Chapter 89: Who The Hell Are You?!

November 23, 2022Merchie

Jiang Yubai didn’t even need to check his pulse; seeing how weak Pei Zheng looked, he already knew what had happened; he must have been using his internal strength again.

Ever since he had sustained those serious injuries from falling off the cliff, every time he used his internal energy, the backlash would be even more severe. But he still continued to forcefully circulate his internal strength, completely heedless of his ruined body.

Jiang Yubai wanted to step forward and take Pei Zheng’s pulse, just to see how bad his injury was. But he hadn’t even walked over before he was stopped by a cold glance from Pei Zheng.

“All right, I know you don’t want to see me, I also feel annoyed just looking at you.” Jiang Yubai said, “But your wounds can’t be left untreated…”

“How about this, I’ll have my two apprentices come and take a look, that should be fine, right?”

“Apprentices?” Pei Zheng raised his eyebrows.

“That’s right, they were just taken in by the Imperial Hospital, they’re talented kids. One is called Zhou Wu, and the other is called Shen Shijiu.”

Upon hearing his own name, Shen Shijiu, who was under the blanket, stiffened nervously, and the hand on his waist pressed down again.

Jiang Yubai looked at Qi Bingzhi and said, “I didn’t plan on bringing them in the beginning, but after hearing that the Second Princess’s illness has worsened, I thought, why don’t I just have the two of them stay at the manor temporarily, so they can monitor the Second Princess’s condition at all times?”

Upon hearing this, Qi Bingzhi covered her nose and mouth and coughed lightly twice.

“So this was what Imperial Physician Jiang had in mind, you’re really too kind.”

Jiang Yubai nodded at her, “Then I’ll go and inform them of a few matters first, I won’t disturb Lord Pei’s rest any longer. I’ll have them come and take a look at you later.”

After he finished speaking, Jiang Yubai left the little pavilion with a knowing feeling in his heart.

Qi Bingzhi gave Li Yu a look, signaling for him to retreat as well. Li Yu reluctantly stepped forward to take a look at Pei Zheng. Unexpectedly, Pei Zheng had already leaned back against the bed and closed his eyes. Li Yu had no choice but to leave the room with the rest of the servants.

Qi Bingzhi stood far from the bed, and couldn’t clearly see Pei Zheng’s face.

It had been five days since he had left the manor.

The vast Prime Minister’s Manor was penetrated by a lonely coldness. After staying in this bitter chill for so long, it felt as though the cold had pierced her heart.

“My Lord…”

When Pei Zheng heard her voice, his eyelids peeled open and he looked over.

“Why haven’t you left yet?”

Qi Bingzhi was holding that bowl of hot soup, and took two steps forward.

“My Lord, are you feeling a little better?”

“I’ll feel better once it’s quiet.”

Qi Bingzhi bit her lip, “Drink some soup first, it’ll get cold soon.”

Pei Zheng was irritated to the extreme, and had to use all of his strength to suppress the internal energy that was coursing tumultuously through his body. His throat was still filled with a fishy sweetness from when he vomited blood earlier.

Except this taste of blood also carried a note of bitterness. Pei Zheng touched the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue and thought of the feeling on his lips just a moment ago.

Warm, delicate, soft, and carrying a faint, sweet, milky fragrance…

What was it?

Suddenly, Pei Zheng felt a stream of warmth flow through his body. speeding through his meridians and pouring into his limbs, and even the torrent of chaotic internal energy slowly calmed down.

He was a bit surprised that the pill he had just swallowed would be this effective.

Upon seeing his expression change, Qi Bingzhi put the bowl down to the side, anxiously walked to the side of the bed, and placed her hand on Pei Zheng’s arm.

“My Lord, what’s wrong? Are you in pain from your injuries?”

Pei Zheng lifted his hand and wanted to brush her arm away. Unexpectedly, he didn’t control his strength well; a stream of qi flowed out of his hand, and he pushed Qi Bingzhi directly to the floor.

Qi Bingzhi’s tears immediately gushed out. She knew that Pei Zheng didn’t like her, and that he was just using her, but she never thought that Pei Zheng would actually lay a hand on her.

With great effort, Pei Zheng withdrew the qi flowing out of his palm and glanced at Qi Bingzhi, who had fallen into a sitting position on the floor. The iciness in his gaze had finally melted a bit.

Qi Bingzhi was secretly delighted, and immediately bit the tip of her tongue hard. A stream of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, and her face was full of heartbreak and hopelessness.

