In an instant, Shen Miao’s heart tightened.
If Xie Jing Xing had hide it a little, most likely he would force himself to look like nothing had happened and Emperor Yong Le would not have said that ‘Prince Rui is injured’ in front of the Lu and Ye families. At this moment, Emperor Yong Le did not conceal anything so did it mean that the matter was already so serious that it could not be hidden?
Ji Furen stood by Shen Miao side and immediately held Shen Miao’s hands tightly. Most likely she was afraid that Shen Miao would be anxious and in turn comfort her, “There would inevitable be friction in the hunting grounds and most likely it is only a minor injury. With so many guards protecting, it should be nothing.” However her face became more worried.
Shen Miao did not want Ji Furen to also be thrown into disarray and immediately agreed with her but her heart did not think so. For Emperor Yong Le to let Xie Jing Xing return to the city first and not expose Xie Jing Xing to these officials, it meant that the injuries that Xie Jing Xing sustained was definitely not as simple as some ‘minor injuries’.
She glanced around and did not see Xie Jing Xing, Tie Yi or Gao Yang and her heart became even more anxious.
Emperor Yong Le did not seemed to want to talk much even though he had hunted a lion, he did not have a happy expression on. Everyone guessed that it was due to Prince Rui’s injuries and also know that Emperor Yong Le was not happy as everyone knew that Prince Rui and Emperor Yong Le had a strong relationship. No matter if Prince Rui’s injuries was serious or not, two of them went into the inner fields but the injured one was Prince Rui thus Emperor Yong Le’s heart would not be happy. Thus no one dared to go up to talk to Emperor Yong Le, even Consort Jing quietly restrained her arrogance and carefully served at the side.
Since the lion was hunted, there was no need for everyone to stay at the hunting grounds. Emperor Yong Le wanted to return to the Palace and the officials and their family also wanted to return to their residences. When everyone was being cautious, Lu Zheng Xuan asked Emperor Yong Le about matters on the sixtieth sacrificial ceremony as though nothing had happened. Emperor Yong Le usually give some face to Lu Zheng Xuan on normal days but today left with a cold scoff and a swipe of his sleeves. That dissatisfied attitude were obvious to the officials and they whispered but not only did Lu Zheng Xuan not get angry, he seemed to be somewhat happy, making that fierce and sinister face look even more terrible.
Shen Miao also hurried back to the residence of Prince Rui as she was worried about Xie Jing Xing’s injuries. Ji Furen and Ji Yu Shu also wanted to go but Shen Miao shook her head, “This matter has not been clarified and one feared that it is not that simple. If YiMu and Yu Shu go over now, it would be easily exploited by others. I will return first to take a look and YiMu and Yu Shu can come over once His Highness is better.” After pausing, she then said, “At such a time, the more one cannot be thrown into confusion.”
Even though Ji Yu Shu and Ji Furen did not know about the ins and outs of this matter, they were after all people who has exchanged blows with the Imperial power, thus they could slowly understand Shen Miao’s words. Ji Daren was deeply convinced of Shen Miao’s words and Ji Yu Shu and Ji Furen no longer clamoured to follow.
The few people then parted ways. Shen Miao immediately rush back to the residence of Prince Ding with Mo Qing and entourage without stopping. Ba Jiang and Hui Xiang comforted Shen Miao, “Furen rest assured. Master’s martial arts skills is not weak thus normal people would not be able to harm him. Perhaps this is Master’s plan to confuse the enemies.”
Shen Miao shook her head, “My heart does not feel good.” It was indeed not good as it felt like something was blocking her heart and this feeling made her feel uneasy. She could not wait to appear in the residence of Prince Rui and see what was wrong with Xie Jing Xing.
Ba Jiao and Hui Xiang looked at one another and did not say anything more.
Upon reaching the residence of Prince Rui, Shen Miao directly headed to the doors upon alighting from the horse carriage. The guards at the doors quickly open up the doors and Shen Miao stepped in but realized that the residence was surprisingly quiet.
