Chapter 58 Leaving the Palace

The palace maid only thought this in her heart; she did not dare to voice it out loud. After all, this person was by Wen Qiao’s side and came directly from the Empress Dowager’s palace. Coupled with the fact that Xiao Yunshu and Wen Qiao were on very good terms, should she displease Wen Qiao, it was inevitable that Xiao Yunshu would later reprimand her.

Furthermore, Dai Qiao had only fetched a stool because she was worried Xiao Yunshu would grow tired from standing, which was hardly a major issue. Swallowing her thoughts back down, the young maid kept her eyes fixed on Wen Qiao’s hands, pretending she had seen nothing at all.

As Xiao Yunshu generally brought only her personal attendant when going out, there were a total of seven people in the room now—neither too many nor too few.

Had they been in a normal-sized room, having seven people stand here might have felt slightly cramped. However, this was Xiao Jingheng’s quarters, which were so sparse they contained only a bed, a table, two chairs, and a modest wardrobe. There was still ample room for people to stand.

With Xiao Jingheng currently lying prone on the bed, the space appeared even more open.

Utterly focused, Wen Qiao had not noticed the others arriving behind her.

It was only when she gently pinched and extracted the final silver needle that she let out a sigh of relief.

"Third Senior Cousin’s condition is not severely problematic. It was simply a sudden surge of suppressed anger that stirred the dormant poison within his body, resulting in the vomiting of blood. Fortunately, the situation is relatively stable, and there is no risk of any major accidents. However, Third Senior Cousin must remember that such episodes must never happen again. You are presently in the most critical stage of detoxification. If another surge of qi and blood accelerates the toxic flow, the poison will only become vastly more difficult to eradicate. Please spare this younger cousin some trouble, Third Senior Cousin; I truly have no wish to repeat procedures even more arduous than the previous ones."

As she spoke, Wen Qiao’s tone carried a hint of teasing.

Hearing her words, Nanny Zhao also breathed a sigh of relief, glad that Xiao Jingheng was not in any grave danger.

Yet, only moments ago, Xiao Jingheng had still been trying to stop her, unwilling to let her trouble Wen Qiao. Had Wen Qiao not come over just now, and had Xiao Jingheng simply endured it with that frail body of his, goodness knows when he might have recovered! Fortunately, Wen Qiao’s miraculous medical skills had successfully suppressed the poison within him.

In truth, Wen Qiao had not even brought her medicine chest when she first arrived. Her original intention had merely been to take his pulse and assess his specific condition. Who could have imagined that Xiao Jingheng would somehow manage to procure a set of silver needles through his own channels?

Although the needles were rather crude, the sterilization and preparatory steps had been executed thoroughly, prompting Wen Qiao to inwardly admire his meticulousness.

Had Xiao Jingheng pursued medicine, he undoubtedly would have made an exceptional talent.

Only now did Wen Qiao appear to notice that Xiao Yunshu and the others had arrived, and she hastily greeted her friend.

"When did you arrive? I didn’t hear a sound. By the way, didn’t I send Dai Qiao to give you word? Why did you run over here in person? It is scorching hot outside; running all the way here must be terribly tiring. Wouldn’t it have been better to simply wait so we could go out and stroll together later?"

The morning classes at the Imperial Academy had already concluded. For them to head over now would undeniably constitute being late, while choosing not to go at all would be playing truant.

Wen Qiao, however, was in a rather flexible position. She had attended classes rather infrequently in recent days, and since she was not a princess, she was naturally not bound by the strict constraints of the palace consorts.

Xiao Yunshu, on the other hand, was kept under a tight leash by Emperor Xiao Zheng regarding her studies. Because Xiao Yunshu was usually undisciplined and spent her days climbing trees and plundering bird nests like a wild boy, she would do practically anything as long as it kept her from reading.

Though she appeared poised and graceful on the surface, in private she was nothing short of a wild little monkey. Fortunately, very few people had ever witnessed her true self, allowing her to maintain a pristine public image.

Yet Xiao Zheng was well aware of her true nature, and he inevitably felt a lingering headache concerning his most cherished daughter. Unable to beat her and unwilling to scold her, he could only rein in Xiao Yunshu’s behavior by frequently administering pop quizzes on her lessons.

Yet today, Xiao Yunshu had skipped the Imperial Academy without a word of warning. Fearing that she would inevitably face another reprimand from Xiao Zheng, Wen Qiao could not help but let a touch of schadenfreude color her tone, causing Xiao Yunshu to curl her lips in a pout.

