The carriage swayed and rattled as it headed toward the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
Pei Qing sat in the carriage with his eyes lowered and his brows slightly furrowed.
During this period, Jiang Fei truly never made him cook again. He would eat the food he used to dislike, and he only wore white clothes in his room. Every day, he would have the servants put a few peach branches in his room. In front of him, even his walking posture gradually became more and more like Rongrong's.
She is very smart and can learn many things very quickly.
Sometimes, Pei Qing felt as if Jiang Rongrong was still in the mansion, never having left.
But this feeling didn't bring any pleasure; instead, it brought... a strange sense of unease.
He knew what Jiang Fei was like before.
She dressed in red with an air of arrogance and unrestrainedness; she would frown in disgust when eating food she didn't like; the scent of peach blossoms would prompt the servants to move vases to the outer room; and...
Pei Qing looked down at the back of his right hand. In just three days, the wound had healed, leaving only a faint mark.
He still remembers how Jiang Fei came to apply medicine to him three times a day, and the surprise and slight disappointment in her eyes when she saw his injury healed on the third night.
Pei Qing unconsciously curved her lips into a smile, but then realized what she was doing, suppressed her smile, and couldn't help but reach out and touch her lips.
That night, the image of her saying "this is a kiss" lingered in my mind; only she would be so bold.
However, lately she doesn't seem to be that bold anymore.
She's so well-behaved.
She said that because he was the first person she saw when she opened her eyes, she only trusted him.
Pei Qing frowned deeply.
"Sir, we've arrived," the coachman whispered.
Pei Qing snapped out of her daze, opened her eyes, and regained her composure. She got up and got out of the car.
As he stepped through the gates of the mansion, he paused for a moment upon seeing the quiet residence of the Imperial Preceptor. There was one thing that hadn't changed.
Turning the corner of the long corridor, he found himself surrounded by silence. Pei Qing remained calm, but a moment later, the grass and trees beside him stirred slightly, and then a white shadow attacked him.
Pei Qing slightly curved the corners of his lips. In recent days, Jiang Fei's whip skills had become increasingly impressive, and he could occasionally exchange a few blows with him.
The once desolate Imperial Preceptor's residence gradually came alive, as if a pebble had been thrown in.
But today, for some reason, Pei Qing didn't want to move and wanted to see her reaction.
So, even though he heard the sound of the whip cutting through the wind behind him, he still raised his eyes slightly and continued walking forward.
Jiang Fei seemed surprised that he didn't even try to dodge, so she quickly reached out and pulled the whip back. In the process of releasing and pulling back, the whip struck the back of her hand.
Pei Qing was taken aback.
"What's wrong with you today? Why didn't you dodge?" Jiang Fei didn't even look at the red marks on the back of her hand, and hurriedly stepped forward to ask.
Pei Qing remained silent, looking down at the back of her hand, then slowly raised her eyes to look at her pale face, which was even more striking than her white clothes.
Would she rather hurt herself than hurt him?
"Hey, I'm talking to you," Jiang Fei waved her hand in front of him, "Are you alright?"
Pei Qing snapped out of her daze: "I know you can't hit me."
“That’s not necessarily true,” Jiang Fei handed the whip to a servant beside him, subtly covering the red welt on the back of his hand, then suddenly remembered something, “Have I improved?”
Pei Qing paused for a moment, then nodded.
Jiang Fei's eyes lit up: "Since I've made progress, shouldn't you reward me with something?"
"What do you want?" Pei Qing looked into her eyes.
Jiang Fei pursed her lips, frowned, and said, "It seems that I have been staying in the Imperial Preceptor's mansion ever since I woke up. I want to go outside and take a look."
Pei Qing's expression hardened slightly.
Knowing that one day he would use her to exchange for Jiang Rongrong, he never allowed her to show her face, and forbade anyone to spread the word about her time at the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
But……
"Is it okay?" Jiang Fei looked at him expectantly. "There will be water bamboo shoots for dinner tonight, I will definitely finish them all."
Pei Qing met her gaze and nodded slightly after a long while.
Jiang Fei seemed a little incredulous, but after a while she came to her senses, she took his hand and smiled brightly: "Thank you, Pei Qing."
Pei Qing looked at the smile on her lips, then looked down at the hand she was holding, her breath quickening slightly.
