Chapter 31 - A Bath

  Qingzhu helped her dry her hair, Dong'er combed it out, and then applied rose water. The performance of the "Bathhouse Diva" was over.

  Song Chaoxi was in a good mood as she entered the room, reminding herself to maintain a composed demeanor.

  She dressed in a proper middle garment and climbed onto the bed with meticulous attention. The dignified Duke’s wife was very pleased with her own performance.

  She had barely settled when a maid brought her a cup of honey water to soothe her throat. Song Chaoxi paused in surprise. This wasn’t something she had ordered. If it wasn’t from her, it must have been from Rong Jing. But how did he know her throat was a bit hoarse?

  Gncing at the man sitting beside her, reading, she noted that his expression was indifferent. He didn’t even lift his head, which made her feel as though she had overreacted.

  Since Song Chaoxi had said that Rong Jing needed to take a medicinal bath, she couldn’t just say it and leave it at that. She had written a prescription early in the morning for a servant to prepare the medicine. The servants at the Duke’s residence were very efficient, and within half an hour, the medicine was delivered. Song Chaoxi retrieved a piece of pin silk and sewed it into a small pouch to pce the herbs inside. After the herbs dissolved in the water, the scent was very strong. She stirred the water to mix the herbs evenly before heading to the room.

  “Duke.”

  Rong Jing was sitting on the bed reading. Upon hearing her voice, he casually gnced at her. His expression remained as distant as ever, unreadable, making it difficult for people to gauge his mood. Fortunately, Song Chaoxi wasn’t one to analyze others too much. She maintained her usual expression.

  “Duke, I’ve prepared the water. You should take the medicinal bath; it’s good for your health.”

  “My health is fine.”

  Oh, another uncooperative patient. Song Chaoxi almost rolled her eyes. “How would you know if your health is fine? Are you more knowledgeable about it than I am? This is the doctor’s advice. You haven’t listened to what the doctor said, so I suppose you must look down on me, this insignificant little doctor. If that’s the case, how about I invite the pace physicians to take care of you? I’m sure they would be happy to prescribe some tonics for you, and you wouldn’t have to take a bath at all. You’d just need to brew and take the medicine every day for a few months.”

  “…”

  Rong Jing felt somewhat helpless. He probably couldn’t argue with her. He had said one thing, and she had already responded with so many.

  Liang Shiyi came in to assist him into the bath. After a while, Song Chaoxi gave Liang Shiyi a gnce. Liang Shiyi paused, blinked, signaling that he didn’t understand. This person must have a wooden brain! Song Chaoxi sighed and ordered, “You go out!”

  Liang Shiyi took a deep breath. Was she trying to do this the hard way? The Duke was weak and wouldn’t be able to withstand a fox-like wife.

  Song Chaoxi, seeing him hesitate while waiting for Rong Jing’s instructions, didn’t want to say more. She pulled out an acupuncture needle pack and fixed her gaze on Rong Jing.

  Rong Jing’s brows twitched. “You’re not leaving?”

  Song Chaoxi spoke naturally, “This medicinal bath needs to be accompanied by acupuncture. The Duke has fought for many years, and his body must have some old injuries. His joints might be worn out. Acupuncture can help relieve those old pains. Duke, just rex.”

  It wasn’t that he couldn’t rex, but with the current retionship between them, it felt awkward to be so candid.

  Song Chaoxi raised an eyebrow and stared at him with a smile that seemed like she was trying to embarrass him. She looked like someone teasing a well-mannered woman.

  Rong Jing’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He casually began to undo the button on his colr. His hands were long and slender, even the simple act of undressing exuded an air of unspoken nobility. There were many noble families in the capital, such as the Yongchun Marquis’s family, which was considered an old noble family. But even the most outstanding members of the Yongchun family, like Song Zongming, didn’t have the obvious aristocratic aura. Rong Jing, on the other hand, carried it as if he had been immersed in it since childhood.

  He slowly removed his upper garment and sat bare-chested in the bath. Song Chaoxi had once thought he wasn’t particurly muscur, but now she realized she had been mistaken. His shoulders were broad, his arms strong, his waist slender, and his muscles were tight and well-defined, each one showcasing the power he had accumuted.

