Chapter 1123: A Plea with Every Kowtow

"An imperial decree?" Che Buchi frowned. He knew as well that openly defying it would be inappropriate, but Shao Liuer had insisted on coming.

Shao Liuer pleaded, "Sir, I haven't come to offend Mr. Wuxin. My husband is at death's door. I only came to beg Mr. Wuxin for help. Is even that forbidden?"

"This..." The cultivator blocking the way hesitated.

Clang!

Shao Liuer suddenly moved. She drew the sword from a maid beside her and laid the blade across her own neck.

"Princess Consort!" everyone cried out.

"Move aside!" Shao Liuer shouted sharply. The edge had already drawn a line of blood across her snow-white neck. Her voice turned anguished. "Sir, I would never dare offend Mr. Wuxin, nor do I wish to offend anyone. But my husband's life hangs by a thread. I have no choice but to do everything I can. Whether Mr. Wuxin agrees to save him or not, I have to try. I can only do all that lies within human power and leave the rest to Heaven. Please make an exception for me! Whoever tries to stop me, I will die right here!"

Among the cultivators blocking her, one turned a palm inside his sleeve, preparing to cast a technique and restrain Shao Liuer.

Before he could act, Che Buchi flashed over and pressed down on his arm. Then he cupped his hands to the group. "Fellow disciples, for the sake of our shared sect, please make an exception. I give you my word that the Princess Consort will not offend Mr. Wuxin, and I won't allow her to. I'll remain beside her and watch. Will that do?"

After he put it that way, the cultivators hesitated briefly before moving aside. One of them warned Che Buchi, "The Sect Leader is in the palace personally watching this matter. Senior Brother, be careful!"

It was a warning as much as a reminder: keep a close eye on her and do not make things difficult for us, or you yourself will not escape the consequences.

Che Buchi gave a slight nod of thanks. Then, without warning, he seized Shao Liuer's wrist. Moving almost too quickly to see, he took the sword from her and swept it behind his back. He extended his other hand in invitation, indicating that she could pass.

"Thank you! Thank you!" With the bloody mark still on her neck, Shao Liuer bent at the waist and thanked those who had blocked her, then hurried through.

Che Buchi did not allow many people to follow. Only a few accompanied Shao Liuer at a brisk pace.

Hao Qingqing, who had run over to see what was happening, immediately became unhappy. She shouted, "What's going on? Why is she allowed through?"

The cultivator blocking the road had an answer ready. He said heavily, "Grand Princess, His Majesty's decree was directed at all of you."

"You..." Hao Qingqing bared her teeth in frustration but could do nothing.

The gates of the Ghost Doctor's disciple's residence opened after Che Buchi knocked. Guo Man poked her head out and eyed the handful of people outside suspiciously. "Who are you? What do you want?"

Che Buchi stepped aside to reveal Shao Liuer behind him. "The Princess Consort of Prince Ying's residence requests an audience with Mr. Wuxin. Please trouble yourself to announce her."

At the foot of the steps, Shao Liuer anxiously forced a smile. Casting aside the dignity of a Princess Consort, she bent deeply toward Guo Man, the woman guarding the door, doing everything she could to appear respectful in hopes of winning some goodwill.

"Princess Consort Ying?" Guo Man murmured. Her eyes flickered as she studied Shao Liuer. Then she said, "Wait here."

Bang!

The door closed without the slightest ceremony.

The people outside did not know what the answer would be. After all, the master of this residence had not even given Bu Xun, Chief Steward of the Inner Palace, any face. They could only wait anxiously.

Inside, Wuxin stood amid a collection of bottles and jars, reading from a parchment scroll as he measured and compounded medicines according to the formulas written upon it.

In one corner thick with medicinal scents, Yan Baoru was grinding plant roots, making medicinal powder according to Wuxin's instructions.

Guo Man entered, walked to Wuxin's side, and reported, "Sir, Princess Consort Ying requests an audience."

The moment those words left her mouth, Wuxin went completely rigid. He turned and asked, "Princess Consort of which Prince Ying?"

