5 - Jade Pendant

Chapter 5 – Jade Pendant

Si Liujing drank it all at once and then ordered again. “More!”

Bai Yuxiao immediately helped him to pour another bowl of water. Si Liujing drank several bowls in a row and finally, his thirst was quenched. Then he asked. “Is there anything to eat?”

“Yes. Wait for a while and I’ll bring it to you.”

He listened to the sounds of her retreating footsteps and a little later, he heard her coming back. The aroma of food drifted into the room and the aroma became more and more intense as she approached.

Smells delicious! Si Liujing swallowed his saliva. Although he felt very hungry, he is, after all, a member of the royal family, and his background and upbringing forbid him to act like a starving ghost.

After Bai Yuxiao put down the food together with the bowl and chopsticks, she helped him to sit down at the table. Very naturally, she served him and picked up a piece of meat to put into his bowl.

Si Liujing thought the food was nothing more than some raw food and did not expect it would taste so delicious.

“What meat is this?” He asked.

“This is donkey meat.”

“Donkey meat?” He had eaten the meat of snakes and horses but this is the first time he tasted donkey meat.

“There’s a saying – – Goose meat from the sky, donkey meat from the ground. Donkey meat is delicious, sweet, and cooling. It nourishes qi and blood, at the same time, nourishes the yin and strengthens the yang, and has a calming effect. This is most suitable for Wangye to consume at present.”

It turned out the food was for replenishing his yang energy. The thought had crossed his mind that although the detoxification was completed, his body still felt very weak. Shui’er indeed understood his needs very well.

“Did you cook this?”

“Yes, is the taste satisfactory?”

He nodded. “Not bad.”

After biting into a meatball, he asked. “What’s this?”

Bai Yuxiao understood that he was currently being pursued by killers, so naturally, his suspicion was many more times stronger than ordinary people. She did not mind and patiently explained to him in detail.

“This meatball is made from loach. Loach has a sweet taste, calming in nature, and has the benefits of nourishing the mid-vitals and replenishing qi. It also nourishes the kidneys and promotes essence.”

So, this is loach…….loach is the food of the commoners.

Si Liujing had heard of it but never tasted it and unexpectedly, the taste turned out to be so delicious. He was used to eating exotic delicacies from the seas and the mountains, and suddenly, now he tasted the food of the common people. He found it quite refreshing and it also tasted good, so his appetite was stimulated.

Every time he finished tasting one dish, Bai Yuxiao would naturally pick up food from another dish for him and she would talk about the dish to him. Since she had visited many places, she had a wide knowledge of all kinds of food.

“This is mussels. It has a salty taste, warm in nature, and has the effect of nourishing qi. And these are golden needles, red dates, lotus roots, and pigeon eggs. All these foods are beneficial to blood development and the recovery of Wangye ’s injuries……..”

(Golden needles are lily flowers that have the benefits of enriching blood and soothing nerves.)

She served him attentively. When he finished one bite, she would serve him another bite and when he finished a bowl of rice, she would serve him another bowl.

Si Liujing was very hungry. At first, he was still able to pretend but in the end, he was almost gobbling up the food.

“Eat slowly…….be careful of choking.” She used a towel to help him wipe the oil stains at the corners of his mouth. She was very natural as she served him, giving Si Liujing an illusion that both of them had known each other for a long time.

“Did you get a doctor to treat my injuries?”

“Yes.”

“Where’s the doctor?”

Bai Yuxiao understood what he was thinking when she heard his tone and she replied. “Don’t worry, Wangye . The doctor is a hermit who lives alone and he doesn’t treat patients. So Wangye ’s whereabouts won’t be revealed.”

After Si Liujing heard, he was very satisfied. This woman is very smart. Not only did she know how to take care of him, but she also knew how to plan for him. She had arranged everything even without him giving any instructions and she did not even question him.

Since the doctor she found could sew up his wounds, then the doctor must be skilled in medicine but why is he still blind?

“Did the doctor tell you why my eyes still can’t see?”

On seeing his taut expression, Bai Yuxiao knew he was worried about his eyes and when she thought of Old Man Zhao’s explanations, her face turned red involuntarily.

“That’s because the poison is still in Wangye ’s body and as the eyes are at the end of the nerves, the poison will be dispelled slowly. However, Wangye should not be worried as the doctor said the poison will be resolve after doing it a few more times.” The last sentence was muttered under her breath but it was still heard by Si Liujing.

He is a man and after thinking over it for a while, he immediately understood. It turned out that this yin poison could not be resolved by doing it once but several times. No wonder the last sentence was spoken so softly.

He curled his lips and put down the bowl and chopsticks.

‘Where are my belongings?” Presently, he was half-naked as his upper body was bandaged after the medicine was applied. His pants had been changed and his belongings were not beside him.

“They are put them away.”

“Bring them to me.”

Bai Yuxiao was puzzled. He was having his meal but why did he suddenly ask for his belongings? Since he wanted it, she would give it to him.