  On his back, there were many cross-shaped scars—wounds from swords and knives—but thanks to the miraculous herbs he had taken, these scars had already faded to the point of being barely noticeable. Song Chaoxi could imagine the severity of those scars in the past and now understood why he was called the “God of War.” Every scar on his body was a testament to that.

  Below his back was his waist, which was as slim as could be. His narrow waist and long legs were even more apparent when he wore clothes.

  Suddenly, Song Chaoxi realized she had been looking at his body. His body was indeed quite eye-catching. Any woman who saw it would inevitably take a second look. People often said she looked good in men’s clothing, but compared to Rong Jing, her style paled in comparison. If it weren’t for his age and his status as a renowned figure, people would freely comment on his appearance.

  Song Chaoxi quickly administered the acupuncture, and within a short time, she had turned him into a pincushion. “All done. Soak for half an hour. The weather is hot, so it might be a bit uncomfortable. Please bear with it, Duke.”

  Rong Jing rested his arm on the bath’s edge, eyes closed, responding indifferently.

  Song Chaoxi wasn’t about to stay by his side; she wasn’t a fool. The weather was unbearably hot, and bathing in such heat was the most uncomfortable. She had been forced to bathe by her aunt in the summer before, and only those who had experienced it could understand the discomfort.

  The steam in the bath was intense, and the room felt suffocating. Song Chaoxi quickly ran outside and shouted, “Qingzhu, bring some ice to cool things down!”

  Since he was this hot, she thought she should at least be considerate and have some ice brought for him. Rong Jing thought indifferently that with her selfish nature, she would probably be the first to run away on the battlefield.

  Song Chaoxi, holding an ice bucket, felt much better. After a while, though, it became too cold, so she went next door to get some warmth.

  Rong Jing still sat there, eyes closed, unmoving like a mountain. She hesitated for a moment, then reached out to shake his arm.

  “Duke!”

  Rong Jing suddenly opened his eyes, startling Song Chaoxi, who almost thought he was about to grab a sword and strike her.

  “What?”

  Song Chaoxi quickly exhaled. “I thought you might have fainted from the heat. If that had happened, I would have felt guilty.”

  Rong Jing lowered his eyelids and spoke in a deep voice. “I’m not that fragile.”

  “Yes, yes, you’re not fragile at all. It’s my fault, isn’t it? Why did I speak so much to a patient who just woke up? You say you’re fine, so you’re fine. You say you’re not fragile, so you’re not fragile. Why am I saying so much? You’re the patient. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

  Rong Jing didn’t want to say anything else. Her tongue was far too sharp.

  Half an hour passed, neither long nor short. Rong Jing finished his medicinal bath calmly. Afterward, he followed the doctor’s orders and y back down on the bed. Song Chaoxi was impressed by his composure. Despite the heat, he had managed to endure the bath. No wonder he could be a general and lead soldiers in battle to protect the country.

  Unknowingly, they had already spent several days together.

  Rong Jing’s health had improved significantly. Though Song Chaoxi wanted him to stay in bed for a few more days, he believed his body was fine and wanted to get up and walk around. People who had just recovered from a coma would still be slower to move, even with a stable pulse. Song Chaoxi followed behind him, clearing her throat.

  “Duke, would you like me to support you?”

  She was just being polite, but to her surprise, he didn’t refuse. She had no choice but to help him up. Standing beside him, she realized that he was a whole head taller than her, and standing gave him even more imposing presence.

  Rong Jing wore a round-necked brocade robe, and the wide sleeves and hem added a touch of ethereal elegance to him. At first, Song Chaoxi hadn’t noticed, but then she heard the sound of his steps and looked down at his feet. He wasn’t wearing formal boots, but rather a pair of dark brown wooden clogs. As he walked, the clogs would occasionally make a soft noise, but they were so subtle that they would have been hard to notice if one wasn’t listening closely.

  Song Chaoxi felt a mix of emotions. The Duke should have dressed more properly, yet here he was, showing a side to him that was far more free-spirited than she had expected. It was truly an eye-opener.

