Chapter 32 Passionate Mood

Shang Yuji's arrival was unexpected, but fortunately, Yi Ning had just finished her previous work and was resting at home today.

She was led to the lobby by the doorman. Yi Ning arrived quickly and had barely sat down when she asked, "Miss, is there something you need?"

"I have come here to discuss matters concerning the tea-horse trade."

Tea-Horse Trade

Shang Yuji nodded in agreement, “The Xianbei live north of Yangcheng and mostly make their living by herding horses, cattle, and sheep, which are exactly what Da’an lacks. A few days ago, I felt greasy after eating meat, so I went to see a doctor. The doctor told me that tea could relieve the greasiness, and after trying it, it was indeed the case. Since that’s the case, then the Xianbei, who eat cattle and sheep every day, should need tea even more than we do.”

Yi Ning pondered for a moment and replied, "But there are so many kinds of food in tea porridge, how can we know which kind of tea porridge they would like?"

"Tea porridge? No, it's tea leaves."

At this point, Shang Yuji realized that people in Da'an mainly drank tea. Although some people did drink tea, it was mostly brewed by the locals for its low price and convenience.

Shang Yuji explained, "Just boil the tea leaves and steep them to make tea."

Yi Ning: "The taste is bitter, will they accept it?"

Shang Yuji: "Tea leaves that have undergone tea-making processes can have their astringency removed while retaining their fragrance. Of course, since we are doing business with the Xianbei, we don't need to make high-quality tea leaves."

She smiled and said, "I know a tea seller from Guanli Town who sells the tea I mentioned. And she's not the only one; most people in Guanli Town make a living by growing and processing tea."

Yi Ning: "This matter is of great importance, and I need to consult with the Princess."

They formed a caravan, went to Guanli Town to discuss the matter, and then took the goods north to sell to the Xianbei. What a complex connection this involved!

The fact that caravans made a fortune through this method alone is enough to make people look forward to it.

The steady stream of income from the Princess's residence in recent days has enabled many strategies that were difficult to sustain to continue.

My sister said that veterans who were wounded on the battlefield, or who retired due to old age or physical disabilities, have recently received subsidies, and their lives are much better now...

She couldn't hold back either. As the money-making expert, Miss Shang had already provided a solution; all she had to do was figure out how to implement it.

Shang Yuji was surprised that the other party was so easy to talk to. Before she could even say the persuasive words she had prepared, Yi Ning agreed.

However, since she's willing to take the responsibility, things should be much simpler afterward.

After discussing the tea-horse trade with Yi Ning, Shang Yuji also placed an order for a batch of ice, leaving Yi Ning alone to brainstorm.

Before leaving, Shang Yuji turned back and asked, "Miss Yi, what could possibly cause a city to be destroyed overnight?"

However, she didn't explain the reason for the problem, said goodbye to Yining, and left directly.

Yi Ning: Is this question important or not?

After much deliberation, Yi Ning decisively decided to leave all the questions to His Highness. His Highness had a group of advisors, and it was time for them to put their talents to use!

.

After having lunch at the mansion, Jiang Xi and Yi Sha went to the backyard to practice martial arts. Shang Yuji was curious about how he practiced martial arts, so she followed to take a look.

The two were teaching basic skills in the open space, while Shang Yuji watched from under the shady eaves.

Unexpectedly, because she was there, Jiang Xi couldn't help but shift his gaze to her.

Distracted, it's natural to not be able to perform the movements well. Soon, Yi Sha discovered the source of the problem, and in the end, Shang Yuji was asked to leave the backyard by Yi Sha. Sure enough, the accuracy of her movements improved significantly.

Yi Sha seemed to have grasped the method of using Jiang Xi in an instant. She smiled and said, "Don't be sad. If you learn it well, I will let Miss Shang come to see you. You don't want to lose face in front of her and disappoint her, do you?"

Jiang Xi suddenly felt energized: "Master is right!"

Another hour passed, and Yi Sha, carrying the unconscious Jiang Xi, rushed to Shang Yuji's side, anxiously calling out, "Little girl! I don't know how he fainted. I'll take him to see Old Man Fang first!"

Before he could finish speaking, Yi Sha pushed off with his feet and instantly appeared several steps away, his voice fading into the distance: "Don't worry, those two old men can be saved—"

The speed was so fast that before she could react, Yi Sha had already carried Jiang Xi and disappeared from her sight: "..."

