Chapter 33 Chapter 33 My heartbeat was actually much faster than usual...
Zhao Qingyi was about to rest and was taking a shower in the bathroom when he suddenly shivered.
Two maids were serving nearby and noticed something was going on.
Tan Yue asked, "Grandma, when we talked about the birthday party today, you didn't seem too keen on having it?"
Zhao Qingyi scooped up a handful of hot water and poured it on her face. Her eyelashes trembled slightly under the steam, and unbearable memories flashed through her mind.
At this time in her previous life, she was still in mourning for her parents and younger brother, and had never consummated her marriage with Li Che. During this period, Luo Shi had advised her several times to have children for the Li family, otherwise she would have to adopt Jun Ge'er as soon as possible.
At that time, Zhao Qingyi was still immersed in the pain of losing her family, and repeatedly put off the matters of consummating the marriage and adopting the child. As a result, on the night of the birthday banquet, Luo chose to force him.
First, he forced her to drink medicinal wine at the banquet, and then locked her in a room with Li Che. Li Che said that he felt sorry for her and that he was forced to do so, but his actions were not vague at all.
Finally, the house was completed.
After that night, she was almost torn to pieces and completely lost herself.
She was no longer her parents' daughter, no longer Zhao Qingyi. She was just a walking corpse, a puppet used by the Li family to manage household affairs and give birth to children.
Then, bit by bit, the Li family squeezed out every last bit of value.
The more Zhao Qingyi thought about it, the more nauseous she felt. She brushed away the hand of the maid who was wiping the dew off her and said, "Go get two buckets of well water."
Qiao Yue was confused. "Is there not enough water? I'll go and boil some."
"No." Zhao Qingyi stopped her, "No need to boil it, just bring the well water over. The colder the better."
Qiao Yue opened her lips slightly, "Ah? You want it to be cold... cold?"
The autumn heat has passed, and the weather is now cold in the mornings and evenings. If you use cold water, you will definitely catch a cold.
Tan Yue seemed to understand what she meant and pulled Qiao Yue out with her. After a while, two buckets of well water were drawn.
Zhao Qingyi came out of the bathtub, still wearing her underwear. After thinking for a moment, she gritted her teeth, scooped up a bucket of well water, closed her eyes and poured it over her head.
She had just taken a shower and her body was still warm. The already cold well water fell on her head, and the conflict between the two made her teeth chatter with cold.
The two maids were shocked, but Tan Yue quickly realized that her grandmother had done it on purpose.
As for why this is so... Could it be that he wants to avoid his own birthday?
"Grandma..." She couldn't help but remind him, "Grandma, your body won't be able to bear it like this."
After a bucket of well water came down, Zhao Qingyi barely adapted to it. She poured several more buckets one after another until both buckets of well water were used up. Then she clasped her hands together and shivered.
"No, it's okay." She forced herself to move to the bed, without changing her wet underwear, and got directly into the quilt.
The coldness penetrated her bones, eroding her internal organs. She was so cold that she couldn't stop shaking all over. Her body, which had finally recovered, seemed to have returned to its original state overnight.
Tomorrow, news will spread that she has caught a cold and is bedridden, and all trivial matters will have to be put aside, including her birthday party.
As for Luo, she was afraid of death, fearing that the disease would spread to her, so naturally she would not come to visit him. If she did not come, those filthy things would not be able to enter the Lanyue Pavilion.
It would take time to collect evidence from Tongxiang, and she had to delay it no matter what.
Thinking of this, Zhao Qingyi's head began to feel dizzy, and a chill came over her. She trembled and ordered, "I'm sick. Until I recover, I will close the door and refuse to see anyone."
She always had her own ideas when doing things, so the two maids didn't ask any more questions and quietly retreated.
Zhao Qingyi wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, turned over and curled up in the corner. After an unknown amount of time, her cold body gradually warmed up and beads of sweat began to appear on her forehead. However, the chill still came back from time to time, making her feel very uncomfortable.
