Chapter 2

Qiheju, upon opening the door, reveals four walls of open-air latticework covered with light blue tortoise-shell patterned gauze. The entire east wall of bookshelves is inlaid with bamboo from the Xiangfei Temple to form a celestial map, with each shelf subtly corresponding to the twenty-eight constellations.

Beside the bookshelf, a man was carefully examining a book, occasionally letting out a soft cough.

He wore a wide-sleeved robe of sky-blue hue, the sheer fabric revealing the warm, jade-colored inner robe beneath. A plain belt cinched his waist, its buckle carved from the finest mutton-fat white jade into the shape of a dragon's head, holding a lapis lazuli buckle that gleamed like frozen spring water.

Xi Xiao withdrew her gaze and stood still, inwardly sighing: What a handsome young man!

“Miss Xi.” His voice was clear and melodious, like gold and jade, and his words were clear and cold even before they were spoken. He put down his book and walked over with a light smile. “I have been suffering from a stubborn illness for many years and have not been able to get better. I had no hope of recovery, but I still thank you for coming.”

Xi Xiao was extremely puzzled, her brows furrowed as if she couldn't understand. Could it be that this letter seeking medical help wasn't written by this young master?

"My father has sought medical help for me for many years, but unfortunately, my condition has not improved. I am truly unfilial." After explaining this, he seemed exhausted and went to sit down on a rocking chair.

The room fell silent, and the atmosphere instantly froze. Xi Xiao couldn't help but look at the boy who had led her in. In stark contrast to his previous tough demeanor, he was now standing obediently beside the rocking chair, saying nothing.

Xi Xiao was baffled. She couldn't understand what was going on in these seemingly random words, nor did she know whether Young Master Pei wanted to treat her or not. But out of a doctor's conscience, she couldn't help but chime in, "Young Master, if you're reluctant to seek medical help, how do you know you won't get better?"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, young lady." As the man's smile spread from the corner of his eye, it was as if fragments of gold had sunk into a pool beneath his eyelashes, and for a moment, the clear light in the courtyard dimmed.

Xi Xiao was stunned for a moment. Her humble words vanished in the face of this scene, and she felt an overwhelming sense of warmth. What she had originally wanted to say was "I can only do my best," but it quickly became a certainty.

She lowered her eyelids, concealing her frustration, and cursed herself for being blinded by his good looks. If she couldn't cure him or something went wrong, wouldn't she be harming herself? She should have taken his pulse before making such harsh remarks. If this person was truly incurable, wouldn't she have ended up losing more than she gained?

As her thoughts raced, the boy who had been motionless a moment ago brought her a stool. Although she was very nervous, she remained calm and composed, as if she had everything under control.

A silk handkerchief was just placed on Pei Yun's wrist when Xi Xiao took it away. She shrugged and pressed it directly against Pei Yun's wrist. Looking at the surprised eyes opposite her, she smiled fearlessly: "Such subtle changes can only be noticed by those who are close to you."

It has a rather flirtatious tone!

The young man beside her couldn't contain himself any longer, glaring at her with countless sharp eyes, his gaze bloodshot as if she had committed some heinous crime. "Heying, don't be rude." A cool voice slowly rang out, instantly warming the atmosphere.

Xi Xiao shook her head inwardly, thinking to herself that wealthy families were really particular about many things. No wonder her senior brother didn't like socializing; he was indeed troublesome. She cleared her mind and focused on taking his pulse, but the closer she got to the end, the more alarmed she became.

This person has been suffering from fetal toxins for twenty years. Logically speaking, he should not live past fifteen. However, judging from his pulse, he should be able to last another four or five years. It seems that he has a master who is taking care of him. If this continues, he can live for a longer period of time. However, he will inevitably suffer from pain.

Just as she was about to put her hand down, she suddenly felt that the pulse sounded familiar. Her heart skipped a beat, and she unconsciously probed further, and suddenly felt an even stronger pulse between her fingers.

The owner of the wrist abruptly withdrew his hand; the fingertips barely touched the wide sleeve before slipping through his fingers. Xi Xiao looked up in confusion, only to see the person's indifferent profile, which seemed to have a touch more warmth than his previous cheerful demeanor.

She stopped dwelling on it, her tone troubled: "This innate poison comes from the mother..." Suddenly realizing something, she stopped talking and didn't continue.

"It was formed from the mother's burning heart fire that caused the miscarriage, and the lingering fire entered the placenta," Pei Yun added with a smile, as if he were talking about someone else's affairs. The smile was both mocking and sarcastic, yet it contained no hatred.

For the first time, Xi Xiao felt guilty for her painstaking explanation. With an apologetic expression, she walked to a nearby table and wrote down the prescription on a piece of paper, her mouth still busy: "Use the principal, assistant, and adjuvant herbs to decoct the medicine with lotus leaf dew at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM). Once the medicine is ready, add half a cup of children's urine. Then, at the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), take a three-inch pure gold acupuncture needle and insert it into the Zhiyang acupoint, guiding the toxin along the Du meridian."

