Chapter 38. Zhan Xiao pressed down on Jiang Fushi's shoulder. ...
With the help of his family soldiers, Cao Rui managed to stand up, feeling a sharp pain in his chest, as if his internal organs had shifted. He glared at the man who had ruined his plans, his brow furrowed, and shouted, "Who goes there!"
The man stood silently before the princess, his dark undergarment loosely draped, revealing a large expanse of his muscular chest. Beads of sweat trickled down his firm muscles, gleaming faintly in the torchlight. He had clearly just emerged hastily from a bath, water still dripping from his hair, yet his eyes were as cold as an ancient, icy pool. A single, indifferent glance from them sent a chill down the spines of everyone present.
"Zhanxiao".
Two words, when struck on the snow, are harder than ice.
Cao Rui narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the person in front of him.
He's just a guard, yet he has such an aura and even dares to attack me in public.
Remembering his grandfather's words, a trace of apprehension flashed through Cao Rui's mind, but the sharp pain in his chest and the anger of being humiliated quickly overwhelmed that concern, and his eyes instantly turned sinister.
"You're courting death!" He spat out a mouthful of blood and snatched a steel knife from a nearby soldier. With a roar, veins bulged on his arms, and the steel knife, carrying immense force, slashed down at Zhan Xiao's head. The wind from the blade was so fierce that it even cut the falling snowflakes in two!
Zhan Xiao was unarmed, yet instead of retreating, he advanced, lightly touching the snow with his toes and kicking up a broken twig that fell into his palm. Just as the steel blade was about to strike, he slightly twisted his wrist, and the twig, moving later, struck with perfect precision on the weakest point of the blade's spine!
Cao Rui felt a chilling and domineering force travel along the blade straight through his arm bone, instantly causing his entire arm to go numb and tingle, and the steel knife almost slipped from his hand again. He staggered back three steps, leaving deep footprints in the snow, before finally managing to steady himself, his face filled with horror.
"You...who exactly are you!" The person in front of him had a strange and ruthless style of martial arts, and was definitely not an ordinary guard. Cao Rui held the long sword, endured the pain in his arm, and gripped the hilt of the sword tightly with both hands. The tip of the sword trembled slightly as it pointed at Zhan Xiao.
"The person who killed you." Zhan Xiao said calmly.
"Ha!" Cao Rui retorted, his face full of disdain. "Kill me? You think you can?"
He was a Zhaowu Colonel in the capital's military camp, while the man before him was merely an insignificant guard, yet he dared to utter such arrogant words. Moreover, with so many people watching, and him wielding a steel blade, he couldn't even withstand a withered branch from the other man—if word got out…
He took a deep breath, suppressing the ache and numbness in his arm, and stomped on the snow beneath his feet. "You ignorant and arrogant lowly guard, take this!"
The steel blade whistled through the air as it pierced straight into Zhan Xiao's heart. He used all his strength in this move, determined to pierce his opponent through.
Zhan Xiao dodged the blade to the side, his toes spun on the snow, and his figure instantly circled behind Cao Rui, a withered branch moving with lightning speed to press against Cao Rui's back.
Before he could struggle to his feet, Zhan Xiao had already stepped forward, the sharp end of the withered branch pressed against his neck, piercing his skin and drawing blood. If it went in just half an inch further, it would surely pierce his throat!
Cao Rui froze, cold sweat instantly soaking his inner shirt, and even his breath caught in his throat. He looked up and saw that Zhan Xiao's unfathomable eyes were devoid of any emotion, only a cold, deathly stillness, floating with undisguised killing intent.
Just then, Jiang Fushi stepped forward, blocking Zhan Xiao's path: "Captain Cao, you trespassed into the Princess's residence without permission and injured the guards first. My guard acted in self-defense. The injury on your face is merely a minor punishment. I'm not afraid to say it outright: even if this matter is brought before the Emperor, you will still be in the wrong!"
Cao Rui's pupils contracted sharply as he stared intently at the withered twig in his throat. He had only come tonight to find an excuse to cause trouble and establish his authority, not to truly intend to fight the Princess's residence to the death. Who knew that the Princess's residence would harbor such a formidable character? If he continued to fight, he would definitely not gain any advantage, and might even lose his life here.
"You've got guts tonight!" He abruptly took a step back, clearing the area of the dead branches, and roared at his soldiers, "Let's retreat!"