If it was as usual, Tang Shu would have come over to welcome long ago to greet or bring over some sweet soup. But there was no one today.
Shen Miao’s heart became anxious and headed to the courtyard without a second word. She coincidentally saw Tang Shu walking to and fro in front of the room doors with a look of concern.
Shen Miao’s heart thumped. Tang Shu just happened to saw her. Shen Miao immediately went up and did not say anything else to him and asked, “How is he?”
“His Highness’s injury is very serious. Gentleman Gao is currently giving him medical treatment.” Tang Shu sighed with a face full of worry, “I have not seen His Highness like this for a long time.”
Shen Miao thought about it before pushing the door to walk in.
Upon entering the room, she first smell a strong scent of blood. Tie Yi, who was always by Xie Jing Xing’s side, was also present, wringing a cloth quietly and one would be shock upon seeing the basin of fresh blood. Gao Yang’s brows were tightly locked and she was slightly startled upon seeing Shen Miao entering before saying, “You know about it.”
Shen Miao quickly walked to the head of the bed. Xie Jing Xing’s eyes were tightly closed and his face was like paper that even his lips were pale white. The top half of his clothes were pulled apart and there was a layer of arrow wounds at his abdomen but the deepest one was a knife wound and was different from the one Shen Miao saw. This knife wound was fresh and because it was on top of his old wounds, it seemed that with the old wounds and new injuries, it became deeper.
The thing that made Shen Miao sweat was that the blood surrounding the wound was purple. She pointed to Xie Jing Xing’s wound and her tone of voice was somewhat unstable, “This…”
“Soaked in poison.” Gao Yang directly and efficiently cut her words off.
It was as if Shen Miao was struck by lightning.
After a while, she stabilised her mind, “Can you detoxify it?”
Gao Yang shook his head.
“This is not made by one poison but a mixture of several poisons. If I am to detoxify it, one would need to distinguish what kind of poison it is. This would require time but his injuries could not wait for that long.”
“If he cannot wait for that long then you think of ways for him to wait. In short, his life is in your hands, there cannot be any mistakes.” Shen Miao shouted out sternly.
Gao Yang was stunned on the spot. He knew that Shen Miao was not as kind and warm as she seemed but it was his first time seeing Shen Miao being this fierce and harsh. She seemed to be a superior instructing an official.
Even Tie Yi was stunned. He had always felt that even though Young Madam was smart and schemes, her attitude was rather soft and would always have a gentle smile on her face and was lacking some viciousness. If she were to stay by Xie Jing Xing’s side, she would inevitably be a drag in the future. Now upon seeing Shen Miao’s appearance, he made him think about the Late Empress.
Shen Miao took a deep breath and calm her emotions before asking Gao Yang, “Currently, how many days can he withstand and how many days do you need to cure his poison?”
“He can at most withstand seven days and I would need at least half a month to work on the detoxification.” For the first time, Gao Yang had an expression of helplessness. “The imperative thing is that he cannot even withstand seven days as his old injuries have flared up.”
Shen Miao looked at Xie Jing Xing. When he laid on the bed, he looked very quiet, just like an honourable noble gentleman but his arrogance seemed to be his skin that he live with which hid numbers knives. The last time when Shen Miao saw Xie Jing Xing’s body, he had seen that there were many old wounds on his body.
She suddenly thought about something and said to Gao Yang, “Wait first.” She then went out of the room and walked to another room. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu was waiting outside. At that day, both of them did not go to the hunting ground and waited for Shen Miao in the residence but a heavily injured Xie Jing Xing came. They were very flustered and feared that Shen Miao would be too worried and wanted to console her but they saw Shen Miao headed directly to the dressing table and took out a small box from under the dressing table and opened it up.
There was a round thing in the box and also a medicine bottle. Shen Miao grabbed the medicine bottle and hurried back to the room where Gao Yang was and pass that medicine bottle to Gao Yang, “There are three Gui Yuan Pills here. Can this help him?”
