Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 14
by Little PandaVolume 2: The Captivating Splendor of Jingdu
What an unfaithful husband!
With Feng Ruoqing taking care of her, Su Yi’s journey had been relatively safe despite some dangers. However, when they were still several dozen li away from Jingdu, she suddenly fell ill. Even the antidote pills previously given by Feng Ruoqing proved ineffective. Her entire body burned with fever, yet paradoxically, her face showed signs of frostbite, with her features turning purple from cold. Her body convulsed periodically, with pain wracking every part of her body. She lay almost paralyzed in the carriage, unable to move.
“Er’er [ๅฟๅฟ | รฉr er | term of endearment for one’s child], Er’er, my daughter…” The Su family head secretly wiped away tears while following behind Feng Ruoqing, “Miss Feng, how is my daughter?”
Feng Ruoqing was too busy to reply, focusing on administering acupuncture to Su Yi, sweat beading on her forehead.
Ji Qingchi had someone wipe her sweat while pulling the Su family head back a bit, preventing her from disturbing Feng Ruoqing.
If Feng Ruoqing were to misplace a needle, not only would Su Yi’s life be at risk, but she herself would become a widow and be sent to do hard labor, exposing her true identity – that would be truly disastrous.
Feng Ruoqing concentrated on the acupuncture treatment. After a while, Su Yi suddenly made a “wa” sound and vomited black blood, then collapsed limply into Gancao’s arms, her breathing weak.
Seeing this scene, the Su family head’s heart turned cold, and she asked tremblingly, “Miss Feng… my child… how is my child…”
“Madam Su need not worry, Young Miss Su’s life is no longer in danger. I’ve forced out some of the poison from her body and sealed the rest with silver needles. For the time being, Young Miss Su should not have another attack.”
The Su family head had been relieved to hear that Su Yi’s life wasn’t in danger, but upon hearing Feng Ruoqing’s explanation, her heart suddenly tightened again, “Poison? You say my child was poisoned?”
Su Yi had been weak since birth, and her condition had only worsened over time. She had thought it was just her daughter’s poor constitution, but could it actually have been poison?
“Yes.” Feng Ruoqing found it strange – how could the Su family head not know about this when Su Yi was her daughter?
Ji Qingchi watched from the side, also finding it peculiar. Wasn’t Su Yi the Su family head’s precious darling? How could she be unaware of such a significant matter? She had assumed the mother knew about it from the beginning.
“How could this be… when was my child poisoned? Why didn’t I know… could it be…”
The Su family head muttered to herself, her heart filled with shock and doubt, carefully considering who might have harmed her child.
She had watched over Su Yi since birth, except for her annual trips to Jingdu to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday, when she would be away for some time and unable to care for her. She had even gone to Jingdu when Su Yi was barely eight months old.
Could it be that Su Yi was poisoned during one of these periods?
The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Although she had some influence in Fengcheng, there were nobles with greater power than hers. Perhaps she had unknowingly offended someone, and her poor Er’er had suffered the consequences.
The Su family head felt a bone-deep hatred for whoever had harmed her daughter. But now, far from Fengcheng, she had no way to investigate who had dared to harm her Er’er. She could only store this hatred away, planning to seek revenge after returning from the birthday celebration.
After a moment of contemplation, the Su family head’s anxiety gradually subsided. Barely maintaining her composure, she asked Feng Ruoqing, “What kind of poison has my Er’er been given?”
Feng Ruoqing shook her head, “I am ashamed to say that with my limited knowledge and skill, I haven’t been able to diagnose it.”
Though Ji Qingchi was an outsider to medicine, she knew enough basics to understand that physicians must be cautious, always diagnosing before prescribing treatment. Since Feng Ruoqing had dared to seal and force out some of Su Yi’s poison directly, she must have some understanding of it.
Even if she didn’t fully understand it, she must have some theories.
