Chapter 46 "Do you want to do it?"...

As dusk deepened, Baili Xunzhou and his group descended the mountain under the glow of the setting sun, hoping to hurry on their journey and arrive in Yunzhong County before midnight.

Fortunately, Feng Mian had brought several extra carriages with him to carry supplies, which was enough to accommodate all the extra people on the return trip. The people sat huddled together in the carriages, and although it was a bit cramped, no one complained, and everyone felt a rare sense of peace.

Exhausted, the people, amidst the rumbling and slight swaying of the carriage, fell asleep head to head, filled with anticipation.

When they wake up again, they will find themselves in a peaceful and tranquil place, free from fear.

Inside the carriage at the front, the warm yellow candlelight flickered, casting several shadowy figures.

Feng Mian placed her hand on Yuan Jixue's leg, letting her take her pulse, and explained somewhat embarrassedly, "I didn't come to ask you to take my pulse, you're still sick..." But as soon as she got into the carriage, she grabbed her hand, and she didn't even have time to refuse.

Yuan Jixue leaned against the car wall with her eyes closed, her cheeks pale and bloodless, her pale lips parting slightly as she said, "I know. It's a doctor's instinct; how could I bear to ignore you when you're like this?"

“My illness does not affect my ability to take a pulse, so Your Highness need not worry.”

Even though she was so sick, Yuan Jixue still insisted on not letting any patient go. She truly loved medicine and respected the medical profession.

Liu Ying and Wu Liu watched anxiously as Yuan Jixue took her pulse for a long time, and couldn't help but ask, "How is her pulse?"

Could it be that the princess only appears to be healthy, but actually has internal injuries?

Yuan Jixue paused for a moment before saying, "It's nothing, no need for medicine. Just let the external injury heal and replenish your blood and energy, and you'll be fine."

Hearing her shortness of breath, Feng Mian knew she was somewhat exhausted, and quickly glanced at Liu Ying.

Firefly was prepared; she brought over a cup of ginseng tea and looked at her expectantly, "Can you drink ginseng tea?"

She only knew that ginseng tea had the effect of replenishing qi and refreshing the mind, so she prepared it in advance, but she didn't know if Yuan Jixue could use it now.

Wu Liu: "If that doesn't work, just tell us what you need."

Because the princess was in poor health, they always kept some tonics and herbs in their carriage.

Yuan Jixue nodded, indicating that she could drink it. Just as she was about to reach out and take the teacup, she saw Liuying directly hold the ginseng tea to her lips, as if she were going to feed her.

Yuan Jixue, who had never been fed by anyone since childhood, was stunned for a moment. Before she could react, Liu Ying urged her, "Miss Yuan, drink it quickly. I've tested the temperature, it's not too hot."

She opened her mouth in a daze, and Liu Ying tilted the cup slightly, allowing the ginseng tea to slowly flow into her mouth, a warm current spreading from her throat to her limbs and bones.

Liu Ying fed her with utmost care and attention, not spilling a single drop of ginseng tea. After Yuan Jixue finished her cup of tea, Liu Ying immediately took out a plain silk handkerchief and wiped her lips.

“Miss Yuan, just tell us what you need,” Liu Ying said, placing the empty cup on the table. “You are a patient, so please don’t overwork yourself.”

Yuan Jixue wanted to say that she was already used to it. From childhood to adulthood, she had always endured illness alone, and she took care of all the trivial matters such as decocting and taking medicine by herself.

That feeling was unpleasant, so she always tried her best to avoid getting sick. Being alone on ordinary days wasn't so bad, but when you're sick, you're incredibly vulnerable, and the loneliness is a hundred times greater than usual; she didn't like that feeling.

This was the first time someone had taken care of her while she was sick, telling her not to do anything.

Yuan Jixue suddenly felt her eyes getting hot, and couldn't help but smile gently at Liu Ying, "Thank you."

"Oh, it was nothing, no need to thank me, no need at all..." Liu Ying waved her hand awkwardly.

