My Beautiful Master is Delicate and Charming (13)

"Who are you calling 'bao'?" Little Wei noticed that Si was increasingly fond of teasing her.

She had no idea when he’d picked up such a bad habit.

"I’m calling you 'Qing Cai Bao'."

Little Wei was left speechless. Whatever—Si just loved messing around like this. But since things had worked out, she figured she ought to prepare the meal earlier today.

Little Wei made fish soup with noodles and served a bowl to Mu Miao.

"Why noodles today?" Mu Miao asked after taking a bite, slightly surprised.

Noodles were usually eaten well past noon, yet today they were served unusually early.

"Because from now on, I’m going to treat you to better things, Master."

Mu Miao looked puzzled but didn’t voice her thoughts, simply continuing to eat in silence.

The noodles, cooked in fish broth, were tender and flavorful. Mu Miao finished them quickly and glanced up, as if waiting for more.

"Want seconds?" Little Wei blinked in surprise.

Was it just her imagination, or did her master have a bigger appetite than her?

"Is there any left?" Mu Miao’s ears turned slightly red with embarrassment.

Little Wei looked down at her own bowl—there was still some left—and scooped it into Mu Miao’s.

"Here, Master, you can have mine."

Guess I’ll have to make more next time.

Hearing the sound of noodles being transferred, Mu Miao realized Little Wei had given her portion away. Her ears burned even redder, but she said nothing, quietly continuing to eat.

By the time Little Wei finished cleaning up, the palace’s chief eunuch, Su Zhe, had arrived outside Zhongling Valley. The divine artifacts had already spoken of a miracle doctor, so Su Zhe didn’t dare let his entourage drive the carriage in. Instead, he led two junior eunuchs along the narrow path into the valley.

Zhongling Valley was incredibly hard to find. If not for Su Zhe’s persistent inquiries, no one would have known a miracle doctor resided here.

Step by step, he moved forward until the scenery suddenly opened up before him.

There, he saw a stunning woman in an emerald-green robe lounging on a rattan chair. By the stream sat a petite girl in a soft yellow dress, lifting her skirt slightly as she playfully dipped her feet into the water. The splashes landed on the grass, and she giggled with delight.

The scene was so idyllic that Su Zhe froze in awe.

This… weren’t these two more beautiful than the imperial concubines in the palace?

A flicker of worry crossed his mind. The emperor was in his prime—what if one of these women turned out to be the famed physician, and His Majesty took a liking to her? Wouldn’t that spell disaster for them?

But if he failed to bring the doctor back today, it would be his head on the line.

Su Zhe approached from the opposite bank of the stream and called out,

"Ladies, may I ask which of you is the miracle physician, Mu Miao?"

Here we go.

Little Wei’s lips curled into a smile. It seemed she was destined to latch onto this golden opportunity.

"My master is. Come over." Little Wei waved at Su Zhe before standing up, drying her feet, and slipping them back into her embroidered shoes.

Su Zhe crossed the wooden plank bridge over the stream. Life in seclusion might be peaceful, but it left one vulnerable. Once the protagonists’ story unfolded, Little Wei figured the emperor—with his boundless wealth—would surely reward them handsomely.

Then, they could even renovate the valley’s houses.

"Greetings, Physician Mu." Su Zhe hastily bowed to Mu Miao.

"No need for formalities. You are…?" Mu Miao’s expression turned puzzled, relying only on sound to gauge his presence.

"My master has been unwell lately. Hearing of your reputation, he sent me to invite you for a visit. The carriage is waiting outside the valley. Might you be willing to come?"

Su Zhe dared not reveal the emperor’s identity, choosing his words carefully.

"Your master… is from the capital? May I know his name? As you can see, my disciple and I are both women. I rarely leave the valley." A trace of concern flickered across Mu Miao’s face.

"Well…" Su Zhe hesitated, knowing her concerns were valid.

Two women, unless living in seclusion, would surely face harassment in the capital.

"Master, let’s go. I’ll come too. This man doesn’t seem like a bad person. Saving a life is worth more than building a seven-story pagoda. If anything goes wrong, I’ll protect you." Little Wei’s cheerful voice rang in Mu Miao’s ears.

She sighed but eventually relented.

Though blind, Mu Miao could still diagnose by pulse. If she couldn’t see, she’d rely on Little Wei’s eyes.

"Very well, then. Let’s go." Mu Miao rose, and Little Wei quickly supported her.

"Lead the way." Little Wei flashed Su Zhe a smile.

Su Zhe hurried ahead, glancing back frequently to ensure their safety.

Once outside the valley, Little Wei saw the carriage. Though meant to be discreet, the ornate wooden carriage exuded luxury. Mu Miao climbed in with some difficulty, finally relaxing once seated.

"Seems like a wealthy household," Mu Miao remarked softly to Little Wei—only to accidentally brush her cheek against Little Wei’s soft face.

Suddenly, her heartbeat stuttered.

Like gentle raindrops rippling across a lake, sending waves of fluttering unease.

Mu Miao’s fingers clenched involuntarily as she quickly straightened up.

"Master, what’s wrong? Your face is red." Little Wei stared at her in confusion.

It was just a touch—why the reaction? If it were something more, wouldn’t she be overwhelmed?

Just as a hazy, ambiguous feeling rose in Little Wei’s chest, the carriage jolted violently. The rough mountain road nearly sent her crashing into the small table.

Mu Miao swayed too but remained steady after the initial jolt.

Little Wei felt nauseous but couldn’t pinpoint why. By the time they finally disembarked, her head was spinning.

"Is there somewhere I can throw up?" she mumbled, disoriented.

Su Zhe quickly had a palace maid bring a spittoon. Little Wei retched for a while before wiping her lips with a handkerchief. The maid then carried the spittoon away.

"Are you alright, miss? Ah, I never asked for your name." Su Zhe smiled once Little Wei seemed better.

"I’m Little Wei. The 'Wei' in 'appointing the virtuous'."

"No surname?" Su Zhe frowned.

Addressing her as just "Little Wei" felt overly familiar—hardly proper for a young lady.

"Just call me 'Miss Wei.' I grew up with my master and never had a surname." Little Wei sat on a golden nanmu chair as a maid served tea to her and Mu Miao before withdrawing.

"Then 'Miss Wei' it is. Aren’t you curious where we are?" Su Zhe studied her. From the moment they entered, the girl’s expression hadn’t changed—as if she’d known they were heading to the palace all along.

"This is the imperial palace. I know—the wealthiest place in the world. It’s beautiful. But who’s sick? One of the consorts?" Little Wei feigned innocence.

But inwardly, she was thrilled.

"Si, Si! I’m in the palace!"

Si: ヽ(ー_ー)ノ

"Is this really something worth celebrating with a village feast?" Si sounded exasperated.

"You wouldn’t get it. For a poor soul like me in ancient times, entering the palace—and not as a eunuch—is already a huge deal." Little Wei snorted.