Nan Xuzong slightly raised his hand to indicate that there was no need to say more, and said, "Return to the manor. Afterwards, I will write a letter. You shall take the letter and the medical book and deliver them to her manor before she goes to bed tomorrow."
"Yes," Gong Shu replied, then pushed Nan Xuzong's wheelchair towards the Marquis's residence.
Night gradually fell, the moonlight disappeared, and it was covered by dark clouds. There was still a wind, but it was even colder.
In a magnificent mansion, a man was engrossed in reading at his desk when he was suddenly disturbed by a knock on the door.
Beigong Minhao frowned and looked up. "Come in."
"Your Highness, news has arrived that Lady Bei of General Ji's residence has passed away." The servant immediately knelt down and reported.
"What?" Beigong Minhao stood up upon hearing this. "Then, is a funeral being held right now?"
"Exactly."
After hearing this, Beigong Minhao immediately sat down in his chair, his face showing a slight disappointment and a touch of melancholy.
"Where is the peerless one?" Bei Gongminhao turned his head to look at the kneeling servant.
"Your Highness, the second prince is in the training room, and I dare not disturb him."
"You may leave now." Bei Gongminhao waved his hand, and the servant immediately knelt down. After seeing him leave, Bei Gongminhao quickly rolled up the painting in front of him and put it away. Then he opened the door and went out.
At this moment, Beigong Jueshi sat on the ice lotus platform in the training room. He was shirtless, and although the ice lotus platform was extremely cold, he was sweating profusely. The air around him was gathering, helping him to practice his skills.
Bei Gong Minhao opened the door to the training room and saw Bei Gong Jueshi practicing. He stood aside, not wanting to disturb him. However, when Bei Gong Jueshi knew he had arrived, he immediately stopped practicing, stepped down from the ice lotus platform, tore down the clothes hanging next to him with his bare hands, put them on, and dressed. "Brother, is something the matter?"
“Jue Shi, I ask you, did you tell Father about your affair with Miss Ji?” Bei Gong Minhao stepped forward and asked.
“You know perfectly well how I could possibly have time to talk to him? He came back very late last night and went out early this morning. I also have to practice my martial arts, so where would I find the time? But now I can go and talk to Father.”
“No.” Kitamura Minho said immediately.
"Why?" Bei Gong Jue Shi looked at him. "Don't you want to talk about your relationship with the young lady? Or are you scared?"
“Her mother has passed away, and according to custom, she must observe three years of mourning. Tell me, how could General Ji possibly agree to your request or mine? How could her father possibly agree?!”
"Three years? Do you know how much can change in three years? In three years, maybe we'll both be married and have families! In short, I can't wait three years!" Bei Gong Jue Shi heard this and began to get irritated. His red eyes gradually turned even deeper red.
"How I wish Miss Wushang would marry me!" Beigong Minhao looked at Beigong Jueshi, "Don't be impulsive!"
“I can have my father arrange the engagement first, and then we can get married three years later.” Bei Gong Jue Shi looked into his eyes. “I should go now. You can choose to wait here for three years or longer! But I can’t do it!” After saying that, he turned around and pushed the door open to leave.
Bei Gong Minhao stood there, and then, after realizing what he was saying, he immediately followed Bei Gong Jue Shi.
"What?" The Prince of Zhenbei was just handling official business in his study when his second son, Beigong Jueshi, came in and announced his intention to marry Ji Yinxue. The Prince of Zhenbei put down his writing brush. "You say you want to marry her? You should know that you are the second son of the Prince. How can she, a mere concubine's daughter, be worthy of you?"
“Father, I fell in love with her at first sight. I met her at a banquet a few days ago, and my heart can no longer accept anyone else. I only wish to marry her and bring her back to my palace.” Bei Gong Jue Shi said, stepping forward to stand around the desk of the Prince of Zhenbei.
The Prince of Zhenbei was about to say something when he noticed someone standing outside the door. He immediately called out, "Who goes there? Come in!"
Beigong Minhao pushed open the door and entered, then closed it again, and stepped forward. "Father, I have come today to tell you something."
Bei Gong Jue Shi looked at him, his eyes asking if he had also decided to tell his father about his relationship with Miss Wu Shang.
"Speak," the Prince of Zhenbei said, sitting in his chair and glaring at Beigong Jueshi. "Your matter can be discussed later."
