The Slender Waist-Chapter 121 - 94: The Incurable Poison

Arriving at the entrance to Feng Yun’s estate, the ox cart came to a halt.

Xiang Zhong lifted the curtain and stretched out his hand to assist Chunyu Yan, but there was no movement from inside for a long while.

Feng Yun glanced at the purple brocade curtains and feigned surprise as she asked,

"Has the Princely Heir’s poison been resolved, or is it not getting any better?"

Chunyu Yan coughed lightly twice. His face, concealed by a mask, showed no signs of his complexion, but his soft, doughy lips were slightly pale. Seeing Feng Yun’s face, his lips immediately pursed in cold firmness.

"Looking at that smug look on your face, Feng Twelve, are you hoping that I’ll die?"

This chilly voice, it sounds like he’s low on breath, doesn’t it?

Feng Yun did not want to argue with a sick person, let alone irritate the golden goose to death.

She stood elegantly and pointed next door.

"Princely Heir, Doctor Yao’s house is right over there..."

Chunyu Yan did not look at Feng Yun’s pointing hand but instead at her wide-open estate gate. After observing for a moment, he nodded with satisfaction.

"Then I’ll wait for him inside your estate."

He casually commanded, "Sang Jiao, go invite Doctor Yao."

Sang Jiao responded and left.

Feng Yun looked at Chunyu Yan, who was clearly expecting an invitation to enter.

"Not being very polite, is the Princely Heir?"

Chunyu Yan’s eyes crinkled at the corners, revealing a gentle smile laced with ill intent.

"Feng Twelve, you no longer want graphite?"

As their gazes met.

The Crown Prince Chunyu’s eyes were sharp like a venomous snake baring its fangs, capturing the heart in an instant, and the longer one looked, the more lingering the intent felt.

Fearing that he would light up the air if she kept looking, Feng Yun quickly turned away her face, smiling and beckoning.

"Princely Heir, please come inside."

The estate was tidied up neatly; Chunyu Yan walked with a superior air as if somewhat disdainful. Each step he took exuded a gloomy and terrifying presence, causing the servants inside to step back at the sight of him, satisfying him at last.

Seated in the West Hall, he asked in a leisurely manner,

"I hear you’re not planning to return to the General Residence?"

Feng Yun glanced at him.

She had wanted to say it was none of his business, but considering they were going to be business partners, she simply acknowledged with a hum.

Chunyu Yan asked, "Why not return?"

Perhaps it was the illness speaking, but Feng Yun felt that Chunyu Yan’s voice today was unusually gentle, each tone laced with a beguiling fragrance. It was dangerously enchanting and not at all normal.

Suppressing her feelings, she chuckled lightly, "Too many constraints, it’s more comfortable here in the estate."

Chunyu Yan grunted, the corners of his mouth curved into a hook. Whether he believed her or not was unclear, but his eyes shone brighter than before and he seemed more spirited, not at all like someone who had been on the brink of death from poisoning and had fought desperately for survival.

"And in the future? Will you live here?"

That gaze was light and unfocused, showing no concern, but rather seemed to be harboring malicious intent.

Feng Yun furrowed her brows and asked, "Does the Princely Heir have any advice?"

Chunyu Yan smiled faintly.

"Without Pei Wangzhi’s protection, how will you, a woman, manage to live? Feng Twelve, why don’t you ask for my help and see if I, the Princely Heir, will be moved by compassion to take you in?"

What a proud tsundere!

Feigning kindness.

Feng Yun cursed in her heart but kept her face full of warm smiles.

"Thank you for your kind intentions, Princely Heir, but right now, the people hoping I will take them in are lined up all the way to the entrance of Huaxi Village. I’m afraid I’m too busy to ask for your help..."

Chunyu Yan cynically snorted but did not speak.

Outside the West Hall, a report came, "Princely Heir, Doctor Yao has arrived."

Chunyu Yan glanced at the silent and smiling Feng Yun, "Let him in."

Doctor Yao had heard that a distinguished guest had come for a medical consultation, and being an old acquaintance of the Village Chief’s wife from Changmen Village, he came over with his medicine chest, bringing his oldest son along in a serious manner.

Chunyu Yan did not move from his seat.

Doctor Yao knelt beside him.

"Young Master, please raise your arm."

Chunyu Yan slowly rolled up his sleeve to reveal a section of his well-defined snow-white wrist and leisurely placed it on the pulse pillow.

Doctor Yao placed his fingers on the pulse, pondered for a moment, then glanced at him again.

"Please switch to your right hand."

Chunyu Yan complied and put his right hand on the pillow.

After Doctor Yao carefully took the pulse again, he let out a breath and smiled.

"The Young Master is in good health, just suffering from some liver-induced fire and phlegmatic heat due to the deficiency of yin, likely caused by unease in sleep and diet. There’s no need for prescription or further diagnosis, a few days of rest should suffice..."

He did not notice any change in the patient’s expression while he was speaking.

Because the mask nearly completely obscured Chunyu Yan’s emotions, only his ominously dark eyes were visible, a bit frightening.

On his side, Xiang Zhong was incessantly giving meaningful glances and then started coughing heavily.

