With Sima Qingsha no longer visiting Ninglu Palace, Luo Wei also lost his target for venting his anger. So, one of them spent each day in the study room, handling state affairs day and night, while the other remained in the Ninglu Palace recuperating from his injuries, remaining taciturn all day long. With this arrangement, these two people were safe, and Northern Yan Palace was also safe.
Only old eunuch Wang was dissatisfied with his current life. He had to report every detail of Luo Wei’s daily activities, what he said, what he ate, what he saw, to his lord. One sentence was enough to summarize the description of Luo Wei’s life: lying down to recuperate. But even if the old eunuch borrowed some courage, he dared not say it like that, so the worried old eunuch sought advice from Imperial Physician Chu.
“His Majesty won’t specifically ask the prince again for this kind of matter,” Imperial Physician Chu was more open-minded than the old eunuch, and instructed him, “Just say that the prince had a good day.”
“What do you mean by a ‘good’ day?” the old eunuch asked again.
“It means he ate a bit more, laughed a few times,” Imperial Physician Chu said. “Just say that.”
“Sir,” the old eunuch said, “are you teaching this servant to deceive the emperor?”
Imperial Physician Chu couldn’t afford to be labeled as a deceiver. He immediately lowered his face and said, “The prince is doing well now. Don’t you see that?”
Seeing Imperial Physician Chu angered by him, the old eunuch felt embarrassed and retreated to the side to think about it.
In the study room that night, Sima Qingsha saw the old eunuch and, as usual, asked, “How was he today?”
“My Lord,” the old eunuch didn’t know why, but at this moment, he felt that His Majesty was a bit pitiful.
“Is he angry again?” Sima Qingsha noticed the old eunuch’s strange expression and hurriedly asked, “Is he thinking of his eldest brother again?”
“N-No, he’s not,” the old eunuch hurriedly said, “My Lord laughed today.”
“He laughed? What made him laugh?”
“This servant doesn’t know, but My Lord said that the things in the room seemed to suit his taste,” the old eunuch, who couldn’t read a word, finally decided to tell lies. Besides, Luo Wei had no expression on his face and lay on the bed all day long. He felt that he could not live up to his long-lived master. His master was worried about someone who wouldn’t appreciate it. What kind of person couldn’t he get as an emperor? So why bother with Luo Wei? Wasn’t there anyone better than Luo Wei in this world? The old eunuch pitied Luo Wei at first, and now he pitied Sima Qingsha.
Hearing that Luo Wei had taken a liking to the items in Ninglu Palace, Sima Qingsha had someone move many rare items from the palace to Ninglu Palace the next day. Luo Wei pretended not to see them, but the old eunuch and his team were amazed. In Ninglu Palace, everything from food to clothing was the best in the palace. Even the servants serving there were thriving, becoming people who received the same pay as those serving around the emperor.
Luo Wei no longer cared about the sunrise and sunset, the passage of time. He woke up and opened his eyes, and when he felt tired, he closed them again. Sometimes, he would look out the window while lying in bed. If he could see the green leaves outside, Luo Wei would think, “So, it’s still summer.” Twelve hours in a day used to feel insufficient for Luo Wei, but now, a day was so unbearable for him that one day he asked Imperial Physician Chu, “How many hours are there in a day in Northern Yan?”
Imperial Physician Chu said, “There are twelve hours.”
Luo Wei sighed disappointedly and said, “Why do I feel like time passes so slowly?”
Imperial Physician Chu knew that although Luo Wei seemed obedient now, he still wanted to die, so he continued to persuade him earnestly.
“What can I do while I am alive?” After Imperial Physician Chu spoke at length, Luo Wei asked him another question.
Imperial Physician Chu was caught off guard by Luo Wei’s question. Yes, what could Luo Wei do while alive? Judging from his intentions, he wanted revenge. Thinking about Luo Wei seeking revenge against Sima Qingsha, Imperial Physician Chu shuddered. He couldn’t let these two quarrel anymore. If things escalated further, someone would definitely die.
