"Give it to her." Xiao Xun interrupted him, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. His deep gaze finally turned to Xin Jiuwei, his eyes still as calm as an abyss, revealing no emotion. But Xin Jiuwei keenly sensed a faint, forcibly suppressed anxiety beneath that icy surface. Was it because of the precious Bi Ning Ointment, or... something else?

The physician dared not delay. He carefully scraped off a little emerald green ointment with a silver knife, mixed it with strong liquor and special medicinal powder, and began to clean Xin Jiuwei's wounds and remove the flesh contaminated by the poisoned arrow.

Excruciating pain! Like a red-hot iron branding her wound! Xin Jiuwei's body trembled violently, she let out a muffled groan, her vision blurred, and she almost lost her balance! But she bit her lower lip tightly, swallowing back the pain. Her lip was instantly bitten open, and blood trickled down the corner of her mouth, making her face even paler. Her stubbornness was terrifying.

Just then, a hand with distinct knuckles and a cool feel steadily supported her swaying right arm.

It is Xiao Xun.

He didn't speak, but simply used his hand to support her weight, preventing her from falling. His movements were steady, his strength just right, carrying an undeniable sense of support.

Xin Jiuwei's body stiffened! Like being touched by a venomous snake! She instinctively tried to pull away, but the excruciating pain and rapidly spreading numbness left her without the strength to even lift her arm. She could only stiffly lean against his arm for support, feeling the cool warmth of his palm seeping through the thin fabric of her clothes. This touch, in this moment, in this place, in her heart filled with anger and humiliation, seemed so ironic, so…incredibly unsettling! She loathed this reliance, loathed his touch, and even more loathed that fleeting, almost negligible sense of security that arose deep within her because of this support!

"Bear with it." Xiao Xun's deep voice sounded above her head, so close. The voice was still devoid of warmth, but it seemed to have lost some of its icy chill, carrying a very faint, elusive... hoarseness?

The physician acted swiftly, removing the poisonous flesh, cleaning the wound, applying the priceless Bi Ning ointment, and finally carefully bandaging it with fine white cotton cloth. The Bi Ning ointment was extremely potent; after application, the excruciating pain and numbness miraculously began to subside, replaced by a cool and comfortable sensation.

After the treatment was completed, the physician and the apprentice bowed and withdrew. Only Xin Jiuwei and Xiao Xun remained in the room.

Xin Jiuwei finally caught her breath; the excruciating pain in her body was replaced by a cool sensation, but the coldness and anger in her heart remained undiminished. She abruptly pulled back her right arm, which Xiao Xun was supporting, the movement so forceful that it aggravated the wound on her left shoulder, causing her to frown again. She took two steps back, creating distance once more, and looked at Xiao Xun with icy eyes.

Xiao Xun's hand paused for a moment in mid-air, then slowly withdrew, placing it behind his back. He looked at Xin Jiuwei, at the stubborn expression on her pale face and the bloodstains still fresh at the corner of her mouth. Beneath the icy surface of his deep eyes, something more complex seemed to be churning. Was it scrutiny? Was it helplessness? Or... a trace of suppressed pain?

"Why?" Xin Jiuwei's hoarse voice broke the silence in the room. She no longer questioned his deception; that "liar" and that cold "yes" were enough. Now she only wanted to know, "Why use Bi Ning Ointment?" This miraculous healing medicine was priceless, invaluable, and could even bring the dead back to life. Was he willing to use it on her, a mere "pawn"?

Xiao Xun remained silent for a moment. The candlelight flickered, casting intermittent light and shadow on his sharply defined face. He did not answer directly, but instead walked to the table, picked up a small white jade bowl that was warming on the stove, and found it filled with freshly brewed medicinal soup that emitted a rich aroma.

He carried the bowl of medicine, walked up to Xin Jiuwei, and handed the bowl to her.

"Drink it." The tone was still commanding, but it seemed less forceful and more... assertive and unyielding than before.

Xin Jiuwei stared at the bowl of dark, medicinal soup, then at Xiao Xun's unfathomable eyes. She didn't understand. She didn't understand his actions. The deception had been exposed; to him, she was nothing more than a tool. Why was he still acting this way? Was he afraid that if she, the bait, died, it would jeopardize his grand plan?

"No need for Your Highness to trouble yourself." Xin Jiuwei turned her face away, her voice icy. "My life is not worth this bowl of medicine."

"Your life is more precious than this bowl of medicine." Xiao Xun's voice was deep and resonant, like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples in Xin Jiuwei's heart. His words were soft, yet carried a strange weight. His hand holding the medicine bowl remained firmly in front of Xin Jiuwei, showing no intention of withdrawing it. His deep gaze, like an invisible chain, held her firmly in place.

"The lingering poison of the Corrosive Acid hasn't been cleared. The numbness of qi and blood is merely a symptom. Its nature is cold and yin, making it most susceptible to invading the heart meridian." His voice regained its usual calmness, as if stating an objective fact. "This bowl of medicine strengthens the body's foundation, dispels cold, and protects the heart. If it leaves any lingering effects, you'll suffer on rainy days in the future." His gaze swept over her left shoulder, which was wrapped in thick gauze, and a barely perceptible darkness seemed to flash deep within his eyes.

Xin Jiuwei's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason. Was he... concerned about her health? Not as a pawn to be used, but... worried that she might develop a chronic illness?

absurd!

The thought had barely crossed her mind when she forcefully suppressed it. Not a single word a liar could be believed! This must be another of his manipulative tactics!

However, looking at the steaming bowl of medicine, feeling the cool comfort of the Bi Ning ointment on her left shoulder, and recalling the steady arm he had used to support her earlier… a tiny crack seemed to quietly appear in the cold wall of anger and humiliation that had formed in Xin Jiuwei's heart. She hated his deception, his scheming, his power… but… but the way he stood before her now, holding the bowl of medicine, the unwavering determination hidden beneath his calm eyes… filled her with an unprecedented sense of turmoil.

She still didn't take the medicine bowl, but she also didn't utter any more sarcastic remarks. She just stubbornly turned her face away, silently resisting.

Xiao Xun looked at her trembling eyelashes and her tightly pursed, bloodless lips, the complex emotions surging in his eyes finally turning into a barely audible sigh. He didn't force her any further, but simply placed the medicine bowl gently on the small rosewood table between them.

"The medicine is here." His deep voice carried a hint of barely perceptible weariness. "Whether you drink it or not is up to you."

Having said that, he stopped looking at her, turned around, and walked out of the side room with steady steps. The dark brocade robe disappeared behind the curtain, leaving only the scent of sandalwood incense filling the room, and a bowl of medicine sitting on a small table, steaming gently.