At Cao Rui's command, the Cao family soldiers hastily raised their weapons, helped their wounded comrades, and retreated one after another, leaving only messy footprints and mottled bloodstains on the snow.
Qingdai quickly stepped forward to support Jiang Fushi's trembling arm, saying with lingering fear, "Your Highness, are you alright? Those scoundrels are finally gone..."
Ignoring her disheveled clothes, Jiang Fushi looked anxiously at the figure standing in the snow.
Zhan Xiao took a step towards her, his dark inner robe fluttering in the cold wind, his damp hair clinging to his handsome face. His lips moved slightly as if he wanted to say something.
The next second, he swayed violently and fell straight forward, landing on Jiang Fushi's shoulder.
"Zhanxiao!"
Jiang Fushi gasped and instinctively opened her arms to catch his broad shoulders. The strong smell of medicine mixed with the stench of blood hit her face. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt his body temperature was frighteningly hot.
"Zhanxiao? Zhanxiao?" She gently patted his cheek, but received no response.
Seeing this, Liu Zi hurriedly stepped forward, took Zhan Xiao's arm, and helped him into the inner hall. After settling him on the couch, Jiang Fushi immediately took his pulse. Compared to the previous time when his pulse was as still as if the land was frozen solid, this time, although his pulse was still disordered and weak, and the cold was rampant, there was a faint trace of life in his veins, as if a warm current was finally beginning to flow beneath the solid ice.
Fortunately, the time for treatment had passed. Zhan Xiao had only fainted temporarily because he had to forcefully circulate his internal energy to fight the enemy right after the treatment, causing his blood and qi to flow in reverse. He was not in any danger to his life.
She summoned Rongrong and instructed her to brew a tonic to strengthen Zhanxiao's constitution and give it to him. Once the medicine took effect, he would recover.
After finishing all this, Jiang Fushi finally breathed a sigh of relief and raised her hand to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead. She then noticed Zisu staring at her with a strange, hesitant look.
"What's wrong?"
Zisu pursed her lips, her voice extremely low: "Your Highness... you and Guard Zhan stayed in the warm pavilion for a full six hours, and now he comes out looking like this... if word gets out, it will likely damage your reputation..."
All day today, the maids only knew that Guard Zhan and the princess were in the warm pavilion, but they didn't know what they were doing. Now, seeing Zhan Xiao being helped out, disheveled and unconscious, and the princess so anxious and concerned...
Jiang Fushi's expression hardened. She glanced at the maids in the room and said in a soft but authoritative voice, "If even a single word of gossip about what happened today is spread, I will not let it go lightly. Guard Zhan was seriously injured while protecting his master. You should all keep that in mind."
Upon hearing this, all the maids knelt down, trembling with fear: "We understand, and we would never dare to utter a single word of presumption."
Qingdai brought in a basin of hot water, wet a towel, and wiped the cold sweat from Zhanxiao's forehead. "Tonight was really too dangerous. Judging from General Cao's posture, he was clearly here to take people's lives. Fortunately, Guard Zhan appeared in time and forced them back by himself. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."
Gazing at Zhan Xiao's pale profile, Jiang Fushi clenched her fists. Qingdai was right; Cao Rui's aggressive arrival tonight had caused chaos here, and it seemed the Empress's faction was about to strike her deadly.
Qingdai gently asked her if she wanted some late-night snacks, but she only felt a tightness in her chest and couldn't swallow anything.
When she was finally alone in the hall, she slumped down in front of the table. The flickering candlelight cast her swaying shadow on the wall, just like her chaotic thoughts.
Although Cao Rui has retreated tonight, who knows when he will make a comeback?
She rubbed her temples and let out a barely audible sigh.
On the bed, Zhan Xiao's eyes were closed, his thick eyelashes casting a faint shadow on his cheeks. His black hair was loose, which made his sword-like eyebrows stand out. Jiang Fushi lowered her head slightly, listening intently to his breathing, which was weaker than normal, and then worriedly took his pulse.
Her pulse was weak and barely perceptible, and the trajectory of her internal energy circulation was unusually solid, which made Jiang Fushi even more worried.
She instinctively reached out and touched his arm, her fingertips tracing the uneven, old scars, the new and old wounds crisscrossing each other. She then squeezed his knuckles, the rough texture of his fingertips making her frown slightly, unaware of the slight trembling of the eyelashes on the person beneath her.
