Binding Spring Love

"Ordinary people suffer from deep-seated injuries that are difficult to treat, but you are the ruler of a country, with the best doctors in Dongning at your disposal. How could they not cure your old ailments?"

Song Wan walked to Shen Qianyu's side, took his hand, and said softly, "In the past, you were stubborn and unwilling to cooperate with the imperial physicians in using acupuncture and medicinal diets to recuperate. Now that you're older, do you realize how serious this matter is?"

Song Wan joked, "You'll never know the pain until the knife touches your own skin."

"From today onwards, I will have Physician Xu administer acupuncture to you daily, and Physician Fu prepare medicinal meals for you. With this care for several years, you should be mostly recovered."

"Really?"

"nature."

Holding Shen Qianyu's hand, Song Wan lowered her eyes and said, "Everyone who is born must die. You can't force your lifespan. Relax and don't worry about it every day."

In his early years in Nanqing, his health deteriorated significantly, and the battle of Suhe added many new injuries. In recent years, his physical discomfort has become more and more obvious, which has made her very anxious.

However, Song Wan knew that birth, aging, sickness, and death were inevitable and inescapable, so she was not insistent on having Shen Qianyu seek any way to achieve immortality.

Instead of worrying about your health every day, it's better to let go of your worries and regain your peace of mind.

"When a person is at ease, their health will improve significantly."

She gently smoothed out the wrinkles in Shen Qianyu's clothes and said with a smile, "Besides, I know you care about me and wouldn't be willing to leave me alone first, so I never worry about these things, and you don't need to worry either."

Shen Qianyu is timid yet clingy, and in recent years he has become increasingly obsessed with her, searching the entire harem for her if she is not seen for even a short while.

Thinking of his appearance, Song Wan felt a pang of sadness, but her tenderness only intensified.

He was neglected and unloved in his childhood, which made him resilient and strong-willed. However, as he grew older, he became more childlike.

Sometimes she even felt that the other person was more like a child than Shen Shiyan and Shen Shixiao.

"I will not. I will never abandon Wan'er and leave her behind in this lifetime."

After saying this, Shen Qianyu seemed to have gained some strength and was no longer as listless and powerless as before.

"There's nothing I can't do once I've set my mind on something in my life. Just watch, Wan'er, I'll definitely be able to walk behind you."

Shen Qianyu stood up, as if he had returned to his childhood when he was isolated and helpless in Nanqing.

He is the kind of person who becomes more determined the more difficult the road ahead.

From that day on, Shen Qianyu followed Song Wan's arrangements every day, having the imperial physician treat his knees with acupuncture in the morning and evening, and his diet mainly consisted of warm and nourishing medicinal meals.

Whether it was the imperial physician's treatment that worked or the renewed spirit that sustained him, Shen Qianyu's health gradually improved.

When Shen Shiyan was just over ten years old, Shen Qianyu had been taking him under his wing and nurturing him. Now that Shen Shiyan had just come of age, he hastily abdicated in favor of his son and settled into the role of the retired emperor.

On the day the new emperor ascended the throne, the happiest person was not Shen Shiyan, but Shen Qianyu, who had finally gained his freedom.

"My responsibilities in this life have been fulfilled. From this day forward, I can finally live peacefully with Wan'er, enjoying the simple pleasures of life, tasting the finest grains, and living a carefree and blissful life."

Shen Qianyu tossed the soft pillows he was used to on the phoenix bed in Chang Le Palace into a chest, and then reached out to remove the curtains hanging on the bed.

Song Wan looked at his actions helplessly and said, "What use is this thing if you take it away? The courtyard is cramped, and it doesn't fit the size of the canopy bed in the house. Even if you take it there, you can't use it."

"It's alright, I'll trim it."

"Mother, let Father go as he pleases. Father will eventually be relieved of his burdens and is in high spirits right now."

"Xiao'er is right."

Shen Shixiao stood aside with a slight smile, watching his father busy himself.

He has now grown into a handsome young man, and his mere presence commands respect. Although he is young, one rarely senses the youthful exuberance and arrogance of a typical teenager.

Shen Qianyu often said that Shen Shixiao was just like Song Wan, and that he was steeped in the scholarly atmosphere even at a young age.

"My brother has not yet arrived; he must be feeling aggrieved."

"While I'm away, you start badmouthing me to Father and Mother?"

Shen Shiyan entered from outside, crossed his arms, and leaned against the side.

He was tall and slender, even taller than Shen Qianyu by half a palm's width.

Shang Rong once said that the child they had raised together should be a promising and energetic person, but as Shen Shiyan grew up, he exuded a sinister charm that Shen Qianyu had when he was young.

He was alright in his childhood, but after he ascended the throne, his eyes became cold and sharp, quite different from when he was a child, which was quite frightening.

Zhao Nanzhang once said that this was the natural face of an emperor, but Song Wan felt that Zhao Nanzhang doted on Yan'er too much, so much so that she could not find anything wrong with him.

"Has Your Majesty not felt wronged?"

