A new incident occurred in court the next day, which threw everyone’s minds off, and they couldn’t concentrate on court business.

Because the people in front noticed the red marks on Yan Mingting’s neck, they were so shocked that their white hair almost stood on end. They couldn’t help whispering to the people behind, and once the word spread, all the civil and military officials stared at the marks one after another. Although the people in the rear couldn’t see clearly, they still felt strange.

General Yan did not come to court for the first time yesterday, and today he bore traces of romance. What happened was self-evident.

It was only that everyone was guessing who he had an affair with.

A woman? Not quite, Zhao Yelan definitely wouldn’t allow a woman to enter.

Then it could only be Zhao Yelan.

It was said that the two hugged on the street in public a few days ago. It was really indecent, ah, just indecent.

But no one dared to impeach him.

Zhao Yelan had done many important things recently. Not only had he become a popular person in the eyes of the Emperor, but he had also been praised by the common people and could not be offended.

Yan Mingting had just received the Imperial Sword, they couldn’t afford to provoke someone who could decapitate them first and ask for permission later.

What else could they do but persuade them to restrain themselves!

After court was over, several old officials couldn’t help but remind Yan Mingting in low voices: “General Yan, this is court, after all. What happens between you and Zhao Yelan…..”

“Ah? Even you all know?” Pleasantly surprised, Yan Mingting said, “Yes, we are together.”

Everyone: “……” Didn’t you guys get together a long time ago?

“Cough.” The leader donned a wise expression and urged, “General Yan and Zhao-daren still need to pay more attention to their bodies.”

“My body is in good health, ah,” Yan Mingting said. “But his body really needs to be nourished more. By the way, do you have any good medicine for strengthening the body that you can recommend? He’s been so well-behaved recently, and obediently takes medicine when he’s told to take it.”

Everyone was silent, because it was truly difficult for them to imagine Zhao Yelan being so obedient. Even Kan Chuan, who was eavesdropping on the sidelines, fell into confusion and wanted to see such a thing if he had the opportunity.

“They’ve been staring at Yan Mingting all morning. What are they looking at?” Zhao Xuan asked Eunuch Gao casually as he walked toward Xuanzheng Hall.

There was some distance between the golden throne and the main hall, and it was still dark, so he couldn’t see clearly what had happened. Standing to one side, Eunuch Gao happened to witness the mark on the left side of Yan Mingting’s neck, so he told him about it.

“What did you say?” Zhao Xuan stopped abruptly and looked at him in disbelief. “Did you see that right?”

“It shouldn’t be wrong.” After Eunuch Gao spoke, he carefully observed the changes in the other’s expression, and finally gave an internal sigh.

The condition of Zhao Yelan’s neck was even worse than Yan Mingting’s. Yan Mingting was like a dog, biting all over his body and leaving mottled and ambiguous marks, even on his neck.

However, when he got up in the morning to tie his hair, he noticed it and took a box of ointment to apply it around.

Yin Pinglu had provided this ointment a few days ago. She said that she had bought more boxes in Jiangnan, so she insisted on giving him one. At that time, he had felt that it was unnecessary, but now that he thought about it, he feared that she had foreseen today’s situation and specially prepared it for him.

After arriving at the Imperial Academy, no one noticed the hidden marks on his neck at all, and they all dragged him in a lively manner to discuss serious business.

An hour later, another person came from the palace. Zhao Yelan and another colleague entered the palace to draft an Imperial edict.

It was nearly late autumn, and the autumn hunt would be held soon. It was also necessary to send letters to vassal lords and allies all over the country to prepare for their trips to Beijing in the winter to report on their duties and participate in state banquets and other matters.

After staying in the Imperial Academy for so long, Zhao Yelan was already familiar with these official documents. He and his colleagues sat together with brushes to write, and occasionally exchanged words.

The only strange thing was that his neck always felt a chill as Zhao Xuan stared at it from time to time.

After dealing with everything in the palace, the two were about to leave, but Zhao Xuan called his name hesitantly.

Zhao Yelan looked at him suspiciously, but Zhao Xuan didn’t say anything, only gesturing for them to step down.

It wasn’t until he returned home and saw Yan Mingting that he guessed what had happened. He pressed Yan Mingting’s neck and asked: “Did you go to court looking like this?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Yan Mingting looked into the mirror. “Aiya, when did you bite me?”

He turned around to blame him? Zhao Yelan didn’t even bother to speak to him, that rascal.

“It’s over, I went to many places today,” Yan Mingting said.

“What sorts of places?”

“You know I go to the training grounds every day.”

En, there were thousands of soldiers on the training field…..well, anyway, those people already knew about them, and Zhao Yelan could reluctantly accept it.

“I also went to the covert guard barracks to ask the commander about the defense situation.”

En, there were not too many covert guards, and they kept their mouths shut, so nothing major would happen.

“In the afternoon, I went to the vegetable market.”

This was unbearable. Zhao Yelan slapped the table: “What were you doing in the vegetable market?!”

“Don’t you want to eat delicacies? The cook said that the usual shopkeeper was out of stock, so I ordered some specially.”

Zhao Yelan looked at him silently.

“Then I walked around the market, bought some wine at Huichun Tower, and won some silver at the casino…..”

“You went to the brothel.”

“I passed by, but I didn’t go in. I was very careful, okay?” Yan Mingting said confidently, patting his chest.

“I think you did it on purpose!” Zhao Yelan grabbed his neck. “How do you expect me to go out and face people? Today, neither of us can continue living!”

Housekeeper Qin heard the commotion and went to the door to see that Zhao Yelan had strangled the General until his face turned red. He was about to go in and stop him, but was carried away by Xiao Gao.

“Let me down, my lord is about to strangle the General to death!”

Xiao Gao was calm: “The General won’t die so easily.”

For several days in a row, Zhao Yelan didn’t dare to go out onto the street. There were sedan chairs to take him to the Imperial Academy, and he never went to crowded places.

But the rumors outside didn’t subside at all, because Gu Niaoniao continued to send him news in a very hateful manner —

“On the streets today, I heard someone discussing the matter between you and General Yan, saying that you are quite capable.”

“The gambling house is betting on what time you went to the bridal chamber.”

“You haven’t stepped out of the gate, are you feeling shy? Ah? Little daughter-in-law Zhao?”

Zhao Yelan tore up the letter furiously: “Come, I want to go to the street!”

Yan Mingting was practicing with his sword in the courtyard. When he heard that he was about to go out, he shamelessly followed him and abducted him to the door of the pharmacy when he wasn’t paying attention: “The Minister of the Ministry of War recommended a kind of medicinal material to me, saying that it was very nourishing for the body. Shall I buy some for you to try?”

“If you want to eat it, you can eat it yourself.” Zhao Yelan shot him a sideways glance, then turned and left.

Yan Mingting stopped in front of him again, tugging at his sleeve and begging: “Just buy a little, okay?”

“I won’t take it.”

“Let me taste the bitterness for you first, how about we go buy some candied fruit later?”

Seeing him thinking seriously, Yan Mingting tugged on his sleeve while the iron was hot: “Let’s get some, ba, if it’s useless, we’ll just throw it away.”

At this time, Yan Mingting caught a glimpse of a nearby figure from the corner of his eye and froze abruptly.

There were too many people around, so Kan Chuan didn’t come forward to say hello. He gave him a slight nod and walked into the pharmacy, but when he passed by them, he couldn’t help but press his fist against his lips, and the corners of his mouth were raised high —

It turned out that this was what General Yan meant about being so obedient, ah.

He really couldn’t see any obedience at all.

Yan Mingting’s face was damaged, and he desperately wanted to flee. But after walking a few steps, he remembered that he hadn’t bought any medicine yet, so he turned around and ran into the pharmacy, quickly bought a big bag, and rushed out in embarrassment without even looking at Kan Chuan. He took Zhao Yelan’s hand and left quickly.

The temperature in autumn changed rapidly. Although the sun was still high at noon, it was necessary to add layers at night to protect against the chilly autumn wind.

Not only did Zhao Yelan add a middle layer, but he also put on a cloak. The collar was fluffy, and Yan Mingting couldn’t put it down. He played with it distractedly until his face was grasped.

Zhao Yelan was so annoyed that he kicked him out into the courtyard.

Yan Mingting practiced swordplay there, drinking alone under the moonlight. His body was full of vitality, and he moved like the wind.

Zhao Yelan watched for a while and saw that he was still wearing thin clothes, but didn’t feel cold at all. He was a little envious and took off his cloak, walking forward to say: “Teach me, ba.”

“You want to learn the sword?”

Zhao Yelan nodded. It was fine to learn swordsmanship or knives, as long as he could protect himself with his own strength.

“Okay.” Yan Mingting put away his sword and walked up to him. “Run three laps first, and then do horse stance for half an hour.”

“……”

“Haste makes waste. You can’t even stand on your legs, but you want to fly?”

After a long period of mental preparation, Zhao Yelan finally decided to follow his arrangement of running three laps per day, and strode forward.

It was difficult at first, and took a lot of effort to go around. He wanted to give up several times, but fortunately, Yan Mingting kept talking to him at his side the whole time. He didn’t need to answer, and his attention was diverted. This was still not enough. Yan Mingting also called all the servants in the mansion to run with him. Every time one fell behind, he praised Zhao Yelan for another victory.

Later, the servants refused to admit defeat and began to run desperately. Zhao Yelan’s desire to win was also aroused. He refused to fall behind and could only grit his teeth and persevere.

After several days, he was finally able to run three laps, and his horse stance was more up to standard.

That night, Zhao Yelan was just about to run when Yan Mingting called him out. He walked to the gate and saw that Yan Mingting was leading two horses, smiling at him: “Is it time to try horseback riding?”

Zhao Yelan was eager to try, but he had never been on a horse alone and was a little worried.

“Don’t be afraid, don’t you still have me by your side?”

Yan Mingting himself rode a sweat-blood horse,^[1] but had him ride a snow-white horse.

Zhao Yelan tried a few times before finally mounting the horse, and asked: “Why didn’t you give me the sweat-blood horse?”

“You wouldn’t be able to control it, but this horse is very suitable for you.” Yan Mingting smiled and said, “It’s pretty and conspicuous, and you can be spotted at a glance at night.”

Zhao Yelan just gave up and rode his horse leisurely, following him to the training grounds.

There was no one at the training grounds, just the two of them in the huge space. While leading his horse, Yan Mingting patiently explained to him how to steer, and then let him go by himself.

He walked very slowly at first. The horse was not obedient and kept running to other places, and every time he was frightened, he hurriedly called Yan Mingting. Yan Mingting always showed up at the critical moment to bring the horse back to the right path and keep him safe and sound.

Gradually, he came to realize that with Yan Mingting around, he wouldn’t be injured, so he simply let go.

Half an hour later, he was finally able to run on horseback, and shouted excitedly: “Yan Mingting, Yan Mingting, look quickly!”

He turned his head to look to the side. Yan Mingting was smiling silently at him, and he also smiled.

After returning, Zhao Yelan was still a little unfulfilled and made an appointment with him to go back tomorrow night. But when he lowered his head, he noticed that the other had kept his left hand behind his back.

“What’s wrong with you?” Zhao Yelan frowned, pulled his hand out, and found a deep red ligature mark on his palm. “Were you injured just now?”

The horse had run wildly several times, and each time Yan Mingting flew over and reined it in. He was so calm that Zhao Yelan didn’t even notice it.

“It’s just a small injury, you go take a bath first.”

“I won’t go tomorrow,” Zhao Yelan said.

“How can this be done? This sort of thing must be done smoothly in one go. How can you spend three days fishing and two days drying the net?” Yan Mingting said.

“But…..”

“Don’t worry. You’ve mastered the basics now, and if you slack off, you’ll have to start all over again. You don’t want me to have suffered this pain for nothing, do you? Also, don’t you want to participate in the fall hunt?”

Zhao Yelan was slightly surprised: “You noticed?”

“At the last spring hunt, you were ready to try. How could you give up such a good opportunity this time? After all, you have the best teacher,” Yan Mingting said.

Zhao Yelan smiled: “Yes. Then, Teacher Yan, I would like to kiss you now. Is that all right?”

“You have Teacher’s permission.”

Before they knew it, it was the day of the autumn hunt. Everyone had already mastered the procedures. After entering the camp, they greeted each other and waited for the Emperor to speak.

After the official start, as before, there were still two groups of people. One party drank wine and tea at the camp, while the other party entered the hunting grounds to hunt.

Li Yucheng still participated this time. He rushed in with a few followers and made an appointment with Fu Qian to compete to see who took the most and biggest prey.

After he went in, he didn’t immediately look for prey, but waited a while for Yan Mingting. He made a small calculation, planning to follow Yan Mingting to pick up anything that leaked by him.

However, he not only waited for Yan Mingting, but for Zhao Yelan.

“Why are you here? You can do this?!” Li Yucheng was dumbfounded.

Zhao Yelan was wearing a black outfit that made his skin look whiter than jade. His waist was narrow and his hair was all tied up, revealing his delicate facial features. The visual impact was strong, and he looked radiant. When the wind blew, his hair fluttered. There was a wooden hairpin inserted into it, the one Yan Mingting personally carved for him.

His whole person was glowing with health and vigor, which was very eye-catching.

Li Yucheng circled him twice with novelty: “Aiyo, you used to be a black-bellied scholar, but now you suddenly turned into an extravagant young man on a strong horse. How can we live, ah……no, how can Fu Qian live, ah? I’ll turn around and go smash his signboard of the most handsome man.”

Zhao Yelan didn’t quarrel with him, but turned to ask Yan Mingting: “Where are we going?”

Yan Mingting tilted his head, and the two of them rode their horses in that direction together. The sound of horseshoes startled the birds in the forest.

“My lord, do we still want to follow?” A follower asked.

“We won’t follow.” Li Yucheng didn’t want to follow behind these two people. Watching them flirt was too much for him, an old bachelor. “Let’s go a different way.”

However, after going around in a circle, Li Yucheng unexpectedly found nothing. Seeing ferocious prey, he didn’t dare to approach. Seeing the average prey, he was one step too slow, and the group of military officials swept it away like picking something out of a bag.

“Forget it, let’s go hunt wild rabbits.” This was more suitable for him. He continued to walk forward with his people, but found a crowd in front of him and walked over curiously. “What are you looking at?”

“Looking at the rabbits,” one person turned around to say.

“Rabbits? Leave it to me!” Li Yucheng dismounted his horse and picked up his bow and arrow, squeezing into the crowd, only to find a gap in the middle that contained only Yan Mingting, Zhao Yelan, and a group of wild rabbits.

“Watching Zhao-daren shoot the rabbits,” the man added.

“ ? ”

Li Yucheng watched for a while, and finally understood the situation.

This Yan Mingting didn’t go hunting leopards and tigers, but drove all the rabbits here to let Zhao Yelan practice!

Zhao Yelan had learned equestrian skills well, but he had only practiced the bow and arrow for a short while. The day of the hunt had come, and his accuracy was a bit off. Nine out of ten times, he missed the target, and one time he almost shot Yan Mingting.

While watching, everyone couldn’t help but cheer for Zhao Yelan.

Li Yucheng’s heart itched unbearably. There were so many rabbits here. As soon as he drew his bow, a man stood in front of him.

“Don’t shoot the rabbits here while he’s playing,” Yan Mingting said.

“What’s wrong with giving me one or two?” Li Yucheng said, “Could it be that these are all yours?”

“Yes, I caught them all with my own hands, so don’t try to snatch my prey away.”

“……”

The people next to him whispered to Li Yucheng: “Don’t you know why we didn’t do anything? General Yan refused to let us, ah!”

Li Yucheng: It’s amazing to know martial arts, ah!

Zhao Yelan frowned and looked around. Seeing so many people watching, he lost interest.

Seeing this, Yan Minting quickly shooed people away: “Go, go, go. Everyone scatter, don’t come near here. There is a time for hunting and a time for resting.”

After everyone retreated, Yan Mingting said: “Okay, come on, keep trying. Don’t be impatient. Find the target first, then judge the trajectory before you shoot.”

Zhao Yelan drew the bow and held his breath. He stared at the grazing rabbit, predicted its possible direction of escape, and shot the arrow. The rabbit heard the movement and instinctively jumped forward, taking the arrow in the heart.

“I shot it?” Zhao Yelan stared at the fallen rabbit in disbelief.

“En, you hit it!” Yan Mingting happily picked up the rabbit. “That’s amazing, Mengting.”

The corners of Zhao Yelan’s mouth curled up and his confidence soared. The previous disappointment was swept away, and he started again with great interest.

Half an hour later, he looked at the four rabbits he shot and was very satisfied. But his hands were exhausted, so he put down his bow and leaned against a tree, looking down at his hands.

“Come, take some medicine.” Yan Mingting took out a bottle of wound medicine and rubbed it between his palms to warm it, then rubbed it on his hands. “Your hands will be sore tomorrow, it’s normal.”

Zhao Yelan nodded, looking at the medicine in his hands with a smile in his eyes.

This fellow, knowing he was going to hurt, didn’t tell him to stop, but prepared the medicine and waited for him to call out that he was tired and sore.

“Are you injured?” Zhao Yelan asked.

“What kind of injury could I suffer? I only caught a few rabbits.”

“I’ll examine you,” Zhao Yelan said. He pulled his collar to look in, then reached in with his hand and felt around, raising his eyes. “It seems you aren’t hurt.”

Yan Mingting froze. Looking into his eyes that were smiling but not smiling, he knew that he was being deliberately teased, but still willingly fell into the trap and bowed his head to kiss him.

Not far away, Zhao Xuan was leading people to search for the tiger, but when he saw the two figures, he stopped suddenly and stretched out his hand to keep his followers silent.

At dusk, a warm yellow halo fell on the treetops, and a few rays of light sprinkled obliquely onto the two people as they leaned against the tree and kissed like no one else was there.

Zhao Xuan looked at them silently. Although he couldn’t see Zhao Yelan’s expression clearly, just from the back view, it could be seen that he was not being forced, but rather enjoying it.

It was the hunting grounds, after all, and colleagues may appear at any time. Yan Mingting kissed him lightly for a moment, but when he raised his eyes, he caught sight of Zhao Xuan’s figure appearing at the end of the path and his eyes sank.

“What is it?” Zhao Yelan looked up at him, and was about to follow his line of sight and turn around, when Yan Mingting held his face.

“It’s nothing.” Yan Mingting lowered his head and kissed his lips again. “Let’s continue.”

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[1] A sweat-blood horse (汗血宝马) is an endangered breed whose sweat is a brown-red color. Some researchers think that the blood-colored sweat is caused by a certain parasite. ⮐

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Chapter Seventy-Five <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Seventy-Seven

A general and his war horse lived and died together on the battlefield. Therefore, horse trainers would pay special attention to teach them from an early age not to accept food from strangers, so that this could not be taken advantage of by villains in the future. And Xuan Jiao’s vigilance was higher than that of ordinary war horses, in addition to being naturally fierce and aggressive. When it was at the northwest camp, it kicked and injured several groomers who tried to approach it, and even Cheng Suyue nearly lost a rib once.

Liang Shu frowned: “You’ve fed it several times on the road?”

Liu Xian’an sipped at the remaining sweetness on the tip of his tongue: “En, soy bean radish cake with some added herbs. A-Ning made them himself, and it was originally prepared as nighttime food for the pony.”

The pony was Liu Xian’an’s red-haired mare. Like its owner, it had a docile personality and a slow pace. It had gained weight recently, its whole body shaking when it ran. Liang Shu originally thought that Xuan Jiao would scoff at such a fat little horse that was neither good-looking nor useful, and continued to ask: “Why are you feeding my horse?”

“I didn’t take the initiative to feed it, it came to ask for some by itself.” Liu Xian’an stretched his muscles vigorously. “But don’t worry, my lord. I know that war horses have to pay special attention to food and drink, so I only gave it half a bite each time, less than two mouthfuls. If that is no good, then I’ll go back and tell A-Ning not to feed it in the future.”

