Inside the Cedar Court.
Gu Jinhuai stood by the window with an ashen face, his eyes shadowed with deep gloom.
Ever since three years ago, he had been afflicted with this bizarre condition.
He had seen famous doctors all over, yet none could ever pinpoint the cause. He could only watch helplessly as his belly grew bigger with each passing day.
He did not dare step foot outside, nor did he dare see anyone, terrified that others would mock him behind his back.
Gu Jinhuai closed his eyes tight. He hadn’t wanted to treat his younger sister that way earlier, but… he simply couldn’t control himself.
Thinking of the little girl’s image as she tried her best to hold back her grievances, a surge of bitterness welled in Gu Jinhuai’s heart.
“Xiao Shunzi! Take some ointment for bruises and injuries over to the Commandery Princess…” Gu Jinhuai instructed in a raspy voice.
Xiao Shunzi had just walked to the doorway clutching the tub of ointment when he spotted the Little Commandery Princess striding right past him and heading straight into the courtyard.
Seeing the little milk ball’s tiny hand about to push open the room door, Xiao Shunzi hurriedly stepped forward to dissuade her, “Little Commandery Princess, the First Imperial Grandson has already retired for the day, please come back another time…”
His Highness was feeling miserable right now and certainly would not wish to be disturbed.
Tangtang ignored him, pushing open the door and poking her tiny head inside. “Big Brother, Tangtang came to see you again~”
Gu Jinhuai’s body stiffened. Hadn’t his younger sister already been chased away by his harsh words?
He had already broken her heart, so she definitely wouldn’t return! This had to be a hallucination!
Gu Jinhuai squeezed his eyes shut, trying to banish the voice beside his ears.
“Big Brother, are you asleep?” Tangtang walked over to Gu Jinhuai’s side, tilting her head up to look at him.
Big Brother was so amazing, able to fall asleep even while standing!
Mm~ This was great too. Taking advantage of Big Brother being asleep, she could steal a peek at his tummy, which saved her from using a Sleepy-Sleep Talisman.
Making up her mind, Tangtang reached out toward Gu Jinhuai’s bulging belly.
In the next instant, Gu Jinhuai snapped his eyes open, his voice icy cold as he spoke, “What are you doing?”
Tangtang was like a startled kitten, hurriedly hiding both tiny hands behind her back. “Big Brother, did you wake up?”
He gave her a huge fright—how did Brother open his eyes without making a single sound!
With a cold face, Gu Jinhuai moved his lips, but in the end, no hurtful words came out. “Go back. There are no fun things for you here…”
Tangtang shook her head, her tiny hand grabbing onto his hem. “Big Brother, Tangtang won’t go! Will you let Tangtang see your tummy, please? Maybe Tangtang has a way to cure Big Brother!”
The veins on Gu Jinhuai’s temples throbbed violently. A condition that even imperial physicians and famous doctors among the common folk could not cure—what method could a little baby like her possibly have?
Yet, looking at Tangtang’s earnest and worried eyes, Gu Jinhuai simply couldn’t find the heart to reject her.
Ah, fine. What was so bad about letting her see his belly anyway? So many people had seen it already, one more wouldn’t make a difference.
Gu Jinhuai pulled open his broad outer robe, revealing a bulging belly that gleamed with purplish-blue bruises. Hideous veins crisscrossed across it in a tangled web, presenting a truly horrific sight.
Tangtang’s eyes filled with deep heartache, and she lightly poked Gu Jinhuai’s bruised belly with her fingertip.
“Big Brother, does it hurt?” Tangtang sniffled, tears welling up in her eyes.
No wonder Big Brother was unwilling to let anyone touch him. If it were Tangtang, she would be afraid to see people too.
Gu Jinhuai was taken aback. He had assumed that after seeing it, she would be terrified or disgusted. He never expected that she would ask if it hurt.
Far too many people treated him like a monster and avoided him like the plague. Aside from his father, mother, imperial grandfather, and imperial grandmother, she was the very first person to ask if he was in pain.
Gu Jinhuai’s gaze softened slightly, and he gave a slight shake of his head. “It doesn’t hurt. I’ve long grown used to it.”
