Tan Hua - Chapter 26

Pei Xingxu watched as Hu Nuer seduced Jun Qiyu and took him away. He closed the window, not wanting to see any more.

“One moment pretending to be affectionate, the next moment frolicking with a favorite, it’s a pity Lord Li is unconscious. Otherwise, seeing your heartless appearance should wake him up.”

Pei Xingxu sighed and checked Song Liqing’s injuries.

The imperial physician had stopped the bleeding for Song Liqing and treated his wounds.

But the more he looked, the more heart-wrenching it was, the more infuriating.

There wasn’t a spot on Song Liqing’s body that wasn’t bruised. His flawless skin was now covered with bruises. Although Jun Qiyu hadn’t harmed his bones, wasn’t the pain of the flesh and skin still pain?

Each of these injuries represented the humiliation Song Liqing had endured.

Pei Xingxu brushed over Song Liqing’s delicate neck, where there was a small mole and several bruised finger marks.

“How could Jun Qiyu… How could he do this? How could he bear it?!”

A tear fell from Pei Xingxu’s cheek.

If it were him… he would definitely hold Song Liqing in his palm, protecting him from any harm. How could he bear to even touch a hair on him?

His chest heaved with mixed emotions, filled with hatred and heartache, hating himself for not being able to save him from this ordeal.

“Li Qing… I’m sorry, I… I’ve caused you harm.”

Pei Xingxu was filled with remorse. If he hadn’t acted impulsively that day, Jun Qiyu wouldn’t have tormented Song Liqing like this.

But what could he do? He wasn’t a doctor, and his medical skills couldn’t compare to the palace physicians.

Pei Xingxu took out a small porcelain bottle and poured out three black pills.

This was the only hope Pei Xingxu had.

This medicine had no name, made from a blood ginseng by Physician Loulan. There were nine pills in total, and Pei Xingxu took one each year, which prolonged his life for six years, allowing him to live until now.

Pei Xingxu glanced emptily in the northwest direction.

“Father… Please don’t blame me.”

He opened Song Liqing’s lips and placed a pill inside. The pill was no bigger than a red bean, so Song Liqing didn’t have any vomiting reaction.

Pei Xingxu smiled slightly as the pill dissolved upon entering his mouth. As long as Song Liqing didn’t spit it out, the medicine would slowly flow into his stomach.

Pei Xingxu stayed by the bedside, not knowing how many hours passed.

Jun Qiyu had dinner at the pleasure pavilion, bathed, and was massaged by Hu Nuer for an hour. He was comforted by Hu Nuer, feeling completely at ease, with no trace of guilt towards Song Liqing left in his heart.

At night, Jun Qiyu remembered that Pei Xingxu hadn’t left yet. Unable to shake off his worries, he changed clothes and returned to the Miaon courtyard.

“Why are you still here?”

Jun Qiyu urged as soon as he entered the room.

“No need for His Highness the Crown Prince to rush me, I’m about to leave for the post station.”

Pei Xingxu stood up, looking weary.

Jun Qiyu glanced at Song Liqing, still unconscious, but his complexion had improved slightly from its previous paleness.

“Don’t you have medicine to treat him? Why hasn’t he woken up yet?”

“Even if there is medicine, do you think it’s a miraculous cure? Can he get better just by taking it?”

Pei Xingxu’s words carried some anger because Jun Qiyu, upon entering, didn’t show any concern for Song Liqing’s condition but seemed annoyed that Song Liqing was still unconscious.

Jun Qiyu was at a loss for words, his expression darkening.

“I’ll come to see him again tomorrow.”

Pei Xingxu and Jun Qiyu couldn’t see eye to eye. Pei Xingxu left, feeling anxious as he left Song Liqing in Jun Qiyu’s care.

Before leaving, Pei Xingxu turned back and said, “His life is still hanging by a thread. If you have even a bit of conscience left, take good care of him.”

Jun Qiyu retorted unhappily, “He is my Crown Prince Consort. What right do you, an outsider, have to tell me what to do?”

What position did he have indeed?

Pei Xingxu left with a heavy heart, knowing he indeed had no such standing.

Moreover, the more he said, the more he incurred Jun Qiyu’s displeasure. Pei Xingxu couldn’t imagine what crazy things Jun Qiyu, this madman, might do to Song Liqing.

Jun Qiyu sat in the room for a while, feeling bored.

“Xiao Di,” Jun Qiyu instructed, “I’ll send a few more people to take turns taking care of the Crown Prince Consort. Follow the instructions of the imperial physician.”

“Yes,” Xiao Di bowed, “This servant will serve diligently according to the instructions.”

“Good.”

Jun Qiyu nodded and then got up.

“Your Highness…” Xiao Di stopped him, asking softly, “Are you leaving already?”

Jun Qiyu was annoyed by being questioned about his whereabouts.

“What? Do you have the authority to question me too?”

Xiao Di lowered her head and said, “No… This servant just thought since the Crown Prince Consort hasn’t woken up yet, if you talk to him, maybe he will wake up. He has been looking forward to you spending more time with him…”

“Hmph.” Jun Qiyu became even more displeased. “Am I supposed to be some miracle worker? Will he recover faster if I stay here and watch him?”

In Hu Nuer’s place, he received nothing but flattery and adoration, while here with Song Liqing, he only felt constrained and suffocated.

Jun Qiyu didn’t want to stay in this gloomy place any longer and went straight back to the pleasure pavilion.

…

Pei Xingxu kept his word. Early in the morning, he arrived at the Qilin Mansion. Song Liqing was surrounded by a dozen imperial physicians, and Pei Xingxu couldn’t intervene. He could only help with cooking medicinal soups and listen to the discussions of the physicians, occasionally seeking advice from Qi Miao.

Qi Miao asked strangely, “Prince Loulan is very interested in medicine?”

“Not really,” Pei Xingxu said awkwardly, “It’s better to learn a bit more than to be helpless. Perhaps it’ll give Li Qing… a bit more hope.”

“You…” Qi Miao knew about his admiration for Song Liqing, “I just sent him a box of osmanthus cakes, but I heard it angered His Highness the Crown Prince. Your admiration for him isn’t doing him any good.”

“I know… As long as he wakes up, I won’t visit him again, I’ll keep my distance.”

Pei Xingxu was very aware of this. His actions were not rational, but who in love is completely rational?

For three consecutive days, Pei Xingxu stayed until late at night before returning to the post station.

When there was no one around, Pei Xingxu finally fed the pill to Song Liqing.

“This is the last one, Li Qing… If you don’t wake up, I really… have no way…”

Pei Xingxu’s fingers trembled. He was not panicked because the medicine was running out, but because he knew there would be no more medicine if Song Liqing didn’t wake up.

As time passed, Pei Xingxu watched Song Liqing’s peaceful face, feeling more and more hopeless…

He knelt down and prayed to the gods they worshipped in Loulan.

Pei Xingxu never prayed to gods, he just had nowhere else to turn.

“Li Qing… You must be safe.”

*Cough cough—*

Two weak coughs sounded like heavenly music at this moment. Pei Xingxu suddenly opened his eyes and crawled to the edge of the bed.

Song Liqing opened his dull eyes, and after a few breaths, he sat up in panic, hugging Pei Xingxu and burst into tears.

Pei Xingxu froze with his hands open.

Author’s Note:

Deng Deng~ Good news~ “Tan Hua” is also going to be adapted into a manga! Stay tuned for all three parts to be adapted!