Liang Shu felt as if he had just seen a ghost. Why did everyone from Xiao Wang Palace, from people to horses, have a big change of temperament upon meeting this Sleeping Immortal? Never mind Cheng Suyue, she was a young girl, after all, and would take the initiative to restrain herself when she saw a good-looking man. This could just barely be explained, but what sort of wrong medicine did Gao Lin and Xuan Jiao take? His Royal Highness Xiao Wang even began to wonder whether in the Three Thousand Worlds, there was a world dedicated to teaching people how to cast curses – it was hard to say, ah. After all, there should have been a lot of old, white-bearded men who died in ancient times, and it was hard to guarantee that one or two with ulterior motives wouldn’t get in.

Liu Xian’an yawned and returned to his room to change his clothes. He was really sleepy, but also really hungry, and the combination of sleepiness and hunger made his movements slower. Liang Shu had just ordered the guards at the door to call Cheng Suyue over, and when he turned around, he saw Liu Xian’an wrapped in a loose robe. With half-closed eyes, he took one step onto the threshold with his left foot, stepped on his left foot with his right foot, and fell to the ground with a plop. 

After that, he didn’t move any more, and lay down as peacefully as a mountain, unmoved by wind or rain.

Liang Shu: “…….”

A guard hurried forward to help him up: “Second Young Master Liu, are you all right? Do you want to go back to the room and rest for a while?”

Presently, A-Ning also returned with food. There was nothing good on the mountain, only two pancakes and a bowl of soup. From a distance, he saw Liu Xian’an sitting at the table in a trance with a dirty face and sighed deeply: “Young Master, you fell asleep while walking again?”

This tone of voice was not one of surprise, and it could be seen that Second Young Master Liu was a habitual offender in this respect. A-Ning quickly wrung out a handkerchief and wiped his hands and face clean before stuffing him with cakes. Liu Xian’an didn’t open his eyes the whole time. Liang Shu watched in amazement and thought that with such an expression, it would not be impossible to directly move him to a temple and put him on a high platform, wrapping him in a piece of cloth to pretend he was a clay sculpture.

After Liu Xian’an finished eating two pieces of cake with his eyes closed, he was almost awake. He stood up and glanced around, asking, “Where is the prince?”

“He left a long time ago. Before leaving, he told the young master to rest more and go to the morgue after getting enough sleep, so as not to plunge into Du Jing’s arms.”

Liu Xian’an thought about Du Jing’s “bosom” that he couldn’t look straight at right then, and felt that it would be okay to sleep a little longer. Thus, he rinsed his mouth and went to bed, rolling up in the blanket to go visit the god of dreams again. This time the ancient sages did not appear in the bamboo forest, but he met His Royal Highness Xiao Wang. Sitting on a white crane with his very long sword, he asked leisurely: “This is your Three Thousand Ways?”

Although Liu Xian’an was a little surprised, the new guest was still very welcome, so he rode a white crane and stopped in front of him, only to find that Liang Shu had a lot of blood on his body, some of which was very fresh, dying a large area of the pure white crane feathers red.

For the first time in this pure world, there were other colors. Liu Xian’an sighed and wanted to take him to the spring to wash away the blood, and then eat some spiritual fruits. But he met a group of barefoot sages who seemed to be drunk, talking about how there was “no dao in the world,” and “I will not be an official for life, my ambitions are forthright,” so he hurriedly pulled this person along to quietly go to another place.

The scenery was more elegant and beautiful than the spring. Thin waterfalls streamed down from the top of the mountain, splashing into thousands of ripples. The fallen flower petals on the shore were colorful, the spiritual grass swayed, and a few little jade rabbits would run past from time to time. This was the place that Second Young Master Liu usually liked to visit, and it could be regarded as his private territory.

Liang Shu asked: “Why are you afraid that I will see them?”

Liu Xian’an sat on the rocks on the shore, watching him bathe: “Because they advocate inaction and uselessness, avoiding the world to protect themselves.” 

They’re different from you. If you meet, you would probably have to fight them.

Liang Shu was immersed in the water, with only half of his shoulders exposed: “Inaction and uselessness, ignoring troubled times and suffering?”

“That isn’t it.” Liu Xian’an propped up his head and thought for a while, replying, “Doing nothing is doing something. If you do something, the world will be at peace, if you do nothing, you can still govern. If there is nothing to do, you will live a long time.”

Liang Shu scoffed coldly: “They should all be exiled into the chaotic world to take a good look at how useful inaction can be.”

Liu Xian’an felt that His Royal Highness Xiao Wang was really not very friendly, and would chase away his good friends as soon as he came, so he carefully told him: “If you come again in the future, just wait for me underneath this waterfall, don’t run around, okay?”

Liang Shu snorted, expressing his full disdain for such a proposal, and stood up from the water. His figure was solid and strong, and water droplets slid down his chest from his shoulders, disappearing into the water below his waist. Looking at the blurred shadow in the reflection, Liu Xian’an hurriedly said: “Don’t move, I’ll find you some clothes –”

Splash.

His Royal Highness Xiao Wang stood on the shore and said: “I don’t like to wear white.”

Liu Xian’an stared at him, dumbfounded.

Then we woke up from the dream.

He sat up suddenly with his heart beating extremely fast. The shadow under the water’s surface became extremely clear, and he took a breath of cold air, pulling the blanket over his head. He didn’t understand how he could dream with such detail. At this time, the sky outside was already dark and all was quiet. A-Ning had gone to rest long ago, so no one noticed the strange behavior of Second Young Master Liu in the middle of the night.

He felt that this was really a breach of etiquette. His Royal Highness Xiao Wang came as a guest, but he couldn’t even dream up some clothes for him. Lying in the dark under the blanket for a while, Liu Xian’an felt his heartbeat calm down a little, so he sat up again, hugging his knees as he looked out the window for some time.

The moonlight that night was very bright, so bright that it was a little strange, and the silver disc had a reddish edge. The mountains and fields stretched as far as the eye could see. Tall blades of grass bent in the wind and echoes swirled, wu wu sha sha, in weeping and complaint.

Sometimes, a space that was too quiet could easily make people feel suffocated. Liu Xian’an wiped the fine sweat from his forehead, getting out of bed to drink a glass of water at the table. He felt that he couldn’t sleep anyway, so he might as well go finish the autopsy.

Thus, he picked up a small oil lamp and went to work.

The candles in the morgue were lit one by one, and Liu Xian’an closed the doors and windows, leaving only a gap for ventilation. Du Jing’s corpse looked a hundred times more hideous than in the daytime. Liu Xian’an got closer to observe carefully, wondering if the Gu worms were still wandering, or if it was the candlelight swaying too much.

Liang Shu stood outside the window, looking through the gap as Liu Xian’an nearly put his own face into it……disregarding other things for the time being, didn’t he think that thing was disgusting?

Cheng Suyue was also there. She was originally sent by Liang Shu to buy sugar cakes, but after going down the mountain, all the shops were closed, so there were no sugar cakes for sale. But Cheng-guniang knew her prince’s temper, so she knocked on the door of a pastry shop and asked the boss to steam a pot right then, so she came back a little late.

Holding the warm pastries in her arms, she said with emotion, deeply moved: “Second Young Master Liu is really amazing.”

Her voice was very soft, but Liu Xian’an had excellent hearing, so he stopped what he was doing and turned his head to look out the window.

Liang Shu took the sugar cakes from Cheng Suyue and motioned for her to go back and rest, while he pushed open the wooden door: “When did you come?”

“Just now, not long ago.” Seeing His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, Liu Xian’an promptly remembered the matter of bathing in the waterfall, so he chose to continue to lower his head and look at Du Jing, his heart pounding like he was flying high in the sky.

Liang Shu didn’t know what had happened in the Three Thousand Worlds, so he called to him: “Wash your hands and go out to eat something first.”

Liu Xian’an picked up a Gu worm with tweezers: “Won’t eat, I haven’t finished my work yet, and I’m not hungry. Your Highness, share it with others.”

Liang Shu was displeased: “Didn’t you ask for sugar cakes? Hurry up.”

After speaking, he went out. In a while, Liu Xian’an followed him and the two found a flat stone. Liang Shu handed him the sugar cakes and untied a wine bag from his waist.

Lui Xian’an used bamboo sticks tied together to take a bite, and the sweet osmanthus honey flowed out. It was different from what the chefs at Baihe Mountain Village made, but just as delicious. The summer nights nowadays were no longer cold. It was very comfortable to eat warm snacks with the cool wind blowing.

Liang Shu unscrewed the wine bag.

Liu Xian’an’s nose was also very sharp. He asked: “Is it West Wind Yin?”

Liang Shu was surprised: “You know how to drink?”

“I drink it often,” Liu Xian’an said.

Not to get drunk, just a small drink. The best time to drink was when you were half asleep and half awake. Close your eyes, and you could ascend to the ten thousand palaces, and reach the stars and moon together with the immortals.

Liang Shu handed him the wine bag.

Liu Xian’an took a sip. It was choking and spicy, as fierce as the northwest wind, and made people unable to open their eyes. But after the heat passed, there was a lingering sweetness.

“It’s good wine.” He returned the wine bag and continued to eat his sugar cakes, remembering to ask, “The master named Lu Shou, how did the prince investigate him? Is he also a member of the Baifu Sect?”

“No,” Liang Shu said, “Don’t worry about him anymore. Shi Hanhai has already discovered that he is a dim-witted fool.”

As for Du Jing’s disciples, they failed to find anything useful. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to confess, but that they desperately wanted to confess yet knew very little about the inside story, and for a long time could only say that Du Jing was deeply trusted by the Baifu Sect. That was why he was sent to Chixia City to release Gu. If things went well this time, he would follow suit and do the same in other towns.

“Is this the purpose of the cult?” Liu Xian’an asked. “First throw the world into chaos, then appear as a savior. This method sounds nothing out of the ordinary.”

“But to bewitch people, it is enough to create a false god,” Liang Shu said. “There is another thing. According to their confessions, the Gu worms this time were concocted by the Great Hierarch himself. After several years of painstaking research, he was already very self-satisfied and claimed that even Master Liu Zhuang of Baihe Mountain Village would not be able to detect it.”

As a result, Second Young Master Liu shattered the conspiracy within half a day of going up the mountain. It could be seen that no matter how these idiots tried, there would be no results. It would be best not to try.

Liu Xian’an said: “But it’s really not difficult.”

Liang Shu said: “That’s the sentence, that’s the tone of voice. When you meet the leader of the Baifu Sect in the future, you repeat that to him and see if you can kill him on the spot and spare the executioner’s sword.”

Smiling, Liu Xian’an wrapped up the remaining sugar cake: “I can finish up with Du Jing’s corpse another day. Will the prince also stay on the mountain for now?”

Liang Shu shook his head: “As for who the official is who cooperated with Du Jing in exchanging grains, I now have a clue. I want to finish this matter first.”

“Then go and get busy, you don’t have to worry about things on the mountain,” Liu Xian’an said. “I will take good care of these people.”

Liang Shu sent the man back to the morgue, looked at the old, loose robes on his body, and asked: “Do you want me to send you some clothes?”

Liu Xian’an was taken aback: “Ah?”

He looked down at his clothes. There was nothing wrong with them, so he said cautiously and guiltily: “Your Highness……doesn’t like white?”

---

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Chapter Fourteen << Table of Contents >> Chapter Sixteen

Liu Xian’an was still wearing that fake mask at this time. The corners of his eyes drooped, and coupled with his stiff and innocent expression, Liang Shu’s scalp felt numb for a moment. So he strode up and groped behind his ears, taking off the whole mask, and only then did he find him more pleasing to the eye.

Du Jing was already dead after biting the poison pill in his mouth, so dead that nine cows could not pull him back. Liang Shu kicked his corpse over and looked at his round-eyed, distorted expression. He frowned and asked: “You call this lifelike?”

Liu Xian’an touched his cheek where the mask had been torn off and argued: “He really looked alive just now.”

But now he did not look alive. After Du Jing committed suicide by taking poison, his blood vessels and tendons showed a strange tendency to contract, like the drawstring of a bag being pulled tight. This caused his limbs to curl up and his facial features to become deformed, and his seven orifices were bleeding black blood, which could be regarded as truly terrifying.

Liu Xian’an spoke again: “The poison was hidden in his tooth. I’m afraid he already expected this day to come. No matter how cautious Cheng-guniang was, she couldn’t prevent this.”

Liang Shu had seen a lot of people who committed suicide, but there were only a few types of quick-working poison. A person like Du Jing not only wanted to die, but also died so painfully and strangely……he didn’t know why, but he felt that the other party’s staring eyes seemed to be filled with some kind of sinister curse or evil practices, so he kicked him over again.

“Can you find out what the poison is?” he asked.

“I can try, but it might take a while.”

What’s more, there were over fifty people on the mountain who had been infected with Gu, so he had to take his time on them one by one. Liu Xian’an continued: “It’s best to keep them here temporarily. By treating them well and sending them down the mountain one at a time, it will be convenient for them to see a doctor and the people in the city will not be panicked.”

“You are a doctor, you can arrange the treatment yourself,” Liang Shu said. “There are only two serious doctors left in Chixia City. One of them must go to the clinic, and it is said that the other does not have very good medical skills. It is estimated that it will take more than ten days for Gao Lin to return. During this time, the people on the mountain can only rely on you and A-Ning.”

“All right,” Liu Xian’an answered. “I will take good care of them.”

Liang Shu nodded, and ordered Cheng Suyue and two guards to carry Du Jing’s body to an empty room and sprinkle lime around it.

The common people did not know what had happened yet. They only knew that someone was killed outside, and were all terrified, hiding in their rooms and not daring to come out. A few reckless, senseless people got together to discuss and came to a half-baked conclusion. This was probably a disease that could not be cured, so the government wanted to kill them to prevent future troubles, ah! So they rushed to the kitchen and picked up kitchen knives, planning to break out of the siege. Occupy the mountain as kings! Fuck their mothers!

As a result, they ran into Liu Xian’an as soon as they left the house.

Second Young Master Liu was taken aback by this group of blustering people: “What are you trying to do?”

This group of people were also taken aback by Second Young Master Liu, because the sudden appearance of a glowing immortal in the wild, barren mountains made them feel that they were already dead.

After a while, someone had the courage to ask: “Who are you?”

Liu Xian’an continued to walk inside with a medicine basket in his hand: “I’m a doctor. Don’t worry, everyone will recover soon and go down the mountain. Shi-daren is at the mountain gate now, and he will send a new batch of supplies soon.”

“Really?” The rest of the people unconsciously followed behind him and temporarily let go of their ambition to occupy the mountain and become kings. “But we just heard someone being killed outside.”

“It was Du Jing who was killed.” Liu Xian’an hid nothing. “He was not a good person. The so-called ‘plague’ this time was a man-made disaster planned by him alone. His Royal Highness Xiao Wang just arrested all of his disciples. After the interrogation, the government will give everyone an explanation soon.”

“Ah!” There was a sudden cry from a man in the crowd, like apes calling from both sides of the bank, which scared everyone. Liu Xian’an looked at him in surprise, thinking it was another symptom of Gu poison.

As a result, the other party was so excited that he was incoherent: “His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, who guards the northwest? I also guarded the northwest border a few years ago. When the prince was inspecting the army, he even took a glance at me from a distance.”

Liu Xian’an was amused by his stammering appearance: “Yes, ah, it’s His Royal Highness Xiao Wang who guards the northwest. After you recover from your illness, just stay on the mountain to help, and the prince should look at you more this time.”

Hearing that a prince of the royal court was on the mountain, everyone had no reason to worry, so they quickly hid the knives in their sleeves. At this time, someone noticed that Liu Xian’an’s clothing looked familiar, and asked: “That, that doctor surnamed Shi is also…..”

“It is me, I was disguised.”

The crowd immediately became even more excited, because the disguise technique really sounded like something from the jianghu. They didn’t expect that with their illness, they would become part of a jianghu conspiracy. There was a doctor like an immortal, a royal prince, and a dead villain. Could they not boast about this for three years after going down the mountain?

Liu Xian’an listened to the chatter of the audience. At first he was still smiling and thought it was lively, but later he found it too noisy and could not help but send his thoughts thousands of li away, wandering in a daze beyond the dust and dirt. It wasn’t until the bridge of his nose was knocked lightly that he came back to his senses: “Ah?”

Liang Shu looked at him with admiration: “I thought you could only wander off when you were sitting down.”

Looking around, Liu Xian’an found that the crowd had dispersed at some point. Liang Shu took the medicine basket from him and put it on the other side of the platform: “Tired? If not, let’s go look at Du Jing’s body together.”

“Okay.” Liu Xian’an jogged two steps and walked side by side with him, asking, “The prince also killed those disciples of Du Jing?”

Liang Shu didn’t understand: “Why should I kill them all, can’t I keep two for interrogation?”

Liu Xian’an said: “You can. But after all the flying sand and rocks just now, it seemed really difficult for anyone to survive.”

Liang Shu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He reached out to grab his hair tie. Then he remembered that Gao Lin was not here to see him, and pulled it again.

The two of them arrived at the morgue with a lack of seriousness. Du Jing had already been undressed and covered with a white cloth. Liu Xian’an donned gloves and a mask, motioned for Liang Shu to cover his mouth and nose, and then lifted the cover.

There were many protruding veins on Du Jing’s body, and some of them were even moving back and forth. There was a tattoo on his chest, and Liu Xian’an leaned closer to carefully examine it: “It looks like a green python pattern. Has the prince seen it before?”

“I’ve seen it,” Liang Shu said. “Baifu Sect.”

“It turned out to be a disciple of the Baifu Sect. No wonder he would rather commit suicide than be captured.” Liu Xian’an said, “One year when my elder brother went out to visit friends, he picked up a dying man by the side of the road. Aftwards, at least twenty kinds of Gu worms were taken out of him, but the person died in the end. It is said that this is the method used by the Baifu Sect to deal with traitors.”

Liang Shu stared at the green python tattoo: “This is also Emperor Brother’s secret worry.”

At first, the practices of the Baifu Sect only spread in the southwest mountains. It did not grow very large, so the imperial court only sent local officials to deal with it. Unexpectedly, this cult suddenly grew stronger in recent years, stirring up several cities on the border. They were as secretive and cautious as mice, and would immediately retreat to their nests at the slightest hint of trouble. In addition, the southwest forests were very dense, with a lingering miasma everywhere. It was difficult to completely wipe them out, therefore the Imperial court was extremely troubled.

“Chixia City is still some distance away from the southwest, yet their tendrils have reached out,” Liu Xian’an said. “From ancient times to the present, almost all cults have formed in the name of the true, the good, and the pure, but in fact they have infinitely magnified the dark side of human nature. This Baifu Sect should be no exception. They seem to be unwilling to be confined to the southwest.”

Liang Shu said: “After the interrogations are over, I will report this matter to Emperor Brother as soon as possible.”

Taking the small knife at the side, Liu Xian’an first concentrated on the anatomical techniques written in the books, and then cut open the body simply and neatly with one knife.

Liang Shu never thought he would be so quick and skillful without having to think. His eyebrows twitched and his image of daily life in Baihe Mountain Village became gloomy again. But Li Xian’an stopped his hands at this moment and said: “There are a lot of Gu worms, does the prince want to have a look?”

Liang Shu: “…….”

Logically speaking, these were all contents of a person’s stomach, which was not an uncommon sight on the battlefield for His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, but he had never seen it in so much detail. There were many candles in the room, illuminating every corner very brightly. Second Young Master Liu’s face was still that of an immortal, but his hands were covered in dripping blood as he held a piece of some unknown thing, and his eyes were still very innocent. This scene was truly strange. Liang Shu saw too much and felt a pain in his temples. He was uncomfortable, and for some reason, he suddenly wanted to wash off all the blood on the other’s body and then throw him back into the incomparably clean Three Thousand Ways floating in the clouds.

Liu Xian’an didn’t pay much attention to the surrounding environment. He focused his attention on the corpse and put all kinds of Gu worms into the prepared white porcelain jars one by one. There were close to a hundred of them, and he stopped halfway, feeling a little dizzy.

Liang Shu asked: “Is it over?”

“No.” Liu Xian’an asked, “Is there any sugar cake? I’m hungry.”

Liang Shu was in disbelief. Can you stare at this thing and still be hungry?

Liu Xian’an explained: “I’m a little dizzy.”

“Take a break, ba,” Liang Shu said. “Take off your gloves and change your clothes. I’ll ask A-Ning to get some food.”

