Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 231 - 229

Three days had passed quietly. The wound on Shangguan Xuanyi’s body had already formed a scab, and the itching indicated that it was nearly healed.

However, in the evening, he started a high fever. Xiao’er noticed his flushed face, and his forehead was alarmingly hot to the touch.

Upon seeing Shangguan Xuanyi’s fever reach a point of delirium, Huang Wei anxiously asked, "Should we summon the imperial doctor, Countess of Rui’an?"

"No need. Possibly the smallpox has begun to take effect. You would do well to stay out of this room," Xiao’er gave him a medicinal pill to swallow and applied a wet cloth to his forehead to cool him down.

"But..." Shouldn’t the onset of smallpox justify the summoning of the imperial doctor?!

"Enough, trust me. He will be fine. Now leave! No one is to enter!" Xiao’er snapped at them, her tone stern for the first time.

Xiao’er’s aura at this moment was no less formidable than that of the emperor; Huang Wei hastily nodded and retreated. For a moment, he forgot that he was a fourth-rank bodyguard who did not need to show such respect to a mere countess.

Xiao’er had no time to notice such details. Shangguan Xuanyi’s temperature was dangerously high; if she didn’t find a way to bring it down, his brain could potentially get damaged!

Once Huang Wei was gone, Xiao’er prepared a basin of warm water enhanced with a bit of alcohol, soaked a cloth and started offering simple physical cooling to Shangguan Xuanyi.

Even though this was not a cure, at least it would alleviate his discomfort.

In his hazy state, Shangguan Xuanyi felt Xiao’er’s cloth wipes on his palms, soles, and armpits.

Although he was feeling much better, he barely mustered the strength to say, "Girl... leave me be... don’t get infected."

Having said this, as if he had exhausted all his strength, he slipped back into oblivion.

Once she finished cooling down Shangguan Xuanyi, Xiao’er went into the space to prepare a bowl of detoxifying soup for him to drink from the kitchen within.

By the time she was done, it was already dark outside as if clothed in ink. Huang Wei was considering urging Xiao’er to eat something but recalling her earlier words made him hesitate to disturb her.

While he was still debating, Xiao’er emerged carrying a sack of medicine.

Upon seeing her, Huang Wei quickly approached her, "Countess of Rui’an, how is the Sixth Prince? Please go and eat. I shall keep an eye on him."

"No need, I have already given him the medicine. Once he breaks into a sweat, the fever will subside. Get these medicinal decoctions prepared and have everyone drink a bowl as a preventive measure," Xiao’er held him back & handed over the sack in her hand.

Huang Wei hastily accepted it, and the soldiers who needed no prompting came over to receive it and urged Xiao’er to eat.

After a quick meal, Xiao’er returned to take care of Shangguan Xuanyi.

His forehead was already covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

Xiao’er took out a handkerchief to wipe it off.

Soon, Shagguan Xuanyi’s sweat began to pour out more heavily and densely, and this went on until midnight when he showed signs of subsiding. His clothes, by then, were completely drenched.

Xiao’er felt his forehead again – the fever had broken. His forehead was cool to the touch.

Xiao’er released a sigh of relief. She picked up Shangguan Xuanyi’s clothes placing them aside while gingerly helping him to remove his soaking clothes – just as she got one sleeve off, he suddenly woke up.

Xiao’er propped his head up on her forearm and prepared to lift his body slightly to take off the rest of his clothes. When their eyes met, his gaze was full of indulgence and tenderness, leaving her blushing.

How incredibly awkward!

Xiao’er hastily pulled her hand back, "Awake, are you? Then take care of your clothing yourself. I’ll go to get your medicine."

Shangguan Xuanyi’s head slumped back onto the bed, "Girl, I lack the strength,"

"What a bother!" Although complaining, she still sat back down to help him change his clothes.

Shangguan Xuanyi had a radiant smile on his face where she couldn’t see.

"Girl, shall I ask the emperor to arrange our marriage?"

"Why?" Xiao’er nearly jumped up on hearing this. Good heavens, was his brain fried by the fever? From nowhere, he suddenly wanted to discuss marriage – she was quite young!

Shangguan Xuanyi gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Girl, you’ve seen my whole body, I can’t have you see for nothing. You ought to take responsibility, can you monitor my behavior from now onwards?"

What a nerve, getting a bargain then pretending innocence! Who was it that looked out for him?

"No! If I have seen your body, I have to take responsibility? Then wouldn’t the number of men holding me responsible make a line from Imperial City to Shengping County!" With a roll of her eyes, Xiao’er dismissively retorted.

In her previous life, in the summer, the beach and swimming pools were filled with shirtless men – as per this reckoning, one glance makes her accountable, then her harem would have consisted of more than 3000 women!

Shangguan Xuanyi’s face immediately fell, "Have you seen many men’s bodies?"

His tone instantly made the room’s atmosphere chillier.

Only then did Xiao’er realize that in this era, she could hardly get a chance to see the body of a man.

But...

"When my mother was too busy, I was the one to bathe Hao’er, also, every summer, many boys in the village go swimming naked in the river!"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Xuanyi’s face turned ghastly, "You must not watch in the future!"

Xiao’er snubbed him and his nonsensical demands, presuming his mind was affected by the fever.

"I’ll go and fetch some porridge for you. After the porridge, you’ll need to drink another bowl of medicine," Xiao’er took his drenched clothes and left, intending to burn them.

"You must not see other men’s bodies!" Seeing her avoiding the topic, he grabbed her arm and refused to let go, determined to get a satisfactory answer.

This man! Seeing the determination in Shangguan Xuanyi’s eyes and sensing he wouldn’t back down without an answer, she nodded reluctantly, "Alright, I won’t! Let go now!"

One couldn’t reason with a patient!

In this era, there weren’t nearly enough men walking around with their bodies bared anyway. Even if she’d wanted to see, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity.

Yet Shangguan Xuanyi still clutched her hand tightly.

"May I ask the emperor for our marriage?" Shangguan Xuanyi delivered his speech with seriousness. If one listened closely, they could make out a subtle plea.

Xiao’er’s first instinct was to decline, but seeing the infinite hope and entreaty in Shangguan Xuanyi’s eyes, she felt a pang of heartache. She nodded unthinkingly, "Okay!"

A brilliant smile emerged on Shangguan Xuanyi’s face, one he had never shown before. He couldn’t help but pull Xiao’er into a tight embrace, "From now on, I won’t spare a glance for other women!"

I never did, and now I never will, Shangguan Xuanyi overruled in his heart.

Realizing what she had agreed to, Xiao’er wondered if she would regret it. Admittedly, she didn’t know just yet...it was too early...

However, for a man of such standing, would attaining someone really be difficult? Why then, was he so apprehensive? Why then, did he plead?

If he hadn’t etched her into his heart, if he hadn’t been unwilling to hurt her, if he hadn’t been unable to accept a refusal, he wouldn’t have stooped to this level.

An imperial edict would have done the job – agree or not, she would have had no choice.

Refusement would lead to dissension, at the least she would be executed and at the most, her entire clan would be exterminated. If it came to that, would she really have the heart to go against him?