Who else could you love besides me

Chapter 85

He glanced sideways at the twins, who were sighing and sighing repeatedly, making Xi Ri feel a chill run down her spine.

Is this Tian Shuang? What's wrong with her? She looks fair and rosy-cheeked, not sick at all, but her expression is so strange. Especially that glance she just gave her, which sent a chill down her spine. That resentful look is really not suitable for little Shuangzi.

Was that poem about her? But then again, it doesn't seem so!

She was getting thinner and thinner, she was haggard, but it didn't seem to be for anyone else, did it? It was all thanks to the "fragrant spring breeze".

Huh? Is the twins complaining about her because she lost her treasured "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance"?

This refers to a legendary figure in the martial arts world, renowned for his unparalleled martial arts skills, irreverent coolness, and ability to be a chivalrous hero, a wandering rogue, a divine healer, and a poison doctor. He was worshipped like a god by Tian Shuang, and for the past five years, she had been constantly thinking about him. One day, unintentionally, this man—whether he was delirious, drugged by Tian Shuang, or simply couldn't bear to see her so overweight—suddenly gifted her a bottle of something to help her slim down. He claimed it was the only one of its kind in the world, though in reality there were many. From that moment on, Tian Shuang treasured it like a priceless gem—the "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" that she had lost.

It's not entirely her fault. She only intended to let Suoge smell a little of "Spring Breeze Ten Mile Fragrance," but she miscalculated. Suoge unexpectedly spat out his tea at that crucial moment, catching her off guard and causing her to be poisoned by the "Spring Breeze Ten Mile Fragrance." In her panic, she dropped the bottle and forgot about it. Afterwards, she was too embarrassed to go back for it. If Suoge discovered she had drugged him while she herself had been affected, wouldn't he laugh at her to death?

It's just a bottle of medicine, really. Is it really worth Tian Shuang looking at her with such a mournful gaze? She can always ask that person for a few more bottles next time.

Thinking of this, Xi Ri blamed Suo Ge for it, cursing him to find that bottle of "Spring Breeze Ten Mile Fragrance" and then smell it, so that he would have to drink porridge with a stuffy nose for ten days, just like her. Who told him to cause a rift between her and the twins?

The curse of yesteryear was clearly a step too late.

Let's talk about Soge again.

After Xi Ri left that day, a servant discovered a yellow dragon jade pendant and a delicate small porcelain bottle under the bamboo table and handed them to Suo Ge for examination.

Suoge took the porcelain bottle and saw that the porcelain body was exquisite and the painted decorations were beautiful. It was obviously a rare item. He couldn't help but wonder what Tian Xiri would do with the porcelain bottle. So he casually opened it and a fragrance wafted out, which was refreshing and pleasant. He subconsciously took a sniff.

From then on, Suoge took more than ten days of sick leave, saw several doctors, and finally alarmed the emperor, who sent the imperial physician, but unfortunately, he was still helpless.

As expected, the unparalleled "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" is indeed just that—"Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance." There is no antidote, and no matter how skilled a doctor you are, you cannot detect any symptoms of poisoning. Besides, "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" is not a poison in the first place; it's just that very few people have ever heard of it.

In recent days, the Prince Xi's mansion has been plunged into panic as the doctors have been at a loss. The Prince Xi is seriously ill; he vomits up whatever medicine he drinks, vomits up whatever soup he drinks, and even vomits up the smell of plain porridge. He can only drink water. Rumors that the Prince Xi, Suoge, is now living as if he were waiting to die have spread like wildfire, shaking the court and the public.

Unfortunately, the culprit, Tian Xiri, remains hidden behind those walls, unaware of the truth. If she knew, perhaps her "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" curse would have healed sooner.

Another day passed, and things were much better than before.

After dinner, Third Brother was still in the palace and hadn't returned, but Fourth Brother arrived. Eldest Brother had just finished his business and returned to the capital today. He came to see her first before rushing off with Second Brother to the palace to find Third Brother. It was Fourth Brother who had time to come tonight. Things had been so complicated lately that, since they considered each other brothers, they hadn't had a proper get-together.

Fourth Brother hasn't come for a while either. I heard he's been busy with the canal transport, so it seems this canal transport issue is quite troublesome.

Hearing that she was sick, her eldest brother, who had just returned from outside the city, immediately sent people to deliver a large number of precious medicinal herbs and tonics, three large boxes in total. In addition, her second and fourth brothers sent people to deliver medicinal herbs and tonics in the past few days. It would be enough for her to eat for a year.

But when she thought about how she had actually fallen for the "fragrant spring breeze" trick, she felt really ashamed.

Looking up at herself, she realized she was neither talented nor virtuous, yet she was fortunate enough to have four brothers. The kindness her brothers showed her filled her with shame, and the memory of deceiving them filled her with endless regret. Although she often reminded herself to muster the courage to tell them everything, the moment she mustered that courage, the thought of the five of them sharing a bed, her motives for disguising herself as a man, and how her third brother had nearly died from an arrow wound while saving her, would cause her courage to plummet. Despite constantly admonishing herself to be honest and not deceive them any longer, once she calmed down, the thought filled her with lingering fear, leading her to procrastinate as she was now.

