Chapter 23 "Nineteen" Takes Office (Double Update): "Then I'll let you take it off."
Even as she slept that night, Yao Ruyi kept thinking about how many more years she would have to stay in the palace.
As dawn approached, he vaguely heard noises outside, but the quilt was so comfortable that Yao Ruyi turned over and continued to sleep.
He stuck one leg out of the blanket because it was too hot, but after a while, the morning breeze blew in from the window and blew on his leg. He shivered and pulled his leg back in.
She showed no signs of waking up at all, but she did pull the blanket up a little more with both hands.
Gu Huizhou stood by the window, a long sword in his hand gleaming coldly. The misty gray-blue light outside the window reflected off the sword, sending chills down one's spine.
The sharp tip of the sword was less than a finger's width from the tender neck. Gu Huizhou watched the leg retract and slowly moved the sword away. After a while, he picked up a silk handkerchief from the table and wiped the blade, waiting for the morning light to arrive.
The even breathing sounds were still in my ears, along with the rustling sound of the quilt being kicked away again.
When Cui Xiangzhu entered, he saw that his emperor was already dressed and sitting at the table practicing calligraphy, but upon closer inspection, he noticed a bulge on the soft couch.
That little face is so tender.
The head eunuch's heart pounded, and he dared not speak loudly. He said cautiously, "Your Majesty, the carriages and horses are ready. The officials who are going up the mountain with us are waiting outside the palace."
"Um."
Logically speaking, he should have left by now. Cui Xiangzhu kept his head down, not daring to look anywhere, for fear of seeing something.
A scraping sound came from behind him, and a clear voice, slightly hoarse from waking up early, said, "Your Majesty." Yao Ruyi rubbed his eyes. It was the first time he had slept so soundly in the palace. He figured that he wouldn't have to worry anymore once the Emperor found out.
He suffered so much before, hiding it from us for so long, sleeping in a small flowerpot every day. And look at him now! His bed is more luxurious and beautiful than an emperor's, and the quilt feels like water in your hand.
It feels so good.
"Walk."
Cui Xiangzhu immediately followed behind, and as he passed Yao Ruyi, he turned his head and muttered to himself, "Hurry up!"
His voice was hurried, but he smiled quite a bit. After he finished speaking, he turned around and left, leaving Yao Ruyi slightly stunned and nodding.
He needed to hurry; he had been sleeping so comfortably that he almost forgot he was supposed to go to Yun Temple with the Emperor for three days of fasting.
The material of this guard's uniform wasn't very good. Yao Ruyi had gotten used to wearing the white satin robe she had conjured up these days, and now this outfit felt uncomfortable all over.
He has to grab it every two steps.
"Oh, nineteen."
Thirteen appeared out of nowhere, walking familiarly beside Yao Ruyi with a friendly smile.
"Looking at how thin you are, how come you're so highly regarded by His Majesty? Do you have some ability that none of us brothers possess?" He grinned slyly. "His Majesty isn't here now, so tell me."
Is His Majesty not here?
Yao Ruyi turned her head and saw that the emperor was indeed not there. She had just seen him walk out of the Cloud Palace, and she wondered where he had gone now.
"Stop looking, His Majesty has already left in his imperial carriage. Just follow me in a bit, my name is Thirteen."
He leaned closer and urged, "Hey, tell me about it."
Yao Ruyi had a good first impression of this friendly person. He smiled and said, "I can cure diseases."
"That's good, but why didn't you go to the Imperial Hospital?"
Thirteen continued, "But it's good not to go to the Imperial Hospital. Let me tell you, the Imperial Hospital is a mess. Besides, I really can't praise their medical skills. They always talk about resting and recuperating."
"Who wouldn't want to rest and recuperate if they could?"
Yao Ruyi nodded, "That's right. I only care about His Majesty; I don't care about anyone else."
"That's how it has to be. We, the Shadows, are His Majesty's secret guards. Come on, I'll show you to some things."
Yao Ruyi followed Thirteen all the way to a large courtyard with dozens of rooms. She hadn't expected there to be such a palace not far from the Cloud Palace. Although it couldn't compare to the Cloud Palace's magnificence and grandeur, it was still quite orderly and solemn.