In a trance, it seemed as if a big hand covered her forehead.
The temperature of the palm was moderate, neither cold nor hot, just right.
Zhao Qingyi knew that he was starting to have a high fever, and thought it was all a dream, and instinctively moved closer to the big hand.
Chu Yuanhe sat on the edge of the couch, stunned.
The girl who was calm and composed during the day now had a flushed face and rubbed against his palm like a kitten, making his panicked heart itch.
She had a high fever and was confused.
Chu Yuanhe's heart was not disturbed for a moment, and his handsome face became solemn. He wanted to find a handkerchief in the house to wipe the sweat off Zhao Qingyi's forehead. When he went to the bathroom, he caught a glimpse of two well buckets lying on the ground with some well water still in them.
After he wet the towel, he returned to the couch and found Zhao Qingyi still sleeping.
He wiped her forehead and cheeks, then moved down a little bit to her neck, only to find that her inner clothes were all wet. Not only that, even the inner layer of the bedding was wet.
Even if I sweat, it won't be to this extent.
Chu Yuanhe thought of the two well buckets in the purification room and suddenly realized that Zhao Qingyi had deliberately made him sick.
He was furious for a moment, but seeing her curled up in a ball, her brows furrowed, as if she were in the pain of a nightmare, his anger turned into heartache in an instant.
Or maybe he didn't do enough, otherwise it would just be a divorce, so why would he hurt himself to achieve his goal?
Chu Yuanhe passed his arm under Zhao Qingyi and lifted her up to hold her in his arms. Even so, Zhao Qingyi still did not wake up. Instead, she unconsciously turned sideways, wrapped her arms around his strong waist, and rubbed against him.
He had a pleasant fragrance, a rich pine scent mixed with a subtle bitterness, which made the scent not seem heavy or dull.
At this moment, Zhao Qingyi felt hot all over. When he suddenly smelled the fragrance, he felt more comfortable and not so uncomfortable.
But it’s not a solution to keep doing this.
Chu Yuanhe kept changing the handkerchief on her forehead. During this time, he even climbed over the wall and went to the house next door to get a jar of wine and wiped her neck and palms.
After a lot of trouble, it was almost midnight and Zhao Qingyi's high fever finally subsided a little.
Chu Yuanhe's heart was relieved. He thought that when the two silly girls went to see the doctor tomorrow, the disease should be under control and their brains would not be damaged.
Thinking of this, Chu Yuanhe became angry again for no reason and pinched Zhao Qingyi's cheek hard.
Zhao Qingyi felt pain while sleeping and actually opened his eyes.
Chu Yuanhe was startled and quickly withdrew his hand and hid outside the shark gauze tent.
Zhao Qingyi felt a black shadow flash before her eyes, but she didn't have the energy to pursue it. She was very thirsty and wanted to drink water. She propped up half of her body with her palm, "Tan Yue... water..."
Tonight, Tan Yue should be on duty.
Chu Yuanhe held his breath outside the tent. When he came in, Tan Yue had already been knocked unconscious by him. Of course, she couldn't come over at this moment, so he stood up, poured a cup of tea and handed it into the tent.
Zhao Qingyi didn't realize that the hand was not a woman's, and drank the water as he did.
The water is cold, and once it enters the stomach, people become more awake.
Chu Yuanhe quickly pulled his hand away from the teacup.
Zhao Qingyi frowned slightly, put his hand on his forehead, took off the handkerchief covering it, and could faintly smell the smell of alcohol.
She exhaled a breath of turbid air, "...I'm sorry for taking care of me all night. Go back and rest."
The room was pitch black, and she could not see the shadow of the man standing outside the mermaid tent.
Chu Yuanhe didn't dare to make a sound. He tiptoed to put down the teacup and prepared to go out. Suddenly, he heard Zhao Qingyi say, "I can't sleep. Light the candle."
After saying this, he opened the quilt and pretended to get off the bed.
Chu Yuanhe originally wanted to leave quietly like he came, but when he saw her bare feet landing on the ground, he instinctively stepped forward to stop her.
