Chapter 19

Jiang Huaisheng pounded his legs, which had gone numb from kneeling, then straightened his back a little more. With that, he no longer felt quite as exhausted as before.

Kneeling beside him, Liu Puyu remarked coolly, “If Brother Jiang can no longer endure it, you may return home. No one will say that Brother Jiang is incapable of protecting even his own woman.”

The two of them had been kneeling outside the gates of the Eldest Princess’s residence since the hour of the Goat. It was already nearly the hour of the Dog, yet Qie Ge had completely ignored them. She had not even sent someone out with a message.

Liu Puyu’s words implied in every possible way that Jiang Huaisheng was useless—a man who could not even protect his own woman.

Jiang Huaisheng sneered.

“Brother Liu should not mock me. The two of us have both been kneeling here for several hours. If you truly held any place in Her Highness Qie Ge’s heart, how could she bear to treat you so cruelly?”

What right did Liu Puyu have to ridicule him?

At least he and Mu Xu loved each other.

As for Liu Puyu?

He was merely a man indulging in one-sided affection.

With a single sentence, Jiang Huaisheng struck directly at Liu Puyu’s sore spot.

Liu Puyu looked at Jiang Huaisheng’s slightly swollen face and mocked him in return.

“Brother Jiang, it has already been several days. Why has the swelling on your face still not subsided? I happen to be acquainted with Imperial Physician Wen of the Imperial Medical Academy. Why don’t I trouble him to examine you?”

Jiang Huaisheng immediately looked at Liu Puyu warily.

The threat in those words could not have been more obvious, particularly with Liu Puyu’s sharp gaze fixed upon his face.

Having already been beaten once, Jiang Huaisheng had learned his lesson. He understood the principle that a wise man did not fight when the odds were against him.

For now, he would swallow this insult.

One day, he would repay it twice over!

“One should not accept a reward without earning it. I appreciate Brother Liu’s kindness.”

Liu Puyu let out a cold snort and turned his head away.

The mere sight of Jiang Huaisheng’s hypocritical manner made him want to vomit.

Beneath the moonlight, a woman sat cross-legged upon a stone stool in the garden.

She wore crimson robes, and her dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall. One pale hand lightly plucked the silver strings while all ten fingers moved back and forth across the zither.

Music immediately poured forth into the night.

When the piece ended, Qingqian offered Qie Ge the tea she had prepared.

“Your Highness.”

Qie Ge accepted it and took a sip.

“Have Liu Puyu and Jiang Huaisheng left?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, Lord Liu and Jiang Huaisheng are still kneeling outside.”

Qie Ge slowly rose.

Those two were truly ridiculous.

The imperial decree had already been issued, and notices had been posted throughout the kingdom. Everyone in Canglan knew that she had taken Mu Xu as her female Prince Consort, yet they still foolishly hoped to persuade her to cancel the marriage.

She instructed, “Take some food to them. Since they wish to kneel, let them continue kneeling.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Qingqian had only taken a few steps when Qie Ge’s voice came from behind her.

“If you are injured, apply medicine and rest early. Imperial Physician Wang brought [bailiantales.com]several bottles of excellent wound medicine and Ice Jade Salve a few days ago. Take them and use them. You need not keep watch over me at night for the next few days.”

Warmth spread through Qingqian’s heart.

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

Qie Ge nodded.

“Go.”

Liu Puyu sighed.

The night was growing later and later.

It seemed Her Highness Qie Ge truly had no intention of seeing him.

Suddenly, a woman dressed in emerald-green robes entered his sight. Two maids followed behind her, each appearing to carry something as they approached the two men.

Liu Puyu blinked.

Was he seeing things?

Was that Qingqian, Her Highness Qie Ge’s personal attendant?

Could hunger have made his vision blur?

Liu Puyu rubbed his eyes and looked carefully again.

He had not been mistaken.

It truly was Qingqian!

Liu Puyu was overjoyed.

Her Highness still cared about him after all. Otherwise, she would not have sent Qingqian out personally.

“Lord Liu, Young Master Jiang, Her Highness ordered Qingqian to bring these to you.”

After Qingqian spoke, the two maids handed the meals they carried to Liu Puyu and Jiang Huaisheng.

Qingqian continued, “Her Highness said that if the two of you wish to kneel, then you may continue kneeling.”

Qingqian never liked to drag matters out.

Once the food and message had been delivered, she turned and left without caring what either man thought.

Jiang Huaisheng’s face turned livid with rage.

What did Qie Ge take him for?

She had tossed him a bowl of food like charity and told him to keep kneeling!

Jiang Huaisheng might have been an impoverished scholar, but he had begun his studies earlier than other children his age. He had been intelligent and quick-witted from childhood, and because his father had also been his teacher, he had been held to stricter standards than the other students.

As a result, his literary talent surpassed that of ordinary people.

Deep down, he was naturally proud and arrogant.

Yet Qie Ge had humiliated him in such a manner!

Liu Puyu, however, reacted differently.

Although he was proud, he was not stubborn enough to twist an act of kindness into an insult.

He understood Her Highness’s meaning perfectly well: they could kneel for as long as they wished, but she would never agree to see them.

