HMHSE - 95

When it was light, Donglai returned to the door with the medical sign hanging on it and was surprised to find many more guards from the Sun family standing in front.

He immediately entered and saw the person sitting inside. He was secretly startled and quickly stepped forward to salute. “Duke...”

It was Duke Zhao. He raised a hand to interrupt him. He was still wearing his heavy duke’s official robes with a cloak tied over them, and was sitting on a Hu-style chair.

Donglai glanced at the inner room and asked in a low voice, “I don’t know when you arrived, Duke. Should I inform the Young Mistress?”

Duke Zhao shook his head and waved his hand again.

Seeing this, Donglai was silent, lowered his head, and exited the door.

Duke Zhao had actually been there for quite a while.

When he first arrived, it was still night. The city guards who opened the gates for him had sorrowful expressions.

He saw the area in front of the houses below was brightly lit with many people standing guard. There were Shenrong’s guards, as well as a group of ferocious-looking men who resembled soldiers and wild bandits. When he came in, he saw a military doctor inside the house with a somber expression, as if he were preparing for a funeral.

He stopped them from announcing his presence, walked to the inner room, and peeked through a slit in the curtain.

On the bed lay a figure covered by a military flag, motionless. Shenrong sat beside him, her face pale and tears streaming down, completely unaware of his presence.

He was truly shocked and looked several times. He didn’t call out to Shenrong and sat there until now.

Duke Zhao looked at the inner room again but finally got up, his hands behind his back and his brows furrowed. He went outside, wanting to ask Donglai what was going on.

Suddenly, the military doctor rushed out from the door behind him. “Commander Shan is awake!”

Duke Zhao couldn’t help but turn his head.

Immediately, several of the men at the door, whom he couldn’t distinguish as soldiers or bandits, went inside. The fastest one was a dark-faced man. “Boss!”

In the distance, people were also walking toward this place. Duke Zhao turned to look.

“Brother Sun,” Shan Hang, the Supreme Commander of the Guards, looked tired, his eyes still red. He had been walking quickly but stopped when he saw him and gave him a military salute with clasped hands. “It’s been many years.”

Duke Zhao’s face was solemn. “I never expected to meet you here.”

Nor had he expected that the young man was lying unconscious until now.

If he hadn’t been worried about Shenrong and followed her here to the frontier of Youzhou, he would have known nothing about these events.

Shan Hang sighed deeply. “How could I have expected my son to meet Shenrong again?”

Duke Zhao’s face was stern and silent.

“Brother Sun, please step aside so we can talk.”

Not far away, guards were cheering and celebrating—

“I heard the boss is awake!”

“The boss just got married, how could he not wake up!”

“This is great!”

________________________________________

The military flag was neatly folded and placed by the bed.

The room was filled with the aroma of medicine.

The bed was already surrounded by people.

Lady Yang, who had been helped in by Shan Zhao, sat by the bed, still wiping away tears.

Shan Zhao was also crying and laughing, his eyes red and swollen. “Big Brother, I knew you could make it through!”

Hu Shi’er squeezed in at the side, his voice hoarse as if he had been secretly wailing, but he refused to admit it. “I always said the boss would make it. Really, I wasn’t worried at all! By the way, boss, I’ve taken care of everything you told me to do, and I’ve settled the people I brought back for you. You can rest assured and recover.”

The people beside them were very quiet. Pang Lu and Luo Chong just watched from the back.

Shan Zong had managed to sit up a little, with a plain white undergarment draped over him. His chest was still exposed, showing the white bandages.

He raised his eyes and saw that they were all there. Without Hu Shi’er saying anything, he had a good idea of what had happened while he was unconscious. His eyes moved from the pile of military flags by the bed to the person next to them.

Shenrong was standing nearby, stirring a bowl of medicine at a table. She had made room for them to talk, her head slightly bowed in profile, so it was hard to tell her expression.

Shan Zhao walked over and said in a low voice, “Sister-in-law, you’ve worked hard. I’ll take the medicine to Big Brother.”

He took the medicine bowl to the bed. Just as he was about to offer it, Shan Zong gave him a sidelong glance.