Liu Xian’an nodded. When the situation was not urgent, his movements were always very slow. Now that he was tired and dizzy, his movements were even slower. He slowly took off the gloves, slowly removed the mask, slowly washed his hands, and then slowly walked out behind His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.

Liang Shu supported his wobbly body: “You could stand upright just now, so why are you staggering when you go out?”

“Because there’s no need to stand up right now.” The life of Second Young Master Liu had always been based on “necessary, must be done” and “not necessary, try not to do it.” Swaying back and forth, he yawned vigorously. “Besides, if I stood up straight just now, I might fall headfirst into……Mm.”

He licked the small, hard lump in his mouth with his tongue. It was sweet.

“Your Highness brought sweets?” 

Liang Shu said: “Swallow.”

Liu Xian’an crunch crunched the peanuts and walnuts. They were very tasty.

Liang Shu went on to say: “It’s for feeding the horses.”

Liu Xian’an was not fooled. He continued to crunch crunch: “Xuan Jiao doesn’t eat sugar.”

Liang Shu handed him another nut: “You also read that in a book?”

Liu Xian’an shook his head: “No, I’ve fed it several times on the road.”

Liang Shu: “…….”

When did this happen?

---

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Chapter Thirteen << Table of Contents >> Chapter Fifteen

Zhao Yelan dreamed about a very inconspicuous incident.

When he was fifteen years old, he had already demonstrated his talents in front of outsiders. Several other princes knew of his existence and sent people to win him over.

One of the dirtiest methods was seduction. He was taken to a tea house, but when the door was closed, a few wisps of incense smoke were lit in the room and several young women wrapped in tulle came out to flirt with him and touch his face.

This was the most vigorous age, where many people experienced the taste of love, but he was indifferent.

He was thinking internally, who sent these women, and how would they treat him if he was drawn over? If those people were killed, could he escape unscathed?

The beauties tried their best to seduce him, but found that not only did he not respond physically, but his face became more and more gloomy. They couldn’t help feeling a little frightened, and retreated to the side.

In the end, Zhao Xuan arrived in time and took him back. He couldn’t help but joke: “What’s the matter with you? There was really no reaction at all?”

What response could be given?

The way Zhao Yelan looked at them was like looking at the fish on the chopping board or an aspect of business, nothing unusual.

But seeing Zhao Xuan’s surprised face, it seemed that this was an abnormal response, so he said lightly: “Maybe I don’t like women, ba.”

Don’t like women?

Zhao Xuan gave him a strange look: “Then you like men?”

Zhao Yelan didn’t answer, because how could he tell Zhao Xuan about something he didn’t even know himself?

He just thought that the most idiotic behavior was to put all of his thoughts on another person.

He wanted many things, but that did not include women.

It was hard for him to believe that he would give up those things for someone, let alone show all of himself to another.

He lived pitifully but proudly, never letting others see his deepest scars.

Half asleep and half awake, he felt warmth against his back. Yan Mingting was kissing his brand again. He seemed to love kissing that place very much, half in pity and half in affection. It was warm and ticklish. Zhao Yelan kept his eyes closed, moved a couple of times, and then was embraced from behind.

His eyes remained closed as he felt Yan Mingting’s heartbeat. It was very fast, very powerful, and the lively strength and temperature were continuously transmitted to him.

Thinking of that dream, the corners of his mouth relaxed, then turned up slightly.

It could be seen that as one grew older, one’s ideas would also change. He not only put his thoughts on another person, but he also accepted the other person wholeheartedly, showing all of his scars.

This was a very miraculous thing for him. After some thought, it would be impossible for him to face another person like this again. Yan Mingting was the only one.

When he woke up completely, the bedside was empty. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he took a while to lift the blanket. He had just taken two steps away from the bed when his expression changed. Looking down at his shaking legs, his eyes darkened.

“You’re awake.” Yan Mingting’s figure appeared at the door of the room, and he entered in high spirits with a bowl of porridge and some steamed buns. “Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?”

Zhao Yelan propped one hand on the table next to him while staring at him.

Yan Mingting set down the food and walked up to him, touched his forehead, and carried him back to bed without a word: “Fortunately, you’re not sick.”

“What act are you performing for me now?” Zhao Yelan scolded him.

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s all my fault.”

Yan Mingting crouched by the bed, admitting his mistake very sincerely. If only he was so obedient when he called for him to stop several times last night.

The more Zhao Yelan thought about it, the angrier he became, and he kicked his shoulder: “Get out, I don’t want to see you.”

Yan Mingting brought the food in front of him with a smile: “Don’t be so angry, eat something first, ba. This is the porridge I bought at Huichun Tower, and the buns I made myself!”

Zhao Yelan was indeed hungry. He drank a few mouthfuls of porridge before picking up an unfortunate-looking steamed bun, and took a bite while Yan Mingting looked on eagerly.

“How is it? Did I succeed this time?” Yan Mingting widened his eyes and looked at him anxiously.

Zhao Yelan took two bites and asked: “What time is it?”

“Youshi.”^[1]

Zhao Yelan was slightly surprised, and looked outside in amazement. The sky was dark. He had really slept until this hour?

But after tossing around all night, he vaguely remembered hearing the crow of a rooster. As for Yan Mingting……

“When did you sleep?”

Yan Mingting’s face flushed slightly, remembering that he had failed to fall asleep several times last night while looking at that limp sleeping person. He still couldn’t hide his enthusiasm, and after a while, he fell asleep when the sky was slightly bright.

“You didn’t sleep all night, did you?” Zhao Yelan took a look at his face and ventured a guess. After some surprise, he felt sorry for himself.

How miserable, ah, he was not even let go when he fell asleep, damned smelly man!

“You…..don’t change the subject, I asked if it tastes good.” Yan Mingting pointed at the steamed bun.

“It’s unpalatable,” Zhao Yelan said truthfully.

Yan Mingting’s smile froze: “Then stop eating, I’ll go have the kitchen cook some of your favorite food, it will be ready soon!” After speaking, he ran out in a hurry.

After a while, Xiao Gao came in to help him clean up the room.

Xiao Gao blushed inexplicably. He snuck a few glances and turned his face away, not knowing what to say: “M-m-m-m-my Lord, would you like to change your clothes?”

“Let’s wait, ba.” Zhao Yelan was still eating the buns. He didn’t really want to get up, mainly because he was exhausted. Seeing his furtive looks, he asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

Xiao Gao faltered: “Old Man Qin t-told me……My Lord, that you were in the bridal chamber with the General.”

Zhao Yelan was silent.

“Didn’t you guys already have a bridal chamber?” Xiao Gao didn’t understand. “Didn’t you have a bridal chamber wedding night when you got married?”

Zhao Yelan didn’t know how to explain it to him, so he simply didn’t.

“I heard you cry last night,” Xia Gao said pitifully.

Zhao Yelan gave a sudden pause and looked at him with embarrassment. Was this kid’s hearing so good? Or…..was his voice too loud?”

“I thought the General was bullying you. I was going to help you, but I was dragged away by Old Man Qin. He said that you were in the bridal chamber, and made me go far away…..” Xiao Gao twisted his fingers, his face flushed, and he asked in a whisper, “Is it the bridal chamber I’m thinking of? The kind to make a baby?”

“Yes.” Seeing him about to ask more, Zhao Yelan said, “It’s just that we can’t have children.”

“Ai, that’s a pity, ah.”

“It’s not a pity, I don’t want children.”

If he had wanted a child, he would have married a woman long ago. For him, a relationship without any burdens was most suitable.

One weakness was enough. He couldn’t have too many.

“That’s good.” Xiao Gao breathed a sigh of relief and smiled again. “As long as you’re happy, My Lord.”

“En.” Zhao Yelan lowered his head and ate a mouthful of the stuffed steamed bun, and a smile appeared on his lips unconsciously.

Xiao Gao saw the bun and took two steps closer, saying with a smile: “The General has been making buns in the kitchen for most of the day.”

“Most of the day?” Zhao Yelan asked.

“That’s right, the General got up at noon and had a meal, then went to the kitchen. After putting the buns in the pot, he ran to the room to watch over you, and then went back to the kitchen to try them out. He kept running back and forth like this, but the buns failed four times.” After saying this, Xiao Gao laughed. “We were all in the kitchen watching him knead dough and stuffing. It was fun, the General is so nice!”

Yan Mingting carried in the food made by the cook, but found that Zhao Yelan had already finished eating the four buns. He said in surprise: “How did you eat so much? Weren’t they unappetizing?”

“I was just hungry,” Zhao Yelan said.

“Then what about these?”

“Eat it yourself, ba.”

“Okay.” Yan Mingting ate in the room, feeding him a couple of mouthfuls from time to time, as if he was afraid he might not be full after a few buns.

As night fell, the sweet-scented osmanthus in the courtyard had already bloomed. Zhao Yelan had been laying down all day, and wanted to exercise his muscles and bones.

Yan Mingting had learned this about him. In the past, if he was sick, he would always lie down and never sit.

He felt a little uncomfortable when he walked a few steps, but he got used to it. Yan Mingting held his hand tightly and walked with him.

Seeing their backs as the two of them leaned on each other, Housekeeper Qin couldn’t help but cry. It’s not easy, ah, it’s not easy!

“You didn’t go to court today?” Zhao Yelan asked.

“En, of course I took leave to stay with you in the mansion,” Yan Mingting said stridently. “Anway, there was nothing serious going on there. It’s boring to just listen to them quarreling all day long.”

“The Imperial Academy……”

“I had Xiao Gao ask for leave for you, the Imperial Academy is more idle than the Imperial court!”

Zhao Yelan smiled, then remembered another matter and said: “By the way, did you bring the gift for Kan Chuan’s child?”

“I gave it at court yesterday, don’t worry. He also said that he wants you to be the child’s godfather,” Yan Mingting said.

Zhao Yelan: “En, he mentioned it to me before, but I didn’t agree at the time.”

“Why didn’t you agree?” Yan Mingting asked curiously. “I heard it’s a big fat fair-skinned girl, she should be very good.”

“Do you like children?” Zhao Yelan looked sideways at him.

“I like them, ah, children are the cutest,” Yan Mingting said with a sentimental tone. “They are the most carefree, their eyes are very pure, and people just like to see them.”

After walking for a while, he found that Zhao Yelan had been silent the whole time, so he asked: “Why are you thinking so seriously?”

“Do you want children?” Zhao Yelan suddenly stopped and looked up at him.

Yan Mingting was stunned for a moment, then touched his stomach and frowned: “You can’t give birth, can you?”

“……” Zhao Yelan said, “If you want children, you can find a woman to have a few.”

Yan Mingting looked at him, calm and unruffled: “What about you?”

“I will set fire to the General’s Mansion.”

It was fortunate that Housekeeper Qin wasn’t here, otherwise he would be so frightened that he wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. But Yan Mingting laughed out loud: “You scared me to death, I thought you were going to wrong yourself and let me take a concubine openly.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Yan Mingting smiled and squeezed his hand: “Don’t worry, ba. I like children when they are other people’s children, they don’t disturb me with noise. If I wanted to have children of my own, I would have already had a litter.”

Speaking of this, Zhao Yelan was also a little curious. Clearly, Yan Mingting had a good family background and good looks, so why did he never marry a wife and take concubines?

It couldn’t really be because of the evil star rumors. Yan Mingting himself certainly didn’t care, otherwise why would he come to mess around with him?

“You never thought of getting married before?”

“I used to focus solely on the war, and I didn’t expect to have a family at all. The military camp was full of big men, and there were so few girls, so where could I find someone I liked? There were actually two marriage contracts, but they were both dispensable at the time, and the most important thing was to win the battle.”

“What about concubines? Didn’t your parents prepare any for you?”

When the children of noble families came of age, many parents would prepare a few maids or concubines for them, and let them learn the art of intercourse.

“That was even less possible. My father never took a concubine in his life, so why would he make me take a concubine?” Yan Mingting said, “My father once told me, our heads are strapped to our belts.^[2] If we don’t keep them straight, our heads will disappear one day. So even if you want to get married, try to harm each other as little as possible.”

“Your father is right,” Zhao Yelan said.

“What ‘your father,’ how impolite,” Yan Mingting said with a straight face. “It’s ‘our father.’”

Zhao Yelan smiled slightly. Yan Mingting’s heart itched at the sight, and he lowered his head and kissed him.

Servants passed by from time to time. Zhao Yelan reached out to push him, but the other party was too strong. Not only did he not move at all, but he also found it fun, and insisted on kissing him unceasingly.

“Stop, stop, I suddenly have an idea,” Zhao Yelan said.

“What idea?”

“Let’s go and see Kan Chuan’s child.”

“Now?”

“It’s not too late, they’re probably not asleep yet,” Zhao Yelan said. “Since you want me to be a godfather, I have to take a look first. Not just anyone can fall into my eyes.”

“Then it seems I am really extraordinary!” Yan Mingting said happily.

“……” Careless.

“Then let’s go straight there?”

“No, let’s disguise ourselves. I can’t go to him openly.” Zhao Yelan’s eyes lit up and he whispered something in his ear. Yan Mingting was quite helpless.

“Looking at the child is a sham, I think you obviously want to play.”

People came and went on the street, but nobody noticed the two black shadows on the roofs, jumping to another place in an instant.

Yan Mingting led him, avoiding the eyes of the Imperial army as they flew all the way over the eaves and walls. Zhao Yelan was no longer as panicked as he was the first time, and was now able to find fun in it. Knowing that with Yan Mingting there it was impossible to be discovered, he still patrolled the surroundings like a thief.

Kan Chuan was teasing the child with his wife when he heard a knock on the door and asked: “Who is it?”

No one answered. He walked to the door vigilantly, and after opening it, he was taken aback by the two men in black before him. He was about to call out when the tall figure covered his mouth.

“Don’t call out, it’s us.” The person next to him tore off the black face scarf and smiled at him.

“Zhao-daren?” Kan Chuan looked at him in surprise, and then at the person covering his mouth.

“It’s me.” Yan Mingting retracted his hand and also pulled off his black cloth.

“Why are you dressed like this?” Kan Chuan couldn’t figure it out. They were a general and a fourth-rank official of the Imperial Academy, yet they were sneaking around like thieves in the middle of the night. What were they doing?

“Let’s go in and talk first, is it convenient?” Zhao Yelan asked.

“It’s convenient, come in quickly.” Kan Chuan welcomed them in. “Li-niang, Zhao-daren and the General are here, go and pour them a cup of tea.”

“Zhao-daren, why are you here?” Li-niang walked over, overjoyed at the turn of events, and was about to make tea when Zhao Yelan stopped her.

“Don’t bother, we’re just passing by to see your child, and we’ll be leaving soon.”

Just passing by? Daring to ask if you are the one who excitedly picked out these night clothes?

After Yan Mingting finished slandering him, he felt it was amusing and smiled.

Kan Chuan naturally didn’t believe that they were just passing by while wearing night clothes, but he prudently didn’t ask, and led them to the bed with a smile: “The baby was crying for a while, and we managed to get her to be quiet for now.”

The two approached the bed and took a look. The child was lying on a soft blanket, with a chubby face and two big, round eyes. She kicked the air with her hands and feet, as if she had a sense that strangers were coming, and looked at them calmly.

Amused, Yan Mingting stretched out his hand in front of her, wanting to see how big her face was, but she was frightened to tears.

Yan Mingting was startled and immediately withdrew his hand, looking at Kan Chuan and his wife in embarrassment.

The couple smiled and encouraged them: “It’s all right, she just loves to cry. If anyone gets close, she will cry for a while. We really can’t do anything about her.”

The child continued to cry, and the couple seemed to have no intention of stepping forward to help. Yan Mingting tugged on Zhao Yelan’s sleeve and asked for assistance: “You try?”

“How can I try?” Zhao Yelan muttered. Helpless, he could only pat the child’s stomach and say in a low voice, “No, don’t cry, don’t cry…..”

Seeing him bluntly coaxing her, the other three could only try to hold back their laughter.

Unexpectedly, the child’s cries actually grew quieter. Zhao Yelan looked back at them doubtfully.

Kan Chuan was astonished: “What is this? She doesn’t treat me like this.”

“Maybe your daughter likes good-looking people.” Yan Mingting said obnoxiously. “That’s right, she has the same discerning eyes as me.”

Kan Chuan: “……”

Zhao Yelan also felt that it was novel. He stared blankly at this little life he had never met before. At this time, his index finger was caught by a soft little claw. The baby suddenly grinned, and a moment later there was a giggle.

Kan Chuan was really jealous now.

Zhao Yelan’s gaze softened slightly. Seeing his appearance, Yan Mingting also started to get jealous.

After a while, Kan Chuan brought up the old matter again: “My lord, she seems to like you very much, why don’t you give me face and be her godfather?”

Zhao Yelan had originally just wanted to take a look, but didn’t expect it to be quite the match. He stood up and touched his body, but found that he had changed into night clothes and hadn’t brought anything else with him at all.

Yan Mingting took out a jade pendant and handed it to him. Zhao Yelan looked over in surprise, and Yan Mingting said: “I guessed you would recognize her as your goddaughter, and prepared everything for you. This was left behind by my mother, and is suitable for girls. In any case, the two of us don’t need it.”

“It’s too precious, we can’t take it,” Kan Chuan said. “I asked Zhao-daren to be the godfather not out of greed for your money. Besides, Zhao-daren has already given a gift.”

“The two things should be treated differently, that was a gift for you as a colleague. This is what Yan Mingting and I are giving to the child, not to you.” Zhao Yelan took the jade pendant and placed it on the child’s blanket. He couldn’t help pinching her face again, with a smile on his face.

In the end, it was Li-niang who took Kan Chuan’s hand and thanked him with a smile: “Many thanks, Zhao-daren. Then we will accept it, and hope she can grow up quickly.”

The two of them played with the child for a while before finally departing.

After returning to the General’s Mansion furtively, Zhao Yelan took off his night clothes and lay in bed, thinking about tonight’s events. He suddenly said with a smile: “You’re right. Children are indeed the most innocent. They will show kindness to everyone they see.”

“En.” Seeing that he was still reminiscing over meeting the child, Yan Mingting turned over and lowered his head to kiss him. “Actually, I am also very innocent, you can think about me if you have nothing to do.”

“You’re innocent?” Zhao Yelan asked angrily, “Will an innocent person backtalk me like this?”

Yan Mingting smiled and worked hard, tossing and turning like waves.

Zhao Yelan suddenly realized a problem. He had slept all during the day, and now he was tossed around like this and would definitely not be able to wake up tomorrow.

This was a vicious circle, ah, he still wanted to go to the Imperial Academy to copy books.

“Stop it,” Zhao Yelan said, out of breath.

Yan Mingting was taken aback: “Tingting? Okay, Tingting. Tingting……”

Zhao Yelan listened to him say he would stop for a long time, but the other didn’t intend to pause at all, and he couldn’t help but scratch up his back uncontrollably.

— Then why don’t you stop, ah!

---

[1] Youshi (酉时) = 5-7pm. ⮐

[2] To have one’s head strapped to their belt (脑袋掖在裤腰带上), is to do things at the risk of one’s death. ⮐

---

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Chapter Seventy-Four <<Table of Contents >> Chapter Seventy-Six

“Cut!” The director waved his hand. “Xia Xingchi……are you not in a good state today?”

Director Zhang was notoriously strict with the production crew, but when facing Xia Xingchi, his attitude could be called quite gentle – there was no one who wouldn’t like a high-efficiency entertainer who was full of a worker’s spirit. Not to mention that Xia Xingchi was the film crew’s financial backer and the biggest investor in the whole show.

He was said to be “not in a good state,” but did not repeat NG,^[1] and others couldn’t see the difference at all.

Only Zhang Dao’s precise and piercing eyes could detect that he seemed a little off today, as if he had something else on his mind.

Xia Xingchi apologized after hearing this: “I’m sorry, Director Zhang. I’ll find the right state again.”

“Did you not rest well?” Director Zhang didn’t make him continue. “How about you take it easy today, ba.”

Xia Xingchi had always been efficient, and the filming progress was ahead of schedule, so it was completely fine to postpone it today. Plus, the movie was being filmed in the capital, so now he could go home directly after getting off work.

Anyone with eyes knew that this young couple had been married for more than three years and was still so lovey-dovey. They could often see Li Chengyuan coming to pick up his lover to go home after work. 

