You Yuji was choked by his words for a moment and then retorted, “Then you’d better not say anything.”
She turned her gaze away, no longer looking at him, and silently continued to dry her wet hair.
Si Que’s eyes fell on You Yuji’s slender fingers, following the motion of her drying her hair. You Yuji could feel his gaze, but she didn’t want to acknowledge him. The water from her dark hair slowly seeped into the cotton towel.
The image of the Poison Pavilion’s master floated before her eyes, and she recalled many of the cruel stories she had heard about him.
Wasn’t Jia Wenyin pushed into the lake by him? He had looked at her innocently and lied to her, claiming she was worried that Jia Wenyin might cause trouble for him later.
It turned out that what Yi Yuhuan said was true. The handkerchief was indeed poisoned by him. He looked at her with clean eyes, affectionately called her sister, and proclaimed his innocence, and she still believed him.
It wasn’t about right or wrong, but she suddenly felt that her trust had been betrayed.
What was he thinking when she stood up for him and scolded Si Han? How much of what he accused Si Han of was true and how much was false?
What was he thinking when she took the risk to help eliminate King Kangjing?
When he showed weakness time and again, prompting her to care for and protect him, what was he thinking?
Did he find it amusing?
Or was he laughing at her, thinking she was overestimating herself? After all, he didn’t need her protection. In his eyes, her strength must have seemed insignificant, right? Wasn’t her protection laughable?
When he jumped from the library and pretended to have a crippled leg, later accidentally revealing the truth, he had tearfully said he was just afraid she would leave. Was that true? Or was it just a whim, teasing her to see her reaction?
After all… they all said the master of the Poison Pavilion was a playful madman.
She was truly foolish back then, not realizing that he often lied, and instead, she felt sorry for him.
A web of lies had been woven so densely that it enveloped her, making it impossible to see the light of day, leaving her unable to distinguish which strands of the web were true and which were false.
Even now, she still worried about his health. She was concerned that braving the wind and snow to find the purple pearl would harm him. He shouldn’t be sitting here silently; he should be taking a hot bath, drinking medicine for the cold, and changing into dry clothes.
A look of confusion appeared in You Yuji’s eyes.
In the swiftly receding past, he had told so many lies. How could she discern if what he said now was true or false?
Was his illness real?
Was the blood he coughed up real?
Was it true that he wouldn’t live past twenty?
You Yuji told herself she should be more ruthless. Since she couldn’t tell the truth from the lies, she shouldn’t make decisions lightly. If he felt unwell, he would go back, change clothes, and take medicine on his own.
He wasn’t the fragile person she had imagined; he was very capable and no longer needed her care and protection.
The cotton towel she was using to dry her hair fell at some point, landing on her lap and soaking her clothes, but she didn’t even notice.
But he had a fever this morning. Her fingers had personally felt the scorching temperature. Could that have been fake too? Just like how he pretended to be crippled when he jumped from the library, acting pitiful? Could it?
The snowstorm had come quickly and gone just as fast. You Yuji tilted her ear to listen; the fierce howling and whimpering that battered the windows had completely vanished. She could even faintly hear the chirping of sparrows on the branches.
Gradually, she gathered and suppressed her chaotic thoughts, and her heart slowly calmed down.
Only then did You Yuji look back at Si Que.
Si Que had his head lowered and his eyes closed.
“Si Que.”
You Yuji called him, but there was no response. He didn’t even move.
You Yuji hesitated for a moment, then got off the chaise lounge and quietly walked towards him. Step by step, she moved closer until she stood in front of him, feeling the coldness emanating from his body, a stark contrast to the warmth she had just felt.
You Yuji raised her hand. It hovered between them for a moment before she lightly touched his shoulder with her fingertips. His clothes were already soaked, and the icy wetness seeped into her fingers.
Si Que slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her with a hint of weariness.
You Yuji averted her gaze and said softly, “Go back and take a hot bath, change clothes, and drink some medicine. Rest well.”
“I can’t move,” he said.
You Yuji turned her eyes towards him in surprise. Her rosy lips parted slightly as if to say something, but then she pressed them together. She couldn’t help but wonder if what he said was true.
This liar.
You Yuji’s gaze at him became tinged with annoyance. She turned and walked to the door, ordering someone to prepare hot water for a bath, and instructed Liufeng to fetch a clean set of clothes for Si Que. She also asked for cold medicine to be brought and told Baohe to place a quilt on the chaise lounge.
She decided to believe Si Que’s lie for now, allowing him to take a hot bath and then rest on the chaise lounge. As for herself, after giving these miscellaneous orders, she turned to go inside, planning to close the door and return to her warm, comfortable bed to rest.
Passing by Si Que, You Yuji didn’t even glance at him.
She lay on her bed, pulled the quilt over her head, and buried her face, determined not to care whether Si Que followed her instructions or not.
The cold medicine she took contained a sleep aid, and soon she fell asleep.
—
Chen Anzhi continued kneeling in the princess’s outer room.
After the negotiation with the You family this morning, Prince Jinnan didn’t punish him further; in fact, he didn’t pay him any attention at all. Wangshan and Wangjiang wanted to take him back, call a doctor to check his knees, and at least have him eat something. But Chen Anzhi refused. He insisted on coming to the princess’s residence, silently lifting the front of his long robe and kneeling in the outer room.
A profound sense of regret echoed in his heart. He didn’t know what had been happening to him recently; his temper had grown increasingly volatile, flaring up at the slightest provocation. After drinking yesterday, not only did he argue with his elder cousin in the palace, but he also defied the Empress, which was utterly inappropriate. After returning home, he contradicted his mother, causing her to become agitated…
Thinking about what he had done to his mother last night made Chen Anzhi’s face flush with shame.
