After getting married, she spent every night alone in her room; when she asked for a divorce, he kne

Blurry images flickered before her eyes, seemingly real yet unreal, half-true and half-false. Liu Yuansheng tried hard to grasp those images, to piece them together into a complete story, but her mind was too muddled; the more she thought, the more confused she became.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Liu Yuansheng's eyes darting around as she stared at his hand, Xiao Jinghan asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"

Liu Yuansheng blinked quickly.

"What do you want to say?" Xiao Jinghan asked.

Liu Yuansheng hesitated for a moment, then pointed to Xiao Jinghan's hand.

Xiao Jinghan was taken aback. He clearly understood Liu Yuansheng's actions, but he did not respond.

Liu Yuansheng assumed that Xiao Jinghan did not understand, so she pointed to Xiao Jinghan's fingertip again.

This time, Xiao Jinghan remained even more silent.

Liu Yuansheng tried her best to express herself clearly. She scratched her hair, letting the strands linger on her fingertips, and then looked at Xiao Jinghan with anticipation.

Xiao Jinghan was slightly surprised.

He quickly concealed the surprise in his eyes, smiled, and prepared to find an excuse to steer the conversation away. Just then, Ying'er entered, carrying a food box, and said cheerfully, "Miss, come and eat! The Old Madam ordered the kitchen to prepare a delicious and nutritious medicinal meal, gentle and nourishing, perfect for you!"

Xiao Jinghan ended the conversation, stood up, and said, "You eat first, I'll go check on Yan'er, and I'll come back later."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuansheng had no choice but to give up, blinked, and watched Xiao Jinghan leave.

Even though her stomach was empty and she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for three days, only keeping herself afloat with medicine, Liu Yuansheng still had no appetite and could only eat half a bowl of bird's nest rice porridge before she couldn't eat anymore.

After that, she slept in a daze. During this time, Nanny Li came to visit her with Yan'er in her arms. As soon as Yan'er cried, Nanny Li hurriedly took him away.

Liu Yuansheng's condition fluctuated. As night fell, his throat became increasingly painful. At first, he could still speak, but later he couldn't even make a sound, as if he had become mute. This frightened Ying'er so much that she cried and begged to see Xiao Jinghan. When Xiao Jinghan found out, he immediately ordered someone to go to the palace to invite Physician Xue.

Physician Xue was over forty years old and had served two emperors. He was a man who had experienced many ups and downs. But when he saw Liu Yuansheng with her eyes open and in a conscious state, he stared at Liu Yuansheng's face for a very long time. So long that Xiao Jinghan couldn't help but remind him, "Physician Xue, you can begin to treat the patient."

"Oh, okay, okay." Physician Xue blushed, hurriedly opened his medicine box, took out a pulse pillow, and took Liu Yuansheng's pulse.

Liu Yuansheng sat leaning against the headboard the whole time, her eyes lowered, staring at the imperial physician's fingers pressing on her pulse. After a while, Imperial Physician Xue removed his hand, revealing a goatee, and said, "The Third Young Madam's condition is caused by internal heat rising upwards, scorching her throat. Dryness in the lungs and stomach is obstructing the vocal cords, hence the pain in her throat and difficulty in speaking."

"Was it caused by the wound on your neck?" Xiao Jinghan asked.

"Not entirely," said Physician Xue. "Let me adjust the prescription for the Third Young Mistress and give her a thorough recuperation for half a month, and she may be fine."

"Then I'll have to trouble Physician Xue."

Physician Xue nodded, stood up, and bowed to Xiao Jinghan, saying, "Then, this humble official will take his leave."

"Physician Xue, this way please."

Physician Xue hurriedly picked up his medicine box. Before leaving, he couldn't help but glance at Liu Yuansheng one more time before following Xiao Jinghan away.

The moon hung high in the sky, and the Agarwood Courtyard was utterly quiet. Xiao Jinghan led Physician Xue into the courtyard, stopped, and asked, "Physician Xue, what happened to you just now?"

Xue Chong was Xiao Ruowei's confidant and had a very close relationship with Xiao Jinghan. Upon hearing this, he openly confided in Xiao Jinghan, "So alike, so very alike, like an old friend."

