Shengjing Noble

When the morning bell in the Cining Palace rang for the third time, Su Lanyin was adding the last ingredient to the soup.

The stamens of the Blood-Seeing Sorrow Flower slowly expand in the amber liquid, emitting a faint fragrance.

For the past seven days, she stayed by the Empress Dowager's bedside without leaving, using golden needles to guide the medicine, and finally forced out most of the poison in the Soul-Separating Powder.

"Su girl." The empress dowager leaned on the gold-embroidered pillow, her complexion had improved a lot, "The emperor came to see me last night and said that he had found the secret decree left by the late emperor."

Su Lanyin's hand trembled slightly, and the medicine spoon hit the edge of the bowl with a crisp sound.

During these seven days, she felt like she was walking on the edge of a cliff - she had to save the empress dowager while also being on guard against Fu Wujiu's spies. She didn't even dare to sleep soundly at night.

"Empress Dowager..." She had just opened her mouth when hurried footsteps were suddenly heard outside the palace.

The emperor strode in, followed by two guards escorting a palace maid with disheveled hair.

Su Lanyin recognized that this was Bihe, who was in charge of decocting medicine in the Cining Palace.

"Grandmother, someone is still poisoning you!" The emperor's face turned pale. "This lowly maid added something to your medicine this morning."

Bi He knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face: "I am innocent! It was the Imperial Concubine who asked me to do this..."

A trace of pain flashed in the emperor's eyes.

Su Lanyin understood - Imperial Concubine Li was the "adopted daughter" that Fu Wujiu sent into the palace three years ago.

"Can the emperor be trusted now?" the Queen Mother sighed, "Fu Wujiu is ambitious and poisoned the previous emperor, murdered me, and framed Wu Yang..."

The emperor took out a yellowed letter from his bosom: "The secret decree dug out from under the locust tree in the East Palace is completely consistent with the toxicology records found by the Imperial Hospital." He turned to Su Lanyin and bowed solemnly, "Thanks to the princess's wisdom, the traitor was not successful."

Su Lanyin knelt down immediately: "I don't deserve this. I just ask Your Majesty to investigate and clear the prince's name..."

"Get up." The emperor helped her up personally, "I have ordered a re-investigation of Prince Xiaoyao's rebellion. As for Fu Wujiu..." A cold light flashed in his eyes, "The Imperial Guards have gone to 'invite' him."

At noon, Su Lanyin, led by Azhi, a maid from the laundry department, came to the prison of the Ministry of Justice.

The dark and damp corridor seemed to have no end, and her heart beat faster with every step she took.

"The prince is locked up in the innermost room." Ah Zhi whispered, "Thanks to prisoner Li for taking care of him these past few months, otherwise..." She didn't say anything else, but handed over a food box, "Princess, go quickly."

The heavy iron door was opened, and the smell of mold mixed with the smell of blood hit me in the face.

Su Lanyin held her breath and looked towards the corner - a thin figure was standing with his back to the door, scratching something on the wall.

"Your Highness refuses to eat again today?" the jailer deliberately said loudly, "Your cousin has brought you food."

The man turned slowly.

Su Lanyin's tears instantly burst out - the once handsome Fu Wuyang was now so thin that he was almost shapeless. A new scab on his left cheek extended from the brow bone to the jaw, but his eyes were still as clear as stars.

"Cousin...cousin?" Fu Wuyang's voice was so hoarse that it was almost unrecognizable.

Su Lanyin suppressed her sobs and bowed: "Cousin, I hope you are well."

The jailer retreated tactfully.

As soon as the iron gate closed, Fu Wuyang staggered to the fence, put his hands through the railings and tightly grasped Su Lanyin's shoulders: "Why are you here? Did they embarrass you? Is the child... Is the child okay?"

Su Lanyin was startled: "You... you know?"

"Prisoner Li said that you entered the palace to treat the Queen Mother, and he also described your appearance..." Fu Wuyang's hand trembled as he touched her slightly bulging belly, "I calculated the date, if it was the night before we left Taoyuan Village..."

Su Lanyin pressed his hand on her stomach: "He can already kick people, just like you, he is restless."

Fu Wuyang suddenly knelt down on the ground, his forehead against the cold iron bars, his shoulders shaking violently.

Su Lanyin had never seen him like this, even when she decided to be a commoner with him. He just straightened his back and walked out of the Golden Palace.

