"Hey, the princess told you to lift your head!"
—The little maid next to him said in a domineering tone, "Hurry up!"
Qi Bingzhi rebuked her, "Xiaomei, don't be so rude."
Xiaomei curled her lips and said nothing more.
Shen Nineteen slowly raised his head, his eyes somewhat confused.
After seeing his face clearly, Qi Bingzhi felt a little relieved, but then became confused again.
Based on this man's appearance, how could he catch Pei Zheng's eye
Or is there something else going on with this person
"What's your name?"
Shen Shijiu answered obediently. Qi Bingzhi pondered for a while and asked, "How long have you been practicing medicine?"
"Reply, reply to the princess, I don't remember, I have been learning medicine from my master since I can remember..."
"Don't remember?" Qi Bingzhi was puzzled. "How can you not remember something like this? Did your memory suffer damage?"
Zhou Wu replied, "Second Princess, you don't know that there is something wrong with him."
He pointed to his head and said, "He looks stupid and dumb on weekdays. If he hadn't had some accomplishments in medical skills, Doctor Jiang wouldn't have kept him here."
Shen Shijiu murmured in dissatisfaction, "There's nothing wrong with my brain... My master praised me for being smart..."
Qi Bingzhi nodded in understanding, but in fact, his suspicion towards Shen Shijiu increased a lot.
How could it be such a coincidence? Is this person also a little stupid
She seemed to have suddenly thought of something and asked tentatively, "I wonder if you two could do me another favor."
Zhou Wu cupped his hands and said, "Princess, just give me your orders."
Qi Bingzhi showed a look of grief on his face, "Hey, isn't it my third sister Rourou who is closest to me? She was plotted against by a villain three years ago and was seriously injured..."
At this point, she wiped away her tears and said, "Please both of you check on my third sister to see if she still has the potential to stand up again."
Zhou Wu responded, "Don't worry, Second Princess. The two of us will do our best to treat Third Princess."
Shen Shijiu also nodded.
It seemed that he had no reaction when the third princess was mentioned, as if he didn't know her at all.
Qi Bingzhi believed that he couldn't pretend to be like this, but this didn't mean that she had dispelled her suspicion of Shen Shijiu.
After instructing the Second Princess to apply medicine to the wound on her wrist and not to get it wet, Zhou Wu and Shen Shijiu left first.
The two of them were arranged to live next to Shuixieju. The things in the side rooms were very simple, but of top quality.
Qi Bingzhi directly sent someone to the palace to bring the third princess Qi Yirou to the Prime Minister's Mansion, saying that he heard that the third princess's mother, Concubine Xi, was in poor health recently and could not
She took good care of the third princess, so as an elder sister she was willing to take care of her younger sister.
Qi Yirou was not willing to leave the palace and leave her mother.
Because actually now Imperial Concubine Xi's position in the palace is very dangerous, and the Empress has been keeping an eye on her for a long time. With Qi Yirou by her side, she can help take care of her a little.
But now that Qi Yirou had been forcibly taken away, Concubine Xi's situation became even more precarious.
After Qi Yirou arrived at the prime minister's residence, Qi Bingzhi arranged for her to live where Zhou Wu and Shen Shijiu lived.
That room was more than enough for servants to live in, but it was too simple for a princess.
Qi Yirou is completely different from the arrogant and domineering princess who used to be so arrogant and self-centered because she was loved by everyone.
She is now very thin, her face is abnormally grayish, and she is sitting in a special chair.
Zhou Wu and Shen Shijiu carefully examined Qi Yiru's legs and found that her kneecap was broken and it was impossible for her to stand up again. It was impossible for Qi Bingzhi not to know this situation.
When Zhou Wu went to report the situation to Qi Bingzhi, Shen Shijiu stayed in that room with Qi Yiru.
Qi Yirou sat blankly by the window, staring outside without a trace of light in her eyes.
In the few days since she came to the Prime Minister's Mansion, she has not uttered a word.
