The faint jasmine scent of the girl’s body intermixed with the slight tang of blood sent his blood boiling. He felt that her body fragrance was a tantalizing poison, one in which he wholeheartedly submitted to.
* * *
Chapter 233: Regicide
Chapter 233: Regicide
The flames of need set Weichi Yan afire. He wasn’t an inexperienced boy, neither did he spend his days wallowing in lust. But unprecedented excitement moved him today. He wanted to make Qin Yining his and make her surrender before him. From this day forth, she would only see and think of him.
Weichi Yan held her tightly and pressed up against her soft, pliable body. Wet, feverish kisses rained down on the side of her lips, cheeks, and neck. Breathing harshly, he murmured, “Yi’er, you’re mine, you can only be mine. Pang is just a crude brute, what’s so good about him? It’s treason if you think of him! Do you know what the punishment for treason is? Yi’er, I won’t pursue this further if you turn back now, and I’ll…”
Weichi Yan suddenly felt a coolness by his neck before he finished talking.
Stupefied, he braced his arms and pushed up from the floor. Her soft, lustrous black locks were scattered all over the floor. The silver hairpin that’d been used to secure her hair was now tightly gripped in her hand, the cold, sharp edge pressed against his throat.
Weichi Yan’s lust was instantly doused, quickly followed by uncontrollable rage. He spat out through grit teeth, “And what are you trying to do?! Regicide??”
Since her left arm was crushed beneath the emperor, Qin Yining had only been able to use her injured right arm to yank out her hairpin. The exertion split open her wound even more severely and fresh blood quickly drenched her clothing. But even still, the accompanying pain didn’t make her hand shake.
She huffed painfully, enunciating carefully, “If you force yourself on me any further, I’ll kill you and then kill myself!”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Weichi Yan declared coldly.
“My life is cheap. Would I still want keep living after being insulted to such a degree?”
“Aren’t you afraid of implicating your family?!”
Fury in the look that Qin Yining was levying at the emperor turned to despair, then morphed to mockery.
“It looks like I’ve thought too highly of Your Majesty.” The room grew dark in front of her eyes again as a theater troupe roared to life in her brain. They banged and clanged and tried to drill a hole in reality with their drumming. Hairpin in hand, it drooped as her hand lost its strength.
Eyes that’d been shooting out the light of fury and hate slowly dimmed and lost their focus. Long lashes fluttered as eyelids slowly shut, scaring Weichi Yan out of his mind and soul!
Paying no heed to the messy, chaotic scene inside, the emperor raised a trembling hand to the girl’s nose. He instantly clasped her tightly when he confirmed that she was still alive and called out anxiously, “Wake up, Yi’er, wake up! Servants! Imperial physicians! Imperial physicians!!”
The servants on duty outside charged in when they heard their liege’s panicked voice. They were greatly shook by the sight of an ashen-faced Weichi Yan hugging a disheveled Qin Yining and crying out her name.
“Your Majesty, please put down the patient so we can make our diagnosis.” Four imperial physicians stepped forward to make their bows.
Jiao-mama, Xingyu, and Baoxue came up to help as Weichi Yan laid Qin Yining out on the bed. Seeing so many people surrounding the bed, there was nothing else the emperor could do but pace back and forth worriedly.
An imperial physician presented himself before long.
“Well?! Speak up!” The emperor didn’t wait for the doctor to finish his bow. “What’s happened to her? Why did she faint??”
“Your Majesty, Miss Qin’s wound is very deep and affects the blood vessels. Her body was already out of sorts from losing so much blood and it’s been a very hot and humid summer. Her wound is infected, slowing recovery. Miss Qin was feverish before and didn’t pay attention to her wound, causing it to split open again. I’ll first have to scrape away the putrid flesh before sewing the wound back together. Miss Qin is also weak and fragile to begin with. Add to that a high fever and loss of blood… all of it compounded to make her faint.”
The seasoned physician left out that the biggest contributing factor was a sudden excess of emotion — she’d been angry to the point of fainting. But he would never say that no matter how many lives he had.
