Chapter 6, Arrow Wounds

A few white figures rushed over quickly, startling her. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a mother rabbit leading several baby rabbits, frightened and fleeing in disarray from the sound of drums and horns. They hid in the low bushes, their white fur still so conspicuous. Perhaps they were tired from running, or maybe they felt safe now, as they huddled there without attempting to escape further

Jing Xuan and Yong He have already brought in the imperial physician. As the first to enter, Jing Xuan naturally saw her actions clearly. He did not speak immediately, as she had acted too convincingly this time, making it truly difficult for him to discern her intentions. Blood had already seeped through the satin fabric of her clothing; even if it was a ploy to evoke sympathy, she had indeed invested heavily in this act.

By the way? She smiled and shook her head, "No need to trouble yourself, I'm fine." She turned around and lifted the curtain, revealing a bright red wound behind her ear that was quite striking.

Left arm? "Yonghe looked utterly perplexed.

Yong He understood her meaning, "Then we shall take our leave, please rest well."

Which imperial physician attended to you? The physician could not help but complain, The charcoal ash was not cleaned up properly! Such a young lady... Feeling that she had spoken too much, the elderly physician closed her mouth

Walking back to the camp, she inquired with the eunuch about the arrangement of her tent, as it was situated right next to the ancestral tent, providing her with a favorable location. However, it was also adjacent to Su Ying's tent. Outside the tent, which was similar to hers, several fine horses were tied up, and the entrance curtain was drawn back, revealing the sound of Su Ying's soft weeping and a man's gentle consolation. Although the words were indistinct, the voice... Mei Li bit her lip, aware of her own self-knowledge, yet she had once longed for such soft comfort from him. She couldn't help but stop in her tracks, silently listening to his half coaxing, half persuading tone... Outside the tent, which was similar to hers, several fine horses were tied up, and the entrance curtain was drawn back, revealing the sound of Su Ying's soft weeping and a man's gentle consolation. Although the words were indistinct, the voice... Mei Li bit her lip, aware of her own self-knowledge, yet she had once longed for such soft comfort from him. She couldn't help but stop in her tracks, silently listening to his half coaxing, half persuading tone... It was nothing more than that.

When the imperial physician rolled up her sleeve, everyone involuntarily gasped.

The imperial physician believed she was feeling shy and awkwardly glanced at Jingxuan across from her, seeking his opinion

Meili is burning a silver hairpin on the newly lit candle; all she needs to do is break the blister, so why make such a fuss and let others laugh at her for overreacting. "No need, please leave," she says, rolling up her sleeves. The blister is right beneath the burn scar, and together they are hideously unsightly.

Meili retracted her hand, not because it hurt, but because that scar... was such an embarrassing mark that she did not want anyone to see it

Watching the imperial physician carefully bandage the wound and attentively adjust her sleeves, she also rose alongside the physician and bowed to Jingxuan and Yonghe, saying, "Thank you both."

Just as he was about to lift the curtain, Jingxuan moved faster than him and stepped out first

He observed her reaction for a moment, let out a cold snort, and turned to leave

Meili looked at the flowers that had been trampled along the way, feeling a bit heartbroken

Jing Xuan turned over onto the horse with a cold face, "Is someone dead? Why the commotion!"

Useless!" He coldly laughed at Meili, who was kneeling on the ground with her head bowed, "Even if you deliberately let me injure you to the point of disability, it would be of no use. I will not feel the slightest bit of guilt towards the - picture - book. You brought this upon yourself!" Did she know that if he hadn't slightly adjusted his direction at the last moment, her arm would have been rendered useless!

Meili felt a pang in her nose, and tears streamed down her face. ... In her moment of utter despair ...! ... How she wished there was someone to stand in front of her, how she wished her parents were still around!

The imperial physician bowed and responded to the command, calling out loudly outside Meili's tent: "Meili Gege, allow this old minister to enter and tend to your wounds."

Wait! He wanted to call her back, but she entered the tent without looking back

Yonghe felt a bit embarrassed and chuckled awkwardly, "It's just a small effort, just a small effort"

The imperial physician, bending his body and carrying a medicine box, walked over, momentarily unsure of what to treat.

Injured?" Jing Xuan frowned, "Is it an arrow wound?" He gestured slightly to the imperial physician, "Go take a look."

Look! he commanded briefly

Are you alright? He approached to take a closer look; her complexion was too poor. The imperial physician is here, let me take a look at you.

Do you want to die? The sharp cry and the low whistle of the feathered arrows arrived together

The imperial physician carefully tended to her wound, wrapping it with care, "Your Highness, that injury... it must have been caused by something hot, right?"

