Chapter 89 Your Hands Are So Hot!: Sect Leader Xi, let go!
Upon entering the general's mansion, Hongdou discovered that General Xun had not lied; the house inside was indeed humble.
They had come from the beautiful and secluded Zhizhou Prefecture, and the scenery of Jiangnan was still fresh in their minds. But when they turned around, they saw the authentic scenery of the North. The difference was quite significant.
It wouldn't be accurate to say that the general's mansion was dilapidated. The area was spacious and clean, and there weren't many servants. A lame gatekeeper followed several female generals into the mansion, closed the gate one after the other, and lowered the bolt. In the courtyard, an old woman with a missing hand was sweeping the floor, and an old man with white pterygium in his eyes was trying to wrest the broom from her.
One person said, "You're missing one hand, how can you sweep it clean?"
Not to be outdone, the old woman retorted angrily, "You dare to talk back? You're blind, you can't see anything!"
The old man protested, "How am I blind? I can still see the road clearly. I'm only half blind."
Old woman: "How can being half-blind not be considered blind?"
Xi Congshuang saw the old man's eyes. They weren't the white film caused by old age and blurred vision, but rather they looked like they had been half-blinded by fireworks.
Before she could see clearly, his face turned around, revealing a long and deep scar that ran across half of his face, and skin that looked like dried orange peel with deep grooves.
Because he couldn't see clearly, he always had to squint to see things, which made him look even more menacing, just like the demons that are pasted on doors in the capital to ward off evil.
There was also an old scar below the collar of the old woman's neck; any deeper and she wouldn't be standing there anymore, she would have been reporting to the King of Hell long ago.
"Alright, there aren't any buds on the treetops, so what's there to sweep? Bring me everything."
Then, a passing young soldier snatched their broom and shooed them back to the kitchen to help serve rice. He said that while they were supposed to be serving rice, there were already people in the kitchen busy with other tasks, so they might not be needed.
It's practically a shelter for the elderly, the infirm, and the disabled. The number of elderly people here is probably more than that of the elderly in Yangdetang in the city, but the difference is that they are even more boisterous than the young people.
They are more than twice the age of young people, and when they make a scene, they are twice as noisy.
Someone followed behind: "They're all my mother's old subordinates, they can't lift a finger, I'm keeping them around to keep the house safe, I hope it won't scare you."
The speaker was Xun Suihuang. She was waiting for this weak sect leader to reach his breaking point and for her to ask to leave.
The answer is that she is well-versed in the elegance of Yongdu. She doesn't know where Xi Congshuang is from, but anyone who spends time in Yongdu will pick up the elegance of Yongdu.
The example is the old military supervisor; these guys still refuse to leave the prefect's residence.
Not a single person from Yongdu, after a long and arduous journey and witnessing the desolation of Fuzhou, would be in the mood to go out and cause trouble. The afternoon wind in Fuzhou could blow their heads away.
Xi Congshuang suppressed the itch in her throat. She had just gotten out of the carriage and let the wind blow on her. She shook her head and said, "General, you are overthinking it. Among the people I have met, this is just an ordinary case."
Xun Suihuang chuckled: "Yes, I almost forgot you're a doctor, so don't be surprised."
Hongdou had a feeling that she had been misled, and she wanted to persuade the sect leader to leave when no one was around.
This place is like a tiger's den; you could get eaten if you're not careful. It's not a good place to recuperate.
Xi Congshuang showed no intention of leaving. After looking around at the various elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people, she turned to ask, "May I ask, General, where shall I stay?"
"..."
Xun Suihuang's last smile vanished. She raised her hand and beckoned to an old woman: "Aunt Ruo, there are guests in the mansion. Please take them to make arrangements."
After saying that, Xun Suihuang didn't linger and led his subordinates to the training ground.
"Understood."
Aunt Ruo, who stepped forward in response, was the only one who was fully healthy among the group of elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people. She was tall, with thick wrist bones protruding from her narrow sleeves. She had a scar on the side of her face, and her hair, streaked with white, was coiled behind her head.
He was a figure who dominated the battlefield in his youth, and even at this age, subduing the two people in front of him would not be difficult at all.
She glanced at Hongdou, who was acting warily like a cat with its fur standing on end, and said succinctly, "Go to the east courtyard."