She went to the side and opened the chest. After taking out his belongings from the chest, she put them on the bed and then helped him move over to the bed. He fumbled around with his hands and found the jade pendant.

All year round, he would wear this piece of jade around his waist, and presently, other than his sword, it is the most valuable item on him.

He handed the piece of royal waist ornament to her. “Take this.”

(Waist ornaments are worn around the waist like pendants hanging from tassels tied with pieces of jade, pearls, or gemstones.)

“This…….”

“Take it.” He insisted.

Bai Yuxiao reached out and just as she touched the jade pendant, she was grabbed by his hand. He pulled her close to him and hugged her in his arms.

“Be careful!” She was afraid of pressing on his wounds and did not dare to get too close to his chest. “Move gently! Your wounds had just been dealt with. Be careful not to split it open again.”

Si Liujing put his arm around her waist and placed the jade pendant into her palm. His voice sounded magnetic and his breath blew into her ear.

“You saved me and also gave me your body, so you’re my woman. I will certainly not treat you badly.”

Bai Yuxiao looked at the jade pendant in her hand and listened to his gentle low voice. If it was another woman, eighty percent of her mind would be in ripples and she would be at a loss. However, Bai Yuxiao is a very clear-headed woman. Although she loves him, she also understands his temperament and knows he is buying her heart. Now he is injured and blind, and assassins are in hot pursuit. Temporarily, he has to rely on her for everything, so it is inevitable for him to show his intentions with the jade pendant and it is also to ensure her loyalty.

Perhaps Si Liujing wanted to reward her because he felt grateful to her for saving his life but this so-called reward would, at the most, indicate he will take her as a concubine. But she is originally his concubine and thus, whether he takes her as a concubine or not, it makes no difference.

Besides, if he is truly interested in her, he would have inquired about her family background and her real name but he did not. Besides, he did not even ask how she knew him. From this, it could be seen she is only a woman he could make use of and he would not treat her any different just because of this life-saving grace…….or perhaps, there is another reason……..that is he does not fully trust her yet.

In order to calm his heart, she decided to accept the jade pendant. So she immediately curved her lips into a captivating smile and her voice became soft and delicate like water.

“Then Shui’er will accept it and from now on, Shui’er belongs to Wangye . Wangye must not betray Shui’er’s affection.”

“Of course. This jade pendant is the token of my love for you.”

She smiled slightly and put the jade pendant away.

“The medicine is stewing in the kitchen, I have to take a look.”

Nodding, Si Liujinjg released her and she got up to walk out of the room.

***☆☆☆***

The following few days, she served him, brought water to help him clean up, and boiled the medicine for him. His original clothing that was stained with blood was badly damaged and could not be worn again. His royal robes had long ago been disposed of by Bai Yuxiao and she prepared some commoner’s clothing for him. Although the clothes were not as good as compared to the palace’s silk and satin, they were still comfortable and clean.

The foods he ate every day were mainly for nourishing essence, qi, and blood in his body. Although the foods served were not lavish dishes, they tasted very delicious. Different kinds of dishes were served at every meal and other than loach and donkey meat, there were also pigeon meat, quail meat, pine nut fungus, leek stew, and various commoner’s dishes that he had never tasted before.

In the evening, there would also be the five-element porridge* or five-element vegetable soup. Si Liujing had to admit, he was very pleased with this Shui’er. Within three days, he could feel his vitality recovering but it was probably because the poison was not completely purged from his body, he started to feel aroused.

(Five-element porridge or soup is a medicinal food that nourishes the five internal organs consisting of millet, black rice, red dates, green dates, and lilies.)

On the fourth day, while the sky was still bright after Bai Yuxiao had just helped him to clean up and was combing his hair, he suddenly hugged and kissed her on the lips.

Bai Yuxiao knew he was starting to get excited due to the poison and wanted to use her to detoxify. However, thinking of the pain she experienced the last time, she still had lingering fears.

If he behaves as rough as he did before, it would not only hurt her but it would also tear apart the wounds on his body.

This is not possible, so this time she will not let him have his way!

She had thought about this earlier on and since she has to do it, she would not remain passive and let him invade.

Anyway, she is now known as Shui’er and he cannot see her, so she can do whatever she wants.

She used her hand to squeeze his mouth to stop his greedy kiss.

“ Shhh. …….” She comforted him softly. “ Wangye must not be anxious. The doctor said that your wound is still healing and it can’t split like the last time. Why not let Shui’er serve Wangye and you can just lie down and enjoy?”

Her soft and charming voice seeped into his bones and her breath was blowing on his face, ambiguous and teasing. She gently pushed him to lie down while she straddled his thigh as her hands wandered all over his chest. Usually, he would be naked on his upper body so it would be easier for her to change his bandages without helping him to take off his clothes.

She placed her slender and flexible fingers on his skin and slowly slid them boldly around teasingly.