Chapter 612: The Peasant Girl’s Splendid Manor
Chapter 612: Beast Token and Critical Condition (2)
With the situation resolved and the evening drawing near, Mo Yan decided to take her leave and return home with the five beasts, concerned that her family might worry. Knowing the capabilities of the five beasts, Emperor Huian didn't insist on her staying, simply stating that the tokens for the beasts would be made and delivered to Liuyang Village upon their return to the capital.
Xiao Ruiyuan, however, was uneasy and, after requesting permission from the Emperor, insisted on escorting Mo Yan home. Mo Yan firmly refused, saying, "Given the day's events, the hunting grounds must be in chaos. As the head of the guards, you have too many responsibilities to leave easily."
Xiao Ruiyuan didn't respond verbally, but his determined gaze spoke volumes.
Mo Yan, feeling a headache coming on, added, "With the five beasts, you don't need to worry, Brother Xiao! Besides, the Emperor will return to the capital tomorrow and will surely be busy. You won't get proper rest if you come and go."
Xiao Ruiyuan looked at her, feeling both glad for her concern and slightly melancholic at being refused. They hadn't seen each other in a long time, and he wondered if she really didn't want to spend more time with him. With a heavy heart, he turned and walked past her, fearing he might blurt out his frustrations if he stayed any longer.
Unaware of his thoughts, Mo Yan would have protested her innocence if she knew. Though their relationship hadn't been openly acknowledged, today's events made their feelings clear to anyone who saw. Despite potential complications, they couldn't hide their relationship any longer, and future meetings wouldn't require so much caution.
Watching Xiao Ruiyuan stride away quickly, Mo Yan felt a mix of surprise and helplessness. Was this sulking figure really the same General Xiao, known for his stern demeanor that could scare children?
As she walked slowly behind, Xiao Ruiyuan's frustration grew, prompting him to quicken his pace. But realizing that his anger over such a small matter was childish, he slowed down again.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached from behind. Yan Junyu brushed past Mo Yan and stopped in front of Xiao Ruiyuan, his stunning face unusually grim.
Yan Junyu whispered something in Xiao Ruiyuan's ear, causing his expression to change drastically, showing shock and deep sorrow.
Mo Yan, unable to understand the situation, watched as Xiao Ruiyuan hurried over, handing her a small metal tube with a string attached. His voice, heavy with sadness, instructed, "Yan'er, I can't escort you tonight. Please be careful. If you're in danger, pull the string."
Mo Yan gripped the metal tube tightly and nodded solemnly. "I'll be careful. If you have urgent matters, go quickly, Brother Xiao!"
Xiao Ruiyuan patted her head and gave her a deep look before quickly leaving with Yan Junyu.
As they disappeared around the corner, Mo Yan frowned, recalling the sickly appearance of Crown Prince Chu Heng. Could it be that the Crown Prince's condition had worsened?
Startled by her own thought, Mo Yan tried to remain calm, increasingly convinced that something grave must have happened to cause such distress in normally composed individuals.
Deciding not to go home, she hurried after them.
For the public, the Crown Prince was crucial to the stability of her beloved. Privately, as her beloved's brother, Chu Heng's well-being was closely tied to his. And it was thanks to the Crown Prince's help that she had escaped danger. For both public and personal reasons, she couldn't ignore the situation.
She wondered if the thousand-year-old ginseng and black lingzhi in her space could still be of use.
Mo Yan ran quickly, with the eunuch guide struggling to keep up, shouting anxiously, "Miss, you can't go in there!"
Ignoring him, Mo Yan picked up her pace, turning a corner and vanishing from the eunuch's sight.
Xiao Ruiyuan reached Chu Heng's room in the side hall just before Yan Junyu. The metallic smell of blood filled the air as he entered, making his heart sink.
Chu Heng lay on the bed, shirtless, with several shining silver needles embedded in his chest. His eyes were closed, his face pale and bluish. If not for the faint rise and fall of his chest, he would have appeared lifeless.
The pillow and sheets were stained with dark red blood, a shocking amount, all from the Crown Prince's earlier bout of poisoning.
"Hang in there, Heng'er. Father is here with you. You must hold on," Emperor Huian, looking ten years older, sat by the bed, holding Chu Heng's hand tightly, fearing to let go.
Ghost Doctor finished the last needle, then checked Chu Heng's pulse, his expression growing graver with the intermittent weak pulse.
Seeing this, Xiao Ruiyuan's usually cold eyes filled with despair. The fearless general, known for his bravery, found himself unable to ask the crucial question.
Emperor Huian, turning his gaze from Chu Heng to the Ghost Doctor, looked like a worried father, his eyes filled with hope for his critically ill son. "How is he?"
Ghost Doctor shook his head slowly, barely able to meet the Emperor's eyes. "The Heart-Eating Poison has reached His Highness's heart. He won't last... he won't make it through the night..."
Emperor Huian trembled, remaining silent for a long time.
Xiao Ruiyuan's last hope faded, staring blankly at the unconscious Chu Heng, blood seeping from his previously injured palm.
Yan Junyu, entering the room just then, overheard the Ghost Doctor's words. Struggling with his grief, he asked, "Wasn't a nine-hundred-year-old ginseng found? Even if it's not a full thousand years, its potency should be close. Can't it temporarily sustain my cousin's life?"
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