Shoutout to Tachibanaswife for the commission!
Qi Sheng’s expression did not change much, only the veins at his temples bounced twice very energetically.
I didn’t speak and looked at him, making my gaze as pure as possible, just like my girlfriend back in university. That winter, in order to pursue her, I made excuses every night to ask her out to “discuss things,” but that girl was a blockhead who simply wouldn’t catch on; she remained unmoved by all my hints. Finally, on a night when the cold wind whistled fiercely, after I once again failed and was escorting her back to the dorm, she looked at me very embarrassedly and asked in a small voice: “Can we not come out at night anymore? It’s too cold. If there’s anything, can we just talk on the phone… okay?”
At that time, I looked at her eyes, so pure that they contained not a single impurity, for a long while, and finally smiled slightly and nodded.
So she became very happy. I had the urge to strangle her…
I thought Qi Sheng’s mood now was probably about the same.
His hand rested quietly on my back, about eight cun from my neck and a little closer to my waist. I quietly watched him, still a bit nervous inside, unsure whether his hand would move upward or continue downward…
Qi Sheng’s gaze finally became clear again. His hand left my back, and the corner of his mouth lifted in a mocking curve. Without saying a word, he stood up and left.
I finally let out a breath and collapsed onto the bed.
Luli hurried in from outside the hall. When she saw the broken porcelain bottle shards on the ground, she became even more panicked. She rushed over in a few steps and threw herself toward me. Without even checking whether I was injured, she cried out with a trembling voice:
“Niang Niang! Niang Niang! What’s wrong? The imperial physician, I’ll go call the imperial physician!”
I quickly reached out and grabbed Luli. “Come back!”
Luli looked at me tearfully, wanting to cry yet not daring to.
I was completely speechless toward this girl and could only put on a stern face and say, “Can the imperial physician be called so casually? Why are you so unable to stay calm? At least look at my wounds first!”
Luli pressed her lips together and held her breath, trembling as she gently lifted the quilt covering me. After a long moment, she didn’t move. Her expression turned blank; her large almond-shaped eyes widened, her small mouth slightly open, she looked stunned.
Uh, the little expression was quite alluring…
The shock on Luli’s face turned into joy, and she exclaimed softly: “His Highness the Crown Prince, he, he, he…”
I covered Luli’s mouth with my hand and told her very seriously, “His Highness the Crown Prince whipped me severely. Naturally we cannot call the imperial physician. The chafed places on my legs are bleeding again. Bring some water to clean them for me. Then carry the basin in and out several times to put on a show. Also smear the leftover ointment from yesterday around the hall to make the smell stronger. Finally, secretly take today’s clothes out and burn them somewhere secluded.”
Luli’s eyes were full of confusion, yet she still nodded repeatedly.
I added, “For the next few days, no one else needs to serve in the hall, only you.”
Luli nodded vigorously again, then hurriedly got up to leave.
I quickly pulled her back again. “Not yet. Come help massage my back first.”
Although Qi Sheng’s hand was no longer on my back, the warmth still seemed to linger there. It made me uncomfortable; I needed some way to get rid of that feeling.
Luli’s small hands pressed and kneaded my back, not too light, not too heavy.
I secretly pondered who would come to visit tomorrow. Would it be Zhao Wang? Or Lord Tree-Climber?
Would the Empress send someone? Although that old woman was Qi Sheng’s stepmother, she was Lord Toilet’s real mother. From the questions she asked today, she was clearly trying to pick trouble. Fortunately, the Old Empress Dowager blocked her, otherwise that fire would definitely have burned onto me.
And once it burned me, how could it not spread to Qi Sheng?
I was thinking absentmindedly when Luli suddenly stopped her hands. I turned to look at her. She bit her lip lightly, her expression conflicted for a moment before she finally said softly, “Niang Niang… should we ask your family to send some Bazhen Yimu pills another day?”
I was startled. After thinking for a moment, the image of Imperial Physician Song’s thin face flashed before my eyes. Only then did I understand what Luli meant, and immediately wanted to die.
Luli continued persuading earnestly, “Niang Niang, His Highness the Crown Prince treats you very differently now than before. You must seize the opportunity and bear an imperial heir as soon as possible!”
I sat up and pointed at the red lacquered, gold-painted pillar in the hall, threatening Luli: “If you mention this again, I’ll smash my head into that pillar right now for you to see.”
Luli was so frightened that she quickly covered her mouth with both hands, mumbling indistinctly, “This servant wouldn’t dare again, wouldn’t dare!”
Satisfied, I narrowed my eyes, lay back down again, and asked casually, “Hey? Who do you think will come here first tomorrow?”
Luli thought very seriously for a moment. “This servant doesn’t know. What does Niang Niang think?”
“Actually, I don’t know either,” I replied.
Luli and I looked at each other, mutually looking down on one another.
