Chapter 367: It’ll just be you for the future
Han Yunxi shot over like an arrow at the sight of Long Feiye raising his hand. She carefully clasped his fingers and set his arm down. Her quiet face looked stern. “Your Highness, you’re not allowed to move about randomly for a month. Chenqie will keep an eye on you.”
“It’s inconvenient,” Long Feiye replied simply. Though he came from an imperial clan, he was unused to others waiting on him. Many things he directly did himself. Moreover, he was used to getting up early for sword practice every morning, then brewing some tea and meditating over matters. How could I stand doing nothing for an entire month?
Han Yunxi didn’t even think before she said, “If Your Highness wants anything done, chenqie will wait on you.”
Long Feiye arched an eyebrow as he looked at her with increased interest. Fine, Han Yunxi finally realized the complexities of everything involved. If her patient couldn’t use his arms, then she’d have to take care of plenty of things, including very private matters. That really would be very…inconvenient!
After some time, she added, “I’ll have Chu Xifeng and Tang Li help.”
Han Yunxi’s face was torn between innocent helplessness and an embarrassed disappointment. Long Feiye didn’t say anything, but raised his hand to deviously grasp her jaw and said, “Han Yunxi, you can simply change the dressing on your lordship’s wound.”
This woman really didn’t understand him at all. He had mysophobia, which meant he disliked others touching him whether they were women or men. If he said he wasn’t going to die, that meant he’d be alright. His domineering, devilish air and gentle softness hit all her strongest weak points. Han Yunxi immediately quieted down, lifting her chin in tandem with his grip. As Tang Li once said, she was clearly a female tiger, but now she was as meek as a lamb.
Everything had its nemesis; one thing would always conquer another. Just who was preying on whom at this moment?
Long Feiye remarked, “One month is far too long. Tianhui would never give your lordship a month’s time to rest.”
As soon as he spoke, a guard by the door spoke up with a report. “Your Highness, something’s happened within the capital.”
“Speak,” Long Feiye ordered coldly.
“This morning, His Majesty formally decreed you as the imperial envoy for the disaster areas. He requires that you set out for the disaster areas today to relieve the victims from their extreme misery. The imperial edict’s already on its way and will arrive at the estate soon.” the guard said truthfully.
Damned Emperor Tianhui!
If this wound hadn’t happened, they would’ve been on the road already. Who needed Emperor Tianhui to rush them? It’d only been a few days and the man was already impatient enough to issue an imperial edict? He even wanted them to leave on the very same day. Han Yunxi silently cursed him in her heart and made a vow to get back at Emperor Tianhui one day so he could taste the flavor of a serious wound, too.
“Prepare to return to the estate,” Long Feiye wasn’t planning to rest in the first place. As soon as he finished speaking, he clutched his chest wound and prepared to rise from the bed. Han Yunxi was pained by the sight!
She quickly blocked him. “Your Highness, lie down for a bit longer. Have chenqie pack up any necessary items.”
Long Feiye was planning to check on the person in the secret chamber, but relented after a pause. “There’s nothing much to pack. You can just help me dress.”
They were currently in Long Feiye’s bedchambers at the Hidden Pavilion, but there wasn’t a single female servant at the place. The room itself was simple and sparse, consisting of a single bed, chair, and cabinet. Han Yunxi found a set of dark, loose-fitting robes, perfect for keeping his injury untouched while hiding any potential bloodstains. She knew without Long Feiye telling her that his wound had to be concealed when they returned. There was no way anyone could know he was injured; otherwise, it was possible he’d never make it alive to the disaster areas.
By the time Han Yunxi came over with the robes, she realized Long Feiye’s inner robes were stained with blood as well. He’d have to change into a new set. She went to get them herself, only to find him taking off his own clothes when she returned.
“Your Highness, I’ll do it,” she said anxiously as she rushed to pressed his hands to his sides. “Don’t move about.”
Long Feiye turned docile at her words and stopped moving. Han Yunxi carefully pulled open his robes and undid his collar and sleeves. Then she cautiously slipped off his white inner robes while standing behind him. When the clothing fell away, it revealed his strong muscular back and bronze-hued skin. His muscles were perfectly sculpted, filling her mind with all sorts of thoughts. Han Yunxi was sitting right behind him, so everything she saw was within arm’s reach. Even though she’d distanced herself on purpose, she couldn’t help but steal a few extra peeks. Despite this, the sight was enough to tempt her to draw closer.
“Do you not know how?” Long Feiye suddenly asked her.
Han Yunxi gave a start. She hadn’t even done anything, but felt guilty of sinning all the same. Immediately, her face flushed.
“You don’t know?” Long Feiye asked again.
“What?” Han Yunxi was rather flustered. It felt like Long Feiye had caught onto the tangled knot in her heart!
“Changing clothes,” Long Feiye explained. His patience really had improved by leaps and bounds.
Finally, Han Yunxi understood. She quickly picked up the clean set of inner robes, only to realize…she really didn’t know how to dress him! Her profession had placed her in the position of unclothing quite a few patients, but this was her first time helping someone into his clothes. She held up Long Feiye’s top against his back before draping it across his shoulders. Then she found herself at a loss.
