"You took his money and you're always speaking up for him." She blushed, embarrassed by my gaze. "These guys have been busy following Yunzhi lately, do you really think they have three heads and six arms and don't need to rest? Besides, this isn't a big deal."
Xiaoman looked up with a hint of surprise, as if these words hadn't come from my mouth.
To be honest, I'm a little depressed myself. It's not that Yunzhi has become more docile; it's me who's lost my temper, I don't know if it's because I spent a long winter running around Jade Dragon Mountain.
He Xiuqi, when you're gathering herbs, do you really need to drag your son and daughter along? Didn't you even leave one for me to play with?
"I heard that the Wang Family Troupe of Da Liyuan has been rehearsing at the Goulan Garden these past two days. If you're really bored, Madam, you can go and watch to relieve your boredom."
"Xiaoman, I may have toned down my temper a bit, but that doesn't mean I enjoy watching dramas. I'm already not in much energy, and with it singing like that, you think I haven't slept enough?"
She bit her lip, but couldn't help laughing out loud.
"Where's Gemini Ann?"
"I was sent to the rice shop by the two masters early this morning."
"Oh. It's hot today, so go to Yuanhaixuan and ask someone to bring some ice from the ice cellar. Don't forget the cherries and plum juice too."
"Doesn't Madam love sweets? Why has she been eating sour things lately?"
"My mouth tastes bland."
As I was saying this, I took a sour jujube and put it in my mouth. I was still not satisfied with chewing it when I got to the door, so I simply carried the brocade box and ate it as I walked.
As I passed by the Biluo Palace, a group of people came out of it. It was quite unusual; there were actually ten Kings of Hell among them.
Ever since I made Yanmolu change out of his crimson python robe, he's avoided me whenever he sees me. At first, I was puzzled for a long time, but later I learned that the red robe represented Yama, the King of Hell. I just found it jarring, but he thought I was dissatisfied with this Yama, which is why he's been avoiding me so much.
I stood in a not-so-inconspicuous spot on the side of the hall, squinted, chewed a sour jujube, watched for a while, then turned around and left in the shimmering light fragmented by tree branches.
Instead of going to Yuanhai Pavilion, I went to Xinyan Pavilion. The eagle was still chained to the white marble railing with golden rings and silk ropes, its wings full and its spirit gleaming. I paused at the entrance, looked down at the brocade box in my hand, and frowned; more than half of it was gone.
The midday sun washed the clear blue sky over the river, and a rainbow stretched across the horizon, reflecting off the colorful beams painted with auspicious cranes treading on clouds, like a seven-colored veil covering the room.
Why don't you go in?
I was surprised to find someone there. I was startled by the sound and flipped the box in my hand. The dates rolled to the side of the newcomer's brocade shoes and stopped.
"No wonder I find this eagle so annoying."
"Why?"
"So it was Xiao Lianjue's eagle."
"Um."
He came over, picked up the box, put it on the table, and then brought me another plate of candied fruit.
"Has the poison from Guanghan Powder flared up again recently?"
"No, what's wrong?"
You don't look well, are you sick?
"No, not at all..."
Just then, there was a knock on the door, and it was Shaoyou.
"Your Majesty, the meal is ready. Where would you like to eat?"
"Bring it in." He habitually pinched the bridge of his nose, turned his head and asked me, "Have you eaten?"
"I'm not hungry."
He put his hand down, looked at me and then at the candied fruit in my hand, repeating this several times, his brows gradually furrowing.
“…Um, Shaoyou, go get another set of chopsticks and a bowl. I’ll eat here too. Take this away.” I stuffed the candied fruit into Shaoyou’s hand and pointed to the dates scattered all over the floor. “Clean these up too.”
The man then relaxed his brow, turned around, and sat down at his desk.
Ginger fish fillets are usually my favorite dish, but today, as soon as the fish arrived at the door, the fishy smell made me feel nauseous.
"Don't bring it in, take it out!" I covered my mouth, feeling like I was going to throw up.
Seeing my strong reaction, the person in front of the desk dropped the book, frowned, and strode over.
The waiter, holding the ginger fish slices, stood frozen at the door, thinking he had done something wrong. His face was ashen, and his eyes were filled with confusion.
These past couple of days, I've felt nauseous whenever I smell greasy food. I initially thought it was just the heat making me feel greasy, but it's been going on for several days in a row.
"Call Qionghua over." He gave the order, supporting me with one hand and patting my back with the other. "Where does it hurt?"
