Chapter 54. Serving Medicine to Li.
Good lad, you've got guts.
He spoke with such righteous indignation and without changing his expression that Qin Song couldn't tell whether he was using his position for personal gain, putting on a veneer of righteousness, or genuinely thinking about the affairs of state.
Faced with the scrutinizing eyes of Qin Daoji and Master Shen, Qin Song also felt inexplicably nervous.
It felt like she was nervously waiting for her father to catch her secretly dating her boyfriend.
Both of them eagerly awaited Qin Daoji's response, not daring to act rashly.
Qin Daoji pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "Alright, safety is the priority. Young Master Li is a steady person, and it is indeed more reassuring to travel with him. This time, we will rely on Young Master Li."
Li Yu visibly breathed a sigh of relief, bowed and accepted the order: "Elder Qin, you flatter me. I will certainly live up to your expectations."
Qin Daoji stood up, leaning on the edge of the table, and looked at Master Shen respectfully: "There's no time to lose, Mr. Shen. Go and see the doctor again. After dinner, we'll set off through the night."
After Li Yu took care of Master Shen and left, Qin Song helped Qin Daoji back to the house and tentatively asked, "Father, is the Crown Prince in Qingze?"
Qin Daoji paused, then slowly continued forward: "Do you think it's time?"
Qin Song paused slightly, feeling a kind of nervousness, like being called on by his homeroom teacher, when faced with his father's question.
"In my humble opinion, the Princess specially sent Li Niang to curry favor, probably hoping to find the Crown Prince's whereabouts through you so as to eliminate this major threat. Therefore, she wants to ask where the Crown Prince is now."
Qin Daoji sighed softly: "Since you know her purpose, you must remain calm. The Crown Prince is your last bargaining chip, so you must not act on emotion."
Qin Song fell silent.
She did act on her emotions; what she really wanted to know was news of Yun Qian.
They came to Yunzhou in a big way for more than half a month, but Yun Qian did not show up, so it is very unlikely that Yun Qian is in Yunzhou.
If the Crown Prince is to be hidden, Jiangnan is the best choice. However, the Qin family comes from Jiangnan. If someone with ulterior motives wants to take action and use the opportunity to ambush him, he will be exposed sooner or later.
It's much wiser to choose a less noticeable side branch to hide in.
Qingze City happens to be located on the route from the capital to Yunzhou. Changing the journey midway and obscuring the whereabouts makes it easier to hide one's tracks.
So she hoped that perhaps it would be good to go to Qingze City to see Yun Qian.
But she forgot that if she were targeted, all her efforts might be in vain.
Qin Song silently admitted her mistake, and Qin Daoji couldn't bear to scold her, so he gently comforted her, "Don't worry, they are safe. You should go and get your wound bandaged too."
Qin Daoji stopped and looked solemnly at Qin Song, "Remember, anyone can be sacrificed, but you must come back alive."
Qin Song was stunned by these words. She resented this special treatment, finding it not only cold-blooded but also a heavy burden on her shoulders.
She nodded expressionlessly, and as she was about to return to the front of the house, she looked at Qin Daoji again, "Tao Qingyang's injuries are quite serious. I wonder if he has woken up yet. Father, you will have to take extra care of the Northern Defense Camp."
Qin Daoji stared at her with a strange look for a while before calmly saying, "Tao family girl has already gone to the Northern Defense Camp, and General Tao's injuries are being taken care of. As for the Northern Defense Camp, with Tao family boy there, Father doesn't need to worry."
Qin Song hadn't been here long and didn't know much about Qin Daoji, but she rarely heard him so trusting of anyone. Instead, she became even more puzzled about Tao Qingyang. "Father, do you know about the feud between the Princess and Tao Qingyang?"
A hint of doubt flashed in Qin Daoji's eyes, but he quickly became evasive and said, "I'll tell you in detail when we get back to the capital. You should go see the doctor; it'll be time for your meal soon."
