Avoiding medical treatment
A Qiu found his question quite strange. He was the emperor; Shangguan Yanxiu's absconding was an unforgivable crime. If he wanted, he could simply order the Yeting Department to arrest her. Even the Shangguan family, with such compelling evidence, couldn't say anything. Why ask for her opinion?
Despite his slender build, Shangguan Yanxiu stood even straighter under his questioning.
She said firmly, "If you don't want me to stay, you'll have to kill me."
Sima Yan suddenly stopped, probably because he never expected Shangguan Yanxiu's answer to be so resolute.
Even A Qiu hadn't expected this. In her heart, Yan Xiu had always been an elegant and quiet young lady from a prominent family, refined yet delicate, even somewhat naive, with a sense of helplessness and a melancholy that seemed to be swept away by the winds and rains. She had never imagined that the first decision Yan Xiu made for herself in her life would be so intense and unwavering.
Her decision to leave the palace was probably not a momentary lapse of judgment, but rather the culmination of countless twists and turns and sleepless nights during the long years that brought her to the brink of imprisonment, until she finally made up her mind.
Sima Yan was a burly and robust man. If he hadn't been a heavy drinker and womanizer for many years, he would have been a skilled fighter, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to lift the Ancestral Dragon Sword. But now, facing Yan Xiu, who was much weaker than him, he inexplicably lost his momentum.
He stammered out a few words in anger: "You...you think I wouldn't dare kill you?"
Anyone could hear the bluster in his words, but his underlying weakness.
Yanxiu stood up straighter and said firmly, "Then kill them! To be fair," her tone suddenly softened, and she continued, "these days in the palace have truly been worse than death."
Sima Yan could not utter another word.
The two remained silent, yet what lingered between them was an endless, suffocating despair.
Sima Yan suddenly said heavily, "I have always known that you do not like me, so since you entered the palace, I have rarely bothered you for fear of annoying you... Is there anything wrong with that?"
Before he could speak again, Yanxiu interrupted him, saying, "Your Majesty, do you intend to release me or kill me? Please decide quickly."
Even A-Qiu, an outsider, could understand that there was no need to say anything more.
Perhaps Yanxiu had already given up hope, or perhaps she had never truly given up on Sima Yan. Whatever the reason, there was no need to say anything more now, because she had already made up her mind.
Sima Yan laughed loudly again, his laughter like the roar of a wild beast, full of intensity and resentment. After he finished laughing, he said heavily, "Fine, then I will grant your wish."
From A-Qiu's perspective, it's unclear whether his so-called "fulfillment" meant letting Yan-Xiu go or killing her.
She was getting anxious when she saw a figure moving in front of her. It was Sima Yan who rushed to the bedside, raised the Ancestral Dragon Sword, and pulled back the curtain.
A man's face, with a thick beard and large eyes, but excessively pale from the effects of wine and women, appeared before her. Then came the sharp blade of the Ancestral Dragon, its gleaming light radiating as it lay across her.
A Qiu never imagined that he would meet the last emperor of the Former Huan Dynasty under such circumstances.
Sima Yan's face twisted, and he grinned maliciously, saying, "Then let me kill this bastard first, and then kill you, Shangguan Yanxiu. You want to abandon her, but you also want to pretend that you can't bear to part with her. I will make you watch her being dismembered and crushed inch by inch by the First Emperor, so that before you die, you will experience the pain of your liver and intestines being torn apart and your body being slowly sliced to pieces!"
If A Qiu could speak, he would surely curse this person as despicable, vicious, and unreasonable.
But she clearly saw that when Sima Yan swung his sword down, his face showed a despair so extreme that she could hardly believe it herself.
"Achiu, Achiu! Wake up quickly."
A clear, gentle voice, like celestial music, rang out anxiously, seemingly both near and far, calling out to her incessantly.
