Chapter 4: Medicine For The Cursed Prince

Waiting for some slow-burn romance? I got you with this one! ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

It was a sunny day when Huaijin and Fangxu were out and about once again. As expected of the summer months, the weather was warm and humid—birds chirping along their way to the Yanhua Market.

"Now, my lord… why again did you want to leave the palace on such a hot day?" the older man asked, looking slightly worn out from the heat. "I'm afraid the sun might burn your skin. You could have at least brought your parasol with you."

"A parasol? This is an undercover outing. You might as well carry a banner with our names on it," Huaijin replied sarcastically.

"I don't believe a parasol or a banner would make much difference," the old man muttered with a sigh. "Your face is enough to turn heads anyway. This is the town of Yanhua, after all."

Fangxu wasn't entirely mistaken. The young man was quite attractive, and since Yanhua was known for its red-light district, it was inevitable that some people might be interested in turning him into a paying customer.

"Let's hope not… we just need to find the ingredients quickly before we return."

"Right, my lord, what exactly were you looking for again?" Fangxu asked, glancing back at him.

"The merchant I met mentioned that codonopsis and astragalus roots are key ingredients in a medicine designed to strengthen muscles and bones. These roots are known for their ability to boost immunity and help the body resist illness. But he also mentioned a special ingredient from the far west—its name slipped my mind," Huaijin explained as they rode further down the road on horseback. "A dried resin harvested from sacred trees of a distant land. He said it has an earthy smell and a bitter taste."

"I see… and you want to make it for 'the crown prince', I take it?"

"Exactly." Huaijin smirked proudly, earning yet another sigh from Fangxu.

When will all this pretending finally come to an end?

After a few more minutes, they dismounted their horses as the town finally came into view. As always, the Yanhua Market was bustling with activity. The wooden vendor stalls displayed a wide array of items, from fresh fish and meat to vibrant fruits and vegetables that filled the market. The aroma of ground spices wafted through the rows, mingling with the sounds of bargaining and the clattering of carts. Huaijin paused at the entrance; he had never been to the market before, and the chaos of it all clashed with his calm nature. He decided to stay close to his trusted aide, Fangxu, as they navigated through the crowd.

As expected, Huaijin attracted the attention of both men and women. Some admired his good looks, tall and broad stature, and poised stance, viewing him as the perfect customer. As they continued to walk, several vendors offered him free samples, including one of the newest local treats: a sugary candy that had become popular in the red-light district.

Its main ingredient? An aphrodisiac, meant for particular reasons.

"It's candy?" Huaijin asked innocently as the vendor offered him a piece.

"Oh, yes, my lord. A very special candy any man should keep in his pocket for emergencies," the vendor said, giving him a little wink. "Especially a young man like you—so handsome, you must get plenty of attention. Might as well boost your stamina now rather than when it's too late."

Huaijin didn't understand half of what the man meant. He only caught on to the fact that the candy would boost his stamina.

It might come in handy for sword-fighting. Besides, I do enjoy sweet treats from time to time.

"No, thank you," Fangxu said sternly, smacking the candy right out of Huaijin's hand before he could take a bite, leaving him puzzled and a little upset.

His trusted aide knew exactly what the candy's effect was. Truly, if Fangxu hadn't dragged him away from the crowd, the oh-so-radiant Huaijin might have never made it out in one piece…

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After refocusing on the main reason they came to the market, they quickly found the two main ingredients Huaijin needed for the medicine. Codonopsis and astragalus roots weren't hard to find around here, as they were quite popular for various reasons. However, Huaijin now faced the biggest problem:

"How could I have possibly forgotten the name of the special ingredient?" He sulked as they continued walking past the many stalls. "I don't even know what this western resin looks like…"

Fangxu stopped in his tracks before turning around to look at him. That was news to him. Huaijin didn't know what this resin looked like?

"Then how did you expect to find it?"

"I thought I'd recognize it if I saw it…"

"You thought you'd magically recognize a resin from the far west that you have never laid eyes upon?"

"Kind of…"

"That makes absolutely no sense, my lord."

