Chapter 13
The shadows of the trees swayed gently as Shen Ji walked in from outside.
Yun Qing stepped forward, intending to report the assassination attempt to him, but unexpectedly, she noticed something unusual.
The young master suddenly said he was going to find Songyuan, but Songyuan is nowhere to be found, and a piece of clothing is missing.
He was about to speak when Shen Ji calmly shifted his gaze over, his eyes deep and serious: "What is it?"
Yun Qing quickly suppressed his gossipy thoughts and whispered, "Young Master, I have investigated and found out that those people are bandits from the surrounding mountains. They act without any rules, robbing, murdering, and committing all sorts of evil deeds. We have already notified the authorities."
Shen Ji glanced at him and nodded slightly.
Although the assassination was an accident, it cannot be ignored. Although Song Mingyan has left Yangzhou, the fact that he went to find Sun Yuan on the Crown Prince's orders shows that someone in the court has something to do with what happened back then.
He lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes concealing the emotions within. After a long while, he suddenly said, "Send a message to the secret envoy, and be sure to find Sun Yuan before Song Mingyan."
"Yes," Yun Qing clasped his hands in a fist salute and said in a low voice.
A thin layer of ice had formed on the lake in the courtyard. The night wind was particularly cold. After giving his instructions, Shen Ji looked at the person standing motionless beside him and asked, "Is there anything else?"
Yun Qing was taken aback. The thoughts that had just subsided resurfaced. He blinked and tentatively asked, "Young Master, your cloak..."
"Throw it away." Shen Ji didn't even turn his head, simply uttering those two words.
Yun Qing touched his nose. The young master was most afraid of the cold and usually wore a cloak in the summer. How could he have thrown away his cloak after going out? He would never believe it.
Three days later, he stood outside Qinghui Hall and saw a pretty young woman holding a familiar dress. He blinked and realized that it was exactly the same as the one that the young master had thrown away!
"Please inform you that I have washed the outer robe that my cousin lent me three days ago and have come to return it to him."
"Fifth Miss, please go back. The young master will not take back what he has given away." Yun Qing lowered her eyes, her heart filled with astonishment, especially since it was clothing worn close to her body, which was even less likely to be taken back.
However, he was full of doubts. Why had the young master changed his mind and given away his cloak? And what about the medicine he was ordered to get a few days ago? Something just didn't seem right.
"I have something to see my cousin about," Jiang Mian said softly, bowing her head.
Seeing her persistence, Yun Qing went in to deliver a message, just to try her luck. To her surprise, the young master put down the book in his hand and nodded!
Agreed!
Yun Qing swore he never expected that the young master would allow outsiders to enter Qinghui Hall.
This is truly incredible! The sun has risen in the west!
Jiang Mian had no idea what he was thinking. When she received permission, she was only briefly surprised before letting out a sigh of relief. If Shen Ji had refused her entry again today, she would have had to reconsider whether getting close to him was the right decision.
However, the fact that he allowed her to enter was a significant step forward.
Qinghui Hall was larger than she had imagined, but also more deserted.
Apart from a few servants, there wasn't a single maid or servant in the entire house; it was deserted and desolate.
Jiang Mian suddenly had some strange thoughts. She had inquired and found that although her aunt was in charge of the household affairs, she respected her eldest cousin very much. Even her unruly and dissolute third cousin would restrain himself in front of her eldest cousin.
He didn't understand before, but now that he has stepped into this courtyard, he realizes how much his maternal grandmother favored him.
I heard that my eldest cousin's parents died when he was young, and he has been taken care of by his maternal grandmother all these years. He is also very ambitious, but there is one thing that puzzles her. With his talent and reputation, he would surely have a bright future if he participated in the imperial examinations, but he chooses to stay in this small city of Yangzhou. What is the reason for this?
Jiang Mian put aside her chaotic thoughts and followed Yun Qing through the corridor, finally stopping in front of the study.