As he walked, Thirteen said, “Originally there were only eighteen of us brothers, but now with you, there are nineteen. Now there are only Fourteen and I in the palace, and the others are not here.” He pondered for a moment, seemingly a little annoyed, “Since you are temporarily staying with His Majesty, then we will not arrange a room for you here for the time being.”
After all, they would feel at ease if he knew medicine and was close to His Majesty.
"Okay." Yao Ruyi rubbed her wrist, which was itchy from being rubbed by her sleeve, and listened attentively to what he had to say.
"Here, this sword is yours." The two browsed through a place that resembled a storeroom, and Thirteen finally found a silver sword that looked a bit lighter. He held it in his hand and tossed it around. "Nineteen, do you know how to wield a sword?"
Thirteen could tell from Yao Ruyi's blank expression at a glance, "Come on, let your brother show you one."
With that, the 13th leader strode out of the house.
The courtyard was spacious in the center, a natural training ground. Thirteen silver longswords were handed to Yao Ruyi; after all, they were from the armory, and how much lighter could they possibly be?
However, to his surprise, "I didn't expect someone as slender as you could lift a sword. Come on, learn from me!"
Thirteen practically leaped forward, his movements fluid and graceful. Each move whistled through the air, the cold light of his sword swirling around him. It was as if the sword in his hand had become a dragon, ready to strike any enemy directly at their vital points.
"good!"
Yao Ruyi applauded him out of politeness, without flattering him, but he genuinely thought it was excellent.
Thirteen didn't even break a sweat after performing the whole routine. He tilted his head slightly, a hint of ulterior motive in his eyes, and asked, "Have you learned it? Show it to your brother."
"good."
Yao Ruyi, sword in hand, walked to the spot where Thirteen had just been standing; his footprints were still visible on the ground.
Yao Ruyi lowered his eyes slightly, his mind filled with the movements of Thirteen. He held the longsword in his hand, and with a flick of his wrist, the sword followed his movements.
The sword wind was fierce and extremely fast, light yet not gentle.
"Holy crap—"
Her body was light and agile; the move of circling the sword behind her back looked like she was dancing to the untrained eye.
Thirteen laughed with satisfaction; there was no indication that he didn't know how to wield a sword. His movements were swift and sharp, with gusts of wind swirling around him. "Good!"
He honed his skills to become a master at silently taking someone's vitals.
He stepped forward to greet Yao Ruyi, "You really haven't practiced before?"
"No." Yao Ruyi was panting heavily; he looked much worse than Thirteen had just been.
It was fine before, but after practicing with the greatsword, my wrists are tingling and painful, and the pain is spreading to some parts of my body.
Yao Ruyi frowned and muttered, "I'll throw this tattered clothing away sooner or later."
"That's great. Train with me more often from now on. You'll be able to protect yourself from assassins."
Yao Ruyi smiled at him. The two were about the same height, and he didn't look up at Thirteen like he would look at an emperor.
He held the waist token that Thirteen had just given him in his hand, and the two quickened their pace. "We need to hurry, His Majesty should be setting off soon."
When the two arrived at the city gate, the carriages and horses were already prepared. Thirteen led Yao Ruyi to Fourteen's side, which was behind the imperial carriage.
With two horses beside him, Yao Ruyi asked, "Do I have a horse to ride?"
Thirteen smiled and pointed to one of the dark brown horses beside Fourteen, saying, "Well, I asked Fourteen to help you choose it this morning. He's staying behind this time, so let's go."
Fourteen nodded to Yao Ruyi as a greeting.
"By the way, you can ride a horse, right?"
Yao Ruyi had never ridden one before, nor had he ever seen anyone else ride one. He pursed his lips and nodded, "I can."
"Alright, then we'll follow behind the imperial carriage in a bit."
Before long, the grand procession set off.
Yao Ruyi mounted his horse in imitation of Thirteen. He hissed and twitched his lips slightly. His wrist was getting more and more painful, and he had just noticed that there were faint red veins on his skin. He pulled his undergarment down, trying to cover up as much as he could.
He learned quickly, and even if he was a little slower, he would catch up in no time. He was so familiar with the route that no one would doubt that he had never ridden it before.
