Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 135 Thoughts

A few mottled shadows of trees fell on the blue bricks.

Li Huan stood outside the threshold with his hands behind his back, his face hidden in the dim sunlight, his features were handsome, and he exuded an indescribable aura of oppression.

"Is this cup of tea for protecting against thieves, Ping An, or for protecting against me?"

Xue Sui raised his eyebrows slightly, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth.

"The prince's backyard has always been uneasy. From time to time, there are villains who come to spy. I am frightened."

As she said this, she calmly retreated to the dressing table, her sleeves brushing against the bronze mirror, and the ink mark of the word "静" on the mirror was covered up by her without leaving a trace...

"Besides, who would have thought of that?" Xue Sui tilted his head slightly, and said with a teasing smile, "Your Highness Prince Duan would actually eavesdrop on what's going on in the backyard?"

Li Huan stepped over the threshold, his boots crushing the sunlight onto the ground.

"When I came here, I saw the window was half open. The pigeon was so cute, so I wanted to get closer and take a closer look..."

He lowered his head slightly, his eyes slowly sweeping across the water marks on the corners of his robe, and when he raised his eyes again, he had a helpless smile on his face.

"Who would have thought that before I could even stand still, I would be scratched in the face by a pigeon, and then I would be treated so politely by Ping An?"

Xue Sui glanced at Ling Yu who was walking nimbly on the windowsill and smiled slightly.

"Lingyu is wild and untamed. Ping'an will apologize to His Highness on its behalf."

"What about you?" Li Huan asked with a smile.

"I am also rude." Xue Sui bowed, "I am sorry for not entertaining you well just now. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Her smile held just the right amount of apology, yet was still generous.

Li Huan waved his hand and signaled Jin Shu: "You go down first."

Jinshu responded and retreated quietly to the corridor.

The gently closed carved door keeps the summer heat out.

The room suddenly became quiet, with only the two of them facing each other.

Li Huan walked over, picked up the ink and took a look at it, his gaze lingering on the half-painted distant mountain eyebrow on Xue Sui's side.

"A person as thoughtful as Ping An should be matched with the bluebird-headed conch ink."

He paused for a moment and said, "I'll have someone send a few boxes over tomorrow."

Li Huan is not the kind of frivolous person who is smooth-talking. The rare thoughtfulness he shows seems to show that he truly cares about others.

If a woman has a simple mind, it is hard not to get lost in this tenderness.

Xue Sui took a half step back, and Furong smiled faintly.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I don't want to receive gifts without merit. Ping An is very nervous."

"I disturbed your dressing, and I should apologize."

Li Huan leaned forward slightly, and his wide sleeves brushed across her hair like flowing clouds, bringing with it a faint and cool scent of agarwood.

"To show my apology, how about I draw your eyebrows for you?"

Xue Sui couldn't help but smile: "Your Majesty, you are embarrassing me. There is a hierarchy between you and me. If you have any instructions, please speak up."

"Come and take a look at you." Li Huan tapped the rosewood table with his fingertips, but his eyes looked at Xue Sui's face as if scanning.

"You are so wary of me, are you hiding something from me or are you feeling guilty?"

Xue Sui straightened his back, his expression indifferent.

"Your Highness, you are joking. I spend my days preparing medicine and treating patients. How can I have time to mess around?"

A whiff of medicinal fragrance filled the room.

Li Huan casually lifted the ceramic cover on the table.

Wisps of white mist emerged from the medicine pot, the dense mist rose, and the fragrance of medicine wafted away -

"You're still not feeling better?" He frowned slightly. "Should we ask the Imperial Hospital to find a doctor to take your pulse and prescribe medicine again?"

"Doctor Chen said that my constitution is cold and yin, so he prescribed things that warm the yang. It's working, but it's a long-standing illness, and it will take time to recover. I've already troubled Your Highness a lot recently, so there's no need to trouble him any more."

Xue Sui brought the thick medicine soup over, sat opposite Li Huan, slightly lifted his sleeves to half cover his face, and drank it slowly. His posture was so elegant as if he was performing a solemn ceremony.

Li Huan said nothing and watched her drink.

The medicine spoon hit the wall of the bowl, making a slight tinkling sound.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, making it difficult to discern her expression.

But this woman is clearly a thorny rose, yet she insists on pretending to be a docile quail.

"Wen Jia got what he wanted this time and took Concubine Wan out of the cold palace, which was beyond my expectation."

Li Huan's words were unexpected.

Xue Sui paused slightly with his fingertips holding the edge of the bowl, then put the medicine bowl down steadily.

"Princess Wenjia's filial piety is touching. But from what the prince said, he thinks the princess is acting rashly and causing trouble for the royal family?"

Li Huan looked at her.

The shadow cast by his brow bone just covered his eyes, making his jaw look particularly sharp.

"It is said that Wen Jia received advice from a master in Puji Temple, so she complained in public. Could that master be you? Otherwise, why would Ping An protect her so much?" Xue Sui said calmly, "Your Highness knows that Princess Pingle has been targeting me. Although Princess Wen Jia and I are not close friends, we share the same suffering. So, this matter has nothing to do with me, but I am happy to see it happen."

