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墨書 Inktalez
She couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but every time she wiped his neck, his eyelashes seemed to flutter slightly. It was as if he was holding back something.
Did he feel pain even in his dreams? Concerned that he might be hurting, she became increasingly gentle with her movements. When administering the medicine, she was also careful, afraid that too much would spill out and cause him suffering.
Kazama watched as the broth dripped down her master's neck and couldn't help but sigh deeply. His master had everything going for him, yet he chose to endure such hardship. Did he really think that a life of tenderness was so easy to enjoy?
Yan Dan always felt that relying on ginseng soup to prolong life wouldn't last long. Although the doctor said his days were numbered, feeling his pulse revealed it to be strong and vigorous, certainly not the pulse of someone about to pass away.
She had mentioned several times to Kazama about finding a doctor to prescribe some tonics to strengthen him; perhaps it could help him recover. Even if it didn't, it should at least extend his life a bit longer. But Kazama always made excuses—sometimes saying there were no medicines available, other times claiming the doctor shouldn't treat him anymore. When she pressed him further, he simply stated that Lord Jun didn't like taking medicine and would surely be displeased if forced to take it while unconscious.
Ignoring his absurdity, Yan Dan took it upon herself to find a doctor for a consultation. The doctor prescribed a variety of medicines, most aimed at treating internal and external injuries.
After asking the doctor about Zhong Xue's condition, he insisted that Zhong Xue was on the brink of death. But why prescribe so many medicines for someone who was supposedly dying? Was this doctor out of his mind for money?
This suited her just fine; she arranged for a bamboo tube—much thicker than one made of reeds—and thought that even a deity could be forced to drink from it. She even gave this contraption a charming name: "Water-Draining Rat."
After administering ten bowls of medicine, only three had gone down, but Zhong Xue's complexion indeed looked less pale; instead, it had taken on a bit of color. She couldn't tell if it was from the heat of the medicine or some other reason. His body felt hot now, a stark contrast to the chill she had felt when she first saw him. It was impressive that after drinking so much medicine, his insides hadn't been ruined.
Kazama watched with sympathy as Lord Jun was treated like a water-draining rat. The medicine dribbled down his neck, soaking his clothes and leaving him smelling strongly of herbs.
He sighed and said to Yan Dan, who was focused on administering the medicine, "Shouldn't Lord Jun take a bath? He smells bad; we should clean him up."
Yan Dan poured the last spoonful of medicine into Zhong Xue's mouth and noticed his face becoming increasingly flushed. She felt quite satisfied; at this rate, he might actually get better in no time.
She patted his face and asked Kazama, "What were you saying just now?"
"I was cleaning Lord Jun."
She nodded, "Go prepare some hot water, the kind that is really hot."
Kazama shivered for a moment, thinking, isn't this going to scald the pig's hair? Poor Lord Jun, poor master, why does he have to be interested in such a scheming woman? She’s making things difficult; could it be that she has seen through something?
Yan Dan called two maidservants to bring a large basin of water, and seeing the steam rising, it was clear that it had just been boiled.
Kazama couldn't figure out what she was trying to do. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, he poured a basin of cool water into it. He thought to himself, it's a bit too hot; let’s hope it doesn’t scald him enough to peel. He just hoped Lord Jun could endure it and absolutely must not jump up!
Yan Dan looked at the steam and knew the water temperature was not low. She had the maidservants wring out a towel and pressed it onto his chest. The person lying down seemed to tremble slightly.
Is he waking up? She found it amusing and, through the clothing, felt his heart beating; that place was thumping wildly as if it were about to leap out of his chest.
What a strong vitality! This is not something that can be restored by simply taking too many tonics, nor does it resemble the frail body of someone on the verge of death. Goodness, this guy is really playing dead.
She pretended to ask Kazama, "Could this be a last burst of energy?"
Kazama touched his nose and replied, "Perhaps."
"Should we prepare a coffin? Is the burial outfit ready?"
Kazama grinned, "Maybe... it's ready..."
Yan Dan nodded and called over two maidservants, "Quickly, give your master a good wipe down; we don’t want him too dirty or smelly. When he gets to Yama King’s place, they might refuse him because of his odor."
She clapped her hands and glanced at the bucket. "The water has cooled down; add some more hot water."
"Yes." The maidservant responded and turned around only to see Lord Kazama there, constantly winking at her.
She couldn't help but touch her temples, thinking to herself, could it be that this lord has taken a liking to her? Everyone in the manor knew that Lord Kazama was Lord Jun's confidant, young and capable, with no bad habits. If Lord Jun were to pass away, following him would at least provide her with some support.
With this thought in mind, she couldn't help but give him a glance. Kazama thought she understood and let out a sigh of relief. In the past, when Lord Jun had been around, his glances had seemed like flirtatious winks. It appeared that this time it wasn't entirely so!
He eagerly hoped that the two girls would understand and not keep heating water for him. But evidently, they didn't get the hint.
