"Your Highness," Chu Xiyin struggled to sit up in bed.
"Don't move!" Yi Chuan pressed down on Chu Xi Yin's shoulder and gently set her down. "Is your injury feeling better?"
"Much better!"
"By the way, did a young man in white come to the manor today?" Chu Xiyin glanced at Chunhua and thought to herself, if the prince could give Chunhua to that young man in white, it would save the girl from having all sorts of wild thoughts.
"Oh? What? You're interested in him?" Even though he had clearly heard her say outside the door that he was the only one in her heart, there was still a hint of jealousy in his voice.
Ignoring Chunhua's presence, Chu Xiyin poked his cheek and said, "Who's interested in him! Tell me quickly, do you know that young man in white today?"
Yi Chuan stared into her eyes. "So what if we know each other? So what if we don't?"
"If you know that young man in white, I have a favor to ask!" Chu Xiyin gently tugged at his sleeve, afraid that he would get angry and leave her with his back turned.
"What is it?" Yi Chuan deliberately feigned nonchalance.
"Give the spring flowers to that young master!" Chu Xiyin said softly.
"Are you willing to do that?" Yi Chuan approached her.
Chu Xiyin shook her head. "But..."
"Alright, it depends on whether Chunhua is willing or not. It's not up to you or me to decide," Yichuan said with a wry smile.
If he had known she would suffer so much because of Chunhua, he would surely have revealed the white-clad boy's identity now. However, given her personality, if he had revealed the white-clad boy's identity, she would have preferred to sacrifice herself rather than implicate others.
"Chunhua, you're willing, aren't you?" Chu Xiyin asked with a smile.
"This servant...this servant is willing..." Chunhua bit her lip, her face flushed.
When Chu Xiyin saw Chunhua's shy appearance, she felt a surge of joy, and her face unconsciously revealed a childlike quality.
Yi Chuan looked at Chu Xiyin and felt a pang of pain in his heart.
"Your Highness, Lord Qi requests an audience!" Steward Zhang announced from outside the door.
"Alright! I understand." Yi Chuan frowned, got up and walked towards the door. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned back and said, "Chunhua, tell the kitchen to prepare some food for the young lady."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Yi Chuan looked away from Chu Xi Yin's pure gaze and disappeared into the night.
Inside the hall, a slender man dressed in black stood beside Qi Yu. The man wore a bamboo hat and a black veil, his entire body shrouded in black, revealing only a pair of captivating eyes. If one did not listen to him speak, one would surely mistake him for a woman.
"You are the disciple of the Poison Doctor—Nameless?" Yi Chuan had some doubts about the thin man in black in front of him.
The man in black was slightly taken aback. "Nameless"? This was probably a name Qi Yu had made up for him on the spot.
"That's me!" The man in black had a pleasant voice. But Yi Chuan felt the voice sounded somewhat familiar, though he couldn't quite place where he'd heard it before. Without time to think, Yi Chuan hurriedly asked, "Are you skilled in disguise?"
A hint of allure flashed in the man's eyes. His tone was clearly rhetorical, yet strangely calm. "Does Your Highness perhaps doubt me?"
Yi Chuan never expected that someone would dare to ask him such a bold question.
No wonder Qi Gui took him as his disciple! They both disregarded the powerful and wealthy, and both spoke as they pleased.
"No, I believe you."
The man in black smiled slightly, bowed slightly, and looked at Qi Yu.
For some reason, Yi Chuan felt that the way he looked at Qi Yu was a little strange!
Chapter 27: Disguise (Part 1)
That night, Chu Xiyin was fast asleep. "Nameless" stood by her bedside with his arms crossed, his captivating eyes fixed on Chu Xiyin's face.
The moonlight outside the window was like water, gently spilling into the "Nameless" man's charming eyes. In an instant, his eyes also became as soft and lively as water.
"Nameless" closed his eyes, carefully sketching Chu Xiyin's appearance in his mind.
To prevent Chu Xiyin from discovering the truth, Yichuan only gave Wuming one night to observe her. Normally, with Wuming's skill, he could memorize all of Chu Xiyin's facial features in just half an incense stick's time. However, Chunhua's thunderous snoring beside him was disturbing his peace of mind. He frowned impatiently, glancing sideways at the plump woman on the ground, his eyes filled with annoyance. Suddenly, a streak of purple light flew from his sleeve, landing precisely in Chunhua's open mouth. Instantly, she fell silent, like a corpse.
