Chapter 47 If my husband dies, I will immediately...

Jiang Fushi sat down on a chair by the bed. Before long, a servant rushed over with an examination mat and silk thread. She tied one end of the thread to her finger, and the other end was carefully tied to the wrist of the person on the bed by a maid. She then examined the person intently.

For a long, long time.

Wen Yuan couldn't help but wipe his forehead: "Your Highness..."

Jiang Fushi withdrew her hand and glanced at him: "Although this poison has invaded his heart meridian, there is still a glimmer of hope. I can save him, but he must agree to three requests of mine."

"First, you are probably aware of my current situation; various forces are searching for me. During my operations, Feng Media needs to ensure my safety."

"Second, once your leader wakes up, I need to know Zhan Xiao's exact whereabouts immediately."

"Third, find out the whereabouts of the 'Nine-Star Flower' for me."

"Could you agree to these three conditions?"

Without hesitation, Wen Yuan solemnly cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness's request is perfectly reasonable. Wen Yuan, acting as the intermediary, accepts."

“Alright.” Jiang Fushi stood up, her expression stern. “I need to go to the pharmacy to gather the necessary herbs. I will come back tomorrow at 9:00 AM to administer acupuncture.”

Once she was outside and in the carriage, she finally let out a long sigh of relief, cold sweat instantly pouring down her forehead.

The person on the bed was not poisoned.

His pulse was steady and strong, and his blood and qi were abundant, but there was a slight feeling of stagnation. This was not a sign of poisoning. It should be that someone had used a special method to seal the major acupoints in his body, forcibly putting him into a state of suspended animation.

But now, she needs Feng Media's help, and Feng Media needs her help too; she must seize this opportunity.

Since the person wasn't poisoned, she decided to poison him instead. According to her judgment, the person's meridians were exceptionally wide and his internal strength was unfathomable, suggesting he was likely a martial arts master who had already reached the pinnacle of his skill.

If their agreement was merely a verbal deal and Feng Media later reneged on it, she could use that to her advantage, using poison as leverage to control the Feng Media leader and prevent them from easily breaking their promise.

After carefully selecting herbs at the pharmacy, Jiang Fushi returned to Su Garden with a large pile of medicinal herbs.

First, she prepared a nourishing herbal soup for Wan Niang for the next half month. Then, she closed the door, took out the newly purchased medicinal herbs and her own copper pot, and devoted herself to developing that special poison.

This is a poison that can cause a person to lose all their martial arts skills. Not only that, but every time one tries to exert their power, it will cause excruciating pain in the meridians, as if they are being bitten by ants. Moreover, the more intense the internal energy is circulated, the more excruciating the backlash becomes.

She carefully blended the prepared poison powder into a specially made calming incense, so that the powder and the incense smelled and smelled perfectly matched.

The next day, she arrived at the teahouse on time.

As she had guessed, all the items she brought were stopped before entering the inner room and inspected one by one by a specialist in this field. Wen Yuan smiled apologetically and said, "It's just a routine matter. It's not that we doubt Your Highness, but simply to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Jiang Fushi was too lazy to pay him any attention.

Upon arriving at the room from yesterday, the man on the bed remained lying quietly, unchanged from the day before. She took out silver needles and other items from the medicine box that had been inspected, and under Wen Yuan's watchful gaze, she held her breath and focused intently as she precisely inserted the needles.

The pulse, which had been as still as water, began to show subtle fluctuations, and the fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.

Wen Yuan's breath caught in his throat upon seeing this. He was both shocked and worried, unsure if this was normal. However, seeing that his leader seemed to be waking up, he could only suppress his anxiety and keep a close eye on him.

Jiang Fushi glanced at him and said solemnly, "Master Wen, the leader's meridians have been blocked for a long time. At this moment, his energy is just beginning to stir, so we need to keep the room absolutely quiet. Please lead everyone to wait outside and do not disturb him, otherwise all our efforts will be in vain."

Wen Yuan remained silent for a moment. He thought that the medicinal herbs and silver needles had been repeatedly tested and there was nothing wrong with them. He figured that they probably couldn't find anything wrong with them, so he quietly withdrew and carefully closed the door behind him.

Jiang Fushi then took out a small incense seal from the bottom of the medicine box and lit a censer of pale blue incense.

Although this incense will cause one to lose all martial arts skills, it will not cause immediate poisoning. Instead, it will slowly seep into the meridians and take root completely after three days. Unless there is her antidote, the effects will be irreversible for life.

After two more acupuncture treatments, this person should be able to wake up, so she must prepare a backup plan in advance. In case Fengmei goes back on her word and refuses to hand over Zhanxiao's whereabouts, she will use the antidote as a bargaining chip to restrain this leader. Even if it means mutual destruction, she cannot let Fengmei gain an advantage and then break the contract.

Two days passed in this way. On the third day, Jiang Fushi performed acupuncture and incense burning as usual. She clearly saw the eyelids of the person on the bed twitch. She turned around, went out, and called Wen Yuan in.

"This!" Upon seeing this commotion, Wen Yuan's eyes widened immediately. He rushed to the bedside, tears streaming down his face, and cried, "Leader, Leader, you're finally awake!"

