"Is there no other way?"
Jiang Rumo shook his head, "Your Highness, please forgive my incompetence."
Ye Tingyun, who had just entered, heard this and immediately inquired.
"What other way? Imperial Physician Jiang, can that woman be saved?"
Although he was extremely dissatisfied with Feng Yinwan's ways of pressuring him, he was also magnanimous and kind-hearted, and still hoped that this woman could wake up.
"My incompetence can only temporarily suppress the poison. If we are to detoxify the Ink Prince's Consort now, we still need a thousand-year-old purple ginseng."
"Purple ginseng?"
Ye Tingyun's eyes flashed, "I haven't seen a thousand-year-old one, but I have a hundred-year-old one. It's kept in the prince's mansion's storeroom."
"Imperial Physician Jiang, can this hundred-year-old purple ginseng still work?"
The Emperor had bestowed this purple ginseng years ago. He hadn't expected him to still have it. Jiang Rumo was overjoyed to hear this.
"Although its medicinal efficacy is not as good as thousand-year-old ginseng, it can be used!"
Ye Tinglan's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. Before he could react, Ye Tingyun had already nodded.
"After Father Emperor bestowed the purple ginseng, I placed it in the storeroom. Apart from occasionally slicing off a few pieces for medicine, I haven't touched it. It seems there's still more than half of it left."
Saving this dead woman should not be a problem, right?
"Third Brother, wait for me, I'll go back to the mansion to get it now!"
He glanced at Ye Tinglan excitedly and immediately turned to leave.
Ye Tinglan's thin lips moved, wanting to order Qi Xuan to accompany him. But remembering that he had other tasks, he could only instruct the guards at the gate.
"Escort Prince Yun back to the mansion."
Riding at full speed, Ye Tingyun found the gates of Prince Yun's mansion locked when he returned.
"Your Highness, why have you returned?"
He met the steward head-on. Ye Tingyun's eyes lit up, and he immediately gave orders.
"Quick, go to the storeroom and get my purple ginseng!"
"Pur... purple ginseng?"
The steward could not help but be stunned.
The purple ginseng bestowed by the Emperor was extremely precious and was usually kept in the storeroom. Even when making medicine for Ye Tingyun, only small slices were cut. Now he wanted to... take out the whole root?!
Seeing him standing there, unwilling to move, Ye Tingyun frowned.
"Yes, hurry up! I need it urgently!"
Time waits for no one. He could wait, but that dead woman might not.
Seeing this, the steward dared not ask further, and repeatedly agreed before heading to the storeroom.
In just a moment, the item was brought back. In a crimson brocade box, half a root of purple ginseng lay quietly. Ye Tingyun leaned forward to examine it, then picked it up and headed out.
"Hey, Your Highness...!"
The steward's forehead twitched, and he quickly pulled Ye Tingyun back.
"Where are you taking this purple ginseng?"
Ye Tingyun frowned and reluctantly stopped.
"Third Sister-in-law was struck by a poisoned needle and urgently needs purple ginseng for detoxification. I'm rushing to save her life, let go!"
Third Sister-in-law?
The steward was stunned again.
The Prince had always disliked the Ink Prince's Consort. Why was he calling her Third Sister-in-law now, and even taking his precious purple ginseng to detoxify her...
While he was stunned, Ye Tingyun had already broken free and left quickly.
After the curfew, the lights in the mansion were halved.
Ye Tingyun was in a hurry and his foot suddenly slipped. He tumbled down, and the brocade box flew out and rolled to the side.
"Ouch—"
Gritting his teeth, he looked up and saw a banana peel. Ye Tingyun frowned and immediately cursed as he got up.
"Which scoundrel threw this!"
How dare someone litter in Prince Yun's mansion? He'd have the steward give them a deduction of money plus a slap on the mouth!
Shaking his head, he quickly went to pick up the brocade box. Seeing that the clasp was secure and undamaged, he immediately hugged it and hurried out.
"Giddy up—"
With a slight sound, the carriage drove away from Prince Yun's mansion. A dark silhouette quietly appeared on the roof.
"Master."
