Chapter 23 – Jade Bottle Medicine
Gong Che blushed when Gong Yi Mo straightforwardly boasted of his looks. He sighed lightly, pulled a seat next to Gong Yi, and kindly said “Girls need to be modest; you shouldn’t easily compliment people, especially men.”
“Modesty?”
Upon hearing this word, Gong Yi Mo couldn’t keep a natural expression. In her last life, not only did she pursue Gong Che like a moth to a flame, she also got rid of countless women in order to monopolize his harem.
Many people scolded her for her rash behavior, but she didn’t care. She was a soul from modern times—if she liked someone, why hide that she likes him? There was no need to give subtle hints or to slowly pursue him. Presumably, it was exactly because of Gong Yi’s persistence that Gong Che ended up not cherishing her in her previous life. Instead, he was drawn to the reserved and beautiful Su Miaolan.
Gong Yi Mo’s face reflected her feelings of self blame. At that time, Gong Che suddenly remembered that the princess grew up in the Cold Palace with no one to raise her. Aren’t his words for her to be modest indirectly implying that she wasn’t a cultured person? Seeing her small face suddenly turn discouraged, Gong unexpectedly felt distressed for her. Wanting to remedy his mistake, he immediately comforted,
“But this doesn’t have to apply to you.”
Gong Yi Mo looked up to Gong Che. He smiled at her gently as his eyes expressed warmth, “You are my sister, Gong Yi Mo. What sister wants to do, other people don’t have the right to change.”
Gong Yi Mo knew that he was trying to comfort her. Gong Che had always been such a gentle and meticulous person. Such a person was very likely to attract young girls who aren’t very experienced in matters of the world. Gong Yi Mo nodded affirmatively, “I’ll remember brother’s advice!”
Gong Che felt fond of the girl’s cleverness. Thinking to himself, he then took out a jade bottle that he prepared beforehand and casually offered it to her, “You’ve been deeply wounded. This medicine will help heal any scars you have, so you can have it.”
Gong Yi Mo examined the cold Jade bottle, and then without the slightest hint of hesitation, grasped the bottle tightly! The princess was quite touched; she knew how precious this Jade bottle of ointment was. She was aware that, even with Gong Che’s position as a prince, it wasn’t an easy commodity to obtain. Gong Yi Mo never would’ve imagined that he would be willing to give her such important medicine.
After pondering these things, she turned to him and smiled, “Thank you Brother!”
The little girl’s forthrightness caused Gong Che to feel even more distressed for her. He checked around his robes, but apparently he wasn’t able to bring anything else other than the ointment to give her.
Having received such a benefit, Gong Yi began to feel a degree of goodwill towards him. As she calculated, it seems that it will still take a few more years before Su Miaolan appears. In that case she doesn’t have to urgently make her moves. Gong Yi Mo can just leisurely take her time. The girl smiled sweetly as she looked at Gong Che’s back with thoughtfulness.
….
Late in the evening, Gong Jue asked his sister who it was that visited her earlier that day. Gong Yi Mo was quite surprised; this boy’s information gathering was quite good! “You mean brother Gong Che, the Crowned Prince…” Gong Yi Mo smiled and took out a jade bottle. “This is the medicine Prince Brother gave me earlier. He’s seems like a good person.”
Gong Yi Mo’s praise left Gong Jue feeling discontent. In the past he was the only one that sister Gong called as brother; she had never addressed other people with intimate terms!** Gong Jue coldly stared at the jade bottle of medicine. “Sister Gong’s injury has already received the best medicine and care from father Emperor. After your scabs fall off, you won’t have any scars left to apply medicine to!”
(**T/N: Title and addressing according to rank is really important in Chinese culture, especially in the palace. Calling Gong Che as brother is considered intimate as opposed to calling him Crowned Prince)
But this Jade ointment was exactly what those women in the harem have been going crazy over! The palace only gives out three bottles of Jade Ointment per year. Even if it’s not used for scars, a simple application can make the skin radiant. It was unprecedented two of this year’s bottles of Jade ointment would end up in Gong Yi Mo’s hands. No one else has ever been spoiled this much.
