Twenty-Eight

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Yuwen Rui……injured?

I have to say that towards this news, I feel very surprised, you should know that is Yuwen Rui, the one who since a young age, have always been mindful of everything with nothing passing by him – Yuwen Fox, the one who has never ever been inflicted with even the tiniest prick of an injury – Yuwen Fox. Whilst surprised, I am also very curious, curious as to how he had been injured.

I put the peach down and look at Ling Zhi who is not her usual charmingly smiling self, asking: “When to leave?”

Ling Zhi’s eyes brightens, “Of course the sooner the better.”

I nod, “Oh.”

Clearly, the meaning of the sooner the better is immediately.

I feel unbelievable lamentation as I realise Yuwen Rui’s power within the palace has truly grown increasingly rampant, I did not even need to go through any procedure, only giving the palace administration a notice and was thus able to take Xi Xi out the palace with ease. I feel a little tired whilst in the horse carriage, hence leaning against Xi Xi to doze off.

A long while later, I hear Xi Xi quietly ask Ling Zhi: “Is Eldest Gentleman’s injury severe?”

Ling Zhi sighs: “The blade was coated in poison, Divine Physician Xue had just concocted an antidote to give Eldest Gentleman, as of now, he has yet to awaken.”

Xi Xi is a little concerned, also a little doubtful, “It truly is strange, Gentleman’s mindfulness is finer than that of cotton, how did he fall into someone’s path this time (let someone have their way)?”

“If it wasn’t for trouble caused by Ling Xian Er!” Ling Zhi is rather angered, “Told her and Ling Miao Er to lead people to wipe out the mountain bandits, she sure did well, charging out in a rampage wanting to snatch the credit, didn’t catch the bandit and instead got caught herself! That head bandit is considerably smart, stating his unwillingness to discuss with us underlings, only willing to let her go if Gentleman comes forward. Of course, Gentleman went, but didn’t think that, when they were discussing without any problems, those underhanded things would actually send in a seven or eight-year-old girl to make the move, truly a bunch scoundrels!”

“A blatant gun easy to avoid, an arrow from the shadows difficult guard against.” Xi Xi is still doubtful: “But why did Gentleman let that little girl succeed just like that?”

Ling Zhi suddenly laughs, “You tell me if this is coincidence or not, that little girl is fair and tender, that simple and honest look when she smiles looks very similar to Fifth Princess when she was younger, Gentleman paused for a moment in face of that smile, and in the very next moment, his shoulder had suffered under the knife.”

Xi Xi also starts laughing, the worries from before vanishing into thin air, “Didn’t think Gentleman would also have a ‘dying under the tree peony, amorous even as a ghost‘ moment.”

Ling Zhi starts to take pleasure in other people’s misfortune, “I can see that Gentleman’s path is still very long, meeting a rare slow-witted one, haha, only afraid that should Gentleman be provoked beyond endurance, your little master here will have no good fruits to eat (be met with bad consequences).”

Xi Xi says: “I think not, when that time come, perhaps he will be oppressed by my little master here.”

“Bet?”

“Like I’d be afraid of you?”

I keep my eyes closed, really finding these two very immature, this serious matter has ultimately become an interesting bet, really have grown through the years for nothing.

I hear the two names Ling Zhi mentioned just now, Ling Miao Er and Ling Xian Er. These two are Ling Zhi’s younger sisters, Ling Miao Er’s name is not unfamiliar, I have long heard that Ling Zhi’s second sister is an officer under Yuwen Rui, this girl’s courage and intellect does not fall short from a man’s, is a rare high-ranking officer in Yuwen Rui’s army, the soldiers under her are also more than willing to submit to her. En, is a hero amongst women. Whilst Ling Xian Er is Ling Zhi’s third sister, three years younger than Ling Zhi, yet her temperament and personality is basically like a child, and the credit claiming behaviour shown this time also proves it, she is indeed still an insensible child.

I should explain who Yuwen Rui is, before I had only said Yuwen Rui is the son of my eldest maternal uncle – General Yuwen, is the most favoured Royal Official of the Capital before the emperor, but in fact, this guy also has another identity, which is the Yun Mi Kingdom’s most secretive and also the most powerful rebel.

