Chapter 9: Clouds Cover the Sun (2) Our identities have long been determined. …
The winter sun shone a brilliant white, filtering through the carved wooden window and illuminating the tightly-knit brocade quilt before Meng Xuanli. The sharp, crisp sound of breaking porcelain was heard as Chen Bi accidentally knocked over a medicine bowl.
The coolness of the quilt pressed against my legs, and my entire body felt like a lead block, unable to move. I didn't know when, but the sound of snow outside the window began to fall even harder.
Meng Xuanli raised her trembling hand, her fingertips, brimming with glimmers of hope, gently caressing her eye sockets. She "saw" a cuckoo bird, solitary and perched on a withered branch, its sharp beak piercing its cries, its tears splattering on the back of her hand.
She hurriedly wiped away the non-existent wetness and shrank deeper into the quilt in panic.
It was dark and stuffy in the quilt, and she was like a bird trapped in a cage, letting her soul wander freely.
It's true.
She can't see anymore.
Chen Bi was horrified and hurriedly squatted down to pick up the broken porcelain: "Miss, I will go and call a doctor!" She hurriedly placed the fragments on the table and turned to run.
"Wait." Meng Xuanli's voice came out muffled from under the quilt.
Chen Bi hurried back, tears in her eyes, and said distressedly: "Miss, if you have something to say, please tell me later. The most important thing right now is to cure your eyes."
From outside came the faint sound of noisy drums and music. Meng Xuanli poked his head out from under the covers, gasping for breath. "Is today the ninth day of the eleventh month?"
"Yes, today is the day the eldest girl is getting married." Chen Bi replied in a low voice.
"Give her the set of kingfisher feather headdress in my dressing box." Meng Xuanli's empty eyes fixed on the curtains, holding her breath, "Just consider it a small token of my appreciation as a younger sister."
Chen Bi bit his lower lip and closed his eyes: "Yes."
Meng Xuanli's "vision" was foggy and chaotic, as if he was in a deep mountain valley. No matter how he groped, he could not find a bright exit.
After a moment of silence, she fumbled her way to a sitting position beside the bed. "Go get the doctor first. We can talk about other things later."
"Miss, please sit still. I will be back soon!" Chen Bi choked with sobs and left in a hurry.
Hearing the footsteps fading away, Meng Xuanli leaned quietly against the cold tent frame. A huge sense of melancholy swept over her. She was finally forced to accept the fact that she was blind.
"A-choo!"
The chill penetrated her bones, and she couldn't help but shiver. Meng Xuanli held onto the tent frame and, relying on her remaining memory, carefully groped her way out of bed, trying to find something thick to wrap herself in.
She was dressed in a plain white nightgown, like blank rice paper. From a distance, her black hair seemed like splashed ink, pouring down onto the paper, creating a desolate scroll painted with rich, saturated ink.
"careful!"
Seeing that she was unstable and about to fall, Lu Guanque stepped forward quickly and grabbed her wrist.
"Ah!" Meng Xuanli screamed in panic as if bitten by a snake and suddenly broke free from his hand.
Lu Guanque's gaze froze as he stared into her blank, unfocused eyes, his voice trembling: "Don't be afraid, it's me."
"My Lord?" Meng Xuanli was still in shock. "Why...why are you here?"
"I heard you woke up." Lu Guanque froze in place, his pupils suddenly constricted, his voice hoarse, "Your eyes..."
The immense pain and self-blame overwhelmed him like a tide.
Lu Guanque took a step forward and held her tightly in his arms. His voice was low and painful: "It is my incompetence that failed to protect you and caused you to suffer this great disaster."
Meng Xuanli wanted to push away this sudden intimacy, but his comfort and self-blame broke down her defenses. Tears welled up once again, and she choked out, "It's none of the prince's fault. I was just careless."
"If I were better," Lu Guanque let go of her, took off his cloak and wrapped her tightly, then leaned over and picked her up firmly by the waist, "you wouldn't have suffered this misfortune."
