Chapter 136

Chapter 136: Did You Want To?

Qi Shu Xian heard the news and rushed back. The moment Qi Shu Xian saw Madam Cui’s face, Qi Shu Xian did not dare waste time and immediately sent people to every major pharmacy to invite physicians.

They changed more than a dozen physicians in a row, yet Madam Cui still did not wake up.

Qi Shu Xian had no choice but to invite an Imperial Physician. Imperial Physician Song shut his doors and refused to see anyone. After Imperial Physician Li examined her, Imperial Physician Li frowned and said, “It shouldn’t be. I saw Madam just a few days ago, and Madam still looked well. How did her liver and kidneys become so depleted in such a short time?”

Qi Shu Xian asked, “Does Imperial Physician Li have a way to treat her?”

Qi Shu Xian had not slept all night, and Qi Shu Xian’s head throbbed. Imperial Physician Li shook his head and sighed. “If she can wake up today, that will be good. If she can’t wake up… Heir Apparent, you must prepare yourself.”

[How could this happen?] Qi Shu Xian dropped into a chair, his eyes bloodshot.

Meng Yang gripped Qi Shu Xian’s hand in distress.

Just then, a maid hurried in to report, “Heir Apparent, the Heir Apparent’s wife has arrived.”

Meng Yang froze. Before Meng Yang could react, Qi Shu Xian flung Meng Yang’s hand away without thinking, and Meng Yang’s knuckles knocked against the bed frame.

Meng Yang let out a soft cry, her eyes filling with grievance, but Qi Shu Xian did not notice Meng Yang at all. Qi Shu Xian only looked at the Sheng Zhi Wan who had just walked in and asked, “Why did you come?”

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled. Sheng Zhi Wan’s gaze brushed over Meng Yang before settling on Madam Cui. “I heard Mother fell unconscious, so I came to take a look.”

Qi Shu Xian said nothing.

Sheng Zhi Wan did not mind. Sheng Zhi Wan stepped closer, saw Madam Cui’s face, and lifted an eyebrow. “Tsk. It looks the same as last time. Her liver and kidneys are both depleted.”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s words matched Imperial Physician Li’s diagnosis.

Qi Shu Xian stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly said, “Can you do it for Mother and go beg Imperial Physician Song?”

Qi Shu Xian’s eyes reddened as Qi Shu Xian added, “Imperial Physician Li said that if Mother can’t wake up today, it might… go badly.”

Sheng Zhi Wan glanced at Qi Shu Xian and asked, “What does Heir Apparent think?”

Qi Shu Xian pressed his lips together. Qi Shu Xian only asked because Qi Shu Xian knew Sheng Zhi Wan would refuse, so Qi Shu Xian never wanted to beg in the first place. Now it was exactly as expected.

Sheng Zhi Wan curled her lips. “But I do have a way to wake Mother.”

Qi Shu Xian snapped his gaze to Sheng Zhi Wan. “Really?”

Sheng Zhi Wan blinked. “No.”

Sheng Zhi Wan said cautiously, “Heir Apparent and Concubine Meng once suspected I harmed Mother-in-law. So to be safe, I should not do anything.”

Only then did Qi Shu Xian remember the incident from a few days ago. Madam Cui had fainted, Sheng Zhi Wan had saved Madam Cui, and yet Qi Shu Xian and Meng Yang had misunderstood Sheng Zhi Wan.

But at a time like this, Sheng Zhi Wan still cared about that?

Qi Shu Xian took a deep breath and said, “What do you want? A life is at stake. Are you going to watch Mother die?”

Sheng Zhi Wan gave a soft, mocking laugh. “Heir Apparent, don’t pin that on me.”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s voice turned colder. “I told you back then. If Mother has another accident and Heir Apparent wants me to act, Heir Apparent will have to pay a price.”

Qi Shu Xian stared in disbelief.

Sheng Zhi Wan really had said that. But how could Qi Shu Xian have known this day would come? And so quickly.

[Could Sheng Zhi Wan have predicted it back then?] The thought flashed through Qi Shu Xian’s mind, and Qi Shu Xian crushed it at once. [Impossible. It was just a coincidence.]

Sheng Zhi Wan turned to leave. “Fine. I’ve seen Mother. I won’t stay.”

Qi Shu Xian called out, “Wait!”

Qi Shu Xian stared at Sheng Zhi Wan’s back and said, “As long as you can wake Mother, I will agree to any price.”

Sheng Zhi Wan stopped and turned around. “Heir Apparent means that?”