En, are you able to understand now, to put it more simply, Yuwen Rui this brat, has been receiving the most glorious favouring on the surface, but in the shadows, have been vying for power against my Father Emperor, with both sides refusing to back down.

Yuwen Rui, this na?vely and innocently behaved comrade, only knows to think: the emperor treats this brat well, this brat still isn’t satisfied, wanting to bite back the hand that feeds, this brat is just too greedy.

But anyone who is the tiniest bit as unkind as I am, would think, Yuwen Rui is indeed an intelligent person, with people like this, whoever faces them will have to suffer.

The situation in Yun Mi is similar to the majority of other kingdoms, has countless favoured ministers, corrupt ministers and loyal ministers.

Yuwen Rui’s father – General Yuwen – as the current emperor’s eldest brother-in-law, has made countless big and small sweat filled contributions within the past twenty-five years, after protecting the nation’s stability and peace n number of times, has earned unparalled respect and high prestige from the commoners of the nation, this makes the Yuwen family Yun Mi’s most prosperous clan. To put it less elegantly, the rays of glory is strong enough to keep the Yuwen clan with eighteen generations brilliantly lit up.

But over the thousands of years, there has been a set law that will never go out of date, that is those that flourish will definitely provoke doubt and jealousy.

My eldest uncle General Yuwen is an honest military general from the brutal battlefields, he’s brave, he’s fearless, he is as great and mighty as the gods. But he is not corrupt, nor scheming, only having a very straightforward passionate love for his nation. He naturally does not know that countless scoundrels have been throwing dark thorns before Father Emperor, and of course he does not know that the husband of his younger sister who had once respected him greatly, has already grown to become the emperor, one who sits on the nation’s most honourable seat – the emperor.

And so his power had begun to be suppressed in the shadows, and so he has been sent abroad for long periods of time, and so he is apparently promoted but actually demoted time and time again. General Yuwen remains upright and fearless, yet the Yuwen family weakens step after step, should there be no problem, the Yuwen family shall be like all the other prosperous and honourable clans, like a lit candleflame at night, slowly extinguishing.

But then, there are just always so many unexpected incidents in the world.

From General Yuwen’s family, out comes a Yuwen Rui, elegantly refined and pleasant-looking as he appears before everyone, accepting dazzling glory with ease, unknowingly preventing all declines, and whilst smiling, he casts a cold and firm wall.

This is Yuwen Rui, that man that has always been elegantly refined and pleasant-looking just like the morning dew, the one who is cunning in reality like a thousand-year-old fox – Yuwen Rui, the one who is capable of freezing everything around him when cold and indifferent – Yuwen Rui.

I suddenly feel my heart shrink a little, Yuwen Rui is so outstanding, such an outstanding Yuwen Rui, yet he is not the son of the father he respects and protects, when he had heard his mother tell him this fact, how horrible he must have felt.

“Princess.” Xi Xi quietly calls out next to my ear: “We’re here.”

I slowly open my eyes, hazily sounding “mm”, casting aside the long absent feeling of worry in my heart just now.

I believe I understand, Yuwen Rui, has never needed others’ sympathy.

I follow Ling Zhi with a clear destination – being Yuwen Rui’s room – in mind as we march ahead, along the way, the servants see my appearance as something very ordinary, after soft sounds of greeting, they all carry on with their tasks. When we reach the doors, Mu Er was stood pen-straight as he guards at the side, upon seeing me, he respectfully calls out: “Princess.”

“En.” I say: “Where’s Cousin?”

Mu Er says: “Gentleman is currently in the room. May Princess go to the main hall to wait a moment? I’ll tell someone to prepare some grapes-“

“Wait wait wait your head ah!” Ling Zhi rudely cuts him off, extending her finger to poke at his chest, “Gentleman was constantly calling for her when injured, now she’s here, you actually tell Princess to wait first, is your brain awake yet?”

Mu Er looks at me rather awkwardly, then grabs Ling Zhi’s hand that had been poking at him, “Stop this nonsense, Gentleman is currently-“

“Currently what? I know Gentleman has just drank his medicine and is lying there, where is all this talk of yours coming from?” Ling Zhi grabs him by the ear, pulling him away, “Don’t get in the way of Gentleman and Princess’ meeting, move out the way.”

