Chapter 37 Jiang Fushi said to Zhan Xiao, "Put the top..."
Yu Yao's condition was temporarily stabilized thanks to the imperial physician's overnight treatment. Although she barely survived, more than half of her body was burned, especially her face and arms, where her skin was ulcerated and her appearance was completely ruined. Even the imperial physician said privately that even if she recovered, it would be difficult for her to return to her former appearance.
The Empress cried and made a scene, sobbing uncontrollably by Yu Yao's bedside. But the more she cried, the more lucid she became.
She knew perfectly well that if this matter wasn't investigated thoroughly, every detail would implicate her, ultimately backfiring on her. Seeing Yuyao's current state of near death, her heart ached terribly, but she could only grit her teeth and send someone to report to the Emperor: "Princess Yuyao, moved by the hardships of the border soldiers, willingly offered herself as a sacrifice before the Buddha in prayer. Although she did not die, she was severely injured. We beseech Your Majesty's mercy."
Upon hearing the report, the emperor was both surprised and sighed, and issued an edict to reward the empress generously as a form of consolation. After receiving the reward, the empress returned to the palace and, due to excessive grief and the torment of having to go against her will, fell seriously ill.
...
Thanks to the muscle-regenerating powder refined by Jiang Fushi, Lou Bingling's injuries have mostly healed, and she is able to get out of bed, walk around, and talk.
Jiang Fushi came to visit that day, while Lou Bingling was taking a leisurely stroll in the courtyard. The news of Yu Yao's self-immolation had shocked the capital, and even Lou Bingling, who was bedridden at home, knew about it. After asking a couple of questions with concern, Jiang Fushi lowered her eyes.
"In the end, it's all my fault." Jiang Fushi said sadly. "She originally wanted to use a curse on me, but by some twist of fate, she ended up harming you instead."
She immediately grabbed Jiang Fushi's hand, her eyes filled with worry: "Your Highness is so determined to fight the Empress's faction to the death for my sake. I'm afraid they will retaliate even more fiercely in the future..."
“Even without your involvement, my relationship with them was already irreconcilable.” Jiang Fushi led her to sit down in the corridor, and Lou Bingling’s eyes welled up with tears. “From that day on, Bingling will stand with Your Highness through thick and thin.”
Snowflakes fell softly from under the eaves, and a few were swept by the wind into the corridor, landing on the hems of the two people's clothes and quickly turning into tiny water droplets.
"There's something I've never told you..." Jiang Fushi paused, then finally revealed her expertise in medicine and poisons. She solemnly instructed, "If you ever notice anything unusual about your body again, don't try to tough it out on yourself. Be sure to tell me immediately."
Unexpectedly, Lou Bingling did not show much surprise, but smiled knowingly: "Actually, Bingling had already guessed a bit. But since Your Highness did not say, Bingling never asked. Your Highness has your reasons for doing things."
The two chatted privately under the eaves for a while, and seeing that it was getting late, Jiang Fushi set off to return home. Sitting in the sedan chair, she still held a medical book in her hands, studying it carefully by the light of daylight streaming in through the window.
After searching through all the medical books she could find, she actually found an ancient prescription called "Red Sun Melting Snow," which might be able to alleviate Zhan Xiao's suffering from the cold poison. However, this method was extremely dangerous, requiring the use of extremely yang and potent medicinal power to forcefully impact the meridians. If not handled carefully, it could backfire and worsen the cold poison.
Upon returning to her residence, she immediately wrote a letter, carefully listing all the rare medicinal herbs needed, and sent her trusted confidants to the Princess's Jade Ripples Garden to request assistance.
The letter had barely been sent when a reply came from Yulan Garden. Within a few days, a sealed brocade box arrived in Jiang Fushi's hands, containing all the medicinal herbs she had listed, all of the highest quality.
Especially the Crimson Sun Vine, which is entirely blood-red, warm to the touch, and faintly exudes a heat-like aura, making it a top-grade variety with excellent age.
She instructed Rongrong to carefully chop the Red Sun Vine and set it aside, and to have the kitchen use the largest stove to boil several pots full of water. Then, she ordered the servants to immediately prepare the warm pavilion, several copper basins for heating, and pile silver charcoal in the four corners of the room to ensure that the room temperature was as hot as in the height of summer.
Afterwards, she personally ground the other auxiliary medicines into the mortar according to the ancient prescription, and prepared gold needles, a towel, water and other necessary items.
