Chapter 74: You can't escape this disaster; if you dare refuse, you're dead. ...
With the help of medical books, she no longer needed to test each fruit individually to determine which fruit had the highest ascorbic acid content, saving her a lot of time.
Aside from deliberately keeping the prickly pears, Yu Nie distributed all the remaining fresh fruits of various colors to the palace servants who attended to her in the mansion.
Each of the White Guards received one, and even Gu Xiangzhi, who had recently argued with her, received two plump, round apples.
The attendant stepped forward lightly with a fruit platter and placed the apples on the table in front of him.
Gu Xiangzhi didn't even lift his eyelids, only glancing at it casually.
Before he could ask, the attendant, quick-witted, bowed and reported, "Your Excellency, this was specially sent by Princess Shunhe, who said it was for you to try something new."
Gu Xiang held the palm-fiber brush in his hand above the Xuan paper, about to draw a stroke: "Offering unsolicited favors is either a sign of treachery or theft."
He didn't believe she was being so kind; the look in her eyes yesterday, as if she wanted to bite him, was still vivid in his mind. He wasn't that forgetful.
When he said that, his attendant was momentarily unsure whether he should take the fruit off the table.
But thinking of his master's temperament and the unpleasantness of yesterday, the attendant pondered for a moment and prepared to stretch out his arm and take the plate of apples away.
Before the attendant's hand even touched the edge of the plate, the person practicing calligraphy suddenly spoke up: "Put it down."
"Didn't the master say...?"
“She wouldn’t dare harm me.” Before the attendant could finish speaking, the words on the Xuan paper were already written. Gu Xiangzhi placed the brush in his hand on the brush holder in the upper left corner: “Alright, go out.”
The attendant bowed and was about to leave when a voice called out from behind, "Wait."
He immediately stopped and turned around, bowing his head and awaiting orders: "What else do you need, sir?"
Gu Xiangzhi picked up the newly written calligraphy scroll from the table and handed it over: "Since you've received the gift, you should return it in person. Please pass this calligraphy on to her for me."
"Yes, sir." The attendant took the order and turned to leave.
Cuiwei waited outside the door for a long time, glancing inside every now and then, as if afraid he wouldn't eat the apple.
The attendant came out carrying the calligraphy scroll and handed it to her.
The two moved aside into the corridor, and the attendant relayed Gu Xiangzhi's words verbatim.
Cuiwei took the calligraphy scroll and looked at it closely. On the white paper, the character "忍" (ren, meaning forbearance) was clearly visible, its strokes seemingly penetrating the back of the paper.
“My master also said,” the attendant added, “that the princess need not worry; he is simply giving her whatever he has on hand.”
Cuiwei let out two dry laughs, her mind not on the words at all.
She verbally agreed with her attendant, but her eyes kept glancing into the study.
Seeing that the people inside were not taking the fruit from the table, she thought they probably wouldn't see what they wanted to see.
Just as she finished putting away the calligraphy and was about to take her leave, Gu Xiangzhi, who was sitting upright, suddenly picked up an apple from the table and took a bite. Almost simultaneously, his brows furrowed.
Upon catching a glimpse of this scene, Cuiwei almost burst out laughing.
She hurriedly raised her hand to cover her mouth, quickly bid farewell to her attendants, and turned to leave with the calligraphy, almost running all the way back to the inner courtyard.
Before she even entered the courtyard, her voice had already reached Yu Nie's ears.
"Princess...Princess..." she called out joyfully, lifting her skirt and jumping over the threshold.
As dusk settled, the palace lanterns inside the pavilion gradually lit up.
Yu Nie was pounding the prickly pears, which had been cut into pieces, with a stone mortar and pestle along with the palace servants.
“Princess…” Cuiwei ran to Yu Nie’s side, her voice almost overflowing with joy, as if she had found a gold ingot on the road: “You didn’t see it! Just now, Supervisor Gu’s face was so sour it turned green. He finally got his comeuppance.”
Yu Nie was rolling up his sleeves, his hands gripping a wooden pestle as he pounded the prickly pear in the stone mortar.
She let out a breathy groan, a thin layer of sweat sliding down her forehead and jawline. She wiped it away, saying, "It only made him sour. It's not satisfying to let him off so easily."
She always seeks revenge. Although she can't do anything to Gu Xiangzhi right now, she'll still try to make things difficult for him if she can.
Song Ai stood by, mixing the juice extracted from the stone mortar with the golden propolis, and then poured it all into a porcelain bottle about one and a half fingers tall in her hand.
Prickly pear has a sour and astringent taste, and drinking too much of it in a short period of time can cause diarrhea. Adding propolis can not only alleviate the sour and astringent taste, but also prevent side effects.
Place the sealed porcelain bottle in a cool, shady place to ferment overnight, and it will be ready to use the next day.
