51 My cousin's illness

◎Was I too loud with Furen just now?◎

"There's been quite a few lively things happening in the palace lately. The Xiongnu's farewell banquet is about to be held, and now it seems that Prince Yi and Marquis Zhongping are also returning to the capital," Xue Bing said in a low voice to Hongyan and Honghu.

At this moment, Qi Gu, dressed in coarse linen clothes, was tidying up the land she had cultivated in her palace, and had finished plowing the last patch of land.

Xue Bing seemed to be speaking to Hongyan and Honghu, but his eyes kept glancing at the princess who was concentrating on hoeing the ground. In his opinion, the princess really loved farming. Even if she wanted to do something like this, she should have asked the servants to do it for her. But the princess ordered them not to do it and did it herself, which made the servants very nervous. The princess, on the other hand, was very pleased with herself and did not feel that there was anything wrong with it.

She said that the craft would be abandoned if not used, and that there was some data and experiments involved, which they couldn't understand. They could only watch from the sidelines. Xue Bing had been in the palace for more than ten years, and this was the first time he had encountered such a master.

But he couldn't ignore the princess's words. Xue Bing was good at business, and in order to get ahead in front of the princess, since he couldn't help her farm, he spent his days inquiring about these things in the palace.

He actually managed to find out that the Prince of Yi and the Marquis of Zhongping were coming back.

Qi Gu walked out of the field with a hoe, stomped her feet on the ground, and the yellow mud under her feet swished down.

Qi Gu handed the hoe to Hongyan, who had reached out her hand, and asked Xue Bing, "So, my uncle will be back in a few days?"

Xue Bingdao said, "That's right, and Young Master Zhang also came back with him."

Qi Gu thought back to how suddenly her uncle passed away in her previous life. At that time, her mother was very sad for a long time because of her uncle's sudden death. Her uncle's death not only hit her mother hard, but also had a great impact on the Zhang family and the Great Jin Dynasty.

After her uncle's death, Prince Yi was left unchecked, and the Guo family took the opportunity to cause trouble. Her younger brother's position as crown prince was in jeopardy. Only then did the Empress Dowager quickly recover from the shock of her uncle's death and return to her own battle.

In her previous life, she was unaware of the delicate balance between her uncle and Prince Yi. Judging from her mother's later attitude towards Prince Yi, her uncle's death was probably related to Prince Yi. As for what that relationship was, her mother did not tell her.

At that time, the Empress Dowager probably thought that she just needed to avoid holding her back, and never thought that she could help her or offer her advice.

Suddenly, Qi Gu thought of something and said to Hongyan and Honghu, "Hongyan, help me change my clothes. I'm going to my aunt's residence!" She strode towards the bedchamber.

At the Guangshun Marquis's residence, Qi Gu's carriage was parked at the gate. Inside the Yuhua Palace, news had already been sent from the palace that the princess was coming to visit the Marquis of Quzhou and his wife, as well as her cousin.

Marquis Qu Zhou was waiting at the door early in the morning. Because her husband, Yuan Kuai, had been summoned to the palace by the Emperor, and her daughter was in poor health, only she came out to greet them.

Qi Gu didn't need the eunuchs to crawl on the ground, nor did she need the help of wild geese or swans; she nimbly jumped off the carriage.

She strode up to Marquis Quzhou, who looked at Qi Gu with admiration. Thinking of her own daughter, she would be grateful if she had even half the health of her niece, the princess.

She patted her niece on the back and said, "Aunt Qi's decisiveness really has the same style as mine when I was young."

Marquis Qu Zhou laughed heartily twice, then took Qi Gu's hand and walked into the Marquis Guangshun's residence. "People from the palace told me you were coming, so I've been waiting for you for a long time. Your uncle went to the palace and isn't home. Your cousin isn't feeling well, and she wanted to come out to greet you, but I told her to rest so she wouldn't catch a cold."

Although they were family, Qi Gu was a princess and Qu Zhouhou was a subject, so she still explained a few things to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from using this as a pretext.

"Aunt, you're too kind. I'm just a junior, there's no reason for you to welcome me. Since I came to the capital, you've been taking care of everything for me, and I'm very grateful. I've been busy and haven't been able to come and thank you. I hope you don't blame me."

Qu Zhouhou put his broad arm around Qi Gu's shoulder and said, "Qi Gu is still so good at talking. Alright, we're family, so let's not be so polite."

Aunt Qi smiled and said, "It was Aunt who was being polite first." Aunt Qi then asked, "By the way, Aunt, I haven't met my cousin yet. She's not in good health, so as her older sister, I brought her some millet and wheat that I grew myself, as well as some medicinal herbs. Could you ask a doctor to see if they can be used on my cousin?"

