Chapter 148 Something Wrong with the Brain

Outside the Empress's Zhonggong Hall, under the red-lacquered door, two maids kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, bowing respectfully to Consort Shu's ceremonial carriage. Aunt Shen came from the middle of the courtyard. She glanced at Pan Yueqing, who had changed into a plain dress and was following behind Consort Shu. She said in a sarcastic tone: "I wondered who it was. It's Miss Yue. I invited you several times before, but you didn't come. Why are you here now?"

Pan Yueqing didn't say anything. She just followed behind Consort Shu, keeping her head down and smiling faintly. Consort Shu didn't care about Aunt Shen's disrespect. She just smiled indifferently and said: "This concubine congratulates the Empress."

A soft voice came from inside the door. Seeing a palace maid stooping out from behind the gauze curtain, she was very respectful in her attitude: "Consort Shu has come at the right time. Concubine Hui is inside now. Please follow this servant, Consort Shu."

Consort Shu raised her foot and waved at Pan Yueqing, indicating that she should stay where she was.

With nothing else to do, Pan Yueqing turned around and wandered in the middle of the courtyard. It was really strange that the Empress's residence didn't plant flowers and plants but was filled with a courtyard full of herbal medicines. Aunt Shen felt a bit embarrassed when she saw that Pan Yueqing wasn't annoyed. Just as she was about to step forward, she was called into the main hall by the palace maid who had just lifted the curtain. Pan Yueqing took a deep look at Aunt Shen's back and knew that the feud she had with this mean person was probably quite big.

It was just out of respect for the fact that she was someone close to the Empress that she didn't act otherwise.

"Miss, my master wants you to go over."

While she was in a daze, a familiar voice of Shiguang suddenly came from behind. Pan Yueqing turned around and saw that Shiguang was dressed in black, with his whole body hidden under a huge hood, looking like a Asura in the middle of the night. Pan Yueqing's dark eyes fell on Shiguang indifferently. Without much hesitation, she replied: "Okay."

Following Shiguang, they walked along the path beside the main hall. Just then, a sudden sound of broken porcelain hitting the ground came from the side hall beside the main hall. Pan Yueqing stood outside the door. Sure enough, she heard Qi Sian's deep coughing sound and the angry voice telling people to leave. Pan Yueqing raised her hand to knock on the door, but the closed wooden door was suddenly opened. The palace maid, with tears in her eyes, looked at the beautiful and noble woman standing in front of her. She was stunned for a moment and stared directly at Pan Yueqing for three breaths before she reacted and quickly knelt down.

Before she could apologize, Pan Yueqing let out a sigh: "Go and decoct another bowl of medicine."

After saying that, she stepped over the threshold. Her eyes were fixed on the robe that was quickly tucked away behind the screen. Standing in front of the screen, perhaps thinking that Qi Sian had just been beaten with the court杖 (a form of corporal punishment), and the court杖 was applied to that area, she assumed that he didn't want her to see him. So she didn't overstep: "How are you now?"

Qi Sian covered his mouth: "Cough... Why are you standing so far away?"

"..." Pan Yueqing slowly came out from behind the screen. She saw Qi Sian lying on the bed, covered with a thin quilt. He propped his half arm on his chin, and his face was still an unhealthy white. When he looked at Pan Yueqing, the gloom in his eyes didn't decrease but increased a lot. When Pan Yueqing felt a bit scared, he suddenly let out a soft laugh: "What should I call you now, I wonder?"

"?" Pan Yueqing looked at him in surprise.

When she realized what Qi Sian was saying, Pan Yueqing wasn't angry but just smiled: "You can call me mother if you want." Seeing that the smile in Qi Sian's eyes had frozen, she laughed even more happily: "Son? Call me mother and let me hear it?"

Qi Sian stared at her fiercely for a while but couldn't help but smile: "Shameless!"

"Come on, what's the big deal? In ancient times, An Lushan even took Imperial Concubine Yang as his adoptive mother!" Pan Yueqing laughed: "If you dare to call me, I'll dare to answer you."

Qi Sian scolded softly: "Shut up."

When he saw that Pan Yueqing really stopped talking, he grimaced and said: "This isn't a place to joke around."

Pan Yueqing knew he was cautious, so she just nodded. She moved an embroidered stool and was about to sit down when a soft voice came from the door: "Your Highness, this servant has decocted the medicine again." After saying that, she was about to push the door open and enter. Qi Sian didn't say anything but signaled Shiguang, who was standing in the dark, to go and take the medicine. Shiguang's appearance, which seemed to say "stay away", was enough to make the palace maid outside back off.

Qi Sian looked at Shiguang, who was holding a steaming bowl of bitter medicine. His pale face showed even more impatience. He waved his hand: "Pour it out. I won't drink it."

"It's said to prevent inflammation. Every time it's such a hassle. If His Majesty comes to visit in the evening and doesn't see any improvement, won't you suffer the consequences, Master?" Shiguang mumbled. He didn't pour it out as told but brought it closer and didn't stop talking: "Last time you didn't drink the medicine, and His Majesty was so angry that he forced you to drink it with a ruler. Do you want to experience that again?"

Qi Sian looked up speechlessly but didn't back down: "I said I won't drink it. When His Majesty comes in the evening, I'll drink it in front of him, okay?"

Pan Yueqing let out a sigh. She took the bowl of medicine from Shiguang's hand, scooped up a spoonful, and blew on it. This time, Qi Sian quickly closed his mouth, afraid that Pan Yueqing would stuff the spoon into his mouth like last time, which would make him suffer from the bitterness. He looked at Pan Yueqing with a smile on her face, feeling a bit scared: "Forget it. Just leave it there, and I'll drink it later."

Pan Yueqing naturally chided him: "How old are you? You still don't know that taking medicine has its rules. If it gets cold, the effectiveness of the medicine will be reduced by half."

Qi Sian shakily stretched out his hand. He really didn't want to have such a bitter thing fed into his stomach spoon by spoon. With the thought that whether he shrank back or stretched out, it was all the same, and he might as well get it over with quickly, he drank it all in one go. Then he covered his mouth and shivered several times because of the bitterness. Seeing Pan Yueqing shaking her head, he looked at Shiguang with a helpless expression: "Go and find some candied fruits."

"No... no need!" Qi Sian opened his mouth, frowned, and caught his breath: "I'm not a child anymore. It's embarrassing to eat candied fruits after taking medicine."

It was as if he wasn't acting like a child when he was throwing a tantrum and avoiding taking the medicine.

Pan Yueqing rolled her eyes silently and followed his wish. She slowly sat back on the embroidered stool and looked at Qi Sian: "I heard that Concubine Li Liangdi beside Your Highness had a miscarriage?"

She took the tea cup handed to her by Shiguang, looked at Qi Sian indifferently, and gently lifted the lid, as if bringing up an uncomfortable topic on purpose: "You rushed back all the way from a long distance because of this, right?"

Qi Sian coughed heavily twice, supported his forehead, and looked like he was suffering from a serious illness: "My head hurts so much. Hurry up, Shiguang, go and invite the Imperial Physician-in-Chief. I can't take it anymore..."

"Stop pretending." Pan Yueqing said indifferently with a cold voice.

Qi Sian stopped his fake act and smiled stiffly: "Qingqing, I really have a serious illness on me..."

"I think you have a serious illness in your head too." Pan Yueqing gave Qi Sian a cold look: "Are you stupid or something?"