He suddenly realized what was happening and pulled his hand away, saying, "I'll go take care of my business first."
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the study.
Jiang Fei watched his retreating figure, her gaze falling on the chaotic goodwill rating above his head, and her smile became even more genuine.
Back in his room, Jiang Fei casually pulled a peach branch from the vase and played with it in his hand: "System, are you sure Pei Qing will go to the city gate tonight and the Qilin Gu will flare up?"
[System: In the original storyline, Pei Qing would receive a secret letter tonight: if he wanted news of Jiang Rongrong, he should go to the city gate immediately. Jiang Rongrong did indeed write a letter back to the capital, but it was stolen by someone with ulterior motives. Someone wanted to use this letter to lure Pei Qing out of the city.]
Jiang Fei pondered for a moment.
The Pei family has served as the Grand Preceptor of the Great Yan for generations, and to the people of Great Yan, they are far more than just a family of noble lineage.
If the Pei family falls, the people of Great Yan will likely lose their morale.
Therefore, the Pei family is a thorn in the side of many people.
Jiang Fei placed the peach branch aside and chuckled softly.
Then she picked up the eyebrow pencil from the side and gently brushed her eyebrows.
[System: Host?]
Jiang Fei said, "Aren't we going out for a stroll tonight?"
You should dress up nicely.
...
Night was falling.
Pei Qing sat in the study looking at the letter, but he couldn't concentrate on reading it.
The ink characters seemed to wriggle, slowly transforming into the bloodstain on Jiang Fei's hand.
I shouldn't have agreed to let her leave the manor.
My relationship with her is nothing more than a charade; the closer we get, the harder it will be to break up later.
He didn't want Jiang Fei disguised as Jiang Rongrong, but the real Jiang Rongrong.
There was a sudden commotion on the roof.
Pei Qing's expression hardened slightly, and he looked up at the sky.
The next moment, there were hurried footsteps at the door, and someone knocked carefully twice.
"Enter."
The guard entered respectfully, holding a gleaming dagger, a note, and an envelope: "Sir, someone just left this dagger and note outside the study door. The envelope was empty."
Pei Qing narrowed his eyes, took the note, which contained only a few words:
If you wish to know any news about Jiang Rongrong, let's meet at the East Gate.
Pei Qing looked at the three words "Jiang Rongrong" and then took the envelope, but when he saw the handwriting on it, his expression faltered for a moment.
"My lord, I fear this is a trap," the guard said gravely.
Pei Qing lowered his eyes, his voice extremely calm: "Have any spies from the Great Wei side had any news of Miss Jiang?"
The guard lowered his head, speechless.
Pei Qing then asked, "Has the poison in Miss Jiang's body been cured?"
The guard remained silent; the message he received last time was only vague and ambiguous.
Pei Qing's voice gradually lowered: "In other words, whether Miss Jiang lives or dies is now uncertain."
However, the four characters "Please open to Pei Qing personally" on the envelope were in Jiang Rongrong's handwriting.
Knowing it was a trap, he still went.
Thinking of this, Pei Qing got up and was about to leave the study.
"Isn't Your Excellency going out with Princess Changning tonight?" the guard asked in a low voice, forcing himself to speak.
Pei Qing's body suddenly froze.
Jiang Fei...
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again: "Let her go ahead first," he paused for a moment, "keep a close eye on her and don't let her leave your side."
This time, there was no stopping.
...
Jiang Fei was not surprised at all when he heard that Pei Qing had broken his promise.
His 10 favorability rating is ultimately no match for his feelings for Jiang Rongrong.
She remained dejected and thanked the guard who came to inform her.
Even the guards felt a pang of pity as they watched the light in her eyes gradually dim.
During this time, who in the Imperial Preceptor's residence couldn't clearly see the princess's feelings for the master?
But who can blame them when the adults already have someone else in their hearts?
Finally, the guard sighed softly, "My lord has arranged a carriage and will likely be back soon. If the princess leaves the palace, I will make the arrangements immediately."
Jiang Fei nodded gently. As she left the mansion, she glanced towards the study and sighed softly.
Seeing this, the guards became even more certain that the princess was truly head over heels in love with the master.
The night market tonight wasn't as bustling as it was during the holidays, but it was still lively.
Jiang Fei already found it troublesome, so he stayed in the carriage and showed no intention of getting off.
