As night deepened, Jiang Yunxu looked at the straw doll covered in needles in her hand. She located Nanny Lin’s room, quietly slipped inside, tucked it under the pillow, and deliberately left a corner exposed.
After completing this, Jiang Yunxu covered her face and headed to the back hill.
Unexpectedly, the attendant from that day was already waiting there. Seeing her arrive, he clasped his hands and said, “Miss Xiao Cui, our master was afraid you might not find the place, so he sent me to escort you.”
Jiang Yunxu said nothing, only tightening her face covering as she followed the attendant, carefully making her way over the back hill.
No sooner had she stepped through the back door than a sharp blade was pressed against her neck. A cold, emotionless voice came from behind.
“Miss Xiao Cui, apologies for the offense. Whatever you see later, please remain silent.”
As he spoke, Jiang Yunxu felt the blade cut her skin. Crimson blood seeped out, staining the cold, gleaming edge.
She sighed helplessly, “Was that really necessary?”
Just saving someone—did it warrant such caution?
Yin Feng ignored her, pushing her toward a door.
The moon hung high, half-covered by dark clouds. As Jiang Yunxu reached the doorway, she heard a muffled groan of pain from inside.
Yin Feng gently pushed the door open, and Jiang Yunxu was pulled inside with considerable force, making her frown. Lifting her head, what met her eyes was basin after basin of bloody water. The man on the bed had veins bulging, his face dark and ashen. His legs seemed to writhe as if something inside was trying to burst through his skin.
Without waiting for Yin Feng to speak, Jiang Yunxu broke free from his grip and walked to Chu Xuanzhi’s bedside. Without hesitation, she took his wrist and checked his pulse.
But Jiang Yunxu’s frown only deepened. Looking at his legs, she thought of taking out a scalpel from Kongjian, only to meet Yin Feng’s skeptical gaze.
“Leave.”
Her command did not move Yin Feng until Chu Xuanzhi gritted his teeth and said, “Yin Feng, leave.”
Yin Feng clenched his fists but finally, under Chu Xuanzhi’s rebuke, sheathed his blade and turned to leave.
However, he remained just outside the door, ready to burst in at the slightest disturbance.
He still did not trust Jiang Yunxu.
For so many years, no one had been able to cure the master’s poison. How could a mere kitchen maid do it?
It seemed like a fantasy, yet the master trusted Xiao Cui.
Once alone in the room, Jiang Yunxu said to Chu Xuanzhi, “Since you trust me, you must follow my instructions. Don’t move recklessly, or I can’t guarantee what might happen.”
“Hmm!”
Seeing his agreement, Jiang Yunxu took out a bandage from her sleeve and wrapped it tightly around the upper part of Chu Xuanzhi’s thigh. Then, she retrieved the anesthetic she had prepared earlier and injected it into Chu Xuanzhi.
Watching him slowly close his eyes, Jiang Yunxu tested him several times. When he showed no response, she confidently brought out the surgical instruments from her laboratory.
Earlier, in the bathtub, she had already seen Chu Xuanzhi’s legs. Now, seeing them again, she was even more certain: there were Guchong in his body.
Guchong were harder to deal with than Gudu. After all, if the Mugu couldn’t be found, all efforts would be in vain. Jiang Yunxu dared not delay. After preparing, she took the scalpel and made an incision in Chu Xuanzhi’s leg.
His blood vessels and muscle layers were damaged in multiple places—no wonder he couldn’t move. Now, she had to act quickly. If necrosis set in, his legs would truly be ruined.
Jiang Yunxu took out the surgical needles and thread and placed them to the side.
She sprinkled medicinal powder inside, attempting to force out the Guchong, but it seemed to have been inside Chu Xuanzhi’s body for a long time. This amount of medicine was simply ineffective against it.
Jiang Yunxu took out another bottle, and this time, the thing was finally forced out.
After using alcohol to eliminate it, Jiang Yunxu quickly began suturing. She knew full well that there were no blood bags available here, and she couldn’t leave it unattended for too long. His condition was truly troublesome and had to be handled step by step, slowly.
