Chapter 23 A sudden fever and the household...
After Ling Xun arrived at Zhiwei Courtyard, he was led to the waterside pavilion by a maid. Zhiwei Courtyard was very large, with pavilions, terraces, and a lake planted with lotus flowers.
As the summer heat intensifies, Bai Xuerou finds it increasingly convenient to spend her time here.
He was about to greet her when he saw that Bai Xuerou hadn't moved. She was kneeling on the cushion, leaning against the pillar, her cheek resting against the lacquered red wooden pillar, seemingly lost in thought.
Dark clouds had been gathering all afternoon, plunging the world into gloom. She sat there, utterly desolate.
Ling Xun swallowed his words, raised his hand to stop the maid's reminder, and stood there quietly to keep her company.
Bai Xuerou was indeed lost in thought. She thought about many things: her childhood, the content of novels, Ling Zheng's past and present, and what she thought about most was what he looked like today.
The second poison had already been placed on the knife. The third poison was also added to Ling Zheng's afternoon tea...
Her heart was filled with endless complex emotions.
There was sadness, pain, anxiety, and a little panic.
Will the plan succeed?
Ling Zheng will die...
Ling Xun didn't know what Bai Xue Rou was thinking. Just looking at her profile, he felt that she seemed very tired, so exhausted that she couldn't muster any strength.
A rumble of thunder startled Bai Xue Rou back to her senses, and she took a long breath.
“Jin Tao…Sixth Brother?” She turned around, about to call out, when she saw Ling Xun and asked in surprise.
Ling Xun smiled slightly and called her "sister-in-law".
"When did you arrive? Why didn't you call me?" Bai Xuerou said, leaning on a wooden pillar as she tried to get up.
Ling Xun was closest to her, so he immediately reached out to help her up. Bai Xuerou touched his arm, which felt solid and steady, and there was no swaying even when she touched it.
He's definitely an adult now.
"I didn't want to disturb you because you were thinking about something," Ling Xun said. Seeing Bai Xuerou stumble, he instinctively reached out to put his arm around her shoulder, but then realized what he was doing and supported her arm.
Bai Xuerou hadn't expected this. She had always regarded Ling Xun as a junior, and seeing herself embarrassed in front of him, she felt somewhat ashamed and quickly explained, "My legs are numb."
The maids were also startled and immediately came over to support Bai Xuerou.
Ling Xun withdrew his hand and stepped back slightly, saying gently, "Sister-in-law, you've been sitting for too long."
His gaze lingered on Bai Xuerou's slightly pink cheeks. Her skin was as white as jade, and even a slight blush on her face was immediately noticeable.
"Sit down and rest for a while," he said.
Bai Xuerou's legs were numb, and she could barely stand. She was helped by a maid to sit down on a brocade stool, and only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"I was daydreaming," she said casually.
"Sit down. What did your third brother say about the situation?" she asked again.
Ling Xun sat down opposite Bai Xue Rou and began to explain.
After a while of thunder, the rain finally started to fall.
First came the gentle dripping, then a deluge, and in an instant, all that remained was a white mist of rain. The wind carried the moisture into the waterside pavilion, stirring the hairpins adorning Bai Xuerou's temples.
The beads clinked together, making a soft, tinkling sound that drew Ling Xun's attention.
Bai Xuerou was watching the rain. Rain was rare in the north, and it was a rare occurrence. Her brows, which had been slightly furrowed, finally relaxed a little.
Her eyebrows were naturally long and thin, like a lightly drawn mountain, and she had no need to groom them. Below them were almond-shaped eyes with clear black and white pupils. Because of her good personality, she was always gentle and smiling.
Her delicate nose, naturally cherry-red lips, and full cheeks exuded a graceful and noble beauty.
Ling Xun had never cared about women, but the difference was that he didn't understand them before and didn't find them attractive at all, but now he seemed to understand.
Whether it's her jet-black hair, beautiful face, voluptuous body, or the ever-changing fragrance that shifts with the seasons, just the thought of her can make one's heart swell and countless desires flow through one's blood, even without touching her.
Ling Xun was momentarily lost in thought, only snapping back to reality when he met Bai Xuerou's eyes.
"Why are you spacing out?" Bai Xuerou asked, puzzled.
Ling Xun was a little embarrassed, but also frank, "Sister-in-law is beautiful."
