Chapter 1057 - 1059: Marquis Bo Attacked_1
Liu Family’s eyes spun around and she gave Bai Fu significant looks, but Bai Fu sat on the side, lost and disoriented, with no reaction. Liu Family looked at him with despise, thinking he was useless when it mattered the most, and followed the Old Master out the door.
Bai Zhi called out upon seeing her, but Liu Family didn’t turn back. Bai Zhi then looked at her silent husband, Ding Feiyu, and sighed hopelessly.
Ding Feiyu gave her a look, and the two of them went to accompany Bai Fu. No matter what, Bai Fu was still Bai Zhi’s biological father, and he was getting on in years; they couldn’t just leave him there if he fainted again with no one to tend to him.
"Dad, Second Brother has already said he wouldn’t hold it against you, and he truly doesn’t bear a grudge. You should tell Mom to stop making a scene, too. After all, we are the ones who owe Second Brother, so how can we still ask him for five thousand taels?" Bai Zhi sighed and softly began to persuade him.
Yet Bai Fu suddenly widened his eyes, pushed away his younger daughter’s hand that was reaching out to support him, and said sternly, "What do you mean we owe him? They caused your elder brother’s downfall! If they hadn’t refused to help save your elder brother back then and had him expelled from the family, would Yibo have ended up in such dire straits?"
For the first time, Bai Zhi felt that her father was beyond reason. She wasn’t in Mountain Village when Bai Yibo’s incident occurred and had found out about the matter through letters from Bai Fu afterwards. However, had she been there, she would have done the same as Bai Ruozhu. How could they harm the entire family for the sake of one person?
Seeing that Bai Zhi was about to speak again, Ding Feiyu quietly tugged at her sleeve and shook his head slightly, indicating that there was no need to say more; it would be a waste of breath.
Bai Zhi couldn’t help but sigh again and decided not to say anything more.
...
Bai Ruozhu followed the staggering Mrs. Bo towards the Main Gate. Halfway there, they encountered Bo Qun being carried in on a simple stretcher. At this moment, Bo Qun lay on the stretcher with a deathly pale face, eyes tightly shut, and his breathing was very faint.
A cloak had been placed over him, apparently belong to one of his subordinates, but the cloak was already stained with a large expanse of blood, and the bloodstain was still spreading.
Mrs. Bo’s legs faltered, nearly collapsing on the spot, but luckily Bai Ruozhu was behind her to support her and said, "Save him first. Carry him back to the Room and get hot water, gauze, scissors, and other things ready."
After instructing them, Bai Ruozhu called out for Jianqi, "Send someone back to the Residence to fetch my medicine box. Make it quick!"
Actually, all the things from the medicine box were available in her Space, but she couldn’t just take them out of thin air, so they had prepared another set of medicine boxes at home.
Jianqi assigned a dark guard to carry out the task, and only then did Mrs. Bo come to her senses, vigorously wiping her tears away and following Bai Ruozhu’s orders to instruct the servants.
Soon, other members of the Bo Residence arrived, including two young masters and a young miss, likely the eldest son Bo Jiayang, Bo Jiashu, and the legitimate second daughter Bo Caiyue of the Bo Family. Bo Qun had another illegitimate son, Bo Jiajue, who seemed not to be in the Residence at the moment.
The three rushed over and saw Bo Qun in this state, all turned pale with fright. They asked Mrs. Bo what had happened, and she, with a disturbed mind and somewhat displeased tone, replied, "I also want to know what happened. I only heard from the servants that it was an assassin’s doing. The most pressing issue is to save your father; send the servants to investigate the matter with the assassin."
Being the eldest son of the Bo Residence, Bo Jiayang quickly regained his composure. He instructed the house steward a few words and then stepped forward to support Mrs. Bo, saying, "Mother, don’t be too anxious and harm your own health, Father still needs your care."
Mrs. Bo nodded, "I’m fine. Luckily, Ruozhu is here with us today. She’s a renowned Divine Doctor, she will definitely be able to cure your father."
