Chapter 106: Precognitive Dream (Qin Lie)

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Since returning home that day, Lingyi has been restless and anxious all day long.

She wanted to see the Fifteenth Princess; she had so much to say and so many questions to ask, but she could do nothing.

Whether it was her or Granny Zhao or Pearl leaving the mansion, Qin Xiaoshan would send someone to follow them.

The Fifteenth Princess is devoted to healing the sick and saving lives, and Lingyi would never expose her identity because of her. Besides, there are still grudges between the Qin and Liu families. The Qin family only reluctantly accepted her because of Huan'er, and they still can't suppress their resentment. As for the Fifteenth Princess... Lingyi dares not take the risk.

It is said that this Wang Daliang travels around practicing medicine, never settling down in one place.

The Prince's residence had its own doctors, so she had no proper reason to seek medical advice.

Lingyi was afraid that before she could come up with a solution, the Fifteenth Princess would have already left.

She could only casually mention Wang Daliang when chatting with Zhen.

Madam Zhen did not realize her intention, but did not respond. Lingyi was so anxious that she almost got blisters on her lips. Fortunately, more than half a month later, Madam Zhen took the initiative to bring up this miracle doctor with her again.

It turned out that ever since her miscarriage, Ms. Zhen would feel cold all over and have lower abdominal pain every time she had her period. This time, she didn't have much hope, but after taking a few doses of medicine, she didn't expect that the pain would be much less during her period.

Lingyi dug her nails into her palms to keep her voice calm, “Why not invite him into the manor in my name? With the general not here, apart from my second sister-in-law, no one will care whether I am sick or not. You can just come to Hanmoxuan then.”

Madam Zhen exclaimed happily, "That would be perfect!"

Lingyi pondered and waited, and finally the day arrived when the "miracle doctor" entered the mansion. The old woman at the hanging flower gate brought him directly to the Hanmo Pavilion.

From afar, she recognized at a glance that the old woman carrying the medicine box was none other than Aunt Liu Cui.

She truly admired herself; despite her own inner turmoil, she had managed to calmly dismiss everyone else one by one.

Once the three of them were alone in the room, Aunt Liu Cui smiled through her tears and asked, "Was that Huan'er in the courtyard just now? His features are exactly the same as yours when you were little. I recognized him at a glance."

Lingyi nodded, "He would normally be asleep by this time, but I wanted you to see him, so I kept him here until now."

Aunt Liu Cui exclaimed with a mixture of joy and love, "How wonderful! My little Lingyi is already a mother!"

One sentence brought tears to Lingyi's eyes. The Fifteenth Princess said, "We still have important things to do. If you cry any more, your eyes will get swollen."

Aunt Liu Cui wiped away Lingyi's tears, "Yes, it's a blessing from heaven that we can see each other again. There's nothing happier than this. You mustn't cry anymore!"

Lingyi managed to stop her tears and asked about their experiences along the way. She had only said a few words when Zhen Shi rushed over anxiously, so she had to stop.

Fortunately, Mrs. Zhen was determined to try again and would strictly follow the doctor's orders.

The medication must be taken daily. Initially, acupuncture and medicated baths should be done once every ten days, then once every half month, once a month, until once every three months.

Lingyi was very happy, not only because she could see the Fifteenth Princess and Aunt Liucui from time to time, but also because since she had agreed to treat Zhen Shi, they would not leave for the time being.

Although their meetings were never long, with each visit to the mansion, they learned about each other's experiences after their separation.

Lingyi's journey was far from smooth, but she was at least well-fed and clothed. When she heard that the Fifteenth Princess and her companions were starving and had to flee overnight because they had offended someone, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

The fifteenth princess said, “The more I see along the way, the more I realize that I was truly unaware of the vastness of the world and that I had been too arrogant. I have resolved to travel all over the country, combining the medical records of the Imperial Hospital with folk remedies from various places, to diagnose the myriad diseases of the world. If I gain some knowledge in the future, I may be able to compile a medical book and truly fulfill my mother’s last wish.”

Lingyi then smiled again.

She wasn't the only one listening to those experiences along the way.

The acupuncture lasted for more than half an hour, and the medicinal bath took even longer. Gradually, Zhen became familiar with them.

Aunt Liu Cui came from a brothel in Jiangnan and had served in the palace. In recent years, she had also traveled among the common people. Dealing with a high-ranking official's wife like Madam Zhen was a piece of cake for her. Moreover, her experiences along the way were enough to amaze Madam Zhen. The Fifteenth Princess remained as taciturn as ever, rarely speaking. But because of this, Madam Zhen felt even more that she was a remarkable and extraordinary person.

