Chapter 162 - What's the Use of Brotherhood?

When Chu Junyi returned after dumping the trimmed branches, he saw Hong Ling walking out with two potted plants in her arms. A smile flashed in his eyes.

The more he stayed with Ninghua, the more reluctant he became to leave her. He wished he could keep her in his hands 24 hours a day. However, thinking that there were still six months before the two of them could stay together forever, he couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. “So long.”

Shen Ninghua raised her eyes. “What’s so long?”

“Six months are so long. Ninghua, I want to marry you right now.”

Shen Ninghua didn’t bother to sympathize him. “Do you think it is so simple for a princess to get married? Not to mention six months, there are princesses who spend three years preparing for the wedding.”

Chu Junyi nodded in agreement. “Ninghua is absolutely right. It is too hasty to prepare the things for three princesses’ weddings in six months.” In the next few days, he had to start preparing. Although he couldn’t make the wedding perfect, he still wanted to make it flawless.

After having lunch with Shen Ninghua, he thought about the things he needed to prepare in the six months on the way to the Xiao Mansion. As soon as he entered the gate, he saw Xiao Jingran walking over with a face full of anger. “Where have you been?”

Even though he tried his best to restrain himself, the anger in his tone still made Chu Junyi feel uncomfortable.

“I went out for a walk. Father, what’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? Do you still regard this place as your home? Your sister Xiao Huanxi lost more than half her life for you, and you still have the mood to wander around!” Xiao Jingran already knew that Xiao Huanxi had been standing outside Chu Junyi’s courtyard all night. He almost went crazy with anger. He secretly blamed Chu Junyi for being cold-blooded and heartless.

Chu Junyi’s attitude was indifferent. “Isn’t Eldest Brother watching her? Imperial doctors have also come. I don’t know any medical skills, so what’s the use of my staying outside the door?”

“You actually spoke like this! Well, you’ve grown up and are going to get married. Looks like I can’t restrain you anymore. Since that’s the case, you should take good care of yourself.” Xiao Jingran turned around with a gloomy expression. He flung his sleeves and walked away angrily.

The expression in Chu Junyi’s eyes changed. Finally, he calmed down and strode towards Xiao Huanxi’s courtyard.

At this moment, there were many imperial doctors in the courtyard. When he arrived at the door, Chen Yun had just finished the examination and was walking out.

“Uncle Chen, thank you for coming here. Please go to my courtyard and have some tea.”

Knowing that Chu Junyi had something to ask him, Chen Yun did not decline and followed him into the study.

Chu Junyi said, “Uncle Chen, my younger sister…”

“She was just a little tired and caught a cold. She should be fine after having some medicine. But I’m very confused how she had a fever all of a sudden.”

Chu Junyi frowned. “A sudden high fever? Is there any medicine that can produce such an effect?”

“I didn’t find traces of any drug.” Chen Yun was also very puzzled. Xiao Huanxi didn’t take any medicine, and the weather was slowly getting hot. Normally, a patient who had caught a cold should not have the symptoms of a high fever.

The two of them naturally did not expect Xiao Huanxi to be so crazy and desperate to attract Chu Junyi’s attention that she would use any kind of method. Even a healthy person would be sick after being soaked in iced water for fifteen minutes in this weather.

“Uncle Chen, please pay more attention to Huanxi. Don’t let anything happen to her.”

“Yes, I will. Don’t worry.” As Chen Yun said that, he suddenly smiled and took out two porcelain bottles from his pocket. “This is the disguise powder I just concocted this month. Put it away.”

Chu Junyi felt warm in his heart as a smile appeared on his face. “Uncle Chen, thank you for what you have done for me for so many years.”

“That’s what I’ m supposed to do. There’s no need to thank me. You’ll be married soon. I suppose if your…mother knows about it, she will be very happy. Ninghua is a good girl. Her personality is just a bit too strong. In the future, she will definitely be a good wife. The two of you should be considerate of each other. Don’t make a fuss over small things and damage your relationship.”

Chu Junyi held the porcelain bottles in his hand and nodded with a smile. “Yes, Uncle Chen, don’t worry. I proposed to marry Ninghua and I will treat her well and won’t leave any regrets between us.”

Chen Yun nodded. He couldn’t help but recall that woman with the same personality as strong as scorching fire. He sighed in his heart. She had passed away, and her luck didn’t match her beauty. She just trusted the wrong person and wasted her entire life…

“Uncle Chen, what’s wrong with you?”

Chen Yun suddenly restored his senses. “I’m fine. Right, the Xiao family has not been peaceful lately. Someone has been investigating the Xiao family since the spread of chickenpox last time, but His Majesty suppressed it. It seems now that it’s settled, but who knows if someone will bring it out one day. You should pay more attention. I always feel that the Xiao family is not a peaceful place.”

“Yes, I know. Don’t worry.”

After seeing Chen Yun off, Chu Junyi put away the disguise powder and leaned against the window to look at the potted plants on the table. A trace of warmth flashed in his eyes. Now, only Ninghua could make him look forward to the future.

Seven days passed in a flash. The atmosphere in Xiao Huanxi’s courtyard became increasingly tenser. Xiao Jingran walked back and forth in the hall. He looked much older than before. “It has been seven days, but Huanxi is still having a high fever. If this continues, her body will be damaged!”

Xiao Fengjue’s expression was also rather tired, but his usual cold face made it hard to perceive. “Father, don’t be too anxious. The imperial doctors have been trying their best, and Doctor Chen has come to see her many times. Huanxi will be fine.”

“What’s the use of seeing her? She’s been drinking medicine every day for seven days but nothing has changed. No, this can’t continue like this. I will go into the Palace and ask His Majesty for help.”

