The Empress’ Livestream

They both kept silent, and the only surrounding sounds were from the gusts of strong wind and the hoofbeats as they hit the ground.

The doors of the city were wide open, and no one walked the streets. She headed for the door of the district manor by horse.

With her arms she carried him off the horse in a single action, and with divine sensing, White ran to her personal guard and looked at him with disdain.

He was stressed out and reached out to hold White’s bridle, then he led it to the stable.

Jiang Pengji had no obstruction in her way, and she entered her chambers at the back of the yard, shouting along the way.

“Get the doctor here!”

Xiangyang district had no miracle doctor. Afterwards she hired a few, and Jiang Pengji even allocated a medical herb store for them.

Permitted to accept disciples and assume the role of a medical doctor. They took turns on shift, the way it operated was akin to hospitals.

Those doctors were hired at a high price by Jiang Pengji, and the entire business was run by the district headquarters.

Doctors had their meals provided, drew high salaries, and except for a selected few, they would reject private consultations at home. If the people were sick, they would have to head down to seek treatment. It was more efficient than having the doctors travel to their individual homes to treat them.

When the servants at the district manor heard that, they hurriedly sent for the doctor who was on shift that night.

She used her feet to unlock the door, then placed Wei Ci on her mattress. She got a fire burning and quickly the air within the room was warm.

Taxue received the news and rushed over, and she was almost shockingly frightened by the strange man on Jiang Pengji’s bed.

She stuttered, “Lang, Langjun… this is?…”

“A good friend I met while hunting in the outskirts. He is severely ill.” Jiang Pengji wore a plain expression, “Get some of them to bring hot water over, then prepare some clean and warm clothes…”

Wei Ci may be thin, but his body frame met the standard for normal guys and he was broader than her.

Only now he was skinny to such an extent, he could possibly fit into Jiang Pengji’s clothes.

Shortly after, the doctor on shift was sweating profusely as he carried his medical box over in a rush.

He entered, paid respect to Jiang Pengji, then took his seat and felt for Wei Ci’s pulse.

Shortly after, the doctor had an idea of Wei Ci’s health condition.

“He won’t die, right?” Jiang Pengji questioned earnestly.

Pretending to be dead, Wei Ci raised his brows; he dared not open his eyes.

The doctor touched his beard then his hands stood still.

He smiled. “No, based on his pulse, this Langjun’s body constitution leans towards being cold. He has just recovered from a serious illness of which some residual symptoms remained. Afterwards, he worked his heart and energy out until his body was exhausted, but didn’t get enough rest thereafter. Now that he appears severely ill, it is a blessing in disguise, it’ll release the hidden ill aura. Therefore, although Langjun’s illness appear severe, if he’s well taken care of, he’ll emerge even healthier than before.”

Jiang Pengji asked curiously, “How can I help him recuperate?”

The doctor wrote a prescription. Then, he explained each herb in detail and emphasized the areas to remain cautious.

“As in principle, rejuvenating the body with food is better than herbs, when Langjun completely recovers, he can be given herbs and food to improve his constitution.”

All drugs are comprised of some element of poison, which at present Wei Ci could not afford to undergo such turmoil.

Jiang Pengji added, “Replenishing the body is good, it can also fatten him up.”

She got someone to fetch the medicine from the medical shop, and her maidservants carried a few basins of hot water in.

Suddenly, the viewers in the livestream felt uneasy.

With a clapping sound, the screen darkened — no, someone turned off the live stream.

The whole audience had a puzzled face. On her end, Jiang Pengji stretched her hands forward to touch Wei Ci’s waist in preparation to pull off his belt.

“You…” Wei Ci could not bear any more, and without warning, he opened his eyes wide.

He raised his hand, wanting to stop her, yet it took so much energy for him to even speak, let alone stop her.

“Relax. Who desires to look at a figure like yours?” Jiang Pengji added disdainfully. “Here in the inner courts, there are no other men besides me. Would you rather other maidservants wipe you clean? You must ask for my permission first, right? Pei, I never imagined you would have such intentions…”

Don’t belittle Wei Ci though he’s skinny as such, after all, he is indeed a grown man. The average maids don’t have the strength to support him otherwise she didn’t need to lift her fingers to serve him.

