Chapter Thirty-Three: Why Ask?

  The housekeeper is standing in the study, where Ziyue Ye is leisurely painting a peach blossom picture. The peach blossoms on the branches are full of tenderness and charm. Ziyue Ye picks up the finished painting and blows gently on it, completely ignoring the housekeeper standing beside her.

  The housekeeper stood there respectfully, occasionally raising her head to glance at Ziyue Ye before lowering it again. In her heart, however, she didn't understand why the prince had called her to the study only to start drawing a peach blossom picture himself.

  "Housekeeper, when did you start working in the palace? After His Majesty recovered from his illness, he couldn't remember many things." Zi Ruoye said with a distressed smile, her eyes filled with a bewildered expression.

  "Returning to the king, the old woman has been in the palace since the king was very young. The king was brought up by the old woman." The housekeeper's voice was full of kindness and her weathered face was filled with nostalgic expression.

  "So that's it. It's all because of that time I fell into the water and forgot about such an important matter." Putting down the rice paper, Ziyue Ye looked out the window and muttered to herself.

  "It's not your fault, Your Highness. You've never been familiar with water since you were young. Fortunately, the heavens have blessed you, allowing you to survive." The steward said reassuringly, his bright and spirited eyes also filled with a hint of relief.

  "Butler, you're also getting old..." Zi Ruoye said slowly, before she could finish her sentence, the butler trembled and knelt down.

  "Your Highness! Is it because the housekeeper thinks I've done something wrong, so you want to drive out the old woman?" Her body trembled as if unwilling to accept this news.

  Zi Ruoye helped the housekeeper up, laughing and saying, "When did I say you could leave? What would this palace do if you left? What I meant was that after working so hard for so long, don't you need to take a break and go back home for a few days? I heard from the servants that your hometown has a little grandson!"

  "Yes, it's been so many years and I've only exchanged letters with my hometown. Just the other day, I received a letter saying that my little grandson has learned to walk! The tone was full of regret for not being able to witness the moment when her own grandson learned to walk. But then she changed the subject, 'Nowadays, as an old woman living in the Wang's mansion, it's become a habit. My hometown is far away, so sending them silver to supplement their household expenses is my way of thinking of them.'"

  "It's really hard on you." He patted the butler's shoulder lightly and let him go down. The butler, who was facing away from him, didn't see the faint glint in Ziyueye's eyes, which was inexplicable.

  A few days later, Zi Ruoye smiled and looked at the small piece of paper in her hand. Li Yu repeatedly visited the Prime Minister's mansion and had a long conversation with You Chang before leaving. With a light touch of her fingertips, the small piece of paper turned into powder and scattered in the wind.

  "Cough, cough." She lightly coughed a few times, furrowed her brow, and retrieved a white jade porcelain bottle from under the pillow. She took out a pink medicinal pill and looked at it in her hand. Zi Ruoye's eyebrows scrunched up in distress... If she swallowed it, she might really kick the bucket, but if she didn't...

  Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, Yun Cong came in, "Wang Ye!" Yun Cong's expression was solemn, and this time he didn't even knock on the door before entering directly. Ziyue Ye was so startled that she quickly clenched her fist and hid her hand behind her back.

  "Yun Ning, what's wrong? You look so flustered." Her eyes shifted, looking at Yun Ning's rarely serious expression, and Zi Ruo Ye's own expression also became slightly more serious.

  Yun Cong looked at the back of Zi Ruoye's hand, pursing his lips. He couldn't wait any longer! He had originally wanted to let Zi Ruoye tell him the truth, but after observing her for these few days... perhaps she didn't even have the intention of telling him.

  Maybe he just wants to leave directly...

  "What's wrong? Why aren't you speaking?" Looking at the worry between his eyebrows, she asked softly. Had someone outside slandered him again? Zi Ruoye's heart was filled with thoughts, as a person who was about to leave the world, if she left, people would definitely criticize Yun Cong repeatedly. Perhaps she shouldn't hide it anymore.

  "No, Yun Cong had just taken a short rest, and as a result, he dreamed that the king was going to leave, feeling uneasy in his heart, so...". He walked over to Zi Ruoye's side, seeing her still leaning lazily on the bed, but her eyes sparkled.

  "Heh, how could I possibly disappear suddenly? Dreams and reality are opposites." He hastily comforted her, saying this as he looked at Yun Cong with a slightly lowered head. His eyes seemed soft enough to drip water, and seeing the panic in his gaze just now, she felt a warmth in her heart.

  Are dreams and reality opposites?...

  "Prince, what are you holding in your hand? Is it something interesting?" Yun Cong suddenly asked Zi Ruoye, his eyes filled with a resolute gaze that did not allow her to evade. If he hadn't just discovered that she was about to eat the intoxicating thing again, he wouldn't have rushed into the room in such a fluster.

  "It's nothing." With a calm and open expression, she met Yun Cong's gaze, but subconsciously clenched her fists.

  "Is that so." Yun Qing's sleeves fluttered as she sat down gently beside him, pulling out the medicinal pill from her sleeve that had been with her for the past few days. "A few days ago when I went to Yi Shang Tang, the doctor saw that my complexion wasn't good and prescribed this medicinal pill for me."