The guard occasionally glanced back, then sighed deeply. Without an adult accompanying her, how could the princess possibly be interested?
Inside the carriage, Jiang Fei leaned lazily against the side of the carriage, occasionally glancing at the night view outside through the curtain.
I don't know how long it's been.
[System: Pei Qing is acting strangely!]
Jiang Fei narrowed his eyes, showing no sign of making a move.
[System: Host?]
Jiang Fei laughed: "Let him abandon me and suffer for a while first."
...
Pei Qing had long known that there was a trap in asking him to go to the city gate, but Jiang Rongrong's letter was genuine.
When he arrived at the city gate, he discovered that those who were threatening him not only had information about Jiang Rongrong, but also... the lives of more than thirty ordinary people.
They had been secretly plotting for a long time to break through the city's defenses, luring him in with Jiang Rongrong's letter and threatening him with the lives of the people.
Their purpose was simply to get him out of the city gates.
Pei Qing stood inside the city gate, quietly watching the dozens of men in black outside.
A few lives could have been taken with a flick of his wrist, but he couldn't, because those people were standing in a place he couldn't reach.
The people were begging him to save their lives.
Finally, as the man in black was about to kill a man, Pei Qing quietly walked forward.
The man in black looked at him with a smug expression.
The closer Pei Qing got to the city gate, the more restless the Qilin Gu in his body became. When he stood under the city gate, the Qilin Gu pounded against his chest like a madman, causing him to experience sharp pain in his lungs.
The man in black continued to urge them on.
Pei Qing remained silent until they reached the city gate.
The Gu worm completely lost control, burst through the heart, and wriggled rapidly along the limbs.
He could even feel the worms pounding against his flesh, creating horrifying lumps of flesh, which were struggling to burrow out, trying to break through his bones and flesh.
"Hurry up, is our Grand Preceptor going to abandon the people?" the man in black mocked.
Pei Qing coughed softly, a metallic taste rising in his throat. Then he slowly raised his eyes, and a dagger slipped from his sleeve, shooting straight towards the man in black.
The man in black was shocked. Before he could react, he collapsed, clutching his bleeding neck.
In an instant, dozens of guards stepped forward from both inside and outside the city walls, swiftly wielding their blades and ending the lives of those men in black, leaving behind a pungent smell of blood.
"My lord." A guard brought over Jiang Rongrong's letter.
Pei Qing took the letter and was about to step back when a scream came from in front of him.
Pei Qing looked up.
The people who had just been rescued were looking at him with eyes full of terror.
Pei Qing looked down at himself. The Gu worms were moving more and more wildly, and his exposed skin was covered with bloody fleshy lumps caused by the Gu worms, making his body deformed.
Everyone avoided him and fled as quickly as possible.
“Monster…” someone seemed to say.
Pei Qing's body suddenly froze.
When he was young, many princes went out of the city to fly kites. He wanted to go with them, but he fainted from pain at the city gate. Those he thought were his friends surrounded him from afar and called him a "monster".
Today, the people he saved say the same thing.
A surge of anger rose in his heart. Pei Qing frowned, clutching the letter in his hand tightly. After a long while, he looked down at the flesh protruding from the Gu worms on the back of his hand, slowly exhaled, and opened the letter with trembling fingers.
Jiang Rongrong said that the poison in her body had been cured, thanks to Chu Mo who helped her find the Blood Silk Gu.
She also said that Chu Mo treated her very well and told him not to worry.
Pei Qing clutched the letter tightly.
Back then, Jiang Rongrong also said to him here, "You can't leave the capital. If you leave with Chu Mo, perhaps he can cure the poison in my body."
From birth, he was entrusted with the important task of protecting the people of Great Yan, but what did he receive in return?
He couldn't even save or stay with the woman he wanted.
Why would he protect these people?
Pei Qing gazed at the vast expanse of land and sky outside the city for a long time before continuing forward step by step.
"My lord!" someone exclaimed.
Pei Qing continued forward as if he couldn't hear her.
His whole body was contorted and trembling from the excruciating pain, but the outside world was already right in front of him.
Pei Qing clutched his chest and swallowed the blood in his throat.
Just three more steps.
step.
Two steps.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his knee, and Pei Qing collapsed to the ground, blood seeping through his white clothes from his knee.
The darkness before my eyes grew ever greater.
