Chapter 28: She Got Really Angry, Crying and Wanting to Hit… p1
The attendants and maids cried out in alarm.
Zhao Shangjun had no time to think and jumped in right after her.
The current was swift. Zhao Shangjun was only a moment too late. He watched as Fu Tangli’s cyan dress and black hair spun a few times in the water and sank.
Zhao Shangjun took a deep breath, dove in, and swam toward Fu Tangli with all his might.
She clearly couldn’t swim. Her body was upside down, her arms spread, her legs kicking in vain. Her soft skirt billowed out in the water like a flower falling from a branch, sinking toward the bottom.
Zhao Shangjun’s mind was taut. Fortunately, he had long limbs and was a good swimmer. He cut through the water at high speed, dove to Fu Tangli’s side, and grabbed her.
She was probably still conscious. She recognized him and seemed to get angry again, kicking and hitting with her hands and feet, trying to push him away.
Her hair had come loose, like floating silk threads or a mist in the water, tangling around his ears. It was quiet underwater. Her eyes were wide open. In the dim light, her gaze was hazy, like a quiet spring night, where the moonlight and the flowing water mingled.
Was she crying?
Zhao Shangjun was unwilling to think about this question. He forcefully grabbed Fu Tangli’s arm, subdued her, and, dragging her, swam up and broke the surface.
The servants of the Prince of Huai’s residence were shouting in panic on the bank. Someone immediately threw down a rope.
Zhao Shangjun caught the rope, held Fu Tangli, and climbed onto the bank.
Fu Tangli had been struggling the whole time. She dug her fingers into Zhao Shangjun’s shoulder, hurting him so much that he suspected she was about to break her own fingers in the next moment. As soon as they were on the bank, he had to let her go.
Fu Tangli fell to the ground. She lay there, spitting out mouthfuls of water, coughing violently, gasping for breath, a wretched and pitiful sight.
Zhao Shangjun was dripping wet, water streaming down his hair and robe. His Highness, the Prince of Huai, had always been of a noble bearing. To be in such a state now was already a loss of composure for him. His face was ashen. “Are you trying to kill yourself?!”
Fu Tangli coughed for a long time before she could catch her breath. She had swallowed water, and her chest burned with pain. Her head was dizzy, and her vision was blackening in waves. But the anger in her heart was stuck, and she couldn’t get rid of it. She was unwilling to show a submissive posture in front of Zhao Shangjun. She wiped the water from her face, forced herself to get up, and stood unsteadily before him.
Her face was covered in water, her lips pale, but her eyes were firm and bright, her chin held high. “Do you think you can make me admit defeat by trapping me on this island? I won’t! I’m going to swim back. As for whether I live or die, it’s none of your business.”
Zhao Shangjun almost laughed in anger. His heart was still pounding violently. The palpitation he had felt underwater just now had not yet dissipated. He couldn’t imagine what would have happened if he had been a moment too late and hadn’t caught her. In this state of mind, he barely managed to control himself. His face was expressionless as he said coldly, “Enough. Let’s end this here today. I won’t hold it against you, and you are not to cause any more trouble!”
“I will do the opposite of what you wish. What can you do to me?” Fu Tangli took a step forward, looking at him directly, provoking him. “I have lied to you repeatedly, and I have told you clearly that I am unwilling to stay by your side. Even so, are you still going to insist? I have a fiancé, and you are displeased. I fall into the water, and you cannot bear it.”
She was so close, her eyes reflecting his shadow. She asked him in the softest voice, “Your Highness, the Prince of Huai, why do you act so subserviently? It truly makes one look down on you.”
Zhao Shangjun suddenly reached out and grabbed Fu Tangli by the collar. He was tall and sturdy, his strength formidable. With that one motion, he lifted her entire person up. Although he was wearing a Daoist robe, he was the ruthless and cold Prince of Huai. At this moment, the killing aura in his eyes solidified, pressing down with a fierce and imposing force.
It was suffocating.
Fu Tangli gasped for breath, like a fish out of water, her fingers twitching. But she forced herself to look straight at Zhao Shangjun, her gaze unwavering.
A long, silent standoff.
The servants knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling, not daring to look up. All was quiet, only the sound of the rushing river, both clamorous and silent.
After a long while, Zhao Shangjun closed his eyes, then opened them again. He had shed his sharp, imposing aura, his eyes deep. He let out a long breath, released Fu Tangli, and slowly nodded, saying one word: “Alright.”
“Alright.” Fu Tangli clutched her throat, her voice hoarse, catching his word. “Remember what you said. Have some backbone, don’t bow your head, and don’t ever bother me again.”
She turned, and without any hesitation, ran to the riverbank and jumped in again.
“Fu Lihua!” Zhao Shangjun almost laughed in anger. Whatever he had said just now, it all counted for nothing at this moment. He lunged forward and grabbed Fu Tangli in his arms.
Unable to stop in time, the two of them fell together, a huge splash rising as they landed in the river.
