◇ Chapter 43 (43) Spoiled by Pampering
The clerk was still talking about how effective the spell was, and how many people had recently been visiting the immortal master, seeking protection and guidance. Hearing the word "immortal master," Bai Kang immediately became wary, his tone hinting at a probing tone: "Which immortal master? Besides Master Liaowu of Guanjue Temple and Taoist Master Xuanling of Qingyun Temple, are there any other masters in the capital that I don't know?"
As the head of the Ministry of Rites, responsible for sacrificial calendars and religious affairs, Bo Kang could spare two months of the year to interact with monks, nuns, and Taoists, and he visited temples around the capital many times. The Daning Kingdom no longer advocated the idea that "monks should not kneel before the emperor," and monks and Taoists were expected to treat them with respect.
On the bright side, these guys probably don't know that they usually...
"He's an immortal from the northern border, not a Taoist practicing in the capital," the clerk explained to Bo Kang, still looking clueless. "I don't know exactly where he is. I only heard about him from my fellow townsmen."
Bai Kang looked at him, smiled sinisterly, patted the clerk on the shoulder, and let him go. The clerk stroked his shoulder, feeling that he had been wrong to rush in and show his courtesy today.
Just as Bai Kang had anticipated, within two days, the capital was abuzz with talk of the might of the immortal known as Xingjiezi. Even as he walked through the streets, leaving court and returning home each day, he could hear the people discussing him. But to say he possessed extraordinary powers wasn't the case. He merely cured illnesses and recited sutras, not like a monk, but rather like a wandering shaman.
He called the clerk over and asked him carefully. The immortal master only taught him the spell to cure the disease, and said that the spell needed to be used in conjunction with the immortal master's prescription. It sounded more like the behavior of a swindler.
Although nothing happened at the moment, Bai Kang still felt that he should be careful, so he asked people to keep a close eye on the gang members. If they really came to the capital to commit fraud, they would be arrested immediately and sent to the government office.
Just as he finished giving the order, he saw Jiang Yong running over. He had almost forgotten about him. It seemed strange to have a clerk who looked like Lianzhi in the Ministry of Rites. He would transfer Jiang Yong to another position when the assessment came next year.
Jiang Yong came over to report, "Sir, the guards have reported that a foreigner is sneaking around outside. They have been apprehended. Please make your decision, sir."
Seeing him sneaking around the Ministry of Rites in broad daylight, Bai Kang's first reaction was that the wanted foreign man was still watching him, even following him near the Imperial City, regardless of being exposed. Bai Kang immediately ordered the guards to lock him up and not hand him over to the Ministry of Justice yet. He would personally investigate.
Arriving at the cell, he felt something was wrong. He could tell from a distance that the man was too small. The foreign man chasing him was nine feet tall, while the man before him was only about seven feet tall, skinny and small, like a hungry thief.
It's impossible that the man has become so hungry after being wanted for a few days? Bo Kang walked closer and saw the face under the black hood. He was shocked: "Lianzhi! Why are you here!"
Lianzhi seemed to have put on some powder, which magnified his foreign features and smeared his face darkly. At first glance, he looked a bit like a petty thief from the northern desert. Not to mention that he was wearing a black suit and black hat in broad daylight, which made him look even more suspicious.
Seeing him, Lianzhi's eyes reddened and she was about to cry again. Seeing that this was not going well, Bo Kang quickly closed the door. As the door slammed shut, Lianzhi's tears immediately fell, leaving two dark tear marks on her face.
"Why... let them arrest me?" Lianzhi cried, "My arm is about to fall off..."
"What are you doing here?" Bai Kang held his forehead, "Didn't I tell you last time not to come again?"
Lianzhi had come to the Ministry of Rites a few days earlier, saying she was worried about him and wanted to come and serve him. Bai Kang could see that he was harboring hidden agendas. Not to mention that the Ministry of Rites was located near the Imperial City, how could they possibly let him in? Even if he did, it was unclear who would be serving whom.
"Why did Old Feng let you go out again?" Bo Kang sighed, then quickly explained, "I'm not blaming you. It's dangerous here, don't come here again next time."
