Gold Medal Mediator [Quick Transmigration] 25p2

Chapter 25: I Conquered This Empire for You (Part 15-2)

Outside the courtyard.

The afternoon Jiang Yao received the Emperor’s edict, she had packed her bags and left the palace for the northwest. She had taken the official road by express horse, choosing not to ride in a carriage with her attending palace maids but changing into more practical attire, traveling day and night with her escorting soldiers.

She acted as if she had never received Jiang Zhenhai’s message, as if she had only received a family letter from the Emperor, and then, like a wife worried about her husband, she had taken less than half a month to get from the capital to the great northwest.

When she arrived in Jian City and heard that the Emperor had already recovered and was personally leading the troops to ambush the Yelu Di tribe, she breathed a sigh of relief and was persuaded by the palace staff who had remained in the prefectural residence to rest.

But she didn’t even think of changing her clothes and immediately began to ask those around her about the Emperor’s situation. When she heard the legendary tales of the divine physician, she insisted on going to that small courtyard, despite everyone’s attempts to dissuade her, saying only that she wanted to thank the divine physician in person.

This led to the conversation Hua Baihe had heard earlier.

The Jiang Yao of today was not like the one in the imperial palace, dressed in the noble, bright yellow informal robes of an empress. Instead, she had changed into a dashing, neat, and efficient short attire. Her hair was tied high on her head, and she wore bracers on her wrists.

With the gentle facade shed, she was like a drawn, sharp blade. Even the curve of her upturned eyes seemed sharp enough to cut a person.

Now, just a slight turn of her eyes was enough to make the servant leading the way shiver. He dared not say another word and instinctively made way for her.

The courtyard was empty, with no extra decorations, as if its owner had never intended to stay here for long.

Jiang Yao’s long-held doubts were now about to be resolved. As she walked in, she couldn’t quite describe her current mood.

Before she could even reach the kitchen, she smelled the strange odor wafting from the open door—

A heavy, bloody smell that made one lose all desire to take another step.

Jiang Yao’s brows furrowed before she even got close. She looked at the servant leading the way. “Go and see what’s going on in the kitchen.”

The servant, smelling the terrifying odor, was already trembling and had no desire to know what new medicine the divine physician was concocting in the kitchen.

But the person giving him the order was the Empress. He could only move towards the kitchen with the expression of someone going to a funeral.

The moment he reached the door, he saw the divine physician inside, a streak of blood on her mask, a headless snake coiled on the floor, looking at him coolly—

He let out a loud shout of “Excuse me” and, his face pale, tried to retreat.

But he had only backed up a little when he bumped into someone by the Empress’s side. The person impatiently pushed him aside and cursed in a low voice, “What are you doing? So reckless. Are you trying to offend our mistress?”

As he spoke, he shielded Jiang Yao and respectfully turned to persuade her:

“Mistress, this place is too filthy. I am afraid it will dirty your clothes. It is best to wait until the divine physician is finished. This servant will then ask her to see you.”

Jiang Yao had lived a life of luxury since she was a child. Where had she ever been in a place like a kitchen? Now, faced with the brutal scene of a snake being butchered, she was silent for several seconds.

She raised a hand to cover her nose, and her gaze swept quickly over the blood-soaked figure before she turned and left without a word.

Her servants all breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to follow her. Someone asked in a loud voice:

“Your Majesty, perhaps we should wait until the divine physician has washed up before this servant asks her to see you.”

Jiang Yao was silent for a long time. It wasn’t until she finally breathed in the first breath of fresh air that she gave her command:

“Very well. This One has heard that the divine physician is as beautiful as a flower. I am very much looking forward to this meeting with her.”

In the kitchen.

Hua Baihe’s figure froze at these words.

“System-boo.”

She said to herself with a grin, “This damn little Empress, she speaks so pleasantly! She’s practically seducing me!”

System: “…” Can’t you tell she’s being sarcastic?!

**

Two hours later.

Hua Baihe, having feasted on a meal of roasted snake meat, washed herself clean. After making sure the smell of soap had completely replaced the stench, she sat happily at her dressing table and drew thick, swollen-looking eyelids on herself, as if she had been beaten and couldn’t open her eyes. She then smeared her face with white and yellow powder, making it look like a disaster scene.

