Chapter 9. A Life-or-Death Treatment
The moment her slender fingertips touched the prisoner’s pulse, Jiui’s expression instantly became cold and solemn.
As she took his pulse, she simultaneously examined his condition.
The poison had already spread throughout his body. His blood vessels were churning violently, as though they were about to burst, and blood was slowly seeping from his seven orifices.
Jiui subconsciously turned her gaze toward Prince Jing.
“You… you gave him Blood-Boiling Powder? What were you thinking, doing something like this when I might not be able to save him? Don’t you value human life at all?”
Jingyun watched calmly, as though he were merely observing a fire from a safe distance.
“He was going to die anyway. The fact that he has remained alive until now and can be used to test my poison is already a great favor to him.”
Jiui took an antidote from the sachet she carried.
She then immediately asked Jingxun whether he had any silver needles.
Seeing how Prince Jing cared so little about human life, she once again realized just how ruthless those in power could be.
If I want to survive in this country, I must become strong as well.
Otherwise, one day I will be crushed beneath the feet of someone with power and die.
The prisoner, covered in blood, was still wearing a faint smile.
It was as though he knew that he would soon be freed from his suffering.
“I’m going to die. Once I die, I’ll be free…”
The poison of Blood-Boiling Powder was extremely fierce, even more potent than Blood-Red Orchid.
Within a short period of time, it caused one’s blood energy to run rampant, making the blood throughout the body boil until the victim eventually died.
Even so, among the strangest poisons in the world, this poison ranked far below Heart-Seeking Poison.
If Jiui couldn’t even detoxify this poison, then her claim that she could cure Prince Jing’s poison would be nothing more than empty words.
Jiui steadied her breathing and calmly took out her surgical knife, sterilizing it carefully.
“I won’t let this man die!”
Without allowing the distractions around her to affect her, she steadied her hands even further.
After removing the prisoner’s upper garment, she inserted needles into several major acupoints. Then, using the surgical knife, she made several small cross-shaped incisions.
In an instant, fresh blood spurted out forcefully, quickly staining the floor red.
However, the prisoner gradually calmed down and was no longer writhing in agony as violently as before.
Jiui wiped away the blood, applied medicine, and wrapped the wounds with bandages.
Only after completing all the treatment did she slowly clean and sterilize the surgical knife before putting it away.
She raised her cold eyes and looked at Jingyun.
“I’ve already given him the antidote and drained the poisoned blood from his body. As long as he takes medicine and rests for a few days, he’ll recover soon.”
Jingxun stepped forward and examined the prisoner’s condition. Afterward, he nodded toward Jingyun.
Jiui hadn’t lied.
More than half of the poison had indeed been removed from the prisoner’s body, and the remaining poison was no longer enough to threaten his life.
Jingyun narrowed his dark eyes and carefully scrutinized Jiui.
“You’re quite useful after all. In that case, I’ll spare your life for now.”
“I already said that I can cure Your Highness’s poison, so I will keep my promise.”
Jiui smiled faintly.
“First, let me take Your Highness’s pulse. Once I return, I’ll figure out how to detoxify you. Within two months, Your Highness will have a new lease on life.”
Hearing this, Jingyun gave a cold laugh.
“From today onward, you will stay in the Prince’s Residence. You are not allowed to leave without my permission.”
If I let this cunning woman go, she could disappear without a trace at any time.
I can only feel at ease if I keep her close.
The smile disappeared from Jiui’s face.
“Your Highness Prince Jing, that’s rather troublesome. If a man and a woman stay together alone and people spread rumors, my reputation will be ruined.”
“How am I supposed to marry in the future?”
For Prince Jing to keep her locked inside his residence was no different from imprisoning her.
If I’m really imprisoned here, I’ll become a fish on the chopping board!
“I heard you treated Lu Xingyun for two years. Apparently, you were always by his side taking care of him. I suppose you’ve already developed a physical relationship with him.”
Jingyun gave a cold laugh.
“Then what right does a woman like you have to talk to me about propriety?”
Jiui didn’t give up and continued speaking.
“If Your Highness already knows that I’m Lu Xingyun’s woman, then you should also know that keeping me here will inevitably become a subject of gossip.”
“What if people later spread rumors that Your Highness forcibly took me away? Wouldn’t that damage Your Highness’s reputation?”
“Even if Your Highness lets me go, our agreement will remain valid.”
“I don’t care about reputation. Stop wasting your time with such useless thoughts.”
Jingyun spoke coldly, seemingly at the end of his patience.
“Remember. You have only two months.”
Seeing Jingyun’s unyielding attitude, Jiui cursed inwardly.
Hmph. I had just bought a new house and new furniture, and I haven’t even had the chance to enjoy them for a single day. Now they’ve all become the property of the Song family.
Jiui sighed and stepped forward to take Jingyun’s pulse.
Jingyun stared at her with gloomy eyes. The pressure radiating from him was almost suffocating.
Jiui’s features were delicate, and her skin was fair.
Her moist eyes were as clear as autumn water. When she looked at someone, they appeared both alluring and gentle, while when she concentrated, they possessed a strange power that drew people’s attention.
As Jingyun watched her delicate brows gradually furrow more tightly, his expression darkened as well.
“What is it?”
“Your Highness’s condition is more complicated than I expected.”
“Your body’s vital energy is almost completely depleted. It’s like a lamp whose oil has run out. The Heart-Seeking Poison has already reached the area around your heart meridian.”
“If we’d been even three days late and failed to remove the poison in time, everything would have been too late.”
Jingyun spoke in a low voice.
“Then start the detoxification today. Have you thought of a method?”
“Medicinal baths, acupuncture and moxibustion, bloodletting, and oral medicine. Not a single one can be omitted.”