Weichi Yan bit his lip, his heart aching. Why would her wound have flared up if he hadn’t acted so rashly? Why else would she have lost blood again?
He’d taken her earlier pink cheeks as a sign of shyness, but now that he thought about it more, what else did unnaturally flushed cheeks and bloodless lips indicate, if not fever?
But he hadn’t noticed at all! And he’d even almost forced himself on her!
Weichi Yan wanted to slap himself firmly.
“You must heal her or it’ll be your head on the chopping block! Report to Little Lu for whatever you need. Whether it’s cinnamon or ginseng [1], use it all generously if they’re needed.”
“Understood.” The physicians bowed fearfully.
Off to the side, Eunuch Lu, also called Little Lu by the emperor, spoke up carefully, “Your Majesty, there are still matters you must attend to. Let’s leave this for the imperial physicians.”
The emperor scratched his head irritably and turned with a flourish of his sleeves. “Return to the Hall of Moral Cultivation!”
“Understood. His Majesty departs!” Lu-gonggong supported his master out of the Jade Hall.
Assigned to the east and west wings, Li Yanyan and Gu Chang only had time to dip their curtsies to the emperor. Because of his preoccupation, Weichi Yan didn’t spare them a single glance and gestured randomly before striding off.
Li Yanyan rose without a flicker in her expression, heading back to the east wing.
Gu Chang snorted derisively and muttered, “Who knows what Qin’s done to bespell the emperor to this degree! Doesn’t she have a close relationship with Great Zhou’s Faithful Prince of the First Rank? How does she have the face to put on airs like this now? What a disgusting display!”
Li Yanyan cast an indifferent look at the other girl and smiled. “Miss Gu seems to know much. It’s just that, you come from a scholarly family, so it’s best to speak more kindly and avoid impacting the Gu reputation.”
Gu Chang smiled superficially. “Is that so?” She’d thought she could pull an ally to her side for a united front against Qin Yining. It’d be soon enough for the two of them to face off against each other when née Qin was pulled off of her position. Who would’ve thought that Li won't cooperate at all?
She sniffed and returned to the west wing.
In a dark and cloudy night, buckets of rain poured into a quiet military camp, giving the black armor of the Valiant Tigers on duty a good washing.
When Pang Xiao heard that Mu Jinghu had come to pay a visit, he immediately came out to personally welcome his friend. After having Mu Jinghu brought into the commander-in-chief tent, he kept only Huzi by his side. The remaining Elite Tigers were sent to guard the premises and allow no one to approach or eavesdrop.
“Blockhead, what brings you here? Has something happened in the capital?”
Mu Jinghu cut to the chase. “Your wife’s been taken away.”
“What?”
“Your wife is going to be the empress.” Mu Jinghu repeated solemnly.
Pang Xiao face was calm as rain water trickled down his gleaming armor, forming multiple small puddles on the ground.
“Come again, slowly. What’s going on?”
“Your wife is in poor health because of losing too much blood and she’s spent this period thinking about how to get revenge. This already consumes a lot of energy and thought, and you know how their country is. The trash former emperor abdicated, the new emperor takes the throne. He adopted the Prince of Ning’s son and ardently wan
ts your wife. He sent men to the Qins today and took your wife away, ignoring the protestations of Uncle Qin. Uncle Qin sent me here with a message. Fox, what do you think? Do you still want this wife?”
* * *
Valuable medicines in ancient China
Chapter 234: A Self-Conscious Someone
Chapter 234: A Self-Conscious Someone
“Heh, say that again? Weichi Yan wants my darling for his empress?” The prince narrowed his phoenix eyes.
Huzu adroitly backed up a few steps, not wanting to be caught up in the mess. Mu Jinghu however, nodded emphatically without fear of death.
“That’s right. I can’t follow her into someplace like the palace. I’d be easily discovered. But I still wanted to protect her. Do you know that when the new emperor sent servants to bring her in, he wouldn’t even let her bring her most trusted maids? He didn’t even want to let her bring a change of clothes at first, and definitely didn’t let her bring any medicine even though she’s hurt. What do you think the new emperor wants to do? Get your wife all alone and then cook the rice, making things a done deal?”
