Chapter 26 Snake Venom
What the guards said was not wrong.
Although Master Zhao had repeatedly confirmed that Zhuang Dongqing was physically fit enough to move around, Liu Qi was still worried.
Although she had never been in contact with the Ren people, she had been in contact with pregnant women, mostly pregnant concubines in the imperial palace. In Liu Qi's mind, children were extremely fragile.
Furthermore, since the abbot of Daci Temple had personally approved that this child was their master's only son, Liu Qi was even more cautious.
"Are you alright? Are you tired? Do you want to take a break?"
Within an hour, Liu Qi had asked the same question five times.
Zhuang Dongqing wasn't tired, but meeting Liu Qi's worried gaze, she finally hesitated and said, "Then, why don't we sit for a while?"
"good."
Liu Qi had been waiting for these words. As soon as Zhuang Dongqing agreed, he immediately found a flat area, a shady spot, unfolded a folding stool and a small folding table, and set out snacks and warm water.
Well, the guards didn't have a comprehensive view; they brought not only folding stools but also folding tables—everything they needed.
The action was so swift that Zhuang Dongqing was still marveling at the terrifying efficiency when she was forced to sit down.
Liu Qi said apologetically, "The recliner is too big and inconvenient to carry around. Please make do with this for now."
Zhuang Dongqing was flattered.
"It's okay, no need to go to so much trouble."
Liu Qi firmly replied, "No trouble at all."
"..."
Okay.
Sitting down, Zhuang Dongqing felt comfortable in the warm morning sunlight. He grabbed some candied melon seeds, gave a handful to Liu Fu and another handful to Liu Qi, and lazily yawned as he ate his snack.
The guards dispersed in an orderly fashion, some going to distant places to hunt wild chickens and rabbits, while others simply stood in scattered positions, serving as the team's first line of defense.
Zhuang Dongqing: "Since we're all at the hunting grounds, shall we have a barbecue together for lunch?"
Liu Qi wasn't sure either, and only said, "I'll send someone to ask."
They brought three horses, not many, because horses were not for hunting, but for escaping in case of emergencies; having one was enough.
That morning, Zhuang Dongqing saw that the guards had hunted two rabbits and a few pheasants, enough for their group to eat.
When the guards who went to inquire returned, they also brought back the deer, geese, and rabbits that Cen Yan and his men had hunted. When they added it all up, it was quite a feast.
"The master and the others have gone to the area around the hunting grounds; they'll be here in a bit."
Liu Qi raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Usually, such sudden action meant that someone had discovered something unusual and went to check.
When the people who went to the edge of the hunting grounds to get the grills returned, they lit a fire on the outskirts of the hunting grounds and grilled the meat without going outside.
Someone passing by on their way out of the hunting grounds asked if they were from the Prince of Dingxi's residence. They wanted to say something but swallowed their words and left.
Just as the aroma of the meat filled the air and it was almost ready, Cen Yan and his group appeared on horseback. They rode at full speed and arrived in the blink of an eye. The horses were tall and strong, with smooth muscle lines as they ran, and their manes shone brightly in the sunlight. It was a perfect combination of strength and beauty. Zhuang Dongqing was momentarily mesmerized and stood up.
The horse, which was almost touching the group of people, raised its front hooves high, kicking up dust. Zhuang Dongqing thought it looked really cool.
Cen Yan dismounted and was about to say something when he realized that Zhuang Dongqing's gaze was not focused on him.
Turning his head, Cen Yan asked, "Are you looking at the horses?"
Zhuang Dongqing then came to her senses and saw Cen Yan, "Oh, yes."
After thinking for a moment, he said sincerely, "Wow, he's so handsome! It must have taken him a long time to train, right?"
Before Cen Yan could answer, Hao San, who was behind him, laughed and said, "Young Master, you should stay further away next time. Be careful not to get kicked if you get too close."
Zhuang Dongqing replied, "No, Your Highness is very good at controlling horses."
Cen Yan raised an eyebrow, swallowed the warning he was about to utter, and instead said, "Never get this close to anyone else."
Zhuang Dongqing nodded, "I know, I'm not stupid."
Cen Yan had doubts about the second half of the sentence, but the sunlight was dazzling, and Zhuang Dongqing's eyes were also sparkling. Seeing that his expectant expression had not faded, Cen Yan asked, "Want to touch it?"
