Chapter Fifteen: Why Didn’t You Say So Earlier?
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When he returned and saw what had happened, he realized at once that things were terribly wrong.
Gongcheng Ling’s bed was covered in blood, and his clothes were soaked through with it. Ji Zhanfei was so shocked that, for a moment, he could not react.
“Imperial Physician Li, the moment you left, His Highness began vomiting blood and fainted! What should we do? What should we do? Could that hidden weapon really have been poisoned?”
Ji Zhanfei was as frantic as an ant on a hot griddle, clinging to the physician and bombarding him with questions.
Imperial Physician Li had never seen such a sight either. Coming to himself, he hurried to the bedside in three quick strides and placed his fingers on Gongcheng Ling’s pulse.
In the blink of an eye, three expressions crossed his face: worry, doubt, and astonishment.
“How is he? Is it serious?” Ji Zhanfei asked anxiously.
“...”
“Imperial Physician Li, say something! You’re going to be the death of me! How is he?”
At a complete loss, Ji Zhanfei seized the physician and shook him violently.
“...”
After a while, eight slow words finally emerged from the physician’s mouth:
“His pulse is calm. There is nothing abnormal.”
“What?”
The strength drained from Ji Zhanfei’s grip. His eyes widened as he stared at Gongcheng Ling on the bed.
“How is that possible? I saw His Highness vomit blood and collapse with my own eyes! How could he possibly be fine?”
Not believing Imperial Physician Li in the slightest, Ji Zhanfei dragged him over and insisted that he examine the pulse again.
“I have checked it several times already. There truly is nothing unusual,” Imperial Physician Li said helplessly, shaking his head.
Just then, the cries of anguish behind them drew nearer.
“A-Ling! My A-Ling! How could this happen?”
“Who did this? I’ll tear him limb from limb!”
The newcomer wore a long robe of crow-black blue, his hair was disheveled, and his voice was frantic. He had even lost one of his shoes while running.
“Master.”
“My lord.”
Gongcheng Zongguo paid them no attention and rushed straight to the bedside of his most beloved youngest son, Gongcheng Ling.
When he saw the bed drenched in blood, he collapsed to the floor in grief.
“My son, how could you leave us so young? How can a father bear to bury his own child? What am I supposed to do?”
He began pounding the floor in sorrow.
Seeing this, Ji Zhanfei said faintly from the side, “Er, Master... His Highness isn’t dead yet.”
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Gongcheng Zongguo shot him a glance.
“Why didn’t you say so sooner?”
He instantly stopped pounding the floor, waved away the tears on his face with his sleeve, and rose with the steward’s help.
“But he’s nearly dead,” Ji Zhanfei added.
Gongcheng Zongguo had only just emerged from the grief of losing his son when Ji Zhanfei struck him with another blow.
“Why didn’t you say that sooner?!”
The moment Gongcheng Zongguo got to his feet, he seized Imperial Physician Li and began shaking him.
“Imperial Physician Li, you must save my son! He is the child I cherish most. If he dies, what meaning will there be in my continuing to live?”
They really were a family.
Imperial Physician Li, who had just been shaken half to death by Ji Zhanfei, was nearly shaken to death all over again by Gongcheng Zongguo.
“Master, why not summon the other imperial physicians as well?” Ji Zhanfei suggested, stepping forward.
Imperial Physician Li finally managed to wrench himself free from Gongcheng Zongguo’s grasp and regain his balance. When he heard Ji Zhanfei’s suggestion, he felt a pang of irritation.
Before he could say anything, Gongcheng Zongguo sighed.
“There’s no use. Imperial Physician Li is the chief of the Imperial Medical Academy, and his family has practiced medicine for three generations. If even he cannot identify the illness, there is no point in asking anyone else.”
He turned to look at Imperial Physician Li, whose face wore the faintest hint of smugness.
“I know you’re pleased with yourself, but stop being pleased and think of a solution!” Gongcheng Zongguo roared.
Imperial Physician Li cupped his hands and said, “Yes, yes. After careful consideration, I remembered that my father once told me, many years ago, of a poison that made its victim vomit blood and die within three days, while the pulse revealed no abnormality whatsoever. It does resemble the condition of the heir...”
