“You, you…” The leader was about to ask who Xie Bufeng was when he suddenly noticed the dragon pattern embroidered in gold thread on the young man’s robe hem.
The man’s face instantly turned pale.
As if to confirm his suspicions, the next moment a heavily armored soldier knelt on one knee, clasped his hands and said: “Reporting to Your Highness, the distinguished guests have been escorted to the boat.”
…Your Highness.
Although he had already guessed his identity, at this moment, Wen Qingci’s breath still caught.
Hearing these words, the remaining men who had been blocking Wen Qingci froze, then suddenly lost all strength, their bodies trembling as they kowtowed in succession, frantically begging for mercy.
But Xie Bufeng never once looked at them.
The young man turned around and gently took the jade hairpin from Wen Qingci’s palm.
He saw that from pressing too hard, a glaring red mark had been left on Wen Qingci’s palm from the jade hairpin.
“Does it hurt?”
Wen Qingci paused, then answered softly: “I don’t feel anything.”
Hearing his answer, Xie Bufeng finally shifted his gaze to the group of people kneeling and begging for mercy.
“Qingci is the one who saved this prince’s life.”
As soon as Xie Bufeng’s words fell, those kneeling on the ground instantly understood what it meant to be “at death’s door.”
The young man smiled, continuing in a matter-of-fact tone: “If he owes money, naturally this prince will repay it.”
Then he moved his gaze to those people, pointedly saying: “If there is no debt, then we can only consult the laws of Wei Dynasty to see how this matter should be judged.”
“No, no, Mr. Wen is Your Highness’s lifesaver, then… uh, of course we wouldn’t dare ask him for money anymore.” The man kneeling on the ground began to stammer incoherently.
As he spoke, his forehead was already covered in cold sweat.
Xie Bufeng didn’t speak, just shook his head slightly. He lowered his voice and said: “Guards-bring the account book and check it line by line, not a single coin can be missed.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
Hearing Xie Bufeng’s words, the leader instantly collapsed to the ground, completely drained of strength.
His account book was hastily forged, with contents entirely fabricated.
Let alone satisfying the Crown Prince, even if Wen Qingci himself had examined it, he would have found numerous discrepancies.
After all, he had only wanted to find some pretext to intimidate Wen Qingci with force.
“Alright, take them all away.”
As Xie Bufeng finished speaking, the soldiers immediately stepped forward and led the kneeling men away.
In the blink of an eye, the alley was empty.
Wen Qingci, who had witnessed everything, finally came to his senses.
He gently pulled his wrist from Xie Bufeng’s grasp.
The young man instinctively curled his fingers, wanting to hold on, but in the end, he grasped only emptiness.
Xie Bufeng’s gaze instantly became uncertain.
But before he could feel disappointed, Wen Qingci’s voice, carrying a faint smile, reached Xie Bufeng’s ear: “So this is how Young Master Su’s official silver was used.”
That voice was like a warm breeze carrying the scent of roses on a spring night, inadvertently gliding through Xie Bufeng’s heart.
It caused his heart to tremble gently along with that voice.
*
Though Wen Qingci wasn’t a jianghu person, many of his patients came from the jianghu.
Over time, his manner of dealing with people had acquired some of the carefree and straightforward qualities unique to the jianghu.
In Wen Qingci’s view, his accounts with Xie Bufeng were settled.
In his eyes, a patient was just a patient, with no distinction of status.
And perhaps because Xie Bufeng had always called himself “Young Master Su,” Wen Qingci wasn’t surprised that he had concealed his identity.
…However, although mentally prepared, after learning that Xie Bufeng was the Crown Prince, Wen Qingci still couldn’t help feeling that it all seemed excessively dramatic.
At the same time, he couldn’t help recalling the scene when Xie Bufeng had called himself a “monster.”
As he was lost in these thoughts, the two had already walked back to the edge of the Yin River Grand Canal.
The river sacrifice ceremony had ended, and the crowd by the riverside had dispersed.
Seeing Xie Bufeng appear, the soldiers standing guard around lowered their weapons and saluted him.
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat solemn.
Wen Qingci couldn’t help thinking that the Emperor’s southern tour must have included imperial physicians.
For Xie Bufeng to have been so seriously injured yet not seek treatment from imperial physicians, instead concealing his identity to find a physician in Songxiu Prefecture-there must be something complicated behind this.
Seemingly sensing the change in mood of the person beside him, as they boarded the boat, Xie Bufeng lowered his voice and said in Wen Qingci’s ear: “Don’t worry, this boat belongs to Prime Minister Su.”
