High-class Spring Joy

When Qinghe came out, she saw Chu Jingxian standing in front of the plum tree at the corner of the courtyard wall, his hands behind his back, hidden in his sleeves, as if he was thinking about something.

Qinghe walked over, but didn't go all the way to Chu Jingxian's side. Instead, she kept a distance. Seeing Chu Jingxian looking up at the plum tree in full bloom in front of him, Qinghe didn't appear to disturb him.

Qinghe wasn't quite sure how long it took Chu Jingxian to be able to see, but she knew all too well how long it had been since Chu Jingxian had been able to see.

Having finally seen it, one would probably want to examine even the smallest ant in the world closely.

This is only natural. Qinghe hoped she wouldn't disturb Chu Jingxian's quiet moment of appreciation. After all, Chu Jingxian's eyesight was unpredictable; he wasn't always able to see. No one could say for sure whether he would be able to see tomorrow night, or even in the future. Everything was uncertain. Since everything was unknown, it was like walking in endless darkness, unable to see tomorrow's sun or any light at all. One could only cherish the little light that remained.

A cold wind blew by, carrying some ice and snow. The unique temperature of the ice field brushed against people's faces, and even a light brush was enough to make their cheeks turn red.

As the biting wind swept through the courtyard, brushing past the corner of the wall, the plum blossoms on the red plum tree fluttered down, landing on the snow and on the shoulders of the third young master before him.

Qinghe sneezed unconsciously from the cold wind, which immediately caught the attention of Chu Jingxian in front of her.

Chu Jingxian's attention immediately shifted from the plum tree to Qinghe, noticing that Qinghe was dressed in thin clothes and standing in the wind.

Chu Jingxian immediately took off the cloak from his shoulders, stepped forward, and draped it over Qinghe's shoulders, his slender, fair fingers tying a beautiful knot in front of her.

"Wearing so little, how long have you been standing here? Why didn't you call me?"

Chu Jingxian looked at her with concern in his eyes.

Qinghe lowered her head and rubbed the tip of her nose with her fingers for a moment, feeling a little better, before looking up at Chu Jingxian in front of her and replying, "I just noticed that you were looking at the red plum blossoms in the corner very seriously, so I thought I could let you appreciate them more attentively and quietly for a while. These are red plum blossoms, and they are really beautiful, blooming so brilliantly. It's already quite rare to see plum blossoms blooming like this at this time of year, no wonder you like them."

As Qinghe spoke, she looked at Chu Jingxian with some confusion and said, "Since you like it, why don't you pick a branch and go? Or have your men pick a few branches and put them in the courtyard, keeping them in a vase. Although they might not survive, they should last for ten days or half a month without any problem. If you're worried that the peach blossoms will wither, I'd rather pick some for you. I've done this kind of work before in the Marquis's mansion, so I have some experience."

As Qinghe spoke, she stepped forward to break off a plum blossom branch for Chu Jingxian, but Chu Jingxian stopped her, smiling and shaking his head.

"No, there are many beautiful things in this world, and we don't necessarily have to possess everything. The plum blossoms blooming so vibrantly and brilliantly in this corner are a rare sight in this icy and snowy world. Let them grow like this; they only get to bloom for a few days in a year. Perhaps this icy and snowy world is their true home."

As Chu Jingxian spoke, his gaze shifted to Qinghe, and the topic quickly turned to her: "The plum blossoms aren't in a hurry; it's all other things, nothing serious. But you, in this weather, you're still standing outside, foolishly waiting for me to see the plum blossoms. What if I don't hear you? You'll have to keep standing here waiting, won't you? What if you catch a cold?"

"I didn't expect... the wind to pick up."

Qinghe knew her explanation was weak, and she touched the tip of her nose dejectedly, unable to come up with any other reason. She really hadn't thought that much about it.

Hearing Qinghe say this, Chu Jingxian didn't say anything else. He took out a whistle from his sleeve. The whistle looked a bit different. It wasn't made of wood. It looked like it was made of a piece of snow-white stone. Qinghe couldn't see it very clearly because it wasn't very close.

He took Qinghe and used his lightness skill to return to their residence.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Chu Jingxian carried Qinghe inside and immediately instructed the people around him to invite Sai Huatuo: "Go and invite Mr. Sai Huatuo here."

The subordinate responded and immediately turned and left.

Qinghe looked at Chu Jingxian in front of her and quickly stopped him: "Third Young Master, I'm fine, I'm really fine. I just caught a gust of wind, and it was only a little wind just now. I haven't been exposed to much wind at other times. Young Master, you don't need to worry too much. Besides, it's so late. There's really no need to go to the trouble of asking Master Sai Huatuo to come out."

Chu Jingxian listened to Qinghe's words, but he wouldn't do what she said.

