Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 85
by Little PandaVolume 4: The Perils of the Jianghu
Valley
Su Yi woke up.
Su Yi was about to follow Ji Qingchi to Changsheng Valley to seek medical treatment.
This was a big deal for many people.
First, her elders, from her great-grandmother to her mother, were busy finding highly skilled guards for her, while also having the family embroiderers make soft cushions. They tried hard to make Su Yi’s ride in the carriage as comfortable as sitting on a soft couch at home, so she wouldn’t be jolted.
Next, the imperial daughters who were on good personal terms with Su Yi all came to visit her, and they also brought many precious medicinal herbs.
Among them, the Fifth Imperial Daughter was especially generous. She brought over a dozen century-old ginseng roots, more than ten century-old lingzhi mushrooms1, and things like bird’s nest2 and he shou wu3, sending them to the Su Manor as if they cost nothing.
As gifts flowed into the Su Manor like a stream, Su Yi’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, while Ji Qingchi’s face grew darker and darker.
“Miss Su, you’re not well. These medicines are useless sitting in This Palace’s storeroom. They’re all for you, Miss Su. I hope you recover soon.”
“Thank you, Your Fifth Highness.” Su Yi smiled so much her eyes curved. So many medicinal herbs, enough for her to consume for a long time. It seemed she had made the right decision in befriending the Fifth Imperial Daughter.
Hearing their conversation, Ji Qingchi’s expression worsened.
The Fifth Imperial Daughter smiled while talking to Su Yi, standing beside the gift list with her arms crossed. When she turned her head and saw Ji Qingchi’s unhappy expression, her attitude instantly changed, becoming arrogant. “What are you looking at? Are you jealous that This Palace is rich?”
Ji Qingchi smiled faintly. “This Palace is wondering if Imperial Elder Sister4 is being two-faced5, tampering with the medicinal herbs.”
The Fifth Imperial Daughter spat in her direction. “Pfft! This Palace wishes you’d be pierced by ten thousand arrows, but This Palace considers Miss Su a friend. How could I harm her? As for you—if you take Miss Su and fail to find the miracle doctor this time, just wait to be ridiculed by everyone in Jingdu when you return.”
Ji Qingchi gave a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “This Palace will, of course, do everything possible to find the miracle doctor to treat her. I’m just worried someone might try to assassinate us midway. That would be terrible.”
Ji Qingchi hadn’t forgotten that her “good” sister’s people had chased and tried to kill her during the hunt.
“Heh.” The Fifth Imperial Daughter sneered. “Since they couldn’t take your life last time, it means you weren’t fated to die. This Palace is not one to exterminate completely. Besides, this time you’re doing it for Miss Su. Even for Miss Su’s sake, This Palace won’t do anything.”
Ji Qingchi was half-believing, half-doubting. The Fifth Imperial Daughter couldn’t be bothered to explain to her. After saying a few more words to Su Yi and delivering the gifts, she swaggered off, as if even an extra glance at Ji Qingchi was extremely vexing.
The Second Imperial Daughter watched her retreating figure and said, “Old Five’s temper hasn’t been so explosive lately, and she’s not as confrontational with Little Nine as before. That’s actually a good thing.”
The Seventh Imperial Daughter quickly agreed, “That’s right. She doesn’t even roll her eyes when she talks now. She seems less annoying too.”
The Third Imperial Daughter nodded slightly. “We were all born of the Emperor Mother. We should work together.”
“I hope Fifth Imperial Younger Sister6 stays this way.” The Second Imperial Daughter said, then looked at Ji Qingchi. “Little Nine, we are sisters from the same family, after all… Elder Sister isn’t trying to persuade you to forgive her, but sometimes, as long as she doesn’t go too far, just let her be, okay?”
Ji Qingchi didn’t speak. Seeing her unhappy expression, the Second Imperial Daughter didn’t say more and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. While you’re away, This Palace will keep an eye on Fifth Imperial Younger Sister for you. I won’t let her snatch the throne.”
Ji Qingchi nodded. “Thank you, Second Imperial Elder Sister. However, This Palace has full confidence I won’t lose to her. It’s fine even without you watching over things.”
