Marrying the Crown Prince

June arrived, and the weather grew even hotter. At the same time, Su and Cao Du's official letters arrived, roughly stating that he would come to Kyoto again in another month.

First, to offer sacrifices; second, to set a wedding date.

Zhou Zhou could clearly sense that Li Zixi would be getting married this year, because Emperor Chenze had already set the wedding date for the Fifth Prince, Li Zichen, for September, leaving only three months.

As a result, the palace staff of the Clothing Department and the Treasure Department were extremely busy making wedding dresses and phoenix crowns for imperial concubines and princesses.

Knowing that Li Zixi would be getting married soon, and that she would probably never be sad again in her life, Zhou Zhou felt a lot of sadness. But before she could grieve for long, Li Ziyan fell ill.

It turns out that the weather has been hot and humid lately, and with busy official duties, His Highness the Crown Prince was dressed lightly. So, whenever he was busy until the evening, a cool breeze would blow on him and he would get hot.

Recently, no one in the harem has been causing trouble, and the palace servants in the Eastern Palace have all been well-behaved. Zhou Zhou has been quite free, so when she heard that Li Ziyan had invited the imperial physician, she immediately packed her things and went to Changding Palace.

Li Ziyan sat on the bed, looking at the pillow, and fiddling with the beads in her hand. However, she looked listless and like a wilted blade of grass.

Zhou Zhou walked over and asked, "I heard that Your Highness is ill. What did the imperial physician say?"

"I caught a cold from the wind." When Li Ziyan saw his beloved arrive, he quickly sat up straight and then waved for him to leave. "Why did you come here? Go back quickly, or you'll catch something from me."

“Your Highness seems to be in good spirits. It seems that, as the imperial physician said, it is indeed a minor illness.” Zhou Zhou ignored what he was saying and moved a stool to sit in front of the bed. “However, even if it is a minor illness, you should still pay attention and get plenty of rest.”

Li Ziyan sighed silently and pointed to the memorials that had been moved from Mingde Hall, saying, "There are still these that haven't been approved today."

Zhou Zhou followed the direction he pointed and saw a dozen or twenty memorials on the table.

"It's only a dozen or so books. You can read them tomorrow," Zhou Zhou reassured him.

Li Ziyan nodded, "That's what I think too."

After all, the prescriptions written by imperial physicians usually have a calming effect, and after drinking them, people will become drowsy in no time.

The reason he's still sitting here is because the medicine is still being decocted; he hasn't drunk it yet.

"Where is Eunuch Changyi?" Zhou Zhou looked around and, confirming that the person who was always with Li Ziyan was not there, was somewhat puzzled.

“He’s brewing medicine,” Li Ziyan replied. “Why are you asking him why?”

"Naturally, I asked him about His Highness's health."

Li Ziyan gave Zhou Zhou a strange look, then hesitated to speak.

Zhou Zhou asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"Why don't you ask me about my health, but instead ask someone else?"

This is a good question.

Zhou Zhou leaned forward, and Li Ziyan quickly moved to the side to create distance between them, saying, "Stay away from me."

Zhou Zhou shrugged. "Does Your Highness think you'll tell me the truth?"

"This is different."

"What's the difference?"

"It's just different."

“Alright, it’s different then.” Zhou Zhou said, both amused and exasperated. “I believe what Your Highness said, and I know that Your Highness is afraid that I will pass on the illness.”

Li Ziyan gave a haughty snort, "Then why did you come over?"

"You've already summoned the imperial physician; how can I feel at ease if I don't come and check on things myself?"

"Besides, aren't you happy that I came here?" Zhou Zhou raised an eyebrow, her eyes smiling as she looked at Li Ziyan gently.

Li Ziyan was speechless.

He was indeed happy.

At this moment, Chang Yi came in carrying a bowl of pitch-black medicine.

The medicine was pitch black and had a bitter smell. Before long, the whole room could smell its aroma.

Although it doesn't smell bad, the taste is another story.

Zhou Zhou reached out and felt the temperature of the bowl, finding it to be just right. He said, "It's been cooled down for a while now, so it's just right. Your Highness, please drink it quickly."

Li Ziyan took it, closed his eyes, and downed it in one gulp.

The speed and decisiveness of their actions were astonishing.

Then, when it comes to taking medicine, it's best to see how others are taking it.

Look, His Highness the Crown Prince, who has always been gentle and elegant in front of the world, has a face that scrunched up after drinking the medicine, turning from green to white and then back to green again from the bitterness.

Zhou Zhou stuffed the candied fruit into his mouth, and the sweet and sour taste gradually dispelled the bitterness in his mouth. Only then did Li Ziyan's expression return to normal—another gentle and refined young master from a noble family.

After taking the medicine, he naturally couldn't sit upright anymore, so Zhou Zhou took the eighteen-bead string from his hand and said, "After taking the medicine, lie down for a while."

Li Ziyan understood this principle. Although she wasn't sleepy now, her eyelids would become heavy once the medicine took effect.

So he obediently lay back down.

Since she wasn't sleepy, Li Ziyan wanted to find something to do, and fearing that Zhou Zhou would be bored, she simply found some things for her to do as well.

"Zhouzhou, go and get a few of these folded documents," he said.

Zhou Zhou refused without hesitation, "You're in this state, and you still want to read memorials?"

“It’s not me who’s looking,” Li Ziyan shook his head, a glint of light flashing in his eyes, “it’s you who’s looking.”

ha?

Zhou Zhou was stunned.

"I can't sleep right now, and you're just sitting around doing nothing. Why don't you just finish reviewing the reports so they don't pile up until tomorrow?"

"Besides, I have other things to do tomorrow."

Li Ziyan's words made sense, and Zhou Zhou was tempted, but...

"Shall I take the pen?"

"Yes, go ahead and write, it's fine." He nodded firmly, his gaze deep, making one inexplicably uneasy.

Zhou Zhou blinked and declined, "No, if someone with ulterior motives finds out I read the memorial, it might not be good for Your Highness."

"Ha!" Li Ziyan chuckled, replying with considerable arrogance, "I'd like to know, which one of you here has the guts to spread this around?"

Chang Yi: "..."

He was drenched in sweat, and he was the only one serving him in the entire bedroom.

His words were so unreasonable, yet there was no reason to refute them, so Zhou Zhou remained silent.

Seeing her expression, Li Ziyan knew that she was willing, so he said loudly, "Changyi, move the table in front of the Crown Princess."

Zhou Zhou reached out and touched the folded paper. The bamboo paper was rough, yet it had a great attraction, causing her to breathe more heavily.

"Read it aloud," Li Ziyan urged.

Zhou Zhou unfolded the folded document, and what came into view was the neat and orderly style of the imperial calligraphy, with each page, each line, and each line of characters having the same number of characters, making it particularly pleasing to the eye. However, the content…

She read quickly, her brows furrowing as she said with a complex expression, "The handwriting is quite beautiful, and the language is very ornate. It's a thousand words long, a greeting to Father Emperor."

Therefore, the first thing she picked up was a greeting card.

"Okay, just write 'All is well'."

Zhou Zhou almost burst out laughing. It turned out that all that eloquent flattery he received was just a two-word reply.

Zhou Zhou opened the next book, and sure enough, it was another greeting letter of about a thousand words.

"It's a memorial to pay respects."

"Okay, then write 'Everything is fine' this time."

Zhou Zhou: "..."

It's pretty good; it has two more words than the previous one.