The Zhen family not only supported them in Jizhou, but also provided them with a very generous consultation fee.

However, these consultation fees are still a drop in the bucket compared to the medicinal herbs they usually distribute.

Lingyi would also secretly give them money to help them out. The Fifteenth Princess and Aunt Liu Cui were not polite to her. Many of the heavy gold hairpins and rings that Qin Lie gave her ended up as medicine for the poor.

Looking at the Fifteenth Princess and her companion, their clothes were still patched.

As a result, Zhen Shi respected "Wang Daliang" even more. Even though the Fifteenth Princess told her that she was not such a compassionate person, but just did not care about her appearance, she still thought that the divine doctor was a kind-hearted physician.

Lingyi knew that her fifteenth sister loved cleanliness and quiet. The first thing she did after receiving the money was to book the entire first-class room in the inn. Apart from bringing up a few buckets of hot water every day, she did not allow anyone to disturb her at other times.

Although they could not be together every day, Lingyi had never had such a joyful day since she got married.

Her family and children were all by her side, as was Zhen Shi, who could be considered her friend. The two of them discussed things all day long, and apart from the identities of the Fifteenth Princess and the others, they talked about almost everything.

Even her biggest worry, getting pregnant again, was no longer a problem because she had obtained some more pills from the Fifteenth Princess.

However, Qin Lie was gone for quite a long time this time, and he still hadn't returned even after the first snow fell in Jizhou.

The letter home continued to arrive every two weeks, but it made no mention of the return trip. Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief.

If only he could stay away fighting all the time.

Looking at the heavy snow falling outside, Lingyi thought to herself.

Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. Before the snow had even stopped, news came that Qin Lie had been poisoned by an arrow and was in critical condition. It was also said that he couldn't even make it back to Jizhou and was currently recuperating in Huangzhou.

Lingyi didn't want him to come back, and she didn't want anything to happen to him.

Having lived in the Prince's residence for so long, she had already witnessed the scheming and infighting among the Prince of Dingbei's concubines, not to mention Qin Lie's half-brothers, who were like hungry wolves vying for power, each with their own methods. The Princess Consort was utterly foolish; her ability to secure her position as Princess Consort was not solely due to the Prince of Dingbei's sentimentality, but rather because her two sons, one a scholar and the other a warrior, were unshakeable.

The Qin family has made its name through military achievements. If something were to happen to Qin Lie, Qin Xu alone would not be able to support the two branches of the family.

Therefore, when the Prince's Palace arranged for someone to go to Huangzhou, Lingyi volunteered without hesitation.

For Huan'er's sake, and for her own, she had no choice but to go.

The old lady and Qin Xu originally wanted to go too, but they were in poor health and it was freezing cold outside, so how could they dare to let them go with them?

It was finally decided that Granny Qian would go and take care of Qin Lie in place of the old lady.

The two boarded the carriage, with Qin Xiaoshan and his attendants accompanying them as they set off into the snow.

From Jizhou to Huangzhou, if they traveled at full speed, it would take less than three days. If they traveled by carriage and rested less along the way, it would only take five or six days. However, they did not expect that the snow would not stop along the way, but would instead fall heavier and heavier. After eight days, they had not only failed to reach Huangzhou, but the snow on the road had also covered the wheels, and the carriage could no longer move.

Such a rare snowstorm, unseen for several years, made it nearly impossible for even ordinary horses, let alone carriages, to move.

The servants, who had fallen silent, all had ice beads clinging to their eyelashes. A gust of wind blew by, and their mouths and faces were covered in snow, their heads and bodies frozen solid, leaving them all looking disheveled.

They were all seasoned veterans, and yet they were like this. Although the women in the carriage were not exposed to the strong winds, traveling on such a day was like being in an ice cellar. They had their own hardships, but no one complained.

Although Qin Xiaoshan was worried about Qin Lie, he couldn't ignore the health of Lingyi and Granny Qian. Besides, they weren't doctors, and going there would only put his mind at ease, not really help Qin Lie's safety. So he suggested that the group stay at the post station they had just passed and continue their journey after the snow stopped.

Although Granny Qian was extremely anxious, she had no choice but to agree when she saw the situation.

Before leaving, Lingyi specifically sought out the Fifteenth Princess for life-saving pills, fearing that even a moment's delay would cost Qin Lie his life. Coincidentally, Qin Xiaoshan's horse was a famous steed from beyond the Great Wall, tall and resistant to cold and frost, not greatly affected by wind and snow, so she wanted Qin Xiaoshan to take her there.

