Chapter 12 Piqued His Interest

As soon as Duan Ziyue heard Shen Yingjue speak like this, he immediately lifted his foot to head outside, looking as if he would go and drag the person over right away. Yet before he even reached the door, he was called back. “Enough, come back.”

Duan Ziyue frowned, his expression dark. “Are you joking? Because I’m not. If she truly is as you say, able to tell you’re deeply poisoned and won’t last long just by placing her hand on your neck, then she must be able to cure you. No matter what, I have to try. Your condition cannot be delayed any longer.”

“That person poisoned you simply to control you, to make you his blade. Do you really mean to be in his grasp for life?”

Shen Yingjue let out a careless laugh. “He started poisoning me when I was barely ten. After all these years, do you think he truly has control over me?”

“Exactly. He couldn’t control you, so he grew suspicious, tore off all pretense, and cut off your medicine. If you go back to him for the antidote because you can’t cure yourself, he’ll surely break your wings.” Worry filled Duan Ziyue’s face. “After finally finding someone who might save you, how can you—”

Shen Yingjue knew what Duan Ziyue wanted to say. He simply drew a small bottle from his sleeve and tossed it over.

“Hey!” Duan Ziyue hurriedly caught it and looked it over. “What’s this?”

“Medicine given to me by Tan Qingjiu.”

“Medicine?” Duan Ziyue’s eyes brightened. “Is it the antidote?”

“No.” Shen Yingjue shot him a glance, watching the hope in Duan Ziyue’s eyes flare and then dim, before continuing, “Tan Qingjiu said preparing the antidote would take some time. For now, I can take this detoxifying pill. Although it can’t wholly neutralize the poison in me, it can suppress its spread for a while.”

“For now? That’ll do!”

“Yes.” Shen Yingjue nodded. “Have someone test this medicine. If nothing is wrong with it, I’ll try it.”

“If it truly works, then I’ll seek out Tan Qingjiu again.”

“My poison is old; even if Tan Qingjiu can cure it, it’s impossible to purge it in a matter of days. Tan Qingjiu is here because she answered the imperial summons and was brought by the emperor’s men. If she vanishes after treating me, it will arouse suspicion. I’ll think of a foolproof plan. Don’t act rashly.”

Duan Ziyue pursed his lips and snorted. “Fine, fine, I’ll listen to you. But in three days, I’ll bring Dr. Xing to examine you again. If your poison isn’t under control and you haven’t thought of that so-called foolproof plan, I’ll stop caring and just drag her over myself.”

He waved his hand at Shen Yingjue and, clad in red, disappeared out the door.

Two silent shadows appeared behind Shen Yingjue, their quiet presence as steadfast as his own shadow.

A tickle rose in Shen Yingjue’s throat. He suddenly began coughing, and the fit lasted a long while before finally subsiding. He took the water handed to him by Chixiao behind him, but merely held it, tracing the patterns on the cup, silent for a while before asking in a low voice, “Have you investigated Tan Qingjiu of the Tan family?”

“We have,” Chixiao replied, bowing. “Tan Qingjiu is the legitimate daughter of Tan Yun’s first wife. When Tan Qingjiu was five, her mother was found to be having an affair and pregnant, bringing shame to the family. She was dealt with in secret and hanged herself. Afterward, Tan Yun elevated his former concubine—Tan Yunge’s birth mother, Chen Yueru—to wife. Since then, Miss Tan’s days in the household grew difficult.”

“My investigation found that although Tan Qingjiu was the legal daughter, she lived no better than a servant, and Tan Yun never cared for her. Thus, seven years ago, when she was found to be pregnant out of wedlock, she was quickly drowned in the pond.”

Shen Yingjue narrowed his eyes. “Could such a person have had the chance to acquire such exceptional medical skills?”

“It’s unlikely.” Chixiao didn’t hesitate. “Unless someone secretly taught her. But with so many people watching the Tan household, that’s nearly impossible.”

“Or perhaps, after she disappeared when drowned, she met a master in hiding. If she was highly gifted, she could have learned medicine then. But that’s even less likely. After her disappearance, she emerged at the House of Miraculous Hands, but only two years passed—medicine isn’t a skill one masters so quickly.”

Shen Yingjue’s lips curled. “Exactly. That’s what makes this so intriguing.”

A woman supposedly drowned, why did she suddenly appear six years ago with a newborn child in the wilderness? Where did she acquire her medical skills? The House of Miraculous Hands was founded in South City and has a stellar reputation in the south; why would Tan Qingjiu choose now to travel north and return to the capital? What is she after?

It had been a long time since someone piqued his interest like this, Shen Yingjue thought.

He didn’t want Duan Ziyue to forcibly bring Tan Qingjiu, partly to avoid suspicion, but also because he was genuinely curious about what Tan Qingjiu intended to do.

…

Tan Qingjiu, oblivious to the fact that she had narrowly escaped being kidnapped, was at an inn organizing the day’s medical records. When she got to Shen Yingjue, her brush paused slightly.

She had noticed earlier that, although the poison in Shen Yingjue’s body was more fatal and urgent than his illness, neither the imperial notice nor those around Shen Yingjue mentioned it at all. From his pulse, it was clear he’d been poisoned for over a decade.

Did others truly not know, or were they pretending not to?

After pondering for a moment, Tan Qingjiu resumed writing, recording only his illness and omitting mention of the poison.

Just as she finished, the door burst open and Xingqi and Xingyou came running in. “Mother, come look—does this human-skin mask my brother made look real enough?”

Tan Qingjiu looked up to see two adorable, well-behaved children run in. Their voices were familiar, but their faces had changed completely. Though not as stunning as their real faces, they were even softer and cuter, enough to fool anyone.

“It’s very real.” Tan Qingjiu raised her hand and pinched their cheeks. “Xingqi, your mask-making skills are improving. Your Fifth Master will be pleased.”

Xingqi beamed. “I’m still not as good as you or Fifth Master.”

Tan Qingjiu’s eyes sparkled with laughter. “Comparing yourself to us? We’ve been at this far longer.”

Xingyou nodded in agreement. “Brother just expects too much from himself. I think these are great. From now on, we’ll use these faces in the capital. Hehe…”

Before Xingyou finished, the door opened again—Qingdai entered.

“Master, here are the files for tomorrow’s three patients.” She placed the folder before Tan Qingjiu and said in a low voice, “One of them is Tan Yun.”

Tan Yun? That wretched father from her past life?

She hadn’t sought him out yet, but it seemed he had come to her on his own.