Lianzhi curled her lips and said aggrievedly, "But I want to see you."
Those five simple words left Bo Kang speechless. He was certain Lianzhi was up to something again, or perhaps what she said was true, but the child probably didn't even understand what he was talking about. Whatever the plan, even if Lianzhi and the foreign man were still secretly colluding, he accepted it.
Thinking of this, Bai Kang's romantic thoughts immediately disappeared without a trace. He took out a handkerchief and wiped Lianzhi's face. "Can we go home and talk about this? If you're really bored, go watch the doctor prepare medicine for my wound. The doctor said that several of the herbs in the prescription are produced in Liangzhou and Suzhou. You might be familiar with them."
He didn't say how he got injured, and Lianzhi tacitly didn't ask: "Liangzhou and Suzhou?"
"Yes." Seeing that his attention was drawn, Bo Kang continued to wipe his face vigorously. However, Lian Zhi frowned and turned her head away.
"Does it hurt?" Bai Kang asked nervously.
"The handkerchief smells like sweat." Lianzhi pushed him away, her brows still furrowed. "It smells bad."
Bo Kang threw the handkerchief away awkwardly: "I don't know who threw it here, and it's not mine, even though it's not washed. Next time I'll prepare a fragrant one for you."
When the two men emerged from the cell, the guards at the door spotted their Lord Shangshu walking out with a handsome young man, bright-eyed, white-toothed, and skin whiter than jade. The shifty, foreign thief had vanished. The eyes of the others fell on Lianzhi, and Bo Kang was clearly displeased. While he greatly desired to have his wife known, he didn't want anyone staring at her; all men shared this sentiment.
"Did you bring anyone out?" Bo Kang asked in a low voice. "Don't go out wearing that. You might get caught by the patrolling city guards. Change into... change into the uniform of a yamen clerk. Say you're Jiang Yong and leave through the main gate."
After he finished speaking, he asked the guards to bring in a set of clothes. He watched Lianzhi change, then personally escorted him out the door and watched him get on the carriage.
It really makes me worry.
When he returned, the official documents on the table had been touched. In his haste, he knocked over the memorials on the table. He glanced at Jiang Yong, who was serving Du Shilang with his writing materials. "Have you cleared everything?"
Jiang Yong responded, looking no different than before. Among the clerks in the Ministry of Rites, he was one of the most discerning, never perfunctory or neglecting his duties, nor would he go out of his way to show his courtesy.
"Do you want to work in other departments?" asked Bai Kang.
"Your Excellency has been kind to me, and I will follow your instructions in everything," Jiang Yong replied.
This answer was so perfect that Bo Kang didn't ask any more questions. When his shift was over, he hurried back to the mansion to look for Lianzhi. The servant said the young master was in the kitchen. He'd assumed he was hungry and looking for something to eat, but he didn't expect the doctor to be there too. Lianzhi was guarding the pot of decoction, her collar and cheeks stained with medicine residue.
"Brother Kang!" Lianzhi waved at him excitedly, "Look, I recognize these herbs!"
His eyes sparkled, and he was delighted to show off his skills. Bo Kang approached and said, "Well, baby, please introduce these herbs to me."
Lianzhi's smile froze, and she looked at the doctor for help. The doctor replied naturally, "My Lord, my Madam, we can use this Notopterygium wilfordii, a plant unique to Suzhou, along with other herbs like Sanguisorba officinalis and Agrimony vine. It can be applied externally or taken internally."
He was referring to the herbs Lianzhi had mentioned. Lianzhi was unhappy when he couldn't come up with an answer. Bai Kang asked Qinghe to take him back to the house for some snacks. After the people left, he asked, "Do you think Madam understands pharmacology?"
"You probably don't understand." said the doctor.
He had come today to check Bai Kang's pulse, and the housekeeper had said that Lord Bai had asked him to spend the afternoon with his wife and find out if she knew anything about pharmacology. This was truly bizarre; a matter between husband and wife was something he wanted an old man to inquire about.
