Chapter 27
Wang Shuhuai's face did not look good, and there was an indescribable sourness lingering in his heart.
Xie Yunchu called out, "Second Master?"
Wang Shuhuai looked like he had something to say.
Looking at his wife who was exhausted and obviously powerless, Wang Shuhuai shook his head, "I'm fine, you go and rest."
Xie Yunchu felt sticky all over, so he turned around and went in first.
Wang Shuhuai was waiting in the hall outside. He heard intermittent moans of pain from inside. He thought of something and stood up and went out.
In the bathroom, Chunqi looked at the bruise on Xie Yunchu's shoulder and cried out in pain, "Does it hurt? It hurts a lot, doesn't it? Madam Yang, don't you take it easy?"
Xie Yunchu smiled bitterly and said, "She is not much better. Besides, after going on stage, don't expect to come back safe and sound."
Someone came outside, Xia An went out, and soon came back with a small brown medicine bottle, and said to Xie Yunchu through the screen,
"Master, the eunuch who just gave birth to me brought this medicine, saying it's for your healing."
Since he was a eunuch, he might be from the Princess' side. Xie Yunchu said indifferently, "Just leave it there."
Xia An was busy preparing dinner, so he put the medicine bottle on the table and went out.
After dawdling for nearly half an hour, Xie Yunchu sat down in front of the dressing table, half-undressed, waiting for Chunqi to apply medicine to her. Chunqi went to the outer room to get the medicine. At this time, the bamboo curtain rang slightly, and Wang Shuhuai came back with a medicine bottle in his hand.
Chunqi glanced at the medicine bottle on the table, then looked at Wang Shuhuai, somewhat puzzled, and saluted him.
"Second Master."
Xie Yunchu heard the noise, put on his shirt and came to the screen. The couple's eyes met. Xie Yunchu saw what he was holding, while Wang Shuhuai saw the small medicine bottle on the table.
It was exactly the same as the one in his hand, both of which were the best healing oil for bruises and injuries in the army.
Wang Shuhuai sat down calmly, immediately swapped the two medicine bottles, and said in an extremely calm tone, "Use this one."
Chunqi just felt something was wrong and looked back at Xie Yunchu.
The two bottles look the same, is there a difference?
Wang Shuhuai was probably doing this for the first time, so his face was still a little unnatural. He only said gently, "This is better."
Xie Yunchu didn't ask any more questions. It was not just a bottle of medicine. She nodded at Chunqi and said, "Bring it in."
Chunqi took the medicine bottle given by Wang Shuhuai into the inner room, unscrewed the stopper, and a pungent smell came out. Both the master and the servant choked twice. Chunqi carefully dipped a cotton ball in the medicine and applied it to her shoulder bone. At first there was a cool feeling, followed by a hot sensation, which soothed the sore, painful and swollen area. He tried massaging it a few times and the effect was remarkable.
Xie Yunchu was surprised, "This medicinal oil is good, Second Master, it's thoughtful." She raised her voice and thanked Wang Shuhuai politely.
Wang Shuhuai's white fingers tapped lightly on the bottle in his palm. His eyes were deep and long, as if he wanted to penetrate the bottle. He hummed lightly.
After a while, Xie Yunchu came out with his clothes buttoned, and told Chunqi to set the table. His eyes fell on Wang Shuhuai's palm. He had just tried it and found that this medicinal oil was very good. If there was a bruise in the future, that small bottle would not be enough. So he smiled and pointed at Wang Shuhuai's hand.
"Second Master, can you give me this too?" The appearance is exactly the same, maybe they are the same thing.
Xie Yunchu was a little envious.
Good medicine can be found by chance but not by force.
Facing his wife's clear and expectant eyes, Wang Shuhuai's heart choked for an inexplicable moment, "This bottle is broken, I will find another one for you later."
Xie Yunchu looked at the medicine bottle eagerly, curled his lips and nodded.
Wang Shuhuai's mood was difficult to discern.
That guy is really diligent.
There was a stuffy feeling in my chest that took a long time to go away.
