Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 303 Fever
Eyes facing each other.

Li Zhao's face was cold, making no attempt to conceal the imposing aura of someone in a superior position.

"The rules of Shuiyue Nunnery actually allow you to show your face in the streets and flaunt your wealth so openly..."

Xue Sui lowered his eyes and composed himself, his eyes calm and unwavering beneath his hood. Meeting the cold gaze, he clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.

“My grandmother is seriously ill and her condition is difficult to cure. I am very worried and have come to the market to get some medicinal herbs. I am going back home to serve her medicine.”

"Ha." Li Zhao sneered, "Those who live outside the secular world should be free from worldly desires, yet you are so eager for worldly things?"

"Although monks have severed worldly ties, they dare not forget filial piety and human ethics."

Li Zhao's lips curled into a cold, emotionless smile. Instead of easing the atmosphere, the smile only added to the chilling feeling.

"Dare not or forget? I see you've forgotten it all. You used to be ignorant of hierarchy and manners. Now it seems you're becoming even more ignorant of etiquette."

"Wow—"

These words are already extremely harsh.

A collective gasp filled the air.

His Highness the Crown Prince actually spoke such unkind words to a nun in the street, especially to a woman with whom he had a rumored affair...

Countless gazes swept over Xue Sui, filled with fear, curiosity, and schadenfreude...

The soldiers from the Five Cities Garrison standing guard exchanged a glance.

Xiao Zhao clenched her fists in anger, almost unable to contain herself.

Xue Sui simply lowered her head even further, her hood completely obscuring her eyebrows and eyes.

“His Highness the Crown Prince is right. This humble nun has acted inappropriately and will certainly reflect on her mistakes upon returning home.”

Li Zhao chuckled, his gaze lingering on her pale face for a moment.

"With your troublemaking nature, what ideas could you possibly come up with?"

His tone was harsh, carrying an almost merciless scrutiny, as if he were weighing an object.

The surrounding air was oppressive.

"That's enough." Li Zhao's hand, hidden beneath the wide sleeves of his cloak, moved extremely slightly. He took a deep, almost imperceptible breath of the cold air, lowered the curtain, and silently shut his frosty, handsome face behind the wind and snow, leaving only a cold voice devoid of emotion.

"An ungrateful wretch like that, I can't be bothered with him. Let's go."

The coachman cracked the whip, and the black carriage started moving again, carrying the Eastern Palace guards away.

All that remained were the ambiguous gazes of the onlookers.

Xue Sui remained where he was, head bowed, motionless.

The shadow of the hood concealed her entire expression.

After a moment, she slowly bent down, naturally straightening her hem which had been ruffled by the cold wind. Without hesitation, she gripped the bamboo basket handle and whispered to Xiao Zhao, "Let's go."

The master and servant walked on in silence.

On the streets, there was no attempt to conceal the discussions and whispers.

"See that? That's the sixth daughter of the Xue family who became a nun! She's been a troublemaker since she was little, and she's very annoying."

"Didn't everyone say she was favored by the Crown Prince? How come she was scolded like this in the street?"

"What blue eyes? That's a joke..."

"She's probably still restless after becoming a nun, trying to climb the social ladder by relying on our past relationship..."

"A monk who doesn't focus on chanting scriptures but insists on currying favor with important people deserves it..."

The comments were like tiny icicles, densely packed and pricking my back.

Xiao Zhao's eyes reddened with anger, and she tried to turn around and yell at him several times, but Xue Sui calmly stopped her each time.

She pulled her cloak tighter, gripped the basket on her arm even more tightly, and walked faster.

Snow blankets the long street, old friends are strangers on the road.

But how could outsiders know what turbulent undercurrents and unspoken longings lay hidden beneath this frozen, snow-covered surface...
-
Xue Mansion.

Inside Shou'an Hall, the aroma of medicine wafted through the air.

The clamor, cries, and shouts of soldiers on the street became blurred and distant through the high walls and courtyards...

Third Madam Qian paced back and forth by the warm couch, glancing worriedly out the window every now and then, then looking at the sleeping Old Madam Cui with her eyes closed, and complaining in a low voice.

