Chapter 146
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“Cousin…”
Chu Lishu almost spoke with a breathy voice, and his breath sprayed onto Lin Qingyang’s face above, making Lin Qingyang not only feel itchy on his face but also a tingling sensation in his heart.
Lin Qingyang made a muffled acknowledgment.
“Cover my mouth.”
Lin Qingyang was startled, then heard Chu Lishu say, “I need to reset my bones.”
Lin Qingyang’s pupils instantly dilated.
“Here?”
Resetting bones?
It seemed like his injuries were not simple; otherwise, he wouldn’t need such urgent attention.
Will it really not hurt enough to cry out?
Lin Qingyang hesitated, reluctantly moved a bit, attempting to raise one hand to cover Chu Lishu’s mouth. However, if he raised one hand, inevitably one side would not be supported and might press down on Chu Lishu’s body. How could he assist in resetting bones like that?
Lin Qingyang thought for a moment, then with determination, directly took out a pill and reluctantly stuffed it into Chu Lishu’s mouth.
Chu Lishu unsuspectingly swallowed it, just staring at Lin Qingyang with puzzled eyes.
“Painkiller.”
The pill quickly dissolved in his mouth, and Chu Lishu’s eyes instantly changed. He could no longer feel the pain.
He had only witnessed this kind of efficacy in his master’s precious medicine box. It was extremely rare, and he looked at Lin Qingyang with some surprise.
Lin Qingyang dared not look at him. This miraculous effect would surely arouse the male lead’s suspicion. It was eventually exposed, but he would think about the reasons later. Let’s get through this current situation first.
Lin Qingyang leaned his shoulder closer, “Bite if it still hurts.”
Although Chu Lishu was amazed, now was not the time to inquire. He didn’t know how long the medicine’s effects would last. Chu Lishu proceeded to reset his bones directly. To be on the safe side, he pressed his lips against Lin Qingyang’s shoulder. If he couldn’t bear it, he couldn’t expose them and harm both of them. However, he would try his best not to hurt Lin Qingyang.
Chu Lishu’s hands moved, accompanied by a faint sound.
Yet, Chu Lishu couldn’t feel any pain throughout, marveling at the efficacy of the medicine. He looked at the shoulder still pressed against him and couldn’t help but smile, tilting his head to gently bite and kiss Lin Qingyang’s exposed neck.
Lin Qingyang, thinking that even painkillers couldn’t withstand the pain, was alarmed when Chu Lishu, in a panic, tried to bite his own neck. Wasn’t he about to be bitten with blood streaming down? He was just about to grit his teeth and endure it.
Soon, the slight pain on his neck disappeared.
Chu Lishu’s voice came softly, “It’s done.”
Only then did Lin Qingyang move his body, looking down at Chu Lishu. It seemed that the medicine worked well; Chu Lishu’s complexion finally wasn’t deathly pale.
“The medicine?”
Lin Qingyang whispered, “Didn’t Xinyue send us some things from their Western Moon country before? Among them, there is a special painkiller from their imperial palace. I’ve discussed it with the old man at the pharmacy, tried it, and found it effective. I’ve been carrying it with me. I’ll give you a few later, just in case.”
Chu Lishu thought about it. Indeed, Xinyue often sent things over. After checking a few times, he didn’t pay much attention. Perhaps when Lin Qingyang went back to heal his injuries, the pain persisted, and other medications were not effective, so they tried the one from the other country. It was really fortunate to get such good results with this medicine.
“Thank you,” Chu Lishu said, his gaze gentle, showing no signs of suspicion.
Lin Qingyang immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Thanks to the painkiller’s effectiveness, Chu Lishu was now completely fine, and he began to focus on the situation outside.
Lin Qingyang also shifted his attention, but as he listened, he felt that something was not quite right.
“Are you really not moved by me?”
“Yuan Ye, don’t make things difficult for me. If people find out that you often come to see me, do you know what they will say about you outside?”
“You do care about me. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t mind what people say outside. Besides, I’m the one taking the initiative. Everyone will just say that I’m entangling you.”
“You…”
“Rouyin, I won’t give up. When we were in the palace, I made it clear to you that I will make you the queen. So, wait for me. When I ascend the throne and issue the imperial decree, who dares to criticize? Moreover, you are destined for a phoenix-like fate. If not me, who else can you marry?”
“Stop talking!” Jing Rouyin’s emotions seemed to have become agitated. “If it’s really a phoenix-like fate, then I… how could the former Crown Prince became like this? It shows that my fate is not good.”
“No! It’s not that your fate is bad. Didn’t I tell you? It’s his fate that is bad. His destiny carries ominous signs. Once he ascends the throne, he will inevitably harm those close to him. Look at how many people he has caused misery. You were unlucky because you had an engagement with him, but he’s already dead. He won’t affect people around him anymore. So, you are still the most esteemed phoenix-like fate.”
