She didn't have to guess. Beneath the poetic get well greeting, Long Ao Tian signed his name in his unique manner. Old madam Xiao looked at young miss like she had made all her wishes come true.
"Long Ao Tian!" she repeated, and took the card from where she had clasped it against her chest and read it again, and again, and again:
The red peony is conspicuous,
Spring will come again,
The trees burst into flower.
Long Ao Tian.
Xue Er, by the side, was struggling to keep a straight face. Young miss was not a good poet!
"Tao-er, where--"
"He told me to wish you well," young miss rose before old madam could say another word, "and that you should rest, so you'd better. Rou Rou, has mother had her medicine? Yes? Then you should sleep now, mother!" young miss said cheerily, already heading to the door, "this child will take her leave now, and won't disturb you anymore!"
"Xiao Tao!" the stern shout coming from the garden made her stop.
General Xiao!
Was he back already?!
"Father," she went up to him and bowed, "welcome home,"
General Xiao looked at his precious daughter, who was now as tall as he was, and sighed inwardly. He reached out to pat her shoulder, and poor Xiao Tao Qi looked up at him in surprise. General Xiao had never been the touching type.
"I just returned with the Crown Prince from Western Jing. We first went to pay our respects to His Majesty. That's why I didn't come home at once."
"How's the situation at Western Jing? Is it better?" dutiful Xiao Tao Qi asked as she fell into step beside him. General Xiao smiled at her. His daughter had finally matured!
"Yes. At least it's better than before we went to get it under control. Those rebels are really tough to deal with. His highness even got injured,"
"Hope he's fine now," really, she didn't give a damn. Who cared if the crown prince got injured? It was probably a scratch on his "ugly" face.
"His majesty had sent the imperial physician to take a look at him. It was a poisoned dart--"
Hearing the word poison, Xiao Tao Qi's ears pricked up.
"Did you say poison?"
General Xiao looked at her.
"Yes. The crown prince got stabbed by a poison dart,"
"Ooooh," Xiao Tao Qi smiled.
General Xiao:. .... Why did he think something was wrong with his daughter?
"Why are you smiling?" He couldn't help asking, "it's not good news,"
"Was I smiling?" Xiao Tao Qi asked innocently.
General Xiao:.... didn't you know you were smiling??
"Aha!" General Xiao stopped thinking about his daughter's weird behavior, "I heard your mother slipped and fell. How is she?"
"Sleeping," Xiao Tao Qi replied, "Long Ao Tian sent her a get well card," she added without thinking.
"Long-- Long Ao Tian??" General Xiao frowned, "does he know your mother?"
Xiao Tao Qi nodded.
"She's gone to read her fortune from him before,"
Xue Er:....silly, she's technically he's mother!
General Xiao grunted unhappily.
"What did her fortune say?"
"I don't know. I think it said she would become the Empress' mother or something. She talked about it for weeks then. You should ask her," Xiao Tao Qi said with a grin.
Xue Er:.... young miss, why are you trying to get Master Xiao angry with old madam??!...
"I guess Long Ao Tian's fortune reading is accurate, then," General Xiao murmured.
Xiao Tao Qi looked at him.
"Why? Why do you say that?"
"His majesty hinted that he was going to grant our family a great honor," General Xiao said vaguely, "I should go see your mother later," they had arrived at his chamber. Xiao Tao Qi didn't go in. She bowed at the entrance and excused herself.
.
.
.
"Miss!" Xue Er looked in horror as a handsome man stood before her in Young miss' chamber, "what are you doing?!"
"The royal physician will never be able to cure that poison," the man said, tying his hair up with a strip of blue ribbon, "soon his majesty will call all medicine practitioners into the palace. I can feel it. I am the only one who can cure that brat's poison,"
Xue Er covered her rosy lips. Who else called the Crown Prince, His Highness Wang Feng Li, that brat?
"But miss--" Xue Er looked on worriedly as the man looked at himself in the mirror and nodded satisfactorily.
"Alright! Let's go to Summer Bliss restaurant and wait there. Trust me, the order will be given as soon as we sit down. Here," he tossed her a veil, "wear that, so no one recognizes you!"
"Miss, how will we leave the manor? Master is home!"
"In his chamber," the man rolled his eyes, "come on, we go over the fence. Forgotten I can do qinggong?"
.
.
.
"Young sir, what would you like to have?" the smallish owner of Summer Bliss restaurant came personally to a table occupied by a rich looking man and a pretty girl in a veil. The man had a handsome figure, with bright blue eyes that made him look easy to approach, and held a fan with the calligraphy of the famous poet Zuo Pie Zi!
The owner was of course extremely polite!
After placing their order, young sir turned to his companion. Old sir owner wanted to make small talk, though.
"Ke ke, young sir, I've never seen you at our Summer Bliss restaurant before. Is young sir new to the capital?"
Young sir thought for a bit.
"I'm not actually new. I've been staying with some distant relatives. I don't really eat out, as I'm too busy treating patients,"
Xue Er:.... you big liar! ...
"Ohhh, is young sir a physician?" the owner was pleased, "you're in luck! His majesty just issued an order inviting all physicians in the capital to the Imperial Palace! It is said that His Highness the Crown Prince got poisoned back at Western Jing, and the imperial physician couldn't cure him--"
Xue Er looked at her young miss in horror. Young miss was right! How had she known?!
Young sir was busy listening to the owner's ramble too attentively to pay any attention to his maid.
"Young sir should go," the owner said, "even if you're unable to cure the crown prince, you'll still be rewarded for trying,"
Xue Er:... Seems like the crown prince's acupuncture points would have been perforated by now....
"I'll thank old sir in that case. Lin Xi, let's go," young sir said once they finished their food and paid.
Xue Er looked up at the handsome young sir. Lin Xi? What was up with him? She could still be Xue Er! He was the one who needed to change his name. And after all, she was wearing a veil. She said nothing, though, rising and following him out.
"So, Lin Xi, my name is Physician Tang," young miss turned young sir lectured Xue Er in the carriage, being driven by ever faithful Mister Du.
"Why are--"
"Do as I say," Tang snapped. He looked really scary with a scowl on his face. Xue Er shivered. She could never get used to this sickening habit of young miss'!