Jiang Yunxu dared not admit she knew him. Lowering her head, she answered bluntly, “I don’t.”
Chu Xuanzhi didn’t press further, responding with a faint, trailing tone that, to Jiang Yunxu’s ears, inexplicably made her feel as if he had already sensed something.
But by then, he had already left.
Jiang Yunxu watched the direction they departed, sighing inwardly. The regent of Lingzhouguo, once a revered and formidable figure on the battlefield, had fallen victim to a leg ailment during an outing, leaving him unable to stand ever since.
Moreover, his seniority was high, and his influence was immense. In court, his word commanded obedience, and even the emperor had to tread carefully around him, let alone a prince like Chu Youqi.
Some time ago, he had reportedly traveled far from the capital seeking medical treatment, but it seemed now that his efforts had been in vain.
Thinking of this, Jiang Yunxu quickened her movements, temporarily protecting Jiang Yan’er’s Xinmai and sparing her for the time being.
“She needs recuperation. Fetch some tonics to nourish her quickly,” Jiang Yunxu said perfunctorily. Upon hearing this, Chu Youqi swiftly carried Jiang Yan’er away, turning back to instruct, “Bring the thousand-year ginseng from the storeroom and stew it.”
Everyone busied themselves with the task, leaving no one to pay attention to Jiang Yunxu.
Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Yunxu slipped away through an unguarded area. Passing by the kitchen, she took advantage of the absence of others to smear ash on her face. Peeking out, she indeed spotted that person in the back hills.
Chu Xuanzhi observed the slender figure among the trees, raised an eyebrow, and called out, “Xiao Cui?”
Jiang Yunxu hurriedly stood up, responding in a lowered voice.
With layers of ash on her face and a change of clothes, she truly looked like a kitchen maid.
Chu Xuanzhi chuckled. “You really are a person of your word.”
If she said she’d be in the back hills, then she was in the back hills.
“Naturally,” Jiang Yunxu thought to herself. How could she not keep her word? If he went around asking about that jade pendant and it reached Chu Youqi, it would only bring her trouble.
Without further ado, she got straight to the point. “I said I’d grant you anything. What do you want?”
Chu Xuanzhi looked at her, pondered for a moment, and then, as his thin lips parted, uttered three words: “Three thousand taels.”
Jiang Yunxu nearly stumbled, her gaze filled with suspicion as she looked at him.
“It has to be three thousand taels?”
She hadn’t even warmed the banknotes yet, and he was already asking for them? What a coincidence.
But Chu Xuanzhi remained composed, answering with utmost calm. “This prince lacks exactly three thousand taels. Not a tael less.”
Jiang Yunxu bit her lip. Honestly, she didn’t want to give it, but she had already made the promise. If she didn’t deliver, wouldn’t that make her untrustworthy?
Clutching the banknotes tucked inside her chest, she was about to take them out when her gaze fell on his legs.
A thought crossed her mind, and she withdrew the banknotes, looking at him with righteous confidence.
“I don’t have three thousand taels. I’m just a kitchen maid, but…”
Under Chu Xuanzhi’s steady gaze, Jiang Yunxu hesitated for a moment before saying, “I can cure your leg ailment.”
Chu Xuanzhi’s eyebrows lifted slightly. He didn’t speak, but the attendant behind him couldn’t help but interject, “Hah, you can? Even renowned physicians in this world have failed. How can a grimy kitchen maid like you claim to do it?”
Jiang Yunxu calmly glanced at him but didn’t respond to his words. Instead, she looked at Chu Xuanzhi and declared, “If I say I can cure it, then I can.”
“Or, let’s make a bet. If I cure you, you must grant me anything in return. If I fail to cure you, you can have my head.”
The wind howled, sweeping through the forest.
Chu Xuanzhi rotated the thumb ring on his finger. Just as Jiang Yunxu thought there was no hope, he spoke softly.
“One month.” He looked up, scrutinizing her. “This prince will give you one month.”
Jiang Yunxu smiled faintly. “That’s enough.”
In the end, Chu Xuanzhi asked her to come to Xuanwangfu on the fifteenth day of the month, when the moon was full. Jiang Yunxu agreed readily and even tossed fifty taels of silver to him, saying it was all she had.
Chu Xuanzhi held the silver ingot, the smile on his lips unwavering. His attendant, recalling how unreliable the woman seemed, couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, are you really going to let her treat you?”
He withdrew his gaze, looking in the direction Jiang Yunxu had left, and reminded him, “Yin Feng, do you know that Chu Youqi’s Cefei is suffering from Gudu?”
Gudu?
The attendant was startled. Few in this world could wield Gudu. He had only seen it during campaigns with his master, back in Xiyu.
But why hadn’t he noticed any trace of it?
Chu Xuanzhi understood his confusion. He, too, was curious. Those who used Gudu were often somewhat affected by its backlash, yet there was no trace of it on this Jiang family woman. Moreover, Chu Youqi’s Cefei showed no signs of it either.
This must be someone extremely skilled in using Gudu.
But he had never heard that the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Jiang knew Gudu, let alone medicine.
A shadow flickered in Chu Xuanzhi’s eyes. “Her mother came from Xiyu, a place famously skilled in Gudu. Moreover, five years ago, Chu Youqi’s poison was also cured using Gudu.”
Could all this be a coincidence?
He didn’t believe it.
…
Meanwhile, at Yulouge.
“Damn it! Damn it!”
After waking up, Jiang Yan’er smashed everything breakable in the room. Earlier, Chu Youqi had been summoned by that so-called Ninth Imperial Uncle to enter the palace together, and Jiang Yunxu was nowhere to be seen. Her rage had nowhere to vent.
Nanny Lin watched in fear and trepidation. Originally, today she was supposed to bring the madwoman’s little finger to threaten Jiang Yunxu, but not only was the woman unharmed, she was even being protected by Old Madam.
Thinking about last night, it was simply bizarre.
Jiang Yan’er, unable to contain her anger, slapped Nanny Lin. “Useless! You failed at your task. What good are you to me?”
Nanny Lin hurriedly knelt before her, feeling wronged but not daring to defend herself. She only said, “Cefei, last night, that madwoman Jiang Yunxu was indeed taken to Madam’s room. But for some reason, a gust of wind blew in, and all of us, including Madam, fainted. When we woke up, the madwoman was already serving in Old Madam’s room, and no one could touch her.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Yan’er slapped her again.
“So what? You failed, and that’s all there is to it. I don’t want to hear excuses!”
Nanny Lin covered her red and swollen face, immediately realizing that Jiang Yan’er was simply venting her anger. But as a servant, she could only swallow her grievances.
By the time Jiang Yan’er had vented all her anger, the room was in complete disarray. Her chest heaved with rage. Thinking of Jiang Yunxu’s ugly appearance, she wasn’t afraid that the woman would take her place. But the events of the past two days made her wish she could skin that wretched woman alive and tear out her tendons!
“Just wait. Once my poison is fully cured, I will make her wish she were dead!”
Nanny Lin silently withdrew, but lingering by the door, she spat inside: “Bah! If it weren’t for you holding my deed of indenture, do you really think I’d be willing to serve you?”
Little did she know that every move they made had been observed by Jiang Yunxu, who was hiding not far away.