Consort of a Thousand Faces

Ning Lianchen nodded and said in a calm voice. "I will leave the Imperial Eldest Princess in your hands." Ning Lianchen then turned and instructed his subordinates, "Drag Piao Xu's corpse out and toss it into the wilderness."

 

Ning Lianchen's tone was cold, cruel and merciless. I don't know where Prince Yun hid Imperial Elder Sister's body. Many people speculate that he might have thrown it into the wild or dumped it at an unmarked mass grave.

 

At this thought, Ning Lianchen couldn't help but clench his fists tightly under his sleeves. His mind was only pulled back when the imperial guard replied to his orders.

 

"This subordinate understands."

 

Ning Lianchen took a glance at the repose palace before he finally picked up his feet and left. He didn’t take the main path back to his palace, and instead chose to stick to smaller and less-used routes. Some occasional palace maids and eunuchs who passed by greeted him deferentially.

 

In the past, everyone who treated him with respect was only pretending; he would always see the traces of disdain in their eyes. Clearly, things had changed. Their deference towards him now came from the bottom of their hearts. Now that Ning Lianchen had gained control of three ministries, no one in the Imperial Palace would dare to look down on him. Thinking that this was all given to him by his Imperial Elder Sister, Ning Lianchen’s lips raised into a smile. I will live up to your expectations by working hard to consolidate the power you have given me.

 

However, Ning Lianchen didn't know that Wei Mohai had been killed by Su Xi-er, and definitely wasn’t aware that the latter had been poisoned while doing so.

 

~~~

 

Yu Xiao swiftly brought Su Xi-er back to the Literary Association. An old and experienced physician in the Literary Association immediately took her pulse.

 

Upon feeling her pulse, the old physician shook his head, "The poison within her is even more deadly than the Golden Banded Krait's venom. I'm afraid there's no way to save her life." He let out a sigh.

 

Yu Xiao's eyes were filled with anxiety. There must be a way to save her! He immediately brandished the short blade on his waist before soaking it in the wine from the pot on his waist. He then sanitised it over an open flame.

 

Stopping in front of Su Xi-er, he quickly muttered, "I'm sorry, Miss." He then lifted Su Xi-er's sleeve to reveal her slender arms.

 

The knife slid against the wound. Her deteriorating condition could only be temporarily delayed by bloodletting. Only by delaying the spread of the poison would they have enough time to think of a solution.

 

Black blood poured out. The old physician understood Yu Xiao's intention and immediately went to retrieve some herbs that could staunch the bleeding.

 

When he saw that bright red blood began to flow out of Su Xi-er’s arm, Yu Xiao immediately took the herbs from the old physician and bandaged up the stab wound. The girl in question had been out cold and void of expression for the entire process.

 

The old physician shook his head. "This doesn't look good. The bloodletting process is very painful, and the patient would usually feel the pain. However, it doesn’t look like she felt anything at all. You must be prepared for what this means.”

 

Yu Xiao pressed his lips together. I finally decided to follow someone; how can she die just like that?! He had watched his parents perish before his very eyes, then watched the death of his closest friend. I won’t allow it this time! She mustn't die!

 

Guan Xiang studied Yu Xiao's expression. After raising him for so many years, he understood the latter more than anybody. "Yu Xiao, Heaven blesses the good people. This lady before us is definitely a good person."

 

"There's a way, it might work!" Yu Xiao brightened up and immediately exited the house. He wanted to find a certain herb.

 

However, the moment he walked out of the Literary Association, he found that the imperial guards were forcing the medicine shops to close one after another.

 

"Imperial Guard Qin has ordered for every medicine shop in the capital to be sealed up. In addition to that, he also said that the mountains near the suburbs must be cordoned off as well. Nobody knows why though."

 

Yu Xiao's expression turned solemn. Although he had expected Yun Ruofeng’s viciousness, he hadn’t expected him to act so quickly. How swift!

 

News of the medicine shops and mountains being sealed spread quickly. In fact, the news had reached Pei Qianhao before the sun had even risen the next morning.

 

His expression was calm, and his voice nonchalant. "How weird to seal off the medicine shops and mountains for no reason."

 

"Prince Hao, should we investigate?"

 

Pei Qianhao waved his hand. "No need."

There were another 10 hours to sunset. Su Xi-er should be returning by then. I’ll wait for her, but if she doesn’t return... At this thought, Pei Qianhao grasped the teacup in his hand tightly.