Granny Qian advised her worriedly, "This old servant knows that the Third Young Mistress is worried, but the wind and snow are too heavy and the roads are difficult to travel. It's better to wait here. The Third Young Master is a lucky man, so it won't matter if we go a few days later. Riding a horse means braving the wind and cold without any shelter. I'm afraid that the Third Young Master will fall ill before we even see him. If something happens to him, what about the young master at home? What will the Third Young Mistress do then?"

Lingyi knew that Granny Qian meant well, and even her last sentence was quite blunt, but once she had made up her mind, she would not be easily persuaded.

Qin Xiaoshan had decided to stay at the post station for their sake, and when he heard that Lingyi was willing to go there herself, he had no reason to refuse.

After tidying up, the two rode together on a horse towards Huangzhou.

When Lingyi first mounted the horse, she thought she could bear the wind and snow, but when Qin Xiaoshan spurred the horse and galloped away, Lingyi realized that she had overestimated herself.

The howling north wind seemed determined to blow her off her horse. She had to grab onto Qin Xiaoshan to steady herself, so she didn't bother to pull her cloak tighter around her. Besides, even if she could pull the cloak tighter, the biting cold wind would still seep up from her feet, and she unconsciously began to chatter, her teeth chattering.

Qin Xiaoshan spoke with concern, "Madam..."

Lingyi understood what he meant and gritted her teeth, saying, "Just keep going and don't worry about me."

This brief sentence was mostly swallowed up by the wind and snow, leaving her with a mouthful of snow. Not to mention the snowflakes hitting her face, as if they wanted to pound dents into her skin.

However, my face soon became numb from the cold and I no longer felt any pain.

As expected of a famous steed from beyond the Great Wall, Xue Shangfei arrived in Huangzhou in less than two hours, a journey that was originally expected to take more than half a day by carriage.

The further south you go, the less snow falls. By the time you reach Huangzhou Prefecture, apart from the compacted snow on the official road, there isn't a single snowflake in the sky.

Lingyi dismounted and could barely stand, only then realizing that she had lost all feeling in her feet.

Ignoring all that, she was helped by her maid and limped into the room, where she saw Qin Lie lying on the bed. The smell of medicine in the room couldn't mask the stench of blood, but his face and lips were completely bloodless, and his eyes were tightly closed, leaving her wondering whether he was asleep or unconscious.

That would be best, to avoid him asking about the origin of the life-saving pill. Lingyi dismissed the others before sitting down by the bedside and taking out the pill to feed Qin Lie. However, even if she pried open Qin Lie's mouth, he wouldn't swallow while asleep. Saving his life was the priority, so Lingyi had no choice but to put the pill in her own mouth and lean down to feed it to him.

But before she could even touch him, she was pushed away.

She steadied herself on the bed, then turned her head to meet Qin Lie's dark and gloomy eyes.

Lingyi was stunned; she found it hard to describe the look in his eyes at that moment.

It was as if an endless, dark sea was hidden within, swallowing all light and leaving only a deathly stillness.

She focused intently, trying to see more clearly, but the next moment, he expressionlessly looked away.

"General..." Ling Yi composed herself and tried to explain her purpose, but he ignored her and only called out, "Qin Xiaoshan!"

Qin Xiaoshan immediately entered and bowed respectfully, "General."

"Send her away, far, far away." Qin Lie's tone was weary but resolute. "I never want to see her again in this lifetime."

There were only three people in the room, and it was self-evident who this "she" was.

Qin Xiaoshan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the unmoving princess before lowering his head again.

Qin Lie coldly retorted, "What? Just because I'm slightly injured, I can't order you around anymore?"

Qin Xiaoshan was in a dilemma. He would obey Qin Lie in everything else, and he would not hesitate to kill himself if asked to do so.

But since it concerned the princess, and the master himself had gone back and forth countless times, how could he dare to act rashly?

He hesitated to make a move, and Qin Lie was about to get angry when Ling Yi stood up first. "You don't need to see me off. I can go by myself. But before I leave, there is one thing I need to ask clearly."

She looked down at him coldly, "The general said he never wants to see me again in this life. Does that mean he wants a divorce?"

Qin Lie frowned, closed his eyes, and his chest heaved rapidly, but he neither answered nor looked at her.

Lingyi pressed further: "Or is it that the general actually wants to divorce his wife?"