A daughter should not speak ill of her father, but in Yan Qingli's view, her father was indeed a person who was somewhat prone to acting on emotion. Even if he tried to make amends afterward, the emperor's words were law, and the initial impact could not be completely eliminated by making amends afterward.
Qiu Lanxi made way for Yan Qingli before asking, "Your Highness, shall I excuse myself for the time being?"
"Avoid what?" Yan Qingli glanced at her, dismissively saying, "Who in the capital doesn't know you exist?"
Qiu Lanxi thought so too. After all, it was just a royal physician who came, so what was she afraid of?
However, it's not quite right for her to appear in this state as her husband, since if you're going to put on an act, you have to go all the way.
Qiu Lanxi stayed up all night yesterday and her face was already a bit haggard. She rubbed her eyes, and a stream of clear water immediately flowed down her cheeks.
Yan Qingli saw it and couldn't help but wipe it for her. Just as she was about to speak, Qiu Lanxi quickly tugged at her sleeve.
"No, Your Highness, please don't waste my efforts!"
Yan Qingli reluctantly stopped, saying only, "It will be quite some time before the imperial physician arrives."
“I know,” Qiu Lanxi said, rubbing her eyes to make them a little more swollen, “but Your Highness, there is a big difference between crying right now and crying for a long time.”
Yan Qingli sighed helplessly, her brows furrowing slightly as she looked at her face: "Go and rest. If you don't want to see guests, then don't."
“That won’t do,” Qiu Lanxi blinked. “Wouldn’t all my crying have been for nothing?!”
Yan Qingli had no choice but to let her have her way.
Qiu Lanxi wasn't upset, since she was naturally prone to crying uncontrollably and didn't need to hold back her tears; she could cry for as long as she wanted.
Wiping away her tears, she gripped Yan Qingli's hand, and suddenly, with a mournful cry, she said, "Your Highness... how can I live without you... sob sob..."
Yan Qingli was both amused and exasperated, and couldn't help but reach out and tap her: "Shut up, what are you saying!"
Seeing her haggard face, he couldn't help but soften and said in a low voice, "Don't cry anymore, that's enough. Do you want to sleep for a while? I'll wake you up when someone comes."
Qiu Lanxi shook her head. If she fell asleep now, she definitely wouldn't be able to get up. This was a real test of her professionalism.
Seeing this, Yan Qingli had no choice but to give up. Fortunately, given her status, the imperial physicians dared not delay. Even though the old imperial physicians were now retired and were too lazy to leave the hospital unless summoned by the emperor, they dared not complain at all upon hearing Yan Qingli's name.
However, the imperial physician was quite old, and Granny Tingchan didn't dare to overwork his old bones, fearing that something might happen to him before they even reached the princess's residence to see the doctor. She could only anxiously comfort herself that a little longer wouldn't make a difference.
However, this slow movement caused them to bump into Emperor Qinghe, who was on his way.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Qiu Lanxi was startled when she heard the eunuch's shrill voice from afar. She quickly grabbed her outer robe and put it on. Before she could get off the bed, she heard Yan Qingli groan.
When Qiu Lanxi turned around, she saw blood seeping out of the back of Yan Qingli's inner garment at an extremely fast speed.
"…………" Qiu Lanxi couldn't help but sigh. Isn't she quite good at this? As soon as she saw Emperor Qinghe coming, she even managed to play the victim so perfectly.
Without much thought, Emperor Qinghe's arrival was too sudden. Qiu Lanxi didn't care about being disheveled at the moment. It was better to put on an outer garment than to still be lying in bed. As for the outer garment being Yan Qingli's, there was nothing she could do about it. She didn't like wearing long sleeves, so her clothes were not presentable when draped over her body. On the other hand, Yan Qingli always liked to wear a long robe with long sleeves over his clothes, so that nothing could be seen when he put it on.
