The Prime Minister’s Darling - Chapter 659

Chapter 659: 311 Pampering (two updates)_5 Chapter 659: 311 Pampering (two updates)_5 Gu Yan said flatly, “I can’t shoot arrows!”

Gu Changqing spoke softly, “I’ll teach you.”

Gu Yan had always dreamed of being a roaming martial arts expert–riding the fastest horse, shooting the farthest arrows. Unfortunately, his small body hadn’t even granted him the chance to ride a horse alone, let alone shoot arrows.

He couldn’t even draw a bowstring!

Gu Yan suppressed the tremor in his heart, and said disdainfully, “I don’t want to!”

Gu Changqing said softly, “Jiaojiao said your health has improved a lot. You should be able to draw the bow now, you should give it a try.”

Of course, I can’t say that to take care of your health, I deliberately made the lightest bow, light enough for even a four years old to draw.

All men have pride, even the fifteen-year-old Gu Yan.

Gu Yan sneakily glanced at the bow offered by Gu Changqing, it was extremely exquisite. Every curve and pattern were in line with his aesthetics.

Most importantly, it was embedded with jade.

He was…quite tempted.

Gu Changqing seemed to see through his thoughts. He handed the bow into Gu Yan’s hand and went to set up the target, “Give it a try.”

Gu Yan put on a reluctant expression and pulled on the bowstring.

He was just trying it casually, he never thought he’d actually be able to draw it!

He could draw a bow now!

Gu Yan couldn’t believe it, a rush of joy springing from his heart.

Seeing his astonished little face, a small smile couldn’t help but tug at Gu Changqing’s lips.

He also specially made a quiver and ten lightweight arrows for him.

He placed the quiver on a stone table next to Gu Yan and handed him an arrow.

Gu Yan held an arrow for the first time and didn’t quite know how to set it.

“Like this.” Gu Changqing held his hand and correctly placed the arrow on the bowstring.

Gu Yan’s hand was fair and delicate, slender and exquisite. Gu Changqing’s hand was also slender, with clear bones, but it was calloused because of years of martial arts training.

He had only gently pressed on the back of Gu Yan’s hand, and a red mark quickly appeared on his hand.

Gu Changqing felt a pang of guilt, he quickly released his hand and said to Gu Yan, “Give it a shot.”

Gu Yan shot an arrow, which completely missed the target.

“It’s okay, being able to shoot the first arrow is already very good.” Gu Changqing gave him another arrow.

In the end, Gu Yan missed the target again.

Gu Yan was frustrated.

“Your posture is not correct.” Gu Changqing went behind Gu Yan, grasping his hands and enveloping him from behind, gently drawing the bow, “You need to aim here, keep your eyes on the target… release.”

Both their right hands released simultaneously.

With a swoosh, the arrow was released, hitting the bullseye!

Gu Yan exclaimed, “Wow!”

Gu Changqing looked at him with a deep fondness, “Ayan, you’re really amazing.”

Gu Yan snorted, “Of course I’m amazing! You don’t need to tell me!”

A small tuft of hair on his head was sticking up again.

Gu Changqing couldn’t resist, a soft laugh escaping him.

His laughter was not loud, like warm rays of sunshine. His smile was subtle, and his body shook slightly from trying to suppress the laughter. It was unexpectedly infectious.

Gu Yan originally wanted to get angry, but he suddenly couldn’t.

He felt like he had lost his nerve. He turned his head and said not so fiercely, “Are you going to teach me archery or not?”

Gu Changqing did his best to stop laughing, but he couldn’t suppress his smile. “Yes, yes!”

Once again, he stood behind Gu Yan and gently held his soft delicate hand. He suddenly regretted having made such a rough bow, it was hurting Gu Yan’s hand.

For the entire afternoon, Gu Changqing was teaching Gu Yan archery.

Although Gu Yan and Gu Jiao were fraternal twins, they were completely different in terms of martial arts. After an afternoon of teaching, Gu Yan couldn’t hit the target with a single arrow.

Gu Yan became mad. He wasn’t willing to admit that he was underperforming and snapped irritably, “It’s this bow’s fault! What kind of bow did you make!”

Gu Changqing’s lips twitched, “Hmm, it’s the bow’s fault. I didn’t make it correctly. I will make a new one for you tomorrow.”

Gu Yan turned his face away, “Hmph!”