"Young Master, Fifth Miss has arrived." Yun Qing bowed. Jiang Mian also curtsied and softly called out, "Cousin."
Shen Ji hummed in agreement, his gaze remaining fixed on the book. Jiang Mian, remembering the purpose of her visit, stepped forward and said with her eyes lowered, "Cousin, I have already washed this cloak."
Shen Ji then raised his eyes and looked at the cloak that Jiang Mian was holding. Although he didn't say anything, his deep and dark gaze inexplicably made her feel a little hesitant.
Immediately, she secretly cheered herself up, thinking that as long as they didn't put a knife to her neck, everything else was secondary.
"Let it go." Unexpectedly, he said these three words.
Yun Qing, standing to the side, was dumbfounded. The young master had never reacted like this before. Usually, let alone offering him something, if someone outside accidentally touched his robe, he would immediately take it off and refuse to wear it again.
Today's actions have startled him again and again.
"Is there anything else?"
Jiang Mian was taken aback. She had only made up an excuse to see him earlier. Now that she was in front of him, she quickly thought of something and saw a stack of books on his desk. She blurted out, "I have been reading recently... I have some questions about some parts of the books and would like to ask my cousin for help."
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Mian lowered her eyes and suddenly regretted it. This topic had come up too suddenly. She hadn't read any books lately, and she hadn't even seen a single book on her desk. However, there was a storybook that her fourth sister had found for her on her pillow, which she had occasionally flipped through a few pages of.
But obviously, he must not know the contents of that storybook.
"What don't you understand?"
Jiang Mian thought quickly. She had been in a bad mood these days and had no interest in reading. After searching her mind for a moment, she stepped forward, first glancing at him, and then opening the book in front of him: "I don't understand this part."
Shen Ji gave her a deep look, then calmly took the book, asking in a nonchalant tone, "When did you become interested in flood control?"
ah?
Jiang Mian was taken aback and quickly looked at the book cover, where it clearly read: Flood Disaster Management Manual.
Good heavens, this is utterly shameful.
In this situation, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go forward, since it was in difficult classical Chinese and she really didn't understand it anyway.
"Cousin, what does this character mean?"
The sun shone brightly outside the window, casting a soft shadow on the desk. Yun Qing stared in disbelief as the usually taciturn young master patiently explained things to the Fifth Miss.
Although Jiang Mian was listening, her mind was elsewhere.
His voice was very pleasant, like a clear mountain spring. Jiang Mian was so distracted that she didn't even notice when he stopped. When she came to her senses, Shen Ji asked her, "Do you understand?"
"I understand, I understand."
"Then repeat it."
Jiang Mian was stunned, somewhat unable to react.
Yun Qing, who was standing to the side, almost burst out laughing. He didn't know if the Fifth Miss understood or not, but judging from her dazed look, she probably hadn't expected the young master to suddenly bring this up.
How cruel it is to lecture someone and then make them repeat themselves.
But the next moment, Jiang Mian clearly said it.
She has a shallow understanding, but she has a good memory. She doesn't necessarily memorize what she hears, but at least she has an impression of it.
"Cousin, was my answer correct?"
"Barely acceptable."
"Oh." Jiang Mian lowered her head, looking somewhat disappointed.
Yun Qing was extremely surprised, for the young master never praised people easily.
Shen Ji saw her with her head down and thought she was going to give up, but Jiang Mian suddenly raised her head, cautiously and expectantly: "Then if I encounter something I don't understand in the future, can I still ask my cousin for help?"
"I promise I won't bother my cousin!"
Shen Ji looked at her and saw that she was speaking seriously, her almond-shaped eyes full of expectation, which made a strange thought arise in his mind.
Jiang Mian looks a bit like the rabbit he met in the mountains a few days ago.
"……Can."
"That's great, cousin." Having received permission, Jiang Mian couldn't stop for a moment, which made Shen Ji look over again.
Upon leaving Qinghui Hall, Yun Qing couldn't help but ask, "How did your cloak end up with the Fifth Miss?"