Qi Shu Xian was about to answer, but Qi Shu Xian suddenly remembered what Sheng Zhi Wan had said not long ago about divorcing him. Qi Shu Xian’s face darkened at once. “Except that thing you said last time!”

Sheng Zhi Wan blinked with feigned regret. “Fine. Then how about all the estates and farmland under Heir Apparent’s name?”

Qi Shu Xian fell silent.

Qi Shu Xian did not expect Sheng Zhi Wan to be this greedy. To raise silver for the Duke Manor, Qi Shu Xian had already sold most of his own shops and lands. Only two estates and a few dozen mu of fields remained.

If Sheng Zhi Wan wanted them, Sheng Zhi Wan could have them.

Qi Shu Xian was about to agree when Meng Yang grabbed Qi Shu Xian’s sleeve and said, “Didn’t Heir Apparent say that in a few days, Heir Apparent would take me to soak in the hot springs?”

That hot spring was in one of those estates.

Sheng Zhi Wan spoke lightly, stirring trouble as if it were nothing. “Concubine Meng earns buckets of gold every day. If Concubine Meng wants to soak in hot springs, where can’t Concubine Meng go?”

Sheng Zhi Wan’s smile deepened. “Or is it that Concubine Meng doesn’t want Mother to wake up? If Mother doesn’t wake up, Concubine Meng won’t have to spend silver to keep Mother’s body alive.”

Meng Yang’s face went pale. “Princess, please don’t slander me. I never meant that!”

“Good,” Sheng Zhi Wan said. Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Qi Shu Xian. “Does Heir Apparent agree?”

Qi Shu Xian said, “Fine. As long as you can wake Mother, I will hand the deeds to you.”

Sheng Zhi Wan did not put on airs. “Then Heir Apparent should take everyone out.”

Qi Shu Xian blurted, “What? We still have to go out?”

“Of course.” Sheng Zhi Wan said, “My method is a bit special. No one can stay.”

Sheng Zhi Wan added calmly, “Besides, Mother is already like this. Is Heir Apparent still worried I will do something? If Heir Apparent doesn’t trust me, I will leave.”

Sheng Zhi Wan turned to go without the slightest hesitation.

This time, Qi Shu Xian panicked. Qi Shu Xian said quickly, “Come back! Fine, I agree. I will go out.”

Soon, everyone in the room was cleared out.

Sheng Zhi Wan looked at Madam Cui lying on the couch and slowly drew out a neat row of slender silver needles from her robe.

Sheng Zhi Wan picked one needle, rolled it between her fingers, and in the next instant drove it down fast and hard into the top of Madam Cui’s head.

At the moment the needle sank in, Madam Cui’s heavy eyelids trembled twice.

Sheng Zhi Wan smiled.

Then Sheng Zhi Wan drove down a second long needle.

This time, Madam Cui’s lips twitched, but strangely, only the right side of Madam Cui’s mouth moved.

Sheng Zhi Wan sank the third needle, and Madam Cui’s trembling eyelids finally lifted fully.

Madam Cui’s dark pupils reflected Sheng Zhi Wan’s figure. Madam Cui’s lips moved in terror, trying to speak, but Madam Cui suddenly realized that Madam Cui’s body was no longer under Madam Cui’s control.

Madam Cui could not tell, but if anyone had been in the room, they would have seen that only the right half of Madam Cui’s face moved.

Sheng Zhi Wan picked up another needle and waved it in front of Madam Cui’s eyes.

Fear filled Madam Cui’s pupils.

Madam Cui wanted to struggle. Madam Cui wanted to scream. But Madam Cui could do none of it. Madam Cui could only lie there like a slab of dead flesh, watching the long needle draw closer and closer.

Madam Cui forced out a scream, “-Ah!”

Madam Cui froze.

Madam Cui seemed to be able to make a sound again. It was faint and slurred, but it truly came from Madam Cui’s own throat.

[How could this be?]

Madam Cui’s gaze trembled as Madam Cui stared at the silver needle in Sheng Zhi Wan’s hand. The needle moved lower, coming closer and closer.

Then a small sting pierced the skin.

Madam Cui felt that the right leg that had been numb just moments ago now seemed to have strength again.

[Could Sheng Zhi Wan be treating me?]

Sheng Zhi Wan asked softly, “Mother, do you still want to speak?”

Sheng Zhi Wan continued, “Do you want to stand up again, like before?”

Sheng Zhi Wan asked one more time, “Do you want your body to be healthy?”

With every question, Madam Cui’s eyes lit up a little more.