Mei Niang was not surprised: "I guessed it. How could an ordinary noble dare to embroider a coiled dragon on his robe? I couldn't avoid him. The countryside was empty on a snowy day, with few carriages and horses passing by. They stopped me. This King of Qi is very strange. He fell and was injured like that, but he refused to tell his entourage and had a bad temper. I bandaged his wound. If he hadn't kicked and moved around, he wouldn't have lost so much blood!"
Zhang Jingyun said, "You have bandaged it very well. It is rare that he asked you to bandage him. The King of Qi has a strange personality and is different from others... He does not let anyone get close to him easily. I have already told Lingxuzi that you have been here. He has to stay in the manor to treat the King of Qi. I took this opportunity to come out and remind you: from now on, stay at home and don't let the King of Qi see you again, and don't show up in men's clothes, otherwise the consequences will be unmanageable!"
"Why?"
Mei Niang was puzzled. How did her personal freedom, as a woman dressed as a man, hinder the King of Qi
"This..." Zhang Jingyun looked a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat to cover it up and said with a smile, "The wind is too strong. Let's get in the car and talk while walking!"
"good!"
Mei Niang's face turned cold and she quickly turned around and climbed into the carriage. Zhang Jingyun tied the horse behind the carriage and followed, then came in. Lian Sao still sat in the corner near the door.
Zhang Jingyun looked at Lian Sao without saying anything. Mei Niang sighed secretly: This time, Lian Sao has to be let out to suffer the cold wind for a while. She can't possibly hear anything about the King of Qi, otherwise she will lose control and cause harm to herself.
Mei Niang brought a cloak and blanket to Lian Sao and said to her, "Go sit outside with Brother Lian. Put on the cloak and wrap your head and face with this to keep out the cold!"
Lian Sao took the cloak and blanket, held them in her arms, looked up at Zhang Jingyun, then at Mei Niang, without moving or saying a word.
Mei Niang knew what she meant and said quickly, "He is a friend. It's okay. Don't worry. We will talk for a few minutes and then call you in."
Lian's wife then lifted a corner of the curtain and was about to leave when she turned back and said, "Second Master, if you have anything to say, just shout. I can hear you!"
"Okay, I got it!"
Mei Niang looked at Zhang Jingyun embarrassedly: "My mother's family is very simple and kind... Please don't blame me for my impoliteness, Mr. Zhang!"
"No problem." Zhang Jingyun smiled. "It's freezing cold, why did you come here in person? Lingxuzi said he promised to treat your brother, but for this?"
When it comes to curing her brother's illness, Mei Niang's attention is highly focused: "That's right! My brother from my mother's family has returned from Yuezhou, and his condition has worsened. I was allowed to go back to my mother's house to visit him this morning, so I hurried to find the two miracle doctors. No matter what, please treat my brother. I have no way to repay you, but I will remember your kindness and never forget it!"
Zhang Jingyun was puzzled: "Approved? Junying... Lord Hou won't go back to the Qin Mansion with you? He just needs to send someone to report it quickly, and Lingxuzi and I will come!"
Mei Niang lowered her eyes and sighed slightly: "Don't tell lies in front of a real person. Every family has its own problems! The Marquis imprisoned me in the mansion and forbade me to leave the mansion or go back to my parents' home. My brother was dying of illness. I argued with him and he let me go back to visit him. I left at noon and returned at noon. How can I go back to my parents' home like this? I once mentioned to him that I wanted to ask Lingxuzi to treat my brother, but he said: Lingxuzi and Mr. Zhang are my friends. They have important things to do and are not allowed to disturb them! I was not convinced and came here secretly without telling him... I didn't want my brother's illness to be delayed by those quack doctors. I wanted him to get better as soon as possible. Lingxuzi promised me: He would let my brother take part in the spring exam in good health..."
Her eyes suddenly turned red: "Mr. Zhang and the Taoist priest are close friends of Lord Hou, so they might consider his face... But I, I rely on my trust and sincerity to ask Mr. Zhang to go with me. I hope Mr. Zhang will not refuse the hard work, even if it is just to do good deeds and accumulate virtue!"