“Alright, I know you’re capable. In that case, This Palace will wait for Little Nine to come back and show her great skills.” The Second Imperial Daughter smiled, patted her shoulder again, said a few words of advice to Su Yi, and then left with the Third and Seventh Imperial Daughters.
The gift-givers left. Su Yi, supported by Yan Can, went to see what the imperial daughters had sent.
Gan Cao brought the gift list, her voice clear and crisp as she read out the items one by one.
As Su Yi listened, she heard about a medicine for the throat. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she remembered something. She interrupted Gan Cao and asked Yan Can, “Oh, right, Miss Ye Shui, how is she?”
It had been a long time since Ye Shui’s name was mentioned. Yan Can almost couldn’t remember who she was. Su Yi quickly gestured to describe her, “You know, the tall, thin, mute girl.”
“Oh, it’s her.” Yan Can finally recalled. She tilted her head and thought for a moment. “She should still be in Fengcheng. Ever since we settled down in Jingdu, the Family Head sent a letter back, asking Steward Ge to manage the family business and farmlands at the old Manor. Wasn’t Miss Ye always at our estate? She can’t go anywhere by herself, so she must be at the estate with Steward Ge.”
“We don’t live in Fengcheng anymore. There’s no use keeping too many people there. The old Manor is remote and desolate. It’s rather bleak to leave Auntie Ge there alone to watch over it. Let’s stop the business there. Just leave a few loyal local servant girls and boys to look after the farmlands, and have Auntie Ge come back. And bring Miss Ye back too.”
Su Yi said this while coughing. Yan Can quickly noted it down. “Yes, this servant will go tell the Family Head right away.”
Yan Can scurried off to find Su Ming. Ji Qingchi brought a cup of water and transferred some true qi to Su Yi.
When Su Yi wasn’t gasping for breath as much, Ji Qingchi asked, “That Miss Ye, is she…”
She had to keep up the pretense7. Since she was no longer Su Yi’s fulang, she certainly couldn’t reveal that she knew Ye Shui.
“She’s the lifesaver who previously rescued my fulang.” Su Yi glanced at her and smiled. “She can’t speak, and I don’t know if it’s congenital or acquired. Since we’re going to Changsheng Valley to seek medical treatment, let’s take her along. We can see if they can treat her and help her speak.”
Ji Qingchi carefully held her. “You are so kind-hearted. Heaven sees it all and will surely let you recover fully.”
Su Yi smiled and gave her a gentle push. “Doesn’t Your Highness not believe in ghosts and gods?”
Ji Qingchi nuzzled her face. “As long as you can recover, This Palace can believe.”
Su Yi leaned into her embrace. She could feel and appreciate Ji Qingchi’s care for her during this time. She also wanted to spend more time with Ji Qingchi and couldn’t bear to part with everyone in the Su Manor. However, her health was too poor now, even worse than before. She would feel chest tightness and shortness of breath after just a few words.
Ji Qingchi said the poisoner was a kitchen maid, but she came from a humble background. How could she have such audacity? There must be something more hidden behind this matter. Perhaps those people felt this affair couldn’t be brought into the open, so they pushed someone out to take the blame.
Su Yi didn’t really care who poisoned her. She was sick now and didn’t want to think about anything. She just wanted to lie quietly, lest she couldn’t enjoy such moments in the future.
Ji Qingchi held her. After a while without feeling any movement in her arms, her heart panicked. She looked down. Su Yi’s face was pale, lying quietly in her embrace, like glass8 – so fragile she might break at a touch.
Her hand trembled as she checked for Su Yi’s breath… Thankfully, though faint, it was still there.
She relaxed, held Su Yi, and fell asleep leaning against the couch in the courtyard.
When the equipment for the journey was ready, Ye Shui was also brought over. She was very reserved when she first arrived at the Su Manor, her eyes constantly looking in the direction behind Su Yi. Su Yi knew she was looking for her “fulang.”
