While Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing were enjoying the flowers in the Flower Hall, a major incident erupted in Guangping Mansion. Early in the morning, Nanny Lin went to wake up the two children. Ji Xinglou, complaining of a headache and nausea, refused to get up. Nanny Lin allowed him to stay in bed a bit longer and only took Ji Xinglan to the front yard for breakfast with Jixia. She then hurried out to fetch a doctor for Ji Xinglou. By the time she returned with the doctor, Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing were already on their way to the imperial palace.
Nanny Lin brought the doctor to see Ji Xinglou. As she lifted the bed curtains, she saw a rash on his face.
Nanny Lin’s heart sank as she thought, “This is bad,” guessing that the young master might have chickenpox.
“Doctor, please check if it’s chickenpox,” Nanny Lin said, then turned to Ji Xinglou, “Sixth Lang, show your hand.”
Ji Xinglou extended a small hand from under the blanket, also covered with tiny red spots.
The doctor hesitated for a moment, then stepped back, quickly saying, “Use a cloth to cover his hand!”
Confused but compliant, Nanny Lin did as instructed.
In his drowsy state, Ji Xinglou turned to look at the doctor, noticing the fear and distance in his eyes. Ji Xinglou frowned.
Covering his nose and mouth with one hand, the doctor carefully approached with a lamp in the other hand to examine Ji Xinglou’s face. Once he clearly saw the rash, he was startled and backed away in terror.
“Smallpox!”
“What? How could this be…” Nanny Lin was stunned. “Doctor, don’t go! Please, take a look!”
The doctor, shaking, quickly packed his medicine chest and fled.
Ji Xinglou felt awful, turning his head to watch the doctor flee as if avoiding a plague.
Just outside the door, the doctor accidentally bumped into Ji Xinglan, who was on her way back.
“Ouch…” Ji Xinglan got up, rubbing her bottom in grievance. Fortunately, the bun she was holding didn’t fall. She had gone to the kitchen to get it for her brother, who hadn’t eaten breakfast.
“Brother, brother! I brought you a sweet bun!” She twisted her small body and ran towards the house.
Nanny Lin snapped back to reality and shouted, “Fourth Sister, don’t come in!”
Ji Xinglan blinked in confusion at the doorway, “What’s wrong?”
Nanny Lin rushed to the door, intending to carry Ji Xinglan away. Suddenly remembering that she had touched Ji Xinglou, she stopped, saying, “Xinglan, be good. Go to the front yard. Stay in your father’s room and don’t come out!”
Ji Xinglan was frightened by Nanny Lin’s expression. She didn’t know what was happening but felt a vague sense of dread. The door she was forbidden to enter seemed like the gaping maw of a giant beast, trapping her two loved ones inside.
“Lan, listen to me!” Nanny Lin’s tone became sterner.
Ji Xinglan’s eyes filled with tears, and in a childish voice, she called out, “Mama…”
She took two steps forward, then stopped and placed the cloth-wrapped bun on the ground. Standing up, she smiled at Nanny Lin, saying, “Lan will be good. This is for brother!”
Ji Xinglan walked away, glancing back with each step. Watching her retreating figure, Nanny Lin felt a mix of relief and worry. She was grateful that Gu Jianli had mentioned a few days ago that the children should sleep in separate rooms even though they were siblings. But she was also concerned because, despite Ji Xinglan and Ji Xinglou sleeping in separate rooms, they still had frequent contact. Although Ji Xinglan seemed fine now, she feared she might have been infected.
Smallpox—a word that struck fear into everyone’s hearts.
Nanny Lin was at her wit’s end. The Fifth Master wasn’t home, and even Changsheng had returned to Xuanjing to fetch chestnuts. As she panicked, Ji Xinglou suddenly leaned over and vomited heavily.
“Sixth brother!” Nanny Lin cried out in desperation, tears streaming down her face.
The doctor, fleeing in panic, ran into a servant and blurted out that Ji Xinglou had smallpox. Within moments, the news reached the Old Madam. She was sitting with the women of the household, and upon hearing the news, the room was filled with pale faces. It was the most severe form of smallpox!
“Quick, send someone to the imperial palace to find the Fifth Master!”
The Old Madam ordered, but the dispatched people did not return. The servants anxiously paced outside the palace, unable to get in.
Inside the palace, Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing were still enjoying the flowers in the Flower Hall. Lin Shaotang was with them. He had loved flowers since childhood and was knowledgeable about various rare blooms. Seeing Gu Jianli’s interest, he eagerly explained each flower in detail, hoping to introduce her to every type.
Gu Jianli glanced at Ji Wujing, noticing his listless expression and pale face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lin Shaotang and frowned slightly. Her hand, initially resting casually on Ji Wujing’s forearm, now entwined with his, and she leaned slightly against him. She turned to Lin Shaotang with a polite but distant smile and said, “We’ve learned a lot from Young Master Lin today, but we need to go find my sister now.”
Lin Shaotang, seeing Gu Jianli intimately leaning on Ji Wujing, felt both disappointed and envious. He forced a smile and said, “I truly envy Brother Ji.”
Ji Wujing glanced at him and finally spoke, “Who is your brother?”
Lin Shaotang was taken aback.
Ji Wujing then sneered, “Seeing your extensive knowledge of flowers, do you wish to bloom yourself?”
“Bloom?” Lin Shaotang looked at Ji Wujing in confusion. He quickly became too stunned to ponder Ji Wujing’s words further, as he suddenly noticed Ji Wujing’s unusually striking appearance. He looked almost otherworldly, different from any man Lin Shaotang had ever seen. No wonder he could marry the fairy-like sister!
