Gu Qianying fell into the black hole. After steadying herself, she felt her way in the dark, listening to the sounds around her. She then crouched down and searched the ground, finally finding a palm-sized piece of flint and a wooden stick. Rubbing the flint against the wall, sparks flew as her movements quickened.
She picked up the wooden stick and lit it.
The surroundings suddenly lit up, revealing the space around her. She stood in an empty black hole. Ahead, about fifteen feet away, was a dark passage. Holding the torch, she walked into the passage.
After about half an hour, she saw a faint light ahead. Seeing this, she quickened her pace. Outside the cave entrance, weeds grew in abundance. She pushed aside the weeds and emerged, blinking in the sunlight. She closed her eyes and scanned her surroundings.
The environment stunned her for a moment.
This was… the back garden of the old courtyard where she had been arranged to stay by the Empress of Xia!
She stood there, lingering.
As she traversed the dark passage, the image of the man in the silver mask injured while protecting her filled her mind.
Her hands, hidden beneath her sleeves, clenched tightly.
No!
She had to go back!
A voice kept repeating in her ear: Save him! Save him!
She wasn't a saint; she didn't need to risk her life for a stranger whose identity she didn't know but felt familiar with!
Yet, that person had saved her in a moment of crisis.
Gratitude demanded repayment!
She couldn't abandon him!
Taking out the hidden signal whistle, she was about to blow it.
Not far away, Nanny Lan, accompanied by several palace maids, walked through the winding corridors towards Gu Qianying's residence.
Gu Qianying hid in a corner, squinting as she watched.
The old woman she had drugged was still lying unconscious in the room. If Nanny Lan entered now, she wouldn't be able to hide.
But… she wanted to go back!
Unsure of what to do, she found herself touching the miniature wooden horse hidden in her pouch, an item very important to her. She paused, and in that instant, she made her decision.
With a flash of movement, unnoticed, she pushed open a window from behind the house and entered.
Closing the window, she quickly changed into her night-blooming attire. She then woke the unconscious old woman, fabricating a story to make her believe she had simply been tired and fallen asleep.
Immediately, Gu Qianying sat alone at the desk, picked up a teacup, and leisurely sipped her tea.
Nanny Lan, along with several palace maids, entered. Seeing her resting in the room, she showed only a slight surprise, not betraying excessive abnormality.
"Miss Gu, you are here. That's wonderful. I, this old woman, thought you must have retired so late. It seems Miss Gu is also someone who cannot rest."
As she spoke, Nanny Lan glanced around, trying to find anything out of the ordinary.
Unfortunately, after scanning the room, she found nothing amiss.
Gu Qianying ignored the probing tone in Nanny Lan's words and calmly asked, "Has something happened with Her Majesty the Empress?"
Her feigned inquiry was truly aimed at extracting information about the man in the silver mask from Nanny Lan.
However, Nanny Lan was tight-lipped. "Nothing, Miss Gu is overthinking. Our Empress has taken your medicine, and her condition has improved greatly. She slept very well last night, and today, she praised Miss Gu to me, this old woman, all day. Our Empress also said that with Miss Gu's medical skills, if she were to take a position in our Xia Kingdom's Imperial Hospital, then our Xia Kingdom would be blessed.
But we also know that Miss Gu is not from the Xia Kingdom and will naturally not stay here for long. Speaking of which, our Empress feels it is a great pity. Our Empress is also someone who cherishes talent. Knowing that she cannot keep Miss Gu, she has kept your two friends in the Ministry of Labor, allowing them to utilize their talents.
Of course, Miss Gu need not worry. Your friends are doing well in the Ministry of Labor. As for you, just peacefully stay with our Empress and treat her illness."
Gu Qianying narrowed her cold eyes, scoffing inwardly.
She could clearly understand the veiled threat in the words!
However, the Ministry of Labor was a hundred times better than the celestial prison. This way, Cai Xia would contact her soon, and some matters would become much more convenient.
She sneered, "Her Majesty the Empress is thoughtful. Please convey to the Empress that I will thoroughly treat her illness and help her recover quickly."
Her words were loaded with meaning and implied more than they stated.
Nanny Lan, unable to grasp the hidden meaning, assumed Gu Qianying was merely complying due to coercion and unable to change her circumstances.
"That way, our Empress will be relieved." Having said that, Nanny Lan changed the subject. "There is also one matter that requires Miss Gu's assistance. Yesterday, a noble person in our palace was poisoned and injured. Please accompany me to take a look at our noble."
"One of your noble persons?" Gu Qianying looked at Nanny Lan. "Are all the imperial physicians in your Xia Kingdom dead?"
