Chapter 899 Successful Detoxification (Second Update)
This ice isn't the thick ice on the ice field that you can walk on.
Gu Jiao frowned: "Then we can only go by land... But will we make it in time by land? Never mind, we have to go whether we make it or not!"
She paused, then said, "Call someone from the Shadow Division over!"
"yes!"
Wenren Chong agreed.
Most of the Shadow Guards went with Liao Chen to fight in the Jin Kingdom, and not many people remained in the camp. The Shadow Guards who were summoned by Wenren Chong were named Cen Yang. Liao Chen had specially arranged for them to stay in the camp so that Gu Jiao could contact him.
Cen Yang bowed to Gu Jiao: "Young Commander."
Everyone in the camp called her Little Commander. At first, she didn't understand and thought it was a matter of accent, that everyone called her Commander Xiao. Later, when she found out, it was too late to order her to change her address.
Let them be.
Gu Jiao asked, "The Shadow Division once served in Zhao Kingdom. Were there any sentries along the way?"
"Yes, there are members of the Shadow Division near every post station. Is the young commander looking for some information?"
"I need to send something to the capital of Zhao Kingdom as soon as possible!"
“The capital of Zhao Kingdom?” Cen Yang came to the table, looked at the map on the table, pointed and said, “Taking the waterway from Tongzhou Port is the fastest, but unfortunately the waters of Tongzhou froze over last night… We can only go through Yunzhou. The waters of Yunzhou haven’t frozen over yet, but judging from the weather, they will soon.”
Gu Jiao murmured, "You mean we need to board the ship before the Yunzhou Bay freezes over?"
Cen Yang nodded: "Yes, the water is shallow and the current is slow near the port, making it the easiest place for ice to form. The current is actually slower in the center of the river."
Gu Jiao said seriously, "I understand, I'll set off for Yunzhou right now!"
It's a distance of 300 li from here to Yunzhou, and the journey will be even more difficult in such bad weather.
She had to choose the most suitable horse.
As if sensing something, Black Wind King resolutely came to the entrance of the camp.
But she could no longer ride Black Wind King. Since arriving at the border, Black Wind King had been involved in more than ten battles, large and small, and it was seriously injured, especially in the battle when it captured the south gate of Pucheng.
It did not rest immediately afterward, but fought alongside her for a long time.
She couldn't let it take any more risks.
Gu Jiao went to the stable.
The Black Wind Cavalry was the earliest and most elite force in the Xuanyuan Army, but before reinforcements arrived, this force had fought to the death too many times and was already covered in wounds.
Warhorses in their prime need rest.
But the moment Gu Jiao walked in, all the warhorses immediately went into battle alert.
They can fight again!
Gu Jiao clenched her fingers.
“Young Commander…” Wenren Chong led over a ten-year-old warhorse. “This one will do. It only fought one battle and suffered minor injuries, but it has already recovered.”
Gu Jiao asked, "Aren't there any horses that haven't been injured?"
Wenren Chong said, "Yes, they've all gone to the front lines, or they're just the young Black Wind Riders who are too young to transport supplies."
Just then, a three-year-old black steed came galloping over and hopped around in front of Gu Jiao a few times, as if showing off its strength.
Gu Jiao recognized it.
It was a little Black Wind Rider who fell off a waterfall while crossing the mountains. Black Wind King rescued it in time, but the rations on its back were gone.
It was very frustrated until Gu Jiao placed the herbs she had picked on its horse's back.
"It's only been two months, but it seems to have grown quite a bit." Gu Jiao examined its body and found it to be very strong. Although it was only three years old, its muscles were full of explosive power.
"Little Black Wind Rider, whether you can get the antidote onto the ship before it freezes depends on you."
...
The journey to Yunzhou was three hundred li, and the Little Black Wind Cavalryman pushed his speed to the limit.
The winter was bitterly cold, and snow fell everywhere. The roads were treacherous and difficult. Xiao Heifeng slipped several times and almost did the splits. His hair stood on end!
But it showed no fear, no retreat, and not even a slowdown.
Braving the howling cold wind, it sped along the endless official road, almost flying.
In terms of pure talent, it's not the best. The best-quality horses Gu Jiao has ever seen are Black Wind King and Little Eleven.
However, this little black wind rider possessed an indomitable will and an unyielding fighting spirit.
