Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 83

When the assassins came, Qi Yun was discussing Ye Ping Rong's whereabouts with Chu Chengyun.

This time, Chu Chengyun, who called himself Third Prince, didn't hide much. He frankly told Qi Yun that Ye Ping Rong was at Prime Minister Meng's residence, now nearly fully recovered, and would return soon.

Calling Qi Yun here now was to give him advance notice that when Ye Ping Rong returned this time, he wouldn't be alone but would likely have someone accompanying him.

However, Chu Chengyun hadn't decided whether to tell Qi Yun exactly who would return with him, since that person's background was significant. But just then, the assassins broke through the windows!

Though Qi Yun was calmer than most people by nature and steady in character, he was still an ordinary citizen who had never truly witnessed assassin death warriors. When he suddenly saw them, he was stunned for a moment before retreating.

But it was this moment that let the opponent's blade slash his arm.

Tie Zi protected him as they moved to a corner. Qi Yun pressed hard on his arm and watched coldly.

Those people were clearly targeting Third Prince, but the people around Third Prince weren't to be trifled with either. Liu Rong, who had always kept a low profile, drew his sword and rose up with the bearing of a true expert. Several people in coarse cloth also rushed in from outside, obviously guards protecting Third Prince, and they fought fiercely together.

In the end, those guards suffered casualties, Liu Rong was slashed on the leg, but Third Prince was the most tragic.

Pierced through the chest, bleeding continuously, he soon fell silent.

Liu Rong panicked, but Qi Yun firmly grasped Tie Zi's hand and said: "Leave here quickly. There's an abandoned farmhouse not far away. I passed by there before, it's uninhabited. Go there first." After saying this, Qi Yun's vision went black and he lost consciousness.

This wasn't Qi Yun's first time fainting. From childhood to adulthood, he had fainted countless times.

But this time was different.

Previously, no matter how ill he became, he could always sense the outside world. He could vaguely hear sounds around him, and even when there was light, he could feel it even with his eyes closed.

But this time, when he fainted, he truly fainted. It was as if he had been submerged in an ink-black deep pool, unable to see, unable to hear, even breathing was difficult.

In his dazed state, Qi Yun had only one thought:

In the end, he still couldn't stay with Jiao Niang.

When he opened his eyes and saw the unfamiliar room, he hazily thought he must have become a ghost. Otherwise, how could his body feel so relaxed?

He had never felt this light before, not hurting at all, not feeling bad at all, which was impossible in itself.

He must be dead.

Qi Yun sat up, turned his head, and met a familiar face.

The woman looked at him with beautiful eyes that still held tears, watery and making her eyes appear even more bright and clear.

Qi Yun felt heartbroken and said softly: "Jiao Niang, I promised I would take care of you, but now... I shouldn't have let you down. I have no chance left in this life. I only regret we can't be together for all our lives. If there's a next life, I'd rather become fish, insects, birds, or beasts, turn into stone, just to stay with you..."

Before Qi Yun could finish, Ye Jiao leaned over and gently kissed the corner of the man's lips.

Qi Yun was slightly stunned, instinctively opening his mouth to respond, thinking:

Even as a ghost, I can still be kissed?

When Ye Jiao released him, Qi Yun heard the woman's voice with a stubborn tone: "You're fine, perfectly fine. I won't allow anything to happen to you. What next life or not, I haven't had enough of this life yet."

Qi Yun looked at Ye Jiao tightly gripping his hand, then looked at her face, opening his mouth: "I... where am I?"

Rarely seeing her husband look so confused, Ye Jiao couldn't help but smile. She sat on the bedside and gently embraced him, carefully avoiding his wound, then said softly: "This is the Qi Family Medicine Shop. Manager Fang and Spring Orchid are both busy outside, and there are people Hui Niang brought standing guard around. Don't worry, it's very safe."

Ye Jiao touched his face again, thinking her husband had indeed suffered.

White Rainbow Fruit could save lives and also nourish the body. Though its nourishing effects were generally modest, eating a whole one meant Qi Yun was now fine and could even replenish his blood and energy.

Even though she knew in her heart that Chu Chengyun could save his life with just eating some fruit flesh scraps, and Qi Yun eating the whole fruit should be much better, Ye Jiao still worried until Qi Yun opened his eyes.

In Little Ginseng's mind, she didn't know or care how much blood Chu Chengyun, who she'd fed fruit scraps to, had lost. But if her husband even scraped his skin a little, that was heartbreaking and couldn't be delayed even for a moment.

Ye Jiao couldn't help saying: "Husband, rest well, don't move around."

After hearing this, Qi Yun gradually came to his senses, realizing he was still in the living world and wouldn't be going to the underworld alone. He felt inexplicably moved by this feeling of surviving disaster.

Not bothering to ask what had happened, he clasped Ye Jiao with his other hand, lowered his head, buried his face in her neck, smelling the faint orchid fragrance, and said softly: "So good, Jiao Niang, so good."

He had never thought being alive was such a wonderful thing. Qi Yun felt that if he could hold his wife like this every day, this lifetime wouldn't be enough.

Ye Jiao whispered to him: "Don't say those words from before anymore."