“What poison? Is there an antidote?” A spark of hope lit Gongcheng Zongguo’s eyes as he waited for the physician to offer a solution.
“Whatever the medicine is, no matter the cost, tell me at once. I’ll send people to find it immediately!”
Imperial Physician Li’s expression grew troubled. He swallowed and spoke hesitantly.
“This poison is called Sevenfold Herb Bloodvine. It is refined from seven kinds of deadly poisonous herbs. One day after being poisoned, a line of blood appears at the abdomen and slowly spreads toward the chest. It resembles a vine, which is why it is called Bloodvine.”
Gongcheng Zongguo cast a glance at Ji Zhanfei beside the bed. Ji Zhanfei immediately opened Gongcheng Ling’s clothes. Sure enough, the area around his chest was already covered in vine-like blood vessels.
“Then it must be this poison. If so, hurry and cure him!” Gongcheng Zongguo urged Imperial Physician Li.
“...”
“Hurry up!”
Imperial Physician Li suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud. His body trembled as he said, “This subordinate is incompetent. I have only ever heard of Sevenfold Herb Bloodvine and have never seen it. My father said that the proportions of the seven herbs must be combined with extraordinary precision. If even one ingredient is slightly mismeasured, the victim will die.”
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“There is no ordinary cure. Only the Azure Phoenix Blood Pill of the Sikou family, the medical dynasty of the Autumn Harvest Kingdom, can neutralize it.”
“However, as far as this subordinate knows, the Autumn Harvest Kingdom was destroyed by the Fanyang Kingdom many years ago, causing its people to scatter and flee. The Sikou family vanished from the martial world long ago, and no one has seen them since.”
Gongcheng Zongguo was consumed by fury. He slammed his hand on the table and sprang to his feet.
“Then what are we supposed to do? Just watch my son die?”
Imperial Physician Li was too frightened to speak. After calming down slightly, Gongcheng Zongguo issued orders to the steward.
“Post a proclamation. Anyone who can cure my son’s poison will receive ten thousand taels of silver! Then send several men to summon every physician in the city. With enough people, perhaps someone will know of another method.”
“And send people to investigate the whereabouts of the Sikou family. Quickly! Also find that assassin. Since the poison came from his hidden weapon, he must have the antidote.”
Gongcheng Zongguo paced anxiously back and forth across the room. Then he glanced at Ji Zhanfei, and a sudden thought struck him.
“When the servants reported what happened, they said that a fortune-teller gave A-Ling a heart-protecting mirror yesterday, and that was why he did not die on the spot?”
Ji Zhanfei nodded.
“Go and find him as well. If he could foresee that A-Ling would face such a calamity, perhaps he can also tell us how to keep him alive.”
In the past, Gongcheng Zongguo would never have believed in such wandering charlatans. He would have driven them away with a single blow. But now he was completely distraught and did not want to overlook even the slimmest possibility.
A proclamation was posted on the government notice board:
“Ten thousand taels of silver will be awarded to anyone who can cure the poison known as Sevenfold Herb Bloodvine. One thousand taels will be awarded to anyone who can provide information on the whereabouts of the Sikou family. One hundred taels will be awarded for any other important clue.”
...
No one knew what had happened, and they gathered around, whispering among themselves.
“What in the world is this Sevenfold Herb poison?”
“Who knows? I’ve never heard of it.”
“Has someone been poisoned?”
“Hey, hey, I know about this. I think it was the secret poison of a famous assassin organization from the martial world. It was called something Winter...”
“How do you know that?”
“Ha! I spent some time making my way through the martial world back in the day. I heard the organization had a master poison-maker, and hardly anyone in the martial world could cure the poisons he created.”
“Then who is this Sikou family?”
“Since they have something to do with curing the poison, they must be the medical family of the Autumn Harvest Kingdom. Legend has it that the Sikou family possessed a miraculous medicine capable of curing every poison under heaven. But after the kingdom was destroyed, the family vanished without a trace. Where could anyone possibly find them now...?”
“Then does that mean no one in this world can cure the poison?”
“Since you know something, hurry and report it to the authorities so you can claim the reward!”
The crowd continued discussing the matter noisily in front of the notice board...
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