The imperial carriage traveled directly out of the city via the outer road. Even when it was customary for the emperor to travel, Gu Huizhou would not pass through the bustling city center. Everyone in the palace knew this over the past two years, which caused considerable discontent among the guards and imperial soldiers.
They were servants in the palace, but in the eyes of the common people, it was a different story. Everyone who saw them had to call them "sir," and walking in front of them felt an honor.
But now that the emperor doesn't walk through the bustling city, where else can they go to show off their power?
"Are you new here?"
A man who looked like the leader of the Imperial Guard rode up to Yao Ruyi's side. His voice was stiff and his face showed no friendliness.
Yao Ruyi nodded. "Is there something you need?"
The Imperial Guard Commander reached up and examined Yao Ruyi's sleeve. "These days, anyone can get a job in the palace. Where did this pale-faced scholar come from? He can't even dress properly!"
"Although we are leaving the city through an outer path, we still represent the palace in every way. How can we behave in such an improper manner!"
Yao Ruyi's sleeve was being grabbed. He had just learned to ride a horse, and now he was losing his balance and was about to fall off.
"nineteen!"
Thirteen quickly grabbed him, flicked Zeng Ran's hand away with his sword, and said coldly, "When did Deputy Commander Zeng start meddling in such trivial matters? If you're really free, you should go patrol a few more times, so you can be on guard against any bad guys!"
Zeng Ran's gaze swept over Yao Ruyi, which made Yao extremely dissatisfied. He didn't know many people these days, but he really disliked this Deputy Commander Zeng.
"You claim to be His Majesty's secret guards, but how can you not be pawns in this scheme? Now you're hiding behind our Imperial Guards. What, is the Thirteenth Prince now going to keep a close watch on this pretty boy?"
“Even Shuangyue was given away.”
Frost Moon was the very sword that Shisan gave to Yao Ruyi in the morning.
Thirteen laughed.
He then understood why Zeng Ran had been so sarcastic. Having been by His Majesty's side for so long, he hadn't encountered such a fool in a long time.
He didn't seem to care much about the Imperial Guards' patrols all day long, but he knew the best swords in their armory like the back of his hand!
About a year ago, when Zeng Ran had just been promoted to deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, he spent a month getting close to the Fourteenth Prince, and his intention was to get the Fourteenth Prince to choose a good sword for him from their armory.
Now even Frost Moon knows.
Thirteen narrowed his eyes. He had bought Frost Moon from a craftsman in Jiangnan a few months ago, but it was too light and no one was used to using it, so it had been sitting there.
It was just taken out for the Nineteenth Prince to use, and this person has already set his sights on it.
"Deputy Commander Zeng really knows our Shadow Armory inside and out. It seems he's sneaked in to check it out more than once."
As the emperor's secret guard, Shadow was independent of the Imperial Guard and not subject to the Ministry of War's jurisdiction, allowing him free movement within the palace. He usurped many of the powers belonging to the Imperial Guard, and in the past two years, the Imperial Guard and Shadow had become increasingly at odds.
In the shadows, they seemed like nothing more than guard dogs, all the power they once held when the late emperor was in power vanished.
Zeng Ran gripped the reins tightly, emphasizing each word, "The Shadow Sect prides itself on its superior intelligence and martial arts skills, yet it still managed to let villains into the palace!"
This is clearly a matter for their Imperial Guards, yet they dare to pin it on them!
If they weren't outside the palace, he would definitely drag this person away and beat him up. Thirteen's face darkened.
"So you're jealous of me because you didn't get this sword?" Yao Ruyi said with a straight face. "You're not only jealous of my good looks, you're also jealous of my academic achievements, and you're jealous of having Shuangyue."
With a look of disgust, she said, "I understand. Can you go back now?"
"you!"
Zeng Ran never expected this pretty boy to dare speak to him like that. He was so angry that his face turned red. He reached out and grabbed the reins in Yao Ruyi's hand, pulling the man closer. His eyes widened, and he wished he could throw the man off the horse!
"Let go!"
Before Zeng Ran could even pull the person closer and say a word, Thirteen slapped Zeng Ran's hand away again, saying, "Get lost! If you're free, go patrol. Don't do things that even dogs wouldn't do!"
