Fix Smile Order

The doctor began to explain everything. 

It turned out that after twenty years of intense research, he was able to develop a method to treat eye-related diseases. Unfortunately, no one believed him, on the contrary his reputation of being a madman spread far and wide. The Emperor had caught wind of this and summoned him to the imperial palace for some questions. Then after, the Emperor sent him, along with a few guards, down south to find Tan Lingyin.

In fact, Ji Heng was also helpless. Tang Tianyuan's original so-called ‘single unfulfilled wish’ turned out to be ‘he could see how beautiful Tan Lingyin was, but unfortunately Tan Lingyin can't see how handsome he was’... Was there anyone more narcissistic than him!?

Tang Tianyuan hoped that the Emperor would help find a good doctor to treat Tan Lingyin's nearsightedness. Ji Heng had already rejected one of his requests, seeing that this one didn’t seem too difficult, he agreed.

However, once he went to ask his imperial physicians, Ji Heng found out that there was no known cure.

Later he heard that a person claimed to be able to cure this eye disease. So the Emperor called the crazy doctor over and asked about the specific method. When he was able to confirm there would be no side effects, he asked the doctor to try it.

Afterall, desperate times call for desperate measures.

After he finished his report, Tan Lingyin looked at the imperial decree the doctor handed over. In the end she said, "Then please read my pulse first."

"No need."

Tan Nengwen asked, "How can you cure a disease without taking a pulse?"

"Regional Princess, I need to see you before I can treat you."

Tan Nengwen was a little unhappy and wanted to stop him. Tan Lingyin calmly stated, "There’s no need, it’s not like I haven’t met other people before." Then, she walked out from behind the screen.

The doctor opened his medicine box. There were no needles or medicines in it, only many flat, irregularly-cut, transparent crystals. Tan Lingyin picked up a piece curiously and looked at it. The surface was not flat, but curved.

The doctor asked everyone to walk to the yard, where the light was good. The doctor took out a stack of written papers. He asked someone to stand not far away while holding one of them, and asked Tan Lingyin, "Can you read what it says?"

Tan Lingyin shook her head.

The doctor held up a small crystal and placed it in front of her left eye, "Can you read it now?"

She shook her head again.

"Commandery Princess, it seems that your eye disease is in a progressive state," the doctor shook his head and sighed. He then picked up another crystal and put it in front of her left eye, "What about now?"

"Huh?" Tan Lingyin was a little surprised, "It's really more clear! Is that the word 'sky'?"

The doctor nodded, "Cover your right eye, let's try again."

Tan Lingyin did as he was told. The doctor kept changing the crystal chips, and at the same time asked the person holding the words to keep changing the paper until Tan Lingyin's answer became "very clear."

Tan Lingyin was a little excited. It seemed that he wasn’t a quack after all?

The doctor wrote down the serial number of the crystal chip. He then tested her right eye again, and noted the serial number for that eye accordingly.

Tan Lingyin waited for him to prescribe the medicine, but the doctor packed away everything and said, "I'll come back in three days."

Though he said three days, Tan Lingyin waited for more than ten days, but no one came. Maybe the doctor felt that his skills were limited and the treatment was not good, so he ran away?

Tan Lingyin was a little depressed. Her happiness seemed so short lived...

March was the time when ‘pink apricot branches run wild’ [1].

Apricot trees were also planted in Tan Lingyin's courtyard. The sparse trees led to the base of the wall. The apricot blossoms were mostly white with a touch of faded pink—Thanks to a famous verse from the Song Dynasty, no one dared to plant red apricots next to the wall anymore [2].

After a spring rain, apricot blossom petals fell all over the path. Tan Lingyin stepped on the snow-white petals and inexplicably thought of Tang Tianyuan again.

She had reminisced about him countless times, but it was happening more and more frequently recently. Alas, it turned out that this was what it felt like to miss someone. It was hard to describe whether it was sour, sweet, or astringent, but the feeling was lingering and couldn’t be shaken off. Her mind was full of him. She was so irritable that she wanted to push it aside, but she was also reluctant...

Tan Lingyin counted with her fingers. She still had a month before she could see him!

Tan Lingyin wondered what he's been busy with recently? He had been writing to her all the time. She knew that he left the Hanlin Academy and was transferred to the Ministry of Rites as the Vice Director. 

Don't underestimate the Ministry of Rites, the waters were deep enough for Tang Tianyuan to attend to for a while. His most recent letter stated that the Ministry of Rites was preparing for this year's imperial examination. This exam was only held every three years. On top of that was also the annual court examination.

He must be very busy now, will he be very tired?...

Thinking of this, Tan Lingyin actually began to have hallucinations.

——She saw a person standing on the wall behind the blooming apricot blossoms. She knew it was him just by looking at the figure. Although she couldn't see his face clearly, Tan Lingyin could feel that he was smiling at her.

