Just when Han Yunxi was at a loss, little Yi’er anxiously grabbed her hands. “Big sis, look quickly, it didn’t hit the heart. There’s hope! He can still be saved!”
Han Yunxi whipped her head back, only to see little Yi’er already undoing the robes over Gu Beiyue’s chest and wiping away all the surrounding blood. There was only one spot still bleeding on the right of the heart. Without a doubt, it was the site of the injury and the place where the Plum Blossom Needle had struck its target. The needle had long buried itself deep into the body and was impossible to see with human eyes.
This spot, although very close to the heart, had still missed the organ itself!
How could Gu Qishao miss? Was it a coincidence that he bypassed it by a hair? If he was even a little bit off, he would’ve taken a life!
Han Yunxi didn’t have time to consider so many details. She suddenly felt that the clouds had parted on a gloomy day and filled the world with light!
There was hope! She had to save him first!
Han Yunxi immediately concentrated more than 100 percent and withdrew some blood-stemming medicine to stop Gu Beiyue’s bleeding. Soon after that, she had Seventh Madame find people to carry him inside a room. This needle differed from the one that had pierced Mu Qingwu in the past. It didn’t have any poisons, so all she had to do was pull it out. Very quickly, little Yi’er brought over a type of medicated plaster called “Scattered Needle Plucker.” Its prescription consisted of three mace1 of magnetite (ground up), one mace of defatted cottonseed powder (to eliminate oils), five mace of caster beans (to eliminate oils again), six dung beetles, and two fen2 of musk. The function of this object matched its name as a tool used to pluck needles from the flesh.
A sigh of emotion had to be given to the strength of traditional Chinese medical science. Magnetite was the key ingredient in this formula because of its strong magnetism. Ancient gold and silver needles used in acupuncture all typically contained traces of iron, which could be attracted and removed via the magnetite. The rest of the ingredients were there to lubricate, reduce inflammation, and stop pain and bleeding for the patient. However, Han Yunxi had already used three Scattered Needle Pluckers without any effect.
A flash of suspicion flitted past her eyes before she took out one of the Tang Clan hidden weapons and placed it beside some magnetite. As it turned out, there was no magnetic reaction at all. In other words, the purity of Tang Clan weapons was extremely high. Any traces of iron left in their weapons could be completely disregarded! Tang Clan assassination weapons well deserved their reputation! If the needle had sunk any deeper into the flesh, it would have been impossible to retrieve without a way to stop the bleeding. If it had been coated in poison, even a person like her with a detox system on hand would find it difficult to take care of the toxin, much less other poisons doctors.
Poison-dipped Tang Clan assassination weapons would truly be fierce.
Han Yunxi wasn’t sure if the discovery should gladden or worry her. All right, when faced with Gu Beiyue’s current state, she could only feel distressed.
“Abominable!” Han Yunxi spat out. She wasn’t cursing the Tang Clan weapons, but Gu Qishao, who had hurt an innocent person!
“Big sis, what do we do? It’s too dangerous to operate on him and remove the needle.” Little Yi’er didn’t have much experience, but he’d studied countless medical cases before. His worry was well-placed.
This Plum Blossom Needle wasn’t poisonous, so Han Yunxi couldn’t use her detox system to appraise its exact location in the body. Because she couldn’t be certain, she couldn’t risk cutting open the skin. If she happened to cut too deep and couldn’t stop the bleeding afterwards, it might as well be murder. Han Yunxi’s eyes lowered as she stared at Gu Beiyue’s chest, her quiet face filled with deep thought. Seeing this, little Yi’er didn’t dare disturb her. He really felt sorry for Uncle Beiyue. Originally, they were supposed to celebrate heroic deeds, but somehow things had ended up like this.
Some time later, a pensive Han Yunxi suddenly made a noise and said, “Yi’er, guard the door and don’t let anyone else disturb me, quick!”