Qin Song was already used to her father's ambiguous answers. She knew that if he was unwilling to talk, it would be futile to ask him, so she didn't linger any longer and went back to her residence.
As soon as she arrived at the courtyard gate, she saw Ah Zhao leading the doctor and waiting at the door. "Miss Qin, the doctor has arrived."
Qin Song nodded his thanks, but a warm feeling washed over him.
She didn't know when it started, but Li Yu's maids gradually began to serve her, and she didn't feel anything was wrong at all, taking this favor for granted.
She began to worry that she would become more and more dependent on Li Yu. Even when the doctor was examining her wound, she was still thinking about what kind of feelings she had for Li Yu.
After examining Qin Song's wound, the doctor quickly concluded: "It's alright. Miss Qin has slightly injured a meridian in her shoulder, which will affect the movement of her right hand, but it's nothing serious. Come with me to get some medicine in a bit. Change the dressing frequently, and after seven days, the pulling sensation on your right arm will lessen. Continue applying the medicine, and it will heal quickly."
"Thank you, doctor." Qin Song nodded in thanks.
The doctor closed his medicine box, bowed, and stepped back. Outside the door, Ah Zhao consciously followed the doctor to get the medicine.
With the room empty, Qin Song wanted to change his clothes, but none of the three maids were in the room.
Today is Lunar New Year's Eve. The government office has arranged a New Year's Eve dinner. There are only two cooks, and they are not enough to handle everything. The three maids who went to the kitchen were kept by the cooks and could not get away.
Just as she was about to go to the kitchen to call for help, a steady, crisp footstep approached, and the cool, refreshing aroma grew clearer and clearer.
Qin Song abandoned his attempt to get up, leaned back comfortably in his chair, rested his elbow on the armrest, propped his chin on one hand, and gazed leisurely at the doorway.
A moment later, the young man, as slender as a pine tree and as graceful as a bamboo, gradually appeared in the night.
Yunzhou was still devastated, but New Year's Eve always evoked people's expectations for the new year. Even the government offices lit more than a dozen extra lamps, making the people outside feel warmer and more welcoming.
The tall, straight young man wore a jade-white robe. His previously slightly messy sideburns were now neatly combed. He had gentle eyes and a refined back. His hands, which were usually filled with books, held a basin of water, and his chest, which held a small medicine bottle, bulged out.
Qin Song had never seen him like this before, and stared at him in a daze.
"Am I coming in?" Li Yu was still the same as always, becoming especially cautious and polite at her door.
Qin Song smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow at him to indicate her approval.
Li Yu smiled gently at her, calmly stepped into the house, and turned to close the door with his foot.
He placed the basin on the washstand beside him, freeing his hands, and his appearance changed completely.
He moved closer, bent down, grabbed her legs, and picked her up in his arms: "Is the medicine ready?"
She wrapped her legs around his waist, and just as she was about to answer, he tilted his head back and kissed her.
Qin Song had been pestered by him all the way, and she couldn't let him get away with it any longer. She deliberately straightened her neck, raised her hand and pressed it against his lips, "Why are you here? Have you packed your bags?"
He shamelessly opened his lips to lick her fingers. Qin Song was so tormented by him that she withdrew her hand. Only then did he purse his lips and ask, "I said I was going to apply medicine for you. Shall we go to the inner room or here?"
"Go inside, and help me change my clothes while you're at it." Qin Song finally kissed him.
He was a clingy little wolf cub who, once he tasted the sweetness, was unwilling to let go, kissing her all the way into the house to find clothes.
He opened the wardrobe with one hand before slightly releasing her.
His chest, neither muscular nor thin, he heaved violently as he asked her, his breath ragged, "Which one should I wear?"
"Put me down first." Qin Song was unbearably hot from his burning breath.
He held her with one arm, his abs taut, supporting her hips as he pulled her closer. "Just give me directions."
