CH 26

In fact, Yuan Ci Xian’s anger had long since dissipated. For Lu Shi Qing, she didn’t expect him to humbly apologize. It was already rare for him to let Lu Shuang Yu come to indirectly ask how she was doing, not to mention that in the final analysis what happened that day was her fault. So she left him alone these days, not because she really didn’t want to talk to him, but because she was using the “tactic”.

Just like at this moment when she saw his angry eyes, she didn’t give him a good look. Stretching out her jade finger, she twirled the emerald green porcelain bottle in a circle, making sure that it caught his eyes, and then slowly put it back into her sleeve.

Lu Shi Qing sneered “childish” in his heart, straightened his clothes, looked ahead with an arrogant expression.

Yuan Ci Xian also turned her head, secretly lowering her eyes to think about Zheng Zhuo’s injury.

Just now when she took a closer look, she noticed that most of the incense ashes that the monk accidently shook off were scattered on his cuffs, very little were on the back of his hands. For a martial artist such a little redness was just like being bitten by a mosquito. It seemed unreasonable to say that who did it was deliberate.

She thought, maybe she paid too much attention to Zheng Zhuo, and became overly suspicious. But after waiting for a while, when she dispelled her doubts and went to pick up the fine incense stick from the monk’s hand, she felt something was wrong again.

The smell of this fine fragrance was different from the incense ash on Zheng Zhuo’s body.

Her outstretched hand paused. The monk who handed her the incense stick was also taken aback, but saw her quickly smiled, as if nothing had happened, took the incense stick and went to worship at the altar, and then left the Daochang.

Yuan Yu did the ceremony before her, and after coming out he slowed down to wait for her. When he saw her following, he tilted his head and asked in a low voice: “What happened just now?” He noticed that she paused for a moment.

At this time there were too many people, so Yuan Ci Xian shook her head to indicate that there was nothing wrong, and when she got near the the Main Hall where the next ceremony would be held, she lowered her voice and said, “Brother, smell this incense ash.” She raised her sleeves as she spoke.

When she was performing the ceremony, she took advantage of the monk’s inattention and dusted off the thin incense stick, leaving a pinch of incense ash on her sleeve.

Yuan Yu lowered his head and sniffed, not knowing why: “What’s wrong?”

“The incense stick that brother got has the same smell as the incense ash on my sleeve and the one in the sacrificial tripod.”

He nodded.

“But on Sixth Prince’s body is a little different.”

Yuan Yu knew that his sister’s five senses had always been sensitive, but he still had doubts: “Such a subtle difference, can you smell it wrong?”

Yuan Ci Xian shook her head and said, “It’s really different, it’s mostly Buddhist incense, but it’s mixed with something else.” She frowned and recalled, “I seem to have smelled that fragrance somewhere in Diannan.”

While talking, the brother and sister had already arrived at the Main Hall, but seeing that there were many imperial family’s children who stopped to rest after the sacrificial ceremony outside the hall, it was difficult to say more.

Yuan Ci Xian glanced over, but did not find Zheng Zhuo, but instead saw Zheng Yun kneeling alone on the futon inside the hall, clasping her hands together to worship the Buddha, looking very devout from the back. Most of the imperial children came here because of the sacred order, but she seemed to be sincerely devoted to the Buddha.

She looked at Zheng Yun for a while, and suddenly understood why she didn’t think this noble princess was like someone who loved to go out on horseback.

This person’s gestures revealed a very dignified character, her voice was light, her eyes were dull, if really had to make a description – she was very similar to a person who had left the secular world and paid homage to the Buddha.

There didn’t seem to be many things in the world that could cheer her up. Of course, maybe except for Lu Shi Qing.

Yuan Ci Xian could feel that all Zheng Yun’s attention to her was because of Lu Shi Qing.

After Zheng Yun finished praying, she turned around and saw her standing at the entrance of the hall, then stepped forward with a smile, first greeted Yuan Yu, and then asked her: “County Princess is also here to pay respects to the Buddha?”