  Rong Jing walked to the octagonal pavilion at the end of the water corridor and gazed out at the opposite shore of the ke. Song Chaoxi stood next to him with her hands at her sides, and she couldn’t help but feel like a servant standing beside her master.

  After a while, she couldn’t resist yawning. Rong Jing didn’t turn around, but he noticed that she had little patience. She had barely stood there for long before getting bored. Fish jumped out of the water, and Song Chaoxi, hearing the spshing sounds of the fish and shrimp, couldn’t help but ask, “Are the fish here easy to catch?”

  “Do you want to fish?” Rong Jing asked, somewhat suspicious. Fishing wasn’t an easy task; she probably didn’t have the patience for it.

  Song Chaoxi smiled, “Since I have nothing to do, I’m actually quite good at fishing.”

  He clearly didn’t believe her and had Liang Shiyi bring the fishing gear.

  Rong Jing’s fishing rod was made from a special material and felt cold to the touch. Song Chaoxi, fearing the sun, settled into the octagonal pavilion. As she cast the line, Qingzhu and Dong’er came with tea-making supplies. These two maids were somewhat cking in skill when it came to making tea, so Rong Jing sent them away, not needing their service.

  The two maids quickly ran over to Song Chaoxi’s side. Dong’er asked in surprise, “Miss, you’re fishing? Should I have someone buy a basket of fish to put in the bucket for you to catch?”

  She wasn’t looking down on her mistress, but it was well known that Song Chaoxi had many good qualities, except that she cked patience.

  Song Chaoxi raised an eyebrow, "Who do you look down on? Watch carefully!"

  She grabbed a handful of fish food and threw it into the ke. Dong’er had been confused earlier as to why the young dy had asked her to find fish food and soft dough cakes, but now she understood.

  In previous years, there would always be servants who would catch some fish and shrimp from the ke to maintain the water's bance. But since Rong Jing had been unconscious, everyone in the household had been on edge, and no one dared to bring it up. As a result, the fish in the ke had multiplied rapidly. Looking around, you could always see fish swimming back and forth. As soon as Song Chaoxi tossed the fish food, a group of fish swam over. She cast her fishing rod, and the fish in the ke were so naive that within moments, a fish was already caught on the hook.

  Qingzhu and Dong’er were both stunned.

  It was the first time they had seen someone fish like this. This wasn’t fishing! The amount of fish food she wasted could buy a fish! If you asked them, it wasn’t that the young dy’s skills were so impressive, it was that the fish in the ke had no survival instincts and were too foolish. They would just bite whenever they saw the bait, all of them completely clueless.

  Dong’er ughed, "I remember when I was little, my father used cow dung to catch fish."

  Song Chaoxi suddenly found all the fish she had eaten unappetizing. "Doesn’t it smell when the fish eat cow dung?"

  "Yellow cow dung has a strong odor, but fish like that scent more than worms. It works better than worms, actually. Hurry, young dy, your fish is trying to escape!"

  Song Chaoxi quickly looked over, and sure enough, her fish was struggling violently, trying to escape. The fish was rge and strong, pulling back and forth. Song Chaoxi panicked, unable to hold the fishing rod properly. She tripped and almost fell forward, but luckily someone caught her just in time.

  Rong Jing stood behind her, tightly gripping her hand. With a single hand, he effortlessly pulled the rod back, the fish falling into the bucket. Song Chaoxi was still in a daze. She couldn’t hold the rod with both hands, but he had pulled it up with just one hand?

  The difference in strength seemed quite rge. If they fought in the future, she wasn’t confident she could win.

  Lost in thought, Rong Jing said, “If you want to eat the fish, send them to the kitchen and have them prepare it for lunch.”

  “Huh? Who said I want to eat fish? I just want a pet.”

  Rong Jing didn’t say anything and sat back down on the stone bench. Dong’er mumbled, "Young dy, what kind of strange pet are you raising? Can you be any stranger?"

  "Yes, I can."

  "Really?"

