Twenty-one
Twenty-one
In the days that followed, Xuan Yuan Tianyi stayed by Zhan Zhao's side, and Bai Yutang delivered all his food to the room every day. Looking at Zhan Zhao, who showed no improvement on the bed, and Xuan Yuan Tianyi, whose face grew paler and paler, Bai Yutang could only hope that Jiang Yuan would arrive as soon as possible.
That day, Zhan Zhao, who had been in a coma for several days, slowly awoke. Upon seeing Xuan Yuan Tianyi's pale, sleeping face, his heart ached slightly, and his hand unconsciously touched Xuan Yuan Tianyi's face. As if sensing the touch, Xuan Yuan Tianyi raised his head, struggled to open his eyes, looked at Zhan Zhao, and murmured, "You're awake?"
He then rubbed his stiff neck. Zhan Zhao, feeling a pang of pity, said in a slightly hoarse voice, "Go to bed." Xuan Yuan Tianyi looked at Zhan Zhao drowsily and nodded, "Okay." Without waiting for Zhan Zhao's reaction, she rolled over and lay down beside him. Zhan Zhao was slightly taken aback. He had intended to have Xuan Yuan Tianyi sleep in another room, but seeing her tired face, he couldn't bear to wake her. He could only sigh softly and laboriously move his body further into the bed. Unexpectedly, Xuan Yuan Tianyi rolled over with Zhan Zhao, resting her head on his shoulder, her free hand encircling his waist, her face gently rubbing against his neck. Zhan Zhao's body stiffened for a moment. After a long while, realizing that Xuan Yuan Tianyi was fast asleep, he relaxed, gently wrapping his arms around her shoulders and closing his eyes.
Because of Zhan Zhao's injury, Zhao Zhen would occasionally visit Zhan Zhao in Kaifeng Prefecture whenever he had nothing to do after court. He had just asked Bao Zheng about Zhan Zhao's condition and was about to get up to visit him when Bai Yutang rushed in: "Your Majesty, Jiang Yuan has arrived."
"Oh?" After hearing Bai Yutang's words, Zhao Zhen got up and walked out of the house. Bao Zheng hurriedly followed Zhao Zhen out.
Outside, Zhao Zhen looked at Jiang Yuan in the wheelchair, a hint of joy in his voice: "You've arrived?" Jiang Yuan nodded to Zhao Zhen: "If she hadn't come, who knows how she would have ruined her health!" Bao Zheng and the others couldn't understand the meaning behind their words, and with Zhao Zhen present, no one dared to speak. Although anxious, they could only wait. Fortunately, Jiang Yuan had no intention of engaging in a deep conversation with Zhao Zhen. He turned to Bao Zheng behind Zhao Zhen: "Lord Bao, could you take Jiang Yuan to see Guard Zhan?" Bao Zheng knew that anyone with ability was proud and arrogant, and seeing the familiar tone between Jiang Yuan and Zhao Zhen, he turned to Zhao Zhen. Seeing Zhao Zhen nod, he gave Jiang Yuan a slight bow: "Thank you for your trouble. This way, please." He gestured towards the backyard.
Zhao Zhen took the lead, and Qingluan, the maid who had been standing quietly behind Jiang Yuan, pushed Jiang Yuan and Leng Moyan to walk side by side, followed by Bao Zheng and the others.
Arriving at Zhan Zhao's door, Zhao Zhen, who had initially raised his hand to knock, hesitated slightly before pushing the door open instead. What he saw was two people sleeping embracing on the bed. Bao Zheng hadn't expected this scene. Thinking of Zhao Zhen's relationship with Xuan Yuan Tianyi, a cold sweat broke out on his forehead. Looking up at Zhao Zhen's expressionless face, he could only force himself to speak, "Your Majesty..." Zhao Zhen waved his hand to interrupt Bao Zheng, intending to lead his entourage away first, when he unexpectedly met Zhan Zhao's eyes, which had just opened. Perhaps not expecting Zhao Zhen to arrive at this moment, Zhan Zhao awkwardly called out, "Your Majesty..."
Seeing that Zhan Zhao had woken up, Zhao Zhen, who was about to leave the room, stepped back in and asked, "How are you? Are you feeling better? Jiang Yuan is here."
Upon hearing the name Jiang Yuan, Xuan Yuan Tianyi's tightly closed eyes snapped open, and he turned to look at the doorway. Zhan Zhao then pulled his arm out from under Xuan Yuan Tianyi.
