Chapter 99
The clouds outside the window were thick, with layers upon layers of ice and snow that, unable to bear the weight, flew down like cotton wool.
Although it was much warmer inside the valley than outside, the Red Canyon was still located in the cold mountains. It would be a miracle if you didn't get goosebumps from the night wind.
But some people just love to push the limits. They not only wear only a single garment while leaning on a soft couch, but also leave the windows wide open to let in the cold wind. That's not how you appreciate the moon, is it?
The smell of alcohol in the room was even stronger than before. There was a large pool of dark red bloodstains on the white velvet cushion in front of the couch, some dark and some light. To the right of the couch, colorful clothes were scattered all over the footstool, and upon closer inspection, it could be seen that every piece of clothing had been stained red. You wouldn't notice it if you didn't look at it, but once you saw it, you suddenly felt a hint of blood in the room amidst the aroma of alcohol.
Her delicate, jade-like white ankles rested on the gilded armrests, almost transparent in the dim light.
The long hem of her dress billowed in the wind, revealing a faint dark red at her waist. The color deepened and intensified as she moved upwards, until it was truly shocking at her shoulders!
He looked over, his eyes like ice beads coated with thick ink, so cold and clear that they reflected a bright, star-like brilliance.
"Who is it that could injure Nangong Ling to this extent?"
"Didn't you say you were tired and needed to rest?" He pursed his pale lips, continuing his awkwardness even though he was weak.
"By the time I've had enough rest, you'll probably have bled to death."
I went over and closed the window, locking it tightly.
"I don't want your pity or sympathy." He closed his eyes, concealing the bitterness that was about to overflow from them.
Her pale face looked so fragile, as if it could shatter at the slightest touch. My nose stung, and I almost lost control of my emotions.
"...I didn't expect that my elder brother would use the Rong family as bait. The Juyi Manor that you built up was also taken away by him to curry favor with Tianchen, wasn't it?"
"Didn't expect that?" A sarcastic smile appeared on his lips. "Wasn't everything you did arranged by him?"
"You don't appreciate kindness. If I had made it obvious back then, my brother wouldn't have cared how useful you were; he would have sent you to meet the King of Hell right then and there."
"What...it's very obvious?"
You know how to pick out the key points. I opened my mouth, but suddenly felt very embarrassed. How could I say that to his face?
"Does your wound hurt? Where's the first-aid kit?"
He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze gleaming menacingly. "Why are you hiding!"
Startled by him, my knees buckled and I fell headfirst into his arms, unable to stop myself.
"Hmm!"
I heard a muffled groan beside me; such a heavy press must have aggravated his wound. I propped myself up and saw his thin brows furrowed together, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on his pale face. I immediately felt as if someone had slashed my heart with a knife, and the pain was excruciating.
"Shall I apply the medicine and bandage it for you first?"
"No, answer my question first..."
You're in so much pain and you're still stubbornly enduring it. You're not in pain, but I am!
"Have you made enough of a scene?! Did you ask me to let you die?!"
Pulling open his collar, I saw a deep, bone-revealing knife wound. The wound had become festering and ulcerated, with redness and purple discoloration around the cut, and pus and blood oozing from it.
I couldn't hold back anymore, and tears streamed down my face uncontrollably. Who did this? How could they be so cruel!
"Lian..." He tried to reach out, but the slightest movement caused his lips to turn pale with pain, and he was covered in cold sweat.
I gasped and turned around to rummage through drawers and cabinets looking for medicine.
After spending half a cup of tea's time, I only found one bottle of Panax notoginseng. Although I didn't have Yunnan Baiyao, at least it could temporarily stop the bleeding.
The man lay on the soft couch, staring intently at me. When I applied the medicine to him, his only reaction was to furrow his brow; he didn't utter a sound.
"Even though he hates dirty people the most, he managed to put up with it this time..." she complained as she took a new set of clothes out of the closet and helped him change.
Just as she was about to turn around and ask Shaoyou to fetch a basin of hot water so she could tidy herself up, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
"What?"
His eyes were still frighteningly bright, his thin lips were tightly pursed, his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and there was a hint of resentment in them.
I stared at him blankly for a while, until his grip tightened and his brows furrowed deeper, before I finally understood.
"Cough cough..." I looked away from his eyes, my heart pounding, feeling a burning heat spread across my face. "Well, the first time we met, your father called you over to spar with my older brother. My older brother was already thinking of killing you, just because your father... left you at Shixiang Courtyard and I watched you for two whole hours..."
"And then?" His voice was very soft and weak; it would have been impossible to hear him if the room hadn't been so quiet.
"Then, you must have really hated me when we were kids, right? Back then, no one dared to openly show their disgust towards me like that. At first, I just felt uncomfortable but didn't take it to heart. Later, my older brother told me to give you a hand, and I did. But who knew you... you were so complicated and awkward. I never sympathized with you or pitied you. I just felt uncomfortable every time I saw you. Why are you okay while I'm the only one who's upset? The more I felt this way, the more I wanted to cause you trouble. Later, it just became a habit without me realizing it..."
