BLPSG Chapter 38: The wine just now made him drunk

Abyss: Thank you so much Kat for the Kofi! Enjoy the double-update! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

The Second Prince cried all the way until Xie Bufeng pushed him back into the side hall, where he finally calmed down.

 

He tried to strike up a conversation with his brother, who had been sent to Suzhou from a young age and had long recognized the Emperor’s true nature, but Xie Bufeng coldly glanced back at him each time.

 

Seeing Xie Guanzhi’s demeanor, it seemed he would no longer attempt to take his own life.

 

Wen Qingci couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

 

Though the two were barely a year apart in age, Wen Qingci saw something called a “generation gap” between them.

 

The Emperor’s order to thoroughly investigate the Prefect of Jingzhao had already been issued.

 

Until the ship reached Songxiu Prefecture, Xie Guanzhi and Consort Hui were confined within their cabin, unable to even step outside.

 

The section of the Yinchuan Grand Canal from Dengcheng Prefecture to Songxiu Prefecture was wide, allowing for a thousand miles of travel in a day without the need for boatmen.

 

Moreover, since they were traveling downstream, the journey to Songxiu Prefecture took only a short day.

 

As dawn barely broke, Wen Qingci, wearing a large cloak, walked onto the deck.

 

He was a light sleeper and hadn’t rested well, with the sound of water and the rocking of the ship causing him to arrive here half-asleep.

 

After waking up, he intended to go back to sleep.

 

But remembering that Songxiu Prefecture was his predecessor’s hometown, Wen Qingci, out of curiosity, came out early to catch a distant glimpse of the town.

 

Stepping out of the cabin, he was greeted by the vast expanse of the wide river.

 

At first glance, it looked like a lake.

 

Wen Qingci couldn’t help but lean on the railing, looking towards the bustling town in the distance.

 

Beyond the green tiles and black bricks, he could vaguely see a long embankment planted with weeping willows.

 

Songxiu Prefecture, located in the heart of Jiangnan, had crisscrossing waterways of varying depths, making the construction of the canal complex despite the abundant water supply.

 

To maintain consistent depth, dams were built in sections along the canal to regulate the water level—the embankment Wen Qingci had just seen was one of these.

 

A breeze blew, and Wen Qingci instinctively drew his cloak tighter.

 

Feeling the chill, he decided to return to the cabin.

 

But as he turned around, a sudden rush of footsteps came from behind.

 

“Physician Wen, hurry and bring your medicine box!” Xian Gonggong ran over, panting, “Come and see His Majesty.” Without further ado, he urgently spoke to Wen Qingci.

 

Has something happened to the Emperor?

 

Wen Qingci nodded quickly, retrieved his medicine chest from inside, and followed Xian Gonggong to the Emperor’s bedroom.

 

Upon entering, Wen Qingci smelled the strong scent of incense.

 

Compared to the back hall of the palace, the space in the cabin was much smaller.

 

Even so, it was filled with seven incense burners of various sizes.

 

From afar, the swirling smoke made it look as if there was a fire.

 

He couldn’t help but cough lightly.

 

“This way—” Xian Gonggong parted the bead curtain and said to Wen Qingci.

 

“Yes.”

 

On the way there, Wen Qingci pondered what could have happened to the Emperor this time.

 

Although he was somewhat prepared, the scene he saw after passing the screen was beyond his expectations.

 

—The Emperor, dressed in a bright yellow sleeping robe, lay frowning on the bed.

 

His expression was as if he was trapped in a nightmare, with a hint of terror and unease.

 

After a while, he slowly started to smile, muttering something under his breath.

 

The Emperor’s cabin was well soundproofed, almost completely blocking out the sound of water.

 

In this silence, the sudden laughter seemed even more chilling.

 

Xian Gonggong couldn’t help but get goosebumps.

 

Wen Qingci placed his hand on the Emperor’s wrist.

 

At the same time, he glanced unconsciously towards a corner of the cabin—there lay an incense burner made of jade, similar to the one he had seen in the palace.

 

Seeing Wen Qingci taking the pulse, Xian Gonggong quietly added, “His Majesty couldn’t be woken up this morning, and he seemed to be in poor condition. The officials will be here to see His Majesty in half an hour, so we had no choice but to call you…”

 

His voice trailed off.

