Chapter 3 is like flirting.
Beside the Xue family's carriage, Green Branch woke up the sleeping coachman, spoke a few words to him, and then returned to the Nine-Tiered Palace.
The coachman whipped his horse, and the empty carriage rumbled away from the palace.
As darkness fell completely, the desolate palace road was deserted.
Xie Zhuo closed the carriage curtain, his voice deep, "Let's go back to the manor."
The next day the sky cleared up, and A-Lian got up early, took the prescription from Physician Song to the pharmacy to get the medicine, and also told Liu-Quan to remember to brew a dose of Pinellia ternata tea for the general.
Liu Quan had been at the residence for several days and knew that the general had a habit of drinking tea every morning, but only now did he realize that the general was drinking medicinal tea, which was used to nourish the voice and soothe the throat.
"Is the general also experiencing a sore throat? Is it also because of that poisonous flower?" he asked.
A-Lian shook his head. "It has nothing to do with poison, and he has no discomfort. The general was seriously injured when he was guarding the border in the northwest desert. When he crawled out of a pile of dead bodies, his throat was so sore that he couldn't speak. After he recovered, his voice was not fully restored. Although he took medicinal tea every day, it didn't have much effect. He just got used to drinking it."
Liu Quan sighed, "Actually, I think the general's voice is quite pleasant to hear, deep and powerful, and you can tell at a glance that he is a resolute and decisive general."
"Yes, that's what everyone says, but the general's voice used to be very clear." A-Lian's eyes reddened. "Our general has suffered so much and shed so much blood to get to where he is today. If it were anyone else, they would have died seven or eight times over."
He wiped his eyes and went out to buy medicine.
At noon, the people from the Imperial Medical Bureau arrived. The young boy who had found the prescription for Physician Song yesterday apologized to Xie Zhuo, saying that the Imperial Medical Bureau didn't have much Ren Gui Cao left, only enough for three days' worth of medicine.
"I'll have to trouble you, General, to look for it on the market. Also, Physician Song said that when the young princess was poisoned many years ago, General Xue purchased a large amount of Ren Gui from various places. After using it up, there was still a lot left, which is probably stored in the treasury. You might want to go to the Xue residence to ask. If you really can't find it, it's okay. You can use raw kudzu instead, but it will take effect a little slower and may cause some discomfort."
After the boy left, Xie Zhuo gave A-Lian the few ounces of medicinal herbs and the alternative prescription he had brought, then turned and went into the inner room.
......
The sky was clear and bright, and Xue Mingyao took a comfortable nap.
Yesterday, she found no one at the Hanlin Academy. She was about to leave the palace and return home when she ran into Princess Yi'an, Zhao Ying, who was also going to the palace to pay her respects.
She and Zhao Ying grew up together and had a deep bond. Over the years, she first went to Xichuan and then settled in her ancestral home to mourn her father. Although she spent little time in the capital, she never neglected her relationship with Zhao Ying.
Whenever the two met, they always had so much to say. They simply set up a wine and stove in the palace where Zhao Ying used to live and ate a steaming hot pot of rabbit meat. The more they talked, the more Xue Mingyao asked Lüzhi to tell the coachman to go back first. She stayed in the palace and chatted with Zhao Ying for half the night before returning to the Xue residence this morning.
After catching up on her sleep, Xue Mingyao was in a great mood. Seeing the snow-covered courtyard, she felt like a child again and pulled Green Branch out to build a snow lion.
Halfway through the snow lion was being piled up, the gatekeeper suddenly came to report that General Xie Zhuo had come to visit.
"Xie Zhuo?" Xue Mingyao was taken aback. Before the gatekeeper could finish speaking, she said, "Tell him that his brother is not here and to come back another time."
Of the Xue family, only Xue Xingtai held an official position in the court, so Xie Zhuo could only visit him when he visited the residence. This was already quite surprising, since Xue Xingtai was just like most young scions of noble families, holding the minor official position in the Imperial Guard to maintain appearances. How could he possibly be related to the powerful Xie Zhuo?
However, the gatekeeper said, "Princess, General Xie has come to see you. He says he has something important to ask of you."
Xue Mingyao was startled again, and the glass bead she was using as an eye for the snow lion rolled to the ground.