The figure in the shadows responded, "Got it?"
"Yes."
The man in black nodded, respectfully handing the purple ginseng forward. The man raised his hand and gently caressed it, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips.
"Very good."
...
Ink Prince's Mansion.
Jiang Rumo had managed to keep Feng Yinwan alive with the medicinal soup, but the potent poison was too overwhelming to suppress.
A sudden commotion came from the inner room. Ye Tinglan's eyes narrowed sharply, and he immediately stepped forward.
Upon entering, he saw Feng Yinwan curled up beside the bed, her pale inner garment stained with blood, her condition clearly worse than before.
"What's happening?"
Facing those icy eyes, Jiang Rumo's heart trembled.
"This medicine's toxicity is too strong, the needle technique can no longer suppress it. I can only temporarily force out the poisoned blood from the Consort's body."
His gaze swept over the砂锅 on the stove, Jiang Rumo's voice grew more serious.
"Let's just hope Prince Yun can retrieve the purple ginseng quickly."
The antidote had already been brewed, only needing the purple ginseng to be administered to Feng Yinwan.
Ye Tinglan's dark eyes flickered for a moment. He strode forward and helped Feng Yinwan up.
His long lashes drooped slightly, and the action of holding her was incredibly gentle. Jiang Rumo was stunned, and could vaguely glimpse a hint of... pity on the stern face of this battle-hardened general of Jingchao?
Before he could be surprised, the door was pushed open.
"Third Brother, I got it!"
Ye Tingyun entered quickly, holding the brocade box. His gaze swept over Feng Yinwan, and he quickly handed the box to Jiang Rumo.
"Imperial Physician Jiang, hurry and detoxify her."
"Yes."
Jiang Rumo nodded and immediately opened the clasp on the brocade box. In the next instant, the joy on both their faces froze abruptly.
Inside the brocade box, it was empty.
The half-root of purple ginseng had vanished!
Not expecting this, Ye Tingyun's face suddenly changed, and he snatched the brocade box up.
"What... what's going on!"
The brocade box was completely empty. He shook it several times but nothing fell out. Ye Tingyun was completely bewildered.
"Third Brother, I saw it with my own eyes before leaving the mansion. This box contained purple ginseng!"
How could it be gone! How could it...
Suddenly thinking of something, Ye Tingyun's expression stiffened.
Ye Tinglan knitted his brows, the sharpness in his eyes silently tightening.
"What have you thought of?"
Ye Tingyun looked up gravely, "Third Brother... I fell before I left the mansion."
Apart from this fall, the brocade box had never left his hands.
Moreover, he had checked it when he got up. The clasp on the brocade box was very secure, and there was no sign of loosening.
Therefore, the purple ginseng could not have fallen out.
"It seems this was their objective."
"Objective?"
Ye Tingyun was confused.
Ye Tinglan's thin lips pursed, a look of coldness on his brow.
"That poisoned needle was aimed at me. Feng Yinwan was taking the arrow for me."
"Aimed at you?"
Ye Tingyun was even more bewildered after hearing this.
"Third Brother, your cultivation is profound. How could this hidden weapon get close to you? Furthermore... who would dare to be so bold!"
He was unaware of the events at Qingpu Temple, so his question was not surprising.
Ye Tinglan's eyes were as dark and cold as primordial ice.
"That cold arrow had a mechanism hidden on it. Ordinary people would surely be hit. If I weren't careful, it would be difficult for me to escape."
"This potent poison can only be cured by purple ginseng. In the entire Jing Dynasty, only you possess such an item."
He looked intently at Ye Tingyun, then continued, "If I were hit, you would certainly take out the purple ginseng."
It was just that they hadn't expected Feng Yinwan to be the one hit. Whether they could take the purple ginseng from Ye Tingyun was also a gamble.
Ye Tingyun frowned.
"Third Brother, although this purple ginseng is precious, it's far from worth risking one's life for. They went to such great lengths, only to achieve this?"
The opponent was Ye Tinglan!
"Great lengths."
Ye Tinglan's thin lips were sharp, and his gaze swept over his slightly opened palm, the coldness in his eyes deepening.