Shen Shixiao smiled slightly, and Shen Shiyan snorted softly upon seeing this.

His father and mother were determined to move out of the palace to live in a separate courtyard, but he refused no matter what. They opened a relatively quiet courtyard in a secluded part of the palace and persuaded him for a long time before they finally decided to stay in the palace to live out their old age.

Shen Shiyan knew that his father was trying to completely relinquish power.

Since the emperor had left the pinnacle of power, he had no intention of interfering in politics anymore, which was also to allow him to be a ruler in peace.

But for Shen Shiyan, he was an emperor, and also the child of his father and mother. How could his imperial status stand up to the bond of blood?

Thinking of this, Shen Shiyan said, "Of course I feel wronged, but knowing that I can't get my father's affection even if I feel wronged, I can only swallow this grievance and grieve in secret."

Shen Qianyu paused in packing up the boxes and cages, then turned back and gave Shen Shiyan a disgusted look.

Upon seeing this, Shen Shiyan and Shen Shixiao immediately burst into laughter.

They have always been very close brothers, and they have never had any disagreements with each other since they grew up.

Shen Shiyan was unwilling for Shen Qianyu and his brother to move out of the palace, partly because he was reluctant to part with his younger brother Tong Wanxiao and the several old concubines in the harem.

These people had watched him and his brother grow up together; if they both went to another palace, he would truly be all alone.

With his father and mother remaining in the palace, he felt as if his family had not yet been separated.

Who says emperors are heartless?

If you ask him, there are also people in the royal family who are sentimental.

After moving the things to the courtyard, Shen Qianyu held Song Wan's hand and walked leisurely behind.

The courtyard has reserved rooms for Shang Rong, Shen Shiyan, Shen Shixiao, and others. It's likely that only Wan Xiaojirong and Hengzhi will stay with them long-term.

"Your humble servant has met you..."

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Wan Xiao and Ji Rong were about to kneel down to pay their respects, but Shen Shiyan quickly stepped forward and helped them up.

"I cannot accept such a gift from you two."

He and Shen Shixiao were pampered by these two people, who were also their teachers, friends, masters, and servants. How could he possibly accept their respect?

Ji Rong wanted to kneel again, but Shen Qianyu said, "In this courtyard, let's skip these formalities."

I'm an old man, I really can't handle this kind of thing anymore.

"Give this chest to me. I've prepared some hot water for you masters. Please go and rest."

The speaker was a young eunuch named Liu Yao who was following Ji Rong. He was a close attendant of Shen Shiyan and also a disciple personally trained by Ji Rong.

He was intelligent and quick-witted, and before long, he had taken the trunk and placed it in the room.

Wan Xiao and the others entered the room. Shen Qianyu glanced at his bedroom with Song Wan and smiled faintly.

Just by looking at this house, you can tell that Shen Shiyan put a lot of thought into it.

His son knew he was unwell and sensitive to the cold. So a heating system was built under the courtyard, and now the floor is heated, making the room warm as spring. The chill he picked up on his way from Chang Le Palace quickly dissipated upon entering the room.

"This house is nice; it's small yet exquisite, and it won't be cold in winter."

Song Wan looked at Shen Shiyan and smiled kindly.

Her face was no longer as beautiful as it had been in her youth, and there were faint lines between her eyebrows and eyes, but Shen Qianyu still felt his heart flutter when he saw her.

"You young ones, please stay and have a simple meal together. After today, Mr. Mo will not bother you here again."

Pointing to the few young people in the room, Shen Qianyu spoke calmly.

Shen Shiyan and Shen Shixiao didn't react much, but Liu Yao and Wan Xiao's godson Cui Xing, who had been adopted years ago, responded respectfully.

After everyone finished their meal, they left one by one. Shen Qianyu and Song Wan went back inside to rest, but Cui Xing stood beside Wan Xiao, her voice filled with concern: "It's still chilly now, Father, why don't you go inside and rest?"

Wan Xiao lay on a recliner, basking in the sun with his eyes closed.

After a long pause, he asked, "The two sons of the Li family went to Nanqing some time ago. Have they arrived safely?"

"We've arrived and settled in Nanqing."

"Would godfather like me to offer some secret assistance?"

"No need."

"No need..."

Upon hearing this, Cui Xing raised her head slightly, wondering why her adoptive father had stopped protecting the Li family today.

After he was brought to Wan Xiao's side to take over the Eastern Depot, Cui Xing often heard him talk about the Li family.

Sometimes it was to lend a helping hand to clear the way for Li Chengzhu's official career, sometimes it was to find a teacher for Li's eldest son, or other trivial matters.

He had secretly investigated this family and found that they had no connection with any powerful families in the court, nor did they have any relationship with his adoptive father.

As far as he knew, his adoptive father had not left the palace for many years and had never met anyone from the Li family. Yet, he would occasionally receive one or two orders from Wan Xiao to deal with matters related to this family.

What surprised him most was that a few years ago, when he had just come to Wan Xiao's side, his adoptive father suddenly asked him to deal with a garrison commander in the capital.