Shen Shijiu was standing beside her, feeling a little awkward. He slowly walked to her side and said softly, "Your Highness the Third Princess, are you thirsty? Do you want to drink some water?"
Qi Yiro shook her head very slowly, like an old man who had lost his energy.
"Well, are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"
Qi Yirou still shook her head.
Shen Nineteen took a few steps closer and asked with concern, "Are you cold? Do you want to put on more clothes? Don't catch a cold..."
"Thank you, but no..."
Qi Yirou's voice was not as clear as before, but rather a little hoarse.
Shen Shijiu said "Oh", and the atmosphere suddenly became cold again.
"How about I pour you a glass of water..."
Shen Shijiu made a move to walk to the table.
Qi Yirou suddenly pulled his sleeves, "Really, thank you for your kindness, I want to be alone..."
Shen Shijiu turned around.
"Master said that when a girl says she wants to be alone, she means come and hug her..."
Shen Nineteen looked at Qi Yirou, with a gleam in his clear eyes, "Your Highness the Third Princess, do you mean the same thing?"
Qi Yirou was stunned by those eyes. This person was so ugly, why did he have such beautiful eyes
Such clean and pure eyes are extremely rare.
"That's not what I meant... But you can stay and keep me company."
Shen Shijiu smiled, moved a small stool and sat next to Qi Yirou.
"Your Highness, are you unhappy?"
Qi Yirou didn't speak for a long time. Just when Shen Shijiu thought she wouldn't answer, she suddenly spoke.
"Yeah, I'm not happy..."
"I haven't been happy for a long time, three years? Four years? Or even longer. The happiness I once had was just a passing cloud on the surface. Living in the secluded palace, I live in fear, loneliness and misery all day long..."
Qi Yirou's eyes became increasingly dim, "Besides, as a guilty person, what qualifications do I have to live happily?"
She touched her numb knees and said, "The punishment I have suffered is far from enough. I... owe... myself... and I should spend my whole life to pay it back..."
Shen Shijiu could hear the great sadness in her voice and didn't know how to comfort her, "Your Highness..."
Qi Yirou smiled bitterly, "I have never told these words to anyone. I am telling you now because, because..."
She took a deep breath, "… because you reminded me of someone I once knew."
Shen Shijiu blinked, "Who is this old friend of the princess?"
"It's my relative, my brother, a person who has passed away."
Qi Yirou's eyes were misty with water.
"I relied on my father's great favor and became arrogant. I did many things that hurt him. I said many times that I wanted him dead, but later, he really died. In his last moments, I didn't forget to give him a hard push..."
Qi Yirou's tears fell, "I regret it, I really regret it. I was instigated by others, which made me hate him so much, but in fact, he has been very good to me since I was a child, but I was blinded at the time and forgot that he is actually a kind and warm person..."
Qi Yirou was speechless and sobbed, covering her eyes.
The words that have been suppressed in my heart for a long time can now be said in front of a stranger.
The corners of Shen Shijiu's eyes also became moist. He sat there, looking at Qi Yiru's shoulders shaking from crying, and silently raised his sleeve to wipe his eyes.
Qi Yirou cried for a while, and finally calmed down.
"Don't tell anyone about what happened today."
Shen Shijiu held up three fingers together, her face full of sincerity, "I promise, I won't tell anyone, Your Highness, please rest assured!"
Qi Yirou couldn't help but laugh at his appearance.
Zhou Wu finally came back at this time. After he entered the room, his expression was a little unnatural, and he avoided looking into Shen Shijiu's eyes.
"Hey, Third Princess, the Second Princess said she wants to see you two."
Shen Shijiu was a little surprised and pointed at himself, "Should I go too?"
Zhou Wu nodded.
Several servants came in from outside, took Qi Yirou out of the room and walked towards Shuixieju. Shen Shijiu also followed them out obediently.
After arriving at the Waterside Residence, the Third Princess was carried into the curtain, while Shen Nineteen stood alone in the outer hall, with several servants watching him. Zhou Wu entered the door of the Waterside Residence, lowered his head, and stood with the servants.