"Like what?" Xiao Jinghan asked, "Her mother?"

"Yes." Xue Chong sighed deeply, placed his hands in front of him, and looked up at the moon in the sky. "Such a talented, beautiful, virtuous, and pure person is truly unforgettable. What's more, she was skilled in medicine and her medical skills were superb. Although she was a woman, during her tenure as head of the Imperial Medical Academy, no one dared to disobey her."

"My grandmother often said Bai Yinzhu was a very good person," Xiao Jinghan said. "Her death seemed suspicious."

Upon hearing this, Xue Chong lowered his head and said, "The tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind." He then sighed softly, "Young Master, I couldn't say much while I was inside, but the Third Young Mistress's health is really not good."

"I noticed you were being secretive in there," Xiao Jinghan said. "Tell me, what happened to her?"

Xue Chong clicked his tongue and said, "The Third Young Mistress has accumulated a lot of depression and her mind is damaged. Judging from the symptoms, she must have suffered a great shock or a heartbreaking event in the past. The depression has lingered for a long time, disturbing her mind and soul, and making it difficult for her to control her emotions."

"As for her voice, it's mostly due to emotional distress, making it difficult for her to speak. As the saying goes, a mental illness requires a mental cure, and I can't guarantee that I can cure her voice."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghan raised his head and looked towards Liu Yuansheng's bedroom.

The bedroom was brightly lit by candlelight, and Liu Yuansheng's slender figure was reflected on the window, lonely like a departing ghost.

She was so calm, so enigmatic, that it was unsettling.

"Treat her however you see fit. Whether she can be cured or not is up to fate." Then, Xiao Jinghan said, "As for her mental illness, she has to explain it herself before anyone else can help her."

Xue Chong nodded. "That's the only way."

After seeing Xue Chong off, Xiao Jinghan returned to Liu Yuansheng's room and saw that Liu Yuansheng was still sitting quietly on the edge of the bed. He couldn't help but ask, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Liu Yuansheng was lost in thought when she heard Xiao Jinghan's voice. She looked up and pointed towards the door.

"You asked about Physician Xue? He's already gone." Xiao Jinghan sat on a round stool beside Liu Yuansheng's bed. "Physician Xue said your throat is fine. Just take a few doses of medicine and rest for a while, and you'll be fine."

Liu Yuansheng remained silent.

She understood her own body and naturally realized that Xiao Jinghan was lying.

But not being able to speak isn't so bad. Anyway, she doesn't talk much in her daily life and isn't good at interacting with others, so it's fine for her to just stay quietly.

He smiled at Xiao Jinghan, clasped his hands together, placed them on the side of his face, and tilted his head slightly.

Xiao Jinghan's eyes lit up as he followed Liu Yuansheng's movements. "Are you going to sleep? No, you're asking me if I'm going to sleep or not?"

Liu Yuansheng blinked.

Xiao Jinghan: "Yes, it's getting late, let's get some rest."

He had barely finished speaking when Ying'er walked in from the outer room and asked, "Young Master, would you like the bed rocked tonight?"

Xiao Jinghan looked at her questioningly, "A rocking bed?"

"Yes," Ying'er said, "It's been a long time since I've rocked a rock."

It's been a long time since I've rocked it.

But is that the point?

Xiao Jinghan looked at Liu Yuansheng, this brainless maid who only knew how to eat, with some disdain, and said, "Your mistress is still sick, why are you shaking her?"

"Oh, then we won't shake it." Ying'er shrank her neck. "Is the young master still resting in the east wing? I've already made the bed."

Xiao Jinghan pondered for a moment before making a decision, just as a servant outside announced, "Third Young Master, Third Young Madam, the Old Madam has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jinghan was taken aback. He took a few steps to Liu Yuansheng's bedside, took off his shoes, and slipped into Liu Yuansheng's quilt like a fish.

His foot accidentally snagged on Liu Yuansheng's dress, and Liu Yuansheng cried out and rolled into Xiao Jinghan's arms...