"Pei Qing!" Behind him, the sound of galloping hooves, accompanied by a clear female voice, rushed straight into his ears.
Pei Qing opened his eyes with difficulty. A woman in white was riding towards him. Even though they were far apart, he could feel her worry.
I worry about him.
Is it Jiang Rongrong?
No, it's not.
Jiang Rongrong cannot ride a horse.
People who can ride horses are...
Jiang Fei.
She dismounted and rushed past the crowd watching from afar towards him, her white gauze dress disheveled. Finally, she reached him and embraced him.
"Pei Qing, Pei Qing..."
She said nothing, only called his name.
Pei Qing was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized what was happening. She struggled violently, curling up to try and cover her exposed areas.
The venomous insects are still causing trouble in the body.
She saw it all.
The most disgusting aspect.
Jiang Fei simply held him and said in a hoarse voice, "Pei Qing, I'm taking you home."
go home.
Upon hearing her words, Pei Qing's struggling movements slowed considerably. After a long while, her lips moved slightly: "...Monster."
Jiang Fei's hands trembled slightly as she held him, then she released him and looked down at his body.
The Gu worms seemed to be making their final, desperate attempt to break through flesh and blood.
Pei Qing felt her movements and smiled mockingly to himself.
However, the next moment, Jiang Fei hugged him tightly: "He's not a monster."
"Pei Qing, you are not a monster."
Pei Qing's eyelashes trembled slightly, unaware of when she had completely lost consciousness.
However, before he passed out, the woman kept whispering in his ear, telling him the same thing over and over again.
He is not a monster.
Pei Qing's favorability rating: 25.
...
bedroom.
Jiang Fei stood aside, watching Li Duan treat Pei Qing's knee wound. After a while, she turned around and wiped the blood off her hands.
"Sir, how is it?" Jiang Fei hurriedly stepped forward and asked in a low voice.
Li Duan sighed softly: "The Qilin Gu tore a piece of flesh on my knee, but fortunately it was only this one wound. Now that the Qilin Gu has stabilized, it should recover soon."
Jiang Fei nodded quietly.
Li Duan glanced at her red-rimmed eyes: "If Princess Changning is worried, she can stay here and watch over things. I'll go and get some medicine."
After saying that, he walked towards the door.
Jiang Fei paused, then slowly followed, until they reached the courtyard.
Li Duan, puzzled, turned to look at her: "Princess Changning?"
Jiang Fei pursed her lips, her voice low and husky: "Does the master have a way to undo the Qilin Gu?"
Li Duan was taken aback, then exclaimed in surprise, "The Imperial Preceptor has absolutely no ulterior motives towards Great Yan. You mustn't say such things carelessly, Princess."
Jiang Fei lowered her head, her voice growing softer: "I know that you are helping him to break free from the Qilin Gu..." As she spoke, she hesitated for a moment, as if she had made up her mind, and looked up at Li Duan, "I can try the medicine."
Li Duan was greatly surprised: "What does the princess mean by this?"
Jiang Fei said, "I am poisoned by the Cold Flower Poison. What medicine could be more terrible than the Cold Flower Poison? Please promise me, sir."
Li Duan looked at her hesitantly, and after a long while sighed: "Princess Changning, I know you have feelings for the Grand Preceptor, but to cure the Qilin Gu, you need poison, not medicine. That's why I've never dared to use it on the Grand Preceptor."
Jiang Fei lowered her eyes. What she needed was poison; otherwise, how could she use her skills?
“Please grant my request, sir,” she said again, “I, I am willing.”
Li Duan frowned: "But..."
"Please grant my request, sir," Jiang Fei interrupted him, stubbornly insisting.
Li Duan glanced at the bedroom, then at the woman before him, and finally sighed softly, shaking his head: "Never mind."
Jiang Fei smiled and said, "Thank you, Mr. Xie." Then, as if remembering something, she added, "Please don't tell Pei Qing. I don't want him to feel indebted to me."
Li Duan looked at her hesitantly, but ultimately said nothing more and turned to leave.
Jiang Fei watched his retreating figure, turned around and was about to go back to her room, but then suddenly remembered something, raised her eyebrows and walked towards the kitchen.
Pei Qing finished her performance; it was her turn.
When Pei Qing woke up again, it was already evening of the next day.
My whole body is still in excruciating pain, especially my knees, which feel like my flesh and bones are being torn apart.
