Chapter 31

On the second day, Qingwu could not get out of bed.

Pei Muci tucked her in, sitting by the bedside and stroking the soft hair at the nape of her neck. Qingwu turned over in a daze, murmuring a few words. He immediately withdrew his hand, picked up the paper umbrella by the door, and went out into the street.

The fine, misty rain brought with it a damp, vernal chill. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the wide street, sounding unusually eerie. The rain grew heavier, turning into beads of water that dripped from the eaves; the new green shoots curled wildly in the wind, and the air seemed veiled in a hazy, yellowish dust. Such a scene lacked any of the prosperity of the capital; everywhere, it revealed a sense of decay and disarray, as if a storm were brewing.

He stopped in front of the Chiyu Pavilion and closed his umbrella. The bustling crowds of the past were nowhere to be seen; this was the only shop open on the entire street, as if it were waiting specifically for Pei Muci.

There was no business being conducted. The woman he had met last time caught sight of him at the door immediately and hurried over to welcome him. The other staff in the shop, more or less afraid of him, scattered in a flash, each standing in a different corner and pretending to be busy with their tasks. Seeing that no one was paying attention, the woman became less guarded and stepped forward to brush off his clothes.

Pei Muci frowned slightly, his expression indifferent as he hung his umbrella behind the door frame and stepped aside to avoid her. His movement was subtle, enough to evade her touch while still preserving her dignity. Her hand hovered in the air, stiff for a moment, but Pei Muci had already begun walking toward the stairs.

"Yingniang?" The shopkeeper called out, seeing the woman stunned.

The shop assistants dared not approach, only casting frantic glances at her, urging her to go up and attend to him. Xu Ying quickly regained her composure and followed Pei Muci, and the two sat in the same partitioned room they had used before.

"I have come to collect the item."

Pei Muci adjusted his robes and sat across from her with a calm expression. Xu Ying rummaged through the counter for a long time before taking out the item and placing it on the low table. She stole glances at him several times but dared not disturb his mood; there was nothing left for them to say to each other.

Pei Muci took out a handkerchief to clean his hands and lifted his eyelids slightly. "Is there something else?"

Xu Ying had not wanted to bring up that person, but after weighing the consequences, she felt she could not bear the responsibility of ruining her master’s grand plan. She carefully weighed her words. "The Eldest Young Master seems to have been provoked by the Princess’s refusal of marriage. He marched his army north last night and should arrive in Bianjing by noon today at the latest."

Pei Muci tucked the handkerchief away, picked up the item from the table to examine it, gripped the pearl flower at the top of the hairpin, and pulled it sharply. The object was small and exquisite, exceeding his expectations, and he did not skimp on his praise. "Well done."

Xu Ying’s voice caught in her throat. Unable to fathom his meaning, she dared not speak further.

"Keep talking." Pei Muci did not even look up, his hands moving with practiced ease as he took sandpaper from the shelf to polish the pearls on the stamens of the hairpin. Such delicate work tested one's patience. Xu Ying truly thought he had simply come to pick up the goods, so she braced herself to continue.

"Strategist Gu sent word to me that the master must strike when the royal family and the Eldest Young Master are gathered together, so that they can be wiped out in one fell swoop."

She dared not say the rest. Five days from now was the coming-of-age banquet for the Yong Dynasty Princess. Princess Rongzhao was beloved by the people, and the royal family would surely hold a grand celebration to stabilize public sentiment. The Eldest Young Master, for reasons unknown, seemed quite interested in the marriage alliance with the Princess, so he would certainly attend. After much deliberation, this was the closest and best opportunity. She only feared that her master would be unwilling. An Qi sent reports of the young master’s situation back to the main camp every week, and all his close attendants knew that he felt very differently about Princess Rongzhao.

"When does Gu Hanjiang arrive in the capital?" Pei Muci asked abruptly.

The people in the camp had looked forward to this day for a long time and all wanted to come to the capital to witness it. Gu Hanjiang would surely come with the vanguard to lend him a hand.

"The strategist arrives tomorrow." The woman shivered again. This was another difficult person to please; she did not know what kind of trouble would ensue between him and her master this time.

"Tell him to bring Xizhi and Xixing with him. After the city descends into chaos, they are to secretly look after the Princess." Pei Muci examined the details of the hairpin under the candlelight, not forgetting to give orders.

Xu Ying was startled. "But they are the master’s shadow guards; how can they be sent to protect someone else?"