Huaijin pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly annoyed at his predicament. He needed this medicine. The merchant spoke of it like some sort of magical elixir, certain it could help the crown prince heal. He just had to try such a wondrous thing, no matter what!

"Ah—?" Huaijin's body tensed when he felt something bump into his back. Surprised, he turned to look—only to find no one there. He glanced around, confused.

"Look down."

A familiar voice. Huaijin quickly lowered his head—and there he was: the sharp-witted young man he had met a few nights ago.

"Xiao?"

She looked up at him with a frown, the familiar, annoyed glint in her eyes. And Huaijin couldn't help but light up at the coincidental reunion.

"How delightful. I didn't think I'd see you again," he said with a genuine smile.

Meanwhile, she was not as delighted. How great. Just when I tried to get some alone time on my day off, I ended up meeting people I would rather never see again.

She looked up at him and sighed, putting her hands on her hips.

"You do know that randomly stopping in the middle of the road in a market isn't so smart, right? You caused me to bump into you."

"Oh." Huaijin blinked down at her. "You're right. That was a bit clumsy of me."

Xiao glanced toward Fangxu, who stood beside him. That's his partner or something? I could tell he was an older man—I'm good at guessing people's ages, though… he still looks quite young and handsome. Madame Ping would surely go crazy if she saw him. Single old lady…

"Well then, if you would excuse me—"

"Wait." Huaijin quickly stopped her, causing her to trip as she tried to flee discreetly.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Are you familiar with this place?"

"I mean," she hesitated, unsure if she should tell him, but eventually gave in. "I do live around these parts of town. Are you looking for something?"

Please say no, please say no—

"I am," Huaijin replied with a smile.

Great.

"By any chance, is there someone nearby who sells Western healing goods?"

"Western?" Xiao's ears perked up, curiosity piqued. "What are you specifically looking for?"

"Well." Huaijin looked at Fangxu, then back at her. "I'm not sure. All I know is that it's a resin with an earthy smell and a bitter taste. It's said to be used in medicine to heal the body from within, strengthening weak limbs."

Xiao listened carefully, her brain almost working overtime. Earthy smell, bitter taste… from the west. Of course.

"I do know a vendor who sells that kind of stuff. He's known for having foreign herbs," she answered truthfully. She couldn't help her curiosity. What kind of concoction is this scholar up to?

"Fantastic. Could you lead us to the shop, please?" Huaijin asked, grateful to have run into Xiao.

She looked at the two men, cursing herself for being nosy again. She adjusted the strap of her bag.

"Follow me. It's not far from here."

Huaijin followed right behind her, a happy smile on his face, while Fangxu turned to him.

"My lord," he whispered so only Huaijin could hear, "who is this young boy?"

"Oh, have I not told you? I met Xiao the night I strolled around the outskirts of Yanhua."

"No, not in much detail," Fangxu sighed. He was aging more rapidly because of his young lord's misbehavior. "Shouldn't you be more careful with whom to trust? Your father would sever my head without trial if he found out—"

"Don't worry, old man," Xiao said casually, surprising Fangxu.

How could this kid possibly hear my whispering from a few meters away in a noisy market?

"I have good ears, you know. Talking about me behind my back is useless… quite literally," she added, turning her head to look at him. Her cat-like eyes glinted in the sun, which turned the amber color of her irises green. "I'm not someone you should fear. Just a simple man with a curious mind."

"A man?" Fangxu looked her up and down. She was tiny. Her name suited her perfectly. "By all means, you look like a child."

It felt like I was hit by a rock when he said that.

"I said the same thing when I met him," Huaijin chimed in with a soft chuckle, only making matters worse for her.

"I'm not a child—looking young runs in the family!" She tried to justify, only to be completely ignored as the two continued studying her like she was a rare specimen.

"Oh, yeah, he indeed has stubby legs."

"But that's because he's short overall, you see. I'd say his legs are average-sized considering the height." Huaijin pointed with his finger.

"Excuse me? I'm twenty years old!" Xiao tried to get both of their attention again.

How dare these noblemen talk about me this way when I'm the one helping them out!

