HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 692: The Poison Came from the Same Place

Chapter 692: The Poison Came from the Same Place

However, Xiao Huayong couldn’t afford to lose his position as Crown Prince, even for Shen Xihe’s sake. As long as he remained Crown Prince, his children with Shen Xihe would be legitimate heirs, recognized as the rightful successors who could command authority.

If he lost his position as Crown Prince, it would become exceptionally difficult for Shen Xihe to win the succession struggle. From Xie Yunhuai and A’le’s pessimistic attitudes regarding the treatment, Xiao Huayong could tell it would likely be extremely dangerous. He couldn’t risk cutting off Shen Xihe’s path forward for this small chance of survival.

What she cared about most in life was the survival of her father, brothers, and the entire Shen clan. He had already wronged her by selfishly forcing her to marry him before knowing if he could spend his whole life with her. If he were to gamble away everything she had protected her whole life on an unknown and minute possibility, he felt that even if he miraculously survived, he would never be able to face her again.

“Don’t let the Crown Princess know,” Xiao Huayong instructed calmly, his expression revealing nothing.

Xie Yunhuai opened his mouth, but A’le spoke first. Xiao Huayong’s questioning gaze turned to Xie Yunhuai.

Xie Yunhuai spoke with deep concern: “If Your Highness wishes to try the treatment, it cannot wait until next year.”

The Crown Prince’s carriage moved steadily along the capital’s smooth roads, making no sound from its wheels. In the spring season, the capital’s streets were especially lively, bustling with people coming and going, filled with vendors’ calls – a scene of prosperity.

Inside the carriage, however, it was so quiet one could hear soft breathing. Xiao Huayong’s gaze fixed on one spot as his thoughts seemed to drift far away.

When the carriage stopped at the Cui residence, Xiao Huayong alighted first and said to Xie Yunhuai behind him: “I understand.”

After speaking, he entered the Cui mansion’s gates with a slight stoop, coughing lightly.

Xie Yunhuai and A’le checked Cui Jinbai’s pulse. Shortly after placing his hand on Cui Jinbai’s wrist, Xie Yunhuai’s expression changed dramatically. He spoke to A’le in a language no one else could understand.

A’le’s eyes widened upon hearing this, and he responded to Xie Yunhuai. Though others couldn’t understand his words, they could sense his surprise and disbelief. Afterward, A’le took a sample of Cui Jinbai’s blood for examination, just as he had done with Xiao Huayong.

Xiao Huayong watched through the screen, his eyes darkening slightly.

After confirming something, A’le took out a shell from his leather pouch. Opening it revealed some medicinal powder, which he handed to Xie Yunhuai. Xie Yunhuai ordered someone to fetch stored snow water, mixed the powder with it, and gave it to Cui Jinbai.

Afterward, Xie Yunhuai sat quietly by the bed, checking Cui Jinbai’s pulse every quarter hour. After an hour, his expression finally relaxed, and he came out to tell Xiao Huayong: “Your Highness, the poison in Official Cui has been neutralized.”

The Cui family was naturally overjoyed. Cui Zheng even attempted to bow deeply to Xie Yunhuai, but Xie Yunhuai quickly avoided it and reached out to support him: “Minister Cui, please don’t overwhelm this junior. I treated Official Cui on His Highness’s orders.”

“This old official thanks Your Highness for your great kindness,” Cui Zheng and the Cui family members attempted to perform a grand bow to Xiao Huayong.

Xiao Huayong gave Tianyuan a look, and Tianyuan moved to support Cui Zheng. Tianyuan smiled and said: “The Cui family are pillars of the court, vital ministers. Young Official Cui is promising, and His Highness couldn’t bear to see such a capable official die young, so seeking medical treatment was natural. Minister Cui, please don’t stand at on ceremony. Rather, listen to Doctor Qi’s additional instructions and take care of Official Cui carefully, hoping he can serve the court again soon, to not waste His Highness’s efforts in saving him today.”

Everyone turned to look at Xie Yunhuai, who indeed had more to say: “Though the poison in Official Cui’s body has been neutralized and his life is no longer in danger, this poison was fierce and caused severe damage to his body. Since Official Cui was poisoned through his arm, though the poison has been cleared, the damaged tissues need slow recovery. Normally, he won’t have strength in his arm for half a month, and during this time, someone needs to massage his arm daily…”

At this point, Xie Yunhuai paused, looking toward Sui Axi: “If Doctor Sui could perform acupuncture daily to stimulate Official Cui’s meridians, perhaps he could recover before half a month passes. I will prescribe some medicine for Official Cui to take for internal healing, and I’ll return every three days to check his pulse.”

The Cui family expressed their gratitude profusely, and after they finished exchanging thanks, Xiao Huayong stood up.

“Since Official Cui is no longer in mortal danger, I shall return to the palace. Axi will stay at the Cui residence until Official Cui recovers completely.”

Xie Yunhuai wrote the prescription and left with A’le. When they arrived at his residence in the suburbs, they found Xiao Huayong waiting for them.

“Your Highness wants to ask about the poison that affected Official Cui,” Xie Yunhuai knew Xiao Huayong’s purpose.

Xiao Huayong turned around, his silver-bright eyes quietly fixed on Xie Yunhuai, waiting for his answer.

Xie Yunhuai first said something to A’le, who took his things and went inside. Then he addressed Xiao Huayong: “The poison affecting Official Cui is different from Your Highness’s – this poison was meant to take life directly.”

If Cui Jinbai hadn’t been fortunate enough to have the antidote pill given by Xiao Huayong, which came from Linghu Zheng, to temporarily suppress the poison’s effects, and if Sui Axi hadn’t taken over promptly with the Sui family’s unique and extraordinary acupuncture technique to seal the poison, Cui Jinbai wouldn’t have survived long enough for the antidote.

The poison in Xiao Huayong’s body was difficult to cure but wouldn’t take his life immediately.

“Though different, they came from the same place,” Xiao Huayong said quietly.

Xie Yunhuai nodded: “Yes, where A’le lives, poison-producing creatures grow everywhere, with countless varieties. Both the poison in Your Highness’s body and the one affecting Official Cui originated from that place.”

“Location,” Xiao Huayong said these two words briefly.

Xie Yunhuai understood and was even prepared for this. He took out a sheepskin scroll from his travel bag and handed it to Xiao Huayong: “Your Highness, this is the location I’ve deduced. There might be some deviation, but it won’t be far off.”

This was a map showing lands beyond the current dynasty’s borders. Without Xie Yunhuai’s specific markings, one wouldn’t even notice such a mysterious tribe on the map. Xiao Huayong’s gaze fell on several countries neighboring the tribe.

This dynasty had set precedents, receiving tribute from all nations, and collecting rare treasures from across the world, with foreigners frequently coming and going.

Xie Yunhuai had marked the map in great detail. A’le’s tribe didn’t belong to any country – it faced the sea on one side and was bordered by other countries on three sides, though at some distance. All three neighboring countries had sent envoys to the capital to pay tribute.

They had brought some of their countries’ rare treasures, but such unique poisons would certainly not have been presented to the palace officially – they would have been traded privately in the capital. As for who bought them, that would be nearly impossible to trace.

Trying to use this clue to find those who had poisoned Xiao Huayong and Cui Jinbai would be nearly impossible.

Xiao Huayong had been poisoned for over fourteen years. Even though this type of poison rarely left A’le’s tribe’s territory, tracking its path would be extremely difficult.

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