Chapter 20 He was so jealous and envious that he wanted to beat Lu Hengzhi so badly that even his own father wouldn't recognize him...

Stars and moonlight streamed through the window, silver candles flickered, and Lou Yanxu stood in the corridor, glancing out of the corner of her eye as Xu Congjing disappeared around the corner of his robe.

Lu Hengzhi didn't notice her absent-mindedness and thanked her to himself, "Madam Lou, thank you for lending me this money today. Otherwise, I'm afraid I would have been delayed here for a long time. I will definitely repay you double when I return to Chang'an."

"Your Highness, there's no need for you to be so polite. It's my pleasure to be able to help you." She withdrew her gaze and smiled.

I went out today to find a Jade Spirit Pill for my grandmother, a pill that can nourish blood and replenish vital energy. But then I happened to run into Lu Hengzhi, whose purse had been stolen, so I gave him money to pay for his lodging and travel.

Lu Hengzhi continued to look at her, then his voice was filled with worry, "Please keep in mind what I just mentioned to you."

When he brought it up again, Lou Yanxu's chest tightened. He had just said that he had accidentally discovered that Sheng Yan had found two philanderers who intended to ruin her reputation so that he could divorce her.

Her fingers clenched tightly, each one a sharp pain piercing her heart like needles. She had known all along that Sheng Yan disliked her, and hadn't forced him to, but she never expected him to disregard the reputation of the Marquis's mansion and condemn her to utter ruin!

So don't blame her for being heartless...

She lowered her eyelids slightly. "Of course, thank you, Your Highness."

Seeing her bitter expression, Lu Hengzhi knew she had already made up her mind. He suddenly recalled the first time he met her—gentle, quiet, and shy. Later, when she saved his sister from danger, her every move exuded composure and calmness. He realized she was brave in disguise. Now, having inadvertently witnessed her marital suffering, he felt pity for her. He couldn't help but raise his hand, but then realized what he was doing and awkwardly pinched the back of his hand.

He hesitated before speaking, "If...if you need it, I can help you."

"No need to trouble yourself. I am already extremely grateful that you informed me. I will be careful," Lou Yanxu said with a faint smile, declining the offer. These matters are ultimately family affairs of the Marquis's household. It would only make her a laughingstock if outsiders interfered. Besides, she could handle it herself, so why should others worry about it?

Having said all that, Lu Hengzhi could no longer insist, so he nodded and took his leave.

Just as he was about to turn the corner, he hesitated and turned back.

"I heard you're looking for Jade Spirit Pills. Coincidentally, I found out that the owner of Hidden Tower came here yesterday, and he had two excellent Jade Spirit Pills on him. He's already had someone introduce him to me. Why don't you come with me tomorrow, and we can each buy one?"

"Really?" Lou Yanxu's eyes lit up, and she thanked him profusely. "In that case, thank you very much, Your Highness!"

She had been searching for a long time without any news, so this was a stroke of good luck, making her heart pound and sweeping away all her worries.

The two said their goodbyes and agreed to meet again the next day.

As winter drew to a close and spring returned, she changed her clothes and washed up, and finally got a good night's sleep.

The next day, Lou Yanxu got up and scratched the back of her neck. She rinsed her mouth and washed her face as usual. Qingrui carefully combed her hair into a double-looped "Looking at the Immortal" bun. Only when she picked up her hair did she realize something was wrong.

"My lady!" Qingrui looked down at her fair back, her face scrunching up. "You have a rash!"

Lou Yanxu didn't retort, scratched her hands a couple of times, and didn't take it to heart.

Qingrui paced anxiously, muttering, "Where would mosquitoes come from on such a cold day? Could it be that the bed isn't clean?"

"Let's bear with it for now. I have an appointment with Young Master Lu, and I can't be impolite and keep him waiting." Lou Yanxu put on her hair ornament and hurriedly drank a bowl of porridge.

"Don't scratch, my lady. Let me put some cooling oil on you." While she was drinking her porridge, Qingrui took out the cooling oil she always kept on hand and poured it into her palm. But she got up and said, "I can't wait any longer. Let's go."