***
Fu Tangli developed a high fever.
At this time of year, the spring was intensely cold, the air damp. She had fallen into the water twice in one day, and coupled with the intense anger and emotional turmoil, she had been holding on by a thread. After being pulled out of the water by Zhao Shangjun, she had fainted.
She was unconscious for a long time, drifting in and out of sleep, her body burning hot, every bone aching. Sweat would break out in waves, then quickly turn cold, soaking her body.
She began to regret. She didn’t know if she regretted provoking Daoist Master Xuanyan on Mount Qinghua, or if she regretted being so stubborn as to jump into the river this time, or both. The more she thought about it, the sadder she became. For a moment, she forgot where she was and began to sob.
“Lihua,” that man’s voice called her softly. At this moment, he had become gentle again. He touched her forehead. “Where does it hurt?”
He seemed to sigh and couldn’t help but add, “You brought this on yourself. Utterly reckless.”
Fu Tangli was angry. She struggled to slap his hand away. She was so delirious with fever, covered by a nightmare, half-awake, that she even chased after him to hit him. When she couldn’t, she cried even more aggrievedly, whimpering, gasping for breath.
Zhao Shangjun was probably at a loss. He could only lean down and hold out his hand to her. “Alright, I’ll let you hit me. Don’t cry.”
Fu Tangli was fickle. She didn’t want to bother with him anymore and muttered, “No, take your hand away, you’re annoying…”
Her voice was small and delicate, with a soft, crying tone. Her cheeks were flushed red, and she had shed her usual reserved manner, revealing a childlike fragility. Her eyes were misty with tears, her lips unconsciously pouting. Her messy hair was stuck to her cheeks with sweat, a fluffy mess, like a little bird drenched in the spring rain, pitiful and cute.
I want to lock her up, just like this, and play with her in the palm of my hand.
Zhao Shangjun thought this, but he lowered his head and patiently coaxed her, “When I said ‘alright’ then, I was going to let you leave. But you were relentless and brought this suffering on yourself. Aren’t you foolish?”
“You’re the foolish one!” The fluffy little bird’s feathers bristled. She glared at Zhao Shangjun with her teary eyes, but she probably knew that this had no effect. She immediately drooped again and said dejectedly, “I don’t believe you. I know you’re just fooling me, you just want to see me make a fool of myself.”
It was already evening. The candlelight was not too bright. Through the glazed screen, it was half-light, half-dark. A thin sharkskin silk curtain hung down, like a mist rising from the water’s surface. Everything became hazy, and even a person’s expression was shrouded in it, making it impossible to tell what was real and what was not.
“I never lie to you,” Zhao Shangjun’s voice was cool, sounding a little distant. “I promised to let you leave. If there is half a false word, may I be pierced by ten thousand arrows in the future…”
“Don’t say it!” Fu Tangli was suddenly alarmed, so frightened that she was completely awake. A surge of strength came from nowhere, and she shouted to interrupt him, “Don’t say it!”
With just that, she was panting again. She lowered her eyes, not looking at him, and murmured, “Alright, I believe you. You don’t have to say any more.”
She gasped for breath for a moment, and finally, with difficulty, she managed to prop herself up. Her hands were trembling violently as she struggled to say, “Have someone come and help me. I will take my leave now.”
Zhao Shangjun reached out a finger and gently poked Fu Tangli’s forehead.
Fu Tangli had been trying to get up for a long time, but with this one finger, she was easily pushed back. With a smack, she fell back, lying on her back. She was dizzy and couldn’t move for a long time, almost crying in anger again.
“In your current state, how can you go back? Leave after you’ve recovered,” Zhao Shangjun said with a calm finality.
“No, I want to go now,” Fu Tangli refused to listen.
“Lihua.” Zhao Shangjun’s expression was still calm, but his voice now carried a hint of danger. “You’d best be obedient. If you cause any more trouble, I might just change my mind.”
Fu Tangli looked at Zhao Shangjun defiantly and unconsciously bit her lip. A faint red mark appeared on the pale background, showing a decadent charm.
Zhao Shangjun’s face was expressionless, but the color in his eyes deepened, like a deep, dark night.
As they were in a standoff, a voice suddenly interjected, “The medicine is ready.”
Fu Tangli looked up.
It was the old Daoist from Yunlu Temple, Qingxuzi. He was personally holding a bowl of medicine and walked over nonchalantly. “It’s still hot. Xuanyan, take it quickly.”
Seeing Fu Tangli, he even greeted her with a smile. “The female benefactor is awake. Just in time. Drink it while it’s hot for it to be effective.”
This illness had made Fu Tangli exceptionally delicate and unreasonable. Hearing this, she buried her head in the quilt. “It’s bitter. I’m not drinking it.”
“Hah.” Qingxuzi was not happy and his beard bristled. “You little lady don’t know, this old Daoist’s medical skills are exquisite, with the ability to bring forth spring with a touch. Back at Yuanzhen Palace, how many people came to ask me for a diagnosis, offering a thousand gold pieces and still not getting it? And you’re being picky? How unreasonable!”
