Chapter 26 Applying Medicine: "Put your clothes on properly."
Hot springs? Isn't that the kind of hot spring the emperor used to soak in the other day?
Yao Ruyi became interested, but when he looked down at his half-wet robes, his eyes showed dissatisfaction. "Fine."
The two hit it off immediately, and Thirteen beckoned to Yao Ruyi, "Come on, come with your brother."
The two walked towards the mountainside, but although it was a downhill path, the road was unusually smooth, without even stone steps. Tall trees grew all around the path, but because it was not yet spring, they were bare and not as pretty as the ground covered with snowflakes.
Thirteen was worried about Yao Ruyi, and would turn around every now and then to check if he was keeping up. “This way, be careful.” He looked down at the road, then turned back to Yao Ruyi and instructed, “There’s spring water flowing down this path, and it’s full of potholes that no one has come to fix. Walk slowly.”
"The exposed rocks are easily covered by snow, and you can slip and fall if you're not careful," Thirteen said, grimacing as he described. "Last year, Fourteen and Fifteen came here. When Fifteen came, he was bragging to us about how much he had improved his skills, but he ended up breaking his leg here in the evening."
"That howling, tsk."
Yao Ruyi took Thirteen's hand and went over. He couldn't help but laugh when he heard this. He seemed to remember Fifteen. It should be the one who was with the Emperor at Qinghua Mountain.
"arrive."
After a winding path, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a stream of water rushing down from the horizon in the distance, though it couldn't quite be called a waterfall. Just a short distance away, where one could have seen snow-capped peaks, now there were even budding flowers by the pool.
Upon closer inspection, water droplets were still splashing on the buds.
Thirteen took off his clothes as he walked over. He took off his ordinary outer robe, revealing two layers of inner garments that were of moderate thickness but did not look soft. When he saw Yao Ruyi looking over, he chuckled, "How is it? The armor in this layer was developed by Eleven in Jiangnan. It's quite windproof."
He took his clothes off as well, saying, "Yours should still be being made. I can bring it back to you when I come back in October after spring arrives."
Yao Ruyi nodded, "Thank you."
"There's no need to thank me. Once we're in the Shadows, we're all brothers." Thirteen had already taken his clothes off. When he was dressed, apart from being a bit stronger, he was no different from an ordinary person. But now that he had taken his clothes off, there were no fewer than dozens of wounds crisscrossing his body.
Yao Ruyi looked at it and felt like she was in excruciating pain.
"Thirteen, is your injury healed?"
"It's nothing serious, it's medicine given by His Majesty." He looked up nonchalantly and waved to Yao Ruyi, "Come down quickly, the water temperature is just right now."
The hot spring water was slightly hot, and Thirteen was soaking in it, with only his neck sticking out, which looked a little comical from a distance. Yao Ruyi nodded hurriedly, and he followed suit, taking off his outer robe and getting into the water.
Her underwear clung to her body instantly, followed by the spring water. The moment she touched it, Yao Ruyi's eyes lit up. "So comfortable!"
Thirteen said smugly, "That's right."
"No? You're only wearing this one outer robe?" Thirteen was astonished. His eyes widened. Nineteen, with such a thin frame, was wearing a white brocade robe. Although the material was soft, it couldn't withstand the wind.
He felt he needed to teach this little bit more, since he seemed to know nothing.
"Nineteen, listen to your brother. Even though you're young, you still need to take care of your health. No matter how well you know your body, you can't just wear this one piece of clothing!"
Yao Ruyi stood about an arm's length away from him. The steam from the spring water made his face flush pink. His eyes kept glancing between the robe he had placed to the side and Thirteen. His earnest and persuasive demeanor just now suddenly reminded Yao Ruyi of Cui Xiangzhu from last night.
He chuckled, then quickly composed himself. "Okay."
"What's so good about it?" Thirteen said helplessly. "When we get back to the palace, we should hurry up and make some clothes. If you don't have any money, I have some here. You can pay me back when you get your monthly salary."
Yao Ruyi nodded, then paused halfway through, "I don't get a monthly allowance."
Suddenly, the hot spring became quiet except for the sound of Yao Ruyi splashing water with her hands, "Splash—"
"Drip, drip—" He held a handful of water in his hands, watching it drip down from his palms, forming ripples on the surface.
Thirteen stared blankly as he played, his mind racing, wondering, "No monthly allowance?!"
"Did His Majesty promise you anything else?" Thirteen quickly tried to cover for his emperor, "Perhaps His Majesty forgot to tell you, or you don't remember."
Yao Ruyi nodded. She couldn't tell anyone else about the emperor giving her blood, but it was still a reward promised to him. "Yes, I have some."
