Chapter 34: Looking for Trouble?

Outside, the afternoon sunlight slanted westward. Some junior maid was chattering and giggling in the distance, the laughter occasionally carrying faintly over.

The doors and windows were all closed. Even in broad daylight, the inner room needed lamps. Chu Mingxi got up and walked to a wooden side table. Wei Qingchen couldn’t easily shift her position, so she could only follow her with her eyes as Chu Mingxi washed her hands and walked back. Wei Qingchen blinked and wanted to reach her paw out again.

Chu Mingxi pulled the brocade quilt up, deftly avoiding her hand. The quilt loosely covered half of Wei Qingchen’s body. Seeing her fidgeting, Chu Mingxi couldn’t help but frown, but in the end, she didn’t say anything. Using one hand to shield the candle flame, she blew out that small point of orange light and said flatly, “Rest for a while.”

“Mingxi…”

Chu Mingxi didn’t answer her. She tucked a small jade-white porcelain bottle from the side table into her sleeve and slowly walked away.

Day after day passed. Chu Mingxi’s manner remained distant. She still applied Wei Qingchen’s medicine, still reminded the junior maids to be attentive, even personally prescribed the medicinal meals, avoiding all contraindicated ingredients. Yet between every gesture, she avoided touching Wei Qingchen. Even lying together on the bed at night, that sense of detachment was palpable.

After the lamps were turned off, Chu Mingxi heard the person next to her rustle as she turned over. Even in the darkness, she could feel the bright gaze fixed on her face. Thinking of Wei Qingchen’s injuries, she wanted to say something, but she opened her mouth, then closed it again. Ultimately, speechless. After a moment, she bit her lip, closed her eyes, and pretended to be unaware.

She knew Wei Qingchen was bewildered, not understanding why she was unhappy. That bewilderment, as it accumulated, turned into anxiety.

As for why she was bewildered, and why she was anxious, it was all as clear as a written prescription. Chu Mingxi closed her eyes, not daring to think deeper.

Some things were already glaringly obvious. She didn’t know if this was the way she truly wanted it to be.

The Grand General had already set out on the campaign, indeed taking the Eldest and Third Brothers with him. Before leaving, Wei Chengxian came specifically to “visit the sick,” grinning as he instructed his Second Younger Brother to recuperate well, saying that a weak constitution required more medicinal soups. After finishing, he strutted out, as if the military merit was already within his grasp.

Wei Qingchen was so angry her face turned green. Others might not know the cause and effect of her injuries, but surely Wei Chengxian did! Yet he still came to flaunt and mock, seeing clearly that she had no evidence in hand, right?!

When Chu Mingxi entered the room, what she saw was a put-upon figure puffing her cheeks out in anger, bearing a genuine, frank adorableness.

She had been beaten twice in a row recently and had been recovering at home for quite some time. The room mostly had no maidservants. She lay on the Imperial Concubine Couch with loose hair, hugging a pillow. Paired with her huffy expression, wasn’t she just a girl in her prime?

Perhaps detecting the warmth of a gaze, Wei Qingchen looked up in confusion. Chu Mingxi had already averted her eyes first, going to the side to wash her hands before coming back to check the injury on her back.

The wounds were about fifty to sixty percent healed. Having practiced martial arts since childhood, she had a strong constitution. Getting out of bed was no problem now, but healing wounds in the winter cold was always slow. Chu Mingxi applied a thin layer of medicine and then readjusted her clothes to cover her.

“Anger is bad for healing.”

“Oh…” Wei Qingchen responded dryly. But thinking about it still made her angry. With a sour face, she grumbled, “You weren’t here earlier. You didn’t see my eldest brother’s smug face! It honestly makes my blood boil!”

“What is there to be angry about? The Marquis originally intended for you to go to Huazhou. You didn’t want to go and even found a way to evade it. Now he’s gotten his wish, and you’ve gotten yours. Yet you get angry over this.” Chu Mingxi raised an eyebrow and added with a touch of mischief, “Could it be that you actually really want to go, but were beaten so you don’t dare admit it?”

