Pop—
The fire starter made a tiny burning sound as the incense inside the burner began to burn quietly. Old Jin placed the lid back on the incense burner.
The metal pieces struck together with a crisp clang.
While Xie Yu and Jiang Fang were talking, four women had gathered in Shen Changyin's study as well.
Old Jin returned to the round table. "Is there any tea?"
Shen Changyin was holding the military doctor's report—this year's first three months of military intel from the Northwest garrison. Her index finger gently folded the corner of the letter.
Zhu Ting stood up, lifted the teapot in the center, flipped four teacups upright, and began to pour.
The clear pu'er tea made a bright sound as it flowed.
The military doctor glanced at the door and finally asked, "What happened just now? It looks like you and the Third Princess don't get along very well."
Shen Changyin didn't look up from the letter. "Nothing happened."
"How could it be nothing?" the doctor said, picking up her tea. "Back when you wrote to say you wanted to marry the Third Princess, I already disagreed. There are so many ways to get things done—why sacrifice your own marriage?"
"Marriage should be with someone you actually like. From what I see, you two aren't suitable. You should cancel it sooner rather than later."
Zhu Ting set down the teapot. "How are they not suitable? Her Highness looks elegant and noble, her martial arts are excellent, and she's genuinely kind-hearted. With all those good traits, how is she not a match for General Shen?"
The doctor gave her a "you're too young" look.
"There are plenty of beautiful people in the world, and plenty with good martial skills. Do you like every single one of them?"
"Liking someone is not liking their good qualities."
"Do you know how to tell whether you like someone or not?"
Shen Changyin put down the letter, turned it upside down on the table, and reached for the cup Old Jin handed her.
The doctor didn't notice and continued, "You judge it by whether you like her when she's ugly, messy, or when she fails."
"Who would like that?" Zhu Ting asked.
"Someone who likes you would."
Old Jin downed her tea in one gulp—her lips didn't even look wet—and said, "She's not wrong."
"My wife is a scholar. I kept asking her to come watch me compete in the army, and I never dared tell her I was illiterate."
"But after she discovered I couldn't read, that was when she decided to marry me. She said it was fine—she could teach me."
She patted her chest proudly. "My days are extremely happy, I'll have you know."
The doctor looked at Zhu Ting. "Now you understand. Don't assume General Shen can accept the Third Princess just because you think she's beautiful and skilled."
"Only if you still like someone after seeing them messy, unpolished, or failing—that's real liking."
Zhu Ting was young, and although she didn't fully understand, she quietly remembered it.
The chatter ended, and the doctor moved on to business.
"The medicine I sent earlier—have you been taking it on schedule?" she asked Shen Changyin.
Shen Changyin held her teacup steadily. Not a ripple formed. "Three times a day after meals. I haven't missed any."
"Good. Give me your wrist."
Shen Changyin placed her wrist on the table.
After taking her pulse, the doctor frowned and thought for a long time.
"The pulse is cold and weak, your qi and blood are both depleted. After taking medicine for so long, how can it still be like this?"
Her eyes grew suspicious.
Shen Changyin responded calmly, "I don't know."
"These herbs have blood-invigorating ingredients. After taking them, your face should flush within fifteen minutes, then the redness should fade after another fifteen."
"Do you feel your cheeks getting warm each day after taking the medicine?"
Shen Changyin glanced at her. "I don't know."
"Oh—right," the doctor said. "You can't see your own face. You should ask someone around you."
"I heard you've been eating all three meals with the Third Princess lately. She should have seen you taking the medicine. Can I go ask her?"
Shen Changyin lowered her gaze slightly, paused, and said, "Mm."
"I'll ask her in a few days. Tomorrow I'll bring you a modified prescription. Same rule—three times a day after meals."
They discussed some military matters, and seeing it was late, the doctor got up. "I just arrived in the capital and haven't even unpacked yet, so I won't stay long."
"You all may go," Shen Changyin said, dismissing Old Jin and Zhu Ting.
Her subordinates left, even closing the door for her. Shen Changyin left the study and lay down in her bedroom.
The buckwheat pillow that helped with concentration and sleep made a soft rustling sound beneath her head.
She closed her eyes lightly, unintentionally recalling what the doctor said about liking someone.
She thought for a long time but couldn't make sense of it.
Insomnia was her old ailment. That night, she only drifted off lightly when dawn was approaching.
But the next morning, she still didn't feel tired.
After washing, dressing, and combing her hair, she checked her appearance in the mirror and then walked steadily toward the main hall.
The moment she opened the door, she saw a messy-haired, half-asleep Xie Yu, who had thrown on an outer robe over her underclothes and stumbled out.
When Xie Yu woke up today, everything felt wrong. Unlike her usual energized mornings, she was groggy, ready to fall asleep again as soon as she blinked.
She forced herself up, only to find her limbs heavy and her hunger so fierce her stomach hurt.
Was this the consequence of having to handle documents yesterday and overusing her brain?
Back in the police academy, she could train from 5 a.m. until 3 p.m., wake at 5:30 to run, and she never felt this tired.
So this must be the difference between physical work and mental work.
Her stomach growled twice. Unable to endure it, she got up, threw on an outer robe, and went to the small kitchen in search of food.
When she opened the door, she saw Shen Changyin—neat, composed, radiant. Xie Yu didn't even have the energy to greet her—she only gave a lazy nod and continued toward the courtyard.
Passing the dog house, she saw Little Flower sleeping belly-up in a messy pile of fur.
Seeing it sleep so well made her irritated. She grabbed it and lifted it into her arms.
Suddenly she heard a voice behind her: "Little Xie?"
"Hm?"
Yawning, she turned her head in confusion.
A messy dog lay in the arms of an equally messy girl. Her eyes were unevenly open from drowsiness, but she still tried to focus on what Shen Changyin was saying.
