The female doctor walked so fast that Xie Wangzhi had no time to stop her. She had no choice but to do as the female doctor instructed and scoop water from the water tank outside the house to boil the medicine.
When Xie Wangzhi put the medicine in, she was prepared, thinking it was some special smell. But when it was really boiled, the light smell of grass and wood came up with the water vapor, like the sun after the rain. She felt comfortable all over after taking a few sips. Anyway, she was used to seeing the fire when she was in the Shangshi Bureau, and her cooking skills had not fallen behind after so many years. She didn't want to do anything else, so she squatted beside the small stove and stared at the fire intently.
After frying for about two quarters of an hour, the female doctor came back. Seeing Xie Wangzhi squatting there with a serious look on his face, she shook her head with a smile on her face: "Okay, you don't have to watch like that. Be careful of numb legs when you get up."
"You're back." Xie Wang was so happy that she didn't notice when she stood up. When she moved her legs, she felt a tingling sensation, which made her whole body stiffen. She took a breath and stood up slowly, feeling a little embarrassed. "… It's really numb. It's a bit embarrassing."
"It's human nature. What's there to say?" The female doctor had no intention of mocking her. She casually took the medicine that had been boiled on the stove and put it into a small medicine delivery jar. "This time it was you who boiled the medicine. You helped me. We are even."
Xie Wangzhi thought she was talking about the prescription, and quickly denied it: "I was just watching the fire, it's nothing, the prescription given by the doctor is the real cure. How can this be compared?"
"When it comes to helping, we can't say who helps more or less, that would be meaningless. It's just to end the cause and effect and cut off the past." The female doctor closed her eyes and didn't force Xie Wangzhi to say anything. She said without thinking, "Let's do this. Someone came to see a doctor yesterday, and I delivered the medicine today. I have already given you the prescription for curing the epidemic. After delivering the medicine, I will go back and will not return to Chang'an from now on."
Originally, he shouldn't ask, but at that moment, Xie Wangzhi suddenly became anxious for no apparent reason, as if he would never see this female doctor again after this farewell: "Then I would like to ask, where did the doctor come from? Is he going home?"
"Me?" The female doctor smiled slightly. She had a cold look, but her smile was bright and clear. There was a tiny light in her eyes. She spoke with a teasing tone, "I am the Moon Palace Fairy."
The next moment, there was a sudden thunder in the sky. The sudden strong wind swayed the trees beside the yard, and some fine raindrops fell to the ground.
Xie Wangzhi: “…”
Female doctor: “…”
"… Forget it. It seems that telling lies will really get you struck by lightning." The female doctor sighed, picked up the small jar containing medicine, and gently patted Xie Wangzhi on the head with her free hand. "The weather is bad. There are no umbrellas here. Let's go back quickly and don't get wet in the rain."
Xie Wangzhi responded blankly, watching the doctor push open the fence door and go out again. She wanted to chase after her for a moment, but then she thought it was unnecessary, so she just pushed the door and went out like the doctor. When she pulled her cloak tightly, there was another thunder, and raindrops fell on her face, chilling her to the bone.
**
Shuzhou.
"… As for the trial, it's not necessary. You and I both know that An Guangxing has some connection with the rebels. Seeing that the retired emperor can't give anything, it's obviously not working to coax you in the way he coaxed your father. His vision is narrow, and the rebels coaxed him into doing this. There's nothing to guess what the rebels are thinking. They want to reap the benefits and at least disgust you. But those who should be killed have been killed. I can't go to the underworld to ask them." Although he followed the army, Cui Shi still wore a round-necked robe. Light armor was not suitable for him. At first glance, he was still the playboy in Chang'an City. "An Guangxing is alive. He was so annoying before. It's okay to go and have some fun."
"Go ahead." Li Qishen didn't care and said casually, "Just don't kill him in prison. At least keep him until this fall. It won't sound good if it gets out."
"Your Majesty's reputation is far-reaching. Disloyal and unkind people are afraid of your reputation and the people's scorn. He wants to commit suicide out of fear of punishment. What does it have to do with me?" Cui Shilian had already thought about what to say. He glanced at Li Qishen and bowed his head politely. "What is your Majesty's plan next?"
"Go meet someone, then return to Chang'an City." Li Qishen asked, "How is Fanyang going? Has Princess Zhaolin been found?"
"Not yet. But the rebels' movements are very strange. They don't seem to be counterattacking, but rather walking into a trap. In addition, General Guo sent a letter saying that he had received a flying order. The letter briefly described the rebels' next move, but the handwriting was unrecognizable."
"I'm afraid someone has sneaked into the army, preferably Zhao Lin." However, Li Shutan probably doesn't have the ability to do so. It would be good if there is someone in the rebel army to take care of him. Li Qishen didn't dwell on something he didn't know yet. "I'll go see my father and the former crown princess, you can do whatever you want."
"Farewell, Your Majesty." Cui Shi had no intention of stopping him and bowed his head.
"Get up, you look tired." Li Qishen said lightly and pushed the door open to go out.
The temporary residence was An Guangxing Mansion, which had several courtyards connected to each other. When he first came back to this place, Li Qishen was shocked by the jewels and luxury, but now he was used to it. He thought that the strange stones placed in the courtyard were military pay, and the paintings and calligraphy hanging on the wall were rice and grain, so it was all his profit anyway.
When he arrived in front of a main house, he signaled to the soldier guarding the door to skip the formalities, and without knocking, he pushed the door open and went in.
The door opened and closed, and before he could stand firmly, a teacup flew over and broke into pieces in front of Li Qishen's boots. The slightly scalding tea spilled out and splashed on the hem of his clothes, quickly seeping in and leaving a small stain.
