Chapter 30 She only felt disgust

In the bedroom of Chong'an Hall.

The rising steam filled the room, obscuring Xue Lanyi's expression.

She sat in the bathtub, and only then did she dare to relax a little.

very tired.

Every moment spent with Wei Zhang was exhausting.

She drooped her eyelids wearily, numbly wiping away the marks on her body that she could never remove.

After an unknown amount of time, there was a knock on the door.

"Auntie, Miss Ayin has arrived."

Xue Lanyi's eyes brightened slightly, and the corners of her mouth twitched upwards, but she dared not laugh, afraid that someone would notice something amiss.

Actually, when she was making love with Wei Zhang last night, she deliberately led him to touch that wound.

The bleeding from the wound, coupled with the near fall earlier that morning, prompted Wei Zhang to take the initiative to seek a doctor.

But she didn't dare to directly ask Ah Yin for help.

Therefore, he only asked for a doctor he knew from the Duke's mansion to come over.

There weren't many women in the Duke's mansion, so naturally there were few female doctors as well. Fortunately, Xue Lanyi made the right bet, and Qingyang invited A Yin.

"Please, Ayin..." Xue Lanyi swallowed the joy in her throat, "I'd like to trouble Miss Ayin to come inside and take a look at my injury."

"Alright, then Ah Yin was rude. Please forgive me, Auntie." Ah Yin curtsied to the window and pushed open the door to enter.

After passing the screen and entering the inner room, I immediately saw large patches of red on Xue Lanyi's shoulders and neck, with blood spots covering her delicate skin.

"Auntie, this is..."

Ah Yin quickly stepped forward and noticed that the areas she was wiping the broken skin were where the man had left purple marks.

Ayn understood that she was not in control of her own destiny.

She paused for a moment and said, "If the young master asks, I can say that I gave you a gua sha treatment."

Ayin was worried that Wei Zhang would notice something amiss with Xue Lanyi's broken skin and make things difficult for her, so she helped her come up with an excuse.

Xue Lanyi had spoken with Ayin several times and knew that she was truly kind and a trustworthy person.

Perhaps she could help her find out some information, so that Xue Lanyi wouldn't be trapped in the courtyard, deaf and blind.

Xue Lanyi remained calm and rubbed her temples. "I've been having a persistent headache lately, it comes and goes, and it's really getting unbearable right now. Do you have any way to relieve it, young lady?"

"This is a feeling of emptiness in the head, which may be caused by qi deficiency. Auntie, tilt your head back slightly and I will massage you for a bit to temporarily relieve the pain."

Ayin rolled up her sleeves and squatted down beside the bathtub, massaging Xue Lanyi's temples.

Xue Lanyi did not close her eyes, but kept looking up at her.

The two stood an arm's length apart, gazing at each other through the ever-changing fog.

Xue Lanyi saw the compassion of a healer in her relaxed eyes and brows.

Xue Lanyi vaguely recognized that face, which radiated love for all living beings like Guanyin, on the face of an old friend.

She suddenly reached out and touched the agate beads on Ah Yin's wrist. "Ah Yin's beads are so beautiful. Where did you buy them?"

Ah Yin immediately withdrew her hand defensively, carefully hiding the agate in her sleeve, saying, "It was a gift from someone else."

"Given by Zhou Yu, the heir of the Zhou family?"

Xue Lanyi's words left A Yin stunned.

Xue Lanyi scooped up a ladle of water and slowly poured it into the bathtub. Taking advantage of the splashing water, she asked, "Your real name is Su Yin, right? You are the daughter of the second branch of the Zhou family, a family of doctors with a history of over a hundred years, are you?"

Ah Yin's eyes darted around, "Auntie has mistaken you for someone else."

“One year during the Flower Festival, your cousin Zhou Yu gave you a string of agate beads on behalf of Princess Zhaoyang. He also conveyed Princess Zhaoyang’s message, saying: ‘Your appearance is like a lotus emerging from the water. We would like to invite you to play the role of the lotus flower goddess at the palace banquet and toast the emperor with the princess.’”

"How did Auntie know?" Ah Yin blurted out.

Xue Lanyi became even more certain of her identity.

