Chapter 10

Chapter 10: The Prime Minister Comes Calling Mu Yuheng’s expression did not change as he raised a brow and looked at Ling Jiayue. He admitted that he had just been moved by her. That was why he had said those words to her. Even now, he could seemingly still smell the fragrance of the young girl’s hair as she breathed. Yet the girl before him was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. Although she had smilingly refused him, there was an indescribable determination in her eyes. “Ling Jiayue, do you know what you’ve refused?” Ling Jiayue smiled politely. “Thank you for the Seventh Prince’s favor, but I consider myself a crude and unrefined person. I’m afraid I’m not blessed enough to accept such kindness from the Seventh Prince.” After a long while, Mu Yuheng chuckled to himself. “Forget it. Miss Ling, just take what I said earlier as a joke. I was too abrupt. Please forgive me.” “If that is the case, Seventh Prince, then I shall take my leave. I have already prepared the prescription for the poison’s antidote. It is on the table.” With that, Ling Jiayue was about to rise and leave. “Miss Ling has gone to such trouble. Naturally, I should send someone to escort you safely home. Feng Yan!” Mu Yuheng called out in a clear voice. Just as Ling Jiayue was about to refuse, Feng Yan entered and reported, “Master, the Prime Minister has arrived.” Hearing that her father had come, Ling Jiayue immediately said, “Since Father is here, I’ll return home with him. There’s no need to trouble the Seventh Prince.” Mu Yuheng smiled and merely said, “Very well.” At once, he and Ling Jiayue set off together for the main hall. Seeing Ling Jiayue and Mu Yuheng walking side by side behind them, Feng Yan muttered to himself, “Goodness, the backs of these two really do look well matched. I have to say, my master certainly has excellent taste.” When they arrived at the main hall, Ling Jiayue saw her father, the Prime Minister, accompanied by her older brother, Ling Jiaxuan. Prime Minister Ling first paid his respects to the Seventh Prince together with Ling Jiaxuan, then said, “My daughter’s medical arts are inadequate, yet she has disturbed the Seventh Prince. This old subject will take her home now.” Mu Yuheng raised a hand. “Prime Minister, you’re too modest. Miss Ling was willing to diagnose my pulse, for which I am already immensely grateful. How could that be considered a disturbance?” “In that case, this old subject will take his daughter and leave first.” With that, Prime Minister Ling took Ling Jiayue and Ling Jiaxuan’s leave. “Feng Yan, see Prime Minister Ling out,” the Seventh Prince ordered. “Prime Minister Ling, this way.” Feng Yan escorted Ling Jiayue’s group out the door. Lingxue suddenly bounced out from somewhere and followed behind Ling Jiayue with a beaming smile. Prime Minister Ling took Ling Jiayue and Ling Jiaxuan onto the carriage home. As it swayed along the road, Ling Jiayue felt that her Prime Minister Father’s gaze was far too sharp, as though he would not be satisfied until he had bored a hole through her. Without realizing it, she edged behind her older brother, Ling Jiaxuan. Prime Minister Ling sighed and said, “Yue’er, do you know that you just broke off your engagement with the Third Prince?” Ling Jiayue thought to herself: That’s right. Not only did I just break off the engagement, I was the one who took the initiative to do it. My great revenge has yet to be accomplished, so how could I possibly waste time and energy on such matters? Besides, that Third Prince is truly impossible to describe. Seeing Ling Jiayue sink into her own world, Prime Minister Ling grew even more annoyed. “Yue’er!” That cry of “Yue’er” finally pulled Ling Jiayue back from her thoughts. She stared blankly at her Prime Minister Father before Prime Minister Ling said in exasperation, “You’re a young lady! You just broke off your engagement with the Third Prince, then went to the Seventh Prince’s Residence to diagnose his pulse, and even stayed there overnight. Do you still care about your reputation? If I hadn’t come personally to bring you home today, who knows what sort of rumors would be spreading outside by now?” Ling Jiayue merely lowered her head and listened to her Prime Minister Father’s reprimand. In her heart, however, she was thinking about how successful the pulse diagnoses had been yesterday. Those wealthy merchants seemed to have been thoroughly impressed by her medical arts. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ling grew angrier the more he spoke. He simply declared, “From the moment you return home today, you are confined to the residence for one month. You are not allowed to go out and see patients again.” “No!” Ling Jiayue protested. “I haven’t done anything wrong, so why should I be confined?” Prime Minister Ling’s anger visibly intensified. Ling Jiaxuan, who had remained silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up. “Father, forget it. Yue’er has been used to her freedom since she was little. Let her be. At worst, I’ll accompany her whenever she goes out in the future.” Hearing her older brother speak up for her, Ling Jiayue’s thoughts shifted. She knew that opposing him head-on would never work, so she turned to Prime Minister Ling and said, “Father, you sent me away to recover from my illness when I was little. I was all alone. Even with the Abbot and the others keeping me company, I was still a lonely girl. I’ve been accustomed to freedom since childhood. Now that I’ve finally returned, please indulge me and don’t confine me.” Prime Minister Ling remained silent for a long while. After some time, he said, “Forget it, Yue’er. If you want to go out in the future, have your older brother accompany you. But there is one condition: you are not to go to the Seventh Prince’s Residence again. Otherwise, the Third Prince may grow resentful toward you and try to harm you. Besides, you were injured last time. Wait a few days before going out again.” Ling Jiayue still wanted to say something, but Ling Jiaxuan tugged at her sleeve, signaling her to stop. Only then did she let the matter drop. After speaking, Prime Minister Ling closed his eyes and rested. Clearly, he had hurried over to fetch Ling Jiayue right after leaving court and was exhausted. Ling Jiayue quietly asked Ling Jiaxuan, “Older Brother, how did you have time to accompany Father to fetch me today?” “You little troublemaker, you still have the nerve to ask? You didn’t come home last night, and Mother was worried sick. Early this morning, she had me wait for Father at the place where court ended so that we could come and bring you home together.” Ling Jiaxuan pinched Ling Jiayue’s little nose and spoke affectionately. Ling Jiayue’s heart warmed. “But shouldn’t the Seventh Prince’s people have come to inform us last night?” “You silly girl, you just broke off your engagement with the Third Prince, and now you’ve gone to the Seventh Prince’s Residence. How could that let Mother sleep peacefully? I stayed up with her all night. Look at the dark circles under my eyes. Take a good look.” Ling Jiayue burst into laughter. “Older Brother is handsome and spirited. How could you possibly have dark circles? You must have seen wrong. You definitely saw wrong.” “Hmph. At least you know how to flatter me,” Ling Jiaxuan said arrogantly. Throughout the journey, Prime Minister Ling kept his eyes closed and rested while Ling Jiaxuan and Ling Jiayue chatted and laughed. Before long, they arrived at the gates of the Ling Residence. Madam Liu was waiting there with several of the madams. As soon as the three of them stepped down from the carriage, Madam Liu hurried forward and pulled Ling Jiayue into her arms, looking her over from side to side as though Ling Jiayue might have lost an arm or a leg. Held in Madam Liu’s embrace, Ling Jiayue felt a long-lost warmth in her heart. “Mother, I’ve returned safely, haven’t I?” Ling Jiayue said gently. “You silly girl, of course I was worried about you. Just look at you—you haven’t even recovered from your injuries, yet you rushed out in such a hurry. How could that not make me worry?” Madam Liu said. Ling Jiayue was just about to comfort Madam Liu when Madam Third Wife, Madam Zhang, spoke from the side. “Oh, Miss Ling. If Master hadn’t gone to fetch you, would you even still remember which way the gates of the Ling Residence opened? You just broke off your engagement with the Third Prince, and now you’re entangled with the Seventh Prince. You’re going to bring shame upon the entire Ling Residence!” “Shut up!” Prime Minister Ling barked. Madam Zhang still wanted to say something, but intimidated by Prime Minister Ling’s authority, she ultimately did not dare speak.