Shen Shijiu looked at him in confusion and even called him in a low voice, but Zhou Wu seemed not to hear it.
The curtain moved slightly, and a figure appeared behind it.
"Shen Nineteen."
Shen Shijiu responded, "Meet Her Royal Highness the Second Princess."
"Do you admit your guilt?"
Shen Shijiu was stunned. What crime did he commit? He hadn't committed any crime.
Qi Bingzhi behind the curtain said, "Let me ask you again, you poisoned the Third Princess and caused her leg to never heal. Do you admit your guilt?"
Shen Nineteen quickly shook his head, "I didn't, I didn't poison the Third Princess..."
Qi Yirou said sternly, "You still don't repent. Your companion Zhou Wu personally identified you. Is it true?"
Shen Shijiu looked incredulous and looked at Zhou Wu, "Zhou Wu, isn't that what you said? Please help me explain to Her Royal Highness the Princess, I really didn't poison..."
Unexpectedly, Zhou Wu took a step forward and bowed in the direction of Qi Yirou, "Replying to the Second Princess, when Shen Shijiu was making the medicine for the Third Princess, he did add a few medicines that I have never seen before, but I dare not conclude whether those medicines are poisonous or not."
Shen Shijiu was very surprised. "Didn't I show you the herbs before I boiled them? They are not rare herbs. You can buy them in the pharmacy."
Qi Bingzhi interrupted him, "In that case, come here, prepare paper and ink, and ask him to write out the prescription immediately."
Several servants brought a desk and writing materials, and made Shen Shijiu sit in front of the desk.
Xiaomei, Qi Bingzhi's capable maid, came over and put the brush into his hand.
“Write quickly!”
Although Shen Shijiu was extremely frightened, he still tried hard to hold the pen, suppressed his fear, and slowly wrote on the paper.
After writing it, Xiaomei took the prescription to show Zhou Wu first.
Zhou Wu looked at it for a long while and said, "Second Princess, I have thought about it carefully, and there is indeed no problem with this prescription."
Qi Bingzhi's voice changed, "You..."
She snorted coldly, "Forget it, Xiaomei, bring the prescription here, I'll take a look!"
Xiaomei took the prescription and went behind the curtain.
Qi Bingzhi took the paper and after just one glance at it, she felt something was wrong.
The characters on it are long and slender, with sharp strokes. I didn't expect that Shen Shijiu, who is not good-looking, can write so well.
But the more Qi Bingzhi looked at it, the more she felt that the handwriting was extremely familiar. It was filled with various herbs, and her beauty gradually twisted.
Suddenly, she thought of something and hurriedly said to Xiaomei, "Quick! Bring me the memorial from my bookshelf! Go quickly!"
Seeing that her princess was so anxious, Xiaomei hurried to get the memorial.
This memorial was taken secretly by Qi Bingzhi from Pei Zheng's study when Pei Zheng was away. There were only four words written on the memorial: "Report to the Emperor."
Qi Bingzhi took the memorial and compared it carefully with the prescription. The more she looked at it, the more she felt that they were very similar. However, there were too few words on the memorial, so she could not be completely sure.
"Xiaomei, come and take a look. Do these two handwritings look similar?"
Xiaomei came closer and took a closer look. "Princess, you know I am illiterate, but from what I see, they are very similar."
Qi Bingzhi's hand holding the prescription trembled violently. Although she had never seen Pei Zheng's other handwriting, such coincidences happened again and again. How could she not think too much!
"Second Princess, I really didn't use any poison. Those herbs are good for your body..."
Shen Shijiu felt extremely aggrieved, with tears in his eyes. He didn't know why Qi Bingzhi suddenly questioned him like this.
Qi Bingzhi whispered some instructions into Xiaomei's ear behind the curtain, and Xiaomei came out and stood in the back hall with her back straight.
"Okay, the princess will make her own decision on this matter, you can go back first."
