101. The Moment the Truth Is Revealed

Le Qianxue replied with an affirmative grunt, setting aside her own concerns to hurry and find Yuan Tianci.

By the time she dragged Yuan Tianci to the entrance, Zhan Lianjing was already waiting in the carriage. Having been roused from his sleep at such an early hour, Yuan Tianci was in a foul mood. Once pulled into the carriage and faced with Zhan Lianjing’s gloomy expression, he couldn't help but mutter, "Prince Zhan, wipe that deathly look off your face. Nothing will go wrong."

The carriage jolted forward rapidly, and Yuan Tianci, struggling to find his balance, nearly tumbled over. Le Qianxue tugged him back, shooting him a stern glare. She knew Zhan Yunguo’s condition; she had administered a medicinal pill earlier that would sustain her for at least a month. However, Zhan Lianjing was unaware of this, and being a close relative, his anxiety was only natural.

Zhan Lianjing, currently in a foul mood, couldn't be bothered to argue with Yuan Tianci. He glanced at him and commanded, "Sit still."

Seeing the unified front between Zhan Lianjing and Le Qianxue, Yuan Tianci felt a twinge of apprehension. Hadn't Le Qianxue been quarreling with Zhan Lianjing just yesterday? How had they reconciled so quickly? Women were truly unpredictable; they could change their temperament in the blink of an eye.

Upon arriving at the Zhan Prince’s Mansion, Yuan Tianci was ushered toward the Green Bamboo Courtyard like a driven duck. Le Qianxue followed close behind. Inside, she found Zhan Yunguo lying lifelessly on the bed, surrounded by several physicians whom Zhan Lianjing had specifically recruited. Judging by their frantic demeanor, they were completely at a loss. Le Qianxue was puzzled—Zhan Yunguo’s condition shouldn't have been this dire.

Hao Yue signaled for the others to step aside, allowing Yuan Tianci to approach and take Zhan Yunguo’s pulse. Le Qianxue drew near as well, instructing Hao Yue to clear the room of all other staff. Taking advantage of the moment, she asked, "How is she?"

Yuan Tianci’s expression darkened. "It’s strange. Her pulse has weakened significantly. Your previous pill seems to have lost its effect."

Le Qianxue frowned, pushed Yuan Tianci’s hand aside, and checked the pulse herself. She was taken aback; the situation had become thorny. "Her condition has deteriorated. The poison that was once contained has begun to spread," she noted. "I must perform acupuncture. Go and lock the door."

Yuan Tianci hurried to bolt the door, checking it twice to ensure no one was peeking. When he returned, he found Le Qianxue had already opened her acupuncture kit. With practiced movements, she rolled up Zhan Yunguo’s sleeves and inserted several needles into her arms.

"Wait a moment," Yuan Tianci interjected, recalling something. "Didn't you say you wanted me to handle this? Why are you taking over?"

Le Qianxue replied casually, "I thought she was Zhan Lianjing’s little lover, so I didn't mind leaving it to you—I didn't want to treat her myself. But now that I know she’s his sister, I can't just stand by."

Yuan Tianci was stunned. She was Zhan Lianjing’s sister? He hadn't expected that at all, especially since they didn't look alike. He couldn't help but tease, "So, it’s 'love me, love my dog.' I see through you now—that’s your game." Still, he admired her honesty; she didn't pretend to be someone she wasn't.

Le Qianxue’s hand paused. After a moment, she pulled the silver needles out and frowned at the tips. "The poison has infiltrated her meridians. It seems she’s been practicing martial arts in secret," she mused. This made the situation even more difficult.

Yuan Tianci looked on and chuckled, "Haha, this girl is truly disobedient. She doesn't even value her own life."

Le Qianxue acknowledged this. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't have had the ability to save Zhan Yunguo, but she was different. She turned to him and said, "Pull the screen over and step aside."

Yuan Tianci was reluctant. "Why? I need to watch you treat her. You know your acupuncture techniques are different from ours; I need to learn."

Le Qianxue glared at him. "Find a man next time, and I’ll be sure to teach you." In this feudal era, she couldn't allow him to see Zhan Yunguo’s body; it would be a disservice to the girl. Yuan Tianci understood the logic. Since Le Qianxue possessed the skill, he knew better than to interfere. He stepped back, leaving her to work in peace.

Once he was out of the way, Le Qianxue turned Zhan Yunguo over, unfastened her clothing, and quickly inserted several needles along her spine. Zhan Yunguo let out a muffled moan, as if regaining a sliver of consciousness, though she remained asleep. Le Qianxue massaged along the meridians, channeling a small amount of internal energy—just enough to be effective.

