You should be taken away by a donkey
They were already rushing back to the capital, and besides, Min Ji had indeed stayed outside the capital for too long. His official position in the capital was vacant, and although it was close to the end of the year and the court had just recovered from a long break, he was favored by the emperor and hadn’t caused any trouble.
However, first, Prime Minister Min was urging him to return quickly; second, it was against regulations; and third, the few days they stayed were to allow Sui Sui to recover from her illness. Now that her cough had mostly improved, they decided not to linger any longer and set the departure for noon the next day.
Yu Jinnian and the others each tidied up a bit and went out to buy some supplies for the road, along with some extra medicine.
After passing Taoxi Town, they would head north through a stretch of rolling hills. Although there would be some post stations along the way, they were quite basic. Naturally, they were not as comfortable as the bustling towns. These people had been accustomed to a life of luxury since childhood, and they weren’t about to endure hardship now.
Taoxi Town was nestled against a small hill, with half of it shaded and the other half basking in the sun. When the sun was up, it was tolerable, but once noon passed and the sun gradually leaned westward, the shaded part of the town would be enveloped in coolness. In the heat of summer, it was quite refreshing, but now it was early spring, and the breeze brushing past the black tiles and white walls carried a slight chill.
Fortunately, Ji Hong had anticipated this and quickly took a cloak prepared by Duan Ming, walking briskly to catch up and drape it over the young man’s shoulders. The fluffy white collar of the cloak wrapped around Yu Jinnian’s exposed neck.
Yu Jinnian didn’t feel cold yet, so he pushed it away a little, and the two tugged at it for a while. Ji Hong suddenly frowned and, without waiting for an argument, wrapped him up, gently reprimanding, “Don’t move, wear it properly!” Yu Jinnian glanced up at him, and Ji Hong shook his head, earnestly advising him, “You’ve just recovered from your illness. Listen, it’s better to be a little warmer than to catch a chill at this time of year.”
Yu Jinnian had some objections to this advice, but before he could speak, Duan Ming chimed in obsequiously, “His Highness is right. Haven’t the elders always said, ‘In spring, cover; in autumn, freeze, and you won’t get sick’? Young Master, just wear it!”
“…”
Yu Jinnian blinked, trying to charm his way out of it, but Ji Hong seemed immune to his tactics now. Ignoring him, he firmly turned Yu Jinnian around and tied the cloak for him, even securing it with an unusually tight bow.
In the end, Yu Jinnian couldn’t escape. Half of his face was buried in the rabbit fur collar of the large red cloak. Walking down the road, he looked like a fluffy white chili pepper or an exquisite gift about to be delivered. While everyone else wore elegant, flowing garments, only he looked out of place in a heavy cloak more suited to the dead of winter. He waddled like a little duck, each step feeling unbearably heavy.
To make matters worse, Ji Hong seemed quite satisfied with his handiwork, even wishing he could stitch up the slight opening in the front of the cloak.
Carrying the things they’d bought, Yu Jinnian trudged down an alley, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, and the collar was getting damp and itchy from the fur. As he walked, he squirmed and turned his head, as if bugs were crawling on him. In the midst of his suffering, he turned for help, only to see Ji Hong, with his porcelain-like face, lips pressed into a casual smile, looking every bit the dashing gentleman.
But after half a year of serving as Ji Hong’s private physician, practically inseparable from him day and night, Yu Jinnian could boast that he had a good sense of what even Ji Hong’s eyelashes were thinking, let alone the rest of him.
Dangling a small dagger at his waist, Yu Jinnian stood at the alley’s entrance, tilting his head slightly as he urged, “Hurry up and come here.”
Ji Hong quickly caught up, but before he could steady his feet, Yu Jinnian suddenly placed the things on the ground and, stretching his hand out from under his cloak, either bumped into or embraced Ji Hong. Before Ji Hong could understand what was happening, Yu Jinnian’s hands slid down his sleeves, gently grasping his hands.
“What are you doing?” Ji Hong’s face remained impassive.
Before Ji Hong could finish his sentence, the items in his hands were taken away, and his hands were pulled into the warmth of Yu Jinnian’s cloak. They rested in a soft, warm place, and beneath the thin layers of clothing was a young, supple body, radiating tempting heat.
“Isn’t it warm? You know, my father used to always say I wasn’t dressed warmly enough, but I was never cold. Whenever I told him that, he’d get angry and not talk to me for the rest of the day.” Yu Jinnian raised his chin, suddenly sharing an unrelated story. He pouted as he spoke, but his face was smiling. “Later on, I realized, he only felt cold himself, so he thought I must be cold too.”
