Chapter 20-Concubine Unknown (1)
Chapter 20-Concubine Unknown (1)
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru came to the back hall and saw Liu Jinyuan sitting beside the flowerbed with his clothes draped over his shoulders. He was watching Caiyi instruct the maidservants to open the oil curtain brocade and put it on the shed to protect the peonies. There were also small golden bells hanging outside the shed with thin threads. When the breeze blew, it would cause a series of crisp and pleasant bells to ring.
Li Xiaoyao said," There's a bell hanging beside the flowers. You can see and hear it. It's really not bad."”
Lin Yueru laughed." This bell isn't for a silly bird like you. It's used to chase away birds that perch on flowers."”
Seeing them talking and laughing, Liu Jin Yuan said coldly,""This is an old code of the Tang Palace, recorded in the 'Kaiyuan Tianbao Legacy.' How could anyone not know?”
Li Xiaoyao knew that he had not read much, but he was not angry. He smiled and said,""I've never read this book before. Is it teaching people how to grow flowers?”
Liu Jin Yuan frowned and said,"Vulgar!"”When he turned to Lin Yueru, his expression changed again. He said eagerly,""Sister Ru, look, I've studied the records of the ancients and re-transplanted the famous white peonies,'Spring Jade Loud',' One Hundred Fifty 'and' Jade Thousand Leaves.'I'm sure I can cultivate the best green peonies!”
Lin Yueru smiled." I've never learned how to grow flowers either. I don't understand what you're talking about. What Yu Qianye and Spring Jade Tower?" Peonies still had such names and levels?”
Liu Jin Yuan said," All the best things in the world have grades. Peonies are naturally divided into grades. The Wei Zi I gave you just now is a high-grade famous species. It's called the 'Queen of Flowers' and is the most suitable for you."”
"A flower and an empress?" Li Xiaoyao asked curiously. Are there any emperors?"
"The King of Peonies is 'Yao Huang', also the most famous in the capital. However, the Ou Family Jade that is currently being cultivated is a grade higher than Yao Huang. It was brought into the Northern Song Dynasty during the Xuanhe period. The flower is green and is definitely a rare treasure.”
"How ugly would it be if the flowers grew green?" Lin Yueru asked. Red, yellow, purple, and white were more normal. Sister-in-law Caiyi, don't you agree?"
Caiyi said,"As long as it's a flower, I like it, any color is fine."”
Seeing her gentle look, Li Xiaoyao suddenly asked,""Miss Caiyi, you said your family is in Suzhou. What do you do?”
"It's just a small business."”
"Have you learned how to plant flowers?"
Caiyi shook her head. Li Xiaoyao asked again,"You learned martial arts?"
Lin Yueru thought Li Xiaoyao was joking. Caiyi smiled and said,""This lowly concubine can't even run fast and has never learned martial arts.”
Li Xiaoyao said," Then you're really a strange person. You haven't learned how to raise flowers, but you can raise them so well. I haven't learned martial arts, but…"
He deliberately stopped talking after saying this. He continued to look at the flowers with his hands behind his back and casually plucked the golden bell as if he was playing with it.
Caiyi didn't seem to feel that anything was wrong and said,"I was also randomly planted."
Liu Jin Yuan smiled disdainfully and said,"She just doesn't understand peony."”
" Sister-in-law planted these flowers so beautifully," Lin Yueru said in surprise." It's not like you planted them. You bookworm, how can you say that she doesn't know how to do it?"”
Liu Jin Yuan argued," Just because you plant a lot doesn't mean you know. It's just like how a person who drinks a lot doesn't know how to taste delicious food." These were just randomly planted. Although they looked dense, they were a mixture of famous and inferior species. People who didn't understand would only say that they were good-looking when they saw them, but experts would laugh at them when they saw them!”
" You said that these flowers are a mix of famous and inferior ones," Lin Yueru said unhappily." But they're just as good and attractive. Isn't that enough?"”
Liu Jinyuan said," Peonies are different from ordinary flowers. Famous flowers have always been produced by gardeners who judge the red and white, transplant branches, and compete with nature to select the best and eliminate the inferior. That is the fruit of much painstaking effort. It is not the same as ordinary flowers that grow randomly.”