The East Wing was just as dilapidated as the Front Wing. The elderly, weak, sick and disabled were loud, but their energy was no match for that of the young people. They could only manage to clean up their own area.
Furthermore, we would clean the main courtyard where the general lived, and then leave the rest to ourselves. Occasionally, when the general returned home, we would do a thorough cleaning to celebrate.
However, the general rarely went home, spending most of his time in the camp, and only returning to the general's mansion during these periods.
This made Hongdou wonder if she had led the sect leader to the wrong place. This wasn't the majestic general's mansion, but some random old house in the mountains.
Xun Suihuang wasn't raising servants for herself; she was raising a whole bunch of old ancestors.
Aunt Ruo stood ramrod straight, pushed open the nameless courtyard, stepped into the courtyard, and opened the door. Hongdou told Xi Congshuang to stand far away and watch, while she peeked inside.
red beans:"……"
Good, very clean.
Completely clean, utterly destitute.
Unexpectedly, Hongdou's most cultured moment was when she contributed to the guest rooms of the General's Mansion. She slowly turned her head to look at Aunt Ruo, hesitating to speak.
If Aunt Ruo understood what Hongdou meant, anyone who wasn't blind could understand it. The little girl's face was like a blank sheet of paper, and even a trace of ink left on it could be clearly seen. The only one who couldn't understand was the woman in white who had been coughing since she entered the room.
She said, "Stay if you want, don't stay if you don't. Someone will come and clean up later."
Xi Congshuang walked out of the courtyard: "There's no need to trouble the General's Mansion with cleaning. I have some silver on hand anyway, so may I hire someone to clean and buy some things while I'm at it?"
"Fine." Aunt Ruo was a little impatient, not because she was targeting anyone, but because she had never liked talking to people who spoke in a flowery, roundabout way since she was young.
On the other side, Aunt Gao, the second steward whose voice had become hoarse, asked Xun Suihuang, "General, did they go to the East Courtyard to deliver something?"
She appointed herself as the second steward. With Xu Zhiruo physically healthy, she was in charge of the entire general's mansion. However, due to her sore throat, the doctor advised her to speak less and reluctantly step back.
Xun Suihuang sat casually in a grand chair, propping his head up with one hand as he watched the martial arts arena, his gleaming spear standing tall to the side.
The second housekeeper felt this wasn't a good idea. After reconsidering her thoughts, she said, "Should we let her cause trouble for herself and leave on her own?"
Hearing the hoarse voice beside her, Xun Suihuang realized who she had let into the manor at noon. She said, "Is it worth arguing with that sickly person... Don't send anything. The war is urgent. Let her pay for it herself."
The second steward thought it made sense; they should plan carefully before acting, otherwise they might rashly alert the enemy and ruin the general's important plans.
In the East Courtyard, with the help of a money pouch, they quickly found all the people they needed.
These people were all called in in front of Aunt Ruo, entering through the back door; their backgrounds are all known to her.
Hongdou took a break and lit a charcoal brazier for Xi Congshuang, placing it at her feet, where steam rose continuously.
Xi Congshuang sat on the chair that Hongdou had brought, basking in the sun in a sheltered corner with her wide sleeves drawn up.
Behind her were two people: one was Hongdou, who kept asking after her well-being, and the other was Aunt Ruo, who remained silent as a mountain.
She didn't pay much attention to the gaze that Aunt Ruo was casting, but instead listened to Hongdou counting on her fingers what she wanted to buy. Pillows and bedding were secondary; everything from small items like bowls and chopsticks, medicine pots for stewing medicine, and copper basins for washing up, to large items like desks and furniture, were on the purchase list.
The list was so detailed it seemed like everyone wanted to settle down in the general's mansion.
Aunt Ruo thought bluntly: Add a coffin to this list and dig a well in the yard, and that's a grand wedding procession.
Strangely, Xi Congshuang didn't think there was anything wrong with this. She even insisted on buying the best quality writing materials, as she wasn't used to using anything too rough.
After a while, Aunt Ruo couldn't stand up straight anymore, and her right leg started to ache slightly.
Xi Congshuang, as if she had eyes in the back of her head, said to the muttering Hongdou, "Bring a chair for the head housekeeper."
Hongdou fell silent, neatly wiped the dusty embroidered stool, and placed it in front of the head steward: "Please sit down."
