"Father, Mother, Duke, this is the Zhiyu girl I mentioned to you. She's the one who helped Yuan'er regain feeling in his legs." The Duchess warmly took Song Zhiyu's hand and led her to the two elders.
Although the Duchess had shown them Song Zhiyu's portrait before he arrived, and they had a general idea of what he was like, they did not expect the impact of seeing him in person to be so strong.
"Good child, I am Yuan'er's grandmother. Thank you for saving Yuan'er." Old Madam Ling's aged and calloused fingertips gently touched Song Zhiyu's eyebrows and eyes, then quickly separated without lingering.
"Madam, what's wrong?" Song Zhiyu could sense Madam Ling's emotions, a mixture of joy and sorrow, and she couldn't help but worry about her health.
Madam Ling shook her head, her eyes slightly red, and a kind and gentle smile appeared on her deeply lined face. "I'm fine. I'm just happy for Yuan'er. His leg can finally be saved."
"Rest assured, I will do my utmost to heal Young Master Ling's leg." Song Zhiyu's eyes were firm. Since she had accepted the Duchess's request, she would definitely turn that 60% chance into 90%, or even 100%.
"Alright." Old Madam Ling stared intently at her eyebrows and eyes, her gaze filled with longing, as if she were looking through her at someone else.
The Duke of Ling grinned, his gruff voice ringing out, "Mother, please don't scare this little girl away."
The Duchess also realized what was happening and spoke up, shifting all her attention to Ling Yuan, "Yes, Zhiyu is here today to treat Yuan'er's leg, so don't waste any time."
Song Zhiyu nodded, picked up the medicine box and came to Ling Yuan. "Young Master Ling, the next treatment may be very painful. If you can't bear it, please let me know."
"It's alright, you can start." Ling Yuan raised the corners of his mouth. He had already endured the pain of his crippled legs, so what else was there to be afraid of?
Song Zhiyu calmed herself down, first pressing on Ling Yuan's legs to assess his recovery, then locating the acupoints, removing the silver needles, and swiftly and forcefully inserting them into his legs.
At the beginning of the acupuncture treatment, Ling Yuan did not feel any pain. He only felt a warm and tingling sensation sweeping over his legs, and this sensation became stronger as time went by.
Song Zhiyu kept a close eye on Ling Yuan's expression, her hands moving non-stop as she continued administering the acupuncture.
Before long, veins began to bulge on Ling Yuan's forehead, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his handsome brows furrowed tightly, as if he were enduring great pain.
The waves of pain emanating from his legs were no less than the agony he felt when he broke his leg; no wonder Song Zhiyu had said that beforehand.
But Ling Yuan felt incredibly relieved. He preferred to endure the excruciating pain rather than have his legs completely numb, constantly reminding him that he was a cripple.
After an unknown amount of time, the pain in his leg gradually subsided. Song Zhiyu withdrew the silver needles and handed him several medicine bottles.
"Apply this healing powder to your legs daily to slowly heal any broken bones. And this pill is the best medicine for someone like you who has suffered a serious injury."
With both internal and external treatments, the dual approach provides a greater guarantee of recovery for your legs.
Song Zhiyu added a couple more instructions, "Madam, I will come every other day to give Young Master Ling acupuncture until his legs have completely regained sensation, but please remember that his legs must not be injured again."
"We'll be careful. Are you going back already?" Seeing that Song Zhiyu had packed her things and carried her medicine box, Old Madam Ling stepped forward anxiously, her eyes filled with reluctance.
She always felt a special connection with this little girl and couldn't help but want to get closer to her.
And her eyebrows and eyes even bore a resemblance to hers. Looking at Song Zhiyu, Old Madam Ling seemed to see herself in her youth.
A suspicion arose in her mind: was Song Zhiyu related to her lost youngest daughter?
However, the news sent back by the people who went out to investigate disappointed Madam Ling. Song Zhiyu was indeed Shen Feng's biological daughter.
Even if Shen Feng wasn't a good father, the undeniable blood relation was undeniable.
They have always looked down on Shen Feng's character.
Even so, Madam Ling couldn't help but feel fond of Song Zhiyu, and couldn't help but think that if her daughter had a granddaughter, she would probably be this big by now.
*
Night falls.
As Song Zhiyu walked alone on the way back to the Marquis's residence, she felt an eerie silence all around her.
She stopped in her tracks, vaguely sensing danger. Her whole body tensed, and she instinctively gripped the straps on the medicine box.
"If you want to kill me, then come out. Why bother sneaking around?" Song Zhiyu's other hand, hidden under his sleeve, quietly tightened its grip on the dagger's handle, ready to strike.
As soon as she finished speaking, several dark figures swept past, leaping down from the rooftop and blocking her way.
Song Zhiyu's mind immediately went into overdrive. "What a grand scheme! To kill a weak woman like me who can't even kill a chicken, they actually need to send out so many assassins. They really think highly of me."
"Let me guess, who exactly wants me dead so badly? Shen Jinshu? Shen Feng? Or someone from the Lian family?" After saying the last sentence, the man in black suddenly attacked, leaving Song Zhiyu no way out.
Song Zhiyu remained vigilant, watching their every move. When the black-clad man's longsword came at her, she deliberately created an opening, avoiding vital points, and quickly scattered the poison powder in her hand.
"It seems to be someone from the Lian family." Song Zhiyu said with certainty, turning his head to look at the deep wound on his right arm, his eyes hardening, and he made a mental note of the Lian family.
She had been practicing martial arts with her third brother since she was a child. Although she only knew the basics, he could save her life in critical moments.
These men in black were masked; if she wanted to use the poison, she would have to get close to them.
But they are highly skilled in martial arts, and she might lose her life before she even gets close to them.
Now, all we can do is stall for time and look for another opportunity.
The man in black who attacked first was injured in the eyes by Song Zhiyu's poison powder. His long sword clattered to the ground, and he felt as if his eyes were being burned by fire.
The other men in black became wary upon seeing this. They had thought that killing a weak woman would be easy and that so many people wouldn't be needed, but they hadn't expected that their momentary underestimation of the enemy would result in the loss of one of their brothers.
"superior."
The leader of the men in black raised his hand, and several shadowy figures rushed out at lightning speed, their long swords sharp and deadly.
Song Zhiyu took two steps back and flicked out the silver needle in her hand, which pierced the arm of one of the men in black.
The other men in black dodged her silver needles, leaped in front of her, and with a flash of silver light, their longswords pierced her shoulder.
At the same time, Song Zhiyu plunged the dagger in her hand into the black-clad man's heart.
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