Finally, Han Yunxi learned a bit of common sense. Taking off the clothes didn’t require a person to raise their arms, but putting them on was much trickier. She’d have to make Long Feiye raise his hands. Before she could tell Long Feiye, he raised both arms until they were both even with his shoulders, the standard position for getting dressed. Han Yunxi was so ashamed that she felt like burying her head in the covers. She quickly helped him get dressed and tie his waistband.
Long Feiye was quite satisfied with the whole thing and remarked, “Mhm, I’ll always have you wait on me in the future.”
Han Yunxi didn’t know what to say. For the first time, she realized that this man was…seriously wicked!
By the time Han Yunxi and Long Feiye got in the carriage to return to the Duke of Qin’s estate, Emperor Tianhui’s new favorite, Eunuch Chen, had already been waiting for a long time. Thanks to Eunuch Xue’s lesson, Eunuch Chen simply waited as custom required, not daring to show any arrogance. When he saw Long Feiye and Han Yunxi return, he quickly read the imperial edict out loud and explained everything before going away. Just like the guard had said, this edict commanded Long Feiye to go to the disaster areas as the imperial envoy. As soon as he received the edict, he was to leave the capital.
Despite those orders, Long Feiye still had sufficient reasons to delay a few more days. However, he couldn’t afford the wait now, because things had been pushed to a critical point. News of his deployment to the disaster areas would spread throughout Tianning, perhaps as soon as tomorrow. If he delayed any further, it’d only give Emperor Tianhui that many more chances to smear his name. Public opinion could always be swayed back and forth! To put it nicely, one could guide the masses and what they thought. To put it plainly, it was simply manipulating popular sentiment.
On the way from the Hidden Pavilion, he’d already understood the current state of public opinions in the capital. News of the crown prince’s wedding was still buried beneath news of the charity auction. However, a few days had been enough to turn popular words praising His Highness Duke of Qin to discussions about him and his family. Just today, the people had come up with a different point of view. Instead of feeling grateful to the Duke of Qin’s estate, they were now beginning to seek demands. Since the Duke of Qin had money, it was only natural for him to donate to the cause. In fact, he should donate even more because he was so rich. Naturally, Emperor Tianhui was behind such ideas, being a hard case to deal with himself.
The fight for the people’s hearts had just begun. They had to treat each step of the way as a battle. That very night, Long Feiye and Han Yunxi set out after making brief preparations. Long Feiye decided to travel incognito in plain clothes, accompanied only by Han Yunxi. Even Zhao mama was rejected for the journey. Han Yunxi wasn’t sure how many men were traveling with them in secret, however.
It wasn’t until Chu Xifeng came to report on the imperial uncle’s estate in the middle of the night that Han Yunxi realized he had come along as well. On the other hand, Tang Li had been left to guard the Hidden Pavilion in case the black-robed assassin turned up again. Long Feiye and Han Yunxi’s carriage left the quiet streets of Tianning’s capital city via the southern gates in the dead of night.
Meanwhile, a figure in red robes stood atop the city walls, resembling a bewitching spider lily blooming against the night skies. Against the rippling wind, he looked both seductive and mysterious. Gu Qishao had made a trip to the Hidden Pavilion and barely escaped from a Tang Clan trap. By the time he made it to the wall, it was only to see the retreating form of the carriage in the distance. He didn’t get a chance to glimpse Long Feiye or his Poison lass. Right now, his expression was devoid of his usual smile. His long, crafty eyes had narrowed into cold slits.
Finally, he spat out, “He’s certainly a lucky one!”
He was curious to know just what kind of person had saved Long Feiye. He knew his Poison lass didn’t have the skills. Of course, he was more depressed than anything else. If he knew this was going to happen, he should’ve been more ruthless. The failure this time would only make Long Feiye more cautious. It’d be harder to kill him next time. Moreover, Long Feiye was the type of man who’d do his best to uncover the culprit’s true identity.
“Troublesome!” Gu Qishao cursed, before deciding to lay low for awhile. It was just as well, because he hated dirty, chaotic places like those disaster areas. He wouldn’t follow them this time. It had been a long time since he’d gotten any word from Mu Linger. He was curious to see how her progress was, so he decided to visit Medicine City’s Mu estate instead.
He spread open his scarlet sleeves until they billowed in the wind before jumping headfirst off the walls. His falling figure resembled a red hawk diving through the air before the darkness swallowed him up.
Not long after Gu Qishao vanished, a white figure appeared in his same exact spot. This was none other than the white-robed man from Medical City. Dressed in robes of snowy white and emanating an ethereal air, he stood with his white face veil while emanating a noble, mysterious air. His eyes were serene and tranquil, his aura pure and calm. It seemed like he had the power to disperse the darkness with his very existence and illuminate the entire world. He glanced below him with a small smile before quickly chasing after the retreating carriage.
Some people protect by “standing right in front of you.” They help you block the wind and rain while charging forward against your enemies. They are your best and closest friends.
Some people protect by “walking hand-in-hand with you.” They will be with your through life and death, sharing honor and disgrace, weal or woe. They are the ones you love most.
Some people protect by “standing right behind you.” They allow you to take large strides forward without worrying about the things behind you. They are…the people you never knew existed.
Nobody knew whether the white-robed man would ever remove his face veil in front of Han Yunxi one day…