Chapter 26: What a Coincidence!

After a long stretch of chaos, peace finally returned to the surroundings. Xue Fanzhi remembered something—she wasn’t sure whether Xiao Yi and Minglan had left yet. Xiao Yi’s departure had nothing to do with her, but Minglan was both her benefactor and her guest. If she simply stayed in her courtyard and failed to show her face, wouldn’t that be a slight to her guest?

Xue Fanzhi instructed Honglian to go once more: “Go and see where Princess Minglan is. If you find her, please tell her I’ll only be able to visit tomorrow.”

She was supposed to be recuperating. If she could go see Minglan now, she ought to visit Xue Yang as well, but she had no desire to feign concern for him.

Honglian said, “You should ask Hongxiao. The princess seems to have sent a message.”

Hongxiao had just returned from taking out the trash and hurried in at that moment. “Are you speaking of the princess? Princess Zhaoyang sent someone to say that you need not seek her out today. She’s also exhausted and wants to rest for a while. Whenever you are free, you can visit her, or she’ll come to you. She’s not leaving just yet.”

Knowing Minglan wasn’t leaving put Xue Fanzhi at ease; she had been worried about neglecting her guest.

Once everything had quieted down, Xue Fanzhi’s arm still ached despite the medicated plaster. With nothing to do, as she tidied her room, she discovered a cabinet full of scrolls—chess manuals—so she lay down and immersed herself in their study.

These days, playing Go, also called “hand talk,” was extremely popular among scholars. The term itself came from the Daoist philosophy of governing by non-interference.

Let the hands determine victory and defeat!

After being driven south by the Hu, the southerners—once masters of the realm—were now confined to a corner, with no hope of reclaiming lost lands. Talented people found no outlet for their abilities, and the stifling air of unfulfilled ambition led many to withdraw from the world. Such was the popularity of Daoist thought in these times.

From a young age, Xue Fanzhi had been fascinated by the teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi. Her parents, Xue Yang and Lady Jin, paid little mind to her interests, but she had an uncle devoted to the carefree spirit of the Dao.

Her uncle Jin Zhan possessed annotated editions of “Carefree Wandering” and even rarer ones, such as the complete works of Zhuangzi, including an early manuscript commentary from Xiang Xiu, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.

When she was a child, the rift between her maternal and paternal families had not yet deepened. Whenever her uncle traveled north on business and passed by the Xue family, he would always stop to explain or gift her books on Daoist philosophy. Thus, Xue Fanzhi found her path.

Because of this, she had a taste for painting, hand talk, and needlework—quiet pursuits all. She could even play Go against herself for three days and nights without speaking to another soul. In fact, as long as there was food and drink, she could amuse herself for a month without leaving her room.

Perhaps this was why both Xue Yang and Lady Jin considered her a little foolish and unfit for great things, favoring her cousin Xue Jiaoyue instead.

It was only in her previous life that she belatedly realized her father’s dislike, but by then her temperament had been set and could not be changed.

In this life, knowing that change would be futile, she was even less inclined to try.

Yet ever since she became empress, the affairs of the inner palace had left her no time to pursue these interests.

Now that she would not be entering the palace again, time stretched before her. She was determined to thoroughly study what she hadn’t understood in her youth.

After Hongxiao and Honglian had tidied the room, Honglian went to do needlework. Seeing her mistress suddenly so at ease, Hongxiao worriedly asked, “The master is still recovering. If someone comes and sees you idly reading, won’t that be to your disadvantage?”

But if nothing had happened to Xue Yang, how could she be in the mood for leisure reading?

Xue Fanzhi unrolled her scroll with a smile. “Never mind, no one will come here!”

Xue Jiaoyue was feigning illness to compete with her; Lady Jin was off to visit her beloved Xue Yang. No one would disturb her.

Unfortunately, her words had barely left her lips before she was proven wrong.

Her eldest brother, Xue Jingren, came to see her.