When he wasn’t busy, Li Chengyuan would even sit with the sweating crew for the whole day, and Xia Xingchi couldn’t even drive him away. He was quite hardcore and down-to-earth about visiting.

“Xingchi, why haven’t we seen Mr. Li these days?” One person asked.

When Li Chengyuan came, he would usually either give the whole crew an unlimited buffet or reimburse them for a luxurious meal, but they hadn’t seen him for three consecutive days. Combined with Xia Xingchi’s absent state —

Did they have a fight?

As soon as the question was asked, everyone immediately pricked up their gossip ears. But in their hearts, they estimated that based on Boss Li’s tolerance and exclusive tenderness toward Xia Xingchi, it was nearly impossible for the two of them to quarrel and wage a cold war for three full days.

Unexpectedly, when Li Chengyuan was mentioned, Xia Xingchi’s expression froze in a rare way.

Then he just pretended as if nothing had happened: “He’s been busy with a new project recently……he left home on a business trip.”

After saying this, without waiting for anyone to say anything else, he ran away in a hurry along with the confused assistant who had just packed up his things.

Xia Xingchi opened the car door while looking at his phone, and was dialing the number to call the landline at home, when he looked up and saw the small blanket in the backseat which should have been empty.

There was something like a small animal in the middle of the blanket, trying to get out. But it was too small and the blanket was too heavy, so it wrapped itself up tighter and tighter as it struggled.

Xia Xingchi was taken aback at the sight: “This, how did he get here?”

He got into the car as he spoke, picked up the blanket with the unknown animal inside, and put it on his lap.

Secretary Ye, in the passenger seat, could only give a guilty smile upon hearing these words. She greeted Xia Xingchi timidly but didn’t answer his question, obviously not daring to say more.

For the time being, Xia Xingchi stopped embarrassing the hourly employee caught in the middle, and instead lowered his head to pull open the blanket.

A small, fluffy white tail was exposed from the soft, dark gray cashmere blanket. Seeing this, Xia Xingchi couldn’t help but reach out and flick his little butt.

This behavior seemed very normal. The average kitten would be teased and meow a few times at most, but this one in his family was not the same —

The little tail suddenly froze for a moment, and then, as if realizing what had happened just now, the whole tail stood up like an antenna and the soft white fur suddenly puffed up.

“Meow!” The little cat turned its fluffy head, widened its amber eyes, and let out a “tiger roar.” It was a pity that it was really too small. Not only did it have no deterrent effect, but it also had a milky little voice.

Xia Xingchi couldn’t help laughing wildly, and grasped its little paw, but was thrown off fiercely by it. Fortunately, it couldn’t bear to scratch him, and only pushed his fingers away hard.

Seeing that the little cat was really ignoring him, Xia Xingchi had no choice but to wrap it tightly in the blanket and make a gesture of surrender with both hands: “Okay, okay, I won’t bother you. If you have such a temper, you will be rubbed bald.”

The little cat licked its paw haughtily, ignoring Xia Xingchi.

“The temperature of the air conditioner should be higher,” Xia Xingchi instructed, and then turned to Secretary Ye, “Did he get his medicine and injections today? Didn’t I say that he shouldn’t go out?”

“Li……en, he didn’t take the medicine because it was too bitter,” Secretary Ye replied cautiously, sandwiched between a rock and a hard place, “……He wanted to come pick you up, and I dared not stop him.”

What she said was very vague, but fortunately, Xia Xingchi understood immediately. After all, there was an unsuspecting driver in the car, and Secretary Ye dared not go into too much detail. This matter was so bizarre and shocking that it had to be kept secret.

During this time, Xia Xingchi was carefully inspecting Li Chengyuan’s body. 

The results were indeed quite remarkable. He no longer caught a cold whenever the cold wind blew, and the last time he had a fever was two or three months ago.

Unexpectedly, in the afternoon the day before yesterday, Li Chengyuan suddenly developed a high fever for no reason. His body temperature suddenly soared to 40 degrees, but it didn’t affect him at all. He won the biggest transnational project in the second half of the year without changing his expression. He just seemed calm and measured.

It wasn’t until he was getting into the car that he staggered and almost fell down.

Secretary Ye, who was traveling with him, was taken aback, and quickly asked him whether he should go to the hospital right then or call a doctor to examine him.

Li Chengyuan frowned and leaned back in the car seat. He squeezed the center of his brows with one hand and asked hoarsely: “What time is it?”

He had made an appointment to pick up Xia Xingchi from the film crew at 6:30 pm.

Secretary Ye understood why her boss was asking, and promptly answered: “It’s half past four – but your complexion looks very bad, and the little boss will definitely notice.”

She took out a small mirror and handed it to Li Chengyuan attentively.

The face of the person in the mirror was bloodless, and the already cold, pale skin was whiter than paper. He had always been this way, never blushing with fever, and his chapped and bloodless lips directly cast light upon his terrible complexion.

Li Chengyuan: “…….”

That afternoon, Xia Xingchi was happy to be able to get off work on time. He had just removed his makeup and packed his things, and was leaving the set when he saw a message from his big cat: 

— I am temporarily busy at the company. Don’t wait for me to come home tonight, sleep well and don’t stay up late playing games.

He also posted a cartoon emoticon of reaching out to grasp the stars.^[2]

Xia Xingchi tilted his head. Li Chengyuan seldom went back on his promises. Such a meticulous person was good at arranging his work and life. There were very few unanticipated events or changes of plans.

However, Xia Xingchi didn’t think too much of it. He only supposed that the other party was very busy, and then happily got into the car he had been waiting a long time for and went home first.

Every mealtime, he routinely called to check up on Li Chengyuan and see if he was busy and forgot to eat.

The phone rang for a long time, but nobody answered.

Xia Xingchi was about to hang up and try to call Secretary Ye, when the phone finally picked up the next second.

“Baby?” Li Chengyuan’s voice was a little hoarse, but with the usual smile for Xia Xingchi. “You called?”

It hadn’t been a day or two since the two of them were so mushy. The married couple always stuck close to each other, and even Li Chengyuan’s perpetually indifferent personality had become a sugar factory for cp fans.

“Yes, this is a routine inspection,” Xia Xingchi joked. “Turn the camera on and let me see if you’re keeping a mistress in the office.”

This was, in fact, to see what Li Chengyuan had for food today and how much he ate.

Unexpectedly, this person rejected the almost habitual video call, saying he was busy, and pretended to hang up.

Of course Xia Xingchi had trust in him as a partner, but he was too familiar with this person’s character of acting strong and not showing weakness.

“Why are you so hoarse, are you —”

Before Xia Xingchi finished speaking, Li Chengyuan couldn’t hold back his cough.

“Cough, cough. I have something else to do, so I’ll hang up first.”

“Don’t!” There was already the sound of the phone being hung up, and no one answered the call again.

Xia Xingchi stood up immediately, already certain that this person was feeling unwell again.

He was about to put on his coat and go directly to the company to catch his big cat and bring him back. This person was really getting better and better, and didn’t even blink when he lied.

While walking out, he made another call to Secretary Ye. Li Chengyuan wouldn’t answer his call, but Secretary Ye dared not ignore it.

Sure enough, the phone rang twice, and Secretary Ye quickly picked up.

“What’s wrong with your boss? Is he sick? Go and ask him to answer the phone.”

Secretary Ye immediately received amnesty. She had been waiting for this sentence. After all, taking the initiative to make a phone call counted as tattling, but this was not the case when the “empress” came to ask.

“Okay, I’m going to ask Mr. Li to answer the phone!” Secretary Ye knocked on the door while making a small report, “Boss Li’s temperature has reached nearly forty degrees. The doctor suggested that he go to the hospital to find out the cause, but he only wanted a fever-reducing injection – ah!”

“What’s wrong?!” Xia Xingchi was startled by the scream, and his heart immediately leaped into his throat.

Li Chengyuan had already slid from the sofa onto the office floor. At this moment, his back was leaning against the edge of the sofa, and his bony fingers unconsciously clenched the fabric over his chest as he panted hard and fast.

The infusion bag was knocked down. The liquid was splashed all over the floor, and he had pulled the needle out himself.

Li Chengyuan was obviously unconscious at this time, but when Secretary Ye hurriedly reached out to help him, he regained his senses with difficulty and ordered: “……You hang up the phone first.”

On the other side of the phone, Xia Xingchi was naturally unwilling. He asked Secretary Ye to keep in touch and told her to call the doctor as he quickly picked up the car keys and left.

But what he never expected was that when he rushed to the company in a hurry, he would stare at the doctor who was locked outside the office.

“Why can’t you go in?” Xia Xingchi asked the doctor.

“I don’t know.” The doctor held the medicine box in one hand, scratching his head doubtfully with the other. “Mr. Li’s secretary said that something unexpected happened, and no one can go in now.”

Xia Xingchi was baffled: “What?”

Secretary Ye had always been gentle and timid, but to become Li Chengyuan’s most important secretary, she could take a stand at critical moments. Something big must have happened for her to make such an outrageous decision without authorization.

Xia Xingchi didn’t have time to think about it. He quickly opened the locked door with his fingerprint, and then pushed it open: “What’s going on, where is Li Chengyuan?”

As if seeing her saving grace, Secretary Ye immediately rushed to the sofa. Her movements were very cautious as she slowly picked up something wrapped in Li Chengyuan’s suit jacket and stuffed it into Xia Xingchi’s arms.

Xia Xingchi received it in confusion and asked where Li Chengyuan had gone, looking at the lump in his arms.

An unconscious white kitten was revealed with its head exposed. The pink pads on its paws were spread out, and Xia Xingchi couldn’t help but want to grab them.

Although he really wanted to know where Li Chengyuan had found such a kitten to keep in his office, he more urgently wanted to know where Li Chengyuan had gone and what had happened.

“What the hell happened, he —”

“This is, this is Mr. Li…..” Secretary Ye pointed to the little white cat cautiously and solemnly. Considering that it was not wearing clothes, she didn’t know whether to look at it or not, and finally lowered her head with haste and looked at the ground with deep feeling.

Xia Xingchi: ? ? ?

He thought carefully. Today was indeed not April Fool’s Day, and Li Chengyuan was also not a person who joked, regardless of the situation, so he wouldn’t team up with the secretary to deceive people for fun.

Xia Xingchi was at a loss for a few seconds, and finally came to a reliable conclusion:

It must be that he heard wrong, or that Secretary Ye made a mistake.

Just as he was about to ask again, he suddenly found a piece of string wrapped up in the suit jacket covering the white cat – this was the one he wove for Li Chengyuan, who wore it around his neck.

At that time, he had woven a collar for Summer, but a certain person drank vinegar over a cat and insisted that Xia Xingchi also weave a red string necklace for him.

This string, this jacket filled with a familiar light fragrance……

Xia Xingchi stared at the red string in a daze for a long moment, and finally realized what had happened.

“Oh, shit.” In the end, only such simple and concise words popped out. This time, he had to believe this horrifying and unimaginable thing.

“What the hell is going on, ah!”

Secretary Ye had no choice but to report Li Chengyuan’s situation today in detail.

Only then did Xia Xingchi realize that Li Chengyuan had hardly eaten anything at noon, and even dared to lie to him that he had finished eating. He probably felt uncomfortable at that time, and endured it without saying a word.

Regardless of his anger and doubts, the most important thing was Li Chengyuan’s body and condition. The kitten was obviously uncomfortable, closing its eyes and restlessly shrinking himself into a small ball.

The question was, should he go to a pet hospital or a human hospital when faced with a small white furball with a fever so high it burned his hands?

There were too many people in the Li Group headquarters. If people knew that their chairman had staged a disappearing act, there would definitely be headlines tomorrow.

Xia Xingchi thought about it, and had no choice but to take his family’s cat home first and then make plans.

“……I usually joke around that he’s like a cat, but who would have thought he’d actually turn into one? This really goes without saying,” Xia Xingchi murmured to himself.

The little furball in his arms moved as if sensing something, and then opened its eyes with difficulty, revealing his beautiful amber irises.

One person and one cat stared at each other for a moment. Li Chengyuan obviously didn’t realize what had happened and why he had to look up to see everything around him.

Xia Xingchi saw that the kitten was so weak that he couldn’t stand up after struggling for a long time. He immediately felt distressed, but pretended to be angry and asked, “Awake?”

The little milk cat immediately shrank its paws in subconsciously, and then pretended to be indifferent but looked out the car window with a guilty conscience. If this series of movements were seen by other people, they would definitely be frightened, because this was not at all an expression a cat should make.

If Xia Xingchi was skeptical of the great transformation just now, he would have to believe it at this moment. This behavior was exactly the same as Li Chengyuan’s.

When Li Chengyuan turned his head like this, he realized that something was wrong. According to his height, no matter what posture he was in, he should not be looking at the door handle.

“Meow……?”

When such a voice sounded, both of them were at a loss for a few seconds.

Needless to say, Li Chengyuan was shocked and bewildered. And Xia Xingchi did not expect that he would speak in such a soft voice, completely different from his usual image of a cold and oppressive boss.

It took a whole day for Li Chengyuan to finally accept this outrageous fact. Xia Xingchi was finally relieved after carefully asking experts and confirming that Li Chengyuan could still change back.

As for what was going on, doctors and experts kept it secret, not wanting this mysterious and bizarre thing to spread among the populace. But it was clear that this was not the first time they had come into contact with this phenomenon.

Xia Xingchi was not interested in learning the secrets of this mutation either. The fewer complications, the better. And Li Kitty was sick, so he wasn’t in the mood to wonder about such things.

His thoughts returned to the car outside the set.

Xia Xingchi lifted the cat with one hand, wrapped the blanket tightly around it, and instructed the driver to increase the temperature of the air conditioner.

The driver didn’t know why, just thinking that Young Master Xia really liked cats, and in order not to freeze a kitten, he would rather be too warm himself.

“Is it a little tomcat? It’s so beautiful,” said the driver. “What kind of breed is this? It must be very expensive.”

Secretary Ye in the passenger seat couldn’t hold back upon hearing these words. The driver was usually most fearful of the boss, and didn’t even dare to breathe in front of Li Chengyuan, trying at all times to pretend that he didn’t exist.

If he knew who the “cat” he was asking about was, he would be so frightened that he would throw out the steering wheel.

Xia Xingchi smiled when he heard these words: “It’s really expensive. I don’t think you can find such an expensive ‘cat’ in the whole world – it was Li Chengyuan who gave it to me.”

“Wow!” The driver didn’t understand the meaning of his words at all, and seeing how serious Xia Xingchi was, he believed it completely. Then he couldn’t help but look at this “supposedly very expensive” kitten in the rearview mirror.

After all, Li Chengyuan was very keen to take care of Xia Xingchi. Not to mention the most expensive cat, even if he wanted the stars in the sky, Li Chengyuan had to find a way to get them.

Xia Xingchi just smiled, and reached out to grasp the cat’s paw. The little cat immediately smacked his hand away with a cold, noble expression. He didn’t let him touch, and never compromised on being petted.

When one person and one cat arrived at home, Aunt Li happened to be setting out the hot meal while Summer crouched at the door with its big tail waving, waiting for its masters to come home.

At first, Xia Xingchi was worried that a cat as big as Summer would hurt Li Chengyuan, who had turned into a kitten. But after some observation, he found that it could still recognize its owner. It didn’t feel that a huge change had happened to Li Chengyuan at all, and still stuck to its master as usual, even continuing to roll around and act cute as it begged for pets.

Li Chengyuan used to be able to casually toss it away, but there was nothing he could do about being bothered by this behemoth now. The little milk cat showed a disgusted expression as it raised its paw to Summer’s head reluctantly. In the end, because he was so small, he had to jump onto a chair to touch it.

Xia Xingchi was amused by this strange interaction between the big and small ones.

“Sir won’t be coming back for dinner tonight?” Aunt Li asked worriedly.

Not only the crew gossiped about whether they were fighting, but even Aunt Li was a little worried about them. After all, Li Chengyuan never stayed out at night, let alone disappeared for several days.

Xia Xingchi placed the “cat” where Li Chengyuan usually sat and comforted Aunt Li: “He really is on a business trip……didn’t he leave the cat with me?”

Aunt Li obviously still didn’t believe it. Although everyone in the company believed that Mr. Li had gone on a business trip, it could be clearly seen in the villa that he didn’t bring any daily necessities or luggage along. After all, he couldn’t leave empty-handed, right?

What was even more strange was that Li Chengyuan and the kitten seemed to be carved out of the same mold. Not only did it not eat cat food and have the same tastes as him, but it also had the same physical weaknesses of cold chills and a glass stomach.

Xia Xingchi didn’t dare to linger any longer. After eating, he hastily picked up the dignified and indifferent-looking kitten, subconsciously rubbing its little paws as he left the dining room and went straight to the room upstairs.

Perhaps there were too few cases to be found in the academic world, because the experts had not given a definite answer to the question of how to restore his big cat. 

But the best known way so far was to awaken the body’s instincts through strong stimulation, such as……a near-death experience. It was important not to let Li Chengyuan know in advance, which would bring double psychological and physical stimulation.

God knows how shocked and unwilling Xia Xingchi was at the time when those scholars tactfully made neck-choking gestures.

Not to mention that the person before him was the person he loved the most and would never hurt no matter what, but even if this was an ordinary fragile kitten, his intrinsic morals would not let him do such a thing.

But the problem of Li Chengyuan’s delay in changing back was pressing.

The work that must be handled by him and the decisions that must be made were piling up, and he had to meet with the board of directors next week. If someone caught onto the clues, it would inevitably lead to a stormy wave of public opinion and a panicked drop in stock prices.

The more Xia Xingchi thought about it, the more he felt that it was really difficult to make a decision.

Turning to look at the kitten, he saw that it was staring at a pill with an irritable expression – the expression of not wanting to take medicine for fear of bitterness was still exactly the same.

“How about I coat it in some honey?” Xia Xingchi crouched down so that his eyes were parallel to the bed, then raised his hand and lightly poked the tip of that fluffy tail.

The little milk cat shook his head slightly and covered up his actual dislike and resistance with calmness. He picked up the pill in his paws and put it in his mouth casually…..then stuck out his little tongue and retched from the bitterness.

It was unknown if cats had such a sensitive sense of taste or if a person who was afraid of bitterness became more sensitive to it after becoming a cat. In any case, every time Li Chengyuan took medicine, he felt as if he was being tortured, and was unhappy for an hour before and after.

Xia Xingchi immediately brought a small dish of honey water before him and laughed at him. He couldn’t help but look down at his neck.

A certain person’s legs were too long, and he was so tall that Xia Xingchi had to stand on tiptoe if he wanted to kiss it, but now he was small, and his neck was so thin that it could be held and squeezed tightly with one hand.

Xia Xingchi pursed his lips, raised his hand, and slowly reached out.

Li Chengyuan was naturally defenseless towards his lover, and the tip of his tongue was focused on lapping the sweet honey water to dilute the bitter taste of the pill.

The second before his fingertips touched the kitten —

Xia Xingchi suddenly clenched his fists, tightened his fingers in the air, and then retracted them!

The big movement made it difficult for Li Chengyuan not to notice it. He paused and turned, tilting his fluffy head to look at Xia Xingchi suspiciously.

The two had been together for so long that with just one glance, he could tell what was on his loved one’s mind.

“Meow?” Someone who didn’t like to meow as a cat reluctantly made a single doubtful sound.

“Haha,” Xia Xingchi laughed dryly, “You, you take a good look, ah…..”

After speaking, he stood up suddenly, and under the disbelieving gaze of those light amber eyes, he suddenly took off his clothes!

Under the slippery-soft shirt was fair, smooth skin. The delicate collarbones and pink peach petals were clearly visible, and the graceful mermaid lines extended smoothly down —

Li Chengyuan stared blankly: ? ? !

This was still not enough. Xia Xingchi paused for half a second, and then lightly brushed his neck and Adam’s apple with his fingertips. This was something that his big cat liked to do when they were doing indescribable things, and at this moment, Xia Xingchi’s hand seemed to be doing it instead of him.

A charming and ambiguous atmosphere immediately spread. 

The movements of Xia Xingchi’s hands didn’t stop. It was just like when they were together, but this time it was him doing something on his own instead of Li Chengyuan.

