Housekeeper went to the Hanlin Academy early this morning to plead for leniency on your behalf. They said they could delay it for a few days, but he ran into the runner-up and the examiner when he got there. You should go once you've recovered, don't fall behind from the start."
Liu Yizhu coughed lightly, touched his forehead, and retreated back under the blanket.
Zhong Liangyu felt his forehead too and nodded, "Seems better than yesterday. Let's see how you feel after today's medicine."
"Better?" Tang Jue burst in excitedly, bending over Liu Yizhu's bed with a smile. "Feeling better?"
Seeing him drenched in sweat with disheveled robes, as if he had just run, Zhong Liangyu asked with a smile, "Where have you been so early that got you in this state?"
Tang Jue grinned, "Prince Jian's mansion."
Zhong Liangyu doubted, "You got in?"
"What are you thinking?" How could he get in? By knocking and saying his father was the magistrate of Anhuai County, wanting to visit Prince Jian? Was that enough?
"I just waited outside and caught a glimpse of Prince Jian," said Tang Jue, nudging Liu Yizhu. "To be honest, Prince Jian is quite handsome and distinguished. Rumor has it he was bestowed the title 'Jian' by the Previous Emperor for his remarkable talents and virtues. He was even a strong contender for the throne."
Zhong Liangyu glanced outside, seeing only Tang Housekeeper, and relaxed before warning, "Watch your mouth, this isn't something we should be discussing."
"I was just repeating what I heard," Tang Jue shrugged before turning to Liu Yizhu with a raised brow. "How did Wei end up with you after being married to him?"
Liu Yizhu turned away, replying flatly, "Beats me."
Seeing Liu Yizhu's foul mood, Tang Jue, who had only meant to tease him, felt awkward and looked to Zhong Liangyu for help.
Zhong Liangyu slapped his back unsympathetically. "Are you sick? You think he hasn't been through enough trauma?"
"I..."
Tang Jue was at a loss for words. Liu Yizhu, unwilling to listen to their bickering, turned over with his back to them, dismissing them, "I want to rest."
"Don't be like that," Tang Jue hurried to make amends, seeing Liu Yizhu's spirits sinking further. "Actually, you're not inferior to Prince Jian in every way. I'd say he's quite a bit older than you; at least you're young and vigorous. Wei was married to him for three years without a child, but she had two with you in three years, right?"
Tang Jue lowered his voice, "He even got another woman pregnant behind Wei's back. You would never do something like that, so that's why Wei likes you."
Liu Yizhu found no comfort in this. Regardless of Prince Jian's merits, he and Wei were divorced. His biggest problem now was the Li family - he had nothing to offer them.
Sigh.
Seeing Liu Yizhu's dejected sigh, Tang Jue spread his hands, "The situation is what it is, what can you do but accept it? Write a letter home, tell Wei you're not good enough for her, to divorce you. There, you'll feel better right away!"
Liu Yizhu glared at him.
"See, you can't bear to do that," Tang Jue snorted. "Well, since I'm the one who got you to marry Wei, I'll go kneel at the Li family's door. Father-in-law, mother-in-law, I'm your son-in-law, the father of your great-grandchild, I just passed the top imperial exam and will be joining the Hanlin Academy. Please keep an eye on me, father-in-law."
Zhong Liangyu kicked the daydreaming Tang Jue, asking, "What about the Li family?"
He'd been out all this time, just squatting outside Prince Jian's mansion, he didn't stop by the Li family?
"Oh, oh, right!" Tang Jue had inquired about the Li family too. He reassured Liu Yizhu, "Don't worry, your father-in-law was in a worse position than you before. He didn't become a top scholar until twenty-five, but he had a late start..."
Li Yi had found Zhang Dezhi starving on the road during a famine in his hometown when Zhang was twelve and illiterate. Li Yi rescued him, took him to the capital, and personally tutored him letter by letter, word by word, after losing all his family.
"Brother Liu, some people are just luckier by nature, we can't compare, but we can't give up because of that, can we? At least you're already a sixth-rank editor, while I'm still a commoner. We'll take it slow."
Zhong Liangyu nodded approvingly, "For once, you said something sensible."
Tang Jue rolled his eyes - he'd said plenty of sensible things before.
Liu Yizhu gave a muffled "Mmm" from under the covers.
Zhong Liangyu and Tang Jue exchanged a look and fell silent. Zhong Liangyu glanced towards the door, signaling for Tang Jue to leave with him and let Liu Yizhu rest alone for a while.
A servant slipped in quietly and handed Tang Housekeeper a letter, whispering, "From the Liu residence."
Recognizing the handwriting on the envelope, Tang Housekeeper hurried over and said softly, "Master Liu, a letter from your wife."
Liu Yizhu bolted upright, causing a wave of dizziness. He clutched his forehead and asked anxiously, "You didn't tell Wei I was ill, did you?"
Tang Jue looked at him like he was an idiot. "You've only been sick for two days, how could a letter have arrived so quickly even if we had told her?"
"Oh," Liu Yizhu sank back down, extending his hand for the letter to Tang Housekeeper.
Seeing Liu Yizhu's slightly dazed state, Zhong Liangyu snatched the letter first, "Let me."
After a moment's thought, Liu Yizhu nodded. Li Mingwei's letters were never as rambling as his.
Tang Jue leaned in to read over Zhong Liangyu's shoulder, "Wei says everyone at home is well, her belly is growing, she can't look after Si Mo anymore..."
"Who's Si Mo?"
Liu Yizhu let out a resigned breath, "My son."
Tang Jue suppressed a laugh.
"Oh," Zhong Liangyu continued, "Auntie has quit her job cooking at the school and is staying with her in the county town."
"She says her feet are swollen again, and she just wants to lie down all day. The midwife insists she move around more. Since the baby is due in two months, she wants you to decide on a name instead of procrastinating. If she doesn't receive a letter from you by the full moon, she'll name the baby Bun."
"Bun," Tang Jue chuckled, giving half-hearted praise, "No surprise there from the family running a school - Wei really has a way with names."
Zhong Liangyu cleared his throat and went on, "Wei says you've made your own bed, so lie in it."
Liu Yizhu took the letter, stuffed it into his robe, turned over, and muttered, "Alright, I'll wait, take it slow."
