Ji Jin was quite surprised that the woman who had recently made a splash in the medical circles of the capital would seek his help. He rejoiced inwardly, but maintained a calm demeanor, saying, "It's not impossible to part with it, but I have a few questions I'd like to confirm with Miss Mo."
He had already skimmed through that medical codex thoroughly, and had even made a copy to prevent loss. Returning it to him would bring him no harm.
If he could also secure a promise from Mo Sang within the near future, it would be an absolute windfall.
"Ask away."
"Has Miss Mo ever treated a person named Situ Jue for a Gu curse before?"
Mo Sang thought for a moment and shook her head.
Ji Jin prompted, "He was afflicted with the Qingxin Gu."
Situ Jue wasn't foolish enough to reveal his true name even in desperation.
"Oh, so his name is Situ Jue. What's his relation to Situ Yan?"
"They are somewhat estranged brothers."
"Another prince? No wonder he was so secretive when seeking my medical attention, he wouldn't even show his face. Did you administer the Qingxin Gu?"
Since A Yan had said she was one of them, Ji Jin didn't conceal anything and readily admitted it.
Mo Sang said with little sincerity, "Then it truly was a case of the Dragon King's temple being flooded by its own waters. Had I known it was one of our own, I wouldn't have intervened. However, since the Gu has been resolved and he paid handsomely, I can't very well re-inflict it on him, can I?"
She had her medical ethics, after all.
"Of course not," Ji Jin waved his hand and directly stated his terms. "As long as Miss Mo agrees not to resolve his Gu curses in the future, I will hand over the *Xijiang Sacred Codex* with both hands."
Mo Sang was very curious. "You intend to harm him again? What kind of Gu is it this time?"
"The Blood-Sucking Gu."
Mo Sang recalled. "Imperial Physician Ji, is there such a Gu in the Sacred Codex?"
She was absolutely certain her mother-in-law hadn't taught her about it. She was known for being able to recite the Sacred Codex by heart, and with her meticulous nature, how could she have overlooked one?
Ji Jin quickly provided the answer. "It's not from the Sacred Codex. I derived it from the Mother-Child Gu."
"The Mother-Child Gu that prolongs life with the blood of offspring?"
"Precisely."
Mo Sang was silent for a moment, then gave him a thumbs-up. "You are truly a genius."
At the same time, she became even more certain that the *Xijiang Sacred Codex* was indeed in Ji Jin's possession, and he likely possessed many other related ancient texts as well.
Ji Jin, flattered by the praise, said, "Miss Mo is too kind."
"What are the characteristics of your Blood-Sucking Gu?"
Ji Jin fell silent.
"I understand, I understand. These are secrets of healers, not to be shared with outsiders."
"That's not the reason. It's just that the Blood-Sucking Gu is related to avenging a family vendetta, so I can't reveal too much to Miss Mo. The Blood-Sucking Gu is a chronic curse, but three months after being afflicted, he will surely die."
Mo Sang snapped her fingers. "Understood. Once you've succeeded, I'll leave the capital and stay away for three to four months. I absolutely won't cause you any trouble."
Directly refusing to treat a prince of the current dynasty was impossible; one couldn't fight against superior forces.
However, if she couldn't fight him, she could avoid him. For the sake of the Sacred Codex, she could only reluctantly give up a major client.
This negotiation was quite successful. Mo Sang not only obtained information about the Sacred Codex, but the other party also readily agreed to return it, fulfilling a wish of her mother-in-law. Ji Jin, on the other hand, removed a stumbling block on Sheng Ge's path to revenge, thus it was a win-win situation. Consequently, both of them had a very good impression of each other, and coupled with their shared expertise in the Way of Witchcraft and Gu, they had a very pleasant conversation afterward. Cheng Bei Zheng, watching this, felt a surge of jealousy and finally dragged her aside to go fishing.
Mo Sang had no interest in fishing. After baiting her hook, she lay back on the lounge chair to bask in the sun. "Husband, I need to go home for a visit."
"Which home?"
"Of course, my maternal home. After retrieving the Sacred Codex, I must go back and offer incense to my mother-in-law, so she can be happy."
It was said that the disaster in Xijiang had struck suddenly in those days. Those who were fortunate enough to escape were already considered very lucky. They had no time to care about possessions. Only after they found a place to settle down did they realize that all the ancient texts had gone missing.
Whether they were destroyed or had fallen into the hands of the common people, they had no way to verify. They could only search year after year, like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Other things were of little consequence, but the Sacred Codex was something her mother-in-law had mentioned for decades. Yet, she never would have imagined that less than a year after leaving the valley, she would actually find it.
Hmm, perhaps it was the lingering spirit of her mother-in-law watching over her.
If her guess was correct, Ji Jin likely possessed many books on witchcraft and Gu. When the opportunity arose, she might even be able to acquire more.