Yuan Ci Xian glanced at the golden Buddha statue in the hall, and shook her head: “No, I don’t believe in Buddha.” After saying this, she seemed to feel that this remark was inappropriate, then laughingly added, “I don’t believe in Buddha very much.”

Zheng Yun blinked lightly: “So, is County Princess believe in reincarnation?”

She seemed to think about it seriously, and finally asked without answering: “What about Your Highness, do you think there is reincarnation in this world?”

“There are all kinds of things in this world, if you believe it then there is, if you don’t believe it then there isn’t.” Zheng Yun smiled slightly, “I believe in karma and I also believe in reincarnation.”

After she finished speaking, she said goodbye to Yuan Ci Xian, and went to get a bag and drink water from the maid who was waiting by the side.

Yuan Yu gave a “tsk” when he saw this, and sighed softly: “You girls are really comparable to poisonous snake and ferocious beast. One word can have eight meanings. Hearing it makes my spine shudder.”

Yuan Ci Xian threw him a glance and was about to reply, but unknowingly these words reminded her of something, and her face changed.

“What’s wrong? You look scary.” Yuan Yu asked.

“Brother, I remember.” She pulled his sleeves, dragged him to a spot with no people, and said, “You know, there are all kinds of poisonous snakes in Diannan. When I just arrive in Yaozhou, I was especially afraid of this thing. Father found a kind of herb specially designed to lure snakes, and wiped out all the snakes near our mansion.”

Yuan Yu asked calmly: “You mean, Sixth Prince has the smell of this herb on his body?”

Yuan Ci Xian nodded solemnly.

Yuan Yu figured out the link in an instant, and asked: “What it got to do with us?”

She twisted her face, hesitated for a while, and said: “…It’s not good to just look unfeelingly at others. After all, right now, he hasn’t done anything wrong to the Yuan family. We are still on the same boat.”

Yuan Yu nodded: “Brother will go find him.”

She stopped him: “Don’t. Your identity is more sensitive than mine, so don’t deal with him in front of others. I will go.”

Yuan Ci Xian looked around, asked a monk, and learned that Zheng Zhuo seemed to be have been called to the South Temple Gate of Wangji Temple by someone.

After she thanked him, she hurried over there, and when she arrived, she saw Zheng Zhuo was talking to several guards, holding a piece of sheepskin drawing in his hand, as if discussing something. When he saw her coming, he paused for a while, with a questioning look in his eyes.

This South Temple Gate was connected to the outer wall, and under the wall was a row of thick bushes, which looked like a good place to hide snakes. Yuan Ci Xian glanced at his feet in fear, and hurried forward: “Your Highness, can I have a private word with you?”

Zheng Zhuo nodded, handed the sheepskin drawing in his hand to the guard. He was about to follow her when he heard a rustling on the bushes at his feet. In an instant, a thin snake with silver stripes leaped half a foot high and struck straight to his wrist.

He suddenly raised his eyes, pulled Yuan Ci Xian behind him with one hand, and took out the sword from the waist of the guard by the side with the other hand. With one horizontal tug, the hilt of the sword passed over to his palm, the blade suddenly fell, directly cutting off the heart pulse of the snake seven inches below its head. The whole process only took two breaths back and forth, so fast that the guards on the side didn’t even have time to move.

Yuan Ci Xian’s face turned pale, looking at the limp and bloody red snake, she was so frightened that she forgot to scream, could only gasped for breath.

Heaven knows, Yuan Ci Xian, who was not afraid of dogs, was really terrified with snakes. When she was a child, she even fainted because of this thing.

She had never expected to confront the snake head-on, so she rushed to remind Zheng Zhuo, but she was a step late and bumped into the snake’s mouth. If she knew it beforehand, she would let her brother come instead.

Zheng Zhuo was still holding her hand, so he could feel that her palm was damp and cold, full of fine sweat. He looked back at her and asked: “Are you alright?”

