Chapter 32 (2/2)

His gaze grew increasingly soft as his hands reached behind and around my shoulders to tenderly stroke my hair. “When I return, I’ll tell them they can’t starve you.”

“It’s not their fault. I accidentally slept until noon so of course there was nothing left to eat.”

He gave a start, thoughts swirling as he looked at me again. “Fang Hua sure treats you well…”

I peered at the cloth bag with a stupid grin on my face. “Where do you think he dug up that gold powder from?”

He seriously considered the question, falling silent for quite a while before answering honestly. “I was just trying to figure out why the gold walls in His Majesty’s quarters looked so damaged…”

I was speechless. Fang Hua really was uncomplicated when it came to doing things. After burping, I took the chance to weigh the bag’s items in my hands to estimate their worth.

“Did you eat your fill? Hn…” he scooted over, asking quietly.

I continued as before, stuffing the bag into his arms before giving him a simple-minded smile. “The things from the imperial palace really are tasty, so just bring the leftovers to my house. It’s hard to hide these things when I’m living with him…that’s right,” I slowly moved closer to Nongyu and added softly, “Buried beneath the third Wutong tree in the backyard is a jar of fine wine. Just say that I asked you to bring it to yifu.”

“When you open your mouth, it’s always yifu. When have you ever thought of me…?”

I laughed in spite of myself, pulling up a sprig of dog-tailed gra.s.s[1] to wave back and forth. “If there’s anything you want over there, just take it yourself.”

“I’m afraid you can’t afford to give me what I want.” Suddenly, the hand around my shoulders tightened as he pulled me into his lap. My eyes widened, and a rain of flowers flew into the air to float about us…as my head sank into the flowering plants, propped up by his hand. He was smiling as he leaned over and whispered gently by my ear, “I want you…”

I narrowed my eyes and looked at him. His gaze seemed to be seven parts joking and three parts serious, a certain banter showing itself through the unrestrained tenderness of his romantic charms.

I raised my hand and quietly touched his face, dumbfounded for a long while. “…why are you so handsome?” Not just handsome, but thick-skinned as well. How could you say such fraudulent words to a virgin girl in broad daylight?

He smiled, holding my hand to his face very comfortably as he gazed at me in rapt attention. Softly he asked, “So you’re pleased with my looks? You like them immensely?”

This was some top-tier stuff… I’ve never seen anyone so shameless.

“Un. Your words aren’t wrong, you’re exceedingly handsome.” I stroked him some more before pinching him. He actually closed his eyes as if he enjoyed it. After a few seconds, I gave him a sidelong glance and concluded, “Hard to tell, but it’s probably one of your face masks.”

He seized up before reacting, his expression completely dark. Rolling aside, he drew himself up and gave an embarra.s.sed smile. “You really know how to ruin the mood.”

I kept my head lowered to dust off my robes, speaking casually. “You’ve already had your joke, so it’s time to get serious. Which medicinal ingredient are you missing that you have to look for at my house? Is the emperor’s illness still treatable?”

He lifted his eyes to look at me. “What if I said it’s all very official business?” His tone was light before he finally spoke with a grin. “Between everyone else under Heaven, only you would reject me like this.”

I stilled. His face drew near to gaze fixedly at me, the pupils lit with a depressing air that resembled pale moonlight. It was as if I’d done him a great wrong.

A sham…this was all a sham. I told myself secretly, but that couldn’t ward off the handsome man. His stare made me lose my bearings as he silently crept closer, a hand resting on my shoulder as he suddenly stole a kiss from my face.

I blinked a few times before I could react. The sensation vanished just as quickly, leaving a coolness behind when he pulled away his lips. His eyelashes hid his gaze as he turned away, using a hand to prop up his head to stare at me anew. I touched my face and looked at him doubtfully. His eyes were particularly bright.

So much for that hint of anxiety from before….I’d gotten tricked again.

Curses!

“Y-y-you, just wait…!” I bent down and started grabbing poisons from my sleeves.

See if I don’t poison you!

He held me still, waving an index finger impressively. “I wasn’t taking advantage of you. That kiss was a token to pledge my love. Who knew you would wear this face mask every day? Each time I see it, I feel so touched that I can’t control myself.”