In the darkness, Zhao Qingyi grabbed an arm, which blocked her way and prevented her from getting up.
"Tan Yue, what's wrong with you?"
Zhao Qingyi was puzzled. She stroked the arm with her slender green fingers little by little. As soon as she touched it, she realized something was wrong.
It feels cool and silky to the touch, it is made of fine satin fabric.
This person is not Tan Yue!
Zhao Qingyi naturally thought it was Li Che. What good could come of Li Che sneaking into her room in the middle of the night?
She didn't know where she got the strength from, she pushed the arm away and tore open the shark silk curtain. The moment their eyes met, they were both stunned.
There was no candle in the room, it was pitch black, only sporadic moonlight came in through the half-open window, casting a shadow on the man's tall and straight body.
Chu Yuanhe was no less frightened than she was, but his high position and experience in battles had taught him to remain calm. He coughed lightly, and his low voice rang out in the darkness.
"Did I...scare you?"
After hearing his voice, Zhao Qingyi's anxious heart inexplicably calmed down.
I hope it’s not Li Che.
When she realized that she had such a strange thought, Zhao Qingyi was slightly stunned.
No, she shouldn't think like that.
Even if it wasn't Li Che who came, it would still be dangerous if it was another man.
Zhao Qingyi became alert, "Why is the prince in my room?"
"Oh, I just moved into a house next door, and I accidentally fell over when I was building the wall." Chu Yuanhe made up a story with his eyes open, not caring how ridiculous it was.
Zhao Qingyi frowned slightly, "It was you who bought the house next door?"
Chu Yuanhe curled his lips, "Surprise?"
“…”It’s more like being frightened.
Zhao Qingyi took a deep breath, "You really have a good taste. Not only did the dignified prince build the wall himself in the middle of the night, but he also accidentally climbed into my room."
Her tone was full of helplessness, and as she held her forehead, she could still feel her head pounding.
Chu Yuanhe stepped forward and supported her, "You are sick, shall we sit down and talk?"
What are you talking about?
"No need. I will pretend that what happened tonight never happened. You'd better leave quickly, Your Highness." She brushed away the man's hand and distanced herself from him.
"I thought you and I were allies, but it turns out I was just being sentimental." Chu Yuanhe sighed with a hint of grievance. "Well, just think of it as me helping you one last time and taking care of you for one night. You don't have to take it to heart, and you don't have to cry tears of gratitude to me."
“…”
If he hadn't said it, Zhao Qingyi wouldn't have known that Chu Yuanhe was here to take care of her.
Thinking of the favor she still owed him during the day, Zhao Qingyi clutched the wet handkerchief and softened her attitude, "...It is my fault for being rude. Please take a seat, Your Highness."
This guy likes to talk nonsense and make trouble. If we don't keep him under control, he will probably stay in the dark until dawn.
Zhao Qingyi walked over holding the edge of the table and lit the oil lamp. The brightness of the lamp was enough for her to see the man's smiling eyes. He was born handsome and charming, and in the dim light, his charm was even more apparent.
He took out his cloak and put it on her. "I'll ask the imperial physician to come and treat you tomorrow morning, okay?"
Zhao Qingyi waved her hand and said, "Really, no need. It's just a minor illness." As soon as she finished speaking, she covered her lips and started coughing.
Chu Yuanhe stood behind him, his peach blossom eyes dark and unclear. If Zhao Qingyi turned around at this moment, she would be able to catch a glimpse of the fleeting dark look on his face.
This is completely different from his usual unruly and bohemian behavior.
His words hit the nail on the head. "You deliberately caught a cold and refused to allow the imperial physician to treat you. Was it to avoid Li Che? What were you avoiding him for? To consummate your marriage?"
After being exposed, Zhao Qingyi covered her mouth and coughed even harder, choking until her cheeks turned red.
Chu Yuanhe's rising anger subsided, "Why don't you come find me?"