Wei Qingchen rarely saw her teasing like this and stared, momentarily stunned. When Chu Mingxi received no reply, she put down the item in her hands and turned to look back, but found Wei Qingchen staring at her blankly, her eyes deep with undisguised affection and delight.

Chu Mingxi’s heart skipped a beat, and a light blush spread across her face. She turned her back, pretending to tidy up.

Wei Qingchen assumed she was leaving and hurriedly braced herself to rise, but the movement pulled at the wounds on her back. She couldn’t help hissing, “Sss…”

Chu Mingxi quickly rushed back a few steps to stop her, scolding her, “Does it not hurt enough already?!”

Wei Qingchen was pushed back down onto the soft couch by her, one hand grabbing Chu Mingxi’s sleeve. She called quietly, “Mingxi…”

The winter sun streamed through the window lattice, casting a slipstream of light right before the couch, reflecting off Chu Mingxi’s faintly blushing cheeks and her slowly unfurling, complicated feelings.

“Heir, Young Mistress.” Ruolan bowed at the door. After being given permission, she walked forward. “Her Highness the Princess has arrived. She’s currently sitting in Her Highness the Grand Princess’s chamber. She may be coming to our quarters shortly. Her Highness the Grand Princess sent a junior maid to give advance notice.”

“Which Princess?” Wei Qingchen propped herself up on her hands to get up. Chu Mingxi had to step forward to support her.

“Princess Jiarou.”

Wei Qingchen rose and stood before the couch. Her sash hadn’t been tied since the medicine application earlier. Chu Mingxi casually tied it for her. With their bodies close, the faint, snow-like, delicate scent of herbs from Chu Mingxi wafted over. It made Wei Qingchen squint slightly, her face almost touching Chu Mingxi’s forehead. Chu Mingxi tilted her head back to glare at her. Wei Qingchen just gave a sheepish grin and asked, “Little Seventh? What’s she here for?”

Ruolan had long since turned away, pretending to examine the jade grape ornament she’d seen countless times before. Only now did she turn back, smiling. “Says she hasn’t seen the Grand Princess for a long time and, getting permission from Her Majesty the Empress today to leave the palace, wanted to pay her respects. She also said she’d heard about your last beating and wasn’t sure how your injuries were, so she came especially to visit you.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Qingchen wore a very odd expression. “My injury is on my rear end. What’s there to visit?”

Hearing her speak so bluntly, Chu Mingxi backhanded her arm lightly.

Well… in the army, people get beaten on the board every day. That’s how everyone talks about it. Wei Qingchen wanted to explain, but Ruolan was also laughing on the side. It was unclear if she was laughing at her words or laughing at her getting smacked by her wife.

Wei Qingchen waved her hand. “No, no. Tell her I’m asleep!”

“Who is asleep?” A sweet, delicate voice rang out from outside the door. The junior maid standing guard outside had already lifted the curtain. A young woman with a graceful, beautiful face walked in from a distance. She wore a water-red pleated skirt of floral brocade and a pair of red gold phoenix-head hairpins inlaid with kingfisher feathers on her head. A slightly younger girl came in with her, perhaps twelve or thirteen, wearing equally exquisite, luxurious clothing, though much simpler in ornamentation than the preceding young woman, and with hair ornaments of a lesser grade.

The junior maids following them were just taking their thick fur cloaks as the two walked into the small flower hall.

“Brother Qingchen is so quick to drive away guests?” The young woman’s bright eyes looked directly at Wei Qingchen, laughter in her words.

Chu Mingxi slightly raised an eyebrow.

Wei Qingchen smiled upon hearing this too. “Little Sister Jiarou, you’ve come.” As she spoke, she took Chu Mingxi’s hand. “This is your cousin’s wife, Chu Mingxi. Mingxi, this is His Majesty’s most beloved Seventh Princess, Mu Wenjin, with the Imperial title Princess Jiarou.”

