Chapter 8 Sins
With Chu's mother dead, Chu Wangshu is the only remaining member of the Chu clan in the north. If Chu Wangshu is given an antidote, the emperor will have no way to control him.
After careful consideration, Emperor Qing was still unwilling to completely cure Chu Wangshu's poison. He was even unwilling to give Chu Wangshu some relief medicine before he performed the divination: "Let's keep him alive for now, so that he can immediately perform the divination to destroy Cangning, and then we can discuss the rest later."
Physician Li could only reply, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Physician Li returned empty-handed, pushed open the door, sat down beside Chu Wangshu's bed, but remained silent for a long time.
"Old Liu, you can all go out first." Physician Li sighed before speaking to the other physicians in the warm pavilion, "I can manage here. You all go... prepare some medicine that can keep them alive."
After the crowd dispersed, Chu Wangshu turned her head slightly and said to Physician Li, "Uncle Li, could you please bring me the jade pendant?"
The jade pendant was not finely crafted, and the pattern was carved in a very simple way, but when held in the hand, it had no sharp edges and was very smooth and round.
Chu Wangshu gently stroked the jade pendant a few times before slowly speaking, "Let's begin the acupuncture. The rest is up to you..."
Using silver needles to seal acupoints to restore a person's energy in the short term is certainly feasible, but Physician Li hesitated to do so. Chu Wangshu's body was riddled with wounds; even if he could sit up and manipulate the compass, he couldn't possibly endure until the divination was over. Moreover, this method was excruciatingly painful during the acupuncture, and its effects afterward were even more unpredictable.
Physician Li held a silver needle above Chu Wangshu's chest. "Wangshu, are you really..."
"Yes," Chu Wangshu replied firmly.
As the silver needle pierced through, Chu Wangshu closed his eyes, gripped the jade pendant tightly, gritted his teeth, and endured the excruciating pain. The veins on his forehead and neck bulged, his face turned red, and beads of sweat instantly seeped from his fair skin.
After the acupuncture was completed, Chu Wangshu relaxed and lay on the soft couch, panting heavily, but still said to Physician Li, "Continue."
Unlike other acupuncture techniques, these three needles will make Chu Wangshu more lucid and the pain more pronounced, with no possibility of him fainting from the pain.
After the acupuncture treatment ended, Chu Wangshu stared blankly, as if his consciousness had been ripped away, his gaze unfocused. He raised his hand, looked at the jade pendant in his hand, and gently touched it. Then he sat up and handed the jade pendant to Physician Li.
"Bring me the compass and invite the Emperor here. I will perform divination immediately."
Chu Wangshu sat cross-legged before the table, watching the compass needle spin as before, then closing his eyes to feel its guidance. The difference was that Chu Wangshu could now only awaken the compass's spirit by dripping blood from his fingertip into it.
As the hum of the compass intensified, Chu Wangshu's face grew increasingly contorted in pain, and her breathing became uneven. Finally, she spat out a mouthful of blood onto the compass, unable to hold on any longer, and fainted.
Imperial Physician Li put his arm around Chu Wangshu's shoulder and pleaded with Emperor Qing, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Preceptor has reached his limit. If Your Majesty is still unwilling to prescribe medicine, I will be unable to wake him up any further, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Qing realized that if he insisted on doing so, Chu Wangshu would not even be able to tell him how to fight this battle, so he sent someone to fetch a whole bottle of medicine and give it to Physician Li.
After taking the medicine, Chu Wang slowly woke up a while later.
"Cangning's forces are outnumbered and show signs of a detour... not a sign of a direct assault. The defenses on the east side of Yannan Pass are weak, so it may be possible to advance directly into Cangning."
Having received the answer he wanted, Emperor Qing immediately left the Astrology Pavilion. All of Chu Wangshu's actions were merely a ploy to trick Emperor Qing into giving her a few pills.
Once the astrology pavilion had returned to calm, Chu Wangshu said to Physician Li, "Cang Ning, I'm playing a grand game. Perhaps the heavens are truly about to change..."
Physician Li remained silent, but his eyes reddened.
Chu Wangshu stood up and bowed slightly to Physician Li: "Uncle Li, I am grateful for your care over the years."
I would also like to trouble you to prepare the antidote and deliver it to Qingmeng. If Qingmeng ever needs anything in the future, I humbly request your assistance.
The acupuncture technique would lose its effectiveness in no time, and both Chu Wangshu and Physician Li knew that, for Chu Wangshu, it was highly likely that he would never wake up again.