Lin Qingyang listened in confusion. Was Yuan Ye deliberately trying to confuse the girl, or was there really such a belief? However, it was clear that this brother was not a good person.
Lin Qingyang couldn’t help but lower his head to look at Chu Lishu. He saw Chu Lishu looking relaxed and disdainful, as if finding it ridiculous.
It seemed that Yuan Ye was just making things up.
But, well, up to this point, Lin Qingyang always felt a bit uncomfortable. He couldn’t pinpoint what was bothering him; it just felt strange.
“I don’t want to discuss this topic anymore, Yuan Ye… It’s too late; you should go, I’m begging you.”
Yuan Ye also seemed unwilling to trouble Jing Rouyin and directly said, “Then play the zither for me, just like before.”
Jing Rouyin sighed and nodded in agreement.
Soon, the enchanting sound of the zither began, accompanied by a subtle fragrance wafting in.
It wasn’t uncommon for people who played the zither to have a liking for fragrances, so it wasn’t particularly strange.
However, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu’s expressions changed as they caught a whiff of the scent. They had encountered too many incidents related to addictive substances before, and this fragrance was obviously reminiscent of the scents from the Chunxiang Building.
Lin Qingyang looked at Chu Lishu in shock.
Chu Lishu squinted slightly, “Love Intoxication Fragrance.”
Lin Qingyang took a sharp breath, but as soon as he remembered what this fragrance was, he nearly choked.
He still remembered the miserable scene caused by the Love Intoxication Fragrance in the wardrobe. His face turned red instantly, and he dared not look at a certain someone, averting his gaze.
Chu Lishu also thought of something and couldn’t help but curl his lips. His gaze moved from Lin Qingyang’s reddened cheeks to the neck where he had just bitten. His body started to feel a bit restless, indicating that he, too, might not resist the effects of the Love Intoxication Fragrance.
However, both of them knew that while the Love Intoxication Fragrance might not be the same as the one from the Chunxiang Building, the effects were similar. It could induce desire but wouldn’t directly cause people to lose control. The last time, if it weren’t for the influence of other addictive substances in Lin Qingyang’s body, he wouldn’t have reacted at all.
So, there was no need to worry too much this time. At most, they would feel a bit restless, but the situation outside was becoming quite delicate.
Love Intoxication Fragrances easily intensify men’s emotions, leading those admirers to constantly seek the company of the lady.
However, this was Jing Rouyin’s territory, and she was the one who suggested using the fragrance just now. Did she not know it was Love Intoxication Fragrance?
Was someone plotting against her, or…
A sudden thought emerged, but it didn’t align with what Lin Qingyang had read in the original story. He hesitated to entertain that idea, but now, looking at it, many discrepancies seemed to become more apparent.
As the melody concluded, Yuan Ye’s voice indeed became more ethereal, “Rouyin, I… I…” Yuan Ye took a few deep breaths, feeling utterly unable to control his growing affection for Jing Rouyin.
“Your Highness, it’s time for you to leave. Don’t make things difficult for me; you promised.”
“I… Oh right, isn’t there a lantern festival tonight for blessings? I’d like… to watch it with you. Didn’t we see it together in the palace before? I’ll stay a little longer.”
“But…”
“I promise not to be discovered. I’ll leave after watching the lanterns, and I won’t utter a word.”
“What about those assassins…”
“I’ll take care of them. They are targeting me, not you. You are safe.”
“But… someone already knows you came here, right?”
“But they have no evidence, and no one has returned alive, so there won’t be any rumors. If there’s any gossip, just shift the blame onto me.” Yuan Ye confidently finished speaking, then opened the door to call in his subordinates to inquire about the situation, wanting to reassure Jing Rouyin. Fortunately, someone came to report just in time.
Surprisingly, Yuan Ye didn’t avoid Jing Rouyin and directly inquired.
It was only after this moment that Lin Qingyang understood—the assassins were sent by the Pei family.
The reason for their decisive action was probably the Spring Plowing incident. It made them harbor deep resentment towards Yuan Ye, thinking that he was behind it all. Since they were already weakened to this extent, they chose to act recklessly. They didn’t dare to target the Emperor directly, but assassinating a crown prince who was about to commit adultery seemed like a plausible plan.
In the original plot, there was no assassination attempt like this because the third prince’s faction wasn’t weakened to such an extent. The ending was different, leading to different consequences.
Although Lin Qingyang couldn’t fully grasp the situation, he had a vague understanding that it was a butterfly effect. He wasn’t aware that Chu Lishu, in an attempt to help him retaliate against Consort Pei, had intensified the weakening of the third prince’s faction, leading to the unexpected calamity of this night.
