Chapter 37
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“In that case, may I ask what circumstance led to Lord’s poisoning ten years ago? Perhaps I can—”
“I don’t know. I forgot. When I came to my senses, it was already like this.” Fu Zhen irritably interrupted and then continued to curl up on the bed, enduring wave after wave of heartache.
“I apologize for my impoliteness. I will take my leave now.”
Fu Nian didn’t press further. If Fu Zhen didn’t want to speak, he would find a way to find out.
He remembered the prescription the imperial physician had given him before the Gu was planted in the previous life. Upon returning to the palace, he would first steal some frost-cold ginseng. Mixing it with other herbs, he would give it to Fu Zhen. If it helped…
He didn’t delve into the matter any further and immediately returned to the palace.
By the time he got back to his room, it was already dark outside. Seeing that his roommate, who shared the same quarters, hadn’t returned from duty yet, Fu Nian slipped into his room first, lit a lamp, and began to formulate a plan.
Relying on his memory, he wrote down the prescriptions he had used in his previous life.
Certain forbidden medicines were only accessible in the palace, so he would need to visit the Imperial Hospital tonight. Having spent quite some time in the Imperial Hospital previously, Fu Nian had a good grasp of their routines and guard arrangements.
Once he finished crafting the plan, Fu Nian silently recited it several times to ensure he remembered it. Then, he placed the written plan in front of the lamp and burned it to ashes.
After a short nap until around three in the morning, Fu Nian restored his energy. Confirming that his roommate in the adjacent bed was sound asleep, he stealthily slipped out.
Navigating in the dark, Fu Nian arrived at the pharmacy and found himself faced with a predicament.
Many forbidden medicines were unmarked, either hidden among containers labeled with common herbs or kept nameless. The pharmacy was vast, and the smells mingled together. Discerning them by smell alone was impossible, leaving him no choice but to search through them one by one.
After some thought, Fu Nian finally took out a flint from his pocket and used the dim light to approach the pharmacy. Grid by grid, he sniffed and examined the cabinets, trying to find the herbs he needed.
After searching around, he did find a few herbs, but the most important frost-cold ginseng was nowhere to be seen.
He remembered last seeing frost-cold ginseng in the imperial physician’s personal quarters.
Unless absolutely necessary, the imperial physician rarely spent the night in the palace, especially if he had a family.
Taking advantage of the late hour, Fu Nian cautiously carried the herbs he had painstakingly gathered and quietly made his way toward the Imperial Hospital.
The nights had become cool since autumn had set in. The pharmacy attendants wouldn’t be keeping a close eye on the outside. His movements were relatively smooth.
When he arrived near the residence, Fu Nian noticed the lamp inside was still lit. Though there were no footsteps or shadows on the window, indicating that no one was moving.
He cautiously approached the window and, through the crack, tried to observe the interior.
The lamp oil was nearly depleted, implying that the lamp had been lit for a while. There were indeed no signs of movement inside.
Fu Nian didn’t dare enter recklessly.
What if the homeowner had just gone to the toilet or elsewhere and would return later…
Thinking of this, Fu Nian surveyed the area once more.
This time, he caught sight of a purse embroidered with a lotus flower on the table.
He recalled that his senior had mentioned that whenever medicine was taken from the palace, it was crushed and mixed into a powder, then concealed in a lotus-embroidered purse, so that Fu Zhen wouldn’t see the specific ingredients inside.
With this thought in mind, his devious mind focused on the purse on the table.
His hand couldn’t fit through the window slit, but his delicate prosthetic limb could. His fingers barely managed to hook onto the edge of the purse.
After confirming that there was no one around, Fu Nian boldly rolled up his sleeve, revealing the charred and slender prosthetic limb. With precision, he reached under the window slit.
Once he had the purse, Fu Nian took out a piece of gauze from his pocket, poured out all the powdered herbs from the purse, and then put the purse back in place.
He managed to escape from the Imperial Hospital without being caught. Once he reached an empty corner, he opened the gauze and ignited a flint to examine the stolen medicine under the faint light.
Indeed, it was all powdered medicine inside, finely ground into a powder, making it impossible to discern the original form of the herbs.
Fu Nian took a small amount and held it beneath his nose, sniffing.
There was the fragrance of frost-cold ginseng.