The moment Shui Lingyu opened his eyes, his vision was blurry, as if he were surrounded by a thick fog. He could hear voices around him, but he couldn't see anyone. Gradually, the scene before him became clear, like the receding tide. He saw a much older Wen Yuan and a very beautiful woman whom he did not recognize.

He wanted to speak, but because he had been unconscious for too long, his throat was dry as if it had been sanded, and he could only utter a single, incomprehensible syllable.

"Don't move," Jiang Fushi said. "Your meridians are weak and your blood and qi are not flowing smoothly. It's not the time to move or speak yet. Rest quietly for a while."

Wen Yuan nodded repeatedly and hurriedly called for a maid outside to bring over some lukewarm honey water. He then helped Shui Lingyu up and used a small spoon to scoop the water into his mouth little by little.

After repeatedly feeding her half a bowl of honey water, Jiang Fushi let Shui Lingyu lie down to rest, while she continued to administer acupuncture to stabilize her Qi.

By evening, Shui Lingyu was finally able to speak in a low, coherent voice.

He didn't focus on himself first; the first thing he asked was, "During the years I've been in a coma, have things in the pavilion remained stable?"

Wen Yuan answered each question in detail. When asked about the identity of the woman from earlier that day, Wen Yuan explained the whole story, including the three agreements he had made with her.

"All she asks for is the whereabouts of her beloved. I have already agreed on behalf of the messenger in exchange for her help in treating the leader."

Upon hearing this, Shui Lingyu's eyes deepened, and she neither agreed nor disagreed, only responding with a very soft "Mm".

Although he had been in a coma for many years and his consciousness was in a state of confusion, many past events had become blurred, but his subconscious vigilance remained. He felt that his internal energy was empty and his meridians were sluggish, which was very different from his state before he fell into a coma. This feeling was really strange, so he closed his eyes and concentrated to observe carefully for a moment, and then opened them again. His eyes were clear and calm.

Back at Su Garden, Jiang Fushi worked through the night in her room to develop a follow-up restraining drug. She thought it over; she couldn't delay any longer. Zhan Xiao had been gone for almost half a month, and every day of delay increased the risk. Tomorrow, she would demand a clear answer from the gossips; if they dared to be vague, they wouldn't hesitate to take action.

She wasn't the only one with this idea.

The next day, she came to the teahouse as usual to prepare to give Shui Lingyu another acupuncture treatment. As she was tidying up her things with her back to the bed, a sharp dagger silently pressed against her lower back.

The cold touch made her stiffen, a chill ran down her spine for a moment, but she quickly calmed down and said bluntly, "Kill me, and there will be no antidote for the poison in your body, you will lose all your martial arts skills, and you will be no different from a cripple."

Despite her weakened body that had just recovered, Shui Lingyu thrust the dagger in another inch, even tearing Jiang Fushi's belt. "Why have I lost all my martial arts skills? I clearly remember that it wasn't like this before I fainted."

Jiang Fushi did not turn around, nor did she change her posture; she simply spoke softly.

"The leader has been in a coma for many years, and his meridians are already extremely fragile. It is fortunate that he was able to wake up. It is perfectly normal for his internal energy to dissipate due to forced circulation."

"If you don't believe me, you can kill me right now."

Seeing their tense standoff, Wen Yuan, sweating profusely, quickly stepped forward to smooth things over: "Chief! Your Highness! Everything can be discussed."

Jiang Fushi turned around and met Shui Lingyu as he sheathed his dagger. She said coldly, "Enough with the nonsense. I have fulfilled my promise. I need to know Hanren's whereabouts now."

"Yes, the leader was able to wake up thanks to Your Highness's miraculous healing." Wen Yuan cupped his hands to Jiang Fushi, and then took out a letter from his bosom. "This secret report contains a detailed record of Han Ren's itinerary during this period. Please take a look, Your Highness."

Jiang Fushi hurriedly opened the book, reading ten lines at a glance. When she saw the three words "Da Que Kingdom", her pupils shrank sharply.

The Great Que Kingdom and the Great Sheng Kingdom have no diplomatic relations, and their borders are heavily guarded with numerous checkpoints, making it almost impossible for her to enter the country on her own. She frowned.

"Manager Wen, your Feng Media promised me that you would ensure my safety. Does that promise still stand?"

"Natural numbers are used."

"Alright, escort me to the Great Que Kingdom."

Wen Yuan was taken aback. He glanced at Shui Lingyu, whose face was still pale and who was leaning against the bedside, and said with difficulty, "Your Highness, our chieftain's injuries have not yet healed, and his vital energy has been greatly depleted. We still need your help..."

Jiang Fushi frowned slightly: "Then let's set off together and recuperate slowly along the way. Or we can kill me now and go our separate ways."

"You!" Shui Lingyu coughed violently in anger, clutching her chest and pointing at Jiang Fushi, speechless for a moment.

