Chapter 103 A Moment's Departure

When Jiang Zhi was awakened by a commotion, it was already dawn outside, and Lu Yuan, who was beside her, was nowhere to be found.

A moment later, Xie Qi lifted the tent flap and strode in. Although he hadn't slept all night, he was still full of energy and carried a lingering smell of blood.

"Zhizhi, you're awake?" Seeing her open her eyes, Xie Qi immediately threw Jian Yi forward with delight and felt her forehead. "That's great, the fever has gone down."

Jiang Zhi asked him, "How did things go?"

Xie Qi's eyes narrowed. "Just as you guessed, he did indeed set up an ambush in the woods. After deliberately revealing a flaw to lure me over, he secretly followed behind me, attempting to launch a sneak attack."

“Thanks to you last night, otherwise we certainly wouldn’t have been able to find him so easily,” Xie Qi said, but he didn’t feel much joy. “Do you know that he arranged poisonous fog and archers in the forest, and even deliberately sent other guards to warn me that there was something unusual in the forest? If it weren’t for your reminder, I certainly wouldn’t have suspected him.”

"Did you manage to find out who was behind this?" Jiang Zhi asked.

“He’s incredibly stubborn. We had to interrogate him all night before we could get him to talk,” Xie Qi said, his eyes dark. “It was the work of the Earl of Zhongqin.”

This bodyguard had been with him for five or six years, fighting alongside him on the battlefield and always serving him.

He confessed that he did this because Yan Wenhong kidnapped his own sister as a threat, leaving him with no other choice.

But betrayal is betrayal.

Xie Qi promised to do his best to rescue his sister, which was already more than enough.

Jiang Zhi thought to herself, "Just as I thought."

At this moment, Lu Yuan also walked in, and he too carried a strong smell of blood.

Xie Qi raised an eyebrow. "Then we'll leave that person to Lord Lu."

“The Embroidered Uniform Guard will arrive soon,” Lu Yuan said calmly. “I will report this to His Majesty immediately upon returning to the capital.”

"It's getting late, we should break camp and continue our journey."

Xie Qi looked at Jiang Zhi for a long time, and finally couldn't hold back any longer. He bent down and hugged her in his arms.

"Zhizhi, take good care of yourself when you get back."

He gripped her tightly with both hands, and his dry, soft lips landed on Jiang Zhi's head.

They parted in an instant; Jiang Zhi had no time to refuse.

Lu Yuan subconsciously gripped the Embroidered Spring Blade at his side, suppressing the surging emotions in his eyes, which turned into a deep, unfathomable darkness.

*

It was nearly noon when we returned home.

After delivering Jiang Zhi, Lu Yuan went to the palace to report to the Emperor.

Looking at Jiang Zhi, who was covered in injuries, Qingxing couldn't help but wipe away her tears with heartache.

Dark Moon knelt directly before her to beg for forgiveness, "This subordinate deserves to die. I failed in my duty to protect the young lady. Please punish me, young lady."

Jiang Zhi, who had difficulty moving, gestured to Qing Xing to help her up, saying, "I left in a hurry and you weren't around, so I can't blame you."

"But..." Dark Moon still couldn't forgive herself for causing the young lady such a serious injury.

Jiang Zhi didn't dwell on the matter and asked her, "How is Ruying's investigation at the Prince of Xiang's residence going?"

Yesterday, Jiang Zhi happened to send An Yue to find Ru Ying, which is why I wasn't by her side.

Dark Moon shook her head. "No news. The Prince of Xiang is in poor health and rarely goes out. Ru Ying has been there these past few days and hasn't even seen a shadow of the Prince of Xiang."

Jiang Zhi frowned.

If the Crown Prince of Xiang doesn't come out, then I'll have no choice but to go to his door.

With my hands and feet injured, going out has become a problem.

That evening, Ruying hurriedly returned to report, "Miss, I have found out that tomorrow is the day the Prince of Xiang will go to the clinic to treat his leg ailment."

Jiang Zhi was overjoyed.

Her leg was also injured, which gave her a convenient excuse to "bump into" him at the clinic without arousing suspicion.