"How can a self-growing peony be less valuable than a peony cultivated by a craftsman? You're the one who doesn't know how to protect a flower.”
Lin Yueru kept arguing with Liu Jinyuan. Seeing Liu Jinyuan's angry look, Caiyi said gently,""Young Master is looking at flowers according to the records of the ancients. He has clearly seen the history and background of flowers. I really like to hear Young Master tell me the origin and names of these flowers.”
"You're so good at growing flowers, but you don't know the species?" Lin Yueru asked curiously.”
Caiyi said," Yes, I just planted it casually. I only know how to make the flowers bloom bigger, brighter, and more fragrant. But I don't know anything about the species." Young Master told me about it, so I know that there are so many names. For example, the yellow ones are divided into 'Yao Huang',' Royal Clothes Huang', and there are also positive dizziness and reverse dizziness.”
"Peonies have always been delicate," Lin Yueru said."It's really not easy for you to grow them so well even though you just planted them casually."”
"I'm just concerned about the flowers." Cai Yi smiled.”
At this time, Liu Jinyuan looked a little tired. Caiyi took a small handkerchief and gently dabbed it on his face. The fragrance of the handkerchief drifted into the nose of Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru, making them feel refreshed. Liu Jinyuan seemed to be a little more alert.
Caiyi personally helped Liu Jinyuan up and said,""Husband, please go in and rest. I will brew medicine for you.”
" I'm in good spirits," Liu Jinyuan said." Sister Yue Ru, I still want to talk to you more…"
" You should go and rest," Lin Yueru said." For Aunt Yun's sake, you should take care of your body first."”
After saying that, he pulled Li Xiaoyao and said,""Let's go!"
Liu Jin Yuan's face was ugly as Caiyi helped him back. Li Xiaoyao also turned around to look at Caiyi supporting Liu Jin Yuan. Her steps were small, and she walked as if a jade mountain was about to collapse. She didn't seem to know martial arts.
But the child didn't seem to be lying, or was Caiyi hiding her martial arts background?
Lin Yueru looked like a big shot on the surface, but she was actually very meticulous. When Li Xiaoyao asked Caiyi, she had already noticed that something was wrong. When they returned to Li Xiaoyao's resting place, Lin Yueru asked,""What were you suspecting just now?"
Li Xiaoyao told Lin Yueru what the child had seen. Lin Yu 'eru was also shocked. After a while, she said,""She jumped over the valley?”
"That child has no reason to lie," Li Xiaoyao said."If he really saw such a thing, then there must be something behind it."”
The two of them couldn't come to a conclusion. If Cai Yi really had a motive, then what was she after?
It was already late at night. Under the shade of the peony bushes in the back garden, a crisp sound of a porcelain bowl breaking came from the quiet snow-white building.
"Take it away! I don't want to drink it!"
Liu Jin Yuan's angry voice was mixed with Cai Yi's soft sigh.
" Husband, please don't throw a tantrum. If you're angry, you won't be able to recover…"
Liu Jin Yuan snorted, his back facing Caiyi.
Caiyi bit her lip and squatted on the ground, slowly picking up the broken porcelain pieces. Her movements were still so slow, like a butterfly fluttering its wings in the fragrance of medicine.
Seeing her docile appearance, Liu Jin Yuan couldn't help but feel a little guilty. However, under his embarrassment, his tone became even harsher."The medicine you give me every day is not used to treat my illness at all. It's a knockout powder! Am I right?"
Caiyi turned her head to look at her and said in surprise,"Husband, why…why do you say that?”
"You know what I'm saying!" Liu Jin Yuan said.”
"I really don't know." Cai Yi sighed softly. However, I know why Young Master is in a bad mood.”
"How do you know?" Liu Jin Yuan asked.
Caiyi said," Young Master, you miss Miss Lin. Seeing that she and Young Master Li are so close, you are very sad. I know that." One day, Miss Lin will know that Young Master is a kind, gentle and considerate person. She will change her mind. Young Master, you must be at ease…"
When Liu Jin Yuan heard this, not only was he not happy, but he also shouted even more angrily,""What do you know? Shut up!"