Jiang Fushi sat back wearily at her desk. Cao Rui was no young upstart; his sudden attack tonight must have been at the behest of the Cao family. And the Empress, because of Yu Yao's 'self-immolation,' was now holding her responsible…
As her thoughts churned, exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave, and she finally succumbed to her fatigue, collapsing onto the table and falling into a deep sleep.
Behind her, the man on the couch quietly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on her slender back. Seeing that she seemed restless even in her dreams, he shrank back slightly.
He got up quietly, dressed himself, and gently opened the door.
Qingdai and Zisu, who were guarding the door, were startled by the sound of the door opening. They turned around and saw Zhanxiao standing inside. Although he still looked tired, he had regained some of his usual coldness.
"His Highness is asleep."
Qingdai gave an "oh" and immediately came to her senses. She stepped into the room and saw the princess lying on the table, with a black man's outer robe draped over her body. She was fast asleep.
"Your Highness, Your Highness?"
Qingdai asked, "Your Highness, shall I help you to rest?"
“No.” Jiang Fushi stood up, her eyes regaining their clarity. “You all go and immediately turn over all the soil in my herb garden, burying all the roots and stems of the herbs completely, leaving no trace.”
After saying this, she quickly went into the inner chamber of the bedchamber, carefully wrapped all kinds of medicinal herbs she had prepared over the years in oiled paper and cloth, categorized them, and then had Qingdai bring several chests, which she stuffed into them all. She then instructed Qingdai:
"At daybreak, you shall deliver this cart of goods to the Princess's residence. Tell the public that I was unwell recently, and the Princess came to visit me personally, for which I am deeply grateful. Today, I have prepared some nourishing and invigorating medicinal herbs and exquisite bonsai as a token of my thanks, and I hope the Princess will accept them."
Now, let's get to this side.
Cao Zhang returned to the Cao family in a disheveled state.
Unexpectedly, Duke Cao Song of Jingguo had not yet gone to bed. When he saw him return, he seemed unsurprised by the defeat and injuries on his face.
Cao Rui, looking timid, bowed respectfully to the Duke of Jingguo: "Grandfather..."
Duke Jingguo snorted: "You suffered a loss?"
“I underestimated that woman,” Cao Rui gritted his teeth. “I never expected her to have such skilled guards…”
"But I am truly unwilling to let Yuhe go like this!"
Seeing that he was still indignant, the Duke of Jingguo sat down with a flick of his sleeve, a fierce look flashing across his aged face: "Of course we can't let this go. She caused Zhang'er to be bedridden, and she also damaged Princess Yuyao's appearance. Even the Empress is now bedridden due to excessive worry. If this grudge is not avenged, how can the Cao family maintain its reputation?"
Upon hearing this, Cao Rui immediately understood something, and his eyes lit up: "Could it be... that Grandfather already has a plan?"
The Duke of Jingguo picked up his teacup and said coldly, "Let's wait and see what happens tomorrow."
...
The next day.
An imperial edict urgently summoned Jiang Fushi to the palace.
Inside the Imperial Study, the air was thick with the scent of sandalwood, yet the atmosphere was so heavy it was almost suffocating. When she arrived, the Duke of Jingguo and Cao Rui were already standing below the hall with their heads bowed, clearly having waited there after court.
She knelt down and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
The emperor did not immediately wake her up, but instead asked, "Commander Cao reported that you obstructed his pursuit of the Qiongle spies who had infiltrated the capital, and even allowed your guards to injure him. Is this true?"
Jiang Fushi immediately looked up, her eyes revealing surprise: "Father, you are wise. Last night, Commandant Cao did indeed lead troops here, claiming to be investigating spies, but he could not produce any evidence. As a princess, how can I allow outsiders to search my residence without any proof?"
Cao Rui stepped forward and said loudly, "Your Majesty! This humble general did indeed come to the princess's residence to investigate spies and protect the border. However, the princess has obstructed us in every way, and her guards have even resisted with force. This humble general cannot help but wonder if there is really a secret hidden in the princess's residence that makes her so afraid of being searched!"