"Is it...is it okay?" Zhuang Dongqing asked excitedly, but still restrained herself. "But it seems like the horse is loyal to whoever trained it. It won't like me touching it, will it?"
"I'll take you."
"Oh, oh, oh."
Zhuang Dongqing really touched a horse, a real horse, a warhorse snorting.
Zhuang Dongqing was excited and stroked the horse several times, gently, for fear of upsetting it.
Seeing that his attention was entirely focused on the horse, and that he himself had become nothing more than a foil, Cen Yan found it amusing: "You like animals?"
"Yes, I like them all, but if I were to keep one, I wouldn't consider reptiles."
What are reptile pets?
"Snakes, lizards, geckos, and spiders, I suppose, are just for admiring."
Cen Yan said in surprise, "I've never heard of anyone raising these before..."
Zhuang Dongqing retorted, "Of course there are! Aren't most of the Gu worms raised in the Southern Frontier these kinds of things?"
After thinking about it, Cen Yan realized that was indeed the case. He asked in surprise, "But would anyone keep them as pets?"
"Yes, the world is so big, there are all sorts of wonders."
That's something that can't be refuted.
Seeing Zhuang Dongqing looking around at the horses with great interest, Cen Yan's heart stirred slightly. "Actually, there are many beautiful animals in the Southwest, such as green peacocks, black-necked cranes, and golden monkeys," he paused and said softly, "If there is a chance in the future, I will take you to see them."
Zhuang Dongqing, without any guile, replied: "Okay, okay."
And he said confidently, "There will definitely be an opportunity. If he goes with you, I will naturally go with him too."
Cen Yan asked in surprise, "You're willing to leave the capital?"
Zhuang Dongqing didn't detect the probing in his words at all, and simply replied to his heart, "What's so good about the capital? It's dry and windy, not at all like your fiefdom!"
"And everyone says that Yunnan is a paradise on earth."
It's a pity he never went to Yunnan in his past life.
Cen Yan finally smiled.
Zhuang Dongqing didn't see it; his attention wasn't on him. He didn't urge him on. After Zhuang Dongqing had finished examining the horse, the meat was cooked, and they sat down together to eat.
The group split into two groups: Cen Yan, Zhuang Dongqing, Liu Qi, Hao San, and Xu Si were in one group, while the rest of the guards were in the other. Cen Yan was used to Zhuang Dongqing's single-minded focus while eating, but Hao San was seeing it for the first time. He followed Zhuang Dongqing and took many skewers of the same grilled meat, wanting to see if it was really that delicious.
Cen Yan found it amusing but didn't remind Hao San.
After finishing the barbecue at noon, Zhuang Dongqing leaned against Liufu and dozed off for a while. He rested in the same spot until he was fully awake before continuing the hunt.
Midway through, Liu Qi privately inquired about the situation at the hunting grounds from Cen Yan. Cen Yan simply shook his head slightly. Liu Qi understood and remained on guard as usual.
The day was very pleasant. Dinner was also roast meat. Zhuang Dongqing ate quite a lot and, after walking all day, fell asleep quickly after returning to the palace.
The following day, they continued into the hunting area.
The guards were still there on the perimeter, and he spotted Zhuang Dongqing and his group again. But this time, he seemed to see a reclining chair strapped to the horse. "..."
Life is getting more and more comfortable these days.
The Imperial Guards were envious.
In the morning, we changed direction and found a patch of tree stumps, where the group sat down to rest for a while.
Cen Yan and his group did not arrive at noon to meet up. They only sent some of the game they had hunted in the morning back with their guards. Liu Qi asked the guards, "Where is the master?"
"Your Majesty, would you also like to come in and watch the hunting and move around?"
After handing the items to Liu Qi, the guard lowered his voice and said, "Master wants you to keep an eye on the sky."
Liu Qi nodded slightly.
In the afternoon, the group ventured deeper into the hunting grounds, carefully avoiding the direction of the imperial procession. Zhuang Dongqing saw a more expansive view; the sky and earth were vast, and the people, along with the natural scenery, felt joyful.
Zhuang Dongqing: "Did someone hit their prey and couldn't take it with them? Two shots, that must be a lot."
He saw the smoke bombs in the sky. There was an agreement in the hunting grounds that if the prey was too big to move, a smoke bomb would be fired and someone would go looking for it.
Upon hearing this, Liu Qi's expression changed. He looked up and confirmed that it was indeed two shots.
