Chapter 51 Another Trouble
“Have you come to apply medicine dressing like this?” Leng Changxi sat upright, and the bat-shaped mask was steadily reattached to his face again before anyone knew it. He looked up at the incense that was about to burn out on the table, “And for this incense, do you really think that I can’t tell it’s the knockout incense from the Western Region just by its smell?”
All the tricks were revealed. Xie Ruying just lowered her head, and the tingling on her wrists passed straight to the heart with her blood, making her tremble and sweat coldly. She knew it in her heart that her hand must have been dislocated.
If it hadn’t been for Xie Ruying’s accompany which made Leng Changxi’s mother much happier, and the fact that Leng Changxi didn’t want to break his mother’s heart, her wrist would not be the only part of her body that Leng Changxi broke.
“Miss Xie, my mother took you into the house because she was lonely in her old age. She wanted someone to talk to her. Please don’t get your identity wrong.” Leng Changxi’s voice was cold. Xie Ruying felt like she had fallen into the abyss of endless darkness. She knew what the third young Master was capable of, yet she still tried to try her tricks against him. She thought that he would not be too harsh on her since the princess valued her very much, and he had always been filial to the princess.
A moment later, two sturdy young servants came in from the door. They each dragged an arm of Ruying and started dragging her out.
“Third young Master! Ruying just wanted to serve you, just give me a chance,” Ruying was struggling. She was born with a beautiful face, big eyes, and a delicate mouth as tempting as the cherry blossom. She wanted to be above the others. She wanted to have everything the noble ladies have.
However, Leng Changxi was unwilling to even look at her. He waved his hand and instructed Xue Si, who was waiting outside, “In the future, let Miss Xie accompany my mother well. She shall not leave the courtyard if not necessary.”
In the past, even though Xie Ruying had the thought, she’d never put it into action. Besides, Princess Ning fancied Xie Ruying a lot. That was the reason why Leng Changxi pretended that he knew nothing about it. However, Xie Ruying got herself into trouble today.
Being dragged out dressing like that. If the talkative maids passed the news around with additional plots, Xie Ruying’s future days in the Prince Mansion would be tough.
Xie Ruying understood that very well. She was shouting loudly just now, but as soon as she left the courtyard, she shut her mouth obediently, forbearing bitterness and tears, for fear of causing a crowd to watch her.
“Master, how’s your wound?” Xue Si returned to the house after his errand was done. The knockout incense burner on the table had been taken out long ago, but Leng Changxi’s face had become paler. If it hadn’t been for the poison on his wound, and that he had recently overworked, how would he haven’t told the problem of the incense burner in the first place? Although he had expelled the inhaled incense with his inner Qi at the fastest speed, he was glad that it was Xie Ruying who came in instead of some other people who came after no good. Otherwise the consequences might be severe.
“It’s okay.” Leng Changxi slowly raised his Qi from his lower abdomen. The warm current of Qi filled his limbs and veins, and his face gradually became normal again. “Three days later, prepare a carriage for me in secret. I will go to find Xuan Zhi.”
Xue Si seemed a little shocked, “Master! Are you really going to try the bone curettage treatment of Master Xuan Zhi for your poison?”
“Xue Si,” Leng Changxi replied lightly, “you talk too much.”
Xue Si bowed his head and asked, “Is Master still going to attend the birthday celebration of Grand Commandant Qin three days later?”
Hearing the word “Qin”, although Leng Changxi’s face was still indifferent and still, he felt as if he had been scratched by something from the inside. It tickled and it was satisfying. There was a smile on his face, soft and tender, an expression that rarely appeared for him.
Meanwhile in the mansion of Grand Commandant, Dou Qing’e’s original plan to go to Guo’an Temple was also delayed by Qin Zhi’s birthday. It just didn’t make sense if Madam Qin was not there for the Master’s birthday.
In Lixiang Courtyard, Concubine Liu was furious. Regarding the haunted incident in Furong Courtyard, she had been taking the advantage out of it. She and Dou Qing’e had always been incompatible with each other. She was very happy when she heard that the Master was sending Dou Qing’e to Guo’an Temple to pray for blessing. However this was abruptly delayed.
“Don’t panic, mother,” Qin Yuwan who was beside her ticked her beautiful eyebrow and said with her rosy lips, “It’s just a couple days. She’ll have to leave the Qin’s house sooner or later.”
“She” referred to Madam Qin, whom Qin Yuwan hated so much.
“What do you know?” Concubine Liu looked a little uneasy, “I have learned more about Dou Qing’e than you. She was capable of many things. Every extra day she stays in the Qin’s house means an extra chance for her to earn something back. You have been longing to marry the master of the Shangguan Family, haven’t you? You would get a much bigger chance if she were not here.”
As soon as she mentioned Shangguan Rang, Qin Yuwan immediately revealed the shyness as a little girl. She had not seen him for days, and she did not know whether her young master Shangguan had become fatter or thinner, darker or paler. Qin Yuwan had decided that she would find a chance to talk with Shangguan Rang tomorrow.
“Never mind,” Concubine Liu held her forehead. She was a bit distressed, “Let’s just do it step by step.”
