Fang Tianluo shook off the chasing soldiers and hurried back.
Xiao Lingling was disappointed when she saw his coming back alone.
Fang Tianluo explained, “Huairou said that she’d come to detoxify you after she cures the princess. However, although she didn’t come, she gave me a bottle of medicine, saying that it can temporarily relieve the itching.” He took the medicine out.
Xiao Lingling didn’t dare to directly eat it. The Li siblings already knew that the princess’s affairs were her own doing, and they were different from Fang Tianluo. She didn’t believe them.
“Tianluo, it was all my fault. If it weren’t for me…” Xiao Lingling said, weeping.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. Tears will make the pain worse.” Fang Tianluo quickly wiped her tears away.
A painful expression flashed across Xiao Lingling’s face, and Fang Tianluo knew that she was starting to itch again. “Quickly take the medicine first.” He turned to take the kettle on the table and found that it was empty. “I’m going to get some water.”
After Fang Tianluo left, a person suddenly appeared in the room, picked the porcelain bottle up, poured out the pills, and carefully checked them. Then he shook his head.
Only then did Xiao Lingling feel relieved. Hearing the sound of footsteps outside, she hurriedly signalled for the person to leave.
Fang Tianluo pushed the door open, poured a cup of hot water, picked up the porcelain bottle, and poured a green pill out of it. “Quickly eat it.”
After Xiao Lingling ate it, the piercing itching really did slowly stop. A smile of joy flashed across her face—the medicine was very effective.
Fang Tianluo was also relieved when he saw this.
It was a pity that this medicine’s effect could only last for twelve hours; after only one day, Xiao Lingling immediately started to itch again.
Xiao Lingling had no choice but to take the second medicine.
“Did Huairou say when she could come? There are only ten pills. Can she really come after I finish this medicine?” Xiao Lingling was a little anxious.
“She will, she will, don’t worry. I’m going to keep an eye on the outside of the palace. You stay in the inn. Don’t go out and catch a cold, do you understand?” Fang Tianluo said with concern.
Xiao Lingling just wanted to nod, but looking at the dark circles under Fang Tianluo’s eyes, she changed her words in time. “No, don’t go. It’s too dangerous. I believe Huairou. She’ll definitely come.”
Fang Tianluo nodded. The two of them were silent.
Xiao Lingling was actually a little upset. She hadn’t intended to confirm her relationship with Fang Tianluo so early. Her original plan was to wait for their relationship to become more stable before they had a relationship. She understood Fang Tianluo—this man was good at everything, just a little indecisive. At that time, the bond between them was so deep that even if he discovered the truth, he would not leave her.
Who could predict that Prince Yan would invite Li Huaike and his sister to treat Princess Baozhu’s illness. Fang Tianluo was worried about Li Huairou’s safety, and he insisted on coming to Yancheng.
Xiao Lingling was afraid of too much delay, so she had to advance his plan. If she’d known this, she would’ve directly killed the princess from the start!
She was actually feeling very painful that night. She didn’t know what was going on, but she suppressed it.
Fang Tianluo was kind to her in the beginning, and after the two got together, he treated her even better. But later, he seemed to have a vague realization, though he didn’t say anything; between them, this kind of silence often occurred.
Xiao Lingling knew that if this went on, they would drift away sooner or later. Even if they were to be together in the future, they would only look close on the outside.
Originally, Xiao Lingling could comfort Fang Tianluo with her charm, pulling his heart back. But after that night, strange, red bumps appeared on her body, even on her face, and they were extremely itchy. Now, let alone getting close, she didn’t dare to take her veil off in front of Fang Tianluo.
“Tianluo, do you blame me?” Xiao Lingling felt that it was necessary to do something. “I really didn’t mean it—I just love you so much, and I can’t stand other women’s coveting you. I promise, I won’t do it anymore. I…”
“Don’t cry, I don’t blame you !” Fang Tianluo frowned.
Xiao Lingling rushed into Fang Tianluo’s arms. “Tianluo, don’t ignore me, don’t leave me. I swear, I will never do this again, okay?”
Fang Tianluo hugged Xiao Lingling. Recalling the memories of their journey, recalling that romantic and sentimental night, he sighed, “Lingling, you should know what kind of person I am. We’re already together. I will not let you down. From now on, don’t do anything that goes against nature and reason.”
Xiao Lingling heard this, and the stone in her heart fell to the ground. She whispered, “I know.”
The palace, Xifangnian courtyard.
“Okay, take them off,” Li Huairou said.
The maids took apart the layers of cotton cloth on Princess Baozhu’s body, helping her into the bath to wash away the remaining ointment.
Throughout the whole process, Princess Baozhu didn’t dare to open her eyes. She was afraid that when she opened her eyes, she would still see her ugly self.
She didn’t open her eyes until she heard the maids’ exclamations, and then she was pleasantly surprised to find that her skin had been restored to its former fairness and smoothness!
“Mirror! Get the mirror now!”
The maid brought the mirror in a timely manner. Princess Baozhu swallowed nervously, then looked in the mirror. Finally weeping with joy, she held the mirror and burst into tears.
Li Huairou smiled and turned around.
The momo, crying with excitement, said, “The princess is alright. We should also leave; we’ll be leaving today.”
The momo did not dare to stop them; after all, these siblings were good at medicine. One of them was good at poison, and she couldn’t tell when Li Huairou would use it. Besides, there was Wanqing—no, her name was now Liu Sike, and it was a good way to have a good relationship.