"What's going on now? They can't even let people have peace at the end of the year. Arresting people like they're ransacking homes, the whole city is in chaos..."

The Five Cities Garrison was arresting people everywhere, and the city gates were heavily guarded, hindering the flow of goods. The Qian family's business was also affected, resulting in considerable losses. Considering the Xue family's current precarious situation, she felt even more uneasy and restless.

When one is rich and powerful, their home is always bustling with visitors.

Once power is lost, everyone will push the wall down, and life will be difficult.

Xue Yuelou, sitting at the foot of the couch with a hand warmer in her arms, frowned upon hearing this and said in a low voice, "I heard that His Highness Prince Duan was ordered to quell the rumors... but this commotion is too frightening. I wonder how many families will live in fear. How can we live in this world?"

Xue Sui sat on a low stool by the couch, stirring the medicine without pausing, as if the commotion had nothing to do with her.

“Grandmother is frail and easily disturbed. Matters outside are handled by the court and government. Our duty is to guard the inner quarters and serve her medicine.”

Startled by the voices, Old Mrs. Cui's eyelids twitched slightly.

His cloudy gaze slowly settled on Xue Sui's calm profile.

"Sixth Sister... is right..."

After a serious illness, the old lady was a little weak, but the clear understanding of the world still shone in her eyes, which had seen through the vicissitudes of life.

"The wind is howling and the snow is raging outside... Let's just stay home and live our own lives... It's best to stay out of the spotlight right now... cough cough..."

Mrs. Qian quickly stepped forward to pat the old lady's back and soothe her.

"Grandma, drink your medicine. Sixth Sister personally oversaw the brewing..."

The medicinal aroma blurred Xue Sui's features.

She scooped up a spoonful of warm medicine, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and then gently brought it to the old lady's lips.

Jinshu stepped forward and helped the old lady up.

The old lady took a sip of her drink, and after her breathing had calmed down, she suddenly grasped Xue Sui's hand. Her eyes were cloudy but urgent, filled with a complex worry.

“Be extremely careful with the blessing ceremony at Baohua Hall… Don’t touch anything there… Those people behind that door are ruthless and heartless…” Xue Sui looked up at the old woman.

When she was a child in the Xue family, her grandmother was mostly distant and cold towards her.

At this moment, the Xue family is facing many changes, and her words of advice at her sickbed reveal a touch of genuine worry.

She nodded slightly, her voice becoming even softer.

"Granddaughter understands. Grandmother, please rest assured."
-
Prince Duan's Mansion, Tingyu Pavilion.

The air was filled with the delicate fragrance of agarwood, making the room feel like springtime.

The warm fragrance wafted through the air, shielding us from the wind, snow, and bitter cold outside.

Princess Ruihe moved gracefully, presenting Li Huan with a cup of freshly brewed pre-rain Longjing tea. Her demeanor was gentle, and her eyes conveyed just the right amount of admiration and concern.

"Second brother, you work hard on national affairs, but you must take care of your health. Have some hot tea to warm yourself up."

Her voice was so soft it could melt water.

Li Huan took the teacup and placed it on the table. His gaze lingered on her meticulously made-up face for a moment, and the corners of his lips slightly lifted.

"Yu Ning is so thoughtful."

Although his tone was gentle, it carried a subtle sense of detachment.

"The princess takes care of all the household affairs, so you don't need to do them yourself... Young lady, instead of sitting here idly, why don't you go and join in the fun with the princess..."

"Second brother..." Ruihe called out, as if to say something.

Li Huan lowered his head to avoid her gaze, took a sip of tea, and turned to Liu Yin, who was standing below him.

"Alright. Go to the inner courtyard and speak with the Princess. I have some state affairs to discuss with Mr. Liu."

Ruihe glanced at Liu Yin, looking somewhat aggrieved, but still put on a bright smile and curtsied.

"Yes, Yu Ning takes her leave. Second brother, don't overwork yourself, take care of your health."

Li Huan nodded without saying a word.

After Princess Ruihe left reluctantly, Liu Yin immediately stepped forward, his gaze seemingly unintentionally sweeping over the direction where Li Yuning had disappeared.

