Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 120: Heart Fluttering

Chapter 120: Chapter 120: Heart Fluttering

After administering the acupuncture, Xie Xun sat under the veranda, carefully wiping his longsword.

This treasured sword was a gift from Marquis Zhenbei, Xie Yuan, given to him when he first entered the battlefield at the age of thirteen. Forged with the finest steel from Ningzhou, it could slice through iron as if it were mud. Xie Xun, who commanded cavalry forces, predominantly relied on spears and bows in battle. Yet, this longsword, over a meter in length, was his most trusted weapon aside from his lance, having dispatched countless Beiman enemies.

The maidservants watching the cold and stern young marquis felt an inexplicable fear. Generals who emerged from blood-soaked battlefields often carried such an acute aura of killing intent, hidden yet palpable in the darkness.

Ten or so Beiman men were spotted near the outskirts of the Capital City, sounding the alarm bells.

The Sha Ling Tian Mountain served as a natural barrier between the Beiman and Yanyang. Beneath the mountain lay a strategically vital frontier town called Qianling Town, the foremost defense stronghold of the Beiman. Thirty years ago, the trade market there had already been shut down. Ningzhou was a heavily fortified city. Marquis Zhenbei had poured countless resources and troops into constructing its defenses. Between Beiman territory and Ningzhou, there was only one city gate, and the process for entering and exiting was extremely rigorous.

Beyond Ningzhou lay the frontlines. The villages and towns outside Ningzhou had either been massacred by the Beiman or had relocated into the city. Normally, the only ones entering or exiting the gates were Ningzhou’s herders and its military forces. The gate’s inspections were particularly strict—papers and tokens were mandatory without exception. Guarding the city was General Cui, a soldier promoted from the Marquis Mansion’s personal troops, who had diligently manned the gate for over a decade.

He could recognize the herders passing through and would never mistakenly let any Beiman men in.

If the Beiman wanted to infiltrate, their only option would be to disguise themselves as the Northern Iron Cavalry, blending into the rest units returning for rest in the city.

So far, he hadn’t received any reports, which indicated that someone within the troops might be helping them cover their tracks.

Xie Xun silently polished his sword. He had already written a letter, urging Prefectural Magistrate Wang to send a messenger through an emergency dispatch to deliver it to his elder brother, eight hundred miles away. Unless Dugu Jing abandoned food and rest to travel through the night, his brother could intercept them at the Ningzhou city gate.

Fengyu’s condition worsened past midnight, the symptoms striking fiercely. They had no choice but to rely on ginseng to keep her alive. Thankfully, her resolve was strong, allowing her to endure it against all odds. By dawn, she finally regained consciousness. When she woke, pain wracked her entire body, as though crushed beneath mountain boulders. Every breath burned her chest. Her vision remained shrouded in darkness. Xie Xun urged the elderly physician to take her pulse and examine her. Fengyu fainted anew from the unbearable pain.

When she regained consciousness again, it was midday. Fengyu was in so much pain that she couldn’t utter a single word; her internal injuries stabbed at her, her fractured bones ached endlessly. She clung to Xie Xun’s robes.

"Young Marquis, I was wrong."

"I was ungrateful."

"I took the Soul Suppressing Pearl. Let’s make a trade!"

The young marquis, Xie Xun, did not share her unspoken understanding. He couldn’t fathom the meaning behind her tears. The elderly physician’s medical skills were limited; he dared not prescribe medication and could not alleviate Fengyu’s excruciating pain. She was drenched in cold sweat, which soaked her hair and clothes. After the physician administered acupuncture, her condition improved slightly, but the effects lasted only an hour or two.

Two days later, Fengyu could finally sit up and speak again. The physicians in Shun City had no solution for her internal injuries; they could only suppress them with medication. Fengyu’s body could not endure long-distance travel. On the first day in Shun City, Xie Xun wrote a letter to Ningzhou and another to summon Zhang Lingzheng to Shun City. Zhang Lingzheng arrived promptly, taking over Fengyu’s care. The physicians in Shun City were relieved as if pardoned.

Xie Xun explained Fengyu’s injuries in detail through his correspondence. After briefly diagnosing her symptoms, Zhang Lingzheng brought medicine suitable for her. To alleviate her pain, he administered the Deadly Scattering Powder—a narcotic made from poppies that suppressed pain but carried a risk of addiction.

