Chapter 87 Let me see what Sect Leader Xi is capable of: The door is full of people
For a while, no one spoke, either inside or outside the house, except for faint coughs.
To be honest, people from Yongdu are indeed from Yongdu. Whether they are refined or not is another matter, but the way they always maintain a proper demeanor no matter what they do is very much in line with the elegance of Yongdu.
He coughed up blood in tiny sips, as if afraid that if he made a loud noise, someone would hear him.
If any of the 13th Battalion members had a minor headache or fever, they would cause a huge scene, groaning and complaining, until Xun Suihuang personally came to their door and kicked them to calm them down.
But if they are seriously injured, they become like saw-mouthed gourds, biting through wooden sticks without making a sound.
Xun Suihuang thought to herself that she shouldn't have rushed to take that bath. She hadn't seen him for a while and he was so angry that he vomited blood. She looked at him again and wondered how someone could vomit so much blood.
It goes without saying that when this matter gets back to Yongdu, her impeachment petitions will pile up on Emperor Jianxing's case file.
A woman cautiously tugged at her sleeve: "General, please open the door more gently next time. This time you vomited blood, I'm afraid next time you'll be scared to death."
Wouldn't that be a huge scapegoat?
Xun Suihuang glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, her lowered hand clenching into a fist: "What does this have to do with me?"
"I was hastily summoned by the prefect's servants to clean up the mess you've made, and you've instead tried to shift the blame onto me?"
Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at General Gu, the mastermind.
Gu Daifang steeled herself and stepped forward: "I'll go find her a basin to catch the blood."
Then Xun Suihuang grabbed her shoulder and said, "Go cool off somewhere else."
They even collect blood; aren't they afraid that person will be so angry they'll die from the pot?
"..."
"Understood!" Gu Daifang found a tree furthest from the door to stand guard.
Spring comes late, and the treetops that withered last year have not yet sprouted new buds. They are still sparse and scattered, making the place look particularly desolate.
The people under the tree did not evoke any sympathy from Xun Suihuang.
The frail figure on the bed was coughing again. She got out of bed while coughing, showing remarkable determination despite her physical disability.
Xun Suihuang's head ached from looking at him, and she quickly waved her hand and said, "Don't get down. I don't need your luggage. Just stay in bed and don't catch a cold."
Don't die here and cause trouble for others.
She came with the supervising eunuch, not to mention that she has Prince Xin as her backer. If something happens near her, she will be the one to blame.
At this moment, Xun Suihuang was unaware that the person in front of her had already died once, and that she, who showed no mercy in killing enemies, also hoped that no one would die one day—a wish devoid of any emotion.
Just don't die; if you're going to die, don't die near yourself.
"..."
Xi Congshuang took in the figure in front of the door, pausing almost imperceptibly.
After listening to Xun Suihuang's seemingly patient but actually impatient words, she nodded, her face pale, and it was unclear whether she had actually heard them.
After vomiting the stagnant blood from her chest, the sensation of extreme heat and cold subsided once again. Xi Congshuang propped herself up on the bed to sit up.
Whether it was a misperception or not, Xun Suihuang felt that she raised her hand, but ultimately did not move, and swayed as she tried to stand up.
As she moved, the fox fur coat that seemed to weigh her down fell off, and her slender body, clad only in a loose undergarment, stood up.
The moon-white ribbon that held her long hair back slipped off, and her long black hair fell all over her back. Her slightly hunched back seemed unable to bear the weight, and a few strands of black hair fell in front of her, fluttering.
Xun Suihuang was quite surprised. When she was curled up on the bed, she was not tall at all, like a white rabbit. When she stood up, she had to look at her straight on.
She felt the wind was strong outside, so she closed the door behind her, blocking the view of her subordinates who were standing in front of the door like doorposts.
After all, she grew up in Yongdu. Xun Suihuang had lived the life of a pampered young lady since childhood. Even when she got a scrape, someone would cry more than she did. She knew best how much people from Yongdu cared about "breaking the rules" and "playing around and being offensive."
Right now, Xi Congshuang is too weak and dizzy to act up. Once she's back to her old self, she definitely won't be so well-behaved.
