A paper umbrella was held up by her slender wrist, and her wide sleeves slowly slid down, revealing a string of clear blue medicinal jades that swayed gently in front of Xie Bufeng's eyes, making crisp sounds from time to time.
In just a few seconds, the young man's mind was shaken.
The person next to me is Wen Qingci.
Xie Bufeng's heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm.
The heavy rain was like a curtain, crackling and covering everything.
The two walked side by side, neither of them spoke.
The cold air climbed up along his skin, and in a trance, Xie Bufeng remembered the snow that happened not long ago.
While walking, Wen Qingci's hand holding the umbrella accidentally touched Xie Bufeng's body.
The young man's body stiffened.
Doesn’t Xie Bufeng want to get too close
After a few seconds of pause, Wen Qingci subconsciously took a half step in the other direction.
It hasn’t been long since we last held an umbrella together.
But during this period of time, Xie Bufeng not only grew taller, but even his shoulders became broader.
This umbrella is a little too small for them.
Half of Wen Qingci's body was submerged in the rain.
"Be careful of the rain."
Xie Bufeng suddenly reached out and held the arm of Wen Qingci that was holding the umbrella.
The boy pulled him back under the umbrella without much effort.
The two bodies were pressed tightly together.
But even at this point, Xie Bufeng still didn't let go.
He even subconsciously rubbed his fingers on Wen Qingci's arm.
There is a long scar on the cold and delicate skin.
That was left over from the last time he took blood for himself.
It seems that Wen Qingci successfully detoxified the poison today. He solved the trouble in Huixin Palace without using his own blood.
Xie Bufeng couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The scars on Wen Qingci's body were left only because of himself.
—This thought suddenly popped up in Xie Bufeng’s mind.
Then he felt secretly happy in his heart, and subconsciously exerted force to hold Wen Qingci's arm tightly.
Wen Qingci:…!
Xie Bufeng himself has no sense of pain, so no matter what he does, he doesn't know the severity of the consequences.
Wen Qingci's wound had already healed naturally.
But when Xie Bufeng squeezed so hard, his wounds and bones still felt a dull pain.
After hesitating for a while, Wen Qingci finally couldn't help but remind him: "Your Highness?"
His voice pierced through the rain and finally brought the boy back to his senses.
Xie Bufeng slowly let go, paused for a moment and took the umbrella from Wen Qingci's hand: "I'll do it," he said.
"good."
The boy was indeed taller, and he easily lifted the umbrella over the two people's heads.
But the umbrella was too small, so Wen Qingci and Xie Bufeng's arms were still tightly pressed together.
It seems that I must bring an extra umbrella next time I go out.
Wen Qingci couldn't help but think about it.
When we returned to the Imperial Medical Bureau, it was already daybreak.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, Xie Bufeng smelled a sweet fragrance.
"It's magnolia porridge," Wen Qingci said with a smile, "I cooked it in the small stove last night. It's just right for drinking now."
Wen Qingci discovered that Xie Bufeng seemed to particularly like magnolia porridge.
Therefore, when the flower season was about to end, he collected a lot of them, dried them and kept them for later use.
I don't know when the sky cleared up again.
At this time, the small courtyard of the Imperial Medical Bureau was filled with the fragrance of flowers and warm morning light.
In just a moment, people forget the coldness of the early morning.
Xie Bufeng opened the umbrella under the eaves. As soon as he stood up, he saw Wen Qingci walking out of the room and looking at him with a smile.
The accumulated water on the stone slabs in the courtyard was shining silver.
At this moment, all the light was reflected in Wen Qingci's eyes, and ripples appeared along with his smile.
In an instant...
Xie Bufeng seemed to have fallen into a bottomless pool, with his ankles pulled by the undercurrent and being dragged to the bottom of the water.
But this time, he didn't even want to escape.
Wen Qingci slowly shifted his gaze and walked towards Xie Bufeng.
—He was holding a small box in his hand.
What was placed inside was the gift that Wen Qingci had prepared for Xie Bufeng long ago.