After finishing all that, she called Zhan Xiao in.
"Take off your shirt."
Zhan Xiao's body stiffened noticeably, and a clear look of astonishment flashed across his usually calm eyes as he stared intently at her.
Jiang Fushi lowered her head to arrange the gold needles. After a while, she didn't hear any movement. She turned her head to look at him and saw that he was still standing in the same place with his lips tightly pursed.
"Your Highness is of noble status, why must you go to such lengths for your subordinates?"
The golden needle slowly burned across the candlelight, and Jiang Fushi did not even raise her eyes. "When I act, I only ask whether it is right or wrong, and I do not distinguish between the noble and the lowly. Since you are my person, I will do my best."
"Take off your clothes." Her tone turned authoritative. "The medicinal herbs are all rare treasures that I obtained from the Princess. Don't waste all this effort."
Seeing that he still didn't move, Jiang Fushi finally looked up at him and softened her voice: "This method is called 'Red Sun Melting Snow'. Although it cannot eradicate the cold poison, it can relieve the bone-chilling pain and make you feel better. I don't want to see you suffer so much every time it flares up, and I don't want to see your life force gradually depleted by the cold poison."
After saying that, she turned her back, deliberately slowing her breathing to give him time to change.
The "Red Sun Melting Snow" method cannot be interrupted once it begins, otherwise the backlash from the cold air will have unimaginable consequences. She came to the door and whispered to Liu Zi, who was guarding outside, "For the next six hours, you must guard the warm pavilion well, and no one is allowed to disturb it."
After giving his instructions, when he returned to the warm pavilion, Zhan Xiao had already taken off his shirt. His strong upper body was covered with scars of varying depths, old wounds layered on top of new ones, a shocking sight.
Jiang Fushi glanced at it quickly, her cheeks flushing instantly. She quickly looked away, pretending to be bothered by the heat in the room, and ordered with feigned composure, "You sit in the bathtub. I will pour the medicine in later. Remember not to move around."
The bath tub was specially modified, filled with medicinal soup at the bottom, with a ventilation opening at the very bottom. Silver charcoal was already placed underneath to keep the medicinal soup at a constant temperature. Once Zhan Xiao was seated, the hot steam from the medicinal soup would slowly spread out, gradually opening the pores all over his body, allowing the medicinal power to seep into his meridians through the pores.
Holding the earthenware pot filled with the juice of the Red Sun Vine, Jiang Fushi approached and first tested the temperature on the rim of the pot with her fingertips before slowly pouring the juice into it. White mist instantly rose, and the spicy warmth, along with the aroma of the medicine, spread over the rim of the pot. It first gently brushed against Zhan Xiao's arm, then slowly climbed up, along his neck, and around his ears, making the surrounding air warm. The steam quickly dampened the black hair on his forehead.
Picking up the prepared silver needles, Jiang Fushi composed herself. "Next, I will perform acupuncture on your back. The process will be a little painful. If it is unbearable..."
"It's alright," Zhan Xiao interrupted her. "Your Highness, please proceed."
The first needle was placed on Zhiyangxue (a point on the back of the body).
Zhan Xiao's muscles tensed instantly, and a thin layer of sweat suddenly appeared on his broad back, allowing Jiang Fushi, who was bending over to adjust the angle of the silver needles, to clearly feel the resistance flowing under his skin.
That was the cold poison lurking in his body launching a frenzied counterattack.
She dared not slacken, and the second and third needles fell in quick succession, precisely piercing the Shendao and Lingtai acupoints. Sweat slid down her forehead, but she had no time to wipe it away.
When the fifth needle pierced the muscle contraction acupoint, Zhan Xiao finally couldn't help but let out a muffled groan. What was even more alarming was that fine white ice crystals began to condense around several large acupoints on his back.
Jiang Fushi's heart tightened.
This is exactly the sign of "external manifestation of cold poison" recorded in ancient books.
"Just bear with it a little longer." Her voice softened unconsciously, but her movements became even faster. When the ninth needle landed on the xuanshu acupoint, a sudden change occurred.
Zhan Xiao suddenly leaned forward, spitting out a mouthful of dark purple blood. The blood fell onto the rim of the bucket, making a soft "sizzling" sound, and instantly froze into ice.
Almost simultaneously, Jiang Fushi swiftly retrieved the last golden needle and precisely pierced it into the Dazhui acupoint at the back of his neck. This needle seemed to open a floodgate, and fine black blood beads seeped from the pores all over his body, chilling to the bone to the touch.
