Imperial Physician Yan and Attendant Hu examined that pill over and over countless times, and personally tested it themselves before daring to dissolve it and give it to Zhou Weizhao to drink. He hadn’t taken any food or water these past several days and had already visibly grown gaunt at an alarming rate. Song Chuyi dampened a piece of gauze with water and bit by bit moistened his lips, her heart suspended in anxiety as she waited for his reaction.
Imperial Physician Yan said that this poison was fierce and tyrannical in its toxicity. After all these days, it had already seeped into his internal organs. Combined with Zhou Weizhao’s severe vomiting of blood, the poison’s spread had accelerated even more. Now, even with the antidote, they didn’t know if it could neutralize the poison—they would have to observe the effects. If he could wake up tonight, then he and Attendant Hu could use golden needles on acupoints to let blood from Zhou Weizhao, and there would be no serious problems. But if Zhou Weizhao couldn’t wake up today, then matters would inevitably become much more troublesome no matter what, and they would have to go request Master Taibai’s aid.
Qing Luo tiptoed in and handed Song Chuyi a cup of red date tea. Her feelings were indescribable—she had come down the mountain on Zhang Tianshi’s special arrangement, with the understanding that she would accompany the Crown Grandson. The Crown Grandson was getting older and should have someone at his side who knew his needs intimately. But unexpectedly, the Crown Grandson had only glanced at the two of them once before immediately instructing them to go follow Miss Song the Sixth.
To say she felt no resistance in her heart would be a lie. From childhood, she had known she was to be a Daoist soldier accompanying the Crown Grandson. To suddenly be assigned a different master, and a young lady at that—though she didn’t complain like Han Yan did, she still felt uneasy about it.
But once she truly followed Song Chuyi, she finally understood why the Crown Grandson was so especially devoted to Miss Six. It was truly because Miss Six, like the Crown Grandson, was also an exceptional person. Take this incident for example—Miss Six didn’t have to risk herself in danger like this. She looked thoughtfully at Song Chuyi and was about to say something more when she saw Qing Zhuo beckoning to her from outside.
Qing Luo went out somewhat puzzled. Though she and Qing Zhuo had both come down from Longhu Mountain, they were actually more distant with each other than with Cuiting and Mingtai, probably due to the separation between men and women. Seeing Qing Zhuo’s troubled expression, she couldn’t help asking somewhat bewilderedly, “What’s the matter?” She still had many things to do—she needed to cook some easily digestible rice porridge shortly in case Zhou Weizhao woke up.
Qing Zhuo glanced inside and sighed, “Someone from the Cui family has come, looking for Miss Six.”
In the flower hall, Cui Hualuan couldn’t suppress her anxiety either. She had always been able to remain composed, but ever since hearing that the Crown Grandson had been injured and poisoned, the restlessness in her heart had surged up layer upon layer like an overwhelming tide that couldn’t be concealed. Especially when Song Chuyi could openly and legitimately come to Yangquan County to help after informing Old Madam Cui, while she could only stay bored at home—this sense of unease made her both worried and panicked.
The moment Song Chuyi stepped through the door from outside, she spotted her with sharp eyes, immediately stood up, and took two steps forward to grasp Song Chuyi’s hand, suppressing her anxiety as she asked, “How is it? I heard from the Prince Consort that Ma Yuantong and his group have already been captured. Can His Highness’s poison be cured now? Second Uncle and Third Uncle once went up the mountain to request Master Taibai…” She suddenly remembered that Cui Yingtang and Cui Yingyin had gone up the mountain to request Master Taibai to read Song Chuyi’s physiognomy and fortune. She refused to continue and paused, then changed the subject: “If there really is no other way, take His Highness to find Master Taibai.”
Cui Hualuan’s unusual concern for the Crown Grandson left Song Chuyi somewhat puzzled. Although Cui Hualuan was the daughter of Princess Duanhui, she had been raised in the Jin region since childhood—one in Shanxi and one at Longhu Mountain in Jiangxi, with no connection even remotely close. Even if Princess Duanhui occasionally showed hints of wanting to strengthen ties with the Eastern Palace through marriage, Cui Hualuan shouldn’t be so enthusiastic in her attitude.
After considering for a while, she honestly told her that Zhou Weizhao had already taken the antidote, and if he could get through tonight and wake up, he would be fine.
Cui Hualuan had just breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Qing Luo return with unconcealed joy on her face to report: “Miss, His Highness has awakened! Attendant Hu and Imperial Physician Yan have both rushed over!”
Cui Hualuan’s eyes widened. Only now did she feel that her heart, which had been suspended in midair unable to go up or down, had firmly and solidly fallen back to its proper place. She was so relieved that she stepped back and fell into Danzhu’s arms. Pressing her hand to her chest, she exhaled a long sigh and couldn’t help but invoke Buddha’s name.
Attendant Hu and Imperial Physician Yan worked for half the night and finally managed to expel the remaining poison from Zhou Weizhao. They ordered people to heat a large tub of water and immersed Zhou Weizhao’s entire body in it for half an hour before emerging drenched in sweat to inform those waiting in the room that the poison had been completely neutralized.
Lai Chenglong and Ye Jingkuan exchanged glances and both breathed a sigh of relief in unison. As long as Zhou Weizhao was fine, this expedition to quell the rebellion wouldn’t produce any other complications. However, the Crown Grandson’s safety from now on absolutely had to be handled with the utmost caution.
After enduring for several days, they had finally waited for the Crown Grandson to escape danger. Nanny Xu and the others all breathed a sigh of relief. They heated water and attended to Song Chuyi’s washing up, then urged her somewhat heartachingly to rest early: “Even a person of iron can’t endure being worn down like this—how many days has it been without closing your eyes? Although you want to help, you can’t exhaust your own body.”
Song Chuyi hadn’t gone to join the commotion. She had just wrung her hair dry and yawned, about to close her eyes, when she heard Qing Tao report from outside that Cui Hualuan had come.
Nanny Xu never had any objections to people from the Cui family, especially the eldest daughter of the Cui family. Though she felt sorry for Song Chuyi in her heart, she still said nothing and stood to the side waiting for Song Chuyi to say whether to see her or not.
This was the first time Cui Hualuan had actively sought her out, and at such a late hour of the night. If it wasn’t something urgent, then it was something troublesome. Song Chuyi sighed and sat back up, letting Nanny Xu drape a cloak over her as she said, “Please invite her in quickly.”
It was already late at night. The silver-inlaid pearl flower earrings at Cui Hualuan’s ears made her complexion appear even more fair and her features gentle under the candlelight’s reflection. She sat opposite Song Chuyi with a trace of apology on her face: “To still disturb you from peace and quiet at this late hour—it truly is my fault.”
“Elder Sister traveled for a full day and night—why didn’t you rest earlier?” Song Chuyi shook her head and took small scissors to trim the wick. The room brightened by several degrees. She looked at Cui Hualuan with candid eyes: “What urgent matter is so pressing?”
“It’s not really any urgent matter.” Cui Hualuan looked troubled and somewhat hesitant. She bit her lip and finally asked aloud: “I’m just rather curious—what kind of relationship is worth a noble young lady of a secluded chamber disregarding propriety like this to extend help?”