Author: 哔哔 (Bi Bi) / Jin Gang Quan

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 58

That night, news of Huo Fenghua’s illness spread throughout the General’s Manor. Word spread that Doctor Du had taken Young Master Huo’s pulse and said he’d come down with smallsmallpox.

Right after that, Steward Lu gave orders to seal off the entire side courtyard where Huo Fenghua lived. Other than Qingqing and Doctor Du, no one was allowed to go in. Doctor Du prepared medicinal powder and had it sprinkled throughout the entire residence, and over the next two days, everyone who’d had contact with Huo Fenghua went to Doctor Du to get medicine to drink.

When Su Zeyang heard the news, he immediately went to Huo Fenghua’s side courtyard, only to be stopped at the gate by Feng Tianzong.

“Go back,” Feng Tianzong told him.

Su Zeyang asked, “You won’t let me go in?”

Feng Tianzong looked at him. “Of course I won’t. Back when Doctor Du and I were in the army, we both had contact with soldiers who’d had smallpox, but you’re different. This isn’t something to joke about. Go back.”

Su Zeyang said, “I’ll just take one look at him.”

Feng Tianzong shook his head. “I’ll take good care of him. He’s got decades of inner energy from that old demon Zixi inside him. A bit of smallpox won’t do anything.”

Su Zeyang gazed into the courtyard.

Feng Tianzong clasped his hand. “Don’t worry.”

Huo Fenghua was hiding by the window. Only after he watched Su Zeyang leave did he let out a slow sigh and return to sit on the edge of the bed. His body was feverish, and the itching all over was unbearable. He couldn’t help wanting to scratch.

Qingqing saw at once and hurried over to catch his hand. “Whatever you do, please don’t scratch.”

Doctor Du was outside at the little stove by the window, brewing medicine. Hearing the commotion, he called in too, “Don’t scratch. These red spots won’t leave scars, but if you break the skin, that’s another matter.”

Feng Tianzong happened to come in and said to Qingqing, “If he scratches again, tie his hands with a rope.”

Qingqing answered and withdrew to help Doctor Du with the decoction.

Huo Fenghua pulled his feet up onto the bed. If he couldn’t scratch, he grabbed a small fan and fanned himself hard. The cool breeze over his skin eased the itch a little. When he saw Doctor Du come in, he asked, “Doctor Du, what kind of medicine is this? It’s intense. I’m starting to suspect I’m actually sick.”

Doctor Du walked to the bedside and took his pulse again as he spoke. “It’s a poisonous herb that grows in the southwestern mountains. Locals sometimes eat it by accident. Afterward they develop a fever and these red rashes. It looks frightening, but it’s temporary. There’s an antidote herb that grows locally too. Once you take it to purge the toxin, the rash fades. It doesn’t harm the body.”

Feng Tianzong sat down by the bed, took the fan from Huo Fenghua’s hand, and fanned him.

Huo Fenghua leaned into Feng Tianzong’s arms. “How long do I have to wait before I can leave?”

Feng Tianzong said, “At least three to five more days. Either the illness is severe and hard to recover from, or you recover but your face is covered in pockmarks and you’re so disheartened…”

“Pockmarks are pockmarks,” Huo Fenghua said, finding a comfortable half-lying position. “How great is it just to be alive. Dying over pockmarks on your face isn’t worth it.”

Doctor Du finished taking his pulse and laughed at that. “Young Master Huo is broad-minded.”

Huo Fenghua glanced at Qingqing, who was busy outside, and lowered his voice to Doctor Du. “Doctor Du, do you know of anything you can prolong the duration of… you know?”

Doctor Du didn’t understand. “Prolong what? The rash?”

Huo Fenghua shook his head. “To make a man last longer.”

Only then did Doctor Du understand. He sat up straighter, instinctively looking at Feng Tianzong, and blurted out, “The General wants it?”

“No,” Huo Fenghua said quickly. “I do.”

Doctor Du looked even more puzzled. He didn’t answer, only looked to Feng Tianzong.

Feng Tianzong said coldly, “Nonsense. Doctor Du, you don’t need to mind him.”

Doctor Du nodded with a smile and stood. “Once Young Master Huo drinks the medicine, he can rest. No other issues. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”

Huo Fenghua had no choice but to say, “Thanks for the trouble, Doctor Du.”

After Doctor Du left, Feng Tianzong asked in a low voice, “What do you want that medicine for?”

Huo Fenghua said, “It’s not for you, so it’s none of your business.”

Feng Tianzong lifted his chin with one hand. “None of my business?”

Huo Fenghua frowned and weakly clutched Feng Tianzong’s lapel, murmuring, “General, it itches. It’s miserable.”

Only then did Feng Tianzong let him go. He looked at him coldly for a moment, then told Qingqing to bring in a basin of cold water.

After a while, Qingqing came in with a basin of clean cold water. She wet a cloth and wrung it hard, then went to the bed. “Let me wipe Young Master Huo down.”