She immediately took out the prepared medicinal wine, poured it onto a cotton cloth, and gently wiped the bloodstains from his back. When her cool fingertips touched his burning skin, both of them trembled.
Next, there's only one last step left.
Jiang Fushi steadied her trembling fingertips and carefully removed the silver needle from her back, her eyes filled with worry: "You must sit quietly in the tub for six hours to allow the medicine to fully dissipate. Before the time is up, you must not get up to circulate your internal energy, otherwise the cold poison will backfire and all your previous efforts will be wasted. Remember this!"
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Overwhelmed with grief, the Empress remained bedridden for several days before finally regaining some of her senses. Upon hearing the news, the Duke of Jingguo's mansion sent Madam Cao, accompanied by her eldest daughter-in-law, Lady Wang, to the palace to visit her.
Inside the Phoenix Palace, by the Empress's bedside, Old Madam Cao held her daughter's cold hand tightly, tears streaming down her face.
"Your Majesty, my poor son..." She looked at the Empress's haggard face, her heart aching so much that she couldn't utter a complete sentence.
Wang was also silently shedding tears, wiping her eyes repeatedly with a handkerchief.
When the Empress saw her mother, all the grievances and sorrows of the past few days welled up in her heart, and she buried her face in her mother's arms and wept bitterly.
"Mother... Mother..." she choked, barely able to breathe, "Yuyao... her face... it's completely ruined! What will we do now!"
Madam Cao sighed repeatedly, patting the Empress's back to comfort her: "My child, I know you are suffering. I watched Yao'er grow up, and my heart is breaking too. But you must hold on, especially now!"
Her tone was extremely urgent and solemn: "Your Majesty, please don't be sad anymore. Your health is the most important thing. As long as you are here, Yao'er and the Third Prince still have hope. As long as you are here, our Cao family still has a backbone in the palace. The glory of the Cao family still depends on you supporting us in the palace. If you collapse, what will happen to Yao'er and the Third Prince? Those villains will be even more smug!"
The Empress cried for a long time before she finally managed to raise her head, her eyes burning with hatred as she gripped Old Madam Cao's wrist tightly: "Yuhe, it's all Yuhe's fault, it's all that bitch's fault!"
She screamed angrily, "Mother, Cao Zhang didn't contract the disease, he was murdered! It was Yuhe, that vile woman who did it!"
"What!" Both Madam Cao and Madam Wang were shocked, their faces showing horror.
"Absolutely true!" The Empress gritted her teeth, her breath unsteady but her words rapid. "That Miao man, Wu Yin, personally confirmed that Cao Zhang was poisoned by a strange poison called 'Azure Withering and Flourishing Powder.' I sent people to investigate, and it turns out that when that vile woman was living among the common people, she learned not only medical skills from a wandering doctor, but also these insidious methods. It was her, it must have been her!"
Madam Cao was so angry that she trembled all over, her white eyebrows furrowed. She remembered that Cao Zhang had said before that he had a dispute with Princess Yuhe on the street and was even ambushed by her. At the time, she thought it was just a minor conflict. She must have been angry because of this incident that the girl poisoned Zhang'er!
"She's gone too far! She's really gone too far!" Old Madam Cao was furious. "A helpless orphan girl has dared to plot against my Cao family time and time again, hurting my grandson and harming my granddaughter. This is an irreconcilable feud!"
"That Yuhe looks so delicate, yet her heart is so cruel!" Wang exclaimed, covering her mouth in shock. Thinking of Cao Zhang's emaciated state, clinging to life only with precious medicinal herbs, she was overcome with grief. She turned to the Empress urgently, saying, "Your Majesty, if she dared to harm Zhang'er and Yao'er today, she might dare to do the same tomorrow… We cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom!"
The Empress, panting, looked at him with such venom that it was almost dripping with water: "It was my mistake. I shouldn't have let her return to the palace in the first place. I thought she was someone I could control, but she turned out to be a venomous snake."
She gripped Old Madam Cao's sleeve tightly, "Mother, sister-in-law, you must help me... help me get rid of this scourge..."
Before she could finish speaking, the Empress began to cough violently, which frightened Granny Sun so much that she quickly went to find the imperial physician. Seeing this, Old Madam Cao and the others dared not stay any longer and had to take their leave.