"Father." Bei Gong Jue Shi stepped forward, but the King of Zhenbei waved his hand to signal him not to speak anymore.
Seeing his expression, Bei Gongminhao wondered if the Prince of Zhenbei would also oppose his relationship with Ji Wushang. Judging from their expressions, he felt that things were not very optimistic, but he decided to give it a try anyway.
"Father, I came to tell you that I need your permission to marry the eldest daughter of General Ji's family. I know that something serious has happened to her family, but I will wait. We can get engaged first, and then we can get married after the three-year mourning period." Bei Gong Minhao finished speaking in one breath.
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Zhenbei glared at the two of them and said, "What are you saying! One wants to marry the eldest young lady, and the other wants to marry the fourth young lady! Are there no other women in the world to choose from?"
“Father, they are the women we prefer.” Bei Gong Jue Shi stepped forward and knelt down. “The Fourth Miss is virtuous, gentle and elegant, and would be a good wife.”
"Do you know what the consequences would be if we were to get engaged at this time!" The Prince of Zhenbei stood up from his seat and walked to Beigong Jueshi. "Right now, the struggles within the dynasty are fierce, as you all know. I had just returned when the palace eunuchs issued an edict forbidding me from leading troops back to the city. What does this mean? It means that His Majesty is worried that the power of our Prince of Zhenbei's family is too great! That our army is threatening His Majesty's safety!" The Prince of Zhenbei helped Beigong Jueshi up.
"And you two are now going to marry two women from the General's Mansion! Think about it, if our two families were to unite through marriage, how powerful would we be? How much would His Majesty fear our Zhenbei Prince's Mansion? General Ji was suddenly sent by His Majesty to the southeast coast to suppress the Japanese pirates. Don't you understand the meaning behind this? It's because His Majesty is afraid that General Ji is too conspicuous in the capital! He has no choice but to send him away from the capital. At the same time, His Majesty can control the fate of the people in General Ji's Mansion, making it impossible for General Ji to act recklessly!"
"Do you understand?" The Prince of Zhenbei looked at the two of them, his eyes slightly deep and tinged with helplessness. "It's not that your father doesn't want you to marry the girls you like, but you must think about our Zhenbei Prince's Mansion. Doing such a thing at this critical juncture is absolutely unacceptable!"
The two listened in silence, their eyes slightly glazed, their hearts filled with an indescribable sense of loss and disappointment.
"Father, may I go to General Ji's residence to pay my respects?" Bei Gongminhao asked after a long silence.
"I'll go too."
“You all need to be more mature and steady. From now on, the Zhenbei Prince’s Mansion will rely on you!” The Zhenbei Prince sighed. “Go, but don’t do anything out of line. I don’t want any rumors to spread about you.”
The two Bei brothers naturally knew what he was referring to.
After bidding farewell to the Prince of Zhenbei, the two returned to their own courtyards. Before parting, Beigong Minhao asked, "When are you going to her residence?"
“Tomorrow morning, now is not appropriate,” Bei Gong Jue Shi replied.
At General Ji's residence, the lanterns were lit, and the surrounding guests gradually dispersed.
Seeing this, Aunt Nangong's knees ached, and she tried to get up, but Ji Wushang coldly swept his gaze over her. "Aunt Nangong, do you mean to stand up? If Grandmother finds out that you refuse to accept punishment, or that you are negligent in the punishment process, I think Grandmother will be furious."
"I don't need your reminder!" Aunt Nangong glared at Ji Wushang, who ignored her. According to the rules, Aunt Nangong could only get up to wash and go to bed at the end of Hai Shi (9 PM to 11 PM Beijing time), and she would have to kneel in the mourning hall at the beginning of Mao Shi (5 AM to 7 AM Beijing time) the next day. There were still some hours she had to kneel for.
Ji Wushang stood up, stretched his legs, and then lit the eternal lamp in front of all the young ladies and concubines. After lighting it, Ji Wushang knelt down and recited the Golden Sutra of Salvation once more.
Everyone had already left one after another and returned to their own gardens to wash up and go to bed, but Ji Wushang was still kneeling. Since Aunt Nangong was being punished by kneeling, she naturally couldn't get up. Seeing this, Ji Yinxue could only kneel down with her.
Ji Wushang glanced back at them, her eyes slightly cold. "Fourth Sister, why don't you go back to your own courtyard?"