Jiang Yuan's arrival eased the tense atmosphere in the room. His gaze swept over the two people lying side by side on the couch, a knowing glint in his eyes, but he said nothing, only nodding slightly to Qingluan. Qingluan understood and pushed the wheelchair closer.
Xuanyuan Tianyi had already sat up from the couch. Although her face was still pale, her expression had returned to its usual languidness. She stepped aside to make room for Jiang Yuan and said, "You've finally arrived."
Jiang Yuan didn't answer. His slender fingers were already on Zhan Zhao's wrist. After a moment, his brows furrowed slightly: "Si Ming's poison is bone-corroding and heart-burning. You actually managed to protect his heart meridian with your own spiritual power for half a month. That's truly absurd." Although these words were spoken to Xuan Yuan Tianyi, there was not much blame in them. Instead, they revealed a familiar helplessness.
"Since you know it's nonsense, hurry up and save the person." Xuan Yuantian gently brushed the cinnabar mark on his forehead with his fingertip, his tone indifferent, as if the person who had exhausted a great deal of spiritual energy and was almost exhausted was not himself.
Zhao Zhen stood to the side, his dark eyes deep and unfathomable. His gaze swept between Xuan Yuan Tianyi and Zhan Zhao for a moment before finally settling on Jiang Yuan: "Whatever you need, you can take it from the palace."
Jiang Yuan looked up and gave Zhao Zhen a gentle yet distant smile: "Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated. The cure for this poison does not rely on rare medicinal herbs, but on the 'Spiritual Rhinoceros Crossing Calamity' method." He turned to Xuan Yuan Tianyi, "Since you have used your spiritual power to prolong his life, you must assist me further. This method requires you to guide my golden needles into his eight extraordinary meridians to force out the toxins. The process is dangerous, and neither of you can be distracted in the slightest."
Upon hearing this, Zhan Zhao tried to get up: "We must not let Tianyi be put in danger again..."
"Lie down." Xuan Yuantian reached out and pressed him back onto the pillow. The movement seemed casual, but it carried an undeniable force. "I saved your life. Without my permission, even the King of Hell can't take you away." She looked at Jiang Yuan. "Let's begin."
Jiang Yuan said no more, and took out a set of silver needles from a hidden compartment in his wheelchair. The needles were as fine as cow's hair, and gleamed with a faint blue luster in the dim light. Qingluan had already prepared clean water and a white towel, and stood quietly to the side.
"Mo Yan, guard the gate. No one is allowed to disturb us," Xuan Yuan Tianyi instructed, his voice soft yet authoritative.
Leng Moyan leaned against the door with his arms crossed, his long, lake-blue hair cascading over his shoulders. The playful look on his devilish face vanished, replaced by solemnity: "Don't worry."
Zhao Zhen and Bao Zheng exchanged a glance and tacitly retreated to the outer room to wait. Although Bai Yutang was anxious, he knew that he could not be disturbed at this moment, so he had no choice but to leave with the others and pace anxiously in the corridor.
Inside the room, the candlelight flickered.
Jiang Yuan twirled the silver needle between his fingertips and said to Xuan Yuantian, "Use your spiritual power as a guide, follow my golden needle to protect his meridians and prevent the poison from backfiring."
Xuanyuan Tian nodded, grasped Zhan Zhao's right hand again, and closed his eyes to concentrate. A gentle and peaceful spiritual power slowly flowed in, unlike the domineering and fiery power before. This spiritual power was more like a trickle, carefully protecting Zhan Zhao's fragile heart.
Jiang Yuan's movements were swift as lightning, the first needle piercing straight into Zhan Zhao's brow. Zhan Zhao's body trembled violently, feeling a sharp pain pierce his consciousness, which was then enveloped by Xuan Yuan Tianyi's gentle spiritual energy, and the pain lessened slightly.
"Can you hold back?" Xuan Yuantian asked in a low voice, fine beads of sweat already seeping from his forehead.
Zhan Zhao gritted his teeth and nodded, his lips turning deathly pale.
Jiang Yuan remained unmoved, and the second and third needles followed in quick succession, piercing the Tanzhong and Qihai acupoints respectively. The insertion of the golden needles seemed to awaken a dormant poison; a bluish-black tinge appeared beneath Zhan Zhao's skin, and upon closer inspection, it seemed to writhe as if alive. He groaned, his body convulsing slightly from the intense pain.
Xuanyuan Tianyi gripped his hand tightly, channeling her spiritual energy even more rapidly, guiding Jiang Yuan's golden needle power to advance laboriously through Zhan Zhao's meridians, gradually forcing the rampant toxins towards specific acupoints. Her face grew paler with the depletion of her spiritual energy, even the vermilion mark on her forehead seemed to dim.
