Let Me Pursue You – Chapter 25 Part 1
Chapter 25 Tucked Away Mistress Part 1
Timing, direction, location, everything was calculated just right.
But the wine Yuan Ci Xian drank was real, and she really drank a little too much. While she was able use this drunkenness to act so realistically, but because of this there’s – this bump was weak and soft, didn’t contain much strength, and Lu Shi Qing’s mask didn’t come off completely, only a corner was crooked.
But she still maintained a minimum of consciousness, and seized the opportunity to look up while she was still in his arms.
This one looked up was truly shocking: on the small part of his cheek that was exposed, the skin was wrinkled, densely packed with light yellow uneven strips of mottled thing, as if crawling with fly maggots, and little white flakes fell on the edge.
With just one glance, Yuan Ci Xian screamed in fright, broke free from his arms at once. But her head was empty, and she subconsciously stumbled back.
Then she saw the person on the other side unhurriedly straighten the mask, as if nothing had happened, nodded slightly to her and said: “In a hurry, please forgive Xu’s offense, is County Princess hurt anywhere?”
His voice was low and flat, but on the contrary Yuan Ci Xian was stunned for a few moments before saying: “I’m fine.”
“That’s good. Has County Princess sobered up?”
This question made Yuan Ci Xian a bit embarrassed. Because of the hostility hidden in her heart, she only felt that he was wearing a mask to cover up his true face, and never guessed that he might really have some illness he didn’t want to show. And now, he probably knew that she was pretending to be drunk, but he still gave her some face.
She had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue acting, nodded: “I’m sober.” After she finished, she lowered her eyelids and said, “I’m sorry, I…”
Lu Shi Qing had never seen her look so deflated, but he didn’t feel refreshed in his heart. On the contrary, he became inexplicably anxious. He was silent for a while, still not revealing anything on his face: “It doesn’t matter.”
This calm and breezy “It doesn’t matter” words, in Yuan Ci Xian’s ears sounded like he was hurt. She felt more and more guilty, and hurriedly waved her hands to explain: “Sir, I didn’t mean to…”
She paused halfway. It should be said that her probing was intentional, but her cry out was unintentional, and it was definitely not out of disgust for his unusual face. She was just taken aback.
Lu Shi Qing said lightly: “Xu knows.”
She didn’t even have time to explain, what did he know? Yuan Ci Xian looked at him with a bitter face, and said bluntly after a while: “May I ask Sir, what’s the matter with your face?”
“County Princess really wants to know?”
She nodded, her gaze seemed nervous and sincere: “I have no intention of revealing your scars, but I met many talented people with excellent medical skills in Diannan. If you tell me, maybe I can help you.”
Lu Shi Qing seemed to smile, turned his back, and said with his hands behind his back: “Three years ago, Xu agreed to His Highness’s invitation to become his advisor. Unexpectedly, Xu encountered an assassin on the way to the capital. The entourage sent by His Highness to escort me was all killed, and Xu was seriously injured. Fortunately, later Xu was treated by a mountain doctor, and was finally saved. However the medicinal herbs used during the treatment left such marks on Xu’s face, which cannot be eradicated since then.”
Yuan Ci Xian frowned slightly: “A stubborn diseases that the mountain doctors can’t cure may not necessarily won’t be able to be cured by others, have you ever gone to seek medical treatment elsewhere?”
He shook his head: “Skins are meaningless, not to mention the person who wanted to kill Xu now think that Xu is dead. Recovering one’s appearance may not be a blessing, County Princess doesn’t need to plan for me.”
She was silent for a while, and said: “Sir’s righteousness makes me admire. I apologize for losing my composure just now, it will never happen again in the future.” After saying that, she lowered her head.
Lu Shi Qing’s goal had been achieved, but he was really not used to her being so pleasing to the eye. He was wondering why she made such a gesture, and suddenly heard her say: “Actually, I kind of empathize with Sir’s feelings. I also have scars on my body that cannot be eradicated. It was hard to accept for a long time, and it took a long time to feel at ease.”
Lu Shi Qing was slightly taken aback, and frowned.
He knew that Yuan Ci Xian was trying to test him recently, and he also got the news that Jian Zhi was going to the south. So he had already expected tonight’s “Hongmen Banquet” and made full preparations in advance, trying to scare her and tell her to dispel the idea of lifting his mask once and for all. But he never expected it to be like this.
In order to comfort him, this seemingly heartless girl actually exposed her shortcomings.
If it was Xu Shan, he would not ask too many questions right now, but he was Lu Shi Qing after all, so he said: “Scars?”
Yuan Ci Xian nodded nonchalantly, and laughed: “Sir probably don’t know, but I’m a heroine who had been on the battlefield!”
Who praises themselves as a heroine? Hearing this, Lu Shi Qing’s mouth wanted to laugh, but his heart was filled with panic.
He remembered what she told him last time about joining the army with her father, and asked: “It’s true that there are frequent wars in Diannan, but it’s not enough to make you, a girl, to charge into battle. Why did your father ask you to go to the battlefield?”
She calmly replied: “Two years ago Nanzhao invaded, and in one battle, the situation was critical. Father was besieged by the enemy in the mountains, and the deputy generals who stayed behind were hesitant. I was worried, and then…” She touched her nose, “Then led the army to rush over.”
” …” what is this understatement, is it like when she’s hungry then eat a bowl of wontons?
“But I didn’t make trouble, I rescued Father.” She said proudly.