 

Xian Gonggong noticed that Wen Qingci’s usual smile disappeared after a short while of taking the pulse, and his eyebrows were tightly furrowed, looking extremely serious.

 

After a moment of silence, he couldn’t help but ask in a lowered voice, “…Physician Wen, what’s wrong with His Majesty?”

 

The Fu Xuan flower pill was usually only for headaches, not heavy metal poisoning.

 

However, as a painkiller, it could also alleviate the panic and anxiety caused by pain.

 

The Emperor could barely maintain clarity and calmness with it.

 

But now, due to an overdose, the Fu Xuan flower pill had been completely consumed by the Emperor.

 

After the medication was stopped, the previously suppressed symptoms all burst forth.

 

The headache was the least of them.

 

…The mental issues seemed to have been magnified a lot.

 

“Physician Wen?” Seeing him silent, Xian Gonggong couldn’t help but ask again.

 

Mental abnormalities caused by heavy metal poisoning.

 

—The answer was on the tip of his tongue, but Wen Qingci couldn’t bring himself to say it.

 

Even modern people are deeply taboo about mental illness, let alone in ancient times.

 

If he directly said that an Emperor had mental issues, it could bring big trouble.

 

Wen Qingci gently shook his head, withdrew his hand, and said in a low, vague voice, “His Majesty has been overworking and should rest well.”

 

Xian Gonggong had no doubts.

 

The Emperor had indeed been very tired recently.

 

With Xie Guanzhi confined, the task of dispatching the ships fell on the Emperor himself.

 

In addition to routine affairs and border issues, these had become a headache for him.

 

Unlike the ease of the previous period, the Emperor had been working until midnight almost every day recently.

 

“So, does Wen Xiansheng know when His Majesty might wake up?”

 

“Let me try acupuncture first.” Wen Qingci said and turned to take silver needles from the medicine chest, gently piercing the Emperor’s forehead.

 

In fact, many of the tasks the Emperor had been busy with recently could have been delegated to the ministers.

 

But Wen Qingci found that, apart from himself, the Emperor trusted no one.

 

This might be due to a naturally suspicious and sensitive nature, or perhaps… he had done something disloyal and unrighteous, causing him to feel overly guilty.

 

For example, the year he took the throne through devious means.

 

After a few needles, the Emperor’s furrowed brows finally relaxed.

 

He stopped muttering anything.

 

Xian Gonggong hurried to order breakfast.

 

Just as Wen Qingci was about to withdraw the needles and write a prescription, the Emperor suddenly opened his eyes with a jolt.

 

His eyes were bloodshot, a crimson red, resembling the malevolent spirits of legend…

 

He stared straight at the ceiling, suddenly uttering, “…Yu Zhao… is that you?”

 

His voice was hoarse, carrying an indescribable fear.

 

The next second, his eyes closed heavily again.

 

Wen Qingci: !!!

 

The Emperor’s gaze had truly startled Wen Qingci.

 

Naturally, the fewer people who knew about the Emperor’s condition, the better.

 

Therefore, before seeking out Wen Qingci, the old eunuch had already dismissed everyone else.

 

That scene was witnessed by none other than Wen Qingci himself.

 

He took a deep breath, hurriedly packed up his medicine box, and quickly walked out.

 

It wasn’t until he left the cabin and was caressed by the cold morning breeze that Wen Qingci, finally regaining some composure, couldn’t help but wonder—who was the person the Emperor had just mentioned?

 

Not long after Wen Qingci left, the Emperor regained consciousness.

 

He seemed to have completely forgotten what he had done in his half-asleep state, and discussed the border affairs with his ministers as if nothing had happened.

 

Unlike Dengcheng Prefecture, which had developed in recent years due to the canal, Songxiu Prefecture had been a key town in the south since a hundred years ago, with a thriving medical industry and prosperous citizens.

 

There was no spare land to build a palace.

 

After arriving in Songxiu Prefecture, the Emperor stayed in the homes of several local officials, just as he had on his first southern tour seventeen years ago.

 

Compared to a palace, the scale of these residences was much smaller.

 

It was already difficult to settle down, let alone stay inside without going out.

 

Therefore, as an accompanying official, Wen Qingci, after finishing his duties, could freely leave the residence to stroll through the streets.

 

Xie Bufeng, who always followed closely behind Wen Qingci, also left the residence with him.