Shen Changyin saw the morning sunlight falling on Xie Yu's messy hair like a patch of wild, fluffy grass. Her face was full of exhaustion, her double eyelids deepened by fatigue.
Even without expression, the corners of her lips drooped slightly—like a patch of wild temperamental grass ready to burst into flame at any moment.
But still, because it was so fluffy… it looked like it would feel very soft to touch.
Shen Changyin paused, then shook her head.
"Nothing. Go ahead."
Xie Yu left.
She casually grabbed a few sweet pastries in the small kitchen to tide herself over, quickly boosting her blood sugar. After ordering breakfast from the head cook, she returned to her room to wash up.
By the time she was done, breakfast had already been laid out in the main hall. Shen Changyin was seated at the table, chopsticks untouched, waiting for her.
Xie Yu had just sat down and picked up her chopsticks when hurried footsteps sounded from the courtyard.
Physician Zhang entered the room. One glance at the food on the table and she said, "Isn't this a bit much for breakfast?"
The dishes on the table were clearly divided.
On one side sat a bowl of light, soft white rice porridge, stir-fried eggs with fresh vegetables, and cold dressed bean sprouts—clearly Shen Changyin's breakfast.
On the other side, the first thing in the morning was plain-boiled beef slices, stir-fried pork loin, and a heaping bowl of white rice. The only thing that remotely resembled breakfast was a small plate of sliced salted duck eggs.
It was far too lavish for a morning meal.
Xie Yu lifted her rice bowl and answered with just one word: "Hungry."
"All right then."
If someone could eat like this, what was Physician Zhang supposed to say?
Or perhaps, after spending three years caring for the delicate and sickly Shen Changyin, seeing someone so robust and hearty actually brought her a sense of relief.
She first addressed Shen Changyin. "I mainly came today to deliver your medicine. I've already handed it to the maids—have them decoct it for you."
Xie Yu listened absentmindedly as they spoke, picking the rich, oily salted duck egg yolk into her rice.
Physician Zhang then turned to her. "I have a question for Your Highness as well. You dine with Lady Shen every day—after she drinks her medicine, does her face turn red? When does it happen? Have you seen it?"
Xie Yu's chopsticks froze.
She shot a quick glance at the iron tree plant in the corner of the room.
She had never once seen Shen Changyin drink her medicine.
Hadn't Shen Changyin been pouring it all into the soil of that iron tree?
And yet, the plant was surprisingly resilient—it still hadn't died.
After glancing at the lush green leaves, Xie Yu withdrew her gaze and stirred her rice, thoroughly mixing the egg yolk in.
She tilted her head slightly toward Shen Changyin, but her eyes landed only on the empty space beside her.
Shen Changyin's grip on her chopsticks tightened.
Xie Yu finally finished mixing her rice. Looking at the pale yellow grains, she said, "Yes. After she drinks the medicine, her face does turn red."
Shen Changyin relaxed her grip and flexed her fingers.
Xie Yu picked up a slice of beef and put it into her mouth.
Physician Zhang frowned. "Then the medicine is working. But if that's the case, why was yesterday's pulse so abnormal?"
Xie Yu chewed the beef very slowly.
So slowly that Physician Zhang even glanced at the dish—this beef looked tender. Why did it take so long to chew?
Only after swallowing did Xie Yu speak, still not looking at Shen Changyin. "But it's a very faint red. The kind you wouldn't notice unless you looked closely."
Physician Zhang inhaled, finding this explanation plausible.
"That's possible too—the medicine is effective, just subtly."
"As long as it's working, that means we're treating her in the right direction."
"The medicine I brought today should be taken as usual. I'll be leaving now—Jiang Fang invited me to tour the capital today."
She nodded to Shen Changyin, then bowed to Xie Yu. After receiving nods from both, she left.
Once she was gone, Xie Yu and Shen Changyin exchanged a glance.
Xie Yu said, "Since when did she and Jiang Fang become such good friends?"
Shen Changyin shook her head. She didn't know either.
They finished breakfast in silence. The maids cleared the dishes, then brought in a large bowl of thick, dark herbal medicine and placed it in front of Shen Changyin.
"Lady Shen, this is the medicine the military physician just delivered."
The small sea-bowl of dense herbal brew emitted the unmistakable scent of medicinal herbs. Licorice had been added to balance the bitterness, but only made the flavor more complex—and the bitterness more pronounced.
The bowl steamed quietly on the table, waiting to be drunk.
Shen Changyin lifted the bowl, stood up, and walked toward the iron tree.
She reached the plant, but before pouring it out, she turned around.
Xie Yu had watched her from start to finish and now turned her body slightly to face her.
They locked eyes.
The morning grew even quieter.
In the end, Shen Changyin carried the bowl back and sat down again.
Xie Yu also turned back.
"Does Your Highness have no duties today?" Shen Changyin asked. "No need to go out?"
Xie Yu looked at her and at the bowl of medicine, her voice low. "No hurry."
Shen Changyin closed her eyes briefly.
Then she began to drink.
It did not go smoothly. Each swallow took a long time.
Xie Yu watched her drink more than half the bowl before standing up. "I'm heading out to handle some matters," she said, and walked out of the courtyard.
Shen Changyin watched her back disappear beyond the gate. She slowly finished the remaining medicine, leaving a little at the bottom—unwilling to drink any more.
She stood, washed her hands to remove the medicinal smell, and prepared to go out.
Just as she stepped into the courtyard, a maid hurried out from the small kitchen holding a small plate of golden, glossy candied fruit.
Seeing Shen Changyin about to leave, the maid exclaimed, "Lady Shen, you're heading out already? But Her Highness just asked me to prepare candied fruit for you."
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