Xun Suihuang originally intended to say a few words and leave, but as he looked at her, his damned chivalrous nature kicked in again, and he couldn't help but ask, "What are you going to do?"
Xi Congshuang lowered her eyelids and pointed in a blurry direction: "Water."
Xun Suihuang looked in the direction she pointed: "That's a dressing table."
Xi Congshuang wanted to say something, but Xun Suihuang didn't give her the chance. She strode forward and pressed her back into place.
Xun Suihuang: "If you want water, I'll pour it for you. Sit down."
Although she couldn't see clearly due to her illness, her nose was still very sensitive. When the other person approached, she smelled a faint scent of soapberry, which immediately overpowered the smell of gunpowder and blood she had just smelled.
The familiar urge arose in his drooping hand, but he suppressed it once again with self-control.
She was so cold it felt like she was walking on a glacier; even the slightest warmth would make her long for it, but not now.
"Don't you have anyone to serve you in your room?"
Xun Suihuang found the teapot in the opposite direction Xi Congshuang pointed out. The water inside was cold, and a few unfurled tea leaves remained at the bottom of the pot.
She was used to drinking cold water or strong liquor, and would drink whichever was convenient for her. Without thinking much, she poured a glass and handed it to him.
She didn't care whether the people from Yongdu would write extensively about accusations against her; in this situation, they would accuse her regardless of whether she helped or not. But she knew that if she didn't even offer them a cup of water, they would file even more accusations.
Looking at the dark brown tea leaves, she concluded that the tea was very bitter and strong, enough to make one's tongue ache from bitterness.
"The tea is here, hold on tight."
Xi Congshuang didn't look at it much, carefully avoiding Xun Suihuang's hand as she took the teacup and took a big gulp.
Xun Suihuang noticed her little actions, but didn't pay much attention, assuming it was just another of Yongdu's elegant manners.
The people there are like that, they turn pale at the mention of war. She, covered in blood and grime, has long been a demon god in Yongdu who can stop children from crying at night.
The moment she drank the tea, a bitter and cold sensation filled her mouth, and she looked down to find a spittoon to spit out the water she had used for rinsing.
Xun Suihuang hesitated several times before pulling the copper basin from the stand and placing it under Xi Congshuang's face: "Here you go."
Xi Congshuang: "..."
In the few seconds that Xi Congshuang remained silent, if she dared to show any disdain, Xun Suihuang would have turned and left.
There aren't many people in the world she'd give face to. One is her mother, who died many years ago, and the other is the emperor. As for the rest, she'd give them face if she wanted, depending on the situation.
A pale, slender hand gripped the edge of the copper basin and grabbed it; the person on the other side of the basin immediately let go.
Xun Suihuang, with her sharp eyes, immediately noticed the lingering bruises on Xi Congshuang's wrist. Several thoughts flashed through her mind, but she asked in surprise, "Is there poison in the tea? Did you make enemies in the prefect's office?"
He has the makings of a great general; he's adept at striking first.
He immediately tossed aside the pot containing the potentially poisoned tea, a skill so adept it was unlike that of a general commanding hundreds of thousands of troops.
Xi Congshuang neither shook her head nor nodded, and spat out a mouthful of black blood.
Both people, concerned about their image, turned their heads away simultaneously. Xi Congshuang, carrying the basin, shifted to the side, while Xun Suihuang looked out. After a moment, she heard a faint self-deprecating remark: "How pathetic."
Xun Suihuang's heart skipped a beat, and she turned to look.
The figure on the bed was facing her sideways, with long eyelashes casting shadows under her eyes. When quiet, she resembled a lady in a painting on a lamp. She had already stuffed the things in her hands under the bed, and her face had regained some color.
She was deep in thought when Xun Suihuang appeared at the door, and Xi Congshuang recognized her.
Just as she expected, before she could even feel happy, the blind box that Red Apple had snatched for her was opened.
"To change the fate of the female lead, Xun Suihuang, who was beheaded for rebelling, and to let her live."
When the electronic voice rang out, Xi Congshuang almost thought she had misheard.
Let someone accused of treason live?
The difficulty is no less than blowing up the imperial palace by hand in ancient times; in fact, blowing up the imperial palace might be easier than the former.
