Chapter 44 The Vicious Beauty.
Yuan Chaolu finally couldn't hold on any longer and closed her eyes. In her hazy state, she felt someone pick her up and place her on the bed.
Xiao Zhuo looked at the girl on the bed, who was frowning and unable to bear it any longer. He lowered the bed curtains, turned around and walked to the window. The sweet fragrance in the hall was swept away by the wind blowing in from outside the window.
A gentle breeze wafted in, and inside the curtained room, the girl's tightly furrowed brows finally began to relax.
The water clock dripped softly as evening approached. The imperial physician was taking Yuan Chaolu's pulse when a eunuch entered the palace, saying he had important matters to report.
The emperor, his head buried behind his desk, spoke in a muffled voice: "Speak."
"Your Majesty, it concerns the matter of Miss Lu."
"In the afternoon, Miss Lu and the young master of the Helan family went out for a ride together. When they passed the mountain road on the east side of Hualin Garden, the horses were suddenly frightened and rushed straight to the edge of the cliff."
"Hmm, what happened next?"
"Fortunately, Young Master Helan cut the carriage shaft and shielded Miss Lu with his own body. Now the group has just returned. Young Master Helan's brocade robe is stained with blood, and he is still unconscious and has been placed in the camp. Although Miss Lu's life is not in danger, she has suffered quite a shock."
The old eunuch cautiously raised his eyes: "The Empress Dowager sent me to deliver a message. I wonder if Your Majesty wishes to travel there to visit her?"
Miss Lu is the Empress Dowager's favorite and is also His Majesty's cousin. Since this incident occurred during a hunting trip at Hualin Garden, it is only natural that His Majesty should be invited to attend.
"No need, let the Empress Dowager handle it herself."
The eunuch responded, and whether it was a misperception or not, the emperor's tone toward the empress dowager was extremely cold.
Shortly after he left, the girl on the bed also woke up.
The imperial physician said, "Miss Yuan has woken up? You were caught in the rain last night and caught a cold. Your fever wouldn't go down, and you only fell into a deep sleep this afternoon. I have already given you acupuncture."
Yuan Chaolu thanked him and took his leave from the emperor.
She raised her eyes, met his gaze, and then hurriedly looked down.
As dusk approached, Yuan Chaolu left Xile Palace. The sky was already filled with colorful clouds, and the afterglow shone on her skirt, turning it a reddish-gold color. Yuan Chaolu lifted her skirt and carefully descended the mountain.
Looking back on her behavior that afternoon, she realized it was quite unusual. She didn't reject getting close to the emperor, and even under his gaze, she said that he was all she could think about, and she even accepted his invitation as if possessed.
Have I ever had a fever like this before? But the imperial physician diagnosed it as just a common cold.
Yuan Chaolu clenched her handkerchief and gently wiped the fine sweat from her neck. When she reached the foot of the mountain, she heard a commotion and soon learned of a major event.
Helan Zhen's plan went smoothly, and the Helan family actually staged a scene of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress.
Upon arriving at the Helan family's camp, one could see several noblewomen adorned with pearls and jade outside the brocade curtains, their whispers carried on the breeze.
"Young Master Helan has finally woken up. Who would have thought that the Lu family's carriage would encounter such a mishap during their trip?"
"It's also thanks to Young Master Helan's bravery. I heard that the carriage was already at the edge of the cliff. He truly is a son of General Helan, the General Who Guards the West. His martial arts are superb. If it were anyone else, I'm afraid..."
"I heard that Miss Lu has been bandaging him all the way and is still inside the tent guarding him."
The news of this dramatic afternoon incident, involving royalty and noble families, had already spread throughout the entire Hualin Garden.
Yuan Chaolu gradually understood that this proud and elegant noblewoman from the Lu family had been widowed since her husband's early death and had not remarried for many years. Even when the Empress Dowager chose a husband for her, he could not win her favor.
It wasn't until a few days ago, when Helan Wei, a young master from a collateral branch of the Helan family, invited her, that she finally relented. After this brush with death, the usually dignified and self-possessed Miss Lu was completely distraught. Upon her return, she personally accompanied him and begged the imperial physician to revive him.
It was obvious that Miss Lu had fallen deeply in love.
Yuan Chaolu heard the commotion at the tent. As the curtain was lifted, Miss Lu stood in the shadows, her face still bearing streaks of blood, indicating that she hadn't even had time to treat her wounds. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at the person on the bed.
Qi Yu, a female official from the Imperial Medical Bureau, is applying medicine to He Lanwei.
Qi Yu glanced outside and happened to meet Yuan Chaolu's gaze. Yuan Chaolu nodded to her.
The curtains fell, blocking the view of outsiders.
Yuan Chaolu returned to her tent, and later that evening, Qi Yu indeed arrived as promised.
"Sister Qi has finally arrived."
Yuan Chaolu brewed her a cup of tea and helped her sit down. She then noticed Qi Yu's brow furrowed and asked, "What's wrong?"
