A tinge of astonishment finally appeared on Hua Qiyue's indifferent face. She did not expect Yun s.h.i.+mo to have sustained internal injuries for Tianci's sake. It proved that this pill was hard to procure.

If an ordinary person had coming begging, he wouldn't have refined it, would he? Did he really refine the pill because of Long Red?

"You're wrong. He refined it both for Tianci and for Long Red. Don't worry. I know what to do." Although Hua Qiyue was touched, she would not easily shed tears of grat.i.tude in front of Bingyi.

Bingyi saw her nonchalant look and became enraged. "Hua Qiyue! What kind of an att.i.tude is this? His Highness has given up ten years of his life because of you!"

"What kind of an att.i.tude was mine? Do you want me to offer myself to His Highness to repay him? Would His Highness think much of a common girl like me? I can give him anything he wants in return."

Hua Qiyue held Tianci's hand and her tone softened. "I will never forget his immense debt to us. Don't worry, young master."

She had no intention of fighting Bingyi. She knew he felt unbalanced because of his Master. This was why he was so agitated.

Bingyi looked at Hua Qiyue and Tianci's disappearing backs and shook his head helplessly. This woman was so smart. It was obviously her who didn't fancy His Highness. Now, she was saying His Highness didn't fancy her...

Immediately after that, Bingyi was called to the medicinal hall by a pharmacy apprentice.

Yun s.h.i.+mo's face was still ashen. He sat cross-legged, healing himself quietly.

When Bingyi walked over, Yun s.h.i.+mo opened his eyes. He looked at him blandly. "I told you not to blabber nonsense. Did you say anything you shouldn't have?"

Bingyi's entire body shook. Alright, so Master knows him well.

"Yes, I did!"

"Go out and take fifty paddles yourself!" Yun s.h.i.+mo said with an expressionless face. He had instructed everyone not to let Hua Qiyue know anything about pill-refining. Yet he knew Bingyi would surely talk nonsense because of his love for his Master.

So he was right...

After that woman knew, what would she think?

"Your Highness! This is the second time you've refined this pill. Is it worth doing for an unrelated person? Hua Qiyue did not really thank you. Her tone was hars.h.!.+ Your Highness, how can you fall for such a woman?"

"Shut up!" Yun s.h.i.+mo bellowed coldly. He was so worked up that he started coughing again. Bingyi plonked down on his knees and did not dare to say anything. He was afraid Yun s.h.i.+mo would get angry again.

"Go back!"

With a woebegone face, Bingyi retreated and left. He went to the punishment apprentice to receive his 50 paddles.

Yun s.h.i.+mo sat silently where he was, until his face became less ashen. Then, he got up slowly and walked to the outside. He went past the cauldron and remembered how close that woman was to him...

He recalled that woman wiping his cold sweat with her lovely, gentle hand.

He recalled that woman's anxious expression when she saw that trickle of blood at the corner of his lips.

For some reason, his mood improved greatly. His lips began to curve upward. A pretty, crimson flush suffused his face as his heart thumped wildly. He... had not experienced this feeling for a long, long time.

Yun s.h.i.+mo walked casually out of the medicinal hall. Eight pharmacy apprentices quickly came forward, some offering him water, others food.

"Master, why don't I refine a Concentration Pill for you?" One of the pharmacy apprentices asked respectfully.

Yun s.h.i.+mo shook his head. "Don't bother."

The eight pharmacy apprentices looked at one another. Faint anxiety could be seen in their eyes.

Although they were only 15 or 16, not more than six years younger than Yun s.h.i.+mo, they still treated him with the utmost respect.

The pharmacy apprentice guarding the door walked in hurriedly and offered a long satin box. "Your Highness, this was sent here by Princess Jinghua's maidservant, Qiuyun. It's a tonic, she says, a token of their appreciation."

Yun s.h.i.+mo started. He did not expect Hua Qiyue to send him something. Wasn't she quite unappreciative of him?

If it wasn't because of Tianci, this woman would never have approached him.

"Open it," Yun s.h.i.+mo said blandly.

The pharmacy apprentice opened the long satin box. A red glow suffused the air. A wisp of silver light enveloped the red herb. A stunning blood-red flower had blossomed on the herb. Its petals were perfectly formed, as if they were alive. The moment the box was opened, it s.h.i.+vered a little toward Yun s.h.i.+mo.

The company gasped softly.

"Long Red!"

Although none had seen Long Red, its overpowering, intoxicating fragrance, together with the fact that Hua Qiyue had owned it, all made them believe that this was the herb.

Yun s.h.i.+mo stared silently at the Long Red stalk. A strange light gleamed in his eyes.

He smiled.

The pharmacy apprentices all stared with open mouths at their Master. Prince Nan... seemed to be smiling for the first time!

"Keep it for me."

"Yes, sir!"

The pharmacy apprentice said with reverence. Yun s.h.i.+mo stood up and walked toward his room. Although he was a little tired, his entire body now seemed to be coursing with vitality.

His Highness... looked very happy! Was he happy because of Long Red, or because of that girl's kind gesture?

……

Hua's Mansion was extremely busy that night.

Hua Qiyue had won first place. She had beaten Princess Mingzhu in one move. Her glorious act had changed everyone's view about her in the capital.

The Old Madame was overjoyed. Although she was not happy about Hua Mengs.h.i.+ giving up without a fight, she also knew that if Hua Mengs.h.i.+ insisted, the two girls would have to slug it out on the arena. It wouldn't look good.