It was not until Xie Yunchu came out happily and the maids served dinner that he felt better when he saw his quiet and gentle wife eating with him.
After the meal, Wang Shuhuai did not rush to leave, but sat there drinking tea.
Xie Yunchu felt a little sleepy. He yawned, then dozed off lazily on the pillow of the Luohan bed.
Wang Shuhuai originally wanted to ask her some questions, but seeing how lazy she looked, he gave up and returned to Qiankun Hall.
As the lights came on, Wang Yining forced herself to come visit Xie Yunchu. The two girls chatted for a while and then took a rest.
Xie Yunchu was exhausted, so he went to bed early. He slept until about midnight when he vaguely felt the bed sinking and was awakened by the sound.
The black crow feathers blinked lightly, revealing a layer of hazy water light, and the black hair was half hanging down, covering a charming and confused face. She did not have the dignity and restraint she had during the day, and looked like she was being bullied by him in a daze.
Wang Shuhuai was about to go to bed, and when he saw this scene, his throat tightened noticeably.
The summer rain came suddenly, coming quickly and going away quickly. The raindrops from the eaves fell on the steps. His breathing was a little heavier than usual, and the desire was obviously wandering through his limbs. Wang Shuhuai closed his eyes and lay down a distance away from her.
Xie Yunchu turned over and continued sleeping with his back to Wang Shuhuai.
In the darkness, her every movement disturbed him very clearly. Indulgence is harmful to the body. This has always been Wang Shuhuai's principle. Even if there are no rules, he will not allow himself to indulge. Now he is glad that Xie Yunchu has set rules for him. After a long time, he took a long breath in the darkness and slowly calmed down.
He slept until dawn. When Xie Yunchu opened his eyes, he felt as if his whole body had been crushed. His arms and thighs seemed to be rusted and he couldn't lift them at all.
She still kept her back to the bed curtain, and shouted weakly outside,
"Chunqi, come and help me..."
A thin and slender arm reached out and caught Xie Yunchu's waving hand. Xie Yunchu bounced back as if he had been electrocuted when he touched the solid palm. He turned around and met Wang Shuhuai's calm gaze. Xie Yunchu got up quickly, not caring about the pain in his body, and said in surprise,
"Why didn't the Second Master leave?"
Wang Shuhuai was a little confused. His wife was here, and he was taking a day off today. Wasn't it natural for him to wait for her for breakfast after practicing martial arts?
Well, he forgot to tell her that he was taking a rest today.
"I'm taking a day off today."
"Oh..." Xie Yunchu's brain was a little slow to react. She had hardly seen Wang Shuhuai in the morning in her two lifetimes. This scene was too unfamiliar to her. The piercing pain came belatedly. Xie Yunchu shook her mind and said, "Please make way, Second Master. I need to get out of bed."
Wang Shuhuai's eyes fell on her right shoulder, "How is the injury?"
Xie Yunchu said slowly, "Nothing serious..." She was not used to telling Wang Shuhuai the truth. In her last life, she didn't want him to worry about her, but in this life, there was no need for her to do so.
He was no longer the man she coveted.
Wang Shuhuai's eyes fell on her cheek and he stepped back.
A quarter of an hour later, Xie Yunchu was dressed neatly and was helped by his maid to sit in the side room. The couple had breakfast together.
Even though Xie Yunchu didn't say anything, Wang Shuhuai knew she would feel bad. After a fierce competition, a person who hadn't ridden a horse for a long time would feel like his arms and legs were falling apart. After finishing his meal, Wang Shuhuai stood up first and said, "I'm going back to the capital today."
Xie Yunchu responded nonchalantly, "Then please be careful on the road."
Wang Shuhuai left. Not long after, Minggui came back with a basket of lush green vines. Chunqi looked at them in confusion, frowned, and asked, "What is this?"
After Xie Yunchu stopped serving Wang Shuhuai, Chunqi and others also stopped being so cautious in front of Minggui.
Minggui smiled and replied, "This is the forest grass that Master ordered me to collect from the mountains. Boiling this grass in water and taking a bath can quickly relieve fatigue."
