Chapter 986 - 988 Temporary Departure_1
Diao Yao felt even more remorseful upon hearing this and dared not say anything else, only praying incessantly that Chu Hai could pull through this ordeal.
Chu Hai was quite tall, roughly close to one meter ninety in height, but now he lay on the bed in agony, curled up like a child, looking much smaller than usual. Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but feel compassion, after all, he was just a young man, yet he had to endure such pain.
Jiang Yichun soon arrived and said, "I have asked the ship officer, and he said the pier will stop for six hours to resupply. Is that enough time?"
Bai Ruozhu quickly nodded, "It’s enough."
She had already given Chu Hai an acupuncture treatment to control his condition, relieving some of his discomfort. Had it not been for the risk of fire on the boat, she would have preferred to perform the ancient steaming method immediately.
Before long, the ship entered the pier, and Jianqi and Morning Wind arranged for people to carry Chu Hai off the ship. Bai Ruozhu had Princess Diao Bin stay on the bed with her maid, allowing only Diao Yao to accompany her off the ship.
Princess Diao Bin understood her special status, aware that her going along might invite new troubles.
Jiang Yichun somehow found a separate residence for Chu Hai’s temporary use, and Bai Ruozhu didn’t ask for details. Quickly, she had people prepare all the necessary medicinal materials and utensils, and began the detoxification process for Chu Hai.
The process of detoxification was already extremely painful, and this time it proved even more so. Chu Hai screamed in agony several times, to the point where Diao Yao became a mess of tears beside him, offering her arm for Chu Hai to bite. But somehow, he preferred to bite his own lips until they bled rather than bite the arm she offered.
Bai Ruozhu thought to herself that Chu Hai must be cherishing Diao Yao.
After a little more than two hours, Chu Hai’s condition finally stabilized. Bai Ruozhu wiped the sweat from her forehead and said to Diao Yao, "Don’t wake him just yet. We still have time. Let him sleep for another two hours, then I’ll have someone carry him back to the ship."
With red eyes, Diao Yao said, "Sister Ruozhu, I cannot thank you enough."
Bai Ruozhu patted her shoulder in consolation and then, after instructing Morning Wind to stay behind and take care, she led the others back to the ship.
...
While Bai Ruozhu had taken Chu Hai off the ship for treatment and was away for quite some time, Princess Diao Bin grew worried and couldn’t help but go up to the deck to look around. At that moment, she suddenly heard someone sigh next to her, saying, "The poisoning is not light, to be able to control it to this extent, they must have encountered an expert. Are you his friend?"
Princess Diao Bin became vigilant at once, quickly turning her head to look, and seeing that it was the uncle who had sat with Jiang Yichun before, she relaxed a little.
"You could say that," whispered Princess Diao Bin.
Truth be told, she didn’t know if she and Chu Hai could be considered friends. After all, both she and Chu Hai were patients of Bai Ruozhu, both following her to the Capital City, but she had hardly spoken to Chu Hai. It was her concern for Diao Yao that made her pay attention to Chu Hai’s condition. Surely, the friend of her good friend’s senior brother could be counted as a friend as well.
"Rest assured, since Madam Jiang has been able to suppress the toxicity for so long, there will be no trouble today," said Yao Yuxuan.
"Are you also a doctor?" Princess Diao Bin, sharp as ever, immediately sensed that Yao Yuxuan was a medical practitioner too.
Yao Yuxuan couldn’t see Princess Diao Bin’s expression, but he felt her tone of voice and the slight rise at the end reminiscent of a certain "her" from his youth, his gaze towards Princess Diao Bin softened somewhat.
"You could say that, though I’m not necessarily better than Madam Jiang when it comes to detoxification," replied Yao Yuxuan.
"Each craft has its master; I’ve heard that even within the medical field there are different areas of expertise," said Princess Diao Bin with a smile. In fact, she wanted to ask this uncle before her to take a look at her. For some reason, he gave her a sense of trustworthiness.
But on her journey to Beiyu City, she had faced many storms and was no longer that naive and impulsive girl.
When Bai Ruozhu came back with her people, she saw from afar Princess Diao Bin and Yao Yuxuan talking on the boat, with Yao Yuxuan looking exceedingly gentle, like an elder facing a beloved member of the younger generation. Bai Ruozhu wondered if this was Yao Yuxuan showing affection for anyone related to someone he cared about, or if he originally knew Princess Diao Bin?
She boarded the ship, and Diao Bin immediately came up to inquire, "Ruozhu, how are Chu Hai and Diao Yao? What happened to them?"
"They’re fine for now. I asked Chu Hai to rest for a while; someone will bring them aboard later," Bai Ruozhu explained.
Princess Diao Bin heaved a great sigh of relief, and she even subconsciously patted her chest, that gesture still that of a charming young girl.
Yao Yuxuan nodded at Bai Ruozhu and then turned to leave the deck.
Bai Ruozhu also returned to the ship cabin to accompany her son. After two hours, Chu Hai was carried back and resettled in his room, with Diao Yao carefully looking after him the whole time, though her expression remained downcast.
It was only as the ship was about to depart that Jiang Yichun returned. Bai Ruozhu, puzzled, glanced at him and asked, "Where have you been? Why do you seem so secretive?"
Jiang Yichun gave her a meaningful look and pulled her into the ship cabin to talk.
"I have duties to perform, I’ve been arranging manpower. I’ll have to leave temporarily at the next Pier," he said then noticed the look of disappointment in Bai Ruozhu’s eyes and quickly assured her, "Don’t worry, I told the ship officer to sail slowly, stopping at each Pier. I’ll be able to catch up with you soon."
Bai Ruozhu nodded. He had previously mentioned it, and besides, he was carrying out the Emperor’s orders; how could she not understand?
"If my duties are delayed, wait for me for three days after you switch to overland travel. If I still haven’t caught up, head to the Capital without me," Jiang Yichun added.
"Why would you be delayed that long?" Bai Ruozhu furrowed her brows, suddenly feeling uneasy.
"Don’t worry, there’s no danger with this task, it’s just a bit troublesome and may delay my time," Jiang Yichun said with a smile.
Bai Ruozhu nodded, but with the thought of the Poisonous Insect curse Wu Wanqing placed on him, how could her heart settle? This thought spurred her Divine Sense to check within the Space again, where Furball was still slumbering. She hadn’t expected this advancement period to be so lengthy.
In the middle of the night, Bai Ruozhu suddenly felt an itch on her neck. She couldn’t help but scratch it, her fingers finding a small, fuzzy object. She suddenly jerked awake, opening her eyes.
The cheerful squeaks of Furball rang in her head, but instinctively, she understood it was boasting to her, saying it had become more powerful and demanded her to praise it.
Bai Ruozhu was overjoyed and showered Furball with compliments, then pointed at the sleeping Jiang Yichun and said, "First, remove the Poisonous Insect from Achun’s body."
The voice of protest from Furball entered her mind; it was clearly complaining that she only had Achun in her heart. It had just woken up, nearly exhausted, and she was already asking it to do something so dangerous.
Bai Ruozhu gently stroked its small body and whispered, "Achun has to attend to his duties tomorrow, and there might be dangers. I can only be at ease if the curse is lifted."
Furball didn’t say anything more, transforming into a streak of white light that rushed towards Jiang Yichun. Soon after, it darted back out, tossing a black, dead bug onto the ground.
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