"Don't be afraid." She stroked his messy hair through the railing, "The Queen Mother has recovered, and Fu Wujiu's conspiracy has been exposed. Soon you will be able to..."

"I'm not afraid." Fu Wuyang raised his head, tears running down his dirty face, "I hate myself for being incompetent and letting you and the child take risks..."

Su Lanyin opened the lunch box and took out the still warm food: "Eat first. It won't be too late to repent slowly after you get out."

Seeing Fu Wuyang wolfing down the food, her nose felt sore again.

How could this still be the free and easy King who even had his chopsticks inlaid with ivory and gold?

Three days later, in the Golden Palace, the emperor read out the imperial edict in public:

"Investigating the case of Xiaoyao Wang Fu Wuyang's rebellion, it was actually a frame-up by a traitor. Now his princely title is restored and his mansion is returned to him..."

Fu Wuyang, who was kneeling in the hall, kowtowed heavily: "I beg Your Majesty to revoke your order."

Full of uproar.

The emperor frowned: "Uncle Wang, what do you mean?"

"My wife and I have lived in seclusion in Taoyuan for more than ten years, and we feel deeply the suffering of the people." Fu Wuyang said calmly, "If Your Majesty has mercy on me, I am willing to remain a commoner forever, and live a life of farming and reading with my wife and children."

Behind the pearl curtain beside the dragon throne, the Queen Mother sighed softly: "Forget it, Emperor. This child's temperament is exactly the same as his mother's."

The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "In this case, I will allow the uncle to return to Taoyuan and pay him his annual salary as usual, in case of emergency."

When Fu Wuyang and Su Lanyin came out of the hall to express their gratitude, the sunlight happened to shine on the plaque "正大光明" in front of the hall, making it impossible to open one's eyes.

......

It's the peach blossom season again.

The threshing ground of Taoyuan Village was filled with long tables, and all the villagers, young and old, gathered together to celebrate the first birthday of the young master of the Fu family.

Fu Wuyang hugged her son who was wearing a red bellyband and smiled so hard that her teeth were showing.

When the little guy was doing his one-year-old birthday celebration, he grabbed the medicine grinder and said happily that he would become a miracle doctor in the future.

"Mr. Fu, try my newly brewed rice wine!"

"Madam Su, these are tiger-head shoes made for the baby!"

The villagers toasted and gave gifts enthusiastically, and Fu Wuyang and his wife thanked them one by one.

They left the village to help with rescue three years ago. When they returned, the courtyard was still as clean as before - Xiaotao and the villagers cleaned it every day, waiting for them to come back.

After the banquet, Su Lanyin found a brocade box among a pile of tiger-head shoes and longevity locks when she was sorting out the gifts.

In the box was a pair of crystal clear jade pendants, on which were engraved four small characters "Peace and Joy", and signed "An Old Friend in Beijing".

"A gift from the Emperor?" Fu Wuyang came over to take a look.

Su Lanyin nodded: "He is very thoughtful." She tied a jade pendant around her son's neck and handed the other to her husband, "You keep it."

Fu Wuyang tied the jade pendant around her waist: "You carry the peace, and I'll keep the joy." He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Just like you carry your child, I'll keep you."

The moonlight was like water, sprinkling on the peach tree in the yard.

Fu Wuyang took out a bamboo flute and played the tune that he had composed for Su Lanyin in the palace that year.

Su Lanyin leaned on his shoulder, looking at her son sleeping in her arms, and suddenly felt that the ups and downs of the past three years were like a dream.

The melodious sound of the flute attracted many children in the village to lie down outside the fence and look in.

Fu Wuyang smiled and waved them in, giving each of them a piece of osmanthus candy he brought back from the capital.

"Sir, you play the flute beautifully!" A little girl with pigtails looked up and asked, "Can you teach me?"

Fu Wuyang rubbed her head: "Starting tomorrow, study for a quarter of an hour every day after school."

After the children ran away cheering, Su Lanyin brought out a pot of peach blossom wine from the house.

This is wine made with peach blossoms picked last year, and I originally intended to drink it on my birthday this year.

"Drink it now?" Fu Wuyang raised his eyebrows.

"I can't wait any longer." Su Lanyin poured two glasses of wine. "Who knows where we will be next year?"

Fu Wuyang raised his glass and clinked it with hers: "It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we are together."

After three rounds of drinking, Su Lanyin's cheeks turned red, and she suddenly asked: "What did you write on the wall in prison? When I went there, you were..."