Upon hearing he had arrived at the gate, both Hongxiao and Honglian—now grown—stood up to withdraw.

From her past life, Xue Fanzhi knew that neither maid harbored any thoughts toward her brother, and that he had never married, so there was nothing untoward to worry about. She let the honest maids withdraw behind the screen.

Xue Fanzhi rose and went to the door to greet him.

Just as she reached the curtain, her brother entered. Seeing her greet him with a smile, the cool, distant look he wore from walking about softened, and his eyes lit up.

“Little Eight, how is your wound? I’ve brought you some medicine!”

So he was here to check on her injury. Though the old lady and their mother had both expressed concern, only her brother’s caring felt truly reassuring.

Xue Fanzhi took his sleeve and led him to the window-side couch.

She spoke eagerly and with delight. “Brother, I heard the master fell into the water. Didn’t you go to see him? Why have you come here instead?”

Xue Jingren: “…”

Why did it seem that his sister was especially excited when she mentioned the master’s mishap?

He answered, “I did see him. There were too many people there, so I left quickly to find you.”

With that, he sat down. Without waiting for Xue Fanzhi to speak, he drew a porcelain bottle from his robe. “Guess what this is?”

Xue Fanzhi noticed her brother grimace and favor his arm as he produced the bottle. She took it and placed it on the low table, then reached out to support his arm. “Brother, are you injured?”

Xue Jingren laughed heartily. “This wound was worth it!”

Xue Fanzhi looked puzzled.

He motioned for her to sit, then said, “This ointment is called the Flesh-Regenerating Balm. It can dispel decay and regrow bone—it’s not easy to come by!”

Xue Fanzhi was inwardly shocked and quickly asked, “Brother, how did you get it?”

Judging by his expression, he clearly didn’t realize how rare and precious this balm was. Did he know? Hopefully it wasn’t a fake.

Xue Jingren, clutching his arm, grinned. “That’s why I said it was worth getting hurt. After lunch, I was escorting the Ninth Prince to his guest room. The moment I entered, he tripped me and I fell on my arm.”

Xue Fanzhi: “…”

“You fell? And Xiao Yi needed you to escort him back?”

Xue Jingren was animated. “Yes, the Ninth Prince is really a good fellow!”

Xue Fanzhi raised her brows. “He tripped you, and you still call him good?”

“Oh, sister, you mustn’t think so ill of the Ninth Prince!” Xue Jingren was completely unconvinced. Then, growing excited, he continued, “Though he accidentally tripped me, he insisted on finding me some ointment. I’m a grown man—what do I care about scars? Yet the Ninth Prince was so enthusiastic, not only fetching the medicine but applying it himself, then telling me to rest and handing me the bottle.”

“My arm was all swollen and red, but when I woke up—guess what?”

Xue Fanzhi laughed. “I’ll wager the wound had healed!”

“Exactly!” Xue Jingren exclaimed, slapping the table in excitement. “You’re too clever, sister. Truly, the wound had closed and the swelling was gone. There’s only a little pain left, so it must not be just a surface wound. It should be fine in a few days—don’t you think this balm is miraculous?”

How could it not be, when palace concubines vied for it? It was the finest remedy for external injuries. Xue Fanzhi silently grumbled. Something felt odd, though.

Xue Jingren continued, “Once I saw how well it worked, I rushed to bring it to you. Your shoulder wound isn’t light, is it?”

He hesitated, then sighed. He probably wanted to say that Xue Yang had been too ruthless, but held back for fear of spoiling the mood.

Xue Fanzhi wasn’t paying attention to her brother’s expression. She picked up the porcelain bottle, uncorked it, and took a sniff. It was indeed the scent of the Flesh-Regenerating Balm—the same one Xiao Yi had given her before.

She checked how much was left inside. Subtracting what her brother had used, it seemed just enough to treat her shoulder.

So, this was the strange part—wasn’t the timing just a little too perfect?