A City Swept by Wind and Snow GL - Chapter 5
“I just want to learn… to ride on the giant eagle and fly away, like that one…”
Evening.
For the first time in her life, Jin Se applied so much makeup. Likewise, it was the first time Xue Qianxun saw her so enthusiastic and focused on something.
“Hey, have you finished drawing?” Jin Se tried to move her stiff neck.
Xue Qianxun snorted: “Damn it, how did your eyebrows grow? No matter how I draw them, they won’t look as good as the originals.”
Jin Se muttered: “What do you mean, damn it? It’s Jin Se’s natural beauty!”
Xue Qianxun scrutinized her carefully, then exhaled lightly: “Forget it. I won’t draw it for you. Go wash off your makeup.”
“Why?”
“You look too strange with it on. Too pale with powder, too red with rouge. All this time I’ve been working for nothing.”
Jin Se grinned while washing her face.
Xue Qianxun smiled too: “So you like compliments?”
Jin Se nodded vigorously.
Xue Qianxun said: “If you can lure Tang Fei tonight, it’ll prove you really have world-shattering charm. I’ll praise you properly.”
Jin Se chuckled bitterly: “You know I’m the top beauty of Chunjiang Courtyard. Maybe Tang Fei will come to Qiong Yu Garden first.”
Xue Qianxun replied: “Then just wear less.”
“What?”
Xue Qianxun’s eyes glinted mischievously: “Wear less, and Tang Fei will naturally come to you. If he goes to Qiong Yu Garden, I can’t catch him.” In countless verbal battles with Jin Se, she had never won. Now, she had finally come up with something Jin Se could not possibly do—she looked forward to seeing her hesitate and admit defeat.
With that, Xue Qianxun swept out. Jin Se pounded the table in anger: that little wolf cub had become even more vicious.
That night, Tang Fei indeed did not go to Qiong Yu Garden. The next morning, Xue Qianxun woke very early. Without disturbing Dan Mo, she quietly went to the central building, saw that all the other girls were still asleep, and hurried to the top floor of the West Tower—Jin Se’s room—without announcement, pushing the door open with a bang.
The room was very quiet. On the bed curled a tiny figure, not even covered properly by the quilt, wearing only two thin silk garments.
“Jin Se!” Xue Qianxun rushed over, roughly flipping her over, scolding: “You fool! Wearing such a seductive outfit, are you really trying to tempt that flashy man?”
Jin Se gasped: “I was afraid he would go to your place!”
Xue Qianxun quickly grabbed the quilt and covered her: “Usually sharp as a fox, never giving an inch, how could you be so foolish today? Who told you to wear summer clothes?”
Jin Se’s cheeks flushed, but she smiled faintly. Xue Qianxun sensed something was wrong, touched her forehead, and was instantly alarmed: “You’re sick!”
Jin Se, eyes dark as lacquer, touched her own forehead: “Ah, it seems true! What should I do? Will I die, Qianxun?” She curled up like a trapped little fox.
Xue Qianxun hurried to summon Dan Mo and personally went to the kitchen to cook red date porridge. At this moment, she remembered an important matter: “Did Tang Fei come last night?”
Jin Se slurped the hot porridge and shook her head. Xue Qianxun said: “He didn’t harass any other girls either. Hua just stomped around your room, probably worried about not getting his money back.”
Jin Se instantly perked up: “If he upset my girls, I’ll make him pay!” But she felt pain in her body, dizziness, and started coughing violently.
Xue Qianxun tucked her in again: “Save your life first.”
Before finishing a bowl of red date porridge, Dan Mo rushed back with a doctor. The doctor carefully took Jin Se’s pulse, frowned, shook his head, and said gravely: “The illness is severe,” then wrote a complicated prescription.
Xue Qianxun looked at the prescription: Platycodon 6 qian, tangerine peel 6 qian, Peucedanum praeruptorum 10 qian, honeysuckle 15 qian, Forsythia 12 qian, reed root 10 qian, Schizonepeta 10 qian, bamboo shavings 6 qian, apricot kernel 10 qian, melon vine 15 qian, chrysanthemum 10 qian, mulberry leaves 10 qian, licorice 6 qian, raw gypsum 15 qian.
She thought for a moment and said to the doctor: “This prescription seems to clear heat and relieve cough. Don’t be fooled by her bold and unruly appearance—her body is actually weak. Today’s symptoms seem like Yang deficiency with external cold. With this strong prescription, her stomach and fluids may be harmed, and the pulse might not float. I’d at least remove Platycodon, Peucedanum, Forsythia, and gypsum.”
The doctor wiped his sweat and rechecked her pulse: “Your suggestion is reasonable. You truly have high medical skill.”
Xue Qianxun chuckled: “You flatter me. I just read a few medical books in my father’s study as a child, that’s all.”
The doctor scribbled a new prescription and handed it to Xue Qianxun. She gave him some silver coins and told him to leave. Then she tore the prescription and handed Dan Mo a silver ingot: “Go fetch the best imperial doctor from the capital! Quickly!”
Jin Se, curled in the bed corner, clapped her hands: “Xue Qianxun is so knowledgeable, even about medicine.”
Xue Qianxun self-mocked: “Not even halfway competent.”
Jin Se’s eyes sparkled: “You only came to Chunjiang Courtyard two years ago, right?”
“Why ask?”
Jin Se tilted her head: “Your skills in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and your demeanor suggest you’re from a wealthy family.”
Xue Qianxun’s expression stiffened: “Little fox, are you trying to pry into my past?”
Jin Se snorted disdainfully: “Now that you are the lady of this courtyard, who cares about the past?”
