Volume One: If Life Were Only as It First Met
Doubts Arise
Heh… she doesn’t trust me, she never has.
In the Ziyun Pavilion, Qin Junlan’s heart was in turmoil like tangled hemp. The sickly beauty on the bed, as delicate as a willow swaying in the wind, had a face devoid of luster. Even a light application of makeup couldn’t hide her sickly appearance.
She reached out and felt Hong Yuan’s forehead, an icy coldness seeped into her heart, colder than the ice of winter. She wanted to hold her hand in her palm to warm her, even wished she could place it inside her body to drive away the cold. Qin Junlan wrapped Hong Yuan’s hand, rubbing it vigorously with both hands, hoping to generate warmth, but it still felt as cold and piercing as ice.
Hong Yuan only felt that this intimate touch was overly ambiguous. Other than that person, she had never had such an action with anyone, and immediately felt somewhat uncomfortable. She slowly withdrew her hand, “I have already called a doctor to examine me, and I will be fine after resting for a few days. Don’t worry too much.” She got up from the bed, her eyes already showing fatigue.
Qin Junlan hurriedly supported her, “Don’t get up, lie down.”
The touch on her shoulder pained her hand, how could someone be so slender and frail? Qin Junlan’s hands hovered up and down, utterly at a loss, not knowing how to take care of her, even less how to share her suffering. Yet there was still doubt in her heart, which she found inconvenient to voice out. In the late spring of April, the weather was mild, the night had no strong winds, nor did it rain. How could it be a cold infection? It seemed more like a cold poison invading the body.
“My mother gave birth to me in the winter. On the day I was born, it was a time of cold and gloom. She gave birth to me in the woodshed, and from that time on, I contracted a cold-related illness.” Hong Yuan deliberately coughed twice, “The onset of the illness each year is unpredictable, but it always comes fiercely.”
Qin Junlan, having interacted with countless people and seen a lot, was not so easily fooled. Hong Yuan knew very well that if she didn’t dispel her doubts, she would always suspect her.
“I see.” Qin Junlan let out a deep breath, seemingly relaxing. If it were an inborn chronic illness, it would be understandable.
“Miss, it’s time to drink your medicine.” Mujin walked in carrying the medicine. The dark-colored medicinal soup, accompanied by a strange smell, was nauseating.
“What kind of medicine is this? The smell is so strong?”
“This is a warming medicine prescribed by the doctor. Miss drinks it every year.”
“Give it to me.” Qin Junlan took the medicine bowl, feeling the heat at her fingertips; it was still hot.
She brought the medicine to her lips, feeling the heat with her lips, intending to taste it herself. However, Li Yue stepped forward, reaching out to snatch the bowl and drink the medicine.
“How rude! Step back!” Qin Junlan’s face darkened, implying that Li Yue was overstepping her bounds.
“Master, let me taste it…” Although Li Yue was terrified, she dared not let Qin Junlan casually taste something that hadn’t been tested. Being cautious prevents future regret, especially since she is the ruler of a nation, naturally, everything must be thorough.
“What? Do you not understand my words?” Qin Junlan’s tone grew colder. With the emergence of her regal aura, Li Yue had no choice but to leave reluctantly.
All the meals had always been tasted by Li Yue before Qin Junlan could eat them. This was also the case in the palace, let alone in this unfamiliar Suyuan Tower.
“Don’t get angry!” Hong Yuan gently tugged at her sleeve. Qin Junlan’s gaze instantly softened, and the sternness from just a moment ago vanished without a trace.
She placed the spoon to her lips and took a small sip, her brows furrowing lightly. “How can this be medicine? It’s clearly poison, it’s so bitter.”
Why do you need to risk yourself by tasting the medicine for me?
Hong Yuan found it difficult to say these words, so she buried them in her heart and pretended nothing was wrong, saying, “Good medicine tastes bitter, give it to me.”
“No.” Qin Junlan moved the medicine bowl away, shaking it lightly and spilling a bit of the medicine onto her long robe.
Hong Yuan recalled that day when Qin Junlan killed soldiers for her, the sight of blood falling on her white robe was more beautiful than anything in the world.
“I will feed you.”
Qin Junlan’s gentle demeanor was even more beautiful than the April sky. If only she were not the Empress, how wonderful it would be, Hong Yuan suddenly thought. As the medicine spoon approached, she slightly parted her thin lips. Amidst the bitterness, there was a trace of sweetness; today’s medicine had no bitterness at all.
The room was so quiet that the only sound was the rustling of the leaves outside the window. In the depths of Qin Junlan’s profound eyes, the reflection of Hong Yuan’s deliberately avoiding gaze could be seen. Whenever their eyes met, she always looked away first.
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Qin Junlan’s intense gaze seemed capable of dispelling the cold around her. She had never seen such deep, unfathomable eyes, carrying a faint melancholy, full of stories, making one want to explore but afraid to look directly.
Hong Yuan lowered her eyes, deciding it was better to avoid looking into her eyes too much.
