A long, sharp whistle…
All of a sudden, mass after mass of black fog appeared from four corners, spreading across the skies as if trying to cover them up. Unexpectedly, there were this many poison mosquito swarms, and they all obeyed the commands of that woman. Han Yunxi was alarmed. This woman can actually control the swarms, no wonder she injured Long Feiye! Her skills aren't ordinary!
The female gave another whistle. Immediately, all of the swarms converged into into a dark black sea and surged towards Han Yunxi.
"Long Feiye, if you don't want that woman to die, then you better keep me alive!" the spy threatened as she backed away. She'd hidden for so long in Tianning Country without ever seeing Long Feiye touch another woman, much less hold one in his arms. It was even rare for him to speak to females.
Today, he'd brought this woman here in his embrace. Even with her life hanging in the balance, she couldn't help but be surprised. Who was this woman? What kind of weight did she hold in Long Feiye's heart?
Seeing the dense, dark mass about to overwhelm her, Han Yunxi shot a glance towards Long Feiye before suddenly yelling out, "Ah…I'm so scared!"
"It's too scary! Your highness, save me! Hurry up and save me!"
"Sobs…it's disgusting. Your highness, I'm afraid!"
...
While she screamed, she even danced around to wave and smack at the swarms. Long Feiye's eyes betrayed a dumbfounded expression before he quickly understood. Unconsciously, his lips drew into a helpless line.
Seeing this, the female spy grew smug and gave a cold snort. "Long Feiye, I think you've seen quite a few of your men die pitiful deaths from poison, right?"
"Your highness, she's threatening you, how terrifying!" Han Yunxi fretted.
No matter what kind of battle he faced, Long Feiye always forced it to a quick conclusion. He wouldn't waste any time with the enemy. But against the female spy's threats, he was unusually patient. This made the spy relax as well instead of suspecting Han Yunxi.
Filled with confidence, she raised her eyebrows in a cold smile. "Long Feiye, if I die, she dies. Moreover…don't think you'll be able to escape from this valley, either."
Unfortunately, even Long Feiye's patience had its limits. An annoyed expression emerged on his face before his sword suddenly was resting against the spy's neck.
"You!" the spy was greatly alarmed. She threw him an angry warning. "Long Feiye, have you thought things over clearly?"
Only now did Long Feiye open his mouth, words merciless and ice-cold. "Your Lordship wants to you die…with discontent!"
With these words, Han Yunxi came to a tacit understanding and stopped moving. A crafty smile crept onto her lips. At this, the spy grew uneasy. "You two…"
But it was already too late. Han Yunxi took out two spray bottles and stuck up her leg like some fairy tale princess before elegantly walking around in a circle, spraying medicine as she went. The ring of mosquitos around her lessened by one circle, leaving the female spy stupefied. She had no idea what kinds of thing Han Yunxi was holding.
Han Yunxi did another elegant circle and gave a light wave of her hand. Very quickly, the mosquitoes all backed away before rapidly speeding off. The female spy was utterly discomfited. Ignoring the sword at her throat, she whistled again and again, but between obeying her commands and preserving their lives, the mosquitoes infinitely preferred the latter. The female spy tried multiple times before losing hope. She gave an incredulous look towards Han Yunxi and asked, "What…what is that you have in your hands?"
Han Yunxi walked over with her eyes curved into crescents, smiling harmlessly. "My family's highness said he wanted you to die in discontent. Sorry, I can't tell you."
With these words, Long Feiye's sword relentlessly released a spray of fresh blood as it sliced across skin. The female spy fell to the ground, her eyes wide open. She had died without ever knowing how Han Yunxi drove off the mosquitoes. Han Yunxi knelt down and carefully scanned her sword. She discovered that it contained the same snake poison that had poisoned Long Feiye that night. It looked like this fellow had been chasing the spy for a long time. Finding her for the antidote must have been related to this matter.
Northern Li Country had spies who knew the poison arts. Han Yunxi felt that the entire situation wasn't so simple anymore.
"You could tell her sword had poison just with a glance?" Long Feiye asked in bewilderment.
The mosquito swarms had been huge and carried their own scent, so it was possible for Han Yunxi to smell them. But as for this sword…
Han Yunxi stood up calmly. "I sniffed it out."
If Long Feiye really believed her, then he'd be an idiot. He only examined her closely without a word. Han Yunxi shrugged her shoulders helplessly.
"Actually, I've had this gift since I was young. I'm very sensitive to poisons, but it's a pity father and the rest never knew," she sighed. "Aye, if my mother was still alive, it'd be much better."
Although these words were just for show, it still made Han Yunxi sad to say them. Perhaps this body was reacting instinctively to the mention of its body, or perhaps it was herself, who didn't have anyone to rely on while growing up and longed for a mother's love. In her previous life, she didn't even know who her mother was. In this life, her mother had already passed away, but she knew who and what kind of person she was. Sometimes she'd even catch stories about her. This already left her with feelings of warmth.
Seeing Han Yunxi's sadness, a complicated expression flickered past Long Feiye's eyes and he asked no more. After getting the secret military letters from the female spy's body, he took Han Yunxi and left. They arrived at the Duke of Qin's residence long past noon. The first thing Long Feiye did was to toss her the pouch of money, reminding her of their deal.
