Chapter 7: Neighbors
Zhao Wenxuan's figure disappeared outside the courtyard gate.
His last words lingered in the room like a ghost.
Water lily.
Distant aunt.
Died overnight.
Each word is like a piece of a puzzle.
They point to a past that has been deliberately buried.
Ling Zixia clenched the copper hand warmer in her hand.
The medicinal fragrance transformed by her is bringing warmth continuously.
This warmth could not dispel the coldness in her heart.
What secrets are hidden in this Feiyan Pavilion?
Is my father’s unjust case related to this place?
Just as she was lost in thought.
There was another sound of light footsteps outside the yard.
The footsteps this time were completely different from the previous ones.
It is fragmented and rapid.
With a rhythm unique to women.
The footsteps stopped in front of her door.
Immediately following.
A gentle female voice sounded outside the door.
"Is my sister asleep?"
The voice was sickeningly sweet.
But with a hint of subtle scrutiny.
Ling Zixia immediately put the hand warmer on the table.
She walked to the door.
Open the door a crack.
A gorgeous woman in a pink satin jacket with scattered flowers stood outside the door.
The woman had long hair.
A red gold and kingfisher hairpin was inserted in her hair.
It swayed gently with her movements.
Behind her followed a little maid holding a lantern.
The light from the lantern illuminated her beautiful yet slightly mean face.
"Sister is?"
Ling Zixia asked timidly.
She hid herself behind the door.
Only half of his pale face was exposed.
The woman covered her lips and smiled.
The laughter sounded like silver bells.
"My name is Liu Yunyao, and you usually call me Yunniang."
She specifically emphasized the affectionate name "Yun Niang".
"I live in Tingyuxuan next door to you."
"I heard there was a new sister in the mansion, so I thought of coming over to see her."
Liu Yunyao looked over Ling Zixia's shoulder.
She looked around the simple furnishings in the house without any concealment.
There was a flash of disdain in her eyes.
It was then replaced by a warm smile.
"Oh, sister, why is it so deserted here?"
She said in feigned surprise.
"There's not even a servant to wait on us."
Chun'er, the maid behind her, spoke at the right time.
"Yun Niang, look, Miss Ling doesn't even have any charcoal here."
"How can we endure this freezing weather?"
The master and servant sang in unison.
The words were filled with false sympathy.
Liu Yunyao sighed.
She handed over a food box that she had been holding in her hand.
"Sister, please stop standing at the door. You might catch a cold."
"I asked the kitchen to make you a bowl of hot ginger soup. Drink it while it's hot to warm you up."
She stuffed the food box into Ling Zixia's hands without saying a word.
Then he walked into the room on his own.
Ling Zixia held the warm food box.
He followed in with his head down.
Liu Yunyao walked around the room.
She covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief embroidered with delicate patterns.
It seems like the air here is so polluted.
"Chun'er, quickly serve the ginger soup to your sister."
She sat down on a relatively clean stool.
He ordered gracefully.
The maid Chun'er responded.
She took out a white porcelain bowl with gold painting from the food box.
Then he poured out the ginger soup from the food box.
A spicy yet sweet smell immediately spread out.
The color of ginger soup is dark brown.
It looked like it took a long time.
Chun'er brought the bowl of ginger soup to Ling Zixia.
With an irresistible smile on his face.
"Miss Ling, drink it quickly. This is a gift from our master."
Ling Zixia's eyes fell on the bowl of ginger soup.
Her nostrils twitched slightly.
This ginger soup does contain enough old ginger and brown sugar.
But beneath that spicy flavor.
There is also the scent of several other medicinal herbs hidden in it.
That is the cool-natured Imperata root.
There is also raw Rehmannia root which can draw cold into the body.
There are even trace amounts of strychnine powder, which can cause abdominal cramps.
Drink this bowl of ginger soup.
Even if a woman with a weak body doesn't die.
You will definitely feel a cold in your heart and have to stay in bed for ten days or half a month.
What a nice neighbor who comes to your aid in times of need.
"Why don't you drink?"
Liu Yunyao's voice sounded again.
Her tone was still gentle.
There was already a hint of impatience in his eyes.
"Could it be that you dislike this bowl of ginger soup from your sister?"
Ling Zixia quickly shook her head.
She looked flattered.
