Chapter 112 Too Late
Mu Xi had no idea how much Qi Yingyu had imagined, but as long as the direction was correct, she was relieved: "Anyway, you can do whatever you want, I'll back you up. In a couple of days, I'll have the Second Young Master give you your first letter, so that you can get to know the Second Young Master of the Qi family as a member of a collateral branch of the Qi family."
"Hahaha... I have truly turned misfortune into blessing. It is my great fortune to have met the Prince." Qi Yingyu bowed deeply to the ground.
Mu Xi had been talking on the hillside for so long that her mouth was dry and she was scorched by the sun.
Cao Pan'er and Bao Fan were guarding the hillside, not expecting Mu Xi to talk for so long.
If the wait became too long, Cao Pan'er sent Bao Fan back to fetch the paper umbrella token and carry the chair to Mu Xi.
Just as Mu Xi finalized the deal to befriend the Qi family of Xiangnan, she saw Bao Fan carrying a chair and an umbrella toward the earthen slope. She then quickly asked Qi Yingyu, "So, for the last thing, how much silver is Boss Qi willing to donate to Qifengtai?"
Qi Yingyu had made quite a haul today, so she became generous, holding up three fingers: "Three hundred thousand taels of silver, that should be enough, Your Highness, hahaha..."
She probably thought that this was already 100,000 taels more than the 200,000 taels of silver that Qi Zhuying had reported the day before, which was more than enough.
Mu Xi glanced at Bao Fan out of the corner of her eye and asked, "How's your daughter been lately? Has she noticed anything different from before?"
"Ah?" Qi Yingyu was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted. "It's all good, it's all good. She's only six or seven years old, and she's been well taken care of by the people sent by the Second Young Master. Ah...hahaha...Young Master, if 300,000 taels isn't enough, how much would be enough? I really don't know anything about construction projects, so please enlighten me, Young Master."
Mu Xi said calmly, "That's why I say, engineering projects are the real opportunity to make big money. You should learn from this. If you don't believe me, take a look at Tao Jin, the Grand Minister of Works. As for how much silver you need... you can move 500,000 taels first. After all, I've already given you the naming rights for the Viewing Pavilion, so the building can't be too shabby. Go back and think of a name for it."
"Yes, yes..." Qi Yingyu felt a pang of pain, but she didn't haggle any further and agreed in one go.
Mu Xi insisted on taking such a large sum of money, but of course, it wasn't all used for the construction of Qifeng Terrace. It was more for the preparation of the "divine revelation from heaven." However, this matter had to be divided into three parts, both to share the risks and to prevent too many people from knowing the secret. It was a last resort.
The main business had been basically finished, and everyone was really tired of standing. Just then, Baofan climbed up with his things.
Mu Xi took the paper umbrella, but did not intend to sit down. As she walked down the slope, she casually asked Qi Yingyu, "You and Bao Fan haven't seen each other for a long time. Why don't you take this opportunity to say a few words? I'll go back and pack my things now. We can go back to the city together in a while."
"Ah...ah..." Qi Yingyu uttered a few "ahs," glanced at Bao Fan, but couldn't say anything.
Bao Fan had seen Qi Yingyu since he climbed the earthen slope, but the way he looked at her was both as if he still recognized her and as if he no longer did, leaving people puzzled.
Mu Xi had already started walking downstairs, and Bao Fan picked up a chair and followed.
Mu Xi, still feeling uneasy, was about to turn back and say a few more words when she almost bumped into Bao Fan.
Seeing the “difficulty” of meeting this mother and son, which was actually better off not meeting, he pretended not to see them and gave them one last instruction: “You must handle the things I’m entrusting you with today with utmost care and without the slightest carelessness.”
"Yes, yes, yes... Hahaha... Your Highness, you can rest assured. I am your sword, and I will surely strike wherever you point." Qi Yingyu smiled to ease the awkwardness and followed him down the slope.
After descending the earthen slope, Mu Xi bid farewell to Mu Xun and Yan Shu, and led her men back to Moyang City with Qi Yingyu.
Upon returning to the mansion, he collapsed onto the bed.
Soon, Doctor Luo arrived with his medicine kit. As soon as he took your pulse, he gently scolded, "This is an external cold with dryness in your stomach. You shouldn't have stayed in the mountains last night. Your energy hadn't recovered yet, and you couldn't withstand any more strain. What were you thinking?"
Mu Xi finally lay down on the dry and comfortable brocade quilt, without arguing, and listened to Doctor Luo rambling on as he wrote the prescription, feeling a deep warmth in her heart.
Even after prescribing the medicine, Doctor Luo was still not at ease, so he personally went to supervise the dispensing of the medicine.
After resting for a while and drinking the chicken porridge that Tao'er brought, Mu Xi was about to fall asleep when Doctor Luo's medicine was brought over again.
Mu Xi pinched her nose and forced the medicine down her throat.
Doctor Luo took back the medicine bowl and sighed again: "Alas, your body is already weak. Don't think about this or that, and don't overthink things. You should focus on resting."
"Rest? I'm afraid that's not possible." Mu Xi leaned back on the pile of pillows, then thought of something else. "Wait, Doctor Luo, don't leave yet."
Doctor Luo immediately asked anxiously, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell again?"
Mu Xi shook her head on the pillow and sent Tao'er and Zhe Lan away first: "You two take over guarding outside the door and go have dinner with Bao Fan."
"Yes," the two replied and left together.
Once only Physician Luo remained in the inner room, Mu Xi asked first, "Physician Luo, have you heard that my father, Jin Fangjun, is going to hold a birthday banquet in September to bring good luck?"
Since Doctor Luo lived in the Jun residence and was served by servants every day, she was never short of information, so she nodded and said, "Yes, I have heard about it."
Mu Xi was somewhat surprised by Doctor Luo's tone. He had expected him to make a sarcastic remark, but Doctor Luo simply replied in a normal manner.
Mu Xi couldn't help but recall what Mu Xun had said before, and asked, "Has Your Excellency's health really reached the point where it needs to be washed?"
"I'm afraid even a marriage of convenience to ward off bad luck won't work," Doctor Luo said bluntly.
"Ah...it's really true?" Mu Xi sat up abruptly.
Although I have no feelings for my scumbag father, when it comes to being critically ill...
Jin Fangjun Muzhen cannot die now.
Previously, Mu Xi had not considered Jin Fangjun's health, but she still had her own plans. If Jin Fangjun died before she could find out her identity, it would be a great disadvantage.
After all, even if the Western Courtyard were to step forward and vie for the position of heir, and even if she were to inherit the title without changing her identity, she would still be unable to truly control the Western Border forces and would have to deal with the Gao clan, making things even more difficult.
Now that things have come to this, Mu Xi had to face reality and ask, "How much longer?"
Doctor Luo, unaware of his thoughts, frowned deeply: "His condition is a chronic one that has been bothering him for many years, plus the strain of exhausting his energy. At best, he can hold on for another six months; at worst, he might only last three months."
"Three months to six months?" Mu Xi estimated, "That's too tight a timeframe, there's simply not enough time."
"What's too late?" Doctor Luo noticed that Mu Xi's expression seemed a bit off.
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