Chapter 59: 059 Unasked

 Chapter 59: 059 Unasked

The maid standing nearby smiled and said, "Princess, Qiniang’s face looks much better. The little divine physician said it would heal in a month, and it will definitely be fine!"

Shen Wan gently cupped her daughter’s face, looking at her from left to right, unable to get enough of it. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

It was as if heaven had taken pity on them and given them this opportunity.

She became increasingly eager to see how her daughter would look after a month.

She gently rubbed her daughter’s head and said, "Qiniang, when we go to get the medicine in a few days, we should properly thank the little divine physician."

Shen Wan felt that the consultation fee they had paid last time was too little and decided to add more this time.

With that thought, she instructed the stewardess, "Rong mama, go to the storeroom and see if there are any rare medicinal herbs we can give as a gift."

Rong Mama, equally delighted, hurriedly agreed.

"Princess."

At that moment, Gu Zhiyan’s wet nurse, Li Niang, came over, her expression anxious as she held a crescent-shaped sachet in her hand.

"The county princess’s pillow hid a sachet."

Li Niang personally arranged Gu Zhiyan’s bedding every day. When she found the unfamiliar sachet, she was worried it might be something harmful, so she quickly brought it to Shen Wan.

"…" Shen Wan’s face turned pale in an instant.

All of Gu Zhiyan’s clothing and accessories had been personally prepared by her. She was certain that this sachet did not belong to her daughter.

Shen Wan dared not take it lightly. Nervously, she took the sachet from Li Niang's hands and brought it to her nose to sniff.

A delicate fragrance, like plum blossoms, entered her nostrils.

"Princess, don’t!" Rong Mama quickly stopped Shen Wan.

How could they be careless with something so suspicious?

Shen Wan frowned slightly, instructing, "Get some scissors. Also, summon the royal physician."

The royal physician was the physician who served specifically at the royal and marquis residences, and only the prince’s and marquis’s households had the privilege of having one.

It was clear that Shen Wan intended to cut open the sachet and have the physician check its contents to determine if it posed any danger to her daughter.

Rong Mama nodded in agreement.

"Ah!" Suddenly, Gu Zhiyan, sitting beside Shen Wan, let out a startled cry. She grabbed the sachet from Shen Wan's hands and tightly clutched it in her palm, pressing it against her chest as if doing so would provide her with safety.

"Qiniang?" Shen Wan looked at her in surprise.

Ever since the incident a year ago, her daughter had rarely shown such a strong reaction.

She had always been distant and wooden, as if her soul had been lost. No matter what she was asked to do, she showed no response, let alone take such a decisive action as grabbing the sachet away.

Shen Wan's heart raced as she reached out to her daughter, softening her voice, "Qiniang, can you give the sachet to me?"

Gu Zhiyan tightened her grip on the sachet even more, pressing her lips together in defiance. Her expression seemed to say: "No, I won’t give it. I won’t give it, no matter what!"

For Shen Wan, even if her daughter was merely sulking or if she scolded or hit her, as long as her daughter showed any reaction, it would be enough!

Shen Wan crouched down to meet Gu Zhiyan’s eyes, trying to soften her voice as she asked, "Qiniang, do you really like this sachet?"

"Then can you tell me, who gave it to you? If you tell me, I won’t take your sachet anymore."

"Alright? Qiniang?"

She stared at her daughter without blinking, not even knowing what she was hoping for herself.

Under Shen Wan’s gaze, Gu Zhiyan slowly uttered two words:

"Sister... sister..."

She hadn’t spoken for a long time, and her voice was dry and hoarse, but to Shen Wan’s ears, it sounded like the most beautiful music.

Shen Wan almost couldn’t believe her ears. She instinctively grabbed her daughter’s hand, her voice trembling as she said, "Qiniang, say it again, please, say it again..."

"Ah—"

Gu Zhiyan suddenly screamed again, grabbing the sachet tightly and struggling to run away.

Though small in stature, she had a lot of strength, and Shen Wan almost couldn’t hold onto her.

Quickly, Shen Wan coaxed, "Qiniang, be good!"

"Mom won’t ask anymore. I won’t take your sachet. It’s my fault."

After a long while, Gu Zhiyan finally calmed down.

She lowered her eyes, staring at the tips of her shoes, her hands tightly clutching the crescent-shaped sachet, refusing to let anyone near it.

"Princess, please don’t be too hasty," Rong Mama comforted. "Take it slow, Qiniang will surely improve day by day."

Shen Wan nodded, holding her daughter in her arms, softly murmuring to herself, "We can’t rush, we can’t rush, we can’t rush..."

She repeated the words over and over, until her emotions finally settled a little.

Shen Wan kept her gaze fixed on the sachet in Gu Zhiyan’s hands. Over the past month, apart from going to Ji Shi Hall, she had also taken her daughter to the Yongding Marquis's residence.

After thinking for a moment, she instructed Rong Mama, "You go to the Yongding Marquis's residence later, and ask my elder sister, whether Huang Jie’er gave Qiniang a sachet."

If it was Huang Jie’er who gave it, that would be fine. But if not, she would need to investigate the matter thoroughly!

Rong Mama kneeled and accepted the command, then asked, "Princess, should we still go to Yuanqing Temple today?"

Daoist Xuánjìng was highly skilled in the arts, and he had recently arrived in the capital after traveling extensively around the south and north of the Yangtze River. Last month, he had settled in Yuanqing Temple, the largest Daoist temple in the capital. It was said that he was particularly proficient in drawing talismans, fortune-telling, and soul summoning, and had demonstrated several miraculous feats in the past month, which had earned widespread admiration.

Every day, many noblemen and officials tried to see Daoist Xuánjìng, and Shen Wan had made an early appointment to visit him today.

"Go," Shen Wan nodded, then added, "After you come back, you can go to the Yongding Marquis's residence."

Rong Mama agreed repeatedly.

Shen Wan sighed deeply, saying, "I hope this Daoist Xuánjìng truly is as capable as they say."

She looked down at Gu Zhiyan in her arms, the little girl still staring at the tassels of her shoes, unmoving.

Ever since her daughter had been abducted and then returned, she had been in this state. It was said that she had lost her soul and needed to have it called back. However, despite having invited many Daoists and performed numerous rituals over the past year, there had been no effect.

But one must always try, and wasn’t it the same with this encounter? Perhaps they had finally met a real expert like Hua Tuo?

Shen Wan believed that with sincerity, the gods and deities would surely help them!

Her daughter would surely have a brighter future ahead.

Li Niang, the wet nurse, took Gu Zhiyan from Shen Wan’s arms as they left together.

The group made their way directly to Yuanqing Temple in the outskirts of the capital.

The emperor of this dynasty was a follower of Daoism, and the capital was home to many Daoist temples with flourishing incense offerings. With the arrival of Daoist Xuánjìng at Yuanqing Temple, the temple became even more popular, attracting numerous followers.

The red carriage stopped in front of the temple gate, and Shen Wan and Gu Zhiyan got off.

They climbed the stone steps up the mountain, completely unaware that a gorgeous carriage was parked not far away, with half of a face peeking out from the window.

"Eh? Isn’t that the Princess of Jingjun?" Liu Shi, the wife of second master Chu, observed Shen Wan’s figure. "It seems she is also here to see Daoist Xuánjìng."

Beside the carriage, Zhang Mama was staring at Gu Zhiyan with an almost obsessive gaze, muttering to herself, "Impossible, it’s impossible... How could this be?!"

(End of chapter)