After assessing the situation and confirming that it was indeed the direction the imperial procession was heading, Liu Qi made a decisive decision: "Let's go, up the mountain road."
The guard accepted the order.
After saying that, the group's pace changed. Even Zhuang Dongqing, who was usually carefree, realized something under the influence of this atmosphere. Without saying a word, he focused on conserving his energy to continue on his way.
Actually, their route today was quite remote and they had traveled quite far, but before they even entered the mountains, they heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching.
Liu Qi paused, and the guards gripped their sword hilts tightly. When they saw the newcomers appear, they confirmed that it was not Cen Yan and his group.
Liu Qi: "Draw the bow."
"shoot--"
Arrows rained down, and in an instant, a large number of people who were advancing fell to the ground.
Zhuang Dongqing saw many arrows pierce straight through people's eye sockets and, with a whoosh, pierce their brains. His expression changed slightly, but he suppressed it and tried to remain calm.
They are indeed elite troops; the first wave of men were quickly dealt with.
Liu Qi led them further up the mountain. Zhuang Dongqing asked a question and received the answer that they were looking in the direction of the mountain, which calmed her down.
Liu Qi was afraid that he would panic, but she did not expect that Zhuang Dongqing would be so obedient at the critical moment. Even though he was trembling a little, he did whatever he was told and never offered any irrelevant suggestions.
To conserve energy, Zhuang Dongqing remained on horseback for the rest of the journey. Liu Qi did not mount a horse, but a guard and Liu Fu, who was carrying a backpack, also mounted a horse at his instruction.
When the second wave of people arrived, they had suffered casualties.
Liu Qi: "They've got their sights set on taking the people from the Prince's Mansion. Let's continue, let's go."
They made several decisions with great decisiveness, and they only heard the sound of horses' hooves again when they were almost at the foot of the mountain.
Liu Qi knew what they wanted, but the item wasn't among their group. Despite her worry for Cen Yan, she still made a rational decision.
This time, Liu Qi let Zhuang Dongqing, Liu Fu, and the two guards who were taking turns mounting the horse go first.
They stayed where they were.
“There must be a third group of people. It will be inconvenient to fight once we get up the mountain. Young Master Zhuang, you go first, we'll cover the rear.”
Zhuang Dongqing only asked one question: "Aren't you coming?"
Liu Qi shook his head: "My physical strength is not good. I would only be a burden to you if I followed you. I can do more if I stay here. We haven't used the things we brought yet. They can only be put to good use after you leave, Young Master Zhuang."
Zhuang Dongqing was somewhat reluctant, but still nodded.
Liu Qi now really thought he was pretty good.
Dingding glanced at Zhuang Dongqing and instructed the two guards, "Take good care of the young master. Go."
The two guards accepted the order.
Once on the mountain, Zhuang Dongqing quickly understood Liu Qi's meaning.
Looking at the thick white smoke rising from the foot of the mountain, the guard explained, "Manager Liu used poison."
Zhuang Dongqing considered his current situation and realized that he did need to leave before Liu Qi dared to let him go.
"Young master, there's no need to worry about them. The goal is to get everyone together. Spread out and find a secluded spot to hide. They each have their own ways of protecting themselves."
Zhuang Dongqing nodded, feeling uneasy, but dared not ask to rest.
I never imagined that I would witness murder for the first time in such a situation.
The smoke at the foot of the mountain burned two or three times, but no one went up the mountain. Zhuang Dongqing said, "There should be a village after we pass Wangshan. We can ask for lodging there then."
The guard asked in surprise, "I've never heard of this before. Is what the young master said true?"
It should be.
Because Li Yang had been to a place called Wangshan Village and brought someone out with him, who later became one of his trusted followers, but... with only this much information, Zhuang Dongqing couldn't be certain.
He simply said, "Since there is a water source, there should be a village. His Majesty has not been to the hunting grounds for many years, so the surrounding area must have changed, who knows?"
That makes sense, the guard nodded.
Along the way, they passed Wangshan Mountain. The forest halfway up the mountain was too dense, so they had to abandon their horses. When they reached the top, Zhuang Dongqing could no longer walk. His guards carried him for a while, and he felt a little better. Not wanting to exhaust his guards too much, he got off and continued walking.
It was a close call, but ultimately safe.
Once they crossed Wangshan Mountain, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
The guards felt that they were out of danger. As long as Zhuang Dongqing was not captured, the Prince's Mansion would not be held hostage, and their mission would be accomplished.
