Chi Can and the others all crowded in.

“Miss Li, do you know how to treat illness?” Yang Houcheng asked impatiently.

Qiao Zhao nodded with mixed feelings.

“Then what exactly is wrong with Tingquan?”

“He’s always had cold poison in his body. Now he’s been stimulated, causing his qi and blood to flow in reverse, with the cold poison attacking his heart. That’s why he’s become like this,” Qiao Zhao explained.

“Can the cold poison be removed?” Zhu Yàn asked.

“It can be, but—”

“Why are you being so verbose? Tingquan has helped you many times. Are you going to set conditions now?” Chi Can felt inexplicably displeased.

Qiao Zhao glanced at him, then looked around at everyone, speaking calmly: “There’s a prerequisite I need to make clear.”

“Please speak, Miss Li.” Realizing things weren’t as simple as they’d thought, Zhu Yàn said gently.

“There are probably two people who can remove the cold poison from General Shao’s body. One is Physician Li, the other is me.” When Qiao Zhao solemnly spoke these words, everyone was stunned.

Chen Guang looked at her with complete admiration.

Third Miss, regardless of our medical skills, this confidence alone is unmatched!

“I’m saying this to make you understand that my treating General Shao’s cold poison is the only option. If there were anyone who could replace me, I wouldn’t take action.”

Everyone became more confused the more they listened.

Why did it sound like Miss Li was very reluctant to drive out Shao Mingyuan’s poison? Shao Mingyuan shouldn’t have offended Miss Li, should he?

“Now I need someone to assist me. Everyone else must not approach the door—”

Before Qiao Zhao finished speaking, several people said in unison: “I’ll do it!”

Looking at Chi Can, then at Yang Houcheng, and Qiao Mo, Qiao Zhao sighed.

Chi Can definitely wouldn’t work—with his unpredictable temper, what if he had a fit later?

Brother Yang wouldn’t work either. She felt he couldn’t keep secrets.

Big brother—

Qiao Zhao shook her head secretly.

Big Brother wouldn’t work either.

Just thinking about undressing Shao Mingyuan in front of Big Brother was too embarrassing.

“Chen Guang, you do it.”

Chi Can’s face darkened: “Why won’t I work?”

Qiao Zhao smiled: “Brother Chi is too handsome. I’m afraid I’d be distracted.”

Everyone: “…” This reason was too good to argue with.

Chi Can was too angry to speak.

Everyone retreated, leaving only Qiao Zhao and the designated Chen Guang.

“Third Miss, I don’t know anything! What should I do?” Chen Guang was somewhat panicked.

The general looked very serious. He knew nothing about medicine—if he messed up, wouldn’t he harm the general?

“Just do as I say.”

“Alright, alright. Please give your orders, Third Miss.” Chen Guang swallowed hard, secretly encouraging himself.

He could do it. For the general’s sake, even if he couldn’t, he had to!

“Now, remove General Shao’s upper garments.”

“What?” Chen Guang nearly fell over.

He must have heard wrong, right?

“Remove General Shao’s clothes!”

“Third Miss, this, this isn’t appropriate, is it? Our general is still ill.”

Qiao Zhao was almost amused by her anger: “Should I have Young Master Chi come in instead?”

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it!” Chen Guang hurried forward, clumsily removing Shao Mingyuan’s upper garments.

Chen Guang had always revered Shao Mingyuan like a war god. Undressing him now created enormous psychological pressure. After removing the upper garments, in his nervousness, he forgot Qiao Zhao’s instructions and reached out to pull at Shao Mingyuan’s belt.

“Stop!” The usually composed Miss Qiao was nearly beside herself with anger.

Was this coachman stupid? Why was he taking off Shao Mingyuan’s pants?

Qiao Zhao’s face reddened slightly as she took out a row of silver needles from her pouch and approached Shao Mingyuan.

The crisscrossing scars on the man lying quietly on the bed made her hand pause.

The people of Great Liang often said that scars were a warrior’s greatest glory on the battlefield. Was this why this man was so beloved by the people?

But such a young general, beloved by the people, his mother didn’t love him.

Qiao Zhao gripped the silver needle and instructed Chen Guang: “After this needle goes in, General Shao will very likely wake up. You must hold him down and immediately stop him from moving around.”

“Understood.” Chen Guang nodded vigorously.

Qiao Zhao calmed her mind and inserted the silver needle into an acupoint below Shao Mingyuan’s heart.

The moment she let go, Shao Mingyuan opened his eyes.

His eyes were very dark. The confusion in them faded faster than most people’s would. His sharp instincts made him tense his muscles instantly, about to sit up.

“General, you can’t move!” Chen Guang pressed down on Shao Mingyuan’s shoulders and shouted.

“Don’t move,” Qiao Zhao reminded softly.

The personal guard’s voice was louder, covering those soft two words, yet Shao Mingyuan seemed to hear only that “don’t move.”

He didn’t move, then belatedly realized: he wasn’t wearing clothes!

In that instant, Shao Mingyuan’s mind went blank. Almost instinctively, he pulled the brocade quilt to cover his body and said calmly: “Get out.”

“General, Third Miss is driving out your cold poison—”

Shao Mingyuan abruptly interrupted Chen Guang: “Chen Guang, take Miss Li out.”

Seeing Chen Guang still hesitating, his voice grew colder: “What, can’t you follow my orders anymore?”

Chen Guang shuddered and quickly said: “This subordinate obeys!”

“Third Miss, let’s go out.”

Qiao Zhao’s face darkened: “I’m not going out.”

What kind of reaction was this bastard having, as if she were trying to take advantage of him?

Wasn’t he supposed to be brilliant and wise, both intelligent and brave? How could he still cling to worldly prejudices?

Shao Mingyuan hadn’t expected Qiao Zhao to refuse so decisively. Enduring his embarrassment, he said, “I know my physical condition. Please go out first, Miss Li.”

Qiao Zhao picked up the second silver needle, expressionless: “Right now, General Shao doesn’t get to decide. You are the patient, I am the physician. Physicians don’t acknowledge unreasonable demands from patients!”

Shao Mingyuan was stunned.

In his twenty-one years of life, this was the first time anyone had called him unreasonable.

Chen Guang opened and closed his mouth.

Heavens, he knew Third Miss’s fierceness was beyond comparison!

“Chen Guang, remove the quilt from General Shao’s body.”

“General—” Chen Guang mustered his courage and reached out.

Shao Mingyuan’s sharp gaze fell on Chen Guang’s hand as he said coldly: “Withdraw your paws.”

Chen Guang quickly put his hands behind his back. To show he didn’t exist, he simply ran to squat by the door.

He really couldn’t assist anymore—he was about to be driven to death by both the general and Third Miss. But he could still guard the door firmly. In the current situation, no matter what, they couldn’t let others see!

Qiao Zhao reached out to grab the brocade quilt covering Shao Mingyuan and said calmly, “Let go.”

Shao Mingyuan had no idea how to react.

Why would there be a girl like Miss Li in this world?

A grown man like him couldn’t possibly act like a child, saying he wouldn’t let go, but to let go and be naked in front of a young lady would be too embarrassing.

The young general clutched the quilt without speaking.

Miss Qiao was almost amused by her anger.

Was this man being childish? Did he think not speaking meant he didn’t have to let go?

“Will General Shao not let go?”