This girl, Su Yin, was actually born to Zhou Yu's aunt and a scholar who eloped. Later, the aunt passed away, and the scholar remarried.

Having nowhere else to turn, Su Yin sought refuge with the Zhou family.

At that time, the Zhou family disliked the mother and daughter for bringing shame to the family and had long removed the aunt from the family genealogy. Naturally, Su Yin could not be included in the genealogy, could not appear in front of outsiders, and could not learn the Zhou family's medical skills.

Seeing that his cousin was pitiful and often bullied by her brothers and sisters, Zhou Yu asked Xue Lanyi to bring Su Yin to the Emperor's attention and even gave her a string of agate in the name of Princess Zhaoyang.

In reality, she was using the names of the Emperor and Princess Zhaoyang to protect her peace.

Xue Lanyi and Su Yin had met once during the Flower Festival.

However, Su Yin was timid and cowardly at that time, and always hid behind Zhou Yu, not daring to raise her head. She probably didn't see Xue Lanyi's appearance clearly, which is why she didn't recognize her even though they were facing each other.

Xue Lanyi had asked her to give her a massage just now, precisely to test whether her techniques had been passed down to Zhou Yu.

Because the Zhou family forbade Su Yin from studying medicine, all her medical skills were taught to her by Zhou Yu.

Xue Lanyi was very familiar with Zhou Yu, so she could easily tell the truth after a test.

“Ayin, look at me again.” Xue Lanyi faced her.

Su Yin's gaze wavered, but Xue Lanyi's resolute expression gave her strength.

Her breathing steadied a little, and as she looked more closely, a vague impression formed in her mind. She exclaimed incredulously, "You...you're my cousin's friend, Zhaoyang..."

Su Yin didn't dare say a word more, staring blankly at Xue Lanyi, her breathing uneven.

“I am Zhou Yu’s friend,” Xue Lanyi said.

The name "Zhou Yu" finally calmed Su Yin down.

When the Zhou family mansion collapsed, she was not included in the family genealogy and thus escaped the calamity. Later, she went into hiding and practiced medicine in a clinic, and only survived by using the medical skills that Zhou Yu taught her.

Thinking about this, she recalled seeing Zhou Yu's severed finger from afar at the banquet at the Duke's mansion a few days ago.

She was overcome with emotion and her eyes turned red.

Xue Lanyi understood her feelings. Thinking of the prematurely aged man in purple she had seen not long ago, she was also filled with mixed emotions.

The two remained silent for a moment, grieving.

Having experienced the catastrophe of the Zhou family's downfall, Su Yin was no longer the cousin who could only rely on Zhou Yu.

She became much more resilient, quickly sniffed, and composed herself. "No wonder my cousin sent a message asking me to take good care of my aunt."

It turns out that the daily tonic soup was Zhou Yu's idea.

It could also be Wei Xuan's intention.

It's highly likely that Wei Xuan was secretly caring for Xue Lanyi while she was suffering from amnesia.

Xue Lanyi felt a pang of sadness and grasped Su Yin's wrist. "I have a favor to ask of you, it might be a little dangerous..."

"It's alright, Aunt... The princess has been kind to me, so please just tell me what you need."

Su Yin did not hesitate.

“Just call me Auntie.” Xue Lanyi shook her head self-deprecatingly. “When you go to Qutan Temple, please ask the abbot one question: Is the peace charm I prayed for a few days ago still blessed by Buddha?”

Su Yin nodded. It wasn't a difficult task. "I'll get the Blood Spirit Mushroom for the Old Madam later and head to Qutan Temple. It's nothing, Auntie, don't worry."

"Is the old lady able to take her medicine now?"

"Yes, the old lady has woken up. After taking the Blood Spirit Mushroom for a few more days, she will be able to move around freely and return to the mansion."

Su Yin's words gave Xue Lanyi a glimmer of hope.

Besides her, who else in this world would want Wei Xuan to live?

Xue Lanyi's gloomy heart finally eased, and a ray of light appeared in her eyes. "May I ask one more question? As for Ah Xuan... could you have gotten any information?"

Even the slightest bit of news is good.

Su Yin met her expectant gaze, opened her mouth, and after a moment said, "Okay."