"Doctor Yao, my master has been poisoned with the ’Crane Feather Shocking Swan’ toxin, his life hanging by a thread, barely saved from the edge of death. How could he possibly be perfectly fine after just a couple days’ rest?"

Doctor Yao looked at him, puzzled.

Is there a patient who doesn’t hope for a complete recovery?

Seeing that he didn’t make a sound, Xiang Zhong laughed again, "Having heard that Doctor Yao’s medical skills are unparalleled, let’s prescribe a formula for my son as you suggested, to nurture and recuperate. That will be good."

Doctor Yao wanted to say something, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he met Xiang Zhong’s stern gaze, and thus, he swallowed his words.

"Yes, yes, yes. A little nurturing will indeed do good."

After all, the prescription he would write couldn’t kill a person.

Doctor Yao silently went to write the prescription.

Feng Yun sat by his side and, seeing the situation, asked, "As for the matter of Graphite, I wonder how the Princely Heir has considered it..."

"Cough cough! Cough cough cough..."

Chunyu Yan started coughing lowly again.

Once he started, it seemed like he couldn’t stop.

Feng Yun had no choice but to interrupt what she was saying before, ordering tea and water to be brought to him and tending to him as if he were an ancestor.

"Does the Princely Heir feel better now?"

Chunyu Yan took a sip of tea.

Glancing at her, he seemed somewhat surprised, then lowered his head to savor another sip.

"Lotus in the tea, a unique and serene fragrance. Good tea."

Feng Yun smiled slightly and was about to talk about Graphite again when Xiaoman hurried up, bowed towards Feng Yun,

"My lady, Sister Jiang Yin is outside and says she has something urgent to see you about."

Ever since Feng Yun had moved all her belongings from the General Residence to Huaxi Village, she more or less severed connections with that household.

From that moment, she no longer governed over the concubines bestowed by the Empress Dowager.

But Nan Kui, Chai Ying, Jiang Yin and others still followed her to Huaxi Village.

Feng Yun did not drive them away.

The rules were in place; as long as they worked, they got to eat.

Day in and day out, these concubines performed all kinds of tasks within their capabilities. Feng Yun did not force them, they remained well-behaved, and life was stable and peaceful.

Feng Yun didn’t know what business Jiang Yin had with her.

Glancing at Chunyu Yan and seeing that he had no reaction, she nodded to Xiaoman.

"Let her come in."

Jiang Yin was the one whom Xiaoman referred to as "the most beautiful woman apart from the lady herself," usually quiet, diligent, not gossipy, which made her hard to dislike.

Therefore, Jiang Yin was very popular in the village.

Feng Yun’s dealings with her had been limited, but they were always cordial.

Xiaoman went down to pass the message, and soon Jiang Yin came in.

She had a delicate yet fragile looking small face, that kind of gentle and pretty beauty, seemingly averse to rouge and powder, dressed in a lotus-smoke colored silk skirt, she moved with grace and charm like a fairy rising from the water, attracting softness in one’s heart with just a glance. Compared to Feng Yun’s sharp look, her gaze was distinctly different.

"My respects to you, madam." Jiang Yin, perhaps realizing there was a male guest present, lifted her sleeve to cover half of her face, walked over gracefully, and bowed slightly.

"I wish to ask for a two-day leave."

Feng Yun asked, "What for?"

She asked out of pure concern.

After all, Jiang Yin lived in the village, and given the troubled times outside, Feng Yun would feel uneasy if anything happened to her.

Unexpectedly, at that question, Jiang Yin’s eyes reddened.

"My parents and younger brother sought refuge and made their way to Andu City, begging and finding their way to the General Residence, asking about me..."

Her voice choked up, "I wish to visit them."

Feng Yun paused, "Where are they now?"

Jiang Yin shook her head, "Today, Xing Bing went into the city and encountered a manager from the General Residence who informed me about them. The manager said that upon learning I was no longer there, they did not inquire further and left on their own. Presumably, they’re still in Andu City. I would like to go and search for them..."

Feng Yun pondered for a moment, "Alright, I’ll have Xing Bing send a few people to accompany you."

Jiang Yin’s nose tingled with emotion as she bowed towards Feng Yun.

"Thank you, madam."

She was a bit anxious and got ready to leave right after bowing. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Unexpectedly, Crown Prince Chunyu, who had been sitting idle on the side, suddenly spoke up.

"Wait—"

Feng Yun looked over, her brows slightly furrowed.

Chunyu Yan’s gaze was fixed on Jiang Yin.

Jiang Yin too seemed taken aback that the noble on the dais would suddenly call to her; she turned around slowly, looked at Feng Yun first, then poised her body gracefully to bow.

"Did you call for me, Princely Heir?"

She still half-covered her face with her sleeve, demonstrating the reserve expected in the presence of men from outside the family.

Her posture continued to be demurely angled away from Chunyu Yan.

Chunyu Yan watched her for a long time, allowing her to maintain that pose, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed, seemingly deep in thought.

Jiang Yin didn’t dare to move, just waiting like that.

After a while, Chunyu Yan smiled faintly.

"Remove your sleeve, let me have a look."