  "I once raised a mosquito. The mosquito flew around in my mosquito net, drinking my blood every day. I had someone trap the mosquito net and kept it confined. I fed it blood for several days, but unfortunately, that unfaithful mosquito left eventually."

  Qingzhu was speechless, feeling that words could not capture the absurdity.

  Song Chaoxi grew tired of fishing and sat across from him, lifting her skirt to sit down. She calmly poured tea powder into a cup, added a small amount of hot water to make it into a paste, and then poured boiling water, using a whisk to stir continuously. When the white foam floated on the surface, the tea was ready. Perhaps because Song Chaoxi was a doctor herself, her hands were more dexterous than most, and she was skilled at observing the right timing. She didn’t think the tea-making technique was difficult at all. She poured the tea into a cup and handed it to Rong Jing.

  "Lord Guo Gong, please try."

  Rong Jing held the tea cup and took a sip. "Not bad."

  Song Chaoxi smiled, "Then we’re even."

  Rong Jing realized she was referring to the earlier fishing incident where he had helped her, and she hadn’t owed him anything in return.

  Suddenly, a young girl wearing a green robe entered the pavilion. It was Gao Shi’s daughter, Rong Yuan. When Rong Yuan saw Rong Jing, she immediately lowered her hands and stood respectfully, saying, “Uncle, you’re here too.”

  Rong Jing nodded, still looking down. "Why did Yuan’er come?"

  "Yuan’er saw Auntie fishing and wanted to come py with her," she said, feeling somewhat embarrassed. If Rong Jing had seen her earlier, she wouldn't have dared to rush in like this. After all, her uncle valued propriety above all else.

  Rong Yuan stared closely at Song Chaoxi. Song Chaoxi was pouring tea for Rong Jing, her expression calm, as if she and Rong Jing were equals. Unlike her mother, who always stood by her father’s side serving him like a servant, Rong Yuan was both envious and surprised. Her uncle, the Duke, was always very imposing, a military commander with a strong aura. He was rarely seen smiling and was someone she had feared when she was younger. She always thought of him as someone lofty, untouchable. But Song Chaoxi seemed completely unafraid of him. This was the first time she had ever seen a woman who wasn’t afraid of her uncle.

  Even more strangely, Song Chaoxi made tea, Rong Jing drank tea, and the two didn’t speak, yet it felt like they had a deep understanding of each other. At that moment, her uncle no longer seemed like the Duke but like Song Chaoxi’s husband.

  They seemed so in sync, even though they had never met before.

  Song Chaoxi poured a cup for her too. "You must be hot after running over here, right? Try my skills."

  Rong Yuan had spent the past few days almost trampling the ground around the ke, trying to create opportunities to bump into Auntie. But Auntie hadn’t given her a single chance. Now, without her doing anything, Auntie had taken the initiative to pour her tea. Auntie had personally made the tea, and no one except Uncle ever had the chance to drink it, but Auntie had given it to her. What did that mean? It meant Auntie doted on her. She must be the most charming child in the Duke’s residence.

  Rong Yuan’s cheeks turned red as she took a sip of tea. "Auntie’s tea, made by your hands, is truly different."

  "Oh? What’s different about it?" Song Chaoxi raised an eyebrow.

  Rong Yuan froze. Was she being tested even when giving a compliment? Was there a pop quiz for fttery now?

  Song Chaoxi chuckled, making Rong Yuan’s face turn even redder. Rong Yuan twisted her fingers, looking at Auntie pitifully, but Auntie just kept smiling, and Uncle remained as unmoving as a mountain. No, Uncle, can’t you see she’s not following the proper etiquette? Tell Auntie!

  But her pleading gaze was ignored by Rong Jing.

  Rong Yuan spent the whole morning here, and Song Chaoxi had her stay for lunch. Afterward, Song Chaoxi had some small items prepared for her to take away. As Rong Yuan had just taken a few steps, she heard someone calling her.

  "Uncle?"

  "If you're not busy, you can come visit her more often," Rong Jing said before walking off.

