Chapter 171 You're injured too.
"elder brother!"
When Yao Shisan woke up covered in sweat, it was still the middle of the night, and everything was quiet all around.
The only sound was the soft breathing of the two children beside me.
She got up quietly.
She rarely dreams, but just now she had a rare dream about her childhood.
Even when she was much younger, a time she no longer remembered.
Now that she's awake, her head feels heavy. The vivid images from her dream are now shrouded in a hazy mist.
Yao Shisan gazed at the cold moonlight, feeling his heart pounding wildly.
Her letter has been sent for almost ten days now; I wonder if her brother has received it.
Everything in the dream seemed so close, yet so far away.
There were sounds of crying and arguing.
But there was always a firm embrace holding her, and someone would cover her ears.
The voices that made her uneasy and afraid were now further away from her.
She couldn't remember anything from her childhood, nor did she know what grudges her mother had with the Meng family.
Last year, General Meng went to Ding County to see her and her brother. Her brother remained silent for two days afterward.
Her brother said nothing, and she asked nothing.
She remembers nothing, so she doesn't have to bear the pain of the past.
But her brother was different; he remembered everything, and he bore a heavier burden than she did.
The Meng family now wants an heir who can uphold the family's reputation, and the outstanding older brother is the best candidate.
She also became a tool to win over the Meng family.
Zhou Congxian was right that day in Jinzhou; besides Xiao Shu, there were other people.
Who doesn't love power and status?
The allure of 200,000 men in the Northwest Camp was enough to tempt anyone to take the risk.
Yao Shisan's brows were deeply furrowed.
It seems that after General Meng approached the siblings, whether they liked it or not, they all carried the name "Meng" on their backs.
She couldn't help but think of her previous life.
She and Fu'er died young, and Pangxi never had the chance to come into this world.
None of this has happened yet.
How did the older brother cope with all of this?
Whether it was because of the dream or not, Yao Shisan was restless for several days in a row.
Even when giving Xiaopangxi a bath, they forgot to add cold water.
"It hasn't been mixed with cold water yet!"
Dan Niang's voice brought her back to reality.
She took the chubby little boy from Yao Shisan's hands. "Madam Yao, you should go and rest. You've been acting strangely these past few days. Are you tired?"
I forgot to feed Pangxi yesterday, and I forgot to call Fu'er home in the afternoon.
These are all minor issues, but I forgot to add cold water today. If this whole basin of boiling water were poured in, the consequences for a small child like Pangxi would be unimaginable.
Yao Shisan patted his head, looking at the steam rising from the wooden basin, and felt a wave of lingering fear.
"Dan Niang, thank goodness you're here, otherwise I..."
Dan Niang said, "Fu'er and Xuan'er are playing next door, and there are servants looking after them. I'm here for Pang Xi, so you can go and rest."
Yao Shisan didn't know what was wrong with him.
She couldn't remember the dream she had that day after she woke up, but it felt like something was tugging at her.
"It's probably because I haven't slept well these past two days."
"elder sister!"
Ji Xiaoman's anxious voice came from outside the door.
Yao Shisan's heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason!
She seemed to have forgotten where to put her hands and feet, and how to walk.
Ji Xiaoman stood at the door, panting heavily.
"Sister, the Crown Prince and Lord Jiang have been attacked. They are currently at Huilin Medical Clinic."
"My...my brother..."
Yao Shisan's mind exploded with a "boom".
Her gaze fell on Ji Xiaoman's sleeve, where there were still specks of blood.
She seemed to have lost the ability to speak and walk.
If Ji Xiaoman hadn't been supporting her, she probably wouldn't have been able to get into the clinic.
On the third floor of the clinic, Jiang Xingyao's eyes were closed as the clinic's doctor administered acupuncture.
He Ran was in a disheveled state, and the colors of his clothes were almost indistinguishable.
"Yao'er, I'm sorry, I failed to protect the bookworm."
Jiang Xingyao was hit by a poisoned arrow, and even though one of her guards was skilled in poison, they were unable to cure her.
The only option was to travel to the capital to seek help from the imperial physician.
Little did they expect that Xiao Shu's men, after tracking them all the way, would be attacked when they reached Jinzhou.
If they hadn't met Zhou Congxian, they probably wouldn't have survived to reach the capital.
Looking at He Ran, Yao Shisan could hardly tell that she was a young lady from a wealthy family.
She reached out her cold hand and grasped hers in return. "If it weren't for you, my brother wouldn't be lying here now, being treated by a doctor."
Are you hurt?
He Ran shook his head. "I'm fine. If Lord Zhou hadn't intervened and blocked a sword for me, I wouldn't be standing here alive now."
"He also brought the bookworm back; without an imperial edict, the local officials couldn't even enter the capital."
She clasped her hands in a fist and said, "Lord Zhou, you have saved my life. If you ever need anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask. I, He Ran, will go through fire and water for you!"
Zhou Congxian said, "It's alright, the most important thing now is Brother Jiang."
He glanced at Yao Shisan's pale face and helpless expression, and his heart clenched.
"I was delayed by an hour when I left the city today. If I hadn't been delayed, I would have met them earlier and things wouldn't have turned out this way."
Yao Shisan's lips trembled slightly, and her gaze fell on him.
His right arm hung down at his side, his sleeve was torn in a large hole, and his entire arm was even soaked in blood. You could smell a strong stench of blood if you got close.