 

Perhaps because this place was a commercial hub, although Songxiu Prefecture was located in the south, the accents of the pedestrians varied greatly.

 

The mix of southern and northern tones made it especially lively.

 

The streets were crowded, but around Wen Qingci, a vacuum formed.

 

—A young man in black, walking beside Wen Qingci, occasionally glanced at those who tried to approach.

 

His gaze was as sharp as an eagle’s, with a hint of murderous intent.

 

Just one look was enough to make people consciously disperse from Wen Qingci’s side.

 

However, Wen Qingci, who was carefully observing his surroundings, did not notice this.

 

In his previous life, although he was also born in the south, whether it was the welfare home or his foster parents’ house, they all spoke Mandarin, and he couldn’t understand a word of the local dialect.

 

But after arriving in Songxiu Prefecture, Wen Qingci found that he could understand half of the dialects spoken on the streets.

 

This might be an instinct from the original body’s owner.

 

Wen Qingci observed his surroundings with patience and curiosity, trying to rely on instinct to head towards his destination.

 

Not long ago, the imperial physician Yu Guanlin had written to entrust Wen Qingci with buying medicine.

 

Thus, his destination was a medical hall associated with the Valley of Divine Physicians.

 

After walking through the long streets, an inconspicuous pharmacy appeared before Wen Qingci.

 

Seeing this pharmacy, a strong sense of familiarity suddenly surged in his heart.

 

“Your Highness, this is where I need to go,” Wen Qingci said to Xie Bufeng as they walked in together, “Wait here for me, I’ll go ask the owner if they have Mingxing Fern.” He turned back to the young man.

 

The rare medicinal herb called “Mingxing Fern” that Yu Guanlin wanted had the effect of warming the body and dispelling cold.

 

In the entire Wei Dynasty, only Songxiu Prefecture produced it.

 

There was a long bench outside the pharmacy, and Wen Qingci gestured for Xie Bufeng to wait there for him.

 

His eyes were still gentle, but his words carried an undeniable firmness.

 

Xie Bufeng instinctively wanted to follow, but retreated for fear of disturbing Wen Qingci.

 

He nodded lightly and finally sat down as instructed.

 

At that moment, Wen Qingci could read a word called “obedient” from Xie Bufeng’s demeanor.

 

After entering the inner room, the physician in moon-white robes couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

 

According to his knowledge, the Valley of Divine Physicians was not far from Songxiu Prefecture.

 

If his guess was correct… This pharmacy, deeply buried in the original owner’s memory, should be one of the few most closely connected to the Valley of Divine Physicians.

 

Getting medicine for Yu Guanlin was just a pretext.

 

Wen Qingci needed to contact the original owner’s senior brother here to help him fake his death and leave the palace in the future.

 

Wen Qingci had been nervous all the way, fortunately, Xie Bufeng had not noticed.

 

…

 

Seeing Wen Qingci enter, the pharmacy owner, who had been reading, couldn’t help but show a surprised expression.

 

“Wen Xiansheng! Please come in, please come in,” he said as he lifted the bamboo curtain, leading Wen Qingci to the small courtyard behind, while continuously chattering, “I heard a while ago that today’s southern tour ship would arrive at Songxiu Prefecture, and I guessed you would come here, but I didn’t expect it so soon!”

 

As he spoke, he had already handed a cup of tea to Wen Qingci.

 

Before Wen Qingci could fully savor the taste, he heard footsteps approaching.

 

“Qingci really came early.”

 

Wen Qingci instinctively looked up, then saw a man in green clothes with deep grey eyes, smiling at him.

 

The visitor had soft features and light hair, but his eyes were exceptionally cold.

 

Like the snow in early spring that hadn’t melted, exuding a chill.

 

The pharmacy owner also looked back and said, “Fortunately, the valley master was already waiting here, otherwise, we might have missed each other.”

 

…Valley master?

 

So the person in front of him was the original owner’s senior brother, the valley master of the Valley of Divine Physicians, Song Junran!

 

The owner brought another cup of tea, then retreated, leaving the place to Wen Qingci and Song Junran.

 

After the surroundings quieted down, Wen Qingci picked up the teacup and took a gentle sip, using it to mask his emotions.

 

Although he had been in this body for some time, he had gradually adapted to this identity.