  Rong Yuan was momentarily stunned. She realized that her uncle was worried that Auntie might get bored. It seemed her uncle had this considerate side that she hadn’t expected. This was different from what the rumors had said. She couldn’t help but envy Auntie’s good fortune.

  In the afternoon, someone brought a letter, and Song Chaoxi quickly went out after reading it. The ke and the nearby forest had been surrounded by the Duke’s residence, with roadblocks set up around the area. There was only a small gate on the north side of the Duke’s residence, and only workers came in and out. Song Chaoxi didn’t want to draw attention by using the front gate, so she had arranged to meet at the back gate.

  The stone path, paved with warm stones, wound forward, surrounded by dense, quiet woods. The trees were lush and green, and occasionally, the chirping of cicadas broke the silence. At the end of the path, there was a slight turn, and a slightly wider main road appeared, with a carriage stopped in the middle of the road.

  Xie Shi raised the bamboo curtain on the carriage. She wore a veil hat, with white gauze draped down to her neck. When she saw Song Chaoxi, she excimed in surprise, "Young Miss!"

  Song Chaoxi, now accustomed to being called "Duke's wife" by others, found it more comfortable to be addressed as "Young Miss" again. She smiled and climbed into the carriage. Because it was her own younger brother, she didn’t observe too many formalities and grinned. "Has Yu’er’s leg healed yet?"

  Song Chengyu’s cheeks turned red, and he nervously lowered his eyes. He had practiced many times at home, hoping that his condition would improve so that his elder sister would know how hard he was working. He propped himself up with his arm and tried to sit up. Before, he couldn’t do that, but now his legs could move from one side to the other. A few times, they could even bend slightly and lift off the bed. He used to be paralyzed in bed with no sensation below his waist, his legs limp and weak, needing belts and pillows to support him even for simple sitting and standing.

  After completing a whole set of movements, his eyeshes trembled, and he looked up at Song Chaoxi with a face full of anticipation, eagerly waiting for her praise.

  Song Chaoxi inexplicably thought of the little Pekingese she had raised.

  It was strange, why did these little ones always look at her like that, as if they were all waiting for her to pamper them?

  She raised an eyebrow, and without being polite, spped his little calf. Song Chengyu was stunned for a moment, and after a while, the pain slowly came from his leg. Although it was a bit deyed, he clearly felt the pain. He had been paralyzed for so long, and in winter, his legs felt as cold as ice, and he couldn’t even feel it. Now, his elder sister just spped him lightly, and he could feel the pain. Did this mean that his legs would soon get better?

  For the past two years, Xie Shi had cried every time she saw him. He pretended to be calm, but he was more distressed than anyone else. He often stayed awake all night, but now, he could gradually feel something, how could he not be happy?

  When Song Chaoxi saw the change in his expression, knowing he was in pain, she finally smiled slightly and said, “You’re recovering well. Now that you have some feeling in your leg, you haven’t been scking off on your exercises at home, have you?”

  Song Chengyu’s ears turned red, “I haven’t been scking off. I’ve been doing everything according to what elder sister said.”

  The younger brother was so obedient—much more interesting than Song Jialiang, who was a blockhead. A good, obedient younger brother was lovable. Song Chaoxi smiled and patted his head, affirming, “Perseverance is key. If you pursue the imperial examination path, you’ll have to endure a lot of hardship. Just treat this as your training, cherish this period of time. Later, when you can stand up, you’ll realize it’s not easy to be bedridden anymore.”

  Song Chengyu nodded eagerly, keeping his elder sister’s words firmly in mind.

  Although his father and Concubine mother had also encouraged him, their encouragement was always tinged with sadness. Recently, his father had stopped coming to his Concubine mother’s courtyard, likely preparing to give up on him. His Concubine mother, after all, had been confined to the inner chambers for many years, so her perspective was limited. When she tried to comfort him, it was out of a mother’s instinctive love for her child. But elder sister was different. Her open-minded attitude made him feel like being paralyzed wasn’t such a big deal.

  Influenced by her attitude, he unknowingly regained his confidence. His belief grew stronger than anyone else’s, and now, he felt that healing his legs and taking the imperial examination would be a simple matter—not that extraordinary.

