Chapter Forty-Four: The Golden House Hides a Beauty

  The two imperial physicians tactfully did not immediately ask to learn Qin Lei's divine technique, but instead passed on the method of promoting Qi and activating blood circulation, and also prescribed a prescription, and then instructed a few more sentences before taking their leave.

  Qin Lei saw off the imperial physician, it was already noon. There was an internal monitor who called him to go to the front hall for a meal. Qin Lei thought for a moment and instructed Shen Qing to find several palace maids to take care of the girl before going to the front hall.

  The table was empty, and the prince sat in his proper seat, with a face that didn't look very good.

  He asked Qin Lei to sit down, dismissed the attendants around him, looked at Qin Lei for a while, and then slowly said: "Fifth brother, you have been out since childhood, so you may not understand our royal family's rules."

  Qin Lei remained silent.

  The crown prince picked up his teacup, took a light sip of tea, and continued: "The royal family is the number one family in the world. It must have the demeanor of the number one family in the world. It must always pay attention to setting an example for others and being a model for the world."

  Qin Lei nodded slightly.

  The prince nodded at him, his tone slightly slower: "Today's affair, you did very badly."

  Qin Lei raised his head and stared at the prince in surprise.

  The crown prince looked at his bewildered younger brother, remembering his pitiful circumstances and couldn't bear to scold him anymore. He said in a gentle voice: "If the emperor finds out about this matter, he will definitely throw that palace maid into the well, and you won't be able to escape the twenty lashes from the Imperial Clan Court either."

  Qin Lei's voice was hoarse as he asked: "Why?"

  The crown prince stood up and walked to Qin Lei's side, placing his hand on his shoulder, saying in a low voice: "A palace maid, favored by the imperial son, not only did she not show gratitude, but also became arrogant and presumptuous. She even dared to hang herself in the imperial son's bedchamber, ruining your fortune. According to Qin law, her entire clan should be executed."

  Qin Lei couldn't help but let out a light laugh, and the crown prince asked in surprise: "What's wrong? What's so funny?"

  Qin Lei shook his head and smiled wryly: "No, I just thought of something funny."

  The prince patted his shoulder and returned to his seat, saying in a warm tone: "Next time something like this happens, chase the person away early on, don't let them stay in the house. Don't make it as messy as today."

  Qin Lei was taken aback and lost his smile, wanting to say: "Isn't that just soliciting a prostitute?" But he really didn't have the mood to make this kind of boring joke.

  The prince knew he was new to this and still needed an adaptation process. After some thought, he smiled and said: "After all, she is the first woman of my fifth brother in the Great Qin, so I'll help you block this matter. Then I'll help you find an outer house, sell her off, and send her away. How about that?"

  Qin Lei saw the crown prince's determined look and could only smile wryly and thank him.

  The prince nodded and, seeing Qin Lei's disheartened expression, comforted him: "Fifth brother needn't worry, second brother isn't blaming you. Tomorrow I'll take you to Master Zhang to learn some etiquette, then you won't make this kind of mistake again. Come, let's eat first." He lightly tapped the edge of the table, and after a long wait, the palace servants finally brought in various dishes for lunch.

  The meal was eaten in silence. After dinner, Qin Lei bid farewell to the prince and returned to the attic, sitting beside the girl's bed, gazing at her sleeping face. The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, but his heart was turbulent.

  Qin Lei arrived in this world and was placed under house arrest in the Qi State's hostage residence, where he relied on Tie Ying for survival. Later, when planning to return home, it could be said that he was humble and courteous, or that he stooped to flattery. Then, on the road back home, three hundred Iron Eagles followed him to death, regarding him as their master. He had never paid attention to his own identity.

  It can be said that he has always regarded the identity of Daqin Huangzi as a utilizable tool to seize resources beneficial to his own survival. Moreover, in the state of Qi, no one would take the prince of another country seriously.

  However, he did not realize that since entering the Great Qin and entering Zhongdu, this vague and intangible identity suddenly became concrete. This identity brought not only glorious status, but also many constraints and many inevitabilities.

  His many unintentional actions may bring a lot of unbearable disasters to people who have been in contact with him.

  This is the glory that imperial power has brought him, but this glory is too sharp for ordinary people.

  The girl on the bed slightly lifted her legs, calling him back from his contemplation. Qin Lei checked and everything was normal, it was just an unconscious action in a nightmare.

  It was only then that he carefully examined the girl's face for the first time, her pale oval face, long eyelashes, lovely little nose, and tightly pursed small mouth. Her forehead was wet from a nightmare, with a few strands of hair stuck to it, looking pitiful.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Qin Lei personally gave Nian Yao a massage and acupuncture treatment three times a day, supplemented by medicinal soup. After several days of this, the girl's pulse gradually stabilized, and all her physical signs returned to normal.

  She simply refused to wake up, and neither of the two doctors Huang and Xu had a solution. Qin Lei knew that this was probably the patient's body's self-protection mechanism at work, and maybe she would wake up suddenly at some point. But it was also possible that she would become a vegetable from now on.

  The prince has mentioned several times about finding a good outer house for him, and it really can't be delayed any longer.

  Seven days later, on a clear morning, a horse carriage drove out of the east palace's back door, passing through the mansions of princes and nobles, along Wuyi Lane, winding its way to a quiet alley.

  Qin Lei, dressed in a plain long gown, carefully lifted the sleeping girl from the carriage under Shen Qing's escort and walked into a small courtyard with green bricks.

  In the courtyard, a large pagoda tree was planted, with lush foliage covering nearly half of the yard. Inside, several maids and servants had already welcomed Qin Lei into the north house.

  The room had been swept clean, and the bedding and furniture were all new. Qin Lei gently placed the girl with a strange relationship with him on the kang, and smoothed out her hair.

  After gazing for a while, he withdrew his gaze and said to the maid waiting on one side: "I'll trouble you all to take care of my sister from now on. I will come visit every day."

  He said to Shen Qing: "Set up a small team post here."

  Shen Qing nodded in agreement and went down to make arrangements without mentioning it again.

  Qin Lei walked out of the house and sat down on a stone bench under the pagoda tree, motionless. The surrounding guards naturally held their breath and quietly dispersed to avoid disturbing His Highness.

  After a short while, the tranquility was broken by a flurry of hasty footsteps. Shi Wei, who had not been seen for many days since entering the city, appeared at the door.