Jiang Mian said calmly, "I ran into him the night before last. He gave it to me on his own initiative, but I was too embarrassed to accept it, so I washed it and returned it to him."
She spoke lightly, but Yun Qing's heart was filled with turbulent waves.
When did you become so... frivolous and reckless, giving your personal clothes to a woman you don't even know? This is truly shocking.
No, this is not the young master he knows at all.
Jiang Mian was oblivious to his thoughts and was enjoying herself immensely.
The first step in getting closer to Shen Ji was to lower his guard. It seems that the storybook that her fourth sister gave her was not entirely useless.
To Jiang Mian's surprise, Yun Qing suddenly appeared at night, his tone strange yet urgent: "Fifth Miss, what did you do to that cloak? Why is there a large red patch on the young master's neck?"
Jiang Mian lowered her eyes. When she was washing the cloak, she had specially added flower petals and soaked it for three hours. The fragrance was intoxicating.
"How is my cousin?" Jiang Mian stood up abruptly, a hint of guilt in her eyes.
"Young Master is currently unconscious, and there are large red patches on his neck and arms." Yun Qing was also anxious. There was a doctor in the manor, but unfortunately, Doctor Chen was on leave today. He was also worried, so he came to ask what had stained the Fifth Miss's cloak and why it smelled so pungent.
"I'll go check." Feeling guilty, Jiang Mian immediately went out. Yun Qing was stunned for a moment before realizing that something was amiss.
The young master is still unconscious in bed.
and……
"Fifth Miss, you mustn't..." However, by the time he chased after her out the door, Jiang Mian had already disappeared.
The journey from Birou Courtyard to Qinghui Hall wasn't short, but she was in a hurry, so she didn't feel it was far. It wasn't until she stepped inside that she realized something was wrong.
A shadowy figure was faintly visible behind the screen. The light was dim, making it difficult to see clearly, but it was not hard to tell that the person was Shen Ji.
Jiang Mian couldn't quite describe the feeling. She stepped forward and went inside, only to be startled by what she saw. The man on the bed had his eyes closed, and his handsome face was covered in a large, dense red blush.
A thought suddenly popped into her mind.
Could it be that she's disfigured her vital parts?
How could it be so serious?
Yun Qing caught up, hesitating to speak: "Fifth Miss, why did you just barge in like this?"
"Why didn't you call a doctor?" Jiang Mian hadn't expected it to be this serious, and a hint of worry appeared in her eyes.
Yun Qing's eyes darted away. Over the years, to be on the safe side, only Doctor Chen had ever taken the young master's pulse. The young master's identity was a top secret, and to be on the safe side, it was best to avoid any unforeseen complications. That's why he went to Jiang Mian with the idea of giving it a try and asked about the origin of the illness.
"We've already sent people to search, but it will take some time for the doctor to arrive. Fifth Miss, do you have any ideas?"
Jiang Mian was taken aback. She had also been sensitive to the smell of flowers when she was young. Her mother had brewed a bowl of herbal soup for her and she had recovered. Now, she could only try anything as a last resort. But Shen Ji’s face was so red. She reached out and touched her. Sure enough, there were signs of fever.
"Fifth Miss..."
Yun Qing stared blankly as she placed her finger on the young master's cheek, then heard her instruct: "Go prepare some medicinal herbs, decoct them into a soup, and have him drink it."
"Will this... work?" Yun Qing asked, half-doubting.
“My mother is skilled in medicine. Although I am not as good as her, I am still knowledgeable about pharmacology. These herbs are just right to treat this symptom. After my cousin takes them, he will surely be cured.”
Seeing how serious she was, Yun Qing immediately ordered people to make preparations.
When Jiang Mian saw him leave, she involuntarily loosened her grip on his hand, her palms already sweating.
She didn't know that Shen Ji was allergic to pollen.
She wanted to make a good impression on him, but she didn't expect it to backfire. If Shen Ji blames her after he wakes up, it will really be a loss.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com