The Imperial Guards quickly carried the unconscious Lu Jingze to a side hall, and Zhang, the Imperial Physician, rushed over with his medicine box.

He cut open Lu Jingze's clothes, revealing the wound, and saw that the surrounding skin had turned a strange bluish-purple.

"This is... 'Seven-Day Soul-Severing Powder'?" Imperial Physician Zhang's expression changed drastically. He immediately took out a small celadon bottle from his medicine box. "Quickly, bring me water!"

Outside, Lu Nancheng paced back and forth, his anxiety almost tangible.

An hour later, Judge Zhang finally came out, wiping his sweat.

"Your Majesty, Prince Jing is out of danger. Fortunately, the dagger did not penetrate deeply, and the poison did not reach his heart. This old minister has temporarily suppressed the poison with an antidote pill, and with the help of herbal decoctions, the remaining poison will be eliminated within seven days."

Lu Nancheng breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you for your trouble, Minister Zhang."

"But..." Judge Zhang hesitated, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

"Just what?"

"This 'Seven-Day Soul-Severing Powder' should logically be a secret poison from the southwestern border regions, and the detoxification process shouldn't be this easy. However, I observe that the dosage on Your Highness's wound has been halved. I don't understand why..."

Lu Nancheng's eyes sharpened: "You mean, this poison is excellent?"

Judge Zhang lowered his head and remained silent.

Lu Nancheng clenched his fist: "Guards! Immediately bring the Imperial Preceptor Xuanjizi for interrogation. I want to question him personally!"

---

Inside the Ministry of Justice's prison, the Imperial Preceptor Xuanjizi was chained to the wall, his once dignified and otherworldly appearance completely gone.

Zhou Yun'an, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, stood with his hands behind his back, coldly observing the prison guards administering torture.

"Grand Preceptor, confess! Who ordered you to assassinate His Majesty?" Zhou Yun'an's voice was gentle, yet it carried a chilling undertone.

Xuanjizi raised his head, a strange smile appearing amidst his blood-stained face: "Why does Lord Zhou feign ignorance?"

Zhou Yun'an's eyes flickered slightly, and he waved for the jailer to leave. Once only the two of them remained in the cell, Xuanjizi whispered, "Young Master promised to protect my family."

"Of course." Zhou Yun'an took out a small jade bottle from his sleeve. "This was specially prepared for you; you won't feel any pain after taking it."

Xuanjizi's hands trembled as he accepted the jade bottle, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Young Master, I... shall take my leave first."

Zhou Yun'an watched as Xuanjizi took the poison. Moments later, the once powerful national advisor bled from all seven orifices and died.

He straightened his robes, turned and walked out of the cell, his face now showing a panicked expression.

"Help! The Imperial Advisor has committed suicide by poison!"

---

Three days later, at Prince Jing's residence.

Lu Jingze leaned against the soft couch, his face still somewhat pale.

He toyed with the assassination dagger in his hand, his brow furrowed.

The dagger had been cleaned, but a faint blue mark remained on the blade.

"Lanfeng, come and take a look at this." Lu Jingze handed the dagger to Ye Lanfeng, who was standing to the side.

Ye Lanfeng took the dagger and brought it close to his nose to smell it.

"Good heavens, not only is it 'Seven-Day Soul-Severing Powder,' but it's also mixed with 'Blood Silkworm Guide'!" Ye Lanfeng's expression turned grave. "These two poisons are not difficult to cure separately, but if they're mixed together..."

"What will happen?" Lu Jingze sat up straight.

Ye Lanfeng took out two silver needles from the medicine box, dipped them in two different poisons, and then slowly brought them close together.

When the needle tips were about an inch apart, the silver needle suddenly turned black at a speed visible to the naked eye, and finally turned into a wisp of blue smoke.

Lu Jingze's pupils contracted slightly: "This is..."

"They are mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining, yet also complementary," Ye Lanfeng said in a deep voice. "'Seven-Day Soul-Severing Powder' is cold in nature, while 'Blood Silkworm Guidance' is hot in nature. Both have antidotes when used alone, but if the two poisons enter the body at the same time, they will stimulate each other after seven days, forming a new poison that cannot be cured."

Lu Jingze touched the wound on his shoulder: "So now..."

"Fortunately, Judge Zhang dispelled the 'Seven-Day Soul-Severing Powder' in time."

Ye Lanfeng took out a cloth bag from his robes, unfolded it to reveal more than a dozen gold needles, and said, "I will now use the gold needle sealing technique to temporarily suppress it."

Few in the capital know that the dashing and unrestrained Prince Ye is skilled in poisons, and even more so in detoxification.

Lu Jingze unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his bandaged wound. Ye Lanfeng skillfully inserted gold needles into the surrounding acupoints. As the last needle was inserted, spiderweb-like red lines suddenly appeared on the skin around Lu Jingze's wound.

\"This is...?\"

"I've temporarily trapped the 'Blood Silkworm' in this small area," Ye Lanfeng said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But this is only a temporary measure. Until we find the antidote, you must be extremely careful and absolutely avoid contact with the 'Blood Silkworm' again."

Lu Jingze pondered for a moment: "The Imperial Advisor is dead, the trail has gone cold, and this 'Blood Silkworm Elixir' is said to be a secret poison from the southwestern border..."

"That's right. And as far as I know, during the rebellion in the southwest ten years ago, the imperial court seized a batch of 'Blood Silkworm Certificates,' which later disappeared. At that time, the one in charge of transporting grain supplies was..."

Ye Lanfeng suddenly stopped and exchanged a glance with Lu Jingze.

"Prince Rong." Lu Jingze coldly uttered these three words.