Chapter 42: Incomparably anxious, a life for a life (1/2)
The speeding carriages stopped not long after departing from the Duke of Qin’s house. Princess Changping’s poison had already flared up on her face, becoming unbearably itchy. Things were fine as long as they left the premises. Even if they were the middle of the streets, she didn’t care.
One hand held the lantern while the other grabbed her dress as she hurried to Han Yunxi’s carriage. Inside, Han Yunxi was still drowsy and instinctively put up a hand to block the light as the princess entered.
“Your highness, this is…”
Before she could finish, Princess Changping abruptly tore off her veil and revealed a face covered in rashes from the poison. Her pale complexion combined with the lantern light to create a horrifying sight.
“Monster!” Han Yunxi blurted out, only half-pretending. She understood this type of poison very well, but she’d never actually seen a case in person.
“Han Yunxi, you actually dared to call the princess a monster?” Princess Changping was very angry. Did she really look like one? And yet all the doctors who’d seen her had all been so frightened that she didn’t even dare look in a mirror anymore.
“That’s not…that’s not…” Han Yunxi seemed extremely weak, too tired to even shake her head as she lay there, paralyzed. Actually, after taking a pill and drinking some millet congee, in addition to the ginseng flake, she was far from being so frail. But before such a strong-willed princess, of course she had to appear ‘weakly.’
“Han Yunxi, get up! Imperial Physician Gu said you’re very skilled in treating poisons, so hurry up and treat this for me! Hurry! I’m going to itch to death!” Princess Changping rudely demanded. Leaving aside the fact that Princess Changping belonged to the younger generation, she shouldn’t be yelling or so insufferably arrogant towards the person she wanted a favor from. Without teaching her a real lesson, she’ll never learn how to behave.
“Prin…cess, princess, I…I…” Han Yunxi tried for a long time without saying much of anything, making Princess Changping even more desperate. Her hands reached for her face multiple times, but she still couldn’t bear to scratch.
“You ah what, you? Hurry up and see for me!” she said and suddenly drew closer, plastering her face up to Han Yunxi’s. If this was anyone else, they might have thrown up already, but Han Yunxi had seen poisons much worse than this and was immune.
“Princess…princess…I…I don’t have…any strength!” Finally, she finished what she was saying.
“Just look! Take a look! What kind of strength do you need for that? Aren’t you super skilled? What, now you can’t do anything?” Princess Changping was like an ant on a scorching pot[1], ordering her about as her hands clutched here and there, afraid of losing control.
“Then…then princess, bring…” Han Yunxi sounded like someone on her last breath.
Princess Changping couldn’t bear to listen and yelled, “What do you want to say?!” She didn’t know that the more excited she felt, the more her adrenaline would rise. These hormones would only encourage more flare-ups for her itching.
“Bring the lantern…a bit closer, so I can see clearly,” Han Yunxi murmured slowly.
Despite how she felt, Princess Changping would do anything Han Yunxi asked her to now. She was very obedient and immediately brought the lantern closer. Unexpectedly, as soon as the light arrived, Han Yunxi didn’t even spare Princess Changping a glance before closing her eyes and fainting away.
“AhhHHHHH!” Princess Changping couldn’t hold back her rage and gave a shrill scream. Why was it like this?! She raised the lantern to smash Han Yunxi’s face, but checked herself in time, just like how she forced herself to stop scratching.
Han Yunxi was her last hope!
Hearing the scream, the empress waiting outside couldn’t help but ask, “Changping, what’s wrong?”
Princess Changping stormed out of the carriage and smashed the lantern on the ground. Finally, she started to bawl. “She fainted! Wahhh, that slut actually fainted! Worthless thing!” As she cried, her hands started unconsciously clawing at her face. Seeing this, the frightened empress immediately grabbed both of them.
“You can’t scratch! It’ll leave a scar!”
A court lady on the side hastily helped her put on the hat and veil, but Princess Changping suddenly shoved the empress’s hands away, tossed aside the hat and veil, and began to scratch in earnest. Heavens knew how itchy she was and how hard she scratched? Just one claw was enough to leave her cheeks bleeding! Princess Changping didn’t seem to feel the pain, but kept on scratching.
“Ah!” the empress’s face paled in fright. “Someone, quick…quickly stop her! Grab her hands!”
The guards rushed forward and did as she told.
“Let me go! How dare you! Let go!”
“I’ll itch to death, release me! I’m ordering you to let go! I’ll kill you all!”
……
Princess Changping’s violent struggles scared the empress to the point of tears. “Hurry, tie up her hands and gag her!”
Even though it was the middle of the night, they were still on the main streets. If they startled the surrounding houses awake and word of this spread, how would Princess Changping face anyone in the future? Soon enough, the princess was gagged and tied. The empress looked towards Han Yunxi’s carriage with red-rimmed eyes that were filled with hate.
Han Yunxi, if it wasn’t for you, Changping wouldn’t have gone to the prisons and contracted this poison. You better make sure that you can save her face, or else the empress dowager and I won’t let you off!
She brought Princess Changping back into her own carriage before the whole retinue hastened back to the palace. Though the carriage was speeding along, it was barely bumpy in the wide and spacious carriage. Han Yunxi reclined languidly within without opening her eyes, though a secret smile shone on her face.
She got mixed up in all this, just so she could pay them back. She got mixed up in all this, so she wouldn’t be afraid.