Chapter 74 Applying Medicine "Your Highness is of noble birth and precious status, and you have always been respectful and loving..."
Meng Lingyao opened her mouth, but felt a tightness in her chest, unable to rise or fall. Her original question had long been dispelled by the mosquito bites and her dejected appearance.
She felt both angry and amused, but a hint of guilt at having her secret thoughts exposed prevented her from retaliating.
She could only stare at him with her shimmering eyes, her cheeks slightly puffed out, like a cat whose scruff of the neck had been pinched, unable to get angry or utter a curse.
“Her Highness the Princess is far away in the southwest, which is quite inconvenient for her,” she argued. “Why are you comparing yourself to her?”
Pei Xu tilted his head, "Your Highness is of noble birth and precious status, and you have always shown me great respect and affection, so naturally I have no way to compare."
"..."
Meng Lingyao moved in front of him, grabbed his sleeve, and with a little force, forced him to lower his head slightly and get closer. She then stood on tiptoe to get even closer.
"It was my fault for doing this." She admitted her mistake with a very good attitude, and then found an excuse, "I was in a hurry that day. I was adjusting different recipes and cooking times. In the end, I only got one bottle with excellent fragrance and efficacy. I was thinking of letting Shaoqing try my latest work. I didn't think much about it and took it all with me."
"But, who would have thought you would show me the jewelry sent by the Princess? Her Highness has shown me such kindness, I couldn't just leave without giving something in return. So..." By the end, she was quite self-righteous.
It was his fault for insisting on displaying such exquisite jewelry.
However, being a magnanimous person, she spoke politely, "I have some excellent ointment in my carriage. Applying it for a short time will remove the marks of mosquito bites. Would you be willing to do me the honor?"
Looking at her, Pei Xu's eyelashes finally drooped completely, concealing the smile in his eyes. "Then thank you very much, Yao Yao."
Meng Lingyao breathed a sigh of relief. "There are a lot of insects and ants here. Let's go."
Pei Xu glanced casually at a pavilion in the garden, then looked away and replied, "Okay."
The two left the place together.
After a while, in the octagonal pavilion high in the northwest, a slender figure slowly emerged from behind a stone pillar.
Princess Suxin was pale and still in shock.
"I shouldn't have hidden..." she murmured to herself, her hands gripping the stone railing tightly, her knuckles turning white. "Why did I hide?"
These two people are clearly not married yet, but they're already pulling and tugging at each other.
No, she saw it clearly; it was that vixen who dared to tug at his sleeve in public!
She saw it with her own eyes: that vile woman reached out and gripped the hem of his robe tightly, even standing on tiptoe to get closer to him...
So frivolous and dissolute, so shameless!
"You bitch!" She bit her lower lip hard, almost tearing it apart.
The more he cursed, the more intense the anguish in his heart became.
He let that bitch pull him around, and even... he even lowered his head slightly to cooperate with her. That gentle and indulgent manner was something she had never even dreamed of...
How could someone as upright and noble as him be entangled with this scheming vixen?
"Princess..." a timid voice sounded from behind.
Princess Suxin turned around abruptly, her eyes still filled with malice, which made the little maid tremble with fear.
"What is it?" She suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, her voice icy cold.
Shuang'er stepped forward timidly, offered tea, and said cautiously, "This servant just came from the Buddhist hall. I heard... something terrible has happened."
"explain."
Shuang'er dared not delay and quickly recounted everything that had happened in the Buddhist hall.
Princess Suxin's face grew increasingly grim as she listened. Because she was huddled with the other ladies, she was inevitably subjected to both overt and covert scrutiny, which was why she hadn't gone to the Buddhist hall. Little did she know she would miss a major spectacle.
That bitch not only bewitched Pei Shaoqing, but also dared to be so arrogant and domineering in front of everyone.
Where is Zhao Ruxuan now?
Shuang'er was taken aback and hurriedly said, "Your Highness, I saw Miss Zhao there when I passed by the lake just now... She seemed to have just heard about the Buddhist temple incident and was throwing a tantrum."
Princess Suxin gave a slight smile. "Take me to see her."
Yes, yes.
On the lakeside, Zhao Ruxuan stared blankly at the shimmering blue water, unconsciously clutching a lotus pod, its seeds scattered at her feet. Hearing footsteps, she turned abruptly and bumped into Princess Suxin.
She was clearly taken aback. "Suxin...it's been a long time."
Princess Suxin seemed oblivious to her awkwardness and naturally took her hand. "Ruxuan, why are you hiding here all alone, feeling sad?"
Zhao Ruxuan's fingers curled slightly. "It's nothing, just... just getting some fresh air."
“You say it’s nothing,” Princess Suxin sighed. “I’ve heard about what happened in the Buddhist hall just now. Madam Cui has always been dignified and kind to us younger generation, yet Meng Lingyao, relying on her sharp tongue, publicly humiliated her. It’s truly outrageous!”
“She…” Zhao Ruxuan’s chest heaved violently. A mix of grievance, anger, and a complex, indescribable emotion instantly shattered her feigned calm. “How dare she show no respect for her elders! In front of so many people, how much pain must Mother… Mother must have suffered.” Two tears finally rolled down her cheeks.
Princess Suxin immediately handed over a plain white silk handkerchief and gently comforted her, "Don't cry, don't cry. She's just the daughter of the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. She's just arrogant because she climbed up the Pei family's high branch. She's dragged Ruxuan down with her."