Little Yi’er rejoiced. He knew that Big Sis Yunxi had come up with a solution. Though he wanted to stay back and see, Big Sis Yunxi had spoken in a serious, commanding tone. It was imperative to save lives, so he couldn’t afford to dawdle. He earnestly nodded his head. “Mm, don’t worry, big sis!”
Once the door was shut, Han Yunxi turned back to look at Gu Beiyue. Seeing that he was still unconscious, she didn’t bother using her medical pouch as a shield but directly took out a few Plum Blossom Needles she kept on hand. With a single thought, the Plum Blossom Needles vanished into thin air as they were hidden in the detox dimension. To her, the detoxification dimension was equal to using her intellectual powers. Taking things out, putting things in, or hiding them elsewhere was as simple as a whim. However, hiding them took more energy.
Unknownst to her, Gu Beiyue had seen every single detail. Actually, he hadn’t fainted at all, but was just a bit listless. As Han Yunxi walked over, he shut his eyes again. The entire room was silent. Gu Beiyue was filled with unanswered questions, so it wasn’t long before he soundlessly, secretly opened his eyes again. What he saw was Han Yunxi sitting by the bed, her head leaning against the bedpost. It looked like she was resting, but she was actually using her mental energy. Anything she hid inside her detox dimension had to be connected to poisons somehow, whether they were actual toxins, poison ingredients, antidote ingredients, or simple tools needed to make antidotes. She was able to successfully absorb these acupuncture needles simply because they could be used as tools to manufacture poisons.
Currently, the detox system was formulating its own poison that could react with the acupuncture needles to melt them until they turned into metallic liquid. This liquid could then react with poisons to create yet another type of poison. The entire process was extremely detailed and complex. Human labor would take countless time, but the detox system only needed Han Yunxi to use her own energy. Actually, making poisons was an easy task for her, but recently she’d been feeling extremely tired every time she started up the detox system. She’d only used it for a short while, so it shouldn’t have become outdated yet. She didn’t overthink it, but attributed to her list of never-ending troubles in the past half-year that had tired her out without proper rest.
Soon enough, the detox system came up with the most ideal formula to thoroughly dissolve the acupuncture needles and create a poison that was the least harmless and slowest-acting. A poisons doctor not only treated poisons, but used them to save people as well. As long as she could dissolve the needle inside Gu Beiyue into this type of poison, then Han Yunxi would only have to worry about expelling that poison instead of the needle. Compared to the detox system, Han Yunxi felt that she was the genius for thinking up such an indirect solution!
When she opened her eyes, they were bloodshot but filled with radiance. Her confident smile glimmered as she elegantly extended a hand. A bottle of poison then appeared out of thin air into her palm. She had no idea that the Han Yunxi of this instant was just like a mysterious, venerable magician. At the very least, Gu Beiyue found the sight of her very, very beautiful.
After that, came her most adept work.
Outside the door, little Yi’er sat upright in front of the doors, his back ramrod straight with his arms crossed. His young and tender face was filled with a somber seriousness like some little door god. Seventh Madame and the steward asked little Yi’er what was the matter, but he didn’t know either. They stood by the side with their hearts burning in impatience. After all, if the emperor’s personal imperial physician ran into trouble at the Han estate, it wouldn’t be just a minor issue.
One hour later, there was still no reaction.
Did Han Yunxi need an hour to treat poisons, especially ones of her own making?
She had only made a small incision on Gu Beiyue’s chest before using acupuncture to expell all of the poisons inside. Right now, she’d cleaned up the cut and disinfected it before applying blood-stemming herbs and wrapping it in bandages. One could consider her work extremely successful.
But currently, she was staying dazed beside the bed. What had happened?
