Beigong Ying paused for a moment, then gave a faint smile and said, "Very well."
Beigong Ying returned to Chu Nanxi’s side and taught Hupo the method Yun Li had suggested. Hupo then took Chu Nanxi to a secluded spot not far away to massage her. Whether it was the effect of the Diarrhea Powder or merely psychological, after a quarter-hour of intermittent massage, the pain in Chu Nanxi’s abdomen truly subsided significantly, and the diarrhea stopped.
After resting for a while, Chu Nanxi was helped by Hupo back to Beigong Ying’s side. "Thank you for the suggestion, Brother Ying. I’m feeling much better now."
"I'm glad to hear it. Be more careful in the future; don't touch anything unclean. It’s fortunate that it was only diarrhea—if you had ingested some toxin, it would have been dire, and we don't have a physician with us."
Chu Nanxi faltered slightly, then lowered her head and whispered, "I understand. I will be careful." She bit her pale lips and looked up at Beigong Ying. *Does Brother Ying mean that I’m a burden?* Thinking this, a sense of grievance welled up inside her. It wasn't as if she wanted to be like this; her body was still weak.
Chu Nanxi glanced over at Yun Li, Shen Huaixu, and Yanze, who were chatting happily, and bit her lip in resentment. Previously, while they hadn't been overly warm toward her, they had at least been cordial. Now, they were hitting it off with someone who had only appeared last night. She couldn't understand it. Was she, the dignified Eldest Miss of the Chu family and the future Princess Duan, not even worth as much as a stranger?
Chu Nanxi clenched her fists. She could not let Yun Li stay in the group any longer; if this continued, there would be no place left for her. With this thought, she secretly took a piece of her own undergarment from her Qiankun pouch, tucked it into her sleeve, and called Hupo to the side. She shoved the garment into Hupo's hand and whispered, "Find an opportunity to plant this on Yun Li."
Hupo took the garment, saw what it was, and immediately stifled a gasp as she shoved it into her own sleeve. "Miss, have you lost your mind? This is your intimate undergarment! It concerns your reputation. Even if you dislike Yun Li, you cannot use a method like this. Prince Duan is still here!"
Chu Nanxi narrowed her eyes, her face cold. "It is precisely because it is my intimate undergarment, and a woman's reputation is so vital, that no one will suspect we planted it."
Hupo grabbed Chu Nanxi’s sleeve, anxious. "But, Miss..."
"Enough. Just do as I say." Chu Nanxi impatiently cut her off and turned to head back. Hupo hurried to follow. After they left, Shen Huaixu stepped out from behind a nearby tree. He had gone out to stand guard while Yanze relieved himself and had unexpectedly stumbled upon the scene of Chu Nanxi’s scheme.
Shen Huaixu offered a sardonic smile. Most of the young masters and ladies from the Main City had known each other since childhood; it was just a matter of how close they were. Before Chu Nanxi had latched onto Beigong Ying, they had been mere nodding acquaintances. They had mostly heard rumors that the Eldest Miss of the Chu family was beautiful, kind-hearted, and talented. As she and Beigong Ying began to spend more time together, they grew more familiar with her, always assuming she was the kind, considerate, and generous person the rumors described. He never expected that this expedition in the forest would reveal a heart as venomous as a snake’s.
Yanze emerged from behind, draping his arm over Shen Huaixu’s shoulder. He followed Shen Huaixu’s gaze but saw nothing. "What are you looking at, Axu?"
"A fascinating little scene. You’ll probably find out soon enough. Let’s go back." Shen Huaixu walked off, and Yanze chased after him. "Hey, Axu, what is it? Tell me, I’m curious!"
No matter how Yanze pestered him, Shen Huaixu refused to say a word. As soon as they returned to the campsite, they saw Hupo bump into Yun Li. Shen Huaixu raised an eyebrow and glanced at Chu Nanxi. *How much she must despise Yun Li to start this so quickly.*
"I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, Young Master Yun! I didn't mean to, I was just trying to use the fire you started to boil some porridge for my Miss... she’s still so weak..." Hupo knelt before Yun Li, apologizing profusely, most of the water in her basin having spilled onto the ground.
Chu Nanxi stood up weakly, walked slowly over to Yun Li, and looked down at the kneeling Hupo. "How could you be so careless? Fortunately, you didn't soak Young Master Yun's clothes too much; otherwise, with the heavy dew tonight, he might catch a chill."
Yun Li’s eyes flickered as she watched the master and servant’s performance. Though she didn't know what they were up to, she smiled and pulled Hupo up. "It’s fine, it didn't get too wet. I’ll just change into something else later. Feel free to use the fire if you need it; there’s still some firewood left."
Hupo wiped away her crocodile tears and bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, Young Master. Thank you."
After Hupo left to set the pot over the fire, Chu Nanxi looked at Yun Li with a pained, apologetic expression. "Young Master Yun, I am truly sorry. It is all my maid’s fault for being so clumsy. I see that your outer robe has quite a bit of water on it. Why don't you take it off? I’ll have Hupo wash it for you to express my apologies."
Yun Li looked down at the wet patch on her robe and waved her hand. "No need, it will dry soon enough."
Chu Nanxi smiled warmly and gracefully. "How can that be? The night air in this forest is damp and heavy; how can you spend the night in wet clothes? Let us wash it now and hang it by the fire; it will be dry by tomorrow morning."
Chu Nanxi turned back and called out, "Hupo, come here and help Young Master Yun take off his robe so we can wash it."
"Yes, Miss."
"No, no, really, it will be dry in a moment." Yun Li reached out to stop Hupo from removing her robe. Though she had transmigrated from the modern world, she was still a woman and was not accustomed to changing clothes in public.
"Young Master Yun, please just let us wash it for you, or my Miss will scold me." Hupo said this while tugging at the sash of Yun Li’s robe. Suddenly, the sash loosened, and a piece of red fabric fell out. Yun Li looked at the object with an amused expression. Others might not have seen it clearly, but she recognized it instantly—because she was a woman, and she had such things in her own space.
Yanze saw the red cloth fall from Yun Li’s belt and walked over curiously to pick it up. "What’s this?" He gave it a shake, unfolding it. Upon seeing what it was, Yanze looked at Yun Li with a knowing, suggestive grin. "Brother Yun, I didn't expect you to keep this tucked away on your person! Looking at the fabric and the embroidery, it must belong to a great beauty, eh? Hahahaha!"