Wearing Yan Qingli's clothes, Qiu Lanxi suddenly thought that she used to think that Yan Qingli was a martial artist who was impervious to heat and cold and did not care about the season when she dressed so much. But now she couldn't help but wonder if she was dressed so much because of her physical condition.
She couldn't help but look at Yan Qingli. Before she could think further, she heard footsteps approaching and immediately knelt down.
She stood out among the group of people bowing. When Emperor Qinghe saw her, he thought it was Yan Qingli and instinctively wanted to call out to her. But then he realized that his daughter was still lying in bed, so it was obvious who she was.
No parent would like a woman who has their child completely infatuated. Emperor Qinghe's face darkened, and he was about to speak when Yan Qingli made her move.
Chapter 38
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."
Yan Qingli knelt down beside Qiu Lanxi, her black hair falling to the ground. Qiu Lanxi caught a glimpse of the hair falling on the back of her hand and obediently acted as if she were a statue.
Emperor Qinghe suddenly felt a surge of anger rising within him. Had he spoken? Had he done anything?
That good-for-nothing!
Emperor Qinghe took a deep breath. If he hadn't seen the bloodstains on her back, he would have started cursing right then and there. Out of sight, out of mind, he turned his back and said, "Get up!"
"Where is the imperial physician? Why isn't he here at once!"
Yan Qingli pulled Qiu Lanxi to her feet. She glanced at Qiu Lanxi discreetly, and seeing that she was not frightened, she said, "Father, I am fine."
"Is there any need to summon the imperial physician if there's nothing seriously wrong?" Emperor Qinghe turned around, looked at Qiu Lanxi supporting Yan Qingli, then turned his back again. "Alright, stop talking. I get angry just looking at you!"
Yan Qingli remained calm. Seeing the imperial physician approaching with a tense expression, she nodded slightly and said, "Thank you for your trouble."
When Emperor Qinghe arrived, he naturally brought more than one imperial physician with him. Qiu Lanxi was pushed out and looked at Yan Qingli with worried eyes.
Several imperial physicians took turns examining his pulse. The most senior physician, Chao Qinghe, bowed to the emperor and said, "Your Majesty, His Highness Shaoguang is not seriously injured. It's just that he has been weak recently, and the thunderstorms have exacerbated his condition. His Highness has been practicing martial arts since childhood and has a strong foundation. His wound healed very well initially, but it was not a minor injury. He is inevitably affected by rainy days. However, His Highness's insistence on enduring the storm has damaged his foundation."
"Your Highness is advised to eat less spicy food in the next few days. If there are no symptoms such as drowsiness or vomiting, the condition will naturally resolve itself after the rain stops."
Emperor Qinghe frowned. He also experienced feeling unwell on rainy days, a symptom he had developed during his imprisonment. He looked at the imperial physician with displeasure: "If that's all, then what's wrong with Shaoguang's back?"
"this……"
The imperial physicians looked at each other, unsure how to answer. The pulse of a martial artist is different from that of an ordinary person, and even with their rich experience, it is really difficult to tell. The most important thing is that Princess Shaoguang is not seriously injured. How can they say something that will not offend Princess Shaoguang and will not make His Majesty think they are quacks?
“Your Majesty, His Highness bumped into something himself,” Qiu Lanxi interrupted as Yan Qingli was about to speak. After all, there was an art to playing the victim. She wiped away her tears. “Last night I was startled awake by a clap of thunder and found His Highness unconscious. I couldn’t wake him, so in a moment of panic, I bit him…”
She glanced shyly at Yan Qingli before continuing, "After His Highness regained consciousness, he told me not to make a fuss, but His Highness was in so much pain that he accidentally bumped into the edge of the bed."
Qiu Lanxi speaks clearly and is excellent at both singing and songwriting. Coupled with her tearful face, it's hard for anyone to doubt the truthfulness of her words.
Yan Qingli frowned slightly and said truthfully, "It's not as exaggerated as she said, Father. I'm just a little impatient with pain."