"You are quite honest." After Li Huan said this, he suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed Xue Sui's wrist like a pair of pliers, preventing her from moving. However, his voice was soft and no anger could be heard in it.

"If Wen Jia asks you to help her eliminate Ping Le, will you help?"

Xue Sui pursed his lips, suddenly feeling restless.

It's the kind of instinctive rejection when facing danger.

That day, the red blood from the lips brushed across Li Zhao's cheek, but he did not react so violently.

She slowly pulled her hand back and frowned slightly.

"Your Majesty, I can't take care of myself. I just want to live a peaceful life."

Li Huan's eyes were sharp, staring at her closely as if locking onto prey.

"My king is in a difficult situation, and you are alone and helpless. Why don't you stand shoulder to shoulder with me and lend me a helping hand?"

Xue Sui's wrists were red from being squeezed, and she lowered her head and gently kneaded them, but with a smile on her face, "I am just a woman, what can I do for the prince?"

Li Huan narrowed his eyes slightly. "It seems that Ping An is very forgetful. Didn't you say that you would contact the imperial envoy of Jiuling Marsh for me?"

Xue Sui said calmly: "I never promised it. But if I really help the prince contact the old mausoleum swamp..."

She suddenly smiled and her eyes swept across Li Huan's tense jaw.

"The Old Mausoleum Swamp is a forbidden area of ​​the imperial court. If something happens, Your Majesty can bear the responsibility, but I cannot. Or, no matter what happens, Your Majesty can keep me safe?"

Li Huan remained silent.

Seeing this, Xue Sui said slowly: "Your Majesty, please think it over and come to me again."

Outside the window, the cicadas' chirping suddenly stopped.

He seemed to be frightened by the tense atmosphere in the room.

After a moment of silence, Li Huan suddenly took out a celadon box from his arms.

"This is the secret Snow Toad Cream made in the palace." He glanced at Xue Sui's slightly rolled-up sleeves, and his tone suddenly became gentle, "This king cannot bear to see a beauty with scars."

Xue Sui looked at the Snow Toad Cream coldly, and a ripple of emotion arose in his heart.

Wow, it’s exactly the same as the one Li Zhao gave.

Is the scar on her hand so annoying?
Xue Sui chuckled, with a barely perceptible hint of self-mockery.

"I am flattered that Your Majesty is so kind and considerate to women."

Before he finished speaking, footsteps were suddenly heard outside the yard.

Xiao Zhao knocked on the door in panic: "Miss, there's a message from the Shangshu Mansion saying that the old lady has a sudden high fever and has fainted!"
-
The carriage sped along the street, raising a cloud of dust.

Xue Sui leaned against the wall of the car, closed his eyes, and sat up straight. His whole body exuded a reassuring power.

At the gate of the Shangshu Mansion, Third Madam Qian's eyes were anxious, like an ant on a hot pot, constantly searching at the gate. Without waiting for Xue Sui's carriage to stop, she immediately rushed forward and said anxiously:

"Ping An, go see the old lady..."

Xue Sui asked: "How is the old lady now?"

Qian's face was solemn. She shook her head and said in a trembling voice, "The high fever has not subsided. He is still unconscious. The doctor is treating him inside. Your third uncle said that we have to find the doctor Shu you invited, but we don't know where to find him..."

"No hurry, I'll see."

Xue Sui held her arm and walked quickly towards Shou'an Courtyard.

Along the way, the Third Madam kept talking about the old lady's condition, but Xue Sui didn't pay much attention. He kept thinking about the purpose of Li Huan's visit today and Wen Jia's situation, and felt a little uneasy in his heart.

Shou'an Courtyard was packed with people.

The whole family was waiting in the outer room, just like a busy market. Several girls were crying, and Xue Qingzhi and his brother also looked a little confused.

Xue Qingxiu breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Qian bringing Xue Sui in.

"Sixth girl, you're here at last! Doctor Wang gave her acupuncture but she still can't wake up. Please ask Doctor Shu that you asked for last time..."

Xue Sui did not have much affection for Old Lady Cui.

But her interests were involved, and she didn't want anything to happen to the old lady.

She looked around at the crying Eighth and Ninth Girls and frowned.

"Everyone, go away. It's so hot, and everyone is stuck here. The doors and windows are closed, so isn't that just causing more trouble?"

"Put up the head curtain and move the ice mirror to the old lady's room."

"The old lady is not hopeless, why are you crying so early?"

Seeing that she came back, she assigned people to work and also scolded her. Xue Yue'e was about to get angry, but was stopped by Xue Yueman.

"Xue Liu, why are you so arrogant? Do you think you are a miracle doctor?"

"Look how proud she is."

"Shut up!" Xue Qingxiu slapped his sword fiercely, and shouted with red eyes, "If you dare to make noise again and delay the old lady's treatment, my sword will not recognize you!"

The room suddenly fell silent.

Xue Sui said, "Don't panic, Third Uncle. I'll take a look first."