However, Chu Lishu had already figured it out and found it somewhat amusing. Was the Pei family getting anxious? It seemed that there was also instability within the Pei family.
After Yuan Ye got the answers, he still had matters to attend to. Considering his vigorous blood circulation, he feared that he might lose control if he stayed longer. He said, “Rouyin, I’ll come to see the lanterns with you later. Rest for a while; I’ll be back soon.”
Before long, there was the sound of extinguishing incense and opening windows, indicating that they were dispersing the fragrance.
Such an obvious move made Lin Qingyang’s heart skip a beat. Could it be true?
The door opened again, and the voice of the old maid was heard.
“Zhang Mama, prepare water for me. He dared to embrace me. I need to bathe; I’m so dirty. Light some sandalwood.” Jing Rouyin’s voice was completely different from before. No longer gentle and soft, it now carried a cold and stern tone.
“Miss, why do you have to endure this?” the old maid said with concern, but there was no sound of footsteps, indicating that she might have martial skills.
“Not endure? How else are we supposed to live?” Jing Rouyin gritted her teeth, her voice trembling. “Even if we have to resort to the lowest means, it’s necessary.”
Zhang Mama sighed, “But if Yuan Ye comes back while you’re bathing…”
“Humph, it will only excite him more. Don’t worry; I know what I’m doing. I feel very uncomfortable. Let me clean myself.”
The old maid quickly complied.
Evidently, the old maid had become accustomed to this, as the sound of water came quickly, accompanied by… muffled cries and sobs.
“Mama, he actually tried to kiss me just now. I almost vomited. How dare he? Does he even deserve it? He doesn’t even know if he has the fate to become an emperor! His current situation is nothing like Yuan Ran, who was once above everyone else and beneath no one.”
Zhang Mama empathized, “Yes, he doesn’t deserve it now. Only after becoming the emperor will he be worthy. After all, my lady has the phoenix-like fate. Only an emperor is worthy of you.”
“Then why doesn’t the current emperor show interest in me? The damn Empress Dowager even drove me out of the palace. I… I have the phoenix-like fate, right? Everyone says so, praises me like that. I shouldn’t have this kind of fate now. I should have the most auspicious one. Clearly, they pushed me into that position, let me enjoy everything, and now they want to take it away! Damn it… Why did that fool Yuan Ran have to die! Why did he have to cause me to fall to this point? He deserves to be torn apart a thousand times! I curse him to never be reborn and suffer eternal torment in hell! It was the royal family who ordered me to marry him, not me rushing into it! Something happened? My family wanted me to commit suicide, and the people in the palace were hoping for my death. I don’t want to die; I want to live. Mama, I’m scared. I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die…”
“It’s okay, it’s okay…”
“But… but I killed someone. I killed someone… Can I still become the empress? Sob, sob, sob…”
Zhang Mama hurriedly tried to comfort her.
Lin Qingyang was shocked by what he heard. This painful rambling seemed like a form of catharsis. Lin Qingyang finally understood Jing Rouyin’s situation. This… the reality was so different from the surface description in the book. Did she really harbor such resentment towards Yuan Ran?
Certainly, when Yuan Ran had his incident, it must have been a devastating time for Jing Rouyin. It shattered her world, causing her to fall from grace, and at that moment, everyone probably wished for her death. However, there wasn’t a good reason for it. Her family didn’t rescue her, leaving her to linger in the imperial palace, barely surviving, and she must have been through some terrifying experiences during that time. Her temperament changed drastically, influenced by the phoenix-fate brainwashed, and she knew that as long as she got involved with the emperor, she could survive. Unexpectedly, the empress dowager discovered her and expelled her, leading to her identity as Lady Yamo.
However, at this point, it can be proven that the royal family spared her and didn’t want her life. Even if she couldn’t return home, she could have lived a peaceful life. Yet, she still schemed against Yuan Ye. This implies that she stubbornly wanted to restore her own destiny—perhaps unwilling to accept her current downfall.
Although it was far from his original understanding, Lin Qingyang couldn’t blame her. A woman’s fate is easily altered by the changes around her. If only she could realize and break free from this vortex. Unfortunately, it seems she hasn’t figured it out, and not only that.
Lin Qingyang continued to listen, and Jing Rouyin quickly regained her composure. Immediately, she calmly instructed Zhang Mama.
“Send a message to the Pei family’s rice shop, saying that the Crown Prince already knows it’s their doing. Also, spread the news of the conflict between the two sides to the Wang family.”
Upon hearing this, even Chu Lishu, who had been silent all along, was surprised.
Jing Rouyin was actually a triple agent?
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