Thirteen breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. Come on, I just got two handkerchiefs from Cui Xiangzhu. Let's rub each other's backs."
Yao Ruyi quickly took it from him. He and Thirteen were now friends, and it was only natural for friends to help each other with back rubbing. "Here, is the pressure okay?"
"Yes, yes, and the other side too!" Thirteen squinted comfortably. Nineteen's technique was really good, unlike Fourteen, who always treated him like a pig whenever he asked him to scrub his back, always going all out!
"Feels so good!"
Thirteen wipes his body or takes a bath every day. His original intention was to soak in the spring water. He took his own handkerchief back from Yao Ruyi's hand and then reached out to take Yao Ruyi's handkerchief. "Turn around quickly, brother will help you wipe."
Yao Ruyi turned around, his body fair and smooth, his lean shoulders tapering downwards, his shoulder blades slightly protruding. His waistline was smooth and refined, tucked into his underwear as he slid down his waist and abdomen in the water.
The style of the underwear was actually a replica of the underwear that Gu Huizhou wore that night, created by Yao Ruyi.
"Nineteen, have you been taking medicine to regulate your body? You look as fair and delicate as a young girl." Thirteen couldn't tell if she was envious or just being sarcastic. "I'll be gentle. If it hurts, you have to tell me."
Yao Ruyi nodded quickly, "Okay."
He obediently lay down by the pool, his chin resting on the back of his hand. He had just practiced swordsmanship for an hour, and his previously sore back now felt incredibly comfortable. The streams of hot water washing over his shoulder blades made him drowsy.
"Hmm—"
Yao Ruyi instantly perked up. He felt a burning pain in his back and quickly took several steps back to distance himself from Thirteen, looking at him accusingly with his eyes.
"I—" He didn't use any force at all!
Thirteen felt she had been wrongly accused at her grandmother's house, but the long red mark on Nineteen's back was real, and she could still faintly see blood. "Nineteen, I—you—"
You can't say such shameless things.
Now, no one believes that he didn't do it.
Yao Ruyi leaned against the stone wall, using the coolness to soothe the stinging pain in his back. How could he forget! With his current condition, he actually dared to come for a back massage!
"It's not your problem, Thirteen."
He was simply too weak.
Thirteen swallowed hard in disbelief. "Really...really not me?"
"no."
Thirteen hurriedly got up and frantically dried himself off with a handkerchief. The clothes they had just put on the shore were already dry, and he quickly put them on. "Nineteen, you stay here for now. I'll go back and get your medicine now."
"Stay put and don't leave!"
"I'll be right back!"
Thirteen took two steps at a time, leaping onto the rocky cliff with his long legs and disappearing along another rugged mountain path.
Yao Ruyi opened her mouth but hadn't even uttered a word of refusal yet.
"I hope he doesn't go looking for Fog Source again." Mushroom frowned, hoping he wouldn't be carrying a huge bag of herbs later.
"You get along well with them."
Yao Ruyi turned around, and a figure emerged from the stone cave he hadn't noticed before. Gu Huizhou, wearing a fox fur coat, stood on the shore with his handsome face facing the warm red sunlight. He took a few steps forward and looked down at his reflection in the pool.
"His Majesty?"
He was just on the mountain.
Yao Ruyi met the emperor's eyes, stood ramrod straight, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Gu Huizhou's expression was complicated. He glanced at him and frowned slightly. "Turn around."
Yao Ruyi's back wounds became more noticeable after soaking in the spring water, and even showed signs of swelling.
Gu Huizhou's voice was cold and harsh, "Why don't you heal your own wounds?"
"I cannot heal myself."
The emperor nodded thoughtfully. "Come here." He pulled out the small porcelain bottle from somewhere and beckoned to Yao Ruyi.
The man was tall, and his fox fur coat reached his ankles. As he squatted down, it looked like it was about to touch the water. Yao Ruyi quickly stepped forward, stretched out her fair and slender arms from the water, and steadily held the hem of the fox fur coat in her hands. He breathed a long sigh of relief.
fine.
"do what!"
Gu Huizhou spoke sharply. Yao Ruyi's body had turned a warm pink after soaking in the spring water for a long time, and the two points on her chest had become even more flushed. But her arms returned to their original white color after being pulled out of the pool for a short while, even whiter than her original skin color, becoming closer to the original color of the mushroom stem.
"It will get dirty if it gets on the ground."
Yao Ruyi explained, and he felt very uncomfortable looking at her.
Gu Huizhou remained silent for a few moments before speaking again, "Turn around."