They didn't follow directly behind the imperial carriage; they were several dozen people behind it. Dozens of eunuchs walked quickly behind the carriage, the clattering of pebbles making the argument less noticeable.
But out of the corner of his eye, Zeng Ran saw Cui Xiangzhu, who was standing in front of the imperial carriage, turn his head and look this way. He stared intently at the two of them, as if issuing a challenge. Zeng Ran lashed out with his whip and left, his belly full of anger.
"Pah! What is that?!"
"I would never dare to engage in such underhanded practices as flattering the powerful and belittling the weak!"
Thirteen felt his eyes were dirty just looking at him. He turned around and peeked at Yao Ruyi's wrist. "Are you injured? Zeng Ran is known for his stubbornness. Let me see your hand."
Yao Ruyi let out an "Oh" and showed her wrist. What was originally just a few streaks of blood had now turned into blood. Thirteen immediately felt a fire rising in his throat. "Damn beast! One of us will die sooner or later."
"Quickly apply some ointment."
Yao Ruyi simply rolled up his sleeves; he wasn't afraid of the cold anyway. "No."
"No? Aren't you skilled in medicine?"
His healing techniques were useless against himself, which puzzled Yao Ruyi himself. "I forgot to bring them."
Thirteen quickly touched himself and said with annoyance, "I just happened to change my clothes today. You have to bear with it for now. When we get to Yun Temple, your brother will take you to find the medicine monks. The herbs they collect are very effective."
"Thank you." Yao Ruyi smiled earnestly at Thirteen. Thirteen was one of the few people he knew who had been kind to him, and he was just as easy to get along with as Gao Qi and the others.
Yao Ruyi silently planned in his heart that if Thirteen got injured in the future, he would secretly heal him.
As long as the emperor doesn't find out.
Yun Temple is not far away. As it bears the name Yun, it is the most popular temple in Yun Kingdom. It is located not far outside the city and we arrived at it near dusk.
The path wound its way up the mountain. From afar, Ru Ru could see the imperial carriage being carried aboard at an angle, watching intently. "Isn't His Majesty inside...?"
Lying down?
Thirteen quickly shook his head, "Stop right now. His Majesty got off a long time ago and took a side path. The imperial carriage only took this steep slope because it couldn't get through."
I see.
Yao Ruyi pursed her lips, "Aren't we going to follow His Majesty?"
“Of course I will follow. Once we enter Yun Temple, I will take you to find the medicine monk first, and then you can follow His Majesty.”
He's going to continue being the cockroach by His Majesty's side.
The convoy entered the temple just as darkness fell, and Yao Ruyi's wrist was wrapped in a thick strip of cloth. His injury was not serious, but the herbal medicine was poorly prepared by the monk, with the roots and stems still attached. He simply slapped a thick clump of herbs directly onto Yao Ruyi's wrist.
Then wrap it directly with strips of cloth.
Yao Ruyi touched his nose with difficulty, feeling a little guilty. Anyone who didn't know better would think he was seriously injured.
He sighed and prepared to go find the emperor. Thirteen was indeed as he had said. He hadn't appeared since taking him to see the Medicine Monk; he didn't know where he'd gone again.
"Sir, is this your first time here?"
Yao Ruyi nodded quickly, "Where is His Majesty?"
"My lord, please follow me." The young novice was not good with words, but he led the way quite well. He would walk ahead once and then turn back to check if Yao Ruyi was following.
“The monks will take their leave from the main hall.”
Yao Ruyi walked toward the main hall he had mentioned.
They were located halfway up a high mountain outside the city, and had reached the foot of the mountain by noon. They had spent most of the afternoon climbing, and now it was evening, with the sky tinged with orange-red.
Yao Ruyi looked around, and the closer he got, the louder the chanting became. He paced back and forth, watching the birds circling in the sky. Spring was almost here in the capital, but not so on the mountain.
The plum tree outside the hall was in excellent bloom.
In the center of the main hall, Gu Huizhou sat kneeling on a prayer mat, surrounded by dozens of monks. The chanting of sutras filled the air, causing Yao Ruyi to frown.
He stared at the golden Buddha statue above him, unable to describe his feelings.