"When I came here just now, I seemed to see the figure of a familiar person, who looked like the second madam of the Yuan family."
Yuan Chaolu was taken aback: "Li Qing'e? This time, only officials of the fourth rank or above and their families are allowed to come to Hualin Garden. The Yuan family is definitely not qualified, unless..."
She hesitated for a moment, then said, "She's here to find a backer."
“I have long suspected that there is someone behind the Yuan family, so I sent people to keep an eye on them. Now the Yuan family is severely weakened. In addition to the unrest at home and the fighting among the wives and concubines, the head of the family has not been able to return to his post for a long time. On the contrary, the Yuan family has huge expenses, so they must be unable to make ends meet. Now they are desperate. If they really have a backer, they will definitely go to them.”
In the flickering candlelight, Yuan Chaolu paced slowly, her slender figure cast on the curtains. As she slowly uttered her deductions, her beautiful face revealed an extraordinary calmness.
"My informants report that although the head of the family and Li Qing'e are extremely busy, they haven't been in contact with any powerful figures these days. Sister Qi, are you sure that the person you saw today was Li Qing'e?"
Qi Yu said solemnly, "I went out of the tent with the Lu family and walked with them for a while. When we passed Lu Changli's tent, I saw a noblewoman hiding in the shadows. She looked suspicious, so I took a second look. It was Li Qing'e."
Yuan Chaolu said, "Is it Lu Changli, from the Lu family?"
The clues she possessed pointed directly to the fact that her mother was framed by the second branch of the Yuan family and a high-ranking family during the turbulent migration years ago.
Right now, Li Qing'e has approached the Lu family...
Yuan Chaolu said, "When my elder sister returned to the capital, it was shortly after His Majesty overturned the verdict against my father. The Yuan family dared to poison her at that time. Li Qing'e didn't have the guts to do that, but if the person behind her wanted to cover something up and was afraid that my elder sister would find out the truth, then it makes sense."
Yuan Chaolu's gaze sharpened slightly. Only a powerful family like the Lu family, who held immense influence in the court, would dare to so brazenly and blatantly cover up the truth.
The old grudges of the parents and the new hatred of the elder sister all lead to the same conclusion: the Lu family.
Qi Yu stood up and grasped Yuan Chaolu's hand. "Today, when I was applying medicine to that Young Master Helan, Lu Changli was also there. Knowing that I was apprenticed to that famous doctor, he inquired about my past. I was so shocked that I broke out in a cold sweat, afraid that I would say something I shouldn't have."
"Could you tell me the details of your elder sister's feud with Lu Changli? All Heyi told me was that Lu Changli and Lu Runlan betrayed Abi, ruined her reputation, and burned down... the medicinal herb field left by Master's wife." Qi Yu gritted his teeth as he mentioned this.
Yuan Chaolu stared at Qi Yu: "Sister Qi, do you really want to know?"
"nature."
"What I'm about to say will probably enrage my sister greatly."
Before speaking, Yuan Chaolu went outside the tent, carefully looked around, and only after confirming that no one was there did she pull Qi Yu back into the tent.
These were the words He Yi told her, word by word, before she left Luoyang.
When my elder sister was in Jiangnan, she studied under a famous teacher. After coming of age, she inherited the medicinal herb fields left by her teacher's wife. Her life was peaceful until a year ago when news came that the government was going to open up the canal transport system and came to requisition her medicinal herb fields several times.
Qi Yu said, “In the letter your elder sister sent me at the beginning of the year, she mentioned this matter. That medicinal field covers a vast area, nestled against the mountains and by the water. It is a uniquely blessed place, the culmination of my master’s wife’s life’s work. In her letter, she expressed deep concern about this matter and refused to compromise.”
Yuan Chaolu said, "Yes, my elder sister never agreed, but not long after, she met a woman who also practiced medicine, named Miss Lan."
"Lu Runlan?"
Yuan Chaolu continued, "Miss Lan claimed that she came to Jiangnan from the capital with her brother and also studied medicine. She got along well with her sister and they quickly became friends. Knowing that her sister was a famous local doctor, she wanted to see the secret medical books left by her teacher's wife."
Qi Yu said, "It is a secret manual of our sect, and Abi would never lend it out."
“At first, my elder sister did decline, and Miss Lan did not make things difficult for her. But after that…” Yuan Chaolu slowly began, “when my elder sister was delivering a baby for a woman, it resulted in a tragedy where both mother and child died.”
Yuan Zhaobi had practiced medicine for many years and delivered countless babies without ever making a mistake. The woman's pregnancy was also progressing smoothly, but unexpectedly, yellow spots suddenly appeared on her body during childbirth, and she bled uncontrollably and died. Upon investigation, it was found that the silver needles used by Yuan Zhaobi had somehow become contaminated with unclean, putrid fluid.
The authorities immediately detained her on charges of murder by a quack doctor.