Bo Kang sat down and tapped his fingers lightly on the edge of the table. "Could it be possible that he's faking it?"
"This... shouldn't be the case." The doctor said, and asked Bai Kang to take off his shirt.
After applying the medicine for several days, the wound still showed no signs of healing, and the blackened, purple flesh looked even more hideous. The doctor applied acupuncture and observed for a moment: "It is indeed poisoning. Fortunately, the dose is not large; I only need to remove the dead flesh from the wound. Please move to the inner room. I will prepare a bowl of anesthetic soup for you."
"It's just a little bruise, come straight in." After saying that, Bo Kang was about to take off his clothes, which scared the doctor so much that he hurriedly asked him to go back to the room and wait for him to wash the knife with boiling water first.
He didn't dare to stop Bai Kang from drinking the Ma Fei Tang. This was the Shangshu. What if he got hurt from the pain and was held accountable?
Lianzhi ate two plates of snacks in the room, but he didn't wait for Baikang to come back. Qinghe was still sitting next to him, watching over him, and he couldn't even go out for a walk.
Don't think he doesn't know that Qing He hates him and sides with Lian Zi. He also hates Qing He.
When she tried to leave for the third time but was stopped by Qinghe, Lianzhi finally lost her temper and shouted, "Why are you stopping me? Bokang only told you to bring me back, he didn't tell me not to leave. You don't even listen to your elders?"
Hearing this, Qing He reluctantly stepped aside. Lian Zhi pushed open the door and bumped into someone outside. Bai Kang had changed into a simple casual outfit, but the smell of blood and herbs couldn't be concealed.
"Baby, where are you going in a hurry?" Bai Kang hugged him.
When Bai Kang came back, Lianzhi was no longer anxious. She pointed at Qinghe and complained pitifully: "Your servant has been wronged by me. You should punish him!"
Qing He shuddered. Bo Kang looked over, signaling Qing He to leave quickly, and then coaxed her a few more words: "I'll scold him in a moment. Seriously, I'll do whatever you say."
Lianzhi then groaned, lifted up Bai Kang's collar, and touched the wound. Although she didn't use much strength, Bai Kang groaned in pain.
Frightened, Lianzhi flung her hand away and looked at him in shock: "Does it hurt?"
It wasn't that painful, actually. Even without the numbing decoction, this kind of pain wouldn't be a big deal for Bai Kang. The pain of having his flesh ripped out wasn't even as bad as the pain from his training as a guard. But he played it safe, hugging Lianzhi and resting his chin on his shoulder. "It hurts, it hurts so much. Baby, blow on me quickly."
In response, Lianzhi slapped him on the chest.
After finally coaxing the man into submission, Bai Kang sent someone in to serve him while he went to his study. Qing He was still standing outside, anxiously awaiting Bai Kang's punishment.
"Don't mess with him next time." Bai Kang knocked Qinghe on the head with the notebook in his hand.
"Madam has become spoiled because of her favor, and you, my lord, don't bother to stop her!" Qing He complained. "Madam is from a foreign race after all, and her background is unknown. My lord, please don't be deceived by her!"
"He's younger than you, so give him some space." Bo Kang said calmly, "I told you to keep an eye on him, not to make him angry. Let me ask you, did he move the bottle on the windowsill? Did you notice?"
Qing He was speechless: "No. Madam was either eating or clamoring to go out, so she didn't pay attention to the bottle of medicine."
Bai Kang had placed the medicine bottle on the windowsill deliberately, just to see if Lianzhi would touch it. They lived and ate together, so it was impossible for Lianzhi to be unaware of his injury, yet she had been so slow to respond. Given Lianzhi's impulsive nature, making a big deal out of small things, she would have definitely come to ask about him the first thing she knew.
You've dragged it on for so long and are still pretending not to know. There are only two possibilities.
1. Lianzhi knew who had caused her injury, but she felt guilty and didn't dare to ask.
Second, Lianzhi knew that she would be hurt, and even contacted that person privately to add fuel to the fire.
If it was the second option, Lianzhi would definitely check the bottle of medicine, or even tamper with it. But Lianzhi didn't do that. Does this mean that Lianzhi has no intention of harming him?