Meili bit her lip, he hated her, did not like her... ? ... It all started when she did not have this scar, so why should she care? ? She forced a faint smile at the imperial physician and gently nodded her head

No! Left arm!" Jingxuan pressed his lips together

Jing Xuan clamped his legs against the horse's belly, irritably turned the horse's head, "Not a single one is reliable!" He struck the horse's back heavily with his bow and swiftly galloped away with the young man.

"Jingxuan Ge, Jingxuan Ge!" A young man rode in haste, his face filled with anxiety.

Jing Xuan looked at her with a blank expression, saying nothing

The imperial physician hesitated for a moment, but still took hold of Meili's left hand. He noticed the bloodstains and gasped in shock, proceeding with extra caution to lift her sleeve.

Meili looked at Jingxuan and Yonghe, who were still standing in the tent, with a somewhat strange expression, smiled, and said nothing.

Yonghe led the imperial physician out of the tent, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. He casually wiped it with his sleeve. This Miss Su Ying is truly capable of causing trouble. Brother Jingxuan will have his share of hardships if he marries her in the future. Just a scrape on his leg could bring him to tears, enough to fill half a vat. The old ancestor was so frightened that he asked him to summon the imperial physician.

Due to the established custom, the old physician did not decline much, expressed his gratitude, and accepted it calmly before withdrawing.

The door curtain was brushed aside, startling her. Her hand trembled, and the hairpin grazed a long cut, causing a blood blister to burst, and blood flowed down, staining her dress. She quickly pulled her sleeves down, and the fabric immediately adhered to the wound, causing a sharp pain.

He inadvertently glanced over and saw Meili standing at the entrance of the tent diagonally opposite, lost in thought, her complexion pale. Upon noticing his gaze, she even managed a faint smile, her lips appearing white as well

Hmm," Meili replied lightly, as if the clouds were thin and the wind was gentle.

Jingxuan has already dismounted from her horse with a face full of anger, tightly gripping her bow; she has not changed at all! She tries every possible way to make him worry, to attract his attention, and this tactic of self-inflicted suffering has been used time and again

Above the gruesome wound, there was a scar the size of a teacup on her originally jade-white forearm, with twisted flesh and veins seemingly exposed, and some dark coloration within the scar. Meili shuddered slightly, as her most undesirable ugliness was laid bare before them. She then calmly lowered her gaze, asking, "Ugly, isn't it?" ... In fact, beauty and ugliness ... had no impact on her.

What she heard in her ears still hurt as it should, and it was not as she had once thought—that it could soothe all pain

Meili only felt a sharp pain in her arm, but two white shadows, one large and one small, quickly disappeared into the thicket. She breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the arrow had missed; it merely grazed her arm, causing a brief pain that soon passed.

Under the blue sky, the colorful wildflowers in the green grass dazzled Meili's eyes. She crouched down and gently stroked the delicate petals of a blue flower with her fingertips. ... If it were the past, she would have picked it without hesitation, but now ... . ... She couldn't bring herself to do it

You should go take a look, Su Ying has fallen off the horse and is crying for you

With no one around, she gently rolled up her sleeve. A swollen bruise had formed where the arrow feather had struck, the skin unbroken, swelling into a dark red blister. She wobbled as she stood up, it was fine, as long as she could prick the blister and let the blood out.

Go and take a look! He glanced at her deathly pale face and coldly instructed the imperial physician

That beautiful girl is injured, and I would like the imperial physician to examine her as well. He could not understand why she refused.

Meili smiled and said, "I tidied it up myself, so I won't blame others"

Meili took out one or two silver coins from her purse and politely handed them to the old doctor. She understood this custom all too well; in the cold palace, if one did not offer a reward to the doctors who came to provide consultation, as well as to the servants who brought the doctors in, it would become increasingly difficult to summon a doctor the next time she fell ill, and she might even be met with disdainful glances.

She felt that she might be insane, perhaps the actions of the mother rabbit had triggered her deepest longing, and she unexpectedly rushed forward, disregarding the danger, in an attempt to help the little rabbit clear the vines.

She lowered her head, and the intense pain in her arm that had made her vision go dark finally eased slightly. She heard every word he said clearly; he was right, and she knew it.

The sound of hooves approached rapidly, startling Meili. She even heard the sound of arrows being drawn from the quiver. The rabbits sensed the danger and scattered in all directions. One little rabbit got caught on a branch; the mother rabbit ran a few steps but surprisingly stopped, eventually returning to guard the little rabbit, seemingly wanting to help it escape.

"Behind her ear, she was scratched by the bowstring on the back of her right ear," Yonghe said enthusiastically

What happened? Jingxuan emerged from Suying's tent and saw Yonghe frowning, his hand still raised, unable to lower it in time

She nodded slightly, politely indicating that she understood his admonition; indeed, this time she had been too reckless. In the past, she had employed the tactic of self-inflicted suffering too often, and explanations were futile, so let him think what he wished. Previously, he had asked her in a harsh tone whether she had any self-awareness; now she did.