Shan Zhao was stunned. Lady Yang, beside him, had already reached out to take it. “Let me do it.”

He pulled his hand back slightly and whispered to his mother, “Mother, let Big Brother rest first. He’s already awake. There will be plenty of time to talk slowly. Sister-in-law is still here...”

Lady Yang looked at Shan Zong and understood. She nodded, got up, and wiped her eyes. “You take good care of yourself. Don’t scare me like that again.”

Shenrong was still standing there. Lady Yang came over and patted her arm. “I’ll go now. I’ll let you two have a good talk.”

Shenrong said softly, “He can’t talk much right now anyway.”

Shan Zhao had already handed the bowl of medicine to her. “Please, Sister-in-law.”

As soon as Shenrong took the bowl, they all left.

Hu Shi’er hadn’t quite realized what was happening. He looked around and saw Shan Zong staring at him, and immediately understood. “I’ll go too, then. I’ll come back and see you, boss.”

Bo Zhong clasped his hands in front of Shan Zong, wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes, and went out first. Pang Lu and Luo Chong also left.

As Luo Chong passed Shenrong, he glanced at her. The white scar on his eye was still there, and his smile was as grim as ever, but he was no longer so sarcastic and didn’t call her “little beauty” anymore.

Shenrong watched them all leave and walked slowly to the bed.

Shan Zong was watching her, his gaze fixed on her.

He leaned back lazily, his face still lacking color. His eyes were slightly downcast, giving him a somewhat dejected and unkempt look. He hooked a finger of the hand resting beside him.

Shenrong knew he couldn’t move much right now. She sat down and leaned closer to him. “What is it?”

Shan Zong’s mouth was at her ear, his voice low and hoarse. “Feed me...”

She couldn’t help but turn her head and saw the corner of his mouth lift as his dark, deep-set eyes stared at her face.

Shenrong’s eyes flickered at his look and tone. She lowered her head, stirred the medicine with a spoon again, and scooped a spoonful to his lips.

He just started to lower his head, but she pulled her hand back, intentionally giving him a sideways glance. “You’re so powerful, you’re not even afraid of death. Why would you need my help?”

Shan Zong looked up, seeing the slight redness in her eyes and the dark circles underneath. She even seemed to have a sharper chin. His gaze deepened, and he reached out and grabbed the hand holding the medicine bowl.

Shenrong then realized he had regained some strength. Her hand was pulled toward him, and he lowered his head to drink the medicine from her hand.

Shenrong saw his chiseled profile was still pale, and her heart softened. She let him drink.

At first, his eyes were always on her. It wasn’t until the bowl, guided by his grip on her hand, was slowly lifted that he lowered his eyelids, hiding his deep black eyes.

With him staring at her so intently, Shenrong felt as if he was afraid she would disappear. Her heart inexplicably pounded a few times.

When the medicine was finished, he lifted his head, a few leftover drops on his lips.

Shenrong’s hand was still in his grip. He took the bowl with one hand and put it down, while with the other, he used her finger to wipe his lips, and then lowered his head to gently suck on her finger.

Shenrong’s fingertip went numb instantly. She saw his face rise and heard him speak hoarsely, “You know everything, don’t you?”

When he woke up, she had said, “Congratulations on your triumphant return,” and he had guessed that she knew.

Shenrong thought of his past troubles, and a spot in her heart felt as if it were being squeezed, causing a faint ache.

So what if he was a “child of heaven,” a military genius? All that glory was nothing compared to this one real person.

Her hand was held softly by his. “Yes, your father told me.”

Shan Zong looked at her lowered eyebrows and tightened his grip on her hand. “It won’t happen again.”

“What won’t happen again?” she asked, glancing at him.

He swallowed. “Almost dying.”

Shenrong’s heart clenched, and the anger she had felt suddenly vanished completely.

That was what she had been angry about, after all.

Suddenly, a few heavy coughs came from outside.

Shenrong was startled. She quickly pulled her hand away and turned her head. “Did I mishear? Why does that sound like my father’s voice?”

Shan Zong’s eyes went to the door curtain.

