"The wet nurse's condition has worsened. If not treated promptly, I fear..."
Du Chun did not finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear to everyone.
Although Du Chun was considered a reincarnation of Hua Tuo, there were some illnesses he could not cure.
Nangong Mo remained silent, his deep eyes dark and unreadable.
After a moment, he instructed Bai Qi to fetch brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and handed Bai Qi a letter. "Deliver this letter to the Gu Manor and give it to Miss Gu personally."
Bai Qi nodded and accepted the order. "Yes, Master."
Much later, Bai Qi returned. The letter he had been sent to deliver remained unopened. He knelt on one knee before Nangong Mo. "Master, forgive my incompetence. I was unable to deliver this letter to Miss Gu."
Nangong Mo frowned. "What happened?"
He had always trusted Bai Qi's actions. If a task was not completed, it must have been due to some unforeseen circumstances.
"Reporting to Master, I learned that a severe plague has broken out in the military camp where Old General Gu is stationed. When Old General Gu went to the camp, Miss Gu accompanied him."
"What!"
Nangong Mo's voice suddenly turned cold, and the chill in his eyes intensified.
The servants attending outside the hall were so terrified they dared not breathe.
Bai Qi lowered his head, not daring to speak.
"Help me change. I am going to the military camp!"
Nangong Mo's decision shocked everyone.
"Master!" Bai Qi exclaimed in surprise.
"A'mo, have you gone mad!" Du Chun was furious. "Not to mention that plague is something everyone fears, it's not only contagious but also fatal. If something were to happen to you, what would we do? Furthermore, you have never been to a military camp, nor have you openly formed factions. Even the alliance with the Gu family was a rumor we spread, stating that you were merely infatuated with Miss Gu and did not care about the power held by Old General Gu. To alleviate the Emperor's suspicion of the Ninth Prince's Manor, we also secretly arranged for the Gu clan to feign allegiance to Crown Prince Nan Rong Qi, thus concealing our true intentions that we have been planning. And A'mo, the reason why your legs were poisoned and paralyzed, do I need to explain the real reason?"
As he spoke, Du Chun walked up to Nangong Mo. "How can all of this be in vain because of your reckless decision? If you go to Old General Gu's camp today, aren't you just giving the Emperor a reason to kill you! A prince who is supposed to be idle is going to the military camp to inquire about a plague. A'mo, what exactly are you trying to do? Is one Miss Gu worth breaking your principles time and time again?"
Du Chun laid out all the matters clearly in an attempt to persuade Nangong Mo.
But how could Nangong Mo be persuaded by Du Chun's words?
"Push me out," Nangong Mo commanded Bai Qi after changing his clothes.
"Yes, Master."
"Nangong Mo!"
Du Chun was enraged.
Nangong Mo turned to look at him, his voice still cold. "Do you think you can dissuade me from something I have decided?"
"Fine, fine, fine, go! At worst, you'll die from the plague, and then I won't have to rack my brains trying to find a way to detoxify you!"
Du Chun, in his anger, spat out these words and then stormed off.
Nangong Mo was unfazed and gestured to Bai Qi.
Bai Qi pushed Nangong Mo out.
"Wait!"
Du Chun, who had just left, suddenly returned.
With a swish.
Du Chun threw a seven-colored silver snake into Bai Qi's arms.
"Wrap this little creature around your master. It looks insignificant, but it's a little fellow immune to all poisons. It can help you resist external toxins, and the same applies to plagues. However, it's extremely disobedient, so you'll have to tame it yourselves."
With that, Du Chun turned and vanished.
Bai Qi stood dumbfounded, holding the seven-colored silver snake.
"Mas...ter, Mas...ter, it's licking me again!"
Nangong Mo retracted his gaze from Du Chun's retreating figure.
The seven-colored silver snake was Du Chun's beloved pet, raised by him. This creature was extraordinary, both venomous and a spirit snake immune to all poisons.
Du Chun had spent a great deal of effort taming it.
This creature recognized only one principle: whoever tamed it became its master, and its master had the right to command it to do their bidding.
If it were to be tamed by Nangong Mo this time, it would recognize a new master. In that case, this seven-colored spirit snake would accompany him from then on.
If Du Chun wanted to reclaim it, he would need to exert even greater skill than Nangong Mo. Unfortunately, while Du Chun was a brilliant physician and reasonably agile, his martial arts were mostly swordplay, and his internal energy cultivation was far inferior to Nangong Mo's.
Bai Qi cried out a couple of times, but Nangong Mo ignored him and extended his hand. "Give it to me."
As soon as he said this, Bai Qi immediately threw the creature in his arms to Nangong Mo.
Nangong Mo slightly raised his palm, and a powerful internal force emanated from it.
The seven-colored silver snake in his hand felt a powerful force gradually approaching it.
It writhed its body, trying to escape, but was caught by Nangong Mo's hand.
Unable to break free, the round-headed creature opened its venomous mouth and flicked its tongue at Nangong Mo.
