Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 131 Fake Love
Xue Sui returned to Tanqiu Courtyard from the secret path of Yingyue Lake. Xiao Zhao had already been waiting there, looking anxious.

"If the girl doesn't come back, she'll be exposed."

Xue Sui asked hurriedly: "What happened?"

Xiao Zhao said, "Aunt Feicui, who is beside the princess, has been waiting in Tanqiu Courtyard for a quarter of an hour. Aunt Jinshu said that you have a coughing fit and need to stay at home to recuperate, but she refused to leave and insisted on seeing Madam. From my perspective, she has bad intentions..."

Xue Sui nodded, said nothing more, and quickened his pace.

Xiao Zhao took two steps forward and opened the wooden window that hid the night.

Xue Sui was light and graceful, leaping past like a flying swallow.

Inside the room, Ruyi was wearing Xue Sui's clothes, lying on the bed sideways, pretending to cough.

From the outdoor corridor, Feicui's concerned but persistent voice came.

"Madam, you are coughing so badly, don't you really need to ask the imperial physician to take a look?"

Jinshu replied from outside, "Doctor Chen has prescribed medicine, and Madam has just taken it. Once the medicine takes effect, I think she will feel better. Let Madam get some sleep first, and we'll talk tomorrow."

Feicui added, "The princess is worried about Madam, I must see her in person and visit her before I can go back and report."

"It's better not to let my aunt get sick..." Jinshu spoke tactfully and politely, and his voice was calm.

But I don’t know whether Feicui noticed something or Xue Yuechen had some suspicions, but no matter how Jinshu tried to persuade her, Feicui refused to leave.

"It's okay. As servants, we should put the health of our masters first. How can our own health be so important?"

Jade's response was flawless.

Jinshu was secretly anxious. Seeing that she could not find a reason to stop her from seeing Xue Sui, the door behind her was suddenly opened.

Xiao Zhao came out with a displeased look on her face, "Since Aunt Feicui wants to see it, let her see it. This will prevent her from making random guesses and gossips in the future..."

Her tone was unkind.

However, Feicui didn't take it seriously at all. She smiled politely and walked away seriously.

The curtains in the inner room were lifted. Feicui saw Xue Sui with a pale face, leaning weakly against the head of the bed, looking at her.

"Aunt, don't come any closer. Just sit there and talk."

After Xue Sui finished speaking, he gave instructions to Jin Shu.

"Hurry up and show Aunt Feicui a seat and serve her tea."

Jinshu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and replied, "Yes."

Feicui looked at Xue Sui's sickly appearance, knelt down and bowed, "I dare not trouble Madam to worry about you. I see that Madam is coughing non-stop and looks tired. I don't want to disturb you any more. I will report this to the princess so that she can rest assured..."

Jadeite returned to Muyueju.

Xue Yuechen asked, and she told the truth.

Xue Yuechen ordered: "Send someone to report to the prince, saying that the sixth sister's illness has not yet recovered and she needs to rest and recuperate."

Emerald frowned in dissatisfaction.

"Why is the prince suddenly so concerned about Xue Liu? In the past, the prince never asked about the affairs of the backyard, but recently he not only personally sent guards to guard him, but also asked about him every day. He has only been ill for a few days, but he sent the princess to inquire about his condition... Is he pampering him too much?"

Xue Yuechen glanced sideways and rebuked softly.

"Don't talk nonsense. I also hope that Sixth Sister will get better soon, serve the prince, and have children as soon as possible."

Feicui knew that her mistress was saying one thing and thinking another, so she stopped talking and said, "It's strange. I waited there for a long time, but Jinshu wouldn't let me in to see Madam Ping'an. I only heard that she kept coughing. Finally, she let me in. Although she was coughing, she didn't look like she was seriously ill. Why didn't she get better after being treated for such a long time?"

Xue Yuechen sighed, "Sixth sister has been stubborn since she was young, I guess she doesn't want to sleep with me... Well, let her be."

Before the voice fell, a notification came from outside.

"Your Majesty is here."

Li Huan strode in and Xue Yuechen hurriedly saluted.

Unexpectedly, the first thing Li Huan asked was: "Is the princess safe?"

Xue Yue's heart tightened.

She lowered her head and replied respectfully, "Sixth sister is ill and refused to let me visit her, saying that she was afraid of passing on the disease. Your Majesty, please wait until your sister's condition improves before going to Tanqiuyuan."

Li Huan asked, "You didn't see anyone?"

Xue Yuechen looked at Feicui.

Feicui quickly took over the conversation with a smile: "Your Highness, I have seen Madam Ping'an. Madam doesn't look well and has been coughing..."

Li Huan frowned and said, "I'll go check it out. Princess, please go to bed early."

Xue Yuechen clenched his handkerchief slightly, forced himself to smile.