Then she happily followed the person to see the Empress.

Jiang Yao was just waiting for her meal. She was holding a cup of tea when she saw the person in the silver mask enter the room.

Hua Baihe had no idea her identity had been exposed. After all, Jiang Zhenhai hadn’t said a word to her when he left with Liu Ye. Now, though she didn’t know why the Empress had come, it didn’t stop her from indulging her dramatic instincts.

After all, when the Emperor was poisoned before, the System had already applied for permission to view the world line for her. This was a convenience the main system granted to all mission systems, but it didn’t mean it could let the host always view things from a god-like perspective. Once the host lacked experience, it was easy to reveal unusual things.

For example, after saving the Emperor, Hua Baihe had thought for a long time about what excuse to use if the Empress recognized her.

Jiang Yao casually skimmed the tea leaves with the lid, nodded slightly at the person in the distance, and, with her little finger raised, skimmed the surface of the water with the lid again. She didn’t hurry to drink but said to Hua Baihe in a soft voice:

“I heard that when His Majesty was in peril, you helped him through it?”

Hua Baihe, under the cover of her mask, waved a hand at her. “A small matter, a small matter. Your emperor has already rewarded me with more gold and silver than I can use in a lifetime.”

She acted like someone who had no understanding of etiquette. “Of course, if you want to thank me again, that’s fine too.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yao’s eyelids lifted. Her dark eyes glanced at her lightly, as if she wanted to see through the two small eye-holes of the mask to the person inside.

She paused before continuing, “This One is indeed very grateful to you. But—before I thank you, if it is not too presumptuous, may I have a look at the divine physician’s true face?”

Hearing her words, everyone serving in the room held their breath. Then the person attending to the Empress whispered to her, “Your Majesty, you must not… This divine physician’s true face is only for her future husband to see.”

Jiang Yao raised an eyebrow, not expecting such a custom. At this point, she had no idea that Hua Baihe had nearly been forced to marry the Emperor.

But the moment the palace attendant finished speaking, the Divine Physician Hong in the silver mask shrugged. “It’s fine. Her Majesty is the same as me, anyway. I just don’t let men see me casually.”

The moment she finished speaking, all the men, or half-men, in the room, very consciously turned their backs.

—It could be said that they were not at all curious about her appearance.

Jiang Yao held her teacup, not expecting her to really dare to show her true form in front of her. Sensing that the tea was at a suitable temperature to drink, she gestured with her chin at Hua Baihe, indicating that she could take off her mask.

Hua Baihe’s movements as she untied the cloth strip behind her head were smooth. Jiang Yao had just taken a sip of tea when she saw that she had already completely removed her mask. Several seconds after glimpsing her face.

Jiang Yao remained motionless, holding her teacup.

After a few breaths, she raised the teacup to her lips, covered the lower half of her face with the lid, opened her mouth, and spat the tea she had just drunk back into it.

Then she placed the teacup to the side and said to the palace attendant standing by, “It’s too hot. Bring another bowl.”

Hua Baihe: “…”

Hua Baihe: “Fake love!”

System: “【Too real.jpg】”

Within a quarter of an hour, the rumor that the Empress had been so scared by the Divine Physician Hong’s appearance that she had thrown up had spread throughout the city. Everyone knew just how deadly the Divine Physician Hong’s appearance was. Later, as the rumor spread, her face became a tool to stop children from crying at night!

“If you cry again, I’ll have the Divine Physician Hong come and get you!”

Of course, that was all in the future.

For now, the Empress simply, in a few words, had her put her mask back on. Seeing the person serving the meal bring in several delicious meat dishes, she invited her without holding a grudge:

“If the divine physician does not mind, you may dine with This One.”

Hua Baihe quickly waved her hands. “No need. I have already eaten. Your Majesty, please enjoy your meal.”

After all, she was afraid that the moment her butt touched the chair next to Jiang Yao, she would reflexively start serving her.

Jiang Yao didn’t say anything. After a long while, she shot her a meaningful glance. The look sent a shiver down Hua Baihe’s spine, making her think she had been recognized.

But in the end, all she got was a very ordinary sentence, “Since it is so unfortunate, then we shall talk another time.”

Hua Baihe breathed a silent sigh of relief and turned to leave her courtyard.

**