Though it was mixed with the scents of other herbs, the strong aroma of frost-cold ginseng remained distinctive.
Fu Nian stored the herbs carefully, falling into silence. If this medicine truly helped Fu Zhen… it would essentially confirm that Fu Zhen was the one who planted the Gu for him.
After a moment of contemplation, Fu Nian left the palace immediately, sprinting in the direction of Fu Zhen’s residence.
With the quiet of the night, there were few obstacles along the way. When he reached the entrance of Fu Zhen’s residence, Fu Nian leaned against the wall, catching his breath for a while.
As expected, returning to his old ways in this lifetime has caused his physical stamina to struggle a bit.
Suppressing his heavy breathing, Fu Nian walked quickly toward the main house. Before he even entered, he could hear Fu Zhen’s intermittent coughs, labored breathing, and the sound of his voice stuck in his throat due to pain.
The commotion was slightly quieter than a few hours ago, probably because he had lost the strength to struggle.
Fu Nian stepped inside briskly, pulling aside the curtain. “My Lord, I’ve brought the medicine. May I inquire how you usually take your medicine? In a decoction? Or do you swallow the powdered form?”
Lying on the couch, Fu Zhen, who was struggling for breath, seemed to regain a bit of clarity. He wanted to say something, but his throat obviously couldn’t produce any sound.
Fu Nian hurried over, poured some water, and patiently fed it to Fu Zhen bit by bit. After feeding him, he gently smoothed Fu Zhen’s chest.
“Ordinary medicine won’t work…”
Before Fu Zhen finished, Fu Nian interrupted expressionlessly, “I just stole this from the Imperial Hospital. From its scent, it should have a certain effect in reducing fever. It’s not the common herbs you can buy from outside apothecaries.”
Seeing Fu Zhen’s incredulous gaze, Fu Nian added, “How do you usually take your medicine?”
“Decoction…” Fu Zhen’s voice was weak, “Powder, every quarter of an hour.”
“I understand.” Fu Nian replied shortly and quickly left the bedside, running outside.
In the storeroom, Fu Nian found a less damaged sand pot, cleaned it with water, and then started to brew the medicine over a fire.
The courtyard was eerily quiet, illuminated only by the setting moonlight. The only proof that there was a living presence here was the occasional sounds of pain emanating from inside the house.
Fu Nian kept watch over the pot, feeling a bit drowsy.
These past few days, he hadn’t had many chances to rest. Although he had taken a brief nap earlier in the night to regain some energy…
Fu Nian picked up a thin stick, held it in his hand, and lit the other end. If it burnt his hand, it would wake him up. Then he huddled by the pot, warming himself by the fire, his head nodding off intermittently.
Suddenly, he felt the warmth of the burning stick against his fingers, and he quickly snapped out of his drowsiness.
The herbal scent was already quite strong. It was strikingly similar to the medicinal concoction he used to detoxify himself in his previous life.
Fu Nian took the medicine inside, lit the lamp, and sat down beside Fu Zhen, patting him gently. “The medicine is ready.”
After saying that, Fu Nian scooped up a spoonful, brought it close to Fu Zhen’s lips, and indicated for him to drink.
“I can do it myself.”
“You can lie down, my Lord. This is my duty.” Fu Nian said, his expression unchanged.
Fu Zhen didn’t refuse further; he let Fu Nian feed him the medicine.
After downing a bowl of medicinal soup, Fu Zhen’s breathing visibly stabilized.
The intense pain in his chest should have also alleviated to some extent. At least, Fu Zhen was no longer seen grabbing at his chest and flesh in agony.
Fu Nian furrowed his brows tightly.
Could it be true that Senior Brother… actually planted the Gu for him?
If it was indeed Senior Brother who undertook the mission for him, it would make sense that he kept the truth hidden from Fu Nian so insistently. After all, they had already severed ties with the sect early on. With someone as cautious as Chu Zhaoyi, he would likely worry that Fu Nian’s loyalty would shift if he learned the truth.
The more Fu Nian thought about it, the more plausible this reasoning seemed.
“You’re quite adept at taking care of others…” Fu Zhen spoke again, his voice still hoarse, “The pain in my chest has lessened.”
“Mhm.” Fu Nian absentmindedly responded.
