Chapter 50 Chapter 50 "My Lady, please call me by my given name..."
Inside the Xu residence, Xu Qing'an had just finished bathing and changed into clean clothes when a servant came hurriedly to report that the queen mother had arrived.
His expression froze. He had long thought that his vomiting blood and fainting in front of her today and leaving without saying goodbye would arouse her suspicion, but he did not expect her to come so soon.
Without having time to confirm whether her purpose was what he thought, he said to the servant, "Take me to Doctor Xun first, then go to the woman in the front yard and tell her that I just finished bathing and am changing clothes, and ask her to wait."
Because it was not time to get the gauze yet, Xu Qing'an had to be taken to Xun Yang by someone.
However, the servant said, "But Doctor Xun happened to be in the front yard at that time, and the two of them bumped into each other, and Doctor Xun was detained."
Xu Qing'an frowned; the situation was more urgent than he had imagined.
In the front hall, Xun Yang was kept by Shangguan Xu. While waiting, the two exchanged a few words and Shangguan Xu also learned his name.
Shangguan Xu said, "Before I met Doctor Xun, I had no idea he was so young. And he looks even younger than Xu Qing."
This was Xun Yang's first face-to-face contact with Shangguan Xu, and he couldn't help feeling a little nervous as he didn't know the purpose of her sudden arrival.
He replied with a forced smile, "Yes, I am younger than Master Xu."
Shangguan Xu was curious. "So what about what he said before? It was you who took care of his health all this time?"
"That's Doctor Xun's master."
As a familiar voice came from outside the door, Shangguan Xu saw light and shadow flickering at the door in his peripheral vision.
She looked up.
The young man in his sight was dressed in a light blue robe, his eyes covered with a white veil. His clothes were simple and clean, except for a thin, inappropriate red mark on his cheek.
The young man was supported by someone. Perhaps he was not used to having his vision blocked, so he was a little at a loss in his hands and feet. However, even so, he controlled his posture very well. After crossing the threshold, a smile appeared on the corner of his lips. The wind blew behind him, and the scarf hanging behind his head fluttered, allowing him to roughly identify the direction.
Xu Qing'an bowed to Shangguan Xu, who was sitting on the throne. "Your Highness, I pay my respects to you. I am sorry to have kept you waiting."
Just now, the servant came to report to Shangguan Xu that the master at home had just finished bathing and was changing clothes, and asked her to wait a little, so she was late.
After the ceremony, Xu Qing'an continued, "The miraculous doctor I mentioned earlier, who has been helping me recuperate since I was a child, is this Doctor Xun's master. He has now returned to the mountains to develop medicine, so he asked Doctor Xun to stay and help me."
"Although Doctor Xun is young, his medical skills are excellent. The medicine he gave Madam Zheng was made by him."
Shangguan Xu lowered his eyes and smiled, saying softly, "So that's how it is." He immediately looked up and saw that he had changed into new clothes and the wound on his face had been treated. He asked again, "Is Xu Qing feeling better now?"
Xu Qing'an said respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I've taken the medicine and I'm fine now."
"That's good." Shangguan Xu said, "You were injured just now, so please sit down first."
Xu Qing'an was helped to sit down. "Your Majesty, are you here just to see my injury?"
Shangguan Xu stared at him and saw a red mark on his exposed palm, which seemed to be gone.
Shangguan Xu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Of course not." The imperial physician hadn't arrived yet, so she didn't rush to bring up the matter she was concerned about. She simply said, "I'm here to send someone off for you."
"Send it to someone?"
"I helped you catch the person who attacked you just now."
Xu Qing'an raised his brows when he heard this.
Shangguan Xu continued, "You told me your plans, so I thought handing these people over to you would be more helpful."
According to the next plan, Xu Qing'an will take action against Su Ran, and his entry point is also the Jiangnan water transportation. Now that the two family heads have been captured, whether they are directly serving as witnesses or digging deep into physical evidence, this will be a great help to his plan.