Li Chengyuan was immediately stunned. He stared wide-eyed with amber-gold eyes and vertical pupils that only belonged to cats, and for a moment, he didn’t even know where to put the tip of his tail.

Xia Xingchi held back his blush and pretended to be nonchalant, saying: “I’m going to take a bath. You, you have to keep watching.”

He directly picked up the frozen white furball and carried it to the bathroom.

In order to let Li Chengyuan see more clearly, Xia Xingchi not only put him on a shelf with an excellent location and line of sight, but also slowly took off the rest of his clothes slowly, as if making an earnest exhibition.

Li Chengyuan was dazed the whole time, crouching dumbfounded on the shelf with big amber eyes open wide.

Amidst the dense steam, he finally saw Xia Xingchi’s moving hands clearly:

He actually wanted to perform “self-entertainment” in front of him, but didn’t think it was flowery enough, so he took something out and opened it.

It was waterproof and vibrated when pressed.

“Meowwwww —”

Li Chengyuan, who was originally unwilling to meow, promptly let one out instinctively. The tone also changed unknowingly, and it was obvious that some unspeakable thoughts had been evoked.

It was the first time Xia Xingchi had done this kind of thing in front of someone. Although his family’s big cat was small now, in his opinion, this was just like being in front of Li Chengyuan’s true self.

Li Chengyuan watched Xia Xingchi’s actions, shocked by the excitement of the scene, but was unaware of Xia Xingchi’s true intentions.

Disregarding his blush, Xia Xingchi wondered if this was enough. This forward behavior could be regarded as a strong stimulus, and was better than hurting his family’s big cat with a near-death experience.

The water rippled, the sound rising and falling in rhythm —

Finally, with a “plop,” the little furball slipped and fell directly off the shelf and into the water. He even forgot about the splashing water. His whole body was hot and stiff, and he couldn’t recover for a while.

Xia Xingchi was startled by the splash, and seeing that his kitten hadn’t emerged from the water for a long time, he quickly reached over to fish it out.

Its pure white fur seemed to blend in with the bottom of the bathtub. Xia Xingchi couldn’t see clearly in the water obscured by shower gel foam, and couldn’t touch it after feeling around for a long time.

Xia Xingchi immediately panicked, and stood up to fumble back and forth.

For a moment, he was terrified into a cold sweat, anxious and angry at himself for creating this situation. He should have at least put the fragile kitten in a more secure location.

Just as he was thinking, a cold hand suddenly gripped Xia Xingchi’s wrist in the warm water – then, before he could react, that hand exerted force and directly dragged him into the water and embraced him!

“Wu!” His lips were blocked by something, and the tip of Li Chengyuan’s tongue drove straight in.

It was said that not seeing each other every day felt like three autumns had passed. For Xia Xingchi, although petting cats was quite nice, he hadn’t seen Li Chengyuan himself for many days.

After the intense and lingering kiss ended, Xia Xingchi finally came back to his senses. He excitedly hugged Li Chengyuan’s shoulders and threw himself into his arms: “Great! You finally changed back! You…..”

He hadn’t finished talking when he was embraced by Li Chengyuan again, their skin pressing together as they felt each other’s warmth.

This action had a tacit understanding between the two, and was a prelude to doing something else.

“Wait,” Xia Xingchi reached out to push him. “Don’t do it, let me take a good look at you – ah!”

The tone of his last word was trembling, and suddenly shot up. Slightly cool, slender fingers touched his sensitive area, and even poked hard with evil intentions.

The two of them were naked, and most of the previous atmosphere was still there. As soon as Xia Xingchi was teased, he couldn’t help but immediately compromise.

Li Chengyuan, on the other hand, was not in a hurry. Not only did he not make the next move, but he also bent down in the water and felt around casually — when he fished something out, he pressed it lightly and there was a vibrating sound.

Xia Xingchi: “……..”

He should have strangled him.

“That, ah, don’t look at me like that!” Xia Xinchi blushed at once upon remembering what he had done just now. “I couldn’t help it, ah! This, this was just to make you change back soon…..”

Li Chengyuan naturally knew.

He could feel the changes in his own body from the moment he was stimulated by the beauty in the room, his energy and blood surging.

As the boiling sensation reached its peak, and under the double stimulation of accidental drowning, he directly recovered his human form.

But he decided to pretend not to hear Xia Xingchi’s explanation, and just said in a low voice: “It seems you think I’m not as good as this thing?”

Before Xia Xingchi could speak, Li Chengyuan turned over and held him down. The positions and postures of the two changed suddenly, and Xia Xingchi was pressed down into the water and loomed over.

It was not the first time the oversized tub had experienced this, and there was even a matching surf mode to complement it and create waves.

But it was indeed the first time they took the two-pronged approach to playing in the flower field, which was not only exciting to the kitten, but also made a considerable impact on Xia Xingchi.

The water surged and splashed out, accidentally wetting the bathroom floor, and the shimmering water reflected the beautiful scenery of a spring garden full of color.

. . . . . .

Summer, who was crouching outside the door, was no stranger to such things. After listening for a while, it picked up a small dried fish and ran away.

T/N: I don’t usually enjoy this sort of extra, but I got a kick out of the idea that in this world, there is a secret society of experts on people randomly turning into animals.

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[1] NG = to make a mistake and have to retake the scene. ⮐

[2] The characters that make up Xia Xingchi’s given name are 星池, which translates to “star pool.” ⮐

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Extra 1 << Table of Contents

At night, Liang Shu and Cheng Suyue went back to Chixia City and discussed with Shi Hanhai their future plans.

The secretarial assistant of the government office was named Lu Shou, and he was the same age as Shi Hanhai. Wearing a gray robe and sporting a small mustache, he had a loyal personality and was gentle and patient in his work. At least before the outbreak of this plague, Secretarial Assistant Lu’s performance had been quite satisfactory, and no major mistakes could be found.

But Du Jing’s appearance was much more crafty-looking. Likely because the sun was strong in the southwest and he had been practicing medicine in the country all year round, his whole body was tanned. He had an aquiline nose, a short, lean figure, and standing there, he looked like a window rod.

There were originally not many doctors in the city, and more than half of them fell to the plague. The remaining two were arranged by Lu Shou to go to the medical clinic next to the government office and take turns treating some common headaches and fevers, without having to go to Dakan Mountain. In other words, all the disciples brought by Du Jing were currently responsible for treating the plague.

. . . . . . 

This afternoon, according to the plan, Shi Hanhai personally received three “distant relatives” at the gate of the city, and welcomed them into his home with great fanfare. Because Chixia City had been sealed off for a long time, upon suddenly seeing foreigners, the people were naturally curious and went out one after another to find out who it was. Of course, the news quickly reached Du Jing’s ears.

Before the three of them could warm up their stools, a carriage had already parked outside the courtyard.

Cheng Suyue was a little worried at first, mainly because she feared that A-Ning would reveal their secrets due to his youth and inexperience. She never thought that when he heard Du Jing coming, he would immediately change from a shrewd and clever boy to a country boy with a simple and honest expression, a little bit timid as he hid behind Liu Xian’an and refused to come out.

Looking at Second Young Master Liu, the elegant immortal aura around him had also disappeared, and he became one of the crowd. He shrugged his shoulders slightly and bent his back a little as if carrying a burden – His Royal Highness had taken the time to teach him this posture personally

So Cheng-guniang gained another bit of life experience: Men can really act.

When Liu Xian’an and his party came to the front hall, Shi Hanhai had already introduced the identities of the three of them to Du Jing, saying that they were his distant relatives. They were of Youfeng origin and later had the honor to go to Baihe Mountain Village for a few days, where they learned some methods to treat plagues.

Du Jing asked: “Shi-xiong invited them? Why have they never been mentioned before?”

“First, I was not sure whether they could come, and second, I was afraid that Du-xiong would overthink it,” Shi Hanhai said, short of breath. “It’s not that I don’t trust Du-xiong’s medical skills, but with the city’s current situation, it would be good to have more doctors.”

“It is not I who is overthinking, but you, Shi-xiong.” Du Jing shook his head again and again. “To be able to study in Baihe Mountain Village, one must have excellent medical skills —”

Before he finished speaking, he saw three people cautiously coming in from the gate wearing coarse clothes. Aside from the girl, whose appearance was a little more upright, the other two men looked more like shopkeepers than doctors.

Did Baihe Mountain Village even accept such people? Du Jing was puzzled. In the end, it took him a long time to ask, and it turned out that the so-called “helping for a few days” was going to someone’s backyard to cut medicinal materials for a while.

A-Ning may have had a guilty conscience, and said with a lack of confidence: “But we have read a lot of books on treating plagues, right, Ge?”

Liu Xian’an nodded: “Right, Doctor Du can rest assured.”

“Shi-xiong personally invited you all here, how can I be worried?” Du Jing smiled and said, “When are the three of you going up the mountain?”

“We’ll go now.” Liu Xian’an stood up. “There can be no delay in treating diseases and saving lives. We also bought some heat-clearing and detoxifying medicinal materials when we came, and brought them with us.”

Du Jing had no objection to this. Of course, it may have been that he didn’t take these barefoot doctors seriously. The steward quickly arranged a carriage. The driver also looked southwestern, so the three of them didn’t talk the whole way there. A-Ning leaned against the carriage window, gazing out at the scenery, Cheng Suyue internally went through Liang Shu’s plan again, and as for Second Young Master Liu, he reclined in the corner early on, once again sleeping with no distractions and dreaming wildly. It could be seen from this that whether he was busy, idle, or in danger, sleeping in a fugue state was his top priority, and there could be no delay.

A-Ning had seen enough of the scenery, so he just propped up his cheek in thought. Was there a single thing or person in this world that could make the young master sleepless?

Probably not, ba. After all, a few years ago there were thieves in Baihe Mountain Village, and the guards were chasing them all over the place and making a lot of noise. There was chaos the next street over, and the authorities all came out to investigate, but the young master still did not wake up. When someone mentioned it the next morning, his eyes were still sleepy and clueless. It was simply incredible.

The carriage drove along the mountain road for a long time before finally arriving at Dakan Mountain. The houses were neatly built on the flat ground, and the environment was also neat and clean. Liu Xian’an covered his face with a cloth towel, jumped off the carriage, and asked Du Jing: “Why don’t I see the patients?”

“They are all inside,” Du Jing replied. “They are weak and rarely go out.”

Liu Xian’an shook his head internally. There was no wind outside at this time, and the sun was just right. It seemed that the patients were not allowed to move around, but were shut up in the dark rooms. However, he didn’t say much upon arrival, simply moving the medicinal materials into the house with A-Ning while Cheng Suyue walked around the building. By rough calculation, there were about fifty people and more than ten doctors here.

“Little brother, you all should get busy first,” Du Jing said. “If you need anything, just come to me.”

Liu Xian’an was tired from carrying medicine, and wiped his sweat with the other hand on his waist: “Okay!”

That rough voice even shocked A-Ning.

In terms of acting, Second Young Master Liu and His Royal Highness Xiao Wang had some similarities. They didn’t need to deliberately learn how to do it, but could get on stage and sing at any time when the need arose.

Du Jing’s disciples didn’t take these people seriously either, which happened to make it convenient for Liu Xian’an to accomplish things. 

There was a room on the east side with its door ajar. A seven or eight-year-old girl was sitting on the threshold, holding a piece of pancake and eating it.

Liu Xian’an recognized her at a glance, or to be more precise, he recognized the pancake, which was exactly like the batch that the young couple cooked overnight during his visit two nights ago.

Seeing the stranger approaching, the little girl was a little nervous. She stood up and went to enter the room, but Liu Xian’an quickly stopped her: “Don’t go.”

Because there was no one else around, Second Young Master Liu did not deliberately use a rough voice. His voice was as clear and gentle as spring, and the little girl stopped in her tracks, looking up at him timidly.

Liu Xian’an crouched down in front of her: “What is your name?”

“My name is Taohua, Xiao Taohua.”

“Little Peach Blossom.” Liu Xian’an smiled. “Peach blossoms are shining and radiant, and fly along innumerable paths. Who gave you that name? How can it be so nice-sounding?”

The little girl didn’t read much, and didn’t quite understand the poem, but she blushed upon being praised: “My mother gave it.”

Liu Xian’an tested her temperature with the back of his fingers, and it was hot: “Is there any discomfort?”

“Dizziness, coughing, can’t remember things, nausea, vomiting all the time, sometimes sleeping until midnight, sudden awful pain in the hands and feet.”

Liu Xian’an said: “You can explain the symptoms so clearly, such a clever little girl. Are the rest of you the same?”

Taohua nodded: “Yes, the same.”

“I’m a new doctor and a relative of Shi-daren.” Liu Xian’an asked, “Are you afraid of needles?”

“Afraid.”

“But after the needles, the disease will heal faster and you can go to the mountain to see your parents when you are cured. I heard that in addition to pancakes, they have also prepared a lot of delicious food for you at home.”

Taohua muttered in a young voice: “I’m still afraid.”

“Why don’t you close your eyes?” Liu Xian’an suggested. “Close your eyes and you won’t be afraid. The needles I use are very thin.” To prove it, he even took out an ox hair needle from his sleeve. “Look, isn’t it thin?”

Taohua took the needle in her hand. It was really thin. After hesitating for a long time, she finally nodded in agreement.

Liu Xian’an ordered A-Ning to keep watch outside, then called Cheng Suyue into the room and asked her to accompany Taohua while he turned his back on the two to prepare. As for why he had to turn his back, after opening the cloth bag, nearly a hundred thick, one-finger needles were neatly arranged. Not to mention a little girl, even a strong man would be scared away at the sight.

Cheng Suyue covered Taohua’s eyes with a fragrant handkerchief, fed her a small piece of candy, and coaxed her halfway into her arms. Perhaps this reminded her of her mother, because Taohua quickly relaxed, and when the silver needle was slowly pushed into the acupuncture point, she didn’t feel too tense.

The light in the room was dim. Liu Xian’an applied the needles very slowly, and following his movements, Taohua slowly fell asleep. Cheng Suyue laid her flat on the bed and asked in a whisper: “How is it?”

“The pulse is strange, unlike a plague,” Liu Xian’an said. “I suspect it’s Gu poison.”

Cheng Suyue was a little surprised, not at the Gu poison, but because it was determined to be Gu poison so quickly. It had only been two or three hours from going up the mountain until now.

But Second Young Master Liu’s speed was so fast. He found the acupuncture point and inserted the last silver needle. When he moved it out, he obviously felt that something was wrong, so he paused his movements, concentrated on the feeling for a moment, and then pulled hard.

Sure enough, the needle brought out a cluster of Gu worms as thin as hairs. Unexpectedly, Taohua lying on the bed suddenly awoke with full-body convulsions and screamed in pain, her shrill voice seeming particularly frightening in the quiet evening. Liu Xian’an’s heart stopped beating in shock. Cheng Suyue covered her mouth and hit her neck with the edge of her hand, causing Taohua to lose consciousness once more.

But it was still a step too late. There was a mess of footsteps outside, and Du Jing asked: “What is going on?”

Someone answered him: “It seems to have come from this room.”

Taohua was still stuck with needles like a hedgehog, and it was too late to pull them out. Cheng Suyue asked Liu Xian’an in a whisper: “Young master, can you detoxify this poison?”

Liu Xian’an nodded: “I can.”

“How sure are you?”

“Ninety percent.”

“Okay.” Cheng Suyue clenched the soft sword^[1] at her waist. If the plan really didn’t work, she would get rid of everyone outside the door first.

A gap in the door was pushed open with a squeak.

Liu Xian’an pushed Taohua sideways into the bed and pulled the blanket up to cover her.

When one leg had already crossed the threshold, a woman’s scream suddenly came from next door, followed by A-Ning’s panicked voice: “Auntie, are you okay? Why did you faint?”

Du Jing’s eyes shifted: “Go and see!”

The people at the door went to the other side, and the surroundings became quiet.

“Leave this to me,” Liu Xian’an said. “Cheng-guniang, go see A-Ning. He should have been trying to get us out of trouble just now.”

Cheng Suyue responded by getting up and listening at the door for a moment. After confirming that there was no one there, she hurried out.

In another room, A-Ning had already helped the woman onto the bed with great effort, and asked Du Jing: “What is wrong with her?”

The room was full of baffled people. You were the only one present when the person dropped unconscious, but now you’re asking us?

A-Ning explained: “I wanted to examine her, but she suddenly started to convulse and scream more and more miserably, and then she passed out. It shocked me a lot.”

Du Jing checked the woman’s pulse and found nothing abnormal. He was not without doubts, but couldn’t find any evidence that the country doctor in front of him was playing tricks. In addition, Gu worms wandered the body and it was easy for unexpected situations to occur. Otherwise, he would not have expended a lot of time to move people to the barren hills. He didn’t ask any more questions.

The crowd dispersed quickly, and Cheng Suyue stepped forward: “What’s going on?”

A-Ning was belatedly scared: “It was I who stunned this auntie, I feel bad for her.”

Cheng Suyue: “…….”

But A-Ning could find no other way. He heard Taohua’s scream and saw Du Jing leading people to rush over. In a hurry, he had no choice but to break into this room and stab a silver needle into the body of the auntie who was dozing off at the table. The pain suddenly hit her in her dreams, and she cried out in pain at the spot. Before she could open her eyes, her face was covered with a cloth towel and she passed out again.

Cheng Suyue leaned against the door frame and her shoulders shook with laughter: “I never knew that you were so capable!”

On the one hand, A-Ning felt that his behavior was unworthy, and on the other hand, he felt that he was very quick-witted. Now he was embarrassed by Cheng-guniang’s laugh and quickly changed the subject: “How is the young master over there?”

“Second Young Master Liu has found Gu worms,” Cheng Suyue said. “We should not have to stay on this mountain for more than a few days.”

After a while, Liu Xian’an also came to this room. The aunt was still unconscious, and in order not to waste this opportunity, he also pierced her head with needles. Sure enough, he pulled out a few Gu worms. This time Cheng Suyue had learned from experience, and tightly covered the auntie’s mouth when the needle was drawn out in order to suppress her screams. She probably thought that the three of them were trying to murder her and make off with her property.

Cheng Suyue was tired and sweating all over, and panted as she asked: “Do we have to go through this for every remaining patient?”

“No need.” Liu Xian’an put away the silver needle. “I already know what sort of pulse a person suffering from Gu will have. It will only take tomorrow to find out who is ill. Cheng-guniang should get ready to send news to the prince.”

Watching from the side, A-Ning felt that Liu Xian’an’s expression was exactly the same as those of the Master and the Eldest Young Master when he said this. Even the tone of voice was similar. He finally had the thought that, “Wow, it turns out that my family’s young master is really biologically related to them.”

Early the next morning, Liu Xian’an proposed to diagnose everyone’s pulses. Although Du Jing agreed for the sake of Shi Hanhai’s face, perhaps he still had doubts about the scream last night, because he sent three of his disciples to help and monitor him.

Liu Xian’an didn’t care about this. Even if it was ten or a hundred rather than three, this was not for show and he needed to check the pulses – while making a record, he could see everyone in almost half a day.

At the foot of the mountain, Liang Shu received Cheng Suyue’s letter.

Shi Hanhai asked anxiously: “What is the matter?”

Liang Shu said: “It is resolved.”

“Resolved?” Shi Hanhai couldn’t believe it. “What does the prince mean? That the plague is over and life in Chixia City will return to normal?” He felt that he had heard an impossible thing. “But Young Master Liu has only been up the mountain for less than two days.”

Yes, ah, it had only been two days. Liang Shu raised his eyebrows slightly, thinking that he should have a little more faith in him in the future. After all, although the Sleeping Immortal had no medical experience, he had ten thousand volumes of books, Three Thousand Ways, and an astonishing age of forty-eight thousand years.

On Dakan Mountain, Liu Xian’an was eating with Taohua and joked: “Why do you love pancakes so much?”

“Delicious.” Taohua also broke off a piece for him. Liu Xian’an went to take it, but noticed that Du Jing was bringing someone over. He shook his head and gestured for the little girl to eat it herself.

Taohua didn’t eat it. She stood up and tried to run, but was stopped by Du Jing. A disciple took out a bowl of medicine from a food box and told her to drink it while it was hot.

