After Zhenzhu Tong Sijin and the others left, all the windows in the Nuanlou were opened for ventilation. Princess Xinxing simply rewarded each of the staff with fifty cash and told them to go home and rest, resuming business the next day.
Princess Xinxing led them to a room in the backyard. Only then did Li Jingyun notice. "Sister, you even bought this place?"
"Right. The Nuanlou is crowded, noisy, and full of prying eyes. When we're swamped with work, we always need a place to stay overnight. I didn't want to stay on the third floor, so I bought a small courtyard nearby. It's delicate and quiet." Princess Xinxing smiled and tucked a stray hair behind Li Jingyun's ear. "Hongxuan, were you scared just now?"
"No. I think you're so amazing, sister! I've never seen you so imposing before!"
Just thinking about the reasonable and well - argued words Princess Xinxing had said just now, leaving those Turks speechless, Li Jingyun felt extremely gratified.
"I told you. You've all been deceived by her gentle appearance. If you really anger her, she won't show any mercy." Princess Gaoyang said teasingly with a smile.
From childhood to adulthood, she had heard others compare her with Princess Xinxing countless times. They said she was crazy and lacked the elegant and virtuous qualities, and that she was far inferior to Princess Xinxing.
But only she, who knew Princess Xinxing best, knew that it was all a disguise. Princess Xinxing was not like that in private.
Li Jingyun nodded seriously after hearing this. Then she felt something was amiss. "So, sister, did you arrange for those guys to carry the medicinal materials over suddenly? Was all this part of your plan?"
"You're making me sound like some master strategist. I just took advantage of the situation. Those people were so arrogant that they lost their wits. Such a small trap was easy to set."
Just thinking about this, Princess Xinxing couldn't help but want to complain.
As angry as she was, she had to figure out how to turn the situation around. If word got out that they were bullied by foreigners in their own shop, it would be such a disgrace!
"Sister, when did you learn about pharmacology?"
"Before opening the Nuanlou, didn't you tell me that we should use not only various flower petals but also medicinal materials? So I looked up medical books." Princess Xinxing smiled, but the worry in her eyes was hard to dispel.
Although this round was not a glorious victory, at least they had won. As for what would happen next, she had no idea.
Those Turks would probably seek revenge deliberately.
Normally, Princess Gaoyang might follow Princess Xinxing's words and tease her, saying something like "Look, reading is still useful. Stop complaining about not wanting to go to school every day."
But now she just wanted to be quiet for a while and sort out her thoughts.
It fell silent again.
Li Jingyun yawned in her sister's arms, so sleepy that she could hardly keep her eyes open.
Those Turks still wanted to bully them? Humph! They were tricked by her sister!
They were so stupid. Why did the Turkic khan send them here to propose marriage for a princess?
This lesson should teach them a good lesson. They'd better never have such thoughts again!
Her sister was so amazing. Both of her sisters were amazing!
Thinking like this, Li Jingyun's head bobbed up and down. She was still there, but her soul had probably gone to have tea with Lord Zhou Gong.
Duan Jia couldn't stand it anymore. She took Li Jingyun and said, "Your Highnesses, it's getting late. I'll take the little princess back to the imperial city."
"Go ahead." Princess Xinxing nodded.
Princess Gaoyang smiled. "It's been tough on her to endure this with us."
What had happened in the Nuanlou not only reached Li Shimin's ears immediately but also spread quickly through the streets and alleys. The common people were filled with hatred and were secretly scolding the Turks.
An hour later, Zhenzhu Tong Sijin was lying on the bed in the room prepared for them by the Honglu Temple. His eyes were blank, and he felt completely drained, not even able to think clearly.
The most poisonous thing in the world is a woman's heart!
She was a princess, raised in the imperial city with good breeding. How could she do such a thing!
Zhenzhu Tong Sijin had only thought that Princess Xinxing was a gentle little goat. At most, she would scold a few words when angry, and there wouldn't be anything new. Who would have thought that this goat had sharp horns and could ram two terrifying blood holes in him with one hard hit.
After such an incident, how could he explain it to the khan when he went back? Wouldn't those people nag in his ears for years?
"Our khan wants a bold and capable princess to marry into our land, right? That Princess Xinxing is just the right one. I just don't know if she's married?"
A Turk leaned on a Hu chair, took a sip of warm water to calm his nerves, and finally said what he had been holding in his heart for a long time.
The only criterion was whether she was married, not even considering if she had a betrothal.
Zhenzhu Tong Sijin's eyes suddenly lit up. He propped himself up against the wall and sat up. "You're right. Although Princess Yicheng was strategic, she was scared when she first got married. Even after several years, she still trembled when she saw our khan. This Princess Xinxing definitely won't."
Princess Yicheng was the one who was married from the Sui Dynasty. She also held great power in the Turkic land. She once took Empress Xiao there to support her. She spent her whole life dreaming of destroying the Tang Dynasty and restoring the Sui Dynasty, but her wish was never fulfilled until she died.
"Good. Tomorrow we'll go see the emperor of the Tang Dynasty and tell him that we want Princess Xinxing to marry into our land!" Zhenzhu Tong Sijin slapped the table and laughed heartily at the thought.
He wondered what expression that princess would have.
Suddenly, the door was opened, and Zhenzhu Tong Sijin's laughter stopped abruptly.
Du Jingtong led a teenage doctor in. "I heard you ate something wrong. I specially brought a doctor here to treat you."
"Thank you, Vice - Minister Du!" Zhenzhu Tong Sijin was even happier. A doctor was sent to treat them just after they got sick. This vice - minister of the Honglu Temple was quite perceptive.
The young doctor had a round face and looked very cute. After coming up to pay respects, he felt Zhenzhu Tong Sijin's pulse. As soon as he felt the pulse, the young doctor's face changed suddenly. He said exaggeratedly, "Your Excellency! Have you been on the battlefield for many years? You have quite a few old injuries in your body!"
"Don't worry about those old injuries. Just prescribe some medicine to treat the diarrhea!"
Zhenzhu Tong Sijin waved his hand, indicating that those were not important.
But the young doctor shook his head seriously. "Your Excellency, you can't ignore your old ailments. Otherwise, you'll regret it later! Your diarrhea is related to the diseases of your internal organs and can't be treated lightly. Well, I'll prescribe a prescription for you first to nourish your body, and then we'll take it step by step."
He spoke so seriously that he completely deceived Zhenzhu Tong Sijin. Zhenzhu Tong Sijin had been fighting in all directions in his early years and had many wounds on his body. He also had some chronic diseases that had never been cured. The young doctor's words really hit home with him.
"Do as you say. I've always heard that the doctors of the Tang Dynasty are highly skilled. If you really cure me, I'll reward you handsomely!" Zhenzhu Tong Sijin said loudly.
The young doctor lowered his head and smiled. He subtly gave Du Jingtong a look and then went to feel the pulses of the others after responding.