Shen Shijiu responded sullenly, and glanced at the curtain again, "Then the Third Princess..."
Xiaomei said impatiently, "Why do you care so much? Just go back if I tell you to! Is it your turn to interfere when the Second Princess and the Third Princess are reminiscing about the past?"
Shen Shijiu lowered his head, tugged at the corner of his clothes without answering, slowly walked to the door, and walked out.
Zhou Wu also bowed, "Second Princess, since this is a misunderstanding, I will withdraw first."
Unexpectedly, Xiaomei came over and said, "Wait, you can't leave. The princess has something to ask you."
Zhou Wu glanced at Shen Shijiu and had to stay alone.
After Shen Shijiu left, Qi Bingzhi ordered someone to pull up the curtain and slowly walked out.
Zhou Wu stood there not daring to look up, staring at the ground nervously.
"You are so bold that you even dare to tease this princess? We have clearly agreed on something, how dare you change your mind at the last minute!"
Qi Bingzhi walked up to Zhou Wu, his voice soft and gentle, with a hint of blame, but not harsh.
Zhou Wu was so scared that he didn't dare to look up. After seeing Shen Shijiu, he regretted his decision and was unwilling to identify him. After all, Shen Shijiu was a very simple and kind person, and he still had a conscience, so he couldn't harm him just for money.
"Not talking?" Qi Bingzhi touched Zhou Wu's chin with his fingers through the scented towel and gently lifted it up.
Zhou Wu had no choice but to raise his head, and happened to meet Qi Bingzhi's eyes.
Although he had been in the Prime Minister's Residence for a few days, he had never actually seen the Second Princess's face.
The person in front of him had a fair and delicate complexion, and her eyes were charming and seductive. She looked at him with a slightly slanted look, and her red lips were gently opening and closing as she spoke. She was getting closer and closer in front of Zhou Wu, and closer and closer...
Zhou Wu took a step back in panic, unable to hide the blush on his neck. He had been studying medicine everywhere and was busy researching medical skills. He had never had a girl he liked, and he couldn't stand the slightest teasing.
Seeing him like this, Qi Bingzhi covered her mouth with a scented scarf, smiled softly, then turned around and walked back to the curtain.
The curtain was drawn again, but Zhou Wu's heart was still beating wildly in his chest.
"The princess asked you to go back," Xiaomei said, standing beside him.
Zhou Wu said "Oh" blankly and turned around to leave.
Xiaomei suddenly whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Princess, please come again tonight."
Shen Shijiu returned to his room alone, lay down on the bed, and pulled the quilt to cover his body and face.
He still felt very aggrieved in his heart, having suffered such an injustice for no reason. His eyes were red with grievance, and he was holding back tears under the quilt.
It was really hard being alone outside. He missed his master, but why hadn’t his master come to see him yet
Will Master be bullied by others
Some images appeared in Shen Shijiu's mind at the right time:
Shen Huan blinded a group of thieves with poisonous smoke;
Throw poisonous insects at a few playboys who had robbed women, causing them to have no children or grandchildren;
He waved his disguised festering arms, scaring the children running and screaming on the street into tears, just because those children knocked Shen Shijiu down;
Throw laxatives on the shrew who curses on the street...
It seems that the master should be able to protect herself, and it would be good if she doesn't go out and bully others.
Shen Shijiu heaved a sigh of relief. As long as his master was fine, he would be fine. But he really missed his master, and that shabby little bamboo house... Where had his master gone? Why hadn't he come to pick him up? He had already earned a lot of money, and could use it to honor his master...
As he thought about it, Shen Shijiu felt his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and he fell asleep immediately.
When he woke up again, it was already dark and the room was pitch black.
He groped his way down from the bed and felt a little hungry, so he went to the table and poured himself a glass of water to fill his stomach.
After drinking the water, he looked outside and saw a figure sitting in the yard.
He felt a little strange and walked out quietly.
The person in the yard turned out to be Qi Yiru. She was sitting quietly in her chair, looking up at the sky.
