Wake Up, I’m the Former Villainess

At nightfall, in the southeast corner of the county Palace, Zhutao Courtyard, there was mist in the narrow room, and a small person was soaking in a brown thick water. His body was bruised and his skin was barely fine. At this moment, he was trembling all over, his cold white face was reddened by the heat, big beads of sweat dripped down one by one, his thin lips pressed tightly, his expression was painful, his two small hands clung to the edge of the wooden barrel tightly and the blue veins on his skinny arms were exposed.

Next to the wooden barrel, stood an old man with a childlike face, staring at the child for a moment. He was tense as he asked, “How do you feel now, can you bear it?”

Xiao Yi, who was soaked in the soup, gritted his teeth and nodded slightly.

The old man danced with joy, “The boy is very good, and the princess did not misunderstand the person. The old man has studied this bone water for ten years and soaked it in it. As long as we can persevere, there will be great benefits.”

Xiao Yi’s voice squeezed out between his teeth, “Thank you Mr. Xia for the medicine.”

The old man was Xia Zheng, the doctor of the prefectural palace. On that day, when he got the pearl Duan San gave him, he was suspicious, and when he found them, Nian Nian was so frightened that she accidentally poured rice soup on Xiao Yi.

Feeling guilty, Nian Nian asked him to help Xiao Yi. He was annoyed that Xiao Yi dared to make the princess serve him and deliberately took out a medicinal bath that few people could insist on.

This recipe could temper the bones and strengthen the body. It could be said that if one could persist, it would have great benefits, but the process was too painful, and no one could handle it. Unexpectedly, at a young age, Xiao Yi’s heart was strong, able to endure the pain of burning bones and flesh. His will was rare in the world.

After a few days, Xia Zheng couldn’t help but look at him with admiration.

At this moment, hearing Xiao Yi say that, Xia Zheng laughed, “You’re welcome, you’re welcome, I also want to thank the kid for his willingness to try the medicine. If the pain is severe, why don’t you just talk to the old man to divert your attention?”

Xiao Yi shook his head.

Xia Zheng muttered, “You kid, everything is good, but you don’t talk too much. Anyhow, the princess saved you, so you don’t care how she is?”

Xiao Yi’s expression moved slightly.

Seeing that he was interested, Xia Zheng lifted his spirits and complained to him, “That girl is really wayward. She secretly washes off the medicine I gave her for her forehead. It’s making this old man mad! What is she thinking about?”

Xiao Yi was stunned and vaguely guessed the reason for Nian Nian doing so. She was going to carry out the bitter plan to the end.

In the past few days, the county palace and even the entire Jingjiang Mansion had almost been turned upside down. The king of Shunning County was about to return to the mansion, but Concubine Yu couldn’t find the little princess. The responsibility was so heavy that she was going crazy in a hurry. She was afraid that the King of Shunning County would be angry, and she did not dare to say that the princess was missing. In the name of looking for the runaway maid, she did not know how many people were sent to search.

That was to say, Xia Zheng had a special status and was notoriously unkind, so they didn’t dare to go to him.

Xia Zheng said, “The old man can see that the princess treats you well, why don’t you persuade her? You are the same age, maybe she would listen.”

Xiao Yi lowered his eyes and said lightly, “You are looking at me.”  “ 您老高看我了。”

After the medicated bath, Xiao Yi felt as if he had lost a layer of skin and was exhausted. He took a short rest, thanked Xia Zheng, and after agreeing to come over to soak in the medicinal bath every three days, he bid him farewell.

These days, taking internal and external medicines, plus taking a medicated bath, he had recovered more than half of his injuries. The scabs had healed from his external injuries, and his internal injuries were also better. Xia Zheng finally agreed that he didn’t have to come to Zhutao Courtyard every day.

When he walked to the door, he hesitated and turned to the back room.

He didn’t find Nian Nian in the house, he found her in the pharmacy.

Nian Nian was standing by the wall with her ear against it.

Hearing the movement of him coming, she stretched out a finger and made a “hush” gesture to him.

The moonlight was like water, the sky was full of stars, and the little girl under the moon was so small.

She wore pale blue clothes, her black hair was like ink, her skin was like snow, her bulging cheeks were delicate and fat, her apricot eyes were bright, and her lips were slightly curled.

He didn’t know what she was hearing.

Xiao Yi’s gaze fell to Nian Nian’s forehead. Her bangs blocked his sight, unable to see how her injury was.

When Nian Nian beckoned him, Xiao Yi approached cooperatively; when Nian Yian pointed to the wall, Xiao Yi followed her action and pressed his ear to the wall.

Someone was talking outside.

“Duan San is too much.”

Another said, “Exactly, didn’t the steward let him take charge of the princess’s horse? What does he mean by appearing in front of the second girl again and again? Isn’t this eating what’s in the bowl and looking at what’s in the pot.” (m. it is an indirect way to describe someone who is always checking out their options.)

The previous person said, “That kid doesn’t want to take care of the second girl’s horse, right?”

The other person took a breath, “It’s really possible. You say, will he secretly do bad things to you like he did to Nie Xiaoyi?”

The previous person asked in doubt, “How did he do a bad thing to Nie Xiaoyi?”

The other said, “Are you stupid? Something happened to Red Tail. There is definitely something wrong. Haven’t you ever doubted it?”

The man said sadly, “What about doubt? We don’t know how he did it. If he really wants to deal with me, what can I do? It takes a thousand days to be a thief, there is no thousand days to guard against a thief.”

The other person said, “That’s true, that kid has so many tricks up his sleeves, it’s hard to guard against him.”

As the two talked, they gradually walked away.

Nian Nian asked, “Did those two work with you in the stables?”

Xiao Yi nodded. Zhutao Courtyard was not far from the stables. A small path behind the wall of the pharmacy led from the stables to the lower room, but the road was relatively far away. Few people usually walked. These two people obviously deliberately went this way to talk.

Nian Nian blinked at him, “Your chance for revenge is here.”

Xiao Yi said, “Hmm.” When he lowered his eyes, they turned cold.

Duan San was a child of a noble family and had a deep foundation in the county palace. Even if he suffered a loss, he was unable to fight back, so he had to find another way.