Caiyi was startled. She lowered her head and didn't say anything. Her long eyelashes trembled.
"You're not jealous that I like Yueru?" Liu Jinyuan asked. Not angry at all?"
"I know my position," Caiyi said weakly,"If it wasn't for Madam taking me in…"
"Alright!" Liu Jinyuan's face turned red as he said breathlessly,""After all, you married me to repay my kindness, right?”
Caiyi said,"It is only right and proper to know how to repay kindness." Besides, to be able to marry Young Master, I…I am satisfied. It's not just to repay you…"
Caiyi's eyes were filled with tears, and her pitiful state made Liu Jinyuan slightly calm down. He said,""Humph! If it's really like what you said, why do you…why do you always sleep in another bed after the big ceremony? In your eyes, I'm just a sick cripple. You don't want to marry me at all, right?”
Caiyi lowered her head and said softly," My husband is not feeling well. When you are well, as long as you don't mind my humble nature, I am willing to offer you a bed…"
Liu Jin Yuan remained silent for a while before saying,""You still think that I miss Yueru and only see you as someone who's here to get married and not as my wife, don't you?”
Caiyi didn't say anything, but Liu Jinyuan said,""I…sigh! Caiyi, do you know how many things I've hidden for you? Do you think I'm a heartless wooden stone?”
Caiyi raised her head and looked at Liu Jinyuan, her eyes full of confusion.
"If it weren't for the fact that you're so suspicious, why would I suspect you?"”
"What is it about me that makes you suspicious?" Caiyi asked in panic.”
Liu Jin Yuan said," I'll ask directly. Why do I sleep for hours every night after drinking the medicine you give me?"”
"Maybe it's just that you haven't recovered from your illness and you're too tired…" Caiyi said uneasily.
"Hmph, is that so? Let me tell you! I didn't drink this medicine last night, so I'm very sober! I saw everything you did."
Caiyi cried out in alarm.
"Let me ask you!" Liu Jin Yuan asked. Every night when I was asleep, where did you go?”
" I... I didn't go anywhere..." Caiyi's guilty tone made Liu Jinyuan even angrier.
"Where?" Liu Jin Yuan sneered. It's fine if you don't admit it, but can you deny another thing? You said that your parents were boat merchants in Suzhou. They were traveling with their family and encountered bandits. That was why they were stranded in the capital. I've asked people to investigate everything you said. It's all fake from the beginning to the end!”
Caiyi opened her bright eyes and looked at Liu Jinyuan, speechless.
"Tell me!" Liu Jin Yuan forced. How many more things are you hiding from me?”
Caiyi was helpless." Husband…please believe me. Everything I do is for you…I beg you to drink the rest of the medicine. I worked hard to collect these medicines. Only this medicine can cure your serious illness."”
Caiyi poured out the remaining half bowl of medicinal soup from the red clay stove beside the screen and held it in front of Liu Jinyuan.
"Hmph!" Liu Jin Yuan's face darkened. All the doctors are helpless about my illness. Do you think this folk prescription you got from nowhere will be effective?”
Caiyi said," Please believe me, hubby. In three days, after taking the last three days of medicine, your illness will be completely cured."”
"I will never drink that unknown medicine again!" Liu Jin Yuan said loudly.”
After he finished speaking, he reached out and pushed Caiyi, causing her to stagger back a few steps. The medicine in the magnetic bowl in his hand spilled all over the ground.
Looking at the mess, Caiyi said sadly,"Husband, why are you doing this…"
"Let me ask you, where are you from?" Liu Jin Yuan asked. Why did you make up a reason to lie to me?"
The seemingly weak Caiyi said firmly,""I'm not lying to you…"
Liu Jinyuan was so angry that he trembled. He lifted the quilt and got up, putting on his shoes. "Young Master, it's late at night and the sky is cold. Where are you going?" Caiyi asked in panic.”
Liu Jin Yuan said," You always refuse to tell the truth. I don't believe you anymore. I'm going to tell my mother that I'll never step into this building again!"”