The rest is to find Zhuang Dongqing a safe place, hide there until the mutiny is over, and then come out again.
When they reached the foot of the mountain on the other side, Zhuang Dongqing was too tired to walk any further and wanted to rest for a while.
They had already gone quite far. Both guards were elite soldiers and knew that Zhuang Dongqing was not alone. They exchanged a glance, nodded, and one went to accompany her while the other went to keep watch around the area.
Liu Fu gave Zhuang Dongqing some water. He had been carrying a large bag for the past two days, filled with survival supplies, which was arranged by Liu Qi.
They brought a lot of things with them on their hunting trip, including folding stools, so this bag didn't attract much attention.
Zhuang Dongqing saw something: "Isn't there a river ahead?"
The guard went to check and returned to confirm.
Once we find a water source, things will be much easier; we're bound to find people along the way.
But as they walked, they saw people dressed as imperial guards floating in the water.
The guard went to check and turned the person over. He said in a deep voice, "He's already dead. He just floated over."
After walking for a while, they confirmed that the guard's judgment was correct. At the confluence of the two streams, the one they had been following was clear, while the other was wide and deep, clearly the main stream.
On the other side of the main stream, many soldiers floated on the water; upon closer inspection, they were all already dead.
"Oh no, how come there are our people here?!"
"He's working for Commander Hao!"
Zhuang Dongqing's heart skipped a beat. She caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye, tugged at the guard, and pointed forward with a trembling hand.
"master!"
"master!!"
Cen Yan was not in the river, but he had been shot in the right shoulder and was swept to a large rock on the riverbank where he lay prone.
When she turned over, her face was pale and there was blood on her body. Zhuang Dongqing immediately became nervous.
No, no, no, he will live to the end, he kept reassuring himself, but to little avail.
Fortunately, the guards knew how to perform first aid, and after Cen Yan vomited up the water, he finally started breathing again.
Zhuang Dongqing was in a daze. She reached out and checked his breath to make sure he was alive.
He was alive and awake, but his first words were a critical hit: "Leave me alone, take the Tiger Seal from my body and leave. I was bitten by a snake."
Zhuang Dongqing's mind went blank. "W-what snake?"
Cen Yan calmly replied, "A poisonous snake."
"Where did it bite?"
"Legs. A trap was set; the first horse to bite was the one that came out, and all the other horses that followed died."
Zhuang Dongqing's heart skipped a beat. The guards had already found the bite wound on his calf before him. They cut open his clothes with a knife and found a bruise that had already swelled up. Zhuang Dongqing was still thinking about TV drama scenes like having someone suck out the poison blood when the two elite soldiers ran to the riverbank. After feeling around for a while, they quickly grabbed a few things and placed them on Cen Yan's wound.
"What's this?"
"Young Master, it's a leech. It's a folk remedy from our fiefdom, and it's excellent for sucking out snake venom."
"Oh, oh." His brain isn't working properly.
Indeed, Yunnan is warm and has many insects and snakes, so there should be more folk remedies there than in other places.
After waiting quietly for a while, the first few leeches died, but the later ones survived and stopped sucking venomous blood.
Cen Yan felt weak all over and whispered to stop him, "It's already spread, stop doing this nonsense."
Zhuang Dongqing's mind had never worked so fast before. "No, not necessarily! Even a venomous snake doesn't secrete venom with every bite!"
Yes, yes, he knows that after reading related science articles.
Zhuang Dongqing: "How can you be so sure you're going to die?!"
They even asked me a question in return.
Cen Yan: "..."
Cen Yan said gently, "Bringing me along will only be a burden to you."
Zhuang Dongqing: "Then, then let's take him with us for now. I think it's better for the child to have both parents still alive."
Cen Yan: "..."
"If they ask me about it later, I can't exactly tell them that I let his other father die because he didn't help him, can I?"
He even countered with a question that revealed his confidence.
Weakened and nearly fainting from anger at Zhuang Dongqing, Cen Yan asked him, "What if there are pursuers on the way..."
The tiger tally was still on him. Since the other party wanted the personal guards of the fiefdom, it was only a matter of time before they searched for them.
Zhuang Dongqing replied practically, "Then I'll just get rid of you when the time comes."
Cen Yan: "..."
The two guards: "..."
Zhuang Dongqing waved his hand and said, "That's it! Liu Qi said they all have to listen to me. Come on, knock them out and take them away."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