Gu Jianli tightened her grip on Ji Wujing’s hand and hurriedly said to Lin Shaotang, “Take your time admiring the flowers, Young Master Lin. We’ll take our leave.”
“Alright…” Lin Shaotang stood there, reluctantly watching Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing walk away.
Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, and Lin Shaotang, losing his balance, stumbled forward into a mass of flower pots. The pots shattered with a loud crash, causing everyone around to gasp in shock.
Gu Jianli turned back, surprised to see Lin Shaotang had fallen into the flowers. He got up, his blue robe stained with flower sap and dirt, his hair disheveled with a small flower stuck in it. His face turned pale with dread as he thought: This will cost a fortune to compensate for!
Gu Jianli instinctively took a step forward but then stopped. She turned her face to scrutinize Ji Wujing.
Ji Wujing casually smirked and said unhurriedly, “Let’s go, we have to find your sister.”
Gu Jianli quietly gazed into his eyes.
Ji Wujing added, “Or we could have a fight for fun, too.”
Gu Jianli withdrew her hand and turned away, descending the stone steps without looking back, not wanting to deal with him. Ji Wujing stood on the steps, watching her slender and graceful figure slowly move away.
He suddenly remembered how, when he was bedridden, Changsheng would sometimes tell him about the outside world. Changsheng had mentioned that at last year’s Hundred Flowers Banquet, a profligate young master named Qian had knelt on one knee and composed a poem for Gu Jianli in public. What happened afterward?
“Fifth Uncle?” Ji Xuanke called uncertainly. He had heard the commotion in the Flower Hall and came to check it out, only to find Ji Wujing standing there. He hadn’t expected the usually rebellious and solitary Ji Wujing to be here.
Ji Wujing turned to look at Ji Xuanke.
Ji Wujing then recalled the follow-up that Changsheng had mentioned. Afterward, Ji Xuanke appeared and ridiculed the young master’s poem, criticizing its poor structure, rhyming, wording, and imagery, and then took Gu Jianli away.
Ji Wujing’s face turned cold for a moment. He turned and quickly descended the stone steps to catch up with Gu Jianli.
Ji Xuanke was slightly surprised, his gaze following Ji Wujing until he saw a pale blue figure. So that’s why Ji Wujing was here; he must be accompanying Gu Jianli. Ji Xuanke’s eyes darkened. Had he not mistaken it earlier, the person in the painting boat was indeed Gu Jianli? He frowned, took two steps forward, and stood at the top edge of the stone steps, gazing at Gu Jianli’s retreating figure from afar.
Ji Wujing walked quickly and soon caught up with Gu Jianli.
Although Ji Wujing walked fast, he made no sound. It wasn’t until he was close that Gu Jianli sensed him. Just as she was about to turn, Ji Wujing grabbed her wrist firmly. Before she could look back, he had already passed her, pulling her along with him. Gu Jianli stumbled as he tugged her forward.
Ahead was a stone forest. As they passed through, Ji Wujing pressed his hand on the back of Gu Jianli’s head, bending down to lead her into the stone forest.
Ji Xuanke’s pupils contracted.
A disheveled Lin Shaotang walked out of the Flower Hall and sighed, standing beside Ji Xuanke. “Brother Xuanke, do you have any money on you?”
Ji Xuanke suppressed his inner turmoil, turned to Lin Shaotang, and plucked the flower leaves from his hair, saying, “Money is a minor issue. Young Master Lin should tidy up first. If we encounter His Majesty later, it would be improper.”
He patted Lin Shaotang’s shoulder and walked away slowly.
Lin Shaotang, belatedly realizing that Ji Xuanke hadn’t lent him any money, sighed and reluctantly went to find Long Yujun.
Inside the stone forest, the light alternated between bright and dark as Ji Wujing led Gu Jianli through the illuminated areas to the deepest, darkest part of the stone forest. The narrow cave could barely fit two people. Ji Wujing pushed Gu Jianli against the stone wall. The jagged rocks pressed against her soft back, causing her to frown in discomfort.
“Fi—” The rest of her words were swallowed by Ji Wujing’s kiss.
Gu Jianli had to lean back, fearing the pain of hitting her head against the rock, but it didn’t come. Even her back no longer touched the stone. Ji Wujing’s hand cushioned her back, while the other supported her head.
Above them, the sounds of guests laughing and playing could be heard, causing Gu Jianli to open her eyes wide in fright and pound on Ji Wujing. No matter how much she struggled, Ji Wujing remained unmoved. His only response was to bite down harder, the taste of blood slowly filling their mouths.
After a long while, Ji Wujing released Gu Jianli. She bit her lip, glared at him, and angrily turned to leave. As she exited the stone forest, she barely had time to close her eyes against the blinding light when Ji Wujing’s hand reached from behind to cover her eyes.
Gu Jianli froze, her heart softening with a touch of guilt for having mentally cursed him as a wild dog earlier.
After a moment, Ji Wujing released her hand with an impassive expression.
Gu Jianli let out a soft hum, glancing at him with feigned annoyance before walking ahead.
“Lady Ji, so you are here!” Dou Hongyan called out from the other side of the stone bridge, his eyes squinting with a smile. His voice was loud enough to draw the attention of those nearby.
Gu Jianli pressed her lips together, feeling a burning sensation on her lips. She just hoped no one would notice anything amiss.
Dou Hongyan jogged around, still smiling, and said, “His Majesty has summoned you!”