Liu Jin Yuan casually put on a fox fur coat and walked out. Cai Yi quickly pulled him back with tears in her eyes and said,""Husband, husband…don't you want me anymore?”
Liu Jin Yuan said with a cold face,"I can't spend my life with a person full of lies. Why do you always have to lie to me?"
Caiyi's face was pale. Liu Jin Yuan waved her away and wanted to leave.
"Husband, please listen to my last words!" Caiyi suddenly said.”
Liu Jin Yuan stopped and turned around to look at her. Caiyi waved her pink sleeves, and a faint fragrance made Liu Jin Yuan dizzy and almost lost his balance.
"You…"
Liu Jin Yuan fell to the ground and was held by Cai Yi in time. He had fainted.
Caiyi hugged him and said sadly,"Husband, I have my own difficulties!”
She supported Liu Jin Yuan and helped him to the bed. She gently covered him with the blanket and looked at him lovingly. She sighed softly and put down the curtain. She turned around and walked out. When she reached the fence, she suddenly turned into a silver light and floated into the sky, disappearing into the night sky.
Two figures appeared behind the screen.
"Chase!"
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru looked at each other and chased after him with their lightness skills.
Li Xiaoyao had the power of the Demon Eating Insects. Not only did his Internal Strength become stronger, but there were also changes that he did not know about. He saw the traces of the demon as if they were ordinary. He clearly saw Caiyi's figure flashing into the dark forest outside Chang 'an like a light shadow.
Li Xiaoyao chased after him and was surprised to find that the forest was filled with an extremely strong demonic qi. The miasma was so strong that Li Xiaoyao could not get close.
Li Xiaoyao barely managed to enter the forest a few feet further. He couldn't even see his own fingers in the forest. He couldn't find any living thing, nor could he see Caiyi's whereabouts.
Li Xiaoyao was worried that Lin Yueru would be harmed by the miasma if she followed him, so he quickly retreated. Lin Yueru had only just arrived.
"How is it?" Lin Yueru asked, panting. Did you see her?"
Li Xiaoyao shook his head. Lin Yueru stuck her head out and looked at the dark and eerie place."Caiyi entered this forest?"
Li Xiaoyao nodded. Lin Yueru took a deep breath and said,""This forest is a famous poisonous immortal forest. Not only are there many harmful flowers and trees, but there are also many poisonous insects.”
"Listening to her conversation with Brother Liu, her prescription was picked in this forest, right?" Li Xiaoyao said.”
Lin Yueru's expression changed. She looked at the forest and thought about it again. She could not believe it. The herbs that were taken out from this forest were most likely poisonous. No wonder she had to hide it so hard.
" How could this be…" Lin Yueru muttered to herself.
Originally, Li Xiaoyao thought that Caiyi often had an intoxicating fragrance on her body, perhaps because she often came into contact with peonies, but now it seemed that there was a big problem with her. The evil in it was hard to let go.
Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru returned to the Minister's Mansion and went to the small building in the backyard to see Liu Jinyuan. He was unconscious on the bed. Although he looked fine, Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru still felt uneasy when they thought of Caiyi's unknown motives.
Lin Yueru checked Liu Jinyuan's breathing and felt his pulse.""Strange, he's only asleep, there's no sign of poisoning.”
After saying that, he shook Liu Jin Yuan and called out,""Brother Liu, wake up. Are you okay?”
Liu Jin Yuan opened his eyes in a daze. When he saw Lin Yu 'eru, he immediately sobered up. He sat up and said,""Sister Ru, did you save me?"
"Not really. I just wanted to wake you up…" Lin Yueru said.
Liu Jinyuan held Lin Yueru's hand tightly and said gratefully,""Thank you, Sister Ru. If not for you, I would have been harmed by that demoness. You won't believe it, Caiyi…"
"Brother Xiaoyao and I saw it," Lin Yueru said.”
"You all saw it with your own eyes?" Liu Jin Yuan asked. He recalled that he was knocked out by Cai Yi and his heart palpitated,"Caiyi, she…she can use demonic spells. I've long suspected that she's not human! She must be a monster and is here to harm me!”
