Chapter 12: General Shen

It was the middle of the night, and the entire house was brightly lit.

The white-bearded doctor finished taking the pulse and wrote out a prescription to regulate the spleen and stomach.

The doctor’s phrasing was very tactful, advising Wen Wan to eat in moderation at every meal from now on and to avoid overeating.

Shen Yu stood at the doorway, his face full of mockery and ridicule.

Wen Wan’s cheeks flushed red. She quietly pulled the corner of the quilt up, attempting to cover her head so she wouldn't have to see or be seen.

After exchanging pleasantries with Shen Yu, the old doctor left. Shen Yu handed the prescription to Shen Zhou, who was standing to the side, and instructed him to follow the doctor to collect and decoct the medicine.

Shen Yu was about to turn and leave when he was tugged by the sleeve by the mute old woman.

The mute woman signed for a while. Shen Yu’s brows furrowed tighter and tighter until, finally, he nodded in compromise.

Only then did the mute woman leave, satisfied, even carefully closing the bedroom door for the two of them.

Hearing the door close, Wen Wan assumed everyone else had left, so she pulled down the quilt...

"Uh... why are you still here?"

Wen Wan immediately met a pair of eyes filled with disdain.

Shen Yu walked slowly to the bedside and looked down at her. "You go to such lengths to beg for favor in the middle of the night—isn't it just because you want me to keep you company?"

"Nonsense! Who is begging for favor?" Wen Wan’s eyes darted around as she resorted to her old tricks, pushing the responsibility onto him first. "I was poisoned by you, and I was so terrified that I got sick from the fright."

Upon hearing this, Shen Yu was stunned for a moment, then let out a soft laugh. "Terrified, so you ate your way from the East Street to the West Street, gorged yourself, and got a stomachache?"

Wen Wan’s mouth twitched, and she stubbornly retorted, "Haven't you heard of turning fear into appetite? The more scared I am, the more I want to eat. Who knows when the poison in my body will act up? If I were to suddenly drop dead, I shouldn't have to be a starving ghost."

Shen Yu looked at her with increasing astonishment. He raised his hand and tapped her on the head.

"Sometimes I wonder what exactly is inside that head of yours. Why are your thoughts always so different from everyone else's?"

Wen Wan slapped his hand away.

"Especially this mouth of yours—so glib and eloquent. If you're so capable of talking, why haven't you won the favor of your husband to make you his legitimate wife?"

Stabbing at someone’s sore spot was never a difficult task for Shen Yu.

He cared for the world and was usually preoccupied with matters of state; he had no time to bicker with these petty women. If he hadn't been truly annoyed by this girl’s antics, he wouldn't have said such things to spite her.

However, for some reason, after the words left his mouth, a sense of irritation arose in his heart.

This irritation came inexplicably, and even he himself didn't know why.

Consequently, before Wen Wan could even offer a retort or sarcasm, she saw Shen Yu darken his face and go to extinguish the candles.

She hadn't even unleashed her full combat power yet, and the battle was already over?

In the darkness, Shen Yu returned and lay down on the bed.

"What are you doing?" Wen Wan clutched her quilt, looking vigilant.

"Sleeping." Shen Yu’s voice was cold. "Do you think I want to stay here and share a room with a shameless woman like you?"

If it weren't to put the mute woman’s mind at ease, he wouldn't want to stay here for even a second.

"Shameless..."

Wen Wan was so angry her teeth itched. Even at this point, he still dared to insult her—wasn't he afraid she would use her old tricks again?

As it turned out, he really wasn't afraid.

In the darkness, Wen Wan felt a rough, warm hand strike out, landing on an acupoint near her neck. She felt the world go black, and she fainted.

*

"You dog, you have no sense of fair play!"

At daybreak, Wen Wan woke up to see the empty room and cursed angrily.

The mute woman brought in breakfast, followed by Shen Zhou carrying a medicine bowl.

Wen Wan went behind the screen to wash up, and when she came back out, she acted as if nothing had happened, sitting happily at the table to eat her breakfast.

The mute woman couldn't speak, so Shen Zhou did most of the talking.

"The doctor said you need to eat soft food for the next few days, so the mute woman decided you should have porridge for all three meals."

Wen Wan acknowledged this without offering an opinion.

"The doctor also said that if you want to conceive an heir soon, you must carefully regulate your body. It's best to drink a dose of medicine every two months. If you want to have a son in one go, you could also go to the Goddess Temple in the east of the city to burn some incense..."

Wen Wan: "..."

Seeing Shen Zhou drifting further and further away, already talking about how to produce milk after the baby was born, Wen Wan finally couldn't help but stand up. "I'm going out for a walk to help digest my food."

"Okay." Shen Zhou followed closely behind. "Brother Achai said that from now on, no matter where Sister Wan goes, I must follow and take care of you."

Wen Wan was startled but didn't say anything.

The weather was nice, so Wen Wan took Shen Zhou for a stroll around the city.

Having learned her lesson from yesterday’s painful experience, she didn't dare to eat anything more.

Entertainment in ancient times was truly limited. She couldn't think of anything to do, so she asked Shen Zhou.

Shen Zhou did have a place in mind.

He led Wen Wan to a teahouse with a storyteller. It wasn't even noon yet, but the teahouse was already packed with guests.

The waiter led them to a window seat and served melon seeds, peanuts, and tea.

"...So, our border defense troops were besieged on the mountain by the people of Mobei. Our side had fewer than a hundred soldiers, while the enemy forces from Mobei numbered well over a thousand. They were malicious, trapping us like turtles in a jar. If they waited for the Mobei forces to tighten their formation, our soldiers would face the risk of total annihilation..."

As Wen Wan listened, it dawned on her. "Is this the story of your Brother Achai?"

No wonder this kid was so eager to come here to listen to the storyteller.

Shen Zhou nodded and said happily, "I've come to listen several times already. Every time I hear about Brother Achai being in danger, I'm scared to death, but when I hear the ending, I feel so satisfied."

"Sister Wan, keep listening. The part coming up is really exciting."

Shen Zhou’s thoughts were written all over his face; he just wanted to share a story he liked with the people around him.

The storyteller was worthy of being a professional; he could describe a single action in eight different details.

Wen Wan cracked melon seeds. At first, she found it quite interesting, but the more she listened, the more something felt off.

Seeing her brows slightly furrowed, Shen Zhou asked with concern, "Sister Wan, do you not like listening to Brother Achai’s story?"

"It's not that I don't like it."

Wen Wan composed her expression, patted Shen Zhou’s head, and smiled soothingly. "I just didn't expect your Brother Achai to be so capable."

Shen Zhou laughed along. "That goes without saying. Brother Achai led fewer than a hundred men and fought his way out of an encirclement of over a thousand enemies. Such a battle, winning against superior numbers, is rare in the entire history of the Duan Dynasty."

"Sister Wan, did you know? Brother Achai is famous after this one battle. It’s not just this teahouse; all the storytellers in the city are telling this story now."

Shen Zhou looked as if he shared in the glory. "Brother Achai has really let out a breath of frustration for our Duan Dynasty. His reputation now is almost catching up to General Shen’s."

"General Shen?" Wen Wan was stunned. Wasn't that her nominal husband?