Chapter Sixty-Six: Awkwardness
After all, Xiao Yunci reacted more quickly, reaching out to pull Song Xirui upward while he bypassed her and fell to the ground.
Song Xirui failed to steady herself in time and simply tipped backward.
The two of them tumbled into a heap on the floor.
Xiao Yunci was on the bottom, and Song Xirui was on top, in an intimately close embrace.
“……”
Both of them stiffened for a moment. Song Xirui practically fled from his arms. Turning her head, she saw Xiao Yunci still sprawled on the ground, lost in thought, his ears faintly tinged with red.
She subconsciously glanced toward the motionless Su Yun, her heart pounding wildly.
This is madness! Pure madness!
Anyone witnessing this scene would inevitably misunderstand!
“Why is the General still sitting on the ground?” Song Xirui recovered her composure almost instantly. “Why aren't you getting up?”
She had to maintain a strict and firm distance from this scoundrel!
Xiao Yunci pressed his lips together, struggling to conceal the complex emotions in his eyes. Without a word, he scrambled up from the floor, slipped past Song Xirui’s side, and vaulted out the window.
Song Xirui let out a breath of relief, took out the jade bottle Xiao Yunci had given her, and applied the medicine to the back of the prostrate Su Yun’s neck.
***
The next day.
The General’s Residence.
“General, the imperial physician has arrived,” reported Deputy Commander Qu.
Xiao Yunci nodded lazily. “Understood.”
Faint dark circles shadowed his eyes, making it clear that he had not slept a wink the entire previous night.
Deputy Commander Qu could not help muttering inwardly.
His general possessed the kind of temperament that would remain utterly unfazed even if the heavens were to collapse. What on earth could possibly be troubling him enough to keep him tossing and turning all night?
Muttering aside, he certainly did not dare voice his thoughts aloud.
Half an hour later.
“The General’s wound is still somewhat recurrent; you really need to take your medicine more regularly,” instructed Imperial Physician Wang from the Imperial Hospital, packing away his diagnostic pillow.
Xiao Yunci's face turned icy. “Imperial Physician Wang might as well just tell me how much longer I have to live, sparing me from enduring this tedious daily drag that is utterly excruciating.”
“The General is in the prime of his manhood; how can you utter such disheartening words?” Imperial Physician Wang immediately protested.
He was a man of the Emperor, assigned by imperial decree to treat this grand general. However, His Majesty neither wanted this prominent general to drop dead immediately nor desired for him to make a full recovery, as that would only complicate matters for those below.
Fortunately, Xiao Yunci’s lingering and recurring illness happened to perfectly align with the Emperor's wishes.
Caring little to converse further with him, Xiao Yunci merely stated, “The physician need only leave the prescription behind and return to the palace on your own. My constitution is weak, so I shall spare myself the trouble of an audience with His Majesty.”
Doubtless, rather than his personal appearance, His Majesty would be far more eager to hear certain specific reports directly from this physician’s lips.
Imperial Physician Wang wisely took his leave at once.
Meanwhile, looking at the fine medicine brought to him, Xiao Yunci instructed Zhou Wen, who stood nearby, “Same as before. Find a trusted local practitioner to examine what has been added to these drugs.”
“Yes.”
***
The Imperial Palace.
“You mean to say that General Xiao truly does not have much longer to live?” The Emperor frowned.
Imperial Physician Wang hastened to reply, “Replying to Your Majesty, General Xiao’s injuries are indeed severe. There is simply nothing to be done; this humble subject is incompetent and can only barely manage to prevent his condition from deteriorating further. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”
“Never mind. Who knows how many imperial physicians have already been sent to the capital’s mansions? You have already done the best that can be done.” The Emperor waved a hand, dismissing him.
***
The General’s Residence.
Zhou Wen brought in an elderly physician with temples frosted with gray, handed him the medicine packets, and asked him to inspect them on the spot.
The old physician unrolled the package, dipped a finger into the powder, brought it to his nose to sniff, and frowned. Afterward, he fetched a cup of water, dissolved the powder in it, and added a few drops of another substance.
The clear water changed color.
“As I thought……” the old physician murmured. “But why would anyone do this?”