It was only when the two maids behind her cried out in shock that Tan Lingyin realized that this was not a hallucination at all.

She comforted the maids and told them to silently retreat first.

The servant girls were clever and quickly understood. They quickly disappeared.

Tan Lingyin watched him jump off the wall and watched him slowly approach.

"You……"

She was only able to say one word when she was pulled into his arms. His overwhelming kisses engulfed her, like a strong gust, it made her flustered. She wrapped her arms around his neck and reciprocated the kiss.

Tang Tianyuan became even more excited. Like a thirsty beast, he kept looking for the rain in her mouth. How much he wished that they would continue to be lingering like this.

After a long time, Tan Lingyin let go of him. She panted in his arms and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Of course it’s because I miss you."

He missed her so much that his heart was about to burst, as if he was going to die if he didn’t see her.

"I miss you too." Tan Lingyin whispered.

These words made everything worth it. Tang Tianyuan thought.

He couldn’t rest at work but was also restless not having seen her in so long, so he took a few days off despite his superior's irked expression. He wasn’t the only one employed in the Ministry of Rites, so at worst, he would just be stuck with overtime when he got back.

Unfortunately his timing was not so good. Tan Nengwen was out of town for business. Madam Tan's grandmother passed away, so she returned to her maternal home. The only person who received him was the housekeeper. In such a situation, there was no way he could ask the Young Lady of Tan's Residence to host the guests.

Tang Tianyuan couldn't wait for anyone to return, so he was a little anxious. He wandered around the outside of Tan's Residence, and jumped over the wall.

Afterall, he was quite proficient.

There was nothing more wonderful than to see one’s sweetheart after jumping over a wall.

When Tan Lingyin heard Tang Tianyuan’s explanation, she giggled. She didn't know why she laughed, but she was in a good mood when she heard him talking.

Tang Tianyuan was the same.

He hugged her and was reluctant to let go. He listened to her talk about her recent situation. She ate and drank well, but the strange thing was that she hasn’t gained much weight. The young ladies in Jinan would often invite her to parties, and they would tease her every time. She has done a lot of needlework, some of which are made by herself, and some are made with the help of others. Oh, there was also a strange doctor who almost cured her eye disease...

Tang Tianyuan heard this, let go of her, and took out a box from his sleeve.

"What is this?" Tan Lingyin was surprised, the box was so pretty.

Tang Tianyuan opened the box, took out a strange object, and explained, "The doctor made this. He didn't run away because he was worried that he would not cure you. He accidentally broke the crystal that was already prepared. The crystal had to be pure without any impurities and the size had to be large enough. He couldn't find it himself nor could he afford it, so he had to go back and ask the emperor for another. It took some time to gather the crystal and polish it carefully. It was only just recently completed, so I offered to deliver it.”

Tan Lingyin looked at the item he was holding. A strangely shaped frame seemed to be made of tortoise shell. There were two circular holes, inlaid with crystal chips. She wanted to touch it, but he refused to let her. He mischievously smiled, and finally put the frame to her face. The two thin claws of the frame hooked her ears, and the frame inlaid with crystal crystals lay across the bridge of the nose.

The frames highlighted Tan Lingyin’s big eyes and small face are even more. Although it looked a little funny, it was also quite cute. Tang Tianyuan pinched her cheek and asked, "How does it feel?"

How does it feel? Tan Lingyin always felt that her eyes were covered with a thin layer of mist. Now, the mist has been blown away, and she has returned to a crystal clean world.

- It feels amazing!

She looked up at Tang Tianyuan. The man in front of her had sharp eyebrows and eyes shone like a thousand stars. At this moment, he was smiling and his soft eyes were full of affection. She couldn't help but praise, "You're so good looking."

Tang Tianyuan was very satisfied. He lowered his head to kiss her, "Overpraise, you're not bad yourself."

The two hugged each other for a while but still had to part in the end.

They comforted each other that it was okay, that they’ll be able to see each other again in a month.

However, inwardly they were laminating how it would be another month before they could see each other again.

Tang Tianyuan insisted that Tan Lingyin leave first. She complied, but looked back at him every couple of steps.

Tang Tianyuan no longer was able to see her silhouette, he jumped on top of the wall.

It was a sunny day today. The sunshine wrapped his body like a warm blanket. The breeze blew and the ends of his robe fluttered, carrying with it the scent of an unknown flower. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

——After taking in the floral fragrance, his mouth bent into a small arc.

(End of Main Story)

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Footnotes:

 [1] Pink apricot branches run wild- verse from Spring in Jade Pavilion. Read more here:

https://www.istudy-china.com/song-qi-poem-spring-in-jade-pavilion/ 

[2] Famous verse from the Song Dynasty - Refers to this poem. The meaning can be self interpreted. http://tcfl.tingroom.com/2017/02/12486.html