“Si~.” Mu Er cries out, pain stricken, but does not show displeasure, presumably because he is already used to Ling Zhi acting like this, just that he still does not give up in saying: “I was saying, Gentleman is currently-“

“Leave now, still standing here here here, a big man like yourself, how could you be so wishy-washy ah.” Ling Zhi who has a great demeanour of a mature woman, once again blocks off his words, the hand pulling at his ear making a few twists, and so Mu Er is lead far away by his grandaunt (superior woman) – Ling Zhi, occasionally issuing cries of pain.

I reach up to touch my own ear, eh, why do I feel like my ear has gone cold? I bitterly shake my head, this is what they call henpecked ah, henpecked (when a man is under strict control of their wife), Mu Er, from the bottom of my heart I think you are a great man, really.

I lightly push open the doors and enter, inside is still the sight I am familiar with, just that there is a stimulating scent in the air, it’s the strong scent of medicinal herbs but also not just medicinal herbs. I lightly walk in, but don’t see the person I’m looking for on the bed. I walk up to the bedside and look at the neat bedding, raising my brows in puzzlement. Mu Er definitely wouldn’t lie to me by saying Yuwen Rui is in his room, just that Yuwen Rui isn’t on the bed nor is he in the outer area, then where would he be?

I stand confused for a few seconds, then look around the entire room and carefully listen for any sounds within the room. Several minutes later, I finally hear a very subtle, very gentle breathing, I slowly walk towards the source of sound, which is behind the screen.

And then, I see a completely unexpected scene.

Behind the screen is a very big wooden tub, inside the wooden tub bathes a……man.

The elegantly refined and pleasant-looking man casually rests his head against the edge of the tub, those eyes that are usually always indifferent, is currently exhaustedly closed, those pretty and thin lips slightly pale. His black long hair leisurely flowing down, lining his bare chest, and causing his skin to appear even more fair. The cheeky steam coming in contact with his body, becomes drops of water, settling along his skin, reluctant to fall.

Such a Yuwen Rui who is sweetly sleeping in comfort, appears to be free from a whole body of alertness, so fragile, so beautiful, like God’s favoured angel.

So attractive.

I hurriedly reach up to pinch my nose, to prevent any discharge of warm liquid. Turns out Mu Er’s words that had constantly been cut off before were ‘Gentleman is currently bathing.’

I find it ridiculously laughable, but the very next second I cannot help but tremble, the Yuwen Rui right now is perfect, provided that, his right shoulder doesn’t have that fresh wound revealing his flesh. I suddenly find his behaviour funny and slightly annoying, Yuwen Rui and I have known each other for so many years, of course I know he is someone who extremely loves to be clean, no matter when, he would always carry a body of clean fragrance, pleasant and refreshing. Just that I didn’t think that at a time like this, he would still be occupied with something like this, what’s more outrageous is, right now, he isn’t even willing to let others help bathe him.

This really is an extremely stubborn person.

I don’t know what I should do right now. Call out to wake him up? But he’s sleeping so comfortably. Leave him to sleep? Then I’m afraid his health would very quickly worsen. Just as I am indecisively hesitating, the handsome male in deep sleep slightly flutters his eyelashes, then slowly opens that pair of eyes like morning mist, speaking rather softly: “Ah-Lan?”

My heart feels like it was harshly hit with something, holy mother, him speaking like this makes him seem even more like an angel! I look straight at him, “En.”

“You’re here?” His thin lips softly curls up, that smile so na?ve and dazed.

I almost cover my chest with a hand, oh mother, this is definitely the f*cking legendary instant kill! Instant kill!

He knits his brows together a little, voice starting to restore its original coldness, “Wait for me, I’ll get changed.”

I immediately turn and leave the screen upon hearing this, heck, you could have said that earlier.

I sit at the table with chin resting in hands, just now, Yuwen Xiu revealed a side to him I have never seen before, so childlike and defenceless. I then think of the usual him, lamenting, children, will always grow up.

When Yuwen Rui comes out, he is only loosely wearing a loose outer shirt, even then I can see the faint red, I was just about to speak up but my hand was held, directly pulling me onto his lap.

He half narrows his long fox eyes and plainly say: “Ah-Lan, help me apply the medicine.”