Li Qinqin’s pig-slaughter scream filled the entire hall. In the past, even if Li Qinqin had merely frowned, everyone below would have scrambled anxiously to attend to her, to coax her into a better mood.
But in this scene, neither Guxi nor Hongyi standing nearby, nor the servants waiting outside, dared make a sound, letting Li Qinqin cover her face and scream like a madwoman.
“My face! My face is burning, it hurts so much!”
“Someone, help me! The imperial physician! Summon the physician!”
“Your Majesty, my face is ruined, wuwu…”
…
Meanwhile, Ziqing lay unconscious in Jun Buli’s arms, perfectly still. At this moment, Jun Buli truly faced the choice: his mother, or his consort?
He appeared anxious, fussing over Ziqing, only sparing Consort Li a few sidelong glances.
Hongyi and Guxi immediately played along, shouting even louder than Li Qinqin’s screams!
“Oh no, the Princess Consort has fainted!”
“Someone, quickly fetch the physician!”
…
Jun Beiyue saw through Ziqing’s act at a glance, yet feigned panic, hurriedly grabbing her hand. “What happened!”
Though he appeared anxious, he made no move whatsoever to take Ziqing into his own arms. The moment he finished speaking, without waiting for Jun Buli to respond, he snapped, “Why hasn’t the physician arrived yet? Useless, all of you!”
“Your Highness, the physician lives near East Garden! It’ll take some time for him to arrive!” Guxi answered hurriedly.
Hearing this, Jun Beiyue turned urgently to Jun Buli. “Take good care of your mother!”
With that, without waiting to hear Jun Buli’s response, he decisively released Ziqing’s hand and dashed off to find the physician himself. Yet not long after he left, the physician came rushing in with his medicine box!
“Forgive me, Your Highness, this humble servant… this humble servant is late!” The physician, having only just learned of the Prince’s return, stammered in terror, bent low, not daring to look at him.
Jun Beiyue crossed his arms, leaning lazily against a pillar, glancing at the physician without a word. Seeing this, the physician grew both anxious and confused, asking timidly, “Your Highness, the Princess Consort, she…”
Jun Beiyue seemed not to hear him at all, his handsome brow furrowing slightly, as if lost in thought. After a long moment, he finally said, “Are you the only one at the estate?”
“There’s also Physician Li and Physician Chen, but they’ve both gone to the Imperial Pharmacy tonight,” the physician answered honestly.
Jun Beiyue nodded thoughtfully, then said flatly, “Go to the Imperial Pharmacy. Collect all the burn medicine there, and deliver it to Hongyi later.”
The physician grew even more confused hearing this, but this old physician hadn’t served at Prince Yao’s estate for just a day or two.
He understood Jun Beiyue’s temperament even better than he understood Jun Buli’s. Seeing the Prince give an order with such a thoughtful expression—a rare sight indeed—he knew this matter was one he should neither question nor speak of to anyone.
So the physician glanced once toward the brightly lit hall ahead, then departed to carry out the order. “Yes, this humble servant obeys, understood!” As the physician’s figure receded into the distance, Jun Beiyue sat down on the low railing along the corridor, leaning his back against a wooden pillar, head slightly bowed. His expression couldn’t be seen, but in the dim lamplight, his handsome lips curved into an utterly wicked, sinister smile.
Meanwhile, inside the hall, Li Qinqin’s screams still hadn’t ceased. And throughout it all, Jun Buli never once let go of Ziqing.
Ziqing, eyes closed, felt her ears ache from Li Qinqin’s ghostly screeching, yet her heart was filled with delight, with relief!
Her son hadn’t disappointed her after all!
But just as she was thinking this, she heard Jun Buli say, “Hongyi, why hasn’t the physician arrived yet.”
“His Highness went to fetch him personally—should be soon!” Hongyi answered. She could see the anxiety on the young master’s face, but couldn’t tell whom exactly he was anxious for!
Given how sharp the young master was, how could he possibly not see through the Princess Consort’s act?
Was his anxiety part of the performance, playing along with his mother’s charade—or was it genuine worry for Consort Li?
But very quickly, a sharp rebuke from Jun Buli left Hongyi even more confused. He said, “What are you standing there for? Go fetch well water at once, and tend to Consort Li’s burns!”
At these words, Ziqing’s heart lurched violently. Though she didn’t want to face it, she couldn’t help but admit—when it came to her son, she suddenly felt uncertain.
Hongyi didn’t dare disobey the order, hurrying off immediately, while Jun Buli carried Ziqing over to the heated couch nearby, laying her down gently.
The moment her son released his hands, Ziqing felt her heart drop straight to the ground, clenching tight, as if about to shatter into pieces.
Was her son about to set her aside and go tend to Consort Li instead?
She knew, of course, that her son could see right through her little trick, but that was precisely why she’d chosen such a ruthless, decisive method—to force her son to choose!
She had no patience for slowly, gradually working through this matter.
His mother, or Li Qinqin!
But unexpectedly, even after setting Ziqing down, Jun Buli didn’t leave her side. Instead, he sat down beside her, holding her hand with one hand while calling out coldly with the other, “Guxi, calm Consort Li down. Don’t let her scratch her face!”
By this point, Li Qinqin was practically writhing on the floor, utterly disheveled, her delicate face badly scalded across a wide patch, and the scratches she’d inflicted on herself only made the injury worse.
“Forgive me, Consort Li!”
Guxi said, stepping forward, but Li Qinqin suddenly lunged toward Jun Buli instead, crying and screaming, “Your Majesty, save me! Save me! Your Majesty!”
Fortunately, Guxi was quick-eyed and quick-handed, grabbing both of Li Qinqin’s hands and forcing her to sit down. At that same moment, Hongyi arrived with the cold well water, but the instant it was placed before Li Qinqin, she plunged her head straight into it without hesitation!
Seeing Li Qinqin in such a wretched state for the first time, Hongyi finally felt the resentment she’d bottled up for over a year release itself—she genuinely wanted to laugh. Meanwhile, hearing the splash of water, Ziqing put on a show, slowly opening her eyes, blinking several times before fully coming to, looking dazed and innocent. “Son, what… what happened to me?”
Jun Buli watched Ziqing’s performance in silence, his manner utterly filial and gentle. “You suddenly fainted. Do you feel any better now? Father’s gone to fetch the physician.”
“Fainted…” Ziqing looked utterly bewildered, sitting up and murmuring, “Consort Li was just offering me tea, how did I suddenly…”
The corner of Jun Buli’s mouth twitched twice, but he quickly composed himself, saying flatly, “You got burned. Still waiting on the physician.”
“What!” Ziqing’s voice rose several decibels at once. She glanced repeatedly at Li Qinqin, who kept dunking her head into the cold water, her shock quickly turning into an apologetic expression. “Son, I… this… oh no! Where’s the physician, why hasn’t he come!”
But Jun Buli said nothing more, instead looking at Ziqing’s haggard face, at the traces of tears still lingering in her eyes, and said gently, “Mommy, these ten years must have exhausted you.”
It had to be said—Jun Buli truly was Ziqing’s weak spot. At these words, her heart nearly melted, and she completely forgot her anger at Li Qinqin, smiling and shaking her head. “I’m not tired.”