Zhang Jingyun looked at her in disbelief: "Are you talking about Xu Junying? We have known each other for many years and understand each other. He is definitely not such an unreasonable person!"
Mei Niang lowered her head, raised her sleeves to wipe her eyes, and thought: This is terrible, why is she so frank? The ancients valued loyalty the most. Zhang Jingyun thought she was making up stories about Xu Junying. What if he defended her and really didn't go
Fortunately, he didn't, and comforted Mei Niang in a gentle tone: "Don't worry, Lingxuzi never breaks his promise. If he can't go, I will take his place, and I think I can cure your brother!"
Mei Niang was overjoyed, bowed her head and saluted: "Mei Niang and my brother are grateful for your kindness!"
Zhang Jingyun hurriedly said, "You're welcome! You're dressed like a man, so I can't address you. I'm sorry if it's rude or abrupt."
"Just call me Qin Er!"
"The name Qin Er can no longer be used!" Zhang Jingyun said seriously: "Since we are good friends, we have to consider Junying and you... The King of Qi is willing to be so condescending to get to know a commoner in white clothes, which shows that he cares about you very much. With his personality, if he doesn't see you in the future, he will definitely look for you everywhere. If you change into women's clothes and stay at home, I don't think he will be able to find you. Just pretend that Qin Er has never existed!"
Mei Niang stared at Zhang Jingyun blankly: "He's interested in me? My sister-in-law and I put a lot of thought into pretending to be like this. Can you tell that I'm a woman?"
Zhang Jingyun smiled slightly: "Your robe is a little too big, and your face has been modified... I recognize you, how could I not see it? It's no wonder that the King of Qi and the people around him can't see it. There are indeed men in the world who are more beautiful than women... He doesn't like women. If he knew that you were a woman and pretended to be a man to deceive him, I'm afraid he would find trouble with you!"
"The King of Qi, he actually... This is outrageous!" Mei Niang almost couldn't breathe, and the breath was stuck in her chest, her face flushed red: "What does this have to do with me? It's not like I deliberately provoked him, he stopped me! In order to avoid him, do I have to stay at home for the rest of my life and never go out to see people again?"
Zhang Jingyun's face was also slightly hot, but he breathed a sigh of relief: It is really embarrassing for a normal man to explain such a thing, but in order to prevent her from accidentally offending King Qi, he had to say it. Everyone can see that King Qi cares about Qin Er and is looking forward to Qin Er's visit. He has lived in Guiyun Villa for more than ten days. For the first time, he took the initiative to ask Lingxuzi if his injury can heal faster
The two were silent for a while, and Mei Niang complained to herself: I'm so unlucky, the friends I made in my previous life didn't have people like this, how come I came to the ancient times and met him instead!
Zhang Jingyun thought she was upset because she couldn't go out in the future, so he pulled the white cloth bag on his shoulder, searched carefully for a while, took out a thin leather mask and said:
"I made two masks for my junior sister in the past. She took one away because she thought this one was too ordinary. I kept it. If you have to go out for a stroll in the future, you can wear this one to avoid running into King Qi."
Mei Niang was surprised and delighted. She took the mask and touched it: "What is this made of? Human skin?"
Zhang Jingyun laughed: "Human skin mask? Where can you get human skin? A living person will not let you peel off his skin. Wouldn't it be disgusting to stick a dead person's skin on your face?"
Mei Niang said, "But the book mentioned a human skin mask. I see this skin is so fine, thin and tough, it looks a bit like a human skin mask!"
Zhang Jingyun shook his head: "There are human skin masks, but we don't need them. This one is made from ice spider mucus. Stick it on your face. It's cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It can protect your skin and beautify your complexion!"
"real?"
Women naturally react enthusiastically to words like "belly protection and beauty". Mei Niang raised the ice spider mask, looked left and right, and then compared it to her face.
Zhang Jingyun smiled and said, "The way to wear this mask is also very strange. You have to put it on the fire. Once it is heated by the heat, it will become transparent as if there is nothing inside, and you can stick it on your face. When you take it off, just pat your cheeks with warm water and it will come off."
Mei Niang heard this and hurriedly opened the small wooden door under the side seat and pulled out the brass stove: "That's right, I have fire here!"