The clinic that Xiao Yunheng went to was very secluded, and it was said that although the clinic owner, Doctor Xue, was highly skilled in medicine, he was greedy for money and would drive away ordinary people who could not afford to pay for treatment.

As a result, the clinic was deserted.

When Jiang Zhi was helped into the room by Qing Xing, she only saw an apprentice dozing off on the medicine cabinet.

An old man with a weathered face came out and immediately glared at her. "Go away, go away! What are you doing here if you're not sick or injured? Turn left at the Apricot Grove Hall, I won't see you out."

He made his judgment after only one glance at Jiang Zhi.

Jiang Zhi guessed that this person must be Doctor Xue, the owner of the museum.

She didn't ask for anything, but instead had Qingxing help her walk over, and in front of him, she had Qingxing slap a silver note on the medicine cabinet.

When Doctor Xue saw the amount on the banknote, his previous impatience vanished instantly, replaced by a kind and friendly smile. "Oh dear, I didn't see how badly you were injured. Come, sit down quickly, sit down quickly."

He then instructed the apprentice to serve tea.

Jiang Zhi watched as he unceremoniously pocketed the silver note, then picked up the paper and pen on the table and wrote out a prescription.

"Doctor Xue, do you not need to take my pulse?" she asked.

“For such a minor injury, oops, an external injury, there’s no need to take your pulse. Just switch the medicine you’re currently taking to mine, and get some top-grade rare muscle-regenerating powder and wound medicine from me. I guarantee you’ll be bouncing around again in less than two days.”

What do you mean by "top-notch"? It's probably just a name they gave her because of her money.

Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow. "Was there anything wrong with the medicine I was taking before?"

Doctor Xue said disdainfully, "That quack doctor prescribed some strong and potent medicines for you. They might be suitable for a martial arts man, but you're just a young lady from a respectable family. How could you possibly withstand them? But it's not like anything serious will happen. At most, you'll recover a little slower."

"Thank you very much, Dr. Xue."

Qingxing went down to fetch the medicine from the apprentice.

A moment later, Jiang Zhi heard a gentle voice from the doorway, "Miss Jiang, what a coincidence."

Jiang Zhi curled her lips into a smile, and as she turned around, her face showed just the right amount of surprise. "The Prince of Xiang? What a coincidence."

Xiao Yunheng was pushed in by a servant in a wheelchair. He still looked sickly but noble. He wore a plain white brocade robe, and his black hair was loosely tied up with a mutton fat jade hairpin. A string of pigeon blood red agate beads on his wrist made his wrist bones look slender. He looked like a glass lamp, beautiful and fragile.

"Your Highness, what brings you here..." Jiang Zhi asked him, feigning ignorance.

"Him? It's his old problem. He came here to let me take a look at his two useless legs," Dr. Xue muttered.

Jiang Zhi was startled.

Although it was the truth, Doctor Xue was far too outspoken.

Xiao Yunheng, however, was probably used to Doctor Xue's personality and didn't take it to heart. "Thank you for your trouble, Doctor Xue."

Doctor Xue didn't stand on ceremony and accepted the silver notes handed to him by the servant with a straight face. "I already told you that your leg doesn't need treatment, but you still insist on bothering me. You really have too much money to burn."

Xiao Yunheng couldn't help but smile bitterly, "I always hope that a miracle will happen one day, otherwise there's no reason for me to live."

"Alright, alright, I know you have money. Go downstairs and prepare for your medicinal bath."

Doctor Xue squeezed the silver note on his chest, and for the sake of the money, his expression finally wasn't so bad.

Jiang Zhi's medicine was prepared quickly, and there was no reason to stay any longer.

Just as Qingxing came over to help her up, a gentle breeze suddenly blew in from outside the hall.

The curtain in the side room was blown in by the wind, and Jiang Zhi subconsciously looked over. Through the gap, she saw Xiao Yunheng being helped by his servants to take off his clothes.

His back was broad and thin, his skin was pale, his shoulder blades were prominent, and his waistline was sharp yet slender.

If it weren't for the disability in both legs, you wouldn't know he was a patient at all.