Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Here “Older Brother, say something. Don’t scare me. I can’t lose you again.” Ling Jiayue sat on the ground, holding Ling Jiaxuan in her arms and weeping in despair. Even with her superb medical skills, she had no idea what to do at this moment. Suddenly, a figure stopped in front of Ling Jiayue. Afraid that the assassins had returned, Ling Jiayue tightened her grip on the flexible sword in her hand and assumed a guarded stance. But when she looked up and saw Mu Yuheng standing before her, she didn’t know whether she should laugh or cry. Mu Yuheng gently crouched down in front of Ling Jiayue and reached out to wipe the tears from her face. In a soft voice, he said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” Ling Jiayue suddenly felt terribly wronged. Still holding Ling Jiaxuan, she sobbed incoherently, “Help me. Help me save Older Brother. I can’t lose him again. Please help me.” Seeing the woman before him crying like a little cat, Mu Yuheng felt his heart ache terribly. He stretched out his long arm, took Ling Jiaxuan from Ling Jiayue’s embrace, held him securely, and stood up. Then he said to Ling Jiayue, “We’re close to my residence. Let’s go there first.” “Okay,” Ling Jiayue said. Mu Yuheng carried Ling Jiaxuan back to the carriage they had been riding in and settled him inside. He then helped Ling Jiayue into the carriage as well. Ling Jiayue said, “Our coachman was killed just now. I’ll drive the carriage.” “No need. Feng Yan, you drive.” Mu Yuheng pressed Ling Jiayue back into the carriage as she was about to get up, then called for Feng Yan to drive from outside in the pitch-black night. “Yes, master.” Feng Yan emerged from the darkness, leaped onto the carriage, and took up the reins. Inside the carriage, Ling Jiayue continued to hold Ling Jiaxuan tightly as she spoke to him. “Older Brother, how could you be so foolish? I’m a physician with superb medical skills. Even if I were injured, I could treat myself. Why did you have to take that attack for me?” The more Ling Jiayue cried, the more fiercely she wept. Her tears fell without pause like beads from a broken string. She continued, “Older Brother, I can’t lose you. I don’t want to. You have to hold on. We’ll reach the Seventh Prince’s Residence soon. I’ll be able to treat you very soon. Don’t be afraid.” Mu Yuheng truly couldn’t bear to see Ling Jiayue like this. He said, “Once we reach the residence, rest first. I’ll have Feng Yan summon a physician to treat your brother.” Ling Jiayue cried, “There’s no need. I’m a physician too. I’ll treat him.” Mu Yuheng continued to persuade her. “How can you treat Young Master Ling in your current state? You can’t even take care of yourself.” As if she wanted to prove that she could heal her brother, Ling Jiayue wiped away her tears and stopped sobbing aloud. But as she watched the dark poison spreading across Ling Jiaxuan’s body, she remained deeply worried. She urged, “Seventh Prince, can we go any faster? I’m afraid Older Brother won’t hold on.” Seeing that Ling Jiayue had steadied her emotions, Mu Yuheng felt a little more at ease. He instructed Feng Yan outside the carriage, “Go faster.” “Yes, master.” Feng Yan answered and drove the carriage even faster. Before long, they arrived at the Seventh Prince’s Residence. Mu Yuheng carried Ling Jiaxuan down from the carriage, with Ling Jiayue following closely behind. Seeing this, Feng Yan said, “Master, let me do it.” “I’ll do it. Go to Xinglin Pharmacy and bring the shopkeeper here. Have him bring more medicinal supplies for treating poison.” Feng Yan accepted the order and left. Mu Yuheng carried Ling Jiaxuan into a guest room and placed him on the bed, with Ling Jiayue following close behind. “Someone come here!” Mu Yuheng called out, summoning the maids serving outside. “From now on, all of you will follow Miss Ling’s orders. Whatever she tells you to do, you will do.” “Miss Ling, the maids in this room are all at your disposal. Give them whatever orders you need. Treating Young Master Ling’s poison takes priority above all else,” Mu Yuheng said to Ling Jiayue. “Thank you for the Seventh Prince’s great kindness. My brother and I will never forget it. Once Older Brother recovers, our Ling Residence will certainly repay you,” Ling Jiayue said gratefully. Looking at the woman before him, Mu Yuheng’s emotions churned. After a long moment, all he managed to say was, “Don’t be afraid.” Ling Jiayue’s eyes reddened again. She said softly, “Thank you, Seventh Prince.” After speaking, Ling Jiayue turned around and began treating Ling Jiaxuan’s poison. “Bring a basin of water. Prepare clean bandages, scissors, hot water, and alcohol,” Ling Jiayue ordered. “Yes.” The maids accepted their orders and hurried into action. Mu Yuheng stood outside the door, watching the calm and steadfast young woman inside. Gradually, her image overlapped with that of the Empress in his mind. Yet what he was thinking was: Are you her? You’re both so strong and so brave. Whether you are or not, this time, I won’t miss you again. By then, Ling Jiaxuan was already completely unconscious on the bed. Ling Jiayue used the prepared scissors to cut open his clothes. The wound had already festered. Fortunately, Ling Jiayue had removed the concealed weapon early on. She cleaned the wound with alcohol. Once it had been thoroughly cleaned, Ling Jiaxuan seemed to let out a sigh of relief. Just then, Feng Yan returned with the shopkeeper of Xinglin Pharmacy. The shopkeeper carried a huge medicine chest filled with all kinds of antidote pills. Since Ling Jiayue needed them, he had simply brought every antidote pill in the shop. The shopkeeper entered the room and handed all the antidote pills he had brought to Ling Jiayue. Looking at them, Ling Jiayue felt as though she had found a lifeline. She said to the shopkeeper, “Thank you for coming all the way here in the middle of the night. Ling Jiayue is deeply grateful.” The shopkeeper merely said, “Miss Ling, you’re too kind. Since my master ordered me to come, I naturally had to hurry here.” “Who is your master?” “The Seventh Prince, Mu Yuheng,” the shopkeeper replied. A faint warmth rose in Ling Jiayue’s heart. She then thought that the shopkeeper’s delivery of medicine to the General’s Residence last time had probably been ordered by Mu Yuheng as well. Still, she had to thank the shopkeeper too. She asked, “May I ask your honorable name? I still wish to thank you for your great help.” “This old man is unworthy of such thanks. My surname is Hao. You may simply call me Shopkeeper Hao,” Shopkeeper Hao said. “Ling Jiayue thanks you, Shopkeeper Hao.” “Not at all, not at all. I was only following my master’s orders.” After delivering the medicine, Shopkeeper Hao withdrew. Looking at the antidote pills, Ling Jiayue felt more confident. She absolutely had to save Ling Jiaxuan! Ling Jiayue took an antidote pill and placed it in Ling Jiaxuan’s mouth. She examined the wounds on Ling Jiaxuan’s body. The wound in the affected area was too deep, and the poison was most concentrated there. There was no choice but to remove it. But even a vigorous man might not survive the strain of surgery, suturing, and bandaging—let alone Ling Jiayue, who had endured one crisis after another throughout the night. However, Ling Jiayue was unwilling to entrust her brother to someone else for treatment. After taking a deep breath, she encouraged herself: Ling Jiayue, you can do this. You must save Older Brother. You can’t let the tragedy happen again!