Emperor Qinghe withdrew his gaze from Qiu Lanxi. Seeing that she was indeed genuinely worried, he felt somewhat relieved. Upon hearing this, he looked at Yan Qingli disapprovingly and said, "Don't I know whether you can handle pain or not? You've always been strong-willed since you were little. Don't try to be so capable in the future."
He looked at the imperial physician with some concern and asked, "What do you mean by 'if there is no drowsiness or vomiting'? What if there is?"
"Your Majesty, I once read in an ancient medical book that such serious injuries are difficult to heal and there is a tendency for them to recur after several years. However, in my opinion, Your Highness has taken good care of your health over the years and is full of vitality. It is unlikely that the most serious consequences will occur. But to be on the safe side, you should rest in bed for a few days and avoid overexertion."
Seeing that Emperor Qinghe took this matter seriously, the imperial physicians explained it in even more detail.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Qinghe felt slightly relieved. He waved his hand and told them to go and write the prescription. After all, this was the other person's private quarters. He took a few steps forward and then stopped, feeling both distressed and reproachful: "You can't do this again next time. I know you are thoughtful and don't want me to worry, but how can I feel good when you are like this?"
"It was my oversight," Yan Qingli said, bowing his head to listen to the reprimand. After a pause, he continued, "But Father, the matter of Xunfang Pavilion is at a critical juncture, and I..."
"You don't need to concern yourself with this matter anymore," Emperor Qinghe said irritably, glancing at Qiu Lanxi. "By the time you return to court, I guarantee that the Qunfang Pavilion will no longer exist."
Although Emperor Qinghe also wanted to make a move on Qunfang Pavilion, Yan Qingli just happened to provide him with a raft, but when he thought about her purpose in doing so, he felt like he had a heart attack.
"That's good then." Yan Qingli lowered her eyes and smiled. If she investigated any further, it would be something she shouldn't know. Stopping now would be just as good as moving away from the center of the vortex.
Emperor Qinghe still had the morning court session to attend, and postponing it would be the best he could do. He said a few words and then left.
As soon as he left, Qiu Lanxi immediately climbed back into bed. This whole ordeal not only failed to dispel her drowsiness, but actually made her even more sleepy.
Looking at her tired face, Yan Qingli subconsciously wanted to reach out and hug her, but Qiu Lanxi avoided him and leaned against the headboard: "Your Highness, you don't need to worry about me, just rest well."
She had just stayed up all night. Young people are in good health, and once they get enough sleep, all their discomfort disappears. But Yan Qingli was different; she was in real pain all night.
Yan Qingli frowned: "I'm fine." After a pause, she said, "I'm just intolerant of pain."
She wasn't lying, but no one believed her. After all, martial arts training is tough, and she had suffered a lot while she was in the Prince's residence. Having seen so much, everyone subconsciously assumed that her pain tolerance was higher than others.
But in reality, she was less tolerant of pain than anyone else. It was just that at that time, the sons of her father's brothers liked to cause her trouble. Whether she resisted or begged for mercy, it only intensified their desire to tease her. Yan Qingli got used to pretending to be numb and enduring. Once this 'boring' reaction happened a few times, they would only think she was boring and would not cause any more trouble.
Children who cry and make a fuss may be more likely to get attention, but for Yu Yanqingli, she learned how to solve problems on her own at a very young age.
Yan Qingli: "I wouldn't joke about my own body."
Qiu Lanxi believed her, after all, how could someone who wanted to ascend the throne not take care of their health? That's why she was so shocked.
Yan Qingli was only a few years old when she started practicing martial arts. At that age, she had a level of patience that many adults don't possess. Just thinking about it is terrifying.
With mixed feelings, Qiu Lanxi gave her a thumbs up: "Your Highness, you are the one."
Yan Qingli: "...?"
Yan Qingli couldn't understand the strange gesture, but she could roughly guess what it meant by combining it with the other person's expression.
She smiled helplessly and tucked the blanket around Qiu Lanxi: "There's nothing admirable about it. I believe that even Qingqing could have done it in that situation."