Does Lianzhi care about him?
After the remaining poison in his body was cleared, Bai Kang recovered quickly. The doctor who treated him was a famous doctor in Beijing, but he did not know what kind of poison Bai Kang was poisoned with. After searching through medical books, he only knew that the poison originated from Suzhou and was neither common nor fatal.
If it's not fatal, then that means I don't want his life for now.
As Prince Yuan's wedding date approached, the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department busied themselves with preparations. Emperor Jianguang had only been on the throne for three years, and the treasury was thin. Even with the Empress Dowager's private contributions, it would have been difficult to afford a grand ceremony. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager had urged court officials to submit a petition to confer the title of Prince on Prince Yuan before the wedding, requiring even more money.
The two factions of officials played games with each other, and finally the Emperor Jianguang issued an edict, conferring the title of Prince on Prince Yuan after his wedding and temporarily allowing him to stay in the capital.
"My Prime Minister has been incredibly anxious lately." The Prime Minister's wife patted the soft pillow beside her and sighed. "The Empress Dowager's nagging anxiety is obvious to everyone, yet he can't even say a word."
Lianzhi listened quietly without saying a word. Fearing that he would go to the Ministry of Rites again, Bo Kang asked him to present a visiting card under the pretext of visiting his teacher and to speak to the Prime Minister's wife on his behalf at the Prime Minister's residence.
He didn't want to come at first, but Bai Kang urged him to go on the grounds that it was his duty as a wife to visit officials' families.
He knew that the Prime Minister was an upright person, but he didn't expect that the Prime Minister's wife was also of such a character. It seemed that she really valued Bai Kang and even said such words to him.
Seeing that the Prime Minister's wife was staring at her and waiting for her to speak, Lianzhi gave a soft smile.
"If Your Majesty had not been childless, how could today's incident have happened?" The Prime Minister's wife sighed again.
Was this a hint for me to tell Bai Kang to deliver a memorial urging Emperor Jianguang to appoint an empress? Lianzhi pretended not to understand and took another sip from her teacup. "Madam, the milk tea here is really delicious. It's very similar to what I had in Liangzhou."
"If you like, I'll have my servants prepare a pot for you to take home." The Prime Minister's wife looked at Lianzhi lovingly and suddenly said, "My children are about the same age as you."
The more she looked at Lianzhi, the more she liked her. This child was well-behaved and good-looking, reminding her of her son, who was an official far away, and her daughter, who was already married. Furthermore, the Prime Minister often told her that Bai Kang was upright, and that Lianzhi, as his wife, would surely be a good person.
After two more cups of tea, the maid came to report that the doctor who was to take the Prime Minister's wife's pulse was already waiting outside. Lianzhi stood up to take her leave, but the Prime Minister's wife said, "No problem, no problem, you can stay."
Layers of curtains fell. Lianzhi watched as the Taoist priest, led by a maid into the inner room, took the Prime Minister's wife's pulse, then left and left. She then spoke, "Was that man a Taoist priest? Why was he wearing clothes like that? I've never seen him before."
The Prime Minister's wife laughed and said, "You don't know, that person is Taoist Master Chongshan, who has become quite famous in the capital recently."
After saying that, she took off the bracelet on her hand and handed it to Lianzhi: "This is the sandalwood bracelet I asked for from the Taoist priest. Wearing it really helps to calm my mind. Even my sleep is sweeter than usual."
Lianzhi carefully examined the bracelet on the tray and felt it didn't look like something he'd obtained from a temple. He'd seen many ritual objects presented by Huguo Temple before, but nothing like this.
"Madam, please tell me about that Taoist priest." Lianzhi said with a shy smile, "I want to offer a few disaster-relief lamps to Lord Bai, but unfortunately I don't understand the procedures and there is no one I can ask. Madam, please give me more advice."
