Ye Xiaohua’s goal for this trip to the mountain was to collect the rest of the mantis egg cases she had spotted but hadn’t finished harvesting last time. Although they didn’t fetch a high price, money was money.
With only three taels of silver in her possession, she needed not only to cover their daily expenses but also to plan for house repairs. She intended to patch up the drafty, leaking house before the rainy season arrived so that she and her younger brother could have a warm little nest. Besides, “sitting and eating through one’s savings” was never in Ye Xiaohua’s nature; without silver in hand, it was difficult to accomplish anything.
Following her memory, she returned to the area she had visited before. The mantis egg cases remained intact, waiting for her. Without the need to constantly watch over little Douzi, Ye Xiaohua was free to work efficiently. Her abundant harvest put her in a great mood, and before she knew it, she had wandered deep into the woods.
As she pocketed the final egg case and prepared to drink some water and stretch her back, she heard movement in the grass, which grew over a person’s height nearby.
A wolf? A wild boar?
Perfect to catch and sell for money, Ye Xiaohua thought with delight. She immediately pulled her firewood axe from her basket, sharpening it in her mind…
Pushing aside the grass, Ye Xiaohua braced herself for an attack. However, the moment the axe was about to descend, the thing in the grass let out a muffled groan.
A person? An injured person?
Through the bloodstains, Ye Xiaohua saw a face with perfect, impeccable contours; the features were as exquisite as a work of art.
A handsome man—an absolute beauty. Ye Xiaohua couldn’t help but wonder what kind of brilliant eyes lay behind those tightly closed lids. While she had seen plenty of handsome men in her past life, this beautiful youth gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
“Is anyone there? Whose young master is this?” Ye Xiaohua called out twice, but received no response.
What kind of world was this? To abandon such a handsome boy just like that?
Ye Xiaohua first fed the young man some of her remaining water. Since he was unconscious, he spilled almost as much as he drank. While she was at it, she wiped his face, wanting to admire his true appearance.
She was shocked when she saw him clearly. It was him.
The immortal young brother who had saved her life.
Regardless of whether he was her savior or a total stranger, she couldn’t just stand by and watch him die. She had no choice. Seeing him in such agony—his lips purple as if from poison, and his body covered in wounds—she gathered by his attire that he wasn’t from a common family. Perhaps his men were currently searching for a physician.
But if they had to wait for someone to find a physician and return, this beautiful youth would likely not survive.
Ye Xiaohua intended to tear his clothes to inspect the wounds, but unfortunately, his fabric was too high-quality compared to the rough linen she wore. With no other way, her firewood axe made another appearance.
“Stop!”
Just as she was about to proceed, a low shout came from behind. “Release my master at once.”
Ye Xiaohua looked back to see a man in black, his expression cold and his presence radiating a heavy killing intent. As the man flicked his fingers, Ye Xiaohua felt something strike her axe. With the sound of clashing metal, a numbing sensation traveled through her right hand, causing her to drop the tool.
Hidden weapons? God-like martial arts and poisoned blades—Ye Xiaohua drew a sharp breath.
After the axe hit the ground, the man strode over. Does he think I’m trying to kill his master? How fierce.
At first, the man really had thought so. But after seeing that she was just a young girl and noticing her crude firewood axe, he realized he had miscalculated.
“Big brother, don’t kill me.” A wise person knows when to yield. Ye Xiaohua had already determined that her amateur skills were no match for him. “I saw your master was severely injured and poisoned, and I wanted to help, really.”
The man looked back at Ye Xiaohua, eyeing her up and down. His look of distrust was not unfamiliar to her—who told her that her current body didn’t look like that of a highly skilled physician?
“I’m taking him to a physician now. Little girl, how far is the nearest clinic?” The man’s face was also stained with blood, whether his own or his master’s, making him look quite terrifying.
Ye Xiaohua had seen big storms in her past life; she remained calm. “About twenty li. But if you take him there, your master will likely be dead before you arrive.”
Between the fact that he was her savior and his stunning beauty, Ye Xiaohua felt compelled to act.
The man paused, his brows furrowed; he clearly didn’t like her saying that.
“I’m not talking nonsense. If you want him to die, go ahead. I can’t stop you anyway.”
Mo Ying’s eyes flickered with killing intent. He wondered who this country girl was; seeing such gore without fear, yet claiming she could save his master.
Ye Xiaohua felt that being a good person these days was incredibly difficult. But if the “immortal brother” died, her conscience would never be at peace. “I can save him.”
