The Wang family’s eldest young master shoved the physician aside and strode further inside.

“Princess, please hurry!”

Only after Feng Jiu’er and Xiao Yingtao followed him inside did the people outside finally react.

“P-Princess?”

A physician stared at the chamber door, his face full of disbelief.

“The two of you physicians, please wait outside for now.”

The maid, coming to her senses, tossed out that line and left.

Inside the chamber, an older maid was wiping Wang Yutang’s face.

“Master, hold on! Master, you can’t die.”

“Master, wake up quickly. The eldest young master, the second young master, and the little miss still need you — open your eyes and look.”

The man on the bed had his eyes shut tight, his face pale, his lips gone black.

Suddenly, he coughed lightly, and black blood surged out from the corner of his mouth.

“Master, don’t spit up any more! Master, wake up! Master…” The black blood soaked the entire cloth, no matter how much she wiped, it wouldn’t come clean.

“Father.”

The Wang family’s eldest young master shouted the moment he entered.

The maid jumped in fright and turned around on her knees.

“Young master, come quickly and look at the master, the master is…” The eldest young master strode forward and knelt beside the bed.

He took hold of Wang Yutang’s hand and cried out, “Father, it’s alright! The Princess is here, the Night Prince has forgiven us.”

“Father, you have to hold on!”

“Let me have a look.”

Feng Jiu’er wasted no time.

Even riding at full speed, it had taken them a full hour to get here, and with so much time passed, she had no great confidence.

The eldest young master made way, and Feng Jiu’er sat by the bed, pushing the medicinal pill in her hand into Wang Yutang’s mouth.

She held his shoulders, pulled him up slightly, and placed her left hand over his chest.

True qi flowed from Feng Jiu’er’s palm into Wang Yutang’s body, and the pill was successfully swallowed down.

“Xiao Yingtao, quickly! The medicine box.”

Feng Jiu’er said.

“Yes.”

Xiao Yingtao went over.

The eldest young master brought over a table and set it beside the bed.

Xiao Yingtao set down the medicine box and skillfully pulled out the items she needed.

Feng Jiu’er took out the silver needles and soaked them in medicinal solution.

She examined Wang Yutang thoroughly, then turned back.

“Come here, help your father sit up.”

The eldest young master went over and helped Wang Yutang up.

Feng Jiu’er turned back and picked up the silver needles.

She undid Wang Yutang’s robes, and one silver needle after another went in — from over his heart, to his neck, and then to his head.

Before long, Wang Yutang’s body was covered with silver needles.

Feng Jiu’er sat behind him, placing both palms against his back.

“Xiao Yingtao, get ready.”

She instructed, then closed her eyes.

“Alright.”

Xiao Yingtao pinched one of the silver needles in Wang Yutang’s head and turned it gently.

Feng Jiu’er began channeling her energy, and the temperature around them grew hotter and hotter.

Madam Wang, who had come in, stood motionless beside her eldest son, not daring to make a sound.

More than fifteen minutes later, Xiao Yingtao turned around, took out paper and brush from the box, and began writing prescriptions.

Soon, she handed two prescriptions to Madam Wang.

“Madam Wang.”

Before Madam Wang could react, the steward came hurrying over.

“Miss, what are your instructions?”

“—wait, what instructions?”

Madam Wang finally managed to pull her gaze away from Wang Yutang.

“Here are two prescriptions — one is the medicine City Lord Wang needs to take orally, the other is for a medicinal bath.”

Xiao Yingtao held out the prescriptions again.

The steward immediately reached out with both hands and took them.

“First prepare the bathwater. City Lord Wang won’t wake up for a while yet — once Jiu’er has forced out most of the poison, he’ll begin the medicinal bath to purge the rest.”

“Yes.”

The steward nodded gravely. “I’ll see to it right away.”

The steward left, and the two physicians who had been hiding not far off came over, trembling slightly.

“Can he really be brought back from the brink of death? Clearly…” one physician couldn’t help but ask.

The other physician glared at him and shook his head.

“Sister, will my father not die?”

The eldest young master of the Wang family looked at Xiao Yingtao.

His eyes were red, yet not a single tear had fallen.

For a thirteen-year-old child to show such restraint was already remarkable.

Xiao Yingtao raised her eyes to look at him, pressing her lips together. “His life should be saved, but City Lord Wang is too deeply poisoned, sigh… I’m afraid it will be difficult for him to fully recover afterward.”

Madam Wang gripped her eldest son’s arm tightly, choking up.

“As long as his life is saved, that’s enough.”

The eldest young master closed his eyes briefly and let out those words.

Madam Wang looked at her son, let go of him, and covered her face with both hands.

She turned away, lowered her head, wept silently for a moment, wiped her tears dry, and turned back.

“Right.”

Madam Wang nodded. “As long as his life is saved, that’s enough — things will get better from here.”

The older maid stepped over and handed Madam Wang a letter.

“Madam, this was found on the master’s desk — it’s very likely the master’s… suicide note.”

Madam Wang took a deep breath before reaching out to take the letter.

She looked at the letter for a moment, then raised her eyes to meet her eldest son’s gaze.

“Xi’er, it’s alright, your father will wake up.”

She patted her eldest son’s shoulder, then stepped over to Xiao Yingtao.

“Miss, please look over this letter later.”

Xiao Yingtao made a gesture for silence and took the letter.

Madam Wang immediately covered her lips, not daring to make another sound.

Xiao Yingtao opened the letter and read it carefully for a good while before folding it back up.

“Keep this letter safe.”

Madam Wang pulled her gaze away from the two on the bed and took the letter back with both hands.

Xiao Yingtao waved her hand and said in a low voice, “It’s about time — go prepare a small basin.”

“I’ll go.”

The maid, hearing this, gave a soft acknowledgment, turned, and hurried out.

Soon, she returned to the chamber carrying a wooden basin.

Madam Wang took the basin and came to stand beside Xiao Yingtao.

Xiao Yingtao pointed to the bedside and said, “Sit down here — in a moment you’ll need to catch the stagnant blood City Lord Wang coughs up.”

“Alright, alright.”

Madam Wang sat down, trembling with anxiety.

Xiao Yingtao glanced at Feng Jiu’er once more, then reached out and placed her hand on one of the silver needles in Wang Yutang’s head.

She twisted the needle slightly, and Wang Yutang began to cough lightly.

Soon, he coughed hard, and a mouthful of black blood spilled from his lips.

Right after, with another cough, he let out a breath.

Once, twice, three times… Madam Wang’s whole body trembled; all she could do was grip the basin tightly, unable to do anything else.

“That’s enough.”

Feng Jiu’er withdrew the true qi she had channeled into Wang Yutang and steadied him.

“Remove the needles, prepare the bath.”

“Mm.”

Xiao Yingtao skillfully withdrew the needles from Wang Yutang’s body.

Madam Wang stood up, making way.

She looked at the paper-pale face on the bed, and without realizing it, her dry eyes had welled up with tears once more.

“Mother, let me.”

The eldest young master went over and took the wooden basin from her hands.

Madam Wang stood motionless, unable to bear tearing her gaze away from Wang Yutang even for a moment.

With the help of Jian Yi and the steward, a quarter of an hour later, Wang Yutang was placed into the bathtub behind the screen.

As Madam Wang left the chamber, her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed into a chair.