He had wanted to give the gift to the boy early this morning, but he didn't expect to encounter an emergency and was delayed for so long.
Wen Qingci stopped in front of Xie Bufeng and slowly took out the thing in his hand.
He smiled at the young man and said softly, "Happy birthday, Your Highness."
Wen Qingci has not forgotten this day.
In an instant, Xie Bufeng's breathing almost stopped.
He reached out and carefully took the box from Wen Qingci's hand.
This was Xie Bufeng’s first birthday and the first gift he received.
After receiving the things, he actually showed a rare bit of awkwardness.
For a moment, he didn't know whether he should accept it directly or open the box in front of Wen Qingci.
"Open it and take a look, Your Highness."
"Um."
The young man used his fingers to open the clasp of the brocade box, and the next moment, a bracelet appeared before his eyes.
This is a bracelet about two fingers wide, woven from thick threads of off-white wool.
At first glance, it looks like a popular style in the Western Regions.
But the pattern woven was more exquisite than any bracelet Xie Bufeng had ever seen.
Wen Qingci didn't say anything. He took out the gift for Xie Bufeng and then gently wrapped it around the boy's wrist.
"Okay." Wen Qingci said with a smile.
But in just a moment, the warmth left by the wool rubbing against his skin, and a slight itchiness, passed along Xie Bufeng's wrist into his mind.
He thought of the lamb that belonged only to him.
There is also the warmth between Wen Qingci's wrists.
"In the Valley of Divine Doctors, there is a custom of giving birthday gifts. This is a method I learned in the West Market some time ago. Soaking the herbs in water for a few days in advance has the effect of refreshing the mind." Wen Qingci very naturally made up a "custom" for the Valley of Divine Doctors that did not exist originally.
After wrapping the bracelet, Wen Qingci turned around, pushed open the thin wooden door, walked into the kitchen and served out the magnolia porridge that was simmering in the sand pot.
He looked up at Xie Bufeng through the window, smiled and said, "It's not worth much, Your Highness, please don't despise it."
It turns out that this bracelet was made by Wen Qingci himself
Wen Qingci didn't know that his simple words had caused a storm in Xie Bufeng's heart.
"Won't… "
Xie Bufeng murmured, "Never."
The thing on his wrist is the most precious gift in his life.
Xie Bufeng couldn't help but hold the bracelet tightly with his other hand.
It’s like grasping the illusory “warmth” firmly in one’s hands.
But in just a moment, a chaotic stream of thoughts suddenly flooded into Xie Bufeng's mind.
There is emotion, but also panic.
He couldn't help but think of that snowy night and the lamb that died under the snow.
that power.
The boy slowly narrowed his amber eyes.
Now that Wen Qingci's identity as a "medicine man" has been exposed, he is coveted by countless people and is even regarded as a "magic medicine" by the emperor.
Only power... even the most supreme power in the world, can keep Wen Qingci by his side forever.
In his previous life, Wen Qingci, who was born in an orphanage, did not have a clear birthday.
But his adoptive parents still prepare cake and longevity noodles for him on the day they adopt him every year.
That was once the delicacy that Wen Qingci looked forward to most in the year.
Perhaps because he got up too early, Wen Qingci didn't feel sleepy at all at this time.
After serving the magnolia porridge, he returned to the kitchen and started working again.
Wen Qingci cooked two poached eggs for the boy and some thin noodles according to his memory. A bowl of food was ready in just five or six minutes.
Unlike the usual meals, this bowl of noodles does not contain any extra seasoning.
There are only the simplest seasonings in it, and a circle of sesame oil drizzled on it when it comes out of the pot. It looks light and clear.
After all, it had rained all night, and the temperature was still a little low in the early morning. A faint steam was rising from the small white porcelain bowl.
Like a chain, it hooks out people's appetite.
"Your Highness, try it and see how it tastes." Wen Qingci gently placed it on the table and said with a smile, "My parents often did this when I was a child."
The boy slowly picked up the bamboo chopsticks.