He didn't even offer any flattering compliments, but the Prime Minister's wife was already overjoyed and promised to invite Lianzhi along on her next trip. They chatted until it was getting dark, and Lianzhi finally excused herself. After leaving the Prime Minister's residence, she instructed Eunuch Wen, "Little Wenzi, go ask around and see if you can buy some bracelets like the Prime Minister's wife's."
"Master, do you suspect there's something wrong with the bracelet?" Eunuch Wen was puzzled.
Lianzhi didn't explain, but told him to go quickly, and specifically told him to be stealthy and not to alarm Bai Kang. When he returned home, as soon as he got off the carriage, he was steadily caught and helped to stand on the ground.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time." Bai Kang had clearly just finished his shift, as the coachman was returning to the carriage house. He pulled Lianzhi closer, looking her left and right. Seeing she didn't seem angry, he felt relieved. "I was worried you'd cause trouble for me, but it seems you've been quite obedient today."
"Since you're afraid I'll cause you trouble, why don't you just pick me up?" Lianzhi was a little angry. He wasn't the type to cause trouble for others. Bo Kang underestimated him.
Bai Kang didn't continue the conversation. He took Lianzhi back to the inner courtyard and asked what he and the Prime Minister's wife had said. Lianzhi relayed what the Prime Minister's wife had said: "Tell me, is the Prime Minister trying to advise His Majesty on the selection of the imperial concubines and wants to involve you?"
Bai Kang didn't answer, but looked at him and laughed.
"What are you laughing at!" Lianzhi looked at him in confusion.
"Baby, you're thinking of me and listening to what others are saying." Bai Kang pinched his cheek and explained, "You don't have to worry about this. His Majesty made it clear last year that he wouldn't take a concubine for the time being, and no one has mentioned it since then. Although the Prime Minister is upright, he wouldn't do anything that would bring bad luck to His Majesty."
This seemed to imply that he was overthinking and overthinking things. Lianzhi was dissatisfied: "You told me to be more careful, why can't I worry?"
When this was mentioned, Lianzhi became even more annoyed. He always felt that Bai Kang always treated him like a child.
"It's my fault," Bo Kang said. "Besides, I just wanted to find something to keep you entertained. There aren't many officials in the capital who have a good relationship with me. If I let you interact with other officials' wives, I'm afraid they might say something you wouldn't like to hear."
After he finished speaking, he looked at the jar that Lianzhi had been holding in her arms, and the smile in his eyes deepened: "What is this?"
"It's the milk tea that the Prime Minister's wife gave me." Lianzhi quickly raised the can when she mentioned this. "It tastes very similar to the milk tea from Liangzhou. It's delicious. Adding ice to it is even more refreshing!"
He also said that he was not a child and that he would forget his previous unpleasantness when talking about food. Before he knew it, he had returned to his room. Bai Kang asked the servant to come in and serve him, and closed the door. Lianzhi was still talking about asking the chef in the mansion to study the recipe carefully and make an identical dish. Bai Kang sat down and said to him, "Baby, come and help me change my clothes."
Recently, Bo Kang had been pretending his wound hadn't healed yet, deceiving Lianzhi that he had difficulty moving his right hand. He was so convincing that he even applied the medicine covertly, saying he knew Lianzhi didn't like the smell of the medicine and was afraid it would bother her.
The reason for the lie was simple. Didn't Lianzhi say she would take care of him? Before, Lianzhi was clumsy and couldn't do anything right. Recently, perhaps because she had become more skilled, although she was still a little impatient, she had never messed up anything.
Besides, Lianzhi's clumsy look was quite cute. Bo Kang wondered if he had hurt his brain. He found Lianzhi's every move adorable.
Sure enough, when he heard Bai Kang calling him, Lian Zhi immediately put down the jar and sat by the bed to help Bai Kang change his clothes. He was used to being waited on by others and didn't know how to put on his own clothes. He stumbled while helping Bai Kang change his clothes, and it took him a long time to take off a robe.
"Can your hand heal soon?" Lianzhi complained. Arus was too cruel and beat Bai Kang like this. In the end, he was the one who was tired. It was so annoying.
"I'll try my best." After saying this, Bai Kang admired Lianzhi's clumsiness enough and let the servant take over.
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