Gu Beiyue’s robes had been ripped apart to expose his beautiful chest. It was hard to imagine that a weak man without the strength to truss a chicken, who once used to be a sickly invalid, who was as warm and gentle as jade or silvergrass, could possess a chest with such sex appeal. He was well-built and muscular, filled with masculine strength that would make the thoughts of any woman wander. Because Han Yunxi had been busy treating him before, she hadn’t noticed Gu Beiyue’s excellent physique, but now she felt like she’d discovered some sort of shocking secret. Both surprised and startled by the sight, her gaze lowered to that mesmerizing skin and couldn’t help trailing downwards. She couldn’t help but wonder what sort of lean, strong, and handsome body this man hid beneath his snow white robes?
It was here that Gu Beiyue suddenly moved.
His hand trailing by his side suddenly curled up, causing Han Yunxi to recover her senses. She gave a start as she realized she’d gotten too absent-minded. All right, she could admit that she was captivated by the warm and gentle man who possessed a vigorous physique. However, she quickly pretended that she’d seen nothing at all and hastily came closer as Gu Beiyue slowly opened his eyes. Before Han Yunxi had used her poison, she’d applied an anesthetic, so he was just waking up now.
“Don’t move, I just took care of your injury!” Han Yunxi said seriously.
Gu Beiyue looked at her for a long time before speaking. “Esteemed wangfei, I…I’m not dead?”
“I thought you’d die too. But you’re a good person, and good people have stronger lives.” Han Yunxi was earnest about her words. She really thought that Gu Qishao meant to take Gu Beiyue’s life, but who knew he’d miss by just that tiny bit! She explained everything to Gu Beiyue, who exhaled in response.
“It must have been esteemed wangfei’s fortune to avoid such a calamity.”
Han Yunxi couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Gu Beiyue, since when did you turn into a flatterer that hits the horse’s bottom too? It was obviously I who implicated you.”
Gu Beiyue gave a bashful smile. “Esteemed wangfei, I was so frightened back then that I didn’t think twice when I realized what was going on and shouted for help. Isn’t this Gu Qishao a friend of yours and His Highness? How could he…”
Han Yunxi forced a smile. “Who’s friends with him? At most, we happen to know each other. In any case, it’s a long story.”
A complicated look flitted past Gu Beiyue’s eyes before he asked, “Esteemed wangfei, before I heard you say that these assassination needles were from the Tang Clan?”
“You know about the Tang Clan too?” Han Yunxi said doubtfully. Even a doctor like Gu Beiyue knew of jianghu affairs?
“The Tang Clan’s assassination weapons are famous throughout Cloud Realm Continent. I’ve heard people mention them at Medical City when I was younger,” Gu Beiyue replied.
Han Yunxi nodded. She didn’t plan on continuing with this topic, but grabbed a brocade cover to give Gu Beiyue before calling for Seventh Madame and little Yi’er to enter. Only then did Gu Beiyue realize he was half-exposed. The tips of his ears reddened slightly as he covered himself up.
Seventh Madame and little Yi’er both broke into smiles upon seeing he was all right. Seventh Madame urged Gu Beiyue to recuperate for a few days at the Han estate, but Gu Beiyue insisted on returning home. Han Yunxi personally escorted him to the Gu Estate, before making arrangements and ensuing the young medical youths there knew how to change his dressing. When she was just about to leave, she turned back and said, “Gu Beiyue, what happened today…”
Before she could finish, Gu Beiyue smiled softly. “Esteemed wangfei can be at ease, I won’t say a thing.”
What a smart man!
Han Yunxi discovered that she liked him more and more. Her smiling dimples were like flowers as she nodded before leaving with her cares at rest. Gu Beiyue lightly stroked the injury on his chest before muttering under his breath.
“Gu Qishao, are you like me as well? Did you come here to look for the poisons woman too?”
Han Yunxi could actually take poisons out of thin air. What kind of ability was that? Was she the person he was looking for?
1. mace – or qian (钱), unit of measurement approximately equal to 5 grams.
2. fen (分) – Chinese unit of measurement approximately equal to 373.01mg or 0.01316oz.