Chapter 66 - Blossoms Tower
Chapter 66 Blossoms Tower
“What do you want to do!?”
Hardly had Su Lun returned to Su Mansion at dusk when he heard the incident in Luoyin Temple. Then he immediately went to An’s courtyard with a sullen face.
No sooner had An put on a smile than she was frightened by Su Lun’s scold.
Seeing this, Li Mama hurriedly led the maids out of the room, closed the door and guarded outside.
Looking at Su Lun’s widened angry eyes, An was also vexed.
“What do you mean, My Lord? I have no idea what I have done that would make you so angry.”
Su Lun snorted coldly. “You don’t know what you have done? I am absolutely clear about Zhao’s personality after so many years. She couldn’t do that kind of things even if she was ten thousand times bolder than she is!”
Hearing this, An realized that Su Lun had known about the incident in Luoyin Temple. With no evidence left behind, she couldn’t be accused of any crime.
However, she was still irritated by Su Lun’s defense of Zhao.
She had never been scolded by Su Lun like this after marrying him for over ten years.
“Why do you blame me, My Lord? Do you think I intentionally framed her up?”
Su Lun gazed at her coldly, apparently affirming this claim.
An was so irritated that her chest went up and down violently and she almost fainted.
“Fine, there seems to be no place for me in Su Mansion. I’ll leave here with Wen’er, so as not to be your eyesore!” Having finished, An assumed the posture of leaving. Seeing her seriousness, Su Lun could only reach out to hold her.
If An left, she would surely go back to An Mansion. Then his father-in-law must be irritated. He couldn’t afford to offend Lord An right now!
“What are you doing? I can’t even ask you any question?”
Held by Su Lun, An took the opportunity to stop her action; if she returned to An Mansion, she would lose her face as well.
“You’ve made it clear that you don’t believe in me. What else can I say? !”
Seeing An’s look, Su Lun became a little uncertain. Did she really have nothing to do with this matter?
“My Lord, you haven’t been to Peachblossom Courtyard for many years, so you may be unaware of some clues.” Seeing that Su Lun had no intention to speak, An said with a softer voice.
Sure enough, Su Lun turned sullen on hearing this.
It had been a long time indeed since his last visit to Zhao’s courtyard. In the past years, he would only have dinner with her during festivals; and he would ignore her even then.
So if she really had any thought, he would not necessarily have known!
Seeing Su Lun sullen face, An revealed a secret smile and reached out to hold Su Lun’s hand while leaning softly against his body.
“My Lord, don’t wrong me again in the future.”
Looking down at her tender and coquettish look, Su Lun felt that much of his anger had disappeared.
In her early thirties, An was still well maintained. In addition, she always behaved like a 20-year-old young girl in front of Su Lun. Without the shyness and innocence of a young girl, she was more enchanting with a mature charm.
Su Lun immediately became a little bit distracted; he raised her chin and slowly lowered his head…
…
“Miss, someone from General Mansion said that Madam General was feeling not so well and asked you to go and see her now!” Yueru trotted into the room and said in a low voice.
Su Muge was preparing the prescription. On hearing that, she stopped her work immediately.
It was not the appointed time today. Could it be an accident over there?
“I’ll be there right away.”
After proper preparation, Su Muge left Su Mansion for General Mansion with Yueru.
Different from last time, the maids waiting for her revealed a hint of fear on their faces.
When she entered the courtyard where General Lin was located, Mrs. Lin was already waiting outside and immediately stepped forward at the sight of her.
“Miss Su, you are here. Come in and see …”
Without asking anything, Su Muge put on a mask and a pair of gloves and went in.
General Lin was lying on the bed as before. As soon as she entered, she noticed that the smell in the room was even stronger than last time.
She lifted the quilt on General Lin and found the red spots on his body and even the festering part on his face increased.
After taking the pulse of General Lin, she found his pulse turbulent and even his breath much more rapid.
“General’s condition did improve at first, after taking the medicine prescribed by Miss Su, but suddenly his condition somehow worsened this morning …” After General Lin got the disease, Mrs. Lin had been already mentally prepared, so she had no intention to blame Su Muge at the moment.
Su Muge frowned slightly and carefully checked the ulcerated wounds on his face and the red spots on his body. Then she took out a silver needle, pierced it into the red spots and put it back into the potion.
“Lift the General onto the table.”
She was going to make a more thorough body examination of General Lin.
Mrs. Lin hesitated but eventually nodded.
The servants came in and lifted General Lin onto a long table that could accommodate him.
“Take off his clothes.”
On hearing her words, Mrs. Lin widened her eyes in surprise. If it weren’t for General Lin’s severe illness, she would suspect if Su Muge had other intentions.
In spite of the open folk customs in the Chu, it was still inappropriate for an unmarried woman to look at the body of a strange man.