The boat used by officials was much smaller than the dragon boat.
After just a few steps, they had crossed the deck and entered the cabin.
Before Wen Qingci could walk around the screen, his sister’s voice came from inside the cabin: “I never imagined I would see the Crown Prince so soon! No wonder brother has been so distracted these past few days-apart from thinking about where to open a clinic in the future, he must have been worried about him too.”
Wen Qingluo’s voice was neither loud nor soft, just right to reach both their ears.
Hearing this, Xie Bufeng suddenly stopped.
The young man turned to look at Wen Qingci and said softly: “I’m sorry, Qingci.”
“Why does Your Highness apologize?” Wen Qingci didn’t immediately understand.
“To be honest, the wound on my back is related to my father the Emperor. A few days ago, he was recuperating at Juji Temple, which is why I had time to seek treatment,” Xie Bufeng said in a voice only the two of them could hear. “Three days ago, he returned to the dragon boat, so I had to leave without saying goodbye.”
Those light amber eyes looked at Wen Qingci with utmost seriousness.
As if he wasn’t aware of how shocking the information behind his words was.
…A young man raised in Taishu Palace would certainly understand this principle.
Wen Qingci instinctively shook his head: “Your Highness need not tell me these things.”
The young man said nothing. He finally stepped around the screen and entered the cabin.
Wen Qingci paused, then followed.
He saw that in the cabin, besides his family and Song Junran, there was another person.
That person wore light red palace attire with a phoenix crown-it was Consort Lan, whom he had glimpsed from afar not long ago.
Just as Wen Qingci was about to bow, Consort Lan, sitting on the couch, put down her teacup, smiled gently, stood up and walked over saying: “Mr. Wen, there’s no need for formalities. The Crown Prince has already told me about you. Both the Crown Prince and I should be thanking you.”
“Your Highness is too kind. Treating illness and saving lives is this commoner’s duty.”
Wen Qingci’s family also nodded in agreement.
Evidently, before Wen Qingci arrived, they had already learned about the whole affair from Consort Lan.
After exchanging pleasantries, Consort Lan first smiled, then slowly frowned, seeming somewhat troubled as she said: “To be honest, my reason for coming here today, besides wanting to meet the Crown Prince’s lifesaver, is that I have a matter I wish to trouble Mr. Wen with.”
Perhaps because of what Xie Bufeng had just said, Wen Qingci was already prepared for the fact that “Consort Lan and the Crown Prince did not trust the imperial physicians.”
Therefore, upon hearing her words, Wen Qingci merely nodded slightly, showing no surprise.
“Your Highness, please feel free to speak.”
“I would like to trouble Mr. Wen to check my pulse.”
The rear cabin of the boat was completely silent, with only the gentle sound of water lapping against the hull continuously reaching their ears.
Wen Qingci’s fingers, separated by a thin layer of silk, rested on Consort Lan’s wrist.
He pressed his lips tightly together, his expression somewhat serious.
Consort Lan also unconsciously held her breath, gripping her prayer beads tightly with her other hand.
After quite a while, Wen Qingci finally slowly withdrew his hand.
“Consort Lan is indeed with child,” he hesitated for a moment, then said softly, “but the pregnancy is unstable.”
“What do you mean?” Consort Lan hurriedly asked.
From the corner of his eye, Wen Qingci saw that Xie Bufeng, sitting to the side, was also frowning deeply at this moment.
“Your Highness’s pulse is a ‘leaking roof pulse,’ slow and somewhat weak, like water dripping from a leaking roof. Generally, this type of pulse is most common after poisoning,” after explaining, Wen Qingci didn’t forget to reassure her, “However, Your Highness need not worry too much. Although your pulse is a leaking roof pulse, it’s not pronounced. Even if it is poisoning, the poison wouldn’t be too severe.”
“I see…” Consort Lan’s face turned somewhat pale, and in that instant, she even forgot to refer to herself as “this consort.”
Having been in the palace for twenty years, though without the title of “Empress,” Consort Lan, who had been managing the inner palace, naturally had her own power and confidants in Taishu Palace.
The Imperial Medical Bureau was no exception.
But as luck would have it, the imperial physicians the Emperor had brought on this southern tour were all recent additions to the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Let alone being familiar with them, before the southern tour, Consort Lan had never even met them.
She understood the Emperor too well. Upon hearing Wen Qingci’s conclusion, she immediately grasped the Son of Heaven’s intentions.
The rocking of boats during the southern tour was inevitable.
