Tang Feng politely smiled at Yaxi, who blushed and nodded slightly, unsure of what to do.
Bai Ruozhu chuckled secretly and deliberately said loudly, "Tang Feng, Yaxi is going to Zhongyuan with us. When you have ti, you should tell her about the customs and culture of Jiangnan."
"Also going to Jiangnan?" Tang Feng asked, puzzled.
Yaxi felt even more embarrassed, "I... I don’t know."
Bai Ruozhu stifled a laugh, "Tang Feng, please take care of Yaxi for . I need to enter the Palace and finalize the matter we’ve discussed." She winked at Yaxi.
"Thank you, Sister Ruozhu," Yaxi said, her face flushed.
Bai Ruozhu left, and Yaxi was unsure of how to speak with Tang Feng. She felt as if she were sitting on a needle, pondering whether she should leave, but her heart was unwilling, so she forced herself to stay.
Just then, Yizi walked in, bringing so tea and snacks, and smilingly said to Tang Feng, "Champion Tang, where’s the Heavenly Gate Formation Diagram I asked you to help with?"
Tang Feng took out a scroll from his sleeve, "It’s already drawn. I was just planning to find you."
A few days ago, in a random conversation about arrays, Tang Feng ntioned he had once seen a diagram of the Heavenly Gate Formation. Yizi got very excited and asked him to recall and draw it for her to study.
Tang Feng readily agreed and just finished the drawing today to hand over to Yizi.
Yaxi on the side was even more restless, her heart sinking a bit. She knew nothing about the relationship between Yizi and Jianqi, although she had stayed at the posthouse for so ti. Jianqi was aloof and always on assignnts, and Yizi didn’t cling to Jianqi, so she had no idea that Yizi’s lover was Jianqi.
She only knew that Yizi was not Bai Ruozhu’s maid but a talented girl adept in arrays, whom Bai Ruozhu treated like a sister.
Perhaps those in love are prone to wild thoughts. She even imagined that Yizi and Tang Feng had a special relationship, and she seed to be intruding but just couldn’t get involved.
Should she persist under such circumstances? Should she shalessly follow them to Zhongyuan?
"I have so matters at ho, so I must take my leave now." She suddenly stood up, bowed, and quickly exited.
Yizi was thoroughly engrossed in the drawings and didn’t notice anything unusual about Yaxi.
Tang Feng, however, watched Yaxi’s departing figure and slightly frowned, sighing silently.
Bai Ruozhu entered the Imperial Palace to discuss trade matters with the Emperor, proposing to send Yaxi’s father as an envoy, to which the Emperor imdiately agreed.
"Ruozhu, I regard you as one of my own younger generation, so I will ask you directly." The Emperor, fatigued, suddenly seed to have aged several years.
"I know what you want to ask. Empress Shangzi is not pregnant; she was poisoned by Poisonous Insects. She is a victim too. As for..." Bai Ruozhu paused, "I feel she should speak if she wishes to, but over the years, whether she truly cares for you, you should know by now."
"So many years..." The Emperor said in a mont of loss, "Yes, so many years."
His gaze slowly cleared, and he gathered himself.
"Ruozhu, you understand people far better than I do," the Emperor smiled.
"Nothing more than the clarity of an observer," Bai Ruozhu said.
The plan to detoxify the Emperor was set for the next day; he needed to rest early. Bai Ruozhu stood up to take her leave, ntioning she would bring people to the Palace to provide protection the next day.
Back at the posthouse, Tang Feng called her over.
"You’re busying yourself blindly again. You really like playing matchmaker too much," Tang Feng pretended to be angry, but Bai Ruozhu knew he wasn’t truly upset; otherwise, he wouldn’t talk to her at all.
"It’s matchmaker, matchmaker! How unpleasant ’matchmaker’ sounds," Bai Ruozhu laughed.
Tang Feng paused, "Don’t change the subject. You’re not necessarily helping ; you might be harming her."
"How is it harming? If she has no affection, how could I instigate anything?" Bai Ruozhu’s expression turned serious, "Tang Feng, if you choked on water while swimming once, would you never swim again?"
She sighed, "Growing up in Jiangnan, you should be familiar with swimming; in previous lives, you should have learned. Do you rember the process of learning to swim? Choking on water is unpleasant; your chest and throat both feel uncomfortable. You cough intensely, and the experience is painful, even feeling like you might die. Isn’t getting hurt in love the sa?"
"You choked on water but continued to swim because you knew that by striving, you would learn and wouldn’t fear falling into the water again. So why should two past hurts make you afraid? How will you know she’s not your happiness unless you try?"
"I feel as troubled as this. Isn’t it harming the young miss?" Tang Feng said, blushing.
Bai Ruozhu dryly coughed once, "I’ve said, your issue is not physical but psychological. It’s past events that disgust and repel you. You need ntal healing. Try following your heart, and perhaps these matters could gradually resolve."
"She knows nothing of my past; she only sees my sparkling surface. If she knew everything, would she still consider the dashing Champion of Danliang Country?" Tang Feng lowered his head.
Bai Ruozhu laughed softly, "You care that she might mind; your insecurity reveals you care about her. Otherwise, why think so much?"
"I..." Tang Feng’s face turned redder.
"Since you find it hard to speak, I’ll speak for you. It’s better to say early. If she can’t accept your past, then my ddling was pointless," Bai Ruozhu said.
Tang Feng said nothing, then after a while, he slightly nodded, signaling agreent.
After Tang Feng left, Jiang Yichun walked into the room with displeasure, grinding his teeth, "Madam speaking with another man about physical issues?"
"You... you were eavesdropping," Bai Ruozhu blushed, "What nonsense are you imagining?"
He picked her up, "Now, do you think your husband has physical problems?"
"Are you deliberately finding fault? I’m a doctor, and doctors don’t distinguish between genders; I speak of dical conditions." Bai Ruozhu shouted, but her protest was in vain as she was pinned to the bed, unable to resist...
Tang Feng hadn’t gone far, heard what she said, and couldn’t help but laugh; despite her cleverness, soone could manage her.
But those two are truly enviable, always flaunting their affection, making him, single, feel jealous. Perhaps he should try once more to believe in love.
Early the next morning, everyone gathered and entered the Imperial Palace together.
Xuchenzi and Yuchenzi perford rituals, manipulating the Star Plate with the astrologer’s help, and within half an hour, they helped the Emperor and Prince Wen De expel the demon poison. Both vomited uncontrollably, but their stomachs gradually cald.
The Emperor was exhausted from the ordeal, yet his personal aura completely changed. Previously surrounded by a maternal halo, both his speech and movents were overly gentle, entirely peculiar.
Now he had reverted to his original self, although physically weak, yet now normal.
Unfortunately, Prince Wen De’s stomach had settled, but he remained vacant and bewildered, never regaining sanity. It seed he would remain so throughout his life.
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