What followed was Li Chengjing's roar, accompanied by the sound of teacups and plates being smashed: "Get out! You thief, you traitor, get out! I don't want to see you!"
The unspoken "Aye" was blocked directly, and Li Qishen swallowed the greeting he was about to send. He left Li Chengjing going crazy at the table and walked over slowly. The sound of his short boots on the ground was steady and even, as calm as his breathing or expression.
When he walked over like this, Li Chengjin was a little scared, but he was so angry that he didn't care about anything. He was not unmoved by the death of Concubine Xiao and Li Taoqi, but he could have another woman and another son. As long as he was still sitting on the throne, everything could start over again. However, Li Qishen was in Chang'an City, thousands of miles away, and kicked him off the throne, cutting off all his opportunities.
Which emperor in the world would want to abdicate in his prime? The one who robbed the throne was his own son. How could he not hate him? The more Li Chengjing thought about it, the angrier he got. He smashed everything on the table and cursed Li Qishen like crazy. At first, he cursed him from the moral principles, but later, Li Chengjing got so angry that he said all kinds of ugly words. He wanted to grab his son's ears and curse him by name.
At that time, people used courtesy names instead of given names, and calling someone by their full name was considered an insult. Li Qishen didn't mind it. Since he sat in that position, he had never heard anyone call him that. Xie Wangzhi was easily annoyed, and his face would turn red if he was teased, but he wouldn't insult anyone. He would often hold it in for a long time, and at most he would call him by his courtesy name, even his surname. It didn't seem like he was angry, but rather like he was being coquettish unintentionally.
Thinking of the girl who was still waiting for him in Chang'an City, Li Qishen felt an indescribable warmth in his heart and smiled at an inappropriate time.
This smile completely angered Li Chengjing. He overturned the table, and the heavy wooden table hit the ground, smashing the porcelain pieces into pieces and sending debris flying. He breathed heavily, and before he could utter a curse word smoothly, he got a stitch in the side, and choked and coughed continuously. He stared at Li Qishen, making a wheezing sound in his throat, and his hands curled up into claws, but there was nothing to grab.
Li Qishen stood a few steps away, looking at the man whose face turned red with anger, and just found it funny.
Less than a year had passed, and Li Chengjing was worried and immersed in his own anger. Without the support of the elixir, he had aged a lot. He was indeed at the age when his hair should have grown white, but his temples were almost completely white. His cheeks were thin and wrinkled, and his eyes were bulging and bloodshot, and his pupils were turbid, just like the leper satirized in "Bei Feng·Xin Tai". His face was so dry that he could not see the beautiful appearance of his youth, and his body was dry. The clothes he put on looked empty, as if a dried-up zombie had crawled out of the grave and stole the clothes of the living.
Seeing his ugly and haggard appearance, Li Qishen didn't want to lose his temper at all. He waited for him to catch his breath and asked lazily, "Are you done scolding me?"
"Bah, do you think you can feel at ease sitting in that position? You have wolfish ambitions, you really have Xianbei blood, just like your bitch mother!" Li Chengjing slowed down, "Don't think I don't know, you are pretending to be unethical, and you are just talking for money and women. Even if you put on the dragon robe, you are still Xianbei..."
"Aye, you've made countless mistakes in your life, one of which," Li Qishen never wastes energy getting angry with unnecessary people, his tone is light, and he doesn't even change his self-proclaimed name, "is that he thinks my brother and I are the same kind of people."
He acted too calm, and Li Chengjing was stunned: "You..."
"For so many years, you have actually been afraid. You were afraid that others would say you were not as good as your father and grandfather. Later, you were afraid that others would say you were not as good as your son. Of course, this is true, but it is actually nothing to be afraid of. As long as you are still the emperor, no one would dare to say this, at least not to your face." Li Qishen continued slowly, "Emperor Zhaoxuan and Emperor Pingxing have passed away. No matter how much you mess around, they are wise rulers whose names have been recorded in history books. You can only mess around with your son."
"My brother doesn't have much talent. He is indecisive and hesitant by nature. He doesn't have a good eye for choosing a wife. Sooner or later, the family will be in turmoil. But with his ability and the support of court officials, if he can ascend the throne, he can be a king who maintains the status quo. At least it won't be like now, with the mountains and rivers in ruins and people's livelihood in decline, and I am still taking advantage of this."
"So you're afraid. But he's your son, and you can't kill him. You can only suppress and insult him madly. When I was a child, I often heard you scolding him and smashing things in the Purple Palace. He was so scared that his face turned pale when he returned to the East Palace. I guess his underwear was soaked with cold sweat."
"I remember one time when I was playing in the palace and walked near the Purple Palace, Director Feng sent someone to stop me because you had just lost your temper and the palace was a mess. At this time, my brother came out of the palace with a large area of his body soaked by water. When he saw me, he was stunned for a moment and didn't talk to me, but he specifically asked the eunuch beside him to run to the small kitchen and get me a bag of maltose." Li Qishen talked about what happened that year indifferently, "So, no matter what stupid things he did later, I don't hate him, at least I won't kill him for it. But I can only watch him torment you again and again, and I am less and less confident in myself. There is clearly a solution, but I hesitate and dare not say it, and I have trapped myself in a cocoon."
"I'm different. Say what you want, because I never cared about you or considered you a father."
Li Qishen paused, then gave Li Chengjing a relaxed smile, his eyebrows curved, and for a moment he was as innocent as a teenager. He said softly, "You don't deserve it."
The author has something to say: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during 2019-12-07 18:02:27~2019-12-08 00:06:09~
Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: Daxi, Guess the Child 1;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!