Zhang Lingzheng hadn’t anticipated the severity of her injuries. After she took the medicine and fell asleep, Zhang Lingzheng said, "Young Marquis, the Third Miss has always been frail and is now suffering from relentless trauma. She must recuperate thoroughly in the future—overworking or excessive worry could harm her longevity."

Xie Xun was momentarily stunned, suppressing the bitterness in his heart. "Will restorative broths be ineffective?"

With a solemn expression, Zhang Lingzheng shook his head. "The Young Marquis could persuade her to build up her strength through exercise. It may prove more effective than medicinal nourishment."

The vast heavens stretched endlessly, dotted with faint light.

Xie Xun’s fingers curled slightly into a fist, concealed within his sleeve. The tenderness and helplessness buried within him were shrouded by the night. His tone was indifferent as he said, "Understood."

His voice revealed neither joy nor anger. Fengyu’s condition had stabilized. After administering acupuncture to Xie Xun, Zhang Lingzheng departed overnight. As an Imperial Physician, he couldn’t stay away from the palace for long. He had traveled under the stars to Shun City but had to rush back without delay.

Xie Xun handed him a letter. "Deliver this directly to Feiying."

"Yes!"

Zhang Lingzheng received the letter, tucking it into his sleeve. Despite wanting to offer candid advice, he refrained, sensing that the Young Marquis already had a plan in mind. He understood what could be done and what was beyond his reach. Zhang Lingzheng could heal physical wounds but couldn’t cure the pangs of longing.

On the next day, Fengyu woke with slightly improved spirits. Xie Xun swept through the corridors, dressed in a black cloak that billowed dramatically. As he entered the room, he carried with him a gust of cold wind.

Fengyu, weakened from illness, leaned back against the soft pillows. Her hair was loosely tied with a pale ribbon, her face bereft of makeup, leaving her delicate and pallid. The sight tugged at Xie Xun’s heart, reminding him of Zhang Lingzheng’s ominous words. Fengyu wouldn’t live past eighteen—it was a rumor he had heard before. Previously, he only worried that her death would implicate him.

Now...

He hoped Fengyu would live peacefully, year after year.

Fengyu coughed lightly, struggling to reach for the bowl of porridge nearby. The maids weren’t in the room, and the freshly delivered porridge was still steaming hot. Just as Fengyu’s hand approached the bowl and chopsticks, a strong arm reached out, lifting the bowl effortlessly, and seated itself by her bedside.

The fish porridge was simmered to a creamy and aromatic consistency. Xie Xun spooned up a mouthful and lightly blew on it before bringing it to Fengyu’s lips. Fengyu was caught off guard, staring at him in disbelief. Xie Xun chuckled softly and said, "Open your mouth."

Having been unable to eat for two days, Fengyu was ravenous, her hunger blurring her thoughts. She obediently opened her mouth. Xie Xun fed her spoonful after spoonful. However, the young marquis was evidently inexperienced in serving others, inadvertently scalding Fengyu several times.

"It’s hot..."

"Such fuss!" Xie Xun smiled faintly but spent extra time blowing on the spoon. No longer did he scald her, his movements uncharacteristically gentle.

Fengyu stared at him in puzzlement. Xie Xun was strikingly handsome—his well-contoured forehead and flawlessly arched brows framed his deeply expressive eyes. His sharp and refined features exuded an aura of gentle grace, drawing forth a visage of unrivaled magnificence.

She had heard countless tales of Xie Xun’s valor in battle, always dismissing them as exaggerated, painting the young marquis as an invincible deity descended from the heavens.

Seeing him in person surpassed any story. He was far more like a war god than the tales described.

With his blade aimed forward, he never knew retreat.

"So this marquis is that good-looking?" Xie Xun asked with a teasing smile, "The Third Miss seems utterly entranced."

"You’re so gallant," Fengyu praised without hesitation, delivering her compliment like a bold strike.

The Third Miss’s unexpected tactic left the Young Marquis flustered. His ears, rarely reddened, now burned crimson. "You... you... Well, at least you have good taste."

Fengyu had spoken without much thought, never anticipating that Xie Xun’s face, ears, and even neck would flush completely red, his gaze betraying a rare and youthful bashfulness—like someone experiencing a maiden’s confession for the first time.

His lingering gaze on her stirred an undeniable warmth in Fengyu’s cheeks.

The hot porridge gradually revitalized her body. Her lips regained a rosy softness, their allure undeniable, catching Xie Xun’s attention. His mind drifted to the moment he had fed Fengyu her medicine.

The Third Miss appeared delicate, but her lips seemed even softer.