The two headed to the Hidden Tower.

Yinlou is a pharmacy that sells medicinal herbs, pills, and herbal decoctions. Before entering, one is greeted by a brightly lit plaque with the words "Yinlou" in gold lettering. The doors, railings, and windows are intricately carved with old-fashioned patterns, yet they are not commonplace. Upon entering, one is greeted by the unique fragrance of cloves and cinnamon, which immediately gives one a feeling of warmth and relief from the cold.

When he appeared, Lu Hengzhi was already waiting inside. "You've arrived."

His gaze followed her intently, and when Lou Yanxu bowed in apology for being slightly late, he made a gesture of supporting her slender wrist with his palm facing upwards. He felt a tickle in his heart, curled his tongue against the roof of his mouth, and slightly felt something taking root in his heart.

Lou Yanxu, oblivious to his thoughts, looked up at the second floor with a hint of excitement in her eyes, "Did the master agree?"

"Wait a minute."

She nodded in understanding. The itching on her body gradually became more pronounced, even more intense, like insects crawling over her and needles pricking her. She gritted her teeth and endured it for a long time, but she couldn't bear it any longer. She had no choice but to scratch a few red marks on the back of her neck. Because she hadn't had time to trim her nails while she was on her way, the scratches felt even more comfortable when they pierced her skin.

"What's wrong?" Lu Hengzhi asked, and she realized that her hand had been resting on her neck for a long time. She quickly put her hand down and said, "It's nothing, just a rash."

He glanced briefly at the back of her neck and saw that her fair skin was covered with red rashes, interspersed with several bleeding red streaks that spread into her clothes. Now he disregarded the impropriety of looking and took a closer look. "Why don't we go to the doctor first?" he said.

Feeling his gaze, Lou Yan and Xu Jun's faces flushed instantly. They turned to the side to cover the back of their necks, which were red, and shook their heads like rattles, "It's alright."

Just then, a woman stepped into the store, beaming with a cheerful smile, and called out to the counter, "Sister Liu!"

The woman, Sister Liu, pushed the selected medicine packets over, saying, "The medicine has already been packed, hurry up and send it over."

Lou Yan and Xu Zhengchou felt the atmosphere was a bit strange. They pretended to be drawn to the view, but upon closer inspection, they were stunned. The lively woman with her hair in double buns and a small mole on her philtrum was none other than Yunxi, Rou-jie's maid!

Yunxi smiled and glanced over casually. Before Lou Yanxu could even believe it, Yunxi's expression changed, and she hurriedly left with the medicine. Lou Yanxu lifted her skirt and chased after her, but she couldn't find her anywhere. She could only wander around in the crowd, but to no avail.

Suspicion arose in her heart. After Sister Rou's death, Yunxi disappeared without a trace. How could she suddenly appear, running away as fast as a rabbit? There must be something fishy about it. It seems that she needs to investigate Sister Rou's death again.

Lost in thought, she saw Lu Hengzhi chasing after her, and she came back to her senses, scratching her neck and laughing, "I thought I had seen an old friend, but I was mistaken."

Lu Hengzhi didn't say anything. Seeing the shopkeeper who had introduced them coming downstairs, he quickly went to greet him, "How was it?"

The shopkeeper stroked his beard and approached respectfully, saying, "Master, please invite the lady upstairs."

Lou Yanxu pointed to herself upon hearing this, momentarily unable to believe her ears, "I'll go by myself?"

If the hostess is a woman, that would be fine, but if she is a man, it would be somewhat impolite to be alone with her in a room, not to mention that one doesn't know what her intentions are.

Lu Hengzhi shared the same concern; he had brought her along, and he couldn't afford for anything to happen to her. "It's inconvenient for her to be alone as a woman; I'll accompany her inside."

"I'm just doing what the master wants, I hope the young master won't make things difficult for me," the shopkeeper insisted.