The two maidservants brought in a basin of hot water, their faces stinging from the steam. Yan Dan looked satisfied with the heat, tossing in a handkerchief but hesitating to reach in and retrieve it. She found a pair of chopsticks to fish it out, placing it in an empty basin and wringing it out until it was about sixty to seventy percent dry before laying the warm cloth on his bare chest.
The towel pulled from the boiling water worked wonders; in just a moment, Zhong Xue's body turned as red as a boiled shrimp.
His lips twitched, his brows furrowed, every inch of his skin seemed to be reacting, yet no matter how intense the discomfort was, his eyes remained stubbornly shut. One couldn't help but secretly admire his resilience.
Yan Dan furrowed her brow, thinking, could she really be mistaken? Was he truly unconscious due to illness? Otherwise, how could he endure such suffering?
She instructed the maidservants to quickly apply some wound medicine; as soon as they smeared on a whole box of Toad Snow Lotus Ointment, he visibly relaxed.
For a moment, she couldn't discern whether he was genuinely ill or pretending. She had always known him to be deeply scheming; if he wasn't truly on the brink of death, then he must be biding his time to deal with someone. But who was he planning to target?
Just as she pondered this, Kazama rushed in and exclaimed, "Madam, something's wrong!"
After receiving a glare from Yan Dan, he quickly corrected himself, "Miss..."
Yan Dan set down the medicine bowl. "What happened?"
"It's Chief Minister Rong Huan who's come."
She had heard about Chief Minister Rong Huan from Kazama. It was said that under his instigation, the King of Wei was quite unstable. He had urged Wei Wang to eliminate Chengyang Jun, especially during the time Zhong Xue had been sent back to the manor. He allied with certain ministers in court to suppress Chengyang Jun's influence everywhere, likely waiting for him to take his last breath so he could seize power immediately.
She was born in the palace and had seen enough of power struggles. Even if Wei Wang had no ambition to seize power for himself, there would still be those who would find ways to whisper in his ear. Rong Huan likely wanted to emulate Zhong Xue and become the behind-the-scenes power in Wei Kingdom, and this time he was probably here to observe the situation.
She originally did not want to get involved, but Kazama asked her, "Spring Maiden, you need to step in and scare him off."
She ignored him, saying, "Why should I step in?"
"You wouldn't want to see Lord Jun die only to have his body torn apart, would you?"
Yan Dan chuckled lightly; if she could truly witness such a scene, she would be the one most delighted, letting him experience the taste of having no complete corpse after death.
Kazama persisted, urging her to go out.
Yan Dan snorted softly; she felt this was a typical Zhong Xue tactic—first appealing to her emotions to stabilize her, then using a wedge to trap her, making her useful within the confines he had drawn.
However, since this Chief Minister wanted to see, she would let him see enough. She instructed Kazama to bring him inside so he could see what Zhong Xue had become. Hmph, if he wanted to deal with Zhong Xue, he would have to see whether she agreed or not.
Footsteps were heard outside, followed by a man's voice asking, "Is Lord Jun inside? Is he well?"
Kazama had just received the order and needed to say no more; he simply replied, "You'll know once you go inside."
Rong Huan entered the room and saw a woman sitting by the curtain, softly speaking to the person on the bed. He couldn't immediately tell who she was, and when he turned around, Kazama had disappeared.
Only he and this woman remained in the room; she was likely Lord Jun's woman. He intended to leave but thought about his purpose for coming and held back.
In truth, he didn't want to be here. With so many civil and military officials in court, when did it come time for him as Chief Minister to act as a spy? They had sent so many people, yet none could enter the residence; many spies who managed to sneak in were caught as soon as they entered.
Chengyang Jun refused to see anyone but had invited many spirit summoners into his residence for elaborate rituals. He had also sent a few summoners there but regrettably never met him; those could only perform their spells outside the door.
Wei Wang was inherently timid, feeling uncertain without clear information, and was filled with trepidation. Chengyang Jun was not dead; everyone had their taboos, and who would dare to act recklessly? That would be akin to seeking death. They were anxious because they could not grasp Chengyang Jun's condition, which was why they sought him out.
Rong Huan was a veteran of three dynasties; if even he could not help, others would truly be at a loss.
At this moment, he bowed to Yan Dan, saying, "Madam, I am Rong Huan, here to pay my respects to Lord Jun."
Before he entered, Yan Dan had already lowered the curtain. From the outside, one could only vaguely see that there was a person lying inside.
She turned back and smiled gently, "You must be Lord Rong. What brings you to see Lord Jun?"
To appear more authentic, she had deliberately changed into Female Attire, wearing a white long dress that accentuated her slender waist, looking so flawless and ethereal as if she were untouched by the mortal world.
Rong Huan was momentarily stunned, secretly praising such an extraordinary beauty. He truly did not know where Chengyang Jun had found her.
Hearing her question, he quickly replied, "I have heard that Lord Jun is gravely ill, and I came to visit."
He stretched his neck to glance at the curtain. "Is Lord Jun able to be seen?" (To be continued)
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