068 Fear
Xiao Han breathed a sigh of relief when she felt Song Xi's pulse was still there, and then collapsed to the ground, completely paralyzed.
Li Yang walked over and asked, "Xiao Han?"
Xiao Han raised her forehead, which was covered in a layer of cold sweat from nervousness, and gave a smile that looked more like a grimace: "It's nothing, I just fainted. Madam Yuan, please help me carry Master to the bed."
Li Yang called out to Xia He, and the three of them together carried Song Xi to the bed.
Seeing Li Yang bustling around fetching a quilt to cover Song Xi, Xiao Han's expression was somewhat inscrutable. He sat down and carefully took Song Xi's pulse: "I need to go and write a prescription for my master to brew the medicine. Miss Xia He, could you please boil some water? We'll need it later."
Xia He was pushed by him, and her palm rubbed against the door panel until it was chafed. She didn't want to agree, but when she saw Li Yang nod at her, Xia He reluctantly agreed.
Xiao Han didn't notice their subtle interaction and said to Li Yang, "Madam, the wound on Master's face has become infected. We can't wait any longer. Squeeze out the pus and clean out the rotten flesh. I'll come and apply the medicine as soon as I've prepared it."
His words were urgent and earnest, and no one realized that he had arranged it this way on purpose. He wanted Li Yang to personally treat her master's injuries, to let her know how much suffering her master had endured to cure her poison, and to make her heart uneasy.
Li Yang was so preoccupied with worrying about Song Xi's injuries that she didn't notice Xiao Han's change in expression. She asked, "I remember Song Xi had a set of disinfection tools, do you know where they are?"
To treat the wound, his set of knives is necessary. Furthermore, since it comes into contact with the wound surface, if proper disinfection isn't done, future infection could be a serious problem.
Xiao Han said, "They're here. Master brought them all."
He revealed the truth about Song Xi's special preparation and explained the usage to Li Yang in detail before preparing the medicinal materials.
Xia He went to boil water, leaving only Li Yang and Song Xi, who was lying unconscious on the bed, in the room.
Cleaning the wound wasn't difficult; she had treated Yuan Chongjing's wounds back in the manor. But seeing Song Xi lying quietly on the bed, eyes closed, face pale, and her once rosy lips now severely cracked, she couldn't bring herself to bring down the thin, sharp knife in her hand.
She was afraid of hurting someone as noble as Song Xi.
Fearing that further delay would worsen her injuries, Li Yang took two deep breaths and finally made up her mind. Holding the knife in her right hand, she slowly moved it towards the wound on Song Xi's lip. But before she could even touch it, Li Yang felt her hair being pulled back violently. At the same time, she lost her balance and slid off the chair, falling to the ground.
Madam Zhao walked past her to the bedside. Seeing Song Xi lying unharmed on the bed, she turned to Li Yang and questioned, "What exactly do you want to do!"
Knowing that she had misunderstood her, Li Yang stood up from the ground and explained, "Madam Zhao, you have misunderstood me. Song Xi's wound on his face has become infected. Xiao Han went to brew medicine. He told me to treat the wound first so that I could apply the medicine."
Madam Zhao, however, did not believe her: "Who knows if you're just using this as an excuse to take revenge on Ai... to take revenge on my son and me!"
Just then, Xia He walked in carrying a basin of hot water. Upon hearing Madam Zhao's words, she immediately replied, "Madam Zhao is overthinking things. It was Xiao Han who called us here, and it was Xiao Han who asked our lady to treat the wound!"
She didn't know Zhao's previous identity and only thought that she was Song Xi's mother, and that she was looking down on Li Yang.
Li Yang stopped Xia He and handed the dagger to Madam Zhao: "Then you do it, I'll watch from the side, okay? We need to hurry, Xiao Han said we can't delay any longer."
Madam Zhao took the dagger suspiciously, and looking at the pustules on Song Xi's face, her eyes instantly reddened with heartache. She had been holed up in her room these past few days, reminiscing about her old life, and hadn't paid much attention to Song Xi, assuming his injuries had healed long ago. She never imagined they would turn out like this.