Jiang Fushi's heart skipped a beat. Just as she had expected, the Cao family had turned the tables, twisting last night's events into her guilty conscience and resistance to the law. She composed herself and spoke in a clear, resonant voice: "Captain Cao, you are mistaken. It was not that I was obstructing you, but that you trespassed without orders and arrested people without warrants. If everyone can make baseless accusations and arbitrarily search the princess's residence, where is the imperial authority? Where is the law and order of the land?"
At this moment, the Duke of Jingguo slowly stepped forward, bowed to the emperor, and spoke with a sorrowful tone, yet every word was piercing: "Your Majesty, it is not that this old minister does not believe the princess, but the matter of border defense concerns the foundation of the country. It is better to investigate wrongly than to let the guilty go unpunished. If the princess is honest, why not let Cao Rui investigate? This will not only prove the princess's innocence but also put the hearts of the soldiers on the border at ease."
Jiang Fushi turned to the emperor, her gaze resolute: "Father, Commandant Cao and the Duke of Jingguo keep claiming to be spies, but where is the evidence? If you can arbitrarily search the residences of the imperial family based on just a 'suspicion,' who will be the one tomorrow if it is your son today? I beg you, Father, to make a wise judgment!"
The emperor remained silent, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne.
Seeing this, Cao Rui steeled his resolve and knelt down again, his voice filled with grief and indignation: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty... there is one more matter that I must report. My younger brother, Cao Zhang, has been poisoned and is currently bedridden. Before this, Cao Zhang had a minor altercation with Princess Yuhe on the street, after which he fell ill and could not recover. I recently received a clue that when Princess Yuhe was wandering among the common people, she... had learned the art of poison!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Fushi's face turned deathly pale. The emperor on the throne was also visibly startled, his brows furrowing tightly. He called out in a deep voice, "Yuhe?"
Jiang Fushi immediately knelt down, her voice trembling slightly: "The Imperial Hospital has records of Young Master Cao's illness. If it was truly poisoning, why did no one detect it that day? Now that so much time has passed, Commandant Cao is making baseless accusations and pinning this unfounded crime on me. I may have learned a few characters and recognized a few herbs in my youth, but I truly do not possess the skill of being 'unparalleled in both medicine and poison,' nor the ability to poison a young master of a Duke's mansion from behind the many walls of the palace."
She slightly raised her eyelids, her gaze sweeping over Cao Rui with a stern look: "Besides, the conflict that day was caused by Young Master Cao forcibly abducting a woman on the street. I saw injustice and intervened. I took that woman as my servant, and she is now serving me in the mansion. If Father doesn't believe me, you can summon her to the palace and ask her."
The Duke of Jingguo, who had been silent all along, finally stepped forward. He did not look at Jiang Fushi, but instead bowed deeply to the Emperor, tears streaming down his face.
"Your Majesty! This old minister... this old minister knows that his grandson is unruly and may have offended the princess. But he is now emaciated and suffering a fate worse than death. As his grandfather, my heart is breaking! Since Your Highness is knowledgeable in medicine, this old minister humbly begs Your Majesty to ask Your Highness to lend a helping hand. Whether or not he can be cured, my Cao family will be grateful for your kindness... If Your Highness is unwilling, this old minister... this old minister has no other choice!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Fushi's face was instantly filled with shock and disbelief. She turned to the emperor, her eyes brimming with tears of humiliation: "Father! Does the Duke of Jingguo mean to confirm the crime of poisoning Young Master Cao?"
She kowtowed deeply once more: "I will say it again, the medical records from the Imperial Hospital are proof that I am not skilled in medicine, much less familiar with poisons! It is a fact that Young Master Cao forcibly abducted a woman in the street and argued with the martial arts practitioners. Instead of investigating these clues, the Duke's Mansion insists on relentlessly pressuring me by focusing on a few wild vegetables I learned in the countryside to save my life... Is this truly to save my grandson, or is it just a pretext to pin this fabricated crime on my head?"
She raised her tearful eyes and spoke each word with firm conviction: "If Father Emperor also believes that I am a suspect, I implore Father Emperor to issue an edict to confine me to the palace and at the same time dispatch the Three Departments and the Imperial Hospital to thoroughly investigate all of Young Master Cao's food and drink dealings and contacts in the month before he fell ill! I am willing to wait quietly in the palace for the investigation results to prove my innocence!"
The emperor remained silent, lost in thought; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"Jade Lotus".
"Your subject is here."
"Since the Duke of Jingguo suspects you, and you claim that you have done nothing wrong, then send someone to your princess's residence to take a look, so as to silence the gossip."
