Jiang Jiaojiao gazed intently at the man with his eyes closed, her eyes filled with complex emotions. Ever since the day he revealed her past and present life to her, his image had been etched into her heart.
Whether this was fate or human intervention, she was willing to face it with him.
"Then let's go to the meeting for a while!"
Jiang Jiaojiao stood up, took big strides, and walked out without hesitation.
Qiu Xiang, holding a long sword, followed closely behind.
Doctor Qin was startled. She didn't seem to be there to discuss business; she seemed more like she was there to stir up trouble.
This person doesn't seem friendly; they're not someone to mess with.
Led by the steward of the Prince's Mansion, Jiang Jiaojiao walked all the way to the front yard.
Along the way, there was no shortage of pavilions, towers, rockeries, and flowing water.
There was a lack of human presence. The occasional maids and servants who passed by were like frightened birds, bowing their heads and quickly leaving without even glancing up at her.
The front yard was even more deserted.
The courtyard was mostly filled with pine, cypress and bamboo. Jiang Jiaojiao felt a chill seep into her bones. Had he... always lived in a place like this?
No wonder I always felt that he exuded a cold and aloof aura, lacking any vitality.
I used to think it was caused by his illness.
Looking back now... it must be because I grew up in such a cold and lonely environment that I felt cold even if I wasn't meant to be.
We arrived at the front hall.
Jiang Jiaojiao adjusted the hairpin at her temple, straightened her sleeves, straightened her back, and slowly stepped in.
Standing quietly in the hall was a woman with a graceful figure and outstanding appearance. She wore a unique and distinctive blue silk dress, with small bells in her hair and on her wrists. She had a straight nose and deep-set eyes, which made her large, round eyes, like grapes, appear even larger.
The moment those big eyes saw Jiang Jiaojiao, they flashed with intense jealousy and hatred.
Jiang Jiaojiao paused, frowning.
I've never seen this face before, so why does it seem somewhat familiar?
Do you have the antidote?
Jiang Jiaojiao got straight to the point, making no attempt to hide her scrutiny and wariness.
The woman stared at Jiang Jiaojiao, revealing an almost eerie smile. "I was the one who poisoned her, so naturally I have the antidote."
"you--"
Jiang Jiaojiao's expression changed drastically. Qiu Xiang heard the noise and moved, grabbing the woman's throat.
The woman remained motionless, her smile arrogant. "If you want him dead, try touching me."
"stop--"
Jiang Jiaojiao cried out urgently, and Qiu Xiang's hand slid across the woman's throat, the wind from her palm snapping off a strand of hair, which then fell to the ground.
Jiang Jiaojiao re-examined the woman in front of her; to be precise, she was the madwoman in front of her.
That's right!
He's absolutely insane!
What normal person would tell you directly that she was the one who poisoned the medicine when they bring the antidote?
"what would you like?"
Jiang Jiaojiao asked directly.
“The princess is indeed straightforward,” the woman laughed even more wildly, “I’m going to take him away.”
These words are arrogant, much like those of a general returning from a great victory.
"Only I can save his life."
Jiang Jiaojiao trembled all over, suppressing her hatred, "You're the one who poisoned me!"
The woman took out a medicine bottle. "Here is an antidote that can cure him for seven days. If there is no other antidote after seven days, he will be poisoned and suffer twice the excruciating pain!"
"Hehe... I heard you also know a little about medicine, you might as well give it a try."
She put down the antidote, her gaze towards Jiang Jiaojiao filled with a hint of madness and disdain. "His taste is really bad. You are not good enough for him."
In that slightly crazed look in her eyes, Jiang Jiaojiao finally remembered.
A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. "Whether you're worthy or not isn't for you to decide, is it, Ling Meiren!"
That's right.
Although the person before me had changed his appearance, the almost insane stubbornness in his eyes was just like that of the exotic woman who was bestowed the title of Spirit Beauty at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet.
The moment the words "Ling Meiren" were uttered, the woman's face instantly turned extremely gloomy.