 

But when encountering acquaintances of the original owner, Wen Qingci still subconsciously tensed up.

 

However, this valley master didn’t seem to notice anything unusual about Wen Qingci.

 

Song Junran joked with him instead: “What’s the matter, Qingci, have you missed the new tea from Songxiu Prefecture after not drinking it for so long? I knew you wouldn’t be used to living in Yongdu.”

 

That’s a relief.

 

Hearing this, Wen Qingci let out a sigh of relief.

 

It seemed that the original owner’s way of interacting with his senior brother was similar to that of ordinary siblings.

 

Wen Qingci put down the teacup and smiled at Song Junran, saying, “Indeed, Songxiu Prefecture is better.”

 

“Hahaha, you’re always so polite with me, it must be because you need my help,” compared to Wen Qingci’s cautiousness, Song Junran’s reaction was much more natural, “I know you can’t stay here for long, just speak directly, no need to beat around the bush.”

 

It must be said, the valley master in front of him really fit Wen Qingci’s stereotype of a martial artist.

 

He was carefree, unconstrained by trivialities, completely different from the people in the imperial palace.

 

If Wen Qingci’s guess was correct, Song Junran definitely knew the real intention of the original owner’s entry into the palace.

 

With time pressing, Wen Qingci didn’t beat around the bush anymore.

 

He slowly put down the teacup, looked into the grey eyes of the man opposite, and then said softly, “I want senior brother to help me escape…”

 

The man opposite raised his eyebrows slightly, seemingly unsurprised by Wen Qingci’s request.

 

It was unknown whether the original owner had discussed this matter with his senior brother when he left the Valley of Divine Physicians.

 

The communication between Wen Qingci and Song Junran was incredibly smooth, and they quickly arranged the following matters in just a few words.

 

The trend of burning incense was extremely popular in the Wei Dynasty.

 

Although most people were not as enthusiastic as the Emperor, they still placed one or two incense burners in every corner of their homes.

 

The medical hall was no exception.

 

After discussing his departure, Wen Qingci finally noticed the faint blue smoke in the corner.

 

Then, as if remembering something, he asked, “…Has the toxicity of cinnabar been written about and spread in medical books?”

 

Unlike before, this time Song Junran finally looked at him with a hint of confusion and then shook his head, “It has not.”

 

Wen Qingci subconsciously clenched his fist.

 

If it truly wasn’t written in the medical books, then what was the connection between the person who poisoned the Emperor and the Valley of Divine Physicians?

 

Seeing his sudden seriousness, Song Junran couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong?”

 

There were some doubts Wen Qingci needed to clarify.

 

He shook his head slightly and after a few seconds of silence, he said, “…I encountered someone using cinnabar to poison in the palace, I don’t know if it’s related to the valley.”

 

“Do you know of anyone who is aware that cinnabar is toxic?”

 

When he said this, Wen Qingci didn’t actually expect to find an answer from his senior brother.

 

But unexpectedly, the other party said something that shocked him immensely.

 

Song Junran thought for a moment, paused, and then replied, “Perhaps there is one person.”

 

There really was someone?!

 

Song Junran slowly said, “The previous Emperor was inherently frail, and his health was always poor. Since his birth, the royal family repeatedly requested my father to leave the valley to treat him, but at that time, my father had no intention of getting involved in the affairs of Yongdu and refused them on the grounds of old age.”

 

The “father” Song Junran mentioned was the previous valley master of the Valley of Divine Physicians.

 

Wen Qingci nodded slightly towards Song Junran.

 

“…But he was the sole heir of the previous dynasty, and the royal family naturally could not give up so easily. So, his father simply found another way and sent him directly to the Valley of Divine Physicians when he was probably not even ten years old.”

 

“Is that so…”

 

The royal family always cared about the safety of their heirs, not to mention the previous Emperor, who was the only successor at the time, nothing could happen to him.

 

The royal family’s actions were both a show of trust in the Valley of Divine Physicians and a move of desperation.

 

It wasn’t wrong to say it was a case of seeking help in a crisis.

 

Not many people knew about the Crown Prince being sent to the Valley of Divine Physicians, but it still caused a great controversy within a small circle at the time.

 

Moreover, the Valley of Divine Physicians had a requirement not to reveal its location.

 

So, the boy, not even ten years old at the time, was sent to the valley alone.

