The winding path led all the way to the rear courtyard corridor.
A gust of wind swept through, and the air instantly filled with the rich fragrance of medicine.
As the two of them approached the archway, a flock of sparrows immediately flew in and landed atop the courtyard wall, chirping noisily.
Even worse, several of them swooped down and pecked straight at Yuan Ziheng.
“What’s wrong with you lot? Even a few sparrows dare bully me?”Yuan Ziheng waved his arms to chase them away, drooling as he cursed.
The sparrows pecked once, then flew off—only to circle back again and again.
Unable to catch them, Yuan Ziheng grew even more furious.“Little beasts! Just wait—once I get some arrows, I’ll shoot you and stew you into soup!”
Xiao Xingcang’s eyes darkened as he watched the bizarre scene, utterly speechless.
Estimating Gu Qinglu’s daily routine, the nanny led a group of maids carrying water toward the courtyard.
Seeing Xiao Xingcang arrive in the rear courtyard, the nanny ignored the spoiled young master of the Yuan family and smiled with delight.
“Your Highness, the Princess Consort was busy in the medicine room very late last night. She likely hasn’t woken yet. This old servant will go take a look.”
Yesterday, Xiao Xingcang had heard her mention refining medicine.
Hearing this, he was about to say she should sleep a bit longer—
But seeing Yuan Ziheng in his current state, he had no choice but to follow the nanny through the archway.
At that very moment, the door to the house was pulled open.
Immediately after, a woman’s irritated voice rang out:
“Little beasts—making such a racket and disturbing my sleep. Get back here. Shut up.”
Gu Qinglu hadn’t slept enough.
The constant chirping outside, along with certain people’s shouting, had driven her to distraction.
Someone with terrible morning temper couldn’t possibly endure it.
She flung the door open and cursed—clearly directing it at someone without naming them.
Xiao Xingcang looked at her. Her eyes weren’t even fully open yet.
The moment she finished scolding and turned back inside, the flock of sparrows instantly flapped away.
His confusion and curiosity deepened.
Noticing his expression, the nanny pinched her fingers nervously and, on impulse, told him everything that had happened the day he first summoned Gu Qinglu.
After hearing it all, Xiao Xingcang stiffened, then immediately raised a hand.
“This must not be spread.”
“Yes,” the nanny replied, bowing.
She quickly waved for the maids to follow and attend to things.
Gu Qinglu returned again—this time fully awake, though still dressed in silk inner robes. Her voice was hoarse from just waking.
“Perfect timing. Come in—I’ll do acupuncture and administer medicine.”
“What about me?”Yuan Ziheng craned his neck from behind.
Xiao Xingcang quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his line of sight.
“You wait in the side hall.”
Yuan Ziheng could no longer form words properly, only rasping sounds from his throat. Whether Xiao Xingcang understood or not, he still tried.
“Hurry up… if you don’t look at me soon, I feel like I’m going to die…”
Nodding once at him, Xiao Xingcang calmly walked inside.
Scanning the room, he noticed the furnishings had changed.
The bookshelves in the side hall had been cleared, now packed with rows of bottles and jars.
When Gu Qinglu finished washing up and came out, she saw Xiao Xingcang standing in the medicine room with his hands behind his back.
The midday sunlight fell across his face—his features refined, brows deep-set, his bearing aloof and outstanding.
Suddenly, as if he’d seen something amusing, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Gu Qinglu’s expression faltered for a split second.Stop smiling, she thought. Smile again and I’ll drag you off to roam the world with me.
With a handsome man by her side, the journey would surely be entertaining.
More importantly—pleasing to the eye.
Reining in her thoughts, she walked over, took a porcelain bottle from the shelf, and poured out a pill.
“Eat this.”
Xiao Xingcang glanced at the pitch-black pill she offered.
Without overthinking, he bent slightly and took it straight from her fingers.
Her fingertips grew warm instantly.
“You don’t have hands?” Gu Qinglu snapped.
Xiao Xingcang looked innocent.“I thought the Princess Consort’s medicine couldn’t be touched by others.”
She immediately understood and turned to glance at the labels on the shelf.
‘Pig-Head Gu. Antidote—do not touch. Whoever touches it becomes pig-headed.’
