Chapter 37 – Secret Dating
Murong Xue took another step and lifted her head to look up. She saw a magnificent emerald-tiled palace in front of her. At the entrance, there were gold letters that glittered in the sunlight that read, “Zhen Manor”.
She had reached home.
“Thank you, your highness for sending me home!” Murong Xue said with a smile, her hand stretched towards Xun Feng, ready to take her claimed prize.
Xun Feng’s eyes glistened. With a swift movement, he handed the Jiaowei Yangqin to the bodyguard at the entrance and disappeared without a trace within the blink of an eye.
Murong Xue blinked, though she could clearly sense a few people passing by, she could not detect any trace of the bodyguard. Her eyes shone with curiosity; bodyguards truly deserve to be recognised for their skill – appearing out of nowhere and disappearing again without a trace, making it impossible for people to prepare themselves for an assault from them…..
Looking at her eyes sparkling made Ouyang Shaochen even more depressed. He had already gone and yet, she was still looking at the direction he disappeared to. Was she really that interested in Xun Feng?
“This is the wine you wanted to try, bring it back to have a taste!” Ouyang Shaochen grabbed Murong Xue’s small hand and placed a small wine bottle into it. His mannerism seemed rough, as if he didn’t know how to properly treat a girl.
A dull pain passed from her hand and it jolted her to her senses again. Looking at the sealed bottle, she was startled.
At first, she was battling with Qin Yuyuan, and then she saw his mysterious bodyguard. She had completely forgotten about the wine. Unexpectedly, Ouyang Shaochen still remembered.
“Thank you very much, Your Highness……..Your Highness, do you have many bodyguards like him?”
She was talking about Xun Feng again!
Inside, Ouyang Shaochen furrowed his brow.
Impatiently, he replied, “Do you want me to hand Xun Feng over to you?” His voice obviously displaying sarcasm.
Murong Xue shook her head, “This won’t be necessary. My place is quite peaceful, I don’t need such an accomplished bodyguard. I’m just very curious about their skill of appearing and disappearing without a trace!”
Ah, so she wasn’t interested in Xun Feng, she was just curious about his bodyguards!
Hiding in oblivion, Xun Feng let out a sigh in relief. Luckily she had explained, or else, upon returning to the palace, he wouldn’t be let off the hook easily.
The gloominess in Ouyang Shaochen’s eyes vanished and his pupils returned to their normal unfathomable state.
“What they can do, is indeed a unique skill. If you want to know more, you can come to my palace anytime!”
“Thank you, your highness!” Murong Xue smiled delightfully.
Ancient martial arts are so complicated yet splendid. Learning more about it would be a wise decision…..
The faint smell of bamboo ink encircled her nose and she was suddenly reminded of her sickness.
“Your highness, do you still have any fire lotus seeds? If it’s convenient for you, I would like to buy all of them!”
Whenever her sickness strikes, she has to take fire lotus seeds to help herself. She had no hope of gaining any of them from Ye Yichen (Prince Jing). All the other fire lotus seeds in her area were purchased by Zhen Manor. However, they were all destroyed by Qinyang’s bodyguard. So far, she could only take the ones Ouyang Shaochen had given her.
Looking at her earnest face, pity formed inside Ouyang Shaochen. From his sleeve, he took out a white porcelain bottle and gave it to her.
“I initially had 3 fire lotus seeds; I gave you one last night. Now there are only 2 left, there you go!”
“Thank you so much, your highness!” Murong Xue got hold of the bottle from him, her delicate hands lightly touching it. She raised her brow: So there are only 2 left? Her attacks were unpredictable. Every time it happened, she must take them. Two was far from enough!
“Your highness, do you know of this medicinal herb named Diyang Cao?”
“Diyang Cao?” Ouyang Shaochen’s eyes had a glimmer of surprise, then it vanished and returned to its normal state once again.
He then casually replied, “I have heard of it, why did you suddenly ask about this?”
With her eyes shimmering she explained, “My sickness has an extreme Yin (from Yin Yang) effect, it needs a medicine which has an extreme Yang effect to control it. This medicinal herb, Diyang Cao happens to have a Yang effect to it. It has a close effect to a fire lotus seed. And I thought maybe it can be used to replace them….”
Ouyang Shaochen frowned, “Diyang Cao does have a Yang effect but it’s not extreme. When it encounters an Yin effect, its damaging effect would be neutralized. But if it encounters an extreme Yin effect, the medicinal impact wouldn’t be as potent as a fire lotus seed….”
“So you do know a few things about Diyang Cao!” Murong Xue emitted a faint smile at his direction.
Ouyang Shaochen lightly coughed, “I unintentionally came across it while I was reading….. How did you know about it?”
“I also saw it in a book!” her eyes swept nervously from side to side: She had read about it in a modern medical book back in her era, but she didn’t expect this era to also have this medicinal herb.
“Diyang Cao’s medicinal properties are much more inferior as compared to the fire lotus seed. If you consume it during your attacks, you will suffer a lot!” Ouyang Shaochen said pessimistically.
Frostbite attacks are agonizing torments, if a girl could withstand them, that would be her limit. If it were to be more excruciating, then she would really be better off dead.
Murong Xue shrugged, “It’s okay, if Diyang Cao can stop the effects of my attacks and let me live, then it’s alright.” It’s better to suffer a bit more than to just give her life up to her sickness.
Ouyang Shaochen’s eyes turned solemn and said, “The Qingyan palace has a lot of fire lotus seeds. If you are willing to find Ye Yichen……”
“I would never beg him even if I die!” Murong Xue snapped at him, interrupting his dialogue. Her eyes depicted iciness and disgust.
The corner of Ouyang Shaochen’s mouth curled into a small smile, his jet-black eyes had a hint of whimsy.
“I will take note of where to find Diyang Cao, if I have any news about it, I will immediately inform you!”
“Thank so much!” Murong Xue smiled.
Diyang Cao did not grow in the neighboring areas. Even if Ye Yichen was very powerful, he wouldn’t be able to cut the supplies of it…..
“Murong Xue, you still have the guts to come back!” a clear, high-pitched voice of a woman chirped from behind.
Murong Xue turned and saw Song Qingyan paced quickly towards her, her arms folded behind her back. As she hurried towards her, her hairpin which had a golden butterfly on it flapped with every step she took.
“This is my home, why can’t I come back? As for you, why don’t you stay at your own household- Wu An Marquis’ household? Why do you come to my place? To acquire my mother’s dowry, I suppose? What a shame, I’m now in charge of it, you can’t touch it one bit.”
It was as if Song Qingyan was stomped on the foot, her face turned into a swelling red and she glared at Murong Xue.
“Who cares about your mother’s lousy jewellery? This is my grandmother’s home, I am here to visit her. But luckily I’m here; otherwise, I wouldn’t have known the horrid thing you’ve done! Cousin Chen Jiang is the eldest grandson of the Du palace and is very much favoured by the Du family. But even so, you had the audacity to hurt him seriously! Just you wait for your punishment!”
“Are you done yet? If you are, then get out of my way!” Murong Xue casually said, obviously not taking her threat seriously.
“Why you…..”
Song Qingyan was choked with anger, her eyes flashed with fury.
In the end, she managed to spout out, “Cousin Chen Jiang has been in the palace for a long while and you have only just returned! Did you secretly go dating……”
A white sleeve flashed past out of the corner of her eye, Song Qingyan turned her head to look at it. Suddenly, her eyes widened ………..