Chunqi understood and immediately put on a smile, "Second Master, you are thoughtful and thank you for your hard work."
He took the basket and placed it at the door, then went into the house to report to Xie Yunchu, who was a little surprised. "Take some change and give it to Minggui for a drink."
I boiled two buckets of water for a bath at noon. After the bath, I felt refreshed and not so sleepy.
Xie Yunchu thanked Wang Shuhuai in his heart.
After a nap until 5 p.m., he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside. The voice sounded a bit like Wang Shuqin. Xie Yunchu immediately stood up and looked around. Soon Chunqi came in. Wang Shuqin looked unhappy. When she came in, she said,
"Second sister-in-law, something happened."
"What's wrong?" Xie Yunchu wanted to sit facing her, but Wang Shuqin refused and just pulled her aside, saying, "Yesterday, Princess Fuyuan fell off her horse and accidentally hit a piece of silver needle. I don't know how long the silver needle has been there, and there is still some poison left. The silver needle is too thin, and the princess didn't notice it last night and just thought it was hurt by the fall. This morning, the flesh of the wound was rotten, so she hurriedly asked the imperial physician, but the imperial physicians were all men, and it was difficult for them to examine the princess, so they had to ask the maid to remove the needle. Now the outer part has been broken out, but the inner part is stuck in the flesh. Now His Majesty and Grandmother are both at the princess's place, and everyone is very anxious and has no idea what to do."
Xie Yunchu felt heavy-hearted when he heard this. Although it was inevitable that there would be some mistakes in the competition, the identity of the Princess of Fuyuan was very special. If something happened when Wang Yining was being conferred the title of Princess, it would be easy for something else to happen. "Let's go and take a look."
She changed into a lotus-pink double-breasted jacket and a plain skirt and hurried to Lishui Pavilion where Princess Fuyuan lived.
As soon as they arrived in front of the pavilion, they saw eunuchs, palace maids and guards waiting in the courtyard. It was obvious how worried the emperor and the eldest princess were. Wang Shuqin first bowed to the leading eunuch and explained the reason. The eunuch went in to report and allowed the two to enter.
The main hall of Lishui Pavilion was full of people, headed by the emperor in a bright yellow dragon robe. The eldest princess and another sobbing woman sat beside the emperor. The woman was in her fifties and looked extremely plump, but her face was filled with tears. With her deep brows, broad face and forehead, she did not seem to be an easy person to get along with.
There were still a few concubines accompanying the emperor, as well as Wang Yining and others. Wang Yining saw the two coming in and waved to them gently. Xie Yunchu and Wang Shuqin bowed silently and retreated to Wang Yining's side. The eldest princess was still comforting Princess Duan. She glanced at Xie Yunchu and the others and said nothing.
No one could be blamed for this. If anyone was to blame, it was the negligence of the guards who were responsible for clearing the area. However, the thing was so small that it was embedded in the grass without being discovered, which was not surprising. However, the emperor had no place to vent his anger at this time, so he could only blame the deputy commander of the Tiger Guards who was responsible for clearing the area.
"Fu Xuan is usually a very careful person, but he was careless yesterday. I have already reprimanded him and will deal with him later."
After Prince Duan committed suicide, some officials in the court were not convinced. Princess Duan took the initiative to support the emperor and removed many obstacles for him. The emperor remembered this kindness and favored Princess Duan and her daughter over the years.
Princess Duan was the only daughter she had and she treated her like her lifeblood. She just kept crying and said, "It doesn't matter whether she is punished or not. We have to cure her first. If we leave the poison needle in her body, my daughter might not be able to survive..."
The emperor was also worried. The experienced healer of the Imperial Hospital was now nearly seventy years old and his eyes were blurry. The young men under him either had unsteady techniques or were too young. Moreover, they were all men, which would tarnish the reputation of the princess. So he was in a dilemma.
The princess ordered a female official beside her, "Send someone back to the capital immediately to invite a female doctor from the folk."
