Chapter 67 Lifesaving Method: Xu Congjing, are you human or a ghost? ...
"Young Master Wen is out of danger, but Minister Xu's injury is a bit more complicated." The doctor leaned against the door, his words turning into a sigh. "There is a rare poison in the folk called Blood-Expelling Powder. Once a person has a wound, the bleeding will be difficult to stop. If a small amount is added to their food every day, it will gradually weaken the person without them noticing, and slowly cause them to bleed to death. Minister Xu was poisoned by this, which is why he can't stop bleeding now."
Lou Yanxu's palms were sweaty, deeply sensing that Xu Congjing was in dire straits, unable to escape or avoid it. She glanced at the unconscious man on the bed, then turned and asked, "So how do we resolve this?"
“The bleeding can be temporarily stopped by crushing Bletilla striata and applying it with appropriate excipients. However, I found a few days ago that all the Bletilla striata in the city had been bought up in large quantities. There is no other way.”
So this means that the whole thing was premeditated. If the Meng family were behind it, there would have been no need for such a large-scale killing spree. Finding the culprit is of paramount importance right now.
Lou Yanxu had made up her mind. She thanked the doctor, saying, "Thank you for your trouble." The next morning, when the street drums sounded, she asked Yun Bing to send a message to Qing'an that she was safe. She also ordered someone to summon Yun Lu to the pavilion to inquire about the interrogation.
Yun Lu looked dejected, clearly not having a good time. "They're really stubborn, they must have been specially trained." They'd used every trick in the book, but those people were reckless and determined to die, leaving them with no leverage. It was really difficult to deal with.
However, this matter had to be put on hold for the time being. Lou Yanxu's shoulders were tense as she looked up at the pyramidal roof above her for a long time, and sighed, "Now there is one more thing..."
She briefly recounted the poisoning incident, then pinched her brow and asked, "Who do you think it could be?"
“There are only two people who can poison your food without anyone noticing for a long time.” Upon hearing this, Yun Lu unconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword, exuding a chilling aura. “One is Old Wu from the kitchen, and the other is Granny Hu who delivers the food.”
Lou Yanxu knew a little about both of them. Old Wu was a cripple with a seriously ill old mother at home. Years ago, Xu Congjing took pity on him and brought him into the mansion to work. Hu Yu was an old woman in the Xu family. She had been by Xu Madam's side since her marriage. She had watched Xu Congjing grow up while he was still with his parents.
She couldn't be sure which one was the ungrateful person, but her eyelids twitched and she felt uneasy. "If we can find the person who poisoned us, we can follow the clues to find where Baiji is hiding."
Yun Lu understood and volunteered, "I'll go and interrogate them immediately!"
"Don't alert the enemy."
He was about to leave when Lou Yanxu stopped him, forcing him to halt and ask in confusion, "What does my wife mean...?"
He stared intently, and saw a calculating glint in Lou Niangzi's eyes. "Contact the two of them separately and tell them that you have found Baiji. Order them to go with you to retrieve it. This is unexpected, and the thief will surely be unable to restrain himself. At that time, you can arrest and interrogate him."
"That's good," Yun Lu thought, finding it reasonable, and agreed. However, as he strode to the arched bridge, he heard light footsteps behind him. Lou Yanxu had given another instruction: "The guards in the prison can be a little more relaxed these few days. If Yun Ji escapes, don't make a fuss, just keep an eye on him."
The matter of the poisoned arrows from last time was still unresolved, so this is a good opportunity to expose a weakness, throw meat to lure the dogs, and let's see what Yun Ji chooses to do. As long as he escapes, we can follow this line to find out who is behind it sooner or later, and it will be clear whether they are friend or foe.
After speaking, he looked at Lou Yanxu intently, finally understanding why his husband couldn't forget this young lady. Although she looked fragile, she was capable and thoughtful, able to consider everything even when her lover was unconscious. Such a wonderful person was a perfect match for her husband.
At that moment, he accepted this gentle yet strong-willed future wife of the Xu family from the bottom of his heart.
Lou Yanxu did not move again, standing with her hands behind her back at the end of the winding bridge, observing the movements inside the mansion. Soon she saw Old Wu and Granny Hu leaving in opposite directions. She stared blankly at the doorway, and after a stick of incense had burned, she returned to the bedside.
Wen Jie's complexion was noticeably better. She wiped Xu Congjing's face and kept glancing absentmindedly out the door. Even the sound of the doctor flipping through ancient books in search of another antidote annoyed her.