This surgery was extremely delicate, and Jiang Yunxu spent a full four hours before completely finishing the suturing.
Just then, Yin Feng burst through the door.
“What exactly are you doing?”
Jiang Yunxu hurriedly put away the instruments into Kongjian, relieved that Yin Feng was only focused on Chu Xuanzhi on the bed and hadn’t noticed.
He pushed Jiang Yunxu aside and carefully examined the wounds on Chu Xuanzhi’s body. There was only one suture mark and a blood-stained gauze bandage—nothing else.
Chu Xuanzhi’s breathing was also very steady.
Yin Feng’s anxious heart finally settled, but Jiang Yunxu herself seemed to collapse, half-sitting on the floor. She was utterly exhausted, as if all her energy had been drained.
But seeing Yin Feng’s distrustful attitude, she said coldly, “Is this how you treat your master’s savior?”
Yin Feng was not unreasonable. Seeing that his master was fine, he apologized to Jiang Yunxu, “Miss Xiao Cui, I’m sorry. I’ll have someone prepare some food for you right away.”
“No need.”
Jiang Yunxu forced herself to stand up. She had to return to the Wangfu; otherwise, when Chu Youqi came back and found her missing, he would start barking again.
“Let me take you back by carriage.”
Afraid of exposing herself, Jiang Yunxu declined Yin Feng’s offer. Before leaving, she gave a few instructions.
“Be careful with his wound to avoid infection. His condition is quite complicated, and he won’t be able to walk for a while. He’ll need acupuncture stimulation a few more times.”
“Yes! Thank you, miss.”
Yin Feng’s hands trembled slightly. They had sought out so many doctors, but all of them just shook their heads and said there was no hope. Regardless of whether this woman could actually cure him, she represented a glimmer of hope.
“Once my master recovers, if you ever need anything in the future, Yin Feng will spare no effort!”
Jiang Yunxu reached up and touched her neck, smiling bitterly, “Next time, be gentler. A young lady is delicate. If my face gets scarred, how will I ever marry?”
Hearing this, Yin Feng’s lips twitched. The Third Princess Consort was really putting on an act!
Jiang Yunxu left Xuanmenfu. To be safe, she still chose to take the path over the back mountain.
When she avoided Xiao Tao and climbed into the inner room, she suddenly heard a series of curses coming from Jiang Yan’er’s courtyard.
“You wretched servant, how dare you curse me? Do you want to die?”
Jiang Yunxu raised an eyebrow, instantly wide awake. She took out a bag of glucose from Kongjian and gulped it down before calling out to Xiao Tao, who was sitting on the stone steps outside the room, “Xiao Tao, help me change. Let’s go see what’s happening.”
“Coming.”
Xiao Tao immediately stood up.
Xiao Tao actually quite enjoyed serving Jiang Yunxu. Unlike other masters, Jiang Yunxu had few demands, rarely called for her more than a few times a day, and didn’t impose many rules.
Usually, she just asked her to fetch water or help change clothes. She never hit or scolded her and occasionally even gave her rewards.
Xiao Tao felt she had encountered the best mistress ever, so whenever Chu Youqi asked where the Wangfei had gone, even if she had seen her, she would pretend not to have.
She certainly didn’t want to lose the Wangfei and end up serving that seemingly gentle but vicious Cefei when the prince was away.
In the end, Xiao Tao changed Jiang Yunxu into a verdant green dress, and as soon as Jiang Yunxu stepped out, she headed straight for Jiang Yan’er’s courtyard.
Usually, when she went to administer acupuncture to Jiang Yan’er, she would sleep until the sun was high in the sky. This time, it was likely the earliest she had ever gone.
As soon as she entered, she heard the dull thud of wood striking flesh.
Nanny Lin was pinned to the ground, with servants wielding two wooden boards striking her buttocks one after another. Beside her lay the tattered cloth doll that Jiang Yunxu had planted in her room.
On it were written Jiang Yan’er’s name and birth date.