He then added, “So I guess you’re the same.”
It took Ji Hong a while to process this roundabout, meandering conversation, only to realize that it was a subtle gesture of concern. Ji Hong looked down, feeling the warmth seep through his veins, heating his blood until every part of him ached with the sensation.
Yu Jinnian was close to his chest, gazing up with curiosity. “Huh?”
“What is it?” Ji Hong was startled by his sudden exclamation.
Yu Jinnian seemed to be measuring something, looking left and right. “Have I grown taller?”
Upon closer inspection, it did seem like he had grown a little. Ji Hong watched as Yu Jinnian stood on his toes, trying to press his nose to his, as if that would make them the same height. Ji Hong couldn’t help but laugh as he pressed Yu Jinnian down like a mushroom, saying with a smile, “You’re still young; of course, you’re growing.”
Yu Jinnian mentally calculated his age—he wasn’t that young. In his previous life, he had shot up like a green onion at fifteen or sixteen, but he hadn’t grown any taller since he turned seventeen. In his last life, he’d developed well, but this time around, he felt like a bean sprout. He glanced at Ji Hong, then recalled the scene of Min Xuefei standing beside him that day.
A graceful jade tree and a peerless beauty—he couldn’t help but feel a bit envious, wanting to be someone like Ji Hong, standing tall by his side.
Ji Hong, noticing the look in his eyes, said reassuringly, “Even if you don’t grow anymore, it’s fine. This height is good too, comfortable either way.”
Yu Jinnian: “…”
The two lingered at the alley’s entrance for a while before running into Shi Xing and the others, who had gone to procure a carriage. Although it was the same carriage from before, it now looked quite different. Yu Jinnian climbed in for a look and saw that the original wooden seats had been removed, replaced with a few cushions against the walls and two large, round, cushion-like objects resembling giant persimmons. The “persimmon” covers were made of soft silk, and they were stuffed with plump cotton, with a recessed center for sitting.
Yu Jinnian tried sitting on one and felt as though he had sunk into a cloud. The thick carpet on the floor made it so that the ride felt almost bump-free. If he got tired of sitting, he could even lie down and sleep. What was even more intriguing were the mechanisms embedded in the walls of the carriage. Kneeling on the soft carpet, he curiously reached out to touch them.
With a clattering sound, a wooden panel folded down from the carriage wall. At the other end of the panel, a pair of small legs extended, fitting snugly into the mechanism—revealing it to be a small table. The table had seven cleverly designed grooves carved into it, which, when viewed from afar, formed a pattern resembling the Big Dipper constellation.
Shi Xing eagerly presented a wooden box, from which he took out several pieces of tea ware, introducing them as he said, “This set is called the Seven Stars Cups. The prince had a set in his room before, but it was accidentally burned. A few days ago, the prince sketched out the design, and a craftsman rushed to complete it. Drinking tea and wine on the road will certainly add some pleasure.”
There were seven cups, each uniquely shaped, corresponding to the seven stars on the table—a truly interesting design.
Shi Xing continued, “Additionally, there is a set of jade chess pieces based on the young master’s invention…” He hesitated, struggling to remember the name until Duan Ming nudged him and whispered, prompting him to suddenly recall, “Oh right, *Five-in-a-Row*!”
Ji Hong sat by the edge of the carriage, watching the boy whose eyes had already lit up with wonder. He smiled and said, “Didn’t you complain that the carriage was too bumpy and the journey too dull? How is it now? If there’s anything else you’re dissatisfied with, we can have them fetch more.”
Yu Jinnian couldn’t think of any further complaints.
Shi Xing continued, “As per your instructions, we also added a wooden box at the back of the carriage for you to store your belongings. You can access them easily whenever you need. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to craft a medicine box, so we had to buy a ready-made one.” He awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, adding, “We’re all warriors and don’t really know what should be in a medicine box…”
Ji Hong waved his hand dismissively, and Shi Xing stopped speaking and retreated.
Yu Jinnian couldn’t help but think to himself, “It’s true what they say: going from frugal to extravagant is easy, but going back is hard!” After experiencing such a carriage and such treatment, how could he settle for anything else?
Ji Hong handed off the purchased goods to the servants, about to instruct Shi Xing to take both the carriage and the people back to Zhuhua Pavilion, when he noticed that the boy had suddenly gone quiet. Lifting the curtain, he peeked inside and saw Yu Jinnian leaning against the window, staring intently through a carved gap at something outside.
Following his gaze, Ji Hong saw a familiar figure hurrying out of a pharmacy down the street, head lowered as if troubled. She stood in front of the shop, anxiously looking around for a while before walking away, visibly distressed.
