Chapter 55

After Xie Qinghong was personally helped by Pei Du to change her clothes, she wrapped herself in a rabbit fur cloak and had Pei Du apply medicine to her ankle. Her ankle was quite sprained, so she could only sit on a chair and wait for him to carry her around.

Despite having showered and changed clothes after being soaked in cold water, Xie Qinghong still felt chilled to the bone. He sneezed, feeling dizzy and unable to concentrate; he didn't even have the energy to argue with Pei Du.

Pei Du explained to her, "I made an appointment with those people to enjoy the scenery today because they spread rumors, and my father wanted to salvage my reputation."

Xie Qinghong leaned against him, absentmindedly saying, "Then if you abandon them, your reputation will probably get even worse."

Pei Du didn't take it to heart. He didn't care about reputation or material things anyway, otherwise the rumors would have died down long ago. He touched Xie Qinghong's forehead, and since the temperature was normal, he felt relieved and ordered someone to brew a pot of medicine to dispel the cold.

Xie Qinghong fell ill for a long time after falling into the water in early spring. Now, in the cold winter, she has fallen into the water again, and she is probably not feeling well.

Pei Du was preoccupied with his thoughts and almost completely forgot about the scholars who had accompanied him on the sightseeing trip. When news of his reputation for being courteous and respectful to scholars suddenly spread the next day, he thought to himself that those men were far too sensible and seemed to lack the integrity of scholars. It was not surprising that they turned around and angrily denounced him as cruel and inhuman.

Xie Qinghong returned home but developed a fever, with symptoms exactly the same as in early spring. He felt dizzy and had nightmares, where reality and dreams intersected, making it increasingly difficult for his ailing mind to distinguish between them.

She vaguely felt that she had walked a long stretch of water, her feet were very cold, but someone held her hand the whole time. They walked for a long time before stopping. The person turned around and gently kissed her forehead. In the tenderness was the sorrow of parting: "Ayao, you must live on. This world is fake, but we are real."

She looked up and felt the cold winter rain falling on her face, mingling with her tears. The person in front of her was blurry. Before she could speak, he released her hand: "Ayao, wake up and create our world."

Then he turned and walked into a pitch-black, bottomless abyss, his black robes blending into the darkness, becoming indistinguishable from the black fabric.

When Xie Qinghong woke up, she still felt breathless, as if she was haunted by the abyss in her dream. A huge sadness enveloped her like a cage, as if she had deeply experienced a separation of life and death and had to bear the expectations of all those who had left, searching for reality in the illusory world.

She blinked and realized it was late at night. The dark green bed curtains blocked out all the light. She was held tightly in someone's arms. But as soon as she moved slightly, Pei Du woke up. He first checked her forehead temperature, and then placed a kiss on her forehead, a comforting kiss that was completely devoid of any romantic undertones.

“Pei Du…”

Pei Du loosened his grip on the person slightly and asked in a low voice, "Are you feeling better now? Would you like some water?"

After receiving an affirmative answer, he got up, poured her a glass of warm water, and touched her hand. He was relieved to find that it wasn't cold.

Although the doctors have said there's nothing wrong these past few days, Xie Qinghong only wakes up for a short time each day before falling asleep again, as if he has some kind of drowsiness disorder. Even the most skilled doctors can't figure out the cause.

Pei Du's brows never relaxed, and his anger was heavier than ever before. His once-popular reputation quickly vanished, and his unpredictable and capricious nature remained synonymous with the Prince of the South.

The renowned scholars couldn't help but lament that the Crown Prince needed to change his temper; otherwise, no amount of praise could withstand a single outburst of anger. Others couldn't help but worry for the newlywed Crown Prince's wife. Having married so far away, and with the Crown Prince so cold and heartless, she would surely be left alone in her empty chambers, weeping in sorrow.

Perhaps because there are no scenic views to appreciate lately, scholars and literati have stopped writing about landscapes and started writing about human emotions. Countless poems of "Lament of a Woman in Her Boudoir" have been sung by courtesans, and Pei Du is seen as a cold-blooded and unfaithful man, and is despised in private.