The poisoning is so severe that even acupuncture needles cannot completely remove it; the only hope is that the pain will be relieved when the poison takes effect.

Seeing that Pei Yun sat to the side without saying a word, Xi Xiao assumed that he was still upset about what had just happened. Considering the abnormality in his pulse, she finally spoke the truth: "It seems that you have taken a potent drug." She paused and continued, "Although the drug may make you feel better and free from pain for a while, it is extremely harmful to your health and life. I hope you will take care of yourself."

This person clearly had a powerful protector by his side, yet his father still sought medical help for him, and his mother suffered the trauma of an abortion. Xi Xiao didn't want to delve into the complexities of the situation; she only hoped he would take the prescription and pay the money to settle things. She stood up, intending to hand the prescription to He Ying. Her eyes were bright and alert, waiting for him to take the prescription and say something quickly.

"Thank you for your kindness, Miss." Xi Xiao turned to look at Pei Yun, only to realize that he was picking up where she left off, though a little late. She nodded, not wanting to say anything more, and then heard him say, "The servants in the manor are not knowledgeable in medicine. After He Ying purchases the medicine, I hope Miss will not hesitate to teach me during the decoction process."

"Of course." Xi Xiao readily agreed. She did need to give more instructions regarding the dosage of the medicinal herbs and the cooking time. With a smile, she handed the prescription to He Ying.

He Ying glanced at her sideways, took the prescription, glanced at it briefly, and then began to question: "This prescription is made by mixing roasted placenta powder with fresh juice of white flower snake tongue grass. Roasted placenta powder is easy enough, but the fresh juice of white flower snake tongue grass must be freshly picked and boiled. I don't know where white flower snake tongue grass grows?"

Upon hearing this, Xi Xiao suddenly raised her head, her knuckles creating countless folds in her robes. Although she had learned the art of acupuncture from her senior brother, her knowledge of herbal medicine was like that of a blind man trying to grasp an elephant.

A doctor who doesn't know medicine is like a general who doesn't know his soldiers. Thinking of this, her eyes filled with grievance as she silently accused her master of favoritism and not teaching her anything.

This moment of distraction made time seem to slow down, but fortunately Pei Yun came to the rescue: "This white snake tongue grass grows in the southern border region. It likes warmth and withers when it gets cold. Its branches and leaves are thin and long with black spots, which is very ugly. People dislike it, so it is not commonly seen."

"Then how do we find it?" Xi Xiao asked subconsciously, completely forgetting that she was the doctor.

As if anticipating her question, Pei Yun smiled and explained, "The royal family of Southern Xinjiang is skilled in Gu poison. This white snake tongue grass is a favorite food of Gu worms and is an essential item for Gu worm breeders."

Xi Xiao frowned almost imperceptibly, her senior brother's wise words still ringing in her mind: the land of the Southern Frontier must not be entered.

In the past, the southern border was the bulwark of the Chu state, but the late emperor was weak and his imperial virtue had declined. At that time, the Yin clan, descendants of the Gu masters, saw the chaos and suffering of the people in the land, and thus raised their red banner in the miasma forest. Their clan leader, holding a bronze drum made of panhu, ascended the cloud platform, drew blood, pointed to the sky, and said: "From this day forward, the land protected by the divine Gu will be beyond the reach of the Chu emperor's bow and sword!"

Yuan Chu was enraged and dispatched 30,000 elite troops to the south. However, the poisonous Zhang River, like the breath of a dark dragon, caused the soldiers' seven orifices to ooze blue water before they even reached Cangwu. Furthermore, a thousand-fold miasma obscured the sun; only the clanging of armor echoed as they entered the valleys, and soon only empty saddles and mournful neighing horses could be seen returning. Once, a detachment risked their lives to penetrate deep into enemy territory. At midnight, a flute playing on leaves suddenly sounded, and the campfires in the tents turned a ghostly blue. The next day, only spiderwebs hung from the hair of ten thousand soldiers, their heads dangling, and their pupils blooming with blood-red orchids!

Fortunately, the Yin family established a kingdom, locking the Ten Thousand Mountains within the Bronze Drum and establishing three prohibitions: first, "the golden silkworm shall not leave the Cloud Pass"; second, "the love potion shall not cross the Xiang River"; and third, "the living corpse shall not cross the Stone Marker."

Now, its royal city is hidden deep within the Peacock Marsh, its walls made of centuries-old Gu cocoons, and its water clocks run by swarms of weeping blood butterflies. Merchants occasionally glimpse vermilion talismans on the cliffs, and vaguely hear the tinkling of jade pendants deep within the vine-covered thickets. It is the Gu maiden guarding the border patrolling under the moon, the silver bells beneath her feet causing all the Gu to lie dormant, not daring to look north.