Madam Zhao felt both annoyed and sorry for Song Xi, and hesitated, holding the knife, but dared not go down.
Li Yang said, "Madam Zhao, how about I do it? You can just watch from the side. If you feel anything is wrong, just say a word and I'll stop immediately, okay?"
Madam Zhao looked at her, paused for a moment, still worried: "It's alright, I'll do it."
This time, she was much more composed, her expression serious and meticulous. She carefully sliced open the wound, squeezing out the pus and blood, and finally used the flat of the blade to cut away the whitish, rotting flesh. Perhaps feeling the pain, Song Xi, still unconscious, groaned and frowned.
Madam Zhao's forehead was already beaded with cold sweat from nervousness. Seeing Song Xi about to struggle, she immediately shouted, "Quickly, hold him down!"
Li Yang immediately stepped forward, hugged Song Xi's head, and had Xia He hold down his legs. When she looked down again, she saw that Song Xi's eyes were open a crack. Li Yang didn't care whether he could hear her or not, and comforted him, "Song Xi, it's me, Li Yang. Madam Zhao is cleaning your wounds. It hurts a little, but please bear with it. It will be over soon."
Song Xi seemed to hear her words, and stopped struggling. She just parted her lips slightly, as if she was whispering something.
Li Yang bent down and brought her lips close to his, only then did she hear him speak.
He was saying, "Yangyang, it hurts so much."
Li Yang felt a sudden, unbearable soreness in her throat, her vision blurred, and her voice choked with emotion: "It will be over soon, it will be over soon."
"Yangyang."
"I'm here, I'm here."
The two repeated their conversation until Madam Zhao stopped: "Where's the medicine? Go and tell Xiaohan to bring it over."
"Coming, coming." Xiao Han entered the room at some point, and upon seeing the wound, immediately stepped forward and applied the ointment she had prepared to it.
Madam Zhao gave her seat to Xiao Han, stepped back and stood up. She watched as Li Yang held Song Xi's head and kept comforting him. A complex emotion flashed in her eyes.
After Xiaohan finished bandaging the wounds, she looked at the other three people in the room and said to Xiahe, "Miss Xiahe, I'm still brewing medicine in the kitchen for Master. Could you help watch the fire? Just keep it low."
Li Yang gave Xia He a wink, signaling her to go to the kitchen and keep an eye on things.
"Master, Madam, please go out first. I'll wipe Master's body." After Xia He left, Xiao Han said to Madam Zhao and Li Yang.
Madam Zhao glanced at Li Yang and walked out first.
The autumn wind was strong. She had just treated Song Xi's wounds and was covered in a cold sweat. Now, with the wind blowing, Madam Zhao felt even her scalp was cold. Li Yang took a cloak and put it over Madam Zhao's body, saying, "Madam Zhao, be careful not to catch a cold."
Madam Zhao pulled her cloak tighter around herself. Hearing her address her that way repeatedly, she asked, "Did Song Xi tell you?"
Seeing the doubt on her face, Madam Zhao said, "It's about his biological father."
Li Yang nodded: "Mm."
Madam Zhao sighed, looked at the gray sky, and said sarcastically, "You have quite the methods, making him so open with you."
Li Yang knew that she had always looked down on her, and she didn't intend to say anything more to her, so she remained silent.
Unexpectedly, Madam Zhao did not want to stop there. She said, "Even without your status in the palace and the Song family, Li Yang, I don't think you are good enough for Xi'er. Especially since you have been married before. Whether or not you shared a room with someone, that status still exists and will stay with you for the rest of your life."
Li Yang said, "Madam Zhao is overthinking it. Song Xi and I are just friends. He helped me, and I want to help him too. It's that simple."
Madam Zhao turned her head, her eyes, filled with the weight of half a lifetime's ups and downs, staring at her with displeasure, like two bayonets.
Li Yang, however, showed no fear whatsoever and calmly met the challenge.
The door behind them opened, and Xiao Han said, "Madam Yuan, is it convenient for you to come in now? My master wants to see you."
Madam Zhao immediately asked, "Is Xi'er awake? How is he? I'll go check on him."
Xiao Han said, "Master, Master said he will come to see you later."