Its entire body, which was seven-colored, suddenly turned a dark green as it opened its mouth and flicked its tongue.
At this moment, the seven-colored silver snake had become a completely venomous snake.
"Master, be careful!"
Bai Qi exclaimed, drawing his long sword, intending to sever the snake's head.
"Don't move!" Nangong Mo commanded coldly.
The moment he pinned the seven-colored silver snake's head, Nangong Mo struck with his palm. As the seven-colored silver snake's head reeled, Nangong Mo bit his finger and dripped his blood into its mouth.
As the seven-colored silver snake's skin color changed from dark green back to seven-colored, its body slowly softened and lay on Nangong Mo's palm. After a while, it raised its head again and rubbed against Nangong Mo's palm.
"Master, has it... surrendered?"
Seeing that the seven-colored silver snake did not seem to be attacking, Bai Qi sheathed his sword and stood behind Nangong Mo, his eyes wide.
"Mm, let's go."
Nangong Mo stroked the seven-colored silver snake's head and tucked it into his sleeve.
"Master is so amazing!" Bai Qi exclaimed, filled with admiration for his master's prowess.
A moment later.
Bai Qi pushed Nangong Mo out of the manor, placed him in the carriage, and then drove the carriage towards the military camp.
As their figures gradually receded into the distance.
A woman in a blue dress emerged from the corner of the rockery.
A maid in pink followed behind her.
"Miss, I've found out everything. That little vixen who's bewitching the Ninth Prince is the legitimate daughter of the Gu Manor, Gu Qianying. She is indeed somewhat attractive, but nowhere near as beautiful as you!
I don't know what shameless means that little vixen used to make the Ninth Prince disregard his own safety and go to the military camp to find her?"
The woman in blue said nothing, but the jealousy and hatred in her eyes could not be concealed, and anger also appeared on her face.
The maid in pink spat. "She's just a legitimate daughter from an outer family. She doesn't even look in the mirror to see what she looks like, yet she's repeatedly seduced the Ninth Prince. What a shameless creature, she's truly desperate.
I heard that a few days ago, the Ninth Prince stayed at the Gu Manor for a few days, ostensibly to seek a divine doctor to treat his legs. But the Gu Manor has no divine doctor. Clearly, it was that legitimate daughter who lured the Ninth Prince over.
On the surface, she was trying to treat the Ninth Prince's legs, but in secret, she must have used some shameless means to curry favor with the Ninth Prince!
Now, the Ninth Prince must be giving Old General Gu face and has no choice but to agree to marry that little vixen as his main consort.
But Miss, don't blame me for being gossipy. I think you are the most suitable for the position of Ninth Princess. You are the only young lady living in this manor. Although the Ninth Prince doesn't visit our Lanxi Pavilion often, we all see clearly that the Ninth Prince's attitude towards you is different from his attitude towards others. Otherwise, why would he let you live in the Ninth Prince's Manor with me for so many years?"
The maid in pink's words somewhat eased the anger on the woman in blue's face.
At this moment, another maid approached from a distance. "Miss Lan, Granny Shi has woken up and is looking for you."
When the woman in blue turned around, her expression returned to normal, and her voice was gentle and delicate. "Alright, I'm coming. You may go now."
"Yes."
After the maid who came to find her left, the woman in blue's gaze suddenly turned cold. "That old hag, calling me over again. She must want me to massage her shoulders and back again. Hmph, what does she take me for all day? A servant girl to serve her!"
"Miss, don't be angry. Granny Shi raised the Ninth Prince herself. The Ninth Prince is very filial to this wet nurse, so we shouldn't offend her."
The woman in blue snapped a vibrant flower and threw it at her feet, then slowly said, "That's true. The Ninth Prince has never given up searching for famous doctors everywhere to treat the wet nurse's illness. It's evident how filial he is to her. Although the wet nurse's condition has worsened and she seems to have only a few days left to live, even so, there are things we have to rely on this wet nurse for. If the wet nurse insists that the Ninth Prince not marry Miss Gu before she dies, then do you think the Ninth Prince will abandon the idea of an alliance with the Gu family for the sake of filial piety?"
"Miss means..." the maid in pink was slightly surprised.
"Go, gather some scandalous stories about Miss Gu. If you can't find any, fabricate some and tell them to the other maids in Lanxi Pavilion. Make sure they reach Granny Shi's ears, so she knows what kind of vixen our Ninth Prince intends to marry!"
"Yes, Miss, I'll go do it now."
...
Shence Army, military camp.
Normally, the training grounds where soldiers practiced and prepared for battle were filled with soldiers rising with the roosters, sweating profusely, shouting loudly, and bustling with activity.
But now, they were all lying on the training grounds, listless and lifeless.
On the far right of the training ground, more than a dozen people lay there, barely clinging to life. Their eyes were closed, and they each held onto their comrades, as if encouraging them to persevere.
Among them, a few hands gradually loosened. Their pupils were dilated, and they had no breath...