She had Jingxun bring paper and a brush, then wrote out two prescriptions.
One prescription was for the medicinal bath, while the other was for the medicine he would take orally.
Both were intended to suppress the poison.
“Miss Song, these are all ordinary medicinal herbs. Are you really certain that these herbs will work?”
Jingxun looked at the prescriptions and felt somewhat doubtful.
“These are only the herbs needed during the initial stage of treatment. I’ll write another prescription later for the medicines we’ll need afterward.”
After replying, Jingxun personally went outside.
Jingyun already looked exhausted.
“Steward Xu, take her to Yunshe Pavilion.”
Steward Xu entered and spoke respectfully.
“Miss Song, please allow me to escort you.”
A short while later, an extremely magnificent red pavilion appeared before Jiui’s eyes.
Jiui stopped walking, her eyes lighting up as she asked,
“Uncle Xu, this place looks quite nice. Can I stay here?”
Steward Xu smiled kindly.
“Miss Song, you’re quite good at joking. This is His Highness’s bedchamber. Your residence is just beyond the wall next to it.”
Jiui’s eyelids twitched.
I’m supposed to live this close to him?
Could Prince Jing be planning to monitor me every moment?
Remembering that all the guards and servants she had seen when entering the Prince’s Residence earlier were men, Jiui became curious.
“Does His Highness have no concubines or maidservants?”
Steward Xu laughed heartily.
“His Highness has never been interested in women.”
“Until a few years ago, he was constantly traveling between battlefields and had almost no opportunity to interact with women. After he returned, he was poisoned by that deadly poison, so his marriage was postponed as well.”
Jiui’s eyes widened.
“He isn’t… gay, is he?”
Steward Xu froze.
“Gay…?”
“What does that mean?”
Chang’an Alley
As the effects of the medicine gradually wore off, A-Hui regained consciousness. With a hazy mind, she placed her hands against the ground and struggled to stand.
Everything around her was pitch-black, and Jiui was nowhere to be seen.
“Miss! Young Miss…!”
Terrified, A-Hui staggered toward the Song Residence.
At that moment, the members of the Song family were sitting together in the courtyard, having dinner.
Their laughter continued without pause in the cool night breeze.
When A-Hui didn’t see Jiui among them, she became increasingly anxious.
Song Qingshan put down his chopsticks and asked,
“Didn’t Second Sister go out with you? She still hasn’t returned?”
Hearing this, A-Hui finally couldn’t hold back and burst into tears.
“Miss said there weren’t enough quilts at home, so she took me with her to buy some…”
“Before we had even completely left the alley, someone knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, Miss was gone…”
Only then did Madam Na’s face turn deathly pale.
She murmured in a dazed voice,
“Could it be… that someone kidnapped her?”
Song Qingshan seemed to have lost his appetite as well and hurriedly stood up.
“Quickly, go look for her! Surely she wasn’t taken by bandits or robbers?”
Song Zhixin had been sitting quietly. Now she frowned.
“Mother, don’t worry too much. Could Lu Xingyun have taken Jiui away?”
The affection in Xingyun’s gaze whenever he looked at Jiui had been impossible to conceal.
Madam Na gradually calmed down and nodded.
“Yes! That’s possible.”
Song Qingshan scratched his head and spoke in confusion.
“But Young Master Lu already met Jiui earlier. Why would he need to take her away?”
A-Hui also knew something about the relationship between Jiui and Xingyun.
She cautiously spoke up.
“Why don’t we go to the Lu Residence and ask? Even if the Lu family wasn’t the one who took Miss, Young Master Lu would certainly be able to help us find her.”
“That makes sense.”
Song Zhixin bit her lip and said,
“I’ll go too.”
A-Hui suddenly hesitated and looked at Song Qingshan.
“Master, Eldest Miss is still an unmarried young lady. It wouldn’t be appropriate for her to go out personally so late at night. Since you are the head of the household, it would be better for you to go…”
Although she was young, after observing everything that had happened throughout the day, A-Hui could already sense that the thoughts of this elder sister, Song Zhixin, were not entirely innocent.
Song Zhixin’s expression stiffened for a moment.
However, Song Qingshan seemed pleased by being addressed as “Master” and smiled smugly.
“A-Hui is right. I should handle this matter myself.”
Song Zixia stuffed another piece of meat into his mouth and mumbled,
“Father, hurry and go. If the Lu family can’t find Sister either, Mother and I will immediately report it to the authorities…”
Ye Residence
After seeing Xingyun off, he entered the Ye Residence together with him.
Coincidentally, Ye Minghui had just returned from the palace.
Dressed in a dark blue official robe, he sat in the seat of honor, exuding an imposing presence.
He had someone arrange a seat for Xingyun before speaking in a calm voice.
“Xingyun, you and Qingsha grew up together from childhood. Even during the two years you were missing, Qingsha continued waiting for you.”
“You must not disappoint Qingsha’s feelings.”
Ye Minghui wore an exquisitely embroidered official robe decorated with crane patterns.
As the head of the civil officials favored by the Emperor, he possessed an austere and intimidating aura that made him difficult to approach.
Xingyun stood up and bowed respectfully, lowering his eyes.
“Uncle Ye’s advice is firmly engraved in my heart. During these past two years, I have also constantly missed Qingsha.”
Qingsha glanced at him shyly, and her cheeks gradually turned red.
She had always harbored feelings for Xingyun.
Otherwise, as the precious daughter of the Chancellor’s family, she would never have rejected even the position of a prince’s consort.
Prime Minister Ye slowly nodded.
“Then that’s good. However, I heard that you brought a woman from the countryside with you? I heard that your relationship is extremely close, and that you even allowed her to stay at the Marquis Residence?”
Xingyun’s heart sank.