When she saw Yuan Jixue again, all the grudges she had held in her heart had long since vanished. She only remembered that the princess, like her, thought Yuan Jixue was a good girl.

Seeing a good girl being driven to this state by her family, she felt a pang of heartache.

"Alright, please don't stand on ceremony anymore. Until Miss Yuan recovers, Liu Ying will take care of you. Saying 'thank you' once is enough," Feng Mian said with a smile.

Liu Ying nodded in agreement, but Yuan Jixue showed a hint of hesitation on her face.

She only wanted to stay with the team until they reached the outskirts of Yunzhong County, and see that the children had arrived safely. She didn't want to go back to the Yuan family; she still had to leave.

Seeing her hesitation, Feng Mian brought up her main point, "The reason I asked you to come here is actually to ask you to stay in Yunzhong County."

Yuan Jixue looked up at Feng Mian in surprise, utterly puzzled: "Keep me here?"

She paused, still unable to pretend that what had happened had never occurred. Her hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tightly until her knuckles turned white, and she spoke with difficulty, "Has the princess forgotten so quickly that I drugged His Highness?"

Several days later, she still found it difficult to bring up the matter again, especially in front of more than one person. It felt like tearing off her face and stomping on it. But after she said it, she felt the heavy weight on her heart lighten a bit.

"Of course I haven't forgotten."

Hearing Feng Mian say this, Yuan Jixue felt even more bitter.

“But I know that you are just trying to carve out a way out for yourself.” Feng Mian gently held Yuan Jixue’s slightly cool hand. “You are clearly a very proud person. You must have had a very hard time these years, which is why you are going all out in this moment of despair, taking risks and using the methods you despise the most.”

Yuan Jixue opened her lips bitterly, her voice hoarse: "Wanting to marry a man to change your fate, in the princess's eyes, must seem ridiculous..."

“I don’t find it laughable,” Feng Mian replied firmly. “You’ve used every means at your disposal, so how can you be blamed?”

Yuan Jixue's eyes trembled, and the tears that had been welling up in her eyes suddenly burst forth, leaving faint stains on her plain clothes.

The tears, light as if weightless, carried away the unspeakable bitterness, shame, and struggle she had endured over the years. Like a gentle breeze leaving no trace, the water stains on her clothes dried quickly, as did those in her heart.

"I hope this matter can be put aside and we don't have to mention it again." Feng Mianjian raised her hand and wiped Yuan Jixue's slightly cool cheek with a plain handkerchief. "Besides getting married, you have many other paths to take."

When the handkerchief was removed, Yuan Jixue met Feng Mian's eyes. There was no pity, no charity, only solemn equality in them.

"I would like to ask you to stay in Yunzhong County and serve as a female physician. Throughout history, epidemics have often accompanied disasters. There are not many doctors in the Northern Frontier, and those with profound medical skills are even rarer. I would like to ask you to take charge and take good care of the disaster victims and prevent the spread of epidemics."

"Me?" Yuan Jixue's instinctive reaction was to refuse. "I can't do it. I've seen very few patients and have never had the experience of being a resident doctor. The doctors in the clinic look down on women practicing medicine..."

Feng Mian interrupted her incessant self-doubt, his gaze sharp as he asked directly, "Do you want to do it?"

Yuan Jixue paused, remained silent for a long while, then the candle wick popped open, illuminating the glimmer of longing in her eyes. She nodded gently and said a single word: "Yes."

"As long as you want it, as long as I'm here, there's nothing you can't do," Feng Mian said with a sudden smile, her eyes slightly raised, her expression full of certainty.

Yuan Jixue felt her blood burning, an overwhelming excitement churning within her. She instinctively pressed her hand to her chest, afraid her wildly beating heart would leap out. An uncontrollable smile spread across her lips, a deep and light joy on her face.

“However…” she suddenly added, as if remembering something, “I have one more condition.”

"Don't even mention one condition, even a hundred conditions, I'll grant your request," Feng Mian joked slyly.

Her attitude gave Yuan Jixue more confidence. "I want to sever all ties with the Yuan family."