However, this matter can also be done without his hands...
Before Xu Qing'an could think about it, Qinghe walked in from outside the hall and whispered a few words to Shangguan Xu.
Shangguan Xu nodded after hearing this and said, "Okay, I understand."
"Besides sending someone off, I'm here for A Zheng. Since we're already at your house, I'd like to ask Doctor Xun to help take a look at A Zheng's condition." Shangguan Xu looked at Xun Yang again, his tone still normal, and said, "I wonder if Doctor Xun is free now to take A Zheng's pulse?"
Xu Qing'an felt strange when he heard this but he didn't show it on his face.
However, even though Xun Yang felt that something was amiss, he couldn't see Xu Qing'an's expression, so he didn't know what was going on and what he should do.
During this time, Shangguan Xu's eyes kept lingering on the two of them.
After a few breaths, Xu Qing'an smiled and said, "What a coincidence! Doctor Xun just asked me about Madam A Zheng's condition, and the Madam brought up this matter. I wonder where Madam A Zheng is?"
Shangguan Xu smiled faintly, "She's in the carriage outside the mansion. Her injuries haven't fully healed yet, so we don't dare let her walk around in the wind. If Doctor Xun is available right now, why don't we move outside the mansion for treatment?"
Xun Yang glanced at Xu Qing'an, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking again, he said respectfully, "Your Highness, your words are too kind. I will do my utmost to fulfill your request. I will go to the carriage and see Ms. A Zheng."
Shangguan Xu curled his lips and nodded, letting Qinghe take him away.
After the person left, Shangguan Xu calmed down and asked directly, "Why did you leave just now?"
Here it comes. Suddenly, the knuckles of his index finger resting lightly on the wooden table snapped, and Xu Qing'an knew he couldn't escape this question. He said indifferently, "I was so embarrassed just now. I don't know how to face the Queen after waking up."
Shangguan Xu pondered for a moment, and suddenly remembered what had just happened in the room.
But she said, "Is face more important than life?"
You have to know that the killer was still outside the house at that time, and it must have been extremely dangerous to run around outside with a pair of inconvenient eyes.
Xu Qingan said calmly: "I am a scholar."
"Scholar?" Shangguan Xu couldn't help but chuckled. If she hadn't seen him go crazy, she would have been easily persuaded by his words and his current expression and tone.
"My Lady."
As the two were confronting each other, a person came in from the door. Xu Qing'an couldn't see the person's appearance, but could only hear that his voice was old and deep.
The visitor said, "Mrs. Zheng is fine and has been seen by that doctor."
Shangguan Xu nodded: "The imperial physician has arrived just in time. I also need your help with something."
When he heard that the visitor was the imperial physician, Xu Qing'an tightened his clasped hands again.
Shangguan Xu took in every subtle movement and smiled softly, "Seeing your intense reaction just now, I was really worried about your health. Although you have a miraculous doctor at home, the herbs in the palace are still better. I'm not familiar with medicine, so I don't know what herbs you need for warming and nourishing you right now. Since the imperial physician is here, I'll have him take your pulse and see what medicines are best for you."
Xu Qing'an laughed dryly and said, "Your Majesty, I am truly sorry for the trouble you have taken on me. However, the palace is fully stocked with all necessary medicines, so there is no need to purchase anything else."
Shangguan Xu ignored him and simply glanced at the imperial physician. He raised his wrist and waved it towards him, signaling him to come over. "I've already said this isn't a matter of type, it's more about quality. What happened between us today, what we said, do you think it was all impulsive or a joke?"
Xu Qing'an's shoulders tightened again.
What she said...
The feeling of surging blood and energy reappeared in his chest, and the imperial physician had already arrived at his side.
"Master Xu, let me take your pulse."
Putting two fingers on his wrist, Xu Qing'an took a deep breath and calmed himself down as quickly as possible.