Guo Man laughed. "How many Prince Ying residences can there be in the capital? Third Prince Hao Zhen's Princess Consort."

Wuxin's five fingers instantly tightened around the parchment scroll. His breathing visibly quickened, and his Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly. "What is she doing here?"

In the corner, Yan Baoru looked up. She could hear that something was wrong with Wuxin's voice. It seemed faintly unsteady.

Guo Man was watching his reaction too. Smiling, she said, "I just told you, sir. She came to request an audience."

"No..." Wuxin sounded uneasy. "I mean, why does she want to see me?"

Guo Man found the question strange. "Sir, what's wrong with you? Obviously it's because Prince Ying Hao Zhen was poisoned. Chief Steward Bu was just here about the same thing. Don't tell me you really can't guess that Princess Consort Ying came to beg you to save her husband."

Wuxin slowly set down the scroll and hesitated.

After waiting a while, Guo Man probed, "Sir, will you see her or not?"

Yan Baoru's bright eyes flickered. Wuxin genuinely seemed nervous. His chest rose and fell conspicuously, and even the rhythm of his breathing had become disordered.

Wuxin suddenly turned and strode out of the medicine room. Yet the moment he reached the doorway, he stopped. He looked down at his clothes, then raised his eyes toward the direction of the main gate. He seemed almost afraid to face something. Abruptly, he turned and went back into the medicine room, leaving only two words behind.

"Won't see her!"

Yan Baoru and Guo Man, who had followed him out to see what was happening, both turned back toward the room. Then they exchanged a look. Each understood what the other was thinking.

Their master's hesitation and anxiety were obvious. Something was wrong.

Guo Man left the medicine room and returned to the main gate. She opened it halfway.

The moment the door moved, everyone outside looked up hopefully. Shao Liuer in particular had her ten fingers twisted tightly together, staring at the entrance with naked expectation.

But Guo Man's first words plunged everyone into despair. "Princess Consort, please go back. Mr. Wuxin is not receiving guests."

It was the answer reason suggested and the answer they had expected, yet it was also the answer they had feared most.

Shao Liuer immediately pleaded, "Miss, please allow this humble woman to see Mr. Wuxin just once."

Normally Guo Man would probably have shut the door immediately. But she was full of curiosity about Shao Liuer and did not hurry to send her away. As she repeatedly looked the Princess Consort up and down, she advised her kindly, "Princess Consort, please don't make things difficult for me. You know Mr. Wuxin's rules. Once he says he won't see someone, he won't see them. It doesn't matter who comes. His Majesty the Qi emperor once came here himself seeking an audience, and Mr. Wuxin still refused to see him. Surely your status can't be higher than His Majesty's?"

"This humble woman would never dare compare herself with His Majesty. But my husband truly is at death's door. I beg Mr. Wuxin to save him." Shao Liuer was already weeping. She gathered up her skirts with both hands and dropped to her knees in full view of everyone. "I beg Mr. Wuxin to show mercy!"

"Princess Consort." Che Buchi could not bear the sight and stepped forward to help her up.

Shao Liuer raised a hand and stopped him.

Guo Man sighed. "Princess Consort, why put yourself through this? You may not know it, but you are far from the first person to kneel before this gate. I've lost count of how many have knelt here begging Mr. Wuxin. It never works. Once he says he won't see someone, he won't see them. He has never made an exception. Please go back."

Still crying, Shao Liuer shook her head. "I do not ask Mr. Wuxin to make an exception for me. I only ask him to show mercy. If he does not agree, I will not rise!"

Guo Man gave another sigh. "Then do as you please." She stepped backward and closed the door.

Bang!

Once the gate shut, the alley fell silent except for Shao Liuer's weeping.

"Princess Consort, since he refuses to see you, why don't we go back?" Che Buchi tried to persuade her.

The moment he spoke, Shao Liuer bent forward and kowtowed. With every kowtow came the same anguished plea: "I beg you, sir, show mercy and save my husband!"

Che Buchi and the others exchanged helpless looks. The Princess Consort was showing such sincerity to save the Prince that they neither knew how to stop her nor how to let her continue.