But her concealment from the Su family head indicated that she either didn’t want to tell, or perhaps, couldn’t tell.
Could this have something to do with her identity?
Ji Qingchi carefully observed the young physician.
With delicate features, dressed in plain clothes, wearing a small gourd at her waist, she appeared to be a jianghu person, yet her composed demeanor suggested she wasn’t from a humble background.
Ji Qingchi stared at her intently, and Feng Ruoqing noticed. Unlike Ji Qingchi, who could remain unmoved while being stared at, she couldn’t maintain such composure.
She turned to the side, avoiding Ji Qingchi’s eager gaze, her ears turning visibly red.
The Su family head, though mentally prepared for Feng Ruoqing’s admission about not recognizing the poison, still felt distressed upon hearing it. As she was about to ask more questions, she noticed Feng Ruoqing’s unusual behavior.
While still puzzled, she turned to see Ji Qingchi’s gaze fixed on Feng Ruoqing, and immediately flew into a rage.
Her Er’er was still alive, yet this newly wedded husband was already acting improperly! Did they think the Su family had no one to stand up for them?
The Su family head stopped questioning Feng Ruoqing and dismissed her along with the other serving maids.
Once only they and Su Yi remained in the carriage, the Su family head put on a stern face and asked Ji Qingchi, “Do you know your mistake?”
Ji Qingchi looked completely bewildered. What mistake had she made? Was it because she hadn’t supported Su Yi when she fainted?
But surely Gancao and Yanshen were better suited to care for her, having done so for so long. If she had tried to help, what if she accidentally caused Su Yi to break a bone? Wouldn’t that put Su Yi’s life at risk?
Ji Qingchi’s prolonged silence only confirmed the Su family head’s suspicions of impropriety, fueling her anger further. “I know you were brought in for chongxi [ๅฒๅ | chลng xว | marriage believed to ward off misfortune], and you might be somewhat unwilling, but given your status, being able to marry into the Su family is already a great blessing. How dare you be unfaithful!”
Ji Qingchi was stunned by these words, taking a long moment to process them.
Unfaithful?
As far as she knew, aside from persuading Su Yi to come to Jingdu, she hadn’t done anything to wrong her. Where did this accusation come from?
Looking completely confused, Ji Qingchi faced the Su family head, who glowered and angrily said, “You may come from a humble background, but even if your family never taught you proper etiquette, surely you know about the Three Obediences and Four Virtues [ไธไปๅๅพท | sฤn cรณng sรฌ dรฉ | traditional ethical principles for women, for this novel though, for men], and that a husband’s guidance should be followed?! For such a fickle man as yourself, if anyone catches you in improper relations with others, you’ll surely be put in the pig basket [ๆตธ็ช็ฌผ | jรฌn zhลซ lรณng | ancient method of execution by drowning]! Though my Er’er is still unconscious, she’s safe and sound! How dare you make eyes at others right in front of her!”
Ji Qingchi finally realized that her intense observation of Feng Ruoqing had led the Su family head to believe she had developed feelings for her.
Ji Qingchi bowed her head, “Mother has misunderstood. I was merely watching the physician to determine if she was speaking the truth.”
“Do you think I’m senile?! Your eyes were practically glued to her, and you still dare to lie!”
With her daughter unconscious and her newly wedded husband already thinking of other women, the Su family head was consumed by anger. She greatly feared that after her passing, her daughter wouldn’t be able to control this unfaithful husband and would end up with no one to care for her. Therefore, regardless of what Ji Qingchi said, she was determined to teach him a lesson. “We’re still thirty li [15 km or 9.3 miles] from Jingdu. During this time, if my Er’er wakes up, you will personally apologize to her and accept whatever punishment she decides. If she doesn’t wake upโI have a residence in the city with an ancestral hall. Once we arrive, you’ll kneel there until you understand your mistake!”
After saying this, the Su family head added, “Just looking at you makes me angry. Get out, before you irritate me further!”