The doctor in charge of treating Wei Xuan, Zhang Yongxiao, was also the resident doctor and owner of Yongchuntang.

He is also Su Yin's husband.

She overheard him mentioning news about the old mansion when he was drunk; the eldest son's situation wasn't too good.

Su Yin didn't dare to say anything serious, so she just said some nice things to comfort Xue Lanyi: "The young master is fine for now, but he lost too much blood and needs to rest."

Xue Lanyi knew in her heart that Su Yin's words were embellished.

Even if that sword didn't pierce Wei Xuan's heart that day, it must have damaged his heart meridian, and one can imagine how much blood he would bleed.

"If it's convenient, please trouble you to add some tonic sweet soup for Ah Xuan."

Xue Lanyi knew that even if Wei Zhang kept A Xuan alive, it would only be keeping him alive by a thread.

Wei Zhang wouldn't really let him get away unscathed, let alone properly recuperate him.

If things continue like this, I'm afraid he won't live to see the day Xue Lanyi rescues him.

"I wouldn't dare to make things difficult for Miss Ayin. If it doesn't work out, there's no need to force it." Xue Lanyi knew that she was being somewhat unreasonable.

Su Yin didn't feel embarrassed at all. "Don't worry, Auntie. My husband brewed and delivered all the medicine for the eldest young master. It's just a matter of adding some Ganoderma lucidum and ginseng, it won't hurt."

"It's best to just pour the tonic soup into the medicine pot and not leave any dregs."

Xue Lanyi was genuinely worried that if she left behind any evidence, it would lead to another bloody storm.

Su Yin understood Xue Lanyi's intentions and nodded, "I know my limits, Aunt, please don't worry too much."

Su Yin noticed that Xue Lanyi looked even thinner than the last time she saw her.

She was already as thin as a paper doll, and now she's burdened with physical and emotional wounds. If this continues, I'm afraid it will become too late to reverse the damage.

Su Yin hesitated for a long time before opening and closing her lips, "Auntie's bed injury has been delayed for too long. The medicine must be applied every day, otherwise it will damage the uterus and make it difficult to heal."

Su Yin knew perfectly well the methods for treating this ailment, and also knew how disgusting it was to do that kind of thing with someone you disliked.

But ultimately, one shouldn't risk their life for someone they dislike.

"Auntie, please take good care of yourself. It's best to stay alive while you're still healthy."

"Thank you for the pointers."

Xue Lanyi nodded in acknowledgment. The thought of having to share a bed with Wei Zhang again tonight, their bodies touching, inevitably brought her a pang of sorrow, and she couldn't bring herself to say anything else.

Su Yin could not linger any longer, so she curtsied and said goodbye, "I'll go take care of what Auntie asked me to do now. Take care, Auntie."

"Thank you for your trouble," Xue Lanyi said hesitantly.

As Su Yin reached the door, Xue Lanyi suddenly remembered something, "Miss Yin, does the Blood Spirit Mushroom also have a miraculous effect on my injuries?"

"Blood Ganoderma is an excellent tonic for replenishing qi and nourishing blood, that's for sure."

Xue Lanyi suffered from chronic illnesses for many years, and the blood-ganoderma lucidum was indeed of great benefit to her.

However, this plant is precious, and there are only three in the entire Duke Zhenguo's mansion, enough only to treat the old lady's illness.

“There’s only one plant left, and the Old Madam needs it today. Please forgive me, Auntie.” Su Yin curtsied.

"Leave this blood-red Ganoderma lucidum to me."

"this……"

"When the old lady asked, the girl said: Aunt Xue was unwell and used the medicine." Xue Lanyi's attitude was firm.

Su Yin looked troubled. "This... why would Auntie want to attract the old lady's attention?"

The old lady is a competitive person. If she finds out that someone else has taken her medicinal herbs, she will probably not let it go. Even if she suffers a stroke, she will definitely rush back day and night to demand justice.

Xue Lanyi doesn't seem like the type to cause trouble, so why bother?

Su Yin didn't understand what she meant, but Xue Lanyi insisted.

Since this was ultimately a family matter of the Duke's mansion, she didn't press further and nodded in farewell.

