tallest building

Chapter 244 Deep Jealousy

Consort Yun could only manage a few words before she started coughing incessantly. The Princess asked, "Your cough is so bad, have you seen a doctor?"

"I've seen it," Consort Yun said, catching her breath before calming down a bit. "It used to flare up as soon as the weather got cooler, but it seems to be even worse this year."

“Mingqian, I remember once I had a cough on the mountain, and you made me some incense, which was quite effective,” the Princess said. “Why don’t you make some for Consort Yun as well?”

"I'll bring some more later; I still have some left. However, this incense can only provide temporary relief. Your cough that time was just an occasional one and not serious. Consort Yun's ailment is chronic, and incense alone won't be enough."

Physician Su from the Imperial Medical Academy is skilled in treating coughs; perhaps we should ask him to take a look.

Wen Mingqian recommended Su Qingyun not because of his exceptional medical skills, but because the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital were often reluctant to treat Consort Yun with utmost care because Consort Yun was not favored by the Empress.

Su Qingyun would never do that.

"There's no need for such a fuss," Consort Yun hurriedly said, "We haven't finished the medicine we were prescribed last time!"

"Why eat it if it's useless?" Duanmin sneered. "Don't worry, now that I'm back, I'll stay for a few months before leaving. That should be enough for you to get better."

The princess's meaning was clear: she would definitely take care of Consort Yun while she was in the palace.

As for Ying Tong, after attending his morning class, he didn't return to his residence.

After wandering around for a while, I arrived at Mingcui Palace intending to pay my respects to the Princess, only to find that she wasn't there; she had gone to Consort Yun's Palace.

He didn't want to follow, and since he was bored anyway, he strolled over to the back.

Upon running into Gong Chang'an, Ying Tong laughed and asked, "Where are you going? Are you hiding from Zhuolahan?"

Gong Chang'an smiled wryly: "If the young master sees him, please don't tell him where I am."

He added, "Are you looking for the Crown Prince of Chu? He's over there at the rockery in the Imperial Garden!"

"What is he doing there? Why isn't he with you?" Ying Tong asked casually.

Hearing that Ying Bai was there, he no longer wanted to go any further.

"He was talking to Sister Sang Er. Since no one was serving him, he sent me to the front to get some tea," Gong Chang'an said as he walked forward. "Is the young master also thirsty?"

Ying Tong immediately sensed something was wrong. Sang Er was originally a servant in Gong Chang'an's household, and it should have been Sang Er who went to fetch tea. How could Gong Chang'an be sent to do it? Clearly, Ying Bai was intentionally trying to get rid of Gong Chang'an.

He didn't speak to Gong Chang'an anymore, and strode towards the back. When he reached the rockery in the Imperial Garden, he couldn't see Ying Bai and Sang Er.

Just as they were hesitating, they saw Sang Er walk out of the artificial cave.

Seeing that he was startled and looked behind him, he then came forward to pay his respects.

Ying Tong certainly wouldn't ask her where Ying Bai was. The artificial hill in the Imperial Garden was very large, hollow inside, and had several exits.

They used to play hide-and-seek here when they were younger; they're used to it.

He only said to Sang Er, "Why are you here alone? Aren't you serving the Princess?"

“The Princess knows I’m playful, so she said I don’t need to serve her,” Sang Er smiled. “This Imperial Garden is too big; I didn’t get to see the whole thing yesterday.”

“You don’t need to refer to yourself as a servant when you speak to me.” Ying Tong disregarded everything else upon seeing Sang Er. “You are someone who serves the Princess, so there’s no need for you to belittle yourself.”

“That won’t do. I am a servant.” Sang Er shook her head. “Otherwise, if people find out and say I have no manners, that’s a small matter. If I say something that would harm the young master, I will truly be unable to atone for my sins.”

Ying Tong found her voice exceptionally pleasant to hear, and since it was rare for the two of them to be alone, he asked her again, "How old were you when you came to the capital? Why did Lady Wen give you to the Princess?" Sang Er held a handkerchief in her hand and told him which year she came to the capital.

In reality, President Ying Tong didn't hear what she was saying; he was too busy looking at her face.

Sang Er blushed under her gaze and stammered, "I just remembered that His Highness instructed me to find something for her this morning. I should go back now."

After saying that, she ran off in a flash, and Ying Tong couldn't stop her even when she called after her.

As dinner time approached, Yu Chao said he wanted to have a wrestling match with the palace guards before eating.

Gong Chang'an then pulled him and Ying Bai over to watch the excitement. As the wind picked up, yellow dust rose from the sandy ground of the training ground.

Everyone covered their mouths and noses with handkerchiefs. Ying Tong noticed that the handkerchief in Ying Bai's hand was the same one that Sang Er had been holding when he was talking to her that morning.

It was clear that Ying Bai had secretly met with Sang Er again and even took her handkerchief.

Over there, Yu Chao had already taken down three guards. The northern barbarians were most skilled at wrestling, and Yu Chao was an expert in it.

Moreover, the palace guards aren't stupid; they're telling a 70% truth and a 30% falsehood. In the end, they'll have to let him win.

Ying Tong's eyes blazed as he looked at the handkerchief in Ying Bai's hand. Of course, he also disliked Yu Chao, but at least this barbarian was upright and honest, unlike Ying Bai, who only played dirty tricks.

Yesterday, he and Yu Chao gave Sang Er gifts in person, while Ying Bai remained silent, as if he were detached from the matter.

Who would have thought that in private he was either sneaking into the artificial cave with Sang Er or taking other girls' handkerchiefs.

Thinking of her own cat, her dissatisfaction with Ying Bai deepened.

So he said, "Yingbai, why don't we both get on the field and stretch our muscles? What's the point of just watching?"

Ying Bai didn't really want to go on stage, as he wasn't good at these kinds of things, so he declined, saying, "Let's do it another day! I don't really want to change my clothes."

“Then there’s no need to change clothes.” Ying Tong refused to give up. “If you beat me, you can have this golden walnut. If I win, I only want the handkerchief in your hand.”

Ying Bai frowned upon hearing this. Not wanting people to think he was taking advantage of Ying Tong, he said, "If I win, you just need to give me that tube of purple bamboo hairpin."

He knew Ying Tong's temper; if he mentioned something twice and you still didn't listen, it would be like making enemies.

He didn't want to cause any unpleasantness over such a small matter, especially in front of Yu Chao.

The two men stepped off the field and got into position.

Upon seeing this, Yu Chao couldn't help but curl his lip. In his opinion, these two people were all showy but ineffective, completely useless.

Ying Bai didn't want to compete in the first place, and besides, he was weaker than Ying Tong. After a few rounds, he was thrown to the ground.

Logically, it should have ended there, but at that moment, Sanger and Zhuolahan arrived.

Seeing Sang Er's worried expression, Ying Tong felt as if a bucket of hot oil had been poured over her heart.

He raised his foot and stomped hard on Ying Bai's chest, but Gong Chang'an rushed up and grabbed his leg, and Ying Bai quickly rolled to the side.

"Hehe, does the young master want to do the Arhat Subduing Demons style again?" Gong Chang'an chuckled as he released Ying Tong's leg. "I'll just play the little devil clinging to his leg."

Ying Bai also stood up at this moment. His face was a little pale. He didn't understand why Ying Tong had such great hatred for this.