I'm afraid the odds are against me.
Xu Ce blocked the two from meeting eyes just to protect Jin Xiaoxiao, since not everyone can accept a child who is almost demonically intelligent.
Wei Ran's question was exactly what Xu Ce wanted to hear. He bowed to Wei Ran and said, "General Wei is right. However, they have just gone through a fierce battle and are all wounded soldiers with limited mobility. I'm afraid they cannot move. I humbly request that the general send someone to escort them home."
Wei Ran's gaze swept past Xu Ce, then over Ji Yun and Jin Yuantang, whose breathing was weak, and Jin Minzhi, whose face was deathly pale. Finally, it rested on Jin Xiaoxiao's crown of hair. Under Xu Ce's increasingly tense expression, he said solemnly, "Lord Xu, you are too kind. Protecting the people is the duty of us soldiers. Guards!"
"General!"
"You carry them and set off for the capital."
"yes."
With the help of soldiers, Xu Ce rode alongside Jin Xiaoxiao. He looked up at Wei Ran ahead and asked in a low voice, "Xiaoxiao, I didn't want to ask too many questions since General Wei was present. What exactly happened? Why are you all wearing mourning clothes?"
Jin Xiaoxiao said bitterly, "Yue Xiao captured my uncle and forced my aunt to marry him. My grandmother disagreed and sacrificed herself to get my uncle back. Although Yue Xiao sent my uncle back, he held a grudge. Today, when my grandmother was being buried and we were returning to the city, he arranged for assassins in black to ambush us, intercept my aunt, and intend to kill us all."
After hearing this, Xu Ce first patted Jin Xiaoxiao's head and sighed, "Please accept my condolences." Then, his brows furrowed and he said sternly, "Outrageous! Does Yue Xiao have no respect for the law? Yue Xiao's actions are so brutal, he is simply unworthy of being a human being! I will definitely report him to the Emperor!"
Jin Xiaoxiao twitched the corner of her mouth. "There's no evidence."
Jin Xiaoxiao's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the anger in Xu Ce's heart. He said weakly, "But General Wei also saw those black-clad assassins."
So what if they saw it? Those assassins in black had no identification on them. Even though Jin Xiaoxiao was a thousand times angrier than Xu Ce, she didn't show it. Anger was useless; she had many things to do. She couldn't let anger cloud her judgment.
She gazed at the endless expanse of white snow, the long road back growing ever colder. Her voice, like shattering ice, was filled with deep-seated hatred, "I want him to pay for his crimes in blood." These words were carried away by the north wind, and Xu Ce did not hear them. After that, Jin Xiaoxiao did not speak again, but simply rode quietly on her horse.
As the last rays of the setting sun disappeared, Jin Xiaoxiao returned to the Jin family home.
Xu Ce was to enter the palace to meet the emperor with Wei Ran the next day. He only said a few words before leaving with Wei Ran.
As soon as Xu Ce left, Jin Xiaoxiao immediately sent someone to bring a carriage to fetch the old doctor.
The old doctor hadn't even stood up properly when he got out of the car before the servants carried him into the Jin family's house.
As he stepped out of bed and into the room, the old doctor complained angrily, "I've never been carried into a house before! What kind of nonsense is this!" But once he saw the condition of the three injured patients, he immediately forgot his complaint. His snow-white eyebrows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. "Oh dear, how did they all end up like this? They really don't know how to take care of their bodies." Although he said this, his hand was already on Ji Yun's pulse.
As time passed, the old doctor's expression grew increasingly grave. Finally, he shook his head and sighed softly, "His injuries are the most severe. The wound is red and swollen; I'm afraid his chances of survival are slim!"
Although Jin Xiaoxiao had somewhat anticipated it, she still couldn't accept the result when she was told it. "If... if a medicine to eliminate wind-evil is made, will he be cured?"
The old doctor had seen many families unable to accept the inevitable death, and his heart was filled with pity and helplessness. However, he did not want to give the family false hope, so he said bluntly, "Young lady, in my fifty years of medical practice, I have never seen anyone survive after being infected by wind-evil."
Jin Xiaoxiao pursed her lips tightly. After a moment, she made up her mind. Just because she hadn't seen it before didn't mean it didn't exist. She knew the process of making antibiotics. Even if all else failed, she could research it herself and make it.
"Old Immortal, how many more days can he hold on?"
The old doctor looked at Jin Xiaoxiao in surprise. All the patients in this room were being cared for by this little girl. She was so young yet so capable. How could she remain so calm in the face of a life-or-death situation? She didn't seem like someone who would give up easily! The old doctor thought to himself, but he replied aloud, "Five days at most."
Jin Xiaoxiao thought to herself, five days seemed like enough time, but if she made a mistake, their lives would be in danger. Just to be on the safe side, she needed to find someone else to help her with the research. After making up her mind, Jin Xiaoxiao asked the old doctor, "Old sage, have you ever seen someone like this? Their medical skills are good, but they don't follow the prescription and like to change it instead?"
She really hadn't given up. The old doctor stroked his gray beard, not too surprised. After thinking for a moment, he gave Jin Xiaoxiao an answer, "Coincidentally, I do know someone like that. She doesn't follow the ancestral prescriptions and prefers to do her own research."
Jin Xiaoxiao's eyes lit up. "Who is he?"
The old doctor didn't keep us in suspense, "He is Xin Yi from Zhu Hua Tang."
She knew Zhu Huatang; it was as famous as the old doctor's Wan Chuntang. But after the manager of Zhu Huatang left half a year ago, its reputation began to decline and it was not as good as Wan Chuntang.
Jin Xiaoxiao silently recited Xinyi's name once and then sent someone to respectfully escort the old doctor back.
