Chapter 95 There's something I absolutely must do myself...
Chapter 95
A few days later, the snow melted away.
Under Luo Jiuxun's meticulous care, Shen Suining was able to get out of bed and walk around. However, she was still extremely weak and could not withstand even the slightest bit of cold wind. A stove was lit in the room, and all the doors and windows were tightly closed, leaving only a small window open for ventilation.
The warm winter sun shone precisely on the small window. Shen Suining moved her body with difficulty, feeling bitter and depressed.
The room she lived in was probably rarely occupied. There were no decorations inside, and the style and furnishings were all in cold colors. The few asparagus ferns on the low cabinet were all trimmed neatly and evenly, as if the owner of the room had some kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
There weren't even any books. If Luo Jiuxun hadn't given her a few storybooks, Shen Suining would probably have been bored to death.
While I was lost in thought, Luo Jiuxun pushed the door open and came in, carrying a steaming medicine pot.
Seeing that she got out of bed by herself, Luo Jiuxun paused slightly, then smiled and said, "Young Master's complexion is much better than it was a few days ago, so I can rest assured."
As she spoke, Luo Jiu fetched a bowl, poured the brewed medicine into it, and let it cool for a while.
Shen Suining glanced at the bowl of dark medicine, her face contorted with bitterness, and sighed softly, "Couldn't Su Xiyao prescribe some medicine that's easy to swallow? All this stuff is being forced down my throat; it's shortening my lifespan."
"Pah, pah, pah, what unlucky things are you saying?" Luo Jiuxun quickly interrupted her, taking out a jar of candied fruit from his pocket. "Good medicine tastes bitter. For the sake of getting better soon, young master, please bear with it."
Shen Suining had no choice but to swallow the medicine with a bitter face. Her tongue instantly became so dry that she lost her sense of taste and couldn't even taste the sweetness of the candied fruit.
"Has there been no movement from the Yong'an Marquis's residence for so long?" Shen Suining asked casually.
She slipped out from beside He Hansheng's pillow in the middle of the night and disappeared without a word. Given He Hansheng's personality, it's impossible that he didn't come looking for her.
"The young marquis has been busy with political affairs lately, and I have not heard of any other moves."
Luo Jiuxun poured a glass of warm water and handed it to Shen Suining. Seeing that she was staring straight at him, he understood. "I originally sent a letter to the young marquis to inform him of the young master's whereabouts. He knows that the young master is with me."
Shen Suining frowned.
In the past, when she was in good health, He Hansheng would "happen to have time" to run into her every now and then, or pick her up to go to other places. Now that she was so badly injured and almost lost her life, He Hansheng didn't even send anyone to ask her a question.
Besides, she disappeared from his bedside this time, and for such a long time, he didn't even send anyone to deliver a word to her.
Enraged, Shen Suining couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "You heartless bastard!"
Luo Jiuxun coughed lightly, suppressing a laugh: "Does the young master mean he hopes the young marquis will come?"
Shen Suining snorted coldly: "Isn't this just how it should be? When he first returned to Huadu and refused to see me, I went to great lengths to find him."
"If that's the case, why did you hide it from the young marquis, young master?" Luo Jiuxun poured a glass of warm water with a calm expression and asked softly, "If I remember correctly, on the winter solstice, you should have accompanied the young marquis to the palace. Why were you so badly injured the next morning?"
"Is this an interrogation of me?"
"Your subordinate dares not."
Shen Suining raised an eyebrow, rested her chin on her hand, and looked at Luo Jiuxun for a moment. As if thinking of something, her gaze suddenly fell through the small window in the distance, and her thoughts drifted away.
After a long while, she finally spoke softly, "I didn't mean to hide it from him."
Luo Jiuxun looked at Shen Suining with a somewhat surprised expression, as if she hadn't expected her to say that.
"He Hansheng is too arrogant, though he certainly has the right to be. But right now, his once-proud martial arts skills are completely gone, and he's being eyed covetously in the court, barely able to take care of himself. What good would it do him to know certain things at this time, except to add to his troubles and self-blame?"
Shen Suining sighed softly, concealing the disappointment in her eyes, and said with a hint of relief, "So actually, I feel a little relieved that he didn't come to find me. If he had really come, I don't know what I would have done."
Perhaps noticing Luo Jiuxun's gaze, Shen Suining looked away, coughed lightly, and asked somewhat embarrassedly, "What kind of look is that?"
Luo Jiuxun smiled and shook his head, "It's just a bit unexpected that the young master is willing to talk to me about these things."
"Then you'd better get used to it soon. If I stay in Huadu in the future, I'll definitely bother you a lot," Shen Suining said half-jokingly.
Luo Jiuxun had lived in the capital for a long time, and Jiuxiaotianwai was one of the most prestigious places in the entire capital. Naturally, her information was more readily available than the spies that Shen Suining brought from Shuyu Manor or even the Qianji Pavilion.
Since she had already waded into the murky waters of the capital, Shen Suining did not intend to continue to adhere to the ironclad rule set by her mother not to get involved in court affairs. She thought of the Red Dust Tribulation that appeared at the Winter Solstice Palace Banquet. The origin of this incense was probably only known to Luo Jiuxun.
Taking advantage of Luo Jiuxun's moment of free time, Shen Suining asked her, "Little Jiu, do you know anyone in the capital who can concoct 'Red Dust Tribulation'?"