"I dare not. Thank you, Sister Yunniang, for your concern."
She stretched out her hands.
He took the white porcelain bowl from the maid Chun'er.
The moment her fingertips touched the warm wall of the bowl.
A gentle force quietly flowed into the soup.
The medicinal properties of the ginger soup in the bowl were reversed in an instant.
The cooling property of Imperata cylindrica root is transformed into a warming property that clears heat and promotes diuresis.
The coldness of Rehmannia root is reversed into energy that nourishes yin and replenishes blood.
That tiny amount of strychnine powder.
Its toxicity is completely eliminated.
Instead, it has become an ingredient that can effectively promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis and dredge meridians.
A whole bowl of ginger soup.
From a bowl of poisonous cold medicine.
It turned into a bowl of powerful tonic.
The changes in this.
No one can notice.
Ling Zixia held the bowl.
He smiled gratefully at Liu Yunyao.
Then she did it in front of both the master and the servant.
Raise your head.
Drink up the bowl of boiling hot ginger soup.
She drank quickly and eagerly.
It was as if a person who was about to freeze to death had received life-saving hot soup.
Drink a bowl of soup.
A strong warmth instantly rose from her stomach.
It quickly flowed through her limbs and bones.
The coldness and depression accumulated in her body due to years of seclusion.
Under the impact of this overbearing drug.
Most of them were actually dispersed.
On her originally pale face.
A healthy, natural blush quickly appeared.
The whole person looks refreshed.
Liu Yunyao and Chun'er were both stunned.
The scene they expected did not happen.
Ling Zixia showed no pain.
She didn't hold her stomach and groan.
She actually looked...better?
That rosy complexion.
It is even more charming than Liu Yunyao's own carefully made-up face.
What is going on?
Could it be that the people in the kitchen made a mistake in mixing the herbs?
Cold sweat broke out on Chun'er's forehead.
She put the medicine in with her own hands.
There is absolutely no way it can be wrong.
Ling Zixia put down the empty bowl.
She gave Liu Yunyao an extremely sincere smile.
"Thank you for the ginger soup, sister."
Her voice was much louder than before.
"I felt my body warm up instantly."
"The effect of this soup is really amazing, it's like a miracle drug."
She admired it sincerely.
Liu Yunyao's face turned pale and blue.
She had no idea what was going on.
I could only manage a forced smile.
"As long as my sister likes it."
Ling Zixia seemed not to notice her abnormality.
She handed the empty bowl to Liu Yunyao.
There was still a little bit of soup left at the bottom of the bowl.
"Sister, this soup is amazing."
Her eyes sparkled.
"The little bit of essence left cannot be wasted."
"Try it too, it will definitely make your complexion more rosy."
Liu Yunyao looked at the bowl that was handed to her.
Her body subconsciously shrank back.
She seemed to have seen some monstrous beast.
What a joke.
Let her drink the poison that I added myself?
“No… that’s not necessary…”
She waved her hands frantically.
"I made this especially for you, I..."
"Why don't you drink, sister?"
Ling Zixia interrupted her.
Her face was filled with innocent confusion.
"Such a good thing, hasn't my sister ever drunk it herself?"
"Or... is there something wrong with this soup?"
This sentence was like a hammer.
It hit Liu Yunyao's heart hard.
Her face turned pale in an instant.
Chun'er was so scared that her legs went limp.
They looked at Ling Zixia's pure and innocent eyes.
A chill rushed from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.
This woman...she knows?
No, it's impossible.
She couldn't have known.
She must be tricking them.
"My sister is joking."
Liu Yunyao stood up with forced composure.
"I...I have some things to do in my house."
"I won't disturb my sister's rest any longer."
She almost ran away.
He didn't even want that precious white porcelain bowl with gold painting.
Chun'er also picked up the lantern in a hurry.
The master and servant fled from Feiyan Pavilion in a panic.
Ling Zixia looked at their panicked backs.
The smile on his face slowly faded.
Only cold indifference remained.
She walked to the door.
Close the door again.
Then she returned to the table.
She picked up the abandoned white porcelain bowl.
Her eyes fell on the little bit of soup left at the bottom of the bowl.
Just then.
There was an extremely slight sound, different from the sound of the wind.
Suddenly came from the window behind her.
The sound was like someone using fingernails.
Slide extremely slowly across the window paper.
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