Besides, what could be more delightful than Her Highness personally ordering someone to bring him food?

Liu Puyu’s mood immediately improved, and all his earlier displeasure vanished.

Abandoning all concern for appearances, he sat directly on the ground, lifted the bowl, and began eating.

This was his first time tasting food from the Eldest Princess’s residence.

It was said that every cook in the residence possessed exceptional skill and had a specialty of their own. Her Highness had spent a great deal of money inviting them from all across the kingdom.

Seeing Liu Puyu eat with such relish, Jiang Huaisheng looked at him with contempt.

For the sake of a wanton woman who had already married seven times, Liu Puyu had even abandoned a man’s dignity.

He was truly an embarrassment to all men!

When Jiang Huaisheng refused to touch his chopsticks, Liu Puyu asked, “Brother Jiang, aren’t you eating?”

“No!”

Liu Puyu might not care about a man’s dignity, but Jiang Huaisheng did!

“Then I’ll eat yours too?”

Since Jiang Huaisheng refused to eat, it would be better for the delicious food to enter Liu Puyu’s stomach than go to waste.

Liu Puyu took Jiang Huaisheng’s bowl and immediately began shoveling down the food, looking as though he feared Jiang Huaisheng might change his mind and try to take it back.

Qingqian sat beside her bed, wearing only a bellyband on her upper body.

The inner robe lying on the bed was stained with large patches of blood.

She dipped a cloth into a basin of clean water, wrung it dry, and reached behind herself to wipe the blood from the wounds on her back.

Unable to see behind her, Qingqian could only clean them by feel.

Each time the cloth touched an injury, more sweat gathered upon her face, and her complexion grew increasingly pale.

Still, she clenched her teeth and continued.

Knock, knock, knock—

Someone knocked on the door.

Qingqian immediately dropped the cloth and pulled the nearby quilt over herself.

Had she not already instructed everyone not to disturb her?

Why had someone still come?

She watched the shadow outside the door vigilantly.

“Who is it?”

“It is I.”

Master?

Qingqian was about to dress and open the door, but Jingshu had already pushed it open and entered.

Upon seeing Jingshu, Qingqian’s formerly pale face flushed slightly.

After all, she was wearing only…

“Master…”

Jingshu had never been fond of unnecessary words.

“Lie down on your stomach.”

Qingqian felt her face begin to burn.

Yet compared with exposing herself before Master, she was even more afraid that Jingshu might leave.

Under the cover of the quilt, Qingqian shifted awkwardly and lay facedown upon the bed.

Her shy and hesitant behavior was entirely unlike the calm composure she had displayed before Liu Puyu and Jiang Huaisheng.

Jingshu washed the cloth clean.

When she saw the inner robe upon the bed, soaked with blood, her delicate brows drew together slightly.

She lifted the quilt, sat beside the bed, and began cleaning Qingqian’s wounds with exceptional care, afraid of causing her pain.

Her attention remained entirely fixed upon the injuries covering Qingqian’s back. She did not notice how impossibly red Qingqian’s face had become.

Qingqian was delighted.

As far as she was concerned, as long as Master was beside her, she would willingly endure not merely this little bit of pain, but another ten or twenty lashes as well.

“Does it still hurt?”

Jingshu’s tone was as cool as always, but Qingqian heard the concern hidden within it.

She lowered her head farther to conceal the smile on her face.

“It does not hurt.”

It does not hurt when Master is here.

She did not say the rest aloud.

Now, she no longer dared.

—

“Master, Master! Qingqian protected the Twelfth Prince today, and Her Highness Qie Ge rewarded Qingqian with peach-blossom cakes. Master, try one!”

“What happened to your hand?”

“A branch scratched it while Qingqian was protecting the Twelfth Prince. But Master, don’t worry. Qingqian is fine!”

“Sit down.”

“Master, Qingqian truly is fine. It is only a small injury!”

“Do not move.”

“Master…”

“Does it still hurt?”

“It doesn’t hurt anymore. It never hurts when Master is here!”

“You… Such a sweet-talker.”

“Master, you smiled! Master looks so beautiful when she smiles!”

“Master, smile again. Smile once more, please. Master, Master, Master… Master, the Twelfth Prince said that getting angry makes people grow old.”

“You are becoming increasingly bold. Now you even dare tease your master!”

“Master, don’t be angry. Qingqian knows she was wrong. Qingqian stolen contentwill never dare do it again…”

“Eh? Master, you smiled! You smiled! Master smiled…”

—

Qingqian secretly felt fortunate.

She had never liked sharing a room with others, so whenever she was injured, Master would always come and apply medicine for her.

Those were the moments she cherished most.

After Taohua and Cuizhu retired for the night, Mu Xu rose from bed and lit a candle.

Although she had already formally acknowledged the Cai couple as her adoptive parents, she still felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Madam Cai treated her so well. Mu Xu could not simply accept all that kindness as though it were only natural.

She therefore decided to sew a pair unauthorized copyof shoe insoles and give them to Madam Cai the next time she visited the Cai residence.

At that same moment, two figures were slowly approaching Mu Xu’s residence.

Their movements were exceptionally furtive…