Chapter 115: The Abandoned Little Emperor (19)
Su Mingxiu didn’t respond to the little emperor, but with Xiao Miyun’s current power, no one could force her to return to the palace if she didn’t want to.
Moreover, before leaving, she had made arrangements in the capital. The imperial guards were under Sun Feiyan’s command, and she had entrusted the entire rearguard to General Sun, firmly believing that she could handle any potential threats.
As for Cheng Qing…
She had risen to the position of Chief Cabinet Minister, still presenting herself as a man, her true gender hidden from the public.
So, from the outside, during the emperor’s absence, the court was controlled by Cheng Qing and Sun Feiyan, one civil, one military, one inside, one outside, supporting each other, keeping the Great Zhou running smoothly.
Before leaving, Xiao Miyun had a private conversation with Cheng Qing. Although she didn’t explicitly mention leaving the capital, Cheng Qing understood her implication, giving her a knowing look, then replying calmly: “This minister will not disappoint Your Majesty.”
After a pause, she added: “May Your Majesty get what you wish for.”
The little kitten she had mentored had grown into a fierce tiger, no longer needing guidance, only needing to be observed from afar, roaming freely in the mountains.
This sentence made the little emperor’s expression change. She initially suspected that her relationship with Su Mingxiu had been leaked, but after thinking for a while, she relaxed, leaning back on the dragon throne. “Get… what I wish for?”
“Even you know what Zhen wants, but she…” she murmured, then chuckled to herself. After a while, she waved her hand, dismissing Cheng Qing.
Perhaps the light in the room was too dim. Stepping outside, the little emperor, facing the direct sunlight, realized how bright it was, even making her eyes water.
She smelled the strong, pungent odor of disinfectant used by the Zhenbei army soldiers day after day. The other patients were lying in tents further away. Hearing that a high-ranking official, almost as important as the Prince of Zhenbei, had arrived, those who were able to get up only dared to watch from afar, afraid of infecting her.
Thinking about how the Prince of Zhenbei had stayed with them all this time, never leaving the isolation zone, they instinctively knelt down and kowtowed towards the little emperor.
They didn’t know that the person before them was the emperor, only instinctively begging every passing official for a glimmer of hope.
The little emperor had someone help them up. “There’s no need for such formalities.”
She said, “It’s not Zhen who saved you, but the Prince of Zhenbei.”
But from their emaciated figures and their heavy kowtows, she felt the weight on her shoulders, gradually understanding what kind of emperor Su Mingxiu wanted her to be.
But Su Mingxiu was doing a better job than her.
This Prince of Zhenbei must have seen and saved countless people, why didn’t she take the throne herself?
The little emperor unconsciously walked towards the area where medicine was being prepared. Seeing hundreds of stoves billowing smoke, the smell of various herbs mixing with the fumes, making the servants’ eyes water, yet they still diligently fanned the flames, controlling the heat.
Most of those infected with the plague had passed it on to their families. So there weren’t many relatives of the survivors in this area, mostly people from the city.
But working here allowed them to earn a living, preventing them from becoming refugees, wandering to other cities, begging on the streets.
So they all worked diligently.
Among these soot-stained faces, the little emperor, her eyes only slightly red, wasn’t particularly noticeable.
Because she was accompanied by armed guards, those who were working only glanced at her, then quickly looked away, not daring to offend her.
She stood there for a while, then called over an imperial physician. “Which one is the Prince of Zhenbei’s medicine?”
The physician led her to a separate area and explained the current prescription, then carefully lifted the lid of the clay pot, wrapped in cloth, for the little emperor to see the medicine brewing inside.
Xiao Miyun stared at the dark, bubbling liquid, then, after a moment, dismissed the maid who was tending the stove. “I’ll take over.”
She didn’t want to reveal her identity in this volatile environment, so she changed her self-address. The surrounding soldiers and physicians, understanding her intentions, cooperated.
The maid’s entire family had been wiped out by the plague. With nowhere to go, she had come here to earn a living.
But seeing her neat appearance and quick hands, the officials had assigned her to this task, but to prevent her from getting any ideas, they hadn’t told her who the medicine was for.
Now, seeing a girl, dressed in even finer clothes than her own, the fabric more beautiful than the clouds in the sky, she lowered her head and nervously twisted her fingers. But she still asked timidly:
“Is… is my work not satisfactory?”
“No,” Xiao Miyun replied with a gentle smile. “You’re doing very well, it’s just that… anything related to her, Zhen… I don’t want to entrust to others.”
The people behind her pretended not to hear.
The maid could only step aside. Not having been trained for such situations, she didn’t know what to do. She simply stood behind Xiao Miyun, watching her actions. After a while, she softly reminded her to add the remaining herbs.
Xiao Miyun didn’t put on any airs, acting like a humble beginner, letting the maid guide her. “Use more force, the fire is too low,” or “That’s not right, you should…”
Su Mingxiu’s medicine arrived half an hour later than usual.
The curtain at the door was lifted. Along with the strong medicinal scent came a distinct smell of burning. Su Mingxiu, who was reading, sniffed the air and instinctively wanted to throw down the book and rush to the kitchen to put out the fire.
