Jian Junyao hadn’t expected this man to offer words of comfort.
For a moment, she felt somewhat bewildered.
Although their interactions had been brief, Jian Junyao could tell that Xuan Zhan was not a thoughtless person.
After all, the original host had been married to him for half a month, and he had never shown any kindness during that time.
Could it be that this man had fallen for her?
That was absolutely impossible—even a ghost wouldn’t believe it if she said so.
Then, there was only one reason: he desperately needed her help.
If that was the case, Jian Junyao was willing to cooperate. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and that suited her just fine.
However, this man’s unpredictable temperament was terrifying. Having been reborn with great difficulty, she didn’t want to spend every day worrying about her soul scattering and spirit dispersing.
Once they reached the Northwest, she would earn enough silver, divorce Xuan Zhan, and then find a picturesque place to live the life she desired. It was as simple as that.
Seeing that Jian Junyao remained silent, Xuan Zhan knew she was still sulking. He decided not to say anything more and leaned back into his original position to read.
Feeling utterly bored, Jian Junyao jumped off the carriage.
Only then did she notice that the carriage she had just been sitting in had no horses.
Searching through the original host’s memories, she learned that the horses that had pulled the carriages had long been ordered by Xuan Zhan to be released into the mountains to find their own way.
It made sense—if there was no food or water for the people, the horses had even less to eat.
Xuan Zhan, being a military general, cherished horses deeply. Even when people were starving, he couldn’t bring himself to slaughter the horses for meat.
Without the horses, the three carriages had to rely on human strength to move forward, which inevitably slowed their journey.
Xuan Zhan, paralyzed from the waist down and unable to walk, had to sit in the carriage, taking turns being pulled by the Ling brothers. The hardships of the journey were evident.
Jian Junyao felt a wave of frustration. No wonder the original host’s body was so frail—with no food and traveling on foot, the calories in her body had long been depleted.
It seemed she needed to nourish this body more.
With this in mind, Jian Junyao wandered around the Abandoned Temple before returning to the carriage to fetch some nutritious food for herself.
Before she could even settle into her seat, Jian Junyao was startled by Xuan Zhan’s appearance.
He was clenching his teeth, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his body curled up in pain. He looked utterly miserable.
“Xuan Zhan, what’s wrong?”
Xuan Zhan didn’t answer, struggling to endure the pain coursing through his body.
At this moment, Jian Junyao set aside their mutually exploitative relationship and quickly reached out a small hand to check his forehead.
Xuan Zhan instinctively tried to avoid her touch, but the pain slowed his movements.
Jian Junyao’s hand easily made contact with his forehead. She could tell that Xuan Zhan’s body temperature was normal.
Looking at his body, she noticed his chest heaving violently, his legs trembling uncontrollably, and his feet curled tightly.
Even without medical training, Jian Junyao could see that Xuan Zhan’s discomfort was concentrated in his legs.
“Are your legs in pain?”
She knew Xuan Zhan’s legs were paralyzed, but she wasn’t sure of the exact cause.
Xuan Zhan remained silent, his brows furrowed in pain.
Seeing this, Jian Junyao could only call out to the others.
“Nanny Song, Ling guards, Steward, the Prince is ill!”
Hearing Jian Junyao’s voice, the group quickly gathered around.
The old steward pushed through the crowd and hurriedly boarded the carriage.
Seeing Xuan Zhan’s expression, the old steward knew the Prince was suffering a poison flare-up.
“Your Highness, this old servant will administer acupuncture at once.”
Xuan Zhan endured the pain and stopped him: “No need. A few needles would only temporarily relieve the pain. I can bear this much.”
“Your Highness, easing the pain is better than suffering like this!” the old steward pleaded earnestly.
“I said no need, so no need.” After speaking, Xuan Zhan closed his eyes in agony.
The old steward had no choice but to reluctantly step down from the carriage.
Jian Junyao followed him down.
“Steward, what exactly is wrong with the Prince?”
The old steward sighed: “It would be best if the Princess Consort did not ask.”
Jian Junyao knew that Xuan Zhan’s few subordinates were utterly loyal to him. Since they did not wish to tell her, asking repeatedly would be futile.
Although she was not versed in medicine, she had studied pharmacology. Observing Xuan Zhan’s condition, she preliminarily deduced he was likely poisoned.
Isn’t that how it’s always written in transmigration novels?
The male lead is a master, poisoned by an incurable toxin, then uses his powerful internal energy to force the poison below his calves, thus temporarily preserving his life.
Thinking this, Jian Junyao feigned composure and said: “I believe the Prince’s condition is likely poisoning.”
The old steward was somewhat astonished that the Princess Consort had hit upon the truth with a single remark.
Their Prince’s poisoning had always been kept secret from outsiders.
It was claimed his lower body paralysis resulted from injuries to his sinews and bones during battle.
This was done to lull the enemy’s vigilance and avoid hindering their search for an antidote.
Yet, the Princess Consort had discerned the truth of the Prince’s poisoning at a glance. No matter how he thought, the old steward could not fathom the reason.
“Princess Consort, you…”
Jian Junyao waved her hand, cutting him off.
From the old steward’s expression, she could tell she had guessed correctly.
“Tell me, what poison exactly has the Prince been afflicted with?”
The old steward hesitated. Seeing this, Nanny Song beside him nudged him.
“Since the Princess Consort can see the Prince is poisoned, there’s no harm in telling her.”
She thought that if the Princess Consort could learn more about the Prince, she would surely feel for him, which would help foster affection between the couple.
Seeing Nanny Song speak thus, the old steward decided to conceal it no longer.
His voice was very low, audible only to those nearby, also to guard against Song Qing and his group. Those men had only recently pledged allegiance to the Prince; whether they harbored disloyalty remained to be observed over time.
“Princess Consort, the Prince has been poisoned by a toxin called Blood-red Datura.”
Having chosen not to hide it from the Princess Consort, the old steward went on to explain more.
“Afflicted by this poison, the skin turns blood-red. As the toxin gradually spreads throughout the body, one initially experiences unbearable pain and itching. As the poison penetrates deeper into the body, it leads to death.
Fortunately, our Prince promptly used his internal energy to force all the poison below his calves, barely preserving his life.
As you saw earlier, the Prince suffered a flare-up today. The consequence of using his internal energy to repel the poison is excruciating pain in his calves, rendering him unable to walk normally.”
Although Jian Junyao had never heard of the poison Blood-red Datura, Xuan Zhan’s condition matched her speculation exactly.
Having obtained the answer she sought, Jian Junyao said no more and turned to reboard the carriage.
By then, Xuan Zhan had already sat upright, seemingly circulating his energy.
Jian Junyao had read plenty of novels in her past life and knew that when such masters were circulating their energy, they must not be disturbed. So she quietly sat there and watched.
Nearly an hour later, Xuan Zhan slowly opened his eyes.
Although the look of pain on his face had faded somewhat, seeing the bulging veins at his temples, Jian Junyao could tell that he had not fully recovered yet.