Master Qingchen learned of Chu Yunge’s physical condition and sent her medicine.
Chu Yunge rubbed the porcelain bottle. “Thank you.”
Among those who brought thank-you gifts to detoxify her, Master Qingchen was the first, and he put in real effort. He was also the first to notice something wrong with Chu Yunge’s body, and he did not withdraw because she had dealt with her maid.
“Your Highness need not stand on ceremony. This blood-tonifying pill is coated in sugar, so it will not be bitter.”
After Master Qingchen explained, he finally picked up a string of small buddha beads.
“Is this for me too?” Chu Yunge looked toward Master Qingchen’s wrist, where he also wore a string.
Her mind went blank, brainwashed again by modern couple’s accessories, so her first reaction was, couple’s bracelets!
“Yes, it can be used for self-defense.” Master Qingchen knew Chu Yunge had encountered danger, hesitated a moment, but still gave it to her.
Chu Yunge reached out her hand. After Master Qingchen put it on her, she curiously looked at it and sniffed. “How does this defend?”
“If someone with ill intent grabs your hand, grip it hard, and the beads will shatter. The beads contain powder that causes anyone who touches it to faint.”
In simple terms, it was a passive touch-porcelain skill, with specific requirements.
But the hit rate would be higher too, because no one would notice the inconspicuous little buddha beads.
“I see.” Chu Yunge pinched the buddha beads. “Then if I accidentally crush them in daily life, will I faint too?”
Master Qingchen: “……Yes, but rarely. This monk has worn them for so many years and only fainted once.”
So he really had triggered it before. Chu Yunge nodded. “Good, thank you, Qingchen.”
Self-defense items were like money and handsome men— the more, the better.
“No need to thank me.” Master Qingchen shook his head. “Right now, this monk only has this one string. Tomorrow, when this monk returns to the temple, I will fetch more and give several strings to Your Highness later. Replace them when they break, but you must never tell anyone else, or they will be useless.”
“Of course. This monk hopes Your Highness will only ever need this one string, free from disaster and difficulty, always safe and joyful.”
At that moment, Master Qingchen was very gentle, giving Chu Yunge a male mom vibe…
“The same to you. I hope the same for Qingchen.”
Master Qingchen smiled faintly, but when his gaze fell on Chu Yunge’s wrist, he still zoned out a bit.
The string on Chu Yunge’s wrist had originally been his, but since her wrist was slender, he had removed two beads to make it smaller.
They were just ordinary buddha beads, but wearing matching ones together always made him fear others would think too much.
Chu Yunge looked at the buddha beads and suddenly thought of something. “There was a rumor before that Qingchen was blessed by the Buddha, and those who meant you harm would faint on their own. It wouldn’t be this…”
Case solved. The original princess had groped him and suddenly lost consciousness. When she transmigrated over, it was probably because of the buddha beads too.
Master Qingchen smiled helplessly. “Yes. When traveling outside, one inevitably encounters danger. Master Kongshi specially made these for this monk back then to keep me safe.”
“Then this princess benefited from your light, and you even went to fetch new ones specially. Rest assured, I will definitely keep it secret.”
“Your Highness need not stand on ceremony. The Empress Dowager sent word yesterday for this monk to enter the palace again to chant scriptures. Tomorrow, when this monk returns to the temple, it is also to fetch scripture books.”
Chu Yunge raised her brow upon hearing this. “The Empress Dowager? She does not even believe in the Buddha. Why waste time? This princess will refuse for you.”
Master Qingchen looked up in confusion. “Refuse?”
“Or do you insist?” Master Qingchen had sent blood-tonifying pills and now buddha beads. She was meddling a bit, but after all, Empress Dowager Zheng claimed the title of Empress Dowager, yet she was only thirty-six in truth.
The eunuchs serving before Empress Dowager Zheng were all exceptionally handsome and refined. The most handsome eunuch in the entire rear palace served her and had been favored and heavily employed for years.
No need to spell out what kind of relationship or purpose that implied.
