4 » Shuai Jiao Jiang «

Pain.

"Argh!"

Groaning, Shuai Jiao Jiang open his eyes with difficulty.

He focus his eyes for a while. After, he slowly look around, and notice that the room smells of herbs and medicines.

His wandering eyes had explore the room, he seems to be on a bed in the left corner, to his right a table full of herbs and medicines and basin, in front were the close door and open window.

He groan again and tried to shift his body to sit. But with little strength, he colapse back on the bed.

Though blurry, he remembered seeing a lady and hearing her voice.

"That lady..."

Jiao Jiang mumbled. He thinks that the lady was the one who had help him.

He is Shuai Jiao Jiang, a duke.

He resided in the capital with his grandparents; the Old Duke and the Duchess Dowager.

With his parents deceased and the only child and descendant left in his generation, his grandparents did all they can to provide Jiao Jiang everything he needs.

Shuai Jiao Jiang entered the military in his teens and in his 20s rank as major but as the only heir of the dukedom, he went home and accepted the position with the blessing of the emperor.

Traveling to a certain forest, the duke was poisoned accidentally deep in the forest. He needed an herb only found in that forest. Though he found himself poisoned, he still felt a relief to being successful in his mission and hurriedly find a way out from the forest but when he was already at the border of the forest to where he left his horse tied beside a tree, he felt his little strength, he tried riding his horse but with his lack of energy, he fell and lied on the ground beside the tree.

Groaning, he tried to preserve the little energy his body have and that was when he heard noises. His consciousness left him for a minute and when he opened his blurry eyes that was the moment when he notice the lady and heard her voice after that he had woken up in what he thinks a small clinic room.

He sigh and heard some steps.

He wander his eyes on the door.

The door opened and a middle age man appears.

That must be the doctor.

The doctor was slightly startled by seeing him awake but calm in a second and approach him.

Though weary he still felt gratitude by the doctor's help.

and the lady, he thought.

"Greetings mister. I'm Doctor Xiao."

He tried to talk but his throat is in pain and a groan was heard instead.

"Relax, you were sleep for 2 days. Mister, here, have some water"

Duke Joao Jiang accepted the water.

"Slowly..."

After the action, Jiao Jiang tried to talk again.

"D-doc-t-tor, ahem, d-doctor..."

He sounded better than the first try,

"...do you know where my horse is?"

"Don't worry, your ride is in good hands, my Xiao child and her friend is taking care of it."

"Doctor, when can I..."

"You're a duke mister am I right?"

Though startled, Jiao Jiang, still confirm.

"en, how do you know Doctor?"

The Doctor smiled.

"This commoner noticed by your armor and the familiar face of the old duke who this commoner once had seen when I traveled before to the capital."

After talking, the Doctor continue his check while the Duke remain silent.

Done checking, the Doctor told Jiao Jiang to relax and stay for a week to recuperate before continuing his journey home to avoid damaging his healing body.

Though reluctant, Jiao Jiang still agreed and the Doctor left him.

Before the Doctor left, he was told that someone will arrive to lead him to his cabin for a week...

In deep thoughts, Jiao Jiang didn't notice the arrival of someone...