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The three finally arrived at the vendor who specialized in selling foreign goods, a quaint little shop in a hidden corner of the bustling Yanhua Market. The wooden floor creaked slightly as they entered the room, which was decorated with vibrant fabrics and trinkets that seemed unfamiliar to Huaijin's eyes. It was a vast display of herbs, all in different colors. The smell of incense was strong, mingling with the earthy aroma of dried flowers and spices.

"Good afternoon, Shifu," Xiao called out to the shopkeeper, who was currently organizing boxes in the back. She was quite familiar with the elderly man and had a close relationship with him, as she was a regular customer here, buying things for the Whispering Fan House and herself. The older man quickly turned to greet his customers.

"Ah, you're back. And I see you've brought some friends with you," he replied with a soft smile.

Friends—?

Xiao frowned, almost looking disgusted when the elderly man assumed these two men who just insulted her looks were her friends. Yes, she was still holding a grudge.

Fangxu and Huaijin both gave the man a slight bow in respect.

"Good afternoon, sir. It's fascinating to see such a varied display of goods in a hidden place like this. Are all of these imported from foreign lands?" Huaijin couldn't help but be curious about this place, making the older man chuckle.

"Oh, yes, young lord. Most of these are. I have quite a collection. But do tell, how can I be of help?"

"He needs myrrh resin," Xiao answered for Huaijin.

"Myrrh resin?" The old man scratched his beard, thinking. "I guess it's for medicine, yeah?"

Huaijin quickly nodded.

"Mh… let me see if I have some in the back. I'll make it quick."

Huaijin turned to face Xiao.

"You know the name of it?" he asked, surprised at the revelation as the old man searched in the storage room of his little shop.

"Of course I do. Western, earthy smell, bitter taste, said to strengthen the body." Xiao looked up at him. "It wasn't hard to figure out what you were looking for."

Huaijin was amazed. Xiao looked like a simple village boy, yet she knew of an ingredient many had never even heard about. Including himself, of all people. Maybe this young man was smarter than he thought. Their first meeting already proved that Xiao wasn't just ordinary.

"I'm honestly surprised. How do you know about this resin?"

"The courtesans at the Whispering Fan House use myrrh as a hair oil. It's usually diluted with camellia seed oil, and is often gifted by the many noblemen who visit the yiji house in the evenings, some of whom come from distant lands. Both ingredients are pricey," Xiao explained.

"I see…" Huaijin thought for a moment.

How odd. Why would a young man like Xiao know so much about the courtesans' grooming habits?

"Ah, there we go." The old man found the resin before stepping out of the storage room, interrupting Huaijin's thoughts. "I knew I had some left. Would this much be enough for the medicine, young lord?"

"Oh, yes. That would be perfect," Huaijin replied as Fangxu was already counting the bronze coins to pay. His eyes quickly caught onto the little display of hair combs on the front desk—a beautiful jade color.

"Could you also add one of these separately, please?" Huaijin pointed at the combs.

"Of course," the old man replied before packing the purchased items.

It was just a matter of time before they finished, stepping out of the little shop while Fangxu carried the goods.

"Here." Huaijin turned to Xiao, holding up the little drawstring pouch with a small smile.

"Hm?" she looked up at him with her usual big eyes, a bit confused.

"The jade comb. A gift for you."

Xiao's jaw threatened to drop.

"A gift—?"

"Yes. You helped me find the special ingredient for the medicine, and you even brought us all the way here. So I thought a little thank you would only be appropriate," he said as he gently reached for her smaller hand, placing the little pouch into her palm.

"Thank you… that wasn't necessary."

"It's nothing." He smiled. "Besides, your hair is so unruly, it needs a little taming."

"Huh—" Xiao was left so dumbfounded by his sudden witty jab that even Fangxu had to hold back a chuckle.

"We'll meet again," he promised.

Huaijin waved at her before leaving with his trusted aide, softly chuckling to himself. Meanwhile, Xiao watched them leave, unsure whether to be offended and throw the comb in the trash or to feel flattered by receiving a gift from the nobleman. Either way, she found it annoying. And yet, she would later find herself replacing her old hairbrush with the comb.

It just glided through her hair better than any other brush...