As for now, he wants to see Li Yang.
Madam Zhao opened her mouth as if to say something, but didn't. She turned and walked outside.
Li Yang watched her retreating figure. Having left the palace only a few days ago, Lady Zhao's once straight spine had already bent. At this moment, she was no longer the esteemed Empress Dowager surrounded by attendants, but a mother who missed her deceased lover and whose son was seriously ill.
Song Xi was already awake in the room. He was leaning against the bed when he saw Li Yang come in. His pale face regained some life: "Yangyang? Is it really you? I thought I was dreaming. What brings you here?"
He was unaware that Xiao Han had gone to the Yuan residence to summon her.
Li Yang glanced at Xiao Han, who was standing to the side with her head down and looking uneasy, and explained, "I came to see you. I was terrified when I saw you lying on the ground as soon as I came in."
Song Xi comforted her, "It's nothing, I'm just a little weak from not getting enough rest for so long. I'll be fine after a good night's sleep."
Seeing that Song Xi seemed to have something to say, Xiao Han said, "Master, Madam Yuan, you two talk first. I'll go to the kitchen to see if the medicine is ready."
Song Xi responded, and seeing that Li Yang was standing a bit far away from him, he patted the spot next to the bed: "Yangyang, come and sit down."
Li Yang walked over and sat down at his feet. After waiting for him to speak for a long time, she broke the silence and asked, "Is the poison I'm suffering from difficult to cure?" It was enough to make him disregard his health and stay up for two days and nights without sleep.
Song Xi was taken aback, realizing that she knew about Yu Jin poisoning her. He said, "It's not difficult. Don't forget who I am. I'm the Divine Doctor Ghost Hand. You even praised me as a cool and aloof little immortal before."
Hearing that he still had the mind to make her laugh, Li Yang forced a smile in response.
"Yangyang," Song Xi knew she was upset, and said, "Don't worry, I know my own body. I'll recover in a day at most."
Li Yang lowered her head, blinked twice, and tears welled up in her eyes. She clutched the edge of the bed sheet in her hand and whispered, "I'm not worth it."
Song Xi looked at her downcast eyes, and beneath her long, curled eyelashes, another crystal tear fell. He reached out to catch it, but then withdrew his hand. Song Xi concealed his heartache and feigned a normal tone, smiling as he said, "What are you talking about? This poison was given to you by Yu Jin, and the reason for it is because of me. I have the responsibility to cleanse the toxins from your body."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Once the poison is cured, I will take my mother and Xiaohan and leave this place, never to return."
Where are you headed?
"I don't know. I should go to my biological father's burial site first, and then we can talk about it after we've settled down there."
Song Xi had also forced himself to wake up, and after drinking the medicine Xiao Han brought him, he quickly became drowsy again. Xiao Han helped him lie down, and after confirming that he was just asleep, she closed the door and left the room with Li Yang.
"Mother~" Li Yang had just stepped out of her room when she heard Xiao Taozi's voice coming from the courtyard. She turned around and saw Yuan Chongjing holding Xiao Taozi and waiting for her under the eaves opposite.
She walked over, and Xiao Taozi got off Yuan Chongjing, ran over and hugged Li Yang's leg, then sat on her feet.
Li Yang lifted her leg, lowered her head and smiled, "Get up."
"No, no," Little Peach shook her head and hugged Li Yang's leg even tighter.
Helpless, Li Yang could only limp along, dragging her leg, and slowly move forward with Xiao Taozi's body.
Little Peach giggled twice, and Li Yang immediately said, "Shh, Little Peach, Uncle Six is sleeping now. Don't talk loudly and disturb him, understand?"
Little Peach immediately covered her mouth and nodded vigorously.
"Mother, is Sixth Uncle sick? Why is he sleeping in the middle of the day?"
"Yes, Uncle Liu hasn't been feeling well these past few days, and Mother has to take care of him, so Little Peach has to be a good girl and listen to me, okay?"