…

The Emperor rested and recovered in Bishui Alley, not involving himself in political affairs or worldly matters. For a few days, he enjoyed a Utopian life, his complexion improved greatly, seeming even more radiant and hair volume seeming to increase.

The old sacrificial priest had excellent culinary skills, and the Emperor felt it was unjust to have him serve as the sacrificial priest for the Imperial College. He should be invited to the Imperial Palace to serve as the royal chef.

The liveliest times were in the evenings. The courtyard was bustling with running children and animals, delicious fragrances wafting from the kitchen, and a cacophony of playful and quarrelsome voices from the neighborhood.

Being emperor for so long, he would sometimes feel numb. Yet these days his heart was always touched. He was part of these scenes. This was his Zhan Country, the thousands of homes he was devoted to protecting.

The Emperor decided to return to the palace; he couldn’t allow the authority to fall into others’ hands.

However, on the night before his return, he suddenly fell ill with a high fever.

No one expected such a setback. Gu Jiao had gone out for a consultation, Xiao Liulang and the old sacrificial priest had pulled an all-nighter at Hanlin Academy and Imperial College, and Eunuch Wei was also sick and couldn’t do much to help.

Gu Changqing went to the Medical Hall to ask the doctor to come.

Empress Dowager Zhuang had just finished playing cards and was preparing to return to the palace when she heard Yu Yaya crying at the doorstep.

She walked over and asked, “What happened?”

Yu Yaya, gasping for breath between her sobs, said: “The…The…The Emperor…he…he’s sick…It’s because I didn’t take good care of him…I…I…”

Empress Dowager Zhuang initially didn’t care about the Emperor’s wellbeing, but seeing the maid crying so heartbrokenly, she frowned and went in to look at him.

As a past dealer of Gu Jiao’s medicine, while she didn’t exactly master the medical skills, she could barely handle emergencies.

The Emperor was burning severely hot and his consciousness was blurred.

“Fetch some liquor.” Empress Dowager Zhuang instructed Yu Yaya.

“…Yes! Yes!” Yu Yaya hurried to the kitchen and brought back a jar of rice wine.

No one in the house drank liquor; it was a gift from their neighbors.

Empress Dowager Zhuang dabbed some liquor on a cotton cloth and wiped the Emperor’s underarms and forehead.

She had seen Jiaojiao do this to reduce children’s fever before. But instead of using liquor, Jiaojiao used the alcohol she had distilled in her first aid kit.

Jiaojiao called it alcohol.

This seemed to work after all. Roughly after two quarters of an hour, the Emperor’s fever started to subside.

However, soon the fever spiked again and was even worse than before, and no matter how much Empress Dowager Zhuang wiped him, it no longer worked.

The doctor from the Medical Hall arrived. It was Doctor Lu. He tried acupuncture to reduce the Emperor’s fever but the effect was minimal.

He wrote a prescription and instructed Gu Changqing to fetch the herbal medicine from the Medical Hall.

Gu Changqing prepared it directly at the Medical Hall and brought it over.

The Emperor refused to drink it.

“All of you, step out.” stated Empress Dowager Zhuang flatly.

“Yes.”

Everyone exited the room.

Empress Dowager Zhuang stared at the medicine bowl on the table, then at the delirious Emperor. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and seemed to make a strenuous decision.

Then, with a look of distaste, she approached the bedside.

The Emperor’s high fever was raging, his body unbearable. In his hazy state, he seemed to hear someone calling to him.

“Honghong…”

Who was Honghong?

Was it him?

Who was calling him?

“Honghong, it’s time for medicine.”

The voice was gentle and warm, a voice he hadn’t heard since he grew up.

The Emperor must have been delirious from the fever. He forgot that he was the reigning emperor. He forgot that there existed an Empress Dowager Zhuang whom he loathed.

He was the son of a palace maid. He was born humble and was sent to Concubine Ning for upbringing.

Concubine Ning gave birth to a lovely sister for him. His sister’s name was Ning An.

He liked his sister and also liked mother ape.

Was it the voice of Concubine Ning?

Was Concubine Ning calling him?

Concubine Ning was the kindest to him!

“Mother…”

The Emperor himself didn’t know that, while he was thinking about Concubine Ning, the word “mother” kept coming out of his mouth.

He clung to Empress Dowager Zhuang’s hand, holding it tightly the entire night.