The Slender Waist-Chapter 302 - 211 Awkward Illness

Feng Yun went to look for Pei Jue in the barracks and encountered Ao Qi outside.

When she returned that day, the little auk was already waiting for her in the room. She had heard that Ao Qi had gone out to look for her, and he took care of the little auk for those two days. She initially wanted to find an opportunity to express her thanks, but one thing led to another, and she eventually forgot.

Upon seeing him, Feng Yun greeted with a smile.

"Xiaoqi."

Ao Qi looked up in response, his eyes lighting up unconsciously.

That day, Feng Yun went to offer sacrifices to the Liang. She dressed unusually dignified, looking more capable than usual, with less of a lazy and seductive air, but her skin seemed even better than before. The midday sun was high in the sky, and the sunlight that fell on her delicate face made her complexion appear almost luminous.

So close within reach, yet infinitely distant.

Ao Qi’s bright eyes gradually dimmed, and he quietly stepped aside, bowing his head in a salute, "Aunt."

Such respect was rare.

It didn’t seem like the reckless, simple-headed Xiaoqi anymore.

Feng Yun saw soldiers passing by and guessed he had moved away to avoid suspicion; she also smiled and returned the salute.

"Thank you, General Xiao Ao."

A few words were not much but enough for Ao Qi to understand what she was thankful for.

Yet, not one of those words was what he wanted to hear.

Ao Qi watched her, "It’s good that Aunt is fine."

Feng Yun nodded, exchanging a few words of casual politeness.

"You seem to be in a hurry, are you busy?"

Ao Qi said, "We are preparing to go to the storeroom to collect winter clothes."

Feng Yun asked with a smile, "Are there enough winter clothes?"

Ao Qi shook his head, "These are what Uncle managed to obtain from Pingyang. They’re not enough for distribution. Brothers all care about each other; they modestly refuse to collect them. We of the Red Armor Army thought to grit our teeth and endure a few more days with just righteousness, but Uncle told me to collect some..."

Feng Yun’s brows furrowed.

"What did you say? From Pingyang?"

Ao Qi, puzzled by her reaction, said, "Yes, Uncle personally went to Pingyang and wrestled them out of the Tiger Guard’s jaws."

Seeing Feng Yun’s expression, Ao Qi frowned and asked in return:

"Aunt wouldn’t think these came from the Imperial Court, would you?"

"They didn’t?"

"Of course not." Ao Qi sighed.

Since he took over the Red Armor Army, he actually began to truly understand his Uncle, why after so many years in the military, he had accumulated so little wealth.

Most of the men in the military came from humble or common families, and even the regular military salary and provisions were barely enough to scrape by. In years of disaster or war, it was common to go hungry.

With so many mouths to feed and drink, being a family head was truly not easy.

In Ao Qi’s heart, his respect for Pei Jue deepened, while his feelings for Feng Yun grew more complicated. Mad with a forbidden yearning, yet firmly restraining himself due to propriety, feeling guilty with every extra glance, yet unwilling to look away.

He took a couple of steps in place, about to say something lighthearted to break the silence, when he saw Feng Yun muttering, "So that’s how it is," and then hastily performing a leaving salute to him before turning and heading towards the Central Army’s camp.

Ao Qi’s words got stuck in his throat.

Watching the lady’s tall and slender figure from behind, his gaze slowly went out of focus, and he forgot to look away.

Actually, he had also gone to Chunyu Yan’s villa that night, just moments behind Wen Xingsu.

He was in a rush and didn’t bring a guard. Alone, he played the gentleman on the beam, and later, his clothes soaked through, he returned to Xinzhou drenched and dispirited. He then fell ill and lay in bed for three full days before he gradually started to recover.

Ye Chuang said that morning, he was frail, and he had lost weight.

But Feng Yun didn’t notice the change in him.

He clenched his fists slightly, then released them, and went off briskly in another direction.

Yesterday, he received a letter from home. With the peace negotiations in Xinzhou underway, his father would come, and inevitably, there would be another round of talks concerning his marriage...

Previously, he could refuse gently on account of the war.

After the peace talks, when the war was no longer an excuse and the Northern Yong Army would return to the capital, what should he do?

-

In the General’s quarters.

Puyang Jiu was kneeling on a mat with a dark face, having changed hands several times while taking the pulse; yet, he had not spoken, his expression so grave it was as if he looked upon a patient with a terminal illness.

"Just say it, I have things to do." Pei Jue impatiently withdrew his hand from the pulse pillow, emanating a demeanor that repelled people from miles away.

"Wangzhi." Puyang Jiu glanced at him, "Stick out your tongue."

Checking complexion, palpating the pulse, and now sticking out the tongue...

Pei Jue watched him with an indifferent expression, and slowly opened his mouth...

"Ah!" Puyang Jiu instructed him, like teaching a child.

"Open wider, stick out the tongue..."

Pei Jue glared at him with cold eyes, and suddenly closed his mouth; his expression became so odd that Puyang Jiu felt a tremor in his heart, realizing that Pei Jue’s gaze was off.

Slowly turning his head, he saw Feng Yun approaching from a distance.

Puyang Jiu found it a bit amusing.

"Are you so scared of sticking out your tongue in front of sister-in-law? What are you afraid of..."

Pei Jue glared at him coldly.

Puyang Jiu wisely shut his mouth and, as Feng Yun had not yet entered, he casually glanced at Pei Jue and scoffed quietly, "It’s without question that your symptoms of excessive yang have diminished a lot. I’ve said it before, it’s not really a major issue. As long as you take a wife or concubine, once the yang fluid is discharged, the fire will naturally extinguish. What if you’re addicted? Doing it three times a day, you can always keep it in check, much better than taking medicine..."