Yuan Chaolu asked, "Besides healing the sick and saving lives, what is the thing that doctors care about most?"
Qi Yu said, "My reputation as a doctor."
Yuan Zhaobi's reputation as a renowned doctor, built up over many years, was completely ruined. He was imprisoned but unable to defend himself.
In her time of crisis, Miss Lan stepped forward and asked her brother to intervene on her behalf. Although he claimed to be of low rank, he promised to clear Yuan Zhaobi's name.
Thanks to the intervention of Miss Lan's brother, Yuan Zhaobi, though not yet cleared of her name, was able to temporarily escape imprisonment. Seeing Miss Lan and her brother running around for her, she was deeply grateful.
Miss Lan's brother was gentle and kind, and Yuan Zhaobi gradually lowered his guard. After spending time together, he married her and kindly gave Miss Lan the medical book passed down by his teacher's wife...
But not long after, her husband received a letter ordering him to go to the capital immediately.
“That night, my sister’s medicinal herb field suddenly burst into flames.” As she said this, a hint of pain flashed in Yuan Chaolu’s eyes.
Yuan Zhaobi stumbled and looked at the raging fire. The medicinal herb field he had painstakingly cultivated for many years had been reduced to scorched earth.
All their property was forcibly seized, and the perpetrators resolutely headed north, leaving no trace. Yuan Zhaobi and Heyi wanted to appeal to the authorities, but the officials in Jiangnan refused to help.
When Yuan Zhaobi returned to the capital, he was afraid of powerful figures and dared not act rashly. Upon learning that Yuan Zhaolu was still alive, he immediately forced himself to come and find her despite his illness.
Yuan Chaolu remembered that when they were in Hexi, she asked her elder sister what unfulfilled regrets she had.
The older sister's heart pounded for a long time, and tears streamed down her face, but she ultimately did not utter a single word about her relationship with the Lu family.
She simply held her own hand and said, "May my sister have a smooth life and enjoy wealth and honor for a hundred years."
With a loud bang, Qi Yu slammed the medicine box in his hand to the ground, his face flushed with anger, and grabbed Yuan Chaolu's hand: "Is that really so? So the Lu siblings are just bullying Abi like this!"
Yuan Chaolu's arms were gripped so tightly by her that they hurt. She nodded slightly and said with a choked voice, "When Lu Changli was in Jiangnan, he didn't know her true identity. After she returned to the capital as Miss Yuan, Lu Changli secretly ordered the Yuan family to poison her. This is the second time he has tried to kill her."
She bent down to pick up the scattered items for Qi Yu and handed them back one by one.
Qi Yu said, "Abi is the most obedient. My master's wife was worried about her going out to make her way in the world like us, so she kept her by her side and eventually entrusted the medicinal herb field to her." Tears welled up in Qi Yu's eyes.
Qi Yu suddenly turned around and rummaged through his medicine box, taking out a porcelain bottle. His bloodshot eyes stared at her. "I grew up with him since childhood. Don't worry, I will definitely help you get rid of Lu Changli. This is a bottle of poison."
Seeing that she was about to leave, Yuan Chaolu quickly grabbed her hand, "Don't do anything rash. How can Sister Qi be even more impulsive than me?"
"Can……"
“My elder sister must want you to be well, senior sister. I will find an antidote for you, and you will be able to return one day. We will take things slowly and there is no rush.” Yuan Chaolu hugged her from behind.
Qi Yu suppressed his anger and saw Yuan Chaolu's lips slightly curl up. In the dim light, her eyes seemed to burn with a flame that shone into Qi Yu's heart.
“I believe retribution comes extremely quickly,” Yuan Chaolu said with a smile.
“Lu Runlan approached my elder sister for the sake of that medical book and secret manual, and she and her elder brother put on a show to gain my elder sister’s sympathy. But who would have thought that the same thing would happen to her in just a few months?”
Qi Yu asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"
Yuan Chaolu whispered to her about the Helan family's secret plot.
Yesterday she was indeed worried that the marriage between the Helan and Lu families would greatly increase their power, making them someone she wouldn't be able to deal with in the future.
But things have already progressed to this point.
The alliance between these two companies is built on lies and may not be very strong. What she needs to do is first rise to a high position so that she can at least stand up to both of them.
"I want to plant a thorn between the two sides so that they cannot form a smooth and wholehearted alliance."
Qi Yu stared at her face, stunned.
The candlelight flickered, casting eerie shadows on Yuan Chaolu's eyes, making her appear like a beautiful serpent.
In Qi Yu's mind, the image of a viper was by no means a derogatory term; rather, it was like the highly poisonous flowers and herbs in her medicine box—the more beautiful they were, the more deadly they were.
Yuan Chaolu smiled and raised her fingertip to wipe away a few tears from Qi Yu's eyes: "You just need to cooperate with me."
"Sister, you should go home early. I have made plans to go hunting with some people tomorrow."
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Author's Note: This chapter is about my older sister~
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