novelraw Chapter 182
Chapter 182
Qi Yanzhou found a change of clothes and ladled some hot water into a bucket.
"Third Brother, come with me to the backyard and stand guard at the door."
Qi He'an, thinking that the Zhao family was staying in the backyard and that Zhao Simin had designs on Qi Yanzhou, immediately nodded.
"Alright, Second Brother."
Ye Chutang called out to stop them, took a handmade mugwort essential oil soap from her bundle, and handed it to Qi Yanzhou.
"Use this. It can wash both your hair and your body."
The handmade soap was a transparent green, emitting the fragrance of mugwort, which made Qi He'an click his tongue in wonder.
"Second Sister-in-law, what is this?"
Ye Chutang made up an explanation on the spot, "It's soap I made from mugwort in the countryside."
"It's really nice. Second Sister-in-law is amazing."
Qi Yanzhou gave Ye Chutang a suspicious look but didn't ask further.
He called to Qi He'an, "Let's go. Wash up early before it gets crowded and we have to queue."
The Imperial Guard, seeing Qi Yanzhou leave, exchanged glances.
The Emperor's order to them was to eliminate the Qi family, with Qi Yanzhou as the primary target.
Therefore, they would not let pass any opportunity to strike at Qi Yanzhou.
Ye Chutang had never stopped observing the escorting guards.
She noticed the anomaly immediately.
She had thought the guards would seek her cooperation for their move, but there was no sign of it.
The damned Emperor was guarding against her!
Ye Chutang did not chase after them to the backyard to tell Qi Yanzhou about the guards' strange behavior.
Because she believed in this man's capability; he wouldn't be easily schemed against.
So, she rested in the courtyard with peace of mind.
When Qi Yanzhou and Qi He'an reached the backyard, the Zhao family was still waiting for their meal.
Zhao Simin looked at Qi Yanzhou, god-like in her eyes, with a mix of love and hate, unable to tear her gaze away.
Qi He'an, noticing this, immediately positioned himself to block her line of sight.
The storage room was in the northwest corner, a very small one that looked dirty and dilapidated.
Qi He'an pushed the door open. With a creak, thick dust stirred up, making him cough repeatedly.
"Second Brother, it's too dirty."
Qi Yanzhou set down the bucket of hot water.
"It's fine, I'll clean it up."
After saying this, he shoved his change of clothes into Qi He'an's hands.
"Wait outside."
It wasn't that he particularly cared for his half-brother, but he needed to inspect the storage room himself to eliminate any potential dangers.
Although the storage room was dirty, it didn't hold much. After Qi Yanzhou tidied up, the usable space became much larger, and he found no threats.
He carried several buckets of well water to wash away the dust on the floor.
The dirty storage room became clean.
With no hot water left, Qi Yanzhou simply used the cold well water to rinse off.
It was a bit chilly, but bearable.
The transparent soap carried the fresh scent of mugwort. It felt slippery when rubbed on the body, as if it couldn't be rinsed off completely, which made him somewhat uncomfortable.
Zhao Simin, hearing the sound of splashing water, couldn't help but glance towards the storage room.
What she saw was Qi He'an glaring at her with knitted brows and angry eyes.
The improper thoughts that had just risen in her heart instantly extinguished, and she shifted her gaze away in annoyance.
Unaware of the brief standoff between Qi He'an and Zhao Simin, Qi Yanzhou washed meticulously, not wanting to smell bad and offend Ye Chutang.
Just as he finished rinsing and was about to put on his clothes, he suddenly heard a faint rustling sound.
It was very soft, and he would have missed it if he hadn't been constantly alert to his surroundings.
At the sound of the rustling, he looked toward the pile of miscellaneous items he had just tidied.
The light in the storage room was dim, providing only barely enough visibility, making it impossible to see any danger lurking in the shadows.
He held his breath, his entire body on high alert.
Suddenly, a small black snake shot out from the pile of debris. It was fast and clearly aggressive.