Physician Zhang rushed over and administered acupuncture and medicine to the Empress. After a quarter of an hour, the Empress's breathing gradually stabilized. Not long after, the Third Prince arrived and quickly went to the bedside as soon as he entered.
Seeing her son arrive, the Empress's ashen expression finally brightened slightly.
Now that Yuyao is crippled, her only support in the palace is this son. If the Third Prince falls, she will have no place in the harem.
The Third Prince held the Empress's hand, noticing her pale face and worried expression: "Mother, are you feeling any better? I heard you've been coughing badly again."
The Empress shook her head, gripping his hand tightly: "You must...you must avenge your elder sister! It must have been Yuhe who used some unknown method to harm Yuyao."
"Rest assured, Mother." The Third Prince replied in a deep voice, his eyes filled with malice. "Your subject knows what he's doing and will never let Your Majesty suffer in vain."
...
When Madam Cao returned to the Duke of Jingguo's residence, she immediately told the Duke everything she had heard in the palace. Also present was Cao Zhang's brother, Cao Rui.
Unlike Cao Zhang, who was idle and carefree, Cao Rui was a Zhaowu Colonel serving in the Jingji Camp. He had been leading a patrol team on the border for some time and had just returned to the capital.
He had received a letter from home earlier informing him of his brother's condition. He had initially thought his brother had contracted some strange illness, but it turned out he had been deliberately poisoned.
“My son is only twenty years old, and that wicked woman has left him bedridden and practically a cripple,” Wang cried, covering her face. “How am I supposed to live like this?”
Madam Cao was also filled with grief and indignation, and she slammed her cane down heavily: "Yuhe is a princess, even if she was found by commoners, she still has a royal title. Now that the Empress is the only one maneuvering in the palace, if our Cao family makes a rash move, how can we gain the upper hand? If we end up being accused of insubordination, it will only implicate the whole family."
The Duke of Jingguo also had a livid face. He paced back and forth in the hall with his hands behind his back, lost in thought and silent.
For a moment, only Wang's suppressed sobs filled the hall, the atmosphere so heavy it was suffocating.
"Outrageous!" Cao Rui slammed his fist on the table, causing a crack to appear on the sturdy wooden desk. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving violently, and each word was forced out between clenched teeth:
"He's just a bastard found in the countryside, yet he dares to bully my Cao family like this! He hurt my brother and harmed my cousin Yuyao. If I don't avenge this, I, Cao Rui, swear I'm not a man!"
He turned and walked away, his entire being exuding a chilling aura. The Duke of Jingguo demanded in a deep voice, "Where are you going?"
"To the Princess's residence!" Cao Rui shouted without turning his head, grabbing the long sword standing by the door. "Tonight, that poisonous woman will pay for her crime in blood!"
"Halt!" Duke Jingguo shouted sternly. "Do you know that Yuhe has gained a powerful ally? At this year's Winter Ceremony, this person defeated Bian Chen, the commander of the Third Prince's personal guards, in a single move. If you go there rashly, what if..."
Cao Rui scoffed coldly, turned around and bowed to his grandfather, his face full of contempt and arrogance:
"Grandfather, why must you boost the morale of others? Bian Chen and his ilk are nothing but pampered show-offs in the capital. Rui'er patrols the border, risking his life, and kills real Tartars!"
With a clang, he half-drawn his longsword from its sheath, the cold light reflecting in his fierce eyes. "Even if he has some martial arts skills, under my blood-stained blade, he's nothing but a chicken or a dog!"
...
The snowy night was cold and still. Snowflakes, like goose feathers, fell silently, turning the vermilion pillars and gray eaves a pristine white. Jiang Fushi rubbed her temples, which ached slightly from prolonged concentration, and glanced at the water clock. There was still a quarter of an hour left—six hours had passed.
She rose and went to the warm chamber, gently pushing open the door. Inside, a thick fog filled the air, the heavy smell of medicine mingling with the aroma of burning charcoal, making it almost impossible to breathe. Zhan Xiao's eyes were closed, but his brows were no longer furrowed in pain; his breathing was steady, as if he were asleep. She moved gently, carefully observing his features by the flickering candlelight.
In the misty steam, his face remained serene, which accentuated his high nose bridge and sharp features, giving him a dignified air that had been tempered by hardship. A few strands of his dark hair, damp with sweat and steam, clung to his angular cheeks.