"What words?"

"Just, don't talk about becoming fish, insects, birds, or beasts. Even if you became a stone, with so many stones in the world, how would I know which one is you?"

Hearing this, Qi Yun knew she still remembered the nonsense he'd spoken earlier. He held her tighter and said: "Don't worry, I'm reluctant to die. With you and Xu Bao, dying would be too worthless."

Ye Jiao smiled and nodded vigorously.

Liu Rong, who was about to come in to check the situation, stopped in his tracks and sighed toward the sky.

At such a critical moment, he still had to witness this couple's loving harmony... this was truly his fate.

Who told him, an unmarried man, to constantly see married people? Even if he was envious, there was nothing he could do about it.

However, Liu Rong didn't go in. He just looked to confirm Qi Yun was fine, then withdrew his gaze.

Liu Rong knew that Qi Yun was actually caught up in an undeserved disaster, and Ye Jiao was the benefactor who had saved his master's life at the crucial moment with a handful of dirt. Naturally, he wouldn't disturb them now. After quietly closing the door again, Liu Rong went to the adjacent side room.

As soon as he entered, he saw Chu Chengyun half-leaning on the bed and Meng Shi sitting nearby without saying a word.

Meng Hui Rou was still wearing casual clothes, a plain long dress with a dark-patterned outer robe, which didn't look like what Meng Shi would normally wear out.

Being from a wealthy family, she had rules for walking, sitting, and lying down. Even now, living under an assumed name, it still wouldn't affect Meng Shi's requirements for herself.

The reason she left without tidying up was because she was worried about Chu Chengyun, afraid he might have the slightest problem. She hadn't even combed her hair properly.

On the way to the Qi Family Medicine Shop after receiving the message, Meng Shi had calculated everything in her mind.

Her husband was a kind man. Words that couldn't be said before must now be spoken clearly.

She had to tell him about the current Empress's venomous heart, tell him that those brothers were all ambitious wolves, tell him that not fighting now was a dead end.

Meng Shi was usually able to speak as eloquently as lotus flowers. Before, the timing wasn't right, she didn't dare speak, couldn't speak. After all, her husband was mindful of the Empress's nurturing kindness and the brotherly affection. She could only endure it.

Now that the other side had tried to kill him, her husband should understand.

When she actually saw Prince Duan who had lost half his life, Meng Shi suddenly lost her voice.

Just now she had been sitting beside Chu Chengyun, helping him wipe sweat, bringing him tea and water, gently massaging his slightly sore palms, but she couldn't say anything.

Chu Chengyun sat there quietly. The Prince Duan who usually loved to joke and tease was now as calm as a wooden puppet.

At this moment, Liu Rong pushed the door open and saw this scene.

Meng Shi quietly stood up and said softly: "I'll go change the basin of hot water," then left.

Liu Rong watched the Princess leave. Since he couldn't run away either, he steeled himself and went over to bow: "Your Highness."

Chu Chengyun nodded, his face showing some liveliness, and asked: "How is Second Young Master?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, Doctor Li just examined both you and Second Young Master Qi. Second Young Master Qi's injuries aren't serious. He can already get up and walk around now, just needs to keep the wound from getting wet. On the contrary, Your Highness, you must rest quietly in bed. This time you injured your heart and lungs. Though your life is safe, you still need to be cautious and careful to avoid leaving lasting problems."

Chu Chengyun reached out and gently covered his chest, which was tightly bound with white cloth strips, saying softly: "I thought I would surely die."

Liu Rong was Ye Ping Rong's subordinate and usually received Ye Ping Rong's kindness, so naturally he was closer to his family.

Hearing Chu Chengyun's words, Liu Rong immediately said: "When it was a matter of life and death, it was Second Young Master Qi's wife who helped, which brought Your Highness back to life."

Chu Chengyun was stunned for a moment, then didn't ask for details, just nodded: "Second Young Master is a good man, and his wife is also good. This time I implicated them for no reason. I wronged them. Ping Rong's sister was still willing to save my life. I'll remember this kindness in my heart."

Liu Rong bowed his head, feeling grateful in his heart that Chu Chengyun hadn't asked for details.

Otherwise, he couldn't explain how feeding dirt into Chu Chengyun's mouth could save a life...

Chu Chengyun took a deep breath, looked at Liu Rong, and asked: "Do you know who came to assassinate me?"

Liu Rong honestly shook his head: "I don't know who specifically. They were death warriors, every move deadly. They had deadly poison in their mouths and would take poison afterward whether they succeeded or not. They had no identifying marks from any residence, so we don't know who was behind it."

Chu Chengyun closed his eyes and asked in a low voice: "They poisoned their blades, didn't they?"

Liu Rong didn't hide it: "The blades weren't poisoned, but the daggers they carried were. Fortunately, neither Your Highness nor Second Young Master Qi were wounded by the poisoned daggers and weren't poisoned, which is very fortunate. I brought the blade back and have already given it to Doctor Li to examine."

"What poison?"

"Strychnine."

This poison wasn't common, but Chu Chengyun knew another name for this medicine: "You should call it 'Traction Machine.'"