My thinking at the time was very simple: since you hate me, I'll hate you too.
"In the end, you just don't believe me!" He was so humble towards the end that I couldn't help but pinch his hand, but I didn't dare to use too much force.
He loosened his grip slightly. "...Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"
"I don't feel your pain."
I wanted to ask who did it, but I swallowed the words back. I'll wait until he's fully recovered before asking.
"Shall I have Shaoyou come and tidy things up, and get some hot water for you to wipe yourself down?"
He nodded and closed his eyes.
I finally managed to win over this man who's more childish than a child himself; it was exhausting.
Chapter 100
By the time everything was settled, the heater was lit, and the incense was burned, it was already past midnight. I decided not to sleep at all and simply watched him sleep until dawn.
This injury was quite serious, and he didn't take medicine and rest in time. It has taken a lot of energy to recover, but even so, he still can't sleep soundly. The slightest noise can wake him up.
I tucked him in, and before I could even remove my hand from the blanket, he opened his eyes.
"Sleep a little longer, I'll go get you something to eat."
According to Shaoyou, this person drinks alcohol very frequently and hardly touches anything else. It's only thanks to his profound internal strength that he has survived until now.
"Hmm..." he mumbled, then closed his eyes and fell asleep again.
Wei Minglou maintained his usual aloofness, and one could not see anyone until they reached the outside of Tianfu Garden.
After circling around for a while, I finally reached the kitchen. Before even entering, I was greeted by an enticing aroma that made my mouth water.
"What's this?"
The person cooking the porridge was startled by me. As soon as they looked up, they started grimacing and wincing, probably because they had pulled a bone.
"Lamb bone porridge, it's good for replenishing blood and energy," Shao You replied.
"Oh." I took a deep sniff; it smelled wonderful. "The kitchen is so far away; by the time the food gets there, it'll be cold. What's the point of eating then?"
"His Majesty has never liked the smell of cooking oil, so his meals are always kept warm by his subordinates using their internal energy."
"How much longer are you going to hold on?" Why does this situation feel so familiar?
"...Has His Majesty finally agreed to apply the medicine?"
"Okay, give me a few bottles of Yunnan Baiyao later."
Qionghua's expression suddenly changed, and she glared at me with eyes full of resentment.
"Why didn't you come sooner? You broke two ribs and were in pain for four whole days. What were you going to do to comfort me?!"
The cook next door, who was chopping vegetables very methodically, suddenly slipped his hand and almost dropped the knife from the cutting board.
Who inflicted the knife wound on your shoulder?
"you do not know?"
"have no idea."
"There are some things you should ask him yourself, but there are some things I still need to make clear to you. Please, please don't hurt him again." Furong smiled slightly, but her expression turned serious in an instant. "If there's a next time, I won't let you off the hook."
If it happens again, I won't let myself off the hook. You feel sorry for your master, but I feel even more sorry for him.
How great were the losses this time?
"Juyi Manor has 564 people. It's not many, but it's excellent. Every single one of them is extraordinary. You probably don't know how much effort and energy His Majesty has put into Juyi Manor." She carefully ladled out some porridge, a mocking smile curving her lips. "Only His Majesty and the four of us protectors know about Juyi Manor. The reason it's so secretive is mainly to catch people off guard. Who knew your eldest brother was such a shrewd fellow? He used the Rong family's defeat as bait to lower our guard against him. How did he find out? He even knew that our contact with them was through the Fire Fu Token. That's one thing, but to be able to steal the Fire Fu Token from Wuyue Palace, I really have to look at him in a new light."
"Don't you suspect there's a traitor among us?"
He raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what others think, but I certainly don't have the guts to betray him."
"Since he wasn't an inside traitor, and my elder brother couldn't possibly be that capable on his own, are you sure he stole the Fire Token?"
“He said it himself when he pointed the blade at the king, and he wasn’t alone.”
"Big brother, Blade, are you saying Yunzhi was injured by my big brother?" I almost screamed. "He's not alone... there's also Xiao Lianjue, isn't there? Who exactly is he?"
"The reaction is good, but it's too fake that you don't know Xiao Lianjue."
"You're convinced I have ulterior motives, fine, I won't bother with you anymore." I was furious, but my tone was surprisingly calm. "Shaoyou, take me to Beiqingyuan. I need to rest."
"Wait a minute, you..." Qionghua frowned slightly, "You really don't recognize Xiao Lianjue, the master of the Eastern Palace?"
"The head of the Eastern Palace, isn't that the Crown Prince? Are you kidding me? He had my elder brother win over the foreign tribes? Does that mean he wants to usurp the throne?!"
"Even without Han Xuanmo's involvement, the Heavenly Clan Kingdom would still find an excuse to stir up trouble. Your Majesty merely followed the wind and accelerated the development of events. You originally wanted to watch the show, but you didn't expect... You were the last person they planned to target."
Looking into his eyes, I couldn't tell if it was anger or panic, and I started to tremble.
"Do you think I conspired with my elder brother to have him steal the Fire Token?"
"It's not impossible."
"...But you also said that only the five of you know about the Fire Fu Token!"