Xie Zhuo was a complete stranger to her, so why was he looking for her? Or was it something important?
Did he say what it was about?
The gatekeeper shook his head. "General Xie wants to speak to you in person."
Xue Mingyao continued to feed the snow lion. It was past noon, and the courtyard was getting warmer. By the time she changed her clothes and returned from meeting the guests in the front hall, the snow lion might have melted into water. She looked down at the cloak she was wearing, which she only wore when playing in the snow. It was a bit old, but at least it was woven with gold, so it wasn't beneath her dignity.
Having made up her mind, she instructed, "Bring him directly here. Green Branch, stop picking up the beads and have someone bring over a set of stone table and benches from the west pavilion to make tea for our guest."
Xie Zhuo arrived much faster than Xue Mingyao had anticipated.
Unfamiliar footsteps approached. She was squatting on the ground adjusting the snow lion's legs when she heard the sound and instinctively turned around.
The military general was indeed tall and imposing; Xie Zhuo standing before her was like a majestic jade mountain.
Strangely, this person was wearing a mask.
After more than five years apart, even though Xie Zhuo had made ample mental preparations, he still couldn't help but lose his composure when he saw her in person.
She still had a rosy complexion, dressed in a flamboyant red outfit, and her eyes were filled with a lazy and arrogant look.
She appeared in the snow just like that, and when he asked her, she said flippantly and cruelly, "Fine, I don't want this rabbit, I want you!"
That one sentence turned his life upside down.
The reunion was so similar to the first meeting; she was even wearing the same cloak from back then, which was as glaring as blood against the vast snow.
But there are some differences. Back then, she rode a tall horse, looking down on him and toying with him like an ant. Now, after years of crawling through hell, he has finally stood in a position where he can look down on others.
He is Xie Zhuo, a third-rank general of the Cloud Banner Army, no longer Xie Qinglang.
Xue Mingyao stood up and tentatively asked, "General Xie?"
Xie Zhuo slowly loosened his fist from his sleeve and said steadily, "Princess Yongning, I am Xie Zhuo."
The two sat facing each other across a stone table. Green branches had laid soft cushions on the stools, and a brazier was placed under the table, where hot tea was served to ward off the chill.
Xue Mingyao explained that she was busy building a snow lion and couldn't leave, so she chose to entertain him here, hoping he wouldn't mind. Then she lazily asked, "General Xie, what brings you here? Why are you wearing a mask and not showing your true face?"
She asked him questions while scrutinizing him.
Most of his face was hidden behind a mask, revealing only his prominent brow bone, full forehead, and smooth jawline. A few wisps of hair hanging down from his left temple softened his square features, adding a touch of dashing elegance.
Based on Xue Mingyao's experience in judging men, Xie Zhuo was indeed an extraordinary man, and unlike the rugged and imposing presence of a military general, he possessed a refined and scholarly air—she vaguely felt that his bone structure resembled Xie Qinglang's.
Xie Zhuo should be worthy of the title "Jade-faced General".
It's a pity he was a general.
Xue Mingyao keenly sensed the murderous aura emanating from Xie Zhuo, the kind of aura that came from the blood and made her always keep her distance.
I wonder how many people he killed—hundreds, or thousands?
Xue Mingyao asked politely, but her scrutiny was unrestrained, a habit ingrained by her noble status. Xie Zhuo, surprisingly, felt relaxed by this familiar gaze, casually recounting the details of his poisoning and his treatment by Physician Song, while also secretly observing her.
She's even more beautiful now.
She has shed her childishness and become even more charming and beautiful. If she was a ripe, pink peach five or six years ago, she is now a fully ripe, juicy, crimson peach.
Xie Zhuo could hardly help but wonder how many men she had taken with her to cultivate such beauty.
After explaining the reason, Peach grinned.
Xue Mingyao, without any hesitation, laughed heartily, her hair adorned with jewels that trembled.
"General Xie, how could you... how could you make the same mistake as me? A decisive and ruthless general, completely captivated by flowers? Aren't you afraid the soldiers will laugh at you if word gets out?"
"So I won't tell anyone."
"You wouldn't have said it, but now that I know, can you still control my tongue?"