The next day, sure enough, someone came to visit. But the first to arrive was He Bingze’s mother, the wife of the Vice Minister of the Secretariat, granddaughter of the famed Prime Minister Lin Xian, niece of the Empress Dowager… and the tigress who could beat her husband into sleeping in the stables, Madam Lin.
What a pity for such a gentle surname!
I had always been afraid of extremely fierce women like this. When I heard she had arrived, I was so frightened that I climbed out of bed and sat properly in the hall to receive her.
By kinship, I should call her “Aunt,” but by status, she should address me as “Niang Niang.”
I had long heard of her reputation and naturally didn’t dare sit there waiting for her to kowtow. Seeing that she intended to bow, I quickly signaled Luli to help the tigress up, invited her to sit, and served tea.
Taking the opportunity, I observed her. Though youth had passed, she still looked quite good. I couldn’t help sighing that appearances really were deceptive. When He Liangchen married her, he must have been fooled by that face. By the time he wanted to regret it, it was already too late, who would dare divorce a daughter of the Lin family? Did he still want his official career or not?
Madam Lin expressed deep apologies for her son knocking me over. I pretended to be generous and comforted her with a few polite words.
Just as the two of us were exchanging insincere courtesies, an attendant outside reported that Yang Yan had arrived.
I wasn’t surprised. Lord Toilet would not come personally due to status, so he would certainly send this trusted subordinate to take a look.
I ordered the attendant to bring Yang Yan in. Moments later, Yang Yan swept in like a gust of wind. But upon seeing Madam Lin seated there, he froze. His previously lively expression immediately turned solemn. He respectfully saluted me and then found the seat farthest from Madam Lin.
Madam Lin took the opportunity to leave, and I asked Luli to escort her out.
Once her figure disappeared beyond the hall doors, Yang Yan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and exclaimed, “Hey! Why did that tigress come too? She scared me to death!”
I asked curiously, “Why are you also so afraid of her?”
Yang Yan said animatedly, “You haven’t seen how fierce she is! She really beats He Liangchen half to death. Once she even chased him all the way to my house, beating him until he hugged my father and called him ‘Mother’! It scared me to death. Since then I’ve sworn, even if I become a monk, I’ll never marry a woman like that!”
I felt deeply sympathetic and immediately improved my impression of Yang Yan. With such awareness, he probably wasn’t too foolish.
But just as that thought crossed my mind, I suddenly heard Yang Yan ask in a low voice, “Hey? Did you really… get whipped?”
I was instantly speechless. What a straightforward kid, so straightforward he’d become foolish.
There were still other palace maids and attendants in the hall, so I had to dismiss them all. Before I could speak to Yang Yan, he leaned forward again and asked, “So it’s true? He really isn’t much of a man. And you’re really foolish too, I told you to hide at the Empress Dowager’s place, but you wouldn’t listen.”
I kept a stern face and said nothing.
Yang Yan reached into his robe and took out a small white porcelain bottle, handing it to me. “Here, Ninth Brother told me to give this to you. He said it won’t leave scars.”
I accepted the bottle and casually placed it on the table.
Yang Yan added, “Use more of it. Heal sooner, so you can still make it to the summer retreat at the imperial villa.”
I had heard about the summer retreat, but I hadn’t planned to go. Following the Emperor, Empress Dowager, and Empress to join the excitement never led to anything good. How could that compare to shutting the palace gates myself and playing in cool water with a group of pretty girls?
While I was thinking, I noticed Yang Yan’s eyes circling my face repeatedly, sometimes even drifting down along my neck, as if he wished he could pry open my collar and take a look.
Good grief! Back when I was lecherous, I never dared behave like this. Did this kid leave his brain at home and only bring his courage when he came out?
Yang Yan suddenly leaned closer sneakily and chuckled dryly. “Hey? Qi Sheng’s whip technique is really good, you don’t have a single mark anywhere that’s exposed! If it weren’t for the smell of medicine all over the hall, I really wouldn’t believe you were whipped!”
I was so annoyed I nearly changed expression immediately. I used to think Qi Sheng was an idiot, but I hadn’t expected Yang Yan to be the ultimate fighter among idiots!
Yang Yan must have sensed the irritation in my eyes, because he quickly leaned back and laughed. “Don’t be upset. That Jiang woman had it a hundred times worse than you. She probably still hasn’t woken up yet. The fact that Qi Sheng didn’t whip your face shows he’s improved a lot!”
I wanted to hit him, but then remembered I’d just been “hit” last night, my movements wouldn’t be so agile, so I forced myself to endure it and sat properly without changing posture for a long time.
Yang Yan’s gaze shifted away from my face, a trace of disappointment flashing across his expression before it quickly vanished. He replaced it with a carefree grin, clasped his hands toward me, and said with a smile, “I’ll take my leave. See you at the summer palace in a few days!”
