Chapter 050
Chapter 50: So Spiritual Power Can Do This Too?
Gu Heng’s eyes reddened at the corners as he stared at him, his look full of grievance: “Heartless?”
Yun Wan Chen gave a quiet laugh, as if he had heard the most absurd joke under heaven. How laughable. How had he ever judged this man as decent, worthy of friendship? Now it was clear he had been wrong. No wonder, in the future, this man would raise a blade over a mere woman. From beginning to end, he was selfish and thought only of himself, never for others.
He smiled faintly and said: “So this is what you call heartlessness. If Jin An is truly righteous and loyal, then perfect: this heir apparent happens to have a favor to ask. If you are willing to help, then you earn the right to accuse me of heartlessness. If not, in what way are you different from those hypocrites who speak one way and act another?”
Gu Heng held his tongue. The heir apparent of Duke Ning’s house, the Conquering Frontier Young General personally appointed by His Majesty, asking help from someone like him? It was clearly a trap. He could see the pit, yet he could not refuse. If he refused, he would prove himself a false gentleman, two-faced and hollow. In that case, what face would he have left to beg help?
He drew a breath and said: “Ming Yue, please speak. If it is within my power, I will not decline.”
Having boarded the thief’s ship, he could only steel himself and face forward.
Yun Wan Chen’s smile stayed light: “Since Jin An says so, I am at ease. My aunt’s family in distant Nanzhou wrote recently. Trade has been poor these two years, and many shops are close to collapse. I want to ask Jin An to hand over the Gu clan’s tea and overland shipping rights, to help revive her business. Will you grant me this favor?”
Boom. It struck like thunder. Gu Heng stared, his last hope crushed. He swallowed his anger and answered gently: “Tea and overland transport are the Gu clan’s lifeblood. If we give them up, the Gu clan is finished. Ming Yue, are you not making things hard for me on purpose? Even if I agreed, the clan elders would never consent.”
“Tch.” Yun Wan Chen’s lips lifted in a thin sneer: “So you do understand. I thought you were too dense to know. If you know the weight of duty to the Gu clan, why can you not spare a thought for the Yun family? If we offend His Majesty, how will our house walk in court? Why not think of me? Even if I agreed to your request, do you think my father or Seventh Uncle would allow it? Jin An, are you trying to make me a man who breaks promise and trust?”
Shame burned Gu Heng’s cheeks. He wished for a crack in the floor to hide in. He forced a defense: “This is different. Tea and transport are our lifeblood, but your cousin’s case is only a lift of the hand to Uncle Yun and Seventh Uncle. It costs them nothing.”
Even now, he did not think overturning his cousin’s case was serious. He believed Yun Wan Chen was blowing smoke as an excuse to refuse him.
“Is that so?” Yun Wan Chen replied with calm ice. “To me, tea and transport mean nothing to the Gu clan, while asking my father to wade into this mud is the true fatal danger.”
Gu Heng went silent. Pure sophistry. He simply did not wish to help.
Thinking of his grandmother’s threats and Gu Yan’s hungry stare, Gu Heng grew anxious. His fists clenched. No matter what, he had to move Yun Wan Chen today.
But a cold voice cut his ear, flat and merciless, tearing through his secret thoughts: “You call tea and shipping the Gu clan’s lifeblood because the clan is worth more than life to you. You say asking my father to provoke His Majesty is as easy as lifting a hand because you do not care whether the Yun family lives or dies. Why should the Yun family be dragged down for you? Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. When you are truly willing to hand over the Gu clan’s tea and transport, then speak to me again. Cang Yan, see the guest out.”
Cang Yan showed him to the gate with cool politeness. Gu Heng had come and gone from Duke Ning’s manor many times, but never as shamed as today. Bitterness rose in his chest, and he laid the blame on Yun Wan Chen’s hard heart.
As for Yun Wan Chen, having torn off that mask of false virtue, his mood lifted. No wonder Mother always warned him to weigh a man’s roots before choosing friends. In the past he did not understand. Now he did. It was not about scorning humble birth, but because such care could spare many troubles.