She felt a continuous flow of true energy entering her back. Although it was a single source of true energy, upon closer inspection, it possessed two properties: one was like the purest ice and snow, while the other was like a blazing sun. They intertwined, yin and yang complementing each other. Although it was completely different from the path she cultivated, it was doing its best to stimulate her fighting spirit and vitality.
The voice that called her was so familiar, yet so dearly comforting.
Now she knew that Shangguan Yuqi's voice was somewhat similar to Yanxiu's.
She opened her eyes and saw the brightly lit Jinlingtai.
What came into view was Shangguan Yuqi's beautiful and refined face with an anxious expression, but after a night of running around, she also looked a little haggard.
At this moment, A Qiu was in Gu Yi's bedroom inside Jinlingtai. She was lying on Gu Yi's bed.
Presumably because Shangguan Yuqi was not familiar with the layout of the houses in Jinlingtai, she was brought directly to the bedroom with the highest standard. Since Gu Yi was not there, Jinlingtai was deserted, so it could not be said that it violated etiquette.
Here she was, back in the human world, with the trusted Shangguan Yuqi by her side. Countless warm memories flooded her mind, a stark contrast to the perilous situation in her dream. A Qiu couldn't help but feel a sense of being reborn.
She circulated her meridians, generating internal energy, and gently forced Shangguan Yuqi's true energy back. Shangguan Yuqi exclaimed in surprise, "You're awake?"
Before she could say anything, he lifted her off the bed and said, "The Yunlong Palace has sent messengers twice to urge you to go and treat His Majesty. If you delay any longer, I'm afraid..."
She stopped mid-sentence, but A Qiu knew that her concern wasn't for Xie Lang, as he had only collapsed and fainted, and was certainly not in mortal danger. Her worry was for Zhao Lingying, who was currently imprisoned in the dungeon. After being struck by Li Lanxiu's sword, she wondered if Zhao Lingying could survive until Xie Lang could see her again.
At this point, she was also very concerned about the whereabouts of Empress Shangguan's orphan.
A Qiu silently examined the condition of his body, circulated his internal energy once, and said, "I will go immediately. But you still need to send someone to the palace for me. With his help, the treatment will be twice as effective."
Shangguan Yuqi asked in astonishment, "Who is that?"
A Qiu replied, "They are the Queen of Wanxiang Kingdom and the head of the Gongye family." In truth, if it came to treatment, with her innate true energy from the Daoist sect, supplemented by the soul-soothing techniques of the two great shamans of the Divine Witch Clan, the best results would surely be achieved. However, the two great shamans would certainly not be trusted by the palace at this moment. Therefore, inviting the successors of the inner and outer sects of the Divine Witch Clan, Gongye Fusu and Bai Shi, to the scene would also be a foolproof plan.
She added, "The head of the Gongye family is skilled in using incense to calm the mind and relieve fright. In addition, he has a guest minister named Bai Shi, who is a painter and also proficient in traditional Chinese medicine and incantations. Since His Majesty was injured by witchcraft, the painter Bai can also help in some way, which is more reliable."
Shangguan Yuqi glanced at her suspiciously and asked, "How did you learn about the affairs of the Gongye residence?" Summoning Gongye Fusu would be no problem for Shangguan Yuqi, as he was a guest of honor in the royal family and frequently visited the palace. However, Shangguan Yuqi had never heard of Bai Shi before, and his identity was unverified. As the head of the Flying Phoenix Sect, responsible for palace security, she could not easily allow suspicious individuals into the palace during these turbulent times.
A Qiu decided to reveal part of the truth, saying, "The painter Bai is an old friend and disciple of Master Gu Yi. If you have any doubts, Miss, you can find out the truth by meeting her in person. With your supreme and insightful Dao heart, Miss, you can clearly see whether someone is loyal or treacherous at a glance."
Shangguan Yuqi's doubts vanished, and she said, "Alright, let's split up."