Her voice was slightly hoarse, "You're injured too."
"I……"
"His injuries are not serious, but as for the poison, I am powerless to help."
Zhou Congxian wanted to say that he was fine, but the old man with a white beard came out of the room.
The young apprentice behind the old man came out carrying a basin of gauze stained with blood.
The gauze, almost black with bloodstains, was the poisoned blood forced out by Jiang Xingyao.
Yao Shisan swayed, and if He Ran hadn't caught her in time, she would have collapsed to the ground.
Zhou Congxian frowned. "Old man, if you can't do it, who can?"
The old man cupped his hands together and gestured towards the sky, saying, "Imperial City."
"The imperial city gathers rare treasures from all over the world; perhaps there is a way to detoxify it."
Zhou Congxian immediately turned around and said, "I'll go to the palace right now!"
Yao Shisan watched his hurried departure, the tear in his sleeve still swaying in the wind.
"It will be alright."
He Ran's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Yao Shisan turned around and reached out to pull her into his arms.
He Ran's suppressed voice came from her shoulder.
“My father just agreed to his marriage proposal. He hasn’t married me yet. He’s such a trustworthy person, he won’t abandon us.”
Yao Shisan hugged her, blinked, and forced back the tears that were about to fall.
"right!"
The imperial city was solemn and imposing; even the palace servants and eunuchs walked by without making a sound.
The only sound was the rustling of the fabric.
His Majesty was summoning other officials in the palace, while Zhou Congxian waited outside. No matter how anxious he was, he could only remain still.
The Duke of England was still smiling when he came out of the hall, but when he saw his son standing outside looking disheveled, his smile froze on his face.
He was instantly enraged, stepped forward, grabbed his sleeve, and whispered through gritted teeth.
"Look at yourself, going to the palace to meet the Emperor!"
Zhou Congxian rushed into the palace, only changing his clothes without taking a proper bath.
Even if you get a little closer, you can still smell the blood mixed with sweat.
Zhou Congxian didn't look up. "Father, you should go back quickly, lest you be implicated by your son."
"you!--"
Before the Duke of England could finish speaking, Eunuch Tian stepped forward.
"Young Master Zhou, please."
Zhou Congxian bypassed his father and walked straight into the main hall.
The Duke of England watched his son's retreating figure, his nostrils flaring with anger, but in the end, he could only turn and go home.
His Majesty leaned back in his chair, his brow slightly furrowed, his fingers gently rubbing the sides of his nose.
"Your subject, Zhou Congxian, pays his respects to Your Majesty."
"Zhou Qing is acting strangely today. Is there no water for bathing at home?"
His Majesty did not open his eyes, and his voice carried a faint hint of weariness.
Zhou Congxian bowed and kowtowed, "The matter was urgent, please punish me, Your Majesty."
"You're already rushing me, stop beating around the bush and just say it."
Zhou Congxian: "The magistrate of Ding County, Jiang Xingyao, has been chased and killed by villains and is now suffering from a serious poisoning. The local doctors are helpless. I dare to ask for medicine on behalf of Magistrate Jiang."
His Majesty opened his eyes. "Who is so bold as to hunt down an official of the imperial court?"
"Lord Jiang and Miss He, the third daughter of General He of the Southwest Army, fled from Ding County all the way to the capital."
Zhou Congxian paused for a moment, "Miss He said that Lord Jiang was shot by His Highness Prince Cheng."
“I encountered the two men outside Jinzhou City, being harassed by villains. I did not recognize which side’s assassins they were.”
His Majesty's eyes remained unchanged, even calm and undisturbed.
"Let the Shadow Guards investigate this matter."
"As for the antidote, summon the head of the Imperial Medical Academy to investigate what happened. Whatever medicine is used, you must ensure Lord Jiang's life is safe!"
"yes."
Zhou Congxian led the Imperial Medical Academy envoy out of the palace.
After the hall quieted down, His Majesty's gaze fell on the note on the imperial desk.
He knew everything Xiao Shu had done.
He allowed his ambition to grow unchecked step by step.
They've only been away from Beijing for a mere two years, yet they already dare to set their sights on the capital.
The person hunting them down in Jinzhou was someone else.
Jiang Xingyao's poisoning was caused by Xiao Shu deliberately forcing him to go to the capital.
He couldn't wait any longer and forced Jiang Xingyao to acknowledge his ancestors and return to the clan. He then announced that he had married Meng Gong's granddaughter.
His Majesty smiled; he would not repeat the mistakes of his previous life.
In this life, with just a little pressure, Xiao Shu began to lose his composure.
Eunuch Tian walked in carrying a stack of memorials. "Your Majesty, these are all from the Fourth Battalion."
The Great Sheng army numbered a million, all distributed across four battalions.
His Majesty sat up straight. "Bring it here and see who is lying to me."
Eunuch Tian bowed his head and respectfully presented the memorial.
His Majesty has laid out a chessboard, and everyone is on it. If anyone tries to be clever, their official career may come to an end.
Outside the palace, Ji Xiaoman was waiting in her car. When she saw Zhou Congxian and the Imperial Medical Academy officer, she picked them up and headed to the residence.
He was also shocked when he saw Jiang Xingyao, the Imperial Physician.
The poison that Lord Jiang was poisoned with is the same one that the Empress Dowager suffered from!
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