Wuming was certain he had etched Chu Xiyin's face into his mind. As he turned to leave, he slipped a white pill from his slender fingers and gently placed it into Chunhua's mouth. Instantly, thunderous snoring filled the room once more.
His slender, nameless fingers traced across Chunhua's delicate, fair skin. Beneath the black veil, a subtle, feminine smile played on his lips.
As dawn broke, Chu Xiyin had already woken up. So as not to disturb Chunhua, who was still fast asleep, she quietly got out of bed.
As she opened the door, the fresh autumn air rushed in, making her feel refreshed.
Chu Xiyin stretched comfortably, but her expression froze halfway through. She had forgotten her back injury; this simple stretch caused her excruciating pain. Biting her lip, Chu Xiyin carefully returned her arm to its original position. Suddenly, she heard the door next door creak open. Turning her head, she met Yi Chuan's melancholy eyes.
"Why didn't you sleep a little longer?" Yi Chuan walked towards her, a gentle smile playing on his lips, revealing a rosy complexion, and exuding a captivating masculine charm.
Chu Xiyin stared at him, somewhat mesmerized, until he approached her, at which point she awkwardly said, "I...I couldn't sleep, so I came out for some fresh air."
Yi Chuan smiled gently and said, "Come on, let's go get something to eat first, and then I'll go for a walk with you later."
As he spoke, he took her hand. Chu Xiyin felt a warmth in her palm, and a blush crept onto her face.
As dawn broke, the sight of the two walking hand in hand caused the ghostly figure hidden in the darkness to sigh heavily.
After breakfast, Chu Xiyin excitedly climbed into the carriage. Yi Chuan wanted to help her, but he hadn't expected an injured woman to move so quickly and nimbly!
After Yichuan got into the carriage, Mo Cong jumped to the front of the carriage and sat down.
Chu Xiyin gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain. This Ziling City was truly bustling. Looking around, all she could see was prosperity, with no trace of war or people suffering.
The street was filled with a dazzling array of unusual trinkets, which excited Chu Xiyin. "A man who doesn't love money is doomed!" she thought. If she bought some antiques to take home, even a simple bowl could bring her joy for most of her life.
"I want to go downstairs for a walk," Chu Xiyin said, turning around and pleading with a smile.
Yi Chuan had been quietly observing Chu Xi Yin when she suddenly turned around, making him feel awkward. He hadn't heard what she said, but seeing her pleading eyes, he nodded woodenly and said, "Okay..."
Chu Xiyin naturally placed her left hand in his palm and pulled him out of the car.
Mo Cong followed closely behind, maintaining the professional alertness of a first-class bodyguard.
Only those within the Purple Mausoleum City know the deadly dangers lurking beneath its calm surface. Let alone highly skilled assassins, even a seemingly defenseless child could kill you at any moment.
After getting off the bus, Chu Xiyin realized she was penniless. Looking at the trinkets, her eyes flickered with a mixture of hope and despair. Ah! The feeling of wanting to buy something but not being able to afford it—only heaven knows how painful that is!
She glanced at Yichuan. He definitely had the money! It's just that she was used to being independent and didn't like spending a man's money. Asking her to act like those little girls, throwing tantrums and acting spoiled, was something she could never do. Forget it, she'd better go back. Better not die of anger over these "luxury items"!
"Let's go back!" Chu Xiyin said, shaking Yi Chuan's arm.
Yi Chuan was lost in thought for a long while before he finally came to his senses. Just as he was about to reply, Mo Cong suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "Your Highness, be careful!"
Yi Chuan frowned slightly, gripped Chu Xi Yin's hand tightly, and hurried back to the carriage.
Chu Xiyin hadn't figured out what was going on, only feeling Yi Chuan gripping her hand very tightly. Mo Cong followed closely behind the two, carefully protecting them.
Seeing how tense the two were, Chu Xiyin wondered if they had encountered an assassin.
Chu Xiyin quickly scanned her surroundings with curiosity, but all she saw were kind-looking commoners. Somewhat disappointed, she looked away. Actually, she really wanted to see what the assassin looked like!
Just as she averted her gaze, a vibrant green light flashed past the corner of her eye. Chu Xiyin quickly looked in the direction of the green light, but unfortunately, the person in green was too fast. Chu Xiyin only caught a glimpse of a small section of clothing that hadn't yet disappeared into the corner of the wall.