At the mouth of the alley, Huyan Wei and the others who had been blocked there watched the scene from a distance, speechless.

"Why is Third Sister-in-law putting herself through this..." Hao Qingqing ground her teeth. "What Mr. Wuxin? He's got a heart of stone and the conscience of a wolf! No, worse—he has no heart at all! He'd better never fall into my hands, or I'll cut his heart out and see whether it's black."

A cultivator beside her quietly warned, "Grand Princess, mind your words!"

"Hmph!" Hao Qingqing curled her lip and looked toward the woman still kowtowing in the alley. "Third Sister-in-law really does love Third Brother."

Huyan Wei muttered, "With a wife like that, what more could a husband ask?"

Hao Qingqing immediately shot him a cold look. "Am I not good enough?"

"Heh. What do you think?" Huyan Wei gave a humorless smile and tipped his chin toward the woman kowtowing in the alley. "Learn from her."

Hao Qingqing's eyes widened. "You want me to kneel for you? Dream on! Why don't you go die?"

Huyan Wei rolled his eyes and muttered, "You're wonderful. Truly wonderful."

Back in the medicine room, the moment Guo Man returned, Wuxin, still holding the parchment scroll, immediately asked, "Has she left?"

"She refuses to leave. She's kneeling outside the gate. She says that if you don't agree to save her husband, she won't get up."

A mocking, bitter smile touched Wuxin's lips. "How loving. How devoted. Such deep affection between husband and wife. If she wants to kneel, let her kneel." With that, he lowered his eyes to the parchment again.

Guo Man and Yan Baoru exchanged another look. Neither had known Wuxin for only a day or two; they understood his temperament to some extent. This was the first time either had heard such open mockery from him.

Guo Man went outside again. When she returned after a while, she reported, "Princess Consort Ying still hasn't left. She's kowtowing to you. One kowtow, one plea, begging you to save her husband."

Wuxin's Adam's apple moved. He said nothing and continued looking at the parchment in his hands.

Yet both Guo Man and Yan Baoru could see it clearly. Their master had already lost all composure. Though he held the scroll before him, his mind was elsewhere. His gaze was unfocused, nothing like his usual concentration.

Every so often, Guo Man went to the main gate and peered through the crack to see what was happening.

After she had gone back and forth several times between the medicine room and the gate, Wuxin suddenly asked on his own, "Is she still there?"

"Still there. She's still kowtowing and begging. You can tell she's exhausted."

Wuxin slowly closed his eyes. Both hands tightened around the parchment scroll.

After a long while, he abruptly opened his eyes, set the scroll down, and said one word at a time, "Open the gate!"

"Uh..." Guo Man froze, then tried asking, "Sir, you've agreed?"

Wuxin said, "Let her in!"

"Yes!" Guo Man turned and hurried away.

Creak!

The main gates opened. This time, they swung fully wide.

Everyone outside lifted their heads. Shao Liuer was already exhausted almost beyond endurance, but the moment she saw the gates open, she put fresh strength into another kowtow and raised her voice. "I beg you, sir, show mercy and save my husband!"

Guo Man said, "Princess Consort, get up. Mr. Wuxin has told me to let you in."

Everyone brightened at once.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you!" Shao Liuer cried in delight. She hurriedly tried to rise, only to collapse back to her knees. Her legs had gone numb from kneeling so long.

The people beside her rushed forward to support her. A female cultivator immediately pressed a palm against her and used spiritual power to restore the flow through her meridians and blood vessels.

The moment she regained the use of her legs, Shao Liuer pushed the others away. Afraid of making the master inside wait, she hurried up the steps.

Guo Man stopped the entourage following her. "Irrelevant people stay outside. Mr. Wuxin dislikes crowds and commotion."

She allowed Shao Liuer through, then immediately shut the gate.

"That works?" Hao Qingqing, watching from the mouth of the alley, stared blankly. Then she immediately began making a fuss. "Let me through! Let me through! I'll go kneel and beg too!"

[End of Chapter 1123]