"Chess manual." Fu Wuyang smiled, "The game of 'Survival from a Desperate Situation' in 'Lan Ke Pu'. I know Ah Zhi will go and see it. That was the distress signal we agreed upon when we were kids."

Under the moonlight, the scar between his brow had faded a lot, but the light in his eyes was warmer than when they first met.

Su Lanyin thought about their first meeting at the Guose Tianxiang Tower - who could have thought that this day would come?

"What are you thinking about?" Fu Wuyang asked.

Su Lanyin smiled and shook her head, wrapping her son's swaddling clothes closer: "I'm thinking, when Si'an grows up, should I let him study medicine or literature?"

"Let him choose for himself." Fu Wuyang hugged his wife and children into his arms, "Just like we chose this path."

As the night wind blew, peach blossoms fluttered down, some floated into wine glasses, and some fell on baby's swaddling clothes.

In the distance came the sound of the night watchman beating a gong, and the long melody of a mother calling her child home.

This is their paradise, their home.

……

spring.

The morning light slanted into the house through the carved wooden window, and Su Lanyin woke up to the familiar scent of pine ink.

The bedding beside her was still warm, and a dewy peach blossom was placed next to her pillow - Fu Wuyang never forgot to pick the freshest flower for her every morning when he woke up.

"Mom!" Three-year-old Fu Sian ran in barefoot, holding a crooked wicker wreath in his hand, "Daddy taught me to make a wreath!"

Su Lanyin took the almost falling apart "masterpiece" with a smile, and suddenly saw a red mark on the child's palm: "What's wrong with your hand?"

"It was cut when I was cutting willow branches." Fu Wuyang came in with a lunch box, wearing a coarse cloth apron around her waist. "Your son insisted on learning swordsmanship, so I said he should learn to make wreaths first to practice his patience."

Su Lanyin pulled the father and son's hands together and examined them side by side - the older one had calluses on his knuckles, while the younger one had a red palm.

She took out the golden needle she carried with her and gently tapped Si'an's Hegu acupoint: "The pain will go away~"

"It really doesn't hurt anymore!" The little guy's eyes widened, "Mom is so awesome!"

Fu Wuyang leaned close to his wife's ear and said, "Princess, I was bitten by a mosquito last night and the blisters are very itchy..." Before he could finish his words, Su Lanyin covered his head with a garland.

The breakfast was peach blossom porridge specially made by Fu Wuyang, with tender red petals dotted between the pink and white rice grains.

Si'an's face was covered with food, and he suddenly pointed out the window: "Daddy, Aunt Li is here!"

Aunt Li peeked out of the yard with a bamboo basket on her shoulder: "Madam Su, my husband has rheumatism again..."

"You go back first, I'll be there after I prepare the medicine." When Su Lanyin stood up, Fu Wuyang had already taken out herb and angelica from the medicine cabinet and placed them on the table.

"I'll go to the school and give Uncle Li two acupuncture needles." He helped his wife to tie up her long hair and put a peach blossom hairpin on her temples. "I'll come back to make lunch."

Si'an tugged at his parents' clothes and spun around: "I want to learn acupuncture, too! I also want to learn how to cook!"

……

summer.

On an afternoon with the deafening chirping of cicadas, Su Lanyin was drying medicinal herbs by the stream.

Fu Wuyang led the students to the mountains to collect herbs and learn to read. Si'an was taken by Xiaotao to go fishing, which was a rare moment of peace.

"Mrs. Su——" Granny Wang at the entrance of the village came tremblingly, "My old cold legs..."

Su Lanyin helped the old man sit under the willow tree, and the golden needles flashed with tiny golden light in the sunlight.

By the time the needle was removed, Granny Wang had fallen into a sound sleep.

She took a thin blanket and covered the old man with it, then continued to check the medicinal materials.

"Your Highness Princess is so virtuous." A familiar breath enveloped her from behind, and Fu Wuyang rested his chin on the top of her head, "Your husband brought me iced sour plum soup."

There were water droplets on the outside of the pottery jar and a few pieces of mint floating inside.

Su Lanyin had just taken a sip when she suddenly felt a chill on the back of her neck - Fu Wuyang put a wet willow branch against her skin.

"Fu! Wu! Yang!"

The great King Xiaoyao was chased around the stream three times, and finally he deliberately stepped on the slippery stones and fell into the shallows.

Su Lanyin couldn't stop herself in time and fell into his arms, and the two of them burst into laughter.

