Scum Consort

chapter 51

"How is he ?" Zixuan asks the old man. The old man is the healer of xingching village near Xiang lake.

"Weak. But his highness was on time. He will survive. But he needs a mother to breastfeed him." The old man replies softly.

Zixuan breathes a sigh of relief. "Is there anyone who can breastfeed him in this village?"

The healer nods. "I gave noble consort the information. But ... It would be better if his highness discuss it with noble consort."

Yuzu caresses Zhan's tiny forehead in a daze. He still can't believe that he found Zhan this way. For one moment he thought that he lost Zhan forever when they carried Zhan's motionless body all the way to Xingching village.

"Yuzu !"

Yuzu looks up hearing Zixuan's tired voice. For a second Zixuan sounded like a sixty year old.

"He is fine." Yuzu whispers.

Zixuan slowly sits beside Yuzu "Healer said he needs someone to breastfeed him ?"

Yuzu nods "There is two woman in this village. One became mother just two months ago , living happily with her family. And there is another woman, I want her to do the work. But the healer isn't very willing .." 

Zixuan frowns. "Why ?"

"She became mother just one month ago. But her little girl has crippled legs. So her husband left her for another woman and somehow the villagers have boycotted her."

Yuzu sighs "If we take her to the palace... She and her child will have a better place to live and that way we will have a permanent solution for Zhan."

"Is there any health related reason for the healer's unwillingness?"

Yuzu shakes his head "people here a bit ... They don't like a woman who can't keep her husband. He hasn't even mentioned the mother's name. It's like that woman whose husband has left her.."

Zixuan nods. "I will send some people to search for her. She is a better choice in this case."

Yuzu nods happily.

Zixuan looks at Yuzu's happy face but he doesn't smile. "So ....  It was not a dream ?"

Yuzu blinks. "Huh ?"

"Zhan , Ze-min, you , I .. all those were not just a dream and you knew about this all this time ?"

Yuzu looks at Zhan's sleeping face. When he pulled Zhan out of the grave,his face was blue. It's better now. He nods "yes , I knew."

"Why didn't you tell me ? don't you trust me ?" Zixuan asks disturbed.

"I didn't know how to tell you. You said it was a dream. And .. I thought you wouldn't trust me if I suddenly said that it was all true."

Zixuan covers his face with his both palms. "I am so confused Yuzu. I don't know what is happening ? How long ? Since when did you know it ?"

"I knew my side of the story since the abandoned chamber and your side of the story since the day you told me."

"So, we both travelled back in time ?" Zixuan asks to confirm.

"I died and it's my rebirth. You travelled back from the dungeon, I guess."

Zixuan blinks. He stays silent for sometimes. "Y..yeah , I guess. I will go get the mother. You take care of him."

***

Afreen paces in her room restlessly. Something is not adding up. Every time his highness has left the palace for Xiang lake, he always comes back before morning court. Then why is he not here this time ? Does he want everyone to know that he is missing with his scum consort ?