After the Foolish Beauty Wore Women's Clothes and Married the Brutal General - Chapter 14.2

Chapter 14.2

At this time, Nan Jianlan leaned in and said softly: “Could this poison have come from the Ghost Market?”

Liang Qifeng shook his head: “Hard to say. I’ll go to the Ghost Market tonight to check. Even if they didn’t sell it, they might be able to cure it.”

Though he said this, he was almost certain in his heart it was something from the Ghost Market. This matter was likely done by the same person who committed the previous assassination attempt.

Nan Jianlan sighed: “I’ll leave this matter to you. Take Anle back to your mansion first; it will be more convenient there.” Whether for medicine or finding the Imperial Physician, it would be easier.

Liang Qifeng nodded. He reached out to pick Nan Jianxue up from Nan Jianfei’s side and said, “I’ll leave my people with you. If anything happens, have them come to the Princess’s Mansion.”

Nan Jianlan nodded: “Remember to send someone into the palace to tell Imperial Brother.”

Liang Qifeng responded and then left carrying Nan Jianxue.

The carriage was already waiting outside. Just as Liang Qifeng was about to put him in, a voice suddenly called from behind: “General Liang.”

Liang Qifeng recognized the voice. He frowned and turned to see Ji Zheyan walking over: “Is something the matter?”

Ji Zheyan faltered. Liang Qifeng’s previous attitude toward him wasn’t exactly great, but it was alright—his tone was mostly indifferent and devoid of emotion, rather than cold like this, carrying a heavy warning. Ji Zheyan even suspected he might be beaten if he talked too much nonsense.

He hesitated but didn’t move forward, staying in place to look at the dazed Nan Jianxue in Liang Qifeng’s arms. He gritted his teeth: “I just wanted to ask one thing. Is Xiao Xue…”

“Yes,” Liang Qifeng answered before Ji Zheyan could finish.

Ji Zheyan might not have seen anything when it first happened, but with things escalated like this, he must have realized something. The question he came to ask was easy to guess.

As expected, hearing the answer, Ji Zheyan’s face instantly turned white.

According to Liang Qifeng’s guess, this matter was actually targeted at the noble sons who had sought to marry Nan Jianxue. But Ji Zheyan, wanting to show favor, gave the poisoned pastries to Nan Jianxue, resulting in harming him. It was hard to say who implicated whom, but Ji Zheyan wouldn’t feel good about it.

“I will report this to the Emperor for a thorough investigation. Young Master Ji need not feel distressed.” Liang Qifeng’s tone softened slightly, returning to his previous emotionless tone. “The Princess is blessed with great fortune; nothing will happen.”

Ji Zheyan looked at Nan Jianxue. Seeing his half-closed eyes, a bunch of words he wanted to say were stuck in his throat. Finally, he only said hesitantly: “I… I’ll go to the Princess’s Mansion to see her later.”

“No need,” Liang Qifeng said. “The Princess’s Mansion will be under martial law for these few days. Talk about it when she’s better.”

After speaking, he ignored Ji Zheyan and carried Nan Jianxue into the carriage.

Once in the car, Nan Jianxue said softly: “You’re so cold.”

Liang Qifeng gave a soft laugh: “What, do you feel bad for your future husband?”

Nan Jianxue was confused for a moment before realizing what he was saying. He shook his head slightly: “We are impossible.”

“Why?” Liang Qifeng thought about it. “The Duke of Su’s mansion has been loyal to the Great Lie for generations. The children are now quite capable, all holding positions in the court; they’re among the most successful of the founding families. As for Ji Zheyan… he seems to be in the Hanlin Academy? He’s young with a limitless future; he’s a good match for you.”

“It sounds… weird coming from you.” Nan Jianxue drooped his eyelids and said softly, “I never planned on marrying. If I divorce in the future… I’ll tell Imperial Brother not to find someone worse than you.”

Liang Qifeng laughed: “Then you’ll probably die alone.”

Someone with Liang Qifeng’s qualifications wasn’t nonexistent in the Great Lie, but those were old generals—old enough to be Nan Jianxue’s grandfather. It was impossible to find someone similar in the same age group, let alone better.

“That’s even better.” Nan Jianxue felt uncomfortable sitting, so he changed his position to lean, but it was still difficult. He could only frown and support himself to sit straight: “That way no one will make me angry…”

Before he could finish, Liang Qifeng reached out to pull him over and let him lean against him.

