91 Regret
Granny Li was considering her words when Gu Yanfei said, "Go back and tell Madam to ask Gu Yunrong if she drank the talisman water."
"…" Granny Li was stunned again, not understanding what he meant.
Behind the screen, Gu Yanfei slowly fastened her belt and smiled faintly.
Based on her understanding of Gu Yunrong, she definitely would not drink this talisman water.
Granny Li carefully said, "Second Lady, do you have anything else you want me to tell Madam?"
Gu Yanfei raised her hand and tied her long black hair behind her head. She chuckled casually and said, "Tell Madam to rest assured that this marriage will happen."
"Juan Bi, see the guest out."
When Juan Bi heard the last four words, she immediately took a step closer to Granny Li and extended her hand in invitation.
"Then I'll go back and report." Granny Li smiled and bowed before leaving with Juan Bi.
In the next moment, Gu Yanfei walked out from behind the screen with a casual smile.
She had changed into a straight black robe with dark patterns and a few orchid leaves embroidered on it with silver thread. The waist ring was embroidered with a brocade belt that hugged her waist very tightly.
The simple male outfit looked especially good on her. Her lips were red and her teeth were white, giving her a valiant and heroic look, and making one's eyes light up.
When Juan Bi returned after sending Granny Li off, her mouth fell open in shock the moment she saw Gu Yanfei.
"What a beautiful young man!" Juan Bi clapped her hands with shining eyes and walked around her, looking her up and down.
Gu Yanfei was amused by Juan Bi. She casually smoothed the silk ribbon that tied her hair and let it fall to her chest.
The kitten, squatting on the window sill, snorted disdainfully and looked at the white pigeons that had long flown away in the sky with burning eyes.
Gu Yanfei casually pinched a pigeon letter on the table and stuffed it into her sleeve pocket before leaving. She only said, "You two, guard the house."
"You two" referred to Juan Bi and Qing Guang.
"Meow!"
Leaving the kitten's unhappy complaints behind, Gu Yanfei left the Marquis Mansion in high spirits. She went to a place she had never been to in her previous life, the Tianyin Pavilion in the south of the city.
The Tianyin Pavilion was a theater and was one of the most famous theaters in the capital.
Every day, as long as the show opened, there would be no empty seats.
Gu Yanfei arrived early. Under the call of a waiter from the Tianyin Pavilion, she sat down at a private table on the second floor.
70 to 80% of the seats upstairs and downstairs were already filled with all kinds of people. All of them had shining eyes and were in high spirits.
There was a lively atmosphere in the opera house.
The guests chatted as they sipped tea and drank in twos and threes.
"Brother, have you heard?" A young man in a straight green robe nudged the middle-aged man at his desk with his elbow and winked. "What's the name of today's show… Anyway, there's a new flower girl. I heard she's a peerless beauty!"
"I know, I know! Tianyin Pavilion invited Yao Jiaban from the south from thousands of miles away. She has just arrived in the capital these few days and her performance is amazing. Hehe, to be honest, I'm here for this flower girl," a middle-aged man said excitedly.
"Tianyin Pavilion has really invested a lot."
"Of course! We have to spend money. Didn't you see? Yunli Garden has been getting more and more popular recently. It's catching up to Tianyin Pavilion…"
"…"
The voices downstairs entered Gu Yanfei's ears intermittently, piquing her interest.
She had never seen a show in 200 years in the Bright Spirit Realm.
She casually picked up the playbook and flipped through it quickly. Only then did she know that the play to be sung here today was called "Lotus Fan." This play was divided into four parts. It was about a prince of the Marquis Mansion pretending to be a swordsman and wandering the martial world. He couldn't believe between the princess of the prince's manor and a singer of the martial world, acting out an exceedingly sentimental love story.
Gu Yanfei glanced around quickly.
More and more guests entered the theater, and when the seats were 90% full, a loud gong sounded from the direction of the stage.
Then, a leisurely bamboo sound echoed through the entire opera house. It was melodious and pleasant, representing the opening of the show.
However, the stage was still empty.
Just as everyone was feeling suspicious, a voice as sweet as a clear spring suddenly sounded, leisurely cutting through the air.
The air in the building seemed to tremble slightly with this voice. The surrounding atmosphere was completely different, as if they had suddenly come from the noisy and bustling market to a quiet high gate inner courtyard.
Her beautiful singing voice was beautiful and delicate. Her voice was pure, smooth, and mellow. It also contained extremely rich and reserved emotions, making one's imagination run wild with the owner of the voice.
As everyone waited expectantly, a graceful figure floated out from behind the screen and appeared. Her dress, red with a hundred butterflies, glittered in the candlelight on the stage.
She gently and elegantly flicked her long sleeves. At the same time, she tilted her head slightly, revealing half of her beautiful face.
Her eyebrows were dyed black, her lips were red, and her face was as fair as porcelain. Her seductive phoenix eyes slanted to her temples, outlining an indescribable charm.
Her facial features were perfect, forming a peerless beauty.
She was like a cactus blooming layer by layer under the moon. She was beautiful, irresistible, and indescribably noble.
All the audience looked at this flower girl who was playing the princess, shocked and with their breaths taken away.
Looking at the beautiful woman on the stage, Gu Yanfei was slightly stunned. The wine glass in her hand paused in midair as she muttered to herself,
"So red…"
Gu Yanfei leaned forward slightly and rested her right elbow on the window sill. She supported her chin with her slightly curved fingers and carefully sized up the person on the stage.
Her entire body was scarlet. Or rather, the providence on this person was actually a thick scarlet color, as beautiful as blood. It was as if she was born from blood, or as if she was in a burning flame.
Unlike others, who were surrounded by a faint white light…
92 Surprise
Gu Yanfei had cultivated in the Bright Spirit Realm for 200 years and had seen countless outstanding people. This person was definitely one of the best, but what aroused her interest was not her appearance, but her scarlet luck.
Interesting, really interesting!
The more Gu Yanfei looked at her, the more focused she became. Her eyes were sparkling like a curious and lazy cat, and she could not bear to look away from this person.
There were only people in this small world.
But in the Bright Spirit Realm, there were humans, momsters, spirit beasts, and demons…
The luck of the demons was blood-red, which was subtly different from this person's scarlet color.
And she was very sure that the beauty in front of her was a human, not a demon.
The flower girl, who was playing the princess, looked into the distance, worried that she would miss her fiancé, the heir of the Marquis Mansion.
