TGPSAC 10

Chapter 10

 Moving In

Before Qin Ziguang even entered the courtyard, she heard the sound of a woman coughing. As soon as she stepped inside, the strong smell of medicinal herbs filled the air.

She glanced at the flowers blooming in the courtyard.

Quite a few of them could make coughing worse.

“Move these pots away. Otherwise, Madam’s cough will be difficult to improve. The pollen from these flowers is making her cough even worse.”

Xuanyuan Yu said, “They’re Mother’s favorites…”

But after considering that his mother’s health was more important, he instructed the maids to move away all the flowers Qin Ziguang had pointed out.

An elderly maidservant came out of the room.

Seeing Xuanyuan Yu directing the maids to move the flowers, she hurriedly stopped him.

“Young Master, these flowers were carefully cultivated by Madam herself! Where are you moving them?”

Xuanyuan Yu replied, “These flowers are affecting Mother’s condition, so they’ll be moved away for now. Has Mother gotten any better after taking her medicine?”

The maidservant shook her head.

“No. In fact, her coughing seems to have gotten even worse. Madam even coughed up blood just now.”

She lowered her voice so the others wouldn’t hear.

Xuanyuan Yu quickly led Qin Ziguang to see his mother.

Madam Xuanyuan was half-reclining on the bed.

After being ill for several days, she had become much thinner. Her complexion was deathly pale, and she looked weak and completely devoid of vitality.

The senior maid attending her immediately said upon seeing Xuanyuan Yu,

“Young Master, Madam coughed all night again. She didn’t sleep a wink.”

“Cough… cough… Yu’er, you’ve come.”

Madam Xuanyuan coughed so violently that she struggled to catch her breath. Xuanyuan Yu hurried to her side, sat down, gently patted her back, and helped her breathe more easily.

Qin Ziguang observed Madam Xuanyuan’s complexion.

Heh.

She had been poisoned.

It was a chronic poison that had been in her body for many years, and it was only now beginning to take effect.

It seemed the Prime Minister’s Residence wasn’t exactly peaceful.

“And this young lady is…?”

Madam Xuanyuan noticed Qin Ziguang. She hadn’t attended the palace banquet before, so she had never met her.

Xuanyuan Yu introduced them.

“Mother, this is the Protector Princess… Qin Ziguang, daughter of Prince Qin. I invited her here to examine your illness.”

“Oh? The Princess knows medicine?”

Madam Xuanyuan found it rather surprising.

Qin Ziguang answered modestly,

“I know a little. I recently opened a medical clinic in the Imperial Capital.”

Madam Xuanyuan said,

“I’ve heard that a divine female physician has recently appeared in the Imperial Capital. Could that be you?”

Qin Ziguang nodded.

“Thank you all for your praise. I wouldn’t dare call myself a divine physician, but so far there hasn’t been an illness I couldn’t cure. Madam, please allow me to take your pulse.”

As she spoke, Qin Ziguang took Madam Xuanyuan’s wrist and examined her pulse.

She quickly reached a conclusion.

“Madam, you’ve had this poison in your body for over ten years, haven’t you?”

“My mother has been poisoned?”

Xuanyuan Yu was shocked.

He had never known about it. Hadn’t everyone said that his younger sister, Xuanyuan Qingyun, had angered their mother into falling ill?

Only after Qin Ziguang accurately determined how long she had been poisoned did Madam Xuanyuan truly believe in her medical skills.

“Princess, your medical skills are truly extraordinary. That’s right, it is poison.

“Fifteen years ago, I contracted a strange illness. Only this poison could keep me alive. Although I knew that taking too much would eventually destroy my body… in order to survive, I had no choice but to treat poison as medicine.

“Now… I’m afraid my body can’t hold on much longer… cough… cough…”

Qin Ziguang said,

“Rest assured, Madam. I can save your life. However, I have one condition.”

Upon hearing that she could actually be saved, Madam Xuanyuan’s eyes lit up.

“Princess, what is your condition?”

Qin Ziguang glanced at Xuanyuan Yu.

She simply smiled without answering.

Xuanyuan Yu’s eyelid twitched.

For some reason, he had a bad feeling about this…

Madam Xuanyuan said,

“Princess, as long as you can cure me, anything within my power, I certainly won’t refuse.”