Nan Jianxue was startled and pushed him uncomfortably: “What are you doing?”

“Aren’t you uncomfortable?” Liang Qifeng said. “Even so many soft pillows aren’t enough for you.”

“Can’t lean on them.” Nan Jianxue frowned. Although the soft pillows could support his waist, he didn’t want to use any strength at all—he even wanted to lie down. But since there was more than one person in the car, he couldn’t lie down. He could only vent his resentment on the extra person: “You’re in the way.”

Liang Qifeng was helpless: “Lean or not? If you fall over later, I won’t care.”

Nan Jianxue hesitated but sat over anyway. Though Liang Qifeng was painful to hit, he wasn’t too hard to lean against, and his tall stature was more than enough to support him.

As soon as he leaned over, Nan Jianxue couldn’t help asking: “You’re so proactive. Aren’t you afraid your sweetheart will be unhappy if they find out?”

Liang Qifeng glanced at him: “It seems you don’t like it much.”

Nan Jianxue: “…”

“Just asking.” Nan Jianxue lowered his eyes. “Even if you don’t like women, if we’re like this and he finds out, he’ll still… get jealous, right?”

“He won’t,” Liang Qifeng said. “He doesn’t necessarily like me.”

Nan Jianxue had guessed it before, but he didn’t expect Liang Qifeng to admit it so frankly. For a moment, he didn’t know whether to call him magnanimous or open-minded.

“Then why still look for him?” Nan Jianxue said softly. “If you find him and he doesn’t like you, what then?”

“Then nothing.” Liang Qifeng looked down at him. Nan Jianxue was already beautiful, and after being tormented by the poison, a touch of fragility had been added, giving him a different kind of beauty. It could easily evoke a protective instinct in people.

And a desire for cruelty.

Liang Qifeng looked away and continued: “I don’t have… such deep feelings for him.”

Nan Jianxue lifted his eyelids to look at him: “Do you know what someone like you is called in stories?”

Liang Qifeng thought: “A heartbreaker?”

“Mm.” Nan Jianxue responded. “A heartbreaker says that when they change their mind.”

Liang Qifeng laughed.

Seeing him laugh, Nan Jianxue couldn’t help but frown: “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” Liang Qifeng said. “I only met him once. We didn’t even speak a few sentences. He might not even remember me.”

Nan Jianxue was startled and a bit surprised: “One meeting? You’ve remembered it for so long?”

Liang Qifeng countered: “Is that not allowed?”

“It’s not that.” Nan Jianxue paused. “In my heart now, you’re not a heartbreaker, but a devoted one.”

Liang Qifeng laughed: “Is that a compliment?”

Nan Jianxue nodded slightly and asked curiously: “How did you… meet back then?”

Liang Qifeng shook his head: “It can hardly be called meeting. I went into the palace to find A-Yuan, but he wasn’t there, so I went to the Imperial Garden to play by myself and met him there.”

Nan Jianxue looked at him: “And then?”

“And then?” Liang Qifeng suddenly laughed. “Then I got scolded.”

Nan Jianxue: ?

“He was playing with a cat in the Imperial Garden at the time,” Liang Qifeng said. “You should have seen it; it was black.”

Nan Jianxue nodded: “A-Mo. That cat is called A-Mo. It seems to have run in from outside the palace.”

Liang Qifeng raised an eyebrow: “It has a name?”

Nan Jianxue said “Mm”: “I gave it.”

Liang Qifeng laughed: “He was playing with that cat at the time but didn’t dare get close, using a small twig to tease it.”

“Because A-Mo is very fierce,” Nan Jianxue said softly. “It scratches people as soon as they get close. I often do that too.”

Not just him—the maids and eunuchs in the palace didn’t dare approach A-Mo. Some would even walk around it. Nan Jianxue sometimes suspected A-Mo was a tiger’s reincarnation, otherwise, how could it be so fierce?

Liang Qifeng continued: “He also brought food to feed… A-Mo. A-Mo smelled the food and wanted to snatch it, chasing him all over. I couldn’t bear to watch, so I helped him drive A-Mo away.”

Nan Jianxue was stunned: “Then didn’t you help him?”

“He thought I was too fierce and scared A-Mo.” Liang Qifeng’s lips curved into a very good-looking arc as he remembered the event. “So he scolded me. But how should I put it… he looked very good while scolding people.”

Nan Jianxue: ?

He had thought he would hear a romantic love story, but he didn’t expect it to be so… hard to describe.

