A visit

Xiao Huaijin's fever had broken, but he had not fully recovered. The head of the Imperial Medical Academy said he needed another two days of quiet rest, with no exposure to drafts, much less lessons in the imperial schoolroom.

Xiao Huaijin leaned against the couch beneath a blanket, a copy of the Commentary on the Water Classic spread before him, though his mind had long since wandered beyond the heavens. Most of the parasol tree's leaves in the courtyard had fallen. The few remaining leaves trembled on the branches, ready to drop at any moment. He had not stepped outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation for two days.

"Father, I'm better." When he saw Xiao Lin coming over from the main hall, he immediately spread his arms and waved them to prove that he really was fine.

"Better?" Xiao Lin sat beside the couch and felt his forehead. The fever had indeed broken; his forehead was cool. "Then get up and take a few steps for me."

Xiao Huaijin threw off the covers and started to climb down. The moment his feet touched the golden floor tiles, his legs buckled, and he pitched forward. Xiao Lin caught his arm and lifted him back onto the couch, as swiftly as scooping up a kitten that had tumbled out of its nest.

"You call this better?"

"My legs are just numb because I haven't been out of bed for so long," Xiao Huaijin insisted.

Xiao Lin did not expose him. He simply pulled the blanket back over his legs, then picked up the bowl of ginger broth from the table and fed it to him. After what had happened that night, Xiao Lin really had begun seeing enemy soldiers in every tree and blade of grass. He wished he could keep Xiao Huaijin tied to his side every day.

Just after the hour of the Snake, Liu An came in to announce that the second prince and fourth princess had arrived. Xiao Huaijin immediately tugged his blanket higher and opened the Commentary on the Water Classic, arranging it before him to look as though he was studying diligently. Beside him, Xiao Lin watched him hold the book upside down and raised an eyebrow without reminding him.

Xiao Yu came in first, carrying a small celadon bowl containing several bright red hawthorn fruits, freshly sugar-frosted by the Imperial Kitchen. He walked over to the couch and set the bowl on the low cabinet.

"Crown Prince Brother, how are you feeling?"

"I'm better already." Xiao Huaijin suddenly noticed that his book was upside down. Embarrassed, he hastily turned it around. "I can go to lessons tomorrow."

Xiao Yu pushed the sugar-frosted hawthorns toward him.

"These are super sweet. I tried them. Fourth Sister likes them too."

Xiao Lan came in behind him, carrying a small food box. She set it on the low table and opened it, revealing a plate of osmanthus sticky-rice-stuffed lotus root and a pot of freshly brewed dried tangerine peel tea. Sitting on the stool beside the couch, she reached out to feel Xiao Huaijin's forehead.

"Good, you're not hot anymore. The last time I had a fever, Mother said I should drink plenty of water after it broke. Mother brewed this pot of tangerine peel tea this morning. She added a tiny bit of honey, so it isn't bitter."

Xiao Huaijin took the tea and had a sip. It really was not bitter, and it carried a faint fragrance of dried tangerine peel. It tasted a hundred times better than the ginger broth he drank every day!

He could not help drinking an entire cup. His eyes narrowed with happiness, and he decided he would go mooch a meal from Noble Consort Jing once he recovered.

The three were chattering about what had happened over the past few days when hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the hall, accompanied by Noble Consort Xian's booming voice, which she could not suppress despite her efforts to lower it.

"Yue'er, stop running! Your Crown Prince Brother is ill-slow down, slow down!"

A chubby purple dumpling came running through the doorway right afterward. Xiao Yue wore a newly made little purple padded jacket today and clutched a paper pinwheel bigger than his head. Made from red paper, it bore a crooked tiger that was plainly his own handiwork.

"Crown Prince Brother! I brought you a pinwheel! I drew it! Look, does it look like a tiger?"

He held the pinwheel up before Xiao Huaijin. It whirred in the air currents inside the hall, sending the crooked tiger tumbling around, though-it did not seem to have much to do with a tiger.

Xiao Huaijin took the pinwheel, examined it carefully, and nodded earnestly.

"Yes. Very much."

Beside him, Xiao Yu tilted his head to glance at the "tiger," and the corners of his mouth could not help curling upward. Xiao Lan, however, added in all seriousness, "The character for 'king' on its forehead looks just right!"

Xiao Yue proudly thrust out his belly, then pushed the pinwheel into Xiao Huaijin's hands and clambered onto the couch on all fours. He sat beside Xiao Huaijin, swinging his little feet.

"Crown Prince Brother, you haven't come out to play with us for ages."

"Soon. Once I'm better, I'll take you to practice archery."

Noble Consort Xian followed him into the hall. She first paid her respects to Xiao Lin, then stood beside the couch and poked the back of Xiao Yue's head.

"You little rascal, you run faster than a rabbit. Even calling after you won't stop you."

She turned to look at Xiao Huaijin's complexion, then reached out to feel his forehead.