Yuan Ci Xian was not alright, she even had stars in front of her eyes, slightly dizzy. She bit her tongue and felt a little fishy sweetness, only then she barely supported herself. After returning to her sense, she pulled out her hand and shook her head: “I’m fine.” Then reminded, “Your Highness, you killed…”

Zheng Zhuo let out an “um” and said, “I know.”

Seeing his calm expression, and there was no surprise in his eyes, Yuan Ci Xian was a little puzzled. She frowned, and was about to ask again, but accidentally took a glance and saw a person standing in front of the temple gate.

Lu Shi Qing stayed where he was with his hands behind his back, it’s unknown how long he had look to this side.

Zheng Zhuo glanced at him from a distance, then asked Yuan Ci Xian: “What did County Princess seek me for?”

There were several guards who was unknown whether they friend or foe standing beside him, so it would not be good for her to speak bluntly. She lowered her eyes to look at the snake corpse, and hinted: “It’s all right.”

Zheng Zhuo understood her purpose of coming, and said with a smile, “I’m afraid I have to beg forgiveness with my father.” Then he threw the sword and waved to Lu Shi Qing, signaling him to come.

Lu Shi Qing’s expression was very light. He came to him, bowed his head to salute, and listened to him said: “Assistant Minister Lu came just in time. County Princess was frightened, please send her back to the Main Hall.”

Seeing him nodding in response, Zheng Zhuo strode away. Several guards followed closely behind.

Lu Shi Qing glanced at Yuan Ci Xian, who was frozen in place, then stretched out his hand to invite: “County Princess, please.”

She nodded, not wanting to show her timidity. But because just now she was bracing herself up and stayed motionless for too long, so when she moved her legs, she felt soft, staggered and almost fell.

Lu Shi Qing subconsciously stretched out his hand to support, but when she pulled his arm tightly, he remembered that she had always been good at making up plays, and asked coldly: “Didn’t County Princess just tell His Highness that you’re all right?”

Yuan Ci Xian really didn’t pretend this time. Probably because she didn’t have any hostility towards Lu Shi Qing, she relaxed a little in front of him, and the delayed effect of being frightened by the snake rushed to her head. For a while her ears rung, her eyes were a little dark, her stomach was churning and felt nauseated, so she couldn’t hear clearly what he said.

Her hand that was holding his arm dropped a little bit, her body tilted and fell backwards.

Lu Shi Qing was stunned, and now he didn’t dare to doubt anymore, hurriedly stretched out his hand to support her. Seeing that she fainted, he could only hug her horizontally, moved to the side, and pinched her acupuncture point while calling in a low voice: “Yuan Ci Xian!”

After all, Yuan Ci Xian’s physique was not delicate, she woke up after being pinched by him a few times, and when she woke up, she found that her head was resting on his legs, and he was leaning against the base of the wall, and he seemed to be rubbed all over by dust.

But at this time she couldn’t care less about his cleanliness obsession, only felt that after fainting, her mouth and tongue were extremely dry. She raised her eyes and opened her mouth, and said weakly: “Assistant Minister Lu, I’m thirsty…”

If she can recognize him as Assistant Minister Lu, then she’s fine.

Lu Shi Qing glanced at her, took off the water bag from his waist, twisted the cap for her but suddenly paused, and reminded: “I’ve already drank from this water bag.”

Didn’t she dislike the things he touched?

Yuan Ci Xian was dripping with cold sweat just now, and her mouth was really dry. She snatched the water bag and raised her head to pour it into her mouth. After drinking enough, she was able to continue talking: “…you really hold grudges, I will take back the words that I dislike you that day, happy?” After saying that, she propped her elbows on the ground and tried to get up from his lap.

Lu Shi Qing saw that she was having trouble moving, so he helped her up, and then said coldly: “What day? I don’t remember.”

She glanced at him, and snorted: “If not remember then fine.” After that, she seemed to have regained some vigor, then dragged herself to the gate of the temple.

Lu Shi Qing frowned, glanced uncomfortably at the dust at the corner of his clothes, sighed, put the water bag back on his waist, and followed suit.