"Good, good, Aunt Qi is so kind." Thinking of his daughter's illness, Marquis Qu Zhou's usually relaxed brows furrowed. So many doctors and physicians had been consulted, but none of them had worked. His daughter's illness was probably... She didn't want to say anything discouraging, so she pulled Aunt Qi aside and said, "Your cousin has been talking about you these past few days. If I hadn't been keeping an eye on her, she would have wanted to go to the palace to see you."

The two arrived at a courtyard where the servants were orderly and the courtyard was very tidy. Upon entering the house, they found that everything inside was luxurious. The table was made of century-old pear wood, and the bed was made of sandalwood, which had a refreshing and pleasant smell, just like their aunt's style.

Behind the cool and soft-looking curtain, a pair of fair and delicate hands emerged, so thin that you could see the blue and purple veins.

Two maids, one on each side, gently lifted the bed curtains. A woman with a thin face but delicate and pretty features sat on the bed, her rabbit-like eyes looking at her timidly yet curiously.

"A-Zhuang, this is your elder sister Yuan Chu." Qu Zhouhou said softly to his daughter, and then said to Qi Gu, "Qi Gu, this is your cousin Zhuangzhuang."

Yuan Zhuang never expected to meet her cousin, who had been living away from home, under such circumstances. Looking at the undergarments she was wearing, she felt it was very indecent and impolite, and hurriedly pulled the two maids: "Dafu, Xiaoxi, quickly help me change my clothes, how can you be so rude?"

Aunt Qi quickly went to the bedside. "Cousin, don't move. You're not well. If my visit makes your condition worse, that wouldn't be my intention."

Yuan Zhuang looked up and saw his legendary cousin. He was stunned for a moment. It wasn't that his cousin was particularly beautiful, but rather that her face was full of vitality, lively and spirited.

Yuan Zhuang had heard her mother describe her cousin's appearance, and she was surprised that her mother's evaluation of her cousin was so accurate. She stared at Qi Gu and said, "Qi Gu, you look so radiant."

Qi Gu laughed, "I have nothing else but my strength." She joked, which made her cousin on the bed chuckle twice.

He also said without any hesitation, "Little sister is too thin. When you get better, I will take you and me to the fields. Walking around will be good for your health. My master said that getting more sun and moving around is good for your health."

Yuan Zhuang didn't feel offended. Over the years, the servants had never dared to mention her poor health, and they were very careful around her. This made her feel uncomfortable.

On the contrary, she felt good that her cousin Qi Gu was able to speak so directly. Her cousin Qi Gu made her feel that being sick was normal and that she would get better soon.

The eleven-year-old girl smiled faintly, but a sense of helplessness lingered between her brows, like a wisp of smoke that wouldn't dissipate. "I'm afraid my illness won't get better easily." She remembered her mother saying that her cousin knew how to farm, and since she rarely went out, she asked, "Can Aunt Qi really grow millet and wheat?"

“Why not? I still have calluses on my hands from using that hoe.” Aunt Qi spread out her palms and showed them to her cousin.

Yuan Zhuang touched it with his thin fingers. "It's a bit hard. Doesn't it hurt, Aunt Qi?"

"Hey, it doesn't hurt anymore. It only hurt before I got calluses, and it stopped hurting after I got calluses."

Yuan Zhuang looked on with curiosity, "I see. I'd also like to visit my cousin's fields."

Hearing her daughter's words, Qu Zhouhou felt sad. She also hoped that her daughter could run and jump, and could go to the fields with her cousin to hoe the ground and plant wheat, or play and frolic. It would be better than lying on this small bed every day, locked in this small room, and losing all vitality day by day.

As her mother, she couldn't bear to see it, but what could she do? If she hadn't taken such good care of him, he probably would have died long ago.

Because Yuan Zhuang was unwell, he became exhausted after speaking for only a short while. He simply held onto Qi Gu's hand and didn't let go, enjoying listening to her recount the things she had encountered outside.

"Cousin, take your medicine and rest well. I'll bring you something fun next time."

Yuan Zhuang then let go of her hand. "Really, cousin, don't lie to me. I remember it." After receiving Qi Gu's solemn nod, she drank the medicine with the help of her maid and lay down again, quickly falling into a deep sleep.

Qi Guhe followed her aunt out of the room and saw that her usually dashing aunt's face was clouded with gloom.

Thinking of the purpose of her visit today, she said to Marquis Qu Zhou, "Aunt, actually, I came here today because I was thinking of something. When my master and I were fleeing, we met a doctor named Ye. He was traveling all over the world and passed through a village where the whole village was infected with the plague. This doctor Ye actually cured most of the villagers. When we met him by chance, he was about to leave, saying that he was going back to his hometown in Cheng County, Shu Prefecture."