Wei Ci has a hint of flushing redness on his cheeks, “Ci never did —”

“Yes, I know, stop moving about.” Jiang Pengji didn’t even blink as she stripped off his clothes in a swift motion. She helped him to sit up and lean on her, and she used a hot cloth which she squeezed dry to wipe him down.

Observing his upper body, she could not help but be appalled. He was so skinny only his bones could be seen, every rib clearly defined.

Having been wiped down with warm water, he changed into new clothes which would help conserve his heat. If covered with a blanket, who knows when he’ll regain his warmth.

Jiang Pengji also had a wicked mouth, and she said, “Luckily you are able to speak or I would have assumed you to be a corpse.”

The temperature of his skin was low, though not as chilling as a corpse.

Wei Ci was incomparably shy. He might as well shut his eyes and allow her to change his inner wear and help him wear a thick wool garment. In contrast with that bone-chilling cold he had just experienced, slowly he felt the warmth and could gradually feel his limbs.

After a while, two basins of warm water were refreshed, and Wei Ci’s pale face regained some blood flow.

Seeing his progress, she wrapped her arms around her chest. “Why are you so shy? Comparing physique, you are nowhere as good, so thin you’re left with only bones, what did you think I would do with you? It is unnecessary to wear an expression as if a young wife has been molested…”

Sounding aggrieved, he made her seem like a beast.

“Langjun, the medicine is brewed.” Taxue’s voice was heard from outside.

She sat by the side of the bed, lifted her head when she heard her voice, then said plainly, “Come in.”

As she observed, she layered the interior of the couch with a cotton-padded mattress and covered Wei Ci with another layer.

Being covered by two layers of thick blankets, Wei Ci almost couldn’t breathe.

“Don’t sit up, just shift yourself sideways to drink your medicine. Otherwise, the alternations between cold and hot may worsen your illness.”

Taxue entered the room, and she noticed that Jiang Pengji still wore a plain expression, while that stranger, Langjun, was looking bashful.

The medicinal, pungent smell drifted into his nose, and he understood that this was beneficial for his illness to be cured. Closing his eyes, he knew that no matter how bitter, he had to swallow it.

Slowly drinking his medication, Wei Ci raised his head and discovered a person sitting by his bedside, she lowered her head and next to her hand was a pile of official documents.

From evening to midnight, she couldn’t be bothered with Wei Ci, leaving him to secretly sigh in relief, this would dispel their awkwardness.

In the evening, Taxue came by to ask if a new layer of cotton-padded mattress was required.

Jiang Pengji replied, “There’s no need.”

Wei Ci took an afternoon nap, his head is still rather heavy, his mental reactions slow.

When he finally reacted, he was so terrified that he broke out in sweat, “You…”

Jiang Pengji briefly squinted her eyes, she smiled and asked him, “Haven’t you registered to be my strategist?”

Wei Ci replied, “My intention is exactly this.”

“To extend my appreciation, isn’t there a practice of living and sleeping together, to fully express my respect.”

Jiang Pengji smiled and whispered into his ears. Wei Ci’s body stiffened.

She never knew one could freeze into such a pathetic state under a blanket.

“You’ve been lying down for the whole afternoon, yet you’re still so cold?”

Suppressing his emotions, Wei Ci asked her, “What exactly do you intend to do?”

“I initially wanted to snuggle under the blanket. Who knew you’d lie down the whole afternoon and it’d be freezing cold.” Jiang Pengji looked accusingly at him, and the latter was speechless. She added, “Don’t be so nervous, ignoring the fact that you’re sickly now, even if you were healthy, what can you do to me? Have a better sleeping posture, otherwise, I don’t wish to wake up discovering I just killed someone.”

Wei Ci kept silent for a while then said, “Man’s words can be fearful.”

Jiang Pengji coldly smirked, “Do I care about that?”