Don't be a Kept Man

Chapter 57: Mutiny

The temperature had been dropping drastically in a short amount of time. A few days ago, it was still possible to dress without any extra layers, but now even when you talk, you would breath out visible puffs of air. Chen Miao Ping was cozying up underneath the blankets on the bed and couldn't help but sniff a few times. It was going to be completely painful when he has to patrol again as it will most likely be snowing in a few days.

The inside of the house was kept warm with a fireplace, and it was so warm that it made people sleepy. Fu Lin opened the door to bring the boiled medicine in and brought with her a breeze of cold frosty air. Xie Yu Zhi was originally sitting behind the desk, looking at his defensive plans, and he lifted his head up to ask,

"What did the physicians say?"

Fu Lin poured the hot herbal medicine into a celadon bowl and put it on the table.

She said,

"The physician said perhaps it was because Gu-Ye had worn too few layers these past days and a cold had seeped into his body. Thankfully it is not serious so there is no need for overly strong medicine. This prescription should be fairly mild and paired with a slow healing process in a warm environment, it should pass after a while."

Medical skills in the ancient eras were not great and a tiny cold could become the death of someone, so Chen Miao Ping was more rigorous than most in drinking the medicine on time. When he saw Xie Yu Zhi come in with the bowl, he was about to reach for it, but the other avoided his hands.

Chen Miao Ping: "???"

Xie Yu Zhi lifted up his robe before sitting down by the bed and explained,

"The bowl's too hot. I'll feed you."

Chen Miao Ping didn't believe it and his face unreservedly showed his suspicions,

"Yesterday's bowl was hot too. Why didn't you feed me then?"

Xie Yu Zhi didn't speak, only using a spoon to swirl around the dark liquid medicine. In the midst of the clangs of the spoon against the bowl, wisps of steam rose up. Until the temperature of the bowl started to cool down in his hands, Xie Yu Zhi finally smiled and said,

"You have helped me apply medicine so many times now. Just pretend that my conscience has finally appeared and I want to take care of you this once, ok?"

Chen Miao Ping chuckled in response. His long slender finger stroked his chin,

"Second Master is the first human being that said he would take care of me. But this medicine is just too bitter. I won't be able to take it one spoonful at a time, so I will drink it myself instead."

And then snatched the bowl of medicine away from Xie Yu Zhi's hands and chugged it all down in one go.

Xie Yu Zhi didn't mind it and instead took the empty bowl back to set it aside. He switched to a different topic at hand,

"The emissaries from the Liao Empire will be leaving tonight. And that Grand Military Commissioner, Sun Tong...... He will soon pass the armies under his management over to my father."

Chen Miao Ping didn't understand why Xie Yu Zhi was telling him this and thought about it before saying,

"These past few days, His Majesty should have made him hand back his tally, but he's only been making many excuses to delay it. He must not be willing to give up all that military power in his heart."

"......He is indeed not willing from the bottom of his heart."

Xie Yu Zhi contemplatively looked out the window. He had wanted to see that Chinese Parasol tree planted in the courtyard, but the window was tightly shut due to the cold outside. There was nothing to see and so he gave up.