The former is a reputation-building approach, where reputation is of paramount importance in ancient society; the latter is a one-time solution that allows one to shift the blame onto divine retribution.
Rockets may not be able to be built, but bombs can still be made.
The Yong Dynasty is not as strict as it was during the founding years. She could use her status as a retainer of Prince Xin and her own wealth to do so, but Xun Suihuang, who knows nothing about it, would definitely not allow her to blow it up, as it could easily cause chaos throughout the land.
Then the question returns to its origin. She has too many questions in her mind: Why did she rebel? Why did the rebellion fail? Or, under what circumstances did Xun Suihuang decide to rebel?
To avoid this, we need to figure out exactly what happened, which is a big problem.
"You seem to be in a good mood today, having already accumulated enough online energy for me so quickly. This is... a big problem." Red Apple's voice abruptly stopped.
A deafening electronic voice boomed in the quiet room: "How could this be a mission?!"
Red Apple was furious: "Why doesn't the mission center go to heaven?! No, it's already in heaven."
One person was starting to have a headache, when another person's voice interrupted his contemplation.
Xun Suihuang did not forget that these were guests of Prince Xin: "What happened today was my fault for not disciplining them properly, letting them act recklessly and disturbing... peace and quiet."
She knew this was a retainer of Prince Xin, but she couldn't recall his name for the moment. Prince Xin had too many retainers, and she was too lazy to remember them.
Xi Congshuang replied in a low, hoarse voice, "Xi Yan, courtesy name Congshuang."
Xun Suihuang readily agreed: "Miss Xi."
Suddenly remembering something, Xun Suihuang said, "Your name sounds familiar. I feel like I've heard it somewhere before. What is your connection with the elusive Yihaotang, the legendary martial arts sect?"
Since becoming a retainer of Prince Xin, Yihaotang has long been unrelated to the word "mysterious." When it is mentioned, another word that is often used together is "lackey of the imperial court."
Xun Suihuang seemed to realize this for the first time, exclaiming in sudden understanding, "So that's how it is!"
She said, "I see," but her eyes said, "It really is you."
Xi Congshuang didn't react much to the mild but not severe stab wound.
In order to fight with the King of Wu, the Prince of Xin and the King of Wu were vying for the best grain transport official positions. They were all after money, and they even dared to use inferior grain. As a retainer of the Prince of Xin, she dared to do this in front of Xun Suihuang. The fact that she did not draw her sword on the spot shows that she has good self-control.
Those who couldn't contain themselves should just look at the reactions of the female defenders in front of the goal; they could stab several holes in her with their eyes.
Remembering that her sleeve was dirty, she pulled it open and saw a pattern of red plum blossoms that made her feel uncomfortable.
Suddenly, my OCD kicked in, and I had to find clean clothes to change into.
But then Xun Suihuang's voice came from behind: "I heard that the Sect Master of Yihao Hall is knowledgeable about all the world's rare poisons, so how come he can't even cure his own poison?"
"Is General Xun pitying me?" The figure in white stopped and turned around, a faint smile appearing in his smoky gray eyes.
I imagined her flying into a rage because her scars were being exposed, and I also imagined her being driven out of the room in a fit of anger, and writing a letter to complain despite her illness.
If she were to write it, Xun Suihuang wouldn't stop her. Having too many debts isn't a burden; you can stop one person, but you can't stop so many people in the Yongdu court.
Therefore, Xun Suihuang said, "Sect Leader Xi is overthinking it."
.
Xi Congshuang: "This poison really can't be cured. Who told me to be an outcast from the Medicine Valley? I was kicked out by my master because I couldn't master the skills. Over the years, I've been using my master's name to swindle and cheat people everywhere, and I've even made a name for myself as a 'golden and beautiful but incompetent fool' in the Yihaotang."
Xun Suihuang realized for the first time that someone's words were so venomous that they didn't distinguish between friend and foe, and even insulted her.
Xun Suihuang: "Sect Master underestimates himself too much."
Xi Congshuang's usefulness was far greater than she had imagined. Even if she were to directly defect to the King of Wu now, the King of Wu would be able to put aside his hatred for the loss of several trusted confidants and happily welcome her in, treating her as a high-ranking minister.
In less than a year, it caused the triumphant King of Wu to lose several of his trusted confidants and even brought up the disgraced King Xin.