“My Lord, I was just worried about you…”

“No need.” Pei Zheng’s voice was a little hoarse, “Go back and rest.”

Qi Bingzhi knew that there was no use in her saying anything more at this point; it would be best to just obediently return to her residence. She held back her tears and nodded, looking particularly gentle and sweet.

Qi Bingzhi lifted her body and stood up. Suddenly, her legs were a bit unsteady, and she swayed twice, before she yelped in surprise and collapsed toward the side of the bed.

Pei Zheng didn’t have enough strength at the moment to push her away, so most of Qi Bingzhis’s body had fallen onto Pei Zheng’s arm.

It was a little chilly today, but Qi Bingzhi was wearing a very thin robe, so the curves of her body were now exposed.

She straightened herself up with a flustered expression. Unexpectedly, when she lifted her head, she actually saw a small mound beneath the blanket near the inside of the bed.

Immediately, Qi Bingzhi’s body froze in place. Her eyes widened slightly as she stared at the little arch, and even her breaths began to tremble.

This extremely obvious outline was clearly that of a person.

Who is it?! Who dares to lie on this bed?! Who dares to lie beside Pei Zheng?!

Could it really be that someone else had popped up at Pei Zheng’s side without her knowledge?

Impossible! Pei Zheng was still secretly searching for Qi Changyi’s whereabouts, He still didn’t believe that Qi Changyi was really dead; how could he accept anyone else?

No matter who it was, she definitely wouldn’t let them off easily!

Qi Bingzhi couldn’t maintain her current expression anymore. There was cruelty in her gaze. There was only one thought in her mind; to see just who it was hiding under the covers.

She quickly stretched her hand around Pei Zheng’s body, grabbed the quilt, and was about to tear it away. One of its corners was lifted, revealing a small patch of a plain, white robe.

Before Qi Bingzhi could pull the entire blanket off, her wrist was suddenly squeezed. Just a little bit of strength was enough to cause her severe pain.

This feeling of pain suddenly made her come back to her senses. She hurriedly hid the emotions on her face, and raised her tearful eyes to look at Pei Zheng, only to see that he was only lazily looking at her with half-open, slightly suspicious eyes.

Qi Bingzhi knew that she had overstepped the rules, and she wiggled her wrist, “My Lord, what you need the most right now is rest, so… so you shouldn’t have other people disturbing you-”

“Other people?” Pei Zhen sneered, “Second Princess must be seeing things, there are no ‘other people’ in here besides you.”

Qi Bingzhi stared at the blanket, and was trembling in rage, but she could only say in a low voice, ” I know that there isn’t room for anyone in Your Lordship’s heart, but there will always be some vile people who don’t know right from wrong; who knows what their intentions may be in approaching Your Lordship. I’m afraid they may have ulterior motives…”

“Oh?” Pei Zheng lightly tugged her arm, taking in the full view of Qi Bingzhi’s complicated expression. He wanted nothing more than to tear off her mask, but he never expected her to be able to remain so calm.

“Then what are the Second Princess’s intentions?”

Qi Bingzhi’s expression stiffened, and aggrieved tears began to fall from her eyes.

“My Lord, is that what you think of me? I… I’ve never held any unreasonable desires towards you, I only want to accompany Your Lordship, just like this, and… it’ll be fine… I trust that there will be a day when Your Lordship forgets the past, and forgets about all of those unpleasant things…”

Upon hearing her words, Pei Zheng felt the blood in his body that had just calmed down begin to boil again, and he lifted his hand to thrash her away, “Unpleasant? When did I say that? Or is that how his very existence makes you feel, unpleasant?”

Qi Bingzhi was thrown and crashed into a nearby table. She gripped its edge to steady herself.

To have her worries and thoughts prodded like this didn’t feel good at all. Her nails dug tightly into the edge of the table.

“I-I’ve never thought about it that way, I’ve never hurt him either. If we’re talking about that, Rourou is the one who’s always fought with him, what does it have to do with me!? Your Lordship is still muddled day and night thinking about a dead person, completely distracted; I feel that it’s unfair to Your Lordship!”

Pei Zheng’s expression was gloomy and terrifying. He suddenly stood up from the bed, and swayed twice, before he walked toward Qi Bingzhi.

Qi Bingzhi couldn’t help but feel a bit scared. His eyes were looking right at her, but it was like he was staring at some cold, lifeless object, his gaze completely devoid of warmth.