 

After much pulling and tugging, the Emperor stayed in the Valley of Divine Physicians for less than a year before being taken back.

 

“The Emperor had been taking elixirs since he was young, and the first thing my father did when he entered the valley was to stop his elixirs,” the man in green clothes sipped his tea and said, “So he should know that cinnabar is toxic.”

 

Wen Qingci: “…”

 

The one who knew about the toxicity of cinnabar was the previous Emperor?

 

It couldn’t be that the eunuch was following the commands of the Emperor who had been dead for twenty years to poison the current Emperor…

 

Just thinking about it seemed absurd.

 

The clue suddenly broke off here, and Wen Qingci couldn’t help feeling a bit lost.

 

Worried about arousing suspicion, he chatted with Song Junran for a few more moments and then hurriedly left the medical hall.

 

Before leaving, Song Junran nagged a lot, stuffed him with a bunch of antidotes from Tianci, and then let Wen Qingci go.

 

*

 

Finally having some free time, Wen Qingci was not in a hurry to return to where he was staying.

 

Relying on his body’s innate familiarity with Songxiu Prefecture, he took Xie Bufeng around.

 

Eventually, they entered the famous “Zangya Pavilion” of Songxiu Prefecture.

 

Although Zangya Pavilion was the largest restaurant nearby, it was much simpler compared to the banquets in the palace.

 

The restaurant served their specialty sea crabs, and along with them came two full cups.

 

Wen Qingci thought they contained tea, but after taking a sip, he suddenly frowned.

 

He turned to Xie Bufeng and warned, “Your Highness, wait. This is yellow wine…”

 

How could he bring the future boss out for a drink?

 

Before he could finish speaking, Wen Qingci realized the young man had already emptied the contents of the cup.

 

Seeing this, Xie Bufeng’s fingers paused.

 

He had lived with the tomb guards in Suzhou, not knowing how much strong liquor he had drunk.

 

The yellow wine in the cup was sour, sweet, and slightly bitter, which to the young man, was no different from water.

 

But now, under Wen Qingci’s gaze, Xie Bufeng actually felt guilty.

 

…Does he dislike people drinking?

 

The young man clenched the cup in his hand, pursed his lips unnaturally, and as if uninterested, set the cup aside.

 

Seeing this, Wen Qingci couldn’t help but show an “as expected” expression.

 

He took a small pot that actually contained water from the side, poured a clean cup, and handed it to the young man.

 

In the past, Xie Bufeng would have scorned someone who, having wine at hand, chose to drink water instead.

 

But today, he actually reached out, carefully took the cup, and held it tightly in his hands.

 

Songxiu Prefecture was not actually by the sea, but its river transport was developed, and seafood caught could be delivered within a day.

 

Sea crabs were one of Zangya Pavilion’s specialties.

 

Even though it wasn’t the season yet, anyone in Songxiu Prefecture would try them.

 

The taste of sea crabs was good, but peeling the shells was not easy.

 

Not to mention that before this, Xie Bufeng had never eaten such a thing.

 

Wen Qingci inadvertently saw that Xie Bufeng’s finger had been cut by a crab shell at some point, leaving a deep wound.

 

Dark red beads of blood were eagerly emerging.

 

But the young man, born without a sense of pain, seemed not to notice.

 

“Your Highness, your hand,” Wen Qingci couldn’t help but speak up.

 

The tables at Zangya Pavilion were very narrow, and as they spoke, he took out a handkerchief and pressed it against the young man’s wound.

 

The dark red bloodstain soaked the handkerchief in an instant, and even a bit stained Wen Qingci’s pale fingertips, looking particularly jarring.

 

Mixed with it was a faint rust scent.

 

In an instant, it blended with the bitter fragrance that filled the air.

 

The young man instinctively withdrew his hand.

 

“What’s wrong?” Wen Qingci asked, puzzled.

 

Xie Bufeng slowly shook his head, clutching the bleeding finger, “Dirty.”

 

He didn’t want anything to dirty Wen Qingci’s fingers.

 

Even his own blood was the same.

 

The young man instinctively avoided Wen Qingci’s gaze.

 

…What did that mean?

 

The physician sitting opposite him paused, belatedly shifting his gaze to Xie Bufeng’s slightly reddened earlobes.

 

Could it be that the wine just now made him drunk?