The madame’s expression changed as she studied Jinsan carefully. After a pause, she asked cautiously, “Miss, why are you inquiring about the ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’?”
“A friend of mine accidentally ingested the ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’. As the largest pleasure house in the capital, surely the Hundred Flowers Pavilion would know about this…substance?”
After rescuing Jiang Ruan, Xiao Shao had someone examine the cup she drank from and detected a scent similar to the ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’ poison he had encountered before. Though knowledgeable about poisons, he knew little about this particular aphrodisiac and its antidote, so he sent Jinsan to seek help from the Pavilion’s madame.
The madame smiled, “To be frank, the ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’ is extremely potent. If the dosed person does not lie with another within three hours, the poison will prove fatal. It is hardly just an aphrodisiac.” She laughed awkwardly, “Miss, if your friend still has time, simply find someone to bed her and all will be well.”
“If it were that simple, why would I come to you?” Jinsan grew impatient. “Madame, this is an urgent matter. Please produce the antidote quickly.”
The madame looked troubled. “Miss, it’s not that I won’t give you the antidote, but it is extremely rare. No one has ever requested it before. This is rather…”
“One hundred taels.”
“Miss, that is truly…”
“Of gold.”
The madame fell silent, her face blooming like a flower as she smiled sweetly. “I’ll have someone fetch the antidote right away.” Though the person before her seemed simple-minded to spend 100 taels of gold on such an antidote. Whose chastity was worth that much? Even the Pavilion’s top courtesan could scarcely find a patron willing to pay 100 taels of gold for one night.
When Jinsan saw the madame’s expression, she knew exactly what she was thinking and inwardly scoffed. This one night has made the young madam more valuable than even the Pavilion’s top courtesan. Ugh, what was she saying? The young madam was a pure jade, how could she be compared to a courtesan?
…
When Jinsan returned with the antidote, she was stunned to see Xiao Shao’s state. His face was flushed red, the usually impassive expression cracking at the seams. He sat ramrod straight on the bed’s edge, with something suspicious shifting beneath his dark robes.
Jinsan covered her nose, this scene enough to make anyone’s blood race. Xiao Shao accepted the antidote expressionlessly and ordered, “Out.”
As Jinsan left, she wondered if she had done a good deed or not. She never expected the usually cold and composed master to be so…passionate. Just what had the young madam been up to under his robes earlier? After giving him the antidote, would the master resent her for this incident?
The more Jinsan thought, the more uneasy she became, deciding to discuss today’s events with Jinsi. Outside, the steward Lin paced anxiously, still shedding copious tears.
Your master spent so much silver for an antidote, does your family know? What a waste! Don’t they know a person is the best antidote? Your late lord and lady must be furious watching from above!
As Xiao Shao fed Jiang Ruan the antidote, cradling her head, the earlier awkwardness faded as his focus narrowed. The commotion outside did not escape his notice as he was not deaf. Regardless of whether Jiang Ruan minded such “antidotes”, he would never take advantage of her state. He had never even entertained such thoughts before. Though he now harbored subtle feelings for Jiang Ruan, he would not overstep propriety. In certain ways, despite Xiao Shao’s experience, he remained an untainted sheet when it came to such matters. As Old Lin put it, he was too virtuous.
…
After that night, the servants of Prince Jinying’s manor had hardly slept a wink, along with the Jinyi Guards – the former from excitement, the latter from busyness. The manor’s servants quietly gossiped about whether the prince would be taking a new lady. However, the servants under the steward Lin’s management were specially trained to be tight-lipped, so the matter did not spread, otherwise Jiang Ruan’s reputation could have been greatly impacted.
When Jiang Ruan awoke, her whole body ached terribly. Massaging her head, she sat up and happened to see a beautiful maid clearing the table. Noticing her awake, the maid approached solicitously, “Miss Jiang, are you feeling better?”
Jiang Ruan studied the maid, finding her gaze oddly sweet, almost suppressing a laugh, overly familiar. Though puzzled, she still smiled, “I’m fine, but where is this place?”
“Prince Jinying’s manor.” The maid smiled sweetly. “His Highness brought you back yesterday and took care of you through the night. He just stepped out.” The maid picked up a medicine bowl and brought it to Jiang Ruan’s lips. “Now that you’re awake, drink this, Miss.”
As if to confirm her words, Xiao Shao entered from outside. Seeing the maid about to feed Jiang Ruan, he said, “Out. I’ll do it.”
The maid gave a sly smile, covering her mouth as she backed out the door, thoughtfully closing it behind her. Jiang Ruan looked at Xiao Shao, flashes of fragmented memories surfacing – she knew she had ingested a potent aphrodisiac yesterday but couldn’t recall much else, except Xiao Shao rescuing her in front of Ye You. She was certain he wouldn’t take advantage, but worried if she had done anything untoward to him under the drug’s influence. Thinking about it gave her a headache – why did things always go awry around her?
Xiao Shao naturally took a seat by the bed and picked up the medicine bowl. As Jiang Ruan reached for it, a jolt of pain shot through her arm. Looking down, she saw the white bandages and remembered her injury from yesterday. Instinctively, she patted for her precious shortsword, hoping it hadn’t been lost in the chaos.
Xiao Shao picked up the shortsword from a small side table and placed it before her. “No need to search.”
It was indeed the exquisite shortsword. Jiang Ruan gripped it with one hand. Raising her head, she met Xiao Shao’s deep night-colored eyes. She froze for a moment before he lowered his gaze, gently scooping up the medicine soup with a silver spoon to feed her.
With one hand occupied, Jiang Ruan had no awkwardness as she obediently drank the medicine he spoon-fed her. Sitting so close, she could smell Xiao Shao’s clean bamboo fragrance, leaving her momentarily dazed.
After she finished the entire bowl, Xiao Shao took a few sugar pills from another bowl and handed them to Jiang Ruan. The vibrantly colored little pills made her ponder. Xiao Shao explained, “Eat these, they’ll take away the bitterness.”
Jiang Ruan: “…”
She wasn’t a three-year-old child, why was Xiao Shao using that coddling tone? And that concerned gaze, what was that about? Though touched, when faced with such a handsome visage, Jiang Ruan couldn’t even refuse. As the sugar pills entered her mouth, she finally came to her senses – when was the last time in this life or her previous one that she had eaten something like this? Even medicine was a luxury, not to mention these sugar pills only available to those most carefully nurtured. Feeling that eating them somewhat undermined her current composed image, Jiang Ruan glanced at Xiao Shao, thinking: He really knows how to win people over!
In the pleasure quarters of the Twelve Gentle Lands, the Hundred Flowers Pavilion was the most exquisite. Not only were the ladies of all types beautiful and intelligent, but also highly experienced in entertaining refined officials and nobles who frequented them. Today, however, they had a rather special guest.
This guest wore long robes and blue cloth boots, with hair bound high in a masculine style. Yet one glance revealed a woman’s figure. The madame had a discerning eye and immediately noticed this woman’s graceful gait and exquisite features. Though simply dressed, the fabric was expensive rainsilk. Although it was unusual for a woman to visit a brothel, the madame still welcomed her, asking, “Miss, what can we at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion do for you today?”
Jinsan glanced at the madame. “I’ve heard the Hundred Flowers is very knowledgeable. Do you know of the ‘Spring Breeze Crossing’?”
(End of chapter)