"Miss, would you like a car ready?"

Wang Si spoke up, and Shang Yuji quickly replied, "The sooner the better."

When Shang Yuji arrived at the clinic, the young apprentice led her to the medical room, where two elderly doctors stood by with strange expressions, watching the unconscious Jiang Xi.

Upon seeing her arrive, Yan Qing composed herself, straightened her demeanor, and coughed lightly, saying, "Young Master Jiang fainted because the Gu poison has taken effect."

What triggered it?

Previously, it was said that nothing would happen for one or two months, and that any flare-up would be caused by a trigger. But nothing has happened recently, so why would it flare up?

Shang Yuji looked at the three men with concern, but seeing that their expressions were not serious, but rather somewhat strange, she asked in confusion, "Doctors, is something wrong?"

"Oh dear!" Yan Qing clapped his hands suddenly, drawing everyone's attention away. "Given Shang Xiaoni's relationship with him, what can't be said? This Gu is activated by emotional impulses!"

Ah, love...

Wait, what does "being moved by emotion" mean?

Could it have been that night? No way...

Yan Qing thought that since she had already spoken, she should make it clear: "It must be that the Gu sensed its master's emotions and was stimulated to act up. If I'm not mistaken, young master, you are usually cold-natured, aren't you?"

"Yes," Shang Yuji replied.

Yan Qing nodded repeatedly: "So it is the internal heat caused by emotional arousal that allows the Gu worm to sense it and awaken."

"Will it have any...negative effects?"

"No, it's more likely to make him feel restless and aroused. In that sense, it does seem a bit like a love potion," Yan Qing pondered.

Fang Mu recalled the story his senior brother had told him, and combined it with what he had just said, he expanded on the topic, saying, "If the person who created the Gu was doing so to save her husband, it is not unreasonable to use love as a medium."

Yan Qing repeated: "Using affection as a matchmaker... to cure illness?"

"Junior brother, what exactly is the effect of this Gu?" Yan Qing became increasingly curious about the Gu, and directly asked Shang Yuji, "Little girl, since this seems to be a love Gu, remember to call me to take a look after you've dealt with that Jiang boy. Maybe I can figure out what this Gu is used for!"

Shang Yuji was already feeling guilty about what happened that night, and after being told this, she hurriedly called out, "Elder Yan!"

Even Fang Mu couldn't help but rebuke, "You disrespectful old man, aren't you getting more and more backward as you get older?"

That's right!

She secretly supported Dr. Fang in her heart.

"Hey! You're curious about what's going on between the young couple? You really don't know any boundaries!" Yi Sha chimed in from the side.

Shang Yuji was about to agree, but then she froze.

She suddenly turned to look at Senior Yi Sha... What do you mean by "intimate things between a young couple"?

Even Senior Yi, whom she had only known for a short time, viewed her relationship with Jiang Xi in this way.

"Alright," Fang Mu said, stopping the increasingly absurd situation. "Let's go out first. Miss Shang, stay in the infirmary and watch over Young Master Jiang. He's fine; he'll wake up once his temperature cools down. Don't worry, this Gu isn't harmful. However, if this situation happens again..."

He paused, then continued, "You can do something when Jiang Langjun is aroused... In short, this is a matter between the two of you, and it's not appropriate for us to say anything."

After saying that, Yan Qing sighed, "There's no need to be too hasty. If it really comes to that, what if this Gu is a life-for-life exchange? Don't rush things. Let's observe for a couple more days and then make a decision before discussing it further."

After smilingly seeing the three off, Shang Yuji angrily punched the air.

Disrespectful to elders! All three of them are disrespectful to their elders!!

Shang Yuji lay on the edge of the bed where Jiang Xi was lying, burying her head in her arms, her ears flushed pink, listening to the three of them talking softly.

"Jiang Langjun overworked his limbs, did you do this? There's no limit to how much you teach martial arts."

"His physique is truly born for martial arts; his resilience is simply incredible. I almost couldn't stop myself from attacking him."

"Didn't you force him to study?"

"I didn't. As soon as he heard me say that Shang Xiaoya would be happy if he learned well, he started practicing extra on his own. He wouldn't even rest when I told him to. Then he suddenly collapsed and I brought him here."

"Too much of a good thing is bad. You know how much Miss Shang means to him. What you're saying makes him..."