It was quiet all around.
Pei Qing stared blankly at the curtains above her head, then returned to the Imperial Preceptor's residence.
Last night, at the city gate, the image of Jiang Fei riding to find him, running towards him in a disheveled state, embracing him in her arms, and repeatedly saying "You are not a monster" flashed into his memory.
Only she had ever said that to him.
He confined her to the Imperial Preceptor's residence, forgetting that she was originally Princess Changning, a free-spirited and unrestrained princess who rode through the streets on horseback.
Footsteps sounded outside the door.
Pei Qing's gaze faltered slightly as she looked in that direction.
The door was gently pushed open by two servants.
The light in Pei Qing's eyes dimmed slightly.
But the next moment, the woman's tired yet cheerful voice came: "You're awake?"
Pei Qing quickly looked up.
Jiang Fei walked towards him carrying a tray of food, her face showing some fatigue, but her eyes shining like stars.
She was still... dressed in white.
"I've made you some food," Jiang Fei said, placing the plate on the bedside table and smiling with narrowed eyes. "I won't make my favorite dishes today; I'll make what you like!"
"You once said that this cucumber was delicious."
"And Luo Su, you also ate a few extra bites."
"I skimmed off all the oil from the chicken soup I made; it's very nourishing..."
Pei Qing looked at the food in front of her, then glanced at Jiang Fei, her fingers trembling slightly.
He never imagined that she would notice what he liked to eat.
"Eat quickly," Jiang Fei urged in a low voice, then suddenly remembered something, "You must be feeling weak, I'll feed you."
After saying that, she ladled out a bowl of chicken soup, took a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and brought it to his lips.
Pei Qing's hand twitched slightly, but he didn't lift it. He drank it down from her hand.
The two ate the meal in unusual quietness, yet with remarkable tacit understanding.
And the next few days were the same.
Jiang Fei would personally cook every day and deliver the meals to Pei Qing, all of which were dishes that Pei Qing liked.
Even Pei Qing himself didn't know when she found out he liked these things, and... he himself didn't even remember liking them.
But he forced her to eat things she didn't like.
Pei Qing was protected by the Qilin Gu, and his wounds healed extremely quickly. He could already eat on his own with his hands, but for some reason, he didn't want to speak. Watching her feed him every day, he craved the momentary care.
Only she had seen his ugly side.
She also told him that he wasn't a monster.
The wound on his knee was gradually healing, and sometimes Pei Qing would stare at his knee in a daze.
He seemed to understand somewhat why Jiang Fei had looked at the burn on the back of his hand with a mixture of surprise and disappointment.
The surprise was because of Kang Fu, and the disappointment was because... the two no longer had an excuse to be close.
This was the last day that Pei Qing needed to have medicine applied to his knee injury.
He sat quietly in the room waiting, but all that came in was a servant carrying a food box.
Pei Qing glanced behind the servants.
The servant whispered, "Miss Jiang said she has something to do today and cannot come. She also asked that you eat well and take good care of your medicine."
Pei Qing didn't speak, but simply waved for the servants to leave.
But eating alone, I always felt restless and uneasy, and in the end I only ate a couple of bites before putting the bowl and chopsticks aside.
Jiang Fei finally appeared at dusk.
Her face was very pale, and she looked extremely weak. Standing at the door, she was still smiling as she softly asked him, "I heard you didn't eat properly today?"
Pei Qing looked at her expression, his heart tightened slightly, but he finally lowered his head and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"Hmm?" Jiang Fei asked back, then walked up to him with a smile and said, "You're worried about me, aren't you?"
Pei Qing's heart skipped a beat: "...No."
Jiang Fei bit her lip and ultimately said nothing more.
However, in the days that followed, Pei Qing recovered, but Jiang Fei rarely appeared in front of him except when he returned home from court each day.
Sometimes... he even ate dinner in his own room.
Pei Qing subtly mentioned wanting to make up for not being able to take her out for a trip last time, but Jiang Fei gently refused.
She said she had some things to take care of recently.
But what could possibly happen to her, who rarely leaves the Imperial Preceptor's residence and has always stayed there?
One day, Pei Qing left court very early and returned to his residence without informing anyone.
Jiang Fei was not in the room, nor in the backyard, nor in the kitchen.
Only after questioning the servants did they learn that she was in the side courtyard where Li Duan lived.