Yao Ruyi was still holding the fox fur coat in both hands. Hearing this, she looked around. There was really no other way. Yao Ruyi looked up and met Gu Huizhou's gaze. She carefully tucked the hem of the fox fur coat into the emperor's arms.
He just won't touch it.
Gu Huizhou: ...
The man's fingers were long and strong, and the cold fingers pressed against his back made Yao Ruyi tremble unintentionally. He subconsciously wanted to hide underwater, but those hands grabbed his neck and held him in place.
"Your Majesty, it's cold."
Gu Huizhou snorted coldly, "I really couldn't tell."
"Don't move."
The hand on his neck was pulled back, and Yao Ruyi felt powder being sprinkled on the wound on his back. The excruciating burning sensation returned, just like last time, and he now wanted to dive underwater.
"Hmm—"
Gu Huizhou did not do as he wished. He grabbed Yao Ruyi's arm with one hand and pressed him against the edge of the pool.
The two remained locked in this stalemate for about half an incense stick's time before the burning sensation finally subsided. Yao Ruyi opened his eyes, which had been closed for a long time, his tears still wet. The setting sun reflected in his eyes as he pushed himself out of the water with his hands.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Gu Huizhou stood up and looked away, then reached out to straighten the fox fur coat and patted it several times.
"Um."
"Put your clothes on properly."
The clothes were originally formed from mycelium, and in the blink of an eye, they returned to Yao Ruyi's body, as clean and fresh as when they had first appeared. His back wound no longer hurt, and the brocade robe felt wonderfully comfortable on him again.
"What is Your Majesty doing here?"
The two sat together on a stone bench by the pool. It was unclear who had repaired the table and chairs, or if it was truly a masterpiece of nature.
"Just browsing around."
Did you just wander around and end up halfway up the mountain?
Yao Ruyi didn't believe it, and besides, the stone cave didn't seem to be unattended. But since Gu Huizhou didn't say anything, he didn't ask any further.
"Does Your Majesty wish to return?"
Seeing Gu Huizhou stand up, he said, "Then Your Majesty should go back first. I'll wait here for Thirteen; he went back to get my medicine."
To everyone's surprise, the man immediately laughed, "Wait until he comes back with a bundle of herbs to carry around and play with?"
"Then I'll wait for him to come back too."
We can't wait until Thirteen comes back to find that he's gone. I promised him I'd wait for him here.
"casual."
Gu Huizhou uttered a single sentence and turned to leave.
But she didn't move; her wrist was grabbed by a hand with considerable force.
"His Majesty!"
He turned around and met Yao Ruyi's astonished expression. "My leg..."
In an instant, the space beneath the white brocade robe became empty, and Yao Ruyi was filled with regret. He had forgotten to bring the jar of blood His Majesty had given him. Panic filled Yao Ruyi's eyes; he couldn't possibly turn into a mushroom here!
"Open your mouth."
Mushroom looked up, only to have a finger shoved into his mouth. The taste of blood filled his mouth, and he swallowed twice, his saliva mixed with Gu Huizhou's blood.
"Your Majesty, shall we return to the temple—"
Cui Xiangzhu emerged from the stone cave, his voice abruptly ceasing. The head eunuch turned around instantly, exclaiming, "Oh dear—look at this old servant's memory, I've forgotten something again!"
"Your Majesty, please rest. This old servant will fetch the things and come right away."
Yao Ruyi stood up blankly, reaching out to wipe the emperor's finger clean. "Thank you, Your Majesty." His eyes brightened as he felt relieved, completely unaware of the sudden darkening expression on the man opposite him.
"Walk."
"I'll wait—"
"Cui Xiangzhu is waiting here."
"As long as someone is waiting, that's fine." "Yes."
-
The next day marked the third day of everyone's stay at Yun Temple. After lunch, they were able to pack up and return to the capital. Many people were pale from eating the vegetarian food at the temple and wished they could catch a wild pheasant or rabbit in the forest on their way down the mountain and kill and eat it on the spot.
Inside the room.
Gu Huizhou held a scroll of scripture in his hand, and on his right wrist wore a string of consecrated sandalwood beads. The beads jingled as he played with them.
The sounds of clashing swords and breathing mingled together in the courtyard.
But as soon as I entered the room, the sandalwood incense immediately cleared my mind, and my thoughts gradually calmed down.
Baili Yi carefully closed the door, smiled at Cui Xiangzhu in the courtyard, and shut the door a crack. The room had no windows open, yet it was still brightly lit by the sunlight outside, making the paper windowpanes appear bright white.
The fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air. Baili Yi looked around, then bowed his head and stepped forward, kneeling on the ground. "Your subject greets Your Majesty."