The man and the horse fell down along the way, but without saying a word, it got up and continued!
It carried Gu Jiao and continued its frantic run!
In the wind and snow, it is its own king!
Even the Black Wind King, who was not injured, would find it difficult to withstand a three-hundred-mile journey through wind and snow.
Little Black Wind Rider's stamina was gradually being exhausted.
Gu Jiao's hands were already frozen stiff, her cheeks and lips were numb from the cold, and she could barely speak: "Little Black Wind Rider, hang in there a little longer, we're almost at Yunzhou!"
Panting, Little Black Wind Rider gritted his teeth, straightened his swaying body, and dashed towards the city walls of Yunzhou like an arrow—
...
On the tenth day of the twelfth lunar month, it snowed all night in the capital of Zhao Kingdom.
When Yu Jin got up before dawn, she almost couldn't even open the door.
"Is the snow this heavy? It's blocking the door... Someone come here!" she called out.
A maidservant came with a shovel, cleared the snow from in front of her door, and opened the door for her: "I was just saying I was going to shovel the snow, I didn't expect you to be up so early."
Yu Jin didn't blame her; she had indeed gotten up early. She glanced towards the south wing and asked softly, "Is the young master up yet?"
The maid said, "It seems not, I didn't hear any noise."
Yu Jin nodded: "Okay, you can go do your thing."
"Eh." The maid went to sweep the snow in the yard, her movements were very light, and she didn't disturb anyone.
In the south wing, Shangguan Qing woke up early. The mother and son had talked too late the night before, and Princess Xinyang finally succumbed to her pregnancy drowsiness and fell asleep after midnight.
Shangguan Qing did not take the antidote from the Imperial Preceptor's Palace and suffered greatly from the poison inside his body, unable to close his eyes for even a moment.
Of course, he didn't want to close his eyes in the first place either.
He quietly looked at Princess Xinyang beside him.
This is his mother, the woman who carried him for ten months and walked through the gates of hell to bring him into this world.
She is very gentle.
Although it may be very strict, I didn't have the chance to experience it myself, did I?
As dawn approached, his increasingly uncomfortable body told him that he needed to leave this place as soon as possible.
"Faster than I expected..."
On the way here, I thought there were still three days left, but while having dinner, I had a vague feeling that there was only one day left.
But now—
He clutched his chest.
This place is about to explode; he can barely breathe.
"elder brother."
Xiao Heng's low voice came from outside the door.
Shangguan Qing wanted to respond, but he was afraid of waking Princess Xinyang.
“I’m coming in,” Xiao Heng said.
The door was pushed open, and Xiao Heng stepped in.
He saw Shangguan Qing sitting on the edge of the bed, sweating profusely. His face was deathly pale, his lips were bluish, and he was trembling all over.
Xiao Heng's eyes darkened, and he strode forward, catching Shangguan Qing, who had fallen off the bed.
Shangguan Qing nestled in his arms and weakly said, "Take...me away..."
Xiao Heng held him, looked at Princess Xinyang on the bed with her eyes open and biting her fingers to keep herself from crying out, and his throat moved with difficulty: "...Okay, I'll take you away."
Xiao Heng helped Shangguan Qing up, placed his hand on his neck, and walked step by step toward the door.
Just as he stepped over the threshold, Shangguan Qing's body went limp and he slipped and fell.
Xiao Heng quickly hugged him: "Brother!"
"Qing'er—"
Princess Xinyang's strength was shattered by this fall. She could no longer grant his request; she did not want him to die out there!
Don't let him become a cold, lifeless corpse in a deserted place!
She rushed over, knelt on the ground, and hugged Shangguan Qing, who was lifeless like a puppet.
"Qing'er...don't go...don't leave your mother...don't...don't..."
Hot tears splattered onto his cheeks and fell into his eyes.
A tear slid down his cheek.
Mother, I'm sorry.
I can no longer be your son.
I have no regrets about being born to you.
Thank you for bringing me into this world.
Life is wonderful.
I love so much.
Princess Xinyang hugged her son tightly, feeling as if she were losing him. Her heart was breaking, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably: "Qing'er—Qing'er—"
Xiao Heng turned around, his eyes red and swollen.
Yu Jin stood outside the door, tightly covering her mouth, but she couldn't hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
Why...why is God so cruel?