"I will go with the prince."

Li Huan paused and turned back coldly, "Aren't you afraid of getting sick?"

Xue Yuechen's breathing stagnated slightly, and he didn't know how to answer for a moment.

There was no expression in Li Huan's eyes.

But his words clearly blamed her for not caring enough about Xue Sui's health.

Her eyes were slightly red, "I was inconsiderate and failed to take good care of my sister. I feel really guilty."

Li Huan looked at her without saying a word, then turned around and quickened his pace to walk ahead.

Xue Yuechen wrung his handkerchief tightly, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart, and followed slowly.
-
The scent of medicine in Tan Qiuyuan was blown away by the wind that blew in through the door.

When Li Huan's brocade boots stepped over the threshold, Xue Sui was leaning on the carved wooden couch, swallowing a bowl of black medicine.

"Your Majesty..."

Xue Sui's fingertips trembled, and the medicine bowl made a clear sound like shattering jade.

She was about to get off the bed and pay her respects when she saw Xue Yuechen coming in. She hurriedly said, "Princess, why are you all here? I am so disheveled, how can I meet people..."

"Just lie down." Li Huan took a few steps to the couch, took the medicine bowl from Xue Sui's hand, put it on the table, raised his hand to support her arm, looking very caring.

"I heard from the princess that you are very ill. I came to see you."

Xue Sui glanced at Xue Yuechen gratefully and coughed twice.

"Thank you, my Lord and my Princess, for your concern. I am actually much better now, but the cough is stubborn and will not be cured for a while."

As she spoke, she winked at Jinshu.

Jinshu hurriedly found a seat for the two and served them tea.

Li Huan took the teacup, shook it gently, and moved his jade ring around the edge of the cup twice. He did not drink the tea and slowly put it down.

"Have you heard about what happened to Pingle recently?"

"I have heard a little bit about it..." Xue Sui glanced at the girl beside him, "But most of the rumors are just hearsay. Without knowing the whole story, it is not good to make any guesses."

Surprisingly, Li Huan hesitated for a moment, and then told Xue Sui everything that happened in the Xishan Villa that night without reservation.

Xue Yuechen was shocked, and his heart sank as if a huge rock weighed a thousand pounds.

This morning, she asked about Pingle's recent situation with concern, but Li Huan just said "no need to ask more" to get by. Now in front of Xue Liu, she didn't ask anything, but Li Huan told her everything without reservation.

Li Huan is usually taciturn and is reluctant to reveal his true feelings.

It's rare for him to talk so much at once.

Especially in front of a woman. Xue Yuechen bit his lower lip quietly, feeling mixed emotions.

Xue Sui looked at Li Huan's solemn face, but knew what he was thinking.

"Your Majesty dotes on Princess Pingle. I think these minor matters are not a big deal. Your Majesty does not need to worry too much."

"Who said I was worried about her?" Li Huan snorted heavily, looking at Xue Sui's indifferent face, "Pingle acted arrogantly and recklessly, she deserves to be severely punished! Father is too lenient to her. If she is not taught a lesson this time, who knows what kind of trouble she will cause next time..."

Xue Sui smiled slightly and did not respond.

In front of Xue Yuechen, Li Huan insisted on having a long conversation with her, and his attitude was really ambiguous.

Seeing Xue Yue silent and looking gloomy, Xue Sui coughed and said, "I've been sick recently, and I've been craving for the sweet red bean wine from the City God Temple. My health hasn't improved, so I wanted to go out for a walk..."

Li Huan said, "I'll have the guards escort you there tomorrow."

Xue Sui asked jokingly, "Your Highness is so wary of me. If others saw me, they would think I was going to meet my lover in private."

Li Huan smiled and said, "Recently, many Xizi caravans have come to the capital. Their behavior is very different from ours and they are very suspicious. It would be safer for you to bring your attendants with you when you go out."

Xue Sui just smiled.

Li Huan suddenly leaned over to look at the hairpin in Xue Sui's hair.

"I see Ping'an has been wearing this hairpin since he entered the mansion?"

Xue Sui's heart trembled.

This hairpin is made of cold iron, and there is a secret hidden inside.

"It's just an old thing that I find useful. I'm sorry to make you laugh, Your Majesty."

"The hairpin is too ordinary, it doesn't suit Ping An's appearance." Li Huan smiled again and said, "Didn't the princess give you a lot of jewelry? If none of them suit your taste, go to the Treasure House tomorrow when you leave the palace, and buy anything you like."

The two chatted with their own ulterior motives.

Xue Yuechen could not hear the hidden meaning behind the words, he just felt that the teacup he was holding was hot.

She recalled last year's Qiqiao Festival - she had carefully selected a pearl and jade hairpin and asked Li Huan if it looked good, but Li Huan couldn't tell which one she was wearing.