That small box contained the trousseau that Luo Tan and Feng An Ning gave when she was married off. Luo Tan gave a compass but Feng An Ning gave her three Gui Yuan Pills. Gui Yuan Pill was something that could help one to prolong their lives and could give an additional breath to those that were dying. This was a good thing that the medical physician of previous dynasty of Ming Qi left behind and it was a rare thing that Feng An Ning gave three of it. Shen Miao suddenly remembered it and did not know if this thing was useful to Xie Jing Xing.
Gao Yang was joyous, “Where did you get this from?” He took the bottle over and pick one pill out to take a look and smell it, “It is correct. This is Gui Yuan Pill. With this, he most likely can hold out for around ten days.”
Shen Miao sighed in relieve and heard Gao Yang saying, “But I might not be able to be able to create an antidote in ten days.”
“No matter if you can create it or not, you have to try. If it does not work then we will talk then. Now you are a doctor and should not worry about not being able to do it.”
Tie Yi and Tang Shu, who followed in, looked at Shen Miao strangely. One did not expect that at this time, she, a female, would be as calm as this.
Actually Shen Miao was not as calm as she looked on the surface. It was just that at this time, it would be useless if one was flustered. She need to keep her mind awake and think about what to do next.
Gao Yang nodded his head, “I will give him acupuncture now and coordinate with the Gui Yuan Pill to stabilise him temporarily. You all go out first.”
Shen Miao looked at Xie Jing Xing and her heart seemed to be tightly held as she walked out. After she was out, she said to Tang Shu, “You all withdraw first. I want to be alone for a while.”
Tang Shu wanted to speak but stopped. At the end he still said, “In any cause, Furen must take care of one’s health. These old servants would do our best to cooperate with Furen.
Shen Miao complied. After Tie Yi and Tang Shu left, she send off Jing Zhe and the few. Shen Miao stood outside the room and looked at the courtyard and now became extremely tired.
After a long time, she went to sit down on steps at the courtyard.
The weather during the sixth month was blistering hot, especially so in Great Liang as it would be warmer earlier, but the ground was cooling and the wind was whistling. Shen Miao actually felt cooler. She was thinking if Xie Jing Xing meet with an unexpected death, what should she do? It seemed that it was rational for her to think about her life in the future and what needs to be done. However at this moment, she could not persuade herself to think about the future rationally as if all these were things that she did not want to think about.
When did Xie Jing Xing’s position in her heart became this important? It was so important that once she thought of losing this person in the future, one felt that the remaining time would be bland. If one had not experience the taste of sweet honey, one would be able to tolerate it but when one lose it after a taste, everything would become unacceptable.
Someone’s footsteps were heard and one did not know when did Pei Lang walked into the courtyard and sat down upon seeing her sitting at the steps. After hesitating for a moment, he then said, “Don’t worry, he is Great Liang’s Prince of First Rank. It is not easy for something to happen to him.”
rough in his mouth and sourness in his heart. Speaking of which, he had never seen Shen Miao like this. In front of Pei Lang, Shen Miao would always have ready plans to meet for any situation and be all imposing, absolutely pressing him down. When Pei Lang was locked in the underground prison in the residence of Prince Ding, he did thought before if Shen Miao would be conscience-stricken by the matter and worry of his life and death. He finally saw how Shen Miao looked like when she was worried of others. When Shen Miao was worried about someone’s life and death, there was no aggressiveness and sharpness and there was no difference between her and a normal weak female.
He had always felt that he was sitting very close to Shen Miao but the distance between them was like far and distant.
Pei Lang said, “Return to the room, the wind is strong.”
“No need.” Shen Miao looked out, “Your health is not fully recovered. Don’t worry about me and return to rest first.”
Pei Lang was silent for a while, “I will accompany you.”
Shen Miao was disinclined to persuade him. At this moment her mind was not on Pei Lang and her heart was thinking all about Xie Jing Xing’s injuries.
Gao Yang was busy the entire night.
Shen Miao also sat for the entire night.
Speaking of which during the night when she was waiting for Xie Jing Xing’s news, Ji Furen napped but Shen Miao did not sleep at all. She had not close her eyes for two days but she was mentally attentive.