"Lord Baili," Gu Huizhou slowly raised his eyes, "What brings you here to see me today, Lord Baili?"
"Your Majesty, I have come today to apologize!"
Baili Yi's eyes darkened as he kowtowed. Even though the emperor knew he was coming, he still asked, "Your Majesty, I have come to confess what happened yesterday!"
Gu Huizhou placed the sutra face down to one side, tilting his body to play with the prayer beads. "Oh? Has the Second Young Master's injury healed?"
"Your Majesty, my son's injury will not heal."
Baili Yi trembled, filled with deep regret.
"Your Majesty! Yesterday's events were all orchestrated by Liang Fu!" Baili Yi declared confidently. "On the night Your Majesty and I visited the temple, my guards accidentally discovered that a servant from Minister Liang's household was colluding with a young monk in the temple! That bowl of porridge was originally intended for General Han's room!"
Baili Yi wept, his eyes brimming with tears. "Your Majesty! I have only judged you by my own petty standards! Liang Fu only dares to act so arrogantly because he holds the late Emperor's Tiger Tally!"
"Furthermore, the distribution of military merits this time fueled Liang Fu's hatred for General Han, which is why he took such drastic measures at this moment!"
Gu Huizhou didn't speak, and Baili Yi paused before continuing.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty! I should have informed Your Majesty when the guards told me the day before yesterday! But I was overcome by greed and foolishly thought that I could use the Ten Thousand Poisons Pill as a shield to have my son take this disaster for General Han, so that I could win favor with the Han family!"
He softened his tone, "So I had my guards find the Liang family's servant and bribe him. Then I had the servant tell Monk Mi to deliver the congee to my son's courtyard!"
His voice was filled with regret and remorse, "It was my momentary lapse of judgment that led my son to suffer such pain."
"I beg Your Majesty to grant me justice!"
"Da da da—"
The rustling of beads continued as Baili Yi kowtowed deeply to the ground. His sobs gradually subsided; he now felt choked by the incense and couldn't open his eyes, tears streaming down his forehead.
"Please rise quickly, my dear minister."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Gu Huizhou sighed deeply, “How could I not know your predicament, my dear minister?” He put on a sorrowful expression, “However, I have only been on the throne for less than two years and my foundation is not stable. How can I easily move the favored ministers in the court?”
"How could you bear to put me in such a difficult position, my dear minister?" the emperor said leisurely, his brows slightly furrowed.
"His Majesty--"
Before Baili Yi could finish speaking, he continued, "Liang Fu holds the other half of the Tiger Tally, and I am powerless to stop him." However, he suddenly changed the subject, "Why don't you take action yourself, my dear minister?"
Baili Yi was taken aback. "Your subject, you will do it yourself?"
Gu Huizhou took a small box from the table next to him and handed it to him, saying, "Keep it safe."
Baili Yi was shocked, his heart pounding. This was poison.
“Since Minister Liang has poisoned the Second Young Master, then you may secretly poison him back.” Gu Huizhou said and then quickly waved his hand, “Don’t worry, I will not interfere in this matter.”
"His Majesty--"
Gu Huizhou sighed, "My dear minister, you know my temperament. I will not pursue yesterday's matter. My dear minister, you should take care of yourself."
"My lord, I obey the order."
Trembling, he carried the box out of the room and walked until the carriage stopped in front of the Baili residence. Baili Yi took a deep breath, closed his eyes tightly, and ordered as he walked into the residence, "Summon the eldest young master."
In the study.
His face was serious, and he frowned as he faced a landscape painting on the wall. He gripped the pill tightly in his right hand, and when he opened his eyes again, a resolute look flashed in his eyes.
The door creaked open, followed by the clattering of a wheelchair.
"The son has met his father."
The voice was weak, yet it was extremely pleasant to listen to.
Baili Yi grunted in acknowledgment and turned to look at his eldest son. He was dressed in a simple light blue robe, with a dark blue cloak draped over his legs, concealing the defect in that area.
His hair was neatly styled, and his eyebrows and eyes especially resembled his mother's when she was young, giving him the appearance of a refined young gentleman.
"Father?"
Baili Yi snapped out of his reverie at the sound of a call. He smiled and asked, "Qingxiao, how have you been resting these past few days?"
Baili Qingxiao's eyes and brows looked gentle and kind. He smiled back and said, "Thank you for your concern, Father. The weather has warmed up recently, and my legs don't hurt as much anymore."
Baili Yi responded in a muffled voice. He looked at the legs and then slowly closed his eyes. If Qingxiao and Wenhan hadn't ridden their horses recklessly in the street more than ten years ago, they wouldn't have ended up in this situation.