“I don’t want to drink it.” Likely because Liu Xian’an was by her side, Taohua had more courage.

Du Jing was displeased: “Hurry up, there are other patients waiting for the medicine. Don’t waste time.”

Taohua looked at Liu Xian’an beseechingly.

“Doctor Du.” Liu Xian’an stood up. “Leave the medicine here, I’ll watch her drink it later.”

“When it’s cold, the efficacy of the medicine will be greatly reduced.” Du Jing seemed to have no intention of leaving. “Doctor Shi should continue to check pulses.”

This was said sarcastically, and some people in the crowd laughed. Taohua tried to slip away again, but the person holding the medicine had no patience. He grabbed her chin and wanted to pour it in forcefully, but Taohua accidentally knocked over the medicine bowl in her struggle. The other party became even more furious and raised his hand to teach the disobedient girl a lesson.

“Stop it!” Liu Xian’an stepped forward to block him, but how could the other party listen to his words? The two disciples thought he was getting in the way and were about to pull him aside, but before their hands could reach his shoulders, their upper arms seemed to be twisted by an invisible demonic force and stretched out in a bizarre way.

Crack!

Both of them screamed and fell down. Liu Xian’an had already experienced this sort of scene. When he looked back, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang, dressed in black, was really standing under a tree with a cold and displeased expression on his face.

“Others are coming to grab you, and you don’t know to escape?”

“Oh.”

Liang Shu’s expression didn’t change. No matter whether Du Jing had met him before or not, as long as he had a bit of brains, he should recognize someone with such bearing and skill. This should be a friend of the barefoot doctor before him. He turned around and tried to leave, but there was no chance. Cheng Suyue also rushed over from the other side at this time. Du Jing saw that there was no way to escape, so he gritted his teeth and gave an order: “Kill them!”

“Yes!” All the disciples drew their soft swords one after another. They all knew martial arts.

Liu Xian’an reminded: “Be careful, they’re poisoned.”

They were indeed poisoned, and all of the blades were tempered with blue light. But no matter how poisonous they were, they could not stand up to His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s incredibly high martial arts. 

In fact, Du Jing had some skill, but he still couldn’t block ten moves and was at a disadvantage. In his desperation, he actually tried to use Liu Xian’an under the tree as a meat shield, but was swept away by a wave of sword energy. His ribs were broken, and he fell at Cheng Suyue’s feet with a thud.

Du Jing struggled to his feet and managed to exchange two moves with Cheng Suyue, then stumbled to the other side to escape. Liang Shu picked up Liu Xian’an, who was standing stupidly under the tree, and tossed him into another open space: “Go look at him, don’t let him die.”

Second Young Master Liu agreed, and jogged all the way to chase after Cheng Suyue. He was thinking about whether to go back and get a medicine box first, but soon found that it was unnecessary.

Cheng Suyue was crouching in the woods and slapping Du Jing’s face hard: “Hey, hey, you wake up! My prince did not let you die! Second Young Master Liu, come and see, can he still be saved?”

Liu Xian’an opened his eyelids, tested his pulse again, and shook his head: “It’s hopeless.”

Cheng Suyue scowled miserably and said: “I didn’t pay attention for a moment, and he committed suicide. What should we do, the prince will definitely blame us.”

Liu Xian’an was taken aback: “What does this have to do with me?”

Cheng Suyue replied: “You failed to save him.”

“……”

The two people stared at each other. Liang Shu had already dealt with the remaining disciples and came over.

“Still alive?” he asked.

Cheng Suyue did not dare to speak.

Liu Xian’an had no choice but to reluctantly answer: “……He’s somewhat lifelike.”

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[1] A soft sword is different from a hard sword, in that it is as soft as silk. It can be swung like a whip, and rather than cutting and stabbing, it can swiftly slice tendons and arteries. ⮐

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Chapter Twelve << Table of Contents >> Chapter Fourteen

In the open space in the forest, everyone was busy preparing breakfast, and the small pot was roiling with steam. Some good food was being prepared in it, and the aroma wafted out for two li. Liu Xian’an was still on horseback, and his stomach was already growling. There was nothing to be done. The other three thousand worlds were not concerned with food, so no matter how spiritually rich he was, he still had to come back to eat on time.

A-Ning had already prepared hot handkerchiefs soaked in medicine for the two of them to wipe their faces and hands with. Gao Lin took the reins of the horse and asked: “How is the situation in the city, my prince?”

“It’s not quite as expected.” Liang Shu glanced to the side and saw that Liu Xian’an had returned to the carriage and changed his clothes, and was standing by the pot waiting for his meal.

A-Ning finished a big chicken leg out of the pot for him: “Young Master, eat quickly. This is what Cheng-guniang caught in the forest last night. She is very capable, and her knife skills are more accurate than San-guniang’s craniotomies.”

The guards passing by were all shocked upon hearing this. In Baihe Mountain Village, could the skull be opened so casually?

“It would be great if A-Yuan was here.” Liu Xian’an held the bowl and drank the hot soup slowly. “She has always been good at making soups that invigorate the qi and nourish the stomach and spleen. There happens to be one such patient in Chixia City right now.”

“Let’s not talk about nourishing the spleen, I haven’t asked the young master yet.” A-Ning sat down beside him. “Is the plague in the city serious?”

Liu Xian’an thought for a moment and shook his head: “It shouldn’t be serious.”

A-Ning was confused. It was either serious or not serious, what did he mean by shouldn’t be serious?

“I haven’t seen the patients,” Liu Xian’an further explained. “Shi-daren has gathered all of the patients outside the city on Dakan Mountain, which we passed by yesterday.”

While the two were talking, Liang Shu and Gao Lin also came to sit by the fire. Cheng Suyue had scolded the “dog official” all the way, and now that the official was no longer a dog, she was a little uncomfortable for a while: “A little-known Miao doctor and a local secretarial assistant, where did they find the guts to do a thing like actually spreading false decrees?”

“What they’ve done is not simply spreading false decrees.” Liang Shu picked up the ladle and filled it with soup, pouring it into Liu Xian’an’s bowl. “Eat more.”

The other three people were dumbfounded at this sudden care. They froze on the spot and looked at each other, not daring to move. Only Second Young Master Liu who was given such care was very calm, and said while drinking soup: “The prince can rest assured, I will definitely do my best to discover the truth of the plague, and nothing will be kept hidden.”

Gao Lin heaved a sigh of relief. It turned out that his prince wanted something. No wonder he suddenly started to show courteousness, he had thought he was having convulsions.

But having said that, this kindness was too petty. A spoonful of soup was nothing, at least tear off a chicken leg.

He immediately went to fish for the meat, but Liu Xian’an was already full. Putting down the bowl and wiping his mouth, he asked: “What does the prince want me to do?”

Liang Shu said: “Pretend to be an ordinary doctor and enter the city.”

As he said before, the top priority was to get the plague under control. The incident in Chixia City was full of oddities, not like a natural disaster, but more like a premeditated man-made disaster. In addition, exchanging old grains for new grains allocated by the court was not something that ordinary people could do.

The Miao doctor and the secretarial assistant were pushed to the front, and it was those hiding behind them who most needed to be pulled out to see the light.

. . . . . .

During the afternoon of the same day, Gao Lin took several guards and set off for the nearest city,  Chang’an. Firstly to borrow food, and secondly for the Baihe Mountain Village medical clinic there, which was not small in scale and could bring at least a hundred disciples to come help.

As for Liu Xian’an, A-Ning, and Cheng Suyue, they would pretend to be siblings and go to Chixia City as traveling doctors to discover the truth.

A-Ning asked in a low voice: “Then what will the prince be doing?”

Liu Xian’an thought for a moment, and then replied in a whisper: “Devising battle plans in a tent.”

Both master and servant stifled their smiles together, and just as they were smiling, the main character of such “tent strategy” came over with a cloth bag in his hand. It was tied with cowhide rope, with many needles stuck in it, and there seemed to be a few strands of hair poking out. It looked a little frightening.

Liang Shu asked: “Have you changed your face before?”

Liu Xian’an shook his head.

Liang Shu sat opposite him and raised his chin slightly with the back of his finger: “Close your eyes.”

Cold ointment was smeared on his face. Liu Xian’an was a little nervous. He couldn’t see anything and felt a little insecure, so he silently opened his eyes a little, just in time to see Liang Shu pick up a translucent mask.

“What kind of material is that?” Liu Xian’an had never seen such a transparent and soft texture before.

Liang Shu placed the mask on his face carefully, the corners of his lips curling up slightly: “You have read more than ten thousand books and lived for forty-eight thousand years, but you don’t know what this is?”

Liu Xian’an said truthfully: “I’ve only read about the method of making disguising masks, but none of them had a description of what they look like.”

Liang Shu looked at his curved eyelashes brushing up and down. Mischievous thoughts rose up again and he spoke nonsense: “This is made of human skin.”

A-Ning immediately said: “Wow!”

In addition, he looked up and moved closer to it.

Although Liu Xian’an didn’t say “wow,” his level of calm was comparable to that of A-Ning. He didn’t even shake his head, but was very puzzled: “But freshly peeled human skin is not like this. After a long period of time, it will become cracked and ashy. Was the piece in the prince’s hand processed using some special method?”

Liang Shu frowned: “Have you ever peeled fresh human skin?”

“I haven’t, but I have seen my dad perform a similar operation,” Liu Xian’an recalled. “The man seemed to have been a butcher. His face was scalded by water, so my dad peeled off the skin from his back and moved it to his face. I helped hold the skin for a while.”

Helped hold the skin for a while.

Saving people was saving people, and weird was also weird. When all was said and done, holding human skin in his hands did not look like a normal childhood. His Royal Highness Xiao Wang felt that he had to re-examine the living environment of Baihe Mountain Village, but at this moment, he chose to put on an air of dignity. Brushing away his failed attempt to scare him, he said casually: “I lied to you. This is pigskin and agar, along with some other medicines. It’s the craftsmanship of an inner secret agent, and should not be recorded in outside books.”

Liu Xian’an raised his head and gave a slight “hmm,” but was not angry.

Liang Shu asked: “You’re not afraid of human skin?”

“What is there to fear about human skin? It’s something that everyone has,” Liu Xian’an said. “In terms of blood, there are many patients from all over the country who come to Baihe Mountain Village to seek medical treatment, and there are many bloodier wounds than skinning. All of the disciples are used to seeing such things. Even A-Yuan started to learn how to open the skull and scrape the bones when she was a teenager, and moved the skeleton models —”

Halfway through the speech, Liu Xian’an suddenly realized that this seemed to be another great opportunity to persuade him to split up the marriage. So he opened his eyes again and tried to decide based on His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s expression whether his sister moved the skeleton models to the front hall or beside her own bed. But unfortunately, Lian Shu didn’t seem to listen to any of this, and was still putting the finishing touches on his disguise, gently pressing the edges with the back of his finger and moving it down inch by inch. Finally, it inadvertently brushed the small mole on the jut of his throat: “All right.”

Liu Xian’an didn’t feel any discomfort. On the contrary, it felt rather cool and comfortable. A-Ning held up the bronze mirror to show him. He had an ordinary appearance. The corners of his eyes slightly drooped, and his lips were thicker. He really looked like a simple and honest person, but he was not ugly, nor did he have a stiff expression and ferocious eyebrows as recorded in the books.

“How long can this mask be worn?”

Liang Shu wiped his hands clean: “Three days, but it’s best to take it off every night and put it on again the next morning. A-Yue will also change her face, and she will help you do all this.”

Liu Xian’an liked this new face quite a lot. Wearing the mask, he stood in the wind, basked in the sun, and washed his face once, wanting to test how firm it was. But Cheng Suyue couldn’t bear it, and ran to complain to Liang Shu. Second Young Master Liu, with the back of an immortal, turned around with such a broken face. It was really terrifying, the prince’s technique was too ruthless.

“It turns out that you also have times when you are afraid,” Liang Shu said. “It should really be publicized in the Northwest Military Camp, so that those matchmakers will also know that you don’t always think about the ‘great feat’ of defeating wolves with one hand.”

“Those matchmakers themselves are scary enough.” Cheng Suyue hurriedly took two steps back and spoke again, “And now that I have met Second Young Master Liu, I am even more unwilling to marry a man in Yueya City. Why is there such a large gap between them? It is like an immortal compared to a wolf.”

All right, with Second Young Master Liu as the comparison, the rest of the men were not even qualified to be human. Liang Shu looked at her troubled and anxious face and smiled mercilessly: “Do you want to marry him?”

“Marry who, Second Young Master Liu? That’s not true.” Cheng Suyue said, “He’s so celestial-like, but I’m so worldly. If we forced ourselves together, I’m afraid we would be divorced in a few days.”

Liang Shu scolded her good-naturedly: “When you see a good-looking man, you have already taken this step into consideration. I don’t see why you don’t want to marry. Aren’t you very proactive?”

“Aiya, I’m really not.” Chengyue thought hard about how to explain this difference, but because the books she had read were limited, she could only squeeze out the sentence, “They can only be looked at from a distance, but not played with.” However, that sounded very much like a low-educated scoundrel who insists on talking too much and molests the little daughter-in-law,

a fool who still shakes his head and chants irrelevantly, “The moonlight shines bright in front of my bed.”^[1]

Seeing that this person was already flushed with anxiety, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang finally showed kindness and let her go.

. . . . . . .

Liu Xian’an gingerly took off the mask and seriously studied it in the light. From the corner of his eye, he saw that Cheng Suyue had finished her conversation with Liang Shu and was walking this way, so he raised his hand to stop her and then went over to ask for details with his mask on.

But Cheng-guniang’s blush hadn’t completely faded yet. After Liu Xian’an saw this, he asked with concern: “Do you have a fever?”

“I don’t.” Cheng Suyue quickly waved her hand. “I’m not infected with the plague, it’s the prince. Aiya, it’s not the prince who has the plague. I mean, my blushing is because of the prince, he just said that I want to marry the young master.”

Liu Xian’an was amused: “Then you just made it clear that you don’t want to marry me, so why are you blushing?”

“My prince can be annoying sometimes.” Cheng Suyue sat on a stone and helped him arrange the mask. After a while, she asked, “Second Young Master Liu, what kind of girl do you want to marry in the future, ah?”

 Liu Xian’an thought for a while and said, “Any kind is fine.”

Cheng Suyue was confused by this answer. The blacksmiths in Yueya City had to pick and choose, listing more than a dozen requirements when asking for a wife. But when it came to Second Young Master Liu, he was so casual and said that any kind was fine. “It’s okay if they aren’t good-looking?”

“Naturally. When virtue is strong, form is forgotten. Beautiful or ugly, it is all the same to me.”

“That….” Cheng Suyue lowered her voice to the lowest level and asked almost breathlessly, “If the Emperor allowed the princess back then, would you also be willing?”

Liu Xian’an nodded: “It would be fine, the emperor’s decree must not be violated.”

Although he did not care for life or death, and really didn’t want to marry the princess, he couldn’t help being lazy, ah, too lazy to resist the decree. He didn’t have anyone he liked very much right now, so it was fine to marry. After marriage, if he could continue to live his life, then he would live it. If he really couldn’t live it, then he would break up, pack his things, and go back to Baihe City and lie down. It was all fine.

Cheng Suyue had never heard of such a strange concept of marriage: “Don’t you want to find someone you really love?”

Liu Xian’an didn’t answer at this time, because it seemed that he hadn’t thought about this question. In books, when it came to the matter of love, sometimes a heartless person could not understand the distress of a passionate person, and sometimes wine was poured and love sickness turned into sadness and tears, the soul flew away, the heart broke, and then they tortured each other so much that they couldn’t bear to live. How tiring that was, too tiring and troublesome. Just thinking about it made his scalp tense.

Liang Shu, who was not far away, accepted his silence quite well, and could find a reasonable explanation.

He had spent twenty years with those old white-bearded men in the clouds. If he could find love, it would be truly preposterous.

---

[1] This is the start of a poem by ancient Chinese poet Li Bai. The beginning goes: “In front of my bed, the moonlight shines bright; could this be frost that formed in the night?” ⮐

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Chapter Eleven << Table of Contents >> Chapter Thirteen

The two returned to the courtyard where the hunter had thrown the pheasants earlier. The old man boiled hot water in the kitchen while Shi Hanhai went to the bedroom and sat at the table for a while. He couldn’t help but light a candle.

But before he could open a file, the “firecracker” in the courtyard raised his voice again and urged him to go to bed early. Even the chickens followed suit.

Shi Hanhai had no choice but to put out the candle and lean against the head of the bed with his clothes on, sleepless. Listening carefully to the movement outside, he heard a nearby door squeak shut and the chickens return to their nests. Then he went out into the kitchen and found a cold steamed bun in the bamboo steamer, adding chili and pickles to it to satisfy his hunger.

Liu Xian’an said: “My lord is tired, you should eat some fresh, warm, and easily digestible food, otherwise you might get a stomachache.”

Shi Hanhai had a lot of worries on his mind, and when he heard someone speak behind him, he didn’t realize that something was wrong for a moment, sighing: “People in the city are getting sick one after another, how can I —” As he spoke, he suddenly came to his senses and turned around to see a very handsome young man standing at the door. Dressed in thin white robes with the moon shining brightly upon him, he was like an immortal that had just walked out of a painting.

But Shi Hanhai was not so senseless as to believe that an immortal had really descended to earth in order to eliminate the plague. He took half a step back and asked in a heavy voice: “Who are you?”

“My surname is Liu, from Baihe Mountain Village —” Liu Xian’an couldn’t finish his sentence, because when Shi Hanhai heard the words “Baihe Mountain Village,” his eyes opened wide and his face changed color, vividly showing what it meant to be “wild with joy.” He threw the steamed bun into the pickle bowl and grabbed Liu Xian’an’s hand, his voice trembling with excitement: “Baihe Mountain Village, miracle doctor, miracle doctor, ah, consider this my invitation to you. Good, very good, now the people in my city can finally be saved.”

Liu Xian’an was gripped so hard that his finger bones were almost dislocated, and he couldn’t pull his hand back even after two or three shakes. Shi Hanhai talked endlessly: “Why is there only one miracle doctor? What about A-Qing, where did he go?” While speaking, he looked behind him and saw a dark shadow standing outside, so he reprimanded, “What are you standing there for? You invited a miracle doctor here and didn’t tell me in advance, go and tidy up the guest room!”

Liu Xian’an explained: “He is not A-Qing, and we were not invited. We just happened to pass by Chixia City.”

“Ah, it turns out to be the miracle doctor’s friend, please excuse me.” Shi Hanhai took two steps forward, wanting to welcome him in the door.

Liang Shu said coldly: “Shi-daren, please take your hand back.”

He walked out of the shadows dressed in all black, with a long sword and an austere chill all over his body, completely the opposite of Liu Xian’an’s moon fairy demeanor. Shi Hanhai’s hand froze in the air, and he was stunned for a long moment before there was a gong in his mind. Realizing the sort of person he was facing, he hurriedly knelt down to salute: “Subordinate Shi Hanhai, Governor of Chixia City, greets His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.”

Liang Shu was surprised: “You have seen this lord?”

“Yes.” Shi Hanhai said with an attitude of respect: “This subordinate passed by Caique City two years ago, and His Highness was also there at the time.

“Get up.” Liang Shu pointed to a chair. “Sit down and talk.”

Shi Hanhai said in a fluster: “How can this be done?”

“This lord asks you to sit down,” Liang Shu said. “Tell me, what is going on in Chixia City?”

“Plague, a plague for which there is no cause has been going on for a long time.” When mentioning this matter, Shi Hanhai couldn’t care less about etiquette. He said in shame: “A few months ago, a woman selling melons died suddenly in the city. At that time, some doctors said that her death was strange and that it was a disease they had never seen before, but I didn’t take it to heart.”

Immediately afterwards, the woman’s husband, son, and grandson fell ill one after another, and similar symptoms also appeared in neighbors. The government finally paid attention to it, and according to the general method of treating a plague, all the patients were transported to Dakan Mountain outside the city. Temporary houses were built, and doctors and helpers were sent there.

At the beginning, the plague was indeed brought under control, and some people began to recover. But soon, a new round of plague returned. This time, the symptoms were more and more serious, and even several doctors fell ill. Fortunately, at the critical moment, a doctor surnamed Du that Shi Hanhai met before happened to come to the city, and the situation changed for the better.