“Did you really steal this medicine?” Now that he could speak, Fu Zhen’s mouth couldn’t stay idle.
Fu Nian remained expressionless. “Naturally. If I could obtain or buy it, there would be no need for me to run back and forth at this hour. If my Lord has shown me kindness, I am obligated to repay it in kind. I never speak falsely.”
Fu Zhen didn’t respond; he laid back down and let out a sigh of relief.
“But I’m truly curious,” Fu Nian cautiously probed, “about the poison inside you… What’s the story behind it? Why can only the palace’s secret medicine alleviate it? Or could it be that the poison originated from within the palace?”
He noticed that Fu Zhen’s complexion had slightly improved, and his expression appeared somewhat more relaxed and less guarded. This encouraged Fu Nian to continue his cautious inquiries.
He thought to himself that he had to clarify the situation thoroughly before revealing his true identity.
Fu Zhen remained silent, mouth closed, just lying there.
Seeing that Fu Zhen wasn’t responding, Fu Nian continued earnestly, “I implore you, my Lord, to inform me. This way, I can search for a complete cure for you. With so many physicians in the world, surely someone can counteract this peculiar poison.”
“It wasn’t caused by someone from the palace,” Fu Zhen said in a controlled tone, “As for the specifics of how I got poisoned, it’s not convenient to discuss. In any case, no one can cure it. At best, the palace’s medicine can only provide temporary relief.”
Saying it or not didn’t make much of a difference.
Fu Nian persisted, his tone growing somewhat more forceful, “If you haven’t tried, how can you be so sure that no one within the Nine Provinces can cure this poison?”
Fu Zhen didn’t respond.
Fu Nian was eager to know the answer.
Was it really Senior Brother who undertook the Gu on his behalf?
“Please, I beg you, tell me.”
Fu Zhen glanced at his urgent expression. It seemed that he was genuinely curious about the answer. He remained silent for a while before pulling the blanket around himself, showing his back to Fu Nian, and said in a faint tone, “Sad matters, I’d rather not bring them up.”
While he said he didn’t want to talk about sad matters, Fu Zhen couldn’t help but smile when he turned away.
Fu Nian, of course, didn’t notice the change in the person’s emotional state in front of him. After waiting for a while longer and seeing the pale dawn light on the horizon, he realized he had to hurry to make it back for the morning training. Regretfully, he stood up from the edge of the bed.
“I’ve asked too much. My Lord, please rest well. I will come to see you again in a few days.” With that, Fu Nian respectfully bowed and quickly left.
All the clues were pointing towards it being Senior Brother who undertook the mission for him.
But now, his Senior Brother stubbornly refused to reveal the source of the poison.
On the way back to the palace, Fu Nian was preoccupied with this question. Did his Senior Brother not trust him? Was that why he refused to speak? Should he disclose his true identity to him? After all, they had grown up as fellow disciples… Before he could finish thinking, Fu Nian quickly dismissed the idea of revealing his identity.
Only when everything was ready could he reveal his identity.
Annoyed, he returned to the palace, just in time to see the faint morning light on the horizon.
At this hour, Chu Zhaoyi should already be on his way to the morning court, and it was precisely the time when the guards in Chengyuan Hall would be less vigilant.
In the back garden of Chengyuan Hall, Fu Nian abandoned his rooftop route, jumped down from the eaves, and walked openly on the path as if he were a palace guard preparing for morning training.
However, after only a few steps, Fu Nian sensed movement behind him.
He took a detour, but the pursuing sound persisted. It was then that he realized something was wrong.
Oh no, due to exhaustion, had he become so slow-witted…
Fu Nian halted and looked around.
No one.
No movement whatsoever.
For a moment, he even suspected it had all been a figment of his imagination.
But the next second, he felt a sudden pain at the back of his head, as if something had struck him.
Fu Nian quickly turned around and discovered a bamboo tube on the ground near his feet.
Cautiously, he picked it up and pried it open. Inside was a piece of paper.
Unfolding it, he saw that the writing was printed with movable type, and it even looked somewhat like torn remnants from pages of a book.
【Palace Regulation 45: If a front-court guard needs to leave the palace temporarily for personal matters, they must provide an advance explanation and have two ordinary guards accompany them.】
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