Xiao Xun's cold promise, like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, resonated in Xin Jiuwei's world, which was on the verge of collapse.

She clutched the cold porcelain bottle tightly, curled up on the cold floor tiles, and buried her face in her arms. Silent tears soaked her sleeves, but this time, the tears were not a torrent of despair, but a mixture of fear, grief, and a faint but desperately clung hope.

My brother won't die.

That's what he said.

This idea became the only pillar that supported her to stand up again.

Xin Kui gently pushed the door open and entered. She saw Xin Jiuwei still curled up, but her shoulders were no longer trembling violently. She silently stepped forward and helped Xin Jiuwei up, her movements as gentle as if she were handling fragile porcelain. "Miss, the floor is cold."

Xin Jiuwei let Xin Kui help her to the couch. Her eyes were still somewhat vacant, but no longer as lifeless as before. She opened her palm, looking at the red marks left by the porcelain bottle, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Then the newspaper... let me see it again."

Xin Kui immediately handed her the copy of the military report stained with her tears.

Xin Jiuwei's gaze was fixed on those few lines of text, each word like a needle piercing her heart. "Black Stone Ridge... ambush... chest piercing..."

She forced herself to calm down, repeating the place name and description of her injuries over and over again.

"Xin Kui," she opened her eyes again, her eyes now bloodshot and filled with a ruthless calm, "Use every connection you have, no matter how much it costs, I need to know the details of the Black Stone Ridge ambush! Who led the army? Who were the other side? How many men were there? The exact location of my brother's arrow wound, what kind of arrow was it? Who was the army doctor? What medicine was used? I need to know even the most minute details! Immediately!"

Her voice was hoarse, yet it carried an undeniable resolve.

"Yes! This servant will do it right away!" Xin Kui's eyes blazed with fire. She nodded emphatically, turned around, and strode away.

Xin Jiuwei was left alone in the study once again. The immense grief and fear had not disappeared; instead, they weighed heavily on her heart like a lead weight.

But she was no longer passively enduring. She began to think, analyze, and mobilize all available resources. She needed information, she needed to know how much chance her brother had of survival, and she needed to know how likely it was that Xiao Xun's promise would be fulfilled.

In the days that followed, Xin Jiuwei was like a wound-up machine.

She forced herself to eat, apply medicine on time, handle the trivial matters of Jingyuan, and even began to read some basic medical books and pharmacopoeias—about arrow wounds, about stopping bleeding, about prolonging life. She no longer cried, but the bruises under her eyes and her rapidly thinning cheeks silently told of the torment in her heart.

Xin Kui mobilized almost all her old connections and funds, but news came back intermittently. The journey to the northern border was long, and information was delayed and vague. All that was known was that after Xin Yunzhou was rescued and brought back to the camp, he was unconscious for a time, his condition critical. The military doctors did their best to treat him, but conditions were harsh, with a shortage of medicine. As for the details of the ambush, there were many conflicting accounts: some said it was an encounter with the main force of the Northern Di, others said he was betrayed…

Every time she received a message, Xin Jiuwei felt as if her heart was being fried in oil. She forced herself to calmly analyze the authenticity of each message, trying to piece together a picture that was closer to the truth.

She organized this information into bullet points, along with her own analysis and speculation, and sent them continuously to Xiao Xun's desk through Chen Qing. There were no pleas, no cries, only cold, clear statements.

This was the only thing she could do. She had to use her intellect and her information to prove her worth to Xiao Xun and earn his promise.

Meanwhile, things weren't entirely quiet on Xiao Xun's side either. The copy of the Northern Border military report that Chen Qing sent was significantly more detailed and timely, even including some military secrets. Xin Jiuwei astutely noticed that one copy mentioned a team composed of carefully selected medicinal herbs from the Imperial Hospital in the capital and a renowned surgeon specializing in external injuries, who, carrying an order from the Sixth Prince, was traveling day and night towards the Northern Border camp.

He sent him!

Xin Jiuwei gripped the copy tightly, her fingertips turning white from the pressure. A surge of overwhelming emotion, a mixture of gratitude and bitterness, instantly welled up in her eyes. She bit her lower lip hard to hold back the tears. On the other side of this cold contract, that man was fulfilling his promise in his own way.

However, just as the glimmer of hope appeared, an even heavier blow followed.

A few days later, a new urgent secret report arrived in Xin Jiuwei's hands. It wasn't through Chen Qing, but rather purchased by Xin Kui, who had gone to great lengths and spent a large sum of money, from a low-ranking officer in the Northern Army. The contents were shocking:

"General Xin's injuries are recurring, his high fever persists, and his wounds are festering. The camp's main medicine, 'Bone-Healing and Muscle-Regenerating Powder,' has been exhausted, and this medicine is urgently needed to save his life! However, this medicine is mostly a secret recipe made in the palace and is hard to find in other places. The army has no stock left, and I fear there is no way to save him!"

"Bone-Healing and Muscle-Regenerating Powder"!

As Xin Jiuwei looked at those words, a chill ran from her feet to the top of her head! Her brother's injury required this life-saving medicine! And the medicine was in the palace, in the Imperial Hospital!

She suddenly stood up, and because the movement was so sudden, her vision went black for a moment. Xin Kui quickly supported her.

"The medicine..." Xin Jiuwei's voice trembled violently, her eyes filled with unprecedented fear and determination, "I need the 'Bone-Regenerating and Muscle-Regenerating Powder'! Immediately! Right now!"

She couldn't wait any longer! Waiting for Xiao Xun's connections? Too slow! Too unpredictable! Her brother couldn't afford to wait!

“Miss, this medicine is a secret imperial medicine, strictly controlled. Only the Imperial Hospital has it. Ordinary people can’t get it at all…” Xin Kui’s face turned pale.

“I know!” Xin Jiuwei interrupted her, her eyes flashing with a desperate light. “Go find Lin Wanyi! Prepare the car immediately! Go to the Imperial Hospital!” She was the only person she could think of who might have access to this life-saving medicine!

She was practically helpless in the capital, but Lin Wanyi—

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!