These words made Bai Xuerou a little embarrassed, but more than that, she found it amusing. "You're all grown up now, why are you talking like a child again?"
Ling Xun just smiled.
Bai Xuerou spoke thoughtfully, perhaps she would only know if it looked good when she grew up.
“You’re all grown up now, and I have some things to tell you. I should be the one your older brother says this to, but…” She didn’t finish her sentence.
"What are you saying? Just say it, sister-in-law," Ling Xun said with a smile, seemingly unconcerned.
Bai Xuerou coughed lightly, gesturing for the maid to step back, before saying softly, "You've reached the age where you admire young women. If you're interested, tell me. Whether you marry a wife or take a concubine, we'll have a proper marriage."
"Sister-in-law..." Ling Xun couldn't help but speak, both unwilling to listen and embarrassed.
Bai Xuerou smiled slightly and said, "You're still shy? What's there to be embarrassed about?"
She was the one who felt embarrassed at first, but seeing his reaction, she felt at ease.
"I'm not saying this to rush you." She got back to the point, her expression becoming much more serious, and said, "There are two things I want you to remember. First, you must not learn the habits of those spoiled brats, forcibly taking women and ruining their lives."
"Don't worry, sister-in-law," Ling Xun said solemnly, "I would never do such a thing."
He meant that he has someone he likes, and he wouldn't force or coerce a woman into marriage; the person he likes...
The boy, who had just realized his feelings, silently looked at the person in front of him, pursed his lips, and ultimately said nothing.
"Secondly, you are not allowed to go to brothels or other such places to cause trouble," Bai Xuerou added, her brows slightly furrowed.
Ling Xun responded even faster.
When he was young, his family had adults who wouldn't let him go to brothels. Later, he started fighting wars, and now that he holds power, he doesn't want to go, and no one can force him to.
And he never even considered going.
He wasn't interested, and he knew his sister-in-law didn't like it either.
Seeing this, Bai Xuerou's expression softened.
She didn't have high expectations of Ling Xun. She wouldn't restrict him just because she wanted a lifelong, monogamous relationship, but she also didn't want him to become like those spoiled brats who indulged themselves.
Just be a good man who fits into the current social environment.
Marry a wife, take a concubine, and have children.
"What kind of wife do you want?" The rain was pouring down outside, and seeing that Ling Xun couldn't leave anytime soon, Bai Xuerou decided to continue chatting with him.
Ling Xun looked at her and slowly said, "...I don't know."
"What kind of husband do you want, sister-in-law?" he asked in return.
Bai Xuerou chuckled, thinking he was acting like a child, as if he were being stubborn. But after laughing, she felt a pang of melancholy and said softly, "I already have a husband."
"I'm talking to you, don't interrupt." In an instant, Bai Xuerou smiled again, looking at Ling Xun and said, "Even if you don't know, you still have a general idea. Anyway, we have nothing to do, so take your time to think about it and we'll talk about it slowly."
As soon as the word "slowly" was uttered, Ling Xun's heart seemed to slow down as well. Listening to the sound of rain, he pretended to think and began to chat slowly with Bai Xuerou.
In short, it all boils down to beauty, gentleness, thoughtfulness, and so on.
Bai Xuerou couldn't help but smile slightly upon hearing this.
That's the standard answer.
They talked until dusk, when it was already quite dark. By the time they finished their meal, it was already noon, but it was already as dark as if it were about to get completely dark.
Ling Xun returned to his courtyard and rested after discussing matters with his guards. Bai Xuerou did the same; with so many years of preparation now at a crucial moment, she actually couldn't sleep well.
But it was precisely at times like these that she couldn't show anything unusual. She lowered the bed curtains, closed her eyes, and her thoughts were a jumbled mess. The rain, which had stopped in the evening, started again when someone was busy, dripping and pattering. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
I was woken up again in the middle of the night.
Bai Xuerou was a little dazed when she first woke up, but she became fully alert almost immediately after hearing that Ling Zheng had encountered a problem.
She got up and hurried to Chichiku-in.
The rain is still falling, drip-drip-drip.
-
After Ling Zheng woke up, he quickly made all the necessary arrangements.
The Ling family has completely taken control of Chang'an, but no matter how they investigate, the assassins seem to have vanished without a trace.
But this in itself is a clue.
