Chapter 68
She found him while she was foraging for herbs in the woods. At first, she felt that he looks similar, but could not recall who he was exactly. His injury, inflicted with poison, led to her suspicion that he had faced an unusual threat and that he must be of special status. He could be either good or bad, but her Hippocratic oath made it so that she carried him to an abandoned house near the temple.
Her healing magic was not advanced enough to completely heal him at once. She had to spend time with him for several days until he showed recovery, yet the side effect from the poison was still apparent.
All those time they spent together was in silence. He refused to speak even a word to her, while also protesting her method of using acupuncture to cure him of the side effect. Every day, she grumbled, telling him of the necessity of her treatment with her mother tongue, uncaring that he would not understand her at all.
Some days she would tell him stories in an attempt to build trust. She had to spend days in order to make him let her treat him with acupuncture, a strange method of healing in this era.
After she had finished, the man finally opened his mouth.
“You don’t know me?”
“Do I have to know you?” She frowned.
“I’ve met you at the palace.”
.....
At least he did not use those lame pickup lines like ‘I’ve met you in my dreams’, otherwise she would use these needles to sew his mouth shut.
“Not long ago I attended a banquet held within the palace. You must be one of the guards there. That’s why you’ve met me.” Bai Hua came to her own conclusion. This man was possibly on a secret mission assigned by the Emperor, something she had often seen in the dramas. He was lucky that she helped him. “My name is Bai Hua. What about you?”
Meeting someone was considered fate. Today, she saved his life, so she wanted to befriend him in case that they could help each other out again in the future.
“Ming”
“That’s a fine name.”
She complimented without realizing that one day, he would become the forever ‘light’ of her life.
———————
A few days had passed since Ming had fully recovered, yet he did not leave. He told her that he would help her study herbs and medicine until she was due to return to Bai mansion, to which Bai Hua gladly accepted. There were many herbs that she needed him to teach her about, but sometimes, there were also herbs Ming did not know about. When that happened, he would send a magic messenger to ask his younger brother in order to help her.
He fully supported her and never doubted or obstruct a woman like her from learning medicine.
Bai Hua felt optimistic toward their closeness. In this world, Ming was the first person who accepted her ability and gave her opportunities, even after she had told him that she was a daughter of a concubine in Bai family.
They were good friends for almost a month. During that time, Bai Hua never expected that their budding friendship would make her worry about him so much.
One day, they were attacked by a group of men. The moment he was hurt, her heart felt like it received the same blow as well. Though they survived the ambush, Ming was hurt and inflicted with a poison Bai Hua did not know of. Eventually, Ming sent a magic messenger to someone.
That person was Ouyang Wenrou.
Wei Wang traveled here together with Bai Hua’s half-sister. She was surprised to meet the recipient of Ming’s letter, but she assumed that he was probably a soldier under Ouyang Wenrou and think nothing of it. She wanted the famous ninth prince to rush to heal Ming’s wound, and so she ended up offending Bai Yu...that was entirely her fault.
After transmigrating here, being grounded, and then being sent here, she did not have much chance to learn more about the manners of this era. Luckily, Bai Yu only reprimanded her a little, so she could go to visit Ming...
No.
She should say, ‘to have an audience with Qin Wang, Ouyang Mingxian’ instead.
“I have been rude to Wangye all along.” She did not know his identity, and she had been treating him as a friend. Had she have known who he was, what title he held, she would never come close to him.
Furthermore, he was the man her sister was in love with. She must suppress these feelings to the innermost depth of her heart.
“Mingxian.” Ouyang Mingxian studied the woman he had been living with for almost a month with unusually soft eyes. “That’s my name.”
“I do not dare, Your Highness.” Bai Hua knew he wanted her to act toward him like before. But she could not. He was a prince, and she was a useless woman.
Ouyang Wenrou watched the two, feeling puzzled.
What did that woman do to make his third brother look at her with that kind of gaze? It was as if coldness was largely melted away. He had never seen his half-brother like that before.
“Hua-er.” A familiar address was uttered from the man known for his unfriendliness. “You and I are friends, don’t be so formal.”
This woman only had sincerity and care for him. Ouyang Mingxian was guilty of lying to her, but he also could not let her go...This was the first time he had experienced such warmth.
Time spent with her was also the time of him slowly being drawn in by her oddness and her gentle strength. Before he could realize, he had opened his own heart and became entirely ensnared by her.
“That is not possible, Your Highness...” Bai Hua still held her head low. “...I am only a commoner, I cannot...”
“Miss Bai, how about this?” Ouyang Wenrou suggested. “...You’re skilled in medicine and also interested in studying herbs, right? Third brother wants to help you, Benwang is also interested in your medical skills, then why don’t we be friends in order to exchange our knowledge?”
Ouyang Wenrou tried to give a compromising option to the woman in front of him. She had sharp, determined eyes obscured by her social status. That must be what had intrigued his brother.
