Free Web NovelChapter 1221: Chapter 33: Love Debts (Part 9)
Princess Yinchuan was determined to sleep on the ground.
Su Yang was firm in refusing to sleep in bed, fearing the gossip of being unkind to a fair lady.
And then—
Both ended up sleeping on the ground.
They asked the attendant to bring them a few more quilts, each occupying a spot on the ground separated by an ice basin.
The attendant, "...."
No doubt about it.
These two definitely have something wrong with their heads.
And it’s a big problem.
This is the upper room.
What’s the best part of the upper room?
It’s this big bed.
The floors are the same throughout the inn, why not just opt for a regular room and save some Silver Tael?
But judging by their attire, they’re either rich or noble, why do they have this habit of fighting over sleeping on the ground?
And it’s not a matter of being humble.
Customers wanted quilts, and the attendant quickly brought them, earning five Silver’s worth of reward money, leaving him grinning from ear to ear.
Princess Yinchuan lay on the ground, fully satisfied.
Su Yang was a bit worried.
Did he mess up the girl’s mind?
Was he too harsh before?
So much so that when offered a horse, she chose to walk.
When offered a bed, she chose the ground?
Now only her appetite has recovered.
When the food was served, Su Yang was hit hard.
Princess Yinchuan not only ate heartily but also devoured quite a bit of braised beef... that’s a muscle-building portion.
She surely couldn’t be thinking of building muscle, right?
Seeing Princess Yinchuan eat so heartily, Su Yang found his own meal tasteless.
"You...eat a bit less," Su Yang’s voice was rather unsteady.
Princess Yinchuan shot him a glance, continuing to stuff chicken legs into her mouth.
Su Yang decided to call a doctor for her.
After Princess Yinchuan had her fill, noticing there was still time, and a lot of people were out on the streets, she went out for a walk to aid digestion.
Despite her lofty status, she knew that not walking a bit after meals could lead to indigestion and weight gain.
She wanted to gain weight, but not all over her body.
Now that Su Yang knew she was a girl, he couldn’t just ignore her whereabouts, especially after having offended the Princely Heir of Prince Ping.
Walking behind her, Princess Yinchuan curbed her interest in rouge, face powder, and hair accessories, worrying about revealing her already exposed identity, and turned her attention to brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
After strolling through two streets, Princess Yinchuan returned to the inn.
Seeing them come back, the attendant quickly said, "The doctor has arrived for a while now."
"Doctor?" Princess Yinchuan was a bit puzzled.
She looked at Su Yang, "Are you sick?"
She knew Su Yang hadn’t eaten much dinner, but everyone has times when they’re just not hungry, did he really need to call a doctor for that?
Su Yang looked at her and said, "It’s been a long time since I had a peaceful pulse check."
Princess Yinchuan, "...."
The corner of Princess Yinchuan’s mouth twitched.
More particular than her, a princess.
Following behind upstairs, stepping on the stairs, Princess Yinchuan suddenly realized.
As soon as the doctor checks her pulse, he’ll find out she’s a girl.
Princess Yinchuan was prepared to run.
She felt completely fine and didn’t need to see a doctor.
But since the doctor was called especially for her, would Su Yang let her avoid it?
"You should also get your pulse checked," Su Yang said.
Princess Yinchuan quickly said, "I don’t need it."
"It’s more reassuring to have a peaceful pulse check," Su Yang insisted.
Knowing what Princess Yinchuan was afraid of, Su Yang gave her a doubtful look.
Would Princess Yinchuan dare to leave now?
She had to brace herself and follow along.
Su Yang entered the room first, followed by the doctor.
But as the doctor was about to step inside, Princess Yinchuan pulled him aside and slipped a gold ingot to him.
The doctor, "...???"
After handing over the gold ingot, Princess Yinchuan said nothing and stepped into the room first.
The doctor, clueless, didn’t understand.
Su Yang’s pulse was undoubtedly fine.
With such a sturdy physique, getting a peaceful pulse check was truly worrying over nothing.
After Su Yang, it was Princess Yinchuan’s turn.
The moment the doctor checked her pulse, he understood what the gold ingot was for.
About Princess Yinchuan being a girl, the doctor kept silent, mentioning everything else in detail.
Su Yang gave the doctor a Silver ingot, seeing him out, and asked, "Her head’s not a problem, right?"
The doctor, "...???"
Apart from not mentioning the girl’s disguise as a man, he had said everything else.
If there were a problem with her head, he certainly wouldn’t keep it hidden, lest he take their money and cause them to miss an opportunity for timely treatment.
Seeing Su Yang’s genuine concern, the doctor pondered internally; after all, being disguised as a man, she wouldn’t behave exactly like a real man.
The doctor smiled and said, "Her head is fine, you can rest assured."
Can he really feel assured?
The stone weighing on Su Yang’s heart wouldn’t budge.
But with the doctor seeing her, he could only act as if Princess Yinchuan was perfectly fine.
Su Yang bathed while Princess Yinchuan went out.
Princess Yinchuan bathed while Su Yang stepped out.
Both were remarkably self-conscious.
In their self-consciousness, there was a particular awkwardness, especially for Su Yang. After all, he had once climbed through a window while a girl was bathing, even chiding her for being shy...
Though no one knew, he had already ruined the girl’s reputation.
No matter what, he should take responsibility for her.
Each slept on their own ground space.
Princess Yinchuan, as she wished, slept on the ground, very soundly.
Su Yang tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and then carried Princess Yinchuan to the bed to sleep.