It was Han Xiao.
The girl disappeared into an alley, taking what appeared to be a shortcut back to Zhuhua Pavilion. Yu Jinnian, seemingly having noticed something or thought of something, suddenly jumped out of the carriage, saying, “I’m going to buy some medicinal herbs! No need to follow me, I’ll be right back.”
“…”
A long while later, just as Ji Hong was about to lose patience and go in to fetch him, Yu Jinnian finally emerged from the pharmacy, arms full of herb packages. His brows furrowed deeply in worry, and he absentmindedly walked into the middle of the road. At that moment, a runaway donkey cart charged toward him, braying loudly. Lost in thought, he didn’t even react.
Ji Hong yanked him back just in time, but the donkey’s cart, loaded with bundles of firewood, still managed to scratch him as it passed by. One branch scraped against Yu Jinnian’s arm, tearing his sleeve. Ji Hong threw him into the carriage and, upon checking his elbow, saw a small rip in his sleeve and a scratch on his arm. Furious, Ji Hong scolded, “You should’ve been carried off by that donkey!”
“It’s nothing, just a scratch…” Yu Jinnian glanced up, then down, finally muttering sheepishly, “Sorry.”
“Was that pharmacy haunted or something? Everyone who goes in seems to lose their soul,” Ji Hong teased.
However, Yu Jinnian’s mind was elsewhere. Even though Ji Hong had made a rare joke, he had no energy to respond. After brooding in silence for a long time, Yu Jinnian stomped his foot and ordered Shi Xing to hurry and drive the carriage back to Zhu Hua Pavilion.
——
“What’s going on?”
As soon as they returned to the inn, Yu Jinnian headed straight for the backyard. As he passed through the courtyard corridor, he deliberately looked up and noticed that the rooms of Qi Wenjun and Lü Yanjia were already lit, but the windows and doors were tightly shut. Although the paper-thin windows should have allowed some shadows to show through, there were none, leaving him unsure of what was happening inside.
In the backyard, he saw a servant carrying a clay pot. Yu Jinnian sniffed the air and stopped the servant, asking, “Whose medicine is that?”
The servant, confused, replied, “It’s for Old Master Zhang up front.”
Yu Jinnian forcefully lifted the lid. Inside, the herbs had just been soaked in water and hadn’t yet been boiled. He quickly identified *Morinda*, *Cistanche*, *Deer Penis*, and *Epimedium*—clearly, a strong tonic for kidney health. His face darkened as he hurriedly covered the pot, repeatedly apologizing before asking, “Did you see a girl boiling medicine?”
“A girl?” The servant thought for a moment, then smiled. “Oh, you mean Madam Lü? I saw her carrying a package of herbs earlier. I even asked her if she needed a medicine pot, but she didn’t answer. Very strange…”
Yu Jinnian asked, “Where did she go?”
The servant replied, “Where else would she go? The back kitchen, of course!”
Yu Jinnian responded with a quick “Thanks,” and despite the servant calling after him repeatedly, he hurried off toward the kitchen. It was nearing dinner time, and the kitchen was buzzing with activity. Cooks, water carriers, vegetable handlers, and serving boys were all rushing in and out, making the small space lively and noisy.
As Yu Jinnian and Ji Hong stepped into the kitchen, it was like stepping into a henhouse, drawing a chorus of laughter. One person tried to drag him over to taste a new dish, while another wanted to show him some freshly made pastries. Yu Jinnian was pulled from left to right until Ji Hong, taking pity on him and using his height advantage, rescued him from the crowd of women. The two of them barely managed to escape the kitchen the same way they had entered.
Just as they were catching their breath in a corner, they saw the person they were looking for walk out of the kitchen, carrying a tray.
Yu Jinnian, still panting, called out, “Wait a moment!”
Han Xiao’s shoulders tensed, and she froze in place. After a moment, she shifted her gaze to the side and asked softly, “Is something the matter, sir?”
Yu Jinnian stepped in front of her, staring intently at the bowl of river-fresh tofu soup on the tray as if trying to drill a hole through the bottom. He pursed his lips tightly for a moment before relaxing, his expression softening as he said, “I thought about it last night and realized that one of the herbs in the prescription was inappropriate. Madam, you haven’t boiled the medicine yet, have you? If not, may I have another look at the prescription?”
“The… the prescription…” Han Xiao stammered, “I just got the medicine, but I accidentally lost it on the way.”