His gaze toward Liang Qifeng was instantly filled with complex emotions. After a long while, he said: “I didn’t expect you to have this kind of hobby.”

Liang Qifeng couldn’t help but laugh. He also felt that those words sounded quite perverted, but they were the truth. There were more details he didn’t mention, nor did he need to. Those were his own memories; he didn’t need to open them up for others to see.

“A-Yuan says so too,” Liang Qifeng said.

It took Nan Jianxue a few breaths to realize A-Yuan referred to his Imperial Brother.

“I now suspect you have other motives,” Nan Jianxue said softly. “In stories, someone like you would lock people up.”

Liang Qifeng looked at him: “Like what?”

“A pervert,” Nan Jianxue said. “Watching in secret, stalking, killing when they see them with someone else, and locking them up.”

Liang Qifeng fell silent.

Nan Jianxue had just said it casually. He thought Liang Qifeng would refute him, but he didn’t expect him to be silent. He was momentarily stunned, his gaze toward him filled with surprise: “You actually thought about it?”

“No.” Liang Qifeng pushed away the thought that had flashed through his mind and explained, “It was love at first sight, that’s true, but that kind of feeling is superficial. I wouldn’t do such things, nor would I enjoy it.”

Nan Jianxue thought, one meeting, love at first sight, and thinking they look good even after being scolded—it was definitely being moved by looks, which was indeed quite superficial.

“You have such self-awareness,” Nan Jianxue sighed. “In a sense, it’s actually good.”

Liang Qifeng asked: “What’s good about it?”

“It’s good that you won’t pretend to be deeply in love,” Nan Jianxue said. “It also doesn’t sound like you’d be a stalker.”

Liang Qifeng was speechless for a while before saying: “Read fewer stories in the future, or you’ll go crazy. Where are there so many people like that in the world?”

“Prince Changkang, Nan Jiafu.” Nan Jianxue spoke a name. “He had a childhood sweetheart, his first wife. The two swore an oath to have only each other for a lifetime. After marriage, they were very much in love, a couple envied by everyone.”

Liang Qifeng had a slight impression of this person but not a deep one. He thought for a moment before saying: “I only remember his wife had passed away. I was still at the border then and only heard she left a very vicious curse before she died.”

Nan Jianxue lowered his eyes and said: “He didn’t dare take concubines for fear of ruining his reputation. But when two people are together, perhaps they get tired or the feelings fade. In the sixth year of marriage, he secretly kept a mistress. I’m not clear on the details, but later the Princess of Changkang found out and things turned very ugly, even reaching the palace banquet.”

Liang Qifeng was surprised: “It reached the Emperor?”

Nan Jianxue nodded: “She begged Imperial Brother for a divorce. Imperial Brother granted it. What happened next is unclear. The next news of her was her death.”

Liang Qifeng frowned: “I’ll have someone investigate.”

Nan Jianxue was startled by his words: “Why investigate this?”

“I just want to,” Liang Qifeng said. “Don’t you want to know?”

Nan Jianxue’s lips curved slightly: “I do. I’ve already investigated.” He paused, the smile on his lips suddenly vanishing as his brow furrowed slightly. “In public, Prince Changkang acted deeply in love to keep her, but in private, he spread rumors that she had an affair with someone else. This matter became so big that even her own family wouldn’t recognize her.

She was pointed at outside and mistreated in the mansion. In the end, she couldn’t take it. She learned some cursing magic from somewhere, drew magic circles all over the room with blood, and hung herself.”

Liang Qifeng frowned as he heard this. This was only what Nan Jianxue had investigated; the more detailed things she didn’t know were probably even more tragic.

“After she died, Prince Changkang brought that mistress in,” Nan Jian continued. “People in the capital say Prince Changkang’s deep love was unrequited and that she was ungrateful and failed Prince Changkang.”

A heartbreaker gained a good reputation, while the victim came to a tragic end.

“I’ll have someone deal with him,” Liang Qifeng said.

Nan Jianxue was stunned.

“What kind of end do you want him to have?” Liang Qifeng asked. “I’ll handle it.”

Nan Jianxue laughed: “No need. After I finished investigating, I told Imperial Brother. He was very angry when he found out and had the matter exposed. He also handled it.”

Liang Qifeng frowned: “I remember Prince Changkang is still alive.”

“Yes, but it might be worse than being dead.” Nan Jianxue lowered his eyes. “Both his legs are disabled, and he was poisoned. Imperial Brother dismissed all the servants in the mansion, confiscated the property, and stopped the salary. Only that mistress was left to look after him, and he’s not allowed to die.”