After sealing the porcelain bottle, Song Ai saw that she was covered in sweat and wanted to go over and help her.
Cuiwei went ahead of her, took the wooden pestle from Yu Nie's hand, and started pounding it for her.
After a long day of work, Yu Nie didn't refuse and took a round fan to fan herself.
"But at least he's not feeling well, and if he's not feeling well, I'm feeling well." She smiled broadly.
Cuiwei had finished the work, but Song Ai still went over and bent down to ask her, "The princess said she wanted to send this prickly pear juice to His Highness Prince Guangning, but how much do we need to make?"
Sending it to Xiao Chengyan was just a gimmick; Yu Nie had already thought of that.
She didn't know many people in Jian'an. The Zijing she once admired had now become Huan Xun, and she could no longer consider him her ally.
After much thought, she could only think of Xiao Chengyan as a potential new business partner; he was a man, which would make things easier for him when traveling.
Hua Ruo and Hua Shu are good people, but they live in the palace for a long time and cannot go out to do things all the time, which inevitably causes inconvenience.
When she went to Yongxing Temple that day, she felt that Xiao Chengyan was a good person. At least even if she told him about her plan, he might not help her, but he would never complain to the palace.
As for Gu Xiangzhi, this gloomy, unlucky star was completely outside her consideration. She was already grateful that he didn't cause her any trouble.
Having found the right person, she plans to take action tomorrow.
However, Song Ai felt a strange unease about why she had gone to such lengths to bring so much fruit just to make prickly pear juice for Xiao Chengyan.
When confronted with her question, Yu Nie simply said that it was to thank Xiao Chengyan for the East China Sea coral he had given her that day. She had no reason not to be grateful for such a valuable item.
Upon hearing this, Song Ai suppressed her doubts and did not pursue the matter further.
I was busy making pear juice in the afternoon, so I postponed the etiquette lesson until the evening.
The Xianliu Pavilion was brightly lit.
If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, Yu Nie would never have dared to imagine that the night could be brighter than the day. She recalled the candle she lit when she was in Huaiyuan, its flame as dim as a firefly in the wild.
The interior was dazzling with light and color, and the air was filled with the faint smell of burning candles.
A gentle breeze wafted in through the window, carrying the fragrance of crabapple blossoms and a cool sensation, drifting into the room and brushing against her long hair at her temples.
She was to enter the palace in a few days. Song Ai was teaching her palace etiquette and borrowing portraits of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor from the Imperial Clan Court for her to identify.
After studying for an hour and a half, Yu Nie sat behind the desk, his eyelids heavy with sleep.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a tall, slender figure outside the pavilion.
Not wanting to be looked down upon by him, she immediately perked up, sat up straight, smiled with her eyes narrowed, and pretended to be studying diligently.
Having nothing better to do, Gu Xiangzhi somehow ended up here.
He stood in the courtyard, gazing into the pavilion.
She recognized Dugu Loujun and knew those words.
Her name is Rong Yunie.
Rong Yunie... This name was not unfamiliar to him.
Same name, same age, both from Dingzhou.
Looking at the beautiful figure inside, struggling to stay awake, he thought, there can't be such a coincidence in the world, the only daughter of the Rong family who was engaged to him but was lost not long after birth.
They probably... won't survive in this world.
*
The next morning, Yu Nie listened to Chen Qing's lesson.
Then they prepared to go to Siyi Residence, Xiao Chengyan's residence.
He had only been granted the title of Prince of Guangning not long ago, and the residence bestowed upon him by the emperor was still under renovation, so he could only stay in his original residence for the time being.
After class, she was about to leave Xianliuxuan to get ready when Chen Qing's voice suddenly called out to her from behind.
Yu Nie turned around, walked over excitedly, and asked respectfully, "What does the female master want with me?"
Chen Qing doesn't need to come to teach every day; she comes every other day.
She scrutinized Yu Nie for a long time before asking with concern, "I heard that the princess was assassinated the other day. Were you frightened?"
The assassination attempt was only reported to the palace today after Gu Xiangzhi completed his investigation.
Logically speaking, Chen Qing shouldn't have found out so quickly.
Fearing she might misunderstand, Chen Qing explained, "My son is the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, assisting the Imperial Horse Administration in the investigation, which is why I know about this matter."
"I see." Yu Nie replied, "This disciple is unharmed. Fortunately, I was rescued by Huan Xun... uh... Lord Huan, and thus escaped a calamity."
The words had barely left her mouth when she realized her mistake. Addressing a high-ranking official by his given name was against etiquette. Before she could even finish saying "Huan Xun," she hurriedly changed her address.
Chen Qing didn't take this minor incident to heart, and only pondered, "I have heard a little about this Lord Huan. He has been fighting on the battlefield for a long time and has only recently returned to Jian'an. However..."
