“Cousin, there’s no need to take it to heart. You are the ruler, and I am your subject. It is my duty to protect you,” Zhong Hui said helplessly upon hearing the Crown Prince’s words.

Even if I were here, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing when the Crown Prince was in trouble.

The crown prince nodded and said nothing more.

After a while, Yun Chang came in, carrying a bowl of medicine.

"Young Master, drink this bowl of medicine first. Xiaomai said that after you drink the medicine, tell Chu Yan how you feel and what you think, and have him write it down," Yun Chang said to Zhong Hui.

Zhong Hui raised his hand and glanced at the festering wounds on his arm, chest, and thigh. He took a deep breath. He trusted the medicine his master had prescribed for him.

After he swallowed the medicine, everyone watched him nervously.

Zhong Hui thought that there probably wouldn't be a reaction so soon!

However, just fifteen minutes later, his internal organs began to convulse with pain, accompanied by spasms all over his body, which terrified the people in the tent.

Chu Yan rushed over to take Zhong Hui's pulse, but as soon as he got close, he noticed that black blood was oozing from Zhong Hui's festering wounds.

"Your Highness, please have someone find some white cloth or cotton, and some wine. His wound is starting to drain the poisonous blood."

Chu Yan's voice trembled as she spoke. Zhong Hui was indeed poisoned. She never expected that the poison master, who couldn't detect it by the military doctors, would have a solution.

The things Chu Yan requested arrived, and Chu Yan began to treat the black blood seeping from Zhong Hui's wounds.

Soon, a broken basket on the ground was filled with white cloth and cotton stained with black blood.

Zhong Hui was in constant pain, convulsing and growling, his hands seemingly wanting to tear at the wounds on his body.

The Crown Prince and Yun Chang's eyes also reddened. They both knew that if the Crown Prince had truly been poisoned that day, then it would have been the Crown Prince who was in such pain today.

Yun Chang and the Crown Prince also stepped forward simultaneously to press down on Zhong Hui's arm to prevent him from hurting them.

This continued for two hours until Zhong Hui's voice became hoarse and he had no strength left to struggle; he could only tremble uncontrollably.

Chu Yan kept wiping away the black blood seeping from his wounds until, after two hours, the blood slowly turned red.

Zhong Hui's trembling gradually stopped.

Chu Yan quickly took out a bottle of spiritual liquid from her sleeve, uncorked it, and fed it to Zhong Hui's lips, "Drink it."

In his dazed state, Zhong Hui heard Chu Yan's voice and obediently opened his mouth to drink what was fed to him.

Instantly, he felt the strength and spiritual power he had lost slowly returning.

And the wounds on his skin began to slowly scab over and stop bleeding.

Seeing that the festering wound had stopped bleeding, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and collapsed onto the bed.

"Chu Yan, what should we do next? Did Xiaomai give you any instructions?" Yun Chang asked him.

"I'll go ask Young Master Zhou!" Chu Yan moved her numb legs on the ground and hurried to find Zhou Quan to ask about the next steps.

Yun Chang arranged for people to burn all the things stained with poisonous blood.

The Crown Prince sat by the window with Zhong Hui.

This younger cousin was several years younger than him, and they hadn't known each other much. This time, however, it allowed him to get to know Zhong Hui again.

"What do you want to do after you recover? Will you pursue a literary career or a military one?" the Crown Prince asked him casually.

Zhong Hui thought for a moment, "Last time, my uncle probably meant that he wanted Yang Rui and me to learn skills from Prince Yun in the future."

"Very well, then you two will learn diligently from him from now on. In the future, we brothers will work together to govern the Song Kingdom well." The Crown Prince was making a promise to him.

Zhong Hui looked at the Crown Prince and gave a soft "hmm".

Among the princes, the Crown Prince is the most respectful to scholars and gentle in nature; he is sure to be a good ruler in the future.

As a grandson of the royal family, his life may not be as free as Chu Yan's; he will most likely have to work for the court.

Fine, let's take sides then. We've already risked our lives to save him, why do we need to keep him hanging?

"Yes, I will definitely assist you wholeheartedly from now on!" Zhong Hui smiled and replied.

"Alright, take good care of yourself and recover well. When we return this time, I will request a noble title for you. Just for the life-saving grace you have shown me, your imperial uncle will not treat you unfairly!" The Crown Prince smiled and made his promise.

As a grandson of the royal family, it is only natural for him to have the title of heir apparent, which comes from the protection of the eldest princess.

However, the title of heir apparent is not hereditary. If his father does not have a hereditary title, then if he wants to be granted a hereditary prince or marquis title in the future, he must make some political achievements so that the emperor can grant him the title.

Although they are all royal children, there is still a big difference between grandsons and grandchildren. When the princes reach a certain age or the time is right, they will be granted the title of king.

"Yes, Your Highness, I thank you." Zhong Hui smiled.

"Don't stand on ceremony with me. From now on, you and Chu Yan and Yang Rui should visit me more often." The Crown Prince smiled.

“Yes, Your Majesty, I have noted it down,” Zhong Hui replied.

Although his throat felt much better after drinking the spiritual liquid, his voice was still hoarse when he spoke.

Chu Yan returned with a dagger in her hand. She looked at Zhong Hui with concern and asked, "Can you still bear the pain? Young Master Zhou said that Madam Zhou instructed that if the wound stops bleeding, the rotten flesh should be removed as soon as possible so that new flesh can grow."

"Come on!" Zhong Hui closed his eyes, mobilized his spiritual power to protect his heart meridian, and began to endure the pain.

Chu Yan found a basin and had a guard carry it. He then began to remove all the rotten flesh from Zhong Hui's wounds.

After another round of treatment, an hour had passed, and everything was finally done. The wounds were sprinkled with the medicinal powder left by the quinoa plant, allowing them to heal slowly.

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