Naturally, Gong Yi Mo knew of Gong Jue’s discontent. So she brought him to her room and explained, “Of course I’m aware that the medicine has no use for me. That’s why I’m giving this to you!”
After hearing her words, Gong Jue who was secretly sulking suddenly looked up in surprise. He stared at Gong Yi Mo as she carefully pulled him to the bedroom. It turns out Big Sister Gong has been thinking of him all along! At this time Gong Jue sat down on the bed, leaving only the two of them within the room. It seems like such a long time since they’ve last enjoyed a quiet solitude together. Gong Jue had missed those days.
“Well take off your clothes! I’ll be giving you medicine!” Gong Yi Mo stood at the edge of the bed and stared seriously at Gong Jue. “Don’t think that I don’t know that your wounds haven’t been handled well. You haven’t completely healed yet! Look at how pale your face is, and it even seems that you’ve lost weight!”
She was truly upset; the child was already growing so well and becoming so cute, how was he neglected?
Seeing his sister’s concern for him, Gong Jue didn’t know why, but he couldn’t help but feel restless. When Gong Yi Mo had suffered deep injuries to protect his life, there seemed to have been a qualitative change in his heart….
In the past, he often relied on Sister Gong so that he could stay close to her. But now that she stood a short distance from him, he felt inwardly nervous and his heart began to beat rapidly.
As Gong Yi Mo drew nearer, Gong Jue couldn’t help but step back. “Sister Gong, I can go back and have other servants apply my medicine.”
Gong Yi Mo frowned impatiently, “I feel uneasy leaving you to the harem’s servants, knowing the ill intent that they have for you. You’d better listen to me-don’t make me use force on you!”
Although she was skilled, she could not necessarily beat him since he too had broken through the third layer of the Wind and Nature art. But Gong Jue was still obedient towards his elder sister; he removed his outer layer and set it aside, leaving only his white inner shirt.
The prince’s eyes were aloof and his handsome eyebrows were sharp, giving a slight semblance to his future stunning elegance. At this time he lowered his gaze, exposing his long lashes; his profile was simply exquisite.
Gong Yi Mo enjoyed the feast for her eyes as she continued to watch Gong Jue undress. Soon, his back was fully exposed, revealing a bloody gauze that damaged his beauty. Gong Yi Mo seriously examined the wound and slowly moved to cut open the gauze, until finally a festered wound appeared before her eyes. Seeing his unhealed scars, her eyes flashed with distress.
She had raised this child carefully, but now he was hurt by others! He was so small and his shoulders were thin from neglect!
She couldn’t imagine how hard it must have been for him to force his way into the inner palace, just to beg the emperor to save her. It was clear to Gong Yi Mo that if Gong Jue had not arrived in such a timely manner, she would have ended her third life in the Cold Palace.
Gong Yi Mo’s hand was cool to the touch; as her cold fingers lightly brushed against his shoulders, he couldn’t help but feel itchy.
Gong Jue’s face turned bright red as he tried to suppress his impulse. But in his heart, he understood that how he felt about her was not the same as how she feels for him.
He didn’t know why sister Gong seemed to treat him—not as a brother who was a year younger than her—but more like a child of a younger generation. With her motherlydemeanor, she never seemed to care about the skinship between their different genders. But he….
…he cares.
A trace of his mind had an unknown feeling; he didn’t quite understand what it was, but now he was becoming aware that it must be related to Sister Gong. Because in his world, the most important being was her.
As the medicine was carefully applied, Gong Yi Mo remained silent; she seemed very unhappy. Perhaps it was because she hated those who harmed him, but the more likely reason was because she was angry at herself for not being able to protect him. She frowned in displeasure, but her pouting only made her look cute and lovely. Gong Jue secretly laughed, “Sister Gong, earlier our father Emperor praised my insights, saying they were unique and far reaching.”
“Ah.”
Gong Yi Mo thought that such a response was normal; she indeed raised the child to be unique.
At this time, Gong Yi Mo had him turn around and started applying the ointment to his chest. Her breath drew near! Gong Jue couldn’t help but hold his breath and look away as Gong Yi silently continued.