"'Red Beauty's Calamity'?" Upon hearing this name, Luo Jiuxun frowned, glancing instinctively at the tightly closed door. He lowered his voice, "Aphrodisiac fragrances are strictly forbidden in the Nine Heavens, let alone a strong fragrance like 'Red Beauty's Calamity.' Young Master, why are you asking about this? Could it be..."
The two exchanged a glance, and although neither spoke, Luo Jiuxun immediately understood.
She suppressed her emotions and asked, "Does the young master know who this incense is being used on?"
Shen Suining pursed her lips, not answering directly, but instead asking, "Does it matter who it's used on? Does it mean that in Huadu, there's more than one faction that uses this fragrance?"
The prominent families of Huadu value their reputation more than their lives, so it's understandable that Shen Suining wouldn't reveal it. Luo Jiuxun didn't press further, but after a moment of contemplation, said, "Young Master should have heard of the origin of 'The Beauty's Tribulation,' right?"
“Of course.” Shen Suining said without hesitation, uttering the key name: “Sheng Qingge.”
Luo Jiuxun nodded. "Back then, the scandalous affair between Sheng Qingge and Princess Biyue's husband was common knowledge in Huadu. After the two princesses passed away, it was Marquis He who personally investigated the case. Presumably, the young master has heard something about the grudges and love affairs between the princess, her husband, and Sheng Qingge. All three died unnatural deaths, yet the case was hastily concluded. This is simply because the real key to the case was a powerful figure whom even the Emperor himself had to avoid."
"You mean..." Shen Suining thought of Li Bo's attitude towards the Empress Dowager at the palace banquet, and her heart suddenly started pounding. "Could it be... the Empress Dowager?"
Given that the emperor is afraid of the current princess and her husband, and considering Shen Suining's current understanding of the situation in Huadu, the only "powerful figure" she can think of is the current Empress Dowager.
However, the court is divided between the factions of Prince Zhao and the Crown Prince. The Empress Dowager raised Prince Zhao to adulthood, so she should support him out of both sentiment and reason. According to He Hansheng, this "crisis of a beautiful woman" that is closely related to Sheng Qingge should be the work of Ouyang Lan, the Crown Prince's father-in-law.
So, what is the connection between the Empress Dowager and Ouyang Lan? Logically speaking, they are on opposing sides, and even if they are not in a life-or-death situation, they should at least have no interaction.
Shen Suining's mind was buzzing, and her expression immediately showed pain. To figure out the intricate network of relationships and the situation in Huadu was more exhausting than walking through the gates of hell.
Seeing Shen Suining's expression, Luo Jiuxun quickly reminded him, "Young Master is still seriously injured and should not worry too much. No matter how important it is, we should wait until you have recovered before discussing it."
Shen Suining pressed her brow and nodded weakly.
Seeing that Shen Suining was not fixated on the matter, Luo Jiuxun breathed a slight sigh of relief. However, considering her current situation and injuries, he couldn't help but add a reminder: "Given the influence of the Master and the Young Marquis in Huadu, the Young Master's every word and action is likely to attract attention. Forgive my bluntness, but if what the Young Master is doing now is related to the court, it would be best to discuss it with the Master and the Young Marquis as soon as possible."
“I know that, of course,” Shen Suining said, supporting her forehead with her hand and exhaling a puff of white breath. “But then again, with He Hansheng’s talent and the protective pills my elder brother gave him, if he was lucky enough to survive, is it really impossible for him to regain his martial arts skills as before?”
Luo Jiu pondered for a moment, "I am not familiar with the internal energy cultivation method of Shuyu Manor. But if I have the protective pill given by the eldest young master, I should not have lost all my internal energy."
Shen Suining immediately lowered her hand. "Really?"
Luo Jiuxun hummed in agreement. "The Protective Essence Pill can protect the heart and dantian from damage under the impact of tremendous internal force. It is a life-saving item that is priceless among martial artists. Even if it caused the reversal of the meridians throughout the body to detoxify the young master, it should only result in a temporary loss of internal energy. Once the body's foundation is restored, it should return to normal. However..."
"Just what?"
Seeing Shen Suining's expectant and eager eyes, Luo Jiuxun hesitated, "As I just said, I don't know anything about the internal energy cultivation method of Shuyu Manor, and I'm not familiar with the specific circumstances at the time. It's all just guesswork. As for how the young marquis is doing now, I'm afraid only the eldest son knows."
That's true, but after Shen Sui'an handed over the management rights of the two shops to Shen Sui'ning the day before the winter solstice, he set off for Yangzhou in the south. He was always unpredictable, and whether he replied to letters or not depended on his mood. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed in the capital for so long without Shen Sui'ning getting any useful information out of him.
After much thought, he decided that it would be safest to ask He Hansheng himself. If the truth was as Luo Jiuxun said, he had no reason to hide it from him.
Shen Suining made up her mind and said to Luo Jiuxun, "Tell Feng Yu to come pick me up this evening."
"Young Master's injuries haven't fully healed yet, where are you rushing off to?"
“Return to the Yong’an Marquis’s residence,” Shen Suining narrowed her eyes, speaking slowly and deliberately, “Besides this, there is something else I must personally confirm.”
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