Neither of her children had married yet. She couldn’t bear to leave them behind without anyone to care for them.

Qin Ziguang smiled.

“It’s actually nothing. To make it convenient for me to perform acupuncture every day, it’d be best if I stayed here at the Prime Minister’s Residence. Otherwise, making the trip here every day would be far too exhausting.”

After hearing her request…

Xuanyuan Yu’s lips twitched.

Why did he feel this woman had ulterior motives?

Madam Xuanyuan laughed after hearing Qin Ziguang’s request.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Princess. It would naturally be wonderful if you stayed here. You are more than welcome. Please treat this place as your own home. As long as you cure my illness, anything within my power, I will never refuse.”

Xuanyuan Yu immediately objected.

“Mother, the Princess can’t stay here. She’s still an unmarried young lady. If she lives at the Prime Minister’s Residence, people will start spreading rumors.”

Ever since he and Qin Ziguang had nearly been framed together in the palace, gossip had never ceased.

If Qin Ziguang now stayed at his residence, the rumors would only become even more outrageous.

Everyone would think the Prime Minister’s Residence and Prince Qin’s Residence were arranging a marriage alliance.

His Majesty would misunderstand and become even more wary of the Prime Minister’s Residence.

The First Prince would misunderstand as well.

He hadn’t forgotten that the First Prince intended to marry Qin Ziguang.

Qin Ziguang shot Xuanyuan Yu a sidelong glare, looking thoroughly displeased.

“It seems Young Master Xuanyuan doesn’t welcome me as a guest. Very well.

“Then I’ll trouble Young Master Xuanyuan to work a little harder and bring Madam to Prince Qin’s Residence every day so I can perform acupuncture.

“Since I’m apparently unwelcome here, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to come to the Prime Minister’s Residence every day.

“Besides, I have other patients. If I spend half a day traveling here every day, should I simply abandon my other patients?

“For example… your First Prince…”

That was a threat.

Xuanyuan Yu immediately understood.

At that moment, Gu Feng came to report,

“Young Master, the First Prince has arrived.”

“Why has he left the palace?”

Although puzzled, Xuanyuan Yu hurried out to receive him.

He even wondered whether Xiahou Hong had heard that Qin Ziguang had come to the Prime Minister’s Residence, which was why he had come as well.

Xiahou Hong had two reasons for visiting.

First, he had heard that Madam Xuanyuan, his own maternal aunt, was gravely ill. Naturally, he had to come and see her.

Second, he knew Xuanyuan Yu had gone to the city gate to receive Qin Ziguang, but she had come to the Prime Minister’s Residence instead, so he followed.

“Your Highness, why have you left the palace? The wind is strong today. You shouldn’t be running around.”

Xiahou Hong pulled his clothes tighter around himself.

“It’s alright. After taking the pill the Princess gave me before, I feel much better.

“Besides, I heard Aunt is ill. How could I not come and visit? Cough… cough… I heard the Princess is at your residence?”

Xuanyuan Yu nodded.

“Yes. She’s here to treat my mother. Mother’s illness requires daily acupuncture. I was just wondering whether I should bring Mother to Prince Qin’s Residence every day or simply invite the Princess to stay here.”

In truth, he was testing Xiahou Hong’s attitude.

After all, Xiahou Hong had previously said he intended to marry Qin Ziguang because His Majesty had declared that whoever married her would become the Crown Prince.

Xiahou Hong replied,

“Of course it’s more convenient to have the Princess stay here. Besides, I’ll also be troubling your household by staying here for a while.

“That way, the Princess can continue examining my health, and I’ll also have the opportunity to spend time with her and cultivate our relationship. Two birds with one stone. Don’t you think?”

Xuanyuan Yu was speechless.

Well, if this was the First Prince’s plan, there wasn’t much he could say.

“Very well. Then we’ll have the Princess stay here. Your Highness, you can stay in your usual courtyard.”

Since Xiahou Hong frequently stayed at the Prime Minister’s Residence, he had a courtyard reserved especially for him.

Xiahou Hong said,

“Yu, remember to arrange for the Princess to stay in the courtyard next to mine. Being close makes everything easier…”