“Alright, I’ll summon the prefect when I get back and have him handle it for you personally.” Feng Mian agreed decisively, as if she were talking about something as mundane as what to eat tomorrow.

Their eyes met, and they both laughed at the same time.

All that has passed has vanished like clouds; only from now on can we begin a new life.

As the night deepened and the dew grew heavy, the long streets of Yunzhong County were bathed in moonlight, eerily quiet, with only the sound of wheels rolling over the bluestone slabs being particularly clear.

The carriage carrying Feng Mian turned towards the Prince's Mansion. Baili Xunzhou rode forward a few steps to protect the slowly coming to a stop, and gently tapped the window lattice with his finger.

"Princess, we've arrived." He spoke softly, and after a moment, the soft rustling of fabric could be heard from inside the carriage.

A moment later, Liu Ying lifted the curtain and jumped down, then turned around and carefully helped Yuan Jixue down from the carriage.

Wu Liu then helped Feng Mian slowly move to the carriage shaft.

Feng Mian first instructed, "Liu Ying, take A Xue to Xue Yue Residence first, prepare the medicine and watch her take it before you go to sleep."

Baili Xunzhou was about to ask if he should send Yuan Jixue to stay somewhere else when he heard this. He raised an eyebrow and looked back and forth between the two of them. When did these two become so intimate?

Feng Mian didn't notice him. Both her feet were injured and wrapped in thin bandages, making it difficult for her to get off the carriage. She simply raised her hand to call over a member of the Imperial Guard, "Excuse me..."

Before she could finish speaking, the light suddenly dimmed, and a figure blocked her way.

Feng Mian looked up and saw Baili Xunzhou's displeased profile. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, and he frowned as he looked down at her with eyes as dark as ink. After a long while, he uttered two words in a low voice: "Troublesome."

Before she could react, Feng Mian felt a tightness around her waist as Baili Xunzhou swept her up in his arms and carried her into his warm embrace.

Seeing his awkwardness, Feng Mianye was not happy and struggled to get off the ground, saying, "I didn't bother you, let go."

"Don't move." He tightened his grip on her waist and the back of her knees, pulling her closer to him. "I was the one who insisted on causing trouble, wasn't I? The injured should know their place and behave themselves."

After saying that, he carried Feng Mian and strode into the mansion.

Feng Mian: "..."

Yao Zhiyuan is right; his temper is just as unpredictable as the weather in June.

Baili Xunzhou escorted her all the way to her bedchamber, gently placed her on the bed, and turned to instruct Wuliu, who had followed him in, "Remember to change the princess's dressing."

Then it was swept away like a gust of wind, coming and going in a hurry.

Wu Liu: "...Hey, where is the young master going? Aren't you going to rest?"

Feng Mian opened his sleepy eyes and said, "I guess we need to deal with those kidnappers. Never mind them, hurry up, I need to wash up before I go to sleep."

*

Long boots shattered the moonlight in the courtyard, and Bai Lixun strode through the courtyard, his light clothes falling silently three feet behind him like a shadow.

"Your Highness, the fish has taken the bait." Qingyi's voice was very low. "That fool went straight to Wutong Lane. The brothers have already laid an ambush."

Baili Xunzhou's lips curled into a mocking smile. He had deliberately left a loophole, letting the leader of the kidnappers go, wanting to see if he would try to contact the person behind him who was backing him up. He didn't expect the other party to run headlong into the line of fire.

Deep in Wutong Lane, a furtive figure with his head covered crept along the wall to a house, stopping in front of a mottled wooden door and tapping out a secret signal with two long and one short knuckles.

A moment later, the door creaked open a crack, letting in a dim, yellowish light that illuminated a greasy, chubby face. The man asked nervously, "What are you doing here?"

"Let me in to hide! The soldiers have caught me and brought me to my hideout!"

The leader violently shoved open the door and forced his way in.

The fat man suddenly stared wide-eyed at what was behind him, his lips trembling violently. Before the leader could react, a cold, gleaming blade was pressed against his neck.

"Don't move."