If his younger sister wasn’t afraid, he was willing to learn how to take care of her.
Tangtang pursed her lips, her brow filled with anger.
Big Brother lied to a child!
His tummy was nearly bursting open, and there were so many cracked stretch marks all over it—how could it not hurt?
She wiped her tears away haphazardly with her sleeve and grabbed Big Brother’s wrist in a huff.
Gu Jinhuai’s body grew tense and at a loss, but he did not dare move, deeply afraid of making his younger sister unhappy again.
Tangtang’s face grew darker and darker. Furious, she bounced up on the spot, gritting her back teeth as she cursed, “Baddie! Big baddie! Once Tangtang catches you, I’m definitely gonna beat you to death!”
What kind of strange illness did Big Brother have?!
His belly was bulging like this—he had clearly been poisoned with Gu insects!
And it wasn’t just any ordinary Gu insect, but the most malicious Three-Corpse Gu Insect!
This type of Gu insect was extremely insidious. Once planted, it would continuously devour the host’s refined blood and fortune until the host exploded and died!
No wonder the doctors who treated Brother couldn’t tell. This type of Gu insect was not only rare but also extremely subtle—even ordinary Taoist priests would find it nearly impossible to detect!
Seeing his younger sister jumping up and down while cursing, Gu Jinhuai panicked in his heart and hurriedly coaxed her, “Big Brother is a baddie, don’t be mad, sister… Brother was wrong!”
He was a baddie for letting his younger sister see his hideous, terrifying appearance and scaring her…
Tangtang’s cheeks puffed out, and she gave him a huffy glare. “Big Brother isn’t the baddie! The baddie is the person who poisoned Big Brother with Gu! Tangtang is gonna beat the baddie to death!”
She was truly furious to death. This baddie was picking on Tangtang’s whole family—how utterly wicked!
Big Brother was the same way, dumping every bucket of filth onto his own head without even caring how bad it stank.
At the thought of this, the little girl gave him another huffy glare and turned her head away in a huff.
Gu Jinhuai paid it no mind, his entire mind consumed by the words Tangtang had just spoken.
Poisoned with Gu?
So he didn’t have a strange illness, but had been poisoned with Gu insects instead?
Gu Jinhuai staggered back two steps, his face turning as pale as paper.
No wonder…
In the beginning, the imperial physicians suspected ascites, but what was drained out wasn’t fluid, but foul, reeking black blood!
Standing outside the door, Hongyu heard the Little Commandery Princess’s words. In her furious shock, her eyes turned blood-red. The First Imperial Grandson was only twelve years old—who on earth could be so vicious!
The First Imperial Grandson could be saved! She needed to go report this to the Crown Princess!
At the thought of this, Hongyu turned around and dashed toward Deyin Hall with all her strength.
Meanwhile, Tangtang had already suppressed the fiery rage in her heart and was pulling Gu Jinhuai’s sleeve, comforting him in her sweet, milky voice, “Big Brother, don’t be scared, Tangtang will protect you! Brother, just hold on for two more days. Once I prepare everything, I’ll come remove the Gu for you!”
As Tangtang spoke, she pulled an exquisite peach wood sword out of her pouch and handed it to him. “Brother, hold onto this peach wood sword. Whether sleeping or eating, keep it on you at all times!”
Her peach wood sword was crafted from a hundred-year-old lightning-struck peach wood, possessing a natural suppressing effect against Gu insects.
With the peach wood sword, Brother’s tummy wouldn’t hurt for the time being.
Gu Jinhuai took the peach wood sword. The instant it reached his hand, he felt the belly that usually throbbed with swelling pain grow significantly more comfortable.
His hands couldn’t stop trembling, a glimmer of hope rising in his heart.
Could he be saved?
Was this strange illness that had tormented him for so long finally going to be cured?
“Sister, thank you…” Gu Jinhuai’s voice choked up. “Thank you…”
If not for his younger sister, he would still be living a life worse than death with that round, swollen belly.
“Big Brother, we are family~” Tangtang’s eyes curved into sweet crescents. “Tangtang will protect Big Brother from now on! Tangtang is the most amazing!”