Nianzu and Chuntao stepped out of the carriage as they reached Huzhou Town. It was early morning and the redness still had not disappeared from the sky.
"Your highness, take this," Xiao Zhan stated and forwarded a key to Nianzu, who confusedly looked at it. "It's for your new house," asserted Xiao Zhan and took a map of the town. "The house is marked red on this map. No one knows about your identity here. So, you can start a new life," asserted Xiao Zhan.
"I do not need this. I will-"
"Keep it, your highness. The Crown Prince will not feel good if you do not take it. He might come here to talk to you," Wang Hao affirmed. Nianzu looked at the keys and hummed.. He then opened the map and saw the house's location.
He folded it and put it near his sash. "Thank you, General Wang and General Xiao," Nianzu bowed.
"Please take care of yourself. We cannot go further as someone might notice us," proclaimed Wang Hao. Nianzu nodded his head. "Your luggage has already arrived at the house. Have a great and happy life," Wang Hao wished them. Both the Generals then left for Luoyang.
Nianzu looked at Chuntao. "Let's go," he said and grasped her hand. Nianzu read the map once and memorized it. After an hour of walking, they both reached outside the house. "It's a big house," Chuntao murmured.
"Brother gifted a residence to us," Nianzu murmured. They stepped on the stairs. Nianzu took out the key and opened the lock on the door. Pushing the door in, he told Chuntao to enter first. After her, he entered and closed the door behind him. The courtyard was neither too big nor too small. Since the house had been locked for a long time, it was not clean and well decorated.
Chuntao found her luggage on the porch. "Did you not bring anything with you?" Chuntao when did not find any luggage of Nianzu queried him except a zither.
"Nothing was mine there. Everything was of my father," Nianzu replied. "We will make this place an abode for us," he said and looked around.
"Yes," Chuntao answered.
Nianzu walked inside the house and checked the rooms. Somewhere, Nianzu did not want Sheng Li to do all this for him. However, he did not want to hurt Sheng Li's heart. That's why he did not refuse to take the Residence's keys.
He came out and saw Chuntao had tied a cloth around her head. She had a broomstick in her hand. "Stay there. I will clean the house," Chuntao stated. Nianzu came out and took the broomstick from her hand. "Sit there," Nianzu pointed towards the porch. "I will do it. The journey was long. You must be tired," Nianzu asserted when Chuntao held the broomstick.
"You shall not do this work," she opined.
"Why? I am no longer a Prince. I always wanted to do such works," asserted Nianzu as he let go of Chuntao's grip from the broomstick.
"I will clean the rooms and the kitchen then. That way we will complete our work soon," Chuntao said. Nianzu understood that Chuntao would not listen to him, so he let her do whatever she wanted to do. Chuntao smiled and went to the main house in the North.
Nianzu started to sweep the courtyard. While sweeping he thought about his work. What should he do for a living? Though he was knowledgeable enough to land a good job. However, he was still a little scared that it would be easy for him to get a job when he had left his identity as the Prince.
He swept the entire courtyard in half an hour and then put the broomstick in the tiny room where cleaning equipment was put. He then checked the well in the residence and found it was in the backyard but dried out. "Oh, no." Nianzu sighed and came to the main house.
Chuntao had already cleaned the two rooms in the main house. "Chun, the well is dry. I need to arrange water," Nianzu stated.
"Really? A well usually does not dry unless the rain cycle is not good," Chuntao affirmed.
"Hmm. I think I need to go into the well then and check it. Maybe something stuck there," Nianzu opined.
"Let's first clean all this and then we can take the help of the neighbors. Do not go into the well. It might be dangerous," Chuntao advised him. Nianzu agreed with her and helped her with the work.
~~~~
In Luoyang, inside the Zhenzhu Inn Sheng Li was seated on the stool near the bed. He rested his cheek on one hand while another was on Ying Lili's forehead. The entire night, he looked after Ying Lili.
Sheng Li jerked in his sleep and it broke his sleep abruptly. He opened his eyes gradually and yawned. "Her body temperature has reduced," Sheng Li mumbled and heaved a sigh of relief.
"These few days have been stressful for you. I will try to keep you away from all this," he murmured as he moved the hair strands aside from her face. He stood up from the stool and went towards the door.
Opening the door, he ordered Xing-Fu to bring the Royal Physician. Xing-Fu bowed and dashed out. Walking back to the chamber, Sheng Li put on the overcoat and waited for the Royal Physician to come.
After ten minutes, the Royal Physician came to the chamber with Xing-Fu. Greeting the Crown Prince, he examined the Crown Princess. "Her highness's fever has reduced. She will wake up in a while," the Royal Physician after checking the pulse of the Crown Princess informed the Crown Prince.
Sheng Li hummed. "Your pills are not effective. I think your knowledge of medicine is fading." Sheng Li was furious at the Royal Physician. "I might ask for the replacement of the Royal Physician." It was visible on Sheng Li's face that he was not happy with the Royal Physician.
"Forgive me, your highness. I troubled you this way. However, the pill was indeed effective. I did not want to give a heavy medicinal pill to her highness. I again sincerely apologize to you," the Royal Physician deeply bowed.
Sheng Li frowned and told him to leave. Xing-Fu watched the troubled expression on Sheng Li's face. "Her highness will wake up soon, your highness. Do not be anxious."
'If he would be here then this would not be happening,' Sheng Li thought.