The next day, when Princess Yinchuan woke up in the bed, she was completely puzzled.
How did she end up in the bed?!
She won’t drink tea at night, get up to use the restroom, or sleepwalk.
Knowing it was Su Yang who helped her, Princess Yinchuan immediately exploded.
"You have a floor to sleep on, why won’t you let me sleep on the floor?!" Princess Yinchuan ranted, frustrated.
Su Yang, "..."
Letting her sleep on the bed causes such outrage?
Does she really resist sleeping on a bed?
"I... why do you insist on sleeping on the floor?" Su Yang felt something was off.
Princess Yinchuan glared with her beautiful eyes, "Mind your own business!"
After speaking, she got off the bed to freshen up.
Passing by the copper mirror, Princess Yinchuan felt somewhat defeated, as if her chest... hadn’t grown.
Looking at Su Yang reflected in the copper mirror, Princess Yinchuan glared twice and turned her face away.
After breakfast, the two continued their journey.
Princess Yinchuan refused to ride a horse, just like before.
Despite Su Yang’s repeated attempts to persuade her, all were in vain, so he simply kept her company.
Thus, another seven or eight days passed.
Princess Yinchuan felt slightly more at ease because her chest had grown a little bit.
On this day, they stopped at a place less than a hundred miles from the Capital City.
They stayed at this inn for a full six days.
The first three days were drenched with heavy rain, making it inconvenient to travel.
During the latter three days, Princess Yinchuan was unwell and unable to travel.
Princess Yinchuan was suffering from relentless abdominal pain, the kind she was familiar with, but Su Yang had no idea.
Seeing her lying on the floor clutching her stomach, her face pale from pain, he was startled, "What’s wrong?"
Princess Yinchuan shook her head, "I’m... I’m fine..."
Fine?
She looked as if she was on the brink of death, yet said she was fine?
"I will go get a doctor for you," Su Yang said.
He stood up to leave, but Princess Yinchuan stopped him, speaking with difficulty, "No need; I just need to drink some hot water and rest for a while."
"Drinking hot water can cure illnesses, why bother with doctors or medicine?" Su Yang responded.
Princess Yinchuan insisted on refusing.
Su Yang did not know whether she was avoiding doctors because of an ailment or fearing a doctor would reveal her identity as a woman.
Covering up forever isn’t a sustainable solution.
After serving her tea, Su Yang asked the inn attendant to call for a doctor.
The doctor arrived in the rain, drenched.
With no time to bribe the doctor, Princess Yinchuan’s female identity was exposed.
Hmm.
It’s not like the doctor was unbribable; Princess Yinchuan wanted to send Su Yang away.
Su Yang didn’t leave.
Before the doctor arrived, Su Yang had instructed him to speak candidly and threatened him that if he dared to conceal anything, he wouldn’t receive double the consultation fee, but a punch instead.
The doctor did not dare to accept Princess Yinchuan’s hush money.
Being spared from a punch was a blessing.
The doctor, having been threatened, spoke without reservation.
Princess Yinchuan’s masquerade as a man was naturally revealed.
Su Yang acted as if he were entirely in the dark about this matter, appearing shocked as though he had been hit by lightning repeatedly, unable to believe it.
Princess Yinchuan’s face turned red as a monkey’s bottom.
Once the doctor left, Su Yang looked at Princess Yinchuan, "You’re a woman?!"
Princess Yinchuan quickly denied, "I... I’m not!"
"You’re not?"
"Was that doctor an incompetent fool?" Su Yang asked.
"..."
Princess Yinchuan bit her lip lightly.
She nodded, fearing that Su Yang would go beat up the doctor.
Princess Yinchuan pouted, "So what if I’m a lady?!"
Her clear voice carried a touch of charm.
Su Yang was momentarily bewildered, his words stumbling, "You’re a lady, therefore you should take responsibility for me."
Princess Yinchuan, "!!!"
Responsible?
She hadn’t made him responsible yet!
And now he wants her to take responsibility?!
Did she mishear him?!
Su Yang himself didn’t know where these words came from, certainly not from his brain.
After speaking, he too blushed.
He was rarely a person to blush.
The words were out, so he had to try to manage the situation somehow.
Looking at Princess Yinchuan, Su Yang said righteously, "I didn’t know you were a woman; I treated you like a man and bullied you. If you don’t take responsibility and marry me, won’t I have a guilty conscience forever?"
Princess Yinchuan, "..."
Is this person being reasonable?
The audacity is staggering!
"I’m already engaged," Princess Yinchuan used the engagement as a shield.
"I am too," Su Yang replied.
Princess Yinchuan, "..."
Su Yang, "..."
The two looked at each other in silence.
The room fell into a strange stillness.
Su Yang rubbed his forehead, breaking the quiet, "An engagement is just an engagement, it can be broken."
"I suppose when your fiancé hears we remained alone together, he won’t marry you."
If others heard those words, they might be upset.
But not Princess Yinchuan, for she fled just to avoid marriage.
Unfortunately, she hadn’t even reached the Capital City and her womanhood was exposed due to her stomach pain.
Though they were innocent, having spent so much time alone in the same room, their denial wouldn’t convince others.
Yet she never considered marrying Tang Feng.
Her father insisted she marry the Second Young Master of East Town Marquis Mansion, and this marriage might not be so easy to call off.
Although there’s a faint hope, she wasn’t willing to let it go.
Considering how the Second Young Master of East Town Marquis Mansion was a scoundrel, if he knew she cuckolded him, they might both be doomed.
Thinking this over—
Su Yang sneezed twice more.