Meng Xuanli was caught off guard. He sniffed and asked with a hint of confusion, "You...can you hold me?"
"You're a girl," Lu Guanque said as he walked towards the bed with steady steps. "No matter how weak I am, I still have some strength."
Meng Xuanli thought so too, and said "Oh", quietly buried her cheek in his shoulder, wiping away the tears that had not yet dried.
"It's snowing hard outside. You need to rest and recuperate." Lu Guanque gently put her back on the bed, leaned over her, and stared into her empty eyes. "Besides your eyes, is there anything else that's bothering you?"
"No."
Meng Xuanli blinked his lifeless eyes, remembering that he had hit him in a panic, and apologized, "I didn't mean to do that."
"No problem."
Lu Guanque stood up, pulled the quilt over her and carefully covered her with it. He stared at her slightly parted lips, and a strong addiction almost broke through his defenses.
Lu Guanque retreated to the side and sat down on a square stool. Meng Xuanli had a soft pillow behind her. She pursed her lips and sighed softly, "If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have gone out that day."
Lu Guanque's eyes locked on her, and he said in a low voice, "What on earth was the reason for Ah Li to go out that day?"
He had already sent people to thoroughly investigate the area around Wufangzhai and Renjitang, but apart from the suicide corpse, there was no trace of any suspicious signs.
The accompanying maid and groom were killed on the spot, and all clues were cut off.
But the string in his heart was always tense. This was not an ordinary kidnapping, but more like a long-planned conspiracy.
"I just went to Wufangzhai to buy some rose shortbread," Meng Xuanli whispered, "and stopped by Renjitang to get some medicine."
"Medicine?" Lu Guanque frowned slightly. "What medicine?"
Meng Xuanli suddenly lowered his head, his fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of the quilt. He spoke in an embarrassed voice, "It's...it's medicine I prescribed for you. I was planning to send it to the Duke's Mansion, but who knew such a disaster would happen."
Lu Guanque's throat moved slightly, and his eyes darkened.
He suddenly stood up, moved to the edge of the bed and sat down, then leaned over and placed a tender and indescribable kiss on her palm.
"You...you..." Meng Xuanli felt a burn on his palm and was completely stunned. He froze on the bed in a daze, and his cheeks turned red belatedly.
Lu Guanque didn't see anything wrong with this and pressed on, "And then? Do you remember what the kidnapper said?"
"Wasn't that man arrested?" Meng Xuanli suddenly thought of something and felt a chill in his heart. "Does the prince think that the arrested person is a scapegoat?"
Lu Guanque reached out his hand, and his fingertips gently scratched her palm with a soothing look: "Not bad."
Meng Xuanli frowned, concentrating on recalling, "The man spoke in a very soft voice, eerily so, like an actor on the stage. I've never heard a voice like that before. He didn't kill me, he wanted to use me to threaten someone, but I don't know who he was threatening."
Lu Guanque remained silent.
Threat? What is so threatening about the Meng family?
It can only be directed at him.
Since she was coming for him, why didn't she just go straight to him? Why did she have to attack her?
In the old days of Xuzhou, all the people involved have long since turned into dry bones. Could there be any fish that have escaped the net?
Just as Meng Xuanli was about to ask in detail, Chen Bi's voice came from outside: "Miss, the doctor is here."
"Ah?" Meng Xuanli was startled and subconsciously lowered her voice, requesting in panic, "Young Master, please go in and hide." She fumbled and pointed towards the screen in the inner room.
"Hide?" Lu Guanque raised his eyebrows slightly, but remained motionless. "Why should I hide?"
"If...if that doctor is a gossip and sees you in my boudoir, and the news gets out, it might damage your reputation." Meng Xuanli bit her lip and hesitated to respond to Chen Bi.