Finally, when the thin mist dissipated and the sky brightened, Yun Lu finally appeared in the distance, followed by several guards, escorting Old Wu back to his residence.
Lou Yanxu draped the handkerchief in her hand on the rack and hurriedly ran over there. Seeing that Old Wu had bruises on his face, she knew that the matter had been resolved.
However, the evildoer broke free from his restraints and knelt down on the hard, cold floor with a thud. Tears streamed down his face as he continued to argue, "Guard Yun, I truly have never harmed my lord! Please believe me this once! It's just that my elderly mother at home is seriously ill and urgently needs Baiji (a traditional Chinese medicine), so I thought of taking some back to save her life!"
He kowtowed and begged for mercy again and again, but his words were too clumsy and Yun Lu could not easily believe them. So he ignored him and greeted Lou Yanxu who was coming towards him.
However, fearing that this man might offend his future wife, he gave a wink and ordered someone to take Old Wu away. He then turned around and said fiercely, "When you're on the rack, let's see if you're still so stubborn!"
Although it was a child's voice, the weathered look of someone who had been through many dangerous situations made Old Wu involuntarily shrink back. He was dragged towards the dungeon with a limp, and as he struggled shakily, the medicinal herbs he had hidden on his body fell to the ground with a clatter, and the escorting guard accidentally stepped on them.
"Don't step on it! Don't step on my Bletilla striata!" Old Wu was going crazy. He rushed over, pushed the guard's feet away, grabbed the herb, wiped off the dust, and treated it like a precious treasure.
Yun Lu picked up one of the pieces. He noticed that the herb had a yellowish-brown surface with layered, raised, coarse ring patterns, and felt powdery to the touch. He had examined Baiji (a type of orchid) closely and found subtle differences, so he handed it to Lou Yanxu.
Lou Yanxu examined it closely for a long time, turning it over and over. This wasn't *Baiji* at all; it was clearly *Chonglou*. Doubts rose in her heart, and she went to Old Wu and asked him, "You're saying this is *Baiji*?"
"What is this if not Bletilla striata?" Old Wu glanced at it timidly, then carefully snatched the Paris polyphylla back and put it in his pocket.
It was truly strange that the person who poisoned the medicine didn't recognize the antidote. Lou Yanxu and Yun Lu exchanged a glance and both slapped their thighs, exclaiming, "This is bad!"
A flash of inspiration struck Yunlu, and he hurriedly walked out. As he reached the door, another group of guards came towards him, but he couldn't see Hu Yu anywhere. He immediately asked, "Where is Hu Yu?"
"She's right here! She tried to escape halfway, but I caught her." Yun Bing appeared slowly around the corner, his forehead still covered in a thick layer of sweat. He patted Yun Lu's shoulder reassuringly, "I knew you couldn't be in two places at once, but with me watching over her, she couldn't get away!"
Yun Lu breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her. When he saw Lou Yanxu walking over, he lowered his head in shame and said, "I was prejudiced." Hu Yu was an old man in the mansion, having entered the mansion many years before Old Wu. She had also received great kindness from Madam Xu and had some nurturing feelings for her young master, so her judgment was somewhat biased.
He then helped Old Wu up and solemnly apologized, which slightly shocked Lou Yanxu. It was clear that Xu Congjing, despite his notorious reputation, still maintained his original intentions towards the people in the manor. His subordinates, influenced by what they saw and heard, inevitably began to act in his shadow.
"Madam Lou, leave this matter to me." Yun Lu frowned, his face grim, as if he were trapped in a cocoon of guilt.
Lou Yanxu had no doubt about Yun Lu's abilities. She patted his arm to comfort him, implying that there was still room for maneuver and that he shouldn't be too hard on himself. But just as she was about to take Hu Yu away, Hu Yu suddenly collapsed to the ground, clutching her chest, bleeding from all seven orifices and lifeless. If she hadn't taken poison herself, she must have been deliberately poisoned.
Lou Yanxu felt a jolt in her chest, then rushed over to help Hu Yu up. She frantically pounded and shook the corpse, unable to hold back any longer and screamed hoarsely. Suddenly, the string in her mind snapped, and she collapsed backward to the ground as if deflated.
Too late, too late!
When the physician heard the news, he cried out to the heavens, "Oh no! If we can't find Baiji within a day, Minister Xu will probably be doomed!"
Lou Yanxu's eyes were empty and lifeless, her listless expression revealing a bluish-gray tinge. She felt as if the entire Xu family was under surveillance, and she glared fiercely around, determined to find those people and kill them mercilessly.
