Chapter 36 Giving in "like a wronged little puppy." (Part 2...)
"If no one helps him cure this poison, he will die!"
Seeing Ruan Yang leave without looking back, Ji Changhuan tried calling out to her a few more times.
Ruan Yang stopped and said, "Even if I die, it's because of you."
In the Coral Garden, Helian Jia sent a doctor to stitch up Ning Xian's wounds again, and with the addition of medicine, her body temperature gradually decreased.
However, as Ji Changhuan said, his Hehuan Powder was beyond cure.
The doctor left, leaving only Ruan Yang in the room. She stood in front of the bed, gazing at the person lying in the soft quilt for a long time.
The scent of lotus sachet masked the smell of blood. He lay sprawled out, the blanket only covering the lower half of his body. One knee was bent, and one hand hung by the side of the bed. White bandages were wrapped around his left chest and waist, making him look both hateful and pitiful.
Ruan Yang did not want him to die for the time being, nor was she willing to become his antidote so easily.
She turned around, intending to call Ji Changhuan or Jinlian, since if they came, it would be a matter of mutual consent, and she wouldn't have done anything heinous.
“Little Yangyang..…”
The moment Ruan Yang turned around, her sleeve was suddenly tugged.
She turned around and asked in a hoarse voice, "Awake?"
"I can't sleep."
Ning Xian slowly recalled what had just happened and thought she was angry: "I didn't do anything to betray you. I controlled myself and didn't do anything reckless..."
Ruan Yang was stunned for a moment by his attitude.
To appease him, Ruan Yang forced a smile and said, "I know, I don't blame you. I went to find the antidote for you."
"...An antidote?"
Ning Xian took a deep breath and said, "Do you want me to put it in another woman's vagina?"
No.
Ruan Yang shook her head and gave an awkward laugh. She lied and said, "I'm not feeling well."
Ning Xian remained unmoved, her eyes red: "You clearly despise me because you saw how ugly and helpless I became."
Ruan Yang: "..."
Ning Xianzhong's appearance wasn't pretty, but it wasn't ugly either. It was just that her face had lost its color, and she was whimpering like a little puppy with tears all over her face. She looked utterly pathetic.
So cheesy.
Ruan Yang thought to herself, "This person is about to die, and he's still thinking about whether he's pretty or not. This person has such a heavy burden on his mind; he's more concerned about his appearance than a little girl."
Ruan Yang remained silent for a moment, then inexplicably pressed on Ning Xian's wound, asking innocently, "Does it hurt?"
Blood seeped out again, and the boy winced in pain, his body curling up slightly: "You...."
Then, after a long pause, he finally said a few words: "You've gotten so bold, you even dare to bully me now."
Ruan Yang shook her head: "It's not bullying. I remember I twisted my ankle when I helped you pick mushrooms to make soup. When we came back, you pinched my ankle like this and deliberately didn't let me eat, making me beg you."
"I asked you why you bullied me, and you said you did it because you like me."
After hearing this, Ning Xian lowered her eyes and said, "You're not nice to me at all now, instead of learning from me. Where did all that gentleness go? Did it go to Lu Wenjin?"
"?"
Ruan Yang was losing her patience: "Bringing him up again, are you trying to start a fight with me?"
Ning Xian shook her head, slowly moved her body, and rested her head on Ruan Yang's lap: "I won't argue, I won't talk about him anymore, don't go."
The charcoal fire crackled in the bronze stove, making the room as warm as New Year's Day. Ruan Yang sat beside Ning Xian, the two of them so close yet their hearts were worlds apart.
She didn't say anything, just leaned against the headboard and studied.
Ning Xian sighed, "I don't know how I got poisoned like that. That guy is so wicked. He made me lose face and almost made my wife leave. If I catch him, I'll definitely..."
"Crush his bones to ashes, tear his body to pieces?"
Ruan Yang shook his head helplessly and said, "You think too highly of yourself. You're in this state and you still want to take revenge on others? Do you know that if I wanted to, I could crush you like a chick right now?"
Ning Xian was stunned for a moment, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the girl's sudden harshness.
He nudged Ruan Yang's lower abdomen with his head: "I'm so thirsty, I want to drink water."
"I see you're quite good at gossiping, you should just swallow your saliva."
Ning Xian: "......"
"I'm hungry and want to eat something."
“I offered you food earlier, but you didn’t eat it. Now that the food has been taken away and there’s nothing left, you want it again. If you’re really starving, eat this. Gnaw on some grass and eat some dirt. It’ll fill you up the most.”
