"Didn't I end up stronger than you? Don't you see I'm a county princess now?" Wu Caiwei joked, puffing out her chest in mock pride. What she said was true; if she hadn't come, he would likely have died within days. Although the original owner's life in the palace was miserable, before entering it, she was at least considered a young lady of good standing.
"As long as you're doing well, then I can face my mother in the afterlife. You asked me to play with you back then, saying all sorts of nice things, but I refused because I wanted to read at home. Who knew you would play for twelve years? I've regretted it every moment since. Although Mother is gone, you're back, and that brings me some solace." As he spoke of these things, Wu Yuxuan felt tears welling up again.
It was strange. He wasn't one to cry easily, but today, for some reason, he felt like shedding tears at the drop of a hat. He quickly tilted his head back, blinking his eyes to hold back the tears, not wanting his sister to think he was a crybaby.
"Don't blame yourself. Since they had that intention, even if you had accompanied me back then, I would have been lost later anyway," Wu Caiwei said truthfully. Her mother's death was clearly premeditated. She could only say her mother's standing wasn't high enough. Of course, this didn't excuse others for their harmful actions. Since she was here, she would definitely avenge her.
After a while, Wu Yuxuan choked out, "I understand what you're saying, but I just can't get past this hurdle in my heart."
Wu Caiwei understood immediately. She walked up to him and told him to pull up his trousers.
Wu Yuxuan froze. Although this woman was his own sister, there were proper boundaries between men and women, and he had to be mindful of that. Moreover, his leg had been crippled for so long that he had never let anyone see it.
Wu Caiwei knew the ways of ancient people and didn't bother to argue. She reached out directly. Wu Yuxuan instinctively tried to pull his leg back, but Wu Caiwei held it firmly, preventing him from moving.
Seeing his leg fully exposed, Wu Yuxuan gave up struggling. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see his own unsightly leg, nor her look of disgust.
He had really overthought it. In Wu Caiwei's eyes, they were now doctor and patient. She carefully felt his leg all over.
The situation was much better than she had imagined. Although the doctors in the city had declared his leg beyond treatment, he had met her, hadn't he?
With a clear understanding, Wu Caiwei lowered his trousers. When she looked up, she saw that his entire face was flushed. Knowing her actions might have been a bit forward and could lead to misunderstandings, she didn't bother to explain.
As for the surprise she had prepared for him, she would reveal it after his leg was healed, so as not to make him suffer from prolonged anticipation.
Having done what she intended, Wu Caiwei prepared to leave. She hesitated for a moment and said, "Don't mention the matter of identity to anyone. We'll reveal it after we've gotten our revenge. Also, I'll visit you again in a few days."
Wu Yuxuan sat there, watching her departing back, unable to say a word. Although he knew she had just been examining his leg and might want to treat it, he felt a bit shy. Moreover, he didn't hold much hope for his leg, as all the doctors had told him he would never be able to stand again.
When Wu Caiwei returned to her courtyard, she instructed her attendants to buy medicine from the pharmacy. As expected, the one herb she prescribed couldn't be found in any of the pharmacies. She decided to go to the mountains herself the next day to collect it.
Madam Wu and Master Wu heard she was going to collect herbs and thought she was just playing around. They couldn't help but frown, but after so many days together, they knew they couldn't stop the county princess from doing what she wanted. They could only silently pray for her to leave soon.
They also feared that if anything were to happen while the county princess was staying in their residence, they wouldn't be able to bear the responsibility. They quickly instructed the steward to prepare provisions for her and assign more guards to protect her.
Wu Caiwei didn't refuse. It would be foolish not to enjoy such benefits. The carriage was comfortably padded, with maids fanning her and refreshments served. When they reached the foot of the mountain, someone even offered a special sedan chair for climbing, but Wu Caiwei refused. If she were carried, how would she spot the medicinal herbs along the way?
An even more astonishing scene unfolded. Wherever she wanted to go, people with sickles would cut through the grass and small branches to clear a path for her.
Wu Caiwei felt tired just watching them. She impatiently said, "Go, go, step aside. This county princess is not that delicate; I don't need such attentive service."
When the crowd heard her words, they were unsure of what to do. Wu Caiwei didn't give them time to react and walked ahead. Collecting herbs herself was beneficial; the reason these herbs weren't available in pharmacies was that those doctors didn't know what they were for or how to use them, making them all the more valuable to Wu Caiwei.
The guards followed behind her, exchanging bewildered glances. They didn't recognize the herbs and couldn't help, standing there awkwardly.
To ease their embarrassment, Wu Caiwei took out some of the herbs she had collected. She divided them into five-person groups, with each group identifying one type. She instructed them to collect based on the samples she provided. Indeed, having more people was advantageous. Even though they were very clumsy at first, after a while, they became proficient at collecting herbs, and their efficiency improved significantly.
It was late afternoon by the time they returned to the city. Wu Caiwei took the herbs to her courtyard and locked herself in her room to work on them.
Meanwhile, Madam Wu and Master Wu summoned the guards who had accompanied her that day to inquire about the situation. They had initially thought she was just playing, but to their surprise, she had actually collected herbs. This suggested she had some medical knowledge, and they became intensely curious about her.
By the time Wu Caiwei finished, the moon was already hanging high. She opened the door, called her personal maid, and soon, dinner was served. She ate happily.
After a good rest, she went to Wu Yuxuan's courtyard early the next morning. Seeing her carrying a large box, Wu Yuxuan asked with some surprise, "What's inside?"
"If I can heal your leg, allowing you to walk like a normal person again, but it will involve enduring unbearable torment, what would you choose?" Wu Caiwei asked, looking at him earnestly.
Wu Yuxuan froze. Then, he gave a wry smile. "That's not a funny joke at all. I know my leg's condition. All the doctors said I'd never be able to stand again."
"Today, you must give me an answer," Wu Caiwei ignored his melancholy and looked directly at him, as if saying she wouldn't leave until he gave her an answer.
Without hesitation, Wu Yuxuan replied, "Of course, I'd choose to have my leg healed. After my leg was crippled, I felt like I had lost my soul. As long as my leg can be cured, I'm willing to endure any suffering."