Future Beast World: Becoming A Pampered Beauty-Chapter 475 - 414: Imitation Jade (2)

...

Plum Blossom Garden had a plot of land that, having been neglected for years, was overgrown with weeds. After Yun Qi moved in, he bought many medicinal seedlings and planted them in the garden, tending to them meticulously every day. Winter passed and spring arrived. Tender green shoots broke through the soil, their growth a delightful sight.

He dug up a few perilla plants from the garden, potted them, and placed them on the indoor balcony, patiently trimming their leaves.

’Why hasn’t the Princess come by these past two days? Is she busy with something else?’

Ever since his eyesight had recovered, the Princess would usually visit Plum Blossom Garden whenever she was free. But there had been no sign of her for the past two days; it was hard to even hear any news about her.

Kong looked at his master and hesitated before saying, "Two days ago, the Young Master of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan came to the manor as a guest..."

CLANK—

The pruning shears fell to the ground with a crisp sound.

Seeing Yun Qi’s devastated expression, Kong was filled with regret. He hadn’t dared to tell his master about this for the past two days, precisely because he was afraid it would upset him.

The relationship between the Princess and his master had just started to improve, and now the Young Master of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan had shown up again. Ever since Yun Rong arrived, the Princess had been spending all her time with him, never once coming to the back gardens. His master had been completely cast aside.

Yun Qi bent down, picked up the shears, and went out to the medicinal garden.

"Where is the Princess now?"

"At... at Memory Cloud Palace."

Kong’s voice became even quieter.

The Princess usually went to Memory Cloud Palace to rest. The meaning behind the palace’s name was self-evident: it was named by the Princess back when she spent her days pining for Yun Rong... Kong looked at his master again. He saw no major emotional fluctuation on his face; he still wore that same placid, gentle expression, but a hint of iciness seemed to have crept into his eyes.

Yun Qi picked some warming herbs, brewed a restorative soup, and personally carried it to Memory Cloud Palace.

Meanwhile, Sang Luo and Yun Rong were chatting about something, talking and laughing together.

When Yun Qi arrived and saw this scene, an indescribable irritation welled up inside him, and his chest felt tight and uncomfortable. He concealed the emotion in his eyes, pressed his lips together, and spoke. "It’s been a while, Princess. I heard from Kong that you were here, so I brewed a nourishing soup. I hope it’s to Your Highness’s liking."

Sang Luo was surprised. "How thoughtful of you. Thank you, Qi."

Yun Qi gave a slightly bitter smile. "I am Your Highness’s Concubine. This is my duty, but my previous weak health made it inconvenient." He added, "You’re often so busy you skip meals. If you don’t mind, I can come and serve you personally in the future."

"There’s no need. You’re my Concubine, after all. I didn’t marry you just to have you wait on me. Leave such chores to the servants." Sang Luo couldn’t bear the thought of tiring out his frail body.

"Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness." The smile on Yun Qi’s face became more genuine. He stepped forward and placed the warm medicinal soup in front of Sang Luo, his voice gentle and considerate. "It cooled to the right temperature on the way here. Please drink it while it’s warm. It’s good for you."

Yun Rong watched the two of them acting so harmoniously, and the smile in his eyes faded a little. He lowered his gaze and glanced at the bowl of soup. "Oh? Wan’er is perfectly healthy, not sick at all. Drinking too much of this kind of medicinal soup when there’s nothing wrong can actually be bad for you."

Yun Qi retorted, "The Princess may not seem to have any major issues, but having been by her side day and night for so long, I am naturally the most clear about her physical condition. She has excessive liver fire, a cold constitution, and internal deficiency. If she doesn’t start nourishing her body soon, problems will arise sooner or later." He then looked at Sang Luo. "I prepared this specifically for you, based on your body’s needs."

Yun Rong was choked speechless. He wasn’t the Princess’s bedmate, after all, so he had no right to comment.

However, Yun Qi’s deliberate mention of his status as a Concubine had displeased Yun Rong. He had clearly been the one to meet the Princess first, yet Yun Qi’s words made him sound like an outsider, someone less considerate and attentive to the Princess’s health than this latecomer...

After Sang Luo took the medicinal soup and drank it, she immediately felt a warm current flow into her abdomen and spread through her limbs. Her whole body felt wonderfully warm and comfortable, and a healthy, rosy color returned to her cheeks.

"From now on, I’ll prepare a medicinal soup for you at noon and in the evening. If you’re too busy to come to Plum Blossom Village, that’s fine. I’ll bring it to you."

Sang Luo smiled. "Thank you, Qi! You’re too good to me!"

Yun Qi gave a bashful smile. "To be able to serve Your Highness is the greatest honor of my life."

At the side, Yun Rong tightened his grip on his teacup, his expression darkening slightly.

’In the past, the Princess only ever smiled at him like that. I can’t believe she’s moved on so quickly. And Yun Qi is just some disfigured person, not even a fraction of the man I am.’

"It seems Wan’er and little Qi get along very well. Those rumors I heard before must have been baseless," Yun Rong said with a half-smile.

Princess Ji Wan and Yun Rong had known each other for many years, so he was the most perceptive of her changes. Sang Luo quickly said, "Yun Qi is your own brother, after all. Of course I have to take care of him. I was young and foolish back then and made some mistakes."

Yun Rong stared at her intently for a long moment, finally letting out a long sigh. "Wan’er, you really have grown up."

"Haha, people change."

"I have some other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave." After chatting for a little longer, Yun Rong excused himself.

"What did my brother go to do?" Yun Qi asked, sitting beside Sang Luo while slowly and carefully blending incense.

Pale, bluish-white smoke curled up from the exquisite and elegant incense burner, seeming to have a calming and clarifying effect on the mind. As Sang Luo breathed it in, her body relaxed considerably.

"He said something came up within the Nine-tailed Fox Clan that he needs to resolve."

"Do you know the specifics of what happened in the clan, Princess?"

"Well..." Sang Luo really didn’t know. "Yun Rong didn’t give me the details."

Yun Qi gave a half-smile. "He came to the manor to find you this time... he didn’t just ask you for a large sum of money and then leave, did he?"

Sang Luo stared at him, wide-eyed. "How did you know?"

Yun Qi spoke unhurriedly, "This isn’t the first time my brother has done this. Over the years, he has kept you at arm’s length, taking considerable sums of money from you bit by bit. All together, it probably adds up to half the treasury of the Nine-tailed Fox Clan." 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Sang Luo was speechless.

Yun Qi looked at her again and said seriously, "Princess, I have no intention of interfering with how you manage your wealth and properties. But there is something I must remind you of, lest you end up losing both the person and the fortune."

"...Go on."

"My brother is nominally the child of the Clan Leader and his wife, but he is not her biological son. The Clan Leader’s Wife has always hoped for a biological heir to inherit the clan’s assets, and has secretly prevented the Clan Leader from entrusting any real power to him. His position as Young Master is purely nominal—an empty title with no power or wealth." Yun Qi’s voice carried a hint of mockery. "And not long ago, the Clan Leader’s Wife became pregnant."

"..."

"If I were my brother, I would be incredibly anxious right now, desperately searching for a way out. And the Princess’s financial resources would be his greatest asset for recruiting soldiers and winning people’s loyalty."