The sons and daughter of the Bo Family all looked towards Bai Ruozhu with a mix of hope and skepticism in their eyes, both hoping she could heal Bo Qun and worrying that her medical skills wouldn’t be as good due to her young age.
"Mother, the Palace must have already sent an Imperial Doctor by now. Madame Jiang might be more skilled in gynecology; she might not be adept at handling such an injury. Let’s not trouble her any further," Bo Caiyue said, sneaking a glance at Bai Ruozhu. Her look was anything but friendly.
Bai Ruozhu also quickly scanned the Bo Residence’s young lady from the corner of her eye. She should know that Bai Ruozhu had saved Consort Le, which was why she mentioned "more skilled in gynecology." And indeed, Bai Ruozhu was young; it was understandable that her medical skills might be questioned. But for some reason, she faintly felt a subtle hostility from this Miss Bo.
Had she not provoked her in any way?
Madame Bo’s gaze also wavered with uncertainty. It was Bo Jiashu, the second young master of the Bo family, who spoke up, "Second sister should not speak of matters she does not understand. Without the Imperial Doctor, father’s wound cannot be delayed. I believe Madame Jiang can indeed help father stop the bleeding and treat him."
He had been covertly observing Bai Ruozhu’s expressions. Although Bai Ruozhu seemed displeased by Bo Caiyue’s words, there was not a hint of panic or insecurity in her eyes. She didn’t even blink at the sight of the copious blood on their father’s body, whereas he and his elder brother would be scared, but this woman remained composed. What did that imply?
Either she was accustomed to such scenes or she was extremely confident in treating such an injury.
Bo Jiayang also nodded in agreement, "Second brother is correct. We will have to trouble Madame Jiang."
As he said this, he bowed to Bai Ruozhu in thanks, to which Bai Ruozhu nodded slightly, "It’s the least I can do."
The sons of the Bo Residence had been well taught; they had discernment, Bai Ruozhu thought.
Bo Caiyue pursed her lips and her face fell, but she did not speak another word.
Soon, the injured were moved into the main house, and the items Bai Ruozhu had requested were delivered one by one. After acknowledging Madame Bo, Bai Ruozhu began to lift the clothing to inspect Bo Qun’s wounds, and her own face turned a bit pale at what she saw.
It wasn’t that Bo Qun’s injuries were beyond saving; rather, there was an arrow deeply embedded in his abdomen. Yet, Bai Ruozhu instantly recognized the distinctiveness of this arrow.
It was the arrow of Zhuifeng—the same Zhuifeng who had once been bribed by Wang Miaoshuang to assassinate her second brother, a killer from Qisha Pavilion!
Zhuifeng could shoot an arrow a hundred paces through a willow leaf, taking out targets from an extreme distance. This required not only strength in his arms and keen eyesight, but also high demands on the bow and arrow, and that’s why Bai Ruozhu recognized this particular arrow as Zhuifeng’s!
Seeing Bai Ruozhu’s expression change dramatically, Madame Bo asked anxiously, "Could it be that..." Before she could finish her sentence, she began to cry, thinking that Bo Qun was beyond help.
Bai Ruozhu quickly composed herself and said, "Madam, do not worry. I just recognized the arrow and was momentarily startled."
Everyone from the Bo family was shocked and wanted to ask more, but seeing Bai Ruozhu take out the silver needles from her hairpin and begin acupuncture, they held back, not daring to ask further for fear of disturbing her.
Bai Ruozhu’s needle insertion was swift, leaving the onlookers dazzled like they were in a dream. Could such long, thin needles be inserted so quickly? Was there no need to look more carefully and aim?
Bo Caiyue’s eyes also flickered with disdain and she glanced at her second brother as if to say, "Look, didn’t you say you trust her? She’s just bluffing!"
But then, in the next moment, Bo Caiyue’s eyes widened in astonishment because she saw Bai Ruozhu had finished placing the needles, and the wound on their father’s abdomen had stopped bleeding!