Pei Muci narrowed his eyes, staring at her coldly, clearly dissatisfied with her meddling.

"Yes, I obey." Xu Ying struggled to keep her voice from trembling, then asked timidly, "And... the master’s plan?"

Pei Muci inserted the small sword into its sheath. The light in the room seemed to be drawn into the small box with his movement, and the surrounding air pressure became terrifyingly heavy, as if dark clouds were hanging directly overhead. After a moment of contemplation, his voice was cool, yet carried the weight of an impending storm.

"Begin the operation."

***

When Pei Muci returned to Biezhu Garden, Ningchun was delivering breakfast. The two met on the stone path. With the sun high in the sky, though it was called breakfast, it could well have been lunch. The kitchen had prepared several new Shu-Nan style dishes, all four small plates mixed with shredded red chili, which she had brought for Qingwu to try.

"The Princess has not yet awakened. Would you like to go in and wait, sir?"

Pei Muci nodded, took the tray from her hands, stepped into the room with light footsteps, and looked toward the couch. The bed was empty. Qingwu had moved at some point and was half-leaning against a chaise longue, one slender, pale wrist hanging loosely. Hearing the door open, she slowly woke, supporting her dizzy head.

"Why didn't you wait for me?"

As soon as the words left her lips, both of them froze, their expressions reflecting a strange, unnatural tension. Pei Muci set down the tray and walked to her side. Qingwu cleared her throat, wanting to say something else, but her voice was already too hoarse to make a sound. She turned her head away in annoyance and gave him a punch with a balled fist. Her body felt soft and weak.

Qingwu: ...

She was usually capable of wielding spears and swords, so how could she be so powerless now?

It seemed that everything had its limits; once exceeded, there was a price to pay. Yet, at the time, she had not imagined that a body appearing so gentle and weak could be so relentless.

"It seems Your Highness must eat something light." Pei Muci looked away and turned around, feeling a rare sense of guilt.

Qingwu’s eyes were practically sparking with rage. She clenched her fist and gestured at his back, silently chanting, "It’s all your fault, all your fault, all your fault!"

The culprit, however, put on an innocent, pitiable look. "But I just sent Ningchun away."

The implication was that there was no one left to change the dishes. Qingwu rolled her eyes. Just as she was about to ask how he dared to order her maid around, her words shifted to, "What should we do?"

She only mouthed the words, shaking her head internally. It was one thing for Du Jin to order her maid around, but now that the three of them had to listen to Pei Muci as well, she, as a Princess, was practically a mere ornament—she had no status in her own Princess Manor at all.

"Shall I make some porridge for the Princess?" The small kitchen in Biezhu Garden was always kept with a fire burning, making it convenient to prepare anything. Pei Muci was not asking for an opinion; he turned back as soon as he spoke.

Qingwu wanted to sit up herself, but she felt as soft as if she had no bones, and she fell right back down the moment she tried. "I want to go too."

Pei Muci turned around at her words, seeing her arms outstretched with justified confidence, waiting for him to carry her. He grabbed a sheepskin blanket, scooped her into his arms, walked out, and transferred her to a small stool by the stove. The blanket half-slipped to the floor, and Qingwu caught it and held it between her knees.

"Does Your Highness want to eat the Shu-Nan dishes?" He went to fetch the various knives hanging on the wall.

"Hmm?" Her voice was still hoarse, though slightly better than before. "What are you going to make?"

"Porridge."

Qingwu: ...

Then why did he ask? Was he doing it to anger her on purpose? She curled into a ball on the low stool, wrapped her arms around her knees, and slowly turned away, back to him, refusing to listen to him speak anymore.

Pei Muci found it inexplicably amusing, his voice light. "When Your Highness’s voice returns to normal, you can name some dishes you’d like to eat."

Qingwu lifted her chin haughtily, ignoring him. Behind her came the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables, followed by the sound of lids being lifted and replaced, and the spoon stirring the porridge. Qingwu was curious and wanted to look back, but realized she was still in the middle of being angry at him, so she sat there with a straight face.

The temperature in the kitchen was much higher than outside, yet Pei Muci remained calm and composed. Qingwu sat on the small stool, drifting off to sleep before she knew it. Her waterfall of hair spilled over her shoulders, catching the warmth of the sunlight. Time flowed slowly in the cozy scene.