Pei Yun leaned forward slightly and said understandingly, "The Southern Frontier is dangerous, and I will never let you take any risks. However, the White Flower Snake Tongue Grass needs to be taken fresh. I only hope that you will wait for me for a while at the Southern Frontier border. After I get the grass and boil it, I will send someone to take you up the mountain."

Before Xi Xiao could even think it over, he readily agreed: "You've had a long and tiring journey, so I'll multiply your reward fivefold. What do you think?"

Xi Xiao's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she listened, but thankfully she had great self-control, otherwise she would have embarrassed herself and drooled.

She felt elated and readily agreed, but only after leaving the house did she realize that she hadn't discussed the matter with Yunwu. So, after a brief moment of joy, she frowned and pondered how to persuade that little devil.

"Greetings, Your Excellency." A young maidservant dressed in a sky-blue narrow-sleeved shirt and willow-yellow trousers bowed to her. "This servant, Xiangmo, is here by order of Young Master Jun to invite Your Excellency to the West Garden."

Seeing Xi Xiao walking gracefully alongside her, she suddenly turned her head and said in a very low voice, "There are many things to do at the Marquis's residence. I'm afraid you might not be able to take good care of me. Let me show you the way."

Xi Xiao understood; they were probably afraid that she would wander around and disturb the peace of the master's house. The maid of this wealthy family spoke so thoughtfully and considerately that she couldn't help but feel a sense of goodwill towards her.

*

In the backyard of Qiheju, ten pots of pure white orchids breathe out their fragrance under the west window, their leaves drooping like green tongues licking the moisture. Each leaf tip is adorned with beads of sweat, making the golden veins of the leaves appear raised like molten gold.

Pei Yun, wrapped in a cloak, stood casually by the window, coldly observing the thriving patch of white snake tongue grass. The white mist he exhaled resembled half a magnolia blossom: "The people from Medicine Valley, please withdraw."

Beads of sweat rolled down He Ying's forehead, just about to fall onto his chin, when a gust of wind blew through. He didn't bother wiping them away, and asked in confusion, "If Young Master Xi returns again..."

Before he could finish speaking, He Ying suddenly realized that the person they were investigating was probably Miss Xi, since she wasn't often in Medicine Valley. He broke out in a cold sweat, dared not think any further, and quickly agreed.

Before the emotions in his heart had even subsided, he asked again, "What do you think Xi Yu is doing going to Qingcheng Mountain all the time?"

He Ying cleared his mind and said seriously, "The herbs in Qingcheng Mountain are numerous and varied. Young Master Xi must have gone to test the medicines for his master."

After a long pause, a mocking chuckle was heard: "Is that so?"

Looking at the unfathomable face of the person in front of her, and recalling the dejected figure of that person when he left, He Ying felt a chill run down her spine.

On the other side, Xi Xiao was completely immersed in the elegant architecture of the Marquis's mansion. She was full of praise, feeling that it was a masterpiece of craftsmanship and that such a scene could not be moved by anything but gold and silver.

Once, the late emperor, traveling incognito in Jiangnan, encountered a woman surnamed Pei on a merchant ship. The woman was stunningly beautiful, and the emperor desired to take her as his concubine, but she resolutely refused. Pei's father secretly bribed a palace eunuch to smuggle the woman into the imperial boat with a sleeping potion. Although the emperor knew the truth, he tacitly approved. However, after three years in the palace, the woman remained cold and indifferent to the emperor's favor, like a sharp blade. The emperor initially found her untamed charm, but gradually grew to despise her.

Unexpectedly, during the upheaval in the inner palace, Prince Yu, Ling Zhouli, used the pretext of "purging the court of corrupt officials" to massacre the Zichen Palace, resulting in the deaths of all the late emperor's sons. This woman unexpectedly arrived with the Ninth Prince, Ling Zhouli, shocking everyone present. Prince Yu's hand, which was about to seize the imperial seal, froze in mid-air. He had no choice but to declare himself regent and nominally support an eight-year-old boy to ascend the throne. After the ceremony was over, Lady Pei committed suicide in the Hualing Palace, and the emperor was deeply grieved.

However, twelve tassels of pearls hung behind the throne, their shadows perfectly concealing the iron fist of the powerful minister. The emperor held court, but the government did not leave the palace, and the imperial seal remained covered in dust for ten years. Only when he grew a little older was the regent allowed to sit on the golden throne, but all memorials and imperial edicts were issued from the Regent's Palace in the Silver Peace Hall.

The Pei family should have been granted the title of Duke of Jin, but the regent lightly bestowed upon them only the honorary title of "Marquis of Wenyuan," stripping them of their military power with the title of a civil official. This merchant family was ultimately trapped in a cage of fine silk. Fortunately, the Pei family's business empire extended throughout the nine regions, and their annual revenue from the maritime trade was as plentiful as snow, thus preventing the prestige of the marquis's mansion from declining.

Xi Xiao recalled that the Emperor and her senior brother were both young and handsome, but he was trapped in a golden cage. She could only sigh that in this chaotic world, no one had an easy time.