Every look and every lyric was just right, making one feel pity for her. They wished they could rush forward and pull her into their arms.
As the sound of silk bamboo became louder and louder, other greasy-haired performers appeared one after another. They slowly sang in a drawl, their voices sounding like they were complaining and distressed.
Gu Yanfei did not care about the plot at all, nor did she care about the other actors. She only paid attention to the flower girl.
"Young Master, this way please."
The waiter's enthusiastic voice came from behind. Gu Yanfei ignored him and was so focused that she did not even notice that there was another person in the private room.
It was not until the handsome young man in white sat down at her table that Gu Yanfei slowly retracted her gaze from the flower girl and turned to see Chu Yi. She raised her eyebrows and pushed the wine pot in his direction with a smile.
Chu Yi was very tactful. He smiled and admitted his mistake. "I'm late. I'll punish myself with a glass of wine."
As Chu Yi spoke, he picked up the wine pot and filled his and Gu Yanfei's wine glasses. Then, he downed the wine in one gulp.
Every move was always neither fast nor slow, and his movements were smooth and natural, showing off his calm and elegant aura that came from his bones.
The noise outside seemed to fade at that moment.
Gu Yanfei supported her chin with her palm and began to stare at Chu Yi again. She sized him up from head to toe with an extremely calm gaze.
Under normal circumstances, mortals' luck was the same as Gu Yunzhen's. It presented a white "spiritual energy" that was either shallow or deep, and would change according to fate.
This "usual situation" was not suitable for Gu Yanfei, nor for Chu Yi.
There was nothing on Chu Yi. He was abandoned by the heavens, just like her.
Gu Yanfei looked at Chu Yi for a while and felt bored. She turned to look at the devastatingly beautiful girl on the stage with interest.
On the stage, the beautiful woman was leaning against a beautiful couch. As she sang, she covered her face with her sleeves and pretended to cry. Only a pair of beautiful silk-like eyes could be seen from behind her sleeves, looking pitiful.
In the entire theater, all the guests who were watching the show were silent. Their attention was all attracted by this flower girl, such that they forgot to drink or eat. Their emotions were affected by her every frown, smile, and tearful sigh.
They were happy, shocked, worried, and distressed… All for the sake of the beauty on the stage. They wished they could bring the country to the beauty and win her smile.
Gu Yanfei was looking at the beauty, while Chu Yi was looking at Gu Yanfei.
This was the first time he had seen her in men's clothes.
Dressed in a black straight suit, her skin was as fair as snow. Her long black hair was only casually tied at the back of her head. Her appearance was extraordinary and did not have the demureness a woman should have, and her smile was casual.
If it were an ordinary woman disguised as a man, it would be very easy for her to exude an overly feminine sense of incongruity. However, there was no unnaturalness in her. It only made her look extremely handsome, as if she was born to be like this.
After a small climax, the flower girl slowly left the stage and disappeared from sight. The male lead, who was playing the heir of the Marquis Mansion, also appeared grandly. He was dressed in a chivalrous outfit and held a long sword in his hand, looking heroic.
Seeing the flower girl leave the stage, Gu Yanfei turned back in boredom. The long headband and hair on her head floated up, and the headband happened to hook the bronze tent hook by the curtain.
She casually tugged at the headband, but it was still tangled with the brass tent hook, so she simply took it off.
Her long black hair instantly cascaded down her chest and back like a waterfall.
Gu Yanfei untied the headband from the hook of the copper tent and was about to tie her hair back when Chu Yi suddenly said, "Don't move."
93 Surprise
"Let me do it," Chu Yi said as he stood up and walked towards Gu Yanfei.
Gu Yanfei: "…"
Gu Yanfei was usually not that obedient, but now, her attention was attracted by the jade hairpin in Chu Yi's hand.
It was a white jade hairpin, and only one end was as red as blood. The craftsman had cleverly carved it into two plum blossoms. One was half open, half waiting, and the other had bloomed beautifully with clearly layered petals.
Gu Yanfei's eyes lit up and she obediently sat there without moving, letting Chu Yi tie her hair personally.
He was very skilled at tying her hair. His slender fingers were nimble and agile. In a few moves, he tied Gu Yanfei's thick black hair into a bun and only used the jade hairpin to stabilize it.
Gu Yanfei touched her bun and praised sincerely, "You're really amazing!"
She would not be able to tie her hair so beautifully with a jade hairpin.
Her two slender fingers went from her bun to the jade hairpin, lingering.
Overjoyed, she repeatedly touched the jade hairpin and felt the shape of the plum blossom with her fingertips. Her smile was like a flower, happy and carefree.
This plum blossom jade hairpin was not an ordinary item.
Ever since she obtained the phoenix-patterned jade pendant, Gu Yanfei had realized something.
Although the spiritual energy in this small world was thin now and almost nonexistent, thousands or even tens of thousands of years ago, there should have been spiritual energy here. That was why jade stones with spiritual energy were nurtured and carved into jade pendants by craftsmen.
It was obvious that the phoenix-patterned jade pendant was not the only spiritual item in this small world.
Gu Yanfei originally wanted to take her time to look around, but she did not expect Chu Yi to give her such a surprise today.
"This is for me, right?" she asked, worried.
Chu Yi chuckled. "This is a return gift."
Stunned, Gu Yanfei immediately recalled the red plum she had given Chu Yi last time and smiled.
She had always been unlucky, but the interesting thing was that when she met Chu Yi, her luck would become very good.
It had been like this in her previous life, and it was still the same in this life.
Thinking of this, Gu Yanfei's smile became even brighter, showing her joy generously. "I like it very much!"
Of course she liked it. She liked it very much!
This jade hairpin was good stuff. Although the spiritual energy in the jade hairpin could not be absorbed and could not compare to the phoenix-patterned jade pendant, as long as one wore this hairpin all year round, they could nourish their divine sense.
Gu Yanfei did not expect spiritual objects like the phoenix-patterned jade pendant to be very common. Otherwise, this small world would not be so lacking in spiritual energy.
"I'm glad you like it." Chu Yi raised his hand and gently helped her hold the plum blossom jade hairpin. There was an indescribable nostalgia in his gentle smile.
Gu Yanfei happily poured wine for Chu Yi.
Chu Yi sat back down and suddenly looked through the window of the booth at the lobby on the first floor. Then he gestured for Gu Yanfei to look down.