No wonder Qin Song took a liking to her at first sight; his stamina is amazing. He can hold her with one hand and still easily help her choose clothes.
The two rummaged through the wardrobe for a while and finally chose one that Qin Song was satisfied with.
He placed Qin Song's clothes on the wooden couch, knelt on one knee beside it, leaned in and kissed her, "Wait for me."
After saying that, he went to the outer room on his own.
In the blink of an eye, he came in carrying a basin of water, walked straight to Qin Song, placed the basin at her feet, squatted down naturally, rolled up his sleeves, and began wringing out a handkerchief.
"Let me help you wash up first." He wrung out the towel and turned to her, but then realized he had done it wrong. The wrung-out towel fell back into the water, and he turned to help her take off her shoes and clothes.
Qin Song looked at the young master, who had grown up in luxury and pampered by everyone, and felt a pang of sympathy as he awkwardly changed his clothes.
"I can do it myself." Qin Song bent down to take the wet cloth from his hand.
He nimbly withdrew his hand, and with his other hand grasped her outstretched wrist: "Did I do something wrong?"
no.
It was too good, so good that she felt like she was bullying an innocent little puppy.
Qin Song revealed two dimples: "No, I'm afraid you'll get tired. You don't need to do such things."
“I’d be happy to, and besides, it was my fault, so I should take responsibility.” He then used a handkerchief to wipe her hands.
As the warm, damp sensation spread through him, Qin Song felt a bit thirsty.
The moment the words "caused by him" reached Qin Song's ears, Qin Song felt a shiver run down his spine. His gaze suddenly fell on the exposed half of the forearm and the slender, pale back of the hand. For no reason, the image of glistening water droplets on the fingertips and the veins bulging with each movement appeared in his mind.
Uncontrollable emotions flow silently like a clear spring.
He was clumsy but persistent, touching her here and there, which only fueled her desire.
He helped her take off her clothes, put his arm around her waist, and helped her sit on the edge of the wooden couch...
He wrung out the handkerchief and gently wiped the still-swollen and red area with trembling fingers. "Does it still hurt?"
His fingers were hot, his earlobes were slightly red, but his expression was calm and not at all lewd; he was just carefully helping her wash and apply medicine.
But his cautious movements and lack of practiced sensitivity often caused her lower abdomen to cramp, leaving her speechless.
The glistening water stains clung to the brand-new cotton handkerchief, translucent and clear. He rubbed it between his fingers; it was damp and sticky. "Is it always like this?" he asked.
Qin Song was embarrassed by his question, "You kissed him."
His ears turned red as he lowered his head and kissed her knee, then moved it up a little, like a child who loves honey, pleading, "I want more kisses."
It's over, she couldn't resist his demands at all...
·
As the New Year's Eve dinner was laid out on the table, officials from all over the government offices returned to their offices.
Upon arriving in Yunzhou, the hectic pace of government affairs left everyone in the office exhausted and with tired, listless eyes.
But the anticipation of the Spring Festival is imprinted in the bones of every Chinese descendant. After days of busy work, the gloom on people's faces has faded, and a long-lost joy has appeared on their faces.
"Hey, where is the Junior Chamberlain? Why haven't I seen him take his seat?" The Vice Minister of Revenue often worked with Li Yu, and after taking his seat, he noticed that Li Yu had not yet taken his seat.
"Indeed, we don't see the Junior Chamberlain. It's New Year's Eve today, so let's not be so formal. Miss Qin is a heroine of Yunzhou, and she should be seated with us." The officials from the Ministry of Works always liked to flatter, and seeing that there was clearly an empty seat next to Qin Daoji, they deliberately made a show of it.
"Someone, go and urge Miss." Qin Daoji ordered the servant behind him to go and summon her, and then called to the guards outside the door, "Go and check on the Junior Chamberlain's office."
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Author's Note: Next chapter is about heading south. I'm starting to miss Xiao Lu a bit. [doge emoji with rose in hand]
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