Qi Yanzhou knew the black snake was certainly venomous. He swiftly pulled out the hairpin from his hair and flung it.
The hairpin struck the snake's seven-inch vital spot, slicing it in two.
Fearing the venom might drip onto the ground, he immediately used a dirty garment to swat the snake's head away.
The snake's head landed deep within the pile of clutter.
Even if venom dripped, the dust would absorb it, preventing harm to anyone.
Once certain there was no danger, Qi Yanzhou quickly bathed and dressed.
For ease of movement, he wore close-sleeved inner garments with coarse cloth outer robes.
He retrieved the white jade hairpin embedded deep in the wood, casually tied up his loose jet-black hair, and left the storage room.
Perhaps the well water was too cold, for he carried a chilling aura about him that made others hesitant to meet his gaze.
Qi He'an sensed something was amiss with Qi Yanzhou and asked, "Second Brother, did something happen?"
At his words, everyone from the Zhao family turned to look at Qi Yanzhou.
Qi Yanzhou called out, "Officers, there's a venomous snake!"
His voice, infused with inner force, was loud, echoing throughout the entire relay station.
Ye Chutang was the first to appear by Qi Yanzhou's side. "Where is the snake?"
In the storage room.
After speaking, Qi Yanzhou went back inside and flicked out the half of the snake with a stick.
Ye Chutang looked at the black snake, only as thick as a thumb, and said, "A black-bellied snake. Highly venomous. A bite would either kill or leave one an idiot."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Wu Chenggang arrived.
He was still chewing meat, his thick lips glistening with grease.
"What venomous snake? Is anyone hurt?"
Ye Chutang looked at Han Chong, who followed behind him, and said, "The black-bellied snake prefers warm, damp environments and lives in the southern marshlands. It's extremely poisonous."
The implication was clear: the snake's presence at the relay station was deliberate.
Han Chong pretended not to understand the meaning behind Ye Chutang's words and waved a dismissive hand.
"The snake sure gets around, traveling all the way from south to north. As long as no one's hurt, it's fine. Hurry up and finish washing, then rest. We depart at mao hour tomorrow."
The Emperor wanted Qi Yanzhou dead and the Qi family destroyed; he could only turn a blind eye.
Ye Chutang had long anticipated the officers wouldn't intervene, so she offered a reminder.
"Officer, snakes lack human reason. Today it sought to bite my husband; tomorrow it might fancy biting an officer."
This was actually a warning, but Wu Chenggang paid it no mind.
"Just a pathetic little snake. I doubt it has the guts to bite this official."
With that, he left the backyard.
Qi Yanzhou had exposed the incident with the venomous snake not to seek justice, but to make a scene.
Once might be dismissed as an accident, something no one would pay heed to.
But what about a second or third time?
Once everyone knew someone was trying to kill him, he would steer suspicion towards the Emperor.
Under the court of public opinion, the Emperor wouldn't dare act so brazenly.
The journey north would then be much quieter.
Ye Chutang didn't know what Qi Yanzhou was thinking, only that his expression was dark.
She picked up the "spicy strip" from the ground, skinned it, and removed the gall bladder.
The black-bellied snake was slender, with little meat, useless to keep.
She deliberately threw it near Zhao Simin's feet, startling her into jumping up with a shriek.
"Ye Chutang, what are you doing?"
"Scaring you."
After delivering the provocative retort, Ye Chutang pulled Qi Yanzhou back into the storeroom.
Knowing someone was on the roof, she leaned close to his ear and asked, "Where is the snake's head?"
Her warm breath brushed against his neck, carrying a suggestive, teasing quality that made Qi Yanzhou's entire body tense.
Holding his breath, he pointed towards the pile of miscellaneous items.
"I was worried the venom might drip on the ground with ill consequences, so I threw it deep inside."
Then he asked, "A-Tang, what do you need the snake head for?"
Ye Chutang felt Qi Yanzhou's stiffness and deliberately blew a breath into his ear.
"Tit for tat!"
Since he could stand there and talk without feeling any pain, she would make this official servant feel some discomfort.