"I know, but I haven’t seen Third Imperial Brother in many days, so I thought I would come and check on him. A few days ago, I heard that Third Imperial Brother was poisoned from the womb, and I could hardly believe it. I never imagined such a ruthless poison truly existed in this world—one that could be transmitted to an unborn child through the mother. It has truly opened my eyes. As it happens, this princess has brought quite a few nourishing remedies for Third Imperial Brother! Xueling, go have the two chests outside brought in."

Though Xiao Yunshu had brought only a single palace maid, Xueling, when leaving her quarters, a retinue of junior eunuchs followed behind her.

Although she had not left the palace confines, a princess's procession could not be lacking in grandeur. Yet, despite her arrogant and willful disposition, Xiao Yunshu disliked pointless pageantry and waste. Therefore, aside from Xueling, she traveled only with a few junior eunuchs whose sole purpose was to carry her sedan chair.

Even so, she preferred to walk on her own two feet most of the time, disliking the jolting motion of the sedan chair. Yet if she did not bring an entourage, Noble Consort Cheng would simply remain perpetually fretful, constantly worrying that her precious daughter would grow tired or weary outside. Terrified that her beloved child might suffer the slightest grievance, the consort might otherwise have refused to let her cross the threshold of Chengfu Palace.

With no other choice, Xiao Yunshu had resigned herself to traveling with an escort.

She found it all quite bothersome.

"You are certainly thoughtful. I have been here several times and never thought to bring Third Senior Cousin any nourishing tonics, yet the moment you arrived, you had this in mind," Wen Qiao teased with a smile.

Xiao Yunshu’s delicate face instantly flushed crimson, making her look utterly adorable.

"How can I compare to you, Elder Sister Qiao? Sister Qiao coming here to cure Third Senior Cousin is already the greatest restorative tonic he could ask for. Whatever I am doing is merely adding flowers to brocade upon the foundation Sister Qiao has already laid. Sister Qiao is the one providing charcoal in the snowy winter!"

Being praised thus actually made Xiao Yunshu somewhat bashful—the very first time Wen Qiao had ever witnessed shyness on her face.

Catching Xiao Yunshu licking her lips, scratching her head, and offering a foolish, honest smile, Wen Qiao could not help but burst into a laugh.

"Look at you, actually knowing the phrase 'providing charcoal in the snowy winter.'"

"Elder Sister Qiao! I really am going to be angry now!"

Both young maidens were brimming with vitality, seemingly breathing a sudden burst of life into this bleak, desolate courtyard.

Leaning against the head of the bed, Xiao Jingheng watched the two girls smiling and bantering with a gentle gaze. Whatever pleasant thoughts crossed his mind, his eyes remained remarkably calm and serene.

"Thank you, Sixth Imperial Sister, for still keeping me in mind. I am quite well."

Wen Qiao had never closely examined Xiao Jingheng’s appearance before. Observing his soft smile now, she suddenly realized that he was actually quite handsome. It was simply that his features were usually overshadowed by the other imperial princes, and combined with his naturally frail and slender build, it was entirely normal that no one had ever paid attention to his looks.

"Since everything is fine here, I will take Sixth Younger Cousin to stroll around the capital. If Third Senior Cousin needs anything, you can tell me, and I will bring it back for you together."

Wen Qiao was now a veritable little heiress. Though she had left untouched the treasures bestowed upon her by the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager frequently slipped her generous amounts of silver, fearing the girl might feel hard done by. Right now, Wen Qiao carried over three hundred taels of silver notes in her pouch alone. Going out to wander and purchase items from roadside stalls would cost at most a few taels, as external goods were exceptionally inexpensive.

Moreover, she had nowhere special to spend money, save for buying small trinkets or sampling various street foods, which amounted to a negligible sum.

"Thank you, Cousin, but I lack for nothing at present. Should I truly have a need, I will certainly inform you, and I only hope Cousin will not find me troublesome then."

Xiao Jingheng smiled as he spoke. His complexion was indeed healthier and more ruddy than it had been a few days prior—whether due to improved meals over the past two days or the ongoing detoxification, he undeniably looked much better than before.

Recalling that the Emperor had previously mentioned sending someone to check on him, Wen Qiao wondered if the task had been carried out.

She paused to reflect, but having heard no news of it, she decided to probe Xiao Jingheng directly.

Yet it was awkward to ask too bluntly; should the Emperor truly have neglected to send anyone, it might only invite unnecessary disappointment.

"By the way, Third Senior Cousin, has the fare from the Imperial Kitchen improved these past two days? Your complexion looks much better."

