I stared at him in silence, a twinge of heartache creeping over me. Lord Qi Yuan had such good-looking eyebrows and eyes, yet I wondered why there always seemed to be a lingering sadness around him.
I sighed and smoothed the crease between his eyebrows.
Then the eunuch said, "If the princess has finished feeding the medicine, please leave quickly! It's not safe to stay here for long."
I shook my head. "No, I want to wait here until Lord Qi Yuan wakes up."
The eunuch grew anxious at once. He stepped closer and said, "But Lord Qi Yuan won't wake up anytime soon. Didn't the princess promise to stay only for a while? If something goes wrong, I can't bear the responsibility!"
For some reason, I grew tired of his words. So I said, "I'll take the responsibility myself."
The eunuch exclaimed desperately, "That won't do! Please be obedient, princess. Come with me first. I'll bring you back when it's time for the medicine this afternoon. Maybe Lord Qi Yuan will be awake by then."
I thought it was a good idea. So I put away the bottle of jade dew and left with the eunuch, feeling deeply guilty.
I, Xi He, had never felt particularly sorry for anyone in my life. Qi Yuan was the first.
...
When I went to see Qi Yuan again that afternoon, he was already awake, which made me marvel at the magic of the medicine once more.
The eunuch closed the door for us as usual. When Qi Yuan saw us come in, he squinted and slowly sat up. Seeing that he looked much better, I was overjoyed and rushed towards him. "Lord Qi Yuan, are you feeling better?"
When he saw it was me, he was startled for a moment. Then he immediately got up to salute. Seeing this, I quickly stopped him and gave him a bright smile. "Lord Qi Yuan, there's no need for such formalities."
"Princess, why are you here? This place..." He glanced at the couch and suddenly blushed, looking embarrassed.
I covered my mouth and laughed. Then I said, "I'm here, of course, to see you. I didn't mean to leave that day. It's just that..." I looked at him and suddenly didn't know how to continue. But he said, "Princess, there's no need to blame yourself. This has nothing to do with you. It was Qi Yuan who didn't pay attention while resting and caught a cold."
I was grateful for his thoughtfulness, always thinking about me. So I took out the snow lotus jade dew from my bosom and handed it to him. "No matter what the reason is, drink the medicine first."
Qi Yuan glanced at the jade bottle but didn't take it. He gave a faint smile. "Your humble servant thanks the princess for her kindness."
At that time, I didn't notice anything different about him. I still stepped forward happily. "What are you thanking for? Do we need to say thank you to each other?"
But Qi Yuan shook his head. He pushed away the white jade porcelain bottle I was offering with one hand and lowered his eyes. "Qi Yuan is afraid that his humble body is not worthy of the princess's precious medicine."
I was stunned. I didn't know why he suddenly behaved like this. The eunuch beside me said, "Bold! Princess Xi He has personally brought the medicine. How dare you not accept it? Do you not put the princess in your eyes?"
I suddenly felt disgusted with the eunuch's snobbishness. I turned around and glared at him fiercely. The eunuch immediately shut up and stepped back. Then I turned to Qi Yuan and whispered, "Lord Qi Yuan, is it because of what happened that night that you're still angry?"
I guessed that although he was polite to me, he was still angry about the fact that I tricked him into looking for the jade underwater that night and then disappeared when he surfaced. So I said, "Someone suddenly came that day. I was afraid he would gossip if he saw us together at night, so I deliberately got rid of him. I didn't throw the jade into the water on purpose to play a trick on you."
Qi Yuan shook his head again. "Your humble servant is not angry with the princess because of this. Your humble servant just thinks that the princess is of noble birth and should not have any association with lowly people like us."
My mind went blank. I didn't expect things to turn out so seriously. I couldn't help saying, "Lord Qi Yuan, I really didn't mean it that time. Can I apologize to you now?"
But Qi Yuan sighed. "The princess still doesn't understand what your humble servant means. Your humble servant has said that this has nothing to do with the princess. Even if the princess wants your humble servant to die, your humble servant won't say a word. It's just that your humble servant really hopes that the princess won't come here again."
"Why?" I was a bit unwilling. After a moment of silence, I said, "At least give me a reason..."
Qi Yuan slowly raised his eyes and looked at me. He sighed softly. "Since that night, your humble servant, even if he is dull, has understood the princess's feelings. But there's something that your humble servant has always wanted to say but never had the chance. Now that the princess has come to see me despite all odds, your humble servant thinks that if this matter is not said, it will really ruin the princess."
"What do you want to say?" Seeing his solemnity, I suddenly felt a bit nervous. Even my palms became moist.
Qi Yuan looked at me and sighed deeply. Then he turned his eyes away. "Your humble servant... is already married."
These words were like a thunderbolt, instantly stunning me.
It seemed that at that moment, I heard something clearly shatter. I opened my mouth in disbelief, but my voice was indescribably bitter. "What... did you say?"
Qi Yuan said again, "Your humble servant said that he is already married. Your humble servant's wife is a very gentle and virtuous woman. Your humble servant likes her very much."
My heart ached suddenly at that moment. The boundless pain made me suddenly forget how to breathe.
But Qi Yuan ignored me and continued, "Your humble servant heard that the princess was seriously ill a few days ago. The prince of the Northern Cold specially sent the princess a kind of good medicine that is not bitter. The princess has always disliked bitter medicine. Only this medicine can be taken. Your humble servant really can't take the princess's medicine anymore. Please take it back and leave with it."
I suddenly felt a tightness in my chest. Disappointment, unwillingness, and anger welled up inside me, making me unable to calm down. I looked at the medicine in my hand and then at him, who was being respectful. In order to maintain my last pride as a princess, I suddenly laughed. "There's no way for me to take back what I've bestowed. Since you're not willing to accept my kindness, just throw this medicine away."
After I said that, I threw the bottle on the ground. Unexpectedly, Qi Yuan's expression changed. He lunged out of the bed and caught it. He rolled on the ground with difficulty and got up coughing. I was shocked again. But he knelt on one knee and held the jade bottle up with both hands and offered it to me again. Still in his calm and emotionless voice, he said, "This medicine is precious. Please take good care of it, princess!" I pointed at him, my finger trembling. But I really couldn't say anything harsh anymore. Finally, I could only nod. "You... are very good!"
When he offered me the bottle of medicine in such a humble posture, I realized that there was no need for me to stay any longer. So I flung my sleeve and said to the eunuch behind me, who was stunned. "Let's go!"
Seeing this, Qi Yuan called out to me. "Princess, wait a moment."
I thought he had changed his mind and stopped. But unexpectedly, he took out a jade pendant from his bosom. "Since the princess is not willing to take back the medicine, please take this jade."
That jade was the one that the handsome uncle had given me and I had accidentally dropped into the water, making him search for it.
I was extremely angry. I took the jade and turned around to leave. The eunuch quickly followed.
Such an angry scene really frightened the people outside.