A person lifted the curtain and walked in. It was Shan Hang, the Supreme Commander of the Guards. He looked at Shan Zong sitting on the bed, nodded heavily twice, and let out a deep breath. “You are indeed awake.”

As if a heavy burden had been lifted, he looked at Shenrong. “Your father has arrived. I just spoke with him. He is waiting for you outside.”

Shenrong looked at Shan Zong, startled, and immediately tried to get up and leave.

A hand grabbed her.

Shenrong was forced to sit back down. Shan Zong’s hand was holding her wrist tightly.

He looked at the door curtain and spoke hoarsely. “Right now. Please ask your father to come in and see me.”

Shenrong looked at him in surprise.

His voice was too low for anyone outside to hear.

Shan Hang looked at him for a moment. His stern, upright face had an inherent dignity. “You are still the same as before, seeing things through to the end once you’ve decided. Now, it seems the day has finally come for everything to be revealed.”

He was talking about the Lulong Army, and also about Shenrong.

Shan Zong smiled wryly. “I’ve made my decision.”

Shan Hang turned, lifted the curtain, and walked out. They only heard him say in a loud voice, “Please, Duke Zhao, come in. My son is severely injured at the moment and cannot greet you personally.”

Shenrong looked at Shan Zong again. His hand was still holding her, not letting her go.

In a moment, the door curtain moved, and Duke Zhao entered.

“Father,” she called out, getting up slightly and then sitting back down. “You must know what’s happened here.”

Duke Zhao looked at her, then at Shan Zong, and nodded with a frown. “I know. The Supreme Commander of the Guards has told me a lot. I also know that he was investigated. But I only just found out that you two remarried here in Youzhou on your own, and the whole city is talking about it.”

Shenrong had planned to tell him at a better time. Since he already knew, she frowned, glanced at Shan Zong again, and could only nod.

Duke Zhao was silent, and the room fell into a temporary stillness.

Shan Zong finally let go of her. He propped himself up with one hand on his side and sat up a little straighter, raising his arm to prepare to pay his respects.

Shenrong saw his undergarment slip open and his tattooed right arm was about to be exposed to her father. Her heart skipped a beat, and she reached out to hold his arm.

Shan Zong tilted slightly, watching her hold his arm. Her soft body was pressed against him. She said in a calm voice, “Forgive me, Father. I didn’t sit properly just now.” As she spoke, she covered his tunic sleeve over his arm.

He smiled, decided not to raise his arm, and looked up at Duke Zhao. He leaned forward a little and bowed his head, which was half a military salute. “Forgive me for my late greeting, Father-in-law.”

Duke Zhao looked at the couple and heard the title. His face became even more serious. “What makes you so sure that I will accept you as a son-in-law of my Sun family again?”

Shenrong also glanced at him, secretly biting her lip at his audacity.

Shan Zong raised his steady eyes. “I have only decided on Shenrong. Since the Duke is her father, he is my father-in-law.”

Shenrong’s heart suddenly started to beat faster.

Duke Zhao looked at his expression, which was like the time he stopped his carriage on the street, and then he looked at Shenrong beside him.

Shenrong, sensing her father’s gaze, remembered her hand was still on Shan Zong’s arm. She removed it discreetly and smoothed the hair by her ear.

Duke Zhao walked slowly with his hands behind his back. In just a few steps, he reached the bed.

Shenrong didn’t dare to speak much. She just secretly observed her father’s expression as he approached, not seeing any anger or other emotions. She didn’t know what he meant, so she quietly sat closer to Shan Zong, hooking his right arm with her fingers to hide it behind him.

Her hand was held in place, and his arm pressed against her back. Shan Zong leaned against her as she wished, his half-body completely behind her, watching Duke Zhao.

Duke Zhao also watched him. After a long moment of thought, he spoke. “Heal your injuries and settle the matter of your investigation. When that is done, you can return to Chang’an with dignity and come to my Duke’s manor.”

Shenrong looked over in surprise, not expecting him to say that.

Shan Zong bowed his head. “I will, this time.”

Duke Zhao looked at them again, then turned and left.