She wasn't shy at all about opening the bag in front of him to pull out a banknote worth 300 taels. Laughing, she replied, "Thanks, with this we're clear!"
Long Feiye said nothing as he turned to leave. She watched his form disappearing into the gardens and couldn't help but think, will he stay home tonight? Or will he be busy with other matters? Absent-mindedly, she wrapped her clothes around herself, only then realizing that she still had his cloak. Her first thought was to chase after him, but she decided to return it after a wash instead.
Young Chen Xiang ran over as soon as she saw Han Yunxi walk back with a man's cloak. "Mistress, whose cloak is this? Where did you go? Your servant couldn't find you all morning."
"I went to catch some fresh air." With 300 taels of silver, Han Yunxi's mood was like a sunny, cloudless day.
"This cloak…" Chen Xiang still wanted to probe, but Han Yunxi placed a finger on her lip with a 'shh' so she didn't dare vex her mistress further.
—
Towards evening the next day, Han Yunxi walked over to deliver the cloak, but no one answered her knocks on the door. She was about to leave when she discovered that the door was unlocked. Does this guy know how to lock up? Or is it too safe here?
Han Yunxi walked inside and saw that everything was as it was before, clean and appropriately suited to its owner. But the Iceberg really wasn't here. Perhaps the Duke of Qin's house only served as his sleeping quarters. She left the cloak in his study and gave a light sigh without knowing why, before shrugging her shoulders and leaving.
These past days, she hadn't been idle. She'd acquired a medicine cabinet and bookshelves for her Leisurely Cloud Pavilion, as well as purchasing a few collections of medicinal ingredients to replenish and fill up her detoxification system. Although she was busy, her days were comfortable. She had no idea that Long Feiye, Grand Concubine Yi, and the mistresses of the imperial harem were all secretly investigating her. Her father, Han Congan, was not only summoned to the palace, but also before Long Feiye himself. It forced Han Congan to repeatedly dig through his daughter's rooms before she got married off to try and find any clues.
—
"Master, we've already investigated and verified that no one replaced the Han Yunxi living in the Leisurely Cloud Pavilion. Before she got married, the Han family's servants and two young Misses personally saw her put on the wedding veil and get on the bridal sedan. From the Han family to your lordship's house, she traveled throughout the entire city and the downtown streets. It'd be impossible for anyone to try something then. As for that night outside the house, the wedding nanny was keeping watch," Chu Xifeng reported in detail.
"The poison on her face was treated by herself in the sedan chair?" Long Feiye asked coldly.
"She had it went she went in, but it had already vanished when she got out. She must have treated it in the carriage," Chu Xifeng hesitated for a while before adding, "Master, esteemed wangfei treated Princess Changping's poison with just a single bowl of medicine. I think her own poison wouldn't have been a big issue."
"Since she had both talent and looks, why hide them both and face misfortune?" Long Feiye asked again.
In fact, he hadn't been interested in Han Yunxi at all in the past. No matter what kind of person she was, no matter how beautiful she looked, this woman was still forced onto him by the empress dowager and the emperor. She'd never be anything in his eyes. He'd originally planned for someone to chase her out on the night of her wedding and send her to the countryside, where she could be under house arrest for the rest of her life. And yet, Han Yunxi had saved him on their wedding night, then displayed medical skills and exceptional conduct that surprised him time after time.
"Your highness, cleverness can't compare to idiocy. As your subordinate sees it, if esteemed wangfei really did reveal her talent and looks, she might not be able to marry you," Chu Xifeng said with a smile. These words made it seem that Han Yunxi really wanted to marry Long Feiye, so she'd patiently endured everything for this chance. At least, that was how Long Feiye heard it.
He looked over expressionlessly, but the fearless Chu Xifeng added, "Master, your subordinate thinks that esteemed wangfei really likes you. Your subordinate…" Before he could finish, Long Feiye's naturally icy gaze turned dark, making Chu Xifeng shiver as he instantly shut his mouth.
Meanwhile, the oblivious Han Yunxi peacefully lived out her days. Sadly, good things never lasted long. Just as she was expecting Grand Concubine Yi to settle down after Princess Changping's affair, an unexpected hurdle came knocking at their door to harass the grand imperial concubine's peace and quiet.
"Mistress, someone's come to seek medical advice, but it's nobody from our house. She's waiting just outside the gates and refuses to leave. I heard she's the third wife of the Minister of Security," Chen Xiang reported, panting for breath.
Nobody knows who spread the rumors that Han Yunxi had cured Mu Qingwu, but they grew more and more fantastic, saying that she had hidden stores of mystical knowledge but was too modest to admit them. She wasn't a useless trash, but a rarely-seen once-in-a-hundred-years genius. Using such fictitious words made her seem like a godly figure such as Hua Tuo, a legendary doctor. What imperial physicians or divine doctors couldn't treat were a sure case with her. She could solve problems with a single bowl of medicine as readily as bamboo split when it met a knife's edge.
This much might had been dismissed already, but there were even rumors that said she was a kind and benevolent master who didn't accept consultation fees or payment for medicine. Her heart followed the precepts of antiquity and placed priority on treating illness of the poor. As a result, many family members of sick patients heard the news. Since last night, high-ranking officials, imperial relatives, and the everyday commoners had all ran over to beg for treatment.