However, the man in green carefully observed Chu Xiyin's appearance. A sinister smile flashed across his face.
"Chuan, what's wrong?" After getting into the carriage, Chu Xiyin noticed that Yi Chuan was holding her hand and it was slightly sweaty.
Yi Chuan looked at her, gripped her shoulders tightly, and pulled her into his arms. Over the years, he had always been on the verge of life and death, but he had never felt so tense and afraid as he did today.
He kept her by his side; was that the right thing to do?
The carriage returned to the mansion quite quickly, and fortunately, they did not encounter any assassins along the way.
Upon entering the mansion, Yi Chuan suddenly asked, "Are you really going to give Chunhua to that young master?"
Chu Xiyin's eyes were filled with laughter. "Of course it's true."
"Then let her go today. Are you willing to do that?" Yi Chuan stared into her eyes and asked seriously.
"Leaving today?" Chu Xiyin felt it was too fast. In the entire Prince's mansion, apart from Yichuan, only Chunhua treated her well. If she left, she would be very lonely.
Yi Chuan nodded and said, "That young master's residence is short of a maid. I think, since Chunhua is willing, we should send her over as soon as possible. What do you think?"
"Where does the young master live? Is it far from here?" If it's close, at least she can visit him often.
"If you don't want to, then forget it." Yi Chuan avoided Chu Xi Yin's question, and also avoided her pure yet heartbreaking gaze.
Last night, after leaving Chu Xiyin's room, Wuming went to Yichuan's room. With a strange glint in his eyes, Wuming told him that he thought Chunhua was very suitable for the disguise surgery. Firstly, Chunhua's height was similar to Chu Xiyin's, only a little plump, but with Wuming around, that wasn't a problem at all. Secondly, Chunhua's skin was delicate, fair, and elastic, allowing her to recover quickly after the disguise. This was an extremely advantageous condition for anyone undergoing the disguise.
"Then I'll go back and discuss it with Chunhua!" Chu Xiyin said, bowing her head.
"Really? I can go to that young master's residence today?" Upon hearing this news, Chunhua almost jumped up. Her weight of over 100 pounds made the wooden room tremble several times.
Women's friendships are so fragile. The moment they meet a man they like, their souls leave them! Who cares about being sisters anymore!
"Look how happy you are! Do you really think you can bear to leave me?" Chu Xiyin rolled her eyes at her, a surge of displeasure building within her. And she'd been so worried about her! She's such a heartless brat!
"I can't bear to part with you, I can't bear to part with you! You're the best person I've ever met in the world!" Chunhua murmured, rubbing against Chu Xiyin. But as she said this, a radiant smile was clearly on her face. Chu Xiyin couldn't see what it was about her that she was reluctant to part with her.
"Then I'll go pack my things now!" Overcome with excitement, Chunhua unconsciously slapped Chu Xiyin hard on the back.
Chu Xiyin almost coughed up blood. The wound must have reopened, otherwise, why would she feel a dampness on her back?
"No need to pack, I've prepared all the food and clothes for you! Just go!" Yi Chuan stood at the door. There was a hint of reproach in his eyes as he looked at Chun Hua.
"Shall I leave now?" Chunhua asked, looking eager.
Chu Xiyin's heart sank. This puberty-struck brat is utterly heartless!
"When Lord Qi arrives, he will take you there!" Yi Chuan said calmly.
"Lord Qi? Qi Yu?" Chu Xiyin couldn't understand why Qi Yu was needed to escort her. Could it be that Ziling City was so dangerous that even a maid could be assassinated at any moment? That was too absurd!
But this is for the best. With Qi Yu's skills, at least he can ensure that Chunhua arrives safely at that young master's residence.
"Qi Yu greets the Fourth Prince!"
Speak of the devil and he appears!
Qi Yu stood at the door, his expression serious. Seeing Chu Xiyin, he probably wanted to ask if her injuries were any better. However, due to the presence of the Fourth Prince and some reservations, he didn't ask. He simply moved his lips and fixed his gaze on her.
"Qi Yu!" Seeing an old acquaintance, Chu Xiyin couldn't help but feel excited.
Seeing Chu Xiyin so excited, Yi Chuan felt a strange pang of jealousy. Why hadn't she been this excited when she saw him?
Qi Yu nodded in response.