“Miss Su, it’s not appropriate!”
Su Muge remained calm. “Mrs. Lin, at this moment, I’m just a doctor, and General Lin is just my patient. I need to know more about the patient’s condition. This is a necessary procedure.”
Mrs. Lin clutched her handkerchief tightly and nodded after struggling for a while.
“All of you, get out.” Considering Su Muge was helping Lin family anyway, Mrs. Lin thought she should try to preserve Su Muge’s reputation.
Su Muge took off General Lin’s clothes with only a pair of pants left.
Then she began to check his body from top to bottom.
Mrs. Lin couldn’t quite understand Su Muge’s behavior at first, but when she looked at her serious expression and careful examination, she felt much more assured.
While inspecting his soles, Su Muge found a clue.
“Mrs. Lin, I wonder if General Lin has injured his soles recently.”
Mrs. Lin frowned and shook her head. “Recently, General doesn’t need to be on duty or go for trainings, and I haven’t heard of any injury of his feet.”
Su Muge looked at the bruise on his sole, reached out to press it and found it a little hard. Since the bruise was in the center of his sole, it was impossible to be callused.
Su Muge took out the silver needle, slightly pierced it into the bruise, and surprisingly found that the flesh under the skin was black.
After taking the sample, Su Muge covered General Lin with a quilt.
“I have a few questions for you, Mrs. Lin.”
Mrs. Lin nodded. “Yes, please.”
“Which girl in the brothel has infected General Lin with the disease?”
Hearing this, Mrs. Lin turned pale. “Miss Su, why do you ask this?”
“I still have some doubts about General Lin’s illness, so I want to start with the source of the disease.”
Mrs. Lin was surprised. “You, you are going to find … How can a young lady like you go to a place like that?” She was shocked, thinking that Miss Su was so bold that she even didn’t care about her reputation.
But at the thought of her calm and serene look just now, Mrs. Lin felt herself a little too fussed.
“Madam, don’t get me wrong. I don’t have to go there in person.”
Only then did Mrs. Lin find it more acceptable.
“It’s Jinghong in Blossoms Tower. General has been with her recently.”
…
In Blossoms Tower.
Xia Houkun, in a navy blue round-neck robe, entered a room on the second floor.
As soon as the door was closed, a figure appeared in the room.
“Your Highness.”
Xia Houkun walked to the chair and sat down. “How’s it going?”
“I found that those people were not local residents.”
“They don’t speak anything. How do you know they are not locals?”
“I found their skin dark gray, their teeth bright white, their figures tall and strong, and their bodies smelled a faint mutton odor. These are all characteristics of the nomads.”
Xia Houkun frowned. “Nomads …”
The territory of Chu was rich in mountains and hills. The grasslands were not rare but very remote, which stretched into the northwest.
Northwest!
Xia Houkun’s pupils suddenly shrank.
Northwest was the territory of his third uncle, King Dingxi!
A figure in moon-white clothes appeared outside Blossoms Tower, holding a feather fan in hand and revealing the temperament of a handsome and romantic gentleman.
At the sight of him, the procuress outside the door stepped forward coquettishly. “My Lord, you must be our Blossoms Tower’s guest? Please come in …”
Su Muge in disguise waved her feather fan and glanced at the procuress with her evil but charming eyes. “Of course I come to your Blossoms Tower for recreation.”
Even if it hadn’t been dark yet, there had been plenty of guests in Blossoms Tower.
“My Lord, I’ve never seen you before. It must be your first time coming here, right? I’ll call our best girl here.” The procuress called over a little girl. “Hurry to find me Yudie.”
“Yes.”
“Wait a moment.”
“My Lord, you don’t like Yudie? I’ll find you another one.”
“It’s known to all that the most outstanding girl in Blossoms Tower is Jinghong who excels at both singing and dancing. I want her.”
Hearing this, the procuress said with a frozen smile. “My Lord, it’s her honor to serve you. But she caught a cold yesterday, so I’m afraid that she can’t serve you now.”
Su Muge put on a grave look. “She gets sick as soon as I’m here? Are you afraid that I can’t afford pay for the bills!” While speaking, she took out a banknote of 100 Liang and threw it directly at the procuress.
The procuress checked the banknote and smiled much more sincerely. “My Lord, you get me wrong. I’ll go and see if she is any better now. Take My Lord to a room on the second floor.”
“Yes.”
Then Su Muge was taken to a room, and the young maids brought in some drinks and fruits.
A few moments later, the door was pushed open and a peach-colored figure came in.
She wore a peach-colored strapless long dress covered with light gauze. Without hairpins, her hair was only embellished with two light blue orchids.
“Pay my respects to you, My Lord.”
Su Muge raised the corners of her mouth with a grin. “Come here and sit by my side.”