Empress Dowager Zheng looked unfavorably on the princess, especially after she had strongly seized a commoner man. She kept cursing her not to act recklessly and had even deliberately come to escort her into the palace before. Chu Yunge suspected it was not just to prevent her from getting pregnant, but also resentment in her heart.
Yet normally, Empress Dowager Zheng had no such reasons to summon other young men of the junior generation, let alone do anything.
Now Master Qingchen had appeared, and as an ordained monk, it was all the more reasonable.
Logically, it might not lead to anything real, but who knew? In any case, better not to be summoned by Empress Dowager Zheng. There was also the Chu Emperor in the palace, probably creating opportunities for them to interact.
But she would not allow it. She would block it—who made her the vicious supporting female character?
Master Qingchen was still puzzled, but upon hearing Chu Yunge’s words, he nodded. “Your Highness need not concern yourself. This monk can refuse on my own.”
Chu Yunge’s expression turned cold at the mention of Empress Dowager Zheng. There had been some signs of it last time in the palace too. It seemed the mother-daughter relationship was not as good as the rumors claimed.
Since that was the case, it was better for him to find an excuse to refuse himself, sparing any involvement for the princess.
He took two fresh lotus pods from the bottom of the food box. “The others are not ripe yet. Only these two are ready.”
“Does Your Highness want to eat lotus seeds now?”
“Eat.” Lotus seeds were best when fresh and tender.
Since Chu Yunge said to eat, Master Qingchen picked up a lotus pod and began peeling it.
Chu Yunge picked up a lotus pod, glanced at it twice, and tossed it aside. She lazily sprawled on the desk, with no intention of peeling any herself.
A princess’s ten fingers never touched spring water. Her nails were at their most beautiful state—scratching them would be a shame. With Master Qingchen doing the work, even peeling lotus seeds felt like bathing in a spring breeze, and the seeds probably tasted even sweeter.
Master Qingchen watched Chu Yunge, wanting to say something but stopping. His leg under the table twitched, then stilled.
Chu Yunge acted as if she noticed nothing and even had Du Ruo enter the study, instructing Du Ruo to find her some mystery detective novels.
The suspenseful story Xie Wangze told in the carriage had no revealed truth at the end, leaving it stuck in her mind.
The book had been taken by Xie Wangze.
Not knowing the ending of such a thrilling suspense had awakened her mystery-solving soul, so she planned to have Du Ruo find some substitutes.
But after two books in a row, neither satisfied her. They were in traditional characters and vertical format—readable, but still uncomfortable to look at.
When Du Ruo timidly placed the third one down, Chu Yunge finally raised her brow and did not say to change it.
Master Qingchen first shelled out the lotus seeds, then peeled off their outer skins.
After peeling the first one, just as he was about to put it on the plate, Chu Yunge suddenly let out an “ah” and opened her mouth.
Du Ruo hurriedly responded, “Your Highness, please wait a moment. Du Ruo will feed you right away.”
As she set the book aside and turned back, Master Qingchen hesitated an instant and had already held the lotus seed to Chu Yunge’s lips.
But he did not feed it in. Instead, he said, “Your Highness, the lotus seed heart has not been removed yet. It will be a bit bitter.”
“It’s fine. This princess likes it a little bitter.”
Chu Yunge lifted her lips and directly snatched the lotus seed with her mouth.
“Delicious.”
Master Qingchen felt a bit uncomfortable.
Chu Yunge sent Du Ruo out and deliberately asked, “What’s wrong with Master Qingchen?”
“Your Highness…” Master Qingchen looked at Chu Yunge and revealed a wry smile. “This monk has actually had the poison flare up.”
“Oh? I thought that although Master Qingchen had detoxified the least, he had not had a poison flare yet.”
Chu Yunge sprawled on the desk, looking at Master Qingchen leisurely. “Then why didn’t you say anything? I was wondering just now. You even brought a thank-you gift—why haven’t you detoxified yet?”
A thin layer of sweat beaded on Master Qingchen’s forehead, his voice strained. “Detoxification requires touching Your Highness. This monk… this monk…”
He really could not bring himself to say it.