“Since my aunt has been punished, I, as her daughter, also bear responsibility, so I should be punished along with her. Besides, my mother’s soul has not gone far, so I should kneel and fulfill my filial duty.” Ji Yinxue looked up at Ji Wushang, but felt that her gaze was cold at this moment, which chilled her heart.
Ji Wushang remained silent. Since she wanted to kneel, he wouldn't force her. Ji Wushang stood up, stretched her limbs, and then walked out of her mourning hall.
In the Xinyuan Garden, Ji Wushang remained in his room, gazing blankly at the stars.
At this moment, Xian'er walked in from outside. "Miss, the bird's nest has arrived. It's getting late, so please drink the bird's nest and go to sleep!"
"Put it down." Ji Wushang said without turning his head.
He let go of the string and left.
Tomorrow, some monks will likely come to the manor to perform rituals and appease the souls. Ji Wushang looked at the stars in the sky, one of which fell from the sky and transformed into a dazzling radiance.
Perform a ritual? Perfect.
Ji Wushang took something from his cabinet, went outside, and then called out, "Yue'er."
Yue'er immediately ran in from outside, then knelt down before Ji Wushang, saying, "Miss."
"I asked you to keep an eye on the East Garden. Has anything happened with Aunt Bai?" Ji Wushang's bright eyes sparkled.
"Miss, Aunt Bai has been resting and recuperating lately. The doctor prescribed a lot of medicine, and she's been taking care of herself." Yue'er said cautiously. Madam Bei's body is barely cold, so why is she bringing up Aunt Bai's matter?
Ji Wushang took out a sachet from his bosom and handed it to Yue'er, saying, "This sachet is for you. You've worked hard these past few days."
"Don't mention it, Miss. Please don't flatter me. Isn't this what I should do?" Yue'er said, not daring to accept the reply.
"Just accept it as I tell you to." Ji Wushang frowned. "I still need you to do something for me. If you don't accept it, are you trying to embarrass me?"
"Yes, yes, yes." Yue'er felt that the young lady had changed a lot. Before, she was chatting and laughing with her, Xian'er, and Zhu'er, but today, she was very cold.
Ji Wushang covered his face and sobbed, saying, "My mother's funeral is tomorrow, so I suppose those two pregnant aunts won't come. Sigh, you should just stay in the courtyard and keep an eye on them!"
“Yes,” Yue’er replied immediately.
“I’ve heard that ginseng is a very good tonic, and it should help Aunt Bai recover faster. Regardless of how Aunt Bai fell, I’ve been busy with my mother’s affairs and haven’t been able to visit her. Please give her this ginseng that I’ve treasured for many years, and let her decoct it and drink it along with the doctor’s medicine.”
Yue'er listened, somewhat bewildered. Regarding the events of the day before yesterday, some of the maids in the manor said that Aunt Bai had deliberately fallen, while others said that Madam Bei had pushed her. But, did the eldest young lady really need to send such expensive medicine over?
"What are you standing there for? Is there something you're wondering?" Ji Wushang looked at her blankly, his tone becoming increasingly serious. "Don't you understand that a day cannot be without a mistress? As the legitimate daughter, with Mother gone, I have to serve my concubine!"
Upon hearing this, Yue'er seemed to suddenly understand, but then she seemed to remember something else, but still nodded, "Yes, this servant will send it tomorrow."
“It’s not too late at this time. You can take it now. The medicine will probably need to be decocted tonight. Put it in the decoction and decoct it together. It will be better for the baby to drink it.” Ji Wushang looked at the sky. “Yue’er, I know you know what to do.”
"Yes," Yue'er said. "This servant will go and do it right away."
Ji Wushang waved her out, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. Ginseng is a tonic, but it replenishes qi deficiency. If a perfectly healthy person takes it, it will have the opposite effect! Misuse or overuse often leads to qi stagnation, causing symptoms such as chest tightness and abdominal distension. If she takes it, she'll likely suffer! But Ji Wushang also knew that she definitely wouldn't brew and eat what he gave her. Heh, even if she doesn't brew it, she'll still suffer! He'll wait and see!
When Yue'er arrived at the East Garden, it was bustling with activity, not for Madam Bei's funeral, but for Concubine Bai's pregnancy! The people in this household were all sycophants, and seeing Madam Bei pass away, they naturally wanted to find a good husband for her. And Concubine Bai, needless to say, was the best candidate!
