Xia Niangniang - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

*t/n : Please remember that ever since the Pear Flowers Garden incident, the Emperor had been using the Royal ' I ' , all the way to the last chapter.

Jue Yu was guided with respectful manner by the Palace’s servant to enter the serving quarter.

His face was still as beautiful as ever, his muscles and skin were bright as snow, the usual haughty and arrogant expression, not the least bit nervous, as if he wasn’t brought to enter a Royal House to meet the Monarch.

The Emperor said to him: “The Blind Concubine fell very seriously ill, would you look at his condition, please?”

Jue Yu put up a sneer on his face: “What goodness and what ability does Jue Yu have? How could I dare to let Your Majesty plead?”

The Emperor glanced at the Blind Concubine who was curling up on the long and narrow bed, said again: “If I have to plead to you, then I will surely plead.”

Jue Yu crooked his eyebrows, “Your Majesty said it this way, Jue Yu will have his life shortened*. Your Majesty owns the world. To destroy my small Pear Flowers Garden is as easy as turning Your Majesty’s hand. But because Your Majesty took into consideration about the Former Emperor, he treated me leniently. This kind of plead, no matter what, Jue Yu can’t possibly dare to take.”
*t/n : Have one’s life shortened : a proverb to express that have one’s allotted portion of life reduced by having/getting more than one’s deserves.

The Emperor knew that he took the violent breakthrough to his Pear Flowers Garden several days ago to heart thus still held a grudge, hence, the Emperor unavoidably used a lightened manner of speak: “That day was my fault to charge in harshly. If it wasn’t because of The Blind Concubine’s matter that got me angry, it wouldn’t have come to this point.”

The young Monarch’s voice was lowered as if he was whispering. Jue Yu still didn’t feel grateful even a bit. He only slowly took his eyes to measure his slender fingers.

The Emperor was unpleased, however, in the end, he retreated a step, “Don’t hesitate to say whatever you want. If I can give you, I will give you.”

Jue Yu raised the outer corner of his eyes, “The things inside the National Treasury such as gold and silver, pearls and jewels, deeds for piece of land, those kinds of treasures, not even one I desire.”

The Emperor asked him: “In that case, what do you truly want?”

“A person.”

“You wanted a person from my hand?”

Jue Yu’s pair of eyes were clear and bright: “Exactly!”

Then he added: “I think Your Majesty already knows who this person is that Jue Yu wanted even without having to say the name.”

The Emperor narrowed his eyes, “Of course.”

Jue Yu’s mouth leaked out a smile, “Like this, please Your Majesty decree an Imperial Order to grant me an agreement.”

The Emperor asked: “Do you want me to allow him to resign from the government post and go home?”

Jue Yu raised his eyebrows to the highest point, “Who wanted him to resign from his post? If he holds or doesn’t hold his post, it will be his own business. I don’t feel like caring for that.”

“Ooh?” The Emperor a bit confused, “So, what kind of agreement do you want me to grant?”

Jue Yu’s eyes were gleaming and wandered about, “Sell him to me as my slave’s agreement. The deed of slavery.”

The Emperor paused to think, then answered him: “Alright!”

From the sleeve of his clothes, Jue Yu took out a small light greenish blue colored pill. He fed it to the Blind Concubine. Not even an hour later, as expected, the coughing and vomiting had stopped. Soon after that, he calmly checked the Blind Concubine’s pulse, then carried out the acupuncture.

Xiao Bao stood by the side, he felt that this person’s acupuncture technique was unusual. Compared to that of the formal Imperial Physicians’ method, it was substantially different. Especially the way he twisted and rotated the acupuncture needles, and the way he lifted and stuck in the needles. He had never seen that kind of method anywhere.

Xiao Bao waited until the acupuncture had done, then busily stepped forward to ask: “Do you need me to get the medicine? I will immediately go and get it.”

Jue Yu casually said: “Don’t need to get the medicine.”

Xiao Bao was baffled: “Don’t need to get the medicine??”

Jue Yu pointed at the bed: “Do you think this kind of body can still receive that kind of medicine?”

Xiao Bao fell silent and speechless.