Jiang Fushi kowtowed deeply: "Your subject obeys the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your wise judgment."
Upon hearing this, Cao Rui immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute and said in a loud voice, "This humble general requests permission to go with the investigators and will surely get to the bottom of this matter!"
Thus, the large search party, led by officials from the Ministry of Justice and "accompanied" by Cao Rui and his personal guards, arrived at the princess's residence.
Jiang Fushi was left in the palace early in the morning, and now the only one who can make decisions in the mansion is... Everyone subconsciously turned their attention to... In this critical moment, this man who has a "close relationship" with the princess has become the backbone of the princess's mansion.
Zhan Xiao stood in the center of the mansion gate, his figure as imposing as a mountain, blocking everyone's path.
The head official from the Ministry of Justice stepped forward, showed him the search warrant, and explained His Majesty's decree.
Cao Rui stepped forward smugly, a sneer of certainty playing on his lips.
"What do you want to check?" Zhan Xiao asked.
The official from the Ministry of Justice cleared his throat: "By imperial decree, we are conducting a search. All physical evidence that may be related to border spies or the poisoning of Young Master Cao Zhang is to be searched."
They split into several small groups, led by servants from the princess's residence, and dispersed to various courtyards. Zhan Xiao approached Liu Zi and whispered a few words to her. Immediately afterward, Liu Zi drew her sword and left, her figure quickly disappearing behind the corridor.
The group searched for a long time but found nothing. A group of people came to report: "Nothing was found, but early this morning, Princess Yuhe sent a cartload of things to the Princess's residence."
"Go to the Princess's residence immediately to investigate!" Cao Rui ordered immediately, his eyes gleaming as he felt he had grasped the key point. He then turned to Zhan Xiao with a sarcastic tone: "What, is there really something shameful that you're rushing to hide at the Princess's residence?"
Zhan Xiao didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he hadn't heard anything.
Before long, the person who had been sent to the Princess's residence returned in a scramble, a clear red handprint still on his face, and knelt down on the ground, trembling.
"What's going on?" Cao Rui's face darkened.
The man cried, “I was beaten out… The people from the Princess’s residence said… unless His Majesty issues an imperial decree, anyone who dares to disturb the Princess’s residence will be killed without mercy! The Princess also sent word that the item was just a thank-you gift from Princess Yuhe, and if the Cao family suspects her, she doesn’t mind going to the palace herself to confront the Duke of Jing.”
Cao Rui was so angry that his nostrils flared, but he didn't dare to really provoke the Eldest Princess. After all, the Eldest Princess was so powerful that even the Empress had to give her some leeway. The Cao family didn't dare to confront her directly at the moment.
He anxiously surveyed the orderly, yet fruitless, princess's residence, his gaze finally settling on the backyard. Suddenly, as if struck by a sudden thought, his expression shifted to one of sinister ruthlessness.
Cao Rui whirled around and shouted toward the backyard, "The backyard hasn't been searched yet! What are you all standing there for? Search it thoroughly, don't miss a single blade of grass or tree!"
Before he finished speaking, one of his personal guards understood immediately and, taking advantage of the fact that everyone's attention was diverted, quietly and quickly sneaked into the backyard.
Zhan Xiao glanced at him, his expression calm.
Cao Rui resented his unwavering composure. "You're quite composed, but I wonder if Princess Yuhe will be thrown into the Heavenly Prison by His Majesty if they actually find anything. I wonder if her body, which has been nourished by medicine for many years, can withstand the cold and dampness of the Heavenly Prison."
“Oh, right,” Cao Ruizhi added smugly, “My men are rough and uncouth. If they ‘accidentally’ damage Your Highness’s beloved jewelry or precious flowers and plants by the window during the search, I hope Your Highness will be lenient. After all, compared to the serious crime of ‘treason,’ this loss is nothing.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a clang of weapons clashing suddenly came from the backyard.
Hearing the sound, everyone turned around and hurried to the backyard, where they saw Liu Zi fighting Cao Rui's personal guards with a sword.
Liu Zi's moves were swift and decisive. He kicked his opponent in the back of the knee, and the soldier fell to his knees with a "thud." The short knife in his hand also fell to the ground. Liu Zi stepped forward and pressed the tip of his sword against the back of the neck, leaving the soldier completely powerless to resist.
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