“Is that so?” Yu Jinnian lowered his voice, smiling faintly. His eyes drifted upward to her hair, and he suddenly said, “I noticed that the silver hairpin in your hair is quite nice. Could you let me take a closer look? I’d like to buy one for someone I care about.”
Han Xiao took a step back, growing more anxious. “This hairpin is just a cheap piece from a silver shop. It’s not worth much.”
Yu Jinnian’s sharp eye caught a flicker of movement, and Han Xiao suddenly felt her head lighten. The hairpin had somehow ended up in Ji Hong’s hand, and before she could react, Yu Jinnian bumped into her. The silver hairpin slipped from his hand, landing with a soft clink directly into the bowl of soup.
Han Xiao gasped in shock, nearly spilling the bowl as her hands trembled.
The hairpin slowly began to develop a layer of black fuzz as it sat in the soup.
Yu Jinnian’s gaze darkened. He pulled a handkerchief from his sleeve, covering the bowl with it as he said in a low voice, “This soup has been contaminated and is no longer clean. It’s not fit for consumption. Madam, you should prepare another bowl.”
At this point, there was no need to spell everything out. Yu Jinnian turned to leave.
“Why?” Han Xiao suddenly spoke, her voice filled not with fear of being exposed but with anger, as if the white cloth over the bowl was an insult to her. “You knew, so why did you deliberately expose me?”
Yu Jinnian turned back to look at her, but he didn’t see the expected shame or rage on her face.
With her head half-lowered, Han Xiao bit her lip and, staring at the white cloth, accused, “You knew how he treated us. Only I know how much Sister Wenjun wants a child! That beast, that monster, he’s not even human! He’s only being kind to her now because of a fleeting interest. Once a few months pass and her belly grows large and she’s unable to move easily, she’ll become a nuisance to him, something he despises. When he wants to beat her, who can stop him?”
Yu Jinnian interjected, “But you can’t—”
“Why can’t I?” Han Xiao’s eyes blazed with indignation. “This is his retribution! We’re leaving tomorrow. If I don’t do it now, when will I?”
“Alright, then let me ask you this.” Yu Jinnian responded, “What happens after? Yes, he’ll get what he deserves, but you’ll lose your life for it. And what about Madam Lü, who’s just become pregnant and whose baby may not even survive? What will happen to her?”
Han Xiao swallowed hard, lowering her voice. “We’re like sisters. She’ll understand that I did this for her.”
Yu Jinnian chuckled softly. “You say you’re like sisters. Do you think she’ll sit quietly and watch you be executed, or will she take the blame for you in court? Or maybe, if you harden your heart and go to your death alongside that beast, what do you think she’ll do?”
“If none of that matters to you, and you’re willing to face life and death together, then consider me out of line. When the time comes, I’ll be on the chopping block with you, and at least I won’t regret supporting the bond between the two of you.”
Ji Hong’s pupils contracted as he fixed his gaze on Yu Jinnian.
Han Xiao’s eyes widened. She clearly hadn’t considered this possibility. She thought about it for a moment, still struggling to defend herself, wanting to say, “She wouldn’t…” But the words stuck in her throat.
—Qi Wenjun would. She would take the blame, saying it was all her doing. She would go down with her unborn child to join Han Xiao.
Qi Wenjun was gentle by nature, but whenever Lü Yanjia tried to hit Han Xiao, she would step in and take the blows herself. To the frightened Han Xiao, who had just entered the household, Qi Wenjun was far more reliable than the so-called “husband.” Back then, it was as if Qi Wenjun didn’t fear pain. Afterward, she would even comfort the sobbing Han Xiao, saying, “You came to our house to enjoy life, not to cry all the time.”
Qi Wenjun had always said, “This punishment was mine alone to bear. I shouldn’t have dragged you into it. That was my fault.”
Han Xiao crouched on the ground, the prescription slipping from her sleeve, but she paid it no mind, covering her face as silent tears fell.
Yu Jinnian bent down to pick up the prescription, but Ji Hong stepped forward quickly, grabbing it first and immediately opening it to read. Yu Jinnian felt a sharp headache coming on. He hadn’t even resolved the current emotional mess in front of him, and now he had an angry Ji Hong to deal with as well.
Under the weight of the pressure from behind him, Yu Jinnian turned to Han Xiao and said, “I’m not telling you to endure this miserable life forever. Some matters just need to be handled with careful planning. A beast is always a beast, but it’s foolish to throw your life away for one. Madam, that’s all I’ll say. Tomorrow, you’ll travel with us, and I doubt he’ll dare to mistreat you in front of everyone… We’ll figure the rest out on the road.”