The female official replied, "I have already sent someone." But she didn't know when he would be back, after all, the princess's injury could not be delayed.
Princess Duan was so anxious that she burst into tears. "Your Majesty, there are many people in the palace. Can you find a skilled woman to come? As long as she is careful, she may be able to pull it out."
The maids around Princess Duan all tried it, but the needle was too thin and it got stuck in the flesh and couldn't be found at all. The pain made Princess Fuyuan burst into tears, and everyone was at a loss as to what to do.
At this time, Xie Yunchu whispered to Wang Yining, asking her if she had seen Fuyuan's wound. Wang Yining was answering her, and their conversation was heard by Princess Duan, who hurriedly asked, "But is there a way?"
The princess looked at Xie Yunchu seriously and replied for her, "They played polo with the princess yesterday. They were concerned about the princess's injury and had no other intentions."
Xie Yunchu understood that the princess didn't want her to get involved. If things were successful, it would be good, but if they weren't, she would be blamed.
So the two of them immediately lowered their heads and remained silent.
Unfortunately, Princess Duan was sharp-eyed and recognized Xie Yunchu. "Your Highness, this must be the young mistress of your mansion. I've heard that she is virtuous and can embroider double-sided embroidery the best in the capital. Why not let such a clever girl give it a try?"
“The best in the capital” is just a compliment, but Xie Yunchu’s craftsmanship is indeed very good.
Princess Duan had already spoken, and the eldest princess had to give her face. She looked at Xie Yunchu and asked, "Are you sure?"
Xie Yunchu was calm, "Grandson's wife, give it a try."
When she carved the ghost ball, she paid attention to her skillful techniques and meticulousness. Apart from her, it would be hard to find anyone else who could do this job anytime soon.
The princess nodded, but she did not allow Xie Yunchu to enter immediately. Instead, she asked Princess Duan in advance.
"Sister-in-law, my granddaughter-in-law is very capable, but this matter is extraordinary. She has never studied medicine, and if there is anything she is not considerate of..."
Before the princess finished speaking, she heard Princess Fuyuan crying loudly.
"Aunt, I believe her. No matter what the consequences are, I will accept them. Please let her come in and help me."
Princess Duan knew the princess's concerns and said hurriedly, "She came to help in an emergency. How could I be so indiscriminate? No matter how much I remember her kindness, Your Highness should let her go."
The princess raised her hand, and Wang Yining was about to go in with Xie Yunchu, but the princess stopped her and said, "Just wait here."
Wang Yining looked at Xie Yunchu worriedly. Xie Yunchu nodded at her and calmly walked into the inner room.
There were four or five imperial doctors discussing the antidote inside. When they heard that Xie Yunchu was going to remove the needles, most of them withdrew. Princess Fuyuan was lying on the couch behind a three-part screen. She couldn't see Xie Yunchu, but she glanced over here. "Go ahead and try. I believe you."
People always unconditionally trust those who are better than themselves.
Princess Fuyuan witnessed Xie Yunchu's ability yesterday. Her right hand is steady and her left hand is skilled. She is the only hope at the moment.
The maids made way for Xie Yunchu, helped her wash her hands, rolled up her sleeves, and helped her secure them with clips before stepping aside. Xie Yunchu came to sit behind Fu Yuan and told someone to hold a lamp and come closer, "Princess, turn sideways and face your back to me."
Fuyuan turned to the side, and Xie Yunchu ordered a maid to kneel on the bed and firmly control Princess Fuyuan. Outside, an imperial physician stood behind the screen and briefly explained the procedure to her.
"The colorless medicine dish on the small table contains Ma Fei San. Please sprinkle the medicine on it first. When the princess feels numbness on her back, you can start..."
Xie Yunchu did as she was told. When Fuyuan felt his back stiffen, she took the knife in her right hand and the clamp in her left hand, and cleaned the wound first. Then she searched for the silver needle and clamped it out of his mouth bit by bit.
It was painful, but Princess Fuyuan held back her movements. She bit the maid's clothes, banged her head on her knees, and sobbed.