Her contempt and sarcasm made Nanny Lan frown. "Miss Gu, you must understand that you have no other choice now. Our Empress also sees you as a smart person, which is why she allows you to live so comfortably here.
If I recall correctly, you are currently a wanted fugitive by the Eastern Victory Kingdom. You bear the responsibility for the lives of the entire Gu family.
Although our Empress has a minor illness, it is not fatal. If our Empress were truly angered and sent Miss Gu back to the Eastern Victory Kingdom, it would be a great gift to the Emperor of the Eastern Victory Kingdom. I imagine the Emperor there would be very pleased. What do you say, Miss Gu!"
The blatant threat was no longer concealed.
Gu Qianying laughed in anger. "So, it is I, a fugitive criminal, who is living here, receiving great favor from your Empress?"
Nanny Lan snorted. "It's good that you know. Enough talk. Hurry up and get ready, we're going!"
The commanding tone made Gu Qianying somewhat annoyed.
She put down her teacup, stood up, patted Nanny Lan on the shoulder, and brushed past her, her voice slightly cold, "Lead the way!"
Nanny Lan suddenly felt a slight sting on her shoulder, which disappeared as quickly as it came. At that moment, she paid it no mind. As long as Gu Qianying obediently followed orders, everything else would be manageable.
Following Nanny Lan to Kunning Palace,
The Empress of Xia waited in her sleeping quarters.
Her personal palace maids attended to her, gently fanning her with scented fans, with refreshments prepared.
Gu Qianying entered with Nanny Lan.
Nanny Lan approached the Empress of Xia and reported, "Your Majesty, Miss Gu has arrived."
The Empress of Xia turned her gaze towards Gu Qianying. Her sharp eyes were filled with hatred, which vanished in an instant. Her voice returned to calm. "Yes, she has arrived. Go and take a look. If Miss Gu can cure him, this consort will reward you."
Gu Qianying remained silent, but felt a sense of strangeness.
The Empress of Xia was quite bold to hide someone in her own chambers.
Looking from afar through the bed curtains, she couldn't clearly discern who was lying on the bed, but she could vaguely tell it was a man.
She walked towards the bed and was about to lift the curtain when Nanny Lan blocked her view.
"Miss Gu, you may examine the illness, but you may not see the person."
Gu Qianying frowned and turned to Nanny Lan. "To examine a patient, one needs to feel the pulse, observe the complexion, and listen to their breathing. Without these, how can I examine the illness? How can I diagnose it and prescribe the correct medicine?"
"Miss Gu, you may feel the pulse, but nothing else."
Saying this, Nanny Lan turned, blocking Gu Qianying's view with her back. She briefly lifted the bed curtain, exposing the man's arm, then quickly lowered it, facing Gu Qianying. "Miss Gu, is this acceptable? This old woman believes that with Miss Gu's superb medical skills, by simply feeling the pulse, you can diagnose what poison our noble has been afflicted with and administer an antidote to help our noble recover."
This flattery was a veiled challenge. If she failed to cure him, it would be an indirect admission of her lack of medical skill.
Gu Qianying found this kind of provocation amusing. When had she ever cared about such things?
The man's hand was fair, slender, with distinct bones, and very beautiful.
Gu Qianying sat down and, through the bed curtain, placed her slender fingers on the man's pulse. The man's pulse was weak. Inside his body, there were actually two different poisons. One was a potent poison, contact with which was fatal.
The other was a chronic poison. Although this poison had intervals between its outbreaks, it was extremely potent. When it flared up, it felt like a thousand claws scratching the heart, causing excruciating pain throughout the body.
As she felt his pulse, Gu Qianying paused for a moment.
Especially when she discerned the nature of the poison afflicting the man on the bed, she concealed her slightly trembling hands, stood up with extreme speed, turned around, and her voice returned to its calm. "The poison in this person's body can be resolved, but it is somewhat troublesome."
As she spoke, Gu Qianying asked Nanny Lan for a brush and ink. She wrote down several medicinal ingredients and handed them to Nanny Lan. "Quickly prepare the herbs listed here and send them to my room. Remember, be fast. This person only has a few hours. After that, even an immortal descending to earth cannot save him."
Nanny Lan glanced at the herbs Gu Qianying had written down. Some were very rare and expensive. However, with the Imperial Hospital within the palace, obtaining these herbs should not be difficult.
Nanny Lan handed the prescription to the Empress of Xia for her perusal, then instructed others to quickly go to the Imperial Hospital and prepare all the herbs, sending them to Miss Gu's room.
The subordinates were diligent. In a short time, several medicinal ingredients appeared before Gu Qianying.
"Alright, you all wait outside. I need to concentrate on preparing the antidote."