The heat and the aroma of the longevity noodles rose up together.
It tastes fresh and fragrant as soon as you take a bite.
Not sure if it was because it was too hot or if it was an illusion, but Wen Qingci seemed to see Xie Bufeng sniffle lightly.
This is obviously just a simple bowl of longevity noodles.
But the young man sitting in front of it suddenly felt pity for the first time.
It's like... a puppy that's finally picked up and taken home.
Etc., etc!
Wen Qingci immediately cleared these messy thoughts from his mind.
The person in front of me is the future boss of this book. What the hell am I thinking about!
Our dynasty follows the old system of the previous dynasty. According to the regulations, after the age of seventeen, Xie Bufeng should leave the palace and set up his own household.
At the same time, he also had to intern at the grassroots level in the three provinces and six ministries to become familiar with court affairs.
However, the emperor was reluctant to mention this matter, as if he had no intention of continuing the old system.
In the court, no official dared to speak openly, but they were all secretly guessing why this happened.
In the end, everyone thought that Xie Bufeng grew up in the imperial mausoleum, and what he knew and learned was totally insufficient to support him to work in the six ministries, so the emperor's move was very normal.
But not long after, the second prince turned seventeen, and there was still no movement from the emperor.
There were undercurrents in the court.
All the officials tried their best to guess the emperor's intentions, but they could not figure it out for a long time.
The inner voice in his ear told the young man that Xie Zhaolin had calculated carefully: he was not yet fifty this year, and in another twenty years, when he was in his sixties, the princes would be nearly forty years old.
At that time, would they still be willing to be just princes
The more afraid Xie Zhaolin was, the more he didn't want these princes to grow up too early.
Therefore, Xie Bufeng, who was supposed to leave the palace, stayed in Taishu Palace temporarily.
*
Huixin Palace, front hall.
In a blink of an eye, the little princess has been born for almost a month. Compared to her pitiful skinny appearance when she was born, she is now white, plump and much cuter.
Wen Qingci's sick leave has not yet ended.
He poisoned Concubine Lan that day. Although the poison has been removed now, Wen Qingci is still a little worried. Every few days he would go to check Concubine Lan's pulse to see if she had any abnormalities recently.
After taking Lan Fei's pulse several times, Wen Qingci found that there was nothing wrong with her health, and he slowly put his mind at ease.
It is said that when she was taking her pulse regularly, Concubine Lan liked to chat with Wen Qingci.
This is even more true today.
"… In a few months, His Majesty will go on a southern tour. This time he will travel by water, and the entire journey will be on the canal," Concubine Lan said softly while patting the baby in her arms to coax her to sleep, "I guess His Majesty will definitely ask Mr. Wen to bring the imperial doctors with him."
Her physical condition has recovered quite well, and her voice when speaking has mostly recovered.
Today, Concubine Lan was wearing a light red palace dress, which made her look particularly good.
At that time, there were two imperial physicians in the Imperial Medical Bureau.
Yu Guanlin is old and may not be able to leave Yongdu and follow the southern tour.
Therefore, the job of "business trip" will only fall on Wen Qingci.
However, this matter has not been officially notified to the public yet.
Wen Qingci didn't quite understand why Concubine Lan, who was always very cautious, suddenly brought up this
He paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Maybe."
By this time, the pulse diagnosis was over and Wen Qingci's medicine box was mostly packed.
"...Yinchuan Grand Canal." Concubine Lan suddenly stopped patting the baby. She raised her head and looked outside the palace, and her tone suddenly became complicated.
Wen Qingci was stunned for a moment before he reacted.
Perhaps the canal reminded Concubine Lan of her father and brothers.
No wonder she behaved a little abnormally just now.
After sighing softly, Concubine Lan seemed to realize that what she had just said was somewhat inappropriate.
She lowered her eyes to glance at the little princess in her arms, then set her gaze on Wen Qingci again.
This time, Concubine Lan finally returned to her usual self. She greeted Wen Qingci and said, "If I remember correctly, Mr. Wen's home, Songxiu Mansion, is also nearby."