A tear soaked into her clothes. She wished she could kneel before the gods and save Xu Congjing's life at any cost.
Fortunately, things took a turn for the better. The new moon rose high in the sky, shining on the threshold, revealing a pair of black shoes. An old, hoarse voice came from behind, "If you want to save people, I have another way."
"Master Rong!" Lou Yanxu raised her eyebrows slightly, jumped up, and flew over. "Didn't you leave Chang'an?"
Master Rong's cheeks twitched slightly as he twirled the jade thumb ring on his hand, his breathing heavy and labored. "I knew this kid wasn't up to anything. He rushed me away, treating me like a coward!"
Seeing the situation, he had a way to save Xu Congjing. Lou Yanxu's eyes shone with hope, and she excitedly grabbed his arms tightly. "Master Rong, you have a way to save him!"
“There are solutions, of course, but…” He touched his nose and his expression turned serious. “Wen Jie was previously poisoned and was saved at my Yinrong Manor. The poison was not removed but grew along with his bones and blood. The fastest way to save Cong Jing is to transfer blood and fight poison with poison.”
“But Wen Langjun is currently weak and deficient in qi and blood. If this attempt fails, wouldn’t it put both of them in danger?” She let her hands hang naturally at her sides, her face full of worry. Xu Congjing was already in a dangerous situation, and in a desperate situation, he would inevitably have to take a gamble. But Wen Jie was already out of danger, so how could she let him “go from the tiger’s mouth to the wolf’s den”? Now that the two of them were unconscious, she and Qing’an couldn’t bring themselves to ask him to do it.
“Indeed, but I’m 80% sure.” He stroked his gray beard and looked up at the blazing sun. Lou Yanxu felt a chill run down her spine and murmured, “Then the remaining 20%…”
The other two possibilities were either a happy ending or both of them would die. Her heart pounded like a rattle-drum, and she dared not think any further.
Her slender, delicate fingers almost tore a hole in her dress. She resolved to go inside, but then stopped in front of the platform. Just as she hesitated, a calm and clear voice rang in her ears, "Then let's begin quickly."
She turned around and murmured, "Qing'an..."
“I know Wen Jie. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t stand by and watch someone die.” Wan Qing’an walked over quickly, having heard what Master Rong said clearly. Putting herself in his shoes, if Lou Yanxu were in mortal danger, even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, she would go through fire and water for her. Wen Jie’s friendship with Xu Congjing was probably even stronger. Therefore, despite her immense reluctance and inner conflict, reason led her to make her choice.
"I trust Master Rong; he won't let anything happen to them." She looked at Master Rong, forcing a smile, and he nodded in agreement, "Don't worry."
Lou Yanxu admitted that she had her own selfish motives; deep down, she naturally hoped to give it a try. However, as Qing'an's friend, she simply couldn't bring herself to ask. Perhaps Qing'an understood this as well, which was why she agreed. She clenched her fingers until they were engorged and red, and glanced at her gratefully.
The owner of the manor said that he had used this method ten years ago, and that person was still alive, so there was no need to worry too much. However, when she saw the bright red blood gushing out, she still couldn't bear to watch and hid outside.
She clasped her hands together on her forehead, muttering to herself. Never before had she been more afraid of losing Xu Congjing than at this moment. She recognized her own heart and faced it head-on.
A setting sun cast its glow on the horizon, making her pale face glow red. Finally, all was quiet inside. She rubbed her numb legs and stood up. Seeing that Master Rong nodded, she felt a deep sense of relief and rushed inside.
Fortunately, Wen Jie was unharmed, but Xu Congjing was more seriously injured and his complexion did not improve.
She stayed up until midnight. When she was taking a nap by the bedside, she felt the person next to her suddenly jolt and fling her hand away. Then her whole body began to convulse.
"Zizheng? Zizheng!" Lou Yanxu felt all the blood rush to her head. She grabbed his shoulders tightly with both hands and called out to him repeatedly, "Zizheng, how are you?"
With a "pfft," a mouthful of blood was spat onto her face. She was pushed away and fell to the side of the bed, staring blankly as the person on the bed slowly opened their eyes.
Her face was a little stiff, and she was momentarily speechless. She swallowed hard twice and asked, "You...you're not having a sudden burst of lucidity before you die, are you?"
"..."
The room was quiet. The two stared at each other, and she didn't know if she was seeing a person or a ghost.
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