Huzi backed up further. Sir Mu! I’m begging you! Can you not add fuel to the flames??
Pang Xiao barked a frosty laugh and spat out between grit teeth, “The Weichi clan has deep foundations alright! The son is going to inherit the father’s legacy!”
Mu Jinghu found himself a stool and poured a cup of water while Pang Xiao gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles went white. Only then did his anger seem slightly abated.
She’s a weak girl and injured. How can she resist imperial might? If something really happens to her in the palace…
But he was the commander-in-chief of the army and old codger Ning knew a thing or two about fighting. Their battles were hotly contested, so it was even more impossible that he leave the military camp on his own. Pang Xiao was stymied by his inability to leap into action. He couldn’t even protect the girl he liked!
“Take a deep breath, master. What we need to do first is to think of a plan.” Huzi tried to talk the prince down.
“Think of a plan?” Mu Jinghu set the ceramic cup down and considered things seriously. “I actually think your wife has enough qualifications to be empress.”
Pang Xiao glared coldly at Mu Jinghu, who didn’t seem to think there was anything wrong with what he’d said. The oblivious man counted off his hands in continuing solemn analysis.
“See, her family background is good and she’s pretty. Her talents aren’t bad either and she’s very smart. Her father’s a good man. Whoever’s his son-in-law will benefit greatly from that relationship.
“And, she’d be the mother of the nation if she’s the empress. She’ll only be a princess consort with you. No one would dare bully her if she’s the empress, but if she follows you to Great Zhou, she’ll have to suffer with you.
“Your position right now is also really awkward. Who knows how many people are plotting against you? She’ll be dragged into all that. From her perspective, there’s nothing bad about being empress.”
Huzi covered his face with his hands and silently retreated to a corner of the tent.
He’d just found a good spot when Pang Xiao shattered the square table in the middle with a single palm strike. The teapot and large, ceramic cups on it tumbled to the ground, splashing Mu Jinghu’s shoes with liquid.
“What are you doing?! Look at what you’ve done to that fine table, and this teapot and bowls are probably worth two strings of copper coins! You really waste too much money.” Mu Jinghu sadly picked up two halves of a teacup and tried to piece it back together.
Those on patrol rushed over to ascertain the situation when they heard the commotion. Huzi quickly met them outside with a smile. “No worries, friends. His Highness is sparring with his brother.”
“We see!” The Valiant Tigers were comprised of northern men, all of them hearty, loyal, and straightforward. They knew that their leader liked to go several rounds with the boys, so they didn’t think much of what they’d heard.
Back in the tent, Pang Xiao hauled Mu Jinghu up by the collar. “Rotten Blockhead! What do you mean by that?!”
Mu Jinghu shrugged off the hand and responded honestly. “I’m just telling you the truth. You think so too, right? Why else are you feeling guilty? Fox, you’re so selfish. You like her and you’re doing everything you can to get her, but you don’t know if she’s willing or not.”
Pang Xiao’s expression grew even uglier when his friend hit on the heart of the matter. He shook his hand free of Mu Jinghu’s collar and slammed it down on a nearby round stool — which naturally shattered with the sound of impact.
Mu Jinghu’s heart went out to the furniture and he stooped on the ground next to it. “Really, what are you doing?! This is all money!”
Anger burned in Pang Xiao, what did he care about furniture for?
Mu Jinghu had indeed struck straight at the core of the issue.
Because the prince liked Qin Yining, he tried every method possible to obtain her and win her heart. He didn’t even ask if she was willing before he stamped his own mark on her. What if she wants to be the empress?
The prince gnashed his teeth and spoke after a moment, “Huzi.”
“Master.” The guard stepped forward with a bow.
“Go with Sir Mu and find a way to get a clear answer back to me.”
“What kind of answer do you want, master?” Huzi was rather baffled.
