077. The Most Heart-Wrenching Feeling

Yuan Tianci was still afraid that Le Qianxue might accidentally kill him, but fortunately, he remained unscathed. Le Qianxue shot him a glare. "Hurry up!" Only then did he come to his senses and quickly followed her over. Yuan Tianci cut open Zhan Lianjing’s robe, revealing that the wound on his abdomen had split open again. It had nearly healed, but now it was back to its original state.

He thought for a moment and then recalled, "Qianxue, this is the injury the Prince suffered last time when he went to the Crown Prince’s palace to rescue you. I never got around to telling you." Le Qianxue's hands trembled slightly. Her expression faltered, but she quickly composed herself. Surrounded by corpses, she remained unaffected.

She noticed a black line on Zhan Lianjing’s arm besides the wound—a sign of the Gu worm technique, which was not easily detected by others, and today was the last day before time ran out. While Yuan Tianci attended to the wound, he glanced at it and said, "Hmm? That black line is almost at the joint. The Prince only has half a day left." Le Qianxue nodded, surprised that Zhan Lianjing was also afflicted. That young master Yuan was indeed vile, thinking he could recklessly harm others just because he knew Gu techniques.

Yet if he could harm, she could save. While Yuan Tianci staunched Zhan Lianjing’s bleeding, Le Qianxue swiftly inserted several silver needles into his arm.

Zhan Lianjing’s complexion was ashen, as if he’d lost his breath. Le Qianxue wondered how he managed to endure to this point; this Gu worm was certainly no ordinary one, or it wouldn’t threaten his life so quickly. Her gaze steadied, and she placed several needles into his face as well.

After a moment, the blackness receded considerably. Le Qianxue fetched a pill from her medicine box, only to realize her hands were trembling so much she could barely hold it. Yuan Tianci noticed and asked, "Qianxue, don’t panic. The Prince will be fine; you’re here, aren’t you?"

Le Qianxue took a deep breath, speaking softly, "But just now, I watched him, my hands bound. I couldn’t save him then." She paused, then placed the pill in Zhan Lianjing’s mouth and pressed his throat to help him swallow.

Le Qianxue’s needlework was unlike anyone else’s, with her own unique style even in the precise placement on the acupoints. Yuan Tianci, wanting to learn, couldn’t observe as he was busy treating the wound.

Le Qianxue’s color eased slightly. "The Gu worm is too strong. I can’t remove it all at once. Let’s find somewhere to rest, not stay here." Yuan Tianci finished tending the wound, though Zhan Lianjing had yet to awaken.

He said, "Up ahead is Zhengzhou. Should we go there?" "Too many people—might be spies of the emperor. Let’s find a cave nearby," Le Qianxue replied.

Yuan Tianci agreed, and together they lifted Zhan Lianjing onto the carriage, with Yuan Tianci driving. He had touched Le Qianxue’s hand earlier—cold as ice—and remarked, "Qianxue, I’ve never seen you so frightened. What’s wrong today?"

Le Qianxue couldn’t explain immediately, but glanced over at Zhan Lianjing. "It’s nothing. Just afraid the emperor will catch me and cook me for his meal." Yuan Tianci shuddered, "Don’t scare me like that." Le Qianxue laughed, "Is it really so frightening? The emperor wouldn’t dare touch me now; he still needs my father."

"That’s true. The emperor and the Prince are locked in fierce struggle now," Yuan Tianci sighed.

The carriage stopped by the stream, near water—a good spot.

Le Qianxue instructed Yuan Tianci to watch over Zhan Lianjing while she went to search for herbs nearby. Yuan Tianci was puzzled; Le Qianxue had prepared plenty of pills, so why search for herbs?

As dusk fell, Le Qianxue finally returned, her hands full of herbs. Yuan Tianci had gathered dry wood and lit a fire. Seeing her return, he relaxed. "Why were you gone so long?" he asked.

Le Qianxue replied, "These herbs are hard to find. I had to walk quite far." As she spoke, she ground the herbs. Yuan Tianci noticed she barely rested, and in the firelight saw her hands were chafed raw.

He quickly grabbed her hand, "Where did you pick these herbs? Your skin’s scraped off!" Le Qianxue frowned and withdrew her hand, "On the cliff walls—nowhere else."

Yuan Tianci sighed, "What are these for?"

"The scent will draw the Gu worm out of the Prince’s body," Le Qianxue explained.

"Really? Will it work for all Gu worms?" Yuan Tianci asked.

