Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Merely a Cold Poison

How could he know such things?

Qi Shu Xian’s eyes were filled with impatience as he looked at Sheng Zhi Wan. “Stop delaying. Meng Yang’s child needs the Heavenly Pearl Fruit urgently. If you won’t hand it over, I’ll have to take it myself!”

“Hah…”

Sheng Zhi Wan laughed suddenly, softly. “When the Heir fell into the icy lake that year, if I hadn’t jumped in to save you, would you even be here, demanding the Heavenly Pearl Fruit from me now?”

Indeed, she was born with Cold Poison, but her three Masters spent years meticulously curing her. With just half a year more, she would have recovered completely. Yet soon after, she met Qi Shu Xian, who had fallen into the freezing lake. Without hesitation, she plunged in after him.

From then on, the Cold Poison clung to her, unrelenting.

Each winter, the poison tormented her, leaving her sleepless night after night. Only the Heavenly Pearl Fruit, added to her prescription, allowed her to endure.

That fruit was purchased from the Western Regions by her grandmother at great expense.

Yet now, Qi Shu Xian had completely forgotten all this.

Even worse, he stood arrogantly before her, demanding the fruit to help another woman.

“It was you who caused Meng Yang’s fall,” Qi Shu Xian argued coldly. “If not for you, she wouldn’t need the Heavenly Pearl Fruit at all!”

“Did I force her to come here?” Sheng Zhi Wan replied icily.

“My Lord, Miss Meng fell by herself! Every winter, Princess suffers terribly from Cold Poison. Without the fruit, she won’t survive!” Ting Lan couldn’t help but plead.

Qi Shu Xian sneered. “A mere farm girl understands filial piety enough to beg on behalf of my mother. And you? It’s just some Cold Poison—it won’t kill you. Meng Yang’s child cannot wait! Hand over the Heavenly Pearl Fruit!”

[Merely a Cold Poison, he says.]

Sheng Zhi Wan suddenly smiled at Qi Shu Xian. “I happen to have a type of Cold Poison that will let the Heir experience this ‘mere Cold Poison’ for every night over the next three months. If the Heir is willing to take it, I’ll give you the last Heavenly Pearl Fruit.”

“Princess!” Ting Lan immediately stepped forward, shaking her head, eyes reddened. “No! Without the Heavenly Pearl Fruit, how will you survive?”

In the past two years, she’d watched her Princess suffer through each harsh winter. Even with the fruit, she endured such agony she bit her own wrists to cope. Without it, how would she possibly endure?

“Fine!” Qi Shu Xian agreed without hesitation.

Truly, he didn’t care.

To him, Sheng Zhi Wan was simply being overly delicate, unable to handle minor discomfort. Having faced countless battles, teetering between life and death, what could a trivial Cold Poison possibly do?

Anything that wasn’t fatal wasn’t worth calling pain.

Thus, when Sheng Zhi Wan handed him a small black pill, he didn’t even wonder how a woman sheltered within the inner courtyard might have such a thing. Without hesitation, he swallowed it down.

Immediately after, he held out his hand again. “Now, the Heavenly Pearl Fruit!”

Sheng Zhi Wan gave him the fruit. Without a second glance, Qi Shu Xian turned and left.

That night, news came from Endless Courtyard: Meng Yang’s child was saved.

Yet, just as Meng Yang’s condition stabilized, Qi Shu Xian felt a biting chill begin deep within his bones, spreading slowly throughout his entire body.

His face turned pale, and he staggered, nearly collapsing.

“My Lord…” Meng Yang clutched his hand tightly. After tonight, her love for him deepened. But when she gazed into his eyes, all she saw was pain he barely managed to conceal.

“My Lord! What’s wrong?”

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead, yet the chill only intensified, wrapping around his muscles, making his limbs rigid and his body trembling in pain.

[Is this what Cold Poison truly feels like?]

He’d endured blade wounds and poison arrows, but compared to those visible injuries, this invisible agony was a thousand times worse.

Qi Shu Xian barely lasted fifteen minutes before collapsing, utterly drained.

Meng Yang panicked, sobbing as she clung to him desperately.

The doctor, still present, examined Qi Shu Xian carefully, his expression growing shocked. “My Lord, is this the Ice Toad Cold Poison?”

“What’s that?” Meng Yang was terrified, never having heard of it.

“A poison extracted from the Ice Toad,” explained the doctor grimly. “Anyone afflicted suffers unbearable pain every night. Though it dissipates naturally after three months without permanent harm, many choose death over such prolonged agony. Hence, it’s also called ‘Self-Ending Poison.'”

“Is there no cure?” Meng Yang sobbed.

“This old man’s skills are insufficient…”

“How can this be?” Meng Yang felt Qi Shu Xian shivering uncontrollably. “My Lord was fine yesterday! Madam—I’ll speak with Madam. She’ll surely summon an Imperial Physician!”

As Meng Yang struggled to rise from the bed, Qi Shu Xian, delirious with pain, barely managed to grab her arm, veins bulging in exertion. “No! Don’t!”

Meng Yang froze. “My Lord, do you know who poisoned you?”

Qi Shu Xian said nothing, closing his eyes tightly.

The maidservant Qing Xing timidly spoke up. “Earlier, My Lord visited Pinglan Residence. The Heavenly Pearl Fruit was also obtained from the Heir Consort…”