This night, everyone was destined to have their own dreams and their own thoughts.
In the early morning of the second day, Qin Yunuan got up early. Maner served Qin Yunuan to comb her hair, while Tong brought her water to clean her face. When Tinghe came in to clean the house, the three exchanged glances and said nothing.
Maner combed for Qin Yunuan an elegant cross-shaped bun, holding a pair of lotus-shaped jade inlaid hairpins, with silver fan-shaped tassels falling from it. She stuck a begonia flower jade against her forehead, which made her face more charming. She wore a turquoise narrow collared shirt with clouds, and a darker pomegranate skirt underneath. Nurse Liao couldn’t help but praise as she entered the room, “Our girl is really getting more and more good-looking!”
Qin Yunuan smiled lightly. For a daughter of a concubine, it was not a good thing to be too beautiful. She had deliberately dressed up to be refreshed and simpler. However, if she had been dressed too simply, it would have been rude for today’s occasion. It would be the best for her to be delicate but pure.
“Where’s Baochuan?” After Qin Yunuan was done, she looked up and asked nurse Liao.
“The Second Master got up early and was studying,” nurse Liao said happily, but then she looked a bit distressed, “The Second Master has been going to bed late and waking up early recently. I’m afraid that he’s too young to live like this.”
Nurse Liao really treated Qin Yunuan and Qin Baochuan as her own children, so she spoiled them in the past life. Even though there were many restrictions and limitations, she tried her best to cherish Qin Baochuan, which also made Qin Baochuan timid. In this life, Qin Yunuan would never let the same mistake happen again.
“Baochuan is hard-working. Let him rest earlier tonight, and just stew more chicken soup he likes occasionally.” Qin Yunuan packed her stuff and ordered Tong to deliver the Buddhist scriptures she copied to Cui Xuan courtyard. Then, she headed towards Qin Baochuan’s study. From a distance, she could hear Qin Baochuan reading aloud, “Ladies should be chaste; Gentlemen should be talented. You must amend your mistakes, so that you won’t forget them….”
“Don’t avoid talking about your own weaknesses while don’t be too arrogant on your strengths,” Qin Yunuan said the next sentence very naturally and entered through the door.
“Sister.” After all, he was a child. Qin Baochuan rushed towards Qin Yunuan like a fawn as soon as he saw her.
Qin Yunuan carefully wiped the sweat on Qin Baochuan’s forehead, and smiled, “People who practice martial arts sweat after their morning practice. As for you, little scholar, you sweat from reading.” After saying that, she looked at the half-old Thousand-Character Classic on the desk. The pages of the book had become a bit worn, and the binding threads were exposed. She could tell that this book had been read many times. “You could recite it already a year ago, why did you take it out again?”
Qin Baochuan embarrassedly touched his head and smiled, “I just recite it back then, but there were many places where I did not understand. As the saying goes, if I read a book a hundred times, it’s meaning will reveal itself. I could naturally get its meaning if I read it more.”
“Not only that,” said Qin Yunuan, while taking a bowl of thick red bean barley porridge, a bowl of crab buns, and a small dish of Qin Baochuan’s favorite salted radish from the tray Tinghe was carrying behind her. “The most important thing is to understand it with your heart. If you don’t think while reading, it would be useless.”
“Baochuan knows.” Qin Baochuan nodded his head very smartly, looking at the porridge and crab buns on the table. He had been hungry already. He moved his stool to sit by the table and asked Qin Yunuan again and again, “Have you had breakfast already, sister?”
Qin Yunuan replied with a smile, “Naturally I had eaten already. Go ahead, these are all prepared for you.”
Qin Baochuan smiled brightly. In the past, he had suffered too much in that worn yard. Now there was delicious food. It was the happiest thing ever for him. With chopsticks, he finished a crab bun within three or four mouthful bites. However, his face suddenly changed as he was about to drink the porridge. Sweat was oozing from his forehead. He covered his belly with one hand and grabbed Qin Yunuan’s sleeves with the other. He shouted, “Sister, my stomach hurts, it hurts really bad.”
Qin Yunuan was terrified. She squatted down to hold Qin Baochuan, and asked, “Did you eat something bad?” Then she looked at Tinghe and yelled, “Why are you still watching? Go find nurse Liao, go!”
Tinghe paused for a second and ran out of the door. When Tinghe finally returned with nurse Liao, Qin Baochuan was already carried by Qin Yunuan onto the soft couch. On the ground, there was a half-dried blood trail. Qin Baochuan was still coughing blood. Qin Yunuan tried her best to stop his bleeding but it didn’t work at all. Blood was coming out from Qin Baochuan’s throat non-stop. For such a little child as Qin Baochuan, the amount of blood was enough to take half of his life away. His face was deadly pale, and he was speaking nonsense while dragging Qin Yunuan’s sleeve, “Sister, Baochuan is going to father’s birthday celebration. I have prepared a gift for father.”
“No, no,” nurse Liao looked at him briefly and judged, “It’s not just any stomach-ache. It seems like poison. Third Miss, we need to get a doctor as soon as possible.”
After nurse Liao finished speaking, Qin Baochuan coughed more blood.