Chapter 92 "How about it, little cousin? I..."

"How was it, little cousin? The two people I invited acted fairly naturally, right?"

As soon as Feng Mian stepped one foot across the threshold of the Prince's mansion, Chu Jingqi's beaming face suddenly peeked out from the shadows of the porch. He winked and grinned, his tone brimming with undisguised smugness.

Upon hearing this, Madam Zhe, who was standing beside Feng Mian, was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized what he meant and remembered the middle-aged man in the crowd who had been the first to respond to Feng Mian's words and accuse the Chen family of bullying her. "That man was actually arranged by the young marquis?"

Chu Jingqi didn't answer immediately. He first looked behind the two women to make sure no one was around before stepping out from behind the door and leading them down the corridor. He reminded them, "Come inside and talk. Don't let anyone see us. I knew this incident at the Chen residence happened too late, and the search was rushed, so the traces might not be clean. That Luo Chier is a sinister and troublesome man. It wouldn't be good if he found out that I had someone instigate things."

"Are you very familiar with him?" Feng Mian asked curiously when he heard Luo Chier's familiar tone when he mentioned his name.

"I wouldn't dare get close to him!" Chu Jingqi quickly waved his hand in denial, a look of lingering fear and unease appearing on his face. "Speaking of which, it was just bad luck! About five months ago, I went to Yongning Prefecture in the southwest to watch a performance by exotic dancers. By sheer coincidence, a murder had occurred at that brothel. The person leading the investigation was none other than that bastard Luo Chier. I don't know what he was thinking, but he insisted on arresting me, someone who had absolutely no connection to him."

"Just like he instigated the people of Yunzhong County today, he's instigating the people of Yongning Prefecture. How could the people of Yongning Prefecture know what an innocent and kind-hearted young marquis I am? They don't even compare to the trust and respect the people of Yunzhong County have for you, my little cousin. In just a few words, he's made them think I'm the murderer, as if they want to eat my flesh and drink my blood."

"Forced by public opinion, no one in Yongning Prefecture dared to step forward to protect me, and they simply imprisoned me for five days! A full five days!" Chu Jingqi held up five fingers, his eyebrows almost flying off in anger, as if Luo Chier were right in front of him, ready to pounce and bite him. "Do you know how I spent those five days?"

"Although it was later proven that I was indeed innocent, that bastard, with that deadpan face, didn't even offer an apology. He even said that I was arrogant and domineering, causing misunderstandings. What a joke!" He pointed to his fair and handsome face, indignantly, "Just by looking at our faces, anyone can tell who the bad guy is, okay?"

Feng Mian extracted key information from his emotionally charged accusations: "He's been targeting you for a while now? What did your uncle say about it?"

Mentioning his father, Chu Jingqi's eyebrows drooped, and he said sullenly, "What can he say? He just dragged me back to the Northern Frontier from Yongning Prefecture in a hurry, so that I could stay away from that plague god surnamed Luo."

"Did your uncle personally go to rescue you?" Feng Mian pressed.

Chu Jingqi pouted, "Fifth Brother just happened to be passing by while searching for some rare books and conveniently got me out. My dear father only found out about it afterward. And what a fine man! He didn't care what I suffered in prison, nor did he think to let me play for a few more days to calm my nerves. He just sent people to drag me back!"

As Feng Mian listened to his complaints, she secretly pondered: Why would Luo Chier frame Chu Jingqi for no reason? Just because the Luo family is backing him up, he is so unscrupulous and audacious that he dares to frame even the eldest son of the Marquis's mansion?

"I think he just doesn't like us and is looking for an excuse to make us suffer so he can show off his power." Chu Jingqi patted Feng Mian's shoulder casually, finding a reason for Luo Chier without any guile. "You know, Mr. Luo is such a gentle and refined old man, how come he has such a grandson?"

Feng Mian turned her head slightly and exchanged a glance with Madam Zhe, who was behind her. Thinking of what Madam Zhe had told her in the carriage earlier, Feng Mian felt that Luo Chier's desire to teach Chu Jingqi a lesson was definitely not as simple as just disliking him.

Judging from Chu Jingqi's completely oblivious expression, he clearly hadn't thought about it deeply and probably knew only limited details. Perhaps it would be better to write to his fifth brother, who had personally gone to rescue him, and ask him about this.

As they spoke, the group had already passed through the covered corridor, turned through a moon gate, and were about to reach the Hidden Bow Courtyard where Feng Mian lived.

Chu Jingqi suddenly stopped, peered around cautiously, and lowered his voice, sounding a bit guilty: "Um... little cousin, is that Young Master Fu still staying at the Prince's Mansion these days?"

He shrank back. "He's a really fierce guy. Every time I run into him, he gives me a cold look. I suspect he wants to beat me up!"

Chu Jingqi looked completely bewildered: "Have I seen him somewhere before and accidentally offended him? Why does he dislike me so much? He's even nicer to Xiao Baili than to me!"

Feng Mian lowered his head slightly, concealing the helplessness on his face, thinking to himself that he didn't just dislike you; he disliked all people with the surname Chu equally.

"Don't worry, he went out today, you won't run into him."

Chu Jingqi finally breathed a sigh of relief, straightened his back, but still refused to back down: "It's not that I'm afraid of him! It's just that I find him weird and annoying!"

He muttered to himself and strode after Feng Mian into the Hidden Bow Courtyard.

Just as the group sat down in the flower hall and drank half a cup of tea, Liu Jixue, the itinerant doctor who had come forward to testify, hurriedly arrived.

