Untouchable Lovers

Chapter 90: 86 chapters Have you read the Heavenly Book?

Upon returning to the mansion, Chu Yu, though exhausted, did not go to sleep. Dressed in a light robe, she gathered paper and pen and briefly recorded the story she had told that day.

Though the story was entirely fictitious, it needed to be well-rounded. A story full of flaws wouldn’t appeal to many listeners, even as just a story.

Considering she had already sent Ji Xiaolan to the time of Emperor Kangxi, Chu Yu thought it over and then had famous figures from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties all serve under Kangxi, from Wei Zheng to Wei Zhongxian, loyal officials and treacherous ones, literati, and scholars, every one of them top-notch characters.

After organizing the stories she had told, she also drafted an outline for the part she was to tell the next day, placed the written manuscript by her bedside, and finally, rubbing her sore eyes, Chu Yu lay down to sleep with peace of mind. The plan was sound, but Chu Yu had overestimated her physical health. The next day when she awoke, it was the discomfort in her throat that roused her—itchy and slightly painful. When she tried to speak, her voice was low and hoarse, out of tune.

The day before, Chu Yu had spent an entire afternoon telling stories to Liu Ziyue in the palace, without resting her voice, which had already been strained. After returning to her residence and writing down the stories without taking any restorative measures, she was now in this worsened condition upon waking.

She knocked on the door to get You Lan and Fendai’s attention and gestured for Fendai to fetch Rong Zhi, informing him of her condition. After You Lan helped her wash and get ready, Chu Yu, sitting on the edge of her bed, sighed in relief when she saw Rong Zhi enter the room. She pointed to her throat and silently opened her mouth, then gave a soundless, rueful smile.

Rong Zhi approached, and You Lan, who had been standing by, immediately stepped away, giving him space. Despite the lesson already learned, You Lan still dared not show any disrespect towards Rong Zhi.

With a faint smile, Rong Zhi quietly observed Chu Yu but made no move. Impatient, Chu Yu pointed at her throat again, only then did he chuckle softly, his voice floating lightly by her ear, “Pardon me.”

Rong Zhi leaned slightly forward, extending his hand to gently lift Chu Yu’s chin, his dark eyes twinkling with amusement, “Princess, how can I examine if you do not open your mouth?” His voice remained as soft as before, featherlight, grazing the heart.

Chu Yu felt somewhat embarrassed and wanted to pull away, yet she feared an overly dramatic motion might appear suspicious. She hesitated briefly, but eventually, following Rong Zhi’s lead, she lifted her chin and slowly opened her mouth, only to worry whether she had rinsed thoroughly earlier, wishing she could rinse once more for peace of mind.

Her upward gaze only met the hairline above Rong Zhi’s forehead, jet-black and free of any impurity, just like his eyes. Without seeing Rong Zhi’s expression at the moment, Chu Yu’s other senses became acutely sharp. She could feel Rong Zhi bowing his head; because he had hurried here, he hadn’t even combed his hair properly, a few strands as soft as silk draped over Chu Yu’s face, slightly ticklish, while Rong Zhi’s breath was close, warm air brushing her neck, making the skin there tingle with tiny bumps.

Chu Yu’s breath stirred the hair at Rong Zhi’s forehead, briefly fluttering before settling back on her cheek. She couldn’t help holding her breath several times, yet soon couldn’t contain it, which made her breathing even more labored.

Time seemed infinitely stretched, each second counting slowly by, Chu Yu, with her head tipped back, hands resting on her legs, though the grip Rong Zhi had on her chin was gentle enough to easily break free from, she felt as if an immobilization technique had been cast upon her, allowing him to manipulate as he wished.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Ɲονǥο.ᴄο

After what seemed a long time, Chu Yu took a deep breath, tugged at Rong Zhi’s sleeve to gesture a silent inquiry about when he would finish, then heard Rong Zhi’s laugh drift over, “Princess, what exactly did you do yesterday for your throat to be swollen like this?” Chu Yu felt the hand on her chin loosen and immediately scooted back into the bed, straightening her neck which had started to feel sore, her eyes meeting those of Rong Zhi who had stepped back half a step.