Aunt Ruo instinctively wanted to refuse, but then she heard Xi Congshuang say, "Since we have nothing else to do, Steward, please sit down and rest. It's been cold lately, and my old ailment has flared up again, so it's not pleasant."
"..." Aunt Ruo subconsciously covered her injured knee, her gaze wary as she looked at Xi Congshuang's back.
The speaker coughed again, looking as pale as if he were about to melt in the sun.
She had never seen anyone so physically weak yet still able to run around everywhere; they were even more reckless than she was when she was younger.
He's a doctor, a doctor who doesn't care about his own life.
The saying "Many hands make light work" is very true now. Xi Congshuang didn't have to wait long before the main house of the nameless courtyard was cleaned.
The things that had been purchased were carried in one after another, and the place was decorated in a brand new way. Hongdou went in and inspected the place herself. She came out with her pink hair swaying on both sides, and her expression showed that she was barely satisfied.
"Miss, everything is ready inside. Let's go in."
Xi Congshuang, who had been acting like an ancestor in the courtyard for a while, was invited inside, and the charcoal pot was left unattended.
Just as Aunt Ruo was about to leave with her entourage, she saw Xi Congshuang appear behind the door and asked, "May I ask where the general lives? Is it close to here?"
"Why are you asking this?" Aunt Ruo frowned. If Xi Congshuang said anything she didn't like, she would kick her out of the mansion without saying a word.
Xi Congshuang: "The moon is full tonight, and I am about to suffer a relapse of the poison. I am afraid of disturbing the general's peace and quiet, so I asked this question."
Aunt Ruo: "Don't worry, it's far away. Just find someone to keep watch at night."
So that no one would know if I died.
As she stepped out of the east gate, Aunt Ruo's back swayed slightly, and she sensed something was wrong.
This guy is such a troublemaker. He'll die anywhere but at home. I've arranged for a few people to keep watch over him.
Hongdou was not kept in the dark about the extra pairs of eyes watching the East Courtyard, and she immediately went to Xi Congshuang to complain.
Xi Congshuang, holding a book, didn't even look up: "How many people?"
Hongdou thought for a moment: "Probably three or four people."
Xi Congshuang: "It seems Fuzhou is quite boring. I'm worth three or four people guarding it. You've been busy all day. Go wash up and have some food. I'm free right now."
“But…” Hongdou was a little worried. Although the sect leader had taken the antidote in advance, she couldn’t guarantee that it wouldn’t take effect tonight. She dared not take her eyes off her.
Xi Congshuang insisted, "Go ahead, I need to be alone for a while."
There was no other way, so Hongdou had to go. Anyway, she couldn't go outside the East Courtyard, and she could get to the warm pavilion that had been prepared in just a few steps, so there was no need to worry too much.
She planned to prepare the medicine in advance and serve it to the sect leader after the meal.
In Fuzhou, it gets light late and dark early.
After finishing his official duties, he thought to himself that those eunuchs wouldn't be able to leave the house without resting for three or four days, and walked back to his own courtyard.
If Xi Congshuang were also on this road, she would find it remarkably similar to the road back to the East Courtyard.
If Aunt Ruo wasn't lying, the East Courtyard and the Main Courtyard were quite far apart, but the first half of the road was in the same direction. If you turned north along the way, you would reach the Feihong Courtyard, the main courtyard where Xun Suihuang lived.
Xi Congshuang lived in an unnamed courtyard in the East Courtyard area, which occupied a corner of the entire East Courtyard.
These should have been named when they were first built, but they were mansions bestowed by the emperor. Originally, they were mansions built by a wealthy merchant at great expense, but were later confiscated by officials. After a great victory, when there was nothing left to reward, Emperor Jianxing found them and bestowed them upon Xun Suihuang.
However, the name on the plaque was too vulgar, full of gold and silver treasures, expressing the former owner's love for gold and silver, ruining this magnificent mansion. After the craftsmen who were repairing the house took down the plaque, they asked Xun Suihuang how to name it. Xun Suihuang was too busy with many things and had no time to care.
Her "ancestors" were willing to help, but none of them were literate, and the most cultured one was busy beating up the barbarian king.
So no matter how much she wrote about romance and poetry, there was nowhere for her to express it, and each courtyard had an empty plaque above it.
Tonight, Xun Suihuang didn't know what was wrong with her; she probably had a brain fart and wanted to see what Xi Congshuang was plotting.