The princess had only been reunited with the young prince for a day when she lost him again—
How many times will the princess have to suffer the pain of losing her child?
Yu Jin burst into tears.
The servants in the courtyard all turned their faces away and secretly wiped away their tears.
There is nothing more cruel than this in the world...
Clang!
The courtyard gate was kicked open with such force that the entire gate panel collapsed onto the bonsai planted by Princess Xinyang.
Just as the servants were about to shout, the man walked in, looking travel-worn: "Your Highness Zhang! I, Feng Xiao, have come to deliver my death!"
All the servants were taken aback. What... what are you talking about?
The Shadow Division expert cleared his throat: "No! It's Commander Xiao who's here to deliver the medicine! I got flustered and misspoke!"
"Bring it here quickly!" Xiao Heng understood. He couldn't wait for the other party to bring it over, so he went over himself.
The Shadow Division experts, having seen his portrait, respectfully handed him the medicine.
There were two bottles of medicine and a note.
The note read: First feed the white fruit in the white jade bottle. If there is no improvement, then feed the brown pill in the jade bottle. The fruit is gromwell fruit, which is non-toxic; the brown pill comes from gromwell root and is highly poisonous.
It's Gu Jiao's handwriting.
Without any doubt or hesitation, Xiao Heng rushed into the house, pried open his brother's mouth, and fed him the white fruit.
Xiao Heng's expression was grave: "He can't eat!"
"Let me do it!"
A master from the Shadow Division rushed over and struck Shangguan Qing in the chest with a palm, causing the fruit to slide into his stomach.
Princess Xinyang looked at the Shadow Division expert in surprise, then turned to Xiao Heng and asked blankly, "What did you feed your brother?"
Xiao Heng replied, "Jiaojiao sent someone to deliver...the medicine."
It cannot be called a cure yet, because it may not necessarily work.
If that doesn't work, then Shangguan Qing will still have to take the extremely dangerous purple gromwell poison.
It's not a matter of nine deaths and one life; it should be ten thousand deaths and one life.
And who knows what side effects the survivors might experience?
Shangguan Qing, you must get better.
When you recover, I'll call you brother, as many times as I want.
The person in Princess Xinyang's arms did not respond.
Xiao Heng picked up the jade porcelain bottle with trembling hands. Next, he could only try the purple gromwell poison…
"Hey! Hey! Look!" The Shadow Division leader pointed at Shangguan Qing's finger. "He moved! He moved!"
The mother and son both looked at his fingertips.
Although very faint, it did move.
The Shadow Division expert stared at his face and said, "His forehead isn't so dark anymore!"
Princess Xinyang looked at Xiao Heng with teary eyes, choking back sobs as she said, "I don't understand what he's saying..."
Xiao Heng, however, revealed a relieved smile, the first such smile in a month: "He said that my brother's forehead is no longer dark... This is a sign that the poison in his body is gradually lessening... The purple gromwell fruit is working... There's no need to take the purple gromwell poison anymore..."
The emotions churning within his chest were even more turbulent than those at the moment of Shangguan Qing's death.
It was an endless, oppressive sorrow, like an iceberg that couldn't melt even under the sun. But now, the iceberg cracked, and joy erupted from the ground like magma.
His internal organs were burning hot.
"It really is..."
He slumped to the ground, raising his hand with a wry smile to wipe his reddened eyes.
After the glabella fades to a certain extent, it stops moving.
"What happened again?" Princess Xinyang's eyes were red-rimmed, like a child who had been frightened too much. "And why hasn't Qing'er woken up yet..."
"Not so fast!" said the Shadow Division expert. "The poisoning is too deep; it needs to be cured slowly. Are there many fruits?"
Xiao Heng looked at the large, full bottle: "Too much!"
The Shadow Division expert said, "That's enough! Feed him this every day, and he'll eventually wake up!"
Xiao Heng carried Shangguan Qing back to bed.
He thought to himself, "What if he doesn't wake up and still needs the poison of the purple gromwell?"
Half an hour later, Shangguan Qing's breathing was smoother than before. His face was still pale, but his brows, which had been furrowed in pain, had relaxed considerably.
This indicates that his discomfort has been greatly relieved.