Pei Qing's heart tightened. Did Jiang Fei know that he wanted to undo the Qilin Gu? Was she investigating in secret? Or... would she tell the Emperor privately?
He strode toward the side courtyard, only to spot Jiang Fei emerging from the room. She was dressed in white, her face pale to the point of being almost transparent, accompanied by Li Duan's young apprentice.
The apprentice was saying something to Jiang Fei, and Jiang Fei nodded with a smile.
But as she reached the door, she tripped on the stone steps and fell weakly to the side.
The young apprentice quickly grabbed her hand and helped her up.
Jiang Fei turned to him, smiled, and said something.
They are very close.
Pei Qing stared at the glaring scene, feeling as if a fire was burning in his chest, a fire that had come out of nowhere.
He stepped forward, his voice low: "Princess."
Jiang Fei quickly turned her head, and then her previously weak eyes lit up, her voice leaping with joy: "Pei Qing!"
Pei Qing felt a little better when he saw that her eyes and brows only reflected his image: "What are you doing here?"
“I…” Jiang Fei paused, then walked up to him, her eyes sparkling, “Oh, right, I have a surprise for you tomorrow!”
Pei Qing looked at her, puzzled.
Jiang Fei laughed: "If I said tomorrow, then tomorrow is tomorrow."
That evening, the two dined together in the main hall.
Dinner was prepared by the kitchen staff, and it was still... the same things that Jiang Rongrong used to love to eat.
Jiang Fei could eat normally by now, but her brows would still furrow slightly when she swallowed, though it was barely noticeable.
Pei Qing looked at her and for the first time... felt that the food on the table was an eyesore and wanted to have it all removed.
He didn't say anything in the end.
...
The next day.
Jiang Fei got up very early, put on makeup, took a sandalwood box, and waited for Pei Qing to return to the mansion.
During this time, I was testing poisons with Li Duan, and the only feeling I had was... exhaustion.
It wasn't because of the poison that she was tired—after all, she was immune to all poisons—but because after taking the poison, she had to let Li Duan take her pulse and describe her feelings to him in detail, which was tiring for her to talk about.
Acting was tiring.
However, it wasn't entirely fruitless.
The Qilin Gu is powerful and cannot be forcibly suppressed, otherwise it will only backfire.
But it can help it hibernate.
The pill that Li Duan made was the one that would put the Qilin Gu into a dormant state for three hours.
However, it cannot be used frequently, lest the Qilin Gu become accustomed to the antidote and become even more rampant.
Pei Qing returned to the mansion around noon, and the mansion was very quiet.
He slowed his pace, and when he heard the cautious footsteps behind him, his lips curved slightly.
However, Jiang Fei hesitated to make any further moves.
Pei Qing frowned, about to turn around, when suddenly his vision went dark as a pair of soft hands covered his eyes.
Jiang Fei's voice rang softly in his ear, carrying a faint fragrance: "I told you I was going to give you a surprise today."
Pei Qing was stunned for a moment, and felt her heart skip a beat.
Too close.
Jiang Fei was too close to him.
"Open your mouth," Jiang Fei continued.
Pei Qing was puzzled, so he pulled her hand down and looked at her without saying anything.
"Boring," Jiang Fei pouted, took out an exquisite wooden box, opened it, and inside was a chestnut-colored pill. "Quick, swallow this. You still owe me a trip out for fun!"
Pei Qing lowered his eyes and glanced at the pills.
“It’s not poisonous,” Jiang Fei explained, as if afraid he wouldn’t believe her, and then broke off a small piece to eat, “I’ll taste it for you…”
Before she could finish speaking, Pei Qing had already taken the pill. He glanced at her and swallowed it.
He recognized the wooden box; it belonged to Li Duan. Furthermore, he said the Qilin Gu could handle ordinary poisons.
Jiang Fei smiled, her eyes half-closed, and pulled him towards the outside of the mansion.
The servants had already prepared a carriage. Only after Pei Qing boarded the carriage did he discover that there was a paper kite inside.
The kite was large and exquisite.
Is she going to fly a kite?
Pei Qing looked at her.
Jiang Fei, however, was only looking out the sedan window with great interest.
It wasn't until quite some time later that Pei Qing realized the carriage was heading east of the city.
He pursed his lips, clenched his fists, and stared intently at Jiang Fei.