Based on what Xi Congshuang did in Yongdu, she can hardly be called a good person. She is very cunning, and I really don't think she is simply taking advantage of a favor.
With an appearance of ice and snow and a heart of ink, that perfectly describes Xi Congshuang.
If we don't let her in, and let her out, she can still hide somewhere and cause trouble. If we let her in, at least we can catch her quickly if she causes trouble.
With that thought in mind, she turned the corner and headed straight for the east courtyard.
Then she made eye contact with the "ancestors" lurking near the nameless courtyard in the East Wing.
"…………"
After a moment of staring at each other, several people emerged from the shadows, cupped their hands in salute, and said, "General."
Xun Suihuang felt that her headaches had been getting worse lately and that she should see a doctor.
Oh no, the most famous doctor in the entire Yongdu is in her general's mansion. Just thinking about that gives me a headache.
Xun Suihuang: "What are you doing here?"
The ancestors looked up, their faces saying: "Isn't the general here too?"
Xun Suihuang: "Stop trying to intimidate me with your age, speak up."
The "ancestral masters" said, "The head steward said that someone inquired about the location of the General's Feihong Courtyard and asked us to keep an eye on her."
Xun Suihuang couldn't understand: "Why would she ask where I live?"
The "ancestors" all shook their heads: "We don't know. Why does Yongdu use such methods? It's either framing or framing."
Xun Suihuang: "This is indeed one of the elegant traditions of Yongdu."
He's no good at arm wrestling, but he's good at verbal sparring.
From top to bottom, everyone values civil officials over military ones, fears Xun Suihuang, yet has no choice but to employ him.
Without her, there would probably have been a ridiculous situation where a powerless civil official was sent to Fuzhou and was utterly defeated by the barbarian king and his thirty-six warrior tribes.
Xun Suihuang had almost forgotten about the people in the East Courtyard, thinking that no matter how many tricks she had up her sleeve, her broken body couldn't cause any big trouble.
Now that she was a little curious, she asked again, "What's going on in there?"
She didn't think there would be any useful information. The little maidservant by Xi Sect Leader's side was just a martial arts expert, mainly there to serve as a warning.
Sure enough, everyone shook their heads in unison: "There's no noise inside, it's very quiet."
Xun Suihuang: "..."
As expected, having a group of "old, weak, sick and disabled" keep watch was an overreaction. She waved her hand and said, "Everyone, go back to your posts. Remember to take your shifts. If you can't take it anymore, go see the doctor."
"Understood."
The "ancestors" were actually pleased to hear the general's blunt reply.
Xun Suihuang swaggered towards the nameless courtyard. The gate was unlocked, and faint light shone from inside, while a strong smell of medicine wafted out.
"Still not asleep?"
She took three steps at a time and pushed open the courtyard gate. The place was not big, and there was a coal stove in the courtyard that no one cared about, with the fire leaping high.
The night was quiet, and Xun Suihuang listened carefully and could faintly hear voices coming from inside.
Inside the warm pavilion, Hongdou brought over the medicine: "Sect Leader, the medicine is here."
The person on the bed raised her face; her eyes were glazed over, and her forehead was glistening with tears.
Affected by the scorching poison in her body, she could not see many things clearly. Her internal organs were boiling, as if she were being roasted on a flame, and the pain made her soul tremble.
But she still felt cold, a bone-chilling cold, and she almost had the urge to burn herself alive.
"Sect Master, the medicine is here, but it's still hot. Be careful not to burn yourself."
She seemed to hear someone speaking, and the smell was like red beans. She also smelled a strong, bitter medicine. Instinctively, she reached out a hand from her warm fox fur coat, but Hongdou refused to give her the medicine because her hand was trembling.
The person who used to cut herbs all day without flinching can now not even hold a bowl, and Hongdou couldn't help but tear up.
"Sect Master, let me feed you," said Hongdou.
"There's no need to go to so much trouble, just give me the medicine."
Someone suddenly spoke beside her, startling Hongdou, who was concerned about Xi Congshuang. Then, the medicine bowl in her hand was snatched away and was about to be handed to Xi Congshuang's lips. Hongdou subconsciously reached out to stop it.
"Don't!"
It was too late. A woman who had entered the room at some point snatched the bowl of medicine from Hongdou's hand and, steadily, fed it to Xi Congshuang's nose without spilling a drop.