Tonight, her fourth brother was unusually radiant and full of energy. He talked non-stop about many interesting things that had happened recently. Some of these things had been widely discussed in the capital recently, but she had never left the house and therefore did not know about them.

Recently, two major events have occurred.

The first matter is related to the chaos in the Grand Canal transport.

It is said that the leaders of the salt and canal gangs, who are usually elusive in the martial arts world, have recently reappeared due to matters related to canal transport.

Fourth Brother gossiped that the gang leader was exceptionally handsome, even more so than Long Ming.

These words left Xi Ri and the twins speechless, thinking to themselves: Fu Jin must be exaggerating! It's hard to imagine a man more beautiful than Long Ming. What kind of man would he be? Even the most imaginative person couldn't picture it. Xi Ri and the twins, for example, racked their brains, scratching their heads and chins, but still couldn't imagine what a man more beautiful than Long Ming would look like. In desperation, the twins concluded: "Would he even be a man?" Xi Ri echoed: "Would he even be human?"

Fu Jin's answer was unwavering and sincere: "He is absolutely a person, a man, and a devoted man at that!"

"Devoted love?" Tian Shuang asked.

"How do you know?" Xi Ri asked.

In their imagination, the word "devoted love" must be associated with a man like this, and there must be a touching story behind it. Xi Ri and Xiao Shuangzi were both waiting attentively for Fu Jin to continue.

Fu Jin lived up to everyone's expectations and continued, "Although this gang leader has the appearance of an immortal and is in his prime, his hair has turned completely white. I heard it's because he misses his deceased wife." He couldn't help but sigh as he said this.

Although it wasn't as exciting as the two had hoped, a single sentence was enough to express the gang leader's deep affection.

Upon hearing this, the twins suddenly sighed, recalling the Prince Ming who had been gazing up at the young lady's bedroom that night. They were filled with sorrow and said, "I wonder what kind of woman could make such a man yearn for her until his hair turns white? Alas... indeed, no matter how powerful or outstanding a man is, he can't escape the word 'love' in the end."

Upon hearing this, Fu Jin glanced strangely at the twins behind Yu Di, who wore expressions of holiness and pity, and couldn't help but shudder. He thought to himself: This expression doesn't suit the twins! It doesn't suit them!

Xi Ri was deeply moved by the twins' words, slightly stunned, and sighed inwardly: "In this life, I only ask for one person, to never be separated, to stay with them until our hair turns white. If fate is against my wishes and insists on separating us, then I can only suffer the pain of longing. Even if I grow old before I am old, it will be a life well-lived, having stayed with them until our hair turned white. In the few decades of a lifetime, this is all a woman desires."

Suddenly, Xi Ri thought of Long Ming, and a strange unease and slight sadness welled up in her heart.

A silence fell over the room.

Seeing this, Fu Jin chuckled dryly a few times and said, "Brother Yu, don't act like a woman. How many men like that are there in this world? Neither you nor I could do it. Don't think about it anymore. I'll tell you something happy so we can all have some fun together."

"What?" Upon hearing the word "women," Xi Ri suddenly became extremely alert.

Fu Jin seemed to recall something particularly exciting, gesturing excitedly, "That kid Suoge is dying, it'll only be a couple of days. He suddenly contracted a strange illness a dozen days ago, and he's been bedridden ever since. Even the imperial physicians are helpless; I heard he's just waiting to die. Sigh… I never thought that kid would die so young. If I'd known, I wouldn't have fought him for that land; he wouldn't have lived much longer anyway." Fu Jin wore an expression of regret and lamentation. He clearly wasn't lamenting Suoge's impending death, but rather regretting that he had bothered competing with someone about to die for a piece of land, wasting so much energy and effort, and still not getting it. His lamentation was, of course, about Suoge dying so soon—sigh, serves him right.

Upon hearing this, Xi Ri cautiously asked, "Fourth Brother, what about Prince Xi's illness...?"

"His condition is very strange. No doctor can find the cause of his illness. He just can't eat anything and vomits everything he eats. It's been more than ten days. I heard that he is on his deathbed and is about to die."

"Clatter..." The sugar pastry in Xiri's hand fell to the ground and shattered. She and Tian Shuang exchanged a knowing glance, both understanding each other perfectly. Needless to say, they were like vomiting up everything they ate, a classic case of "spring breeze carrying ten miles of fragrance"...

Suoge, like her, was also blessed with "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance"! Xiri didn't know whether to be happy or worried.

The good news is that Suoge also contracted "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance," so he'll definitely suffer. Her suffering these past few days wasn't in vain.

What worries her is that if Soge really loses his life because of this, it is not what she wants.

Judging from Fourth Brother's words, Suoge's symptoms have lasted for more than ten days, which means it must be the "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" that happened on the same day as her. In that case, Suoge must have picked up that porcelain bottle.

"Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" - when he first took this medicine, he would not have any symptoms unless he smelled other smells, especially the aroma of food... Ten days passed and he still hadn't recovered... and he was already on his deathbed. He certainly didn't know that "Spring Breeze Ten Miles of Fragrance" would naturally make him better after ten days, nor did he know that he could actually block his nose and eat some light food.