Ning Xian looked at the lush green potted plant in front of her: "...Never mind, I'm sleepy, I'm going to sleep."
Seeing that Ning Xian was starting to doze off, Ruan Yang pinched Ning Xian's ear and said, "Don't sleep. If you sleep now, you'll go thieves tonight!"
Ning Xian was startled, all sleepiness vanished, and he said indignantly, "They won't let me sleep, they won't look at me, and they won't talk to me, it's so boring..."
Ruan Yang put down her book and sighed, "Look at you? In a little while you'll be spreading rumors that I seduced you and made you swoon. If I make you sick, you'll be the one who suffers."
For every word Ning Xian said, Ruan Yang would retort with a retort.
Gradually, seeing that Ning Xian had completely lost her aggression, Ruan Yang also relaxed her guard. She glanced at the person sleeping peacefully with her eyes closed, then leaned her head against the headboard to prepare for a nap.
The benzoin incense wafted gently, and the incense sticks turned into ashes and fell into the incense burner piece by piece.
Ning Xian realized that Ruan Yang had fallen asleep, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He opened his eyes, grabbed the girl's wrists, and got up to press her down onto the soft pillow.
Ruan Yang struggled in vain, then frowned and said, "Are you pretending to be obedient?"
Ning Xian shook her head: "I've always been very obedient, so it's true that I'm poisoned."
Ruan Yang asked, "So, what are you going to do?"
Ning Xian pecked her on the cheek after hearing this: "Do this."
"You don't need to move, I'll do it. Consider it a reward for me."
Before Ruan Yang could refuse, Ning Xian began kissing her passionately again.
Wind, rain, thunder, lightning, flowers, grass, trees...
After the rain, the wet leaves were scattered all over the ground. Ruan Yang hugged herself, her fingernails almost digging into her arms.
After a while, Ruan Yang tidied herself up and put her inner garment back on. She glanced at Ning Xian, whose white gauze was now stained with bright red.
This time, the person really fainted.
Ruan Yang was furious and kicked the person who had fainted. She walked to the door and opened it to see a little maid with a flushed face standing at the door with soup and medicine.
Upon seeing Ruan Yang, she said, "Miss, the young master's medicine is ready."
Ruan Yang took it and, without saying a word, sprinkled the medicinal soup into the flowerpot.
The maid was taken aback: "This... the doctor said that this medicine needs to be taken three times a day for a faster recovery."
"I think he's almost fully recovered, so please send less of these herbal medicines in the future."
"yes...."
Ruan Yang called out to her, "By the way, could you please do me a favor?"
"What are your orders, young lady?"
Ruan Yang took off a pair of earrings and gave them to her: "Could you please fetch some hot water for me, and then go to the kitchen to make me a bowl of contraceptive soup?"
"Okay, I'll go right away, please wait a moment, miss."
...
A few days later, after Ning Xian had recovered from his injuries, Ruan Yang bid farewell to Helian Jia and returned to Lizhou.
News of their rescue had reached Lan Rong three days prior, and the pursuers quickly withdrew after they fell off the cliff.
Lan Rong and the others were almost unharmed.
Upon receiving the imperial edict, the prefect understood that the Crown Prince was not abolishing the exile, but rather sending him to this place to guard the border.
Although he has no real power and will never be recalled to Kyoto in this lifetime, he still has to keep up appearances.
The prefect stood in front of the mansion early in the morning, followed by many guards and maids.
The place was small and simple, not even comparable to a merchant's residence. The so-called maids and servants who came to serve were just spies sent from the capital.
"Your subject respectfully welcomes the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Crown Princess."
Ruan Yang got off the carriage and noticed that the stone lions at the entrance were covered with moss and the vermilion doors had lost a lot of paint, indicating that the place had been uninhabited for a long time.
Ning Xian nodded and exchanged pleasantries: "I hope the Prefect will take good care of me in the future."
"Your Highness, please."
The cold air seeped in through the broken window frame, scraping sharply against one's skin. There was no stove in the room, only a pile of half-extinguished firewood in the corner, and the environment was damp, cold, and sticky.
Staying here too long will surely shorten your lifespan.
Lan Rong cleaned and ventilated the bedroom, then put the taro that had been brought in to roast in the fire, saying, "Miss, this place is not like the capital. It gets completely dark before nightfall, and the security here is not good. I think you should wash up and go to bed early after you finish eating."
"Jinlian and I live next door. Your Highness and Miss, please feel free to ask if you need anything."
Ruan Yang said, "I understand."