If asked when she arrived, Xun Suihuang would definitely say it was her own residence, and that she had to ask someone to announce her arrival to enter her own home.
The person suffering from the poison didn't care who brought her the medicine; she smelled the familiar scent and drank it down.
Xun Suihuang raised her hand at the wrong angle, so Xi Congshuang took matters into her own hands, raising her hand that was pressing on the edge of the bowl even higher, swallowing repeatedly.
If one didn't know it was a bitter medicine that would make one's tongue ache, one would think she was drinking some kind of nectar or ambrosia, just a desperate act by someone who cherishes life.
Xun Suihuang: "Sect Leader Xi, you are really generous. I have never served anyone in my life."
Seeing that Xi Congshuang did not respond, she said again, "Your hands are really hot."
She examined Xi Congshuang's hands carefully; they were fair and delicate, with all five fingers intact.
She had no visible scars or any other injuries, so why was she wearing gloves?
The person, with fair skin, wrapped herself in a fox fur coat, like a banished immortal undergoing tribulation. As Xun Suihuang looked at her, he noticed a beauty mark under Xi Congshuang's eye.
"Um?"
I hadn't looked closely before, but I didn't realize she had a beauty mark under her eye. The paler her complexion, the more noticeable that beauty mark became.
Immediately, her gaze fell on Xi Congshuang's face. After drinking a bowl of medicine, her face regained some color.
She met him three times in total, and on two of those occasions he looked like he was on the verge of death. She even suspected that Xi Congshuang was trying to scam people while she was sick.
He is, after all, the head of a sect. It would be a waste of his talents to stage an accident while ill. He should be put to a more useful purpose.
Seeing that the medicine bowl was almost empty, Xi Congshuang still hadn't let go. She moved her hand and said, "You've finished drinking it, let go now."
It would have been better if she hadn't reminded her; once she did, Xi Congshuang tightened her grip, making it even harder for her to leave.
Xun Suihuang: "I said you've finished your medicine, let go, and if you want candied fruit, go ask your Tangdou."
Red Bean whispered a reminder: "My name is Lu Red Bean, not Sugar Bean."
"Let's not talk about whether you're called Green Bean or Sesame Bean, you should tell your sect leader to let go." Xun Suihuang was only distracted for a moment, and he took advantage of her, inserting his fingertips between his fingers, the fingertips rubbing against each other.
Xun Suihuang got goosebumps all over, her face full of strangeness, wanting to throw it away but unable to muster the strength to do so.
The heaviest thing the renowned Sect Leader Xi had ever handled was a medicine-cutting knife. She usually lived a life where she never lifted a finger, and even Hongdou wouldn't let her carry a teapot. She couldn't bring herself to say that these hands were unpleasant to touch.
But the heat was intense, unusually intense, yet Xi Congshuang broke out in a cold sweat, her lips still flushed red from the medicine she had just taken.
Xi Congshuang woke up a bit after taking the medicine, but her clear mind couldn't control her body's instincts. The desires she had suppressed day and night erupted and spread like wildfire.
This feeling was all too familiar to her; the craving for body temperature and intimate contact overwhelmed her reason, and she only wanted more.
"Her hands are so hot!" Xun Suihuang frantically gestured to Hongdou, "Help me pull your sect leader away."
Hongdou shook her head repeatedly: "No, I dare not."
Xun Suihuang felt a weight on her hand; it was Xi Congshuang's other hand that had gripped hers. Touching the tight wristband on Xun Suihuang's hand, Xi Congshuang revealed a displeased expression.
She hurriedly asked, "What's wrong with your sect leader? Does he have any other hidden illnesses? Tell me quickly!"
Hongdou was also on the verge of tears: "The sect leader never lets anyone touch her, only through a layer of clothing, otherwise this will happen."
"I've never heard of such a disease before. What kind of disease is this?" Xun Suihuang didn't expect that the medicine pot had such terrifying strength. She was afraid that if she accidentally pushed him to pieces, she would not only be accused of faking an accident while sick, but also of faking an accident while sick.
"No, I'll be done in a bit."
Xi Congshuang's voice was like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing their impatience, and they both turned to look at her.
Although she was the one who started the fire.
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If you feel sorry for her, then you're doomed. [glasses]
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