Chapter 11

Brother Ling, aren't you going?

I'm not going; I don't want to go.

If Mu Yuanzhi doesn't apologize to him for a day, she can forget about him ever paying attention to her.

Oh, then I'll go by myself.

Not going is best.

Pei Yunxi, accompanied by palace maid Xueer, arrived at the seldom-visited Weiyang Palace; she carefully inspected everything along the way, the desolate palace showed no noticeable changes, merely having been cleaned a bit more, with a few withered trees replaced, and it simply cannot compare to the Changle Palace where she resides.

Princess Yunxi, our master has already retired for the night; perhaps you should come another day.

Hongdou, who had gone in to report, came back out shortly after.

Seeing Pei Yunxi dressed up all showy, and recalling that the clothes sent by the Imperial Household Department were all old-fashioned, she felt a surge of irritation.

Obviously the master used to have so many beautiful garments, yet when changing palaces the Imperial Household Department merely claimed they were lost in transit and bore no responsibility—anyone could tell it was deliberate!

Pei Yunxi refused to give up: "I'll go in and wait for Sister Yuanzhi to wake."

She lifted her pink brocade feather-gauze long skirt and stepped onto the stone stairs.

"The master said she's very tired today and won't see anyone," Hongdou said, extending her hand to block Pei Yunxi's path.

"I won't be at ease until I personally see that Sister Yuanzhi is safe and sound; since Miss Hongdou has been instructed not to let me in, I'll wait here for her to wake." Pei Yunxi said this and sat down directly on the stone steps.

Xueer gave Hongdou a dissatisfied glance and muttered, "It's so windy here, Princess, be careful you don't catch a chill."

Pei Yunxi shook her head: "I'm fine; I'm worried about my sister, and even if I went back I'd be restless."

The princess is truly kind-hearted.

Hongdou clicked her tongue inwardly, then hurried inside to tell Mu Yuanzhi.

Mu Yuanzhi was writing a prescription; having fallen ill with a lingering ailment in Yong Lane in her past life, she focused on researching formulas to dispel cold and dampness, which combined with her acupuncture should cure this early invasion of cold evil.

Hearing Hongdou's words, Mu Yuanzhi set down her pen, wearily rubbing her temples: "Let her in."

To avoid her finding another excuse to make trouble.

Here.

Hongdou replied and went out; shortly after, Pei Yunxi followed her in, glancing around inconspicuously.

Sure enough, there was still nothing of value, merely a few extra braziers; presumably the Grand Empress Dowager doesn't care much for Mu Yuanzhi either.

Pei Yunxi felt relieved.

She saw Mu Yuanzhi sitting there, sickly and wan, her expression fatigued; the hand propping up her face bore scars that had visibly faded compared to before, and Pei Yunxi's gaze fell upon the wound ointment on the desk, her eyes trembling.

The wound ointment with a blue seal she had seen before at Xiao Yichen's place, and she had specifically asked about it—it was exclusive to the Prime Minister's mansion.

Was it sent by Brother Chen?

Pei Yunxi felt a pang of discomfort, she composed herself and smiled at Mu Yuanzhi: "You woke up so quickly? Are you feeling much better?"

She took the box of thousand-year ginseng held by Xueer, opened it as if presenting a treasure: "I heard you fell into the water, I was terribly worried, so I quickly brought the thousand-year ginseng Father Emperor bestowed upon me to give to you."

Mu Yuanzhi glanced at Pei Yunxi casually and said, "Just leave it there."

Her voice was light, tinged with impatient coldness.

Pei Yunxi set down the jewel box, then boldly took the wound ointment from the desk: "Sister, you need to apply this ointment more often on those scars; this bottle was sent by Brother Chen, right?"

She asked as if casually, but her heart rate went haywire.

Mu Yuanzhi, however, withdrew her hand into her sleeve and curled a faint sneer: "Yeah, little sister, why are you so solicitous toward your future brother-in-law?"

Pei Yunxi instantly felt as if she had suffered a great injustice, her eyes welling up, her voice soft yet anxious as she waved her hands: "No, Sister Yuanzhi, don't misunderstand, I merely..."

She stammered for half a day without getting to the point, her eyes reddened, standing there flustered; anyone seeing it would surely think Mu Yuanzhi was bullying Pei Yunxi again.

Pei Yunxi is always like this—when she talks, she soon looks like she's about to cry, making anyone who sees her side with her.

Even the former Mu Yuanzhi believed Pei Yunxi to be a timid, weak woman; indeed, when Pei Yunxi first entered the palace, she sincerely wanted to become good sisters with her, little knowing that she was a wolf in sheep's clothing, while she herself was an utterly foolish sheep, devoured whole, left with no place to rest!

"Just what?" Mu Yuanzhi lifted her gaze, her eyes cold as she looked at Pei Yunxi.

Pei Yunxi burst into tears, lifting her sleeve to wipe them in a wronged manner, choking: "Sorry, Sister, you don't like it; from now on I'll keep my distance from Brother Chen."

Saying she'll keep distance, yet she still calls him "Brother Chen"—how laughable!

"I didn't say anything; why are you crying, little sister?" Mu Yuanzhi's gaze fell on the bronze bell tangled in Pei Yunxi's hair, half-smiling: "Or perhaps I should give you another gift as compensation?"

Pei Yunxi shook her head, touched the bell on her head, and said: "I really like the bell Sister gave me; even if Brother Ling says he'll give me a better one, I still prefer Sister's."

"Who asked you?" Mu Yuanzhi was rendered speechless by Pei Yunxi's stiff showboating.

"You've seen me, you've seen what you wanted to see; if there's nothing else, just go back." Mu Yuanzhi didn't want to keep dealing with this white lotus; she was already annoyed from being sick.

"There's also a bowl of medicinal congee I personally cooked; Sister, remember to drink it while hot." Pei Yunxi sniffed, her voice still thick with tears, and quickly gestured for Xueer to open the food box.

She didn't wait for Mu Yuanzhi's response, wiping her tears as she fled; if their brothers saw this, they'd surely blame Mu Yuanzhi for bullying their little sister without distinguishing right from wrong, and demand justice for her.

Once the plague god left, Mu Yuanzhi felt the air freshen considerably; she had Xiao Nianzi take that bowl of medicinal congee to feed the pigs, so as not to waste grain.

As for the ginseng, better not waste it—it can be used medicinally for her.

Mu Yuanzhi gave the prescription to Hongdou, sending her to the Imperial Medical Institute to fetch the herbs.

Previously, all kinds of precious medicinal ingredients were kept in Changle Palace; now they've become Pei Yunxi's property, so if she wants them again she'll have to strive on her own—the Imperial Medical Institute won't cater to her whims as it once did.

That bit of drowsiness was shaken off by Pei Yunxi; Mu Yuanzhi no longer wanted to sleep, so she simply took out her blueprints and continued researching new concealed weapons—fortunately, these important items are always on her person, allowing her to bring them along to Weiyang Palace.

She focused on her research; the two maidservants originally dared not disturb her, but Linglong, seeing Mu Yuanzhi's drawings, grew increasingly curious and couldn't help asking: "Master, are you drawing a jade hairpin?"

Mu Yuanzhi blinked, then realized she had zoned out, and had sketched the jade hairpin she had vaguely seen while drowning.

Just who was it that saved her in the water?

"Linglong, do you know who pulled me up?" Mu Yuanzhi asked.

Linglong replied without hesitation: "Wasn't it the Crown Prince?"