There are very few people in the world who can do this and remain undetected by the Ling family.
Naturally, Ling Xun also fell into Ling Zheng's suspicions.
If things continued this way, the two brothers would definitely have a fierce rivalry, but that very night, Ling Zheng suddenly fell seriously ill.
In the middle of the night, the guards who were keeping watch in the room suddenly heard Ling Zheng's breathing become rapid and heavy. They immediately went over and lifted the curtain to check on him. They saw that his brows were tightly furrowed, his face was full of pain, his whole body was hot, and his face was red. No matter how they called him, they could not wake him up.
The renowned doctor who had been invited was staying at the mansion. He was carried over by the guards overnight. After taking his pulse, his expression changed drastically. He hurriedly unwrapped the previously bandaged wound and saw that it was red, swollen, and festering, looking gruesome and terrifying.
He was immediately alarmed and said in a panic that there must be something unclean on the assassin's knife, which was the fever caused by the injury.
Everyone was startled.
"Please, doctor, use your skillful hands to bring him back to health," Bai Xuerou said as she rushed over.
The doctor immediately wrote a prescription, but his hands were trembling. After handing the prescription over, he knelt down before Bai Xuerou, his face showing difficulty, and said bitterly, "This fever came on so suddenly and is really dangerous. I'm afraid my skills are not good enough and I might harm Your Highness. I beg Your Highness to find a more skilled doctor."
Bai Xuerou swayed slightly and was helped to sit down by her maid. She pressed her temples and immediately ordered someone to fetch a doctor.
Famous doctors from Chang'an and imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau were all invited.
The guards immediately agreed and set off that very night.
The Great Qi used to have a curfew, but as the country's power has weakened and the royal family has fallen into poverty in recent years, the constraints have decreased, and the nobles have become increasingly addicted to luxury and pleasure. The curfew is now only for commoners.
When the people from the Prince of Zhenbei's mansion went out, the Imperial Guards patrolling the streets naturally dared not stop them.
Bai Xuerou was still asking the doctor about the poisoning, "She was fine this afternoon, how did she suddenly become like this?"
The doctor wiped the sweat from his brow. He had been afraid of being punished by the people of the Prince's mansion when he spoke, but now that Bai Xuerou didn't seem to want to pursue the matter, he felt a little relieved and answered her questions one by one.
The worst thing about injuries like these, caused by swords and knives, is a recurring fever. It's normal for someone to have a fever now when they were fine this afternoon. And throughout history, many have succumbed to this kind of injury, which is why he's so anxious.
Upon discovering that the symptoms were indeed as Aunt Ge had predicted, which would only make people think it was a fever caused by sword wounds, Bai Xuerou felt a slight sense of relief.
The staff below brought hot water and wine, and the doctor immediately began treating Ling Zheng's wounds, removing the pus.
Bai Xuerou's chest heaved, and she covered her lips with a handkerchief, but she still couldn't resist and turned away.
But the persistent smell of blood and a faint, fishy stench constantly reminded her what had happened.
After a while, the doctor finally finished.
After checking it several times, sprinkle on the powder and wrap it with a clean cloth.
Bai Xuerou added, "Please have the doctor examine these things that His Highness has touched since this afternoon, so as not to miss anything."
Although the doctor said it was caused by the assassin's knife, it's still best to check everything just in case.
The Prince's Mansion has meticulous rules for dealing with these matters. From the afternoon until now, everything that Ling Zheng has come into contact with has been sealed away and guarded by special personnel, and no one is allowed to touch it.
"Yes," the doctor replied immediately.
He naturally understood what Bai Xuerou was thinking, so he began to check everything, including the teacup Ling Zheng used to drink tea.
The doctor examined him very carefully, and after a while, he carefully put down the last handkerchief. Ling Zheng had been sweating a bit that evening. It was common for him to have a fever due to his injury, so no one thought much of it. The handkerchief was for him to wipe his sweat.
He took a clean handkerchief to wipe his hands and said to Bai Xuerou, "Everything has been checked, there's nothing wrong."
Bai Xuerou pressed her temples and told someone to put the things away, saying that other doctors would come and take a look at them later.
But the conclusion is always the same—
The sudden fever was unrelated to anyone in the household.
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Author's Note: I'll be taking a break tomorrow, so updates will be moved to 11 PM. I'll be including a long, 10,000-word chapter.
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