Nanny Lin kept crying out, “Cefei Yan, this old servant didn’t do it, I didn’t!”
But Jiang Yan’er turned a deaf ear to her pleas.
“Beat her! Beat her hard! I think you hold a grudge against me and want revenge!”
Seeing the bloodstains on the boards, Jiang Yunxu couldn’t help but click her tongue. How ruthless to treat her own dowry nanny like this.
After twenty strokes, Nanny Lin was already on the verge of death.
It was then that Jiang Yunxu spoke up, “That should be enough. Any more and she’ll really die.”
Seeing who had arrived, Jiang Yan’er snorted coldly, “I’m disciplining my own servant. What does it have to do with you, little sister? It’s fortunate you’re not the lady of the house, or else these servants would probably be riding roughshod over their masters.”
Jiang Yunxu leaned leisurely against the doorframe, glancing sideways at the bloodied Nanny Lin without a shred of sympathy.
This servant was truly ruthless.
She had secretly reported to Lady He in the dead of night and repeatedly beaten the madwoman. It was time to settle this score.
Jiang Yunxu yawned and stretched, about to leave when Jiang Yan’er grabbed her, “Good little sister…”
“Cefei, you’ve addressed me incorrectly. Although you’re older than me, in the Wangfu, I am the Wangfei, while you are merely a concubine. By the rules, you should address me as Wangfei.”
These words were like adding fuel to the fire, infuriating Jiang Yan’er. This matter was a sore point for her.
As the legitimate daughter of the Zaixiangfu, she had become a mere Cefei to the prince. With her status, she was more than qualified to be a crown princess.
Yet her father insisted she endure it, waiting for the right moment to eliminate Jiang Yunxu, after which she would rightfully become the Third Princess Consort.
Chu Youqi was also the candidate her father favored, which was why Jiang Yan’er had endured the pressure and accepted the role of Cefei.
Now that this had been exposed, Jiang Yan’er was so angry her chest heaved. She snapped, “So what if you’re the legitimate wife? Your beloved elder sister, the one you cherished so much, was a legitimate wife too. And what happened to her? She still died, didn’t she?”
Jiang Yunxu frowned. Who was this person?
“You probably don’t know, but when Jiang Yunyue died, all four of her limbs were broken, her face was hideous, and she was wrapped in a tattered mat and thrown into a mass grave to be devoured by wild dogs, leaving not a single bone behind!”
Jiang Yan’er was so enraged that she spoke without thinking. Hearing this, Jiang Yunxu finally recalled something.
In the Jiang family, Jiang Yan’er was the eldest legitimate daughter, Jiang Yunyue was the second daughter, and she herself was the third. Three years ago, Jiang Yunyue married the eldest legitimate son of the Yongyi Earl’s main branch and died of illness within a year.
Judging by Jiang Yan’er’s tone, this matter was far from simple.
Jiang Yunxu pressed her lips tightly together and remained silent.
“Sooner or later, you’ll meet the same fate as that short-lived wretch. The only difference is, you’ll never bear the prince’s child—not in this lifetime!”
The words “short-lived wretch” struck a nerve in Jiang Yunxu. Without hesitation, she swung her hand and delivered a sharp slap across Jiang Yan’er’s fair, delicate cheek.
Slap!
A crisp sound echoed through the air.
Jiang Yan’er clutched her face in disbelief. Then, Jiang Yunxu seized her by the chin. “Why get so worked up? Be careful not to trigger your poison—no one but me can save you now.”
“You!” Jiang Yan’er was so furious her head spun.
Jiang Yunxu released her grip, wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief, and tossed it aside as if it were tainted. This gesture only fueled Jiang Yan’er’s rage, making her chest heave as she staggered back, leaning on her maid to catch her breath.
Jiang Yunxu had no patience left for further argument. What lingered in her mind was Jiang Yan’er’s earlier remark—that Jiang Yunyue had given birth just before her death. She wondered what had become of that child.
“Someone, prepare the carriage!” Jiang Yunxu shouted angrily.
No one answered her call.