Jiang Ning handled the wound with practiced precision, wholly focused, her expression intent, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
Only after finishing the treatment of the wound did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Jiang Ning lifted her face to look at Chu Yunli. “What happened? How did you get poisoned?”
Moreover, judging from the toxins in the wound, they have accumulated for many days; if more time passes, the poison will seep into the bone marrow, becoming extremely perilous.
"Why was there no treatment? Wasn’t Divine Physician Ye said to have gone with the team? If it were Physician Ye, this poison should have been resolved." She furrowed her brows.
Chu Yunli remained silent and drew out wound medicine from his bosom.
Jiang Ning recognized it as the wound medicine she had made, the one she gave Chu Yunli before departure.
She couldn’t help but say, “Your wound is tainted with poison; wound medicine alone cannot cure it…”
Could it be that only her wound medicine was used, which led the injury to fester like this?
Chu Yunli said, “Open it and see.”
Jiang Ning took the wound medicine and opened the stopper.
The instant she smelled the medicine, her expression changed drastically.
It was indeed the wound medicine she had made, but it had changed—poison had been mixed in. Ordinary people would not notice, yet she instantly detected the subtle difference in its scent.
"Not right, the smell is not right…"
“There is something added, very similar to muliao incense, but it carries poison. If applied to a wound, it will cause poisoning and festering…” Jiang Ning suddenly lifted her face, her pupils contracting sharply. “Could it be…”
Chu Yunli’s wound festered, oozing black pus—the symptoms were unmistakably those of poisoning.
Jiang Ning’s heart trembled violently as she hurried to explain, “It is indeed the wound medicine I made, but… I never intended to harm you. This poison was not mine!”
The wound medicine has been tampered with!
Jiang Ning’s heart was anxious; she hurried to explain, unwilling for Chu Yunli to misunderstand.
Chu Yunli said calmly, “I know. I trust you.”
Hearing Chu Yunli’s words, Jiang Ning was stunned, staring blankly at him.
She had thought he would misunderstand—after all, it was the wound medicine that caused the trouble, and his injury was so severe she could not imagine how much pain he had endured… Yet he said he believed her, with not a trace of doubt in his tone.
“Yunli…”
Jiang Ning was stunned, unable to utter a word.
Chu Yunli’s expression darkened as he said coldly, “Someone tampered with the wound medicine, intending to frame you.”
“Who? Who would do such a thing?” Jiang Ning clenched her fists. Who could commit such a vicious act—could it be the Crown Prince?
No… if it were the Crown Prince, he would have used a deadly poison to kill outright, not something this mild.
The one who poisoned him never meant for Chu Yunli to die—only to cause trouble, using the wound medicine as a pretext to frame her.
Chu Yunli looked at Jiang Ning and said, “I will handle this matter.”
Jiang Ning nodded. She trusted Chu Yunli’s efficiency—once he investigated thoroughly, he would surely uncover who had tampered with the medicine.
She felt a pang of heartache.
“Since you knew the wound medicine was problematic, why didn’t you take it to Physician Ye for treatment? If Physician Ye saw the poison within, he could surely prepare an antidote… and you wouldn’t have had to suffer.”
She could not understand—Chu Yunli knew everything, so why did he force himself back to the capital instead of seeking Physician Ye’s antidote?
The wound was grave; a moment’s delay and the arm would have been lost.
Chu Yunli gave no reply, his expression intent as he looked at her.
Jiang Ning’s cheeks warmed, uneasy under his gaze.
After a long moment, Chu Yunli said softly, “I don’t want anyone to misunderstand you—no one can throw filth upon you.”
Jiang Ning was completely stunned.
He doesn’t want anyone to misunderstand her?
So it was for her… Chu Yunli feared others would suspect her because of the wound medicine, and that was why he endured without seeking Physician Ye’s antidote?
He concealed his injury—for her…
In that instant, Jiang Ning’s heart felt clenched tight, leaving her breathless.
Chu Yunli’s expression softened as he said quietly, “This injury is nothing. The matter with the wound medicine is not your fault—it was my moment of carelessness that let others tamper with it… I don’t want anyone to misunderstand you.”
Jiang Ning’s body trembled, her vision blurred, and before she knew it, tears brimmed in her eyes.
“Fool…”
“Idiot!”
Such a complete fool!
How could he be so foolish? He knew he was poisoned, yet he didn’t rush to the physician for an antidote… all because he didn’t want the matter dragged onto her shoulders.
Jiang Ning’s frozen heart cracked open and melted.
Tears slipped down uncontrollably; she didn’t even know why she was crying. In that instant, the ache was unbearable, as though a great hand had clenched her heart tight.
Seeing Jiang Ning’s tears, Chu Yunli panicked at once and hurriedly reached out to wipe them from her face.
“A'ning, don’t cry…”
“Don’t cry…” He was utterly flustered.
Jiang Ning clenched her fist and struck Chu Yunli’s chest. “Are you an idiot? What could matter more than your life? Do you realize—any later and your arm would be ruined! This hand would be useless!”
Chu Yunli’s heart softened; her tears fell for him, born of her pain for his suffering.
He pulled Jiang Ning into his arms in one swift motion.
“Alright, alright—it’s my fault, don’t cry…”
Jiang Ning struck him twice more, then finally clutched tightly at his clothes.
Chu Yunli held her tightly in his arms.
The two embraced, listening to each other’s heartbeat.
Only after a long while did Jiang Ning calm her emotions; when she finally came to herself, she realized what she had done.
She was both ashamed and angry.
She pushed Chu Yunli away to check the wound on his shoulder. Had her blows just now struck it by accident? Thankfully, they had not.
“From now on, you’re not allowed to do such foolish things again—or I’ll never treat you again!”
“Alright.” Chu Yunli agreed, gazing at her with tenderness.
Jiang Ning’s face flushed faintly; unsure how to face the moment, she rose and picked up the medicine chest.
“I’ll come again tomorrow to check your wound.” With that, she hurried off as though fleeing.
Chu Yunli watched Jiang Ning’s departing figure, the corners of his lips lifting in a faint smile. If A'ning felt pain for him…did that mean she held him in her heart?
When Jiang Ning had gone far enough to vanish from sight, the ripples in Chu Yunli’s heart finally stilled.
A chill flickered in his eyes.
“Such a thing will never happen again…”
This time was a moment’s negligence; such a thing will never happen again.
.........
Jiang Ning returned to Ning’an Courtyard.
She entered the room, quickly burrowed under the quilt, and pulled it over her head.
Chu Yunli’s words seemed still to echo in her ears, and her heart felt warmly aglow.
Aside from her mother, there was someone who cared for her this deeply. Her heart, frozen through two lifetimes without warmth…at this very moment, Chu Yunli moved her.
She could not help the tremor in her heart.
Could she truly be moved?
Reborn into this life, she swore to see those who plotted against her punished, and to protect those close to her. Beyond that, she had never thought of anything else.
As for love, she dared not hope for it.
But now, with Chu Yunli’s appearance, her heart was shaken.
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