Pei Zheng walked up to her and reached out. His slender fingers were pale and completely bloodless. His knuckles visibly protruded, exposing the light blue veins beneath his skin.

Qi Bingzhi’s neck was lightly squeezed by slightly cold fingers. Her eyes widened, and her breathing became labored.

“This minister has already told you the reasons why you are still living in this manor…” Pei Zheng lowered his voice, and his gaze suddenly sharpened, “Next time, you won’t need this minister to teach you what you can and cannot say.”

Qi Bingzhi’s face was slightly flushed, and her tears flowed unrestrainedly.

“Right now, get out and go back to your waterside pavilion! In the future, you are not allowed to take half a step into the back garden.”

Pei Zheng let go.

After Qi Bingzhi was freed, she hurriedly gasped for breath. She lowered her head, her gaze filled with resentment and jealousy; resentment toward that dead man, jealousy toward that person who was hidden in the bed at this very moment.

After a few deep breaths, Qi Bingzhi put on a dainty, pitiful expression, and glanced at the quiet bed from a distance, before she finally turned around and left the little pavilion.

After Qi Bingzhi left, Pei Zheng suddenly bent over, pressed his hands tightly against the table, and couldn’t move for a long time. Every movement caused unbearable pain to attack every part of his body.

He stood there for a long time, before clutching his chest, and slowly walking toward the side of the bed.

“Get up.”

The person beneath the blanket arched his back a little, but didn’t come out.

Impatient, Pei Zheng grabbed a corner of the quilt and pulled; only then was the small figure lying obediently underneath it revealed.

Shen Shijiu covered his face with both hands, stole a glance through the gaps between his fingers, and happened to meet Pei Zheng’s eyes. He moved his palms away and asked in a small voice, “Are they all gone now?”

But Pei Zheng stared at him without answering, and his gaze swept over him imperceptibly.

Shen Shijiu lowered his head in confusion. Only then did he realize that there was a gap between his lapels, revealing a small patch of fair skin. His earlobes heated up, and he hurriedly reached forward to pull them together.

Shen Shijiu sat up; his legs had finally regained their strength, and he nimbly hopped off the bed.

“Uh, L-Lord Pei, I-I… if there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving now… I-I won’t disturb your rest anymore…”

Under the blanket, Shen Shijiu had clearly heard everything that everyone had said. Although there were many things that he didn’t understand, he could tell from listening to the conversation that right now, Pei Zheng was in an extremely bad mood, so it would be best if he escaped as soon as possible.

Unexpectedly, he didn’t have the time to take a step, before his arm was grabbed by a hand.

That hand’s grip was very gentle, so gentle that Shen Shijiu could simply jiggle his wrist lightly and break free, but he froze and didn’t move.

Pei Zheng stood in front of him, towering over him by a head, and was now leaning slightly to look at him, his eyes dark.

Shen Shijiu unconsciously shrank back a step, and Pei Zheng immediately followed his movements.

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The moment he laid eyes on this person for the first time, Pei Zheng had an inexplicable feeling. At that time, he had been hugging that spoiled black cat, but the cat had nestled in his arms obediently without making a fuss.

And his slender figure that looked so soft and amiable, it was really… really too familiar…

Shen Shijiu’s eyes were full of ignorance and innocence, and he was slightly frightened.

“Who the hell are you?!”

“I-I’m Shen Shijiu…”

“You’re Jiang Yubai’s apprentice?”

Shen Shijiu shook his head, “I-I’m not, Imperial Physician Jiang isn’t my shifu…”

“Tell me! Who is your shifu?!” Pei Zheng’s tone carried a note of anxiousness, and his gaze was also extremely sharp; he looked as though he could eat someone up.

Shen Shijiu froze at his sudden shout, and his eyes turned a bit wet. The person in front of him was too scary; he didn’t want to talk to him anymore.

“I… My shifu told me not to tell anyone… don’t ask me anymore…”

Shen Shijiu looked like he was about to cry; his little face was all scrunched up.

His originally clear, bright eyes were now red, and he looked at Pei Zheng pitifully. There were a few crystalline beads hanging on his eyelashes, and it looked like they were about to drip down; his expression would make anyone feel sorry for him in an instant.

But upon looking at his sunken nose bridge, slightly upturned nostrils, and somewhat ugly mouth, Pei Zheng felt that the only features of his face that he could bear to look at were his eyes.