In this way, all the maids and servants were carefully serving her, and Aunt Bai was given all sorts of tonics, including bird's nest and white fungus. As soon as Aunt Bai frowned, the head maid, Tianxiang, immediately waved her hand and ordered the servants to throw all the food away.
Yue'er was filled with trepidation. To be honest, she was originally Ji Meiyuan's person, but Ji Wushang had won her heart. Now that she had stepped into this place, she was a little timid.
Besides, he was facing Aunt Bai, that ruthless and merciless Aunt Bai.
"Who's standing outside acting so suspiciously!" Zhao Mama, who was pointing at the maids working in the courtyard, had sharp eyes and immediately shouted as soon as she saw someone hesitating at the courtyard gate.
Yue'er's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately bowed and said, "It's Yue'er, Granny, how are you?"
"I thought it was some petty thief! It's you." Granny Zhao stepped forward. "What is it?"
Yue'er composed herself and said calmly, "Isn't this all for Aunt Bai? Granny, I have something to say to Aunt Bai! Granny Rong, please introduce me." As she spoke, she stepped forward and stuffed a silver ingot into Granny Zhao's hand. Granny Zhao secretly weighed the silver in her hand and nodded in satisfaction, "Come with me."
Yue'er smiled and said, "Yes."
Upon entering the inner room, they saw Aunt Bai lying comfortably on the bed, eating grapes. Ji Meiyuan was also present. Ji Meiyuan's eyes looked perfectly fine; there was no trace of crying. It seemed she had been faking her tears at the funeral.
Yue'er didn't dare to look any longer and immediately knelt on the ground, "Yue'er greets Aunt Bai and Second Miss."
"You little hussy! You never do a good job of what I ask you to do!" As soon as Ji Meiyuan saw that it was Yue'er, she immediately stepped forward and kicked her. Yue'er immediately fell to the ground and knelt down. "Second Miss, spare me! Spare me! It's not that I'm bad at doing things, but that the Eldest Miss is so cunning! Even Yue'er didn't dare to do it! Please give me some more time, Second Miss, and I will definitely satisfy you!" As she spoke, she immediately kowtowed several times to the ground until her head was bleeding.
"Enough!" Aunt Bai parted her red lips slightly and sneered, "You didn't come here today to apologize, did you? What is it?"
"Yes, Madam. When I was making the bed for Miss just now, I saw her take a small box out of the cabinet. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a thousand-year-old top-grade ginseng! I've heard from the older generation that thousand-year-old ginseng can prolong life and has a calming effect on the fetus. Madam is currently feeling weak, so this is a good way to replenish your energy!" Yue'er said, ignoring the bloodstains on her forehead, she immediately took the small box from her bosom and opened it.
Upon hearing this, Aunt Bai's eyes immediately lit up. "Bring it here."
"Yes." Tianxiang, who was standing to the side, immediately took the box and presented it.
Aunt Bai held the box in her hands and looked at it. Then, she took the ginseng out of the box with her delicate hands and examined it. It was indeed a good thing.
Aunt Bai put the ginseng back, closed the box, and handed it to Tianxiang. "How did it end up in your hands? Did the eldest young lady send you to deliver the ginseng?"
"Reporting to Madam," Yue'er knelt forward, "As soon as I saw the ginseng, I immediately told Miss that Madam needed ginseng to help with her pregnancy! I had to beg her until she ordered me to bring the ginseng over. She said it was to show her respect to you!"
"What a joke!" Aunt Bai said, slightly annoyed.
Upon hearing this, Yue'er immediately prostrated herself on the ground, pleading, "Please spare my life, Auntie!"
---Aside---
Note: 1. Ginseng should not be abused. Ginseng is a qi-tonifying herb. It is not suitable to take it casually without symptoms of qi deficiency. People with strong constitutions and no weakness do not need to take tonics or use this product indiscriminately. Misuse or overuse often leads to qi stagnation, resulting in symptoms such as chest tightness and abdominal distension. Whether it is red ginseng or sun-dried ginseng, it must be consumed gradually and not in excessive amounts. In addition, attention should be paid to seasonal changes. Generally speaking, it is better to consume ginseng in the cool autumn and winter seasons, while it is not suitable to consume it in the hot summer.
2. Avoid drinking tea. Do not drink tea after taking ginseng, as this may impair its effects.
3. Whether decocting or stewing, avoid using metal cooking utensils.