  Xie Shi, however, seized the key point. With tears of joy, she said, “Elder sister, can Chengyu’s legs really be healed?”

  Song Chaoxi smiled, pcing her hand on his pulse. After a moment, she said, “If I can’t heal them, then why am I even trying? Do you think I’m just idle with nothing to do?”

  That sounded very reasonable.

  “I’ve already ground the medicinal powder. You just need to feed it to Chengyu twice a day, and make sure to massage his legs regurly. Don’t worry, Yinniang (Concubine mother), he already has feeling in his legs. At this rate, within a month, his legs will be healed.”

  A month? Xie Shi’s tears fell again. What kind of good fortune had she accumuted to meet such an elder sister? As long as Chengyu’s legs got better, she would be willing to do anything for elder sister, even if it meant serving her like a servant!

  The sound of tears falling into her bracelet was like rain. Song Chaoxi smiled inwardly, not knowing how grateful Xie Shi was. The rain came in bursts, stopped for a while, and then started again. By the time she was treating Song Chengyu’s legs with acupuncture, the rain hadn’t stopped, and the surrounding field of medicinal herbs was lush and green.

  All the herbs in the bracelet had been used up by Rong Jing. The remaining ones she had picked to make face creams. Recently, she had been thinking about making skincare products, but had been troubled by the ck of herbs. Xie Shi’s timely arrival of the rain was really helpful.

  After finishing, Song Chaoxi patted Song Chengyu’s head and said with a light smile, “Keep exercising. When you’re better, I’ll treat you to some delicious food.”

  Song Chengyu tightly gripped the thin bnket on his leg, muttering softly, “Elder sister, I’m not a child.”

  “Yes, yes, our Chengyu is not a child. Then hurry up and stand up, so you can take your sister to eat delicious food.”

  Song Chengyu thought for a moment but then seriously nodded. When he became the top schor in the imperial examination, he would have endless money to spend and jewels to give. He would make elder sister proud of him!

  Qingzhu and Dong’er were waiting for her at the small door. When Qingzhu saw her, she quickly walked over. “Madam, you’re treating Xie niangzi’s illness for...”

  Song Chaoxi’s smile faded slightly. Indeed, she had a reason for treating Song Chengyu’s legs. She remembered that in the book, after Song Chaoyan rose to power, Shen Shi had the help of Rong Heng. As the influence of the Hou family grew, Song Chengyu’s leg illness worsened. He could only lie in bed all day, and it was hard for him to even sit up. Xie Shi had no other children and had lost her support in the household. Song Fengmao had stopped visiting her courtyard for a long time, likely preparing to give up on Chengyu. In desperation, Song Chaoyan found an excuse to kick Xie Shi and her son out of the house. In the end, Song Chengyu died in despair.

  Song Chaoxi had never intended to intervene at first. She had just entered the Marquis' family and wanted to hide her abilities, not wanting to get involved early on. Later, after Xie Shi treated her well and genuinely thought about her, she decided to help them.

  It would be a pity for such a smart younger brother to die like that.

  She had a strong sense of resentment. Song Chaoyan and Shen Shi had made things difficult for her, causing her to have to plot for herself. She married Rong Jing, and although the marriage was resolved, she hadn’t gotten her revenge yet. She needed to make things difficult for Shen Shi and her daughter. Song Chengyu was so talented but paralyzed in bed, unable to take the imperial examination. If she could heal his legs, she didn’t believe that Shen Shi could stay calm. Once Shen Shi became busy dealing with Xie Shi and Chengyu, she would inevitably neglect Song Chaoyan. By then, even if that divine physician Xue came, without Shen Shi’s help, how could Song Chaoyan, a young woman who hadn’t even been married, cause any trouble?

  Song Chaoxi smiled slightly and looked up at the hot rays of sunlight filtering through the leaves, “After I get married, my mother will probably be too idle. If I don’t find something for her to do, how can I show my filial piety as a daughter?”

  Qingzhu and Dong’er exchanged a knowing look and smiled. It was better to offend anyone than offend eldest young dy. Fortunately, they were on her side.