Suddenly, Pei Zheng thought of something, lifted his hand with some effort, and reached toward the bottom of Shen Shijiu’s neck.

Shen Shijiu stood there dumbly, not daring to move at all. He could only allow that hand to peel his lapels apart, and reveal the pale, flawless skin hidden beneath several layers of clothing.

The skin on his body was much better than the skin on his face; it was white as jade, delicate and tender, and seemed to be the result of living a life of luxury for many years; it was as if his skin could drip dew at the lightest of touches.

Shen Shijiu couldn’t help but shiver as his skin came into contact with the cool air.

After Pei Zheng saw his clear, clean collarbone, uncontrollable disappointment welled up in his eyes, and his fingers gently touched it.

It wasn’t there, there was no tattoo, no red lotus…

There was nothing…

That’s right, you saw a little bit of it at the restaurant last time, right? What the hell were you hoping for?

Hoping for him to come back to your side of his own accord?

How could that be possible? If he had even the slightest bit of faith in you, he wouldn’t have chosen to leave in such a way…

What should you do, just what should you do…

Pei Zheng closed his eyes, and suddenly felt a deep sense of powerlessness rise up from the soles of his feet. His consciousness was slowly pulled away, and his body immediately fell forward.

He still had a bit of consciousness when he had fainted earlier, but he was completely out cold now.

Shen Shijiu’s head was still lowered as he was rewrapping his robes and secretly wiping the teardrops at the corners of his eyes with his cuffs. But when he raised his head, the dark figure in front of him had fallen towards him.

Shen Shijiu reflexively opened his arms to catch him, but unfortunately, this man was taller than him by an entire head, completely unlike Xiao Miaowu, who was small, delicate, and could be caught in his embrace.

He stretched his hand behind the man to hold him, and Pei Zheng’s head landed right on Shen Shijiu’s shoulder, his face tilted toward Shen Shijiu’s throat. Those soft breaths made his neck itch.

A warm body suddenly pressed tightly against him. Shen Shijiu’s small body couldn’t support its weight, so they fell onto the bed together.

With a soft “peng”, the two of them landed on the soft bed. Shen Shijiu let out a muffled huff. He was being completely squished; the person on top of him was smashed up against his body, and it was difficult for his little chest to even rise and fall with his breaths.

“Hurry up and… get up… Ah… I… can’t… breathe… “

But Pei Zheng remained sprawled over his body and didn’t move at all.

Shen Shijiu reached over, grabbed his arm, pulled it over, and placed his fingers on his wrist to feel his pulse.

It was nothing serious; it was just the pill he had just eaten taking effect. But he was weak, and he couldn’t bear the effects of the medicine for the moment, so he fainted.

Shen Shijiu was relieved, and pushed hard against his chest with his small hands. It was a pity that after shoving for a long while, he still couldn’t push him away. Instead, he found that the clothes over Pei Zheng’s chest were a bit hard, probably because the blood on them had dried.

Shen Shijiu simply stopped trying to move him. He carefully shifted his own body slightly, and finally squeezed out from under him.

After jostling around so much, Shen Shijiu’s garments were a bit messy, and his guan had loosened slightly. His ears were so red that it looked like they were about to drip blood; who knew if it was because he was hot, or if there was some other reason.

He didn’t forget to pull the blanket over and cover the unconscious man with it.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

“Lord Pei, I’m Zhou Wu from the Imperial Hospital. Imperial Physician Jiang asked me to take your pulse.”

Shen Shijiu suddenly became nervous again, and paced around the room, unable to think of a suitable place to hide.

Unexpectedly, the door was pushed open.

“Lord Pei, Imperial Physician Jiang said that even if you’re unwilling, you have to have your pulse taken, so this lowly one simply walked in…”

Zhou Wu had just stepped through the door, and was shocked when he saw Shen Shijiu.

“Shen Shijiu? Why are you here? Everyone is still searching everywhere for you. Looks like you arrived a long time ago, why didn’t you inform us beforehand?” Zhou Wu said as he walked inside.

Shen Shijiu smiled unnaturally, “I… I just accidentally stumbled upon this place… Uh, I’ve already diagnosed and treated Lord Pei, so let’s go, let’s not disturb His Lordship’s rest…”

Shen Shijiu shoved Zhou Wu, who had just entered, out the door as he walked, before shutting the door tightly behind him. Then, he exhaled deeply in relief.