They chatted for a while, occasionally exchanging sharp words. Suddenly, Dan Mo returned, followed by Zhuang Wang He Qishu and a well-dressed stranger.
He Qishu asked: “So, Jin Se is sick?”
Xue Qianxun: “Yes, finally she can rest a few days. Why are you here?”
He Qishu: “I saw a flustered Dan Mo on the street, assumed it was you, and asked. She said Jin Se is ill and you were so angry that she ran to fetch a doctor. Feeling pity, I invited Chief Imperial Doctor Gao. Gao, please treat Jin Se well.” He glanced at Jin Se with a complex glint.
Xue Qianxun stayed by Gao’s side, observing the diagnosis and examining the prescription.
He Qishu lightly cleared his throat: “Qianxun, I haven’t heard you play for a long time.”
Xue Qianxun left Dan Mo to care for Jin Se and followed He Qishu to the Yingshue Pavilion in Qiong Yu Garden.
“Qianxun,” He Qishu held her icy hand softly: “It’s cold, don’t play for now.”
Xue Qianxun pulled back, secretly brushing against him, looking up: “Is there something you need, Your Highness?”
He Qishu noticed the subtle movement, his expression slightly moved, then said: “I’m worried about you. Why not come live at my residence?”
Xue Qianxun was taken aback: “You hold high status in the court, it may cause gossip. Besides, I’m fine here.”
“You quarrel with Jin Se here, wasting energy,” he said with a faint smile, meeting her eyes.
Xue Qianxun smiled: “I’m not angry. It’s rare to have such a fun opponent to spar with. Jin Se is amusing—I like her.”
Her straightforward answer left He Qishu speechless. He fanned randomly, then said: “Chunjiang Courtyard is a pleasure house. The palace is safer. Moreover, I heard the capital has another Cat Tail Letter. The martial world isn’t peaceful either.”
“Cat Tail Letter?!” Xue Qianxun exclaimed.
It was the mark of the assassin San Dao—a death sentence in paper form.
He Qishu nodded: “Yes. Yesterday, the leader of the Huochui Gang received a Cat Tail Letter at the headquarters, warning of a time at 3:15 midnight. He was killed at that exact time, with only three knife wounds.”
Xue Qianxun: “San Dao kills for money. If he isn’t targeting me, what danger is there?”
He Qishu: “San Dao’s return stirs chaos. Innocents may be harmed, especially in the mixed environment of Chunjiang Courtyard.”
Xue Qianxun: “If the danger comes from San Dao, I’d be safer staying here than at your residence.”
He Qishu smiled softly, lightly humming. Xue Qianxun smiled back: “I don’t want to trouble Your Highness.”
“Fine. Then stay here,” he said, closing his fan and leaving.
Xue Qianxun helped him don his silver mouse cloak and saw him off. At the gate, he hesitated slightly, then turned back with a faint smile: “Qianxun, I truly like you.” He left without giving her a chance to respond.
Xue Qianxun watched him disappear. Tall, elegant, proud—Zhuang Wang’s back alone seemed unapproachable. Snowflakes fell from the sky. Cold, she caught a few and whispered: “Su Sha Qianxun, how much longer will you waste time?”
West Tower, top floor of Chunjiang Courtyard.
Jin Se had just taken her medicine and was weakly playing with the little fox. Suddenly, she heard hurried footsteps upstairs. She immediately abandoned the fox, flipped into bed, and pretended to be dead.
After a while, a voice said: “Dan Mo, is she still alive?”
“Don’t worry, the boss just took her medicine. She doesn’t feel cold anymore.”
“What did Imperial Doctor Gao say?”
“He said the boss’s illness is severe, a chronic cold. Needs slow recuperation.”
“So serious?”
“Yes… but she insisted it’s nonsense. Tough woman.”
The two were left alone.
Jin Se realized the footsteps had softened, approaching her bed. She peeked, only to feel a soft hand on her shoulder.
“You snake spirit? Curling up, hiding in dark corners!” Xue Qianxun scolded, flipping her face.
Jin Se barely opened her eyes, remaining silent. She secretly pinched her own hand to suppress laughter. Xue Qianxun stared for a while, then frantically checked: no pulse, no breath!
“Jin Se is dead!” Panic surged through her, tears streaming onto Jin Se’s face. She murmured: “Jin Se, you fool!”
Suddenly, a warm arm wrapped around Xue Qianxun’s waist. Jin Se lifted her pink face, eyes misty, lips curved, and teasingly said: “Why cry?”
Xue Qianxun froze, surprised and relieved. Jin Se collapsed laughing in her arms.
Xue Qianxun pushed her away, coldly: “What’s going on?”
“I was pretending to be dead,” Jin Se admitted, not daring to meet her eyes.
“Pretending to be dead is fun?” Xue Qianxun demanded.
“No… but… I wanted to learn from her… just a bit,” Jin Se whispered, turning her face toward the dark corner.
“Learn from who?!” Xue Qianxun’s tone hardened.
“From the one who rode the giant eagle away…” Jin Se’s voice grew lower. She meant Xi Feng.
Xue Qianxun fell silent, tears and anger subsiding into cold, sorrowful resolve. After a while, she said faintly: “All of you… just to hurt me.” She kicked one of Jin Se’s slippers under the bed, slammed the curtain, and left. The little fox tried to follow, but she kicked it away.
Jin Se, lying on the bed, clutched the quilt: “You’re bullying my little fox…” She strained her head to listen, but only heard fading footsteps, muttering angrily: “Bullying my little fox!”