But she quickly came back to her senses and looked towards the door, seeing Xiao Miyun enter with a tray. The cloak she had been wearing was gone, and there were grey smudges on her sleeves.
As she approached, Su Mingxiu noticed that her hair had been re-styled, the ends slightly curled. She was looking down, seemingly preoccupied with the half-filled bowl of medicine on the tray.
“Clink.”
The bowl of medicine was placed on the table beside her. The little emperor casually fanned herself with her hand and said nonchalantly: “I replaced your medicine maid with a new one today. She’s a bit clumsy. Thankfully, Zhen saw it in time and saved this much.”
Xiao Miyun raised her chin slightly, like a little peacock trying to suppress its pride. “No need for thanks, drink it.”
Su Mingxiu: “…”
She was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled, a helpless smile. She put down her book and reached for the bowl. Just as she brought it to her lips, she was interrupted by the little emperor, who had been watching her intently: “Wait.”
Xiao Miyun had only wanted to see if Su Mingxiu would actually drink it. She hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward. Remembering how Su Mingxiu had coughed up blood, she suddenly worried that this half-burnt medicine would worsen her condition, shortening her already limited lifespan—
“Perhaps… I should find someone else to prepare your medicine…”
“No need,” Su Mingxiu, who had paused, replied curtly, then raised the bowl and drank all the medicine in one gulp.
Her throat moved a few times as she placed the empty bowl aside, not a single drop spilled. But her lips were now a deeper shade of red.
Xiao Miyun watched her nervously. “How does it taste?”
The person who had just finished drinking the medicine looked at her with a playful smile. After a moment, seeing the worry in the little emperor’s eyes, her smile widened, but her words were merciless: “Terrible.”
After a pause, she added: “Even worse than usual.”
“Uh…” The anxiety in Xiao Miyun’s heart vanished without a trace. She wondered why this bowl of medicine couldn’t poison Su Mingxiu’s vocal cords and make her mute.
Seeing the little emperor’s changing expressions, Su Mingxiu suddenly remembered the fish in the previous world, how Suhui always blamed the ingredients or the fire when her cooking failed. And when the dish was beyond saving, she would casually push the plate closer to Su Mingxiu,
Then, with a combination of logic and emotion, persuade Su Mingxiu to prove her love by eating it.
The little emperor, who had been sulking, seeing Su Mingxiu smile so brightly, wondered if she was lying.
But after picking up the bowl and sniffing the medicine, she still couldn’t accept it. She grumbled, “It tastes terrible, and you’re still smiling?”
A masochist?
Su Mingxiu didn’t miss her subtle action. After her smile faded, she replied inwardly, Because I like it.
Even if it tastes terrible, I like it.
Thinking of this, her expression softened, a hint of fatigue appearing on her face. “Don’t let that new maid prepare the medicine tomorrow.”
“I understand,” the little emperor said, her face dark as she turned to leave.
But before she could even step out of the room, she heard a slow, casual remark from behind: “Such beautiful hair, a few more days by the stove, and it’ll all be gone.”
The little emperor didn’t understand what she meant, her eyes darkening.
She thought Su Mingxiu was being frivolous, even concerned about a stranger’s hair. She suppressed her anger and replied: “The Prince of Zhenbei is truly benevolent, caring for everyone.” You probably have room in your heart for everyone in the Great Zhou dynasty, except for me, the emperor!
The little emperor couldn’t stay in the isolation zone overnight. She was escorted to a separate tent in the nearby military camp.
The palace maids attending her helped her wash up and, just as she was about to sleep, untied her hair and started combing it with a wooden comb. Suddenly, one of them said softly, her voice filled with concern: “Your Majesty, you should stay away from the kitchen, it’s too dangerous. I already combed your hair this afternoon, but it’s still very dry. If it doesn’t get better, we might have to cut this part.”
The little emperor, who had been sitting before the bronze mirror with her eyes closed, suddenly asked: “What?”
The maid held up a strand of singed, curled hair.
Xiao Miyun looked down. She had been so preoccupied with delivering the medicine to Su Mingxiu earlier that she hadn’t paid attention to her hair. Now, being reminded, she finally understood.
Without a word, she got up and ran out of the tent.
The palace maids, startled, chased after her, calling out: “Your Majesty!”
Xiao Miyun was too fast. The palace maids had to jog to catch up and drape a windproof cloak over her, concealing her long hair and figure beneath the thick fabric. Seeing that she was heading towards the isolation zone again, they quickly wrapped a face mask around her, pleading with her to take care of her health.
But she ignored them, rushing into Su Mingxiu’s room. The Prince of Zhenbei, having heard the commotion, was sitting up in bed, her expression casual. “To what do I owe the pleasure of Your Majesty’s late-night visit?”
“Come back to the capital with me.”
The person who entered took off their cloak, their gaze fixed on Su Mingxiu, their throat tight, whether from running or from their surging emotions, they didn’t know.
Xiao Miyun’s voice was slightly choked with emotion. “Su Mingxiu, let me take you home, okay?”
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