Chapter 33: Savior, just wait obediently (2/2)
With Long Feiye here, Han Yunxi could be certain that she was okay. No matter what they said outside, she could completely ignore it and focus on treating Mu Qingwu’s poison instead.
—
Meanwhile, everyone outside was kneeling on the ground. Even Princess Changping was half-bowing without daring to look up, while the long lovestruck Mu Liuyue was kneeling in the very back, completely senseless as her eyes roved about Long Feiye like they were the only two people left on Earth. She’d long pushed everyone else and their affairs to the back of her mind. Many of the officers and bodyguards here had never seen Long Feiye in person before, but each of them trembled in fear as they lowered their heads, both excited and terrified. They all wanted to look, but didn’t dare.
This man was like a god!
Long Feiye stepped casually before the door, his tall, straight figure like a mountain etched with harsh lines. His features were cut as finely as a knife, giving him the appearance of a lofty sovereign who carried the vastness of the skies within his gaze.
“You may all rise,” he said, voice cold and unyielding. One after another, the figures rose to their feet, though most of them were too fearful to raise their heads. When Long Feiye had chased after Han Yunxi, he’d ended up watching and listening to everything from the roof until he had a rough idea of what had happened. Now his cold gaze bore through He Ze of the Northern Court. “North Court Official, when did Qin Wangfei become a fugitive? Why doesn’t your lordship know?”
He Ze of the Northern Court shivered. He met Long Feiye’s gaze and instantly lowered his head again, feeling as if he’d been plunged into an icehouse. A fugitive was someone who had already been locked up in prison. The Duke of Qin was asking him why no one had asked for his permission before capturing the person.
“To…to reply Your Highness[2] Duke of Qin, this is…this is…the arrest warrant was issued by the empress dowager.”
Princess Changping wasn’t a sufficient enough explanation, so all he could do was pile it onto the highest authority available.
“So you’re using the empress dowager to suppress your lordship?” Long Feiye’s icy tone grew three times colder.
Terrified, the North Court Official fell to his knees. “It’s a mistake, ah, a misunderstanding! Your highness, this humble official wouldn’t dare to do that even if I had a hundred heads! The situation’s like this: an assassin attacked the young general and his guards found him when he was already unconscious. Everyone saw Qin Wangfei take out a dagger aimed towards his stomach! Later Qin Wangfei said she could treat him. Unfortunately, he still isn’t well after all this time.”
“General Mu, is this true?” Long Feiye’s cool gaze moved to the general next. The irascible general’s temper had long faded in the presence of the Duke of Qin. He only replied ‘yes’ in a low tone.
“Then what is the situation now?” Long Feiye asked again. General Mu seemed to hesitate, as if not knowing what to say.
“Speak!” Long Feiye suddenly turned angry, scaring all the people present into trembling. General Mu shook the hardest of all before noisily kowtowing three times on the ground. He explained everything systematically and in full detail, including waiting for Mu Qingwu’s poison to flare up again.
“In short, you arrested someone without reason. And now that that person is trying to save a life, you want to stop her?”
“No no! Your highness, the empress dowager is just being prudent. After all…after all, there’s suspicions around Qin Wangfei, so I was ordered to lock her up first and invite another imperial physician over for diagnosis.” the North Court Official explained hastily.
“That’s right, that’s right! Imperial Uncle Qin, imperial grandmother dotes on the imperial aunt, but things have to be done according to official regulations so rumors won’t spread! Besides, Han Yunxi still hasn’t woke up Qingwu gege yet. Everyone knows she’s the Han Family’s useless trash, so who can trust her medical skills? Imperial Uncle Qin, you should take a look inside for us first, what if…” Before Princess Changping could finish, she caught Long Feiye’s frigid eyes and meekly shut her mouth.
Long Feiye folded his arms behind his back and unexpectedly nodded. “Un, indeed…we have to do things according to official regulations.”
Hearing this, both the North Court Official and Princess Changping released a breath. Princess Changping knew that Han Yunxi was just some woman lower than a servant in the Imperial Uncle Qin’s eyes. He probably loathed her to the extreme, so why would he protect her? As the atmosphere relaxed, the North Court Official timidly spoke up.
“Duke of Qin, why don’t, we let the imperial physician inside, in case…”
But Long Feiye abruptly cut him off. “If by chance, you alarm her and disturb the poison treatment process, can the North Court Official bear responsibility?”
This…
To take responsibility for the young general’s life? And for Qin Wangfei’s life? The North Court Official was so terrified that he could feel his gall bladder splitting.
“Your Highness Duke of Qin! This old official believes in esteemed wangfei! Just let esteemed wangfei treat him herself!” General Mu said earnestly. With the help from Gu Beiyue’s reminder, he was more suspicious of the doctors brought by Princess Changping.
Long Feiye never moved from the door, but swept his icy gaze across all the people present. “Does anyone else want to go in?”
Both the North Court Official and Mu Liuyue shot careful looks at Princess Changping. Of course she wanted to go in, but she didn’t have the nerve!
“Since there’s nobody else, then I’ll have to trouble the North Court Official to wait awhile,” Long Feiye said lightly.
-o-
[1] nine familial exterminations (株杀九族) – zhuxia jiuzhu, most serious punishment for a capital offence in ancient China, where the offender was executed along with his/her relatives by proxy, due to “guilt by association.” Wikipedia link here.
[2] Your Highness (殿下) – dianxia, another way to refer to Long Feiye besides ‘your lordship’ (本王) and ‘Your Lordship’ (陛下). The most formal/polite of the three.