"Big Brother Jin Yuan, why did you suspect that she's a demon?" Lin Yu 'eru asked.”
Liu Jin Yuan hesitated for a while before sighing,""In fact, only I know many of her secrets. She never eats human food. I used to find it strange. I forced her to eat it, but she refused. Later, I saw her secretly eating flowers, and I found it very strange.”
This was indeed quite strange. Liu Jin Yuan looked like he was in a very painful mood as he said," I suspected that she wasn't a mortal. She took good care of me, and I couldn't bear to suspect that she had malicious intentions. Until yesterday, I... I accidentally bumped into a spider that looked very scary. That spider was as big as this bed..."
"What?" Li Xiaoyao was shocked.
Liu Jin Yuan shivered and said," I fainted from fear. When I woke up, I asked her what was going on. She said that I was wrong. There was no spider. But I was sure that my eyes were not playing tricks on me! I really saw a scary spider the size of this bed!”
If the poisonous creature was as big as a bed, it must be a demon, and a poisonous demon with powerful magic power! Could it be that Caiyi was a subordinate of the Spider Demon and had a terrifying plot to get close to Liu Jinyuan? Her disappearance in the forest, which was famous for its poison, increased the possibility of her disappearance.
Seeing Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru looking at each other, Liu Jinyuan hurriedly said,""Sister Ru, you must believe me. This marriage was decided by Father and Mother on their own. I have never had any feelings for her. Do you know…how painful I've been these past few days?”
"Big Brother Jin Yuan, you can't destroy sister-in-law's kindness to you because of this!" Lin Yu 'eru said.”
Liu Jin Yuan seemed to be frightened and said," It was all fake. I believed it at first, but her true colors became more and more obvious. If I continue to spend time with her, I will be harmed by her sooner or later…"
" Brother Jin Yuan, calm down," Lin Yu 'eru comforted him." We still need to investigate this matter in detail…"
" If I wait any longer, I will definitely be killed by her." Liu Jin Yuan got off the bed and said,""I'm going to discuss with my mother to cancel this marriage!”
Lin Yueru pulled him back and said," Don't worry. Uncle is on duty in the palace. Can Aunt Yun make the decision?"”
"Mother can't make the decision, but will Father watch me die at the hands of demons?”
Liu Jinyuan walked out, and Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru had to follow him. They went to the east wing at the same time and came to the side room where the Minister's wife usually sat. The Minister's wife was discussing family matters on the couch. Other than the servant girls Ah Xiang and Ah Ping who were standing by the side with a heater in their hands, the Minister's residence's chief historian and butler were also respectfully sitting by the side, answering the wife's questions.
Seeing Liu Jinyuan in his fur coat, the Minister's wife was shocked. She quickly pushed away the golden python thread pillow and held Liu Jinyuan's hand."Yuan 'er, why did you come out? The weather is so cold, and you're only wearing this? Where's Caiyi?"
"Mother!" Liu Jin Yuan immediately said. Quickly go and ask father to come back and make the decision, or else I'm afraid I'll die inexplicably!”
Mrs. Liu pulled him onto the bed in panic and draped her mink shawl over him. She also asked Ah Xiang to get some silk socks to warm his feet so as not to freeze Liu Jinyuan's feet. Seeing Madam Liu so nervous, Li Xiaoyao couldn't help but find it a little funny. Could it be that Liu Jin Yuan would be blown away by the wind?
Liu Jin Yuan was rather impatient." Mother, don't worry about this. Son is going to die!"”
Mrs. Liu was so anxious that tears were about to fall. She gently flicked his face with her slender fingers and said,"Unfilial thing, saying these words hurts mother's heart. What happened? Tell me, where's Caiyi?”
Liu Jin Yuan said,"It's Caiyi who wants to harm me. Mother, you have to save me!"”
"What are you saying?" Madame Liu asked. Why would Caiyi want to harm you?"
"Caiyi, she…she's a monster!" She can cast a spell. I saw it with my own eyes.”
Mrs. Liu wiped his face and said lovingly,"How is that possible? Yuan 'er, did you quarrel with Caiyi? I'll talk to Caiyi tomorrow and teach her.”