Ji Qingchi was right there, perfectly fine, so it wasn’t appropriate to tell her what happened to her “fulang.” Su Yi could only vaguely say that treating her illness was the priority. Now that everyone was a resident of Jingdu, according to the rules of Jingdu’s nobility, a married man could not meet unfamiliar women, or he would face family punishment9.
Ye Shui came from a small mountain village and wasn’t very worldly. She got scared easily. Hearing Su Yi say this, she indeed didn’t dare to search anymore and obediently followed the others in the Su Manor, helping to pack things.
They chose an auspicious day, and the group set off in nine carriages, with guards, disguised as traveling merchants.
Changsheng Valley was quite far from Jingdu of Yanxue Kingdom, about a month’s journey. Su Yi had taken a life-saving pill, and her health had improved a lot. To avoid wasting the pill’s effects and to get her treated sooner, the group quickened their pace, planning to shorten the journey to twenty days.
The weather gradually became hotter. Feng Ruoqing sat next to the female carriage driver, sleeves rolled up, looking at a map. “After we cross that mountain ahead, pass two rivers, and travel another five hundred li10, we’ll reach Changsheng Valley.”
Su Yi leaned against the carriage wall, enjoying the cool breeze fanned by the servant girls beside her. “Miss Feng, Changsheng Valley is so far from Yanxue Kingdom. How did you end up running all the way to Yanxue Kingdom back then?”
“Hai.” Feng Ruoqing embarrassedly straightened her clothes. “Well, someone was trying to kill me back then, so I just thought about running. I fled and gathered medicinal herbs along the way, and before I knew it, I’d arrived in Yanxue Kingdom.”
Hua Wuying smiled. “Good thing you remembered to draw a map while you were on the run. Otherwise, we wouldn’t know how to find Changsheng Valley.”
Ji Qingchi asked curiously, “Doesn’t Miss Hua have things from Changsheng Valley? How come you don’t know where Changsheng Valley is?”
“It’s just that my father and my older brother have dealings with Changsheng Valley. Changsheng Valley has been secluded from the world for years. I don’t know why, but a few years ago, they suddenly became willing to interact with the outside world. Assassins from Xuanji Tower often get injured, and my father established contact with Changsheng Valley around that time.” Hua Wuying hmphed. “But the people in that valley are truly strange. Every time they have our people pick up medicine, they are cloaked and hooded, so no one can see their faces. And they don’t sell medicine in Changsheng Valley itself; they always arrange to meet at a different place each time. I’ve only helped pick up medicine a few times, so I don’t actually know where Changsheng Valley is.”
The sun gradually rose higher. Yue Ling listened silently to their conversation. Seeing the group behind them looking tired, she rode her horse over to their carriage. “Ninth Highness, the weather is too hot, and the people and horses are weary. Should we find a place to rest for a bit?”
“Mm, alright. See if there’s a shady spot. We’ll go there to rest.”
“Yes.”
Yue Ling led some people and found a secluded valley. The valley was full of trees, flowers, and plants, with a stream flowing through it, making it very suitable for resting.
She rode back to report. Ji Qingchi frowned. “From your description, that valley sounds like a paradise on earth. Such a good place, and no one lives there?”
Yue Ling shook her head. She also found it strange. She had carefully scouted around the valley, and indeed, there were no signs of human habitation—not just people, but not even a trace of human presence.
“Your Highness, should we still go over?”
The midday sun was scorching. Considering Su Yi couldn’t tolerate heat well, Ji Qingchi said, “Let’s go over and rest for a bit. We’ll continue our journey when the sun isn’t so fierce.”
It would only be for one or two shichen. It should be fine.
So, the group headed towards the valley.
The moment they entered, Su Yi felt a wave of sinister cold air rush towards the crown of her head11.
She lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. The trees were lush and exceptionally tall, their crowns overlapping, blocking out the sky and sun. The plants on either side were also unusually tall and robust, interspersed with vibrant red flowers. She could also hear the gurgling sound of the stream.
“This place is quite nice! I suddenly don’t feel hot anymore.” Feng Ruoqing jumped down from the carriage, looking around, and headed towards an area with many plants. “The vegetation here is so lush! I’ll see if I can find anything medicinal.”
