The sky seemed to have collapsed, and the rain fell furiously in the night.
The palace lanterns under the eaves were all soaked, and fine drizzle drifted in through the windowpanes.
When Fu Ling brought the medicine in, she saw chaos on the floor.
She immediately ordered people to come in and clean up the mess.
Chi You stood barefoot by the window, her white inner dress soaked. Her expression was indifferent, as calm as if the argument just now had never happened.
“Miss, it’s time to take your medicine.”
Fu Ling walked over, intending to close the window.
Chi You turned and glared at her. Fu Ling paused, withdrew her hand, and said softly.
“The ground is cold, miss. Please take care of yourself.”
“It’s best to die of illness.”
Fu Ling was speechless.
She said no more, respectfully offering the bowl of medicine.
Chi You refused to drink, knocking over the medicine bowl with one hand and shouting fiercely.
“I’m not drinking today. If you have the guts, have him come and force me.”
In the study.
Upon hearing the蛊师’s words, Liu Rongruo’s expression turned grim.
“Heart-corroding Gu?”
“Yes, this Gu is called the Heart-corroding Gu. Every full moon, the Prime Minister will suffer the pain of heart-corroding tearing.”
Bai Ze quickly asked, “Is there a way to解蛊?”
“It will take some time, but it’s not impossible to解蛊,” the 蛊师 continued. “This Gu is very tormenting, slowly eroding the body until death. However, its onset is extremely slow, perhaps three to five years, or sometimes over a decade before it completely consumes the person.”
“Does the Prime Minister wish to解蛊 now?”
Incense curled, smoke wisped like cotton. The small jade hammer suspended above the desk emitted a rhythmic dinging sound.
Liu Rongruo’s expression was distant.
“You may leave.”
Bai Ze was startled, “Master.”
“Send the person back to the境域. Don’t let anyone see them.”
The 蛊师 did not understand his intention and was slightly astonished but dared not say anything.
They were all hired by Young Master Li with substantial rewards and kept in the境域 to work, following orders was all they had to do.
“Get out.”
Seeing his master’s stern expression, Bai Ze dared not say more and led his men away.
Just as he left, Qilin’s voice was heard from outside.
Liu Rongruo’s expression turned sinister. He picked up a teacup from the table and hurled it towards the door, splashing water everywhere.
“If she doesn’t drink it, force her to.”
Qilin was startled and quickly responded, going out.
Chi You did not see Liu Rongruo for many days. Ever since the argument that day, he had been staying in the study. Although they both lived in the main courtyard, neither had seen the other.
Everything she did was monitored, and she was forced to drink a胎药 every day, without any freedom.
The sky cleared after the rain, and the scent of lotuses permeated the air.
The courtyard outside was filled with coolness. She stood in the corridor, looking at her flat abdomen, and couldn’t help but reach out and touch it.
Liu Rongruo rounded the corner from the arched gateway, dressed in a dark cyan robe. His profile was refined, and his expression was distant.
Seeing him, Chi You immediately turned to leave.
“Stop!”
She ignored him and walked directly into the room.
Once inside, she closed the door.
Liu Rongruo kicked the door open, startling Bai Ze standing beside him.
Why was his master so irritable lately, kicking things at the slightest provocation?
Chi You was also furious with him, the kick hurting her ears.
She sat down on the couch with a cold expression, but as soon as she touched the cushion, he scooped her up.
“What madness is this?”
Liu Rongruo remained silent, pulling her past the screen to the wardrobe behind and roughly taking out a pale yellow dress for her.
“Put it on.”
“I won’t.”
She twisted and tried to leave.
Liu Rongruo’s expression turned cold, and he roughly tore the dress she was wearing, intending to change it for her himself.
Chi You, enraged, hit him, twisting her waist and struggling.
He grabbed her body with one hand and held her close as he dressed her.
“I’ll wear it, I’ll wear it myself.”
She yelled out in anger.
Seeing that she had stopped struggling, Liu Rongruo released her.
“Where are you going to change clothes?”
“Yunmengze.”
What a strange place.
Chi You was tired of staying in the manor. After changing her clothes, she went to the back washroom to clean up.