Perhaps it's because he himself is an incarnation of a spirit, so he doesn't necessarily worship Buddha. Just like the Princess of Xiao Kingdom's attitude towards His Majesty—different countries, respect is enough.
Yao Ruyi clasped her hands together, stood still to show respect, and then turned back to wait under the plum tree outside the hall.
"stand up."
He groggily opened his eyes; it was already completely dark. Yao Ruyi looked up and saw the emperor standing in front of him, his body reeking of the scent of incense from the temple.
"His Majesty."
"Your Majesty, this humble monk takes his leave."
After the monks left, only the two of them remained.
Gu Huizhou walked in front, and Yao Ruyi followed behind.
"hand."
"He's injured."
Gu Huizhou stopped abruptly, and Yao Ruyi almost bumped into his back.
How did you get hurt?
Mushroom replied honestly, "My clothes are worn out."
Night had fallen, but Yao Ruyi seemed to see disdain in the emperor's eyes. His dissatisfaction with Zeng Ran earlier that day was now directed at the other woman, and he said with displeasure, "You're the one who made me wear it."
"I told you to wear this?"
Yao Ruyi suddenly took a step back. He swallowed hard as he watched the emperor continue forward. Could he possibly hit him?
"Then I'll let you take it off."
The man's eyes held amusement, and a different kind of feeling flashed in his delicately upturned eyebrows.
"Take it off."
There were no outsiders here, and the temple was completely quiet after nightfall.
Yao Ruyi met the man's gaze, quickly untied her robe, and was about to throw it on the ground the next second.
But a large hand forcefully twisted the two pieces of his robe together, causing Yao Ruyi to stop. He looked up in confusion at the emperor, whose face was full of displeasure.
"Temples are sacred places; please have some self-respect!"
After saying that, he snorted coldly and turned away, leaving Yao Ruyi standing there stunned.
He looked down at the white brocade robe that had materialized from the disheveled clothes of the bodyguards, and remained silent.
The two returned to the emperor's courtyard one after the other.
Before they even entered, the place was brightly lit. Cui Xiangzhu was already waiting at the door. When he saw Gu Huizhou return, he hurried over to greet him. "Your Majesty must be tired. This old servant has prepared some tea. Your Majesty can soothe your throat and get some rest."
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Yao Ruyi behind him, her clothes disheveled.
This—this is happening in front of so many people, and he's going to take off his clothes like this?
How can one engage in sexual relations in such a tranquil place!
Cui Xiangzhu hesitated, unable to speak. His Majesty's mood was unpredictable, and he had recently acquired such a handsome young man. How could he dare to mention such a thing?
"Your Majesty should rest well! I will wake you for the morning lessons tomorrow."
"Um."
The door closed in front of Cui Xiangzhu's face, and the head eunuch looked like he had something difficult to say, which was unsettling to watch.
He flicked his whisk hard, "Ouch—"
Inside the room.
Yao Ruyi looked around the room. It was much smaller than the Cloud Palace, and it was so poor that it seemed as if a bed had been placed directly in a cave.
The windows were made of paper, and the table was made of the most common wood found in the mountains.
The only things that didn't match were the teacups and jade dishes that Cui Xiangzhu had placed on the table, and the emperor's fox fur coat placed beside the table. The black fox fur coat had gold patterns on it, and it was the same one that Yao Ruyi had seen Gu Huizhou wearing in prison that day.
Yao Ruyi immediately lowered his head, his guilt practically showing on his face. The prison was dimly lit that day; he didn't know if the emperor had recognized him.
If they recognize him, it might mean another two years.
Swallowing hard, Yao Ruyi blinked hastily and took small steps forward to stand beside the fox fur coat. "This is the first time I've seen Your Majesty wear a fox fur coat. It looks very handsome."
Gu Huizhou opened his eyes, “…”.
"This is the first time I've seen Your Majesty's fox fur coat. Was it made recently?"
The man on the bed sat up straight, staring intently at Yao Ruyi's half-undressed outer robe. "Take off your clothes."
Yao Ruyi smiled and prepared to take off his clothes. Originally, the outer robe of a guard was light and easy to take off, but now that both of his hands were tied with a large bag, it was very difficult.
My sleeve got caught in the big bag.