Gu Yanfei put down the wine pot and followed his gaze.
A tall and handsome young man entered the lobby on the first floor, wearing a sapphire blue embroidered robe with auspicious clouds on it and a black jade brocade belt around his waist. He was tall and mighty, with the sharpness of a martial artist.
"This is Murong Yong," Chu Yi said.
Gu Yanfei scanned Murong Yong from head to toe.
Ever since she went to Jiahui Garden to put on makeup for Gu Yunzhen a few days ago and realized that her luck had been plundered by Gu Yunrong, Gu Yanfei had been a little worried.
Later, Gu Yanfei specially instructed Juan Bi to ask around. Gu Yunzhen had indeed been unlucky since she was young. Besides what the Third Madam had said, there were countless examples of her bad luck.
For example, this year, in February, when Gu Yunzhen, Gu Yunrong, and the other sisters were visiting Madam Wang's sister's house, Gu Yunzhen was accidentally hit in the head with a polo ball.
In June, she was rowing a boat in the small lake in the Marquis Mansion when the bottom of the small boat suddenly leaked. She did not know how to swim and almost drowned…
In August…
Gu Yanfei kept thinking about her previous life.
In her previous life, Gu Yunrong's disfigurement and the misery of the rest of her life should also be because of her bad luck.
Gu Yanfei had no idea for a moment. Thinking that Gu Yunzhen's wedding was imminent, she asked Chu Yi to find out about Gu Yunzhen's fiancé, Murong Yong.
This morning, she received a letter from Chu Yi asking her to come to Tianyin Pavilion.
Gu Yanfei stared deeply at Murong Yong's face.
The lines of the young man's face were angular. He had thick eyebrows, big eyes, an aquiline nose, and thin lips, forming a handsome and masculine face.
Gu Yanfei's gaze darted to his aquiline nose and she frowned slightly.
His nose was like an eagle's beak, pecking at one's heart.
Chu Yi said in a low voice, "Murong Yong works in the 3,000-man battalion. He was originally a sixth-grade knight bachelor. Last month, because he went to Qingzhou to eliminate bandits, he made a big contribution. He was just transferred to the Divine Arms Battalion and was promoted to a fifth-grade Valiant Cavalry Captain."
Murong Yong was only a fifth-grade general and could not be considered a big shot in the imperial court. He did not even have the right to attend the morning court. If Gu Yanfei had not asked, Chu Yi would not have bothered to pay attention.
His slender fingers slowly twirled the wine glass. After taking a sip of the wine, he continued, "Ever since Yao Jiaban came to the capital, he has been coming to Tianyin Pavilion almost every day to support a celebrity."
Chu Yi's expression and tone were calm, as if he was used to it or did not care.
After Murong Yong entered the hall below, he first looked at the stage with a burning gaze. Seeing that there was only a young performer and another older performer on the stage, he looked away with disinterest.
The waiter of Tianyin Pavilion led Murong Yong respectfully towards the stairs. As they spoke, they were both enthusiastic and familiar. It was obvious that they often entertained Murong Yong.
"Who is he supporting?" Gu Yanfei could not help but ask.
She thought of the devastatingly beautiful girl just now.
94 Plunder
As soon as Gu Yanfei finished speaking, the bamboo music on the stage suddenly changed from fierce to gentle. The atmosphere and rhythm of the music seemed to indicate something.
Murong Yong stopped halfway up the stairs. His eyebrows raised as he looked at the stage again with a smile.
In the next moment, an actress in an emerald green dress appeared gracefully. Her head was full of pearls, and she was bright and lively. Every move she made exuded a bright temperament.
Her beautiful appearance and figure attracted praise from the entire hall.
This woman was the singer of the martial arts in the show. Because the heir of the Marquis Mansion saved the damsel in distress, she fell in love with him at first sight.
She danced with her sleeves reservedly on the stage and sang a young girl's thoughts in a moving singing voice that was full of charm.
"To support this girl in green," Chu Yi said as he pointed at the singer, who had just appeared on the stage.
From the corner of her eye, Gu Yanfei glanced at the girl, who was flying around like a butterfly on the stage. She asked curiously, "How?"
She tilted her head slightly and rested her chin on her right hand, her eyes flashing with interest.
"…" It was rare for Chu Yi to be at a loss for words. His expression was subtle, and for a moment, he almost saw her wagging her curious cat tail behind her.
He sighed faintly in his heart. He did not know if he should sigh at Gu Yanfei for not treating him like an outsider, or if this girl was really heartless.
Chu Yi deliberated over his words and said, "Murong Yong likes to listen to opera and music. He's a frequent visitor to the various theaters and places of fireworks in the capital. Apart from the Murong residence, he also arranged a residence in his own name and often stays there."
Taking into account that Gu Yanfei was an unmarried girl after all, Chu Yi did not say things like "providing for the actress" or "keeping a mistress", but the meaning was already very clear.
With that, Chu Yi lowered his head to drink again, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly.
The usually calm young man revealed a rare hint of discomfort at this moment.
Gu Yanfei drank her wine casually and did not notice Chu Yi's abnormality at all. The more she listened, the more she felt that Murong Yong was really unreliable.
In her previous life, Murong Yong did not break off the engagement because of Gu Yunzhen's disfigurement. She thought that the Murong family should be an open and aboveboard family, and there was nothing wrong with Murong Yong's character.
In addition, Gu Yunzhen never reported bad news.
Now that she thought about it, her understanding of Murong Yong in her previous life was still too superficial.
Now that she heard Chu Yi say this, she could not help but feel a little uneasy.
Gu Yanfei thought of Gu Yunzhen's dim and thin luck again. She thought of Gu Yunzhen's slightly haggard appearance after she got married in her previous life and could not come back to her senses for a long time.
At this moment, a thought clearly surfaced. Perhaps Gu Yunzhen and Murong Yong's marriage in her previous life was not as good as outsiders thought…
She was probably prejudiced.
"Good!"
There was a sudden burst of excited cheers below, followed by thunderous applause.
Gu Yanfei lowered her eyes and looked in the direction of the stage downstairs.
The plot gradually reached its climax.
When the singer learned that the heir of the Marquis Mansion had a fiancée, she took the lotus fan that the heir had left behind and ran to the Marquis Mansion to look for the princess. She said that the heir of the Marquis Mansion did not like unnecessary and overelaborate customs and was only engaged with the princess out of responsibility. She said that the heir of the Marquis Mansion belonged to the martial arts world and begged the princess to fulfill her and her sweetheart's wishes. She also returned the lotus fan that the princess had drawn on to its rightful owner…
The princess was so hurt that she fainted, causing the audience to sigh.