“The Marquis of Anping sent Blockhead here to sound me out. But what I think isn’t important here. What’s important is what dearest Yi thinks. How can I interfere if she wants to be empress and not my princess consort? Find a way to get in touch with Steward Zhong. Their Institute’s network is vast and they must have a way of getting word in and out of the palace. Just ask dearest Yi if she’s willing to be with me.”
“Master, don’t doubt the fourth miss. I think she likes you too.”
Pang Xiao laughed ruefully. “I’m not doubting her, I’m afraid of impeding her.”
He knew the straits he was in. In the eyes of outsiders, he was a prince of common blood that was the sworn brother of the Great Zhou emperor. He held command of the Valiant Tigers and the future ahead looked glorious; the sky was the limit.
But in reality, it was difficult for him to take even a single step in the Great Zhou court.
When they’d destroyed Northern Ji, he’d been the vanguard and the Valiant Tigers had done all of the killing and raiding. Even now, the surrendered Northern Ji officials still hated him. He’d also widowed and orphaned many when taking revenge for his father, which only further intensified the hate from former Northern Ji citizens.
The old emperor of Northern Ji had been decrepit and useless, long since draining the national coffers. So when the nation was destroyed, there hadn’t been much in the way of war spoils. When the Great Zhou emperor had hoisted the banner of rebellion high and led the men in conquest, he’d made lavish promises of rewards and titles for all. Two years after the founding of Great Zhou, there were titles to be had aplenty, but the promised silver was still forthcoming.
Many soldiers who’d been part of the initial conquest grumbled privately, but there was a new strain of gossip now that whoever had been the vanguard had taken all of the loot for themselves.
Wasn’t that pointing fingers at Pang Xiao?
And even setting all that aside, his Valiant Tigers were so exemplary that they put the other troops to shame. This naturally elicited jealousy from other generals and officers.
But the emperor needed to bring peace throughout the lands and so military officials were of utmost importance. This rankled the officials of the civil subjects. Pang Xiao was the representative of the military officials, which only painted a larger target on his back.
Thinking about it closely, Pang Xiao felt himself just a crude brute with a whole slew of people eyeing his back covetously. There really was nothing he could bring out to be proud of…
In conclusion, the Faithful Prince of the First Rank suffered from low self esteem after Mu Jinghu’s words.
Huzi sighed. “Then I’ll go and ask. What do you plan on doing next, master?”
A brilliant light sparkled in Pang Xiao’s eyes as he toyed with the hilt of his sword. He arched a brow with a smile. “I’m going to give them a thorough beating no matter what, and take that arrogant Prince of Ning down a peg or two. Their morale’s grown greatly after their trash emperor abdicated. I think they’ve forgotten what their names are! I’ll help them remember that they’re still the trash they were before!”
* * *
Chapter 235: The Prince in a Rage (I)
Chapter 235: The Prince in a Rage (I)
“Master…” Huzi looked anxiously at Pang Xiao. In all these years, it was the first time he’d seen his master like this. The guard couldn’t put his finger on it, but he could tell that Pang Xiao’s mood was very off.
“Master, it’s easy for me to contact the steward and get a message in to the fourth miss. But what about her safety in the palace? The new emperor refused to let her bring close servants, so Jiyun certainly didn’t make it in. What if the new emperor is just like his trash father and does something to the fourth miss?”
Pang Xiao’s forehead knit together tightly. He responded lowly, “Blockhead, you said that she’s heavily injured?”
Mu Jinghu nodded.
Pang Xiao sighed. “She’s a smart girl and will use her injuries to avoid any intimacy with the new emperor. The new emperor is a scholarly sort and genuinely likes her. He wants to spend the rest of his life with her and won’t do anything to a patient. With her playing sick, that’ll give me enough time to do what I need to do.”
He sat down rather dejectedly on the only unbroken round stool remaining in the tent and heaved another sigh. “Honestly, Blockhead’s right. I’m selfish.”
Mu Jinghu was still stooped on the ground. He raised his head to look at his friend, holding the two halves of the teapot this time.
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