Qi Yanzhou was teased by Ye Chutang until the tips of his ears flushed red, his Adam's apple bobbing sensually.
The chill from the well water was dispelled.
Unfortunately, now was not the time for intimacy.
He took a step back. "I'll go find the snake's head."
"Making a big, showy search is too obvious. I'll do it."
Ye Chutang pulled Qi Yanzhou out of the storage room.
"My husband is so capable, he tidied up the inside very well. I'll go fetch the bathtub for a bath."
After saying this, she left the backyard.
Qi Yanzhou called out to Ye Chutang's retreating figure, "A-Tang, wait for me to finish washing my hair. Let me handle it, don't tire yourself."
"Alright, I'll wait for you."
Qi Yanzhou used the cold well water to quickly wash his hair.
His martial arts were excellent; he used his inner energy to evaporate the moisture from his ink-black hair close to the scalp, preventing himself from catching a chill.
After cleaning himself up, Qi Yanzhou made several trips between the front and back yards.
Fetching the bathtub, carrying hot water, adjusting the temperature with well water, holding Ye Chutang's change of clothes, and standing guard by the door.
While bathing, Ye Chutang used her special ability to collect the venom droplets that had fallen on the ground and been absorbed by the dust into her spatial storage.
After her bath, she said, "Husband, bring my clothes in, please."
This was said deliberately for Zhao Simin to hear.
Dare to covet her man? Then get stuffed full of their affection until you're sick of it.
Qi Yanzhou's face flushed red, betraying his composure.
He pushed open the storage room door, slipped inside, walked with his head bowed to the side of the bathtub, and handed over the clothes.
Ye Chutang was amused by his pure-hearted demeanor and rose from the bathtub.
The sound of cascading water rushed into Qi Yanzhou's ears, disturbing his thoughts.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging restlessness within.
Seeing Qi Yanzhou looking like he wanted her but was desperately restraining himself, Ye Chutang decided not to tease him further.
She still needed to use him in the future; it wouldn't be good if he were damaged from holding back.
She quickly dressed and kissed Qi Yanzhou on the cheek.
"Husband, I'll leave the rest to you."
With that, she left the storage room.
Qi Yanzhou hurriedly pulled Ye Chutang back, took out a cloth towel from his robe, carefully wrung out her hair, and used his inner energy to dry it.
Ye Chutang touched her slightly warm hair, missing her lost inner energy intensely.
She would meditate for an hour before going to sleep later!
After she left the backyard, Qi Yanzhou emptied the bathwater and cleaned the tub again.
Zhao Simin witnessed everything, jealousy driving her mad.
In the middle of eating, she put down her chopsticks and said with a sarcastic tone:
"How can Ye Chutang order Brother Yanzhou to pour out her bathwater for her? How filthy! If it were me, I would definitely..."
Qi Yanzhou cut off Zhao Simin's hypocritical, manipulative words.
"Miss Zhao, are you so self-degrading and desperate for a man?"
Being willing to serve isn't a skill; making others serve you is!
Zhao Simin's face flushed red with humiliation. Unconvinced, she said, "Brother Yanzhou, why can't you tell good from bad? I feel sorry for you!"
"Feel sorry for me? Fine. From now on, the tasks of serving my wife with food and drink, pouring her bathwater, and washing her clothes will be entrusted to you."
Zhao Simin: "..."
"Brother Yanzhou, Ye Chutang isn't worthy of you treating her so well, she..."
Zhao Qingshu guessed what Zhao Simin was about to say, his expression changing slightly.
"Little sister, shut your mouth!"
Being shouted at, Zhao Simin snapped back to her senses and swallowed the words she hadn't yet spoken.
Qi Yanzhou asked knowingly, "What was Miss Zhao about to say just now? Why did you suddenly stop?"
"They're words you don't like to hear and wouldn't believe, so saying them is pointless."
"If they are words that slander my wife, then there is indeed no need to say them."
With that, Qi Yanzhou left the backyard.