The show ended.
The few palace lights on the stage were extinguished. Curtains hung from above, and the bamboo sounds stopped abruptly.
The audience was still unsatisfied. At this moment, they finally found their voices and discussed the scene just now.
One moment, they said the actress was indeed worthy of her reputation. Another moment, they were saying that the flower girl and the actress in green were beautiful and each had their own merits. Another moment, they were commenting on the singers' voices and figures…
Everyone chatted and drank until their ears were hot.
The atmosphere was in full swing.
A waiter happily knocked on the gong and drum below and shouted, "A guest has rewarded Miss He Yanxia with 100 taels of gold."
He Yanxia was the actress in green's stage name.
Immediately after, He Yanxia came out from backstage and bowed to everyone, thanking them in public.
Everyone was in an uproar.
After all, 100 taels of gold was 1,000 taels of silver!
A thunderous round of applause sounded below, rising and falling. The atmosphere in the opera house became even more heated.
95 Plunder
Seeing the crowd below clicking their tongues in wonder, Murong Yong smiled smugly.
He smiled and was about to call for the waiter when he glanced at the door from the corner of his eye and saw a familiar tall figure enter Tianyin Pavilion.
It was a muscular man in his 50s with silver strands in his hair. He had a rough beard on his black face and was wearing a brown brocade robe with eight immortal patterns wrapped around his stomach. His footsteps were firm and he looked like he had a dignified aura.
This was?! Murong Yong's eyes lit up and he hurriedly stood up.
!
He hurried down the stairs and approached the newcomer with a smile. He cupped his hands and said, "Wei… Old Master Wei, what a coincidence."
Under everyone's gaze, Murong Yong could not reveal the other party's true identity, so he addressed him as Old Master Wei.
"You're Murong…" Old Master Wei also had some impression of Murong Yong. He remembered that his surname was Murong and that he had made a moderate military contribution not long ago, but that was all.
"I'm Murong Yong," Murong Yong immediately replied. The smile on his face was respectful but warm as he chatted with the other party. "It turns out that Old Master Wei likes to watch a show as much as I do."
Gu Yanfei, who was sitting on the second floor, was looking down at the two of them chatting happily. She raised her eyebrows and pointed at "Old Master Wei", then casually said, "Ah, this person is about to be unlucky."
The black aura between his eyebrows seemed to have been splashed by ink!
All living beings were equal. Birth, old age, illness, and death were the norm in life. Whether it was high-ranking officials or commoners, they could not escape these. In the end, at birth we bring nothing, at death we take away nothing.
"Moreover," Gu Yanfei's gaze darted between "Old Master Wei's" eyebrows. She pinched her right hand in her sleeve and said, "At most, it'll take 10 minutes."
Chu Yi also saw the person below clearly. His beautiful eyebrows raised slightly as he whispered, "Imperial Duke Wei?"
So this was Imperial Duke Wei! Gu Yanfei took a few more glances.
There were four imperial dukes in the Great Jin Dynasty, and their titles were hereditary. To this day, their status in the imperial court was still stable. However, Gu Yanfei did not know much about the other three imperial dukes other than the British Duke, and she had never seen them before.
Gu Yanfei blinked and pointed at Imperial Duke Wei. "Is this person important?" She was talking to Chu Yi.
She asked quite directly, so Chu Yi replied very directly, "He's the third generations and his words hold a heavy weight, so yes, he's important."
Seeing that Gu Yanfei was listening attentively, Chu Yi continued, "Imperial Duke Wei's grandfather is the first Imperial Duke Wei, Wei Ding."
"When Wei Ding and Emperor Taizu got to know each other, the two of them were sworn brothers. He was trusted by Emperor Taizu the most and even married his biological sister, the Eldest Princess Jiade."
"Wei Ding was an upright person. Back then, when the late Emperor suggested abolishing the Crown Prince, he was scolded so badly by Wei Ding that he did not dare to flare up."
Gu Yanfei tilted her head. She was very good at calculations, but she was impatient to calculate the seniority of these families. She took a detour in her mind before she understood the relationship between the characters.
In other words, Wei Ding was the uncle of the previous Emperor. The current Duke Wei, Wei Shen, was Jin Shan's cousin, and hence Chu Yi's uncle.
Chu Yi took a sip of wine and started from the first Imperial Duke Wei to the current Imperial Duke Wei, Wei Shen. "Wei Ding's eldest son and second son died on the battlefield at a young age. Wei Shen was raised by Wei Ding since he was young and has the bearing of his ancestors."
"When Wei Shen was young, he went to the northwestern garrison to guard the border for more than ten years. He was outstanding in battle and defeated the Xirong people until they bowed down and did not dare to invade our Great Jin again."
Wei Seng had monstrous military merits and was one of the top figures in the army. Therefore, even if the late Emperor had a grudge against the Wei family after Wei Ding's death, there was nothing he could do.
Chu Yi knew that Gu Yanfei had just arrived in the capital and might not know much about politics, so he explained in detail.
Gu Yanfei indeed did not know anything about politics. When she was in the Bright Spirit Realm, she was only focused on cultivating. In her previous life, she was just a little girl trapped in the Marquis Mansion who followed the crowd.
However, Gu Yanfei was smart and quick-witted. After walking through the Bright Spirit Realm and seeing a wider sky, her horizons had widened. She seemed to have been reborn. Now, not only was she able to understand at a glance, but she could also draw inferences.
Gu Yanfei smiled and stroked the plum blossom jade hairpin. The touch under her finger was warm and delicate, and a faint spiritual energy lingered on her fingertip.
"Can I help you?"
Since Wei Seng's status in the imperial court was important, this person must be very important to Chu Yi, who was as unlucky as him.
Gu Yanfei gently rubbed the plum blossom at the end of the jade hairpin with her fingertips, as if she was carefully feeling the veins of every petal.
She was in a good mood, and a charming smile naturally appeared on her face, as bright as a pearl, and as beautiful as jade.
Her smile was extremely infectious, like a river of spring water, flowing into one's heart like a spring breeze.
Chu Yi looked at her in a daze and was distracted for a moment. His heart rippled and his lips curled up slightly.
His mouth was one step ahead of his brain. "Okay."