Jiang Fei was also looking at him. Noticing his gaze, she just smiled, but there was a hint of unease in her smile.
Until they arrived at the city gate.
Jiang Fei suddenly grabbed Pei Qing's hand, her palms sweating with nervousness.
Pei Qing looked down at her pale fingertips and tightened his grip.
Last time at the city gate, his Qilin Gu flared up, and she saw it.
Now that she has brought him here again, he can't help but suspect that she wants to see him make a fool of himself.
Just as the carriage was about to leave the city gate, Pei Qing was about to call for a stop.
"Pei Qing!" Jiang Fei suddenly called out to him.
Pei Qing looked at her, but his vision suddenly went dark. Jiang Fei stood up and kissed his lips, silencing the words that were about to come out.
Pei Qing was stunned. This kiss was not like the last one, which was only a brief touch. She kept her lips gently pressed against the corner of his lips, her lips trembling slightly.
The carriage drove through the city gate.
Jiang Fei breathed a sigh of relief, straightened up, lifted the sedan curtain, glanced out the window, and then turned back with excited eyes: "Pei Qing, look!"
Pei Qing snapped out of her daze, turned her head to follow her gaze, and then froze again.
He was outside the city.
The distant woods, the vast plains nearby, the houses with smoke rising from their chimneys outside the city not far away, and the figures of two or three children running with kites.
He... came out?
"Let's go fly kites!" Jiang Fei grabbed his hand, took the kite with her other hand, and jumped off the carriage.
Pei Qing followed behind her blankly, a cool breeze brushing past her ears. It was the wind from outside the city, much noisier than in the capital.
"Do you know how to fly a kite?" Jiang Fei looked at the kite in her hand with difficulty. "Pei Qing? Pei Qing?"
Pei Qing finally came to her senses, her voice hoarse: "Why?"
"Hmm?" Jiang Fei was puzzled, then realized what she meant and smiled gently. "Master Li told me everything," she said, her expression turning somewhat downcast, "but unfortunately this pill only lasts for three hours."
Three hours.
Pei Qing looked at her; it had already been quite a long time.
He never imagined... that Li Duan would actually make it!
“So let’s not waste it,” Jiang Fei tugged at him, “Quickly put the kite in the sky.”
Pei Qing watched as she struggled to hold up the kite, hesitated for a moment, then took it from her and, following the method he had used when he was a child to stand on the city wall and look out at those people, ran a few steps backward.
The kite wobbled and swayed as it flew into the air with the help of the wind.
Jiang Fei kept letting out the line, always smiling.
As Pei Qing looked at her smile, something seemed to be swelling in his heart, a mixture of bittersweetness, novelty, and...heart palpitations.
"Jiang Fei." He suddenly called her name, for no reason, he just wanted to call her.
Jiang Fei turned to look at him, her eyes smiling.
My gaze swept over the top of his head.
Pei Qing's favorability rating: 50.
She laughed even more heartily.
However, in the next instant, Jiang Fei saw Pei Qing's face turn terrified, and he ran towards her quickly.
Jiang Fei was puzzled, and then she felt her limbs stiffen, the kite in her hand flew away, and she slowly fell to the side.
The poison of the cold flower has taken effect.
Jiang Fei: "..."
This is the perfect time.
...
Pei Qing held the woman in his arms, his hands trembling slightly.
It is the poison of the cold flower.
But clearly... in the previous meals, he had already given Li Duan medicine to suppress the Cold Flower Poison, so unless it was the last time the poison took effect, it would rarely flare up again.
That was originally meant for Jiang Rongrong, but since she left, he gave it to Jiang Fei.
Why does it still flare up?
Or is it...?
Pei Qing's breath hitched, his body turned ice-cold, and he picked up the woman in his arms and hurried toward the carriage beside him.
The coachman looked at Pei Qing in surprise. This usually calm and composed Grand Preceptor was now filled with panic and helplessness: "My lord..."
Pei Qing's voice was hoarse: "Return to the manor!"
When Li Duan was hurriedly led from the side courtyard to the guest room, he thought the pills had failed and Pei Qing's Qilin Gu had flared up. However, when he arrived at the bedroom, he found Pei Qing unharmed, and... Jiang Fei lying unconscious on the bed.
He rushed forward and took Jiang Fei's pulse.