News of Gu Heng and his cousin ran through the Yun household. Yun Wan Ye and Yun Wan Yao raised their thumbs in perfect time for their eldest brother. Help a man rise, set a trap, repay an old debt, and remove Gu Heng with one stroke: brilliant. Every step was clean and fine. As for Gu Heng’s cousin, the man had repaid kindness with spite in Little Fourth’s inner voice. He deserved worse than a stripped title. Losing rank and name was letting him off lightly.
…
[Eh? Why am I with Seventh Uncle? Who brought me here? Where is Mother? Where is Nurse? What are they doing?]
When Yun Wan Ning woke from her nap, she found herself in a strange place. Then she saw Yun Zhan and knew she must be in the Qing Garden. With Seventh Uncle here, she felt no fear. She did not cry or fuss but lay quietly at his side: “Yii~”
[Seventh Uncle, I am awake now. Why am I here with you? Where is Big Sister Yin Shuang?]
She stretched a small hand and patted his sleeve, telling him she had woken. He had known the moment she stirred, for her inner voice had already said so, but he pretended not to notice, wanting to hear what she would say next. Only when she touched him did he turn, book in hand, and look down with a faint smile as he said: “Little Fourth, you are awake? Forgive me, your Seventh Uncle was absorbed in reading and did not notice.”
He waved the blue-covered book in front of her eyes on purpose.
[Oh? Is Seventh Uncle reading a medical manual? Right, I remember. The story said that after Seventh Uncle found Yin Shuang, he began to study medicine just to heal her. Later, Big Brother fell from a cliff in a storm and hurt his legs. That only made Seventh Uncle more firm in learning the medical arts. Wow, Seventh Uncle and I like the same things. If only I could speak now. Then he could ask me directly, and that would be faster than reading. No, that will not do. In this life, I am still a child, and I have not taken a master. If I show I know medicine, will Father and Mother think I am not their daughter? That is serious. Even after I can talk, I must be careful. I cannot expose myself too much.]
Yun Zhan paused. What a cautious little thing. But no matter how careful she was, what she tried to hide was already known. He hid his smile, lay back beside her, and held the book so they could both see.
[Let me see what book Seventh Uncle is reading. Beauty-Enhancing, Skin-Regenerating, Scar-Removing? Seventh Uncle must be studying it for Yin Shuang’s scars. The formula is not bad for skin and beauty, but it will not grow flesh or remove deep scars. Sigh, if only I could tell him about my skin-regenerating balm.]
At the words skin-regenerating balm, Yun Zhan’s heart gave a small jolt. Last time she had described Yin Shuang’s illness in full, given the detox method and the prescription, and even mentioned the balm, though she had kept back the recipe. Seven days had passed since treatment began. Tomorrow was the day to force out the poison with needles. But without the balm, he had no way to help the new wounds heal. Today he had gone to find his sister-in-law and brought Little Fourth back, hoping for one last try. He had prepared the scene, opened this very book, and set the bait to draw out the recipe. Even so, if it failed, it was not fatal. Detox would still restore her looks with time.
He frowned at the page and murmured as if to himself: “This prescription feels lacking. I wonder if there is a better one.”
Hearing him, Yun Wan Ning nodded wildly in her heart: [Yes yes. Seventh Uncle, take out sheng di, she xiang, wu gong, and wu mei. Add dan shen, crown prince ginseng, wei ling xian, ling ling xiang, jie geng, qian dan, hong fen, pearl powder, goat milk, frankincense, and peony petals. Simmer slow with honey for twelve hours to make a balm. Apply twice a day. You will see results in three days. Sigh, too bad I cannot tell you. Otherwise you would see Yin Shuang’s peerless face early, fall head over heels, and kneel under her skirt. Then the couple I ship might really happen. Sigh, my spiritual power is too weak. If it were stronger, I could enter dreams and give you the recipe.]
Wait. Dream-entering? Spiritual power could do that? No wonder that brat Yun Wan Ye had been so anxious these last two days, using every trick to draw out her spiritual power. It truly was a mysterious, mighty force.
Yun Zhan was shaken. He memorized the balm in silence, then set the book aside and played with her instead.
[Huh? Seventh Uncle is not reading? He must be doing it for me. He did not want to ignore me, so he stopped. But why am I at Seventh Uncle’s place at all?]
An hour passed, and milk time came. Yun Wan Ning’s belly began to grumble. Before she could fuss, the wet nurse arrived right on time and carried her away.