After speaking, she drank a few sips of tea and then took off her clothes and went to sleep. The bed was narrow, barely enough for two people to squeeze in, but Ruan Yang did not intend to leave Ning Xian any space.
Since their subtle conflict last time, Ruan Yang hadn't spoken to Ning Xian for a long time. No matter how much Ning Xian tried to appease her, she wouldn't soften her heart anymore.
Ning Xian sat by the candlestick and watched as Ruan Yang carefully washed the handkerchief like a little raccoon before wrapping herself in the quilt and obediently going to sleep.
He smiled; with her there, Yan Han no longer felt lonely.
The wound hadn't fully healed, and it was getting late, so Ning Xian didn't want to disturb Lan Rong any longer. She sat under the oil lamp and changed the dressing herself.
Ning Xian's old wounds hadn't healed before he got new ones. His back was covered with scratches and teeth marks, and there was a large bruise on his lower back. Thinking about how hard Ruan Yang's little hooves had kicked him, he wasn't angry but just grinned foolishly.
He closed his clothes and walked to the edge of the bed. Unlike before, he didn't deliberately steal her blanket or kick her out of bed in the middle of the night. This time, he chose to wrap himself in the blanket and quietly rest on the edge of the bed.
...
Upon arriving in Lizhou, the environment was harsh and impoverished, but fortunately, there were no more constraints. Ruan Yang was exhausted from his journey and slept until noon the next day.
"Girl, you're finally awake."
Ruan Yang hurriedly tied up her hair: "Why didn't you wake me up?"
Ah Chou said, "His Highness said you should get some rest."
Ruan Yang frowned: "Where is he?"
"I went to the prefect's place early in the morning."
Ruan Yang pouted: "What are we going there for?"
"His Highness did not elaborate on the specifics."
After lunch, Ruan Yang followed Lan Rong to the kitchen after clearing away the dishes. As soon as she opened the door, a dark figure darted past her.
The dark figure was in a panic and hadn't even stepped out of the kitchen when it bumped into someone.
Ruan Yang rubbed her hand, which had been bruised, and saw a dirty little boy in front of her. He was dressed in rags, wearing only straw sandals, and his ten toes were red and black.
The firewood he was holding rolled all over the ground.
Lan Rong caught up with him and grabbed his ear: "Hey, you little brat, how could you steal someone's things in broad daylight? Where are your parents? I'm going to talk to them!"
The child not only refused to back down, but also retorted in a foul tone, "Go ahead and look for me! Don't think I'm afraid of you! I know who you are, but a phoenix with its feathers plucked is no better than a chicken! Don't try to act tough!"
This was the first time Lan Rong had ever seen a thief who wasn't guilty. He continued to pull the thief by the ear and led him to the door.
Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out the door, he was blocked by a large group of people. These people were all dressed in coarse linen clothes. Although they were not tall and strong, they were all carrying hoes and hammers, and those in front were holding torches.
Lan Rong noticed that there was kerosene around the house where they lived, and she realized that these people might be refugees who came to ask for food, so she immediately bolted the door.
Seeing Lan Rong's panicked state for the first time, Ruan Yang asked, "Lan Rong, what's going on outside?"
“Those people outside are threatening to burn this place down.”
Ruan Yang peeked through the crack in the door and said, "Burning down the house isn't their goal. They probably just saw that we have food, firewood, and some odds and ends of jewelry here."
Jinlian said, "Don't they know who we are? How dare they be so bold? Aren't they afraid we'll report them to the prefect and send them all to jail for a few days?"
"Of course I know, I know it very well. You see, these people are well-organized, there must be a leader who is preparing to lead these people in a rebellion."
As they were speaking, plumes of black smoke began to rise from above, and the fire had already started.
Jinlian retorted, "Then what are we supposed to do? Are we just going to stand by and watch them bully us...?"
"Won't."
As soon as Ruan Yang finished speaking, the guards at the door carried buckets of water and extinguished the flames.
"Get out of the way! Is there no law anymore? If you dare take another step forward, you will be killed on sight!"
A man in official robes arrived with several guards carrying knives. The sight of these knives did not quell the rioting crowd; instead, it escalated the unrest.
Some of the ringleaders even snatched the sharp blades from the soldiers' waists and chopped off people's heads in the blink of an eye. When the prefect saw that his persuasive words could not quell these unruly people, he called on his men to use force, and the scene became chaotic and bloody.
Ruan Yang walked to the door and said loudly, "Everyone, please calm down and let's talk things out."
"I know you all acted out of desperation; you're all just trying to make a living and keep your wives, children, and elderly parents from going hungry and cold..."
