Chapter 29 You've found someone you love?
In the backyard of the Marquis of Wuyi's residence, the Marquis's wife was reclining on a couch while her maid massaged her legs. Suddenly, the curtain was lifted, and Xie Qi stepped in.
Lady Wuyi was immediately roused and dismissed Cui Mama from all sides.
"What brings you here today, Mother?" Xie Qi had just returned from martial arts practice at the training ground, and before he could even wipe the sweat from his forehead, he casually picked up the tea on the table and drank it all in one gulp.
"Drink slowly, you're such a grown man, why are you so impatient?" Lady Wuyi changed the subject. "I heard from your servant that you didn't give away the jade pendant you gave away the other day?"
Xie Qi touched his nose with a slightly unnatural expression. "No."
Lady Wuyi immediately became anxious, "Tell me, what use are you? I've always seen your ability to lead troops in battle, but you can't even give away a single jade pendant. What can I expect from you?"
After being scolded by his mother, Xie Qi didn't dare to argue back, and only muttered, "Miss Jiang thinks it's too precious and doesn't want to accept it."
Before his mother could get angry, Xie Qi quickly added, "But I gave her a ring for self-defense."
Lady Wuyi was stunned, and almost laughed out of anger.
"What good daughter would like to wield swords and spears like you? You're hopeless! How did I give birth to such a blockhead!"
Xie Qi was still quite unconvinced, "But I think Miss Jiang seemed to like it quite a bit, so she accepted it without refusing."
"That's because they're giving you face," Lady Wuyi said, rubbing her temples with a headache. "How can I feel at ease if you act like this?"
Xie Qi chuckled, "Does Mother think her son will remain a bachelor forever?"
"You jinx!" Lady Wuyi glared at him, but she knew that such things couldn't be rushed.
"Did my mother summon me here today just to ask about this?"
“Of course not,” said Lady Wuyi, “news has come from the palace.”
Xie Qi raised an eyebrow, his nonchalant demeanor dissipating as he sat up straight and asked, "What do you mean?"
"The Crown Prince is now in good health and will recover soon."
“That’s good news,” Xie Qi smiled. “Mother won’t have to worry about it every day anymore.”
The mother and the current empress are sisters, and the crown prince, as the legitimate son of the empress, has always been close to the Marquis of Wuyi's family.
“Indeed, my sister has always been strict and strong-willed. She must be very worried about the Crown Prince being in a coma for so long, but she still has to maintain the dignity of the Empress. It’s really hard on her. I wonder how the Crown Prince is doing now. Could you go to the palace to see him for me, so that my mother can be at ease?”
When she visited the palace a few days ago, the Crown Prince had already woken up, but his awake time was very short, and he was often still in a coma.
Xie Qi immediately stood up. "Yes, Mother, don't worry, I'll go and prepare right away."
*
Inside the Crown Prince's sleeping quarters in the Eastern Palace.
The scent of ambergris mixed with a strong medicinal aroma wafted through the bedchamber. Dusk seeped in through the gaps in the carved lattice doors, illuminating the noble face unique to the imperial family on the couch. His phoenix eyes were slightly lowered, and his skin was so white it was almost transparent. It was none other than the current Crown Prince, Xiao Xuanyou.
He raised his hand and rubbed his temples, remembering only that he had a very long dream.
He dreamt that he was assassinated and fell into a coma. After waking up, many things happened.
The power struggles and shifts in the imperial court, the power struggle with the third brother, and the woman who died in the brothel.
The bed was covered in blood, which flowed down the edge of the bed and pooled at his feet in a crimson stain.
An indescribable pain spread from his heart. He saw the person on the bed who had already lost their breath, with a smile of relief on their pale and beautiful face.
The scene was so real and painful, it was as if he had experienced it himself.
Just thinking about these things gave him a splitting headache, and the pain in his chest, where the assassin had pierced him, started to return.