Soon, his men dragged the sleeping Dr. Sai Huatuo over.

As soon as Mr. Sai Huatuo stood still, he felt dizzy and disoriented. His clothes were in disarray. Before he could react, he saw the Third Young Master guarding the bedside and Qinghe. Upon seeing their faces, Mr. Sai Huatuo's mind cleared up and he became fully awake.

After all, nothing related to Miss Qinghe is ever trivial. Even if it is a small matter, the Third Young Master will not consider it a small matter. Therefore, someone working under him cannot treat it as a trivial matter.

Qinghe's body is indeed very special right now; if anything goes wrong, it will be a big deal.

"Young master, please allow me to take Miss Qinghe's pulse!"

At this moment, Chu Jingxian stood up and stepped aside, making way for Sai Huatuo.

Sai Huatuo sat down by the bed, took a silk handkerchief, placed it on Qinghe's wrist, and took Qinghe's pulse through the handkerchief.

Um? ?

When Sai Huatuo's fingertips touched Qinghe's pulse, his expression changed slightly, and his brows furrowed a little.

Ok? ? ?

No problem?

The pulse, while not particularly strong, was steady and gentle...

What's wrong with this? There's nothing wrong with this, is there?

However, Sai Huatuo always remembered the time when the Third Young Master forced him to take Qinghe's pulse for half an hour. So, with a rigorous attitude, he continued to take Qinghe's pulse, again and again, to make sure that he was not hallucinating because he was not fully awake.

No matter how many times he confirmed it, Sai Huatuo could only come to one conclusion: Qinghe was fine. If he had to say what was wrong, it was that the pregnancy was fluctuating.

However, this is within the permissible range based on their years of medical experience.

After all, what you're carrying is a child, a fetus, not an inanimate object. Naturally, there will be ups and downs and changes. It won't be like a brick, where you feel its shape and it stays the same for a year or ten years without changing.

But seeing the Third Young Master's tense expression, Sai Huatuo, being cautious, chose to first look up at the Qinghe girl before him and softly asked, "What have you been doing today, Miss? Is there anything bothering you?"

Qinghe had been waiting for Sai Huatuo to ask this question. Only after Sai Huatuo asked could Qinghe confidently say, "Sir, there's no need to worry. I had something to do tonight, so I went out. But I wasn't dressed particularly warmly enough, so I caught a bit of a chill. Fortunately, the Third Young Master brought me back in time, so I didn't catch a cold. As for any discomfort, it's not very noticeable right now."

Qinghe's words were somewhat roundabout and not very direct, all out of consideration for the Third Young Master beside her, but Sai Huatuo understood immediately upon hearing Qinghe's words.

Qinghe's long speech, when translated, can be summed up in one sentence: She just went out for a bit of wind, and the Third Young Master was very worried, but Qinghe herself felt that nothing was wrong.

So it was only the Third Young Master who was worried, but Qinghe herself felt that everything was fine, and Master Sai Huatuo also felt that everything was fine.

In conclusion, concern leads to confusion.

Having reached this conclusion, Sai Huatuo knew what he should say. He looked at the Third Young Master beside him and said, "Young Master, Miss Qinghe's condition is relatively stable. As for catching a cold tonight, I can brew a medicinal soup for her. She can drink it while it's hot and then sleep in a warm quilt all night."

Upon hearing this, Chu Jingxian felt somewhat relieved and nodded. "Let them prepare the medicine. Mr. Sai Huatuo, you just need to prescribe the medicine. Please stay here and watch over him. His condition is special; he was already somewhat weak, and now he has gone through so much. We absolutely cannot afford any more mishaps. Please take good care of him, Mr. Sai Huatuo."

After saying this, he solemnly dusted off his sleeves and the dust off his clothes, and then solemnly bowed to Sai Huatuo: "I hope you will take good care of me, Mr. Sai Huatuo. I'm afraid I will have to trouble you these days."

Sai Huatuo never expected Chu Jingxian to be so serious this time, only then realizing that Qinghe was extremely important to Chu Jingxian, perhaps even more important than his own eyes and life.

Sai Huatuo also composed himself and solemnly helped Chu Jingxian up: "Young master, please rest assured, as long as I am here, I will do my utmost to ensure the safety of Miss Qinghe and her unborn child. That is why I will not trouble your subordinates with today's medicine. I will go myself. Firstly, it is better to have someone to look after the medicine and be more confident. Secondly, the prescription is somewhat unusual, and to prevent my subordinates from making mistakes, I will go myself."

Since Sai Huatuo had already said so much, Chu Jingxian naturally couldn't stop him. He simply stayed in the room to talk with Qinghe and asked Sai Huatuo to go and prepare the medicine.

In the room, Qinghe looked at Chu Jingxian, and Chu Jingxian looked at Qinghe. The two were silent for a moment.