"Disgusting..." I felt a little better after smelling his cool fragrance for a while.
He took my pulse, his brow still furrowed. "Your Qi and blood are balanced, your pulse is strong... Do you feel nauseous?"
"Um."
He found it strange, but didn't ask anything more. He just carried me to the soft couch to wait for Qionghua to arrive.
After resting on the couch for a while, Qionghua arrived, travel-worn and covered in sweat, which made his beautiful face look disheveled.
"Her pulse is strong and her Qi and blood are in harmony. Apart from a smooth and flowing pulse at the Guan position, there are no other symptoms. But she feels nauseous. Could it be related to the hot weather?"
Qionghua was stunned for a long time after hearing this. He looked at his master, then at me, and finally took a breath.
"How long has it been since your last period?"
What? Did I hear him right? My face flushed instantly when I looked at him. I tugged at Yunzhi's sleeve and saw his expression change from astonishment to anger. I'd never seen him furrow his brows so tightly before.
“What I mean is that, judging from this pulse, it seems to be a pregnancy pulse. If menstruation is indeed delayed, then it is highly likely that Madam is pregnant.” Qionghua finished speaking in one breath, breaking out in a cold sweat.
The people around me didn't react at all after hearing this. They just held my hand tightly and asked Qionghua to come forward and take my pulse. After Qionghua finished examining me, she nodded in affirmation, and only then did he slowly smile.
I was still completely confused and didn't understand what expression I should make, but when I saw him smile from the side, my mind went completely blank.
Chapter 110
The fifteenth of August is the Mid-Autumn Festival. It should have been a good day to go out and enjoy the fresh air, but I was ordered not to step out of the inner city. The day that Nangong Lingyun had given me became a fleeting cloud on the horizon.
But today was quite lively. Not to mention the people on Phoenix Mountain, first of all, early this morning, a storyteller appeared out of nowhere.
After breakfast, I was enjoying the cool air on the Seven Star Tower when I looked up and saw a carriage speeding through the Guangdian Gate down the long street. It seemed to be heading straight for the Changsheng Gate to enter the inner city.
To my surprise, the gatekeeper, Ayu, only lifted the curtain and glanced inside before letting the carriage in. The people in the carriage didn't get off, so of course I had no way of knowing who was sitting inside.
"Xiaoman, let's go for a walk."
Looking inside, you can see that there are quite a few people sitting there.
After counting the heads, I was somewhat surprised. I really didn't expect that such a small carriage could fit so many people.
What surprised me even more was that there was a person lying on a bamboo mat in the center of the hall. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Zhiyu.
Just as I was about to ask what was going on, I heard hurried footsteps behind me. I instinctively pulled Xiaoman behind a pillar to hide. If he saw me running around again, he would definitely glare at me.
Xiaoman was confused, so I gestured for her to be quiet. Although she was somewhat reluctant, she didn't dare to go against my wishes.
Fortunately, I was so surprised that I forgot to go in, and everyone inside was focused on Zhiyu and didn't notice the outside. Luckily, I hid quickly enough, and before I could even stand firmly behind the pillar, Nangong Ling and the protector appeared from around the corner.
The Martial Venerable, seated in his armchair, appeared unchanged, yet seemed listless. His usual arrogance was gone, and he looked as if he had aged ten years in an instant. He merely glanced at his youngest disciple before continuing to drink his tea. Meanwhile, He Xiuqi was squatting in a corner, rummaging through his bamboo basket. He Mengyan stood beside him, cradling the still-sleeping He Mengshi in his arms, his face still expressionless and aloof. I wasn't surprised by these people's presence; the key was the other two.
One is the young Marquis Li Yu. He clearly had someone with him before, but now he's all alone. I wonder what happened. The other person is someone I've never seen before. He's dressed in fine silk and beaded jewelry, clearly someone of high status.
When Nangong Ling entered, everyone else reacted coldly and indifferently, but the woman I didn't recognize, wearing a feathered headdress, had a terrifying glint in her eyes.
"Still unconscious?"
Hearing that the tone was not good, He Xiuqi stopped what he was doing and remained silent for a long time.
"If I hadn't arrived in time, this young lady probably wouldn't have survived to this point."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Ling glanced at her and asked, "Your royal brother is quite comfortable with you coming alone?"
"What's there to worry about? I'm not that delicate."
"Very well." He nodded, a slight smile playing on his thin lips, his expression surprisingly devoid of sarcasm. "What did you gain from your trip to the Imperial Palace?"
