Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 36

After experiencing many hardships and tortures, Xiao Yunheng finally arrived at the front courtyard of the Princess’s Mansion. Under the complicated and subtle gazes of the guards, the matron, and a crowd of onlookers, he raised his hand and opened the side door.

“Do you think the actions of Young Master Xiao and the concubine of the Xiao family resemble the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl from the heavens?” Someone whispered, with a hint of unspeakable meaning. “Our princess is like the Queen Mother of the West, keeping the two apart.”

“Shh.” The head matron glared at the person who spoke. “Although the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl were of different status, they were still a legitimate couple. The secondary wife of the Xiao family is, at best, a concubine. How could they ever be compared to the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl?”

“You’re absolutely right, Madam.”

Xiao Yunheng opened the door and saw Li Xue kneeling and swaying. He immediately felt very sorry for her and walked over, “Xue’er.”

Li Xue suddenly looked up, her eyes lit up: “Brother Heng!”

Too excited, she tried to stand up and embrace him. However, she had been kneeling for too long, and her legs were too numb to move. Her delicate body stumbled forward and fell on Xiao Yunheng.

If it was in the past, Xiao Yunheng would have easily caught the beauty in his arms, but today, he too was seriously injured. When she pounced on him, he lost his footing under her weight and fell to the ground with Li Xue.

Thud!

Xiao Yunheng fell on his back, his spine hitting the ground. At that moment, he was in so much pain that his whole body trembled. A black fog appeared before his eyes, and he could not see anything. His body was only convulsing violently.

“Brother Heng Ge!” Li Xue was terrified. She ignored her aching legs and looked at him with a pale face. “Brother Heng, are you okay?”

Xiao Tao was so frightened that her face turned pale: “Young Master!”

The servants in the front yard saw this and had no choice but to rush over and help Xiao Yunheng up: “Is Young Master Xiao alright?”

Xiao Yunheng’s face was deathly pale; the pain was so intense his vision went black, rendering him speechless.

So the servants forcibly helped him walk through the gate: “Young Master Xiao is still weak, so you must be careful. You shouldn’t act like a wolf spotting meat the moment you see your concubine…”

“The concubine can come in too; the rest of you can go back.” Matron Ren’s gaze fell on Li Xue, and she quickly turned around and walked inside. “You few, help Young Master Xiao back to Qingchen Residence. If the concubine is willing, she can follow along to serve Young Master Xiao.”

Anyway, once inside these gates, leaving again anytime soon would be difficult.

Li Xue carefully rubbed her knees, suppressing the painful groans in her throat. It felt as if someone was relentlessly drilling into her kneecaps, the agony making it difficult to walk. She wanted Tao’er to help her, but Matron Ren simply did not allow her to enter the estate.

With no one in the princess’s mansion to guide her, Li Xue had to follow closely behind Xiao Yunheng. Otherwise, if she got separated, she was afraid that someone would take the opportunity to make things difficult for her.

When they arrived at Qingchen Residence, Xiao Yunheng was dizzy with pain. His clothes were already soaked through with cold sweat. He was helped to lie onto the bed in a daze. He heard Li Xue’s incredulous exclamation: “You… you actually let Brother Heng live in such a dilapidated courtyard? There’s nothing here; even the bed and tables are so old… How could you do this? Are you wicked servants bullying your master? How dare you!”

“The concubine is quite imposing,” said Matron Ren coldly, looking at her. “If you think this place is not good enough for your brother Heng, you can take him back. We assure you we won’t stop you.”

Li Xue’s face flushed and trembled in anger: “You… you are going too far!”

Matron Ren waved her hand dismissively: “The rest of you go about your duties. Now that the concubine has come, all the work of serving Young Master Xiao will be her responsibility. You don’t need to come here anymore.”

The servants and maids nodded in unison, “Yes.”

Matron Ren left with her people, leaving Li Xue standing alone in the room, feeling both angry and annoyed. After they had all gone far away, she turned to look at Xiao Yunheng and hurried to the bedside. “Brother Heng, how are you?”