That was the most basic human instinct for survival. She didn't have any grand ambitions back then; everything she did was just to make her life a little easier.
Qiu Lanxi didn't refute her. Although she couldn't guess what Yan Qingli had experienced when she was a child, she felt that she probably couldn't do it. After all, strictly speaking, she hadn't really encountered any hardships in her past and present lives. The hardest thing for her to accept was the heart-wrenching pain of losing a close relative.
Yan Qingli reached out and touched her cheek, saying softly, "Go to sleep."
Qiu Lanxi smiled at her and indeed fell asleep. Yan Qingli looked at her for a while before looking away, got up to change into clean clothes, and dismissed the servants.
After everyone left, Yan Qingli couldn't help but lean closer to the bronze mirror and examine herself carefully. She didn't feel anything unusual, but the marks on her body couldn't be faked. Besides this place, were there any other places?
Yan Qingli stared at the tooth mark for a long time before looking away. She didn't suspect anything and carefully examine her body to see if there were any other marks. She felt that Qiu Lanxi wasn't the kind of person who would take advantage of someone when they weren't looking, although this statement didn't seem very convincing.
As the cool fingertips touched her, Yan Qingli couldn't imagine what she had done or what her intentions were. She only felt a subtle regret that she hadn't noticed anything at all.
She calmly withdrew her hand, sat back down on the edge of the bed, and reached out to soothe Qiu Lanxi's tense muscles. She had been in that position for who knows how long, so it was impossible for her body not to feel uncomfortable.
However, Qiu Lanxi was never a peaceful sleeper. Feeling comfortable, she immediately pressed herself against the object. Even while fast asleep, she didn't stop people from massaging her waist and hands without any hesitation.
Yan Qingli couldn't help but smile, and following the force of her pulling, she placed her hand over, paused for a moment, and then continued to massage.
Her waist was extremely slender and soft. Compared to Yan Qingli herself, Qiu Lanxi's waist was more like what a woman should have. The soft touch was hard not to linger. Yan Qingli did not think there was anything wrong with her. At this moment, she couldn't help but wonder if Qiu Lanxi thought she was too stiff.
Many noble ladies in the capital secretly keep male lovers, and some even keep slender dancers. They all seem to prefer gentle and tender women.
But she could never become that kind of person, nor did she want to.
But Qiu Lanxi probably also liked that kind of person, and the woman she brought back was also that kind of person.
Yan Qingli shook her head and quickly dismissed those inexplicable thoughts. Noble ladies liked gentle and tender women, but she also liked to dress as a man. She knew that they regretted that she was not a man.
Since he considers himself a man, he would naturally like gentle and tender women. But Qiu Lanxi herself is that kind of person, so perhaps she doesn't like that kind of person?
Yan Qingli's thoughts were wandering, rambling on about all sorts of random things. Only when Qiu Lanxi finally felt completely comfortable and rolled into the foot of the bed did she stop, pick up the medicine bowl on the table and drink it all in one gulp. She then sat on the edge of the bed and picked up a book to read.
After all that commotion today, she can't lean back anymore. Fortunately, Yan Qingli doesn't like leaning on things anyway, so she doesn't find her current sitting position too tiring.
Chapter 39
Although she didn't need to attend court, Qiu Lanxi felt that Yan Qingli's daily life wasn't much easier than usual. The past few days had been rainy, but she completely ignored the negative effects on her body. Even though Qiu Lanxi was very good at reading people, it was difficult for her to find any signs of discomfort.
Martial arts practitioners have strong control over their bodies, but to achieve this level undoubtedly requires immense willpower. Qiu Lanxi had lost count of how many times she had marveled at how ruthless Qiu Lanxi was to herself. Such a person, if she truly loved someone, would likely be able to maintain rational thinking throughout.
Qiu Lanxi didn't care about any of this. Considering that the other person was not feeling well, she played the role of a tool to help him fall asleep. Once the rain stopped, she stopped caring about these things, and Yan Qingli went back to court without slacking off at all.