"What are you afraid of?" Lu Guanque said calmly, with an air of unquestionable authority, "Our relationship has long been established. Besides, everyone in the Meng family knows that I'm here to visit my future wife."
Meng Xuanli's cheeks turned even redder, he hesitated, and finally said helplessly: "Okay then."
Before he finished speaking, footsteps were heard outside the screen.
Su Zixu walked into the inner room carrying the medicine box. When his eyes fell on the figure beside the bed, the gentle smile on his face froze instantly, turning into just the right amount of surprise: "You...you are Miss Li?"
Meng Xuanli was also startled when she heard the voice. She had never expected that the doctor Chen Bi had invited was actually Su Zixu. She curled her lips awkwardly, "Mr. Su, my name is not Li Xuan, and I'm not married yet. I concealed it that day because..."
"I am Su Zixu, a commoner, and I am here to pay my respects to the Crown Prince." Su Zixu had already put down the medicine box and bowed respectfully, interrupting her explanation.
"Oh?" Lu Guanque didn't raise his eyes, his fingertips brushing the dark lines on his sleeves, "How do you know my identity?"
"Everyone knows that the Crown Prince is about to marry the daughter of the Meng family. Today, the eldest daughter of the Meng family is getting married. Anyone who can sit calmly in the second lady's boudoir," Su Zixu lowered his head and spoke steadily, "is definitely not comparable to this man from outside."
Meng Xuanli's heart was slightly shocked. This Mr. Su was very perceptive. He had already seen through the key points based on just a single encounter and the situation in the house.
Lu Guanque said calmly, "My wife had a high fever yesterday and when she woke up today, her eyes were swollen and she could hardly see. Thank you for your attention, sir."
Meng Xuanli clenched the corner of the quilt, realizing that Lu Guanque's words were meant to shut Su Zixu up and prevent him from leaking the "kidnapping" matter.
Lu Guanque pulled her wrist and placed it on the pillow. Looking at her wrist, his mind flashed over the information Uncle De had found out.
Renjitang was originally owned by a family of doctors named Zhen. Doctor Zhen had no children, so he married his disciple Su Zixu into his family. Su Zixu, originally from Qiantang, lost his parents at an early age and was taken in and raised by the Zhen family. He is now a doctor at Renjitang.
His background, age, and life story seemed innocent, but there was an unspeakable weirdness in them.
"Sir," Meng Xuanli noticed the silk handkerchief covering her wrist being removed and asked anxiously, "Can my eyes be saved?"
Su Zixu lifted his robe and knelt down, his voice clear and steady: "There is hope."
"Then, the young lady's blindness is not caused by a high fever," he raised his eyes slightly and glanced at Lu Guanque's profile, "but by someone poisoning her."
"Oh?" Lu Guanque raised his eyebrows, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "What kind of poison is it? How to cure it?"
"It's Snow Lotus Green." Su Zixu said slowly, "If this poison isn't cured within two days, death is certain. Even if rescued, there may be consequences."
"Fortunately, Miss Meng has a strong constitution, and the amount of poison she was poisoned with was very small. If she follows the prescribed treatment and recuperates carefully, her eyesight should be restored in three or four months."
Lu Guanque nodded slightly, looking at Su Zixu with a hawk-like gaze.
He suddenly reached out and grasped Meng Xuanli's cool hand, tightly grasping it in his palm, as if making a statement. After a moment's silence, he said firmly, "That's very good. From now on, Ah Li's eyes will be entrusted to Mr. Su."
Meng Xuanli was frightened and subconsciously wanted to pull his hand back, but Lu Guanque held it even tighter, and gently rubbed it with his fingertips with soothing force.
She bit her lower lip and said, "My Lord, I'm afraid this won't work. Mr. Su still has the affairs of Renjitang to attend to. How can he do this just for me..."
Before she finished speaking, Su Zixu, who was kneeling on the ground, had already kowtowed deeply, his voice filled with an almost excited reverence: "I will do my best to save Miss Meng."
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