Jiang Yuan was completely focused, his fingertips as steady as a rock. His "Spiritual Resonance for Overcoming Calamity" acupuncture technique was a closely guarded secret of the Jiang family. It required perfect coordination between the practitioner and assistant, and even more importantly, an extremely strong will to live and unwavering resilience from the patient. Any mistake at any stage would render the entire effort futile, and could even result in adverse effects on all three.
Time passed silently, and the sun slanted westward outside the window.
As the last needle pierced the Yongquan point on the sole of Zhan Zhao's foot, he suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a stream of foul-smelling, blackish-brown blood. The blood hissed as it hit the ground, corroding the paving stones.
At the same time, the bluish-black aura around Zhan Zhao quickly dissipated. Although his face was still pale, it was no longer a lifeless, ashen color. He let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and wearily closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
Xuanyuan Tianyi withdrew her palm, her body swaying slightly, almost falling over. Leng Moyan, who had been standing quietly by the side, instantly moved behind her and reached out to support her.
"It's nothing, he's just exhausted." Xuan Yuantian waved his hand and looked at Jiang Yuan, "Has the remaining poison in his body been cleared?"
Jiang Yuan slowly withdrew the needles, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead: "Ninety percent of the toxins have been removed. The remaining amount requires medication and conditioning, and it should be completely eliminated in a month or so. However..." He paused, looking at Xuan Yuan Tianyi, "His body has suffered great damage and needs proper care, otherwise he may develop chronic illnesses that could shorten his lifespan."
Xuan Yuantian nodded: "Don't worry, I'll take care of the recuperation." She turned to Leng Moyan, "Moyan, take Jiang Yuan to rest."
Jiang Yuan did not refuse and left in his wheelchair, pushed by Qingluan. When he reached the door, he glanced back at Zhan Zhao, who was sleeping soundly on the bed, and then at Xuan Yuan Tianyi, who was forcing himself to stay awake. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
After seeing Jiang Yuan off, Leng Moyan returned to the room and saw Xuan Yuantianyi still sitting by the bed, staring at Zhan Zhao in a daze.
"You should go and rest too," Leng Mo said, his tone filled with undeniable concern.
“I’ll sit for a while longer.” Xuan Yuantian reached out, his fingertips lightly brushing against Zhan Zhao’s still slightly furrowed brows as he slept. “He and Bai Yutang brought back the defense map of Fangzhou. The power that Chai Wenyi has been secretly building is far beyond our imagination.”
"You want to interfere?" Leng Moyan raised an eyebrow.
“It’s not that I wanted to interfere,” Xuan Yuantian withdrew his hand, his gaze turning cold, “it’s that Chai Siyi’s reach has gone too far. The poison of Siming comes from the Ailao Mountains. Since she used this poison against Zhan Zhao, she is openly making an enemy of me.”
Upon hearing this, Leng Moyan's lips curled into a wicked smile: "It should have been done long ago. That little wildcat needs to be taught a lesson."
“Dealing with her is easy,” Xuan Yuantian stood up, her steps faltering slightly due to weakness, and Leng Moyan quickly supported her. “But Chai Wenyi has been operating in the capital for many years, and his influence in the court is deeply entrenched. Although Zhen is willing to get rid of him, he is hesitant due to ancestral precepts and imperial edicts. We need an opportunity, an opportunity that will leave the Chai family with no chance of recovery.”
"You already have a plan?"
"We'll ask Zhan Zhao about the situation in Fangzhou after he wakes up." Xuan Yuantianyi steadied himself with Leng Moyan's help. "For now, let him get some sleep."
The two quietly left the room and gently closed the door.
Outside, Zhao Zhen and Bao Zheng breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that Zhan Zhao had escaped danger. Zhao Zhen instructed Bao Zheng to take good care of Zhan Zhao, then glanced deeply into the direction of the inner chamber before setting off back to the palace.
Bai Yutang rushed into the room and saw that Zhan Zhao's breathing was steady and his complexion had returned to normal. His tense nerves finally relaxed, and he slumped into a chair, muttering, "You stinky cat, you scared Fifth Master to death..."
As night deepened, Kaifeng returned to tranquility. However, everyone knew that beneath this calm, undercurrents were surging. The Chai family's affair, due to Zhan Zhao's serious injury, had been thrust into the spotlight, leaving no room for maneuver.
An even bigger storm is brewing.
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