Beauty in red dress
Southwest Military Camp - Commander's Tent
After everyone had left, Xuan Ru circled the tent to make sure no one was around, then patted Xiao Chengyan's hand and said, "Your Highness, it's safe now, you can get up."
Lying on the bed, Xiao Chengyan slowly opened his eyes: "What are you doing here?"
Before Xuan Ru could answer, Xiao Chengyan seemed to have thought of something and said casually, "Xie Yan is here too?"
Xuanru nodded: "Yes."
Xiao Chengyan remained lying motionless on the bed, but his voice grew even colder.
"Since you two came together, why did you come to my camp?"
Xuan Ru was not giving up. She took out a bill from the medicine bag she carried with her and handed it to Xiao Chengyan with a fawning smile: "Your Highness, Xuan Ru was thinking that since we have come to the Southwest, this bill... do you think we should settle it?"
Xiao Chengyan casually picked up the list and glanced at it, then his gaze suddenly fixed on Xie Yan?
"Should Xie Yan's consultation fee also be charged to me?"
Xuan Ru said, "Xie Yan never pays for consultations; A Hong always pays for him."
Xiao Chengyan returned the list to Xuan Ru: "...You really are a miser. Go ask Changfeng for it."
Xuan Ru smiled apologetically and helped Xiao Chengyan up.
Xiao Chengyan looked at Xuan Ru meaningfully: "Just now, when I took your pulse, even the military doctor couldn't tell that I was faking it, but you knew it as soon as you took your pulse. It seems that your medical skills are better than those of ordinary doctors."
When the topic turned to medicine, Xuanru suddenly became wide awake and began to talk quite eloquently.
"That's right! What does my Medicine Master Valley do? We bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. How can ordinary doctors compare to us? It's just that the Prince has used my Medicine Master Valley as a place for recuperation. In fact, my Xuanru is essentially a doctor who heals the sick and saves lives, and my medical skills are quite good."
At this point, Xuanru looked at Xiao Chengyan, her eyes filled with undisguised worry.
“Your Highness, although you're not pretending to be as bad as you seem, your left shoulder injury is actually quite severe. The Frosty Miasma of the Desolate Region was a poison array set up by my mother; I know her methods best. Your shoulder won't heal unless you rest and receive proper treatment. And you…”
Xuan Ru looked at the dark circles under Xiao Chengyan's eyes as she spoke, "You haven't had a proper rest in a long time, have you?"
Xiao Chengyan acted as if he hadn't heard her, and instead asked, "Since Xuanru, your medical skills are so superb, and you and Jinghong are such close friends, why don't you care about her losing her memories from before the age of ten?"
Xuan Ru pointed at herself with one index finger: "I..."
Xiao Chengyan frowned as he looked at Xuan Ru: "Could it be about money? With me here, how could you be short of money? You don't need to worry about this."
Xuanru stood aside and patiently said, "Your Highness, it's not that I'm unwilling to treat him, but treating Ah Hong's amnesia requires an ancient acupuncture technique called 'Ling Shu Flying Needle,' which involves a total of forty-nine needles. My mother only taught me the first twenty needles before she passed away, so even if I wanted to use the needles on Ah Hong, I wouldn't dare."
She paused, then added, "Besides, Ah Hong has his own methods of doing things, which are beyond my control."
Seeing Xiao Chengyan remain silent, Xuan Ru lowered her voice: "...It is Your Highness..."
Xiao Chengyan suddenly became alert, his eyes turning deep and dark: "Insolence!"
Xuanru realized he had overstepped his bounds and quickly apologized with a forced smile, "Your Highness, what is the purpose of your pretense of... oh, I mean, illness?"
Xiao Chengyan said, "Don't pry into military affairs."
Xuan Ru cast a long, wistful glance at him, then sighed, "In that case, I won't say any more about Xie Yan's matter."
Xiao Chengyan snorted, his fingertips paused slightly, then returned to normal.
