Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Human Blood as Medicine

“What do you mean?” Qi Shu Xian froze. What did “deliberately making trouble” mean?

The physician snorted.

Meng Yang had not expected a minor physician to embarrass her like this. Ever since she started working with the Third Prince, people had always flattered her. Now not only had Sheng Zhi Wan’s lowly maid humiliated her, even this small-time physician dared to do the same.

Meng Yang lowered her eyes and forced her resentment down. She bit her lip and said with a wronged look, “The physician was right. It was my fault. When I walked, I only thought about the Wine Workshop, so I slipped by accident and fell into the flower pond.”

“What?” Qi Shu Xian jolted. Then he flared up and looked at Qing Xing. “You were the one following Yang’er yesterday?”

“Yes… yes…” Qing Xing dropped to her knees in panic.

Qi Shu Xian said coldly, “How did you care for your master? If anything happens to Yang’er’s belly, a hundred lives of yours won’t be enough to pay for it! Get out. Go receive your rod punishment yourself!”

Qing Xing’s face turned white.

Meng Yang quickly grabbed Qi Shu Xian’s hand weakly. “Heir Apparent, don’t frighten her. When I think about things, I’m used to having no one near me, so I told her to stay farther away. If I fell, I can only blame myself. How could I blame her?”

She added softly, “Besides, Qing Liu is still lying in bed. If you punish her, I’ll have no one at my side.”

“Then pick two from the other maids-”

“Heir Apparent!” Meng Yang bit her lip and pleaded.

Qi Shu Xian sighed and pulled her into his arms. “You… your heart is too soft. That’s why people bully you so easily.”

The physician curled his lip.

Those words might fool the Heir Apparent. A professional like him could tell at a glance that it was not as simple as falling into a flower pond. She had been soaked in it for at least half the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Still, angry as he was, he was not about to abandon a servant. He wrote a prescription with a dark face, then took his leave and left.

Meng Yang stared hard at his back. When she lifted her gaze again, she wore a gentle, frail expression. “Heir Apparent, how is your arm? Yesterday I asked around about a few Eastern Wa healers. If you need them, you can summon them into the manor.”

At the mention of his arm, Qi Shu Xian stiffened for a moment. Thinking of yesterday’s absurdity in Ning Xiang Garden, he regretted it, yet a strange heat rose in him.

“It’s fine,” he said, avoiding Meng Yang’s eyes. “I already found someone who can treat my arm.”

“Oh?” Meng Yang froze. “Who is it?”

Qi Shu Xian did not answer. He only told her a few more words about resting and recovering, then hurried away.

A bad feeling rose in Meng Yang’s chest. She immediately called a maid over and told her to find out where Qi Shu Xian went.

When Qing Xing brought in the boiled medicine, that maid returned to report, “Concubine, the Heir Apparent went to Ning Xiang Garden.”

“Pa!”

The bowl slipped in Meng Yang’s hand. The medicine splashed onto the floor.

Ning Xiang Garden. Again, Ning Xiang Garden.

Meng Yang’s body trembled.

“Concubine, your health matters most. No matter what, you should recover first before thinking about anything else,” Qing Xing said, grateful that Meng Yang had pleaded for her. She stood up, ready to boil another dose.

“Stop!” Meng Yang called her back. Her eyes locked tightly on Qing Xing. “What Sheng Zhi Wan said yesterday- did you hear it?”

“W-what?” Qing Xing froze.

Meng Yang studied her carefully. Only after she saw no change on Qing Xing’s face did she relax. She waved her away to boil more medicine.

Between Sheng Zhi Wan’s threat and the bitterness in her heart over Huan Zhu, Meng Yang’s fever grew especially severe this time. During these days, Qi Shu Xian did come to Wei Yang Courtyard to visit, but he spent even more time in Ning Xiang Garden.

On the third day, Meng Yang fell into a coma again.

At that moment, Qi Shu Xian was in Ning Xiang Garden, tangled in bed with Huan Zhu.

Sheng Zhi Wan arrived with people in tow. When she saw the unconscious Meng Yang, the corner of her lips lifted.

“Last time the Heir Apparent said dog blood warded off evil, and Concubine Meng fainted because she was ‘collided’ by something. This time, I think it might be the same.”

“But the manor has no dog blood left.” Sheng Zhi Wan tilted her head as if considering it. “I’ve heard of another method. If you use a loyal servant’s blood as medicine, it can also call the master’s consciousness back. Ting Lan.”

Her gaze swept across the maids kneeling all over Wei Yang Courtyard.

“That maidservant called Qing Liu last time. She seemed extremely loyal to Concubine Meng. Bring her here.”

Ting Lan answered loudly, “Yes!”

Soon, Qing Liu, who had not yet recovered from her injuries, was carried out on a bed board and set down in the courtyard.

When Qing Liu learned that Sheng Zhi Wan wanted to use her blood as medicine to save Concubine Meng, she went completely blank.

“No! Don’t! Why should I? Princess, this is malicious revenge. If Concubine were awake, she would never agree to your method!”

“But right now she’s still asleep,” Sheng Zhi Wan said lightly. “Even if she doesn’t wake up, that would mean your blood isn’t loyal enough to protect your master. But what if your blood works?”

She smiled. “Then your Concubine Meng will surely be grateful to you.”

Sheng Zhi Wan did not listen to Qing Liu’s arguments. She ordered someone to stuff Qing Liu’s mouth and cut open her palm to drain blood.

The blood dripped into a bowl, drop by drop, until it filled half the bowl. Sheng Zhi Wan rose unhurriedly, mixed the blood into the medicine, and brought it to Meng Yang’s bedside.

The blood alone, of course, would not work. But if it was mixed with something of hers, then it would.

Sheng Zhi Wan placed a pill into the bowl and dissolved it. Then she pried Meng Yang’s lips apart and forced the medicine down.

A moment later, Meng Yang, who had been unconscious, actually opened her eyes.

The bloody stench in her throat made her retch on instinct. Then her gaze swept to the empty bowl beside her, smeared with blood.

“T-this… what is this?”