“Doctor Du?”

“His name is Du Jing,” Shi Hanhai said. “Like me, he is a foreigner from the Northwest but grew up in the Southwest, so our relationship is closer than others, and we often drink together. His family……also opened a medical clinic in Miaojiang.”

Speaking of this, Shi Hanhai was a little hesitant. The doctors in the Central Plains had always looked down on Miao doctors, denouncing them all as inferior users of witchcraft and sorcery, and some local governments would even expel them. Liu Xian’an sensed what was on his mind, and took the initiative to speak out and pacify him: “Regardless of the differences in medical practice, once one stands on the side of ‘curing the disease to save the patient,’ in terms of status, there is no difference in any way. Shi-daren does not need to worry. Please continue talking.”

“Yes. Doctor Du did help us a lot,” Shi Hanhai said. “He originally went north this time to learn the medical skills of the Central Plains, so he happened to bring many disciples with him. As soon as he heard that a plague was raging here, he immediately summoned everyone to make up for the lack of doctors in the city.”

Liu Xian’an recalled those doctors in the pharmacy just now. Some of them really didn’t look like they were from the Central Plains.

He happened to open a medical clinic, happened to bring many disciples, and happened to come just in time for the plague.

Liang Shu internally shook his head and continued to ask: “After he came, was the plague brought under control?”

“It is much better,” Shi Hanhai said. “Patients no longer immediately die as soon as they have symptoms, and decoctions are used to extend their lives. Although it cannot be completely cured, at least lives can be saved, and the speed of infection has also been reduced.”

“It sounds like their medical skills are not particularly high.” Liang Shu took out a fire pocket and lit the candle on the table. “Why didn’t you ask for help?”

“I asked, how could I not ask?” Shi Hanhai sighed deeply. “I knew that the doctors in Chixia City couldn’t cure the plague, so at the beginning, I sent A-Qing to Baihe Mountain Village to ask for help, and later wrote to the court, but –” In front of Liu Xian’an and Liang Shu, it was uncomfortable for him to go on, but whether he said it or not, the current situation of the city was right in front of them. Biahe Mountain Village had not sent any disciples, nor had the Imperial court sent any support.

Liu Xian’an frowned. This differed too greatly from the “truth” heard by everyone along the way. Moreover, it was absolutely impossible for Baihe Mountain Village to turn a blind eye to a plague. Since no disciples were sent, there was only one possibility – no request for help was received at all.

Liang Shu maintained his composure and continued to ask: “What did you say in the memorial to the emperor?”

“I gave the whole story of the disaster, the current situation in the city, how much food would be in short supply in the future, and what sorts of medicinal materials are urgently needed,” Shi Hanhai replied. “I also reported the closure of the city.”

He included everything that should be included, and also clarified the seriousness of the matter, but the Imperial court only received a bright and flowery memorial with the official seal of Chixia City.

“How many memorials like this have been sent out?” 

“Eighteen letters.” Shi Hanhai lowered his voice, “This subordinate knows that the treasury is empty, the surrounding lands are unstable, and the troops stationed everywhere are waiting for funds, so the emperor really shouldn’t be worried further. But even if some medicinal materials and food could be obtained, what about doctors? Although the Imperial court allocated a batch of grain at the beginning of the year, it was all old and damp. When it arrived, a lot of it was moldy. Many of the local farmlands were washed away by the heavy rain, and people were trapped here by the plague. They couldn’t even go to other places to make a living. This subordinate is incompetent, there was really no other way but to ask the court for help again and again.”

There was a slight sob in his voice as he spoke of this, and he raised his arm to wipe his face indiscriminately, then knelt down and said: “Asking the prince to help this subordinate and save the people in this city.”

Liang Shu nodded: “Tell me, how can this lord help you?”

Shi Hanhai was at a loss for words. He couldn’t just open his mouth and ask for money or rice. Besides, according to the rumors, even His Royal Highness Xiao Wang himself had trouble with the Imperial court all the time. But a doctor, there was a doctor! As if he had found a straw to clutch at, he hurriedly said, “Asking the prince to keep the miracle doctor here, at least three days. Three days will be enough.”

Liang Shu glanced at Liu Xian’an.

Liu Xian’an nodded: “I can give it a try.”

Before Shi Hanhai had time to celebrate, Liang Shu warned: “This city is a den of tigers and wolves. You had best think clearly and work alone. If one day you are swallowed up by someone with ulterior motives, this lord will not be able to come back and save you.”

For someone who had been rolling about in officialdom all year long, how could he fail to understand the meaning of these words? Shi Hanhai was slightly startled, and then asked cautiously: “What does my lord mean?”

“What this lord means is that someone exchanged your food, intercepted your memorials, and spread rumors outside. Most of the merchants who came and went made detours, cutting off all connections between Chixia City and the outside world. But you were unaware, and are still here begging for a doctor.” Liang Shu lifted him up from the ground. “Stand up straight!”

Shi Hanhai was stupefied, as if he was listening to heavenly scriptures. He barely caught himself with one hand on the stove to avoid falling over again.

Liang Shu asked: “Where is the official seal of Chixia City?”

Shi Hanhai’s ears were ringing, and he still hadn’t come back to his senses. He whispered after a moment: “The government office, the government office study.”

“Apart from you, who else has access to the official seal?”

“The secretarial assistant and Du Jing.” Shi Hanhai paled. “I was ill a while ago, and couldn’t get up from bed. Many things were done by the secretarial assistant, and because Du Jing wanted to control the plague, they often spent time together.”

“Only these two?”

“Only these two.” After this reminder, Shi Hanhai realized that something was wrong. “Furthermore, the memorials sent to the court and the letters sent to Baihe Mountain Village were all handed over to the secretarial assistant in the end. He is an old man who has been with me for many years, and has always been loyal and righteous. Is he actually unscrupulous enough to go so far?”

“Before the matter is settled, don’t act rashly and alert the enemy,” Liang Shu ordered. “The top priority is to cure the plague in the city first, and address the shortage of food and medicinal materials. This lord will think of a way.”

“Yes, yes.” Shi Hanhai nodded again and again. Perhaps it was due to his physical fatigue, or because the secrets behind the plague angered and terrified him, but for a moment there was an unbearable soreness in his stomach. Liu Xian’an poured him a cup of warm water, and Shi Hanhai took a few slow sips before regaining his strength: “It is an old problem, it doesn’t matter. I have medicine in my room.”

“Then my lord should take his medicine and rest early tonight,” Liu Xian’an said. “On our way here, we happened to encounter someone throwing pheasants into the back courtyard. The people are of one heart. My lord must stew and eat the meat, so that he can have the strength to continue working.”

“It’s probably Li Hu again, he is the city’s hunter,” Shi Hanhai said. “All right, I’ll ask Fourth Aunt to make soup tomorrow morning.”

He wanted to say something more, but his body was truly uncomfortable and he was sweating all over, so he didn’t persist.

. . . . . .

Liang Shu took Liu Xian’an with him out of the city.

Xuan Jiao was still slowly gnawing grass on the mountainside. It was almost dawn at this time. A pale line was faintly exposed in the east sky, and the dampness in the air became increasingly obvious. Liu Xian’an was dressed thinly and without a cloak, so he couldn’t help but sneeze a few times when enveloped in the cold air.

Liang Shu lifted him on the horse’s back, and the two of their bodies were pressed together. Liu Xian’an immediately felt much warmer, so he leaned back unconsciously. This time, His Royal Highness Xiao Wang had no objections. There should be no serious doctors in Chixia City at present, so he must take care of the Sleeping Immortal of Baihe Mountain Village.

Xuan Jiao walked briskly, traveling back along the mountain road.

Liu Xian’an didn’t speak the entire time, simply clasping his left and right hands together as usual as his thoughts went elsewhere. He didn’t come back to his senses until the person behind him spoke: “En?”

Liang Shu repeated again: “Are you sure you can bring the plague under control?”

“I must go to the mountain and see the patients in order to know,” Liu Xian’an replied. “However, judging from Shi-daren’s description, it shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“Do you think everything he said is true?”

“Shi-daren’s physical foundation is very good, but he has been very weak and fatigued recently, and hasn’t put much good food in his stomach,” Liu Xian’an said. “Although I don’t know him well, if a head official can exhaust himself to the brink of death, what corruption can there be? So I believe he is a good man, and I do not believe he is lying.”

“Do you know anything about Miao medicine?”

“Yes, I have read a lot about it in books.”

The book collection in Baihe Mountain Village was extremely diverse, including the so-called orthodox and unorthodox, the upper class and the lower class. Traveling doctors, witch doctors, Mongolian medicine, Tibetan medicine, and even how to make corpse puppets and dig out the heart and soul. It was likely that they could fill more than ten large bookshelves reaching the sky.

Liu Xian’an said: “Baihe Mountain Village does not underestimate any school of medicine, and Miaojiang has many good medicines. If there is a problem with Du Jing, it is not a problem with all Miao doctors, but solely with him.”

“If this plague is not a natural disaster, but a well-designed man-made disaster, can you find out?”

“I can try my best. There is a ninety percent certainty.”

“Just because you read it in a book, you are ninety percent sure?”

“En, I read it twice.”

Other books didn’t receive this kind of treatment. It was mainly because Miaojiang witchcraft was so bizarre and frightening, and Second Young Master Liu read it as a leisure book to relieve boredom. So after he read it one more time, it left a particularly deep impression.

Liang Shu was speechless at this emphasis on “twice,” and asked: “So you only read the rest of the books once?”

Liu Xian’an replied: “Just about.”

“Since you are able to remember them all, why has Master Liu never mentioned this matter?”

“Because I never told my dad.”

Liu Xian’an retracted his hands into his sleeves and sighed in distress: “There was no time to explain, I was very busy when I was a child.”

Tens of thousands of books were like the sea being tossed by a strong wind, and there were huge waves in his mind, smashing Little Young Master Liu dizzy. So he spent seven or eight hours a day arranging one world after another, so as not to let the avenues collide with one another.

Sometimes he also played, but he didn’t tussle or play with crickets, and only imitated the people in the books. For example, sitting upright on the wall and gazing into the distance for a whole afternoon. Liu Fushu felt that his son might be wrong in the head, but Little Young Master Liu was actually imitating Shun, facing due south with respect and self-discipline. What did the man do? He governed by doing nothing. When night fell, Liu Xian’an patted his buttocks and jumped off the wall. He patrolled around Baihe Mountain Village and saw that everything was in order, feeling very satisfied with the results of his “inaction.”

Liu Xian’an continued: “And it seems that few people can understand what I say, nor do they want to listen.”

When he was young, Little Young Master Liu was more talkative than now. He often wore a large robe and stood barefoot in the depths of the bamboo forest, raising his head to look at his friends in another world and listening to them talk about the dao of heaven. In order to get her son out of the bamboo forest, Liu-furen bought him a lot of gaudy baubles. The other children cried with envy, but Little Young Master Liu was not willing. He taught his mother seriously before going to bed: “I’m not a child anymore.”

Liu-furen took his white and tender little feet out of the basin and dried them carefully with a towel: “How old are you this year?”

“About forty-eight thousand years old,” Little Young Master Liu answered, counting on his fingers. “Like the sun and the moon, lasting as long as the earth and sky.”

Liu-furen was so worried when she heard this nonsense that she couldn’t fall asleep for several nights, and even grew two more gray hairs.

Liang Shu couldn’t help but laugh, and could probably guess where the invisible barrier covering the other party came from. Tens of thousands of books piled up into a tall, cold white tower, sending him to a place beyond the sight of others. The empty and silent world above thousands of clouds should be very different from the loud and chaotic world of mortals.

“It is only you, one person?” he asked suddenly.

Liu Xian’an didn’t understand: “En?”

“In that world, are you alone?” Liang Shu repeated.

Liu Xian’an turned to look at him, as if extremely surprised.

Liang Shu swung his whip to urge the horse.

The surrounding wind suddenly turned cold, and Liu Xian’ans cheeks were like ice, so he retracted into the other’s arms again. He had never before thought that there would be someone who discovered his secret so quickly. After a long time, he turned around with his hair blown into a mess. “There are many ancient sages,” he expressed with the zeal of a master of the world. “Next time, I will introduce His Royal Highness Xiao Wang to them.”

Liang Shu’s eyebrows twitched. He felt that the words “ancient sages” did not sound like living people.

“No need.”

“Oh.”

In the distance, a ring of morning sun rose up.

The sea of clouds churned, and the sun’s rays dyed the entire green mountain.

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Chapter Ten << Table of Contents >> Chapter Twelve

It took a long time for the lingering kiss to end. Xia Xingchi almost suffocated to the point of having no oxygen left by the time they reluctantly parted.

Not only was he excited and nervous, but in fact, Li Chengyuan was also flustered.

So much so that a normally calm and meticulous person didn’t forget to kneel down on one knee while holding roses to propose, but he forgot to take out the ring and put it on Xia Xingchi.

Fortunately, it was not too late to put it on after the kiss. He took out the ring box that he had carefully rehearsed with for a long time, facing the golden-red ocean sunrise. The ring was set with a red gemstone the size of a pigeon’s egg.

Xia Xingchi looked at it with wide eyes: “Huh? Why is it red, is it a ruby?”

The little money-grubber tilted his head in thought. It seemed he still preferred diamonds. Just their implication of “eternal and everlasting” was enough to make him like them, not to mention that they were expensive.

But this stone seemed to look different from a ruby. This bright luster was so beautiful, more so than ordinary gemstones.

While he was lowering his head to study it seriously, Li Chengyuan rubbed it helplessly a few times. “It’s a red diamond – do you like it?”

After all, he knew that this little money-grubber liked things that were expensive and flashy. If the pigeon egg was made bigger, it would affect the appearance, so if he wanted it to be more expensive, he could only come up with another idea.

When he heard this, Xia Xingchi was shocked.

Even a person who had never eaten pork had seen a pig walk. Not long ago, he had watched a movie related to red diamonds, but he had never expected to see this legendary thing before his own eyes.

“I like it!”

Of course he liked beautiful and expensive things, and this was not only expensive jewelry, but it also had a unique symbolic meaning. He nodded vigorously and was even happier when he saw that Li Chengyuan had a matching ring inlaid with red diamonds.

Li Chengyuan smiled.

Although usually indifferent, he was obviously in a good mood at the moment, and he looked pretty good with the corners of his eyes creased in a smile: “If you accept the ring, have you considered the result?”

Xia Xingchi lowered his head and fiddled with the ring on his finger. He froze for a moment after hearing this nonsense, then remembered how he had joked before about “considering” the relationship between the two.

He had originally come to listen to a confession, and just saying “I love you” could satisfy Xia Xingchi.

Unexpectedly, Li Chengyuan planned such a grand spectacle – looking around the ship that was so big and luxurious, it was like a dream.

“For the sake of your sincerity,” Xia Xingchi showed a rare blush and said in his ear, “I will take on the job of calling you husband.” After saying so, he kissed the other’s earlobe lightly.

Warm breath landed on Li Chengyuan’s ear, causing them to turn red immediately, and then he lifted Xia Xingchi up into his arms!

“Ai, ai, why are you carrying me again!……what is this hobby of yours!”

Li Chengyuan embraced him firmly, and said after hearing this: “A certain person was drunk before and said he liked being held by me. What, now you won’t admit the truth?”

Xia Xingchi lagged for a few seconds, then raised his hand in embarrassment and smacked Li Chengyuan. He had been drunk once, and if it wasn’t for the fans’ supernatural powers of taking photos and knocking sugar, he would have forgotten about it by now.

He didn’t expect that besides holding on to Li Chengyuan in the photo, he also uttered the truth after drinking?

Obviously this smack was just a light tease, but Li Chengyuan remained silent and Xia Xingchi was even more ashamed and indignant. He said through gritted teeth: “What! You still cried and called me gege when you were young, and made me carry you!”

Although, that wasn’t really crying, those were tears from extreme physical pain, and Xia Xingchi’s heart was so soft that he couldn’t let go of the little porcelain doll.

But he really did call him gege.

Xia Xingchi had been coaxing and coercing him for so many days. It was the first time that Li Chengyuan really called him gege, and there was an illusion of childish dependence, which almost made Xia Xingchi happy.

Li Chengyuan was taken aback: “You……remember?”

It seemed that he had remembered, so of course he should remember that at that time, Li Chengyuan had called him gege to make this naive little money-grubber happy.

Xia Xingchi pretended not to understand, and haughtily changed the subject: “Hmph! I have such a good memory, so of course I just casually remembered it! I’d like to see how someone can claim that status of “victim of a petty liar” for sympathy!”

This misunderstanding that spanned more than twenty years was finally resolved with Xia Xingchi’s recovered memories, and the erroneous circumstances of the two intersecting worlds became clear through narration and explanation.

He had originally thought that Li Chengyuan would be shocked or even disbelieving, but his big kitty cat just listened quietly and finally bowed his head to kiss him.

“You just believe it?” Xia Xingchi was puzzled.

Although all the evidence back then pointed to the conclusion that Xia Xingchi was a little liar, Li Chengyuan was still willing to believe that it was a misunderstanding.

He kept saying that Xia Xingchi was a little liar, but in fact, when they met many years later and Li Chengyuan saw that he was still soft-hearted and righteous, Li Chengyuan had already guessed that he hadn’t been cheated.

“I just wanted to use the fact that the flow of time in both worlds is different to prove that you are actually older than me. You are too gullible.”

Li Chengyuan smiled faintly and asked: “Where am I bigger than you?”^[1]

He almost never played around with him, so Xia Xingchi almost didn’t react when his cold humor emerged, and it took him a long time to recover from the shock. How did his family’s cat become so crooked?

“Go to hell!” Xia Xingchi snorted. “No matter how big you are, it all belongs to me!”

Saying this, he raised the priceless diamond ring on his hand and pointed at it: “See, this is your contract of sale!”

The two chatted and quarreled all the way as Li Chengyuan carried him into the magnificent lobby of the luxury cruise ship.

There was an unexpected number of guests on board, and every detail was meticulously decorated, full of the cheerful and lively atmosphere of a birthday party. When a waiter opened the door for them, Xia Xingchi happened to see the back kitchen pushing out a huge cake that had just been made.

Xia Xingchi was immediately dumbfounded, and it took him a long moment to realize that today was his birthday. Although he still remembered it clearly the night before, first he recovered his memories, and then he received a surprise confession, so he completely forgot about his birthday later.

As soon as the two entered, the guests looked over one after another and stepped forward to wish Xia Xingchi a happy birthday.

Xia Xingchi was immediately flattered. A person who had never experienced a good birthday was thrown such a well-prepared party. He almost had the illusion that he was on the wrong set, although his name was clearly written on the cake.

Among the guests were many friends that he had recently met in the entertainment industry, and there were also people that Li Chengyuan found pleasing.

After all, Xia Xingchi was a very lively person. As long as they were not irritating, he would be happy even if strangers came to celebrate his birthday. Naturally, the more guests there were, the better.

“I……” Xia Xingchi was both excited and embarrassed. “Wait, put me down first! There are too many people watching!”

It was too embarrassing to be carried by his fiance in public. Xia Xingchi hurriedly stood up by himself and was happy all the way through as he thanked them for their blessings.

Normally, when everyone met Li Chengyuan, they would inevitably want to establish a relationship or various business ventures, but he had made it clear that today he would not discuss any business. Anyone who dared to do so on Xia Xingchi’s day would be courting death. After all, they had never seen Li Chengyuan holding someone so carefully in his arms before.

Of course, it was actually impossible to disappoint Xia Xingchi. He was working happily, and no one could disturb him at all. Especially with the very down-to-earth blowing out candles in the dark and everyone singing happy birthday to him together, his joy rose exponentially.

The result of being so happy was to play wildly and happily. After eating and drinking enough, he accidentally overindulged on sweet wine and hung on Li Chengyuan’s body, refusing to get off.

He was not completely drunk, but he was extremely excited. He had been too embarrassed to be carried in public by Li Chengyuan, but now he almost stood on tiptoe to kiss Li Chengyuan’s lips in public.

Li Chengyuan was helpless. He didn’t care that he was in full view, so he just smiled and kissed him lightly: “That’s enough, I’ll take you back for a nap.”