Under the bright light, Xie Yunchu looked extremely calm, focused, and meticulous. His hands methodically removed the silver needles one by one without his hands shaking or his brows fluctuating at all.
The female officials and maids around her all praised her.
Two quarters of an hour later, Xie Yunchu had accomplished his great task. When he came out, his clothes were wet and stuck to his back, and he was sweating profusely without even realizing it.
Her expression was still gentle and calm as she bowed to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I have fulfilled your orders and have taken out the silver needle."
The emperor clapped his hands and smiled, "Good." He looked her up and down. She was elegant and refined, and the most valuable thing was her calm and profound temperament, which reminded him of Wang Shuhuai. "Very good, I will reward you."
The eldest princess laughed and said, "It's just a little help from a child. It's not worth your Majesty's attention."
Princess Duan went in to take a look and learned that Xie Yunchu not only removed the needle, but also helped Fuyuan treat the wound. She cried with joy and came out to praise, "Except for Your Majesty, no one in the world can compare to Your Highness the Princess. You had a keen eye to find such a good wife for Huai'er. You are closer to me than my own grandmother."
In one sentence, Xie Yunchu praised the eldest princess. The eldest princess was in good health both physically and mentally. Over the years, everyone had secretly scolded her for being harsh to her stepson. Didn't Wang Shou and his wife dislike her for not finding a wife from a noble family for Wang Shuhuai? Everyone wants to be known as a virtuous woman, and the eldest princess was no exception. Today, Xie Yunchu had made her proud.
Speaking of the marriage, the princess did have her own selfish motives. With Wang Shuhuai's status, she could indeed choose a girl from a prominent family. However, the princess saw that Wang Shuhuai was quite ambitious and did not want him to become too powerful and difficult to control, so she chose the Xie family, which was a noble family but had no real power. It just so happened that Xie Yunchu was born beautiful and talented, so she was the best choice.
Now it seems that Wang Shuhuai is very lucky.
When Xie Yunchu returned to the villa, the emperor and the eldest princess sent rewards one after another, all of which were silks, satins, gold, silver and jewelry. Although these good things were also available in the storehouse, they were of special significance. Those were all rewards received by Wang Shuhuai in the past, but today these were earned by herself and had nothing to do with Wang Shuhuai. After a while, Princess Duan also sent a pair of jade bracelets and a set of kingfisher headdress, all of which were of great value.
Even Wang Yining might have given her a lot of good things, which she would give to her when she returned to Beijing, saying that she was grateful to Xie Yunchu for solving her problems and saving her position as princess. On that day alone, Xie Yunchu was overwhelmed with gifts.
As several of them were still injured, they did not go hunting in the woods for a while. They stayed in the villa for two days. After Princess Fuyuan's wounds were treated, she recovered quickly. On the afternoon of June 5th, she came to visit Xie Yunchu in high spirits.
She brought a lot of snacks and stuffed them all on Xie Yunchu's desk. She sat down and looked at Xie Yunchu with her hands on her cheeks. "It seems hypocritical for me to say thank you. Anyway, we are sisters from now on."
Xie Yunchu sat down with her and poured her a cup of tea. "Why did you come out so soon? It's hot, you have to take good care of yourself and be careful of bleeding from your wounds."
Fu Yuan said in distress, "I was bored, and I heard that you and Wang Yining were living in the villa, so I came here. This place is quiet and cool, better than my Lishui Pavilion."
Xie Yunchu was not familiar with Princess Fuyuan, and did not know what to talk to her about. Unexpectedly, Princess Fuyuan was very outgoing and took the initiative to open the snacks she brought. "I won't be polite with you. Let's eat together. This is crystal diced pork from Yangzhou. It's delicious."
She stuffed a bag of diced meat into Xie Yunchu's hand. Xie Yunchu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This girl was quite interesting.
The two of them had been sitting there for less than half a minute when Wang Yining heard that Fuyuan was coming to visit, so she hurried over with Wang Shuqin and Wang Shuya.
Before the person arrived, the voice had already lifted the curtain.