When his rationality returned, Chu Yi realized that he had lost his composure. He covered up his mistake and went to get the wine glass. The wine in his mouth seemed to be even sweeter and longer, making him suddenly feel a little tipsy.
The gongs and drums outside sounded again, indicating that the second round had begun.
There was an additional bed on the stage. The flower girl was lying on her side on the couch with a folding fan in her hand. She closed her eyes, and her thick black eyeliner made her skin look even paler, revealing a hint of pitiful charm.
The theater was instantly silent. Only the flower girl was the undisputed protagonist here.
Gu Yanfei stared at the flower girl excitedly. Her body was still surrounded by a rich scarlet color. The blood-like airflow made her look as charming as a flower and as seductive as a fox.
"Beautiful."
Gu Yanfei muttered. The smile on her lips deepened, and dimples appeared on her cheeks.
96 Raging
On the stage, the flower girl opened her eyes and opened the folding fan with lotus flowers on it at the same time. She sang sentimentally, "He said that seeing the lotus flowers is like seeing me." Her gaze drifted in the direction of the door. On the other end, Murong Yong was chatting enthusiastically with Imperial Duke Wei. "I wonder if you have reserved a private table?"
It had never been a secret that Imperial Duke Wei liked to watch shows. He had originally come for this new Yao Jiaban.
Imperial Duke Wei laughed heartily. "I came here on the spur of the moment, so I didn't book a private table."
He was a regular customer of Tianyin Pavilion. Even if he did not book a private table, the waiter would help him find a way to coordinate.
!
However, it was obvious that there was no room for the waiter to provide him with today. Murong Yong hurriedly said, "Old Master Wei, I've reserved a private room. As the saying goes, it's better to meet by chance. Why don't you join me in my private room?"
Imperial Duke Wei had never bothered with trifles and readily agreed.
Murong Yong was overjoyed, and his eyes lit up.
Ever since he returned from Qingzhou with meritorious service, although he had been promoted to a fifth-grade Valiant Cavalry Captain, it was just a title.
The Imperial Duke Wei's position in the Great Jin Dynasty was extraordinary, and his position in the army was even more unshakable.
Murong Yong had long wanted to befriend him, but it was not appropriate for him to rashly cling to him. It was fate that they had met today at Tianyin Pavilion, and it was also a rare opportunity.
At the very least, Imperial Duke Wei would remember his name from today onwards.
Murong Yong extended his hand in invitation and led Imperial Duke Wei towards the private seats on the second floor.
The two of them chatted happily, but most of the time, it was Murong Yong who spoke. "Old Master Wei, it's a pity that you're too late. The first part is already over."
"Yao Jiaban's reputation is indeed well-deserved. Look at this flower girl's singing voice and figure… She's also one of the best in the capital."
"And the actress sang well just now…"
Murong Yong spoke with assurance. As for Imperial Duke Wei, he only casually said a few words like "what a pity" and "not bad."
As the two of them spoke, they entered a private room on the second floor opposite the stage.
The waiter knew that "Old Master Wei" liked a particular brand of alcohol, so he served them a jar as quickly as possible.
Murong Yong personally poured wine for Duke Wei, then raised his glass with both hands and toasted him, "Imperial Duke Wei, this general toasts you."
At this moment, there was no one else in the private room, so Murong Yong no longer addressed him as Old Master Wei.
Imperial Duke Wei sniffed the fragrance of the wine in the cup and praised with a smile, "Good wine!"
When he laughed loudly, he had the pride and dominance of a duke. He raised his head and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp. The spicy wine entered his abdomen and he felt his burning stomach burning sweeping away the cold winter air.
"I've admired countless fine wines for most of my life." Imperial Duke Wei laughed loudly. "I still like this brand of wine the most. Other wines always taste bland…"
He stopped mid-sentence.
On his rough black face, his brows were tightly furrowed and he looked in pain. Even the veins on his forehead were bulging and cold sweat seeped out.
Murong Yong also saw that Imperial Duke Wei's expression was not right and cautiously called out, "Imperial Duke…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Imperial Duke Wei's face twitched violently. He leaned forward and vomited a large mouthful of blood…
"Blargh!"
Half of the pool of dark red blood was vomited into the private room, and the other half sprayed out of the window like a rain of blood.
A rain of blood dripped from the second floor and onto the lobby below.
Those spectators were watching the show and did not notice the commotion above. They only felt some liquid drip on their heads and could not help but frown.
Several people subconsciously raised their hands to touch their heads. When they looked up again, they realized that their palms were stained with blood and some blood had dripped onto the fruits and snacks on the table.
"Blood!"
A sharp female voice instantly sounded from the audience. It was so sharp and high-pitched.
Several other spectators, who had been splashed with blood, also noticed. Some looked up at the second floor, some screamed, some quickly got up, and some covered their mouths in shock.
The lobby on the first floor was instantly in chaos. The exclamations of men, women, and children rose and fell.
"Why is there blood here?"
"Look, the blood is from the private room on the second floor…"
"Murder! Waiter, hurry up and report it to the authorities!"
"…"
In the chaos, a young man's hoarse roar came from the private room on the second floor. "Someone, call a doctor!"
97 Raging
Only then did the shopkeeper of Tianyin Pavilion react. He hurriedly summoned a few waiters and instructed one of them to call for a doctor. He ordered the other to report to the officials and called two more waiters upstairs to check on the situation.
The shopkeeper himself stayed in the lobby. One moment, he was comforting the shocked guests, and the next moment, he was ordering people to quickly clean up the tables and chairs that were stained with blood.
There was a commotion in the lobby.
Some of the busybodies went upstairs to watch the commotion. The others were flustered like ants on a hot pan, and were no longer in the mood to watch the show.
!
Even so, the bamboo music did not stop, and it slowly echoed in the air. The actors on the stage did not change their expressions and danced to the music.
The main characters of this scene were the flower girl playing the princess, and the actress playing the heir of the Marquis Mansion.
The princess had fallen ill because of the provocation of the singer. At this moment, she had just recovered from her serious illness. A few steps away, the heir of the Marquis Mansion apologized profusely.
The music then became sad, cold as frost, making one feel as if they could see trees and white plums suddenly blooming in the cold wind.
The beautiful flower girl turned her head sadly, as if she could not look straight at her beloved fiancé. Her deep gaze looked in the direction of the private room on the second floor.
There was a faint light in her deep eyes.
