Chapter 196: Untimely
Xue Sui couldn’t help but slow her steps, tidied her temples slightly, then lifted the curtain and entered, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her lips, bowing gracefully.
“Greetings to Your Highness the Prince and Princess Consort, and to the Consort…”
“Sister is back.” Xue Yuechen twisted her silk handkerchief and came forward, her hairpin swaying slightly with her movements, very enthusiastic.
“You just came from Grandmother’s, have you eaten yet?”
“Thank you for your concern, Princess Consort.” Xue Sui subtly shifted her body, signaling Xiao Zhao to put down the medicine box she had brought, then looked up at Li Huan, who was half-reclining on the rosewood couch.
He was seen lounging on a Yun Jin brocade cushion, his left hand resting on the edge of a small table. Beneath his half-open moon-white undergarment, a patch of pale red rash was visible below his collarbone. Compared to his usual dignified and composed demeanor, he now possessed a rare air of casual indolence.
Consort Zhang, who had been weeping on Li Huan’s lap, quickly got up upon seeing Xue Sui enter, almost knocking over the incense burner on the desk in her haste.
“This concubine has lost her composure…”
She sat awkwardly on the embroidered stool, her tears not yet dry, her fingertips tightly gripping the edge of her handkerchief, appearing nervous and flustered.
The room was very quiet.
The candlelight flickered, casting shadows on the screen, creating scattered patches of light.
Xue Yuechen looked around and broke the silence with a smile, her face showing a hint of forced enthusiasm.
“Is Concubine Xue’s health much improved? Why did Sister return at this hour?”
Xue Sui said, “Thanks to the Princess Consort’s good fortune, she is out of danger.”
She glanced at Li Huan again and said indifferently, “I heard Father say that Your Highness was unwell, so I rushed back without delay…”
Xue Yuechen’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she smiled, “Sister is still so thoughtful. Then why don’t you hurry and examine the Prince?”
“Yes.” Xue Sui was about to step forward when Li Huan raised his hand and waved it slightly, refusing.
“It’s just a rash, it will subside in a couple of days.” He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the fading red rash on his forearm. He looked down at it, his voice tinged with fatigue.
“You’ve traveled a long way, sit down and have some tea first, don’t tire yourself out.”
His words sounded caring, yet each one was subtly laced with hidden meaning.
Xue Sui noticed Xue Yuechen’s shifting gaze, her lips curved into a faint smile, and she thanked him calmly.
Consort Zhang, however, felt a lump in her throat upon hearing this, her eyes reddening further.
“Your Highness, I heard that Sister Ping An has excellent medical skills… It’s inconvenient for a medical officer to examine this rash of mine, so perhaps Sister Ping An could examine me…”
Xue Sui looked up, meeting Consort Zhang’s tear-filled apricot eyes.
“I am willing to help the Consort.”
Her expression unchanged, she walked slowly to Consort Zhang’s side, looking at the cluster of red rashes on her neck, her brow furrowing slightly.
Clearly, her symptoms were much more severe than Li Huan’s.
No wonder Li Huan wasn’t worried…
“Consort, do not worry, it may be a wind-itch condition, likely caused by heat in the blood combined with dampness…”
Xue Sui looked at the prescription previously given by the medical officer, did not question it, nor did she ask too many questions. She made the same diagnosis as the medical officer and then asked Xiao Zhao to take out a box of pale jade-colored ointment with a faint mint scent from the medicine box.
“This is an anti-itch cream I obtained from a traveling physician, a prescription I personally concocted. Grandmother found it very effective before. If Consort does not mind, perhaps you could try it…”
Her tone was clearly sincere.
Consort Zhang glanced at Li Huan, her lacquered fingernails digging deeply into her palm, and then began to cry again.
“Thank you, Sister Ping An, for the medicine.”
She was already delicate and beautiful, and her tear-filled eyes made Li Huan frown, and even Xue Sui felt a pang of sympathy.
“It is merely a skin ailment, please relax and recuperate. Why is the Consort so distressed?”
Consort Zhang clutched her handkerchief to cover her face, wiping her eyes with a bitter smile, her voice choked, “Sister Ping An, my elder brother has been foolish and may implicate the entire Zhang family… As a woman, I have no other recourse but to hope Your Highness will show mercy…”
A startled bird suddenly flew past outside the window, dislodging a few dry leaves.
Li Huan suddenly interrupted, “Go back for now. Your brother’s matter will be judged accordingly.”
Xue Sui understood everything in her heart.
Seeing Li Huan’s softened attitude, Consort Zhang knelt down again.
“Your Highness, please be discerning. My elder brother has always been timid, how could he dare to collude with the Xizi barbarians?”
She clutched Li Huan’s sleeve as she knelt, tears soaking a patch of her crimson underskirt, “It must be that the Crown Prince has been misled by false accusations, provoked and deceived by villains…”
Li Huan’s expression darkened, “The Eastern Palace intercepted him this morning. Your intelligence is quite swift…”
Consort Zhang’s throat tightened slightly, and she dared not say more, only stating that she was acting on her father’s instructions, and that her maternal home was in chaos because of her brother.
Seeing her like this, Li Huan sighed and softened his tone.