"Your Highness, the urgent secret report from the Longyou army has arrived. Everything is ready, awaiting Your Highness's command."

Li Huan frowned deeply. "How is the defense deployment in the capital region?"

Liu Yin cupped his hands in greeting, bowed, and reported in a very low voice.

"Everything is under control. The Five Cities Garrison is acting in accordance with orders and has detained 371 people for singing and discussing nursery rhymes. Among them, 89 are involved in the 'Old Mausoleum Swamp' and have all been transferred to the Ministry of Justice for rigorous interrogation. They are sure to get some useful information out of them..."

He paused, lowering his voice even further.

"As Your Highness secretly ordered, I have increased the number of sentries at Shuiyue Nunnery and kept a close watch on it. However, so far, Miss Xue and her entourage have not shown any abnormalities."

Li Huan paused slightly with his fingertips, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“She always acts with meticulous care. If we were to be easily caught red-handed, it would be a waste of the fact that I… value her so highly.”

"Yes. This woman is meticulous and unpredictable. After returning to the capital from the Old Mausoleum, she was involved in all sorts of incidents, whether openly or covertly, including the assassination at the Western Hills Palace, the Ping Le case, the Xiao Jing case, and the military supplies case. All signs indicate that even if she is not an imperial envoy, she is undoubtedly a core remnant of the Old Mausoleum..."

Liu Yin suddenly lowered his voice as he spoke.

"Now that the Crown Prince is eager to sever ties with her and publicly humiliates her, she is most vulnerable and easily exposed. If we can find any clues and obtain tokens or evidence of her secret communication with the Old Mausoleum, we could... deliver a fatal blow to her and the Crown Prince at a crucial moment, either forcing them to submit or... completely eliminating any future threat..."

Li Huan did not answer immediately, but turned his gaze to the window.

On Yingyue Lake, the pavilion in the center of the lake is covered with thick snow, and under the hazy sky, it looks like a lurking beast.

He admired the unusual scenery, as if watching prey struggling in a net.

After a long pause, he slowly and deliberately began to speak.

"The net is cast, the fish are in the trap. No rush, wait a little longer. Let her lose her composure on her own; don't alert her. Also—"

He paused, his expression suddenly hardening.

"She is my woman, her life must not be taken..."

Liu Yin's body trembled slightly, and he bowed his head in agreement.

Li Huan frowned and waved his hand.

Liu Yin bowed respectfully and took his leave, leaving Li Huan alone in the warm pavilion.

After sitting quietly for a moment, he strolled to the antique shelf and took down a sandalwood box.

Inside was a sachet that had long since faded.

The stitches are fine and dense, exuding a delicate and elegant fragrance of orchids.

That was a calming sachet that Xue Sui sewed for him when she was in the mansion.

At that time, she was still his concubine, with her head bowed and eyes lowered, gentle and obedient, like the finest white porcelain, which he could paint at will.

He thought she was just a beautiful but shallow illegitimate daughter, unaware that she harbored such deep hatred and such heavy secrets.

The period during which he was deceived by her and used as a springboard for revenge was the greatest shame and failure of his life...

Unexpectedly, she stabbed him in the back and abandoned him; the hatred, however, was hard to swallow.

Like this sachet, over the years, the spices inside have long since dissipated, but the lingering fragrance remains deeply etched in my memory...

This gave rise to a lingering attachment and possessiveness towards that false tenderness that was once readily available but is now out of reach, a feeling that even he himself loathed.
-
Outside the window, a slender figure stood frozen in the shadows.

Li Yuning, who had just "forgotten" to take the hand warmer and turned back, took in Li Huan's words, "She is my woman," and the look in his eyes as he stared at the sachet.

A bone-chilling cold shot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

Her heart was pounding, and her hands and feet were ice-cold.

A tremendous sense of crisis and jealousy began to fester.

　Xiao Zhao: Anyone placing an order? I want to kill the Crown Prince. They're bullying my girl...

　　Li Zhao: Your daughter just wants to be bullied by me.

　　Reader: Pshaw!

　　(End of this chapter)