Qinghe looked at Chu Jingxian in front of her nervously, but didn't say anything. Chu Jingxian noticed something was wrong as soon as he saw her expression: "Say what you want to say, ask what you want to ask. There's no need for pretense between us."

Qinghe pursed her lips, naturally understanding the meaning behind Chu Jingxian's words. Although they weren't particularly close, they had been through life and death together twice, so most of the time it was the Third Young Master who saved her.

"Young master, don't you want to ask what I heard tonight?"

Qinghe looked at Chu Jingxian in front of her with some nervousness, wondering how Chu Jingxian would react.

"Actually, I can guess some of it, but as for the specifics, if you're willing to tell me, I'll listen attentively; but if you're not willing to tell me, I can choose not to listen. It all depends on your choice and your wishes."

As Chu Jingxian spoke, he turned to Qinghe, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

Qinghe pondered for a moment, looking at Chu Jingxian before her, feeling that she had overlooked something. Although the Third Young Master was currently registered as a merchant, why was he accompanying His Highness the Crown Prince in this operation? What was the Third Young Master's role in staying by the Crown Prince's side?

In this elaborate scheme, what role does the Third Prince play? Where will things lead next? What will be the outcome of the peace talks? If the peace talks succeed, what will be the impact on Bianjing City, and on the overall situation of the court? What will be the impact on His Highness the Crown Prince? And on the Third Prince?

This series of questions swirled in Qinghe's mind, and she couldn't figure out an answer.

But the answers to these questions largely depend on the role the Third Prince played in this incident, or rather, the role the Third Prince played beside His Highness the Crown Prince.

Qinghe had no way of verifying the role played by the Third Young Master; she couldn't very well ask His Highness the Crown Prince, could she?

Even if Qinghe really had the guts to ask His Highness the Crown Prince, why would His Highness insist on telling her the truth? And why would he tell her the truth?

This is clearly the least feasible method.

Her body was then thrown into a mass grave by her elder sister's orders, and it is unknown where it was eventually carried away by wolves.

Recalling her past life seemed to drain all of Qinghe's strength. She nearly fell onto the cold marble floor, gasping for breath in fear. The despair and terror that overwhelmed her before her death finally transformed into countless deep-seated hatred.

In this life, she will never again be a stepping stone to the throne of Empress! She will make those who harmed her and her mother pay tenfold or a hundredfold price!

But... she clearly remembered that in her previous life, only a lowly eunuch came to pick her up. Why did it suddenly become the Ninth Prince?

The rain stopped sometime earlier, and before she could think any further, the person was already behind her.

"Who are you?! Why have I never seen you before?" the hoarse voice rang out again.

"My humble name is Qinghe. I was sent to the palace today by General Shen's mansion." Qinghe turned around and knelt down to reply, not daring to raise her head at all, her face already deathly pale.

Perhaps surprised that the frail person in front of him was the one he was looking for, Eunuch Gao's tone softened: "Since you are from the General's Mansion, then come with us. Don't keep the Emperor waiting too long."

Qinghe responded with a "Yes," stood up, and followed Eunuch Gao forward with her head bowed, not daring to raise her head at all. But when they reached the palanquin—

"look up."

That deep voice rang out again, like the chilling autumn wind wrapped in ice blades, striking Qinghe's heart and causing her to instinctively hold her breath.

She didn't even need to look to sense that sinister, cold gaze fixed on her. A chill ran down her spine, and the fear that welled up from the bottom of her heart made her momentarily stunned.

At that very moment, she felt a warm touch on her chin. He forcefully lifted her chin, forcing her to look at him.

He was dressed in a scarlet robe embroidered with gold flying fish, his tall and slender figure leaning against the palanquin throne. His movements were languid and casual, but the palanquin-like ferocity emanating from him made people tremble with fear.

For a mere eunuch to dare to travel in a palanquin within the palace demonstrates the high status of Chu Jingxian.

"Are you afraid of me?"

He looked down at her, his cold, sinister peach blossom eyes scrutinizing her silently, as if trying to see through her appearance and understand her thoughts.

No one wants others to fear them for no reason. Qinghe swallowed nervously, "This servant's feelings for you are not fear, but awe."

He seemed to have heard something interesting, raised an eyebrow with interest, moved closer to her, and lightly stroked her chin with his fingertips: "You have guts, daring to lie to me."

Qinghe felt a chill run through her body. How could she dare admit to lying? She hurriedly explained, "This servant dares not deceive you. It is indeed my first time meeting Your Highness. I am filled with awe and would never dare to be presumptuous."

"Oh."

He snorted coldly, as if teasing a kitten or puppy, not caring whether her words were true or false. Instead, he slowly caressed her lips with his fingertips. "This face is quite pretty."