He was drenched in sweat as he took off his clothes, until Yao Ruyi threw his outer robe hard onto the stool. He let out a long sigh and bent down to pick up the herb balls that had fallen to the ground.
"come over."
Startled, Yao Ruyi put down the herb ball and stood by Gu Huizhou's bedside.
If he had a better medicine, he definitely wouldn't want to use such a large medicine bag again.
The icy touch on his wrist made him flinch, but along with it came an even more intense burning pain. "Hiss—Your Majesty."
My fingers were gripped tightly in someone's hand, with a frightening force, many times stronger than Zeng Ran had been during the day.
Yao Ruyi didn't pull her hand back, and frowned as she looked at her wrist. The bleeding from her wrist, which had just been streaked with blood, had stopped, and the excruciating burning sensation had subsided.
The man withdrew his large hand, and Yao Ruyi gasped for breath, looking back and forth at her two wrists. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
He was slightly distracted. He was in so much pain from just a minor scratch. He wondered how much more painful the wound on the emperor's lower abdomen and upper arm must have been.
"Your Majesty, are you in pain?"
The man who was playing with the medicine bottle paused, then said, "It doesn't hurt."
He was stunned after he finished speaking. Gu Huizhou was dissatisfied with himself for answering such nonsense as "mushroom".
It doesn't hurt? Yao Ruyi blinked, "Then am I... weak?"
Feeling guilty under those eyes, Gu Huizhou turned his head and said, "Go to sleep."
His voice was calm, "Your Majesty, where shall I sleep?"
Gu Huizhou remained silent. There was only a bed in the room; not even a potted plant could be found. After a moment, the young emperor smiled. "What, you want to sleep with me?"
Yao Ruyi was speechless under his gaze. He took two steps back and said, "Then I'll go sleep under the plum tree roots in the yard."
He turned and was about to leave.
"stop."
Yao Ruyi turned around, "Huh?"
"Go find Cui Xiangzhu."
The door closed and opened, closed again. When the head eunuch saw someone come out of the room, he beamed with joy, his mouth as sweet as honey.
"Oh, does Your Excellency have something to instruct you on, Nineteenth Prince?"
"I have nowhere to live."
Nowhere to stay? Cui Xiangzhu laughed even harder, “Oh dear! That’s really my fault. Quickly! This way, sir.”
Turning around, the young head eunuch smiled kindly.
They're finally out.
-
The next morning, when Yao Ruyi woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Sunlight streamed through the thin window paper, illuminating the room and the table. A bowl of bland tofu soup sat on the table, next to a dry steamed bun.
Yao Ruyi went outside and rubbed his face with snow, then turned back inside to drink soup. He finished the soup, but didn't touch the steamed buns next to him.
He took it outside and handed it to the little monk at the door, and casually asked where Gu Huizhou had gone.
"Your Excellency, something happened this morning. His Majesty was summoned away and is currently presiding over the academy."
Thank you.
Led by the young novice monk to the outside of the abbot's courtyard, Yao Ruyi overheard a chaotic argument inside.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty must do justice for my son!"
His voice was deep and resonant, indicating he was quite old. His voice was tinged with sadness and choked with sobs. As soon as Yao Ruyi entered, she saw Baili Yi kneeling on the ground.
Gu Huizhou was sitting in the main seat, frowning and resting with his eyes closed. He looked tired, probably because he had been summoned earlier.
The courtyard was packed with people, and Yao Ruyi didn't recognize many of them. He only knew Han Jiqing; he had seen the others a few times that morning, and they were only vaguely familiar to him.
But he recognized the minister on the ground; it was Baili Yi, the Minister of Revenue.
Behind him lay a pale-faced young man on the bed, Baili Wenhan, the second young master of the Baili family.
As Yao Ruyi stepped into the courtyard, everyone turned to look at him. Many people were slightly taken aback, yet couldn't help but fix their gazes on him.
The man in the main seat opened his eyes. "Nineteen, come here."
"Nineteen? This is one of the Shadows."
"When did Your Majesty take in such a scholarly-looking pretty boy into the Shadow?"
"You must not speak recklessly; he must have some other ability."
"How can they not even wear the robes of the secret guards! What kind of behavior is this?"
...
