Chapter Twenty-Five: The Scheme

What is going on?

The Crown Princess is sitting out here in the deep of the night, amidst the heavy dew? Is she waiting for the Master?

But that can’t be right… since when would the Master treat her this way?

Physician Li stroked his beard and shook his head, utterly perplexed.

Tang Zhuozhuo had watched Zhang Desheng disappear inside for a long while without a soul emerging. She already had a fair idea of the situation, and seeing the physician arrive in such a panicked rush, her heart suddenly tightened with dread.

What has happened to Huo Qiu?

She raised a jade-like hand, rubbing her weary brow, and spoke softly, “An Xia, I feel faint.”

An Xia was taken aback. She reached out and felt Tang Zhuozhuo’s icy fingers, intending to persuade her to return to Yiqiu Palace, but before the words could leave her mouth, the Princess slumped down limply right before her eyes.

“My… My Lady?” Her voice trembled, but she suddenly saw Tang Zhuozhuo give her a subtle, imperceptible wink. In an instant, An Xia felt a chill run through her entire body.

Her Ladyship is actually going so far as to deceive His Highness!

Inside, Huo Qiu had just closed his eyes to endure another wave of agonizing pain when he suddenly heard Zhang Desheng cry out in alarm, “Your Highness! Her Ladyship, the Crown Princess, has fainted!”

Huo Qiu’s heart skipped a beat. He looked toward the courtyard to see a scene of total chaos; he couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the young girl’s hem.

By the time he strode out, Tang Zhuozhuo had been placed upon a reclining chair. Her face was as white as a sheet of paper. As the wind blew, the bells upon her exposed, snowy-white wrist jingled, a sound both mournful and desolate.

He swept the petite figure into his arms, lifting her from the chair. The excruciating pain at his wrist was like something devouring his very soul, yet he no longer felt a shred of it. His chest was tight, filled to the brim with nothing but aching tenderness.

If she wants to see so badly, then let her.

Tang Zhuozhuo only felt herself being pulled into a broad, solid chest. The man’s body was burning hot, and the faint scent of ambergris mixed with the cool aroma of mint brought her a profound sense of security.

Her eyelashes fluttered ever so slightly.

A drop of sweat fell onto the flawless white skin of the back of her hand. She felt as though she had been burned, but she forced herself to remain motionless.

She knew this sweat had been wrung out of him by sheer pain.

But had she not used this method today, a man like Huo Qiu would never have allowed her to set foot inside Zhengda Hall.

He walked with a steady, swift gait. Behind them, Physician Li chased after them, calling out repeatedly, “Your Highness, you must not exert yourself! You must not exert yourself!”

Huo Qiu turned a deaf ear. It was only when he had placed Tang Zhuozhuo upon the soft bed with the utmost care that he pulled away for a moment. The large crowd of servants following him held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

He turned his back to the bed as the palace maids lowered the layers of dark silk curtains. Tang Zhuozhuo’s eyes stung slightly; after a moment, she reached up and gently wiped away the moisture at the corners of her eyes.

The air was still permeated with a faint, metallic scent of blood. Physician Li looked at Huo Qiu’s palm, his brow furrowing deeply.

“Your Highness, the toxin from the Gu parasite has spread again. Please allow me to examine you.”

Huo Qiu shifted his body aside and said, “I am fine. Tend to the Crown Princess first.”

Physician Li placed a silk cloth over her wrist and took her pulse. After a long silence, he withdrew his hand. “Replying to Your Highness: Her Ladyship’s constitution is weak. Having suffered two consecutive bouts of the common cold, she cannot be exposed to even the slightest bit of chill during this period.”

With every word the physician spoke, Huo Qiu’s expression darkened a shade further. Only when the physician finished did he speak with an unreadable tone, “All of you, withdraw. Bring the medicine up once it is brewed.”

The roomful of maids and eunuchs filed out in an orderly fashion, leaving only Zhang Desheng and Physician Li behind.

Physician Li’s expression was grave as he rolled Huo Qiu’s sleeve up past the forearm. He paled in shock. “Your Highness, did you take the pain-suppressing medicine I prepared for you?”

Huo Qiu’s gaze was fixed upon the layers of gauze curtains on the bed. Seated upon a huanghuali wood chair, he lifted his eyelids and said indifferently, “Mhm. It ran out a while ago. I have been busy lately and forgot to send someone to fetch more.”

The way he said it, as if it were nothing. When these Southern Border Gu parasites acted up, the pain was enough to claim a life, yet His Highness spoke of it with such nonchalance, as if he truly did not care for such agony.

“Your Highness, I am dull-witted; I can only do my best to suppress it, but I cannot uproot this Gu.” Physician Li spoke with regret. “If it truly comes to the worst, I can only attempt that method for Your Highness.”

Outside the curtains, every word of their conversation fell into Tang Zhuozhuo’s ears. Her fingers twitched slightly, clutching a corner of the brocade quilt.

That method. She knew it well, of course.

To scrape the bone and extract the parasite. From the tiger’s mouth at the thumb all the way to the upper arm, the flesh would have to be sliced open. This would be supplemented by a thick decoction of specialized herbs to drive the parasite out from the blood and marrow.

Tang Zhuozhuo squeezed her eyes shut. So, in her past life, was this the method Huo Qiu used?

How much must that have hurt?

Once Physician Li had been escorted out by Zhang Desheng, his face etched with worry, Huo Qiu lifted the bed curtains. He was met with a pair of dark, glistening eyes that looked as though they had just been drenched by rain.

He remained silent for a moment.

“Your Highness, my head hurts.” Tang Zhuozhuo knew her little tricks couldn’t hide from him. Propping herself up, she slowly sat up and forced a smile, but her gaze uncontrollably drifted toward his left hand, which was hidden beneath his sleeve.

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