Mo Ying studied the girl carefully and felt that the situation was absurd. Still, wasting more time with her only put his master in greater danger. If he delayed treatment, killing the girl afterward wouldn’t make up for it.
Seeing the man prepare to leave with the young master, Ye Xiaohua said, “Within two quarter-hours (30 minutes), the poison will strike his heart, and he will die.”
“Shut up! Believe me when I say I will kill you if you lie again.”
Looking at the lethal intensity in his eyes, Ye Xiaohua felt a shiver of fear, but she persisted. “I speak the truth. I know what poison he has been struck with, and the antidote grows on this very mountain. From here to the clinic, even if it doesn’t take that long, those physicians might not be able to cure this poison. And even if they could, they wouldn’t be as fast as me.”
Seeing he still doubted her, she added, “Several months ago, your master passed through our village and saved my life. Saving him today is just me repaying that debt.”
Months ago, his master had indeed passed through here. Looking at the girl’s clear eyes, she didn’t seem to be lying. Moreover, there truly were no good physicians in this rural area. Yet, entrusting his master’s life to a mere girl left him worried.
“Can you really do it?”
“While you’re busy asking back and forth, I could have already treated him. Believe it or not, it’s up to you.” I don’t care anymore.
If she didn’t save the boy, it would be his subordinate’s fault for not believing her.
Mo Ying was making a final struggle, though he had already compromised in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the girl produce a set of silver needles from who-knows-where, playing with them in her small hands. Fortunately, she had kept the needles on her since leaving the Qin household, thinking they might come in handy. It was a massive help now.
Without needing the man to speak, and seeing him no longer resisting, Ye Xiaohua began inspecting the wounds. She saw the marks left by a sharp weapon and noticed the blood on both master and servant; thinking it better to avoid unnecessary trouble, she didn’t ask questions.
“His injuries aren’t too severe, but the weapon used was poisoned.”
Seeing the man nod, Ye Xiaohua asked, “I’ll use these needles to draw the poison from his body to keep it from reaching his internal organs. Do you recognize herbs?”
Mo Ying hesitated. “Only some simple ones.”
“Forget it, I’ll do it.” She had seen a few scattered medicinal herbs here last time. She hadn’t bothered picking them then because they weren’t worth much, but she hadn’t expected them to be useful now.
Ye Xiaohua first took the immortal youth’s pulse, incidentally noting his beautiful hands—slender, cool, and with callouses from holding weapons.
Under her direction, Mo Ying removed the young man’s upper garment, revealing a fair chest marred by wounds. Ye Xiaohua subconsciously compared his skin tone to her own. The young brother’s skin really is like snow; it’s even fairer than mine.
She used the needles to draw out the poison. After only a few needles, the youth vomited a mouthful of black blood. Fearing the man would panic again, Ye Xiaohua explained, “Don’t be afraid, this is a good thing.”
She then fell silent, concentrating on applying the needles. Once his upper body was covered in them, she let out a long breath. “I’m going to pick some herbs to apply to his wounds; they will help him heal faster. Later, I’ll give you a prescription; find a pharmacy once he wakes up and have him take it.”
Because her memory held the exact locations of those herbs, she returned quickly. She chewed the herbs in her mouth to create a poultice, which she applied to his wounds—the bitter taste making Ye Xiaohua frown.
When everything was finished and the needles were removed, the youth spat out a large mouthful of bright red blood. Both Ye Xiaohua and Mo Ying felt the weight lift from their hearts.
“Don’t move him until he wakes up. It’s getting late, and I must return.”
She had promised to be back by afternoon. She had already wasted time harvesting egg cases, and saving him had taken even longer; she didn’t know if Douzi or Auntie Seven were worried.
Mo Ying didn’t stop her. Although he didn’t know medicine, he could tell his master’s pulse had steadied and his breathing had calmed. Still, he was anxious.
“Little girl… about today…”
Ye Xiaohua turned back slowly, her basket swaying. She glanced at the pale youth. “Oh, don’t worry. I haven’t seen anyone today.”
Smart. She knew without me even asking, Mo Ying thought as he watched her figure quickly vanish into the weeds.
Not just smart—her medical skills were extraordinary.
Less than half a quarter-hour after Ye Xiaohua left, the youth’s thick eyelashes fluttered twice. A pair of deep, starry eyes slowly opened, captivating and breathtaking.