In the next moment, she covered her face with her sleeve, as if she was suppressing something.
On the stage, the sad, oppressive atmosphere spread with every move of the flower girl, a stark contrast to the riot in the lobby.
In a moment, the waiter arrived in a hurry with an old doctor with gray hair and a medical kit.
It was a cold December day, but the old doctor was sweating from running up the stairs.
Gu Yanfei looked at the lobby downstairs and then at the bloodstained window sill next door. She casually played with the small and unique white porcelain wine glass in her hand and tilted her face to praise herself. "I was right, wasn't I!"
"You were right." Chu Yi smiled gently.
He had no doubt of her abilities.
As Gu Yanfei drank, she said affirmatively, "He must have an old illness."
Just now, the moment she saw Imperial Duke Wei, she could tell that he would have an outbreak of his old illness. Moreover, it would come menacingly and was quite dangerous.
That was why Gu Yanfei said that he was going to be unlucky.
Xiao Shi stood guard outside the private room and pricked up his ears. He felt as if a cat was scratching his heart and wanted to ask if Imperial Duke Wei's life was in danger.
However, Chu Yi was not on his side.
"Imperial Duke Wei has always been healthy. He's at the age of knowing destiny, and his skills haven't decreased…" Chu Yi said thoughtfully. He had some guesses about the old illness Gu Yanfei had mentioned.
The sorrow turned into intenseness. When Gu Yanfei looked at the stage again, she saw the flower girl leave the stage again.
Although there were still seven or eight actors on the stage, it had become a boring show for her again.
Gu Yanfei thought of something and quickly flipped through the playbook at the side. After flipping through it, she realized that the next time the flower girl appeared, it would be the next show.
Boring!
Gu Yanfei yawned lazily. She heard another commotion below, as if someone had rudely knocked against the door.
A team of tall and mighty guards rushed over and rushed into the hall aggressively. They all had stern expressions and looked like they had ill intentions.
The atmosphere in the lobby suddenly turned solemn.
The guests were afraid of accidentally provoking the higher-ups, so they were all silent. Only the sound of raging bamboo music and chanting still floated in the air, as if they were complaining.
"Young Master, the guards are here." Xiao Shi, who was guarding the entrance of the private room, craned his neck to look around and said excitedly, "I'll go take a look."
Before he could finish her sentence, Xiao Shi had already disappeared.
Seeing Gu Yanfei flip through the script, Chu Yi leaned over to take a look. His black hair, which was half tied and half draped, poured down his chest. His well-defined chin outlined a slender and gentle curve.
A strand of hair at his temple casually brushed past Gu Yanfei's fair cheek, gently and softly.
It was so itchy! Gu Yanfei subconsciously raised a finger to brush away the strand of hair. The hair was cold and smooth, like a bolt of good silk.
"…" Chu Yi's Adam's apple bobbed slightly on his slender neck as he met Gu Yanfei's eyes.
Their eyes met, their faces inches apart.
"Young Master!" When Xiao Shi returned, he saw this intimate scene and could not help but widen his eyes.
His Young Master had been teased?!
Xiao Shi was stunned. For some reason, he felt as if he had disturbed something, or as if he was unnecessary.
As this thought flashed through his mind, Xiao Shi did not stop talking. He talked about the situation next door.
"Just now, those guards from the imperial capital almost took down Murong Yong. However, when Murong Yong mentioned his identity, those guards did not dare to arrest him. However, the guards still did not leave."
With that, Xiao Shi left like a gust of wind. After a while, he ran back again. "The doctor just checked Imperial Duke Wei's pulse and inserted a needle into him to stop the bleeding."
This time, he received Gu Yanfei's evaluation. "It's useless."
When Xiao Shi ran back from next door for the third time, his eyes were almost glowing as he said in admiration, "Miss Gu, you're right. Imperial Duke Wei is still vomiting blood. He'll vomit every time a needle is inserted."
Xiao Shi made some hand-drawn signs.
Gu Yanfei closed the play and muttered, "It's about time."
"…" Xiao Shi did not hear what she said and blinked in confusion.
Gu Yanfei was about to stand up when she thought of something and quickly downed the last two mouthfuls of wine in her glass. Only then did she stand up again. She stroked her robe with one hand, waved her sleeve with the other, then smiled and called out to Chu Yi, "Let's go take a look."
98 Crisis
Chu Yi stood up elegantly and followed beside her like a shadow. He stuffed the playbook that Gu Yanfei had flipped through several times into Xiao Shi's hands.
The two of them walked out of the booth and headed next door in a leisurely manner.
At the end of the corridor ahead, Murong Yong and Imperial Duke Wei's private room was surrounded by people. There were three layers inside and outside. At a glance, only black heads could be seen.
The bystanders pointed and discussed among themselves. They could only watch from the side and could not continue to approach, because four guards were guarding the door of the booth with their scabbards.
!
Inside the booth, everyone was in a state of panic, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.
The table, the floor, and the walls were covered in blood.
Imperial Duke Wei leaned back in his chair weakly. His attendant carefully supported his upper body, afraid that he would collapse.
"…" Murong Yong's expression didn't look too good as he rubbed his face with a headache. The right side of his face had been splattered by the blood Imperial Duke Wei had spat out, making him look exceptionally miserable.
Imperial Duke Wei was an important minister in the imperial court. If he suddenly vomited blood when he was with him, even if he didn't do anything, others might guess that he had done something to Imperial Duke Wei.
Then he would not be able to explain himself!
Murong Yong frowned tightly, his eyes as dark as a layer of dark clouds.
"Urgh!" Imperial Duke Wei vomited another mouthful of blood. His beard and chin were stained with a lot of blood, and his face was gray with defeat. His breathing was very weak.
After vomiting a few mouthfuls of blood in a row, Imperial Duke Wei was already on the verge of death, as if he had lost half his life. Even his eyes were in a daze and he could not find the focus.
"Doctor, why hasn't the bleeding stopped?" Murong Yong hurriedly asked, unable to hide his worry and anxiety.
The gray-haired old doctor retracted the silver needle that had been inserted into Imperial Duke Wei's arm and checked his pulse again.
After a while, he retracted his hand and frowned. Layers of wrinkles squeezed out of the corners of his eyes, and he shook his head in a sigh. "Young Master, I'm afraid this person can't make it."
He had already inserted silver needles into many of the patient's bleeding acupuncture points, but instead of stopping the bleeding, the patient vomited blood even more.