Feng Tianzong held out his hand. “No need. I’ll do it. Once the medicine is finished, bring it in. Then you can rest.”

Qingqing stole a glance at Huo Fenghua, obediently handed the cloth to Feng Tianzong, and left the room.

Feng Tianzong undid Huo Fenghua’s clothes and pressed the icy, damp cloth to the rash-covered skin. The coolness immediately chased away the unbearable itch, drawing a long sigh from Huo Fenghua.

“Mmm…” Huo Fenghua half-closed his eyes and let out a soft sound.

Feng Tianzong said, “Behave.”

Huo Fenghua opened his eyes at once. “How am I not behaving?”

The damp cloth quickly warmed against his skin. Feng Tianzong lifted it, dipped it back into the cold water and wrung it out again, then wiped over Huo Fenghua’s red rash bit by bit.

Huo Fenghua simply shed his clothes and lay on his side to let him wipe the rash along his waist. “Yesterday afternoon in the study, why didn’t you tell me to behave then?”

Feng Tianzong didn’t answer.

Huo Fenghua couldn’t stay quiet. “I went to see Pan Yuanjun today.”

Feng Tianzong’s voice turned heavy. “I told you not to see him again.”

Huo Fenghua was pushed to roll over onto his stomach. He felt Feng Tianzong yank his trousers down, exposing his backside to the air and raising goosebumps. He said, “We can’t make it look too deliberate or he’ll get suspicious. I had Wang Chu contact Shao Feijie. Best if we can get a letter to show some ‘sincerity’ in cooperating. Once we have the letter, we’ll go report him to the emperor.”

Feng Tianzong used the wet cloth to gently wipe the rash along his inner thigh. “By then you’ll already be gone. What would he want that letter for?”

Huo Fenghua turned his head, trying to look at him. “But Wang Chu will definitely contact Shao Feijie. Why don’t we make a bet?”

“A bet on what?” Feng Tianzong asked.

Huo Fenghua couldn’t help laughing. “On Senior Brother. If I win, you give Senior Brother to me. If I lose…” He paused, then said, “If I lose, what do you want to do?”

Feng Tianzong laughed too, but he didn’t discuss the stakes. He only said, “Wang Chu will definitely contact Shao Feijie, that’s true. But I’m not sure I can intercept proof of their collusion.”

Huo Fenghua asked, “You’ve had people watching the Wang residence lately. Still haven’t found the one who set up the curse formation?”

Feng Tianzong shook his head. “Wang Anzhi still hasn’t shown his face. I think he’s probably still unconscious. As for whether the one who cast the curse will appear, that’s unknown.”

Huo Fenghua grew a little gloomy. “Have people keep an eye on whether Pan Yuanjun’s been going in and out of the Wang residence lately.”

Feng Tianzong looked at him. “Don’t keep involving yourself in this.”

“Once I’m gone,” Huo Fenghua said, “I won’t even be able to ask.”

“No matter what happens between us and the Wang family,” Feng Tianzong said, brushing his hair aside, “you go live well. Don’t come back.”

Huo Fenghua lowered his gaze. “Okay.”

Just then, Qingqing brought in the medicine. She handed the bowl to Feng Tianzong, then took out a small dish of candied fruit.

Huo Fenghua said to Qingqing, “Thanks for the trouble, Sister Qingqing. Go rest.”

Qingqing nodded, and as she left, she reached back to close the door.

Feng Tianzong held the bowl and touched the surface of the medicine with his lips. “Qingqing waited until it cooled before bringing it.”

Huo Fenghua sat up. “Qingqing’s a good maid.”

Feng Tianzong brought the bowl to his mouth. “Will you drink it yourself, or do you want me to feed you?”

Huo Fenghua took it. “I’ll drink it myself.” He hated bitterness, so he held his breath, tipped his head back, and gulped the whole bowl down without giving himself a chance to hesitate.

When he finished, he set the bowl aside and exhaled lightly. A thin trail of medicine ran from the corner of his lips.

Feng Tianzong lifted a hand and gently wiped it away.

Huo Fenghua frowned. “Bitter.”

Feng Tianzong picked up a piece of candied fruit and fed it into his mouth. Then he took the empty bowl to the table inside the room and said, “Sleep early. I’ll stay here with you tonight.”

Huo Fenghua sat cross-legged on the bed, shoulders slumped. He looked up at Feng Tianzong. “Stay with me for what? Go back and stay with Senior Brother.”

Feng Tianzong returned to sit by the bed. “He’s worried about you too. I’m staying. Sleep. Don’t mind me.”

Huo Fenghua studied him for a long moment, then lay down toward the inner side of the bed. “Then lie down.”

Feng Tianzong did as he said, lay down, and pulled him into his arms. He kissed Huo Fenghua’s forehead and murmured, “Go to sleep.”

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