Wen Qiao phrased her inquiry with subtle tact, avoiding a direct question about whether the Emperor had dispatched an envoy. By hinting at it indirectly, she figured she could easily deduce whether the Emperor had taken any action.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, the smile on Xiao Jingheng’s face deepened slightly before he softly replied to Wen Qiao:

"Yesterday, Imperial Father sent someone to inquire. The palace maids and eunuchs realized that Imperial Father has once again turned his attention toward me, so naturally they no longer dare to treat me with casual perfunctoriness as they did before. Still, the toll of so many years cannot be undone in a day or two; my improved health is largely thanks to the detoxification treatment provided by Cousin. I must thank you once more, Cousin. Without you, how could Imperial Father ever have spared a thought for me?"

Hearing this, Wen Qiao felt half her worries evaporate.

Fortunately, the Emperor had not completely forgotten the matter. Given the countless affairs demanding the sovereign's attention daily, had he forgotten, she would have had no idea how to gently remind him. It was a relief to know the Emperor still harbored some vestige of paternal concern for this son.

With this thought, Wen Qiao smiled as well.

Since she had chosen to assist Xiao Jingheng, she might as well see the task through to the end—treating it as casting a wide net to see which candidate ultimately possessed the qualifications to ascend the dragon throne.

Wen Qiao naturally possessed a slightly heroic and striking facial bone structure. When she smiled now, however, it imparted an unexpected softness to her features, a comforting sight for anyone who beheld her.

"I merely served as a messenger. It is Uncle who holds Third Senior Cousin in his heart; otherwise, anything I might have said would have been to no avail. Third Senior Cousin need not be so courteous with me—I merely dropped a casual remark."

Unwilling to be seen as leveraging a favor for repayment, Wen Qiao spoke with casual lightness.

Xiao Jingheng only smiled, continuing to express his gratitude to Wen Qiao for putting in a good word for him before the Emperor.

Whether Wen Qiao acknowledged it or not, he knew for a fact that the Emperor would never have remembered him without her intervention.

It was perhaps better that Wen Qiao refused to take credit; it kept him from feeling indebted, and he reflected inwardly that her modest, low-profile nature was truly an admirable quality.

"The hour is growing late. We should prepare to head out of the palace. Sixth Younger Cousin, shall we go together? We will no longer disturb Third Senior Cousin here. Is there any lingering discomfort, Third Senior Cousin? While I am still within the palace, let me examine you once more."

Since she had long since agreed to spend the afternoon wandering the city with Xiao Yunshu, and with her companion waiting right beside her, Wen Qiao could hardly leave Xiao Yunshu standing around idly. Besides, she genuinely wanted to go out and take a proper stroll.

Having spent the previous days cooped up in the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility without a chance to leave, and having rushed briefly back to the Marquis's residence yesterday only to find herself pressed for time with barely any packing done, she looked forward to roaming the streets with Xiao Yunshu today. It would be a fine opportunity to further deepen their bond.

Xiao Yunshu was an exceptionally warm and sincere young girl; spending time in her company talking and walking always lifted Wen Qiao’s spirits.

Assured by Xiao Jingheng that he felt no further discomfort, Wen Qiao nodded in farewell, leading the skipping, bouncing Xiao Yunshu away with her.

"Though I long knew Elder Sister Qiao was skilled in medicine, I never imagined you were this formidable—even the poison in Third Imperial Brother's body could be neutralized by your hands! Now whenever I have a mere headache or fever, I won't even need to summon the imperial physicians. Sister Qiao can simply take my pulse, have a look, and prescribe a remedy, and recovery will be guaranteed!"

Thrilled by Wen Qiao's incredible capability, Xiao Yunshu could not help but express her genuine happiness for her friend.

Hearing this, Wen Qiao reached out to lightly flick the girl’s nose, feeling both exasperated and amused. With an indulgent smile, she retorted:

"You are exaggerating wildly. Besides, who ever hopes to suffer from headaches or fevers in their daily life? Naturally, everyone prefers to remain healthy and sound. Furthermore, these are merely modest tricks of mine; there are many physicians in the imperial service whose medical expertise far surpasses mine, accumulated through years of experience. I have only studied for a few years, whereas those practitioners have dedicated their entire lives to research, making them far more proficient in certain areas. My initial training happened to focus heavily on poisons and the like; when it comes to the genuine art of healing and saving lives, those imperial physicians are still superior. And another thing, you must always take good care of your own health. After all, every medicine carries a degree of toxicity; even when you fall ill, you must never casually consume drugs at random. Moreover, do you imagine that medicinal treatments swallowed into your belly only cure your affliction without leaving any trace elsewhere?"