  Zi Ruoye heard Yun Ning's bad mood, and hurriedly raised her eyes to observe. She found that she was still as beautiful as ever, with a complexion like frozen cream and a face like a peach flower. There was no sign of a bad mood on her face. Just as Zi Ruoye was about to ask in confusion, she saw the medicine pill slowly unfolding in Yun Ning's hand, and her eyes were filled with shocked expression!

  But then Yun Cong said to himself, "The doctor said that after taking this pill, my illness will be cured and I won't have heartache anymore." Yes, after taking this pill, he would never have heartache again, wouldn't worry about this person, wouldn't be concerned about this person...

  As he spoke, he raised his head and was about to swallow the pill!

  Zi Ruoye was quick to knock the medicine pill out of Yun Ning's hand, and the pill in her own hand also rolled to the ground. Her eyes were filled with shock, anger, and indignation! "I will definitely go and destroy that Medical Shang Hall! What kind of sacred medicine is that? It's clearly poison!"

  Yun Cong's eyes remained calm as she gazed at Zi Ruo Ye, but she bent down to pick up the two identical pills that had rolled onto the ground. The gentle gesture seemed to freeze Zi Ruo Ye's blood, "So the prince also has some, Yun Cong's body has never been good, this medicine should be given to Yun Cong instead."

  "Cloud Nian... did you find out something?" Zi Ruoye once again swiftly slapped the two grains of intoxication onto Cloud Nian's palm with a speed that was too fast to be covered.

  "Prince Wang, what do you think Yun Ning will know?" The clear and shallow eyes were calmly looking at Zi Ruoye.

  "Never mind that for now! I'll definitely go and tear down that Medical Hall later! They actually gave you a hypnotic drug, claiming it was medicine to cure your illness! Who knows how many more people have been deceived by that Medical Hall!" It seemed that Yun Qing had discovered something. These past few days, because she hadn't taken the hypnotic drug, the white jade porcelain bottle had always been hidden under her pillow, and except for Yun Qing, no one else would enter her room. Why ask... not asking wouldn't hurt. Foolish Yun Qing...

  Should they still keep it from him now? Yun Cong, however, did not give Zi Ruoye a chance to speak. His voice was firm and decisive, "If Prince Ruoye does not explain himself to me, then I will take this medicine today and cure my illness once and for all!"

  Zi Ruoye gently hugged Yun Cong, this was the second time Zi Ruoye had held Yun Cong so carefully. Yun Cong stiffened slightly and his cheeks flushed pink, only to hear Zi Ruoye say in a heart-aching tone, "Silly Yun Cong... why did you ask?"

  Yun Ning's lips were pursed, and she didn't say a word, still quietly waiting for Zi Ruoye to calmly explain everything. Zi Ruoye continued to hold Yun Ning in her arms, speaking slowly, "The intoxication was something I accidentally obtained... Others would die if they ate the intoxication, but I wouldn't die if I ate it." It would only prolong my death by some time... After that poisoning incident, she discovered that the time between her poisonings had started to shorten. This bottle of intoxication was given to her by a doctor who had been guided by the Unrestrained Wanderer during her search for famous doctors in previous years. That doctor was also at a loss when it came to her poison, but he told her that when her poisonings became more frequent, she should start taking the intoxication...

  Who would have known that intoxication can actually suppress the toxicity of ice and fire... But it's only temporary, yet Zi Ruoye didn't say that part out loud. Looking at Yun Cong's surprised expression, she couldn't bring herself to speak.

  "Really? Enchanted... Is it actually an antidote?" Looking at Ziyue Ye, but not allowing her to lie again.

  Zi Ruoye wanted to nod, but didn't want to deceive Yun Ning, so she just gave a warm smile. How could she deceive him again? She pulled up Yun Ning's hand and placed it on her cheek, gently rubbing it, murmuring, "Yun Ning's hand is so warm..."

  Her soft voice was like that of a person who was about to disappear, Yun Cong looked at Zi Ruo Ye with a daze, she didn't want to deceive him, but neither did she tell him the truth, the warmth from her cheek transmitted to his palm, scalding him even more at this moment.

  Zi Ruoye suddenly stood up, her face full of solemnity and anger, "Don't go to Yishang Hall again next time!"

  Yun Cong let out a soft sigh, looking at the suddenly agitated person, and her gentle voice extinguished the sudden anger that had flared up in Zi Ruo Ye. "This wasn't given to Yun Cong by Yi Shang Tang, it was something she accidentally found under Prince Wang's pillow. Don't go and ruin Yi Shang Tang, it's not their fault." Her eyes were quietly fixed on Zi Ruo Ye, who had clearly already guessed the truth but insisted on making a scene anyway.

  Digression

  Wow wow wow...... The new version is so cool!

  Thank you Tongzi for the beautiful flowers!

  Thank you Tongziyuer for sending me fresh flowers!

  Thank you very much!

  Fish-loving friends, be sure to collect it! Collect... Please give more and more power!