After taking Shangguan Xu's pulse, the imperial physician nodded, their eyes exchanging for a moment before bowing and saying, "I have a general understanding of Lord Xu's condition. I will make a list of the medicines available to Lord Xu and submit it to Your Majesty."
Shangguan Xu hummed softly.
But Xu Qing'an suddenly stood up at this moment and said in a tone that did not allow for refusal: "Your Majesty, I have something to say to you alone."
——
After everyone was dismissed, the door to the hall was temporarily closed.
Shangguan Xu calmly said to Xu Qing'an who was standing beside him, "What do you want to say?"
Xu Qing'an: "Your Majesty, are you irritated that I left without saying goodbye today?"
Shangguan Xu chuckled: "Why should I be upset?"
Xu Qing'an stepped forward and said, "Otherwise, if Her Majesty had come in such a large force, why would she first send Doctor Xun away and then have the imperial physician take my pulse?"
Shangguan Xu readily replied, "I've already mentioned the former. Since I came to see you this time, I thought I'd take this opportunity to bring Ah Zheng along. My original intention was for Ah Zheng, so how could I possibly send her away? As for letting the imperial physician take your pulse..."
"Of course, it was out of consideration for your suffering today that I asked him to feel your pulse and prescribe the right medicine so that he could send you supplements. This is what I just said. Do you think there's anything wrong?"
"It is precisely because of this that I have been struck by misfortune that Your Majesty should not have allowed others to feel my pulse." Xu Qing'an's tone was agitated, as if he was genuinely angry at Shangguan Xu's arrangement. "Your Majesty knows that the drug I was poisoned with is unspeakable. I don't even know if its effects still linger in my body. But Your Majesty, by allowing the imperial physician to feel my pulse, isn't this making my plight public to others?"
"Before that, I had already told Your Majesty why I left without saying goodbye. It was because I felt so miserable and ashamed to face others, but Your Majesty insisted on showing my wounds to others. Am I so lowly in Your Majesty's eyes? Does Your Majesty have to humiliate me like this?"
The seat at the top was not far from where Xu Qing'an had originally sat. He took another step and completely covered Shangguan Xu.
Shangguan Xu had to look up to him.
As he was blindfolded and was at a higher position than Shangguan Xu, only the lower contours of his handsome face and the high bridge of his nose fell into Shangguan Xu's sight, and a sense of oppression that was not strong but could not be ignored came with it.
Shangguan Xu stood up immediately.
She had never thought that he would react like this, and was even more touched by his words. Did he really think that she was crushing his dignity under his feet?
Shangguan Xu controlled his breathing and retorted, "I never had the thought you mentioned. You were in critical condition just now, vomiting blood and fainting in front of me, and then in the blink of an eye, you disappeared. In such a situation, I naturally have to be more concerned about you."
"You say I'm humiliating you, but what good would it do me to humiliate you? We've already come this far, and if I were to treat you the same way I treat everyone else, wouldn't that just be asking for trouble and making others laugh at me?"
Xu Qing'an still didn't believe it: "Is what the Queen said true?"
"Of course." Shangguan Xu replied bluntly, but she smiled again, "It's just... I really didn't expect Xu Qing to be so thin-skinned."
Xu Qing'an still had no expression, and no change could be seen on his face.
Shangguan Xu tilted his head to look at him and said softly, "Have I made myself clear now?"
With a clang, the corner of the table was bumped, and Shangguan Xu was picked up and placed on the table of the Luohan couch. Xu Qing'an supported her with his hands on both sides and leaned down.
When Shangguan Xu was surprised, Xu Qing'an had already put his face in front of her. He clearly couldn't see, but he was just able to look her in the eye, their breaths intertwined, and their noses were barely touching.