Liu Rongruo sat on the couch waiting. After becoming impatient, he finally saw her emerge.
She walked directly to the vanity, began to outline her makeup, applying rouge and blending it.
He stood up and stood behind her, looking at the person in the mirror without speaking.
The atmosphere between them was strange and quiet.
“Didn’t the imperial physician say you shouldn’t apply anything when you’re pregnant?”
“None of your business.”
Liu Rongruo remembered the bottles and jars Xiao Chizhan had brought from the Western Regions and said.
“There are special ones for pregnancy. I’ll get them for you tonight. Stop painting.”
Chi You deliberately said, “I want to, preferably to have a miscarriage.”
Liu Rongruo did not argue with her, looking at her deliberately ugly makeup in the mirror and raising an eyebrow.
“If you’re willing to meet people looking like this, I don’t mind.”
“Since the Prime Minister isn’t embarrassed to bring someone as ugly as me, what am I afraid of?”
Liu Rongruo said, “Anyway, it’s just Xiao Chizhan and a few others. When we go to the hot springs, when the temperature rises, the makeup will run and smear all over your face, and everyone will laugh at you.”
Chi You didn’t know what that place was like and was deceived by him, her hand paused mid-stroke.
“We’ll let the entire capital see you on horseback all the way. It’ll be quite a show.”
“You talk too much.”
Chi You stood up abruptly and went to the back washroom to clean herself.
When she reappeared, she had a face untouched by makeup, charming and radiant.
Liu Rongruo glanced at her and took her hand, leading her out.
At the entrance, Chi You looked at the elegantly decorated carriage and her face darkened.
“Didn’t you say we were riding horses?”
Liu Rongruo picked her up horizontally and placed her in the carriage.
“Do you believe everything I say?”
Chi You didn’t want to bother with him anymore and sat in the carriage, ignoring him.
Xiao Chizhan, the Prince of Dingbei!
The enemy who annihilated her clan.
The hatred in her heart surged, and the hand gripping the carriage frame turned white.
Liu Rongruo glanced at her and closed his eyes, remaining silent.
Chi You tried her best to suppress the hatred in her heart, desperately comforting herself.
In the struggle for national interests, power was supreme.
Xiao Chizhan was a prince of Daliang, expanding its territory. He had done nothing wrong.
It was Nanjiang that was inferior, and it was her momentary lapse in judgment that led to a wrong move, harming Nanjiang.
But why did she hate Liu Rongruo so much? He had done nothing wrong either.
The more Chi You thought about it, the more painful she became, her lowered head making her face slightly pale.
They traveled in silence. By the time they reached the temporary palace behind Yunmengze, everyone had already arrived.
“Where is Tantai Ye? Didn’t he return?”
Xiao Chizhan was playing chess with Li Qiongyu in the pavilion. Hearing that they had arrived, he turned around.
“He’ll be here soon.”
Li Qiongyu laughed heartily, “Perhaps he’s been pretending to be blind for too long and can’t find the way.”
Chi You followed by Liu Rongruo’s side, looking at the people in the pavilion, her heart trembling slightly.
“Awu.”
Wei Qingge was playing leaf cards with Ye Luan. Seeing Chi You, she exclaimed in surprise.
Chi You snapped back to reality, suppressing the discomfort in her heart, and took a deep breath.
Liu Rongruo directly pulled her inside, ignoring her, and went to play chess.
Chi You stood there, feeling somewhat awkward.
Ye Luan had been gossiping with Xiao Chizhan for a long time and naturally knew that Awu was no longer Awu, and that the person had already recovered.
She glanced at Liu Rongruo, who was also ignoring her, and walked over, holding her belly.
“We’re short of people. Awu, would you like to join us?”
Chi You paused, looking at the familiar face before her, recalling the moment she was saved by her in the palace. She lowered her eyes slightly and said calmly.
“I don’t know how.”
Wei Qingge immediately smiled, “I’ll teach you. Come over.”
ps: In the end, I felt soft-hearted towards Rou Rou and Ye Gou. The extra story will have a happy ending, and the specifics will be written in their own extra stories.