As Yao Ruyi walked through the crowd, he overheard their whispers, but he paid them no mind and stood beside Gu Huizhou.
In the blink of an eye, she met the gaze of another person and nodded.
It is Han Jiqing.
Han Jiqing smiled at first, then his expression became blank.
"His features were exquisite, his eyes bright as stars; even in the darkness, his handsome appearance and extraordinary bearing were evident. His voice was gentle and refined, truly that of a refined gentleman. Clad in a white robe, he was indeed a celestial being under the moon..."
Xiao Xiaoyuan's words lingered in his ears. Han Jiqing pursed his lips, looked at Yao Ruyi's clean white robe, then turned to look at himself, wearing a dark black robe and boots that looked like they were from many years ago.
The general pulled his feet back, secretly straightened his posture, and tucked his chin in.
"Your Majesty, my son only drank a bowl of congee that the humble monk Mi brought last night! But as night fell, he began to suffer from unbearable pain all over his body! At first, I thought it was just a common ailment, but I never expected that the pain would last all night!"
With tears welling in his eyes, Baili Yi knelt forward and said, “Your Majesty! When the medicine monk came to see me this morning, my son had already fainted from the pain, and as a result—” His face was solemn and he could hardly speak.
"The medicine monk just came to treat him and said... said he's harmed his offspring!"
Several gasps were heard from those present, and murmurs continued to circulate.
Yao Ruyi turned to look at the young man who was unconscious on the bed. His face was pale and his lips were black, and it was obvious at a glance that he had been poisoned.
Gu Huizhou raised his hand, facing the abbot, "Where is Sengmi?"
The young monk was immediately brought forward and pinned to the ground by the Imperial Guards. His legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground. He glanced at Gu Huizhou sitting in his seat out of the corner of his eye, his body trembling violently with fear, his face turning pale instantly. "Your Majesty! I'm innocent!"
"I'm innocent!"
The little monk cried with genuine emotion, but Gu Huizhou merely raised his eyes coldly and then chuckled lightly.
Although he was smiling, his eyes were frighteningly cold, and he seemed uninterested in anything. He raised his head in annoyance.
Stop talking nonsense.
"Yes! Someone instructed me!"
The young monk suddenly realized what was happening and immediately began searching the crowd. He looked around several times but couldn't find anyone.
The young monk shouted, "Your Majesty, it was a guard who sent this scoundrel!"
Before long, the courtyard was filled with people. Just now there were only ministers, but now it was full of servants from various households, and the courtyard was suddenly crowded and noisy.
"It's him!"
The young monk's eyes gleamed. "Your Majesty! My lord! It was this man who instructed me to deliver porridge to that young master! I know nothing else!"
The rest of the guards were dismissed, and the one who was detained was sweating profusely.
"This... isn't this the servant boy who was with Minister Liang yesterday?!"
Liang Fu hadn't expected this either. His mind was racing with thoughts. He pointed sharply at the servant, "Speak! Who gave the order!"
Yao Ruyi looked around, and as the monk pulled out his needles, the person on the bed twitched his eyelashes, as if he was about to wake up.
He was taken aback. If he wasn't mistaken, the poison in the man's mouth was fading, and even his pale face was regaining color. But this couldn't be achieved with just a few needles.
Yao Ruyi recalled that although the man was pale and looked like he was about to die, his pulse was regular and his body was strong, just like an ordinary person.
He secretly nudged Gu Huizhou's shoulder and saw the man tilt his head back. Yao Ruyi secretly lowered her head and said, "His poison has been neutralized, at least three hours ago."
Gu Huizhou frowned, the tip of his ear brushing against a warm breath, which annoyed him. "Speak."
Yao Ruyi: "..."
Yao Ruyi held back, "His poison has been neutralized, at least three hours ago."
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[Pink Heart] Qi Deficiency: Originally meaning allergies, but this concept didn't exist in ancient times. Traditional Chinese medicine doesn't recognize the concept of "allergy." All allergic symptoms are often due to a weakness in the body's vital energy (Qi), allowing pathogenic factors to take advantage and invade. (Source: Internet)
"Where evil stagnates, the vital energy will inevitably be deficient." This statement comes from the *Neijing* (Inner Canon of Medicine). (Source: Internet)
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