By the time Qingwu had almost forgotten why she was angry, Pei Muci finally served two bowls of porridge of equal size. Carrying the wooden tray in one hand, he scooped Qingwu up with the other and brought her back to the room.

Qingwu stirred the porridge with a spoon and discovered it was not just plain rice porridge; it contained various vegetables to balance the texture, the yam crisp and the mung beans creamy, showing the cook’s excellent grasp of heat. Sitting at the table, she felt this scene was vaguely familiar.

Pei Muci always seemed to have no appetite, putting down his spoon after only a few mouthfuls.

"Do you think it’s because you eat too little and burn energy too quickly that your hands and feet are always cold?" Qingwu asked thoughtfully, feeling guilty about forcing him to eat.

"It doesn’t have much of an effect." Pei Muci lowered his head, his face handsome and refined, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Du Lingyu often says that I’m in poor health because of an internal deficiency." She tried her best to recall the long list of things Du Jin had told Li He that she hadn’t understood at the time. In short, it was very serious, and she wanted Pei Muci to take it seriously.

Pei Muci opened his palm. Qingwu did not understand why, but placed her hand on his. He was silent for a moment before speaking, "Your Highness cannot be considered too deficient."

Indeed, compared to him, her body temperature was high. Qingwu spoke without thinking, "Then that means you are even more deficient than I am."

Pei Muci’s eyes narrowed sharply, the smile freezing on his lips. His gaze remained fixed on her, and after a moment of stillness, he naturally moved the bowl and chopsticks in front of her, stacking them together, and muttered to himself, "Deficient?"

Qingwu was stunned, feeling as if a chilling wind had blown past, though she could not say exactly what was wrong. Pei Muci easily set the tray aside and leaned close to her ear, his voice dropping low, as if he were nibbling on her earlobe.

"Your Highness, are you not clear on whether or not this servant is deficient?"

Qingwu moved her elbows off the table and tried to shrink herself into a tiny ball. She realized what was wrong and crawled off the table, scurrying back to the bed to wrap herself up tightly.

Damn it... what was she saying...

Pei Muci returned to the inner chamber after cleaning up. Qingwu stiffened her legs straight under the covers, fearing he would discover she was still awake. He acted as if he hadn't noticed, took a book from the shelf, and sat on the soft couch by the window.

Tree shadows swayed, casting a mosaic of light and shadow on the floor, spilling over his shoulders and hair through the window lattice. Time flowed slowly; one sat and one lay, forming a warm, affectionate bubble in the fragrant room. Everything outside was blocked out. Pei Muci shifted into a kneeling position, his back still straight.

"Aren't you sleepy?" Qingwu asked suddenly.

Aside from obscure treatises on governing the state, her room was filled with drama scripts collected from everywhere. In the time she had been observing Pei Muci, the book in his hand had gradually reached the final page. Pei Muci closed the book without hesitation and sat by her side.

Qingwu stayed under the covers, only her head visible, her eyes looking at him mistily. Pei Muci rested his hand beside her waist. Qingwu leaned over, hooked her fingers around his collar, and asked with a smile, "Not tired either?"

Where was any trace of sleepiness in her eyes? Her long lashes fluttered, and her pure eyes bloomed with laughter, like a white epiphyllum blooming quietly in the dark night, sparkling with untainted brilliance. Pei Muci leaned down to kiss her. Her face pressed against his chest, and she seemed to have no way to retreat.

Softness engulfed her lips, and the interweaving of breath made their breathing deepen. A flash of cunning crossed Qingwu’s eyes, only to be instantly drowned out by his aggressive biting. She pressed against his shoulders, her fingers caught in his grip, twisted behind her back. Pei Muci felt his own body warming up with hers, and his movements as he held her became increasingly gentle. He rested one hand on her back, supporting her as her body softened.

*Knock, knock.*

"Princess." Zhixue’s voice came from outside, abruptly pulling back Qingwu’s scattered consciousness. "Physician Du is here to deliver medicine."

Ningchun chased after her, scolding, "Master Pei is in the Princess’s courtyard, why are you being so loud?"

Qingwu was startled, her hazy eyes instantly brightening. Pei Muci pulled away, wiped the gloss from her lips with his thumb, and sat back on the edge of the couch, returning to his well-groomed appearance. It seemed that every time, he could actively stir Qingwu’s senses and then retreat with ease. Only the faint flush at the corners of his eyes betrayed his passion.

Qingwu steadied her breathing. "What medicine?"