“It was not strange at all that he vomited whatever he ate, if he didn’t vomit, that would be a wonder.” Jue Yu took out from his sleeve a red sandalwood wooden box and gave it to Xiao Bao, “From now, every morning and night, feed him one. His food and drink must be light. The him right now has difficulty in chewing and swallowing the food. He could only take porridge, vegetables, and noodles. Be sure to remember to pulverize it all before giving it to him.”

Xiao Bao quickly replied: “I have kept it in my mind.”

Under this kind of medical treatment, his condition had turned very much for the better. He recovered and regained his consciousness; also he could already open his mouth to speak.

Xiao Bao of course very happy, but also couldn’t help but feel bitter whenever he was reminded about his critical illness: “Master, you have to endure this stage of illness, even your hair became dull and dried up.”

The Blind Concubine with his soft voice consoled him: “Wait until I am totally well, it will go back to normal.”

Jue Yu raised the curtain and entered the room: “If you can keep your life, here, I have a plenty of prescriptions to grow your hair back.” At the same time, he loosened up his long hair, rushing down like splashing water all the way to his ankle, contrasting his red clothes and his white as snow skin. Beautiful to the utmost.

The Blind Concubine gently said: “It will be good.” With his hoarse voice.

Jue Yu said again: “Your body has a lot of problems to begin with, yet, there were still more problems that one by one came to burden you. Let’s just see if you will be able to live until that day.”

Xiao Bao busily said in haste: “Master certainly will be able too; Master will live a long life for hundreds of years.”

The Blind Concubine sadly laughed, “Stupid kid.” His eyes were wet and a flash of misery was in them.

Jue Yu told him: “After all, it is your own body, you have to take good care of yourself.”

The Blind Concubine slightly nodded, then he asked: “Why did you come?”

Jue Yu laughed for a while, “Originally, I didn’t come for you. But who would have thought, I have received favor at a little cost. I even get a slavery deed. I didn’t make this trip in vain.”

The Blind Concubine curiously asked: “Oh? Tell me, let me hear about it.”

Jue Yu sipped the tea. “I heard the news that Qi Sheng was punished by the Emperor, he suffered ten times the whippings, bedridden to recuperate. Thereupon, I especially rushed to come over and had a good laugh at him. By fortunate coincidence, I ran into His Majesty and he requested me to treat your illness for you. In my heart, I knew that I could take this as a cheap bargain, so I conveniently asked His Majesty to order an Imperial Decree, to grant me a slavery deed of Qi Sheng. From now on, I am the Master, he is the slave. If I want him to go east, he wouldn’t dare to go west.”

Xiao Bao’s eyes widened and looked like a copper bell: “You can ask for that?”

“Exactly, why not!”, Jue Yu playfully raised his brows, “I went to visit Qi Sheng in his General’s residence. Looking at him pitifully laying on his stomach with his head hanging dejected, I couldn’t help but feel happy inside. I then showed him the slavery deed sealed with the Imperial Jade seal, said, ‘You were whipped by His Majesty as your punishment, not only you have fallen from the Emperor’s favor, now you have been sold by His Majesty, if I don’t want you, who else will want you?’”

After he said that, he laughed loudly. Causing the tea inside the cup shook disorderly.

Jue Yu sat and chatted with them in the serving quarter for quite some time. He told the Blind Concubine to rest properly, then rose to excuse himself.

Xiao Bao walked him out, then came back to the Blind Concubine’s bedside.

“This Jue Yu, he is really unpredictable.”

The Blind Concubine blinked his eyes, lightly and said: “It is as expected.”

Obviously he knew the news about the General being hurt, he hurriedly galloped nonstop on his horse to come to the Capital.

Obviously he was worried, but he still had assumed an air as if the matter was not of concern on his face.

Obviously he was pained by his yearning love, yet he wouldn’t let the person know. Once they met, he would taunt the person as if not the least bit concerned.

Obviously his heart was hurting, yet he remained with his haughty attitude, unwilling to lower his head.

This kind of stubbornness, this kind of loneliness, unwilling to put down the pride he loved so much.

Most probably would only lead to his own suffering.

The Blind Concubine curled up his body. His eyes were blank. He murmured to himself: “This Jue Yu, ultimately a person who says one thing but means another…..”

End of The Blind Concubine Chapter 21.