Since her mood had greatly improved, the Old Madame got the cooks to prepare a home banquet. Second Madame had appropriated some of the food money and Old Madame had asked the cooks to reduce the number of dishes. Second Madame, Third Madame and the others had not enjoyed a sumptuous fare for a long time.

This evening, Old Madame was asking the cooks to prepare a family feast. Everybody's mood improved.

While the home banquet was still under preparation, the Old Madame suddenly received a report from the doorman. "Old Madame, the young master of the Ouyang family, Ouyang Youche, begs an audience! The House Master of the Baili family, Baili Yan, begs an audience! The House Master of the Xia family, Xia Yuan, and his son, Xia Tian, beg an audience! The House Master of the Liu family, Liu Mo, and his son beg an audience! And the House Master of the Ji family and his son beg an audience with Miss!"

Everyone was chatting in the grand hall when the apprentice rattled off a long list of names. Everyone was stunned motionless.

One must know that these families were all eminent clans of the Changjing Kingdom. Two were families dealing with herbs and medicines, the other two great merchandising families. Their influences were so great that ordinary officials had to steer clear away from them.

Yet now, they had all coming knocking at the door. Of course, everybody was stunned!

Hua Mengs.h.i.+ sat there, glancing hatefully at Hua Qiyue. Resentment and jealousy streamed endlessly out from her heart.

Hua Qiyue had stolen all her limelight!

How hateful, sad and upsetting! Hua Mengs.h.i.+ clenched her fists secretly. Second Madame glared at her without any show of emotion and coughed lightly. She forced Hua Mengs.h.i.+ to slowly unclench her fists.

Hua Xiaoyi was direct and forthright. She stood up immediately. "Eldest Sister, you are awesome! So many families have come to our door! Humph, you've hidden yourself well as a piece of 'useless trash' to defeat Second Sister. Wasn't it so?"

Third Madame heard her and gave Hua Xiaoyi's face an angry pinch. "You silly girl, how can you say this? Apologize to the Old Madame and First Miss immediately!"

Hua Xiaoyi was so angry that she snorted. Hua Qiyue stared at her with a bland look. "Third Sister, when the n.o.ble guests are here, you'd better watch your mouth. Otherwise, people will secretly mock us Hua girls for having no manners."

The Old Madame's face also looked ghastly. She slapped the table angrily. "Men, send Third Miss back to her compound. She needn't attend the banquet today. Otherwise, the outside guests will laugh at our Hua's Mansion!"

The Old Madame's words caused Hua Xiaoyi to beg continuously for mercy. But it was an irrevocable decision of the Old Madame. Hua Xiaoyi was shoved and dragged away by Third Madame, leaving the hall in great embarra.s.sment.

After a while, all the House Masters were asked in. The Old Madame and the rest got up and greeted them with smiling faces.

Hua Qiyue's eyes were clear and bright, staring indifferently at the men walking in. The first was the young master of the Ouyang family, Ouyang Youche. His bearing was tall and distinguished, his countenance handsome. Yet his eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with melancholy.

Hua Qiyue had heard of Ouyang Youche's famous name. He was said to be a genius Qi Artist, reaching the Great Completion in the Soaring Cloud Realm was he was just 12. She did not know what level he was at now. Even the Emperor had to ingratiate himself on the Ouyangs.

Unfortunately, the Ouyang family was not close to the royal family. Although Ouyang Youche had been accepted nominally as a Prince, he held no position in the imperial palace. In other words, his was a typical sinecure.

Right now, this young man was before her, looking like a lovelorn youth, his eyes full of melancholy.

The second man was the Xia family's House Master, Xia Yuan, who came with his son, Xia Tian. Xia Yuan was nearly 50, a chubby, middle-aged man. He seemed to be basking in luxury.

And Xia Tian was just a youth of 14 or 15. He had handsome, delicate features and looked like the boy from next door.

The third family were the Bailis: Baili Yan bringing Baili Nan for a visit.

Baili Yan was nearly 40 and Baili Nan, over 20. He was handsome and his gentle smile looked a bit like Ji Feng's.

The fourth was the Liu family's House Master, Liu Mo, bringing along Liu Shaoming for a visit. The Liu family was the Empress's maternal family. Although Liu Mo held no positions in the court, his was the most powerful out of the four, even surpa.s.sing the Four Great Families.

The Xias and the Ouyangs traded in herbs and medicines. The Liu family was the kingdom's biggest middleman organization for Qi Artists. In other words, if any official needed a Qi Artist, he could get one from their middleman organization.

The Lius had the greatest number of Qi Artists in their family. They were horrifically powerful, almost rivaling the royal family.

Although the Liu family were getting more and more powerful, giving the Changlong Emperor much cause for unease, he still did not dare oppose them openly.

For many years, the Changlong Emperor had been unhappy with the Empress, partly thanks to the overweening insolence of the Liu family. The Lius allowed some of their higher-level Qi Artists to commit innumerable atrocities. Although the inhabitants of the capital were angry, they could not voice their anger.

After all, anyone who offended a Qi Artist would come to a miserable end.

Liu Mo looked quite respectful, while Liu Shaoming cast Hua Qiyue a cold glance. There was some resentment in his eyes.

Not only Liu Shaoming. Xia Tian too harbored her some resentment.

Hua Qiyue was quite stunned. She did not understand from where their resentment had stemmed.

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