Chapter 60
After saying that, Lin ignored her and turned to prepare the medicine.
It was already night, and it was pitch black outside, so it was impossible to tell what time it was.
However, no matter the time, one should not decoct medicine indoors, let alone in front of her, a patient.
"Hey, can't you go somewhere else to brew the medicine?" Chun'an said unhappily.
Lin Yi ignored her, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan, which only fueled the fire. "Finally, you're not calling me sister-in-law anymore?"
Chun'an snorted coldly and turned his head away, ignoring her.
No one knows where she found a small ceramic stove, about the size of two palms. It didn't need firewood; just some flammable cotton and sawdust in the firebox would keep it burning for a while. Lin Yi was using this ceramic stove to decoct medicine.
As the flames in the stove grew stronger, the burning smell mixed with the aroma of herbs filled Chun'an's nostrils, causing him to cough.
"Who brews medicine indoors? Aren't you afraid of setting the house on fire? Get out of here right now!"
The princess was becoming increasingly rude to her, and now she wasn't even pretending anymore.
Lin Yi sighed, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but the medicinal vapor rising from it is the essence. These are all herbs that I personally dried, and I couldn't bear to waste even a tiny bit of their medicinal properties, so please forgive me, Your Highness."
After saying that, she finally raised her head, smiled slightly at Chun'an, and the curve of her lips was three parts deliberate and seven parts smug.
Instead of expressing her hope that Chun'an could recover soon, she only said that she didn't want to waste her medicinal herbs. This true, scheming face was so obvious that it made people want to grind their teeth in hatred!
Chun'an could only hold back for a moment before glaring angrily: "You're clearly retaliating against me!"
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow, finding the question both childish and amusing: "So what if it is? Aren't your actions since you came here enough for me to get my revenge?"
It's only because she's kind-hearted that she's like this. If it were someone like Lu Yanran, she probably would have already resorted to all sorts of tricks and engaged in fierce competition.
"I was—" Princess Chun'an, usually quick-witted, was repeatedly outmaneuvered by her, feeling both angry and annoyed. Unable to win the argument, she simply fell silent.
Lin Yi, however, would not let go of this opportunity for frankness just because she kept quiet.
"What is it? Are you angry that I'm not good enough for your brother Chengnan, or angry that Xie Chengnan was blind to marry you instead of me?"
“Your Highness, I know where your hostility towards me comes from, but I’m sorry, I simply cannot understand it.”
As she spoke, she didn't look at Chun'an, but instead stared down at the bubbling medicine pot beside her. Steam rose, obscuring her face in the mist. If one ignored the unpleasant words emanating from her mouth, she actually appeared rather gentle and charming.
That expression would never appear on Chun'an's face. Chun'an couldn't help but wonder, is this the kind of woman Xie Chengnan likes?
"As for feelings, Xie Chengnan has already made it clear that he has treated you as a younger sister since childhood. Even if there is affection between you two, it is only familial affection, nothing more. As for principles, I am already his lawfully wedded wife. This is a marriage chosen by the Emperor, and you cannot stop it. What's done is done. Now that you've come here to cause trouble, you will only humiliate yourself." These words were utterly merciless. Lin Yi thought that the spoiled Princess Chun'an would definitely be furious and might even rush down and overturn the medicine pot.
Chun'an just lowered his head, his bangs, damp with sweat from his illness, stuck to his small face, making him look pitiful.
Lin Yi had never been loved since childhood, but then he thought about it and realized that this princess had been cherished and pampered since childhood. Being criticized like this might be a blow to her.
Then she cursed herself inwardly—when will she ever get rid of this soft-hearted habit? Being hurt is something she brought upon herself!
Even though Lin Yi knew he was easily swayed by emotions, he couldn't change his mind in a short time. When he spoke again, his tone was three degrees softer than before.
"You haven't seen him for a long time, and now you're making a scene. Do you think he'll be happy? Either way, everyone's unhappy, so why make a scene?"