"Yes," Wen Qingci nodded, "It is indeed there."
"Then if you have time, Mr. Wen can go back and take a look." Lan Fei said with a smile.
After chatting for a few minutes, Wen Qingci had already packed the medicine box.
He was about to leave when Concubine Lan stopped him.
"Doctor Wen, please stay," Concubine Lan handed the little princess in her arms to the nurse and said to Wen Qingci, "I just happen to have some new tea before the Qingming Festival. Have two cups before you leave."
"Yes, Doctor Wen, the weather is good today. Why don't you take this opportunity to rest?" Ming Liu, the personal maid standing aside, also tried to persuade him to stay.
After saying that, Concubine Lan glanced at the little princess again and said casually, "Fu Yin has gained weight again in the past few days."
The emperor seemed to like the little princess very much.
Not only did he give Concubine Lan many rewards, he even named her "Xie Fuyin" as soon as she was born.
The name is taken from the idiom "Fu Yin Ming Da", which was originally used to describe beautiful jade.
When he heard this name for the first time, Wen Qingci suddenly remembered that the second prince's name was "Guanzhi" and the third prince's name was "Yinshang".
These names all seem to come from idioms.
So based on this inference... Could it be that Xie Bufeng's name comes from the phrase "born at the wrong time"
Thinking of this, Wen Qingci couldn't help but feel a little unwilling for him.
I hope I am wrong.
Before he could figure out how to refuse, the young eunuch at the side took the medicine box that Wen Qingci had just packed with a smile and put it aside.
Seeing that Concubine Lan wanted to stay, Wen Qingci could no longer refuse.
"Then I am sorry to bother you." Wen Qingci sat down at the small table on one side, and smiled as he nodded to Xie Bufeng on the other side, "Your Highness, please wait for me a little longer."
"Okay." Xie Bufeng, who had just stood up with Wen Qingci, sat back down.
Logically speaking, Xie Bufeng's injuries should have healed long ago.
He should go back to his own Yuguang Palace.
But for some reason, the boy never mentioned it.
When Wen Qingci thought that it would take more time and effort for him to deliver meals to Xie Bufeng after he moved back, he just let him do what he wanted.
After this period of time, Wen Qingci has figured out that Xie Bufeng is indeed a completely invisible person in the palace.
No one cared where he lived, and no one cared where he went.
After realizing this, Wen Qingci would boldly bring Xie Bufeng with him every time he came to Lan Fei's place.
The palace maids from Huixin Palace brought up the new tea.
The faint scent of tea filled the palace, making people feel calm.
Wen Qingci picked up the teacup and took a sip.
At this moment, a light breeze blew, startling the bell hanging on the eaves.
Hearing the light sound, the little princess who was held in her nurse's arms suddenly babbled something.
Lan Fei and Ming Liu surrounded her, then carefully held her in their arms and teased her in their arms.
The atmosphere in Huixin Palace suddenly became extremely warm.
Wen Qingci couldn't help but secretly glance at Xie Bufeng.
The boy was drinking tea with a blank expression on his face, as if he was indifferent to everything here.
Xie Bufeng was sent out of the palace at the age of three because he was too young.
Therefore, he had no impression or feelings towards either his biological mother, Concubine Lan, or the empress dowager who raised him for three years.
In the original novel, Xie Bufeng only showed respect to Concubine Lan until the end.
"Fu Ming Tang" ends with Concubine Lan becoming the empress dowager, and everything that happens afterwards is summarized in just a few sentences.
The sentence that describes Xie Bufeng is - a lonely man.
While reading the book, Wen Qingci didn't have any special feelings about this sentence.
But after meeting Xie Bufeng, he could no longer ignore it.
Wen Qingci didn't want the boy in front of him to continue to be alone.
After his death, the only people who could accompany him in the palace would be Concubine Lan and the little princess, right
Thinking of this, Wen Qingci put down the teacup in his hand and subconsciously looked at Concubine Lan and the baby in her arms.