Chu Wangshu was all alone, and apart from Shen Qingmeng, he had no one else he cared about.
As for Qingmeng, she lived freely and unrestrainedly in the sunlight. No matter who was in power, no matter whether Chu Wangshu was there or not, she could live a good life.
Moreover, if Cang Ning's plan succeeds and the female ruler unifies the world, perhaps the world will be a better place.
Chu Wangshu did not drink any more tonics. He simply sat by the window, looking outside, quietly waiting for his fate.
Midsummer is a perfect season to sit by the window and enjoy the breeze. However, the view from here is much narrower than from the attic; you can't see far into the distance, only the crape myrtle tree in the courtyard, surrounded by a square fence. It's currently in bloom and quite beautiful.
Only when a slightly metallic taste trickled down her lips and dripped onto the jade pendant in her hand did Chu Wangshu slowly lean against the window again, murmuring to herself, "Let it end like this, together with all those sins..."
The Astrology Pavilion was as busy and crowded as it had been a few days before. Almost all the imperial physicians were crammed into the room, using every method imaginable, including acupuncture and medicine, but Chu Wangshu's blood continued to gush from her mouth uncontrollably.
Physician Li helped him lean against his shoulder to prevent the gushing blood from entering his lungs, but Physician Li himself was also covered in blood.
"I can't get the medicine down his throat!" Doctor Liu tried to feed Chu Wangshu a bowl of medicine, but Chu Wangshu wouldn't swallow no matter what. All the medicine seeped into his clothes along with the blood from the corners of his mouth.
They even tried to remove Chu Wangshu's jaw and force-feed her the medicine, but all they got in return was an even more violent coughing fit.
Chu Wangshu's only reaction was to tremble as blood gushed out.
Whether he was poisoned or suffering a backlash, as long as he was still conscious, he would never make a sound, even if the pain was so intense that he bit his tongue.
Chu Wangshu was neither strong nor particularly patient.
Every bit of pain reminded him that yet another person's fate had been changed because of him, and whether they were sad or happy, they were powerless to change it.
And Chu Wangshu is the source of all this.
He said he didn't deserve it.
But it really hurts, it hurts so much, it hurts like never before.
In a daze, Chu Wangshu seemed to feel Shen Qingmeng's hand, which had some calluses, gently stroking his cheek.
Tears streamed down her face, and the sobs of a young girl echoed in her ears.
Physician Li brewed the antidote bestowed by Emperor Qing into a medicinal soup, and sat by the bedside, tentatively scooping up a spoonful and feeding it to Chu Wangshu's lips: "Wangshu, would you like to drink some medicine? The girl is back. Haven't you always wanted to see her? She's back!"
With trembling hands, Shen Qingmeng gently pinched Chu Wangshu's cheek and pried open his teeth.
The medicine didn't all flow down his chin; some of it trickled into his throat, and he swallowed it as his Adam's apple trembled slightly.
Antidotes, hemostatics, and tonics were poured down her throat bowl after bowl. Chu Wangshu no longer resisted, but apart from stopping vomiting blood, there was still no sign of improvement.
The imperial physicians did not stay at the Astrology Pavilion, since there was no point in them staying.
Shen Qingmeng and Physician Li changed Chu Wangshu's clothes and bedding, and continued to stay by his bedside.
For the first time, Shen Qingmeng felt this powerlessness. She seemed unable to do anything but hold Chu Wangshu's hand or hug him tightly, trying her best to let him feel that she was always by his side.
The palace sent a eunuch to invite Shen Qingmeng to come and see Emperor Qing.
Qingmeng did not respond, remaining motionless beside Chu Wangshu. Then another nanny arrived. She examined the birthmark on Shen Qingmeng's lower back in the warm pavilion, then knelt and said, "This old servant greets the Eleventh Princess!"
What, the Eleventh Princess? When Shen Qingmeng first found the warm pavilion, she was kept outside. Someone noticed the birthmark on her waist and suddenly exclaimed, "Is this the Eleventh Princess?" She slipped inside amidst the chaos, and only then did Physician Li allow her to stay.
And now this person is calling her the Eleventh Princess. How could there possibly be a princess who was thrown into a mass grave?
Hearing the constant noise around her, Shen Qingmeng felt only annoyed. But she could tell that this eleventh princess might have some status.
It wasn't until Shen Qingmeng took out a pen and paper and wrote down a few large characters: "Get out of here," that the warm pavilion slowly returned to silence.
Looking at the still-bleeding cut on Shen Qingmeng's waist, Physician Li asked, "Girl, shall I bandage you?"