He sat beside her, looked at her, and said with a smile, "I can help you with such a small matter, and I can do it cleanly and neatly..." He made a knife gesture with his hand.
There is nothing he can't do, it all depends on whether Zhao Qingyi is willing.
But Zhao Qingyi didn't know his identity. "This is the emperor's territory. He is an official appointed by the court. If something goes wrong for no reason and the higher-ups start investigating, you will be held responsible."
Dealing with the Li family is her own business, there is no need to involve others.
"So, I appreciate your kindness, my lady."
Is she... worried about herself?
Chu Yuanhe's irritated heart was slightly soothed, but he disagreed with her behavior. "There are other ways. Why choose to kill eight hundred enemies and injure a thousand of your own?"
That pair of dogs, man and woman, dared to poison her and hoped that she would die soon. Zhao Qingyi did not take care of herself and even hurt herself. She really shouldn't have done that.
"Your body and hair are given by your parents. You are so unfilial. If you do something stupid again next time, I will tell your father." Chu Yuanhe said unhappily.
He is very close to Zhao Huaiyi now. Even if his words are useless, her father should be able to do it, right?
Zhao Qingyi lowered her head and said nothing. She had never thought that she would discuss her family affairs with a man she was not very familiar with.
But even if she didn't say it, Chu Yuanhe could guess her situation.
Women are supposed to obey their husbands after marriage. Zhao Qingyi has obtained many privileges in her husband's family that ordinary women do not have due to the wealth of her mother's family. However, sexual intercourse between husband and wife is not within her control. She has refused again and again. If Li Che is really forced into a corner and divorces her, Zhao Qingyi's reputation as a woman will be ruined.
This was not the result she wanted.
Chu Yuanhe rested his slender fingers on the table, tapping them sporadically. "In my opinion, this is just a delaying tactic. It won't last long. We must solve the problem from the root. What do you think?"
He suddenly assumed a serious attitude, and Zhao Qingyi could hardly think the wrong thing, so she explained seriously, "I already have a plan to deal with it. It will make it impossible for the Li family to recover, but it will take time..."
She paused, and a flash of inspiration flashed through her mind.
Zhao Qingyi slowly raised her eyelashes.
What did he just say?
"Solve the problem from the root"...
Could it be what she thought?
It was a path she had never imagined.
"What? Do you have a better idea?" Chu Yuanhe moved a little closer, taking a long breath, as if waiting for her to continue.
The pleasant smell came to her face again, coupled with that handsome face that was already too good to be real. Zhao Qingyi's eyes flickered slightly, and she leaned back, not daring to look him in the eye again.
"No, Your Highness is very thoughtful. How can I compare with you? It's just... it's getting late. Your Highness should leave early."
It's so terrible. She and the Prince of Pingxi were clearly innocent, but when they were playing charades just now, she actually felt that she was not a good woman.
How could she discuss how to deal with her husband with a man from outside the family?
That's ridiculous.
Zhao Qingyi didn't dare to think any further. She staggered back to the couch and carefully closed the gauze curtain to prevent Chu Yuanhe's sight from coming in. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Chu Yuanhe laughed happily, "Miss Zhao is a smart person, she understands it immediately."
He had expressed his true feelings at the Zhao family that day. Now, he had plenty of patience and understood the principle of knowing when to stop. Acting too hastily would only arouse Zhao Qingyi's vigilance.
Chu Yuanhe didn't move forward, maintaining a suitable distance, and reminded him, "What I said to you before is always valid. If you agree, I can actually handle the rest for you."
Zhao Qingyi did not doubt his ability. After a long moment, he hummed in a muffled voice as a response.
After the people left, she realized that her heartbeat was much faster than usual.
It must be because of illness.
Humans are animals that seek profit and avoid harm. The noble Prince of Pingxi is indeed more secure than the selfish and vicious Li Che. He can bring her benefits and help her solve many troubles. Even if the other party makes a little effort, he can easily save her from the quagmire.