Now she knew why he had smiled earlier.
Rolling her eyes at him, she shoved the porcelain bottle into his hand and pointed to a spot, signaling him to sit.
Opening her needle roll, she reminded him earnestly:
“Once every six months. During this time, you mustn’t leak your vital essence. Keep the women of your residence peaceful for a year. Of course, if you can’t hold back, pretend I said nothing.”
She spoke as calmly as any physician giving medical advice, completely ignoring the fact that she herself was the mistress of the residence.
Xiao Xingcang gathered his robe and sat down opposite her, unruffled.
“Aside from you, there are no other female masters in the residence.”
Gu Qinglu swept him up and down with her gaze.
She didn’t doubt him. When she took his pulse and worked the needles through his meridians, she had already discovered—
He was still a… novice.
That said, he was perfectly healthy.
Which was precisely why she had warned him not to squander his vital essence—his recovery would be faster that way.
“Turn around. Take off your clothes.”
She didn’t dwell on the matter. Whether he had one woman or ten was irrelevant. Once he was cured, she’d take her silver and horses and leave.
Xiao Xingcang glanced at the long needle in her hand, tension rising again.
As he loosened his belt, he thought of the person waiting in the side hall and added,
“Ziheng is a young master of the Duke’s estate—my uncle’s youngest son. Princess Consort, giving him a small lesson is enough.”
Gu Qinglu’s motion paused briefly.
So he had noticed her little trick yesterday.
Just as expected—sharp-minded, and with poisonous eyes.
She didn’t care who the other party was. A blade had been thrown at her face. If she didn’t teach him a lesson, she wouldn’t be Gu Qinglu.
Casting him a glance, she muttered almost inaudibly,
“I’m the Qin Prince’s consort, too. Hmph.”
Xiao Xingcang saw her puff out her cheeks and smiled silently.
Vindictive when wronged, unwilling to suffer losses—she wasn’t foolish at all.
Most importantly, she knew how to use her status as Qin Prince’s consort to shut him up.
Oh—and she was also very good at scolding people indirectly.
“Mmph—”
Hearing the man’s pained sound, Gu Qinglu paused. Her long fingers pressed lightly against his back, and even her voice softened.
“Relax. Your back is too tense.”
Xiao Xingcang was in so much pain he couldn’t speak. That needle was absurdly long—she had plunged it in entirely, leaving only the tip exposed for removal.
While this was happening, the person waiting in the side hall grew impatient.
Sneaking around furtively, he crept into the main hall.
He had barely stepped inside when he heard a suppressed sound coming from the inner room.
He was certain that foolish woman was seducing his cousin into doing something indecent in broad daylight.
Another sound followed—this time unmistakably male.
Curious, he craned his neck to peek—and was met with the hazy sight of a bare back.
Realizing what he’d stumbled into, he immediately turned to leave.
“Stop.”
A cold, emotionless voice rang out behind him.
Yuan Ziheng froze in place, swallowing hard.
I’m done for, he thought. Interrupted his good moment—he’s angry.
Since he’d already stuck his head out, pulling it back wouldn’t help. After some internal pep talk, he decided to go in.
After a brief moment of self-composure, Yuan Ziheng entered the inner hall.
Gu Qinglu had just finished removing the needles. When she looked up, she saw a head that had swollen even larger—still swelling.
The corner of her mouth lifted with satisfaction.
She clapped her hands lightly and walked past him.
“Go apologize to the Princess Consort,” Xiao Xingcang said to the newcomer, unable to move with needles in his chest and back.“Otherwise, you won’t have a good end.”
Yuan Ziheng could no longer speak at all—his throat couldn’t even make sounds. He could only wave his hands helplessly.
Seeing his ridiculous appearance, Xiao Xingcang couldn’t help laughing.
The movement tugged at the needles in his chest, and pain immediately forced the smile away.
Yuan Ziheng’s eyes were swollen nearly shut.
He couldn’t see the silver needles in Xiao Xingcang’s back.
Naturally, he didn’t believe that foolish woman could truly cure him.
But left with no choice, he clung to a faint hope.
Taking a quiet breath, he turned and went off to find Gu Qinglu to apologize.