"Your Highness has grown thinner. I'll have the Imperial Kitchen stew a pigeon later. You need to build your strength back up."

Xiao Rui was the last to arrive. She entered through the side door of the side hall, carrying a freshly painted scroll, and stood on the outside without squeezing in. Only after Xiao Lan spotted her and beckoned her over did she place the scroll beside the couch.

"Third Sister, is this for me?"

Xiao Huaijin picked up the scroll and unrolled it, his eyes lighting up. It depicted a dragon. Its body coiled into a circle, its head held high and its claws resting on cloud patterns. Each scale had been outlined in charcoal, and its eyes were dotted with gold powder. A little figure in an apricot-yellow robe sat on its back, holding a small flag bearing the character for "recovery."

"Is this-me?" Xiao Huaijin pointed at the little figure on the dragon's back.

"Yes. I hope you get better soon, Crown Prince Brother." Xiao Rui's voice was soft and gentle.

Xiao Huaijin carefully rolled the painting up and placed it beside his pillow.

"Third Sister, your dragon looks even better than the ones in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. Once I'm better, I want to learn too."

Xiao Rui nodded, the corners of her mouth curving slightly, and sat on the stool beside the couch.

The children gathered around the couch and chattered. Xiao Lan poured several cups of tangerine peel tea and handed them around. Xiao Yu gave Xiao Yue a sugar-frosted hawthorn, and Xiao Yue took a bite, baring his teeth at the sourness. Xiao Rui sat quietly beside them, peeling apart the osmanthus sticky-rice-stuffed lotus root. She picked out the softest piece from the very middle and placed it on the plate at the edge of the table.

Xiao Lin had been back for a while. When Noble Consort Xian tried to pay her respects, he stopped her and indicated that no one needed to stand on ceremony. He sat behind the imperial desk nearby, reviewing memorials as he listened to the children crowding around one couch with their endless chatter.

The paper pinwheel turned slowly in the heat rising from the charcoal brazier. At some point, Xiao Yue had wrapped himself in Xiao Huaijin's covers, announcing that he wanted to recuperate with his Crown Prince Brother. Noble Consort Xian tried to pull him out, but he clung to Xiao Huaijin's arm and refused to let go. Only after she gave him a light smack on the back did he reluctantly release him.

"Father!" Hearing what Xiao Yu said, Xiao Huaijin immediately shared it excitedly.

"Second Brother said General Kong praised his progress in riding and archery!"

Xiao Lin looked up. Xiao Yu was giving Xiao Yue one of the last few sugar-frosted hawthorns. Hearing himself mentioned, his ears reddened slightly. He stood and turned toward his father, unconsciously clasping his hands behind his back.

"That was what General Kong said. I made progress in riding and archery lessons yesterday."

"Good. Practice for another two months, and you can switch to a bigger horse. Tell Kong Wu then to choose a gentle one for you from the military stud farm."

Xiao Lin put down his vermilion brush.

Xiao Yu froze for an instant, then nodded hard. He pressed his lips together, but could not suppress the smile spilling from his dimples.

When Xiao Yu sat back down beside the couch, Xiao Lan smiled and whispered something teasing in his ear. He quickly composed his expression, then picked up the last hawthorn and popped it into his mouth as though nothing had happened.

That afternoon, the children left one after another.

The hall grew quiet again. Leaning against his pillow, Xiao Huaijin leafed through the Commentary on the Water Classic, then put it down after two pages.

"Father, I really am better. Feel my forehead-it's cool."

He really wanted to go outside.

Xiao Lin came over and sat beside the couch, pressing the back of his hand to Xiao Huaijin's forehead. It was cool. He murmured an acknowledgment and finally relented.

"You may go to lessons in the imperial schoolroom tomorrow. But riding and archery lessons are still suspended until the head of the Imperial Medical Academy says you've fully recovered."

Xiao Huaijin immediately nodded obediently.

"Father, you haven't hugged me today. We agreed that we would hug often."

Xiao Lin lowered his eyes to him. The child leaned against his pillow, his face still a little pale, but the usual light had returned to his eyes. He was looking up, waiting as a matter of course for Xiao Lin to fulfill his promise. Xiao Lin bent down and gathered his child into his arms, covers and all, resting his chin on the crown of his head.

"All right."

After nightfall, Xiao Huaijin finished his medicine and soon fell asleep on the couch. When Xiao Lin finished reviewing memorials and returned to the side hall, he found that Xiao Huaijin had kicked half his covers off, leaving one little foot exposed. He tucked the covers back in, then went to sit at the imperial desk.

A secret memorial had arrived today from the cavalry camp in Shuofang City. Lu Ming had already begun training there. Reading its contents, he could not help reflecting once again that someone like this should have been entrusted with important duties in his previous life.

It was late into the night, and the hall had fallen silent, broken only by an occasional soft crack from the charcoal brazier.