Yes, he did care about Xie Yan, but that was only because Xie Yan still coveted Gu Jinghong, and Gu Jinghong had taken such good care of him in the Medicine Master Valley.
But things are different now. The two of them went south together, studied mechanical arts together, and even kissed and hugged each other. Gu Jinghong still looked at him with those eyes, completely like a little girl.
Thinking of this, Xiao Chengyan's eyes suddenly softened.
He didn't believe it. Could Xie Yan really interfere at a time like this?
Naturally, Xuanru couldn't discern anything from his face.
Xiao Chengyan finally said indifferently, "As I said, others should not pry into military affairs. If Master Xuan is willing to do his best for us in the army, I will naturally welcome him and will certainly reward him handsomely. But if you are thinking about something else, don't blame me for not remembering our past friendship."
"Furthermore... you need to take good care of Gu Jinghong's matter. You must dig out the remaining twenty-nine needles even if you have to dig three feet into the ground!"
Xuanru rubbed her forehead—look, look, he's being unreasonable again! Does being handsome give him the right to be unreasonable?!
She exhaled and looked earnestly at Xiao Chengyan: "Your Highness, if you continue to push yourself like this and ruin your strong physique, what will happen to Ah Hong's happiness? Memories are only from childhood, they're all in the past, happiness is in the future, it's something to look forward to. Otherwise... why don't you lie down and rest?"
Just then, they heard Changfeng outside tentatively ask, "Valley Master Xuan, how is the Prince?"
Xuan Ru walked towards the tent flap, lowered her eyes and shook her head: "The prince's life is not in danger, please invite Commander Feng in."
Changfeng's heart skipped a beat. What did Xuanru mean by this?
Xuanru gave a wink, and then saw that Xiao Chengyan looked exhausted, with bluish eyelids and a pale face. Suddenly, she seemed to understand something.
When Xiao Chengyan saw Changfeng enter, he asked indifferently, "What is it?"
Xuanru found a chair next to a long table, sat down, and poured herself some tea.
Changfeng handed Xiao Chengyan a crimson invitation with gold trim: "Your Highness, the Southwest Prince's Mansion has sent an invitation, requesting that Your Highness take the time to attend his birthday banquet."
Xiao Chengyan opened the invitation and frowned slightly: "Zhao Qian's birthday is August 13th... which is ten days from now?"
Changfeng said, "Yes. In previous years, His Highness did not participate, and this year His Highness is unwell. What do you think... perhaps I should follow the old custom and decline?"
Xuan Ru coldly said, "Oh, you've refused so many times and you still come to invite me? Isn't this a trap?"
Xiao Chengyan returned the invitation to Changfeng: "Go and prepare some congratulatory gifts. I... will attend in person."
Changfeng was unsure: "...Should we bring some more people?"
"Need not."
A glint of light flashed in Xiao Chengyan's eyes.
Xuan Ru rested her hands behind her back, watching Xiao Chengyan with a leisurely air, and suddenly burst out laughing.
Xiao Chengyan glanced at her: "What is it? Speak."
Xuan Ru slowly walked towards Xiao Chengyan and said, "I'm laughing, Your Highness. If you really refuse to rest no matter what... then I can only do as Ah Hong told me."
Xiao Chengyan looked at Xuan Ru suspiciously: "Ah Hong?...What did she say to you?!"
She said—
Before he finished speaking, Xuan Ru's right hand, fingers pointing like a knife, swiftly and accurately slashed towards Xiao Chengyan's neck!
"If you refuse to rest, I'll knock you out with a chop to the neck!"
Xiao Chengyan never imagined that with Changfeng by his side, Xuanru would dare to attack him.
While preoccupied with Gu Jinghong's thoughts and already feeling unwell, he finally let out a muffled groan and fainted.
Changfeng was so frightened he nearly cried out, "Valley Master Xuan! You!"