He had no sense of propriety whatsoever between a eunuch and an empress; he was only inherently arrogant and condescending.

His large hands roamed over her cheeks and neck, looking intimate, but Qinghe was terrified and got goosebumps.

When he casually brushed against the redness and swelling on the back of her neck, Qinghe felt a distinct pain from his warm fingertips and shuddered.

"Were you bullied at Yikun Palace?"

She dared not say that it was Consort Shu who pinched her, and could only hurriedly shake her head: "No...no."

"Why are you trembling without her?" he sneered, then his gaze lingered on her face. "What a pity, such a beautiful face is no longer in Yikun Palace."

As she spoke, her chin was raised even higher, forcing Qinghe to meet his eyes, and a chill instantly spread through her.

His gaze was like that of a giant python lurking in the night, eyeing its favorite prey. Even the sandalwood scent that filled her nostrils felt like a glistening, red snake tongue constantly darting over her body.

Even though there wasn't much physical contact, she felt as if he had imprisoned her.

His eyes were exactly the same as when we first met in my previous life.

It's the way a man looks at a woman—dark and extremely aggressive.

In her previous life, she didn't know how to take advantage of things. She only felt that being noticed by the eunuch was not a good thing, so she tried her best to avoid trouble.

But in this life, she is determined to steal her elder sister's support and compete with her properly!

Qinghe swallowed hard. "Does Your Majesty like this face of mine?"

Her words were cryptic, but the person in front of her understood them instantly.

The next moment, her neck was completely in his large hand, and with just a little force, he could easily break her slender, fair neck.

Chu Jingxian looked down at her, licking his thin, scarlet lips: "What, you think you can become my woman just because of that face?"

"I am but a plain woman, of course I dare not." Qinghe's whole body tensed up. She was not so foolish as to think that she could get close to Chu Jingxian just by her looks. She mustered her courage and trembled her lips: "But... I know what Master wants."

"Hmm?" Chu Jingxian seemed to have heard words he had never heard before, resting his elbow on the armrest: "I am now second only to the emperor in the court, possessing both power and wealth. Tell me, what do I want?"

But that gaze gave her goosebumps. Qinghe suppressed her fear, mustered her courage, raised her chin, and stared directly into his eyes. "Please, sir, extend your hand."

He raised an eyebrow with interest and reached out his hand to her, as if bestowing charity.

She wasn't entirely sure, but Chu Jingxian's arrival and questions came suddenly, so she could only rack her brains to recall everything about Chu Jingxian from her past life.

In her past life, she knew that Chu Jingxian had feelings for her and tried every means to avoid him. She only knew a little about him from the mouths of the palace servants.

Is she left with no choice but to accept her fate?

Do not!

She must never repeat the same mistake!

Now, they had no choice but to take a gamble. Qinghe felt extremely guilty and secretly clenched her palms until her knuckles turned white before reaching out. She placed one hand on his large palm and used the index finger of her other hand to write stroke by stroke on his palm.

At this moment, large raindrops began to fall uncontrollably, pelting Qinghe's body and the warm, large hands she was holding.

The cold rain made his large hands appear even hotter and hotter. Qinghe felt as if she were holding a hot iron, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. Even though the words "throne" were so simple, she took a long time to write them down, her hand trembling as she finished: "This servant can help Master..."

Unexpectedly, the large hand that had been lingering and caressing her neck suddenly tightened, a tremendous feeling of suffocation washed over her, and her feet gradually left the ground. She was now being lifted up by the neck—

"Who sent you?!"

"No...no, really no! I only heard of your reputation in the manor. Someone like you deserves...the best...things in the world...cough cough cough..." Qinghe tried with all her might to pry his hand off, but the difference in strength was too great, and he was completely unmoved.

Chu Jingxian narrowed his eyes and scrutinized her.

The person in front of him appeared slender and delicate in his palm, with red eyes overflowing with glistening tears, like a rabbit suddenly encountering a predator, constantly shrinking and struggling. Those clear peach blossom eyes were filled with despair and panic, looking like a dodder vine about to wither, extremely pitiful.

But he showed no mercy, letting go of her as she fell to the ground in the cold rain, and pronounced a death sentence: "Kill her."

"She seems like a well-behaved person, but it turns out she's trying to curry favor with you!" Eunuch Gao glared at Qinghe and pulled her away.

The immense fear and despair she felt before her death in her previous life returned like a venomous snake. Qinghe struggled fiercely: "Master! To you, keeping me alive is more useful than killing me!"

Chu Jingxian remained unmoved, her expression unchanged, like a bystander watching a play.

It was raining, and Qinghe's clothes were already thin. As she struggled and pulled with all her might, her collar came undone, and in the cold rain, the begonia flower pattern on her collarbone was vividly beautiful.

Chu Jingxian frowned almost imperceptibly.

"Let go."