She began to tidy the bed she had messed up and smoothed her disheveled hair.

"Physician Du didn't say, but he is heading to Biezhu Garden and wishes to see the Princess." Before Ningchun could finish, Du Jin had already reached the courtyard gate.

There was no response from the room for a long time. Du Jin stood outside for a while, listening to Zhixue and Ningchun bickering, then knocked on the door himself. "It concerns Master Pei’s health. I have come to discuss it with the Princess."

"Come in."

The moment Du Jin pushed the door open, he curled his lips in a self-deprecating smile, swallowing the bitterness that surged up. The scene of them together was particularly jarring. He did not know how he managed to take the steps into the inner chamber.

The man sat at the desk, calm and composed, his brows relaxed, wearing his long, piped-edge robe with an air of unique, refined elegance. The woman by the bed was half-leaning, the flush on her face not yet faded, a faint pink tint lingering on her earlobes. She seemed to be trying to cover something, fiddling with her loosened hair, and greeted him with an awkward tone. "Lingyu, you are here."

Du Jin was well-versed in medical theory; he knew exactly what had happened just now from the smallest telltale signs. He suppressed the sourness in his heart, knowing the principle that one should not look upon what is inappropriate. Despite his immense reluctance, he sat on the round stool beside Pei Muci and placed a prescription from his medical kit on the table.

Qingwu said in pleasant surprise, "Have you found a way to detoxify him?"

"Master Pei’s poison is severe and has been neglected for too long. Conventional methods will certainly be useless." Du Jin’s tone was cold, as if he had developed inexplicable hostility toward Pei Muci.

Qingwu glanced at him strangely. He ignored her and continued, "I discussed a prescription involving using poison to fight poison with Physician Li He of the Imperial Hospital. The first few days will be extremely dangerous. If he pulls through, he will take a daily dose of nourishing medicine afterward, and he will be able to live as a normal person without any further trouble."

"And if he doesn't pull through?" Pei Muci’s expression was indifferent, but Qingwu was more concerned about the medicine’s effect than he was.

"If he doesn't pull through, he will be bedridden for the rest of his life, a cripple, and will surely die of blood exhaustion within a year."

"Is there no other way?" Qingwu frowned, not satisfied with this outcome.

"There is." Du Jin saw Qingwu’s eyes brighten and felt an indescribable gloom, telling her not to be too happy too soon. "If you want to eradicate it completely, you must find someone with a blood relation to Master Pei and transfuse that person’s blood into him."

Du Jin seemed to be hinting at something, fearing Pei Muci wouldn't hear him clearly, so he enunciated the words with extra weight. "Does Master Pei have any living relatives?"

Pei Muci was stunned and let out a sudden, hollow laugh, but said nothing in response to Du Jin’s words. Qingwu slid off the bed and sat between the two of them, as if to cut the tight string stretched between them. After spending more time with Pei Muci, she paid less attention to what expression he wore. In any case, it was mostly a mask.

She preferred to ask him directly: "Do you want to cure it?"

The image of him suddenly suffering from the poison in the cave was not long ago, and Qingwu still felt a lingering fear when she thought about it now. If this happened once a month, she didn't know what kind of torture he would endure. Although Du Jin offered three options, all of them seemed fraught with great risk. While she wanted Pei Muci to be free from pain, she did not want to make the decision for him.

Pei Muci pondered for a moment and asked, "How many days will it take?"

"Three days will be enough to tell." Du Jin felt a hint of expectation. If Pei Muci chose to detoxify, he would have enough time during those days of unconsciousness to tell Qingwu the things he had discovered. He knew Pei Muci had a strong will and might choose to try.

"Then let us try." Pei Muci’s voice was warm, as if he were reciting a beautiful poem rather than deciding his own fate.

Du Jin breathed a sigh of relief, but Qingwu’s heart hung in the balance.

"But..."

Du Jin had heard the answer he wanted and immediately set the follow-up plans in motion. "This prescription is extremely potent. Master Pei needs to drink a few doses of nourishing medicine first. I will go and decoct them now and have them sent over."

"Many thanks, Physician Du." Pei Muci hooked the corners of his eyes, smiling lazily.

In the eye contact that followed, Du Jin almost thought his intentions had been completely seen through by him, so he quickly rose to take his leave. Before he left, he saw Qingwu looking at Pei Muci with a worried expression. He swallowed the many words blocked in his heart, finally opting not to say them out loud.