At some point, little Xie Fuyin started crying again.
Concubine Lan tried to coax her for a long time, but she didn't calm down.
The two people's eyes met in mid-air.
Lan Fei smiled at Wen Qingci suddenly, and said as if she had thought of something: "Mr. Wen is our little Fu Yin's savior. Why don't you try hugging her, maybe she will stop crying."
As soon as she finished speaking, before Wen Qingci could refuse, Concubine Lan asked the wet nurse to bring little Xie Fuyin over.
Concubine Lan has always been a person who can distinguish things clearly. Although she still can't figure out why Wen Qingci entered Taishu Palace, after experiencing what happened last time, she has completely regarded this imperial physician in front of her as the savior of herself and her daughter.
The wet nurse walked over in three or two steps, and said something as if she wanted to put the little princess in Wen Qingci's arms.
Wen Qingci:!!!
Wait, I really have never held a child!
This small ball actually made Wen Qingci a little scared.
He pretended to be calm on the surface, but his eyes subconsciously fell on Xie Bufeng.
Everyone suddenly heard Wen Qingci smile, and said with a hint of regret: "My arms are a little weak, I'm afraid I dare not hug the princess."
"...Ah!" Ming Liu exclaimed softly.
She then remembered that in order to stop the bleeding a while ago, Wen Qingci's arm was bandaged for a long time, and then he began to feel weak.
Concubine Lan's expression also changed.
I wonder if what I said just now touched Wen Qingci's sore spot
However, just when everyone was nervous, Wen Qingci looked at Xie Bufeng who was sitting next to him as if nothing had happened: "Why don't you come and try it, Your Highness? You are Princess Fu Yin's biological brother. Maybe if you hug her, she will stop crying."
Wen Qingci's tone is always so gentle, with the power to soothe and calm people's hearts.
As soon as he finished speaking, the nurse forgot about the rumors about Xie Bufeng and thought that he was just an ordinary brother.
She couldn't help but bend down and carefully placed the little princess next to Xie Bufeng's hands.
"Your Highness, hug her." Wen Qingci said softly.
As if by magic, Xie Bufeng slowly took Xie Fuyin into his arms.
The newborn baby is soft all over, as if it has no bones.
The boy held his breath, his arms frozen in place as if frozen.
He was afraid that if he wasn't careful, he would hurt the baby in his arms.
Xie Bufeng was indeed careful, but after all, he had never held a child before, so his movements were very unfamiliar and looked a bit dangerous.
Seeing this, Wen Qingci, who was sitting next to him, also came over.
He glanced at Xie Fuyin and said with a smile: "The little princess has beautiful eyes, also amber, the same as your highness."
Same as me
Xie Bufeng has always hated children, but after listening to Wen Qingci's words, he suddenly felt that the child in his arms became more pleasing to the eye.
There was a rare tenderness in his movements and looks.
The people sitting in front of the small desk didn't notice that Concubine Lan, who was not far away, suddenly had tears in her eyes.
Ever since Xie Bufeng could remember, he had only a group of guards who were responsible for guarding him. He had no family or friends. Growing up in such an environment, his emotions were different from those of ordinary people.
But Concubine Lan will never forget the ten months of pregnancy and the day of childbirth.
How could she have no feelings for Xie Bufeng
She just never had any chance to express it.
This scene before her eyes... made Lan Fei feel as if she was just an ordinary mother, and Xie Bufeng was never a monster.
After a while, Xie Fuyin, who was held in his brother's arms, was still crying loudly.
Seeing this, Wen Qingci, a doctor, couldn't help but come over and gently touched the little princess' forehead.
Fortunately, it’s not a fever or anything like that.
In an instant, the familiar temperature and bitter fragrance rushed towards here.
Wen Qingci, who was concerned about the little princess's health, only knew that little Xie Fuyin suddenly stopped crying and was blinking at her.
He didn't notice that the boy's ears had turned completely red because of his approach.
(End of this chapter)