The rest of the conversation was too distant, so it was intermittent until it stopped.

Shang Yuji wrinkled her nose, lifted her head from his arm, slowly moved her palm, touched his palm and grasped it, squeezing his still fair and tender hand, and cursed under her breath.

What an idiot.

As dusk settled, a warm yellow light illuminated a corner of the room. Jiang Xi woke up and found her hand being held. Her fingers moved slightly, and the familiar touch recognized the owner of the hand first.

He turned his head to the side and saw Shang Yuji sleeping soundly by the bed. Jiang Xi stopped what he was doing, afraid of waking her up.

Soon after, Shang Yuji woke up to find him staring intently at her. She stood up and explained to him why she had fainted.

"What is 'emotion'?" Jiang Xi asked, puzzled.

Shang Yuji pondered, "It means we can't kiss, we can't lick, and we can't hug."

No! Absolutely not!

He quickly reached out his other hand and grasped her wrist, saying urgently, "Didn't you say that we can kiss once we're married? Let's get married and be husband and wife, okay?"

After saying that, Jiang Xi hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Are husband and wife... family? Will they always be together?"

"Yes, we will, but we can't get married yet," Shang Yuji replied quickly.

"Yunxiao—" Jiang Xi gently shook her hand, "Why can't I?"

Because Dr. Yan said you need to stay in the hospital to check on your condition.

Because he/she is not of legal marriage age in China.

Because everything has been moving too fast, and with so many things happening lately, she hasn't been able to sort out her feelings and future.

In short, there were many reasons, but when she tried to say them, she hesitated and stumbled. Her conscience was kicking her hard, and in the end, Shang Yuji surrendered to his gaze: "Listen to my excuses, no, listen to my explanations... Never mind, let me think about it some more."

Jiang Xi looked at her carefully, clenched her intertwined hands, and nodded, saying, "Yes, I'll listen to Yun Xiao's sophistry!"

Shang Yuji lowered her eyes, her fingers rubbing helplessly on the back of his hand. After a long while, or perhaps just a moment, her expression turned serious, and she said softly, "Marriage is not a game. Give me some more time to think about it, Jiang Haitian."

Although it is exhilarating to abandon trivial matters, shake off worries, and do whatever you want to pursue your passions, reality is always full of unseen and untouchable thorns that trap those trapped within them. A struggle will only result in a body full of wounds.

Moreover, this is Da'an, a Da'an that is turbulent and unstable in the later part of the book, and they are just a speck of dust among countless others.

At this moment, Aji seemed to exude a sense of sorrow. Jiang Xi lowered her eyes and then raised the corners of her lips, saying, "Ah... if you don't like it, then I don't want it either... don't be sad, okay?"

"Your smile looks bitter." Shang Yuji tapped the corner of his upturned lips with her free hand. "Don't worry, with you here, I won't be far away. How about this, I'll give you an answer when you've mastered martial arts, okay? Of course, don't put pressure on yourself, just practice naturally."

Jiang Xi wanted to bury his head in Aji's arms, but Aji said he couldn't hug him. He barely managed to suppress the urge to bury his head in Aji's arms. He was so eager that his eyes reddened. He smiled and said, "Yes! I... I will definitely become very good at it soon. And it won't be hard for me."

"Why are you crying?" Shang Yuji gently wiped away his tears and asked softly.

"Really, we can't hug?... Yunxiao, even if we're not married, not husband and wife, we're still family. Family is family, so we can hug, right?"

Her movements were gentle, but his tears fell even more, like beads falling from a string, unstoppable. Jiang Xi choked out, "I want to hold you, I want to hold you so much, I want to hold you, sob...hold you..."

Even with tears streaming down her face, her flawless beauty remained undiminished; she lost some of her glamour but gained even more purity.

Shang Yuji reached out and, taking advantage of the height difference between him sitting on the bed and her standing to the side, pressed his head directly into her waist. Fortunately, she wasn't wearing any waist ornaments today, so he didn't bump his head, which wasn't exactly intelligent to begin with.

He released his grip on Shang Yuji's wrist and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.

She looked down at the soft flesh of his cheek where their faces were touching, her right hand stroking the back of his neck, causing his smooth, flowing hair to flutter slightly. Shang Yuji sighed softly:

"There was clearly no other choice..."

She will eventually marry him; it's just a matter of time.