“Madam Zhe, let me take your pulse.” Liu Jixue insisted on taking her pulse because she was worried that her emotions would harm her health. She gently placed her hand on Madam Zhe’s wrist and carefully examined her pulse for a moment before saying gently, “Madam, your qi and blood are severely deficient, and your mental state has been greatly depleted these past two days. You must rest and recuperate in peace and not overexert yourself.”

She put away the pulse pillow and took out a porcelain bottle from her medicine bag. "Here are some calming pills that I have prepared. Madam, take one with warm water before bed to help you sleep."

Chu Jingqi, who had been watching from the side, suddenly leaned over and asked expectantly, "Miss Liu, Doctor Liu! Can I take this calming pill?"

Feng Mian raised an eyebrow at him: "Why are you eating this out of the blue?"

Chu Jingqi's face immediately fell, and he sighed heavily, his tone exaggerated: "The night is long, and I can't sleep. I can't wait for Mi Tu's reply, and I keep thinking about it. I need to take some medicine to calm myself down."

Feng Mian couldn't help but shrink back and rub her arms: "Ugh, that's so cheesy!"

Chu Jingqi immediately jumped up and retorted defiantly, "You think I'm being mushy? You and Xiao Baili sit so close together when you have breakfast, and I've been calling out to you for ages without anyone paying attention. Isn't this mushy, this inseparable way of looking at each other?"

Madam Zhe couldn't help but chuckle softly, and Liu Jixue smiled gently as well.

Feng Mian's ears burned slightly, and she made a move to chase him out: "If you talk nonsense again, I'll have His Highness send someone to take you back to the Prince of Qin's residence!"

"No, no, no! Little cousin, I was wrong!" Chu Jingqi immediately begged for forgiveness, nimbly hiding behind a chair, and quickly brought up the important matter, "My mother has arranged for you to meet a very talented female teacher, surnamed Su. She was once a famous talented woman in Jiangnan, but now she is a widow at home. Her learning and character are both excellent. She has agreed to come to the Northern Frontier."

"really?"

"Absolutely true!"

Feng Mian then let him go and allowed him to sit back down at the table.

Liu Jixue asked with concern, "Princess, is the women's library nearing completion?"

"That's exactly what I was about to tell you," Feng Mian said with a smile. "The school buildings are almost fully renovated. In addition to basic reading and writing, I'd like to offer a course in medicine. I'd like to ask you, the goddess physician, to teach them basic medical and pharmacological principles in your spare time, so they can at least understand some common sense about health preservation and disease prevention, and be able to handle minor injuries and illnesses. Would you be willing?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Jixue thought of the many women she had seen during her medical practice who, due to the strict separation between men and women, were too ashamed to speak of their illnesses and had nowhere to seek medical help. She immediately said firmly, "Your Highness's suggestion is excellent! If more women could be knowledgeable in medicine, it would be a blessing for themselves and their families. I am not talented, but I am willing to do my best."

"Alright, alright, let's leave the business at that. I'd like to ask a few kind-hearted ladies to help me figure out what gift I should give Mi Tu for this Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion."

"Isn't pleasing girls your forte? You've actually asked us for advice one day?" Feng Mian couldn't help but tease him.

“She is naturally the most special…” Chu Jingqi hesitated for a moment, then urged, “Hurry up, hurry up, help me think of something, if we don’t send the things over soon, we’ll miss the holiday.”

Yes, the Mid-Autumn Festival is almost here. Shouldn't she prepare some gifts for Baili Xunzhou? Feng Mian's thoughts drifted away as she pondered, resting her chin on her hand. There should be lantern festivals for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Should she invite him to go for a stroll through the lantern festival? She had never been to a folk lantern festival before, and she didn't know how he had spent his time in previous years…

Chu Jingqi, who was standing to the side, noticed that Feng Mian's gaze had drifted away and she had stopped talking. Just as he was about to go forward and call out to her, he was stopped by two people on his left and right.

Madam Zhe: "The princess is probably also thinking about how to prepare a gift for His Highness the Heir Apparent. Young Marquis, please don't make things difficult for him. I have plenty of ideas."

Liu Jixue just kept nodding in agreement, and the two of them carried Chu Jingqi away. By the time Feng Mian came to her senses, she was the only one left in the room.

The candles, perhaps lit quietly by fireflies and willows, were swaying gently in clusters, illuminating the rich twilight outside the window.

Feng Mian already had a plan in mind. She slipped to the window and called out, "Liu Ying? Wu Liu? Has the young master returned?"

The lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the evening breeze, casting warm yellow halos, but no one responded.

A slight itch suddenly came from her left cheek. Feng Mian turned her head abruptly and was immediately filled with a rich fragrance.

The lingering fragrance of Qingyuan in the quiet night made her heart skip a beat.

A handful of deep red hibiscus flowers was held against the tip of her nose. The double-petaled flowers were in full bloom, almost covering her eyes, leaving only a dazzling red in front of her.

Feng Mian was taken aback at first, then the corners of her lips unconsciously turned up. She raised her hand, her fair fingertips gently pressing down on the lush flower branches.

In the suddenly open view, Baili Xunzhou leaned against the window, holding a hibiscus in his hand, smiling as he looked down at her, his eyes seemingly filled with shattered stars.

The candlelight in the corridor cast soft shadows on his sharply defined profile; a beauty seen under the lamplight at night is more beautiful than any flower.