I couldn’t speak. How else could I infiltrate the palace without wearing this mask? When did it become a love pledge token?

You’re trying to con me again, huh?

That’s right, this dear friend of mine was trying to change the topic. I caught his sleeve and pulled tight. “Why has the emperor’s illness dragged on for so long? Is it still curable?” If it was difficult, then what was the point? Better to take yifu home instead.

“Affairs of the world are hard to ascertain. Many things aren’t as simple as you think,” he smiled a bit. “Actually, it’s not hard to cure at all…besides, Fang Hua’s here, isn’t he?”

I smiled briefly, but didn’t speak. Just from my observations these past few days… There were no problems with Fang Hua’s prescription, but the results were like that…whether or not the real medicine even ended up in the emperor’s stomach was hard to say.

“You can say what you like,” he gradually withdrew his smile, picking up his loose clothing to recover his respectable appearance. His gaze was gentle and soft. “Even if you’re full of ideas, your thoughts are written all over your face. It’s rare to find such a simple person.”

I only forced a smile, lightly rapping his shoulder. “What’s up with you today? You’re acting a bit off.”

“Perhaps, but you should listen to my advice.” The laughter in his eyes was replaced with sincerity. His gaze was brilliant. “No matter what you see or hear inside the palace, don’t say anything publicly. It won’t do you any favors.”

I looked at him, completely uncomprehending.

He laughed like the first time I met him, virtuous and sagely, his expression considerate and cordial. “The complexities of the court are ever s.h.i.+fting. It’s hard to read people’s hearts. I don’t know if I should allow you to continue living here, this choice might’ve been a mistake from the start…”

His hand stroked my hair.

“Shao’er, listen to me. You’re not suited for this place.”

I wasn’t used to this. I grew familiar with his dishonest self, but this was the first time he was using such time and energy to advise me. Without even including the strange behaviors of the eunuchs who prepared the emperor’s medicine, his single line here made it seem that a major crisis was imminent at court.

“No more chitchat, it’s already getting late,” he stood up, not even bothering to shake the bits of gra.s.s from his robes. “Although this is a fine steed, it’ll still take me over half a day to run back and forth from Fang Hua’s house.”

“You finally remembered that someone’s waiting for you to fetch medicine, huh.”

His lips quirked as he mounted the horse, pausing before he spoke. “Suppose the emperor got well, what would you do afterward?”

I raised my eyes to stare at him. “I want to stay with yifu. Where he goes, I’ll follow.”

He smiled, bending down to look at me beneath the sunlight. “I have vast holdings of fertile land and numerous residences. My acc.u.mulated properties aren’t flimsy at all. Moreover…” he drew nearer, as if discussing business. “I have no parents nor siblings, and I’ve yet to marry. Do you want to give me some consideration?”

— [Original & most up to date translations for this series can be found on volaretranslations.]

“Imperial Physician Nong, if you don’t leave now…I’m afraid the emperor’s body won’t hold out much longer to take your medicine.”

The horse seemed impatient as well as it s.h.i.+fted from side to side. He held the reins and gave me a smile. “Shao’er, you have to remember my words.” In the end, that smile was filled with deep meaning and urged one to think things over. Before I could react, he whipped his horse and left, leaving me with a face full of dust.

Pah…

After spitting, I stood stupefied. Something didn’t seem right, but I couldn’t figure out what until some time had pa.s.sed. Grr, seriously…to think one way and act another…

Using those words to describe him was way too appropriate.

Nongyu, oh Nongyu, you look so mild and gentle, but your heart was ruthless. Such a long road back, and you tossed me here…how was I going to get home?

The plants grew with no signs of human habitation. Where the heck was I? I fumbled about the boundless sea of flowers until the sunlight started to fade. I didn’t know when the setting sun starting s.h.i.+ning on my back and made everything melancholy.

A fine steed, truly worthy of its t.i.tle. When Nongyu took me captive on his horse, I was only jostled around on my stomach for a while. After I found the palace on foot and returned to Fang Hua’s quarters, it was already late at night…

-o- [Original & most up to date translations for this series can be found on volaretranslations.]

[1] dog-tailed gra.s.s (狗尾巴草) －gouweiba cao, most likely a form of Setara viridis, or wild foxtail millet.