"…" Murong Yong's expression turned even uglier.
Imperial Duke Wei's attendant wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve at a loss. His face was pale as he looked out of the window anxiously and thought to himself, 'Looking at the time, the coachman should have arrived at the Duke's Manor. Madam should know by now.'
"Pfft!" When Imperial Duke Wei heard that the Mongolian doctor was actually cursing him to die, anger rose from his chest as he shouted, "You quack…"
He wanted to say, 'You quack, how dare you curse me!"
However, before he could finish, his chest heaved again. His expression changed and he spat out another mouthful of blood.
"Imperial Duke Wei!" the attendant shouted worriedly. His face was paler than Duke Wei's, and his fingers were trembling.
Hearing his shout, the old doctor, who was already uneasy, became even more anxious, and his pupils constricted.
These words meant that this patient's identity was that of an Imperial Duke. He was not someone an ordinary doctor like himself could afford to offend.
The guards guarding outside also had subtle expressions as they secretly exchanged glances.
At this moment, they almost regretted getting involved in this mess.
Amidst this impetuous and uneasy atmosphere, Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei walked unhurriedly to the outside of the private room.
The two of them walked side by side. One was dressed in white, the other in black. One was gentle, and the other was carefree. Both of them were good-looking and attractive, making the oppressive corridor seem to light up.
The onlookers in the corridor couldn't help but step aside to make way for them.
Seeing that someone else had arrived, the guards guarding the entrance could not help but frown and wanted to chase them away.
"Go…"
The head guard held the scabbard horizontally, but before he could say a word, he fell silent again once his gaze landed on Chu Yi.
The young man in front of him was not any random person. He was dressed in plain white, but the jade belt on his waist that was engraved with deer patterns and white jade was obviously extraordinary. Looking at his handsome face with a graceful smile, his every move exuded an elegant and noble aura.
The head guard had seen countless nobles in the huge capital. He felt that compared to the young master in front of him, the Imperial Duke and the general seemed to be like green leaves.
Alarm bells rang in the head guard's heart. The capital was filled with nobles, who knew which prince this person in front of him was?
99 Crisis
He silently retreated and gave the other guards a look, letting Chu Yi and Gu Yanfei into the private seats.
It was naturally impossible for Imperial Duke Wei and Murong Yong not to notice the two living people entering the private room so openly.
Murong Yong was not qualified to attend court and had never seen the Eldest Prince. However, Imperial Duke Wei naturally knew him.
Imperial Duke Wei's blood-stained lips parted slightly. He wanted to say that it was not convenient for him to bow now, but he was too weak. It was not easy for him to hold his breath when he heard Chu Yi say with concern, "Uncle, don't move."
"I came here with a friend to watch a show. I heard the commotion here and came to take a look…"
"My friend is proficient in medicine. Let her take a look at 'Uncle'."
"Uncle" was a general term. When Murong Yong heard this unfamiliar young man in white call him that, he only thought that the other party was a relative of the Wei family or a junior of a family close to Imperial Duke Wei.
Imperial Duke Wei weakly turned to look at Gu Yanfei. Seeing that this thin, fair, and refined young man was at most 14 or 15 years old, eight words immediately appeared in his mind: Young people could not be trusted with important tasks.
Gu Yanfei stood beside Chu Yi and examined Imperial Duke Wei at close range. She said bluntly, "You were injured when you were young, right?"
Her words were not a question, but an assertion.
There was a crispness in the girl's clear voice that stunned everyone inside and outside the private room.
Imperial Duke Wei was stunned as he sized up Gu Yanfei again. Seeing that she had no Adam's apple, a gentle face, and a thin figure, he roughly knew that this "friend" of the Eldest Prince was actually a girl.
It did not matter if it was a man or a woman. In the Great Jin Dynasty, who did not know that he, Wei Seng, had been on the battlefield for decades? There was no general who had not been injured!
Imperial Duke Wei pursed his lips disapprovingly and coughed twice with a pale face, his body trembling like a sieve.
Gu Yanfei did not seem to see his disdainful expression. She walked towards him with her hands behind her back and continued unhurriedly, "It should be an arrow wound. The arrow entered your lower abdomen and pierced your pelvis, almost killing you."
There was neither fear nor pity in Gu Yanfei's expression, and it was as if she was facing an ordinary person.
Imperial Duke Wei's status and position were unattainable to others, but to her, he was just one of the common people.
"…" Imperial Duke Wei's turbid pupils constricted slightly with each word, and his eyes widened.
Even Murong Yong could tell that this girl was definitely right.
Imperial Duke Wei wanted to say something else, but just as the words reached his lips, he felt another wave of intense pain in his body that was like a tsunami. His throat felt salty and fishy, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
He shut his mouth quickly and could only nod stiffly.
This simple action seemed to have taken half his life again. His breathing stopped for a moment and became weaker.
Gu Yanfei continued, "You're having a relapse."
Hearing this, Murong Yong secretly heaved a sigh of relief. If Imperial Duke Wei's old injuries had relapsed, it would have nothing to do with him.
Imperial Duke Wei looked at Gu Yanfei in bewilderment.
He had suffered more than 20 years ago from his old injury, which had left an arrow scar on his abdomen. Over the years, his stomach had become a little bigger as he got older, but he did not feel any serious discomfort.
Gu Yanfei flicked her sleeve. Everyone only saw her wide sleeve brush past Imperial Duke Wei's wrist. Two fingers seemed to press against his pulse, but they didn't touch him at all.
With a flash of her black sleeve, she leisurely retracted her hand. Smiling faintly, she threw a few more questions at Imperial Duke Wei.
"Do you often have nausea, bloating, and abdominal pain after meals?"
"Was the abdominal pain dull at first before it became more intense?"
"Any occasional bloody stool?"
After a few questions, Imperial Duke Wei's face turned pale with shock and embarrassment.
This girl was right. In the past, he had only thought that it was because he was old and had a weak stomach that he was like this. The imperial physicians and famous doctors in the capital had said the same thing. How could he expect this to have something to do with his old injuries from so many years ago?
Gu Yanfei stunned Imperial Duke Wei with just a few words.
At this moment, when he looked at Gu Yanfei again, his gaze changed drastically.
From contempt to shock, to in between, to surprise, and then to trust.
This girl's family had such ability at such a young age and was definitely not an ordinary person. Could she be a divine doctor specially found by the Eldest Prince to treat the Emperor?! Imperial Duke Wei guessed inwardly.