Hmm... He is indeed quite handsome, and his physique is strong and muscular. No wonder all the maids in the manor secretly come to see him.
These old wounds all over his body... I really don't know what he went through to end up with so many scars at such a young age. He must have suffered a lot.
Should she look into scar removal remedies?
The thought had barely formed in her mind when Jiang Fushi gently shook her head. Right now, it was more important to cure the cold poison first.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside the door. There were hurried footsteps and shouts, followed by the sharp clang of metal clashing, and a few short, muffled groans, as if someone had been knocked to the ground. The noise grew closer and closer, and even the window frames could be felt vibrating. The once quiet courtyard was instantly shattered.
Jiang Fushi's heart skipped a beat, and she frowned instantly. She opened a crack in the window and looked out. She could see figures moving in the distance, with the light of snow and the glint of swords flashing. She couldn't make out anything else.
Could it be that someone has broken into the mansion?
She carefully closed the window, shutting out the cold wind and noise, glanced back at Zhan Xiao to make sure he wasn't disturbed, then quickly left the warm pavilion, carefully locked the door, and went to the front yard, asking in a low voice:
"What happened?"
Qingdai rushed over, her face deathly pale, her voice trembling: "Your Highness, it's General Cao from the Cao family! He's forced his way in with his men! Commander Liu and the others are trying to stop them... and... there's already blood!"
Jiang Fushi looked in the direction of the sound and saw Cao Rui, dressed in military uniform, standing on the snow in the courtyard. Behind him was a group of Cao family soldiers with fierce eyes and drawn swords, who were in a tense standoff with the princess's guards.
She took a deep breath of the icy air, suppressing her shock and anger, and stepped forward, blocking the door of the warm pavilion without hesitation. Her slender figure stood straight in the swirling snow, her gaze icy: "Commander Cao! As an official of the imperial court, how dare you lead troops to break into my palace residence at night without imperial decree? Where is your respect for the imperial dignity? What is your punishment!"
"Heh!" Cao Rui sneered, pointing his long sword diagonally at the ground.
"Your humble servant has received a secret report that a spy from the Qiongle tribe has infiltrated the princess's residence, carrying a border defense deployment map. This concerns the safety of the border, and it is my duty to immediately enter the residence to search it! Any obstruction will be considered treason!"
Jiang Fushi was so angry she almost laughed; what a high-sounding excuse!
She stood her ground, her voice clear and sharp like the clash of jade: "What a fine 'duty'! You keep accusing me of being a spy, but where is the evidence? What is the source of your intelligence report? If there is no real evidence, then it is a false accusation! I think you're not here to catch spies, but to provoke me!"
"I am here," Jiang Fushi said with a chilling gaze, her aura emanating an imposing presence no less powerful than her opponent's. "Let's see who dares to move!"
"Search!"
At his command, his personal guards surged forward like hungry tigers, immediately engaging in a fierce fight with the princess's guards. The scene was instantly out of control, with flashing swords and clashing blades.
Jiang Fushi, protected by Zisu and Rongrong, retreated repeatedly, but still shouted sharply, "Cao Rui, how dare you!"
Cao Rui pressed on relentlessly, his face filled with cruel smugness: "Your Highness's maids must also be tied up and interrogated thoroughly. Who knows if there might be a spy hiding among them?"
After saying that, he ordered his men to grab Rongrong and Qingdai.
Jiang Fushi's eyes widened in fury, and she was about to rush forward to stop him, when a teacup flew out from nowhere and struck Cao Rui's wrist, which was holding a knife, with such force that Cao Rui's wrist suddenly dropped, and his five fingers involuntarily loosened. The gleaming long knife crashed to the snow with a loud clang, making a piercing sound that seemed to shake the ground.
Everyone looked on in horror, only to see a black figure gracefully descend from the sky, its clothes fluttering in the wind and snow. It kicked Cao Rui in the heart, sending him flying backward and crashing heavily into a stone lantern in the courtyard. He vomited blood and couldn't get up for a moment.
The figure landed, stirring up a flurry of snowflakes.
The newcomer wore only a dark-colored outer robe, the collar slightly open, revealing his muscular chest, indicating he had arrived in a hurry. His long, ink-black hair was unbound, dancing wildly in the biting wind, reflecting on his cold, stern face.
Who else could it be but Zhan Xiao?
Author's Note:
Typing alone is so painful! Please give me some support, comments, and even a sugar daddy/mommy! [Empty bowl][Crying]
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