A miscarriage due to “rocking” would be a most ordinary occurrence.
After a long silence, Consort Lan finally withdrew her hand and smiled gently: “I’ve really troubled Mr. Wen today.”
“Your Highness is too kind.”
As they spoke, Consort Lan’s personal maid entered with tea and pastries.
Xie Bufeng, who had been silent until now, said in a measured tone: “These are specialties from Yongdu.”
Wen Qingci paused, then gently picked one up and smiled at the young man: “Thank you, Your Highness.”
As befitting a consort who had lived in the palace for twenty years, in the blink of an eye, Consort Lan’s expression returned to normal, showing no sign of panic.
She took a sip of tea, looked up with a smile and said to Wen Qingci: “This consort has heard from your family that you’ve encountered some trouble with your clinic in Songxiu Prefecture. Are you now planning to move to Yongdu?”
“That is my intention,” Wen Qingci answered softly.
“This consort has heard that the Crown Prince has yet to pay you for his medicine.” At this point, Consort Lan’s voice also carried a hint of amusement.
Sitting to the side, Xie Bufeng somewhat awkwardly coughed twice and slowly lowered his head.
Before Wen Qingci could explain on Xie Bufeng’s behalf, he heard Consort Lan continue: “Mr. Wen must be able to see that His Majesty has always been wary of us, mother and son. Therefore… I have another request today.”
She sighed softly, looking into Wen Qingci’s eyes and asked: “Would Mr. Wen be willing to enter the palace with the Crown Prince and me, to serve in the Imperial Medical Bureau? Of course, if you’re unwilling, that’s also fine. This consort will then have her father and brothers help find a suitable location for Mr. Wen to establish a clinic.”
These words from Consort Lan were truly sudden for Wen Qingci.
He couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the teacup in his hand.
The “Imperial Medical Bureau” was the most aspired place for physicians across the land. Throughout history, countless famous doctors had worked there.
However, before Consort Lan mentioned this, Wen Qingci had never imagined that one day he would also be able to enter the Imperial Medical Bureau…
To say he wasn’t tempted at this moment would certainly be a lie.
Though Consort Lan and Xie Bufeng hadn’t explicitly stated it, from their words, Wen Qingci could still sense that this entry into the palace was definitely not for leisure.
“Of course, this isn’t a matter that can be decided in a day or two,” seeing that Wen Qingci was hesitating, Consort Lan smiled and said, “Mr. Wen can think about it for a few more days. You can decide after reaching Yongdu.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Wen Qingci nodded gently.
…
The wind and waves on the Yin River Grand Canal suddenly grew stronger.
Xie Bufeng slowly escorted Wen Qingci off the boat, heading toward Songxiu City.
He had just learned that during these days of the southern tour, the Northern Di had suddenly sent envoys to Yongdu.
The Emperor had just received the news, and thus temporarily relaxed his “surveillance” of those around him.
“How many more days do you need to pack your belongings? Do you need me to send people to help you?” After disembarking, Xie Bufeng asked softly.
Wen Qingci slowly shook his head and said: “No need to trouble yourself. It’s almost packed, only a few daily necessities remain to be packed.”
“That’s good.”
Although they hadn’t known each other for long, Wen Qingci could tell from the young man beside him that he might have something to say.
The sound of water from the Yin River Grand Canal grew fainter. As they were about to enter Songxiu Prefecture, Wen Qingci finally couldn’t help but stop and ask Xie Bufeng: “Does Your Highness have something to say?”
“…Indeed,” seeing that Wen Qingci had brought it up, Xie Bufeng stopped being mysterious. He turned to look at the person beside him and said with utmost seriousness, “About what my mother mentioned earlier.”
“Mm.” Xie Bufeng’s words were within Wen Qingci’s expectations; he wasn’t surprised.
“There are many people with prying eyes in Taishu Palace. Even my mother cannot guarantee your safety,” saying this, Xie Bufeng couldn’t help but frown slightly. As if trying to scare Wen Qingci away, he continued with a heavier tone, “Moreover, my father has always been wary of my mother and me. Being too close to us is not a good thing.”
Hearing this, those jet-black eyes finally showed a hint of emotion.
“So Your Highness doesn’t want me to enter the palace as an imperial physician?”
After a few seconds of silence, Xie Bufeng slowly shook his head and said: “I hope you stay as far away from Yongdu as possible.”
Under the cover of his wide sleeves, Xie Bufeng’s hands were tightly clenched.
These words went against his true feelings.