Zhao Simin stared at his tall, retreating figure, grinding her teeth as she muttered.
"Qi Yanzhou, on the day you learn the truth, you'll realize just how good I've been to you!"
No sooner had she spoken than Zhao Qingshu slapped her.
"If you can't control your tongue, I won't mind making you mute."
"And remember, Qi Yanzhou is destined to die. Rein in your feelings!"
Zhao Simin covered her stinging cheek, her eyes reddening as she said, "Brother, I'll be more careful in the future."
She wanted to pull her heart back too.
But Qi Yanzhou had been her cherished thought since childhood; she couldn't let go.
Zhao Qingshu issued his final warning. "There won't be a next time!"
"Understood."
Seeing the tension between her son and daughter, Zhu Rong hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
"Don't let an outsider come between you. Come, let's eat."
By the time the Zhao family finished their meal, the Qi family had just finished bathing.
It was only because Ye Chutang was the only one who took a proper bath that they finished so quickly.
With everyone working together, the clothes they had changed out of were soon washed.
The damp garments were draped over the rim of the bathtub.
The clothes were light and thin; they would dry overnight.
After finishing the chores, Ye Chutang took out a bottle of wound medicine and handed it to Old Madam Qi.
"Mother, this is medicine for external wounds. Apply it to the injuries; it will speed up recovery."
"Tang'er, you use it first."
"Mother, my skin is tough. My feet didn't blister or bleed, so I don't need the medicine."
Old Madam Qi took the medicine, patting Ye Chutang's hand with a heart full of pity.
"You suffered in the Ye family before, and marrying Zhou'er has also brought you hardship."
"Sweetness will come after the bitterness ends."
After saying this, Ye Chutang reminded Old Madam Qi to first puncture the blisters, drain the fluid, and then apply the medicine.
Then she said to Qi Yanzhou, "A-Zhou, you lay out the bedding. I'll sprinkle some medicine around to ward off mosquitoes and insects."
Just as Qi Yanzhou was about to agree, Concubine Xu tried to take over the task.
"Madam, let me handle these rough chores."
Ye Chutang quickly stopped Concubine Xu from getting up.
"Your feet are injured. Don't trouble yourself. Apply the medicine and rest more. We have to travel again tomorrow."
With that, she and Qi Yanzhou went outside the post station to fetch the bedding and the insect-repellent medicine.
Qi Yanzhou took the medicine from her. "Leave it all to me. You supervise."
All medicine has some toxicity; it's better for a pregnant woman to handle it less.
Ye Chutang looked at the considerate Qi Yanzhou and nodded with a smile.
The resting space was limited. Qi Yanzhou only laid out two bedding sets, separating the men and women.
Then he sprinkled a circle of pale yellow medicinal powder around the perimeter.
It could ward off snakes, insects, rats, and ants.
Ye Chutang took the snake gallbladder she had retrieved earlier, squeezed it to break it, and let the drops fall into a bowl of wine, which she then offered to the Qi family.
"Fresh snake gallbladder wine is a good thing. It can clear the liver and improve eyesight, detoxify and expel toxins. I've already had some; it's not bad. You all have a sip too."
As a pregnant woman, she couldn't drink the liquor; this was a lie to the Qi family.
Except for Qi Yanzhou, the other four were somewhat averse to the snake gallbladder wine, but they couldn't very well say so.
Qi Yanzhou took the bowl and drank first.
"A-Tang's medical skills are excellent. If she says this wine is good, then it truly is."
After speaking, he handed the bowl to Old Master Qi.
The old master steeled himself and took a sip. It wasn't as awful as he had imagined.
After drinking, he passed it to Qi He'an.
Qi He'an was afraid of snakes. Looking at the greenish-tinged wine in the bowl, his scalp crawled.
"Can I not..."
Before he could finish, Old Master Qi cut him off.
"No, if you're a man, drink it quickly. My arm is getting sore from holding it up."
Qi He'an drank a mouthful with the resolve of one facing death, then wiped the rim of the bowl and handed it to Old Madam Qi.