“Then...” Bai Yu pondered. “Could Your Highnesses keep everything that happened a secret?”
Hide the fact that she had saved Ouyang Mingxian.
Hide the fact that she became their friend.
Hide the fact that she and Ouyang Mingxian had felt...
“I accept,” Ouyang Mingxian agreed. It was only now that he would keep those secrets...When the time came, he would make it so that she received the honor higher than any concubine’s child.
“Miss!”
Xiao Zi ran into the woods, shouting for Bai Hua. “...Huff...miss...where are you?”
She curtsied to them before hurrying away toward her maid, fearing that she would be seen alone with two princes. Bai Hua headed to Xiao Zi who was looking for her. “What is it, Xiao Zi?”
“Miss...huff...the first miss is coming to your room to see you...huff...”
As soon as she heard her maid, Bai Hua ran back to her room, slinked in through her window, and saw Xiao Tao nervously speaking to Bai Yu. Bai Hua waited for a moment to steady her breath before stepping out from behind the screen.
“What’s the matter, first sister?” Fatigue made her careless of her tone.
“I’m just dissatisfied with your manner in front of Wei Wang, so as a good sister, I’ve come to lecture you.” Bai Hua did not know Bai Yu’s intention of coming here, so she remained silent and waited until she could ascertain it.
“You’re just a lowly concubine’s child. Don’t you dare act inappropriately in public, otherwise they might think there’s no one to teach you manners.”
Lowly concubine’s child...That word again?!
Lowly this, lowly that...
Was it my fault?!
“Why aren’t you apologizing to the first miss?” A maid beside Bai Yu’s snarled. The doctor who was used to being pampered was immediately irritated
“Or you only know manners when you’re in front of men?”
“You!”
Bai Hua’s patience snapped. She darted toward her sister but was quickly held back.
“You what!?” Bai Yu shouted. She had no fear for Bai Hua’s action. Even worse, she only sneered at her. “...I already said this much and you still can’t accept the truth. I guess teaching animals might be easier!”
“You’ve crossed the line!” Bai Hua jerked away from the grip on her arms and rushed toward Bai Yu again. But the result was the same as before, two maids came forward and instantly held her down.
What’s wrong with her?!
This woman was the same age as her. Why would she have to cower and respect her so much?! Just because of a trivial matter, she kept mocking her. What did she do so wrong?!
“If you had shown me manners, this would not have to happen.”
“...”
Bai Hua stared back at her defiantly.
What gave this woman the right to lecture her like this?! The only thing she knew was either bullying the original Bai Hua or chasing after the man who had no interest in her until all in the capital knew. This kind of woman...What gave her the right?!
What made her worthy of respect?!
She did not want to lose, but Bai Hua could not do anything else but accept Bai Yu’s bullying. The original body never blamed that woman. The status of the first Furen’s daughter was too powerful that it had stamped out all her complaints.
Because she was born from the first Furen, so she had the right to bully her?
She would never surrender!
——————-
Ever since that day, Bai Hua threw herself into studying medicine and improving her magic. When the plague happened, she tried the best of her ability to help the villagers, uncaring of distrust from everyone else. They had no confidence in a woman, especially a lowly woman born from a concubine. However, luck was on her side when the commander general noticed her skill and allowed her to cure the villagers, leading to an unexpected opportunity for her to gain favors for herself.
At the same time, the events at the village made Bai Hua see Bai Yu in a new light...actually, her sister was as capable as she was wicked.
Bai Yu recognized Bai Yu’s ability and willingly played along with her half-sister many times after that. She had thought that her reputation and favors would erase the label ‘concubine’s child’ from her, but no matter what she did, she could not cross the high wall of hierarchy. Even when entering the mansion, she could not proudly walk through the front gate!
“Be benwang’s wife.”
Numerous times, Ouyang Mingxian secretly came to meet with her. He was the only person who recognize her worth and was willing to stand beside her, despite her low status.
The feeling they had for each other could not be restrained.
But this secret was still kept hidden.
“Benwang will make it so that you can openly walk through the front gate.”
Bai Hua did not accept his offer, but her heart also did not deny it.
She asked for some time...Before saying ‘yes’, she wanted to be a person worthier than him first.
.....
One day, she would be a woman so beautiful and strong that those qualities overshadowed her status.
And so...Bai Hua’s opponent was not Bai Yu, but this entire world!
She, who was born in the world of equality, had become a woman in the world of ‘hierarchy’. It would be arduous before she could cross it, and her sister would be the highest wall she had to be scale to be the perfect woman.
But this lofty wall was so intimidating for her...
But she must have faith and strive! Let it be known, then, that her goodness and ability would lose to such a pathetic fate.
And one day...the worthless flower like Bai Hua would proudly stand beside the dragon Ouyang Mingxian.