"Daddy and Mommy, please don't be ashamed!" Si'an came back with a small crucian carp. Seeing this, he covered his eyes with his fingers wide open.

As the sky filled with sunset glow, a family of three sat in the yard peeling lotus pods.

Fu Wuyang fed the most tender lotus seed core to his wife, but was caught by Si An: "Daddy is partial! I want to feed Mommy too!"

Finally, lotus seeds were stuffed into Su Lanyin's left and right hands at the same time, and she glared at her smirking husband with puffed cheeks.

Fu Wuyang suddenly moved closer and kissed the lotus on her lips: "Sweet."

……

Autumn.

During the autumn harvest season, Fu Wuyang took his students to help the villagers dry the grain.

Su Lanyin was teaching the girls how to make medicine in the newly built clinic, and Si'an was running back and forth between the two sides like a little tail.

"Sir!" The students surrounded Fu Wuyang holding bamboo rakes, "How do you write the word autumn?"

The word "Autumn" in a flamboyant style soon appeared on the pile of grain, causing the children to exclaim in surprise.

I don't know who started it first, but golden grains suddenly flew all over the sky, and the teacher was instantly buried until only his head was left.

"Madam Su, help me--" Fu Wuyang shouted in a long tone towards the clinic.

Su Lanyin leaned against the window and chuckled, throwing the freshly prepared throat pills over. Fu Wuyang caught it in mid-air and proudly showed off to the students: "See? This is called tacit understanding!"

At dusk, the couple was harvesting herbs in the herb garden.

Fu Wuyang suddenly hugged his wife from behind and put something warm into her hand - it was a Tianhuang stone carved into a small gourd.

"I found it by the stream, and thought I'd use it as a medicine grinder for you." He rubbed her earlobe with his nose, "Do you like it?"

Su Lanyin turned around and pressed the small gourd against his chest: "Does it still hurt here?"

The fingertips were facing the old wound left by the Seven Evil Palm.

Fu Wuyang lowered his head and kissed her: "You cured it a long time ago."

……

winter.

On the day of the first snow, a special patient came to the village.

The young man in brocade clothes wandered outside the clinic for a long time until he was spotted by Si'an.

"Mom! There's a brother peeking at me!"

The young man came in with a red face and bowed: "I am Zhao Mingtang, my father Zhao Demao... I have come to apologize to the prince and princess."

The medicine scale in Su Lanyin's hand paused slightly.

The son of the county magistrate who had raped a woman in the past has now raised a son who knows etiquette.

"Where is your father?" Fu Wuyang walked out of the inner room holding Si'an.

"My father died of illness during exile three years ago." The young man knelt straight, "Before he left, he asked me to come to Taoyuan Village..."

The fire crackled, and Si'an suddenly broke away from his father and stuffed his favorite osmanthus cake to the boy: "Brother, don't cry."

Later, the young man became a frequent visitor to the school, and he especially loved listening to Fu Wuyang's lectures on "The Analects of Confucius".

Once, Su Lanyin saw him staring at Xiaotao's back, so she turned around and replaced her husband's lecture notes on "Guanju" with "Weifeng".

On New Year’s Eve, a family of three huddled in a warm room and made dumplings.

Fu Wuyang hid the copper coins in the stuffing, but Si'an ate them and broke his teeth.

Su Lanyin checked her son's teeth while glaring at her husband, which made King Xiaoyao obediently copy the "Yellow Emperor's Internal Classic" as punishment.

"Mom, look!" Si'an suddenly pointed out the window.

Amidst the falling snow, Fu Wuyang was dancing with a sword in the yard.

The sword energy swept across the peach branches, shaking off the snow powder.

When he was finishing his last move, he suddenly threw something toward the window.

Su Lanyin took it and saw that it was a heart made of snow with a red plum blossom inside.

Si'an jumped beside him: "Daddy said this is 'a heart as pure as ice in a jade pot'!"

When it was late at night and everyone was asleep, Su Lanyin wrote the prescription on Fu Wuyang's palm.

He closed his eyes and identified: "Danggui, Polygala, Abrus preparata... Hmm? How can this be a prescription?"

"It's a love letter." Su Lanyin pressed his hand to her chest, "I remember all the poems you taught Si'an to recite."

Snow fell silently outside the window, and red candles burned brightly inside the house. Fu Wuyang's kiss fell on her wrist: "I will teach you a new one..."