"Shut your mouth!" Pei Jue’s voice was cold.

Feng Yun had reached the doorway and saw the two inside sitting up straight; she performed a salute but did not enter.

Puyang Jiu smoothed his sleeves and stood up, calling out "sister-in-law." As if suddenly remembering something, he looked back at Pei Jue and said in a low voice:

"I’ve come today for another matter, I wanted to tell Brother Wangzhi, but I’m not sure if I should..."

Pei Jue: "Speak."

Puyang Jiu’s brows furrowed slightly, hesitating for a long while before he began, "My father mentioned in his letter that apart from the envoys for the peace talks coming to Xinzhou, the Imperial Cavalry Division has secretly deployed quite a few forces. Wangzhi must be careful."

Pei Jue remained silent.

Puyang Jiu touched his chin and let out a dry chuckle.

He and his father, never concerning themselves with such matters, have been physicians for generations. Accustomed to the shifting tides, whether it’s a cow killing a horse or a horse killing a cow, their only role was to treat the cattle and horses without caring about who lost or won.

But who made him close to Pei Jue?

Their friendship was known to everyone in the Central Capital.

The Imperial Physician, worried about his son getting entangled with Pei Jue, naturally started paying attention to matters relating to him.

With his movements within the palace, he had many conveniences others did not possess.

So when the letter came, hinting and beating around the bush, Puyang Jiu couldn’t help but tell Pei Jue.

"In my view, the Central Capital is very worried about Brother, it’s better to be cautious..."

Pei Jue’s eyes deepened: "Thanks."

Some things are better left unsaid, and Puyang Jiu knew Pei Jue had taken the hint, so he smiled and gave a slight bow.

"Then I shall take my leave."

He then turned to Feng Yun and bowed.

"Madam, I bid you farewell."

Feng Yun, watching their changing expressions from the doorway, thought they were discussing important matters and was afraid of disturbing them, so she returned the gesture with a smile:

"I just have a few words to say to the General, and then I will leave. There’s no inconvenience in the Medical Officer being here."

Puyang Jiu leisurely glanced at her, then turned back to Pei Jue and winked, clearly indicating his intention to stay and pry into their private conversation.

He was too curious. Perhaps it was the profound care a physician held for his patients; he very much wanted to place a pair of eyes by their side to see how the two got along...

However...

He couldn’t disguise his intentions; the curiosity was written all over his face. Before he could even open his mouth, he was interrupted by Pei Jue.

"There’s no need. He was about to leave anyway."

Puyang Jiu, frustrated to the point of itching gums, had no choice but to force a fake smile in agreement,

"Exactly, exactly, I came to see the General for his illness. Now that I’ve seen him, it’s time for me to leave."

His retaliation was masterful, outright saying in front of Feng Yun that Pei Jue was sick.

Feng Yun indeed asked, "What’s troubling the General?"

Pei Jue paused, his seated posture stiffening slightly: "A trivial matter."

Puyang Jiu’s eyes curled with laughter, brashly saying, "Before the great weddings in Bingzhou, I once left a note to Madam mentioning that..."

His words got cut off as he suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, belatedly realizing...

The matter of giving Feng Yun a pamphlet and slipping in a letter about Pei Jue’s illness was something he had never told Pei Jue himself.

"Cough! I’ll go ahead then, I’ll take my leave first."

Puyang Jiu abruptly interrupted and, without waiting for a reaction from the others, withdrew with a bowing gesture and swiftly left.

Feng Yun glanced at his hurriedly retreating figure, then stepped over the threshold and approached, "Is what Puyang Jiu said true?"

Pei Jue’s voice was steady, his expression stiff and somewhat uncomfortable.

"What do you need me for?"

Without confirming nor denying, could it be he really was ill?

Feng Yun, seeing he was unwilling to elaborate, smiled lightly and advanced with a formal bow, "General, I’ve come regarding the matter of the hall in Mingquan Town."

She was very proper, and her manners were meticulous.

However, Pei Jue clearly didn’t like this formality, his face expressionless as he spoke coldly, "Speak."

Feng Yun frowned, eyeing him languidly.

They had been bare and close before, so speaking to her this way was not too foreign, right? Hmm, the General Pei without clothes was more approachable. Once he put on his garments, he was like a completely different person.

Unaware that she was also distant,

her mind was active, but her face betrayed little emotion.

She composed herself and relayed the day’s events in Mingquan Town to Pei Jue, her expression calm:

"If not for that little beggar’s warning, it might have turned into a disaster..."

The hall was her responsibility and Pei Jue was the one backing her. If something went wrong with the hall, Pei Jue would have to share the blame with her.

Feng Yun felt she was accountable and promptly bowed to Pei Jue to apologize.

"Tomorrow I’ll go back to Mingquan Town with Uncle Wentian and a few skilled artisans to check all critical joints thoroughly, ensuring there will be no more mishaps..."

Pei Jue watched her for a long while. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Sit closer to talk."

Feng Yun smiled, "Yes."

She walked gracefully towards him, kneeling beside Pei Jue at an unhurried pace, only to hear him say, "I thought you came to ask for the antidote."

Feng Yun started.

Did she really have "beast" written across her face?

She looked up strangely and smiled at him.

"If the General has some, I don’t mind asking for it."

The woman’s voice was like a refreshing breeze and flowing spring, her demeanor composed and dignified, revealing nothing unintended, but Pei Jue’s face seemed to brighten considerably.

He looked up slightly and called out towards the door.

"Summon Tan Dajin."

Feng Yun: ...