No one could tell if it was the shock of rebirth or the cold wind that chilled her.
Mingzhu had barely returned to the Xiao Xiang Courtyard when she came down with a high fever.
First came nausea, then a splitting headache so severe she could barely sit.
Without even having time for a bath, she was helped to bed by a maid.
In her dazed state, her mind filled with images from the past.
At a family banquet, she fell in love at first sight with Xie Yunzhen.
As an inexperienced young girl, her every thought was written on her face.
The Commandery Princess looked down on her from the bottom of her heart and began to arrange suitable marriages for Xie Yunzhen to quash any of her fantasies.
At this critical juncture, Mingzhu and Xie Yunzhen had a tumultuous night.
From then on, Xie Yunzhen hated and loathed her.
He thought it was all part of her scheme.
No matter how she tried to explain, it was all in vain.
The Commandery Princess suggested she become a concubine, but Xie Yunzhen flatly refused.
That cold, clear male voice echoed in her ears, "Ji Mingzhu, I don't want a woman with a malicious heart, conniving her way to the top through bedchamber tactics."
"Not even as a concubine!"
Since then, she hadn't seen Xie Yunzhen for two months.
Until she found out she was pregnant, and Xie Yunzhen appeared before her again.
His expression was cold, eclipsed with a storm of rage.
His gaze was like a knife, causing her whole body to ache.
"Why didn't you take the abortion soup? Unwed pregnancy, secretly carrying a child, is this the result you wanted?"
Mingzhu shook her head helplessly, "I didn't know."
She had just reached womanhood and hadn't even had time to learn about bedchamber matters.
The event happened so suddenly, she was caught off guard, and without a reminder, she forgot about the abortion soup.
Xie Yunzhen didn't believe her; no matter what she said, it all sounded like an excuse to him.
The man looked indifferent, "Then let's marry; I can't have my child considered illegitimate."
Mingzhu clung to this as if it were a lifeline.
Xie Yunzhen hadn't abandoned her, nor had he abandoned the child.
Did this mean that, in his heart, she held a place?
After marriage, Xie Yunzhen remained as cold as ever, not even spending the wedding night in her room.
Mingzhu consoled herself, believing Xie Yunzhen misunderstood her.
One day, she would warm Xie Yunzhen's heart.
They had a child; everything would turn out well.
Obsessed with self-delusion, she failed to see the indifference in Xie Yunzhen's eyes.
Day after day, she tried to win his favor.
Until Xie Yunzhen returned from the south, having alleviated a flood, bringing back a childhood sweetheart who had been widowed.
She was a daughter from the Grand Tutor's family.
In his youth, Xie Yunzhen was a study companion to the Crown Prince, and the Grand Tutor was his teacher.
Everyone said they were a perfect match, but fate had cruelly kept them apart.
Mingzhu then realized why, no matter how hard she tried, she could never enter Xie Yunzhen's heart.
It turned out he had long had someone he loved.
Disoriented, she stumbled and started bleeding on the spot.
During her difficult labor, she heard someone ask, "Has the Princely Heir returned? The madam is in difficult labor, and her situation is dire..."
"The Princely Heir said he couldn't help, and then... then he went out of town to admire the autumn with Miss Du."
Before losing consciousness, this was the last thing Mingzhu heard.
In Xie Yunzhen's heart, she might not even amount to a roadside weed.
Otherwise, how could he be so cruel, turning a blind eye to her suffering?
Warm liquid seeped from the corner of her eye.
Mingzhu couldn't distinguish reality from dream, softly sobbing.
"It hurts..."
Someone wiped her tears and asked quietly, "Where does it hurt?"
Mingzhu barely opened her eyes, her doe-like gaze glistening with tears, looking pitiful to the point that it tugged at one's heart.
The tears blurred her vision.
Since her parents passed away, there was only one person left who cared so deeply for her.
"Aunt, my body hurts, and my heart hurts... everything hurts."
Mrs. Guan was startled.
It's common to have body aches during a fever.
But how could her heart hurt too?
Could there be other unexamined problems?
She quickly called a maid, "Go to the Princely Heir and ask him to have his miraculous doctor friend come to check Mingzhu's pulse!"
"Right away, my lady."
Xie Yunzhen had a friend named Xi Yu, whose medical skills were exceptionally high.
This time, following Xie Yunzhen to the battlefield, the accompanying military doctor was this very Xi Yu.
Mingzhu's mind was already in turmoil, but the words 'Princely Heir' rang clearly in her heart.
She struggled to shake her head, "No..."
She didn't want to see him.
In this lifetime, she didn't want any more entanglements with Xie Yunzhen.
Mrs. Guan misunderstood Mingzhu, thinking her shy and unwilling to trouble others.
Holding Mingzhu's hand, she gently coaxed, "Ah Zhen is not an outsider."
Mingzhu couldn't speak about the past life.
She could only shake her head, "Aunt, I'll be fine after a nap."
"You're really muddled from the fever, child."
Mrs. Guan wiped her face while scolding her gently, "Our family isn't so poor that we can't afford medicine; why endure such hardship?"
After cleaning her face, she checked her forehead's temperature.
As a noblewoman of high status, for her to personally care to such an extent was almost like treating her own child.
In her past life, after that foolish incident with Xie Yunzhen, Mingzhu had locked herself away for a long time.
She dared not meet anyone, thinking she'd caused trouble and disgraced her aunt.
It'd been long since she had been this close to her.
She affectionately nuzzled Mrs. Guan's palm, "Aunt..."
"Hmm?"
Mrs. Guan waited for her to continue.
Unexpectedly, Mingzhu suddenly fainted.
Mrs. Guan was appalled, "Quickly, get a doctor. Didn't they say it was just a common fever? How did she faint again?"
The Xiao Xiang Courtyard fell into a whirlwind of chaos.
In the East Courtyard.
A servant entered to report, "Princely Heir, Mrs. Zhao from Second Madam's side requests an audience."
Xie Yunzhen was tending to his wounds.
The battlefield was perilous; avoiding blood and injury was impossible.
An enemy general had stabbed him in the chest; the wound was too deep and still hadn't healed.
"What's the matter?"
The man's voice was low, as distant and icy as his demeanor.
"The young lady living in Xiao Xiang Courtyard is ill and wishes for the miracle doctor to check her pulse and heal her illness."
Young lady.
Xie Yunzhen's mind immediately conjured up a delicate figure.
He had a good memory; a mere glance had etched her image into his mind.
Xi Yu tutted, "Young lady... perhaps they're not here for the reason they claim, are they?"
It wasn't that Xi Yu overthought, but rather this man was excessively handsome.
He attracted countless young girls eager to claim this high mountain flower.
Someone once set their sights on him.
Under the guise of seeking treatment, they'd try to court a man.
Now that Xie Yunzhen had just returned to the manor and encountered this young lady, such an incident quickly followed.
It was hard not to think more of it.
Upon hearing this, Xie Yunzhen's expression grew colder.
A chilling aura emanated from him, even freezing the air around.
Xi Yu rubbed his arms, "I was merely speaking; there's no need to be so frightening."
Xie Yunzhen's slender fingers tapped on the table.
He had no intention of marrying or taking a concubine; whatever plans Mingzhu had wouldn't succeed.
Just as Xi Yu thought Xie Yunzhen would refuse, the man spoke calmly.
"One must respect Second Aunt's face; I'll trouble you to make a trip."
Nothing was certain yet; jumping to conclusions was unwise.
If Mingzhu were smart, she'd steer clear of him.
As long as she knew her place, he wouldn't trouble a young girl.
Xie Yunzhen picked up some gauze, methodically dressing his wound himself.