“What else can I do?” This time, Luo Wei asked himself.
Imperial Physician Chu pondered with Luo Wei for a long time, but Luo Wei fell asleep, and Imperial Physician Chu couldn’t come up with an answer. It was best for this person to stay by Sima Qingsha’s side, but looking at the sleeping Luo Wei, even if the heavens and earth were turned upside down, this would be impossible. Imperial Physician Chu eventually felt that Sima Qingsha was bringing this upon himself. On this matter, Imperial Physician Chu surprisingly shared the same opinion as the old eunuch. Couldn’t he find anyone better than Luo Wei in the world? Luo Wei was indeed very good-looking, but besides him, were there no other beautiful young men in the world?
“If he has nothing to do, then find something for him to do,” the doctors at the imperial hospital were all concerned about Luo Wei. If something happened to this porcelain-like person, none of them could escape.
“What kind of task could we give him?” Imperial Physician Chu asked his colleagues.
So, the doctors brought many books for Luo Wei, but he didn’t even glance at them. They then had someone play music in Ninglu Hall, but Luo Wei got angry again.
Imperial Physician Chu decided to play chess with Luo Wei, but when Luo Wei glanced at the chessboard, he said, “I don’t know how to play.”
They exhausted all possible methods, but Luo Wei remained indifferent, with no desires or aspirations.
Finally, Imperial Physician Chu brought Yan’er in front of Luo Wei.
“Highness Gege!” Yan’er burst into tears when she saw Luo Wei and threw herself onto the bed.
Luo Wei wanted to get angry when he saw Yan’er, but he couldn’t, so he could only look at Imperial Physician Chu angrily.
“This girl has been neglected all along,” Imperial Physician Chu explained, “She has injuries too, but she refuses to let anyone see them. She cries to see her mother or to see you, Your Highness.”
“Why won’t you let people see your injuries?” Luo Wei furrowed his brows. For now, he put aside other matters and asked about Yan’er’s injuries.
“It hurts,” Yan’er cried.
“Nonsense,” scolded Luo Wei, “If you leave your injuries untreated, they will only get worse!”
Yan’er heard Luo Wei’s harsh tone and looked at Luo Wei timidly, wiping her tears away but not daring to say anything.
“Imperial Physician Chu,” Luo Wei turned to Imperial Physician Chu, “Could you please take a look at her injuries?”
“But he’s a man,” Yan’er whispered.
“What does gender have to do with seeking medical treatment?” Luo Wei’s patience with Yan’er had diminished somewhat. He instructed, “Be obedient!”
“What about you?” Yan’er asked Luo Wei.
“I won’t look at you,” Luo Wei pointed to the large coral screen in the room and said, “You can go with Imperial Physician Chu over there, alright?”
“Come on,” Imperial Physician Chu walked towards the screen with Yan’er. Bringing Yan’er was the right decision; at least Luo Wei was willing to speak a few more words for her sake.
From behind the screen came the sound of Yan’er crying in pain.
Luo Wei looked at the red lacquered column in the room; Mrs. Hu had died crashing into it. Now, he couldn’t return to Great Zhou either. It seemed that Yan’er would also grow old in Northern Yan. However, as a spy’s daughter, could Yan’er expect any kindness from the people of Northern Yan? Luo Wei felt troubled again. He himself had no hope, but Yan’er seemed to deserve a chance for a better life.
After Yan’er came out from behind the screen, her eyes red from crying, she went directly to Luo Wei’s bedside.
“Have some,” Luo Wei handed the candy box beside his pillow to Yan’er.
Imperial Physician Chu withdrew, leaving the two to talk alone.
This time, seeing the candy, Yan’er didn’t reach for it. Instead, she asked Luo Wei, “Highness Gege, why is my mother missing?”
Seeing the tears in the girl’s eyes and her expression of grievance, Luo Wei hugged Yan’er and whispered, “She went to see your father.”
Boundless Dao 
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