By candlelight, Xie Qinghong turned her head to look at him. His expression was normal, and he yawned slightly. "How many days have I been sick? I've been sleeping so much that my bones feel weak."

Pei Du scoffed lightly, "With your physique, you can't even run properly, yet you still want to go fishing in the river in the dead of winter. I don't know where you got the guts." He thought to himself that he had to give her a good talking-to, otherwise, if he wasn't there next time, how could he feel at ease?

Sensing something amiss in his tone, Xie Qinghong immediately coughed, touching her forehead and crying out in pain, "My head hurts, and you're still yelling at me! Don't you love me anymore?! I knew it, men are all fickle, they'll find someone new sooner or later..."

Pei Du was amused by her. He had been living in fear for days and nights, and this ungrateful little devil was turning the tables on him. Seeing that she seemed to be in good spirits, he simply lifted the bed curtains, spread his arms on either side of her, and looked down at her with an extremely imposing presence.

"Are you going to write another entry about me in the 'Xie Family Notes'?" He was strong enough to look at her leisurely just by supporting himself. "Xie Ayao, don't you have any conscience?"

Xie Qinghong's expression still showed some signs of illness, her lips were slightly pale, and when she drooped her eyes listlessly, she looked like Xi Shi clutching her heart. Pei Du took a deep breath and felt his heart soften. Xie Ayao really knew how to play the victim.

Xie Qinghong coughed twice more, feigning illness before saying, "You go to sleep. I can't fall asleep right now that I'm awake."

Pei Du raised an eyebrow: "Really can't sleep? Okay, let's not sleep for now, let's do something else."

Xie Qinghong's eyes widened involuntarily: "Don't you have any conscience? I'm sick..." Under the pressure of Pei Du's gaze, her voice grew lower and lower until it finally faded into silence.

She hesitated for a moment, then wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered apologetically, "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention and made you worry so much. I swear it will never happen again."

Pei Du was extremely pleased and turned over to change positions. He lay there while Xie Qinghong nestled on his chest, his fingers restlessly poking at his muscles. He coughed lightly as a warning: "Don't bother me now that you've just woken up. Wait a couple of days before you poke me."

Recalling how much she had suffered when he said that last time, Xie Qinghong immediately stopped and listened to his slightly rapid heartbeat. She laughed and said, "Don't be nervous. Although the annoying things about you in the Xie Family Notes are true, it's also true that I like you."

Pei Du seemed to be stunned for a moment in disbelief. When he came to his senses, he kissed her lips, pried open her teeth and went straight in. He pressed his hand on the back of her neck and gently pressed her closer to him.

"I love you too, Xie Ayao," he murmured as their lips intertwined. "I love you the most in this world."

Xie Qinghong only learned about the rumors circulating outside when Ah Xing and Ah Yue talked about it during the day. The poem "Lament of a Woman in Her Boudoir" was so poignant and heart-wrenching, but since it didn't name names, even someone as noble as the Prince of Nan couldn't tell people to shut up.

She vaguely understood why everyone in Wangjing said she was living a miserable life. A writer's pen is worth more than 100,000 words. If she said a few more words, rumors about Pei Du keeping a mistress would start to circulate.

Because Xie Qinghong's illness delayed him for a few days, Pei Du still had to set sail to quell the rebellion. The northern barbarians were stirring, and the maritime threat in the south had to be dealt with before they could invade. Xie Qinghong personally helped Pei Du put on his armor and watched him lead his troops into battle.

She was quite comfortable staying alone in the Prince of Nan's mansion. The Princess Consort of Nan said she was afraid she would be lonely, so she had a legitimate reason to keep her by her side and play with her every day. If it weren't for the Prince of Nan's firm opposition, she probably would have even wanted to sleep with her daughter-in-law at night.

Xie Qinghong was always good at pleasing his elders, and with Yuan Qingqing as a close friend, he was living a more and more comfortable life. If only he hadn't received any letters from the north.