Being under someone else’s roof, one must bow their head [ไบบๅจๅฑๆชไธ๏ผไธๅพไธไฝๅคด | rรฉn zร i wลซ yรกn xiร , bรน dรฉ bรน dฤซ tรณu | Chinese idiom meaning one must submit to circumstances], so Ji Qingchi could only suppress her anger and leave the carriage.
As soon as she stepped down, she encountered Feng Ruoqing.
She felt somewhat awkward, as the carriage wasn’t soundproof and she had been close by, so she had heard everything between the Su family head and Ji Qingchi.
“Chi Gu… Chi Gongzi [Young Master], I’m truly sorry.”
Chi Qing [ๆฑ ๆธ | chรญ qฤซng] was Ji Qingchi’s alias.
Ji Qingchi replied coldly, “It’s not your fault.”
Since this incident had essentially started because of her, Feng Ruoqing felt she couldn’t simply stand by, so she warned, “Miss Su might not wake up so soon.”
The implication was that Ji Qingchi would likely have to kneel in the ancestral hall.
“Heh, it’s just kneeling in the ancestral hall, what’s there to fear?”
Ji Qingchi dismissed it with disdain. She had once led troops in battle in the desert for days and nights, enduring hunger and thirst while wounded, yet she had survived. How could she possibly fear merely kneeling in an ancestral hall?
Her current thoughts weren’t about the impending punishment, but rather how she might gain some advantage from this situation.
Currently, Su Yi still valued her as a husband. If this punishment could make Su Yi feel more sympathy for her, then the Su family head, considering Su Yi’s feelings, wouldn’t punish her so readily in the future.
She wasn’t afraid of the Su family head’s punishment, but rather feared that if punished too often, she might develop resentment toward the Su family.
She worried that after reclaiming her identity as Huangnu [็ๅฅณ | huรกng nว | imperial princess], she might give in to the urge for revenge and imprison the entire Su family.
If news of such actions spread, it could damage her reputation as an imperial princess, and when she eventually ascended to become Nuhuang [ๅฅณ็ | nว huรกng | female emperor], others might use this incident to criticize her as lacking benevolence and righteousness.
Therefore, considering her reputation, she decided to first execute a Kurouji [่ฆ่่ฎก | kว rรฒu jรฌ | deliberate self-injury to gain sympathy].
Having made up her mind, Ji Qingchi gave a subtle laugh.
Young Miss Su, your family’s future honor or disgrace would depend entirely on your subsequent behavior.
The thirty li journey to Jingdu took two days, considering Su Yi’s condition.
Upon reaching Jingdu, Su Yi still hadn’t awakened. Following the Su family head’s orders, as soon as Ji Qingchi arrived at the Su residence, she was sent to the ancestral hall without even a drink of water.
Su Yi knew nothing of this. She finally regained consciousness the day after arriving in Jingdu.
A circle of people surrounded her, showing concern for her well-being. After drinking the ginseng soup her mother had ordered prepared, she realized after a while that someone seemed to be missing from among those around her.
After carefully counting the people present and noticing Ji Qingchi’s absence, a chill ran down her back, and she had an ominous premonition.
So she tugged at her mother’s sleeve and asked, “Mother… cough cough… where is my fulang?”
The Su family head, who had been looking at her with a kindly expression, suddenly frosted over upon hearing Su Yi ask about Ji Qingchi, and coldly replied, “That newly wedded husband of yours has been unfaithful, so I made him kneel in the ancestral hall.”
Upon hearing this, Su Yi’s heart turned cold. Mother, do you know who that is, and you made her kneel in the ancestral hall?!
That’s the future female protagonist, a great demon of slaughter! How dare you treat her like this, aren’t you afraid of her revenge?!
Thinking of her mother’s and her own life, Su Yi struggled to get out of bed, “No… Mother, my fulang isn’t that kind of person. I must go find him.”
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