Lin Xiao, with a large bump on his head, found Ye Qingcheng. His arrival startled both of them. Bi Xi cautiously approached and poked the bump. Lin Xiao yelped, "Ouch, that hurts!"
Bi Xi quickly withdrew her hand.
Ye Qingcheng chuckled, "It seems I threw it quite accurately!"
Lin Xiao stepped forward and respectfully said, "I hope whatever the Princess Consort needs from your subordinate is worth the bump on my head."
Ye Qingcheng tugged at the corner of her mouth, realizing she would have to try a different approach next time.
Then, feigning composure, she cleared her throat. "Lin Xiao, how long have you been by the Prince's side?"
Lin Xiao regarded her with a hint of disdain, but his face lit up with pride when speaking of Xiao Wangye. "Your subordinate's time by the Prince's side can be measured in years."
Ye Qingcheng nodded. "Mmm, so that means you know about the Prince's past."
Lin Xiao cocked his chin. "Naturally. What secrets are there? Our Prince was once one of the Four Great Swordsmen. If we speak only of defense, the Prince alone could fight the other three swordsmen."
Ye Qingcheng's heart trembled, but she maintained a look of adoration in front of Lin Xiao, her eyes sparkling like little stars. "Wow! That's amazing!"
Lin Xiao puffed out his chest, his tail of pride wagging as he spoke of his Prince's achievements, acting like a devoted fanboy. "Of course."
Ye Qingcheng smiled and waved her hand. "Alright, you may leave."
Lin Xiao was taken aback. "After all that, you called me over just to talk about this?"
Ye Qingcheng nodded blankly. "Ah!" Then she thought that she shouldn't let Lin Xiao off too easily; he paid the price with a bump on his head. It would be too unfair for him to return like this.
With that thought, Ye Qingcheng spotted a common herb on the ground – San Qi, which is known to reduce swelling and relieve pain.
Without much thought, Ye Qingcheng plucked the herb, mashed it into a pulp, and directly applied it to Lin Xiao's head.
Lin Xiao never expected the Princess Consort to do something like this, and cried out in alarm, "Ah! Princess Consort, what are you doing? Men and women should not touch!"
Ye Qingcheng retorted, "I am acting as a physician now. In a physician's eyes, there is no distinction between men and women. Don't move. A true man knows when to yield. Why are you shouting? Bi Xi."
Bi Xi quickly responded, "Yes."
"Hold him down."
Bi Xi immediately stepped forward. "Yes."
Lin Xiao, unable to bear the indignity, shouted loudly, "Ah!"
Xiao Wangye was in the process of painting when he heard footsteps. The footsteps were firm; Lin Xiao had returned. Xiao Wangye looked up at the doorway, about to ask a question, but what greeted his eyes was Lin Xiao, his entire head wrapped in bandages, with only his eyes and mouth visible...
After Lin Xiao had walked away, looking at his tall figure, Ye Qingcheng clapped her hands. "This is how I learned to bandage from the national sports and medical teams. Following national standards for bandaging, it's definitely correct."
For cranial injuries, place sterile fabric on the injured area. Place the triangular bandage one finger above the patient's eyebrow, bringing the sides over the top of both ears to the back of the head, and tie a knot.
In Xiao Wangye's eyes, Lin Xiao appeared like a farmer, with a mournful expression, as he appeared before him.
Xiao Wangye was stunned.
Without paying attention, a drop of ink from his brush fell onto the Xuan paper, instantly ruining a fine ink wash painting.
Ye Qingcheng ate her dinner that evening with exceptional relish.
At the table, Ye Qingcheng was not picky at all. She would pick up a chopstickful of food and put it directly into her mouth. She ate whatever her chopsticks happened to pick up, her cheeks already bulging. Before she had even swallowed the food in her mouth, she was already stuffing more in.
Watching her, Xiao Wangye couldn't help but sigh, "It's impossible to expect you to have table manners."
Ye Qingcheng, who was enjoying her meal, was startled by Xiao Wangye's sudden remark. "Hmm?"
Bi Xi tugged at the Princess Consort's sleeve. "Princess Consort, please mind your manners."
Only then did Ye Qingcheng notice that everyone present was looking at her. In that instant, the food in her mouth lost its flavor. Should she swallow or not?
Indeed, the rules in the Regent's mansion were too many. Not everyone could be the Princess Consort; it was too troublesome. It seemed she had to hurry and leave. If she stayed here any longer, she was sure to go mad.
But then she thought, being new here, besides Bi Xi, she didn't really have any close confidantes.
It seemed she needed to make some close female friends.
In the evening, Ye Qingcheng went to Xiao Wangye's chambers and proposed that she wanted to visit some official ladies tomorrow. Tomorrow, there was a flower appreciation gathering, and an invitation had been sent. She could go and socialize.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Wangye let out a mocking chuckle. "Don't think that people will welcome you just because you visit their homes. Overconfidence will only lead to your own harm."
Ye Qingcheng did not believe his words. "But they have already sent the invitation."
Xiao Wangye put down the book in his hand. "Then did you clearly read the final inscription?"
Hearing this, Ye Qingcheng ordered Bi Xi to fetch the invitation and opened it in front of him. The inscription on the invitation clearly read: We invite His Highness Regent Xiao Wangye.
"Did you read it clearly?" Xiao Wangye continued to read his documents and books, not looking at her expression.
But Ye Qingcheng had an indomitable spirit. Even though she now knew that the invitation was addressed to whom, what did it matter to her? Since Xiao Wangye didn't want to go, what was wrong with her taking the invitation? In any case, she was someone from the Regent's mansion, and she was also Xiao Wangye's wife, albeit only nominally.
With that thought, the slight displeasure in her heart vanished.
The next day, Bi Xi meticulously styled Ye Qingcheng's hair and dressed her. Bi Xi was young, but her hands were skillful. In no time, she had transformed Ye Qingcheng into a picture of delicate beauty.
However, in Ye Qingcheng's eyes, she now looked completely fragile.
Seeing Bi Xi about to place a jeweled hairpin in her hair, Ye Qingcheng quickly stopped her. "Enough! Bi Xi, with this kind of dressing, people might think I'm going to a beauty pageant!"
Bi Xi didn't understand what the Princess Consort was saying, but judging by her tone, she was very dissatisfied with the current makeup and attire. "But Princess Consort, this is the most fashionable style in the capital right now!"
Ye Qingcheng's lips twitched. As expected, a white lotus from the lotus pond is still a white lotus.
Just as she reached the entrance, she encountered Lin Xiao. He still had that proud demeanor, and his tone rose as he saw Ye Qingcheng. "The Prince has instructed me to accompany the Princess Consort."
Ye Qingcheng raised her eyebrows and stroked her chin, saying without hesitation, "Since Xiao Wangye asked you to accompany me, can he bear to part with you?"
Lin Xiao crossed his arms and tilted his chin up. "The Prince is afraid you will lose face for the Regent's mansion. I am the Prince's facade. Am I afraid that someone will bully the Princess Consort?"
Ye Qingcheng smiled without a word and stepped into the carriage. "In that case, I thank you, Guard Lin."
She knew very well why Xiao Wangye had done this. He was simply worried that she would be wronged outside, so he specially sent Lin Xiao to accompany her. He said it was because he was afraid she would lose face, but who couldn't see that he was warning others that Ye Qingcheng was still Xiao Wangye's wife, the mistress of the Regent's mansion.
Ye Qingcheng lifted the curtain and looked at the street outside, adorned with vibrant flowers. The corners of her mouth curved upwards.
Xiao Wangye, considering your support, when I return tonight, I will treat your leg properly.