The princess sniffed, unsure whether it was from catching a chill or the overpowering smell of the medicine. "Who said I was being silly?"
"I know you weren't making a scene, you're just angry, right? But nothing in this world is ever perfect. You only see us laughing and talking now, but do you know how much he humiliated me when I first came to your house?"
Hearing this, Chun'an became interested and stretched out on the bed: "What do you mean?"
Lin Yi embellished the story, recounting how Xie Chengnan had neglected her when she first entered the Marquis's mansion, and how he had made her weed the dilapidated courtyard all by herself, among other things.
This made Chun'an laugh through her tears. Finally, the princess haughtily snorted, "I knew it! Xie Chengnan isn't a good person either. If you follow him, you'll suffer!"
Having just spoken ill of someone, Lin Yi couldn't help but defend Xie Chengnan. "At first, I thought so too, but as time went on, he's been quite good to me." She paused, then added, "He's a very good person, so it's understandable that you're upset."
Princess Chun'an, whose mood had just improved, was angered again upon hearing this. "Are you deliberately trying to provoke me?"
Lin blinked. "Really? I was just telling the truth."
"You've already let go of Xie Chengnan's character, whether he was good to me or not, from the moment you decided to leave Mingzhou City, haven't you?"
Silence spread through the room.
Chun'an had long since let go of that. She wasn't here to steal anything. A good horse doesn't turn back to eat the grass it already grazed; she wouldn't bother forcing things that weren't meant for her, much less covet them.
But human hearts are so complex that even she herself didn't quite understand why she had to come here and compete with Qiu Qing.
Princess Chun'an exhaled a breath of stale air, and when she looked up again, she seemed like a different person: "You're right, I've already let it go. It's Xie Chengnan's fault for not having good taste; we're not meant to be. What kind of life you two lead, whether you're fighting tooth and nail or being deeply in love, has nothing to do with me."
"You've figured it out?" Lin Yi smiled.
"Hmph, I've always thought this through. It's just that you're petty and judging others by your own standards."
Lin Yi stared in disbelief, unable to discern for a moment whether the princess was merely being sarcastic or genuinely believed it.
The poison of Sophora flavescens is not difficult to cure; vomiting or diarrhea can be induced. Therefore, Lin Yi cooked ginger and mung bean soup and added rhubarb and Glauber's salt to relieve constipation and detoxify.
None of the herbs were difficult to cook, and the soup was ready in no time. Lin Yi ladled out a bowl, let it cool slightly, and then served it to Chun'an.
"Look, it has licorice and brown sugar added, so it's not bitter."
Chun'an's wariness had not completely dissipated, and he looked at her suspiciously, trying to see the true intention behind this bowl of medicine.
"If you take too much Sophora flavescens, it won't really have any effect. At most, you'll have convulsions, coma, and foaming at the mouth. In more serious cases, it might cause internal organ failure, neurological disorders, and erratic gait. It's not a serious illness. If you don't want to drink it, then forget it." He then moved his hand away.
Before the bowl of herbal soup completely disappeared from sight, Chun'an called out in time: "Hey—I didn't say I wouldn't drink it."
As soon as Chun'an took the bowl, Lin Yi immediately withdrew his hand, as if shaking off a hot potato, afraid that she would regret it. "Then drink it quickly. You're such a grown-up. Don't be so hesitant to drink medicine. People will laugh at you."
She's turned the tables on us again! Chun'an thought bitterly.
Thinking this to herself, she brought the bowl closer to her mouth. Lin Yi hadn't prepared a spoon for her, and the princess wasn't picky; she simply held the bowl to her lips, intending to gulp it down in one go.
Although Lin Yi said that licorice and brown sugar were added to the medicine, Chun'an didn't believe him. She would have been more convinced if Qiu Qing had added half a catty of Coptis chinensis or a laxative.