If it weren't for seeing him, why would she have bothered becoming a "spirit beauty"? She just thought that if she could gain favor with the emperor because of her face that looked exactly like Consort Yun's, she could whisper in his ear and ruin his marriage.
Unfortunately, the Yellow Emperor had no interest in her, only bestowing upon her the title of a minor beauty before discarding her.
She had no choice but to tear off her mask and escape.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Jiaojiao recognized him.
She re-examined Jiang Jiaojiao's face; her round face was clumsy and bright, but lacked elegance, which was not the kind of face he liked.
But……
Thinking of what he said in the palace that day.
"Spirit Beauty's" eyes turned sinister as she stared intently at Jiang Jiaojiao. "I've suddenly changed my mind. I want the antidote. How about exchanging your life for it?"
"Your life or his life, the choice is yours."
"Seven days is enough time for you to think it over carefully."
"Spirit Beauty" looked provocative, then let out a silvery laugh and stormed off.
Jiang Jiaojiao returned to her bedchamber with the antidote.
Upon seeing the medicine bottle, Doctor Qin was overjoyed. Jiang Jiaojiao opened the porcelain bottle and poured out a bright red pill that emitted a faint fishy smell.
"Is this the antidote?"
Doctor Qin hesitated for a moment. Why was this pill red?
Most of the pills made nowadays are black, and red pills are rare. Most of them are poisonous pills made with realgar and cinnabar.
Jiang Jiaojiao examined the pills carefully, and suddenly an explanation from the medical record flashed into her mind, causing her expression to change drastically.
With a sudden, forceful crushing motion, a fiery red flying insect burst forth from within.
"stop--"
"careful--
Doctor Qin and Qiu Xiang's voices rang out at the same time. Jiang Jiaojiao grabbed the flying insect and quickly stuffed it back into the jade bottle.
Doctor Qin stared in disbelief, his eyes wide with astonishment. "This...this is actually a Gu worm?"
"really……"
Jiang Jiaojiao breathed a sigh of relief, "Luckily, I've seen this pill in the medical records."
The last few pages of Xue's medical records depict several poisons from foreign lands that require careful handling. Among them is a fiery red poison pill that uses human blood as a catalyst and emits a fishy, pungent odor.
This is... the real reason why Ling Meiren, or rather, the poisonous woman from the Southern Frontier, came to deliver the antidote.
The detoxification was a ruse; the real purpose was to trick Jiang Jiaojiao into personally administering the poison to Prince Chen.
What a ruthless method!
I almost fell for her trick!
Who would have thought that someone would openly deliver poison, and under the guise of an antidote? What a madman!
Doctor Qin stared with his mouth agape, unable to close it for a long time. His gaze turned very strange, and he suddenly said, "The person who delivered the medicine, could it be a girl of seventeen or eighteen?"
"Um?"
Jiang Jiaojiao looked surprised.
Upon seeing this, Doctor Qin already knew the answer in his heart and couldn't help but sigh, "It really is her, alas... this, perhaps, this really is the antidote."
"What's the meaning?"
Jiang Jiaojiao was stunned. "You know him?"
Doctor Qin looked at the person lying on the bed and sighed deeply again, "I once took him to the Southern Frontier to seek medical treatment. We unintentionally saved a holy maiden from the Southern Frontier, and from her I learned that there is a Gu King in the Southern Frontier that can cure all poisons in the world, but..."
"Once that Gu King is planted, one will never be able to leave the Southern Frontier for the rest of one's life."
"He was unwilling to be confined to the Southern Frontier, but that Holy Maiden... cough cough... was determined to keep him here, and in the end, she went to great lengths to escape from the Southern Frontier and return."
"I didn't expect her to follow me all the way here."
Jiang Jiaojiao's heart sank. "That's why she was so fearless, knowing that you would guess her identity and that the Gu King was the antidote."
Doctor Qin nodded, then shook his head. "This is not a Gu King, but rather a Gu worm that is temporarily suppressing the toxins in his body."
“That’s right, she said this antidote can suppress it for seven days.”
"Seven days later...she will come to take him away."
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