She paused slightly, her voice trailing off with a thoughtful hesitation, as if she had remembered a crucial point, or perhaps she was still unsure about the person's background, and was considering whether or not to speak.
She hesitated for a moment before finally speaking with a determined look: "I've only heard that this Lord Huan is eccentric and cold-blooded. He seems to only recognize the Emperor in his eyes, and the lives of others are as insignificant as a feather to him. Even members of the royal family probably don't catch his eye."
Huan Xun had such a reputation in Jian'an. Upon hearing this, Yu Nie pressed, "How can you say that, Madam?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Qing recounted how Huan Xun had encountered a situation one day when the Prince of Yan suffered a relapse of his old illness on his way home from court. At that time, there was no one else around except Huan Xun's carriage, and the Prince of Yan struggled and cried out for help, but Huan Xun ignored him and drove straight past. Chen Qing said, "That's what made me remember Lord Huan's character."
After hearing this, Yu Nie had only one thought in his mind: this person was indeed ruthless.
In her view, the Prince of Yan and Zhao Shuhuai were two different things. Zhao Shuhuai committed a crime in Huaiyuan and deserved his punishment.
Even though the Prince of Yan was suspected of protecting someone, his crime ultimately did not warrant death.
Does he really need to be so cold-blooded?
Chen Qing continued, "Although Junior Tutor Huan saved the princess's life, in my opinion, it would be best for the princess to stay away from him in the future."
At this moment, she was thinking about discussing with Xiao Chengyan how to reach a deal with the Jie people. She didn't say much and just agreed.
Out of courtesy, she waited until Chen Qing left before boarding the carriage and heading to the Siyi Residence.
Song Ai was still worried and afraid that something might go wrong with her, so she accompanied her personally and brought extra guards in case of any unforeseen circumstances.
The Siyi Residence and Hongzheng Pavilion are not far apart, and on the way there, one will inevitably have to pass in front of the Jiheng Mansion.
She knew that it was Huan Xun's residence, and before she even reached the Jiheng Mansion, she ordered her guards to hurry on their way, hoping to avoid it as soon as possible.
As fate would have it, Xiao Chengyan, who had come to find Huan Xun for a game of pitch-pot and to discuss important matters, had just dismounted outside the gate of the Jiheng Mansion when he was chatting and laughing with Huan Xun, who had come out to greet him.
Her entourage and carriages were already eye-catching, and Xiao Chengyan glanced at them out of the corner of his eye and, unsurprisingly, spotted the familiar carriage.
He seemed to have stumbled upon a momentous occasion, and immediately raised his hand and called out loudly, "Qiqi..."
When the address reached Huan Xun's ears, he glanced at the person beside him.
What's meant to be will be.
Through the thin gauze curtain, Yu Nie saw the two people standing at the entrance of Ji Heng Mansion.
Before she could react, Xiao Chengyan had already abandoned Huan Xun, taken a few steps down the steps, and moved to the carriage.
He lifted the curtain, his handsome face beaming with an undisguised smile: "Qiqi...where are you going?"
She was looking for him anyway, so she couldn't come up with a suitable reason.
In this direction, besides the residences of the Four Barbarians, there are also the residences of other princes and gentry.
Having no other option at the moment, she could only reply, "I...I'm going to find your cousin."
She had just finished speaking when a figure slowly approached.
Huan Xun, dressed in a black cross-collar robe, with eyes like cold stars, strolled over at a leisurely pace and bowed to her.
He appeared respectful, but to her, he exuded an undeniable sense of oppression.
She had just said something perfectly normal, but he seemed to think she was doing something wrong.
Xiao Chengyan was both surprised and delighted after hearing her words: "What does Qiqi want with me?"
Feeling guilty under his gaze, she avoided Ma Daoshen's scrutinizing look behind Xiao Chengyan and repeated the reasons she had given Song Ai to him.
Finally, she added, "I didn't expect my cousin to be at the Jiheng Mansion. It seems this is really bad timing. Perhaps I should come again tomorrow."
"No, please." Xiao Chengyan stopped her. "It's not far from where I live. I'll go back with my sister."
"But shouldn't my cousin have something to discuss with Lord Huan?"
"I can come back this afternoon if I need to. There's no rush."
Xiao Chengyan looked at Huan Xun beside him: "Don't you think so, Brother Huan?"
Everyone present felt that Huan Xun would only give an unquestionable affirmative answer to this question, and there was no need to deny it in the first place.
But then he changed the subject: "The summer heat is intense, and the princess will likely suffer from the heat while traveling back and forth."
Her first instinct was to refuse, but before she could utter those two words, he choked her with his next words.
She heard him say, "If the princess does not mind, may she sit in my humble abode for a while?"
I dare not say "no" at all.
The moment she met his gaze, she understood the deeper meaning behind his words.
His dark, ambiguous eyes seemed to be telling her:
If you dare refuse, you're dead.
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