Lou Yanxu had long heard that this Hidden Pavilion was backed by the royal family and had always stood firm and upright, disregarding many dukes and marquises. Lou Yanxu knew that the two of them had come here to ask for a favor, and whether to buy or not was actually her choice.

After a long silence, she made up her mind, "It's alright, I'll go in by myself."

Lu Hengzhi stopped her, "Why don't we look for something else..."

“This item is hard to find.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t have searched everywhere without success. She nodded slightly. “I will be careful.”

The innkeeper led her upstairs to a private room. After receiving her order, he lifted the curtain and let her in. Lou Yanxu then raised her eyebrows and saw a familiar blue round-necked robe. Her heart skipped a beat.

The shopkeeper silently withdrew, and the man turned around. She saw it was indeed him. "It's you!"

It turns out that Xu Congjing is the owner behind Yinlou, and with the current crown prince as his backer, he certainly has the royal family's support. She wondered what his intentions were in inviting her alone, leaving her feeling uneasy.

“Madam Lou, there are few things in this world that can stump me. If you want the Jade Spirit Pill, you can come directly to me.” He sat up straight, holding a teacup, and asked her to sit beside him. Lou Yanxu did not dare to approach and refused from a distance, “How could I trouble Situ?”

"If he can help you, why can't I?" Her voice was clear and cold, tinged with a hint of grievance and resentment. Xu Congjing was not unaware of his jealousy, but he couldn't control himself. Just seeing the two of them walking side by side made him want to beat Lu Hengzhi so badly that even his own father wouldn't recognize him.

In truth, Lou Yanxu didn't want to owe anyone a favor, but it just so happened that Lu Hengzhi had news of the Jade Spirit Pill, and she was concerned about her grandmother and didn't want to let it go. If there was any difference between Xu Congjing and Lu Hengzhi in her eyes, it was probably that he resembled Zizheng a bit more, occasionally making her lose her composure and do some inexplicable things. She wished she could stay far away from him, that was all.

But as he approached with a smile, he asked, "You risked your life to protect me, yet you treat me like a plague and avoid me at all costs. Why is that?"

Why? Lou Yanxu knew very well.

She couldn't control her subconscious actions, but she could control her heart. No matter how poorly Sheng Yan treated her, as long as they weren't divorced, she was still the Crown Prince's wife, and she should be devoted to him, self-disciplined, and respectful—that was her bottom line. Besides, no matter how much Xu Congjing resembled her, he wasn't her brother, Zizheng.

She replied, "The Marquis's mansion will still need to rely on you in the future. You should call me sister-in-law in the future. It is only right that I save you."

The rising sun cast its rays through the window lattice onto Xu Congjing's face. In the alternation of light and shadow, Xu Congjing chuckled, but she felt uneasy watching him and couldn't help but raise her hand to scratch her rash again.

“You have a rash on your neck…” Xu Congjing suddenly stopped laughing, took a big step behind her to check, and said, “You have a rash.”

Lou Yanxu wasn't sure if it was the fever from the rash or the burning sensation in his gaze, but in any case, a burning sensation spread from the back of her neck all the way down her back. She covered it with her hand, shrinking her neck, "You...you dare to do this!"

Previously, he was gentle and refined, not daring to look at her for more than a few seconds, but now he dares to stare at her intently, truly revealing his true nature!

However, she had truly misunderstood Xu Congjing this time. A deep worry settled in his heart as he recalled that she had once inexplicably developed a rash and then had a fever for three days and three nights. Seeing her expression, it was clear that she no longer cared about that matter. He wanted to scold her, but then couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he said seriously, "This is no small matter. If it's not treated soon, the itching will worsen, and it could even lead to ulceration and infection."

Seeing the unpredictable changes in his expression, Lou Yanxu felt that he was deliberately teasing her and just wanted to achieve his goal and leave as soon as possible. So she glanced at him and said, "I will take care of the Jade Spirit Pill as soon as I buy it."