Outside, Yuan Tianci was waiting in boredom when he heard Zhan Lianjing’s voice. Someone knocked on the door, calling, "Open the door, the Prince is here."

Seeing Le Qianxue’s shadow focused on her task, Yuan Tianci knew he couldn't let Zhan Lianjing in; it would surely reveal Le Qianxue’s true identity. He shouted, "Nobody is allowed to enter!"

Le Qianxue remained oblivious, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She found the internal energy of this era remarkably useful; previously, it would have taken her many more needles and much more time to force the poison out. When Zhan Yunguo coughed up a clot of black, tainted blood, Le Qianxue finally exhaled in relief. Wiping her brow, she removed the needles, which were slightly darkened, though not fatally so.

As she paused, Yuan Tianci rushed over, pushing her aside to sit by Zhan Yunguo’s side. Suddenly, the door was shoved open. Le Qianxue looked up to see Zhan Lianjing being pushed in by Hao Yue, and she realized at once that Yuan Tianci had acted out of fear that Zhan Lianjing would discover her secret. She was at a loss for words, having intended to be honest with Zhan Lianjing eventually. Who would have thought Yuan Tianci would be so "clever"?

Exhausted, Le Qianxue didn't have the energy to explain. Zhan Lianjing glanced at her, wondering why she looked so drained, but his focus quickly shifted to his sister. Seeing Zhan Yunguo’s bare back, he realized Yuan Tianci had seen her in such a state. He stared at Yuan Tianci with a dark, piercing gaze.

Yuan Tianci’s heart sank, fearing the worst. But Zhan Lianjing said nothing, merely scoffing, "Move."

Yuan Tianci stood up immediately. Hao Yue hurried over to cover Zhan Yunguo with a quilt. Looking at her, they saw her complexion had improved, no longer the deathly pale it had been before. Zhan Lianjing breathed a sigh of relief, satisfied that she was safe.

"Prince Zhan, she will wake up in a while. You needn't worry," Le Qianxue said. Zhan Lianjing nodded; he wouldn't blame Yuan Tianci, as he had saved his sister.

Seeing Zhan Lianjing’s preoccupied state, Le Qianxue didn't linger and dragged Yuan Tianci away. As they walked, Yuan Tianci was still trembling. "Did you see that? Prince Zhan’s look... I was terrified he’d force me to take responsibility and marry his sister!"

"His sister is quite a beauty; you wouldn't be losing out," Le Qianxue remarked dryly.

Yuan Tianci snorted. "No matter how beautiful she is, becoming the brother-in-law of Prince Zhan is a stroke of bad luck!"

Le Qianxue laughed, "He’s not as terrifying as you imagine."

"Isn't he? You’ve been bewitched by him," Yuan Tianci retorted. "It’s a good thing I was quick-witted and pushed you away; otherwise, your identity would have been exposed."

Le Qianxue frowned. "Actually, I wanted to tell him that I am the Ghost Physician..."

Yuan Tianci immediately covered her mouth and pulled her aside. "Are you mad? You want to tell Prince Zhan? Do you not value your life?"

Le Qianxue pulled his hand away. "I just don't want to lie to him, especially since we have mutual feelings for each other."

Yuan Tianci glared at her. Romance was truly blinding her. "Qianxue, you’re being naive. You don't know him as well as I do. You see him being reasonable with you, but you should know his reputation. If anyone betrays him or lies to him, it’s no laughing matter—he would surely kill them. You know this."

Le Qianxue knew it was true; it was a well-known fact throughout the capital.

"But when Su Su pretended to be the Ghost Physician, he didn't do anything to her."

"That’s Su Su! It’s not the same," Yuan Tianci argued. "Su Su is a successor of the Yuan family. To put it bluntly, he still has use for her. Why would he bother with her? And even if he wanted to, he wouldn't show it now. Once he no longer needs her, it won't be too late to deal with her."

Le Qianxue felt a chill run through her. It was indeed possible. She lowered her gaze, silent.

Yuan Tianci lowered his voice further. "Besides, even if he has feelings for you, do you know how it feels to be deceived by someone you love? He would surely hate you to the core. He wouldn't let you off. Don't act on impulse; you could lose your life!"

Le Qianxue calmed down; Yuan Tianci was right. Yet, she couldn't keep this hidden forever. "Am I to never speak of it? That’s impossible. Even if I can keep it hidden, Su Su lacks medical skills; her ruse will fall apart sooner or later."