“Don’t say that! If Sixth Sister hears, she’ll be unhappy again.”

This referred to the Sixth Princess, Mu Wenxin, who was fond of throwing small tantrums.

Wei Qingchen smiled but didn’t pick up the comment. Chu Mingxi, however, performed a graceful curtsy. “Your Highness, Princess Jiarou.”

Mu Wenjin returned a familial curtsy and also called, “Cousin-in-law.”

Seeing this, the girl beside her had no choice but to curtsy as well. Her lips moved, but her expression had already turned impatient.

“This is a child from my mother, the Imperial Consort’s, clan. My cousin.”

Jiarou stated her name, but Wei Qingchen had already taken a dislike and promptly forgot it entirely. She merely raised a hand to gesture for them to sit and loudly called for someone to serve tea.

Chu Mingxi helped Wei Qingchen walk slowly to the round-backed chair. The chair was thickly padded with soft cushions. Wei Qingchen, supporting herself on Chu Mingxi’s hand, sat down slowly but wouldn’t let her leave, holding onto her hand.

Chu Mingxi knew Wei Qingchen meant to show her support, but she wasn’t that fragile or easily bullied. Besides, with outsiders present, such clinging was quite improper. She stood beside her for a moment, then patted Wei Qingchen’s hand as if to soothe her. Only then did Wei Qingchen reluctantly let go.

Princess Jiarou watched their silent exchange. Not a single word was spoken, yet it seemed a thousand words expressed their mutual understanding.

The girl who had come with her was called Lan Ruyue, a child from her mother, the Imperial Consort’s, clan. Although her family’s official rank was not high, they possessed considerable wealth and had raised her to an arrogant temperament. Now, seeing that no one was paying her much attention, she felt deeply displeased.

“Princess Sister, is this the Heir Wei you often speak of?” She looked at Wei Qingchen with a grin. “My Princess Sister often mentions you, saying you could lead troops into battle when you were only twelve or thirteen. I’m thirteen this year too, and I still know nothing at all.”

Wei Qingchen swept a cool glance over her and nodded. “Yes, you indeed know nothing at all.”

Lan Ruyue was completely choked, not understanding why the Heir had used her own words to slap her in the face. She could only look to her Princess Sister for help.

Princess Jiarou, however, understood perfectly. She was an unmarried maiden. Even as a Princess, she had to adhere to the world’s established decorum and rites. Mentioning her male cousin in her private chambers was one thing, but for her cousin to then blurt it out in front of the man—and do so incessantly right in front of his wife!

What was the meaning of this?!

Jiarou couldn’t help but twist the handkerchief in her hand.

Just at that moment, the maids arrived to serve tea, finally rescuing the conversation from its awkward predicament. Qingdai and Yining each carried a tea tray with two cups of tea on each. Before they even came close, Chu Mingxi had caught the scent of the tea. She couldn’t help but glance at them with slight surprise.

Qingdai carried her tray over and placed two cups of strong tea on the table before the noble guests.

Yining also brought her tray over, placing two cups by the side table next to Wei Qingchen and Chu Mingxi. The liquid was slightly lighter in color. But the guests were sitting halfway across the flower hall and couldn’t see this.

Chu Mingxi used her eyes to ask Yining: What mischief are you up to?

Yining put away her tray and stepped aside, eyes lowered to her nose, nose to her heart.

Outside was truly cold. Jiarou and Lan Ruyue, having walked from the Grand Princess’s courtyard without hand warmers, were chilled. The girls, fearing the cold, smilingly picked up their teacups.

The tea wasn’t hot. Perhaps it was also due to the cold weather. Lan Ruyue quickly took a sip. Before she could swallow it, she spat it out with a “pfft!”

“What is this poison?!!!” She stood up in shocked fury.