A man who never cared about women's makeup noticed a hairpin that Xue Liu casually wore.

The man, who is usually serious, cold and distant, shows concern for Xue Liu.

He spoke softly, with an indescribable intimacy towards her.

But as the legal wife, she sat aside like an outsider, unable to fit into their world.

"Your Majesty, it's time for you to go back to Muyue Residence and rest."

Xue Sui suddenly covered his face and coughed lightly, his fingernails clenching the corner of the quilt, revealing a trace of weakness and fatigue.

"The princess works tirelessly every day. She wakes up in the morning and watches over the kitchen, preparing various nourishing and nourishing soups for the prince. She has put a lot of effort into this... The prince must not let the princess down."

This is an eviction order.

Li Huan turned around and looked at Xue Yuechen.

Xue Yuechen took out a handkerchief from her lapel, wiped the corners of her mouth, and said softly, "I asked the kitchen to prepare some sweet-scented osmanthus and yam ointment. It will be a perfect midnight snack for you when you go."

"Then rest in peace."

Li Huan nodded in response, shook the corner of his robe, and stood up.

"I will come to visit you another day."

Xue Sui looked at his pretending to be concerned but actually being deliberate and couldn't help but find it ridiculous.

"Farewell, Your Majesty, and Farewell, Princess..."

Li Huan took Xue Yuechen away.

The corridor leading back to Muyue Residence seemed to have no end.

The night light stretched the two people's shadows into long and slender ones, following them all the way.

Xue Yuechen looked at the man she had been married to for ten years and felt that he was even more unfamiliar than the fine lines that had quietly appeared at the corners of her eyes.

"Princess." Li Huan turned around and said as he stepped over the threshold, "Tomorrow, ask the embroiderer to make some brighter clothes for Ping An. She usually wears too plain clothes. If she goes out, people will say that the palace treats her badly..."

Xue Yuechen smiled slightly and replied, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I just asked the embroiderer to measure the sizes of the sisters in each courtyard. The materials have been selected and each family has them. I will definitely not treat the sixth sister unfairly."

"The princess has always been considerate." Li Huan said as he lowered his head to untie his belt without even looking at Xue Yuechen.

Xue Yuechen tilted her head, "Fei Cui, have someone bring the sweet-scented osmanthus and yam ointment..."

"No need." Li Huan took off his coat and said, "Prepare some water for bathing. I am tired."

A hint of coolness condensed at the corner of Xue Yuechen's mouth.

She looked at Li Huan's face and suddenly smiled bitterly.

This is a husband and wife, a husband and wife who respect each other like guests.

Xue Yuechen endured the difficulty and personally slept with Li Huan, helping him bathe and undress, and then turned off the lights and went to bed.

Li Huan was still lying on his side, with his back to her, sleeping soundly.

The sachet that Xue Sui sent was placed under the pillow. It had a unique fragrance and was very helpful in helping me sleep.

Because of the sachet, Li Huan came here often. The whole palace and the backyard envied her for being so favored, but who knew that she had a lot of pain in her heart.

Xue Yuechen looked gloomy, looking at the faded dragon and phoenix carvings on the beams, and suddenly wanted to ask herself when she was sitting in the bridal sedan - did she ever expect that one day she would have to rely on the mercy of her husband's concubine to live? And that person was Xue Liu?

She put on her coat in the dark, closed the door and came out.

Feicui looked at her lost appearance and felt distressed and aggrieved.

"The prince is too partial... People who don't know the truth would think that Madam Ping'an is the master of the palace... No matter how much he dotes on her, she is just a concubine. The prince is too willful..."

Xue Yuechen raised her hand to interrupt her.

"Take out the bamboo leaf green that I saved from the Lantern Festival."

Jade whispered, "Princess..."

Xue Yuechen raised his hand tiredly: "Go."
-
At three quarters past the morning on the next day, the north corner gate of Prince Duan's mansion slowly opened.

Xue Sui held up the curtain and looked at the speeding street scene outside the window. He looked calm, as if he was thinking about something.

The carriage drove onto Zhuque Street and stopped in front of a rouge shop.

She ordered the guards to accompany her.

"You guys wait outside, Xiao Zhao and Ruyi will accompany me in."

This is the best rouge shop in the capital, and most of the people there are women from the families of princes and nobles. It would be inappropriate for two guards to go in and disturb the nobles.

"Yes." The guard responded.

Xue Sui gently lifted up her skirt, got out of the car steadily, and slowly walked into the rouge shop.

Princess Wenjia, wrapped in a plain brocade cloak, had been waiting inside.

Seeing Xue Sui, she closed the door and took out a secret letter from the lining of her sleeve.

"This was sewn into Fan Bing's coat before he died."

Ah, see you tomorrow~~