Chapter 8: This Is the Innate Sacred Body!
The scorching, crimson mark that flowed across Ruan Qingzhu’s face was precisely what left Ying Shuo speechless.
Noticing Ying Shuo’s gaze fixed intently upon her, Ruan Qingzhu could not conceal her disappointment. Shame washing over her, she hastily replaced her veil.
Her eyes dimmed as she turned away, speaking softly, “I had no intention of frightening you, Young Master Ying. Please forgive me.”
Ah, so it is as expected—people care deeply about appearances. What does fame matter, when an innate affliction is exposed? The sensation is always one of embarrassment and unease. With this mark, to show one’s face in public is to invite the epithet of ‘ill-omened.’ It is better, then, to wear the veil.
“Ruan Sister!” Jiang Lanfen cried out, running over with concern and gently caressing Ruan Qingzhu’s cheek.
Ruan Qingzhu lowered her head and smiled faintly, signaling that she was unbothered, though the wistfulness in her gaze was impossible to hide.
“Sister Ruan, it’s nothing!” Jiang Lanfen continued to comfort her. “It only appears when the weather is hot. Once autumn and winter arrive, it disappears entirely!”
To this, Ruan Qingzhu merely smiled, saying nothing more.
Suddenly, Ying Shuo rose and inquired, “So the mark only appears when the weather is hot, or when your body is overheated?”
What?
Ruan Qingzhu believed Ying Shuo to be versed in medicine, and assumed he was using technical terms from medical texts, so she nodded.
“That’s right. It seems whenever warmth comes, the mark appears on my face.”
“This ailment has plagued me since birth. Young Master Ying, is there perhaps a cure?”
A glimmer of hope appeared on Ruan Qingzhu’s face as she carefully posed her question.
“Cure? Why cure it? It’s remarkable!” Ying Shuo replied unexpectedly, sounding exasperated.
Isn’t this an innate sacred body? The face becomes adorned with color when heated—an ill omen in ancient times, but in the modern age, it would be called nothing but extraordinary.
Remarkable!
---
“What do you mean by that, Young Master Ying?” Both Ruan Qingzhu and Jiang Lanfen were utterly bewildered by his words.
Remarkable? What kind of description was that? They had consulted countless physicians and wise men, but never had anyone described the affliction in such terms.
Ying Shuo explained, “In my homeland, what you possess is truly remarkable—unique, even. People wouldn’t ridicule you for the mark upon your face. Rather, they’d be curious.”
“And besides, the mark is so beautiful—like a rainbow from the heavens gracing the mortal realm.”
“You yourself are a beauty beyond compare; paired with the rainbow-like mark, it only enhances your allure.”
“You are an immortal maiden!”
A rainbow? Could it truly be as beautiful as the heavenly arc?
Ruan Qingzhu saw the bright, sincere admiration in Ying Shuo’s eyes—it was no mere comfort or act.
“And he called me an immortal maiden!”
“Never has a man, upon seeing my marked face, praised my beauty. I’d have settled for him not being frightened.”
Her heart fluttered like a shy fawn, her charming face flushed as if steamed, the mark at the corner of her eye becoming even more prominent.
Even Ying Shuo was tempted to reach out and touch it.
The two gazed at each other, affection brimming in their eyes. Sensing the moment, Jiang Lanfen quickly interjected.
“Young Master Ying!”
“Haha, you truly are an odd one. You must know, Sister Ruan has been troubled by this ailment for so long. During spring and summer, she cannot join us in outings or flower-viewing.”
Interrupted, Ruan Qingzhu blushed and turned away, unable to meet Ying Shuo’s gaze.
Ying Shuo could only smile awkwardly at Jiang Lanfen’s abrupt intervention.
“It’s simple. All you need is fresh bear bile powder, combined with other heat-clearing and dampness-expelling herbs. Once the innate heat in your body is neutralized, the mark will naturally fade.”
Seeing Ying Shuo’s confident stance, hands clasped behind his back, Ruan Qingzhu’s eyes sparkled with renewed hope.
“Is Young Master Ying speaking the truth?”
“Is there truly a remedy for my affliction?”
Ying Shuo nodded with certainty, “Indeed. But this is not an illness—merely an innate physical trait.”
“So, I would say there’s no need to treat it. Still, since the mark is troublesome here, whether it is erased is up to you.”
---
Naturally, Ruan Qingzhu wished to be rid of the mark upon her face.
Whenever spring and summer arrived, while her companions would go out in pairs or trios, she alone remained confined to her chambers, leaning against the window in solitude, perusing books and singing poetry.
Even in autumn and winter, she could not join in excursions, only engaging in quieter activities like exchanging poetry. Otherwise, any warmth would cause the mark to appear once more.
This was the very reason she had become the Song Queen and the manager of the Eight Treasures Pavilion at such a young age.
The mark had troubled her for years, restricting her freedom and shaping her temperament into the coldness others often described.
Her delicate head bowed, lips pressed tight, Ruan Qingzhu clasped her hands and pleaded, “I beg Young Master Ying to relieve me of this long-standing agony.”
Ying Shuo said nothing more, merely nodding and picking up a brush to write a prescription.
To have the Song Queen and manager of Eight Treasures Pavilion owe him a favor—how could that not be worthwhile?
Jiang Lanfen cheered, “Wonderful! Sister Ruan, once the mark disappears, we can travel together and explore distant lands!”
Ruan Qingzhu’s mood brightened, her brows relaxed. “Indeed, if the opportunity arises, I’d love to visit Young Master Ying’s homeland, to taste the iced crimson tea. The customs there must be enchanting.”
With that, Ruan Qingzhu took the prescription, blushing as she turned away, evidently to instruct her servants to procure the medicine.
Jiang Lanfen, lips pursed in mild protest, explained to Ying Shuo, “Young Master Ying, do you know what it means when a woman says she wishes to visit a man’s homeland?”
Upon hearing this, if Ying Shuo still failed to understand, he would truly be oblivious.
“Miss Ruan, does this mean she’s taken a liking to me?”
At this, Ying Shuo could not help but marvel—how pure and simple people were!
To offer oneself in gratitude for a cure.
With Ruan Qingzhu’s looks, demeanor, and bearing—she was flawless!
In the modern world, she would have been a lady of a noble family, the sort whose household would have a fleet of luxury cars gathering dust, and whom ordinary folk could never hope to meet.
Soon, Ruan Qingzhu returned, a shadow of worry upon her face.
Curious, Jiang Lanfen asked, “What’s wrong, Sister Ruan? Has something happened?”
Ruan Qingzhu managed a bitter smile, “I’ve asked my people—the other herbs in the prescription are manageable, but the fresh bear bile powder…”
“Black bears mostly dwell deep in the wild mountains and forests. Hunting them is extremely difficult—just entering the forest can take ten days or more, and to procure fresh bear bile is nearly impossible.”