"Fuyuan, what are you doing here? You are not well yet, don't bother Chu'er."
Fu Yuan was unhappy. He chewed a mouthful of diced meat and went out through the curtain. He bumped into Wang Yining. She held her waist and replied as a matter of course,
"Chu Chu saved me, isn't it normal for me to come and thank you?"
The two had a dispute when they were young, and they quarreled every time they met afterwards.
Wang Yining looked at her with disdain, "Alright, the things have been delivered, and you have appreciated the kindness. Go back quickly."
Fu Yuan does not care about the importance of things. Wang Yining does not want Xie Yunchu to get involved with her. Wang Yining has been pampered in her life, but she has suffered a lot in front of Fu Yuan. There is no other reason, it is because the palace favors this ancestor more. If Fu Yuan causes any trouble with Xie Yunchu, Xie Yunchu will definitely be the one to suffer in the end.
Fu Yuan was unhappy when he heard Wang Yining's tone. "I came to visit Chu Chu. What does it have to do with you? You can't be like an old lady and control everything just because she lives with you."
"I've decided. I want to become sworn sisters with Chuchu. From now on, I will take care of her affairs."
"Pfft!" Wang Yining was so amused by her words that she pointed in the direction of Qiankun Hall.
"My lord, the generations are messed up. She is my niece-in-law and you are my cousin. How can you be sworn brothers with her?"
The two of them were talking at the same time, and Xie Yunchu had no chance to get a word in, so he just stood aside with Wang Shuqin and watched the fun.
Princess Fuyuan thought about it and said, "She is your niece-in-law, not your niece. I have no blood relationship with her, so we can become sworn brothers."
Wang Yining couldn't argue with her, and she also knew that this girl was just hot-headed, so she didn't argue with her, "Okay, it's getting late, Shu Huai should be back, come back another day."
Wang Yining ordered them to leave.
Fu Yuan didn't want to leave. She took a step towards Xie Yunchu, hugged her and asked pitifully, "Chuchu, can you let me stay for dinner?"
Xie Yunchu didn't know how to reply to her.
Wang Yining was anxious when she saw her shamelessly staying here, "You have to pester Chu'er. You have so much free time, go find Yang Xiyan."
Fu Yuan rolled his eyes at her and hugged Xie Yunchu tighter, "Chuchu is capable and beautiful, so why don't I like her? Go back and think about why I don't like you."
Wang Yining: “…”
I'm so pissed off.
Xie Yunchu was really afraid that the two would end up quarreling, so he quickly tried to smooth things over, "Okay, the princess is a guest, you can have dinner here today, and I will send you back after dinner." He then winked at Wang Yining, signaling her to accommodate the injury.
When Wang Yining saw Xie Yunchu's words, he reluctantly took his people away.
Princess Fuyuan happily took Xie Yunchu into the house, and the two of them drank tea and talked.
"Where is Wang Shuhuai?" Princess Fuyuan was not completely careless. Although she wanted to stay here, she also had to consider her dignity.
Xie Yunchu hadn't thought about her husband for a long time, and replied blankly, "He returned to Beijing these two days."
"So, you won't be coming back today?" Princess Fuyuan's eyes sparkled.
Xie Yunchu thought about it and said, "Maybe." She said boredly, "He is always busy."
"Yes, yes, I've heard about this, too. My cousin was in the same class with him. Chang Daoshuhuai studied very hard and would never come back before dark." Fu Yuan glanced out the window. The sky was bright and the sunset glowed. "Hey, it's not dark yet, he will definitely not come back, so I'll have dinner with you in peace."
Wang Shuhuai stepped onto the corridor and heard these words.
He frowned for a long time.
The maidservant under the corridor had already spotted him and shouted to the inside, "Second Master is back."
Wang Shuhuai walked to the window of the main house with a cold expression, looked at his wife through the window, and then bowed to Fuyuan, "Greetings, Princess."
Princess Fuyuan returned the greeting generously, half of her round face peeking out from the window, looking at him with a smile.
"You're back? Back so early? Or, can you continue to work for a while?"
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