“Speak if you have something to say, fart if you must, and get lost if there’s nothing,” Ling Mohan’s slightly disgusted gaze fell on Chu Chenyi, wishing he could close the door immediately.
“You…” Chu Chenyi angrily pointed at Ling Mohan, took a deep breath, and suppressed the rage in his heart. He needed Ling Mohan’s help now and couldn't afford to offend him further.
“I have something important. Let me in first,” The priority was to get inside, and not being driven away by Ling Mohan would already be the best outcome.
“Hurry up and say it,” Ling Mohan felt a surge of irritation looking at Chu Chenyi sitting opposite him, his tone filled with disdain.
“His Majesty is gravely ill. I want Feng Jin to come to the palace with me to examine him,” Chu Chenyi stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point.
“Since you need Feng Jin’s help, you should go to her and explain. Why are you sneaking around to find me?” Ling Mohan questioned. If he needed Feng Jin’s assistance, why wasn’t he finding a way to ask her directly, but instead coming to him? He couldn’t make decisions for Feng Jin, so telling him this was a waste of time.
“Do you think I haven’t tried Feng Jin? If it were useful, would I be here looking for you? Am I out of my mind!” Chu Chenyi said indignantly. He believed he could persuade Feng Jin, otherwise, he wouldn’t have climbed over the wall and gone to such lengths to find Ling Mohan. Now, the only way to accomplish this was to ask Ling Mohan to convince Feng Jin.
“Now, the only hope is for you to explain this to Feng Jin and find a way to get her to accompany me to the palace. Father Emperor is on the brink of death, and if there’s any further delay, chaos will surely ensue.” The situation was already precarious. The Emperor was critically ill, the imperial physicians were helpless, and the Empress was eager to seize control of everything. If it weren’t for the Empress Dowager still managing things in the palace, it would have already descended into utter pandemonium. The most urgent task now was to get Feng Jin into the palace quickly and find a way to save Father Emperor.
“Is His Majesty truly gravely ill? Why are you only telling me this now?” Ling Mohan asked, his initial calm replaced by a sense of urgency. Such an important matter, and Chu Chenyi waited until the eleventh hour to disclose it. Everything was being delayed by him.
“News from the palace has been heavily suppressed. I only just found out. I haven’t even been to the palace yet, and I rushed here to find Feng Jin, wanting to bring her into the palace with me.” If it weren’t for the Empress Dowager secretly sending someone with the message, he would still be completely unaware.
Ling Mohan’s brow furrowed deeply. He no longer bothered to ask Chu Chenyi about other matters and hurriedly got up to leave.
“Where are you rushing off to? Wait for me…” Chu Chenyi felt a gust of wind pass by, and Ling Mohan had disappeared. All he could see was the corner of Ling Mohan’s robe. Coming to his senses, Chu Chenyi scrambled to his feet and chased after him.
“Slow down… I… I really can’t keep up!” Chu Chenyi gasped for air, his entire journey having been a near-run. Sweat beaded on his forehead and back. He looked at Ling Mohan, who still maintained a composed expression, showing no hint of panic.
“If you go any slower, we’ll lose them. You’re far too weak. How can you be so exhausted after running for such a short time? Make sure you take the medicine Feng Jin prescribed on time; only then will it be effective. And you need to restrain yourself at night; your current physique can’t handle it.” Ling Mohan patted Chu Chenyi’s shoulder and advised him earnestly, concerned for his health. He didn’t want him to overexert himself and ruin his body, only to suffer later. It was important to take care of himself while young; it would be too late to do so when he was old, and even tonics would be a waste.
“Shut your mouth! My body isn’t weak at all. If you dare to spread rumors again, I’ll fight you!” Chu Chenyi exploded, shouting angrily. The rumor about his weakness had been spread by Ling Mohan himself. Now, to dare to spread such rumors in front of him was unbearable. If he could still tolerate this, then he’d truly be out of his mind.
“The truth is often unpleasant, but it is useful. You really need to rest and recuperate for a period of time!” Ling Mohan said earnestly. He didn’t want to witness Chu Chenyi’s premature death; he was genuinely looking out for him. How could it be perceived this way by Chu Chenyi? It was truly disheartening.
“Just shut up. The fewer words you speak, the more years I can live,” As for how long he could live, he didn’t know himself. But he was certain that if Ling Mohan continued to provoke him like this, he would truly die prematurely.
“Enough of this nonsense. When you meet Feng Jin later, your attitude must be humble. Feng Jin is the type who responds to gentleness, not force. Explain it properly, and she will surely agree.” Ling Mohan knew Feng Jin’s temperament all too well. She was a typical case of yielding to kindness, not aggression. Soft words would pave the way for a smooth resolution. If he insisted on confronting her head-on, he would be the one to suffer in the end.
After circling around, they finally found Feng Jin in the backyard. Seeing Ling Mohan, Feng Jin’s expression immediately darkened, and the smile on her lips gradually faded.
“Who let you out? Did you take everything I said as mere wind?” Ling Mohan had only just spoken a moment ago, and his words hadn't even settled before Feng Jin was already grabbing him and trying to pull him away. If she allowed Ling Mohan to continue like this, there would be no point in treating his illness; he might as well be left to fend for himself.
“Go back quickly, hurry…” Feng Jin’s urgent voice filled the room. Ling Mohan felt like he was on the verge of tears.
“Alright, calm down. I have something important to tell you.” Ling Mohan held Feng Jin’s hand, trying to stop her, but it was futile. In the end, he was led by Feng Jin. Following behind them, Chu Chenyi, surprisingly quick-witted for once, trailed after them, unwilling to leave their side.
Feng Jin directly dragged Ling Mohan back into the room. “Lie down properly. If you dare to act recklessly again, I won’t spare you a second glance even if you die.” Ling Mohan pouted, looking very aggrieved. He subtly gestured to Chu Chenyi, signaling him to seize the opportunity and speak quickly.
“Well, I…” Chu Chenyi’s words were cut short by a look from Feng Jin.