Chapter 35

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Chapter 35: The Visit

Ji Yunhe and Lin Haoqing accompanied Princess Shunde all the way from the main gate into the valley.

The thick path of flowers was constantly laid out before Princess Shunde's feet. Ji Yunhe knew very well how much further it was to get to Li Feng Hall, where Lin Canglan lived.

She looked at the flower petals under the princess, listened to the gossiping voices of her maids, and suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Princess," she opened her mouth and said.

Princess Shunde stopped, but the maids laying down flower petals did not stop. They busily labored forth as if they wanted to cover the entire valley.

Lin Haoqing also turned his head to look at Ji Yunhe, his face showing some displeasure. He did not want her saying anything out of line.

But Ji Yunhe could not help it, she bowed. "Our Demon Valley just experienced great upheaval from the battle against the jade phoenix. We haven't yet had time to clear the roads of scattered rocks and debris. Walking barefoot may be unwise, even with hundreds of flowers paving the road. I worry that a loose stone may cause injury to the princess. Please put on some socks and shoes."

Princess Shunde smiled and raised an eyebrow. She studied Ji Yunhe for a while.

"You are someone who cherishes flowers," Princess Shunde said. "The heart is kind."

Ji Yunhe bowed her head.

Just as everyone was thinking that was a compliment, the smile on Princess Shunde's face disappeared. "But I am not." The red flower embellishment between her eyebrows suddenly formed a stern look. "I am the one who picks flowers," she said. "I love to pick flowers in full bloom. All of the beauty in this world, ninety percent are trampled under my feet, and ten percent are worn on my body."

She reached out with her slender fingers and held Ji Yunhe's chin, making her look up.

"All the land in this world, half of it is mine, and these hundreds of flowers, they are also mine. You, the one who cherishes flowers, is still mine." Princess Shunde's sharp nails gently stroked over Ji Yunhe's face. "I don't like flowers that don't bloom, and I don't like people who talk too much."

She was extravagantly ornamental. Just as she had said, ninety percent of the world's beauty was under her feet, and ten percent on her body. Ji Yunhe was dressed in plain clothes and her face was bare without any powder or lip color. Her entire person was completely unadorned.

A person in the sky and a person underground, face to face, created an ironic imagery of extreme contrast.

But Ji Yunhe was not intimidated. She stared straight into Princess Shunde's eyes and asked without subservience, "So will the princess put on some socks and shoes?"

Princess Shunde's eyes grew colder and Lin Haoqing frowned. The maids and demon masters around them went silent, afraid to even breath.

Only Ji Yunhe seemed to feel no pressure. She spoke again, "The road in the Demon Valley is rugged and difficult to walk."

Lin Haoqing stepped forth and bowed. "Princess, the Demon Valley is very remote from civilization. People here are vulgar and lack proper etiquette. Please have mercy and forgive us."

Princess Shunde glanced at Lin Haoqing. "She is interesting."

Surprisingly, she made a comment not to kill or to torture, but to say Ji Yunhe... was interesting.

Lin Haoqing was a bit surprised.

Princess Shunde threw a glimpse to the side. Eunuch Zhang immediately understood and ran into the long trail of servants, then came back out with some socks and shoes. Another eunuch kneeled on the ground before her with his back arched out, steady and firm. Princess Shunde sat down onto his back.

The maids took the shoes and socks from Eunuch Zhang, held them out and waited for the princess to put them on.

Crimson silk that matched perfectly with her dress.

Princess Shunde not being angered by Ji Yunhe's offenses, and even listening to her, was truly unexpected. The crowd was baffled, but Ji Yunhe felt like this princess was very similar to Lin Canglan.

Positioned as a superior, their anger did not show as anger, and their laughter did not show as laughter. Aside from themselves, no one else could guess what they were really thinking.

After putting on shoes and socks, Princess Shunde stood up, glanced at Ji Yunhe, and continued to walk forward.

There were no more words exchanged until they arrived outside Lin Canglan's residence.

Lin Haoqing walked up the steps and knocked on the door, calling out without any hesitation, "Valley Master."

Even though both he and Ji Yunhe knew very well that no one would ever answer inside.

After waiting for a moment, Lin Haoqing looked at Princess Shunde apologetically, and knocked louder on the door. "Valley Master, the princess is here to see you."

Ji Yunhe stood at the bottom of the steps and silently watched Lin Haoqing's performance.

Still no response. Lin Haoqing said, "Princess, my father is really sick..."

"How did Valley Master Lin suddenly become so ill? The letter to the court last month did not mention any discomforts," Princess Shunde said while stepping up the stairs. She wanted to go inside.

Ji Yunhe stood still with her head hanging low. Her face was expressionless, but her hands nervously clenched inside the sleeves.

When Princess Shunde reached the door, Lin Haoqing spoke up. His voice was still calm without the slightest anxiety. "Princess is going to enter?"

Princess Shunde pushed open the door to the room before he could finish his question.

Ji Yunhe held her breath.

The princess stood by the doorway and looked inside.

Ji Yunhe already knew what she would see from that perspective.

The screen at the doorway was stained by blood last night, and the curtain separating the inner room and outer room was slashed by Ji Yunhe, so they got rid of both of them this morning. Princess Shunde's eyes should have a direct view of Lin Canglan "sleeping" on the bed.

Lin Canglan was covered with a quilt, revealing only the upper half of his face with his eyes closed.

He should look identical to someone who was gravely ill. The only difference was that he was not breathing. As long as Princess Shunde did not approach the bed and pull back the covers, she would not be able to see the horrific wound on his neck...

Princess Shunde surveyed the room from the door. Eunuch Zhang, who stood at the side, suddenly spoke, "Princess, princess." He flattered her to the extreme, and took this opportunity to show concern for her well-being. "The princess has traveled long and far, please take care and not subject yourself to this contagion!"

Princess Shunde looked at Eunuch Zhang, then turned around and left the door with a "mhm".

Lin Haoqing did not rush to close the door to the room. He kept it open and allowed everyone outside to peek in and take a look.

Ji Yunhe slowly exhaled the breath she had been holding. Then she looked to the side where Eunuch Zhang eagerly assisted the princess.

At this moment, Ji Yunhe only wanted to apologize to Eunuch Zhang and tell him: Eunuch Zhang, you are such a good eunuch. It was all my fault putting that dumb talisman on you a month ago, I am sorry.

"Okay," Princess Shunde walked down the steps and said, "since Valley Master Lin is sick, I will not bother him anymore. I came here to see the jiaoren."

Ji Yunhe's heart, which had just settled down, started pounding again.

Princess Shunde turned her head and asked Lin Haoqing, "The jiaoren, where is he?"

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