Zhou Wu’s face was full of suspicion, and he eyed Shen Shijiu up and down, before he leaned close and said, “Shen Shijiu, you’re terrible at lying.”

Shen Shijiu was stunned for a moment, before he lifted his head, “I-I don’t know how… I… I really d-don’t know how to lie… Shifu said liars are… are… very naughty…”

The more he spoke, the quieter his voice became.

Zhou Wu cracked a wide grin, “Hahahaha, look at you, hahahaha, if you weren’t lying, I’d have to write my name backwards for the rest of my life. Hurry up and spill it! Where did you go earlier?”

“I, didn’t!” Shen Shijiu’s voice suddenly rose, his little face was very prim, “I really didn’t, go anywhere!”

As long as his voice was loud enough, he could say that he wasn’t lying.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, you should take a look in the mirror, your face is peach blossom-pink, do you have a crush on a certain maid?”

Upon hearing these words, Shen Shijiu became a little shy, “I don’t, stop talking nonsense, let’s leave quickly, Imperial Physician Jiang must still be waiting for us.”

He dragged Zhou Wu to leave, but Zhou Wu dragged him in the other direction.

“Aiya, you little fool, you’re going the wrong way! The exit is over here! Oh yeah, Imperial Physician Jiang went back to the palace, and wants us to take care of the Second Princess, so…”

Shen Shijiu was puzzled, “So what?”

“… So from now on, we’re going to be living at the Prime Minister’s Manor, isn’t that exciting?”

Shen Shijiu stopped in his tracks.

They were going to… live in the Prime Minister’s Manor?!

In other words, he was going to be living under the same roof as Pei Zheng!

“Weren’t you in a hurry to leave? Why did you stop?” Zhou Wu turned around and pulled Shen Shijiu, who was still rooted to the spot, “We still have to go to the waterside pavilion to see the Second Princess, we can’t afford to delay this matter any longer. Come on, quickly, let’s go…”

Shen Shijiu let Zhou Wu drag him the entire way, out of the back garden, through the bamboo forest, until they arrived at the gate of the waterside pavilion.

Zhou Wu knocked on the door, and a maid went inside to report their arrival. After a long while, the door opened again.

“The two of you may come in, remember to be quiet. The princess is tired, and is about to take a nap.”

The two affirmed the request and walked inside with quiet footsteps.

This waterside pavilion had a completely different style from the little pavilion in the back garden. The decorations were all extremely luxurious, and there were pink curtains everywhere; whenever the wind blew, they would flutter and exude a faint, alluring fragrance.

There was a thick fur rug beneath their feet, so the two silently walked in.

Qi Bingzhi was currently lying on a reclining chair in the inner room, and her face couldn’t be seen clearly from behind the woven curtain.

“Greetings to the Second Princess.”

Shen Shijiu and Zhou Wu obediently bowed.

“There’s no need to be so polite, please rise.”

Qi Bingzhi’s voice was very gentle against the ears.

“Princess…” The maid at the side brought a wooden stool over, and had Qi Bingzhi place her wrist on it.

There were several clear red marks on Qi Bingzhi’s wrist, and they looked slightly swollen. They appeared to be new injuries.

Zhou Wu stepped forward very courteously, and said in a respectful tone, “Princess, this lowly one will examine your injuries.”

“I’d trouble you to do so.”

Qi Bingzhi’s wrist was placed onto the stool, so Zhou Wu could only kneel on the floor to examine Qi Bingzhi’s injury.

“It shouldn’t be a serious issue, there is no injury to the muscles or bones. You just need to apply some ointment and it will be fine.”

Zhou Wu stood up, and returned to stand beside Shen Shijiu.

Qi Bingzhi, who was behind the curtain, withdrew her arm and sat up, “Thank you.”

Then she waved her hand, and the maid beside her lifted the curtain. Qi Bingzhi looked at the two people standing outside the curtain and inadvertently swept a glance over them.

Unexpectedly, this glance made her entire body shake, and the blood inside her seemed to start flowing backward.

That slender, white-clad figure with his head bowed, why did he seem especially familiar?

The quick glimpse she had caught in the restaurant, the corner of a white robe she had just seen on the bed in the little pavilion…

So he was the one Pei Zheng had been hiding!

Qi Bingzhi confirmed this almost instantly, but she could only suppress the impulse and insane rage in her heart. With a smile on her face, she looked toward Shen Shijiu and spoke softly,

“Can you lift your head and let me take a look at you?”

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