Shen Qingmeng simply kept looking at Chu Wangshu: "Will he wake up again?"
“I don’t know,” Physician Li shook his head. “The backlash has passed and the poison has been neutralized, but Wang Shu hasn’t taken any medicine to alleviate the symptoms for too long. I have no idea how many more times the toxin will flare up in his body before it can be completely eliminated. Besides, he had me administer such dangerous acupuncture, so it’s hard to guarantee his safety.”
Why? He's already predicted the flood, why isn't he giving him medicine?
“If he… if he can wake up, let him talk to you himself,” Physician Li said to Shen Qingmeng, taking out wound medicine and bandages. “Take care of your wounds first. If Wangshu’s poison takes effect and grabs you later, I don’t have the energy to save both of you at the same time.”
Shen Qingmeng left the caravan with her senior brother, traveling day and night, galloping back to the capital. On the way to the capital, they encountered bandits abducting women. Shen Qingmeng, only wanting to see Chu Wangshu as soon as possible, did not want to get involved, but she still turned around and rushed to fight the bandits amidst the girls' screams. She was slashed on the waist, which is why her birthmark was exposed.
Fortunately, the soldiers finally arrived, and Shen Qingmeng and her senior brother escaped. After arriving in the capital, Shen Qingmeng went straight to Lingtai Mountain, only to find the pavilion empty, while the warm pavilion downstairs was surrounded by layers of people.
Shen Qingmeng casually lifted the fabric at the back of her waist, letting Physician Li apply medicine and bandage her wounds.
"Want to change your clothes? I bought two sets of Wangshutuo clothes, they're in the attic."
Shen Qingmeng shook her head; she didn't want to leave Chu Wangshu's side for even a moment.
That night was extremely long, and the entire warm room was filled with the lingering smell of blood and bitter herbs.
Chu Wangshu gradually frowned, and her breathing became slightly rapid, no longer weak. Shen Qingmeng anxiously tugged at Physician Li, asking him what was wrong with Chu Wangshu.
"Perhaps it is better; at least I'm responding to pain."
So he was always in pain, the only difference was whether or not it was noticeable to others.
Shen Qingmeng tenderly helped Chu Wangshu into her arms, gently stroking his chest. But this time, the person in her arms could no longer sleep peacefully; instead, he was in even more pain, letting out soft, painful groans.
Shen Qingmeng looked to Physician Li for help, completely unsure of what she could do to alleviate Chu Wangshu's pain even slightly.
"We've already given him all the medicine he can drink..." Doctor Li was at a loss. "Why don't you... hold him, and rub him?"
"Ugh... Ah..." Chu Wangshu suddenly cried out in pain, gripping the bedsheets tightly, burying her head in Shen Qingmeng's neck, holding her breath and tensing her body.
Shen Qingmeng had no choice but to follow Physician Li's instructions, holding Chu Wangshu with one hand and constantly rubbing his chest with the other.
After a long while, Chu Wangshu finally relaxed, panting and trembling. Two lines of tears slowly rolled down his cheeks, mingling with sweat and soaking into Shen Qingmeng's collar.
Shen Qingmeng held Chu Wangshu tightly in her arms, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, gently stroked his cheeks, and patted him gently like she was coaxing a child until his breathing became steady and he seemed to fall asleep.
Seeing this, Physician Li picked up the porcelain bottle full of medicine, stood up, and said to Shen Qingmeng, "We've done everything we can for him. Wang Shu can only endure it on his own. You stay with him. I'll go to the pharmacy to prepare some medicine. If anything happens, come find me."
Shen Qingmeng nodded, but her eyes never left Chu Wangshu. She held him as if she were carefully cradling a tattered rag doll that was already covered in wounds.
What should I do to save him...?
Physician Li shook his head helplessly. Chu Wangshu seemed to possess extraordinary abilities and be envied by others, but just staying alive was extremely difficult for her.
Perhaps, it would be better if we could quickly make the antidote for Shen Qingmeng so that she could talk to Chu Wangshu?
Emperor Qing was in a hurry and gave him a lot of medicine, so Physician Li soaked all of them in rice wine.
In the pharmacy, Physician Li looked at the eleven porcelain bottles containing pills that had been soaking in rice wine for quite some time. The dosage was likely insufficient, but the situation was urgent; he figured he might as well try making one batch and see what happened. If Shen Qingmeng could manage to call out "Chu Wangshu" in a hoarse voice, that would be wonderful.
The worst-case scenario is that we'll have to wait until the new medicinal wine is ready and then make another batch.
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