In the moonlit courtyard, Ximen Ye leaned against the wall in the shadows, dressed all in black with his arms crossed. His beautiful phoenix eyes gleamed with amusement as he watched the scene unfold.
A little radish head wasn't worth his effort. But on this long, boring night, he decided to stay and watch the novices peck at each other after withdrawing from the fight himself.
Yan Qing was filled with murderous intent, putting all her strength into every move as she tried to subdue the two thieves who had snuck into Qinghuan Court at night.
Zhu Yan, on the other hand, hadn't even unsheathed his sword. He alternated between patting her head and tugging her hair, thoroughly enjoying her bristling reactions.
The commotion from their fight soon woke the others in the courtyard. Ximen Ye's ears twitched, and he made a gesture to retreat. With a light step, he leapt out of the courtyard as gracefully as a swallow, vanishing into the night.
Seeing this, Zhu Yan quickly pushed Yan Qing away with a slap and followed suit.
Just as they left, Xu Nanny pushed open her door, yawning and looking around suspiciously. She eyed Yan Qing and asked, "What are you doing?"
"Catching rats," Yan Qing replied, rubbing her shoulder. She added glumly, "Didn't catch them."
"Rats?" Xu Nanny's drowsiness instantly faded. She urged Yan Qing to go back to sleep while making a mental note to buy rat poison tomorrow.
The next day, Yan Qing rushed to Qi Huan's chamber as soon as she woke up. She clung to the doorframe, watching eagerly as Ruo Lan helped with Qi Huan's makeup.
Qi Huan caught sight of her in the bronze mirror and smiled gently. "Qing Qing, is something the matter?"
Yan Qing replied in a muffled voice, "Miss, two big black rats got into the courtyard last night. I couldn't beat them. Am I useless?"
Understanding her hint, Qi Huan sent Ruo Lan away and asked, "Two men in black entered the courtyard last night?"
"Yes, how did you know, Miss?"
"You just told me about the two black rats," Qi Huan said thoughtfully, tapping her fingers on the dressing table.
She had only arrived at the Song Mansion yesterday and was unfamiliar with the Capital City. How could she have attracted attention as such an unremarkable presence?
At that moment, Ruo Zhu lifted the door curtain, interrupting her thoughts. "Miss, it's time to pay respects to the Old Lady."
Qi Huan gave a soft "Mm" and added, "You all wait outside first. I need to fetch something."
"Yes, Miss."
Once everyone had left, she summoned her system: "Repurchase N95 masks."
"Certainly, host."
Whoosh—
A package dropped.
Qi Huan opened it and tucked the contents into her bundle before gracefully stepping out to head towards Qingsong Court, where the Old Lady resided.
As the twelfth lunar month approached, the cold wind whistled, causing her to quicken her pace.
By the time she reached Qingsong Court, Old Lady Song had just risen. Nanny Wu was at her side, helping her take her medicine.
"Old Lady, the young miss is here."
"Huan'er has arrived? Come in quickly." Old Lady Song seized the opportunity to push away the medicine bowl, trying to sneakily avoid it.
Understanding her intention, Nanny Wu was both amused and exasperated. She appealed to Qi Huan, "Young Miss, look! The Old Lady refuses to take her medicine again. Please persuade her."
They say the elderly are like children, becoming more childlike with age.
Old Lady Song's features scrunched up as she protested, "The doctor said it's a matter of the heart. With Huan'er back, I'm happy, which is far more effective than any medicine! They say medicine is three parts poison, so by taking less medicine, aren't I taking less poison?"
She spoke with such conviction that Nanny Wu almost nodded in agreement before catching herself.
While everyone was distracted, Qi Huan quietly took out a mint candy and held it in her palm. She approached Old Lady Song, winked playfully, and coaxed, "Grandmother, be good and finish your medicine. I'll give you a treat if you do."
Unable to refuse her granddaughter, Old Lady Song picked up the medicine bowl like a martyr facing execution. She downed it in one gulp and then held out her hand. "I've finished it."
Qi Huan couldn't help but smile. She unwrapped the candy and placed it in her palm. "This is a candy I happened to get from Westerners. Try it, Grandmother. See if it's tasty."
"Silly child, how could candy not be delicious?"
As the sweet and cool sensation spread on her tongue, Old Lady Song's smile grew even more benevolent.
"My dear Huan'er is so thoughtful. If I could have this candy after taking medicine, I could drink five more bowls!"
Qi Huan's eyes flickered thoughtfully as she said softly, "Grandmother, I met a famous doctor in Yunzhou City. Why don't I invite him to check your pulse and take a look?"
"A famous doctor?"
Elder Madam Song, who had come to pay her respects, perked up at the mention of a famous doctor. She jumped in before Old Lady Song could respond: "How famous is he? Can he treat consumption?"
Young Madam Song, following behind her, coughed lightly, reminding her that they were in Qingsong Court.
Elder Madam Song sheepishly loosened her grip, her plump cheeks quivering. "Mother, don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to steal your doctor. After all, examining one person or two is the same. If we're inviting a famous doctor, we should make the most of it, right?"
Old Lady Song gave her a withering look but eventually nodded. Jingche was her grandson too, and even if there was only a glimmer of hope, she wanted to seize it for him.
"Huan'er, do you know where this famous doctor is staying? Let your eldest aunt handle the invitation and expenses from the family funds. You just need to tell her where the doctor is."
"Grandmother, sending unfamiliar servants might not successfully invite the doctor. I have some acquaintance with him. Why don't I go invite him myself?"
Qi Huan revealed her true intention. She wanted to test the rules of the Song Mansion and see if it was easy to go out.
The Capital City was prosperous, with more opportunities. She couldn't always stay cooped up in the Song Mansion's inner quarters. She wanted to earn more money and points, which meant she had to go out. She wanted to see if she could leave openly; if not, she'd have to find a way to sneak out.
As she was lost in thought, Young Madam Song saw through her intention and covered her smile. "Cousin, are you curious about the Capital City? Do you want to take this chance to look around?"
Old Lady Song had a sudden realization, her eyes filled with love as she looked at Qi Huan.
Her poor little Huan'er, growing up in exile, had never seen the splendor of the Capital City.
Old Lady Song gazed at her with affectionate eyes. "If Huan'er wants to go out, you can leave anytime with your maids and guards. Just be back before dusk."
The unexpected delight caught Qi Huan off guard. She grinned happily and said sweetly, "Thank you for your kindness, Grandmother. But this time, I truly just want to invite the famous doctor for you and cousin."
Old Lady Song was even more touched. Look at her little Huan'er, so understanding and filial!
Amidst the joyous atmosphere, Qi Huan untied the bundle in her hands, revealing the masks inside, and said in a crisp voice, "These are a type of face covering I brought back from Yunzhou, called masks."
"During the earlier epidemic in Yunzhou, a divine being appeared in the prince's dream and gifted him with epidemic prevention supplies. Because of these masks, which effectively blocked the virus, the epidemic in Yunzhou did not spread widely. Second Cousin's tuberculosis is mainly transmitted through droplets, and masks can similarly help block transmission. This way, Second Cousin won't need to be confined to Qingfeng Court anymore; he'll be able to come out and move around."
Her vocabulary was somewhat modern, and the people in the room didn't quite understand everything she said.
But they grasped the key point!
Wearing masks meant Song Jingche could come out!