“I’m not sure if this medicine will work. My family is on good terms with the Imperial Medical Bureau, and tomorrow I will ask Imperial Physician Guan to come and examine you.” Qin Junlan was always uneasy about relying on ordinary folk doctors.
“The Imperial Medical Bureau is affiliated with the palace, and every imperial physician holds an official rank. How improper it would be for a court official to frequent a brothel?”
“There is no shortage of noble families here; what is an imperial physician in comparison?”
“Imperial physicians diagnose and treat the Emperor, Empress Dowager, and other imperial family members. Now you want him to treat me, a woman of the dust. If this spreads, it will surely cause gossip.”
Hong Yuan understood the greater good and was thorough in her considerations. Qin Junlan did not fear slander, but she did not want Hong Yuan to be troubled and become the target of public criticism. If she publicly summoned the imperial physician, it might bring her more trouble from both the court and the harem.
“Then I will follow your wishes. If you don’t want me to worry, get well soon; otherwise, I will bring the entire Imperial Medical Bureau here.” The indulgent threat, filled with domineering gentleness, warmed Hong Yuan’s heart. She accepted Qin Junlan’s concern, bringing them closer and making the ensuing beauty trap more natural, allowing their “relationship” to develop smoothly.
But she could express nothing, always maintaining that indifferent demeanor, and said lightly, “Hmm, you can go back now. I want to sleep for a while.”
“I will watch over you, sit for a while, and then leave. I will definitely not disturb you. Sleep peacefully.” Qin Junlan was unwilling to leave; she wanted to keep watching her. Only under her own eyes could she truly be at ease.
Hong Yuan wrapped herself up, her eyes gradually closing, but suddenly she felt an internal upheaval, a pain that twisted her organs together. Her body began to break out in cold sweat, and she endured the pain, opening her eyes.
“Chaoyan, I am used to living alone. With you sitting here, I cannot sleep.” She continued to quickly send Qin Junlan away.
“Alright, then I won’t disturb you. I will come another day.”
Qin Junlan looked back three times with every step, unwilling to leave, but she could not stay under inappropriate circumstances. Her mood was somewhat heavy as she gently closed the door, leaving slowly with reluctance and concern.
As soon as Qin Junlan stepped out the door, Hong Yuan swiftly got up and applied acupressure to herself, using her internal energy to force out the silver needles Yu Yao had inserted into her body. Her internal energy was unstable after the battle with the black and white duo, and she had consumed a lot of it. Additionally, the palm strike she took for Ye Ming had injured her internal organs. The cold poison flared up several times a day, and she could only use her internal energy to regulate it, barely managing to suppress some of the pain.
Qin Junlan walked to the backyard and found Bai Ruoxi conversing with Ye Ming. Her voice was loud, and she could hear her chatter from afar.
“What are you doing here? This is the backyard of Suyuan Tower, no idlers allowed.” Ye Ming said indifferently, intending to send her away. How could she not recognize that this young woman was the Xicheng County Princess, who liked to cling to the Empress constantly?
“I… I’m just bored. My sister is upstairs entertaining your courtesan, so I can only wander around.”
“Please leave.” Ye Ming was very annoyed at being disturbed at such a time. Having just sent Mo Feng away, now Bai Ruoxi had come.
“You’re so fierce. By the way… are you a man or a woman?” Bai Ruoxi walked closer to Ye Ming, curiously examining her up and down.
“None of your business.” Ye Ming replied irritably.
“Your skin is smooth, your features are delicate, you don’t have an Adam’s apple, and your voice is low and hoarse yet has a gentle quality…” Before she finished speaking, she suddenly reached out with both hands towards Ye Ming’s chest. Fortunately, Ye Ming reacted quickly and stepped back two steps, “What are you doing?”
“I’m just checking if you have a chest, to confirm your gender.” Bai Ruoxi said with great interest, suddenly finding it very amusing to tease Ye Ming.
“I am a woman!!” Ye Ming almost roared, truly unable to tolerate the rude County Princess any longer.
“You should have said so earlier, no need to be so fierce. Women should be gentler.” Bai Ruoxi heavily patted Ye Ming’s shoulder wound. She instinctively recoiled in pain. The sword wound on her shoulder had injured her meridians precisely, and no matter how much pain she could endure, it was difficult to hide the signs of her injury.
“You’re hurt?” Bai Ruoxi asked in surprise. Ye Ming’s face was pale, and her breath was faint, indeed not like a healthy person.
“No, mind your own business.”
Ye Ming is really injured? Qin Junlan immediately grew suspicious. How come both the master and the servant, one is sick, and the other is injured?
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“Xi’er, it’s time to go.” Qin Junlan intentionally called Bai Ruoxi back, giving Ye Ming a deep look, her gaze falling on her shoulder.
Ye Ming did not say much and left immediately.
After leaving Suyuan Tower, Qin Junlan habitually looked back at Ziyun Pavilion, longing to see that figure at least see her off once, but there was no such sight.
She sighed slightly; why care so much?
“Li Yue, are the rare medicinal herbs in the palace all kept in the Imperial Medical Bureau?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will help you find them as soon as I return to the palace.” Li Yue had always understood the sovereign’s heart well. As soon as Qin Junlan spoke, she knew what she needed to do.