Zhang Jingyun took the ice spider mask and demonstrated it to her. After warming it over the fire, the mask on his hand became transparent, as if there was nothing on it. Zhang Jingyun flipped his fingers deftly and gently placed it on Mei Niang's face. Mei Niang saw the change in his eyes and guessed that she didn't look too ugly wearing this "too ordinary" mask.
Zhang Jingyun looked at her. "It's really strange. This mask looks ordinary on my face, but it looks completely different on you—it's your eyes! The mask has changed your appearance, but it can't hide your... eyes!"
As brilliant as the stars, as pure and clear as spring water, Lingxuzi said: People with such eyes are pure, kind, virtuous, intelligent and blessed.
Mei Niang suddenly heard a strange rumbling sound, a bit like thunder in the distance. In the twelfth lunar month, thunder is not allowed! Zhang Jingyun listened carefully and said:
"It's the sound of horse hooves! Many people are riding horses coming from the direction of the city. If I'm not mistaken, it must be the emperor who has arrived! The King of Qi has been so willful more than once, and every time the emperor has to come over to see him. The King of Qi got lost early this morning, and the guards had already reported it to the palace in the city. After they found him, they must have reported it again. The emperor is coming here at this time, and the King of Qi will inevitably be scolded."
He looked at Mei Niang and said, "I have to go out in case the imperial guards want to check the car. You are in this state, with blood all over your clothes, so don't come out. Let's see if you can handle it first!"
Mei Niang nodded and watched Zhang Jingyun go out. Lian Sao hurriedly lifted the curtain and came in. She was startled when she saw Mei Niang's face. Mei Niang said:
"Don't be afraid, it's me, I changed my face!"
"My dear aunt! Can this face be changed? It's better to change it back to the original one!" Lian Sao shivered and said, "There are a lot of people in front, riding horses and running towards us!"
Mei Niang pushed the stove in front of her and asked her to warm herself by the fire. She comforted her, "Don't be afraid. We are walking peacefully. It's not against the law. No one can do anything to us! You don't have to go out. Warm yourself by the fire. Ask Brother Lian to pull the carriage aside and let the other people pass first."
As they were talking, the sound of horse hooves was getting closer and closer. The general's carriage stopped by the roadside. Mei Niang rolled up the inner curtain and looked through the gauze. She saw Zhang Jingyun riding a horse, slowly approaching from behind, passing the carriage and going forward.
It was indeed the emperor's carriage. The emperor did not sit in a sedan chair. He wore a thick cloak and rode a horse across the wilderness, surrounded by many imperial guards. It seemed that the emperor was very bored in the palace, so he took the opportunity to go out of the city to visit the King of Qi to stretch his muscles.
Zhang Jingyun met the emperor and dismounted to greet him. The emperor reined in his horse and talked to him while sitting on it. Mei Niang's carriage was not far away and she could hear their questions and answers clearly. Zhang Jingyun said: In order to prepare a prescription, I need to go to the city to pick a medicine. The emperor asked him why he didn't bring an entourage and let the guards run, why bother to go there himself. Zhang Duanyun had a good reason: the guards didn't understand, so he had to do it himself.
A voice came from the side, which startled Mei Niang so much that her heart beat faster. Isn't this Xu Junying? Why is he here too
"Do you want to send a few people to go with you? They can take care of you on the way. Going into the city to select herbs is time-consuming and laborious, and the return trip will be late. They can also accompany you back to the villa!"
Mei Niang lifted the curtain a little and peeked out secretly, and saw Xu Junying, who was wearing a black cloak with gold patterns, accompanying a young man in a bright yellow cloak and talking to Zhang Jingyun.
A guard came riding over, apparently to check Mei Niang's carriage. Mei Niang quickly lowered the curtain and heard Zhang Jingyun say:
"There was a seriously ill woman on the bus. She was also going into the city. I met her, checked her pulse, and then we went together."
Xu Junying said: "Since she is a sick woman, there is no need to look at her!"
Someone immediately stopped the guards and said, "Don't bother watching. Tell her to stay on the sidelines. When the emperor passes by, she can leave!"
Mei Niang breathed a sigh of relief: Damn, that was a close call! (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)