“Since the Crown Prince is investigating, there are imperial laws. If your brother is guilty, no one can save him. If he is innocent, the Crown Prince will naturally clear his name…”
Consort Zhang was unwilling to accept this, but she knew Li Huan’s character well and dared not say more. She could only curtsy, her eyes red and tearful, and withdrew with Cui Zhi.
Xue Sui watched coldly, sighing inwardly.
Li Huan was usually indifferent and distant to others, but he showed more patience towards this Consort Zhang…
Perhaps men pity weak women? He was clearly itching to the point where his fingers trembled, yet he patiently and gently comforted Consort Zhang. If it were Xue Yuechen or herself, he would have likely scowled and left in a huff…
She silently slipped a box of ointment from the medicine box into Xue Yuechen’s hand. Just as she was about to take her leave, Li Huan said:
“Ping An, stay. Everyone else, withdraw.”
Xue Yuechen was slightly taken aback, “Your Highness?”
Li Huan looked at her, “I have something to say to Ping An.”
“Yes.” She lowered her eyes and gathered her sleeves. Though her fingertips were tightly gripping her silk handkerchief, she maintained a proper smile.
“Sister, I will return to my room first. Have the kitchen prepare some food. When you are done, come to Ying Yue Residence, and we can chat.”
Xue Sui nodded, watching her leave, then turned and sat down diagonally opposite Li Huan.
“May I ask why Your Highness wishes for me to stay…”
“You will apply the medicine for me…” Li Huan extended his arm, his sleeve rolled up to his elbow, revealing the red rash on his forearm.
“Yes.”
Xue Sui lowered her eyes and curtsied, taking the medicine bottle from the table. She then took out a bamboo slice, smoothed and rounded at the end, from the medicine box. She bent down slightly, scraped some ointment with the bamboo slice, and evenly applied it to Li Huan’s reddened skin.
Her fingertip inadvertently brushed against his skin, and he trembled slightly.
But Li Huan did not move. Instead, he pulled his sleeve up further, revealing more of the rash-covered skin…
Xue Sui seemed unfazed, as calm as the ink bamboo on the celadon vase on the desk.
The autumn wind outside rustled against the window paper…
In the silence, Li Huan gazed at her serene eyebrows, a hint of daze in his eyes.
Her eyes were captivating, like a clear mountain spring. Who could know the hidden corners within?
Li Huan’s heart stirred, and he suddenly grasped her wrist.
“The evidence of Minister Zhang colluding with the enemy, was it you who gave it to Minister Xue?”
His voice was gentle and soft, not like an interrogation, but like a casual chat between old friends, with a hint of imperceptible helplessness.
“Forgive my ignorance, I do not understand what Your Highness means?”
Xue Sui withdrew her hand, applied the ointment to the rash, and said indifferently, “I live in the inner chambers and am truly unaware of how the Ministry of Justice handles cases. If Your Highness has doubts, perhaps you should ask my father directly…”
Li Huan suddenly chuckled, leaning towards her, his breath brushing her cheek.
“You are quite good at playing dumb? If not for the informants at Old Mausoleum Swamp, how would Lord Xue have received the news?”
A wisp of Sukhothai incense wafted past her nose, mixed with an indescribable undercurrent.
His palm was burning hot, the rash had spread to his wrist bone. Xue Sui could feel his pulse beating rapidly beneath the thin skin.
This proximity was extremely intimate.
Xue Sui suddenly felt the ointment on her fingertips burn, causing a fine sweat to break out on the back of her neck.
“Tell me, how many chess pieces has Old Mausoleum Swamp planted in Shangjing?”
“Didn’t Your Highness consult Mister Qiu last time? Did he not give you the answer you wanted?” Xue Sui looked up and met his gaze, smiling and retorting, “Since Your Highness suspects me so much, why not imprison me and interrogate me thoroughly?”
They looked into each other’s eyes, a sharp edge brewing beneath the surface.
Neither of them looked away first.
The atmosphere was stretched to its limit, as if some dormant sharpness was about to break through the earth.
Suddenly, a clamorous sound was heard.
“Second Brother, Second Brother…”
“County Princess, His Highness is in a meeting, you cannot go in…”
The guard Xiang Yang and two maids tried to stop Princess Ruihe, coaxing her.
Princess Ruihe paid no attention, flicked her sleeves, and barged forward.
“Hurry and announce me, I have an urgent matter for His Highness.”
Li Huan’s brow furrowed tightly. He did not release Xue Sui’s hand, but instead tightened his grip slightly, pulling her closer, and said in a deep voice, “Let her in.”
Xue Sui smoothly sat down on the embroidered stool, raising an eyebrow with a faint smile.
“Does Your Highness wish to infect me with the rash?”
“Don’t move!” Before Li Huan could finish speaking, Ruihe lifted the curtain and entered.
Dressed in a smoke-pink woven brocade jacket and skirt, which reflected the candlelight with a jade-like purity, she burst in to see Li Huan and Xue Sui sitting opposite each other, the scent of medicine filling the air, an ambiguous warmth washing over her. She felt as if she had been doused with a bucket of cold water, the heat that had just ignited in her eyes instantly chilling.
Clearly, her arrival was ill-timed.