Liang Qifeng also laughed: “It is his style. It’s just a pity for the woman who died.”

“So Imperial Sister always says men’s words are unreliable,” Nan Jianxue said. “Compared to what actually happens, stories are actually better.”

Liang Qifeng gave an “Mm” then thought of something and said helplessly: “So you said I’m good just by comparing me to him?”

“Then your sins aren’t that great,” Nan Jianxue said. “It’s just rare to see a good one.”

Liang Qifeng raised an eyebrow: “What about the Emperor? Don’t you like him a lot?”

“That’s because he’s my brother and he treats me well,” Nan Jianxue said. “His harem isn’t small, though compared to the late Emperor…”

Speaking of this, Nan Jianxue’s brow furrowed again, and he closed his eyes and stopped talking.

Liang Qifeng asked: “What’s wrong?”

“I’m tired. I’ll sleep for a bit.” Nan Jianxue didn’t speak again after that, but Liang Qifeng looked at his frowning and enduring appearance and guessed he wasn’t sleeping at all.

As for why he suddenly stopped… was it because of the late Emperor?

As the Prince’s study companion, Liang Qifeng was not unfamiliar with the late Emperor. His impression of him wasn’t exactly great, but it wasn’t bad either.

It wasn’t bad because the late Emperor was indeed good to him. After all, he was the child of a minister and was quite outstanding, so the late Emperor was always pleasant toward him and occasionally rewarded him with things like a friendly elder in an ordinary family.

It wasn’t great because of Nan Zhanyuan. Nan Zhanyuan was usually very respectful toward the late Emperor, and the late Emperor was also very good to him; there was almost a sense of deep father-son affection. Only once when they were drinking together, Nan Zhanyuan got dead drunk and said his father was a waste. When Nan Zhanyuan sobered up, both of them tacitly didn’t mention it, but Liang Qifeng roughly knew the reason.

The late Emperor was able to ascend the throne with much help from the Empress’s family. But after ascending, he began to fear the interference of the maternal relatives in politics. Yet, without the power of the Empress’s family, he couldn’t control the other noble families. Not daring to act recklessly, he could only secretly incite Concubine Chen to fight with the Empress.

Concubine Chen’s family wasn’t actually strong, nor were her methods very clever, but because she had the Emperor’s support, she made the harem a bloody mess, and even the court was not at peace. When the fighting was at its fiercest, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say the harem was a living hell.

Nan Jianxue’s biological mother, Concubine Jing, died during those years. Thinking of this, Liang Qifeng couldn’t help but frown. He didn’t ask further and took the blanket from the side to cover Nan Jianxue.

Nan Jianxue had initially only wanted to stop the conversation by pretending to sleep, but leaning against Liang Qifeng, he actually fell asleep and had a dream. In the dream, his stomach hurt, and he was crying uncontrollably on the bed. His mother was kneeling by the bed, looking at the person standing in front of her with terror. Her lips moved to say something, but her voice was so small it was completely drowned out by his crying.

“Crying and wailing, it makes my head hurt.” The man’s voice fell, carrying disgust and loathing, like a mountain pressing down on his mother’s head, forcing her whole being to the ground in fearful apology.

“You can’t even raise a child well. She’s at least a princess, yet you’ve raised her like a wild girl from the countryside.” The man’s voice sounded again: “If you really don’t know how to teach, give the child to the Noble Concubine!”

Upon hearing this, his mother kowtowed even more fearfully, begging the man not to take her child away. The sound of kowtowing was loud—thump, thump. It was so loud Nan Jianxue’s head hurt.

He opened his eyes with a frown and saw Liang Qifeng’s finger tapping the table once after another, which overlapped with the sound in his dream. He reached out to pat him and said softly: “So noisy.”

Liang Qifeng stopped and turned to look at her: “Awake?”

Nan Jianxue mumbled a response. Seeing the carriage was no longer moving, he asked: “Are we there? Why aren’t we going in?”

Liang Qifeng looked at him and said, “As soon as I touch you, you hit me.”

“Why?” Nan Jianxue was confused.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking? I’m the one being hit.” Liang Qifeng said, “Now that you’re awake, do you want me to carry you down or walk yourself?”

Nan Jianxue didn’t want to walk at all and reached out his hand directly.

Liang Qifeng picked him up and asked, “Does your stomach still hurt?”