Okay, okay, I know you’re a hero.
Lu Shi Qing looked at her with mixed feelings in his heart. Everyone in the world said that Lancang County Princess was a source of calamity, little did they know that what happened back then was just a conspiracy by Nanzhao to separate Diannan Prince from the imperial court. And this little girl, who was scolded bloody and bear unfounded crimes at that time, willing to risk her life for Great Zhou in a place where people could not see.
At that time, she was only fourteen years old.
It really took him by surprise, and for a moment he felt like there’s a fish bone stuck in his throat, suddenly regretted making these move tonight. But he could only say what Xu Shan should say, and said lightly: “County Princess’s heroism has earn Xu’s respect, but the sword has no eyes. No matter how critical the situation is, you should also cherish yourself.”
Yuan Ci Xian smiled: “If Sir was in Diannan and witnessed the tragic situation at that time, you would not stand by and just watch.”
After she said these words, the alcohol slowly rose to her head, and when the wind blew, her head became dizzier, her whole body shook, and she couldn’t help pressing her sore temples.
Lu Shi Qing moved forward and almost went up to help her, but when he stretched his hand half way he realized it was inappropriate, then cupped his hands and said: “County Princess rest early, Xu will leave.”
Yuan Ci Xian really didn’t have the energy to say some polite words, asked people to send him out of the mansion, and when she returned to her room, she fell down on the edge of the bed and sighed.
Brother was really unreliable, letting her to drink that much wine for nothing, and she even momentarily feeling moved when she was drunk, actually bare her heart in front of Xu Shan.
That is Zheng Zhuo’s person. What’s wrong with her.
Lu Shi Qing returned to the Lu Mansion in silence all the way, sat in the bedroom without saying a word, until late at night Cao An came to remind him: “Master, don’t you want to clean your face?”
This face was made by him. When sticking and pasting those dirty things, Master was so disgusted that he didn’t even dare to look in the bronze mirror, and his whole body had three layers of goose bumps, but now that he returned home, he didn’t rush over to scrub it off.
He was really afraid that there would be some blemishes on Master’s face. This might be harmless to others, but it was a fatal blow for Master.
After all, the blemishes maybe asymmetrical.
When Lu Shi Qing heard this, his soul returned to his body, and jumped up: “Why didn’t you say it earlier!” After that, he rushed straight to the clean room, “Prepare water!
Cao An was truly innocent. Afraid that his master still had some instruction, so he waited outside. After Lu Shi Qing came out of the bath and tidied up properly, he asked: “Master, is everything going well tonight?”
Lu Shi Qing recovered his face, but his expression was faint, only said “hmm”.
He made such sacrifice by disguising himself, naturally it should go smoothly. Yuan Ci Xian was drunk, so he was skeptical at first, but when she fell into his arms, he knew everything was pretend.
The moment she raised her elbow, he made a good calculation and tilted his head slightly. It was very dark at that time, and she could only see under the moonlight, even if the mask was completely removed, she might not be able to see the clues, let alone he only showed a small part of his cheek.
But he wasn’t very happy.
He asked: “Cao An, do you not feel guilty when you lie and deceive people?”
Cao An immediately took back the words “Congratulations, Master” at the tip of his tongue, and said solemnly with a nod: “This servant swear in the name of the emperor above, this servant is loyal to you, and there’s absolutely no lie!”
“…” Lu Shi Qing walked around him, picked a chair and sat down, “.”
Cao An scratched his head embarrassedly, and heard him ask again: “The maid named Jian Zhi really went to Xunyang?
“Return to Master, the close maids around County Princess are not simple character. She avoided His Majesty’s eyes and ears all the way, even most of our people were thrown off, and her whereabouts are still uncertain at the moment, only know that she is heading south.”
Lu Shi Qing nodded: “It should be Xunyang. Since she’s capable enough, you don’t have to follow, tell them to withdraw.”
He blinked slowly twice after he finished speaking.
In fact, Yuan Ci Xian indeed smart enough, but everyone had blind spots. He hid his face, and she naturally focused on the back of his mask, ignoring his hands.
The other day she came to Lu Mansion to wrap his wound, it was not that he didn’t worry about it, and after two visits to Yuan Mansion, the scar was carefully treated. Fortunately, she only suspected that the identity of “Xu Shan” was fake, but she never associated the two of them together. Otherwise, after she circled him all day long, sooner or later she would see some clue, and then the mask and wide robe would not be able to cover him.
Therefore, if it was completely unnecessary, Lu Shi Qing still didn’t want to get too close to her.
Thinking of this, he raised his head and ordered: “Pay attention to the defense of the mansion these days, and add more manpower.”
Cao An was startled and asked: “Who is Master trying to guard against?”
He sighed: “That girl said she wanted to dress up as a servant to come in.”
Which girl? Cao An understood in a daze, then hesitatingly asked: “Master, did you get the news from the Yuan Mansion tonight? I’m afraid it’s inappropriate. If you put more defense, won’t it make County Princess suspicious that ‘Mr. Xu’ has snitched on you?”
Lu Shi Qing choked. Tonight he seemed to be drunk even without drinking any wine, still not as clear-headed as others.
He lifted his hand and pointed at his own collar while saying, “So what you mean is that I have to deliberately let her go in to prove my innocence?”
Cao An coughed, and said in a low voice, “It’s not impossible…”
“In her dreams!”
TN: The chapter is thrice long so it’s going to be cut into 3 part
PS: Happy holiday everyone…