"If you know, then hand over the grain and firewood you've been hoarding! We work from dawn till dusk, toiling away to grow crops, and yet we're the ones who starve to death. Have you all lost your conscience?! All of you, charge! After looting this place, move on to the one to the west!"
The crowd surged up the steps like waves. Ruan Yang said, “This is not a long-term solution. Without weapons, you will only be running around like headless flies. The imperial court has thousands of troops. It is only a matter of a word to forcibly suppress you! Lizhou has a harsh climate and poor transportation. I assure you that the government will distribute the necessary supplies to ensure that every household has enough to eat and that you are well-fed.”
"If you behave well, the prefect will set up soup kitchens in various villages and distribute supplies tomorrow. Otherwise, this is what will happen to you."
As the crowd looked at the several unidentified corpses rolling on the ground, they gradually began to hesitate.
The leader of the group said to Ruan Yang, "But this isn't the first or second time you've broken your promises."
Ruan Yang said, "If we fail, you are free to choose to make a comeback."
After Ruan Yang finished speaking, the crowd exchanged glances and gradually dispersed, leaving only a few guards to clean up the scene.
Seeing that the riot had been temporarily quelled and that there were not many wounded, the prefect breathed a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. However, he quickly became worried and said to Ruan Yang, "In fact, besides the corruption of officials in various townships and counties, our land near the prefecture is indeed barren. Crops are even more difficult to grow in the dead of winter. What you just said is not a long-term solution, but to ensure that everyone has enough to eat, isn't that just empty talk?"
Ning Xian said, "Right now, we should first appease the people. The prefect should send people to distribute porridge and build wooden sheds so that they have a place to shelter. As for long-term food, we need to introduce crops and management methods from the northern frontier. Finally, we should develop trade between the two regions."
The prefect slowly realized what was happening and asked, "Does Your Highness mean you want to go to the Northern Frontier?"
"Yes, although the Northern Frontier is a wild and uncivilized land, it is much richer than the surrounding Hu kingdoms. Following their example is the best way. My lord, I think we should set off as soon as possible."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will prepare it immediately."
Ruan Yang came out in a hurry without wearing a hat to protect her from the wind. She rubbed her arms and said to A Chou in a shivering voice, "They are also pitiful people. If they could eat their fill and stay warm, they wouldn't be so vicious and cruel, even risking their lives to seek justice for themselves."
Seeing that her hands were red from the cold, and that there were even red spots on her index finger, Ning Xian took off his crane cloak and draped it over Ruan Yang, saying, "Human nature is inherently evil. Don't think of them as too kind. If we don't set rules and just keep giving them benefits, I'm afraid they won't be grateful. Instead, they'll take advantage of us and demand more."
After hearing this, Ruan Yang frowned and said, "But we can't just sit idly by. What I've said has at least temporarily prevented a riot, and our houses have been saved."
Seeing Ning Xian about to take her hand, Ruan Yang couldn't help but take a step back, give him a proper bow, and then turn around and go back into the house.
"·····"
Ah Chou glanced at the two of them, raised an eyebrow, and said, "How come you've become strangers again? Did you two have another fight?"
“Your Highness, my younger sister is also stubborn. If you really want her forgiveness, you should do whatever you want to coax her. She has the softest heart.”
...
The next day, Ning Xian finished washing up and having breakfast, and then prepared to go to the northern frontier with the prefect to investigate the situation. Before parting, he patted Ruan Yang's back.
Ruan Yang cautiously opened one eye, tugged at Ning Xian's sleeve, and after a long while, she awkwardly asked, "Um... Husband, where are you going?"
"I want to go on a long trip with the prefect."
Ruan Yang bit her lip, guessing that he must have made an excuse to meet with his subordinates or Ji Zhonglin during this trip.
She sighed, "It's not safe here. I don't know what to do if I run into those troublemakers on my own. Can you take me with you?"
"You didn't want to see me?"
Ning Xian felt that the sun must have risen in the west today.
"I don't want to see you, but I'm scared. What if I get kidnapped by those refugees and beaten up if you're not here?"
Ruan Yang shook Ning Xian's clothes and said, "Don't worry, when I go there, I'll stay in the house and not go anywhere. I'll just stay home and cook and wait for you to come home."
"·····OK?"
Ning Xian chuckled inwardly. This girl's attempts at being coquettish were really stiff. But what was she trying to do by following her here in such a complicated way?
He said with a playful tone, "Alright, then go pack your bags now, have breakfast, and then we'll set off together."
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