Inside the Yunlong Hall, fragrant mist billowed from the intricately carved gold and cloud-shaped incense burner on the ground, filling the entire sleeping quarters. The scent was as delicate as orchids and musk, truly giving the feeling of a celestial palace in the clouds.
Everyone in the hall stood at attention, holding their breath, waiting for Xie Lang on the bed to wake up.
Li Lanxiu and Mu Huaying stood on either side of the imperial couch, their expressions showing their concern. Sikong Zhao, dressed in white robes and silver armor, stood guard outside, holding two maces, his imposing presence like that of a celestial being.
The situation is still unclear, and the palace is on full alert. If anything were to happen to Xie Lang, it would be necessary to guard against any unusual actions from other powerful families in order to ensure the smooth succession of the crown prince.
A Qiu finally withdrew her hand from Xie Lang's back and laid him down. She herself was already sweating slightly.
Everyone saw that Xie Lang's complexion gradually became rosy, his breathing became steady, and his expression became much more peaceful.
Li Lanxiu broke the silence first, asking, "Grand Master of Music, how is His Majesty's condition?"
A Qiu carefully replied, "I used Taoist true energy to clear the blockages in his internal organs, cleanse his marrow and bones. Your Majesty is in the prime of life. As long as you stop taking the medicines you took before and avoid their harm, your body should be able to recover."
He added, “The difficult one is the heart ailment. His Majesty has a blood clot at the back of his head, which should be caused by a sudden outburst of anger in the past, causing his heart fire to rise. This is the root cause of his headaches. Moreover, he is often preoccupied with worries and melancholy, which will aggravate this condition. I wonder if the painter Bai has any extraordinary methods to cure the heart ailment.”
Just now, when A Qiu used her inner energy to help Xie Lang open up his meridians, Bai Shi was sitting silently to the side, checking Xie Lang's pulse with one hand. Therefore, she was aware of the entire process of A Qiu's treatment.
Bai Shi had not uttered a single word since arriving in the hall. Yet, her mere presence caused a mysterious and tranquil atmosphere to silently permeate the room. Those who had initially questioned her identity, such as the imperial physician and Li Lanxiu, unconsciously fell silent, even forgetting to inquire about her background.
In A Qiu's opinion, Bai Shi's psychic talent is probably even greater than that of her two masters and senior uncles.
Bai Shi let out a soft sigh and said, "In the past, Your Majesty would often get up in the middle of the night and wander around. Sometimes it was a nightmare, sometimes it was when you were awake, but you felt anxious and could not fall asleep."
Her words immediately made Li Lanxiu, A Qiu, and the others look at her with new respect.
Li Lanxiu was most aware of Xie Lang's sleepwalking during the night, and it was she who covered it up. This is why Xie Lang only had her in his harem, and he almost always slept in her Vermilion Bird Palace. When he woke up in the middle of the night, he was sometimes fully awake and sometimes in a daze.
When he is lucid, he is like the one Shangguan Yuqi encountered at Qiwu Palace that night, immediately changing color and cursing, just like the monarch in the palace during the day. But when he has nightmares, it is like the scene when A Qiu encountered him at Jixian Palace on the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, dragging his sword and wandering around the palace in the middle of the night, slashing and hacking wildly. No one knows what he is seeking revenge for, or what past he is searching for in his hazy dream.
Li Lanxiu was moved and said, "That's true. Does Miss Bai have a way to cure his heart ailment?"
On the other side, Mu Huaying's sharp gaze was filled with reproach as she glanced at Li Lanxiu. She was naturally blaming Li Lanxiu for knowing about Xie Lang's condition from the beginning but never revealing it to the others in Feifeng, which led to this disaster.
Bai Shi sighed, "Does His Majesty himself know about his illness?"
This question, though quite tricky, was a crucial one from the doctor.
The fact that Xie Lang's hysteria had dragged on for so many years, and that even the other members of the Flying Phoenix Guards were unaware of it, suggests a degree of reluctance to seek medical help. It simply depends on the extent of this reluctance.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