Xie Zhuo wondered if she could speak to every man she met for the first time in such an almost flirtatious manner.
Control her tongue. How can anyone control her? How many people have she let control her?
Xie Zhuo remained silent.
Through the mask, Xue Mingyao couldn't see his expression, but she could see the taut veins on his hands, which were resting on the table.
Oh, this man is hard to get close to.
It doesn't matter, she's not interested in him anyway.
Xue Mingyao lowered her voice, "Just kidding, General, don't worry, I won't say anything. The medicine you want should be available in the manor, I'll have someone go find it."
She beckoned Green Branch over and gave her a few instructions.
"Thank you very much. I came in a hurry and did not have time to prepare a gift. Please forgive me, Princess. I will repay your kindness with a generous gift when I return."
A military general speaking in such a literary style.
Xue Mingyao crossed her arms and laughed, "Etiquette is not important. This poison is tormenting. I was a hundred times more anxious than you were back then. I wonder how badly the general's face is swollen and red? May I take a look?"
She was still a little curious about what he looked like.
Xie Zhuo refused.
"The rash has not yet subsided, and it is an eyesore. I, Xie, do not wish to offend the princess's eyes."
“Alright.” Xue Mingyao raised an eyebrow. “It’s alright. Even if it’s serious, you’ll recover quickly after taking the medicine. I’ve heard that the general is handsome, so there’s no need to worry. This poison won’t cause any damage or scarring.”
Xie Zhuo said, "A man should not care about his appearance. Even if he has a scar, it doesn't matter."
Xue Mingyao gave a perfunctory smile, glancing at her snow lion out of the corner of her eye. Half of its head had melted away, drooping comically on its chest.
Green Branch hadn't brought the medicine yet, so she couldn't see the guest off. But Xie Zhuo refused to show his face and spoke politely but uninterestingly, so she had no desire to keep him company any longer.
"If the general doesn't mind, I'll continue building the snow lion."
Xue Mingyao didn't give him a chance to object at all; before she finished speaking, she left her seat to make snowballs.
Xie Zhuo glanced at her as she knelt on the ground playing in the snow like a child, and several images of her building snow lions in Xichuan flashed through his mind.
Why does Xue Mingyao love building snow lions so much?
She not only piled snow herself, but also forced him to pile it. When he refused, she would grab snow and throw it at him, stuffing snowballs into his collar and sleeves.
Xue Mingyao was so engrossed in making the snow lion's head that she almost forgot there was a living person beside her. Xie Zhuo was even more silent than her snow lion.
Xie Zhuo didn't come here to make a snowman.
After a moment of silence, he said to the woman who was working enthusiastically, "Imperial Physician Song mentioned that the princess loves the fragrance of flowers and once imitated the scented bait for her own use."
"Yes," Xue Mingyao replied casually.
Light, steady footsteps came from behind. Xie Zhuo approached Xue Shi and looked down at her. "Has the princess named this incense? Is it still in use?"
Even from a foot away, Xie Zhuo could smell the fragrant scent of her clothes, a scent he didn't recognize.
Xue Mingyao felt the pressure emanating from him, frowned slightly, and naturally stood up, kneading a small snowball in her hand. She said lightly, "I made this as a toy when I was young. I didn't know how to name it. I stopped using it a long time ago. I'm tired of it."
"I'm tired of it..." Xie Zhuo's voice deepened again, "I originally wanted to ask the princess for some."
Xue Mingyao tilted her head slightly, meeting his dark eyes. "It seems the general is extremely fond of the fragrance of 'Beauty's Intoxication'."
“No.” The man stared intently into her eyes and said firmly, “It’s disgust, utter disgust. That’s why I need to smell this fragrance every day to remind myself to stay alert.”
Xue Mingyao was startled by his words.
Is this person crazy?!
She was thinking of copying the incense recipe for Xie Zhuo, but who would have thought he would suddenly say something so strange.
Xue Mingyao threw away the snowball, "What the general said is truly unbelievable."
She picked up a blue glass bead and bent down to place it on the snow lion's face. But just as she embedded the bead in the snow, her hand was covered by a warm palm.
Xie Zhuo stood behind her, putting his arm around her.
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