How could he have been so disgraceful? Failing to adhere to the basic principle of filial piety was inexcusable, unworthy of being human!
Seeing Gu Momo, the maidservant by the princess’s side, come out, Chen Anzhi hurriedly asked, “Gu Momo, is Mother feeling better? Is she willing to see me?”
Gu Momo sighed and said, “Young Lord, the princess is exhausted and has already laid down. You should go back.”
Chen Anzhi, with reddened eyes, muttered to himself, “Mother still refuses to see me… I really know I was wrong. It was all because of the alcohol. I… I was talking nonsense without thinking…”
Seeing Chen Anzhi’s dejected state, Gu Momo couldn’t help but say a few more words, “Young Lord, I’ve watched you grow up. I know you aren’t bad by nature, just occasionally confused. The princess isn’t feeling well now, so don’t go upsetting her further.”
Chen Anzhi stiffly nodded, but it was unclear how much of Gu Momo’s words he took to heart.
Gu Momo walked over and helped Chen Anzhi up, persuading him again, “Young Lord, you should go back.”
“Yes, it doesn’t matter if Mother doesn’t forgive me right now, I mustn’t let her be distressed during her pregnancy.” Chen Anzhi mumbled, “Please, Gu Momo, when Mother is less angry, tell her for me that I will quit drinking and never touch alcohol again!”
Gu Momo nodded with relief. Rumors were circulating in the residence that the prince was extremely disappointed in the young lord, and if the princess’s current pregnancy resulted in a boy, the position of the young lord might be reassigned. These words must have reached Chen Anzhi’s ears, but it seemed he was more concerned about the princess’s health. Gu Momo couldn’t help but say a few heartfelt words, “Young Lord, the princess lost her eldest son and had you with great difficulty. She has always cherished you like her own eyes. Listen to me, after the New Year, on the eighth day, go to the military camp for a year. When you come back, the experience will have tempered your naivety, and it will bring the princess comfort.”
Chen Anzhi wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and nodded haphazardly, “I will go. I will strive for achievements to make Mother proud.”
Gu Momo thought to herself, there’s no need for you to earn any achievements.
Chen Anzhi finally went back. As he walked out of the courtyard, he ran into Chen Lingyan, who was fuming and wanted to pull him aside to talk. But Chen Anzhi, in low spirits, didn’t have the energy to say much and silently returned to his own courtyard.
He had no appetite and lay on his bed in a daze. The incident of defying his mother the previous night had struck him hard, making it difficult for him to accept such a disgraceful version of himself.
—
Fang Qingyi listened to Lushu’s report and slowly furrowed her brows. Lushu was informing her about the negotiations between the You family and the prince’s residence that morning.
Fang Qingyi initially thought that You Yuji’s request for a divorce was just a bluff to save face. She hadn’t expected You Yuji to be determined to divorce, with the You family even supporting it. In this world, a deposed princess divorcing the young lord would not have an easy path ahead.
“In that case…”
Fang Qingyi got up and walked to the window, pushing it open. The wind and snow outside had stopped, leaving behind a quiet stillness after the storm.
Fang Qingyi placed her hand on her belly.
For the sake of her unborn “son” becoming the young lord without being adopted by the main wife, she had originally planned to get rid of the child in the princess’s womb, and then eliminate You Yuji and Chen Anzhi.
Since You Yuji didn’t want to hold onto the position of the young lord’s wife, she might as well let her off?
Fang Qingyi reached out of the window, pinching a bit of the snow accumulated on the windowsill, and let out a cold laugh.
No, that wouldn’t do.
The child in the princess’s womb and Chen Anzhi must die. And if someone had to be a scapegoat, You Yuji was a perfect fit.
Heh.
Fang Qingyi let out a cold laugh.
There was a knock at the door. Lushu quickly walked over to answer it, revealing a servant from the kitchen delivering wine. These were the wines Fang Qingyi had ordered to be delivered by noon, but due to the sudden blizzard, they were delayed until now.
Fang Qingyi leaned against the window, watching as the servants brought in jar after jar of wine.
During the New Year, fireworks and firecrackers were set off everywhere. Every year, around this time, there were always small and large fires.
Starting a fire wouldn’t be too conspicuous.
Fang Qingyi chuckled to herself.
—
You Yuji didn’t know how long she had slept. The medicine had made her sleep deeply, and now that she was awake, she felt a sense of comfort. She slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Si Que’s face, close by.
You Yuji’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she habitually pulled the blanket higher over him to keep him from catching cold.
Her movement suddenly froze, her fingers still on his shoulder.
She was fully awake now.
You Yuji frowned slowly. She was about to wake Si Que up and ask him to leave her bed when her gaze fell on her hand.
Her hand was wrapped in white gauze.
She was certain that her hand hadn’t been bandaged before she fell asleep. Confused, she retracted her hand and opened her fingers, looking at her palm. Up close, she could smell a faint medicinal scent.
She recognized this scent—it was the ointment Si Que had used on her last time.
You Yuji stared at her palm for a long time, realizing that Si Que had already woken up. She looked up and met his gaze, finding him watching her intently.
Those were the eyes she liked—clean and bright.
Si Que placed a small porcelain bottle in You Yuji’s hand.
“What is this?” You Yuji asked.
“It’s a poison that, once ingested, will completely disperse my internal strength,” Si Que said as he slowly leaned closer, nestling his face into the warmth of You Yuji’s neck and gently nuzzling.
He said, “Feed it to me, and I will still be the Ah Que that you like.”