Rong Zhi gazed at Chu Yu, comforting her in a gentle voice, “Princess need not worry. I will prescribe some medicine right away. With just three to five days of care, you should recover as usual. But, you must be mindful not to speak in the next few days, to avoid further injuries.”

Having learned her lesson painfully, Chu Yu dared not be reckless and quickly nodded her agreement, her mouth firmly closed. Though she regretted not being able to continue ‘sowing seeds’ of stories for Liu Ziyue in the next two days, she knew she had to first preserve her voice to continue her role in the future.

Fendai saw Rong Zhi off, and Chu Yu gestured for You Lan to bring paper and pen so she could write a letter to Liu Ziye, explaining her condition and that the story serialization would be paused until her throat was recovered and she could continue.

Rong Zhi first went to the Medicine Department to fetch medicine for treating the throat. After specifying the usage and dosage, he had someone deliver it to Chu Yu. Then he returned alone to his residence, locking himself up in the Book Pavilion for almost half a day.

It wasn’t until the evening that Rong Zhi slowly stepped into Xiu Yuan Residence, silently watching Huan Yuan and Moxiang busy themselves until Huan Yuan finished and sat down. It was then that Rong Zhi, with a puzzled look, asked, “Huan Yuan, do you know of an Emperor named Kangxi in ancient poems? I have searched through the classics, but I can find no record of Emperor Kangxi. Given your profound knowledge, you must know more stories than I do.”

Today, while examining Chu Yu’s throat, he accidentally caught a glimpse of the outline of a manuscript placed by her bedside, densely packed with words. He didn’t intend to peek, but his eyesight was excellent, and his memory was extraordinary. With just a glance, he remembered seventy to eighty percent of it. Driven by curiosity, he took a closer look, which didn’t interfere with treating Chu Yu but imprinted the name of Emperor Kangxi and the related deeds mentioned in the paper in his mind.

The writing on the paper was disjointed and even incoherent at times, but Rong Zhi’s keen mind easily made sense of the entire context. Yet, he could not recall any Emperor with such a legendary figure throughout history.

Huan Yuan naturally didn’t recall any Emperor named Kangxi either, but knowing Rong Zhi wouldn’t fuss over such matters without reason, he thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps there’s something lacking in my learning as well. Do the books in your room contain any records?”

Rong Zhi shook his head, saying, “Before coming here, I had already reviewed all the relevant documents. Naturally, there was nothing, which is why I turned to you for help.”

The two sat in silent opposition for a while, having nothing to say. Then Rong Zhi stood up and said, “Perhaps I have overlooked something, and missed something.”

For the following several days, the two most learned individuals in the mansion were troubled by the same question: Who was Kangxi?

A few days later, when Chu Yu’s throat had healed and she re-entered the palace, she saw Tian Rujing standing at the doorway of a remote hall. Chu Yu intended to ignore him and pass by without looking, but as she walked beside Tian Rujing, she heard his clear, unwavering voice, “Kangxi. Is there a Qianlong?”

Even though it was a question, his voice remained flat, as if he were making a statement.

Chu Yu suddenly stopped walking, and after a long while, she slowly turned to look at Tian Rujing, her eyes as if seeing a ghost. She had indeed made up stories to tell Liu Ziye, but she swore she had never uttered the name Qianlong!

Before Chu Yu could delve deeper, Tian Rujing’s second question followed, “Have you seen the Heavenly Book?”

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Frustrated, the neighbors were doing who knows what, drilling into walls, and banging on the floor, making it impossible to think until they quieted down, and then I could write a couple of words. Sorry it’s late, everyone. It has been disrupted like this for several days. If it continues, I reckon I’ll have to go to an internet café to write…