"Aunt might as well send someone to look for her; perhaps they can find this Dr. Ye to treat my cousin."

Upon hearing this, Marquis Qu Zhou was overjoyed and gripped Qi Gu's arm tightly, "Qi Gu, are you serious?"

Qi Gu felt the force on her arm. In her previous life, her aunt found Doctor Ye two years later. At this point in time, she couldn't be sure if Doctor Ye was still in Shu County.

"That was several years ago. I don't know if Doctor Ye is still in Cheng County, but if he isn't, Aunt can send people to look for him."

“That’s right, that’s right.” Marquis Quzhou immediately ordered his men to go to Cheng County.

She then took Qi Gu's hand and said, "Qi Gu, if we can find that Doctor Ye, your aunt will definitely thank you properly."

"Auntie, no need for thanks, she's still my cousin."

Actually, Qi Gu thought that if this Doctor Ye could really come to the capital in advance, he might not only be able to save her cousin, but also save another person.

With a leisurely "Giddy up!" the carriage started moving. Qi Gu sat in the carriage, lifted the curtain, and saw that the capital was bustling with activity. Qi Gu thought of a pastry shop on this road. Since she was out, she might as well buy some pastries to take back for a treat and give some to her father.

She ordered the carriage to stop, and took Hongyan, Honghu, and Fulian, who insisted on coming along.

Fu Lian usually has a very low profile and is almost never needed in the palace, but whenever she leaves the palace, she will definitely follow her, though always secretly.

Qi Gu noticed that she was always expressionless, even somewhat dazed, as if she had her own unique understanding in her mind, and once she made up her mind, no one could change it.

This is probably the loyalty that the Empress Dowager values. Oh well, it's just a matter of buying a few packs of pastries, it'll only take a little while, so I might as well follow along.

Qi Gu led the three of them toward an inconspicuous little shop with an old banner that read "Chun Yu Pastries".

The little shop was quite crowded. Hongyan looked at the shop and said to Qigu, "Princess, why don't we go to another shop?" She didn't trust the small, crowded, and not-so-clean shop and was afraid that something might happen to the princess.

Qi Gu glanced at Fu Lian, who was more than a head taller and twice as strong as her, and said to Hong Yan, "It's alright, we'll leave after we buy the pastries. You don't know, the first bite of the freshly baked pastries in this shop is the most delicious." Qi Gu's mouth watered.

Before he could finish speaking, "Bang!!" followed by a cry of "Ouch!"

The speed was too fast, and no one could react in time. It turned out that a flowerpot had just hit and injured someone.

Looking through the crowd, Qi Gu saw that the person who had been hit by the flowerpot was a young man. Bright red blood was streaming down his forehead from both sides of his nose. "It really is, it really is..." Before he could finish speaking, he fainted.

"Oh no, what are we going to do?" the crowd exclaimed, pointing and whispering.

The people who were just buying pastries in front of Chun Yu's pastry shop now tacitly stepped aside, forming a circle around the unfortunate young man.

When the old woman from Chunyu Pastry Shop saw someone collapse in front of her shop, she rushed out to check. She looked up at why a flowerpot had suddenly fallen from the sky, squatted down to examine it, and hurriedly called for people to report to the authorities and find a doctor.

But as more and more people gathered to watch, Qi Gu looked at the person lying on the ground and said to Fu Lian, "Fu Lian, disperse these people and help them take this person to a nearby clinic. It would be bad if someone died."

Fu Lian watched without making a move. Her task was to protect the princess; nothing else was among the Empress's instructions.

Seeing that Fulian did not move, Qi Gu's voice turned cold, "Fulian, if you still want to stay in Yuhua Palace, I don't think I need to say it to you a second time."

Fu Lian looked at the princess, whose expression had turned cold. She knew she had to obey the princess's orders; it was her duty. She glanced at the people on the ground and finally did as Qi Gu instructed.

Although she was a woman, she was strong and powerful, taller and stronger than most men. With a rough shout of "Back off!", the onlookers, intimidated by her imposing presence, retreated.

She crouched down and checked the man's nose with her finger. He was still alive, so she picked him up and carried him on her shoulder.

Passing by the three shocked-looking Qi Gu and Hongyan Honghu, he said, "Young lady, wait for me a moment, I'll be right back."

Shocked by Fu Lian's strength, Qi Gu nodded blankly, watching Fu Lian carry the man who looked tiny on her shoulder, and whispered, "Was I too loud to Fu Lian just now?"

...

[Author's Note]

Qi Gu: Trembling, Fu Lian, I'll never raise my voice at you again.

Furen: This is absolute power [sunglasses]