Everyone hurriedly turned their faces to the ground, not daring to watch the big boss make out with his fiance.

. . . . . .

Although Xia Xingchi looked exhilarated after drinking too much, he actually fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow. It was dark when he opened his eyes again.

He rubbed his eyes, yawned, and walked out of the room. Standing on the deck, he realized that the moon tonight was quite large and round.

He didn’t know the coordinates of where they were, but he felt that the surroundings were very warm, and the sea breeze was fresh and comfortable, not as cold as Beijing, which had already entered winter.

This was the first time Xia Xingchi had seen the magnificent sight of the bright moon on the sea. What’s more, the moon was so strangely bright for some reason, and the surface of the water shimmered under the moonlight like a layer of silver tulle.

He leaned on the side of the ship and looked at it for a while, until he forgot that he was going to find Li Chengyuan. Turning around, he remembered that a little money-grubber should take advantage of the dead of night to do his favorite part – unwrapping presents.

He had been thinking about tearing them open for a long time, but there were guests around and he was too embarrassed to sneak away to the storage room. Therefore, he had to eat, drink, and have fun first, and planned to go in the dark of night to see what birthday presents he had received.

Due to unfamiliarity, he took a long time to find the place and slip in smoothly under the guidance of a waiter.

There were all kinds of expensive items piled up in the storage room. After all, Xia Xingchi was Li Chengyuan’s lover, and his net worth was surprisingly high, so every single thing seemed quite expensive.

Xia Xingchi couldn’t find a light switch in the room even after a long time, and he didn’t want to go out and ask a waiter to turn on the light, so he simply looked at the presents in the dark, which was even better.

The light of his mobile phone illuminated things such as Patek Phillipe watches, diamond cufflinks, and expensive limited-edition wallets.

Xia Xingchi felt that only using one hand was slowing him down, so he simply stuffed the phone into his pocket and opened the gift boxes with both hands.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he took out a necklace and went to grab the next box, he suddenly felt the touch of a cold hand.

It was pitch dark, and the blind touch of such a cold hand was quite scary, but Xia Xingchi realized in less than half a second that this was his big cat’s paw. The two of them had been together for a long time, and not to mention touching hands, even if the hand rubbed his hair, he would be able to tell that it was Li Chengyuan.

When his fingertips touched the ring on Li Chengyuan’s hand, he couldn’t help but smile. He suspected that this person had deliberately stood by and waited here to scare him, so he simply turned the tables and amorously caressed Li Chengyuan’s palms and arms with both hands.

Xia Xingchi cleared his throat, pretending to be serious as he commented: “That’s right, this is the very satisfying gift I received today! It’s beautiful and valuable, so I’ll take it back to my room to enjoy it hehehe.”

Li Chengyuan was amused by him, but he also said calmly: “What are you going to use to unwrap it? Your hands or – your mouth?”

Before Xia Xingchi had time to react, he was enveloped by the scent of a familiar cologne as his big cat stepped forward and kissed his lips directly.

In the dark and windowless storeroom cabin, it was so silent that Xia Xingchi’s soft hums and the overlapping gasps of the two were quite clear. This fierce kiss seemed inexplicably more exciting due to the different atmosphere of this place.

There was no telling how long the kiss lasted, but Li Chengyuan finally took the initiative to let go of Xia Xingchi as if to let him take a breath. He had only taken two short breaths when he was suddenly lifted up!

“Just now, you said you wanted to go back to the room and unwrap presents?” Li Chengyuan asked.

Xia Xingchi was just talking bravely, but it was self-evident that the atmosphere was so ambiguous that it was almost on fire. He immediately blushed, but refused to admit defeat and said: “Right! You, you have to serve this young master well!”

Li Chengyuan smiled: “Okay.”

Xia Xingchi became even more nervous when he smiled, so he had no choice but to change the subject in an attempt to change the terrifying atmosphere: “You didn’t give me a birthday present……the ring was for proposing marriage. You can’t use one thing for two purposes, can you?”

In fact, it was fine to use such an expensive thing for dual purposes. What’s more, this signified sending the “Big Kitty Cat Adoption Certificate” to Xia Xingchi. He was just trying to deliberately find fault and nitpick. 

Unexpectedly, Li Chengyuan replied: “Your birthday present —”

Having said this, he walked onto the deck, and the bright moon could be clearly seen on one side of the deck, and a lush and beautiful island on the other side of the deck.

“Do you see that island?” Li Chengyuan asked. “I bought it for you.”

“En……ah?” After Xia Xingchi came back to his senses, he was in shock. “You, you bought an island?!”

This unbelievable TV drama plot could happen in real life? Although Li Chengyuan had smiled a lot today, he would not make such a joke. If he said that he bought it, then he really bought it.

“It is mild all year round, you can take a vacation at any time……of course, you can also “unwrap presents” every day here.”

After making a surprising statement, a certain person unexpectedly returned to the original ambiguous topic. When these words were uttered by his low and slightly gloomy voice, Xia Xingchi’s mind suddenly filled with many inexplicable prison play scenes.

……Thinking about it, it seemed quite exciting?

Of course he knew that although Li Chengyuan could be a madman, a person with a bottom line would not really imprison him. The more this was the case, the more he could confidently and boldly imagine various exciting plots.

The pure and innocent little hedgehog was trying to figure out what to do, but suddenly realized that Li Chengyuan had carried him to the bedroom and thrown him onto the big, soft, luxurious bed.

Xia Xingchi: “…….”

This time, he couldn’t speak any more obscene words. Embarrassed and nervous, but looking forward to it, he whispered: “Let’s, let’s take a bath together — just because it’s cold!”

Hearing this, the corners of Li Chengyuan’s mouth raised slightly. This excuse was too clumsy. Xia Xingchi was obviously wearing short sleeves, looking like a little hedgehog with his blushing face and wide eyes.

There was a rather large round bathtub on the ship. The two of them had just taken off their clothes to soak in it when the strength of the sea breeze increased. Even a big ship could not be as stable as flat ground under the dual effects of waves and strong winds, and the entire “ground” promptly shook up and down with a comfortable frequency and amplitude.

Steam lingered, and the bathroom mirror was covered in a thin layer of mist, so that the specific scene in the room was no longer visible. But some outlines could be vaguely seen, complementing the sound of the rising and falling of all sorts of tides.

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[1] There is some word play going on here, as the character 大 can change the sentence to “older than” or “bigger than” according to the context. ⮐

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Chapter Forty-Six << Table of Contents >> Extra 2: Turning Into A Cat

The mountain wind in the summer night was still extremely cold, and damp mist gathered. Liu Xian’an’s fingers had been clutching the saddle for a while. The wind made his joints sting as if someone was pricking them with needles of ice, so he decisively withdrew both hands and rubbed them together to stimulate circulation.

Xuan Jiao was still galloping at this moment, and when he let go, his body subsequently lost its balance. Seeing that he was about to fall, Liang Shu had no choice but to reach out his arm to catch him. Liu Xian’an’s fingers were stiff and he was determined not to let the wind blow on them again, so he took advantage of the situation and leaned back, putting all of his weight on His Royal Highness Xiao Wang. Then he wrapped his hands together and shrank his head like a lazy golden monkey.

Liang Shu was displeased: “Sit up straight.”

Liu Xian’an heard but didn’t listen, and quickly exiled himself to the illusory realm, not seeing, not hearing, not thinking, and closing his eyes by the way. Anyway, there were thousands of wonderful worlds in his mind. He could just find a corner to squat in and let others yell outside for a while.

Of course, Liang Shu would not raise his voice to wake up the young master like A-Ning did. In fact, this was the first time in his life that someone had the guts to lean into His Royal Highness Xiao Wang’s arms, and he couldn’t even drive him away. Those rumors of bloody murder from the outside world seemed to have no effect on him at all – or was it true that he was so lazy that he would rather die than ride a horse?

Liang Shu remained calm, and his hands relaxed.

Sure enough, Liu Xian’an fell straight to one side again with his hands folded, his eyes closed, and his upper body motionless, as if he was an ascending immortal.

The moment he was about to touch the ground, Liang Shu pulled him back in front of him.

“Yah!”

Xuan Jiao treaded the wind all the way, and finally stopped at a fork in the mountainside. Not far away, the city wall of Chixia City was vaguely outlined in the mist.

Liang Shu dismounted his horse, and Liu Xian’an “just now” woke up and jumped to the ground. He took out two cloth towels that had been fumigated by the medicine in his pocket and could be used to cover the mouth and nose. Liang Shu took one and saw that the other party was staring at him, so he asked: “Is something the matter?”

Second Young Master Liu pursed his lips and shook his head.

But shaking one’s head did not necessarily mean nothing was wrong. It might also mean that something was the matter but he didn’t want to talk about it. Liang Shu didn’t know why he got off his horse and gave him such a knowing look, so he frowned and asked again: “What are you smiling at?”

“It’s nothing.” Liu Xian’an first slowly tidied up the cloth towel, and then tied it securely behind his head. “It’s just that this time I finally counted the prince’s heartbeat. It is calm and steady, and the old injury is not a problem. This will save Lieutenant General Gao and Cheng-guniang from worrying too much in the future.”

Liang Shu: “…….”

He forgot.

So on the way here, this person had been sitting against his chest with his eyes half-closed like an old monk entering meditation, as if he had nothing to do with the world, but he was secretly counting his heartbeat?

How preposterous!

Liu Xianan raised his head: “Prince……wu!”

He suddenly flew up without notice and spun around in the air, his mouth tightly covered so that he couldn’t make a sound. The sky spun, and then he was half-bent over a boulder.

Liang Shu firmly suppressed him, lowering his voice to order: “Hide well, someone is coming.”

Someone was coming? Liu Xian’an’s heartbeat thumped. He calmed down a little, closed his eyes to listen carefully, and sure enough, the sound of footsteps was getting closer.

Crunch, crunch.

After a while, there was another crashing sound as a man came out of the forest. He was a burly man dressed as a hunter, with a bow and a long knife on his back, a trap in his left hand, three pheasants in his right, and a sack that was constantly dripping blood tied around his waist. It looked like he had acquired a great deal.

He didn’t take much of a look around, and just quickly ran down the mountain as if he were in a hurry, disappearing into the vast night.

Liu Xian’an surmised: “Could it be that the people in the city venture into the mountains to hunt because there isn’t enough food?”

Liang Shu said: “Let’s follow him.”

Liu Xian’an nodded. He stood up and jogged two steps forward, the hem of his robes fluttering in the wind, and they almost caught on a branch.

Not bothering to speak, Liang Shu wrapped his arms around the other’s waist, slung him over his shoulder, and flew down the mountain.

“Ah!”

“Don’t shout!”

The topic of the non-beating heart was also dodged.

“Cough, cough!” Liu Xian’an’s stomach was pressed against a firm shoulder, almost crushing his internal organs. In order to give himself a little room to breathe, he had to grab the other’s clothes with both hands and exert all of his strength to lift his upper body with his chin raised, like a big, unlucky fish desperately struggling.

Liang Shu ignored his twisting, and only tightened his arms more and more until a weak warning was spoken into his ear: “I’m going to vomit.”

Only then did he finally let go.

Liu Xian’an fell to the ground and staggered, bending over while supporting himself with one hand on a tree. It took a long time for him to recover his breath. When he raised his head again, he was like a frail little soul just fished out of the water, his eyes full of tears, his cheeks pale, and his sweat-soaked hair plastered to his forehead.

In all honesty, Liang Shu really hadn’t done it on purpose this time, so he was also very surprised. But it was only surprise, and His Royal Highness Xiao Wang would certainly not reflect on it. He just lifted this person upright in a cold and noble manner and said for mercy’s sake: “We have arrived.”

They had already arrived? Liu Xian’an turned around, only to find that the city gate was not far away.

He immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

The hunter was shrouded by thick fog, leaving only a vague, ghostly black shadow walking forward. A few black crows landed atop the city wall and raised their voices at this moment, sending their desolate cries into the wilderness. The echo pierced through the cold wind as two strings of broken lanterns blew back and forth. Everything about this city seemed extraordinarily frightening and strange.

Not knowing that he was being watched from behind, the hunter went around the city gate in a practiced manner and knock knock knocked three times before squeezing in sideways.

The door was quickly closed again.

Liang Shu took Liu Xian’an and leaped up the city wall in two or three steps, falling to the ground lightly like a shadow on the wind. This time his approach was more humane, likely because he was afraid that the other party would really vomit on him. 

And Second Young Master Liu was very good at learning through experience. He even felt that flying just now was very novel. Although his thoughts often traveled freely between heaven and earth, this was the first time that his body was so high off the ground. The scenery changed at that moment, and the breeze filled his sleeves and robes.

It was a pity that the timing was wrong and his spirit was still imprisoned in the world of mortals, with no opportunity to wander around.

As soon as they entered the city, there was a strong and persistent smell of medicine in the air. Liu Xian’an briefly took off the cloth towel to sniff it carefully, saying: “These are common herbs for detoxification and lowering heat, and to relieve coughing and difficulty breathing. It is similar to what A-Ning prepared on the road. But the situation in this town —” He turned his head and glanced around. “It is more than one point better than I had guessed.”

The streets were still tidy, and there were no hordes of rats or disorderly corpses, nor could painful moans and cries be heard. It was completely different from the several major plagues recorded in medical books. If not for the dregs of medicine and lime that could be seen everywhere, the smell of vinegar in the air, and the colorful plague warning papers hanging on both sides of the street, this was really a very normal and ordinary city.

Liu Xian’an asked: “Is that hunter gone?”

Liang Shu took his arm and walked sideways through another alley. They saw the hunter run past not far away, untie the prey from his waist, and throw it over a low wall to the left. Thump thump, the pheasants fell into the courtyard. He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to run over to the other side, finally entering a large courtyard. Then he washed his face and body with a basin of cold water in the corner and went back to his room to rest.

“So this is his home.” After speaking, Liu Xian’an was a bit puzzled. “He didn’t go hunting for himself. But the courtyard just now looked dilapidated, not like it belonged to a wealthy person who could afford to hire a hunter.”

The two walked into the courtyard. A loud snoring came from a row of wing rooms on the east side, and some beans and pickles were still drying on the steps. Liang Shu pushed open the kitchen door, and the moonlight shone through a window, illuminating everything in the room. The stove was still a bit messy, but it was only the sort of mess that resulted from daily life. There was rice in the vat and oil in the urn, and although the steamed buns in the bowl were crude, they were still soft.

There was no rat infestation in this city, and no shortage of food.

“But the plague should be real.” Liu Xian’an crouched down and grabbed a pinch of dried medicine residue piled up in the corner. He put it into the small cloth bag he carried with him, planning to study it carefully after going back.

After leaving the courtyard, the two randomly selected two or three households to investigate. There were also rice and noodles in the kitchens, and in one of the households, the lights in the courtyard were still on. A young couple was busy frying pancakes in the kitchen. The sweet, cloying smell of honey drifted out, and some faint chatter could be heard. The husband was urging his wife to hurry up, otherwise it would be too late for the officers and soldiers to go up the mountain in the morning.

“The officers and soldiers going up the mountain is likely because of the plague.” After walking to a deserted spot, Liu Xian’an explained, “Bringing all the patients together in one place away from the city can not only protect the remaining uninfected people, but also facilitate the doctor’s inspection and care. At least in this respect, that Shi-daren is doing a good job.”

The watchman knocked on his clapper and walked across the street, so the two of them entered another alley. A noisy conversation could be heard across the courtyard wall.

Liang Shu took Liu Xian’an to the wall and then moved to the eaves. He pressed his head with one hand: “Duck down!”

Second Young Master Liu: “Oh.” His muscles hurt.

Liang Shu knocked on his forehead, signaling him to shut up, and silently lifted a tile.

Liu Xian’an held his breath cooperatively. Although he had no jianghu experience, he had reading experience. 

This was a large pharmaceutical workshop.

Several large vats sat in the courtyard, steeping the concoction needed for cleaning the streets the next day. The kitchen was brightly lit, and dozens of earthen pots were gurgling simultaneously with bitter decoctions. About seven or eight doctors and assistants were busy adjusting the fires, and five apprentices sat in the room, each with several large packages of medicinal materials in front of them.

“What is it?” Liang Shu asked.

“The preliminary work for making pills.” Liu Xian’an carefully differentiated the medicinal materials. “The purpose is still for lowering heat and detoxifying, but without blue bullrush and qinghong root, the efficacy will be greatly reduced. These two herbs are very common, and every doctor knows to add them. I suppose they have run out of stock and haven’t had time to replenish them. But it doesn’t matter, A-Ning already made preparations and bought a lot on the way.”

After leaving the pharmacy, the two climbed up an even taller old tower. Liu Xian’an’s body swayed as he stepped on the creaking wooden boards, and he felt that if the wind blew any stronger, this rickety place might topple over. Thus, he stretched out his hand from behind and calmly grabbed a bit of the sleeve of His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.

Liang Shu glanced at him from the corner of his eye: “Do you think this small piece of fabric can hold you in the air?”

Feeling that his words were reasonable and that he really couldn’t hang on, Liu Xian’an moved his fingers forward and grasped more.

Liang Shu: “?”

I meant for you to let go!

Liu Xian’an would not let go. He felt safe standing like this. 

The sages embraced the spirit through stillness, and Second Young Master Liu securely held His Royal Highness Xiao Wang.

Moonlight shone upon the entire city, and the black crows on the wall had already flown away. The strange and gloomy atmosphere from before had dissipated a lot, perhaps because many doctors were still busy, which always made people feel more at ease. The long street was silent as the thick fog began to disperse. At this time, a man suddenly appeared around the corner of the street not far away, appearing to go in the direction of the pharmacy.

He walked fast at first, and jogged a bit, but slowed down again after a few steps, standing still with one hand against a wall. After standing there for a while, his body slid down limply like a thin noodle.

Liang Shu took Liu Xian’an and jumped down the old tower.

The man was completely unconscious, and looked to be in his forties or fifties. He was tall and thin, with sunken cheeks. In addition to the blue-black stubble and chapped lips, his appearance was sallow and sickly.

Liu Xian’an called out twice, and seeing that he would not wake up for a long time, he propped up the other’s head and took his wrist to check his pulse.

“Plague?” Liang Shu asked.

“No, he’s just exhausted.” Liu Xian’an withdrew his hand. “He’s not sick, and will wake up after a short rest. It is best for him to drink some boiled broth.”

He took out a few cooling pills and fed them to the man. After a while, the man coughed with his eyes closed.

“My lord, my lord!” Someone in the distance called in a rush.

Liang Shu and Liu Xian’an hid in the darkness.

“My lord, what are you doing……” An old man holding a lantern searched around and saw that the man was lying on the ground. He quickly stepped forward to help him up. “I said that you should rest early tonight, why did you go out again? See, it is fortunate that I am clever, otherwise if you slept on the street all night, wouldn’t you be burned into a piece of red coal tomorrow morning?

His nagging was loud, no different from a string of firecrackers exploding in the air. The man wanted him to keep his voice down, but he was suffering from a lack of strength and could only lean on the steps and pant heavily. Soon after, the lights in the surrounding houses turned on one after another, and many common people came out wrapped in clothes to see the lord sitting at the door. Naturally, they were very surprised. Some people hurriedly put thick clothes on him, some poured hot tea, and others invited him to go to their own homes to rest. There was a big, impenetrable crowd surrounding the stone steps.

“Okay, okay, everyone go back, ba.” The man drank two cups of hot water and finally heaved a sigh of relief. “I’m going back to the government office to sleep.”

The crowd was abuzz, all chattering in unison and telling him not to be too tired. They talked for a long while before going home.

The man held the old man’s hand and stood up laboriously, glaring at him again: “When will this voice of yours be changed?”

“What change, I won’t change it.” The old man was very stubborn. “If my lord won’t listen to what I say, then let the common people speak.”

The man sighed and shook his head, slowly walking the other way with him.

The surroundings were quiet again.

Liu Xian’an said: “Based on what the common people called him, he should be Shi Hanhai, the head official here. But this person doesn’t look like a money-obsessed official, and even seems to be quite popular.”

“The hunter’s pheasants were probably given to him just now,” Liang Shu said. “We can’t wait for answers here. Let’s go and meet that Shi-daren.”

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Chapter Nine << Table of Contents >> Chapter Eleven