"Yes, I have something to discuss with you today."
"Father, please speak."
Baili Qingxiao wheeled himself to the other side of the table. Seeing that Baili Yi's expression was not right, he also suppressed his smile. "What is it, Father?"
His voice suddenly turned old, "Han'er was harmed by the Liang family, and her offspring were lost."
"Second brother?!" Baili Qingxiao was shocked. He gripped the armrests of his wheelchair tightly with both hands. He tried to rush forward in anger, but almost fell off the wheelchair. "Father!"
"Keep your voice down!"
Baili Yi said sternly, "It hasn't spread throughout the capital yet, but the aristocratic families all know about it."
"But my second brother isn't married yet!" Baili Qingxiao refused to believe it. "Father wants to find a doctor for my second brother. Even if my legs can't support me anymore, I want my second brother to be able to—"
Baili Yi said, "I know! You don't need to worry about this. I will find doctors from all over the world to treat Han'er."
"Look at this."
Baili Qingxiao nodded, his voice choked with emotion. He turned to look, "What is this?"
"Given by His Majesty."
"I went to His Majesty for justice! But His Majesty told us to repay them in kind!"
Baili Qingxiao remained silent for a long time before pursing his lips. “His Majesty will indeed not easily touch the Liang family. As a favored minister of the late Emperor, the Liang family even handed over half of the Tiger Tally! I never expected His Majesty to give the other half to Han Jiqing. Now these two families are considered evenly matched in the court.”
He frowned. "Father, now His Majesty is forcing us to choose sides."
His Majesty is forcing them to side with the Han family. Only by bringing down the Liang family can Gu Huizhou truly have the officials under his control.
"Hmph! How can the Liang family be brought down so easily! Since returning to the capital, Liang He has been arrogant and disrespectful to everyone in the court, not even the Emperor. But so what? The Emperor still retains his position as a fourth-rank general."
"That's why His Majesty wants us to stand on the same side as the Han family, so that we can have an advantage when facing the Liang family."
Baili Qingxiao's expression was complicated. "Father, do you know that the honor the late Emperor bestowed upon the Liang family was not the Tiger Seal? It is rumored that the late Emperor once intended to entrust the deposed Crown Prince Gu Huai'an to Liang Fu, but now no one knows the whereabouts of the deposed Crown Prince."
“Even if it wasn’t Liang Fu, the late emperor would have left something for the deposed crown prince to save his life.”
Baili Yi frowned as he listened. "So what do you mean?"
“Father, I believe that our Baili family can comply with His Majesty’s wishes. After the Liang family is deposed, we can discuss everything in more detail later.”
Baili Yi hummed in agreement. "Are you still in contact with Liang Chengfeng?"
"Father, rest assured, I have not contacted you since I declined to see guests a few days ago, claiming illness."
"Very good. Do you understand why I summoned you here today?"
"Because of the matter concerning the second brother, Father wants to support the third brother?"
Baili Yi shook his head, "Of my three sons, you are the most intelligent. As for Jiang'er, I only hope that he can live a peaceful life."
"So, what does Father mean?"
Baili Yi said in a deep voice, "You will be the next head of the Baili family."
“But my son’s leg—” Baili Qingxiao frowned, and he hesitated before speaking, “How can a disabled person shoulder great responsibilities?”
“Go back and think about it yourself. I will use the excuse of seeking medical treatment for you to bring you famous doctors from all over the country. Your leg will be healed sooner or later.”
“My son understands.”
The clattering of the wheelchair started again, then stopped with the sound of a door closing.
Baili Yi was left alone in the room, lost in thought.
The sky was already darkening; it was evening when they came down from the mountain. Yao Ruyi was still conscious while on horseback, but once she entered the palace, she could not hide the weariness in her eyes.
He used to sleep six or seven hours a day when he was making mushrooms, but these days he hasn't even slept three hours.
He mumbled a few words, it was hard to tell if they were complaints.
Gu Huizhou dismissed the eunuchs, picked up the medicine, and turned around again, only to find that the figure had disappeared from the doorway.
Meanwhile, a mushroom had appeared in the soft white jade flowerpot on the side. Its orange-yellow cap was growing little by little. He was in a hurry to fall asleep and didn't even have time to go to the center of the flowerpot. He just hastily stuck it to the side.
The cap of the mushroom occasionally touches the edge of the flowerpot.
Gu Huizhou squinted, recalling the action of someone lying on the edge of the hot spring.
He turned around and turned off the light.
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The mushroom was modeled after the Amanita fulva, but only its appearance was referenced – it's beautiful!
[Green Heart][Green Heart][Green Heart]
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