Ji Qingchi and Hua Wuying took out insect and snake repellent powder and carefully sprinkled it around the area where they were resting.
Yue Ling instructed the accompanying soldiers to find firewood, fetch water, and prepare food. Yan Can took Ye Shui over to help.
Gan Cao found an empty spot, spread out a thick blanket, and sat quietly with Su Yi.
Su Yi sat there, observed carefully, and noticed something unusual.
The place where she sat was slightly elevated, like a natural flowerbed, enclosing a few clusters of verdant plants. And she was sitting on stone bricks that seemed to outline this flowerbed.
She looked closely and noticed something white hidden among the plants. Frowning, she got up and walked over.
Gan Cao quickly followed. “Miss, don’t move around carelessly! What if there’s a snake?”
Su Yi paid no heed. She walked up to the green plants, gently pushed aside the leaves, and revealed a smoothly polished jade statue.
The statue was of a woman. Judging from her clothes and adornments, she didn’t seem to be from Yanxue Kingdom.
Su Yi looked up. When she saw the full statue clearly, her pupils suddenly widened.
The statue had the body of a woman but the head of a phoenix12. Su Yi observed closely and found that what was hidden in its sleeves were not hands, but a pair of wings.
The phoenix held its head high, craning its neck as if to sing, but its wings were in an exceptionally contorted state. Its legs were convulsing, which also made its expression look somewhat pained.
Combined with the woman’s body below the wings, Su Yi took a step back, feeling as if she had just seen a ghost story unfold.
“Immeasurable Heavenly Lord13.”
As she stared at the statue in horror, lost in thought, a gentle and warm male voice suddenly sounded by her ear.
She whipped her head around to look at the source of the voice.
A man dressed in white stood not far from her, his features picturesque, looking at her with an expression neither sad nor joyful.
Footnotes
- 灵芝 | língzhī | Ganoderma lucidum, a type of mushroom highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine for its purported health benefits, often associated with longevity and vitality.
- 燕窝 | yànwō | Edible bird’s nests, made from the solidified saliva of swiftlets. They are a prized delicacy in Chinese cuisine, believed to have various health benefits.
- 何首乌 | hé shǒu wū | Fallopia multiflora, a plant whose root is used in traditional Chinese medicine, often for hair health and anti-aging.
- 皇姐 | huángjiě | Imperial Elder Sister. A term used by a younger imperial sibling to address an older one.
- 面上一套，里子一套 | miànshang yī tào, lǐzi yī tào | Literally “one set on the surface, another set underneath.” It means being hypocritical or duplicitous.
- 五皇妹 | Wǔ Huángmèi | Fifth Imperial Younger Sister. A term used by an older imperial sibling to address a younger one.
- 装蒜要装到底 | zhuāngsuàn yào zhuāng dàodǐ | Literally “if you’re going to pretend to be garlic, pretend all the way.” It means to feign ignorance or play dumb consistently and thoroughly.
- 琉璃 | liúlí | Colored glaze, often used to describe something beautiful but fragile, like glass or crystal.
- 家法 | jiāfǎ | Family law or discipline; punishment meted out within a family or clan according to its own rules, often for transgressions against its code of conduct.
- 里 | lǐ | A traditional Chinese unit of distance. One lǐ is officially 500 meters (about 1/3 of a mile). So, five hundred lǐ would be approximately 250 kilometers or 155 miles.
- 天灵盖 | tiānlínggài | The crown of the head, specifically the fontanelle area. In some contexts, it’s considered a vital point or a point of spiritual connection.
- 凤凰 | fènghuáng | The Chinese phoenix, a mythological bird that reigns over all other birds. It is a symbol of virtue, grace, and good fortune, often associated with empresses or auspicious events.
- 无量天尊 | Wúliàng Tiānzūn | An honorific title for a high deity in Daoism, often invoked in prayers or exclamations, similar in function to “Oh my God” or “Heavens!” for some, or a specific invocation of a supreme being. It literally means “Immeasurable Heavenly Worthy” or “Boundless Celestial Revered One.”
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