The remaining bit of wine was finished by the old madam and Concubine Xu.
The Imperial Guards monitoring the Qi family felt a pang of intense frustration upon seeing this.
They had tried to gain an advantage only to end up worse off!
Seeing the snake gallbladder wine was finished, Ye Chutang refilled the empty bowl with spiritual spring water.
"This wine is quite strong. Have some water to wash it down."
With the aid of the spiritual spring water, not only would the effects of the gallbladder wine be doubled, but the injuries on their feet would also heal faster.
After drinking the spiritual spring water, the Qi family immediately felt refreshed and clear-headed, attributing it to the power of the snake gallbladder wine.
"This wine truly is effective."
Qi He'an, tasting the spiritual spring water for the first time, smacked his lips, savoring the flavor.
"This water is also delicious, sweet."
Qi Yanzhou, being a martial artist, felt the effects of the spiritual spring water even more distinctly.
His body suddenly felt light, the fatigue vanished, as if they hadn't traveled all day.
Ye Chutang, seeing him staring at the empty bowl lost in thought, asked knowingly.
"Yanzhou, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I'll go put the bowls away. You all rest first. I'll keep watch for the first half of the night."
Exhausted from the day's journey, the Qi family fell asleep as soon as they lay down.
Ye Chutang sat cross-legged, circulating her energy, practicing her inner strength.
Qi Yanzhou sat beside her, also practicing his inner strength.
At that moment, Ye Siyin came out from the stable holding clothes, heading towards the backyard.
She glanced in the direction where the Qi family was settled.
Seeing that Qi He'an was already resting, she pouted in disappointment.
Backyard.
The ten members of the Zhao family were still taking turns bathing.
Zhao Qingshu sat under the eaves of the kitchen, looking at the incomplete moon, lost in thought.
Ye Siyin deliberately twisted her ankle.
"Ah!"
A startled cry attracted Zhao Qingshu's attention.
When he looked over at Ye Siyin, he saw her bending over, her collar slightly open, a pair of snowy peaks faintly visible.
He was no gentleman and did not avert his gaze immediately.
Ye Siyin, sensing Zhao Qingshu's gaze, quickly shifted the clothes in her arms upwards.
Covering the exposed spring scenery.
To avoid appearing deliberate, she immediately squatted down, rubbing her uninjured ankle.
Zhao Qingshu looked at Ye Siyin's slender, flushed ankle, his eyes darkening.
But he soon averted his gaze, returning to admiring the moon.
Ye Siyin understood well that hooking Zhao Qingshu would not happen overnight.
She knew when to stop, waiting properly for her turn to bathe.
When the Zhao family finished, she fetched a bucket to scoop hot water from the kitchen, then added well water to adjust the temperature.
The storage room was damp, the hard ground soaked and very slippery.
Perfect for a fall!
Halfway through her bath, Ye Siyin steeled herself and thump—fell to the ground.
"Ah!"
Her fair skin was smudged with dirty mud, creating a powerful visual impact.
The sound of the fall was loud. The Zhao family heard it, but no one paid any attention.
Zhao Qingshu glanced towards the storage room but made no further move.
Although he enjoyed carnal pleasures, he also knew his current circumstances were not suitable for indulging such thoughts.
The on-duty Imperial Guard couldn't ignore the prisoners' well-being and came to the door to ask, "What happened?"
Hearing the stiff voice, Ye Siyin guessed it was an officer.
Remembering how the officers had taken liberties with her earlier under the pretext of putting on the cangue and leg irons, she was frightened and quickly reached out to brace against the door.
A tearful voice came from inside the storage room.
"I'm fine. I just slipped and fell. I'll be alright after a moment."
The Dragon Guard severed all emotions and desires, devoted solely to protecting the royal family and the realm, and harbored no thoughts whatsoever toward Ye Siyin.
He gave a cool hum of acknowledgment. "Call if you need anything."
With that, he prepared to leave.
Ye Siyin, sensing the guard had no ulterior motives toward her, quickly called out to stop him.