After leaving the Duke's mansion empty-handed, Su Yin still felt uneasy and absentmindedly walked through the back alley.

"Ah Yin!"

A familiar yet unfamiliar voice sounded from behind.

Su Yin's eyes suddenly stung with tears, and she stood frozen in place, her emotions settling for a long time.

Once his expression regained its coolness, he turned around, curtsied, and greeted his cousin.

"It's been a long time." Su Yin looked up at the young man in purple standing in the shadows of the alley.

Zhou Yu also looked at her.

The two were five steps apart, one in the sunlight, the other in a back alley.

Zhou Yu did not step forward, but politely returned the greeting with his hands clasped, "It's been four years, how have you been?"

"That's fine," Su Yin said.

The two gazed at each other from afar, and then fell silent again.

Finally, Zhou Yu looked away and said, "Don't concern yourself with the affairs of the eldest son of the Wei family and Princess Zhaoyang."

"So that's why my cousin came." A hint of sadness flashed in Su Yin's eyes, and her voice was very soft.

A carriage just passed between the two of them.

Zhou Yu, not noticing the beauty's expression, continued, "When Xuan-ge entered the manor, he was already prepared to die. It was his own choice, and no one else is to blame. You'd better just mind your own business."

Su Yin was surprised.

In her memory, Zhou Yu was the one who always stood up for the underdog.

She never expected that after four years of not speaking to each other, he would utter such cold words.

He was no longer the chivalrous young man she knew.

Su Yin shook her head. "I will help Princess Zhaoyang to the end."

Not for any other reason than the sentiment behind that string of agate beads.

Those agate beads had saved Su Yin from many humiliations in her childhood, and she should repay that kindness.

Su Yin didn't want to discuss it further and knelt down to leave.

Zhou Yu then stepped forward and stopped her, saying, "Wei Zhang is all-powerful. You will have no good end if you go against him. Don't mess with him!"

"This is my own business, and my cousin has no right to interfere."

"I am your elder brother, how can I not discipline you?"

"Su Yin is already a member of the Zhang family!"

Su Yin and he continued their conversation, but both fell silent after the last sentence.

Standing at the closest distance they'd been in four years, Su Yin's eyes were filled with nothing but daggers.

Zhou Yu choked up, all the words she had prepared beforehand stuck in her throat.

The saying goes that a woman follows her husband after marriage, so it seems that Zhou Yu really can't interfere with her anymore.

He chuckled lightly, a self-deprecating laugh that was barely perceptible.

After a short while, they slowly made way.

Su Yin lowered her eyelashes and walked away.

"Be careful in everything you do." A gentle voice came from behind. "Protecting yourself is the most important thing."

Zhou Yu's breath brushed against her ear.

The image of him handing her the herbs in the empty medicine room flashed through his mind, and whispering beside her, "This medicine is called 'Joy at First Sight'."

I was delighted at first sight.

Su Yin's hand, hidden in her sleeve, trembled. Her fingertips clenched into her palm, suppressing the ripples of emotion that were about to spill from her throat: "Do you think everyone is as useless as you?"

Su Yin scoffed coldly, then walked away without looking back.

Under the shade of a tree in the distance, a middle-aged man with a goatee walked towards them and put his arm around the girl's slender waist.

The two were talking about something, and the man's rough hands were stroking the girl's waist. The girl blushed and gently pushed him away, as if she wanted to refuse but also wanted to. They walked away side by side.

Zhou Yu subconsciously took a step forward, but after a moment, he silently retreated back into the shadows, his weary eyes watching the girl in white disappear into the distance.

A lingering medicinal fragrance lingered as he looked down and saw an embroidered handkerchief lying at his feet, embroidered with the words "Auspicious Flowers at First Sight."

His eyes suddenly stung with tears. He bent down to pick up the embroidered handkerchief, but because he was missing his index and middle fingers, he could no longer pick up the flower.

Although the thumb and little finger are still there, the meridians are damaged, and they tremble violently.

He tried many times, but the embroidered handkerchief was picked up and dropped again, picked up and dropped again, going through many twists and turns, until the handkerchief was covered in mud.

Better not to touch it, better not to pick it up...