Three days after the death of the Northern King, the Tusha Kingdom broke its alliance, and the Hu army launched a large-scale invasion of the Sheng Kingdom. The northern lands were still immersed in the grief of the Northern King's passing when the Hu army captured three cities in succession. When the news reached Wangjing, the entire court was enraged.

Emperor Xingde angrily smashed the birthday gifts that Tusha had sent earlier. He was about to order his men to keep Tusha's fourth prince, Jiahe, under guard when he learned that Jiahe had disappeared and that he did not even know if he was still in Wangjing.

This seemingly humble prince had traveled extensively since arriving in Wangjing. If the Hu army were to advance unimpeded, he would surely be familiar with the terrain and able to breach this defensive line. Therefore, it was imperative to capture him. Emperor Xingde regretted his decision too late and simply ordered all Hu people in Wangjing to be imprisoned, Prince Kaga's portrait to be sent to various prefectures, and a nationwide warrant for his arrest was issued.

Xie Qinghong received a letter from home. Her elder brother volunteered to go to the north to fight the enemy, and her father and brother agreed. Therefore, he would be heading north soon. However, he didn't talk much about his younger sister in the letter, only saying that if he returned victorious, he would bring her the softest furs from the north.

Her husband was pacifying the refugee crisis at sea, and her elder brother was fighting the Hu people on the north front. Xie Qinghong suddenly realized that the collapse of the country ten years later, as described in Qin Heng's biography, seemed to be unfolding before her eyes. Noble families were migrating south, the people were suffering, the country was destroyed, and families were wiped out. Qin Heng's biography, written in the Hu language, was concise, vividly depicting his strategic brilliance and unparalleled wisdom and courage. It described how, with his fiery spirit, he volunteered like Mao Sui, gaining the favor of the Hu king and being appointed a marquis and prime minister. In a single day, he rose to prominence, enjoying immense success!

Beneath his illustrious resume lies the lament and bloodshed of a once prosperous nation's decline, the bloodless power struggles among aristocratic families, and the desolate plight of displaced people fleeing their homes to the south.

Xie Qinghong carefully put away the family letter and opened another one. This letter had no markings, and the inner pages were completely blank. It contained top-secret information that she had bought with money. She patiently soaked the letter in a pre-prepared solution and watched as the black characters slowly appeared.

Qin Heng was once a favorite of the Emperor, with a good reputation. The Qin and Zheng families were his support. However, all of this quietly changed two months ago. Because he had taken a mistress behind his fiancée's back, Zheng Yingluo insisted on breaking off the engagement. Furthermore, his previous feigned affection was even more despicable, and the censors implicated him in several memorials regarding his private conduct.

The letter stated that Qin Heng had dealings with the Hu people, not only the fourth prince of Kaga, but also a mysterious shaman. This shaman was the military advisor of the Hu king's tent, and was said to have the ability to know the heavens and the earth. He had previously prophesied that a celestial maiden would be born in the Sheng Kingdom, and that the celestial maiden was born with innate knowledge. According to the shaman, Song Lingxi was that celestial maiden.

Her poem "Wang Hai Chao" became the catalyst for the Hu king's determination to invade the Sheng Kingdom. The poem described the beauty of "osmanthus blossoms in autumn and lotus flowers for miles around," a sight never seen before in the Hu lands. The Hu king was amazed and ordered his generals to lead troops south to the Sheng Kingdom, declaring that he would plant lotus flowers all over Wangjing Lake by the following summer.

Song Lingxi, once the most talented woman in Wangjing, was taken into the harem by the Hu King. She was favored for her literary talent and gentle nature, and was even able to send Princess Yuxiu, who was to be married off, to live in a separate tent.

Xie Qinghong slowly placed the letter into the medicinal liquid, watching as the black characters gradually faded and the letter paper became soft and mushy. With a simple stir of the hairpin, it scattered into a fluffy mess, no longer resembling its original form.

After the dream she had after falling into the water, she took out that strange biography again, read it carefully, and confirmed that there was no such person as Song Lingxi in it.