"Wait a moment."
After speaking, she stood up and poured the water from the bucket over her grimy body.
Then, she opened the door a crack and pushed the bucket out.
"I fell and got dirty, and the water wasn't enough. Could you please fetch another bucket of water for me?"
Fearing the guard might refuse, she added,
"Fifty coppers."
While not a huge sum, it was an exorbitant price for a mere bucket of water.
Ignoring the delicate section of pale arm Ye Siyin extended, the Dragon Guard took the bucket.
He didn't want the fifty coppers; he simply didn't want his identity exposed.
After all, the genuine exile escorts were notoriously greedy for money!
Ye Siyin kept her arm stretched outside the door.
Zhao Qingshu gazed at the alluring whiteness, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. He closed his eyes to suppress the restless stirring in his body.
The Dragon Guard handed Ye Siyin a bucket of icy well water.
She shivered from the cold, tears welling up unbidden.
At this moment, her hatred for Ye Chutang reached its peak.
If Ye Chutang hadn't had her thrown into prison, she could have severed ties with her family when the Ye family's disaster struck and coaxed Jiang Huai into marrying her.
She would never have had to suffer this bitter exile!
"Ye Chutang, you brought me to this. I won't let you off!" Ye Siyin cursed furiously in her heart before pouring the well water over herself.
Her delicate skin turned red from the cold, covered in goosebumps, every hair standing on end.
After dressing, she pushed the door open.
Her feet, covered in blisters, stood on the threshold as she used the remaining water to wash off the mud.
The injuries on her fair, tender feet created a heartbreaking image of fragility.
Zhao Qingshu's breathing deepened. He closed his eyes, deciding out of sight was out of mind.
Ye Siyin stole a glance behind her.
Zhao Qingshu had already closed his eyes, so she noticed nothing unusual.
After washing her feet, she gathered her dirty clothes and left.
Passing by the spot closest to Zhao Qingshu, she deliberately let out a soft, pained hiss.
Though his eyes remained shut, Zhao Qingshu's body twitched slightly.
Noticing this, Ye Siyin allowed a faint smile to touch her lips.
Passing through the front courtyard, she saw Ye Chutang meditating. The hatred in her eyes was barely concealed.
Ye Chutang, sensing the piercing gaze, immediately opened her eyes.
Their eyes met.
Ye Siyin was startled, guiltily averting her gaze and hurrying away.
Returning to the stable, she paid the Dragon Guard who had fetched her water the promised fifty coppers as agreed.
Ye Chutang paid Ye Siyin no mind, closing her eyes to continue her martial practice.
One hour later.
Ye Chutang exhaled a turbid breath and uncurled her legs from their lotus position.
"Azhou, I'll sleep first. If you feel tired, wake me to take your turn."
"Alright. With me here, rest easy."
Since becoming pregnant, Ye Chutang slept exceptionally soundly.
She knew that around the Chou hour (1-3 AM), Old Master Qi and Qi He'an would relieve Qi Yanzhou of night watch duty.
She had meant to ask about it, but drowsiness overwhelmed her, her eyes too heavy to keep open.
When she woke again, it was just before the Mao hour (5-7 AM), with about half an hour to go.
Wu Chenggang bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Get up, all of you! Pack your things, we're setting off!"
The weather was pleasantly cool now, perfect for traveling.
The post station came alive with noise and bright lamplight.
Qi Yanzhou took the opportunity before others awoke to fetch water from the backyard.
Ye Chutang asked the Qi elders, "Father, Mother, how are the blisters on your feet?"
Had she not mentioned it, the old couple would have forgotten entirely, as they felt no discomfort whatsoever.
They hurriedly took off their shoes to check.
The blister was no longer painful, and the swelling had subsided, leaving only a thin layer of scab visible.
Old Madam Qi exclaimed in surprise, "That topical ointment works wonders. If one didn't have to walk, the injury would likely heal in just three days."
Even with walking, it would probably take only about five days to recover fully.