Xiao Fengjue disagreed. “Father, what’s the use of seeing His Majesty at this time?” The emperor was in control of the lives and deaths of all the people in the country. Not to mention Xiao Huanxi, who was only the daughter of an official, even a princess was not worth the emperor’s special attention.

“Didn’t Shen Ninghua say that she offered a unique medical book to His Majesty not long ago? That medical book even contains prescriptions for treating the plague. It should be very unique. Perhaps there is a prescription for curing Huanxi?”

Xiao Fengjue was choked. “Father, you also know that there is a prescription for treating the plague in that book. How can His Majesty easily take out such an important medical book for you to read? Besides, what would you say when you enter the Palace?” In the case of such an important medical book, although the Xiao family had made great contributions, they still didn’t have the qualifications to ask for it.

Xiao Fengjue’s words reminded Xiao Jingran and he calmed down. What he had intended to do was too dangerous. If he did that, he might not only fail to get the medical book but also make the emperor unhappy. “What should we do if we can’t ask for the medical book? Right, Shen Ninghua offered that medical book. She also knows medical skills. She might have studied it thoroughly long before. Since that’s the case, finding her to treat Huanxi should is the same.”

Xiao Fengjue gritted his teeth and a trace of anger flashed in his eyes. His father was a military genius. But why was he so confused in terms of Huanxi? “Father, do you know Shen Ninghua’s current identity?”

“What does it have to do with her identity?” Xiao Jingran didn’t care at all.

“She is now Princess Zhaohua personally rewarded by His Majesty!” Xiao Fengjue’s voice was cold and stiff. He did not understand why his father was so unreasonable. “Do you think that she is still the unfavored daughter of the Shen family and that you can call her over as you want? Not to mention the fact that she had never obeyed anyone’s order, right now, she has no need to care about anyone.”

Xiao Jingran’s expression was sullen. His entire face was as gloomy as the night sky before a storm. “Even though she is a princess, she can’t just stand by and watch people die. Furthermore, she is going to marry Junyi. In that case, Huanxi is also her younger sister-in-law. As the elder sister-in-law, how can she not care about Huanxi’s life?”

Xiao Fengjue’s chest was blocked by a breath. If the man in front of him wasn’t his father, he would want to drive him out of the house. “Father, why did Huanxi become like this? I think you know perfectly. At first, she used Yang Yingxue to frame Shen Ninghua. Later, she made a swarm of snakes in the hunting party in the suburbs. This time, it was all because…even if you fetch Shen Ninghua here, do you think she will treat Huanxi?”

“How dare she! If she wants to marry Junyi, she must respect Huanxi. Otherwise, I will not spare her!”

Outside the door, Chu Junyi, who was about to enter, closed his eyes. He only felt that the image of the Xiao family in his heart was shattered into ashes. He did not want to continue listening and left quietly.

Xiao Fengjue became a little anxious. “Father, did you forget what I said? Shen Ninghua is now a princess. She has her own princess mansion, and even if she gets married, she will not enter the Xiao Mansion!”

“You keep talking for Shen Ninghua. Do you want the high fever to damage your younger sister’s body?” Xiao Jingran scolded angrily. At this time, his heart was filled with worry about Xiao Huanxi, and he simply couldn’t listen to anyone else.

Xiao Fengjue was silent for a while before he said, “I’ll handle this matter. Father, you should stay out of this.”

Xiao Jingran frowned with a cold expression. Seeing Xiao Fengjue’s firm attitude, he finally nodded. “Alright, but Huanxi must get better!”

Xiao Fengjue walked out of the courtyard and arrived at the entrance of Chu Junyi’s courtyard. After a moment of hesitation, he walked in and said, “Junyi…”

Chu Junyi was practicing sword in the courtyard. The long sword was as straight as a wandering dragon, dancing with a cold light. Hearing the voice, he restored his senses. His anxious mood had calmed down through the practice. Otherwise, he really didn’t know how to face the man whom he had called Eldest Brother for more than ten years. “Eldest Brother, why are you here?”

“Junyi, Huanxi’s illness has not improved for so long. I would like you to invite Princess Zhaohua to come and take a look at Huanxi.”

Chu Junyi was silent for a moment. “Eldest Brother, you should be clear about what happened in the past. Huanxi and Ninghua never got along well. You want Ninghua to come at this time?”

“I know, but there’s nothing I can do at this time. I’m begging you as a brother.” Xiao Fengjue stood upright like a sharp sword. Even when he was begging, his tone was still sharp, and his entire body sent off cold light.

Chu Junyi exchanged glances with him and stood firmly on the spot like a green pine that had taken root in a rock and would not succumb to any bad whether condition, be it gale, frost, snow, or storm.

In the end, Xiao Fengjue shifted his gaze and said in a deep voice, “You’ve called me Eldest Brother for more than ten years. I will exchange that brotherhood for a chance to have Shen Ninghua come and treat Huanxi.”

Chu Junyi’s heart trembled, and his gaze suddenly deepened. There seemed to be a huge wave stirring up from the bottom of his eyes, so solemn that it made one’s heart tremble. “Are you serious?” Using their brotherhood of more than ten years in exchange for a chance of treatment? He didn’t know when brotherhood could be exchanged.

Xiao Fengjue said resolutely, “Yes, I’m serious.”

The expression in Chu Junyi’s eyes was deep, and his voice was so cold that it caused people to tremble. “Alright, I agree on behalf of Ninghua!”

Xiao Fengjue nodded and did not say anything else. He suddenly turned around and strode out of the courtyard.

Inside the Prefectural Princess Mansion, Shen Ninghua frowned when she heard the news. Then, she chuckled softly. “Since Xiao Fengjue said this, I would gladly be the sharp sword and cut off the thread of hesitation in Chu Junyi’s heart bit by bit!”