Xiao Heng surmised that the reason he was still unconscious was not so much because the toxins in his body had not been cleared, but because he had been tormented by the poison for too long and had not been able to get a good night's sleep.
He felt less uncomfortable now and fell asleep peacefully.
Xiao Heng said to Princess Xinyang, who was sitting on the edge of the bed with difficulty due to her pregnant belly, "Mother, don't worry, this fruit has a very good therapeutic effect, and my brother will definitely recover."
"Yes." Princess Xinyang nodded with tears in her eyes. She could feel that Qing'er was returning to her side.
The joy of regaining something lost is indescribable. She had already lost Qing'er once, and she knew she couldn't go on living if she lost her a second time.
Her throat was hoarse from crying, her eyes were swollen, and she looked utterly disheveled.
Such hospitality is inevitably impolite.
She said to Xiao Heng, "Please go and thank that expert on my behalf. I was so upset just now that I forgot about his injuries. His face seems to be disfigured. When the imperial physician comes, let him take a look at him too."
"good."
His mother is truly meticulous.
Despite the grief, my observation skills weren't affected; I just couldn't process it at the time. Once I calmed down and picked it up again, I was able to sense that something was wrong.
This is a very rare and valuable ability.
The expert from the Shadow Division was waiting in the corridor. He had to go back to report and needed to know the specific details of Shangguan Qing's situation.
Xiao Heng came out of the room, cupped his hands in thanks to him, and said, "Thank you very much for today. May I ask your honorable name?"
The Shadow Division expert scratched his head: "Sorry for kicking down your door..."
Xiao Heng smiled and said, "It's alright. You're injured, go sit in the flower hall first, the imperial physician will be here soon."
Yu Jin has already gone to fetch the imperial physician, firstly to check on Shangguan Qing's recovery, and secondly to examine the guest's injuries.
The Shadow Division expert waved his hand: "I'm fine! My name is Gao Qiang, the Gao Qiang who is highly skilled in martial arts! Your Highness, I need to reply to the patient's condition!"
Gu Jiao didn't say who she was delivering the medicine to; the people in the Shadow Department were only responsible for carrying out the task and wouldn't inquire without permission.
He said seriously, "You called him 'brother,' but I didn't hear you!"
Xiao Heng laughed. It didn't matter if he heard it. After experiencing so much, he suddenly felt that it didn't matter whether he and his brother kept their identities a secret or not.
He said, "Why don't you wait for the imperial physician to come first, listen to his specific diagnosis, and then go back to report?"
Gao Qiang thought about it carefully and nodded: "Okay!"
Xiao Heng looked out into the courtyard and asked, "By the way, didn't my father come back with you?"
"A young father?" Gao Qiang thought to himself, "The eldest grandson of the Great Yan Emperor has a father? I've never heard of that in all these years!"
He replied, "No! I came alone! Before me, someone else brought you here alone! I didn't see your father!"
"Strange, why would he ask someone else to help him with something as important as the antidote?" Xiao Heng thought about it more and more and found it odd.
It's not that the people in the Shadow Division are unreliable, it's just that this doesn't fit his father's usual personality.
Inside the room, Princess Xinyang was wiping the sweat from Shangguan Qing's forehead with a handkerchief when she heard this, and she paused.
Gao Qiang suddenly slapped his forehead: "Ah! I remember now! Thank you for reminding me! Otherwise I would have forgotten! There was also a letter sent with Yo!"
He took a letter from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Heng.
Xiao Heng initially thought it was a letter from Gu Jiao, but upon opening it, he discovered it was Long Yi's handwriting.
Long Yi drew a glacier with charcoal.
Beneath the glacier lay a man with blood-soaked hands and wounds that exposed bone.
Xiao Heng's heart was suddenly gripped by a large hand—
"What happened?"
Princess Xinyang came out.
Xiao Heng discreetly hid the painting behind his back, looked at his haggard, expectant mother, clenched his fists, and said with suppressed emotion, "...It's nothing."
Princess Xinyang looked at Gao Qiang.
Gao Qiang didn't understand at first and honestly said, "Oh, it's that person who went to the ice field to find medicine. He's dead and won't be coming back!"
Princess Xinyang's expression froze.
Marquis Xuanping [lights a cigarette]: Cry for me, and I'll come back to see you.
Xinyang: Slapping in a fit of rage.jpg
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com