Only Xie Bufeng knew how happy and surprised he had been when he heard from his mother that Wen Qingci was going to Yongdu.
Perhaps it was because he had found long-lost peace beside Wen Qingci, or perhaps for some other reason.
Though they had only spent a few days together, Xie Bufeng didn’t want to part from the person before him at all.
From the depths of his heart, he even wished time would stand still.
But thinking of the current situation in Yongdu, he forced himself to say these words.
“…Stay away from Yongdu.” Wen Qingci couldn’t help but softly repeat.
Xie Bufeng’s answer was completely opposite to what Wen Qingci had expected.
Though he hadn’t yet noticed the young man’s subtle attachment to him and the carefully hidden reluctance to part,
Given Consort Lan and Xie Bufeng’s circumstances, Wen Qingci truly hadn’t expected that Xie Bufeng would cast aside his own interests and safety.
“Dengcheng Prefecture and Yongting Prefecture nearby are both suitable,” Xie Bufeng had already chosen locations for Wen Qingci to practice medicine, “Though not as good as Songxiu, if you want to return home, they’re still convenient.”
The young man’s gaze fell on Songxiu in the distance: “If you still want to stay in Songxiu Prefecture, I’ll handle the troubles here for you. I won’t let people like Ji Qirong appear before you again.”
“Does Your Highness think I’m so attached to home?”
Wen Qingci’s voice was calm, with no discernible special emotion.
Before Xie Bufeng could understand his meaning,
Wen Qingci took a deep breath and, looking into Xie Bufeng’s eyes, said: “Since I’ve checked Consort Lan’s pulse, she is now my patient. As a physician, how could I abandon a patient? Moreover… I think any physician would find it hard to refuse an invitation to the Imperial Medical Bureau.”
After speaking, Wen Qingci smiled gently.
A ray of the setting sun fell from the distance, like a veil over Wen Qingci.
It gave his moon-white robe a touch of warmth.
Perhaps before Xie Bufeng spoke those words, Wen Qingci had still been conflicted.
But the moment the young man opened his mouth, Wen Qingci had his answer.
-He couldn’t stop worrying about Xie Bufeng.
In that instant, Wen Qingci recalled what the young man had said in Shanyu Jian: “The Crown Prince in Taishu Palace is a monster. What’s there to see in a monster?”
At that time, Wen Qingci had thought he was like everyone else, harboring misunderstandings about the young man in the palace.
But after learning that he was the Crown Prince, Wen Qingci’s heart instantly felt different.
A voice in his heart urged him at this moment to stand by Xie Bufeng’s side…
“What… do you mean?” Xie Bufeng’s voice became slightly hoarse with tension.
Wen Qingci lowered his eyes and smiled, answering softly: “I’ve already decided to go to Yongdu with Your Highness.”
The evening breeze blew across the Yin River Grand Canal, carrying some moisture, lifting Wen Qingci’s long hair.
The young physician in moon-white looked at the city where he had lived for over twenty years and said softly to Xie Bufeng: “However… this commoner has one request, hoping that Your Highness and Consort Lan can protect my family.”
“Certainly.”
The young man’s heart beat faster in that moment.
He had never made a promise so earnestly as now.
“That’s good,” Wen Qingci smiled, looked back at the sunset, and said somewhat formally, “It’s getting late, this commoner should head home now.”
“Wait-” Just as Wen Qingci was turning around, Xie Bufeng suddenly reached out and gently grabbed his wrist.
“What is it, Your Highness?”
The young man shook his head at Wen Qingci and said with great solemnity: “Don’t call yourself ‘this commoner,’ we’re still the same as before.”
He utterly detested this form of address that infinitely widened the distance between himself and Wen Qingci.
The person whose wrist he was gently holding was stunned for a few moments, then smiled.
Wen Qingci winked at Xie Bufeng and said half-jokingly: “Alright, then I’ll be going now.”
Finally, before the young man could react, he gently broke free from the other’s restraint and quickly headed toward Songxiu Prefecture.
After walking some distance, he suddenly turned back, waved to Xie Bufeng, and called out loudly: “Young Master Su, see you tomorrow.”
With these words, the moon-white figure finally disappeared into the sunset.
Wen Qingci had spoken casually, not knowing that this night, Xie Bufeng would be unable to sleep because of these words.
That “Young Master Su” filled with laughter, and the figure gradually fading into the sunset.
They lingered repeatedly in Xie Bufeng’s heart.
The young man had never, as now, so eagerly awaited the arrival of “tomorrow.”
##