Jin Xiaoxiao turned around and went to Ji Yun's bedside. She stood on tiptoe and touched Ji Yun's forehead. Fortunately, Ji Yun's forehead was not too hot and was still within a controllable range. After giving Ji Yun physical cooling, she checked on the other two people in turn, then moved a round stool and lay down beside Ji Yun's bed to watch over him.
As the night deepened, Jin Xiaoxiao's head began to nod sleepily. Despite being very tired, she did not let herself fall asleep, and would occasionally try to open her eyes to check Ji Jun's forehead.
Ji Jun felt dizzy and hot all over, as if he were being roasted on a fire. Only a touch of coolness on his forehead brought him some relief. He weakly opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the person lying by the bed. As soon as he raised his arm, a sharp pain suddenly shot through his chest, making him break out in a cold sweat.
Jin Xiaoxiao rubbed her sleepy eyes and saw Ji Jun's contorted face, and her drowsiness instantly vanished.
She jumped to her feet and asked anxiously, "Ji Jun, where does it hurt?"
Ji Jun didn't want her to worry, so he endured the pain, adjusted his breathing, and pretended to be fine, saying, "I'm fine, you don't need to stay with me."
Jin Xiaoxiao wasn't blind. The cold sweat beading on Ji Jun's forehead made his words completely unconvincing. She took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat off his face.
Ji Jun's eyelashes trembled rapidly with unease, revealing his discomfort. Jin Xiaoxiao gently instructed, "Don't move, it'll be over soon."
After wiping his sweat, Jin Xiaoxiao changed the damp handkerchief stuck to his forehead and fed him a cup of tea.
As Jin Xiaoxiao walked, Ji Jun's eyes followed her back and forth. Just as Ji Jun was getting restless and about to get up, Jin Xiaoxiao suddenly pressed down on his shoulder, her eyes dim, and said in a low voice, "Ji Jun, am I really useless? Without my burden, you wouldn't have suffered such a serious injury."
Ji Jun's pupils dilated, and he grabbed her hand. "How could you think like that! If I hadn't met you, I would have been beaten to death long ago! You're not a burden, you're not!"
Jin Xiaoxiao seemed not to hear him, tears welling in her eyes as she whispered, "When I needed you, you were always there for me. But now that you need me to take care of you, you want to send me away. It must be because I didn't take good care of you; it's because I'm useless—"
Ji Jun struggled to get up, but Jin Xiaoxiao held his shoulders firmly. He could only reach out to wipe away her tears, saying with heartache, "Xiaoxiao, don't cry. I don't want you to leave. I'm just worried about you suffering too much."
Jin Xiaoxiao opened her big, watery eyes and looked at him expectantly, "Are you still going to send me away?"
Unable to resist Jin Xiaoxiao's pitiful look, Ji Jun compromised and said, "Okay, you can stay."
Having received a satisfactory answer, Jin Xiaoxiao's eyes flashed with a sly smile. "Ji Jun, since you've agreed to let me take care of you, you have to follow my arrangements. Now I order you to close your eyes and go to sleep."
Ji Jun blinked, obediently closed his eyes, and soon fell asleep.
Jin Xiaoxiao pursed her lips and covered him with the blanket, then turned her head and met two pairs of bright, dark eyes.
Jin Xiaoxiao put a finger to her lips to signal them to be quiet, then walked over to them and whispered, "Brother, Uncle, I've already spoken to your servants. They'll take turns keeping watch for you. Just tell me if you need anything." After saying that, she turned around and sat down by Ji Jun's bedside without looking back.
Jin Minzhi and Jin Yuantang exchanged a glance, and a pang of sadness rose within them as their daughter grew up and left home.
As dawn approached, Ji Yun's fever worsened, and his cheeks turned bright red. No matter what methods Jin Xiaoxiao tried, she couldn't bring his temperature down. To make matters worse, the swelling and redness of Ji Yun's wounds intensified.
Jin Xiaoxiao clenched her fist, took a deep breath to calm herself, and gave clear instructions: "Shumo, go and fetch the old doctor. Luluo, go and withdraw one thousand taels of silver from the account. Yinzi, go and prepare a carriage for me. Wake up all the guards, have the head guard take two men with me when we leave, and the rest of the guards immediately patrol and keep watch, making sure no strangers enter the Jin family. Granny Qin, please continue to wipe his body according to my method."
Both Green Ivy and Granny Qin were the old lady's people. Green Ivy managed the old lady's storeroom, while Granny Qin managed the inner quarters of the Jin family. Before her death, the old lady didn't reclaim their rights; instead, she gave their deeds along with the Jin family's inventory to Jin Xiaoxiao. Her intention was clear: Jin Xiaoxiao was the old lady's chosen heir. Although not explicitly stated, the Jin family tacitly accepted Jin Xiaoxiao's position.
"Sister Ginkgo, I need moldy food, books, fruit, purple garlic, the more the better."
Therefore, those whose names were called dared not delay and immediately accepted the order and left.
Jin Xiaoxiao glanced at Ji Yun one last time before turning and leaving.
As Jin Xiaoxiao strode out of the Jin family's gate, she immediately saw the carriage parked at the entrance and the guards she had hired at great expense.
The head guard looked at Jin Xiaoxiao with a complicated expression. Jin Xiaoxiao was already showing the demeanor of the head of the Jin family as she walked. Indeed, heroes emerge from among the young.
"Miss Jin, please get in the car."
Jin Xiaoxiao nodded slightly to him, "Captain Lu." After greeting him, she stepped onto the carriage using a stool. As she entered the carriage, Jin Xiaoxiao turned back and instructed him, "Get to Zhu Huatang as quickly as possible."
At Jin Xiaoxiao's request, the carriage traveled very fast. When it was less than a hundred paces away from Zhu Huatang, it was blocked by the crowd of onlookers gathered in front of Zhu Huatang.
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