Who doesn't know Prince Xin these days?
With popular support, Prince Xin, who had been ignored by the court, already had many officials on his side, and they were just waiting for the official document appointing him as crown prince.
Even Consort Wan, who was rumored to have been disfigured in her early years and was the mother of Prince Xin, looked even more beautiful than before, like a young girl of sixteen or seventeen.
In an attempt to please Emperor Jianxing, she offered him medicine and danced on a winter night, rekindling his past feelings for her.
At the beginning of the year, feeling that it wasn't enough, Consort Wan sought out her adopted sister from her mother's family, saying that she would find a handsome young man from Yongdu for her adopted sister to marry in a grand manner. That adopted sister is now a new favorite concubine of Emperor Jianxing.
Emperor Jianxing intended to hand over the vacant empress position to Consort Wan. After Xi Congshuang left Yongdu, Consort Wan had already become Noble Consort Wan.
These were all done by Master Xi. She said she was a good-for-nothing, but then the world was full of good-for-nothings.
“No matter how skilled you are, it’s useless if you use it in the wrong place.” Xi Congshuang shook her head and said, “You should be happy, shouldn’t you? My skills are not good enough, but I’ve tricked Prince Xin.”
"Aren't you afraid that Prince Xin's men will hear you talking like that?" Xun Suihuang knew she was right; the poison was indeed administered by Prince Xin.
"Who dares to spy on me?" Xi Congshuang walked up to her, a few strands of long hair hanging down in front of her, softening her coldness and revealing a touch of gentleness.
His smoky gray eyes clearly reflected, "General, you know so much, how could you not know that I'm covered in poison and no one dares to touch me?"
Now Xun Suihuang understood that this was no docile rabbit, but a rabbit that would kick people if pushed too far.
"I also want to ask why the general is so kind as to pour me tea. Is it because he pities me?" Xi Congshuang straightened up and turned to walk around the room.
The figure before them vanished gracefully, then pulled a white robe from the cabinet, loosened the sash, and prepared to undress.
"Xi Yan, you...!" Xun Suihuang was caught off guard, and all her plans were swept away by her sudden action.
She had no interest in thinking about how the two who had worked so well together had suddenly fallen out. She didn't care that she couldn't get an answer from them; it didn't matter who was sitting on the throne.
Whether it was the Prince of Xin, the Prince of Wu, or the deposed Prince of Qin, the son of the deposed queen, it made no difference to Xun Suihuang.
Xi Congshuang turned around in surprise: "What's wrong with me?"
Beneath the loose inner garment was an inner garment; the outer layer was dirty, but the inner layer was still clean.
"..."
Xun Suihuang felt like she had been played.
Xi Congshuang glanced at her clothes and understood: "I'm not in good health and I get cold at night, so I'll wear more clothes to sleep."
Xun Suihuang: "Then you must take good care of yourself."
Since she was fine and could jump around and talk annoyingly, she figured she was probably alright, so she didn't stay long and left immediately.
Xi Congshuang took a step forward: "General Xun, you saved my life today, so I'll do you a favor. Tell your men not to go near the supervising eunuch's courtyard. I'll take care of the 'apologizing' matter for you."
Last year, we didn't hear about any military supervisors. But as the war was about to end, a group of military supervisors arrived. Anyone with eyes could see that these supervisors were there to steal credit.
The idea that they would assist the commander of the 13th Battalion of Northern Yan in negotiating peace is utter nonsense that even a child on the street wouldn't believe.
Who knew that by such a coincidence, Xun Suihuang received news that the Yuman Sanbu was wandering around nearby, so she went there, thinking she could return that day and also see what the strategist that Prince Xin was willing to release looked like, and then figure out a way to fool her.
Who knew that the Sanbu (a local militia) seemed to have grown a dog's nose; before they even arrived, they started making their escape.
Since they were already there, Xun Suihuang wasn't about to let them leave so easily. She spent the whole night in the forest before finally bringing them to justice.
On his deathbed, a member of the scattered tribesman, whose spine was weak, exposed the secret affair between the eldest prince and the commander of the lower county of Fuzhou. At dawn, he took a detour to the command post in the lower county, dragged him off his concubine's bed and beheaded him, appointed the deputy commander to stabilize the situation, and hurriedly rushed back.