Therefore, when Chun'an tasted the bittersweet medicinal juice with a refreshing aftertaste, he was stunned for a moment.
It's said that good medicine tastes bitter, and medicine for treating illness is far from pleasant to drink; it's good enough if it doesn't make you nauseous. This bowl was no exception, but compared to other medicinal soups Chun'an had drunk, it was much 'tastier'. She couldn't help but glance at Lin Yi suspiciously out of the corner of her eye.
The latter smiled brightly, like a cat that had just tasted fish: "How about that? I didn't lie to you, did I?" He didn't care at all even though he received another cold snort and eye roll from the princess.
This time, Chun'an couldn't bring himself to hate her.
Friendships between girls can often be established in the time it takes to eat a meal. And any misunderstandings between them can disappear in just one night.
The next day, Xie Chengnan was somewhat surprised to see the two, who had previously been at odds, going out shopping together as if nothing had happened. However, he trusted Lin Yi's frankness and shrewdness, and understood Chun'an's pure and genuine nature. He was happy to see the two men reconcile.
This trip was actually Chun'an's suggestion. Perhaps it was the princess's special way of showing goodwill, because early in the morning she stood fiercely in front of Lin Yi's room, ordering people to accompany her shopping.
Lin Yi was happy to agree, as the palace banquet was in two days and she needed to quickly prepare a suitable outfit.
But she couldn't say it out loud. The reason was simple: Princess Chun'an was a person who cared about her reputation.
If the two of them were to so quickly put aside their past grievances and make peace, how would that dignified princess who had stirred up trouble feel?
So Lin Yi reluctantly lingered at the door for a long time before finally proposing that, in exchange for accompanying her out, Princess Chun'an should also help her choose a safe and appropriate palace banquet outfit. The two agreed on this before finally leaving.
The sunlight shining on the street has a unique gentleness and tranquility.
Lin Yi and Chun An walked side by side through the bustling crowd, heading straight east.
To the east is Yunxiufang, the largest clothing store in Mingzhou City.
The clothes of the noble ladies in the city were mostly custom-made, with the fabric chosen first and then the clothes taken for measurement. But Lin Yi felt that such trouble was unnecessary. Over twenty years of modern life had made her accustomed to buying ready-made clothes. She only regretted that there was no Taobao or other online shopping platforms in ancient times, otherwise she probably wouldn't even bother to leave the house.
However, even in ready-made clothing stores, measurements are required, which Lin Yi found very inconvenient.
"Girl, raise your arm a little higher."
Upon hearing this, Lin Yi stiffly raised his outstretched arms three inches higher.
The measuring tape skillfully wrapped around her shoulders, neck, waist, and even wrists and ankles. Lin Yi felt that ready-made clothes weren't much more convenient than custom-made ones.
"Measured! Look at your figure, young lady! In my more than twenty years of making clothes, I've rarely seen someone as well-proportioned as you!"
As she spoke, she smacked her lips as if she couldn't get enough of looking at him, then leaned closer and whispered, "Is the young lady engaged? If not, I know several powerful and influential people in the city, all of whom are single..."
Before the landlady could finish speaking, Chun'an squeezed between the two and said, "It was promised a long time ago. This is my sister-in-law."
The proprietress shook her head regretfully: "I see..."
Although slightly disappointed, the shop owner was very professional. Turning to introduce the clothes, she said, "If you're married, then you should wear something even brighter. How about this orange-red one? Only someone as slender as you could fit into this waistline!"
The colors are bright and saturated, yet not too flashy, making them quite suitable for wearing at palace banquets.
Lin Yi's hand had barely touched the fabric, not yet feeling its smoothness, when another slender hand reached out from the side and took it first.
"Miss Qiu, oh no, I should call you Madam Xie. What brings you here today?"
Lin Yi ignored her, and feeling neglected, Lu Yanran turned her attention to Chun An standing beside her, smiling ambiguously, "I've never heard that the young marquis has a younger sister? Or perhaps..."
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