"Caiyi is a monster! She wants to harm me!" Liu Jin Yuan said. Why don't you believe me?"
Liu Jin Yuan's insistence made Madam Liu feel a little at a loss. The maidservant Ah Xiang said,""Furen, Young Master might be still in a dream, or he might have been frightened.”
"It's not like that!" Liu Jin Yuan said angrily.”
Madam Liu, however, clearly thought that Ah Xiang's words were reasonable. She said warmly,"Mother has made two portions of lotus seed bird's nest soup. I'll ask Ah Ping to send it to you and Caiyi to nourish your body. Listen to mother, go back to your room and lie down."
Liu Jin Yuan pulled his hand away from Mrs. Liu's and said,""No, I don't want to go back there! I will be killed by Caiyi, I will be killed!”
At this moment, Liu Jinyuan saw Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru and pointed at them.""Sister Ru saw it too. Mother, if you don't believe me, you can ask her!”
Mrs. Liu looked at Lin Yueru. Lin Yueru looked a little strange. Although she also felt that Caiyi's behavior was suspicious, she always felt that there must be an inside story. She always felt that it was inappropriate for her to say that Caiyi was a monster, so she didn't say anything.
"Yueru, is that true?"
"This…Caiyi is a little strange…" Lin Yueru said.
"Oh?" "Why is Caiyi so strange?" Mrs. Liu asked curiously.”
"Sister Ru, tell my mother what you saw."”
" Actually…it's not that strange," Lin Yueru said." It's just a little…Sigh, forget it!"”
Lin Yueru had no choice but to simply repeat what she and Li Xiaoyao had seen to Madam Liu. The more Madam Liu listened, the more serious her expression became. She hugged Liu Jinyuan and trembled slightly, almost unable to believe it. Liu Jin Yuan emphasized on the side and told her about the strange things he had seen. As she finished speaking, Mrs. Liu hugged Liu Jin Yuan, her face pale.
"This…How could this happen? My Yuan 'er…what should I do?”
"Madam, the Grand Tutor of Shangguo Temple is very powerful," Ah Xiang said."Why don't we ask him to help Young Master get rid of the evil?"”
"Is it done like this?" Mrs. Liu asked.”
She was so shocked that she was at a loss. If there was really a monster in the house and it hurt her only son, it would be unimaginable. She looked at Lin Yueru, hoping that Lin Yueru would have a better idea.
Wasn't it too exaggerated to ask the Imperial Advisor of Shangguo Temple to catch the demon and eliminate the evil? Lin Yueru was also in a dilemma. Li Xiaoyao spoke up," I think this idea is not bad. If Miss Caiyi is not a demon, but has her own difficulties and is misunderstood, then asking the state preceptor to perform a spell will not hurt her. It will also be a good thing to calm Brother Yuan's heart."”
Li Xiaoyao's words made Madam Liu feel that it was reasonable. She felt a little more at ease and said,"Young Master Li is right. Yuan 'er, Caiyi is your wife. Are you willing to ask the Imperial Advisor to eliminate the evil and deal with her?”
"Everything is up to Mother."”
Madam Liu sighed." Sigh, you're already married, but you're still so weak. How can you stand on your own feet?" Forget it, if Caiyi was really a monster, he had to quickly resolve this matter. Ah Xiang, Ah Ping, Lord Zhou, go to Shangguo Temple immediately and pass on my message. Ask the Imperial Advisor to set up an altar at the Minister's Mansion immediately.”
Lord Zhou was the chief historian of the Minister's Residence, and his status was not small. It was still within etiquette for him to represent Lady Liu to invite the Imperial Advisor over. Zhou Zhangshi accepted the order and went down. Madam Liu hugged Liu Jinyuan and sighed."Disaster, disaster!"
Liu Jin Yuan was a little tired, so Lady Liu ordered a few maids to take him to her room to rest and take care of Liu Jin Yuan. It was inconvenient for Li Xiaoyao and Lin Yueru to follow him, so they strolled around the garden and discussed whether Caiyi was really a monster.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。