But she was afraid. She was afraid that relying on others would become a habit, and she was even more afraid that if she agreed to him, she might be jumping into a new fire pit.
The Li family could trap her for a while, but what about the Wang Mansion? Wouldn't it trap her for life?
She should just think that the Prince of Pingxi was only interested in her temporarily and shouldn't take it seriously. Zhao Qingyi lay back on the couch and fell asleep in a daze.
The next day, the news that she had caught a cold somehow reached the Zhao family. Zhao Huaiyi rushed to the house with the imperial physician as soon as the morning court was over.
Instead, the Li family was the last to know that Zhao Qingyi was ill. Seeing that the imperial physician had come to the house, Li Che and Luo hypocritically went to Lanyue Pavilion to visit her.
The person who came was still Liao Yuanpan. He first took Zhao Qingyi's pulse through the tent, wrote out a prescription, and told her to rest in the hospital for at least ten days to half a month, and not to overwork or be exposed to the wind.
When Luo Li Che heard this, his heart sank.
Wouldn’t it be delayed for ten days or half a month to hold the birthday party?
That round of marriage...
The mother and son each have their own ulterior motives.
Judge Liao packed up his things and prepared to leave the house when he suddenly noticed that Li Che looked unhappy.
"Master Li, have you recently experienced any soreness in your waist and knees, or occasional headaches or tinnitus?"
Li Che was stunned for a moment. He didn't notice it before he said it, but after he finished speaking, he immediately felt unwell.
Mrs. Luo asked nervously, "But what's wrong with my son?"
"Oh, it's just a minor illness." Court Judge Liao smiled gently and took out a green porcelain bottle from the medicine box. "One pill at a time, three times a day. Take it on time. The symptoms will be relieved in a few days. But the most important thing is that Lord Li takes care of himself."
Mrs. Luo quickly agreed on behalf of her son and took the porcelain bottle as if it were a treasure.
The imperial physicians in the palace were naturally better than the barefoot doctors in the folk. Luo did not miss this opportunity and asked Liao Yuanpan to go to the outer room to check her pulse and take a look at the pregnant Yuxiu.
Judge Liao did not refuse. He looked at them one by one, left a few prescriptions, and then returned to the palace to report.
Zhao Huaiyi came over and took a look at his daughter, then sent Liao Yuanpan out together. He also had to go to the palace to express his gratitude, and it just happened to be on his way.
Luo pretended to give Zhao Qingyi a few words of advice, then hurriedly pulled Li Che away.
Originally, Li Che had some feelings for Zhao Qingyi, but now that she suddenly caught a cold, in order to protect himself from being infected by the disease, he had to give up the idea for the time being. In addition, Yuxiu was pregnant and it was not suitable for her to serve him, so for several days, he could only stay in Zhao Manyi's room.
It has to be said that Liao Yuanpan's medicine was really effective. After a few days, Li Che no longer felt tired. Instead, he felt energetic every morning when he woke up.
However, this situation only lasted for a few days.
Li Che had more and more chores to do in the Hanlin Academy, and he was absent-minded several times when doing that at night. Zhao Manyi noticed it, but was afraid of angering him, so she didn't dare to say anything.
Until one day, Li Che said that he was busy with work and had to stay in the office for a few days, and Zhao Manyi was ignored again.
Since the incident at the old house, she has been much more well-behaved since she came back. She usually avoids Yuxiu and there have been no conflicts. After dinner, she usually takes Jun Ge'er somewhere else for a walk to digest the food.
But today she had something on her mind, and she took Jun'er's hand and unknowingly walked to the vicinity of Lanyue Pavilion.
It was the first time for Jun Ge'er to come here. He found the place spacious, so he started playing Cuju with several servants. Zhao Manyi didn't want to spoil his fun, so she found a stone bench to sit down, planning to wait until Jun Ge'er had enough fun before taking him back.
Unexpectedly, in the dark twilight, Jun Ge'er kicked the Cuju into the yard.