By then, it was already daylight.
She also planned to take a bath and then write a memorial to report that she had executed the commander and asked His Majesty to punish her.
Before he could even begin writing the memorial, he received a message from the prefectural government: his ever-present subordinate, unable to contain his anger, went to apologize to the prefect early in the morning.
When she arrived at the prefectural government office, she was told by the prefect that Gu Daifang and her men were not in the main courtyard, but in another place.
She hadn't even heard his name clearly before rushing over, only to find Xi Congshuang suffering from a poisoning attack.
However, the poison in Xi Congshuang's body and her words greatly surprised Xun Suihuang.
I always felt that she shouldn't be like this. After all, she is the head of a sect, and she's being too lenient.
"Why not take advantage of this opportunity?" Xun Suihuang readily agreed, "Sure, let me see what Sect Leader Xi is capable of."
The two faced each other across half the room. One was dressed in fiery red, exuding a dashing air of both martial arts and literary prowess, while the other was dressed in white, appearing ethereal and frail, yet unfazed by the former's imposing presence.
Suddenly, a clear, loud voice came from outside the door: "Who are you? What are you all doing peering at the door?"
The two then realized that there were people outside the door, and they both turned to look, only to hear several thuds as the door was kicked open.
Gu Daifang, who was supposed to be standing guard under the tree, was the first to fall in, landing at Xun Suihuang's feet.
Gu Daifang stared at the black leather boots in front of her until her eyes almost crossed. She looked up along the crimson robe, but after just one glance, she dared not look anymore.
The general's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.
Gu Daifang: "General, I didn't mean it. I heard this person is particularly good at poisoning, I was just worried about you..."
Xun Suihuang loosened his clenched fist, grabbed her collar and pulled her up: "You shameless thing, get up now!"
Gu Daifang hurriedly got up, her eyes constantly glancing at Xi Congshuang, a strange fear creeping into her heart.
If someone sees a person who is about to vomit blood while holding a basin, and can stand up and talk and laugh in less than fifteen minutes, is that something a human can do?
Holding the medicine bowl, Hongdou looked at the woman standing behind the door with a strange expression. This person was unfamiliar, which made Hongdou instinctively become wary: "Who are you?"
Looking at Xi Congshuang, who was unharmed behind him, and then at Xun Suihuang, he asked, "Why are you in my young lady's room?"
Xun Suihuang remained expressionless: "I heard that your sect leader is ill, so I came to visit him. If there is anything of use, please let me know if you have it in the general's mansion."
Hongdou took it as a polite remark. If she wanted anything, Yihaotang would definitely have more. Why would she ask the General's Mansion for it?
She said, "We have everything here, we don't need yours, please keep it..."
Xi Congshuang inside called out, "Hongdou, come here."
Hongdou instantly forgot about the general in front of her, and completely forgot about the words he had said to frame her. She carried the medicine bowl and strode inside.
"Miss is here." Hongdou chattered on to Xi Congshuang as if no one else was around, "Why didn't you put on a coat before sitting here? You'll catch a cold."
Xi Congshuang said precisely before starting the next topic, "Hongdou, pour me a cup of tea, cold it."
As expected, Hongdou forgot what she had just said and said unhappily, "How can you drink cold tea? You are a doctor yourself, you know how bad it is to drink cold tea on an empty stomach. Luckily I brought back a pot of hot tea, I'll pour it for you right away."
Xun Suihuang, who had forced someone to drink most of a pot of cold, strong tea: "..."
I almost forgot, he's a sickly person.
Xi Congshuang took the hot tea poured by Hongdou, was draped in an outer robe, and sat listlessly in the armchair, staring blankly at the teacup.
Noticing the gazes of those who hadn't left the courtyard, she looked up. At that moment, she seemed like a goddess statue made of fragile ice and snow.
"..."
Xun Suihuang withdrew her gaze and stopped looking. She hadn't missed the action she had just witnessed: Xi Congshuang carefully avoided Hongdou's hand when she picked up the teacup.
Oh, so she has this problem with everyone.
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Is your tenderness and chivalry reserved only for me, or for everyone?
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