"Third Princess, why haven't you slept yet?"
Shen Shijiu also walked to the stone bench and sat down.
The night sky is very beautiful today, with the white moon hanging high in the sky and the stars twinkling in the sky, as beautiful as a picture scroll.
As they got closer, Shen Shijiu realized that something was wrong with Qi Yirou. There was some scarlet blood on the hem of her dress, as if it had flowed from her knees.
"Your Highness, your knees are bleeding!"
Shen Shijiu ran into the house anxiously, took out a medicine box, and then urgently bandaged Qi Yirou.
"Princess, bear with it, the bleeding will stop soon."
Qi Yirou turned pale with pain and nodded.
After the wound was finally bandaged, Shen Shijiu asked with concern, "What happened? Why is it bleeding again?"
Qi Yirou looked a little embarrassed and was reluctant to answer.
Shen Shijiu raised his arm and patted Qi Yirou's shoulder gently and considerately.
"It's okay. If you're hurt, come to me. I can heal you."
"It's Qi Bingzhi." Qi Yirou suddenly said, "She will check my legs regularly. If there are signs of improvement, she will have someone cripple my legs again.
So, don’t waste your energy. My leg will never be healed…”
Shen Shijiu's eyes were full of shock, "Why, how could this happen... Isn't the Second Princess your sister?"
"What sister or not? She has never considered me a sister. I am just a pawn to achieve her goal."
Qi Yirou said slowly, "The person who deceived me that I told you about during the day was her."
"When I was young and ignorant of worldly affairs, she began to instruct me, but I didn't understand and thought she was really doing it for my own good. Now, she holds my fate in her hands, and my mother is also firmly controlled by her mother, the Queen Mother..."
Qi Yirou closed her eyes and two lines of tears flowed down her cheeks.
Seeing this, Shen Shijiu hurriedly asked her, "Princess, is your wound hurting again? Can I apply some medicine on you?"
"No need." Qi Yirou pointed to her chest, "It hurts here, no medicine will help."
Shen Shijiu didn't know how to comfort her, so he just stayed quietly beside her for a while.
It was late at night and the dew was heavy. Shen Shijiu sent Qi Yiru back to her room.
He pressed his empty stomach and planned to go back to sleep so that he wouldn't be hungry when he fell asleep.
But just as he was about to close the door, he suddenly saw that Zhou Wu's door opposite opened a crack and a figure flashed out.
Shen Shijiu felt strange. Why didn't Zhou Wu go to bed so late
Just as he was about to call him, he saw him walking out in a hurry.
Shen Shijiu also followed.
But after leaving the yard, Zhou Wu walked too fast, made several turns, and then disappeared.
Shen Shijiu was following behind and became dizzy. He looked at the unfamiliar place around him and became a little anxious. He could not see Zhou Wu in front of him.
He called out softly, "Zhou Wu?"
No one answered.
He raised his voice a little, "Zhou Wu? Zhou Wu, are you there?"
There was only the rustling of leaves in the night wind.
It was dark all around, and there were a few tall trees swaying in the wind, creating a somewhat scary atmosphere.
Shen Shijiu shouted loudly, "Excuse me, is there anyone here?"
But still no one responded to him.
At this moment, a kilogram-tall black shadow suddenly appeared on the ground at the corner ahead, approaching step by step without haste.
Shen Shijiu's heart was in his throat.
Yes, is it a ghost? Will it eat him
He was so scared that he quickly closed his eyes, squatted down, huddled on the ground, covered his ears and shook his head.
“You can’t see me… You can’t see me… Don’t eat me… There’s no bad meat on my body… Go eat those fat guys… You can’t see me…”
Suddenly, a hand grabbed his arm and pulled it upward. Shen Shijiu suddenly opened his eyes and screamed, "Ahhh!"
Pei Zheng frowned, covered his mouth with his fingers, pulled him towards him, and stared at him with impatience between his handsome brows.
"Shut up!"