Liu Rong was somewhat confused, but Chu Chengyun smiled faintly.

He gently covered his chest, his voice slow: "Traction Machine is poison made from strychnine. First the neck stiffens, then the whole body convulses, severe abdominal pain, pain so intense the body curls up, head and feet touching, resembling a traction machine."

Every word Chu Chengyun spoke was calm and gentle, but hearing it made Liu Rong's spine run cold.

Not only because this poison was sinister and cruel, killing people while torturing them, but also because when Chu Chengyun spoke, his expression was indifferent and his tone icy, which Liu Rong had never seen before.

Usually, Chu Chengyun was the most gentle person. To Liu Rong, this master didn't seem like a prince, didn't even seem like nobility. He was easy to talk to, had a mild temperament, and loved to joke. It seemed like no matter how big the matter, it wasn't really a matter to him.

But now this cold tone was something Liu Rong had never heard.

Chu Chengyun still smiled, curving his lips, taking a deep breath: "They want me dead, desperately want me dead."

At this moment, Chu Chengyun suddenly felt that what he had done before was so laughable, utterly laughable.

Traction Machine poison only existed in the palace, passed down through generations, never leaked out. Precisely because of this, they hadn't poisoned the blades to avoid exposure, only poisoning the daggers.

And the palace was his home.

Chu Chengyun asked himself: what he carefully protected was nothing more than the Empress Mother's nurturing kindness, what he painstakingly managed was nothing more than brotherly affection, and he had never wronged anyone.

He wasn't unaware of the imperial family's ruthlessness, but he always thought that if he hid away, if he left, if he had no intention of competing for the throne, if he only minded his own idle affairs, couldn't he avoid it all?

Whoever became emperor couldn't affect him, wouldn't that work?

But now, Chu Chengyun finally understood that his virtuous reputation, the support of court officials, and his step-by-step retreating tolerance had ultimately become thorns in those people's eyes. Not only did they want to pull them out, they wanted to burn them completely, otherwise they wouldn't be satisfied at all!

Chu Chengyun suddenly laughed, laughing louder and louder, laughing so hard that the wound on his chest split open without him knowing.

He was truly foolish, truly foolish.

Liu Rong was at a loss, could only kneel on the ground, looking at him somewhat bewildered.

Meng Shi had originally been standing at the door, not entering for a long time. She knew that only by letting Chu Chengyun think clearly and understand this time could he walk the future path well.

But ultimately, she couldn't bear the heartache. She threw down the water basin, pushed the door open, ran over to embrace Chu Chengyun, tightly holding his head, gathering him in her arms, saying over and over: "Husband, I know your heart aches, but this is how the world is, this is how the world is..."

Chu Chengyun's laughter gradually stopped. He leaned against Meng Shi, his expression gradually calming, his fists clenched tightly.

In the next room, Ye Jiao also heard Chu Chengyun's laughter. She couldn't help but wonder: "That Third Prince is really a cheerful person. Being alive is worth being this happy? Laughing like this, I'm afraid he'll hurt himself."

Qi Yun thought further than her, and he could hear the desolation in that laughter. He understood in his heart that Chu Chengyun wasn't happy but had made up his mind about something cruel.

As for what cruel decision, it didn't matter to Qi Yun. He didn't want to inquire, and wouldn't involve Ye Jiao in it.

They were just an ordinary family, a small household. Those matters of immortals fighting didn't affect their daily life.

However, there were some things he should discuss with Third Prince, at least to ask when Ye Ping Rong would return and who he would bring back. There needed to be some arrangement.

But that was a matter for later. For now, it was better to stay away from that Third Prince who was physically and mentally damaged.

Having made up his mind, Qi Yun said softly: "Jiao Niang, does Mother know about my accident?"

Ye Jiao shook her head: "I didn't dare let Mother know, afraid she'd worry. Just now I also didn't bring you back to the mountain courtyard but came here because of this."

Qi Yun nodded, smiling as he touched Ye Jiao's hair: "Jiao Niang did right. Mother should be kept from knowing."

As they were talking, Ye Jiao suddenly frowned.

Qi Yun couldn't help asking: "What's wrong?"

Ye Jiao pressed her lips together, pointed to her chest, and said softly: "It's swollen here."

Usually this was when Xu Bao would nurse. Today, being away from Xu Bao, Ye Jiao felt uncomfortably swollen.

Qi Yun's ears turned slightly red. He quickly said: "Since I'm fine now, and the wound on my hand can be hidden with a little cover, let's go back while it's still not dark."

But when he stood up, Ye Jiao tugged his sleeve: "Then, husband, help me."

Help? Help with what?

How could he help with chest swelling?

Suddenly thinking of a method, Qi Yun's ears turned alarmingly red, but he calmly asked: "Jiao Niang, just tell me, I'll listen to whatever you say."

"Go help me tell Spring Orchid to take Doctor Li away, otherwise I won't feel at ease."

...Oh, that matter.

Qi Yun coughed lightly, nodded, and had Tie Zi relay the message.

Ye Jiao tilted her head somewhat inexplicably. Why did she feel like her husband looked disappointed?