When Xie Qi was led into the inner hall by palace servants, Xiao Xuanyou was leaning against a cloud-patterned soft pillow, being served medicine by palace servants.
Upon seeing him enter, Xiao Xuanyou handed the empty medicine bowl to a palace servant, who immediately understood and led all the eunuchs and maids serving him to retreat.
"Your humble servant greets the Crown Prince." Xie Qi bowed respectfully.
Xiao Xuanyou gestured for him to dispense with the formalities, "I've been lying in bed for so long, my body is practically moldy. But the imperial physician won't let me get out of bed, as if he's afraid I'll be blown over by the wind."
Although Xiao Xuanyou had just recovered from his serious injuries and looked sickly, his posture as he leaned against the couch still exuded a natural nobility, carrying an innate air of languid elegance.
Xie Qi smiled and took the warm cloth prepared beside him, "Yes, it's rare for me to return to the capital, but I can't find anyone to spar with. I'm really bored. I'm waiting for Your Highness to recover so you can give me some pointers."
Xiao Xuanyou also smiled and said, "You've always been a restless person since you were little, which makes your aunt worry about you every day."
The friendship they formed in childhood remains, and although they haven't seen each other for a long time, they are still close.
"I heard you were injured when you went to Puzhao Temple to ask for medicine that night. Are you fully recovered now?" Xiao Xuanyou asked. "My father sent some excellent wound medicine a few days ago. I'll take some with me later."
Xie Qi returned to the capital without imperial decree and informed Xiao Xuanyou in advance, but unexpectedly, one was assassinated and seriously injured and fell into a coma, while the other was chased by Lu Yuan as an assassin and almost lost his life.
Xie Qi didn't stand on ceremony, "His Majesty's things must be of the highest quality, I should take more."
Xiao Xuanyou laughed and asked again, "Speaking of Puzhao Temple, was it the Jiang family who saved you?"
Xie Qi nodded.
"I wonder how Old Madam Jiang is doing?"
Xie Qi didn't understand why Xiao Xuanyou would suddenly bring up Old Madam Jiang, but still replied, "I heard Madam Jiang mention it at Grandmother's birthday banquet. Old Madam Jiang caught a cold a few days ago, and she should be getting better soon."
Xiao Xuanyou then said, "When you go back, convey my oral decree to the Imperial Medical Academy to give Old Madam Jiang a proper diagnosis and treatment."
In his dream after he fell into a coma, it was the old lady of the Jiang family who saved Xie Qi, but after returning home, the old lady of the Jiang family became bedridden and passed away not long after.
This time, he has to protect the people around her first.
Although Xie Qi didn't understand why the Crown Prince valued this old lady from the Jiang family, with whom he had no prior dealings, he still agreed.
“There’s one more thing,” Xiao Xuanyou suddenly said, looking at him.
Xie Qi thought he had some other instructions, so he leaned in to listen carefully.
Xiao Xuanyou narrowed his eyes and said, "You have someone you like?"
Xie Qi: ...
His face tightened, and an indescribable expression appeared on his face. "The Crown Prince has only just woken up, and he's already thinking about my affairs?"
"Of course, my aunt has been anxious for a long time," Xiao Xuanyou laughed. He had an air of nobility, as if he was born with the dignity of a superior. "I wonder which young lady you have taken a fancy to?"
Xie Qi had been questioned so much these past two days that he was almost traumatized. He just coughed lightly to ease the awkwardness and said, "It's not even close to being settled yet. I'm afraid it would ruin the young lady's reputation if I said it."
Xiao Xuanyou frowned and pondered.
His dream flashed by like a fleeting glimpse, with many details blurred, as if he were trapped in a fog.
He remembered that Xie Qi in his dream didn't seem to have a sweetheart. After marrying the Jiang family, he was implicated and killed on his way back to the capital from the northern border by the second young lady of the Jiang family.
Whether the dream was real or not, he would not let Xie Qi take any risks.
"Could it be the second young lady of the Jiang family?" he suddenly asked.
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