Before leaving, Yu Jinnian glanced at the bowl of soup on the ground and added, “As for the soup, do as you see fit. As for the poison in the prescription, if anyone asks, just say it was meant for poisoning rats.”
“Sorry…” Han Xiao’s apology was meant for Yu Jinnian.
——
Back in the room, Ji Hong slammed the door shut with a dark expression. Yu Jinnian had just sat down on the bed when, as expected, Ji Hong pinned him between his chest and the bedpost. Ji Hong’s low voice demanded, “Poisoning rats?”
“Sigh…” Yu Jinnian sighed, taking the prescription from Ji Hong’s hand and looking at it. The extra ingredient, arsenic, was clearly visible. With a sheepish smile, Yu Jinnian said, “Of course, poisoning rats. Who in this day and age still uses such a silly thing for rats?”
Suppressing his frustration, Ji Hong turned him around to face him and spoke in a serious tone, “I ought to use it on you, you rat.”
Yu Jinnian leaned back against the bedpost, feeling the intense stare from Ji Hong. He loosened his shoulders in resignation and said, “You’ve been especially irritable today. First, you told me I should be dragged off by a donkey, and now you’re saying I should be poisoned.”
Ji Hong ignored Yu Jinnian’s attempt to joke and sternly lectured him, “Do you even understand the laws of the court? There’s arsenic in that prescription. The buyer, the doctor, and the pharmacy that sold it—all are recorded. If someone dies, you won’t be able to escape responsibility! No matter how much you try to explain, even if I protect you, how will you continue practicing medicine with such a reputation?”
Yu Jinnian sheepishly rubbed his nose and muttered, “But nothing happened…”
“Don’t joke with me,” Ji Hong said sharply, his voice cold as he gripped Yu Jinnian’s collar. “Let me make this clear: if anything like this happens again, no one will come to your aid. I’ll lock you up in the manor, seal you in Jin You Pavilion, and let you spend your days staring at a pond of lotus flowers. That way, no one can scheme against you!”
Though Ji Hong sounded domineering, there was a hint of worry beneath his anger.
Yu Jinnian, with no room to escape, boldly stared back at Ji Hong, tracing the outline of his lips, red from anger. Before Ji Hong could fully unleash his fury, Yu Jinnian softened his tone, adopting a submissive posture as he said, “Alright, I get it. I promise!”
Ji Hong narrowed his eyes. “Promise what?”
Yu Jinnian looked into his eyes and mimicked his words, “I promise to stay in the manor, locked in Jin You Pavilion, surrounded by lotus flowers… Is that acceptable, Ah Hong?”
Ji Hong, who had been full of righteous anger and intending to teach him a lesson, was utterly disarmed by the soft, pleading tone. His anger melted away before he could even express it.
He was so frustrated he almost laughed, throwing Yu Jinnian onto the bed in exasperation. As he turned to leave, Yu Jinnian’s quiet voice called out in pain. Ji Hong hesitated for a moment, then sighed and sat back down on the bed, pulling Yu Jinnian’s arm to examine the scratch. “Will you behave from now on?”
The small wound was barely worth treating, already on the verge of healing. But Yu Jinnian watched intently as Ji Hong cleaned it, nodding obediently. “I’ll behave.”
Ji Hong asked again, “No more causing trouble?”
Yu Jinnian smiled, his eyes curving mischievously. “No more trouble.”
Once the wound was treated, Ji Hong looked up and saw that the “innocent” boy still wore a sweet expression, clearly not looking the part of someone who had learned his lesson. But what could Ji Hong do? He couldn’t bring himself to be truly harsh with him. All he could do was keep a closer watch on him, perhaps even spoil him more—immerse him in happiness so deep that he’d never want to cause trouble again.
——
The next day, they set off. Thanks to Yu Jinnian’s convincing argument about the importance of safeguarding the pregnancy, Lü Yanjia, now overjoyed at becoming a father, agreed to travel with them with barely a word of persuasion.
The two groups merged into one, with Ji Hong’s men leading the way and Lü Yanjia’s men guarding the rear. As they wound through the mountain roads, their procession resembled that of an important official’s entourage.
Meanwhile, the one enjoying himself the most was lounging in the carriage, resting his head on the lap of the Duke of Li’s son, sipping tea served by Master Qingluan, feeling as if he had reached heaven.
Feeling a bit guilty about enjoying himself too much, Yu Jinnian sat up and peeked out the window. He saw the occasional villager selling wild goods—some offering wild vegetables, others selling rabbits. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting, but one vendor had something plump and white in their basket.
Curious, Yu Jinnian asked aloud, “Huh, what’s that?”