"Weren't we already taking medication to suppress it? Why did the poison still flare up?" Pei Qing asked in a hoarse voice.
Li Duan stood up, glanced at Jiang Fei, and his expression was complicated.
"Speak," Pei Qing suddenly said.
Li Duan felt a chill run down his spine and sighed softly, "Did you leave the city today, sir?"
Pei Qing was stunned.
Seeing this, Li Duan knew that he had already left the city. He lowered his head and said, "That antidote was tested by Princess Changning one poison at a time. She is unconscious now because one of the poisons stimulated the Cold Flower Poison, causing it to take effect."
Jiang Fei tested the poison for him.
Pei Qing's fingertips trembled violently.
The antidote, which took only three hours to prepare, was tested and found by Jiang Fei.
Is this the surprise she was talking about?
That's why she rarely appeared in front of him recently, and even when she did, she was pale.
She tested the poison for him.
But he was just using her!
"Is there any way to save him?" His voice trailed off.
Li Duan glanced at Jiang Fei: "We can only suppress it for now."
Pei Qing's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. She didn't speak, only watching Li Duan administer acupuncture and medicine to her, watching her lie there lifeless.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Duan went out, and the servants around him also left.
Pei Qing sat quietly by the bed, but felt her mind was blank, all her thoughts occupied by Jiang Fei on the sickbed.
A corner of a book peeked out from under the pillow beside him.
Pei Qing reached out and pulled out the scroll, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly opened it.
The pages above are all Jiang Fei's notes on her thoughts—
"The water bamboo and ginger I ate today were awful!"
“I love that red dress, but Pei Qing doesn’t.”
"The peach blossoms smell very nice, but I don't like the smell."
"Pei Qing only likes the old me, right? Then how about I go back to how I was before?"
"..."
Pei Qing turned the pages one by one, and as she did so, her eyes began to sting with tears.
He breathed heavily, closed the book, and his eyes were red-rimmed.
Why is she so good to him?
Is it just because of amnesia? Because she opened her eyes and saw him? Because he is her betrothed?
But why did she start to feel jealous of everything she had done for Chu Mo? Why was she afraid that Chu Mo would regain his memories?
If it weren't for Chu Mo, would they have been the ones who first got together?
And what about Jiang Rongrong? What does Jiang Rongrong represent to him?
There was a very light knock on the door.
Pei Qing froze, and after a long while, she lowered her eyes to compose herself before turning and leaving.
On the bed, Jiang Fei heard the door close and the corners of her lips curled up slightly.
Pei Qing's favorability rating: 70.
Outside the door.
Pei Qing looked at the guard before him, his voice hoarse: "What is it?"
The guard said, "Our spies from the Great Wei have obtained definite news: Regent Chu Mo will be bringing Miss Jiang back to the capital. It is absolutely true."
Pei Qing was stunned.
Jiang Rongrong and Chu Mo are back.
...
The capital of the great Wei state.
The guards flew over the high walls of the Prince's mansion and headed straight for the study.
"Your Highness."
Chu Mo heard the voice outside the door: "Come in."
The guard entered in response: "Your Highness, there is news of Princess Changning."
Chu Mo paused, a drop of ink falling onto the folded paper. He lowered his eyes and softly responded, "Hmm."
We couldn't find anything about it before, as if it had been hidden away. Now, finally, we have news?
“Previously, someone took hostages and threatened Pei Qing to leave the city. After Pei Qing collapsed, Princess Changning took Pei Qing back with her.”
Chu Mo's fingers trembled slightly before he finally put the brush aside, his voice tense: "Is someone holding her hostage?"
“No,” the guard hurriedly said, “they are just ordinary people being held hostage.”
"However, during this period, Princess Changning seems to have been staying at the Imperial Preceptor's residence, and the Cold Flower Poison has been temporarily suppressed."
Chu Mo said nothing more and simply sat quietly behind his desk.
Thinking of what the old man said, raising a Blood Silk Gu is extremely difficult, unless...
But... has she gotten entangled with Pei Qing again?
Just like before when she was in the princess's mansion, she got angry because he ignored her and went to find other men, thinking that he would be jealous.
Of all the people she could have gone to, she had to go to Pei Qing.
Back then, she was willing to break off her engagement with Pei Qing for his sake, thinking that he would really believe that she would fall in love with Pei Qing.
always
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