Xu Qing'an said softly, "So the main purpose of Your Majesty's visit is to show concern for me, right? After all, if the assassin has been apprehended, Your Majesty can have him detained by the Imperial Guards or directly handed over to the Ministry of Justice. There's really no need for Her Majesty to come to me. And even if Madam Azheng requires an in-person consultation, you can always find another opportunity to have her meet with Doctor Xun later. So, of Your Majesty's three goals, only seeing me is essential on this trip."
"Why? Why does Your Majesty care so much about me? Could it be that what I heard just now, in my ecstasy, were truly spoken by Your Majesty, and not something I imagined?"
What he heard when he was infatuated... She loved him?
He seemed to be particularly concerned about the answer to this question. He still remembered that several times before he lost control because she had expressed her attitude to him on matters between men and women.
Shangguan Xu couldn't help but sneer in his heart. Was he really in love with her? Even now, he needed constant proof to satisfy his sense of security and possessiveness.
Well, let's continue to play along with him. After all, Shangguan Xu is still trying to get him to talk during the process of "opening his heart" to him.
When he didn't hear her answer for a long time, he tilted his head and his nose brushed against hers again. She couldn't avoid it and subconsciously tilted her neck up, and her lips touched his skin again.
A chill moment.
Shangguan Xu leaned close to his ear and smiled, "Of course it's true. Although you were drugged and in a trance at the time, I was awake, so I can guarantee that every word I said was true."
Xu Qing'an chuckled twice.
"It's...wonderful."
He stroked her chin with his bony fingers and gently tilted her head back.
"Your Majesty, please call me by my given name."
Just now, when he fainted, he heard her call out before his hearing had completely faded. He had taken a courtesy name before, but his status was too high, and no one would call him by it, not even her.
She would only call him Brother Jing in a coquettish and joyful manner.
But Zhou Jingzhi is dead, and his calligraphy cannot be mentioned anymore.
Shangguan Xu was baffled by his request, but still complied with him and asked, "Xu Yanrong?"
“Just call the word.”
"Yan Rong..."
He gently held her chin, put his arms around her back, and lowered his lips to hers. He turned his head and opened his lips, touching her lovingly, little by little, his movements like a gentle spring breeze. Then he tried, going deeper and deeper, until he could no longer let go.
Although his movements were gentle, Shangguan Xu was restrained by him and could not move. His body became soft and hot, his breath was burning, and his breathing became heavier.
Just when Shangguan Xu's lips were numb from his kiss and she was short of breath, and she was about to push him away, she felt the force on her body loosen.
Their lips parted, and the spray of breath moved from the wings of their noses to between their eyebrows. Xu Qing'an took a step back and left her completely.
Shangguan Xutan opened his mouth slightly and calmed his breathing, but his eyes were fixed on him.
She saw him raise his hand and stop it behind his head.
The white veil in front of his eyes was removed, and a pair of cold and dark eyes slowly opened. Perhaps he had not had enough time to recover, or perhaps he had just been injured, but there were still bloodshot in Xu Qing'an's eyes, which made his peach blossom eyes, which were usually gentle because of his smile, tainted with a bit of coldness and hostility.
There was no trace of the tenderness from the previous moment in his expression. There was only a faint smile at the corner of his lips, but that smile did not reach his eyes, which made his current demeanor even more difficult to read and even more uneasy.
But the two of them just stared at each other, neither of them speaking.
"Empress!"
What broke the silence was Qinghe's shouting outside the house.
Shangguan Xu: "What's the matter?"
Her eyes remained locked on his throughout the entire time she asked.
"A Zheng fainted. She's not seriously injured, but Doctor Xun suggested she return to the palace to recuperate early!"
Shangguan Xu looked outside when he heard that, then jumped down and walked quickly to the door.
But the hand was held.
She looked back.
Xu Qing'an still had a faint smile on his face. He asked, "Your Majesty, I am very happy that you have come today. But I wonder how Your Majesty, since you think so highly of me, will arrange for me after your great cause is accomplished?"
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