As if she had hit the nail on the head, the woman with the feathered headdress immediately put on an expression full of righteous indignation.
"That Xiao Lianjue is really too ruthless. It's one thing to have no pity for women, but when Master saved Miss Zhiyu from Xiao Lianjue that day, he couldn't even feel her pulse."
Hearing this, I gripped Xiaoman's hand tightly. Could it be that I pushed her to Xiao Lianjue and ran away like I did? You, Zhiyu, are a disciple of a Martial Venerable, yet you can't even beat a pampered Crown Prince? Or am I overestimating you, or underestimating Xiao Lianjue? While pondering this, I suddenly became curious about this person. That damned twin An had said a lot of irrelevant things before, whether it was about the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, or Li Mu and Li Yu, I just let it go in one ear and out the other, not really interested. Perhaps it was because he only told half the story after such a long preamble. Now, seeing Zhiyu injured like this, I suddenly felt a surge of interest. Xiao Zongjiu has been on the throne for so many years; logically, his son should be the Crown Prince now. But Xiao Lianjue is still occupying the Crown Prince's position. How can that be right?
"Fortunately, my master's inner strength was so profound that he transferred a breath of true energy to her, preventing her from dying on the spot. At that time, life was at stake, so my master didn't fight Xiao Lianjue. But Xiao Lianjue was the kind of person who wouldn't give up until he had eliminated the threat completely. He sent people to surround and chase them, forcing the master and disciple into the Yeting Mansion. It can be said that he made a mistake, or perhaps he was too confident and didn't send anyone to follow them in, so I had an opportunity. He probably didn't expect that I had planted spies in the Yeting Mansion." At this point, she became proud, and her not-so-pretty face immediately became radiant. "It was also because Miss Zhiyu was not destined to die. When I rushed over, I happened to meet Young Master He. Later, I learned that he was the famous Medicine King. If I hadn't been able to bring his daughter, who had been separated from them and captured in the Yeting Mansion, out with us, he wouldn't have wanted to come back with us."
That's right, who is He Xiuqi? How many people could possibly be on his side? The reason he gave me some face was purely by chance. Besides Shuangzi'an and me, probably no one else knew about the fire that burned You Song Mountain back then. It was quite a coincidence; if I hadn't wandered into the cave to get a closer look at the burning bandit's den, I wouldn't have discovered He Mengyan, who had been stabbed by the bandits and dumped inside. When we carried him back, the doctor said he had lost too much blood and was beyond saving. But I still had an unyielding stubbornness; I thought that since I had saved him, how could I let him die in front of me? Otherwise, I might as well not have brought him back. So I thought of the Medicine King. Later, when I learned about their relationship, I was truly shocked for a long time. From then on, he generally wouldn't refuse me anything I asked, at most he would just ask me to help manage his overly large medicinal herb garden.
"Back then, Li Mu went back on his word and sided with the emperor, which resulted in the loss of two of your cavalry battalions. Now that he's partnered with Xiao Lianjue, has he learned his lesson and knows to use covert tactics?"
The woman pouted, seemingly both angry and somewhat disdainful.
"The people of Xiling are incredibly cunning and two-faced; they're utterly wicked! That Li Musheng has such a serious face, but he's full of evil intentions..." She was already gritting her teeth as she said this.
Nangong Ling pursed her lips and smiled—a simple smile born of genuine amusement, devoid of any ulterior motives. I was stunned, and suddenly felt a pang of unease.
What's so funny?
"You must be tired from your journey. I'll have someone take you to rest."
"Um!"
He nodded so hard it was almost like he was about to flick off the jade feather on his head, and he smiled so brightly, as if he wanted everyone to know he had a set of white teeth.
That dead man, Nangong Ling, only knows how to talk to young girls, and he doesn't even pay attention to his own senior sister and master. It's a pity that your master loves you so much. Look at this, what is called unfilial piety!
"Found it." He Xiuqi, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, and at the same time, a handful of dry grass appeared in his hand without anyone noticing.
"What?" The woman turned back with a curious look on her face.
“Changkucao.” He Xiuqi stood up, pointing at Zhiyu with one hand, “Yan’er, crush it up and give it to her.”
"Why did you feed her this poisonous herb?" Qionghua finally had a chance to speak.
“She hasn’t woken up because she’s been poisoned by the Heart-Shattering Palm.” He paused. “I heard that the Heart-Shattering Palm has reappeared in the martial arts world, so I went to Changbai Mountain this time for this Changku Grass.”