Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 101 Reluctant to say goodbye
Aisha was unconscious and did not ask on the spot "Who are you and why are you pretending to be my sister", which made everything go more smoothly. Doctor Qiu also became a witness to this interracial brother and sister and did not have any suspicion.

Tan Huaike simply went along with the situation and said, "Brother Wang, I'm here. The Third Prince of Daxuan and Captain Ling have taken me into the pass. You must hold on and get better. I'm still waiting for you to marry me."

"You..." Listening to her words, Aisha gradually came to his senses, with a hint of hesitation on his face.

"Look, my brother," Tan Huaike said, deliberately bringing the sapphire beads on his wrist to his eyes. "This journey has been full of hardships and dangers, but fortunately we have overcome them safely. It must be because of Mother and the Monroe Goddess who are protecting us."

When Aisha saw the beads, she understood what he meant and nodded with all her might, trying to hide her loneliness after waking up.

He remembered that Alan had died.

He had a rough idea of ​​who this person was. He didn't know why she'd changed her mind, nor what their full plan was, but the marriage could proceed, and he couldn't allow himself to weaken.

Then Tan Huaike told him the method of blood-crossing and asked him if he was willing to take the risk.

Aisha patted her hands and said, "It's useless to delay any longer. Let the doctor do what he wants." He turned to look at Fu Feng, seeming a little surprised, "It turned out to be you..."

Fu Feng was once Mo He's court physician, and the two were obviously old acquaintances.

With his approval, Fu Feng began to prepare for the blood-making. Doctor Qiu, while muttering things like "it's against the will of heaven" and "it's audacious," stood by anxiously, watching how he would perform this method.

Fu Feng was not in a hurry to transfer blood, but first screened someone suitable to transfer blood to Aisha.

In his attempts, he found that Shentu Zhuo's blood could mix with Aisha's, but Lingchuan's could not. He then asked several soldiers of the Zhenxi Army to prick the blood with needles, and finally chose Shentu Zhuo and another soldier to give Aisha's blood first.

Fu Feng asked the others to step aside and only left Doctor Qiu to accompany him in case of emergency.

Two hours later, Fu Feng emerged exhausted. To care for Aisha and deal with any emergencies, he planned to stay at Rusheng Clinic for the time being. Doctor Qiu emerged thoughtfully, hurriedly searching for medical books, and asked his apprentice to prepare pen and ink for him to record his recent observations.

Before leaving the clinic, Tan Huaike went to visit Aisha again.

He slept soundly and his face looked a little rosier. It seemed that the blood-transfusion method had taken effect.

Although this man was scheming and had previously been testing and exploiting her, Tan Huaike understood his difficulties and sincerely hoped that Aisha would recover quickly. Princess Alan would surely hope that her brother would shoulder their shared mission and bring Mo He a new life.

When we returned to the county magistrate's office, it was already dawn.

Shentu Zhuo escorted Tan Huaike to the window and crossed his arms, signaling, "Your Highness, this is the end of the escort. You can return to your room without anyone noticing."

Tan Huaike held onto the windowsill, but remained motionless. Suddenly, she turned around, lifted the black gauze curtain, and cupped his cheek with her hands, examining him closely.

Shen Tu Zhuo was stunned for a moment: "What?"

Tan Huaike said worriedly, "After giving the eldest prince blood at the clinic, I always felt that your complexion was not very good. I am afraid that you will be like those rabbits that Fu Feng mentioned, giving too much blood to others and exhausting your own body. That would be a waste of time and effort."

"I... I'm not a rabbit, how could I be easily drained?" Shen Tu Zhuo was incoherent after being touched by her. "I was just a little nervous when the blood was taken. After all, I was watching my own blood flow out with my own eyes... Actually, it wasn't that long, and I didn't feel any discomfort. It's just that it was too easy for that guy..."

"You look much better now." Feeling the warmth on his hand, Tan Huaike breathed a sigh of relief. "Your face looks a lot rosier too. Eh? Why is it so hot? Do you have a fever? Is it painful anywhere?" "Alright, stop..." Shen Tuzhuo quickly grabbed her wrist to stop her from groping his forehead. He sighed helplessly, "I'm really fine. You haven't slept all night. Go back and rest."

Tan Huaike pulled his hand back, leaned lightly on the windowsill, and said with a smile, "Thank you."

Shentu Zhuo raised an eyebrow: "Because I gave him my blood? Are you thanking me for that prince?"

Tan Huaike shook his head: "Thank you for always staying with me."

"So you're reluctant to let me go?" Shen Tu Zhuo leaned against the window, looking as if he was teasing her, but he couldn't help but move closer and stared deeply into her eyes.

"Yeah, I can't bear to leave." Tan Huaike looked back at him, "You will go find me, right?"

The two of them had a tacit understanding about the upcoming separation.

When Aisha's injury recovers, Tan Huaike will follow the marriage team to Andu as a princess, while Shentu Zhuo will stay in Zhangye for the time being and plant the "Qianjin Canal" on the scroll in the fields to pave the way for his own recommendation and entry into officialdom.

The future is uncertain and there are many obstacles to overcome.

Thinking of this, Shentu Zhuo almost couldn't control his desire to hold her in his arms, but Tan Huaike had already jumped sideways into the house and slowly closed the window.

Shen Tu Zhuo looked at her longingly as she faded into the haze, and promised, "Wait for me, I will definitely come find you, no matter what your status is, no matter where you are."

Tan Huaike's hand paused, and after a while, a thin window separated them.
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After the bleeding, Aisha was no longer weak and drowsy, and his wounds gradually healed. However, Fufeng and Doctor Qiu both said that if he wanted to go to Andu to meet His Majesty safely, he would have to recuperate for another ten days.

Princess Mo He was of noble status and rarely appeared in public. People only needed to know that such a person was temporarily residing in the prefectural governor's mansion. Unless it was absolutely necessary, she was not required to attend in person. Therefore, the day after returning to the city, Tan Huaike took off her attire and returned to her ordinary life as the eldest lady of the Shentu family.

Before leaving for Andu, she only had a few days left to set up her shop.

The one who was even more troubled than her was Shentu Zhuo.

After the year-end sacrifice, he became famous in the four counties with a scroll of "Qianjin Canal". The governor of Chi County then gave him full authority to dig the canal. Anyone with a discerning eye could see that he wanted to take the path of recommendation.

Old Madam Shentu was not blind, so she naturally understood his thoughts.

The quarrel in the mansion had been brewing for many days and should have broken out long ago, but Shentu Zhuo was busy looking for someone outside the city, visiting the county magistrate's mansion, and supervising the construction of the Qianjin Canal. He was so busy that he was nowhere to be found. After finally catching him, the old lady immediately locked the door and took him to the ancestral hall for interrogation.

There were only five people in the ancestral hall. The candles on the altar illuminated the old lady's solemn face. Shentu Zhuo knelt before the tablets of his ancestors and his father and brother. Tan Huaike and Shentu Ji stood on both sides with their heads bowed. Old Lady Liao held a rattan stick in her hand and served beside the old lady.

As Shentu Heng's new wife, Tan Huaike was at least a relative of the mansion. On weekdays, they lived in separate courtyards and did not disturb each other. However, when faced with such a major event that concerned the fate of the family, he still took her along.

Then there was a shocking quarrel.
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　Next chapter: Anyone can plead for me, except you.

　　(End of this chapter)