Xiao Yunheng had almost lost half his life in that fall just now. His back was still trembling with pain. He turned his head slightly, his forehead covered in cold sweat. “Let me… let me rest for a while.”

Li Xue was taken aback, then muttered an “oh” and stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Looking around, the furnishings here were too shabby, although not desolate and dilapidated, but far too austere.

In particular, the tables, chairs, beds and couches were all old, and compared to Xiao Yunheng’s residence in the Xiao family, there was a world of difference.

Li Xue felt resentment swelling in her heart. That damned Yun Zishu actually let Brother Heng live in such a place. She didn’t love him at all.

Which woman would treat her husband like this?

And there isn’t even a servant left here. Is it on purpose that they don’t want to stay and serve her?

Damn it.

She must tell her aunt when she gets back that Yun Zishu is mistreating Brother Heng. They must never allow her to enter the Xiao family again!

As Li Xue thought of this, she couldn’t help but bend over and rub her legs, which were in excruciating pain.

She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Xiao Yunheng; her eyes couldn’t help but turn red: “Brother Heng… why are you so unlucky? Yun Zishu is really cruel; she actually treats Brother Heng like this…”

Xiao Yunheng was in so much pain that he felt weak all over and didn’t have the energy to speak at all.

After Matron Ren left with the people, she reported the situation of the Qingchen Yard to Yun Zishu, who nodded and said, “Since Li Xue is here, it will save others from taking care of Xiao Yunheng in the future.”

“Yes, that’s what this old servant thinks too.”

“In the future, except for the three meals a day, which will be delivered by someone, there is no need to go to Qingchen Yard at other times.”

“Yes.”

Yun Zishu leaned idly by the window, flipping through a book casually: “From now on, these two will stay in the princess’s mansion. Don’t bother with them if nothing happens, but they are not allowed to leave the princess’s mansion.”

“Yes.”

So the next few days passed in this manner. Li Xue really experienced the helplessness of calling out to heaven and earth with no response. Every day, a physician came to change Xiao Yunheng’s dressing and was also responsible for decocting the medicine. A special maid was responsible for delivering three meals a day—but that was all.

The maidservant didn’t speak to her at all. No matter whether Li Xue protested that the food was too simple and lacked richness or objected to the maid’s attitude, the maidservant didn’t respond at all. She would put down the food and leave immediately, regardless of whether they ate it or not.

The meals she brought, though not lavish, were sufficient in quantity. It used to be a bowl of rice and a dish, but now it is two bowls of rice and two dishes. Whether it was green vegetables or eggplant, it was enough to fill the stomach.

If Li Xue didn’t eat, she would just go hungry.

The physician who tended to Xiao Yunheng’s injuries was temporarily staying in the mansion. Besides changing the dressing every day, he also decocted medicine for Xiao Yunheng. Seeing that Li Xue was not satisfied with the food, he felt compelled to explain: “Young Master Xiao is seriously injured presently, so it’s advisable to eat some light food. The princess is thinking about Young Master Xiao’s health, not deliberately cutting back on food.”

Li Xue seethed inwardly. Brother Heng has to avoid eating meat or greasy food, but why can’t she eat? Why were all the meals vegetarian?

Yun Zishu was deliberately mistreating her.

However, Li Xue was always good at disguising herself, and she said meekly, “Yes, you’re right, it’s my fault. I thought someone as badly injured as Brother Heng should have some meat to rebuild his strength. I didn’t expect that the injured should not have such rich food. It was my misunderstanding. Thank you for clarifying, Physician.”

“There is no need for thanks, concubine.”

Li Xue asked, “How long will it take for Brother Heng’s injuries to heal?”

The doctor said truthfully, “Injuries from caning heal slowly. It will take about a dozen days before he can barely get out of bed and walk around. It will take at least a month for him to fully recover.”

Li Xue’s face fell. That long?