"Okay!" Little Peach readily agreed, then immediately stood up from Li Yang's feet, obediently took Li Yang's hand, and looked up at herself, boasting, "Little Peach is a good girl, she'll definitely be obedient~"
Li Yang patted her head approvingly. At this moment, Yuan Chongjing also walked to their side. Seeing the question in his eyes, Li Yang bent down and said to Xiao Taozi, "How about you go play with Sister Xia He for a while?"
Little Peach looked at her, then at Xia He, and ran off with her short legs: "Sister Xia He, let's play hide-and-seek!"
This was her first time in this place, and Xia He was a little worried, so she quickly followed.
After everyone left, Li Yang said to Yuan Chongjing, "Xiao Han said that I was poisoned by turmeric, and Song Xi's health collapsed from trying to detoxify me. He said you knew about this too, right, Brother Jing?"
On the way here, Yuan Chongjing had already anticipated this situation.
He considered keeping it from her, and even came up with a reason.
But now, looking into her eyes, Yuan Chongjing couldn't utter the words he had prepared beforehand. He had always prided himself on his eloquence, and now he found it truly ironic. Under her questioning gaze, he managed a labored "Hmm."
"Why?" Li Yang asked, "You used to discuss everything with me and never hide anything from me." This was something they had agreed upon from the beginning, including when they encountered crises or problems in Chenzhou, they would tell each other so that they could negotiate a better solution.
Yuan Chongjing said, "Because I'm afraid, I'm not sure."
He feared that if he spoke up, he wouldn't be able to offer an effective solution and would only increase her worries. So he could only keep it from her for the time being and try to find a solution privately as soon as possible.
Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, Li Yang couldn't vent her anger and had to put the matter aside for the time being: "What are people saying outside? Is it safe for Song Xi and Madam Zhao to live here? Will they be watched?"
Yuan Chongjing said, "The Song family has now expressed their wishes to His Highness, and His Highness has also assisted the palace in covering up the fire at Shou'an Palace. His Majesty has already believed that the Empress Dowager and the Sixth Princess have died and is preparing for a national mourning."
This indicates that Prince Yu and the Song family have reached some kind of cooperation. Once His Majesty believes this, it will be much easier for Song Xi and Lady Zhao to leave the capital later. Thinking of the Song family, Li Yang asked, "What about Song Hezhou? Will he allow the Song family to cooperate with His Highness?"
Yuan Chongjing said, "He's been busy lately. His Highness and the Fifth Prince are currently engaged in a power struggle, and His Majesty has assigned him many tasks, so he doesn't have time to deal with these matters. Besides, His Highness isn't interested in Song Hezhou, but rather in the opinion of the Song family head."
That's true. Although Song Hezhou is quite powerful, his voice in the Song family is still not as strong as that of the head of the Song family.
After Yuan Chongjing finished speaking, he saw Xiao Han's figure emerge from the kitchen and disappear into the corner of the yard. He asked, "How is Song Xi?"
Li Yang said, "He's already taken his medicine and is asleep. His injuries are quite serious. But with Xiao Han here, he should be fine. Madam Zhao's emotions are still unstable, and with Song Xi like this, Xiao Han is the only one left to do the work. I want to stay and help him today, since Song Xi is like this to help me detoxify."
“Okay,” he thought for a moment and then said, “Let Xiao Taozi stay too. If she doesn’t see you when she goes back to sleep tonight, she’ll make a fuss. Besides, with her here, she can talk to Song Xi and comfort her.”
Li Yang agreed: "Okay. You go ahead and do your work, don't worry about us."
Li Yang escorted him all the way to the door. Due to the unusual circumstances, he hadn't brought Bei Hai along, nor had he taken the Yuan family's carriage. He'd used the excuse of taking Xiao Taozi out to play, and they'd strolled over, eating and drinking their way here. His legs were starting to ache slightly from walking for so long. Seeing his unsteady gait, Li Yang immediately understood: "Why don't we call a carriage?"
Yuan Chongjing said, "Let's call out when we get to the street; it's too obvious here."
He stopped by the door, and before Li Yang could react, he bent down and hugged her: "Yang Yang."
"Um?"
Noticing that she had hugged him back, Yuan Chongjing tightened his arms, holding her even tighter. He asked, somewhat helplessly and bewildered, "We'll always be together. You won't leave me, right?"
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