She leaned slightly forward, her voice low and hoarse, as if sharing the same secret, "And that hateful Zhuo, she couldn't live a good life, she insisted on causing trouble with divorce, disrupting the peace of the household, and causing Madam Cui to suffer so much humiliation for no reason, she is really pitiful... If she had been willing to be more patient, would things have come to this?"
“Yes…yes,” Zhao Ruxuan covered her face with a handkerchief, her voice muffled, a hint of confusion unconsciously showing in her anger, “Fifth Sister-in-law…she really shouldn’t have disregarded the overall situation.”
But as soon as she finished speaking, the image of Meng Lingyao standing firm in the Buddhist hall inexplicably flashed through her mind. That compelling radiance made her heart tremble for no reason.
"That's right. To be honest, things might not have turned out this way in the first place. It's all because of Meng Lingyao. She's always liked to make a scene, and now that Pei Shaoqing is backing her up, she's even more smug."
“Sister Ruxuan,” Princess Suxin sighed softly, “you are the future consort of the Third Prince, how can you allow your mother to suffer such a humiliating disgrace…”
Zhao Ruxuan pursed her lips, and Princess Suxin took her arm, getting even closer.
-
Cang Dian had been standing guard by the carriage. When he saw his young mistress and Pei Shaoqing arrive hand in hand, his eyes flickered slightly, but his face remained calm as he obediently greeted his two masters.
Meng Lingyao nodded and gestured to Pei Xu, "Shaoqing, please—"
Pei Xu paused for a moment before following her into the small but exquisite space. His gaze habitually swept across the carriage—a soft couch was piled with brocade cushions embroidered with cloud patterns, and a small celadon incense burner stood in the corner, with wisps of smoke drifting from the openwork lotus petals.
Suddenly, his gaze froze on the open vase on the side of the carriage.
A bunch of fresh lotus flowers were placed in the white porcelain vase with a slender neck and a wide mouth.
The flowers are not yet fully open; the pink and white petals are delicate, and the emerald green lotus leaves are like umbrellas, with clearly visible veins. Most striking are the tips of the petals, which faintly tinged with a pale yellow hue, as if kissed by the morning light.
“This is the Cui family’s lotus flower,” he said with certainty.
Meng Lingyao was rummaging through a hidden compartment in the carriage for ointment when she heard this. Without even looking up, she casually replied, "How do you know? Lotus flowers are everywhere at this time of year."
She took out a small jade box from a pile of bottles and jars, opened it to check the quality of the ointment inside.
“The Cui family head has a fondness for lotus flowers,” Pei Xu said, his gaze still fixed on the bunch of lotuses. “The Cui family garden has introduced many rare and precious varieties. This one is called ‘Emerald Canopy Splendor’. It was transplanted from Jiangcheng and is only found in the Cui family in the capital.”
Meng Lingyao's hand paused. She slowly raised her head, looking at the bunch of lotus flowers that she saw as nothing more than ordinary summer blossoms, and then at Pei Xu, whose expression was indifferent.
For a moment, I didn't know whether to praise Xie Chengyu for his unique insight or to commend him for his extensive knowledge and wide experience.
"Shaoqing really is... knowledgeable about everything." After thinking for a moment, she finally chose the latter option.
Pei Xu did not show the slightest joy at her praise.
He sat quietly in a corner of the carriage, his slender figure appearing somewhat cramped in the small space, his gaze fixed on the lotus flower.
Meng Lingyao vaguely sensed the subtle change in the atmosphere but didn't think much of it. She coughed lightly to break the silence and said, "Give me your hand, I'll apply the medicine for you."
Pei Xu raised his arm as instructed.
Meng Lingyao carefully rolled up his sleeve, dipped her fingertip in some ointment, and gently applied it.
Her movements were light and meticulous, mimicking the gentle care the maids usually showed when treating his wounds. Her fingertips lightly rubbed his skin, helping the medicine to penetrate better.
The slightly cool touch traveled through the thin skin to Pei Xu's heart, causing a slight shiver.
He looked down at her lowered head.
The sunlight, filtered softly through the sheer curtains, cast a golden glow on her hair. Her long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.
He greedily took in every subtle change in expression: the slight pout of his lips when he was focused, the gentle furrowing of his brows when he was serious.
But why the lotus of the Cui family?
Was it a gift from the Cui family today as an apology? Or was there some other reason?
Pei Xu's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily...
"Alright." Meng Lingyao inspected her work with satisfaction and pulled down his sleeve. "Remember not to scratch it with your hands. I guarantee that within an hour, there won't be a single trace left."
She looked up and met Pei Xu's deep, dark eyes. His gaze was so focused and intense that it made her heart skip a beat.
"You've been completely silent since just now, which isn't like you at all." Meng Lingyao tilted her head and smiled, "What? You don't mind my lack of manners today?"
Pei Xu remained silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke and slowly recited a poem.
Meng Lingyao was taken aback. The rhyme and meter were fairly neat, and the word choice showed considerable skill, but... it had a pedantic, bookish air about it, which really didn't seem like a poem he had written. She wrinkled her delicate nose, her face full of disdain.
Why are you reciting such pretentious poetry?
Strangely, her disdain did not anger Pei Xu; instead, it eased his tense expression considerably. Looking at her undisguised disgust, he felt as if he had grabbed onto a piece of driftwood while drowning.
"You don't remember?" he asked softly.
"Remember what?" Meng Lingyao asked in return.
She was stunned as soon as she finished speaking.
She had indeed heard this poem before.
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Author's Note: ————High sweetness warning ahead———— [rainbow farts][rainbow farts][rainbow farts] (Okay, actually it's tomorrow, dear readers, let's meet at the same time tomorrow /┏(＾0＾)┛)
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