Xuanru waved her hand dismissively, "Don't panic! This is a secret technique personally passed down by Ah Hong, specially designed to cure your prince's 'difficult-to-treat illness' of not being able to sleep. She said that in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken, and she will bear all the consequences."
Changfeng breathed a sigh of relief and subconsciously touched his buttocks—so it was Miss Gu's idea! Then it's alright... I guess?
This is how a subordinate should act: it's better to wait for the prince to wake up and hold him accountable than to be beaten with military rods himself!
...
Gu Jinghong and Xie Yan had only been at Zuihuayin for a few days when they became prominent figures there.
Both of them were very beautiful.
One was so beautiful she seemed unreal, the other was tall and slender, with an exotic flair and proficiency in various musical instruments.
Looking at her increasingly bulging purse, Li San Niang was overjoyed, and thus took extra care of the two of them.
Inside the room, Gu Jinghong finally finished tidying up the last strand of Xie Yan's hair.
The "woman" in the mirror wore a dazzling red dress, with piled-up black hair and heavy makeup. Her phoenix eyes slanted and carried an aggressive, almost eerie charm, which, combined with his original cold temperament, created a breathtaking and bizarre beauty.
Xie Yan looked at himself in the mirror, raised an eyebrow with extreme disdain, and let out a cold snort: "Gu Jinghong, I'll remember this debt."
Gu Jinghong was picking up a pearl hairpin and gesturing when she heard this. She chuckled and said in a relaxed tone, "Don't worry, Miss Xie 'Wanwan'. Once we catch the hawk, I'll treat you to the best pear blossom liquor in the Southwest as an apology."
Xie Yan gave a reproachful look with her phoenix eyes: "You said it, don't say you can't drink and then stand me up!"
Just then, the housekeeper's obsequious voice came from outside the door: "Are Wanwan and Honghong here?"
Gu Jing forced a smile, her voice extremely sweet: "You're here."
Xie Yan rolled her eyes at Gu Jinghong—this woman is really something! She'd even sell her feelings for a mission? He's so good to her, why doesn't she ever smile at him!
The curtain was lifted, and the tall figure of Liu Wei, the commander of the guards, walked in.
Gu Jinghong immediately lowered her head, adopting a submissive demeanor.
Xie Yan also lowered his eyelashes and half-covered his face with a round fan, but his tall figure still looked somewhat out of place among the petite dancers.
Liu Wei's gaze indeed lingered on him, scrutinizing him.
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Just as Liu Wei seemed about to ask a question—
"Oh."
A very soft laugh, tinged with a casual mockery, rang out from the "beauty in the red dress".
Xie Yan's eyes darted around, showing no sign of fear. Instead, she scrutinized Liu Wei from head to toe with a critical and condescending gaze, her red lips slightly parted.
"Have you seen enough?" He lightly tapped Liu Wei's direction with his fan, his tone both spoiled and arrogant. "Didn't Mother say that among the distinguished guests tonight, there would be such... ill-mannered people? We are here to perform for the Prince, not to let you choose livestock."
His preemptive move was extremely arrogant, as if he were the one who was there to inspect.
That innate arrogance and aloofness instantly stunned Liu Wei, making him forget to doubt her identity. He only felt that this dancer had quite a temper and probably had some background.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Liu Wei's face, and he didn't ask any more questions. He glanced at the scene briefly and left dejectedly.
Gu Jinghong couldn't help but glance at Xie Yan, then leaned close to him and chuckled, "As expected of Grand Secretary Xie, his ability to turn the tables is undiminished even when dressed as a woman."
Xie Yan then slowly put down the fan, glanced at her with his phoenix eyes, and flicked his orchid-like fingers.
"To deal with this kind of person, if you give him a little leeway, he'll take advantage of you. It's better to let him know from the beginning who is the one who needs to be scrutinized."
At this point, he suddenly realized his raised fingers and then shook his hand away in disgust.
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