“Yes, I’ll make arrangements.” The momo quickly wiped her tears, turned and made arrangements.
Li Huairou and the others had come in a light carriage, but when they left, there were three or four carriages filled with many things. An escort was arranged.
Li Huaike was a little embarrassed. “This is not good!”
“What’s wrong? Isn’t it right for us to work hard and get rewarded? And don’t get it wrong, ge—there is Sister Liu’s dowry included!” Li Huairou said.
Li Huaike stopped speaking immediately. Liu Sike, beside him, blushed.
Li Huairou stretched out her hand. Li Huaike immediately understood, and he also stretched out his hand. Li Huairou wrote a few words on the palm of his hand; Li Huaike nodded and also replied in a few words.
Li Huairou nodded and retracted her hand.
Liu Sike sat aside, pretending not to see it.
When they arrived in the town, Li Huairou got out of the carriage, saying she wanted to buy something.
Just after she passed an alley, somebody dragged her into it. The people who were following her hurriedly searched around, but they couldn’t find her.
Shuttled across the eaves of the wall, Li Huairou was held in Fang Tianluo’s arms. After they landed, she was completely dumbfounded.
“Huairou, are you okay?” Fang Tianluo asked nervously when he saw her dark expression.
“You should be thankful that I didn’t eat much today—otherwise, I would have vomited on your body! Can’t you slow down?” Li Huairou said angrily.
“I’m sorry, Huairou, I was too anxious. The antidote you gave us was all used up the day before yesterday, and Lingling has been very uncomfortable for these two days. I was afraid that she’d scratch herself, so I could only tie her up,” Fang Tianluo quickly explained.
Li Huairou looked at his anxious face. She admired Xiao Lingling a little—that woman had a good method to coax people back so quickly.
“Okay, go quickly!”
“And Huaike?” Fang Tianluo asked.
“My brother knows. I had them go back first,” Li Huairou said.
Fang Tianluo took Li Huairou around. They finally came to a private house, and he opened the door and hurried in.
Li Huairou looked at Xiao Lingling, who was tied up, and resisted the urge to laugh. “You help her get untied first, and I will take her pulse.”
Fang Tianluo quickly untied Xiao Lingling, afraid she might scratch and hurt herself. He immediately hugged her.
Li Huairou pretended to take Xiao Lingling’s pulse. She actually knew what was going on; she only wanted to know if Xiao Lingling had gotten pregnant or not. Fortunately, she hadn’t.
After a while, Li Huairou pretended to frown. “Jade Maiden? How could she get this poison?”
“’Jade Maiden’?” Fang Tianluo frowned. “What kind of poison is this?”
“Ahem.” Li Huairou cleared her throat. “This is a poison usually used to teach disobedient brothel girls. Normally, it is nothing, but as long as there is that urge, the poison will work. The symptoms are very similar to hers.”
Fang Tianluo was very embarrassed, his face flushed.
Xiao Lingling’s reaction was not that strong. In her opinion, there was nothing embarrassing about the love between men and women. “How could I get this kind of poison? Tianluo, was it the princess?”
Li Huairou just wanted to refute it. This Xiao Lingling had reacted fast enough, rushing to shake the pot.
Fang Tianluo shook his head. “That shouldn’t be. The princess is a person of noble birth—how could she know about this nasty poison?”
Xiao Lingling was a little angry. When she was angry, her whole body became hot and itchy, and she couldn’t help but sob.
Fang Tianluo hugged her. “Huairou, is there any way to cure it?”
“This poison is actually not difficult to cure. Generally speaking, a pure heart and low desire will do. But…” Li Huairou pretended to be too embarrassed to go on.
But Fang Tianluo and Xiao Lingling both understood what she meant—how could a person who had tasted love be so pure-hearted?
“I’ll prescribe the medicine. She’ll be fine after taking it. But some things in the prescription may be a bit disgusting, so it’s better for Miss Xiao not to know. Do you have a pen and paper?” Li Huairou said.
Xiao Lingling had always liked to control everything. How could she not want to figure out what she was consuming?
Fang Tianluo went to get a pen and paper, Li Huairou quickly wrote the prescription, and Fang Tianluo took it. He frowned. “Do you really need these?”
Li Huairou nodded.
A little nervous, Xiao Lingling looked at Fang Tianluo’s ugly expression. “Tianluo, what exactly is it? Let me see!”
“Don’t look at it. We have to believe in Huairou,” Fang Tianluo said.
“No, I’m the one taking this medicine. I must know what I’m taking!” Xiao Lingling insisted.
“But?” Fang Tianluo looked at Li Huairou.
Li Huairou shrugged and said, “It doesn’t matter. If she wants to see it, let her see it.” Anyways, the prescription was real—she’d only added a little something.
Xiao Lingling looked at the words. “Actinolite, faeces lepus, Woman Moon Water?” Then she widened her eyes. It couldn’t be what she thought it was!
Li Huairou nodded. “Yes, it’s what you think it is. Faeces lepus is the dung of rabbits. Actinolite is that of humans… As for Women Moon Water, it is… ··”
Xiao Lingling immediately vomited. “No, I won’t eat it!”
Fang Tianluo felt distressed and helpless. “Huairou, look at this…”
Li Huairou sighed, “This is not my random nonsense. Of course, you can also remove these ingredients from the medication, but the effect may be affected. You can discuss it yourself! I’ve already prescribed the prescription, and it’s up to you. I have to go. It’s late, what if the guards come to find the door.”
After speaking, Li Huairou left unhurriedly.