He instinctively felt that she was behind his loss of martial arts skills, but he had no evidence. He was at her mercy; if it really was her doing, and he had to confront her now, he would truly be a cripple for the rest of his life.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his surging blood, and gritted his teeth, agreeing: "...Alright! As you wish, Wen Yuan, go and prepare!"

That night.

Spring is in full bloom in Suzhou Garden. The evening breeze rustles through the flowers and plants in front of the garden, bringing warmth and fragrance.

Jiang Fushi sat on the edge of the bed, her brows furrowed with worry, looking at the silver notes Zhan Xiao had left her, and the two-word farewell letter.

Perhaps this was his plan from the day he went into hiding...

He must have felt that his cold poison was deep and that his days were numbered, so he settled her in the Su family. He left these silver notes after he left, hoping that she could have a peaceful life and live as she pleased, and that he would not want to be a burden to her in the slightest.

Thinking this, I couldn't help but shed tears.

But once he left, it felt as if she were all alone in the world. She was an abandoned child of the palace, and no matter where she went in this life, she was like a rootless duckweed, carrying the name of a fugitive. If he were by her side, she would gladly endure even mountains of knives and seas of fire; but once he left, she truly became a lone boat in the vast sea of ​​people, not knowing where to go or where she came from.

This thought, like a vine, coiled around her heart, tightening more and more, almost suffocating her and causing her heart to ache.

When they parted, the Su family personally saw her off at the door.

Su Wenjing was deeply worried. Before parting, his brother Zhan had repeatedly entrusted him with the task of ensuring His Highness's safety. If anything were to happen to His Highness on this journey, how could he face his dear friend in the future? He couldn't help but advise, "Your Highness... the journey to Da Que Kingdom is long and fraught with unknown dangers. You are of noble birth; why must you personally risk your life? Perhaps you should reconsider..."

Jiang Fushi shook her head: "Young Master Su, my mind is made up. I cannot rest easy until Zhanxiao returns. I must go."

After speaking, she turned to Wan Niang and said, "Sister, rest well and don't worry. Fu Shi has prepared enough medicine for you. Just take it on time and I guarantee you will have good news soon."

Wan Niang held her hand, her eyes brimming with tears. All her reluctance and words of advice turned into a sigh.

Seeing Jiang Fushi leave, Su Wenjing called out to her, "Your Highness... this journey is dangerous, please allow me to do my part. Arrange for two skilled servants to accompany you, so that you can have someone to look after you on the road."

This long journey will indeed require manpower, and Jiang Fushi nodded slightly in agreement.

Fengmei was extremely thorough in his work. In just two days, he obtained a complete set of documents and credentials, disguised himself as a "medicinal herb caravan" holding a special permit from a prominent noble in Daque, and thus set off in a grand procession from Huizhou to Daque.

Fortunately, once outside Huizhou, one enters the southern buffer zone. Although it is a mixed bag of people, thanks to this special identity, the checkpoints are much easier to navigate. Further south, one can reach the border and find an opportunity to enter the Great Que Kingdom.

On the road.

Jiang Fushi sat alone in the spacious carriage, closing her eyes to rest and minimizing contact with the outside world. Aside from necessary communication, she had almost no interaction with the Fengmei people. Apart from giving Shui Lingyu acupuncture every day, they had no other interaction.

Shui Lingyu cooperated well, obeying the acupuncture treatment without showing any unusual expression, as if she had fully accepted the reality of losing all her internal energy.

However, when Jiang Fushi took his pulse, she felt that the stagnation in his meridians was slowly loosening and showing signs of easing. Perhaps Shui Lingyu had not given up and was still secretly trying to mobilize and restore his internal energy.

So, while giving her acupuncture, she secretly aggravated the suppression of internal energy at several key acupoints, and used other methods to make Shui Lingyu feel drowsy all day, making it difficult for her to concentrate on circulating her internal energy to break through her acupoints.

She thought that once she found Zhan Xiao and things were settled, it wouldn't be too late for her to lift these restrictions.

That day, she brought in the medicine as usual, but Shui Lingyu did not take it as usual. Instead, she raised her eyes and said slowly, "Your Highness, this medicine has an excessively good calming effect. So good that... I can't even muster a trace of internal energy."

Jiang Fushi seemed not to hear.

Shui Lingyu continued, "Rumor has it that the Zhaohua Princess's mansion in the Great Que Kingdom was riddled with traps, and Han Ren, who single-handedly ventured in, is probably already a corpse."

Jiang Fushi tightened her grip on the medicine bowl, her eyes turning cold as she met Shui Lingyu's provocative gaze. She replied, word by word, "Chief Shui, you'd better hope my husband is safe and sound. If he dies, I will immediately commit suicide to follow him. Then you can be a cripple who has lost all your martial arts skills."

Shui Lingyu is right.

The Zhaohua Princess's mansion was indeed riddled with deadly traps; one wrong step could lead to utter destruction. These were all laid down by Yun Tianlei to protect himself.

Heaven knows how precarious his life has been all these years.

After being hunted down by Han Ren years ago, that man single-handedly killed almost all of his disciples and followers. After many twists and turns, he was finally able to marry into the Zhaohua Princess of the Great Que Kingdom and seek protection, where he settled down.