"What about Li Zhenniang?"

"Li Shizhenniang..."

Cui Xing was taken aback by Wan Xiao's question and was unable to answer for a moment.

That was the first time Cui Xing had heard the name of the Li family from Wan Xiao.

"Go and investigate, then make proper arrangements."

Wan Xiao left him with only this sentence before sending him to settle Li Shizhenniang.

He didn't understand his adoptive father's meaning at the time, but after examining him closely, he realized that the garrison commander of the capital was Li's husband. He appeared generous and righteous to outsiders, seemingly a virtuous person, but in reality, he was a gambling addict and utterly despicable.

He secretly used all of Li's dowry to pay off her gambling debts and even forced Li to ask her maternal clan for money.

Li's mother, feeling sorry for her daughter, gave her the pearls several times, and even gave her half a box of pearls.

But the garrison commander not only showed no gratitude, but his appetite grew even larger, and he often punched and kicked Li, which was very vicious.

Later, Cui Xing secretly dealt with Li's husband, and soon Li was divorced and sent home with her two daughters.

Since then, his godfather would ask about this family every year or two, and he still does so today.

"Once they go to Nanqing, it's beyond our control. Even the Eastern Depot can't extend its reach that far."

Wan Xiao stood up, and Cui Xing quickly stepped forward to help him into the house.

Shen Qianyu and Wan Xiao settled down in the courtyard. Over the years, Song Wan had learned a lot of medical skills from the Imperial Physician in order to take care of Shen Qianyu.

She usually performed the acupuncture and massage. Shen Qianyu was initially a little reluctant, but Song Wan insisted, so he let her do it.

Once inside the courtyard, time seemed to stand still.

The two of them got up early and went for a walk in the Imperial Garden. When they got tired, they went back to the courtyard to rest, or had lunch with Wan Xiaohengzhi and the others.

Occasionally, Shang Rong, Zhao Nanzhang, and others would come over, and the group would enjoy tea and play chess together to pass the time.

During the years that Shen Qianyu lived in the courtyard, he took good care of his health, which made Song Wan feel much more relaxed.

Shen Shiyan was increasingly exuding imperial majesty, and when he occasionally came to the courtyard to dine with the two of them, he would often reveal a solemn expression. Song Wan wondered if something had happened in the previous dynasty, but neither she nor Shen Qianyu bothered to ask.

Now that the country had been handed over to him, the couple believed that Shen Shiyan could manage it well.

When Song Yuning passed away, Shen Qianbai returned to Dongning once, both to report the death and to express his intention to return Nanqing.

Song Wan didn't know how Qianbai and Yan'er discussed it; she only knew that Xiao'er returned to Nanqing with Qianbai not long afterward.

When Song Wan learned of her aunt's death and left the capital with Shen Shixiao, she didn't shed a tear. However, one autumn day, Shen Qianyu suddenly caught a cold and fell seriously ill, which made her eyes red for several days.

It was just a common cold, but Shen Qianyu dragged it out for a long time without getting better.

Song Wan was anxious inside, but she never showed it on her face.

"Taking medicine again today?"

"The last bowl."

Shen Qianyu frowned: "You said the same thing yesterday."

"Really? I don't remember."

As Song Wan spoke, she handed the bowl of medicine in her hand to Shen Qianyu and then fed him the medicine spoonful by spoonful.

"bitter……"

"You, the little prince, have never uttered a single complaint about the bitterness of your medicine, so why are you complaining?"

Song Wan fed Shen Qianyu the lukewarm medicine again, and then remained silent.

Knowing that she was angry with him for not protecting his body and was deliberately feeding him the bitter medicine bit by bit, Shen Qianyu dared not say anything more and could only grit his teeth and swallow it down.

"Will you dare to drink in the courtyard wearing only your underwear next time?"

"I won't dare to do it again."

"I really don't dare."

Song Wan picked out a candied plum from the porcelain jar and put it into Shen Qianyu's mouth. Shen Qianyu, embarrassed, held it in his mouth without daring to utter a single word of objection.

"Wan'er, you have gray hairs at your temples."

Shen Qianyu looked up and suddenly noticed that Song Wan had many silver strands at her temples. He stared at them blankly, as if he was very surprised.

"It's not like it just appeared today, why are you making such a fuss?"

"Besides, how old are we? It would be even more surprising if we didn't have any gray hair."

Shen Qianyu stared blankly at Song Wan standing in the sunlight and said, "But in my heart, Wan'er has always been that aloof and beautiful figure standing in the moonlight in the villa on the outskirts of the capital."

"That was true then, and it is true now."

"Then get well soon. Once you're fully recovered, take me back to the villa in the outskirts of Beijing. I want to go there and see the moonlight from that day again, and hear you say once more that you've had a smooth journey and met a good man."

Shen Qianyu tilted his head back, a hint of a smile in his eyes: "Alright, I'll definitely take Wan'er back to the villa in the outskirts of the capital again..."