Zhou Wen asked, “Doctor, is there something wrong with this medicine?”
The old physician shook his head, his expression grave. “This medicine is originally an excellent remedy for treating wounds, but someone has added snake-grass to it. Snake-grass vigorously promotes blood circulation; applied externally, it can treat sprains, but if a person has open wounds, long-term consumption will prevent the injuries from ever healing. Though it is merely the addition of a single herb, it is no different from administering poison.”
Zhou Wen’s expression shifted drastically, and he immediately urged, “Doctor, this matter must not be publicized. I beg you to keep your lips sealed.”
“Rest assured, this old man is no foolish youth,” the physician nodded.
With that, Zhou Wen hurried toward Xiao Yunci’s study to report everything in detail.
Xiao Yunci’s expression did not alter in the slightest. “Interesting. It went undetected the previous few times, but the fox's tail has finally been exposed.”
“Go investigate this Imperial Physician Wang. See who he usually associates with and if there is any suspicious behavior on his part.”
The Emperor’s thoughts were as deep as the sea; even if he were to make a move, he would never resort to such clumsy methods. This was likely the handiwork of some utter fool.
***
That night.
Zhou Wen, who had been assigned a task during the day, was summoned once again.
“Deliver this letter to Madame Su,” Xiao Yunci said, handing the missive to Zhou Wen.
Zhou Wen looked somewhat surprised. “Won't the General go himself?”
In the past, Xiao Yunci had always gone personally. To hear Zhou Wen tell it, their general was practically itching to scale someone else's windows every single day.
A complex wave of emotions surged through Xiao Yunci. For some inexplicable reason, he felt somewhat reluctant to face Song Xirui directly now. If he could still deceive himself before, then under the present circumstances……
The woman’s visage kept lingering persistently in his mind.
Yet how could such sentiments ever be spoken aloud?
He merely said impatiently, “Just go as you are told. Where do all these idle words come from?”
Asking no further, Zhou Wen took the letter and set off for the Su residence.
Upon meeting Song Xirui, he presented the letter and said, “Madame Su, my general instructed me to wait here for your reply before leaving.”
He repeated this instruction twice, as if genuinely afraid that the esteemed Madame Su might fail to give him a reply letter.
Song Xirui opened the letter to find that it requested her to use her esoteric arts to bring bad luck upon Imperial Physician Wang. It was a stark, bare request, written without knowing how many times the sender had deliberated to make it sound aloof and unrevealing.
She pondered inwardly that she might as well take advantage of this opportunity to extract some benefits from Xiao Yunci.
For instance: silver!
The corners of Song Xirui’s lips curled upward. She picked up her wolf-hair brush and penned a reply to Xiao Yunci: “What the General asks is not difficult, but this humble concubine also has a favor to ask. Recently, my purse is light and I am growing steadily emaciated; I would appreciate it if the General could bestow some financial assistance.”
Song Xirui handed the completed letter to Zhou Wen.
Zhou Wen carefully received it and hurried back to the General’s Residence.
***
The Study
Zhou Wen presented the letter to Xiao Yunci. “General, Madame Su’s reply.”
Xiao Yunci took the letter, his brows lifting slightly.
The noble marquise's daughter is so fond of wealth?
It seemed she intended to take advantage of him—free rain or shine, she was certainly going to fleece him.
His gaze fell upon the phrase *growing steadily emaciated*.
A flicker crossed Xiao Yunci’s eyes as he recalled that slender waist that could be spanned by a single grasp.
He instructed, “Go to the treasury, draw eight thousand taels in silver notes, and have them delivered to Madame Su.”
Zhou Wen: ？？？
With a single letter, Madame Su managed to extract eight thousand taels of silver from the General?
“General, eight thousand taels is no small sum. Shall I just deliver it like this?”
Shouldn't he at least get a receipt or something?
Xiao Yunci raised an eyebrow slightly. “Or what did you have in mind? Would you prefer I have the silver physically packed into chests and hauled over to her?”
“This subordinate spoke out of turn,” Zhou Wen replied instantly.
Yet his mind raced without stopping. For the General to be so exceptionally generous toward Madame Su, could it be that……