Thinking of this, Imperial Duke Wei's breathing quickened slightly. He endured the pain and discomfort and looked at Chu Yi with difficulty, his eyes deep.
The Emperor was weak and had not stopped drinking medicine all these years. Ever since he ascended the throne at the beginning of the year, he had been busy with government affairs. Yangxin Hall and East Warm Pavilion had also called for imperial physicians from time to time, but the imperial physicians in the palace only knew how to prescribe peace.
"Can he be treated?" Chu Yi's gentle and elegant voice came slowly.
Gu Yanfei did not answer directly. She said calmly, "I have to read his fortune first."
"…" Xiao Shi inexplicably heard the meaning of this simple conversation.
He was clearly in cahoots with Young Master and Miss Gu, but Xiao Shi often felt that he had been ostracized.
Hearing this, Imperial Duke Wei, Murong Yong, and the others could not help but be stunned. They came to a realization and thought to themselves, 'Could she be a Taoist priest?'
Because Emperor Taizu valued Celestial Rectifier Spiritual Master and conferred Taoism as the state religion, the Taoist priests of the Great Jin Dynasty had a high status and Taoist doctors were prevalent. This Taoist priest was different from the Taoist priests who cultivated as monks in the Taoist templ, and could still get married.
Gu Yanfei took out the compass she had personally made from her sleeve and placed it in her palm. She gently flicked the magnetic needle at the sun outside the window.
The magnetic needle spun and stopped a moment later.
She said softly, "The imperial duke's fortune is five or six lines on the trigram and a Li hexagram. He will shed tears and snot like heavy rain.
Xiao Shi pretended to listen attentively, but he did not understand what Gu Yanfei had said at all.
Imperial Duke Wei's attendant was burning with anxiety. He hurriedly asked Gu Yanfei, "Young Master, can he be saved?"
100 Amazing
Gu Yanfei acted as if she did not hear him and walked to the window facing the street with her compass in her hand. She looked up at the sun outside the window and pointed to the space at the side of the window. "Move him here."
The attendant didn't move, but Xiao Shi did.
Xiao Shi was as thin as a bamboo pole, but he was surprisingly strong. He lifted Imperial Duke Wei and his chair and easily carried them to the window. He then moved an inch to the side according to Gu Yanfei's instructions.
Sunlight shone through the window and onto Imperial Duke Wei's head and clothes.
!
Everyone did not know what she was going to do and subconsciously held their breaths.
"The trigram Li is in the third area." Gu Yanfei put the palm-sized compass back into her sleeve. "Three needles will do."
As she spoke, she took out a needle from the old doctor's bag. It was a full three inches long and hummed crisply when it trembled.
"It won't work," the old doctor couldn't help but remind her. "I've tried to stop the bleeding with a needle, but it's useless."
"This divination is a blessing." Gu Yanfei gently twisted the silver needle. "This first needle seals the three souls and seven spirits."
As soon as she finished speaking, she had already pierced the long silver needle into the Baihui acupuncture point on Imperial Duke Wei's head, leaving only an inch above his head. The silver needle shone dazzlingly in the sunlight, as if specks of light were being directed into the end of the needle.
The needle made the attendant gasp.
Imperial Duke Wei's body stiffened at first, and his expression changed drastically. Then, he leaned forward and spat out another mouthful of blood.
This time, he spat out a pool of thick black blood.
Murong Yong, the old doctor, and the others were shocked.
How was this stopping the bleeding? It did not look like saving someone. Instead, this "treatment" made the patient's condition even more severe!
"My Lord!"
The attendant shouted in alarm, but Gu Yanfei picked up a second silver needle and stabbed Imperial Duke Wei's major acupuncture point…
Then a third needle stabbed him an inch below his navel.
"Ugh—" Imperial Duke Wei twitched violently and spat out two more mouthfuls of black blood.
In addition to the thick smell of blood, there was an indescribable stench in the air.
"Madam, the imperial duke is inside!" A servant's panting voice sounded outside the private room.
In the next moment, a beautiful woman who looked 47 or 48 years old rushed in. She had long eyebrows, a straight figure, and a heroic aura, as if she could raise her gun and go to the battlefield at any moment.
As soon as Imperial Duchess Wei entered, she saw Imperial Duke Wei vomiting black blood. At this moment, Gu Yanfei let go of the third silver needle.
The three silver needles on Imperial Duke Wei's head, heart, and abdomen trembled slightly, emitting a faint buzzing sound.
"What are you doing?!" Imperial Duchess Wei scolded Gu Yanfei sternly. Her eyes couldn't help but split open, and a burning anger rushed from her heart to her head.
At this moment, she could not see anything else but her husband.
She rushed towards Gu Yanfei like a gust of wind, her hand as fast as lightning as she grabbed Gu Yanfei's right arm. Her gaze was like a knife that cut into Gu Yanfei's face.
Imperial Duchess Wei was very fast, but Gu Yanfei was even faster.
Somehow, with a twist and turn, the little girl slid past her opponent like a carp in water, easily dodging the claw.
Without thinking, Imperial Duchess Wei pulled the sword out of the maidservant's hand…
A cold light flashed.
The inch-and-two-centimeter-wide blade was drawn two inches from its sheath when a slender, bony hand pressed down on it. With a gentle push, the sword was sheathed again.
"Auntie, calm down," Chu Yi advised gently, like a spring breeze blowing across a frozen river in March.
Imperial Duchess Wei met Chu Yi's handsome face. Her eyes widened slightly as she also recognized the Eldest Prince, who had just returned to the capital.
She was still gripping the hilt of her sword tightly, not letting go, her eyes flickering.
"Ugh…" Imperial Duke Wei suddenly twitched and spat out another mouthful of black blood.
Clang!
There was a small fragment in the pool of black blood on the floor.
Imperial Duke Wei lowered his head, not moving at all as if he was exhausted.
"Ah Shen!" Ignoring her sword and Chu Yi, Imperial Duchess Wei rushed towards Imperial Duke Wei with one hand on his arm and the other gently stroking his back, her eyes red.
He never cried out in pain, not even when he scraped his bones to treat the poison.
However, even if he didn't say it, she knew that when he was in pain, the scar on his forehead would bulge and turn blood red.
"You must be in a lot of pain?!" Imperial Duchess Wei said with a trembling voice, her heart aching.