The servants who were playing with Junger all stood still and dared not move. Only Junger was young and didn't know where the place ahead was, so he ran in.
Zhao Manyi was afraid that Jun Ge'er would offend the people in the house, so she hurriedly followed and wanted to bring her son back. However, just as she stepped over the gate and picked up her son, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a dark shadow out of the corner of her eye.
She instinctively looked in that direction, only to see a figure leaping up and down between the courtyard walls, and then disappearing in the blink of an eye.
In a flash, a thought flashed through Zhao Manyi's mind.
That's a man!
And looking at that person from behind, he had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, and was agile in his movements. He was not Li Che at all.
If it’s not Li Che, who else could it be?
Zhao Manyi quickly thought of another person, Li Heng who lived in Cuizhuxuan?
After marrying into the Li family, she overheard some of Luo's gossip, in which she was scolding Zhao Qingyi for being a seductress and for having an affair with that illegitimate son.
Now that a man other than Li Che appeared in Zhao Qingyi's courtyard, Zhao Manyi naturally thought that this man was Li Heng.
This is huge news!
Zhao Manyi suppressed her excitement and left quickly with Jun Ge'er in her arms.
She decided to tell Li Che this secret after he came back tonight, but Mother Xing, the new person who came to serve her, felt that it was inappropriate.
"You haven't got any solid evidence yet, and you've already rashly told me. Firstly, you'll alert the enemy, and secondly, if I investigate and find nothing, I'll definitely blame you for stirring up trouble."
Mother Xing was specially arranged by Li Che. Zhao Manyi trusted her and never doubted her words.
But these words were like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, forcing her to calm down.
Mother Xing added, "I've noticed that Master seems to be in a bad mood these past few days. It's best not to offend him at this critical moment."
This was quite polite, as she didn't directly say that Li Che ignored her.
Zhao Manyi sat in front of her dressing table, looking at herself in the bronze mirror. Her slender white fingers slowly stroked her face. "Mother Xing, do you think I look haggard these days?"
Everything was fine, why did Li Che suddenly lose interest in her?
"How could that be? My aunt is in her prime, just like the peach blossoms in full bloom, attracting everyone's love."
Mother Xing coaxed her, but seemed to have read her mind. Suddenly, she leaned over and asked softly, "Pardon my intrusion, but are you worried about the affairs in the bedroom?"
Zhao Manyi blushed when her secret was exposed and glared at her.
"We've all been through this, so there's no need to be ashamed." Xing Madam was thick-skinned. "I think now that the eldest madam is ill and Madam Yuxiu is pregnant, this is a good opportunity for you to win over the master."
"As long as I can't leave you, the grandmother and the jade sleeves will all be defeated by you and will make way for you sooner or later."
Mother Xing's words were so persuasive that Zhao Manyi's heart was moved. "You are such a sharp talker, old woman. Tell me what you have to say."
Mother Xing chuckled, "I've served in other wealthy families before. When the ladies and concubines compete for favor, they use many tricks, for example..."
Mother Xing's voice gradually dropped, and Zhao Manyi's face grew hotter as she listened. "Does this... really work?"
Mother Xing hurriedly said that she dared not lie.
Zhao Manyi thought for a moment, made up her mind, took out a few banknotes from the box, and told Mother Xing to do it quietly.
Within half a day, Mother Xing had prepared everything, including incense and medicinal wine. The medicinal wine was the extremely hard-to-find deer blood wine, which cost her a lot of money. She told Zhao Manyi and Li Che to serve the deer blood wine first when they had dinner together, and to light the incense at night to warm the tent, which would help to liven up the party and ensure that they would be satisfied.
Zhao Manyi was more cautious and confirmed again and again that these things would not harm her body before she dared to keep them.
That night, Li Che came back from the office. Not long after the two of them had dinner together, there was a noise in the room. He called for water three times in a row during the night, which had never happened before.
Mother Xing secretly laughed from ear to ear. After calling for water for the third time, she slipped away to Lanyue Pavilion to report.
"Grandma, it's done."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