She boldly hypothesized that Song Lingxi was not originally from this world. On the one hand, judging from her behavior, she did not have the family background of a typical noblewoman, but she was quite arrogant and had some whimsical ideas. On the other hand, like Zheng Yingluo, she knew some past events and stories, as if she had been reborn, but she did not have the experience of living ten years longer than Zheng Yingluo.

Therefore, Xie Qinghong is certain that he is a character in the book, and Song Lingxi is likely someone who has read the book.

Now, the plot of this book is in complete chaos. Zheng Yingluo, the female lead, has parted ways with the male lead. Qin Heng's path to becoming prime minister was interrupted by the Hu people before it even began. How can he "rely on his own efforts to become one of the Three Dukes"? Song Lingxi, the transmigrator, unexpectedly pushed the plot forward, but her situation is not good.

She had a feeling that the time to "wake up" as mentioned in her dream was not far off. Perhaps all of this was a warning she had received from a past life.

Xie Qinghong slowly cleaned up the traces, then glanced in the mirror and realized that she seemed to have gained some weight. No, she definitely couldn't dine with her mother today. Before she knew it, she had eaten a lot of sweets and pastries.

She quickly got up and looked closely in the mirror. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't obvious she'd gained much weight, so she felt relieved. But the Princess Consort of the South soon tried to unsettle her, calling her "my darling" repeatedly and touching her face with affection: "My darling has lost weight recently. Were you worried about A-Du? Oh dear, these clothes are a bit too big. Don't worry, my darling, I made you a new set. How about you wear this today? This size was just measured; it'll definitely fit."

Xie Qinghong touched his face, somewhat doubtful: "I think I've gained a little weight. Have I been eating too much lately?"

Princess Nan was very surprised: "How could this be? My dear, your waist is still so thin, and your chin is even more pointed. You only eat a little bit each time, not much more than a cat. Where is the extra? Is someone spreading rumors? My dear, don't listen to their nonsense. If you get any thinner, Pei Du will be heartbroken when he comes back, and he might even blame me for not taking good care of you."

Xie Qinghong was half-believing and half-doubting, but was coaxed into drinking a bowl of chicken soup to ward off the cold. She then changed into a newly made dark red dress, paired with a hooded red fox fur cloak; the size was indeed perfect. After personally dressing up her doll, the Princess Consort of the South went out to show it off with her entourage. She was only satisfied when someone said they looked like mother and daughter.

The Prince of Nan was recently in a rather unsatisfactory relationship. To make matters worse, his son had gone out, and he couldn't find anyone to talk to or discuss things with. After thinking for a while, he called Zhou Yujin over and asked him, "Why haven't you come to pay your respects to your aunt lately?"

Zhou Yujin said with a bitter face, "With Adu not here, how can I come over?" After all, the Crown Prince's wife is now truly alone in her empty room, and as the Crown Prince's cousin, he still has to avoid suspicion.

The Prince of Nan was displeased: "Even if you don't come to pay your respects, you should at least send your aunt some new gadgets from time to time. You're always full of mischievous ideas, can't you find a way to get your aunt to play with something else?"

Zhou Yujin chuckled awkwardly: "Uncle, you've put me in a difficult position. I have sent you some novelties before, but my aunt doesn't like them."

Nan Wang thought to himself, "That's true. Your aunt has been doting on her daughter-in-law lately. She calls her 'darling' every day. As soon as she opens her eyes in the morning, she has to check if 'darling' has gotten up. Even after she goes to bed at night, she doesn't forget to ask if 'darling' has gone to sleep on time. She treats her like a daughter since she was little, which makes Pei Du seem like her son-in-law."

Needless to say, he, as her husband, even fought hard for the right of husband and wife to sleep in the same bed at night. Otherwise, a princess of such stature would have slept with her daughter-in-law long ago.

Now, the Prince of the South occasionally ponders in private whether Xie Wen's daughter is a fox spirit or a fairy descended from heaven, as she is so likable.