Nan Jianxue shook his head: “Just a bit uncomfortable.”

Liang Qifeng didn’t ask further, his gaze sweeping over Nan Jianxue’s face several times. Just now, Nan Jianxue had likely been dreaming and had been crying. He had wanted to wake him, but as soon as he touched him, he started calling for his mother. He didn’t wake up after several calls, so he didn’t try again. He didn’t know if Nan Jianxue was possessed by a nightmare or simply unwilling to wake up. Was it a nightmare, or did he see his deceased mother?

He carried him back to the room and placed him on the bed. Nan Jianxue grabbed the quilt and wrapped himself tightly, asking in a low voice: “Are you going to the Ghost Market tonight?”

Liang Qifeng nodded: “Don’t worry. If it’s not in the Ghost Market, there are Imperial Physicians. If they can’t do it, there are other ways.”

Perhaps his tone was very relaxed, so Nan Jianxue also gave birth to the thought that “this is nothing.” He let go of the quilt, sat back up on the bed, and asked: “Like what?”

“For example,” Liang Qifeng lowered his eyes and thought. “For example, the Gu masters of Nanjiang. They have a kind of Gu that feeds on poison. No matter how rare the poison is, as long as that Gu is planted in the body, it will wander throughout the body and eat all the poison.”

Nan Jianxue shivered: “What… what if the poison has entered the lungs and organs?”

“Then it will eat the lungs and organs together.” Liang Qifeng lowered his voice: “I’ve heard that those poisoned too deeply are eaten by the Gu until only a shell remains.”

Nan Jianxue immediately grabbed the pillow to hit him: “You’re scaring me again!”

Liang Qifeng blocked the harmless attack with his hand and smiled, saying: “If all else fails, have the person who used the poison come to cure you.”

Nan Jianxue immediately perked up: “How?”

Liang Qifeng then spoke of his previous guess. On the wedding night, although Nan Jianxue almost got hurt, the arrow shot at him wasn’t aimed at his vitals. Even without Liang Qifeng, nothing major would have happened to him. Because of this, Liang Qifeng initially guessed that group was after him. He had many enemies and it wasn’t his first assassination attempt, so he didn’t take it to heart until Nan Zhanyuan told him what he found then he knew that Nan Jianxue also had a share in that assassination.

But because of this, that assassination became a bit strange. He hadn’t understood why those people targeted him but let Nan Jianxue go, until today’s poisoning incident at the banquet occurred; then he vaguely confirmed one thing.

Liang Qifeng said: “Didn’t you say it in the car? Watching in secret, stalking, jealousy, killing, and imprisonment.”

Nan Jianxue was stunned. He thought for a moment before realizing it was what he said when he called Liang Qifeng a pervert.

“That’s in stories.” Nan Jianxue paused, looking at Liang Qifeng hesitantly, “You mean… someone is actually doing this?”

Liang Qifeng nodded: “Killing me would void this marriage. Killing the people on the list is because they are ‘accomplices.’ As for today’s poisoning, it’s out of jealousy and also a warning.” After saying that, his brow furrowed slightly but quickly turned into a half-smiling look again: “He is likely your admirer.”

Admiration is actually a very beautiful word, but at this moment, it made Nan Jianxue feel a bit cold.

“Just because of this, he killed so many people?” Nan Jianxue was a bit incredulous. “His next step wouldn’t be toward me…”

Liang Qifeng shook his head: “Not for the time being.”

For the time being then it was possible. Nan Jianxue couldn’t help but shiver and shook his head: “I’d better not go out recently.”

Liang Qifeng nodded: “That’s good. You can pretend to be sick.”

Nan Jianxue thought of what he just said and hesitated: “You want to draw him out?”

Liang Qifeng nodded: “If he really likes you, he can’t ignore whether you live or die. If he knows your life is in danger because of the poison, he should find a way to send the medicine. We can then follow that line to investigate.”

“What if you guessed wrong?” Nan Jianxue hesitated. “What if the person doing these things doesn’t like me?”

“Then there’s no loss. You have to neutralize the poison anyway. But rather than waiting for the Imperial Physicians to research, it’s naturally better to get the antidote directly.” Liang Qifeng said, looking at Nan Jianxue, “Do you want to try?”

Nan Jianxue immediately nodded: “As long as I can get the antidote.”

Hearing this, Liang Qifeng’s expression softened. He reached out to stroke his hair and said softly: “Don’t worry. With me around, nothing will happen to you.”

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