Xu Congjing ignored her and immediately summoned a maid, the "Sister Liu" he had just met in the main hall. He explained the situation in detail, and Lou Yanxu listened in a daze. How could he seem to know more about her situation than she did?

When she came to her senses again, she instinctively declined, saying, "No need!"

He remained silent, simply placing two Jade Spirit Pills on the table, as if he knew perfectly well what she cared about most. She stared at the pills, her mind racing, and finally, she didn't know how she had convinced herself. She pressed her fingertips to her temples, her voice suddenly softening, "Get out."

He leaned against the wall, a sneer playing on his lips.

Do you think I'm going to take advantage of this?

Suddenly, a loud clanging sound came from somewhere, and Lou Yanxu choked, seeing him glare at her with a mocking expression. Fortunately, Liu Shuangxin came with the medicine soup at that moment. He glanced at her and stepped out the door, vaguely seeing her tall figure through the window paper.

She walked around the screen, lifted the snow-white curtains, and entered, only to find a huge bathtub. Lou Yanxu stared blankly, wondering if this was Xu Congjing's usual bathtub. Her first instinct was to flee.

Liu Shuangxin stopped her, "What are you doing, my lady?"

Not wanting to make things difficult for Liu Shuangxin, she felt quite embarrassed and said, "I'll just stand here."

This wasn't the first time this had happened, so Liu Shuangxin didn't ask any questions. She helped Lou Yanxu undress, then picked up a gourd ladle and scooped up some medicinal soup, gently rinsing it over the itchy, red area on the back of her neck. The aroma of herbs filled the air. Lou Yanxu closed her eyes; the hot soup brought a refreshing coolness, and the itch was relieved—it was truly delightful.

Amidst the swirling white mist, Liu Shuangxin turned to her and said, "This is a medicinal soup to clear heat and detoxify. After taking two more doses, you will be fully recovered by tomorrow."

She covered her chest, embarrassed, and said, "I can do it myself."

“My lady, there’s no need to be shy. I’ve been serving people in this hidden brothel for a long time, and this is how I always do it,” Liu Shuangxin said with a smile.

From the time Lou Yanxu could remember, her wet nurse had bathed her. Later, she would occasionally have Qingrui serve her. Now, with outsiders seeing her naked, she felt a little awkward. She comforted herself, saying that they were all women, and there was nothing to be ashamed of.

The room was extremely quiet. Feeling nervous, she asked, "Have you been here for a long time?"

“That’s right. My parents died in a flood, and I was homeless. I was fortunate to meet you, my employer, and be able to settle down here.” Liu Shuangxin was always smiling and approachable, which reassured Lou Yanxu a lot. She asked directly, “Then who was that girl who called you Sister Liu just now?”

"You mean Yunxi? She used to work at the Zhao family clinic in the west of the city, but she just said she was leaving, so she should have been out of the city for a while now."

"Where is she going?" Lou Yanxu asked anxiously.

Liu Shuang thought to herself that she didn't know. Her heart sank. If she couldn't find Yunxi here, where in the vast world could she search for her in the future? And where should she even begin to investigate the matter of Sister Rou?

Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

Someone knocked on the door. Liu Shuangxin went out for a while and brought back a whole set of clean clothes, kindly mentioning, "The master sent these over."

Lou Yanxu did not respond, forcing herself not to look at the clothes. Like a puppet, she let Liu Shuangxin put on the clothes, then stared blankly at the dirty clothes that had been taken off, which included her undergarments. She immediately blushed from her ears to her neck.

Liu Shuangxin looked in that direction and said, "My lady, don't worry, someone will handle it."

After the two finished tidying up, Liu Shuangxin opened the door and saw Gao Jun standing in front of her. His gaze lingered between the two of them, and he inexplicably said, "The mistress of the house is no longer seriously injured. I will go and prepare two more doses of medicine for her to take together."

"!"

Lou Yanxu's head was buzzing like fireworks exploding. The thing she feared most had happened: others mistook her for Xu Congjing's wife!

She stared blankly at him for a moment, but he simply lowered his eyes and offered no explanation.