Chapter 692: I’ll wait until he grows older (1/2)

If it wasn’t for Han Yunxi that year, Lady Helian and Little Yi’er would have long been driven out of the house by Lady Xu, much less live until today. The Han Family owed Han Yunxi so much. She had striven to protect them even when her own life was at stake, just to save their most talented son. Lady Helian could admit that she once suspected Han Yunxi of doing everything to keep mother and son under her thrall. This way, all of the Han Estate’s pharmacopoeias, estates, and properties would belong to her.

But Han Yunxi did no such thing. Everything she accomplished was for the sake of the Han Clan. She had taken care with Little Yi’er so that he could grow up as a man in his own right and shoulder the revival of the Han Estate’s pharmacies on his shoulders. Han Yunxi doted on Little Yi’er just as much as his own mother. Looking at the stubborn gaze in her son’s eyes now, Lady Helian only knitted her brows.

Just what was she worrying about?

In the past, she would always praise Little Yi’er for being a good boy whenever he said he wanted to repay his older sister. She even taught him not to be ungrateful. Today, however, she was filled with nothing but anxiety. She wasn’t afraid of anything except losing this son. That’s why there were certain things she could only keep to herself!

“Seventh Mother, what are you spacing out for? Come here and drink tea,” Han Yunxi might be the high and lofty Qin Wangfei, but she always treated Lady Helian with the respect due a senior member of the family. By ranks alone, she was supposed to call Helian Zuixiang ‘Seventh Mother’ to reflect her status as her father’s seventh concubine.

Lady Helian went over and pulled Little Yi’er into her lap. Like always, she asked after Han Yunxi’s health and spoke of the Han Estate’s four pharmacies and how they were doing. After a while, Han Yunxi said they should let Gu Beiyue rest and they all left together.

As soon as they exited the courtyard, Lady Helian asked in a low voice, “Yunxi, it’s been so many years already. Why isn’t there any news from your stomach yet?”

Urk…

Han Yunxi wasn’t expecting this. Although she knew plenty of people were interested in the answer, no one had ever asked her again after her last interrogation at Tianning’s New Year’s banquet.

“It is about time for some news…” she muttered to herself.

“His Highness Duke of Qin…doesn’t want children?” Lady Helian’s voice dropped even lower.

Han Yunxi just laughed. “He’s too busy to have any time.”

“Then when will he?” Lady Helian murmured. “His Highness Duke of Qin is grown now, and no longer a child.”

“Probably not in the next year and a half. I’m busy as well…” This wasn’t an excuse, but the truth. How could she stay idle while Long Feiye was so busy? Two days later, she’d have to keep the appointment to rescue Grand Concubine Yi. A few days after that, they were to go to Celestial Mountain. Both were dangerous tasks. In the meantime, she had to train her poison storage space to break through the third rank so she could be more helpful to Long Feiye. There was barely any time to flirt or date, much less birth a child.

Thinking up to here made Han Yunxi laugh.

“What are you laughing about?” Lady Helian didn’t understand.

“Nothing. You should busy yourselves, I’m going to find Linger!” Han Yunxi said.

Lady Helian stayed put. “Yunxi, there’s war and chaos in the north. Will you two stay for good this time? South Ning’s such a nice place, so stop putting yourselves in danger all the time!”

“I’ll go wherever Long Feiye goes. Nothing’s dangerous with him around,” Han Yunxi teased. She wasn’t planning to tell anyone unrelated of their trip to Celestial Mountain.

“It really is true what they say, a married off daughter is like spilt water that can’t be brought back!” Lady Helian was helpless, but Little Yi’er was quite happy.

“That’s right! With His Highness Duke of Qin here, big sister won’t be in any danger. Mother, you can stop worrying.”

“Yunxi, come to Han Estate for dinner tonight, won’t you?” Lady Helian asked.

“No, I still have things to do tonight. Maybe another day,” Han Yunxi refused. Lady Helian didn’t press her and left with Little Yi’er in tow.

“Mother, you go back first. I’ll come home at night, I want to show master a whole bunch of illness cases,” Little Yi’er said seriously.

A complicated look flickered past Lady Helian’s eyes before she murmured, “Yi’er, why don’t you stay at Pill Fiend Pharmacy tonight? Mother will come pick you up tomorrow.”

Little Yi’er immediately shook his head. “Big sister Chen Xiang isn’t at the estate. I have to stay with you.”

“Silly boy, mother’s going to pay a trip to the temple. I might stay there overnight. You just be good and stay with Doctor Gu. Mother will come pick you right up tomorrow morning,” Lady Helian said.

“Mother, why are you staying in the temple?” Little Yi’er didn’t understand. In the past, his mother would never stay outside the estate overnight.

“There’s a religious assembly at the temple tonight,” Lady Helian explained as she rubbed his forehead with a smile. “Since when have children asked so many questions? You should hurry up and help out at the pharmacy instead.”

Little Yi’er didn’t think much of her answer and bounced away to do as he was told. With both master and big sister back again, he felt that the world was a beautiful place. Lady Helian only exhaled and hurried out. Su Xiaoyu happened to pass by and felt bewildered by her harried state. She chased after the woman a few steps before losing her around a curve.

“Lady Helian? What’s the rush, is she hurrying to her next reincarnation?” Su Xiaoyu muttered to herself. She headed for the pharmacy next, where she saw Mu Linger personally checking the inventory with Little Yi’er helping on the side. Han Yunxi was nowhere to be seen.

Actually, Han Yunxi had doubled back to find Gu Beiyue again. When she said the man needed rest, it was only an excuse to send away Lady Helian and Little Yi’er. Gu Beiyue was again steeping tea by the time she returned, and her cup was still on the table. It was obvious that he knew she’d come back.

“It’s a pity that Doctor Gu isn’t playing the role of adviser instead of doctor,” Han Yunxi teased his perception skills.

“It’s only because I’ve stayed long enough in the palace to get used to reading people’s expressions. Now it’s habit for me to notice the little things,” Gu Beiyue said modestly. “Esteemed wangfei, is there something to discuss?”

“His Highness and I are going to Celestial Mountain at the start of next month, and it’ll…be a dangerous journey,” Han Yunxi got straight to the point. If she and Long Feiye could leave the peak by mid-autumn, that would be best. But if not, then Gu Beiyue would be the most trustworthy person to leave in charge of affairs down here.

In truth, Gu Beiyue had long learned of the Celestial Mountain trip from Long Feiye just then. But still, he feigned a face full of shock. “What…but His Highness Duke of Qin is the sword sect master’s closed door disciple! Esteemed wangfei, what has happened?”

“Those are internal matters of the sword sect,” Han Yunxi paused, before adding. “Gu Beiyue, you should be very clear on the unrest between the three nations right now. The situation at the commander-in-chief’s estate here in South Ning…”

Han Yunxi summarized the current events while mentioning Northern Li as a threat and the Baili Navy’s strength currently holding them in check. Gu Beiyue patiently waited for her to finish taling before he spoke.

“Esteemed wangfei, to tell this one so much, I…”