Fu Tangli was a little sulky and shook her head weakly. “It’s not a serious illness. Don’t mind me. I’ll be fine overnight.”
Qingxuzi snorted and glanced at Zhao Shangjun. “Someone rushed to Yunlu Temple and dragged this old Daoist over. On the way, that horse was flying. This old Daoist’s old bones were almost shaken to pieces. So it’s not a serious illness. You should have said so earlier. Don’t come and torment this old Daoist.”
Zhao Shangjun was calm. He took the bowl of medicine and said two simple words to Fu Tangli: “Drink the medicine.”
His tone was placid, but it carried his usual authority, leaving no room for discussion.
He paused for a moment, and seeing that Fu Tangli was not moving, he added, “You can choose. Drink it yourself, or I’ll pinch your mouth and pour it down.”
All of Fu Tangli’s courage had probably been used up before. She was too tired now and didn’t have the energy to continue making a fuss, so she endured it.
Her body was weak, and she had no strength. She let Zhao Shangjun help her up and leaned weakly in his arm. She had just taken a small sip of the medicine when she hissed, “It’s hot.”
Zhao Shangjun brought the bowl to his lips and blew on it.
His breath brushed past, the scent of white plum blossoms in the snow, the clear, bitter, and long-lasting fragrance of ebony burned by a believer in the mountains.
Fu Tangli’s face burned even more. When Zhao Shangjun offered her the medicine again, she said nothing and drank it down.
It was indeed very bitter, and her brows furrowed.
Zhao Shangjun put down the bowl of medicine and instead handed her a small jadeite dish piled high with crystal clear candies.
Fu Tangli glanced at him. He said nothing. Fu Tangli picked at them for a long time, then picked one up and put it in her mouth.
Qingxuzi was about to leave when he caught a glimpse of this and casually instructed, “She still has a fever. Eat less sweets to avoid causing phlegm.”
Zhao Shangjun had always been a decisive person. Hearing this, he immediately pinched Fu Tangli’s chin, reached into her mouth, and took out the candy.
His movements were so swift and neat that Fu Tangli, delirious with fever and her mind slow, didn’t even have time to react. She was stunned for a moment, her mouth open in a small circle, and she licked her tongue in confusion.
Zhao Shangjun hesitated for a rare moment, probably feeling that he had been too harsh. He pinched off a tiny crumb from the wet candy and put it back into Fu Tangli’s mouth, calmly placating her, “Just a little. This is fine.”
Fu Tangli’s mouth opened and closed. She didn’t even have the strength to be angry.
Only a faint sweetness, mixed with bitterness. This taste was even more unbearable, and she couldn’t swallow it. She held it in her mouth, rolling it around.
Qingxuzi left at a leisurely pace. A maid came over, helped Fu Tangli lie down, and drew the crabapple-embroidered sharkskin silk curtains, blocking the candlelight. They lit borneol in the corner, a clear and bright fragrance that seemed to dispel the lingering bitterness of the medicine.
Zhao Shangjun sat there, wiping his hands with a handkerchief, wiping with extra force. His fingers had just been stained with Fu Tangli’s saliva, which was unbearable for him.
Fu Tangli’s eyes were wide, glaring at him.
He noticed her almost fiery gaze and glanced at her.
Fu Tangli continued to glare at him.
Zhao Shangjun’s movements paused. He silently threw the handkerchief away and said with a calm face, “Stop looking. Go to sleep.”
Fu Tangli turned over in a huff and closed her eyes.
She had taken the medicine. After a while, the fever gradually subsided a little, but she was sweating even more, in layers, and couldn’t sleep. She gritted her teeth, but a few small moans still escaped.
Zhao Shangjun was still by her bed. He took a handkerchief, turned Fu Tangli’s body over, and wiped her sweat.
Fu Tangli was thin-skinned. She turned her head to avoid him and said in a voice as faint as a mosquito’s, “It’s dirty…”
Zhao Shangjun held her head and said calmly, “I don’t mind.”
Nonsense, he clearly did mind. He was just wiping his hands over and over again.
Fu Tangli was being stubborn. She hummed and hawed and shook her head, showing her displeasure.
“Lihua, don’t make a fuss.” Zhao Shangjun just sighed, still willing to coax her. His movements were so careful. The handkerchief brushed against her forehead, cheeks, and nose, carrying his scent, a mixture of white plum blossoms and ebony, which lingered on her skin.
He leaned down, looked at her with his eyes lowered. Against the light, the shadow of his eyelashes fell on his eyes, deep and rich, hiding his usual coldness and authority. For a fleeting moment, there was an illusion of gentleness.
In that instant, Fu Tangli seemed to be mesmerized. She quieted down, blinked, and mumbled something, perhaps a complaint, perhaps a sulk. Even she herself didn’t quite understand. Then, she slowly fell asleep.
…