“Have Imperial Physician Guan prepare a prescription for expelling cold. Make sure to tell him it’s a congenital condition.” Qin Junlan meticulously instructed.
“This servant understands.”
After Qin Junlan finished speaking, she noticed that Bai Ruoxi looked displeased and no longer had her usual cheerful demeanor. Normally, she was as talkative as a parrot, but her current silence made Qin Junlan feel uneasy.
“Xi’er, you insisted on accompanying me out of the palace. Why are you so quiet now?”
“Anyway, Emperor Sister is always thinking about that Hong Yuan, so how can she have time to care about Xi’er?” Bai Ruoxi said with her hands behind her back, her hair tied up in a man’s bun, looking very handsome.
Those lively big eyes, so pure and clean, this untainted purity in such a chaotic world was like a refreshing stream, making Qin Junlan feel at ease.
This was the real reason she favored Bai Ruoxi.
“I can manage the whole world; can’t I manage a little girl like you? Speak, what do you want? I will satisfy you.”
“Brother is leaving the capital, and I don’t want to go back to Fengcheng with him. Emperor Sister, can you not let me go back?” Bai Ruoxi pouted like a child. Having finally come back, she would not easily return.
“Well, if your brother agrees, I have no objections.”
“Hehe, doesn’t Brother still listen to you?” She instantly cheered up, affectionately leaning against Qin Junlan. Her mood brightened significantly. After all, Hong Yuan was an outsider, but she was someone Qin Junlan had watched grow up, closer than family. Why be jealous of Hong Yuan? She didn’t want to be so petty.
“Master, look, the soldiers from the Prime Minister’s residence.” Li Yue pointed to a distance, noticing several teams of soldiers conducting a massive search, as if they were looking for someone. They were detaining suspicious people for inspection.
“The Prime Minister is still in the Luo Kingdom. What are the soldiers trying to do with such a menacing approach? Li Yue, go and see.”
“I want to go too, I want to go too.” Bai Ruoxi also stepped forward to follow. They saw the soldiers behaving rudely, but when Li Yue took out the dragon token, they began to bow and salute. Bai Ruoxi wasn’t about to let them off so easily. They were just patrol guards from the Prime Minister’s residence, how dare they be so arrogant.
She slapped the head of a soldier, hitting him so hard he couldn’t straighten his back, yet he didn’t dare resist and had to endure it silently.
“This Xi’er…” Qin Junlan shook her head helplessly. This stubborn and willful temper, she really didn’t know who she took after.
In a short while, Li Yue found out the details: it turned out that an assassin had entered the Prime Minister’s residence yesterday.
“The Prime Minister’s residence is heavily guarded; what kind of assassin could infiltrate so quietly?” This matter was quite suspicious, and Qin Junlan became wary.
“Two men in black arrived one after the other. Although they were severely injured, they still managed to escape. They are skilled individuals.”
“Are you saying the assassins were injured?” Qin Junlan pondered, involuntarily looking back at Suyuan Tower again, her smile gradually fading.
“Master, could it be a coincidence?” Even Li Yue was puzzled. There seemed to be too many coincidences. The Prime Minister’s residence was attacked, Hong Yuan was injured here, how could everything be related to Suyuan Tower?
Qin Junlan recalled that Hong Yuan’s injuries were different from a common cold, and Ye Ming was also injured. Coincidentally, there were also two men in black. Her expression changed gradually, and she no longer had any desire to stay. She said sullenly, “Return to the palace.”
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Outside the window, fallen leaves were swirling, and by the clear river, everything was thriving. Hong Yuan wore a pink cloak, her long hair draped over her shoulders, strands fluttering in the wind. From the backyard came the conversation between Mo Feng and Ye Ming. Her hearing was always superior to ordinary people, and with a little internal energy, she could clearly hear the conversation not far away.
“Boss, if, I mean if one day the Sect Leader and the Tower Master were to go separate ways, what would you choose?”
“What about you?”
“We are people of the Shura Sect. Our master should be the Sect Leader, not the Tower Master.”
“Heh… then let me tell you, if anyone dares to betray the Tower Master and harm the Tower Master, I, Ye Ming, will be the first to kill them.” Ye Ming’s eyes revealed a murderous intent. “Anyone, understand?”
Mo Feng’s lips curved into a smile, yet it was pale and weak. “I understand.”
“Go, I want to be alone.”
“Yes…”
The Sect Leader doesn’t trust her… Hong Yuan slowly sat back on the long bench. Yes, she could even bypass her and directly give orders to Ye Ming, acting on the people around her without her permission. It’s likely that half of her subordinates are in line with her.
Her slender figure appeared weak and desolate, a wave of pain surged in her heart, and her lips slowly oozed with bright red blood. She lightly wiped the corner of her mouth, smiled sadly, but her eyes focused on the distance, where Qin Junlan’s familiar yet unfamiliar back slowly disappeared from her sight.
Heh… Qin Junlan doesn’t trust her, and neither does the Sect Leader.