"Raising Gu worms takes skill. I’ve researched it; the Crown Prince’s palace buys large quantities of these herbs. I suspect Young Master Yuan uses them to breed Gu worms, so attracting them out with these herbs is best. If I kill the Gu worm inside the Prince, he’ll die from the poison—the worm itself is venomous," Le Qianxue said.

"No way, Young Master Yuan is truly wicked!" Yuan Tianci grumbled, angry now. Zhan Lianjing had saved them, so Yuan Tianci felt grateful, and naturally was upset on his behalf.

Le Qianxue frowned, "Yes, the Gu technique is inherently sinister. Used for good, it can help, but Young Master Yuan only uses it for harm." She was angry, too—after last time and now, she could more than imagine slicing Young Master Yuan a thousand times.

While speaking, Le Qianxue finished preparing the herbs. She set them aside, and their faint aroma drifted out. She had also picked some fruit, and now she and Yuan Tianci ate to stave off hunger.

Yuan Tianci kept watching the herbs, and after a while, sure enough, a tiny black worm crawled over and began eating them.

Yuan Tianci grew excited, "It really works!"

Le Qianxue glanced at it, then swiftly shot a silver needle, killing the Gu worm instantly. She breathed a sigh of relief. Gu techniques were no difficulty for her, but had she hesitated, Zhan Lianjing might not have survived the night.

Clearly, Young Master Yuan had to be eliminated.

With the Gu worm dealt with, Le Qianxue checked on Zhan Lianjing. His pulse was much calmer, though he had lost too much blood and would need time to recover. With her pills, it would be much easier.

But in the middle of the night, Zhan Lianjing developed a high fever as a complication. Le Qianxue watched over him, startled awake by his muttering. She quickly felt his forehead—burning hot. She gave him a fever-reducing pill and wiped his sweat, for he was drenched in cold perspiration.

Le Qianxue leaned in close and heard Zhan Lianjing calling a name—Yaoyao.

Le Qianxue was stunned, and after a long while, her heart eased. As expected, Zhan Lianjing only felt a passing interest in her—it was not real. Even if it were, the men here all took multiple wives; it was not what she wanted.

She shook her head, thinking, why ponder so much? It had nothing to do with her.

All night, Le Qianxue barely slept. Near dawn, Zhan Lianjing’s fever finally broke.

Le Qianxue breathed a sigh of relief and at last rested a bit.

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtain into the carriage, and Zhan Lianjing suddenly opened his eyes.

Though somewhat haggard, his unmatched beauty could not be concealed. His dark eyes swept the scene, seeing Le Qianxue still holding a towel, leaning asleep nearby.

Seeing her like this, all his anger dissipated.

His wounds had been treated and bandaged. Abruptly he remembered something and raised a hand to his face.

The movement startled Le Qianxue awake. She blinked drowsily. "Your Highness... what are you doing?"

Zhan Lianjing’s voice was low, "Le Qianxue, look at my face."

She rubbed her eyes and looked, "What’s wrong with your face?"

Zhan Lianjing was surprised at her lack of fear—wasn’t his face ruined?

He frowned, "I didn’t expect you to be someone who doesn’t care about appearances."

"Of course I care," Le Qianxue said, suddenly recalling that yesterday, when Zhan Lianjing was afflicted by the Gu worm, his face was nearly ruined, but now it was fine. She mused, then teased, "But it’s your face, not mine. Why should I worry?"

Zhan Lianjing’s expression darkened. He touched his face, unable to explain why it was like this, but in his rush to find Le Qianxue, he hadn’t thought about it.

He said, "Le Qianxue! My legs are crippled, my most prized face is ruined, and you dare laugh at me?!"

Le Qianxue shrank back a little. "The Prince relies on skill, not looks. Why should appearance matter? It’s illogical."

Zhan Lianjing was displeased, wondering what bad luck he’d run into.

He snorted and turned away, ignoring Le Qianxue. His face was ruined, but then Le Qianxue said she cared, and his mood soured further. She’d run off, and now with his ruined appearance, she’d likely disdain him even more.

But Le Qianxue gently pushed Zhan Lianjing and softly said, "Your Highness, I need to check your wounds and apply medicine, so please don’t move."

Zhan Lianjing paid her no mind; yes, he was angry.

Le Qianxue’s touch was gentle; she was accustomed to such tasks.

Zhan Lianjing turned to observe her focused gaze and suddenly asked, "Why did you run away?"

Le Qianxue’s hand paused, lips pressed together. "I didn’t leave alone—wasn’t Master Tianci with me? I was going back to Medicine King Valley with him."