Chapter 108 (2/2)

“Yes.” Out of the corner of his eye, Jiang Moyin and Scarlet entered the courtyard briskly, led by the head steward.

“Yes, General. I'll see to it immediately.” Little did Situ know how seriously Zero took his words; the young Covert Guard would go on to spread the message through the hooligans of Chang'an, using their influence and ties with the civilians to spread the news around. Then, he did the same throughout the whole kingdom using their intelligence gathering agents around the kingdom. Such was the efficiency of his work that even the soldiers and generals of the neighbouring countries knew of Situ's love for Feng Luodi.

Jiang Moyin dashed towards the room in the courtyard, stopping beside Situ. “How is Luodi doing now?”

Situ was expressionless. “The physician is still looking at her; we'll know about it soon.”

Scarlet stood worriedly behind the two, mumbling to herself. “Please be okay, young miss.”

Situ shot a glance at her, raising an eyebrow. “Did she send you to fetch Moyin?”

“Yes, your Highness.” Scarlet nodded. “Young miss had sent me to fetch the Grand Tutor the moment she saw Princess Shangrong and the Commandery Princess of Huaiyang.”

Situ turned to Jiang Moyin, his gaze mocking. Jiang Moyin turned away guiltily. Indeed, Scarlet should have reached Manchun Tang with Jiang Moyin much earlier than Situ did, but she was stopped outside his residence, the guards not able to verify her ident.i.ty. Jiang Moyin was engaged in a meeting with the Heir at that time, and if he did not walk the Heir to the gate, he wouldn't even have known about Feng Luodi's plight.

At that exact moment, the door to Feng Luodi's room opened and Physician Zhou stepped out. “Your Highness, I've dressed her wounds.”  The few of them quickly filed inside.

Feng Luodi lay unmoving on the bed, her face pale and sickly, her neck and hands swathed in bandages.

Scarlet gasped. “Her hands! What happened to young miss' hands? Will they recover?”

“Do not worry, missy.” Physician Zhou calmed Scarlet down and turned to the other two. “I will be frank with you: Miss Feng's hands are badly damaged. The scars will heal properly with the right salves, but the bones in her hands are the main problem: they have been fractured in multiple places. I've set most of it back in place, but it'll be at least three months before they will recover. In the meantime, she has to keep it clear of any possible danger and change her bandages regularly.”

“If we do as you say, can her hands recover completely?” Jiang Moyin took a step forward.

Physician Zhou frowned, unsure of Feng Luodi's condition himself. “That is hard to say. Her joints have endured blunt trauma and her ligaments torn by what I a.s.sume to be a dagger. I cannot guarantee that there will be no complications in her recovery; we can only take it one step at a time.”

“Please, physician. You have to think of something to help her!” The words burst out of Scarlet's mouth. “Young miss has to play the zither! We can't let anything happen to her hands!”

“Physician Zhou,” Situ spoke slowly, “do what you can. I will bring back any herbs that you need for her medicine.”

Physician Zhou nodded. “I will do my best.”

“She's running a fever; please give her some medicine before you leave.” Situ reminded.

“Naturally, your Highness.” Physician Zhou nodded. “Her body is very weak now; we have to ensure that she does not catch a cold in this chilly season, or there might be severe repercussions.”

“We will.”

The head steward stepped forward and led the physician out of the door for his payment and the medicine.

The room descended into silence. Scarlet was frightened by the intimidating aura of the men in front of her and dared not say anything.

“Get the head steward to prepare a carriage and send Luodi home afterwards.” Situ's voice was flat.

“Hmm?” Scarlet raised her head and saw Situ looking at her, realising that the command was meant for her. “Yes, your Highness.”

It was a while before Situ turned to Jiang Moyin, whose eyes were still fixated on Feng Luodi. “I will protect what you cannot; you have your concerns, I'm sure, but I do not.”

Jiang Moyin laughed, his eyes a mixture of guilt and anger. “I finally know whose side you're on, Situ. After all, only you are qualified to do that.”

“We are different.” Situ's voice was cold.

“Indeed we are.” Jiang Moyin finally looked at Situ. “Very different.”

The Grand Tutor's carriage was parked outside the residence, the attendant waiting for Jiang Moyin's return anxiously. Seeing Jiang Moyin emerge slowly from the residence, the attendant quickly dashed forward.

“Grand Tutor!” The attendant quickly steadied Jiang Moyin, who shook unstably in the wind. “You are looking very pale right now; has it acted up again? Let's go back quickly, the physician is already waiting for you.”

Slowly, painfully, Jiang Moyin mounted the carriage, his body half draped over the attendant. A trail of blood slowly escaped his mouth, dripping down his chin.