Luo Muge quickly withdrew her hand, grabbing Gu Jianli’s waist sash in the process and giving it a pinch to mask the slight pain from the silver needle’s prick. The fine tip of the medicated silver needle was swift and masked by her forceful pinch, so Gu Jianli barely felt it.
“Stop right there, you must save Senior Brother! Even if he didn’t exchange the antidote for you, as his wife, you should risk your life to save him!”
Gu Jianli straightened the clothing at her waist that Luo Muge had wrinkled, frowning at Luo Muge with displeasure in her eyes.
“Miss Luo, if I could save him, I would naturally be willing to do everything in my power. But whether it’s him or any other family member, I would never make a pointless sacrifice. What kind of poison is Heart-Eating Powder? The reason Fifth Master is alive today is because his internal energy sustains him. If he passes the poison to me, I wouldn’t live past seven days, how could I then bear him a child? Even if you and Mr. Ji use medicine and gu to keep me alive, how could such a constitution sustain a pregnancy? Not to mention the fetus would surely be poisoned and result in a stillbirth, so where would the baby’s hair come from?”
Panic appeared in Luo Muge’s eyes. She took a step back, her lips trembling as she stammered, “M-maybe a miracle could happen…”
Luo Muge knew better than Gu Jianli about the ferocity of Heart-Eating Powder and knew Gu Jianli was right. Even if Gu Jianli miraculously avoided the poison, she could never carry a poisoned fetus to term, and the fetus would pass the poison to Gu Jianli.
“But even if there’s a one in a million chance, we should try, shouldn’t we?” Luo Muge shouted, her eyes red. “You’ve never seen Senior Brother before he was poisoned. No… Senior Brother shouldn’t be like this. Gu Jianli, you’re heartless. But my heart aches! My heart aches!”
Seeing Luo Muge like this, confusion appeared in Gu Jianli’s eyes. Could Luo Muge be telling the truth? Did Ji Wujing deceive her into taking the antidote?
How could that be? How could Ji Wujing do such a thing? If it were true, then how did Ji Wujing’s condition improve over the past three months?
Gu Jianli doubted Luo Muge’s words. However, when Ji Wujing’s statements contradicted Luo Muge’s, she naturally chose to believe Ji Wujing. Everyone said that half of what Ji Zhao said was false, but Ji Wujing had never lied to Gu Jianli.
Not wanting to entangle with Luo Muge any longer, Gu Jianli turned to leave. But as soon as she turned, she suddenly felt dizzy and faint.
Luo Muge smiled coldly and muttered, “Even if there’s a one in a million chance, I have to save Senior Brother…”
After nightfall, Luo Muge hurried back to Xuanjing Sect. At the door of the sleeping quarters, she ran into Ji Jingyi. Luo Muge, flustered, nearly bumped into Ji Jingyi.
“Master.” Luo Muge took a step back, trying to calm her emotions.
“Where have you been?”
Luo Muge did not answer.
Ji Jingyi, both anxious and angry, held a scroll and questioned, “What is this?”
Luo Muge glanced at it; it was the antidote formula for Heart-Eating Powder she had been working on.
“Did you… did you tamper with the formula I had locked in the drawer?” Ji Jingyi asked angrily.
Luo Muge gritted her teeth and confessed, “Yes, I did go through Master’s drawer. Master has been researching the antidote for Heart-Eating Powder for six years. In early autumn, there was clear progress, just a little more, just a tiny bit more to complete it. But Master set it aside. I don’t understand why Master would stop just short of success! But since Master is unwilling to continue, I had to research it myself!”
“And then you came up with this evil formula?” Ji Jingyi threw the booklet at Luo Muge in anger, the pages scattering as they fell.
“Why did your father send you to me? How did I usually teach you? A physician must have compassion, studying medicine to save people, not to harm them! It is your obstinance that led you to develop such a sinister formula. Ge’er, you have a demon in your heart and are no longer worthy of the title ‘physician!'”
Ji Jingyi left in anger, bumping into Luo Muge’s shoulder as he passed. The disoriented Luo Muge fell to the ground, her white dress spreading out like a pure lotus. She stared blankly at the scattered pages, tears falling one by one. As she tearfully picked up each page, her frail fingers trembled. When she picked up the last page, she suddenly recalled the scene from her childhood when her father sent her to Ji Jingyi. The pages fell from her hands as she covered her face, crying silently, her tears soaking through her fingers.
Ji Wujing, who had been out that afternoon, had just returned home. As he approached the main gate, he was met by a worried Yanzhi.
“Master, something has happened to Madam, and she asked me to wait for you at the gate!” Yanzhi said anxiously.
Ji Wujing’s indifferent expression changed slightly as he hurried back without listening to more from Yanzhi.
Not sure which gate Ji Wujing would use to return, Jixia instructed several young maids to guard the main and side gates. She remained alone outside the sleeping quarters, worried, as Gu Jianli had not allowed her to enter.
Ji Wujing, dressed in loose white robes that stood out in the night, approached. Seeing his silhouette in the distance, Jixia quickly stepped forward.
“Fifth Master!” Jixia’s voice trembled. “Madam didn’t let us stay inside, nor did she allow us to call a doctor…”
Without stopping, Ji Wujing pushed open the door and walked through the outer room, then opened the door to the inner room. As he stepped inside, he smelled a strange fragrance.
Ji Wujing pulled back the heavy bed curtains.
Gu Jianli was curled up under the blanket, softly sobbing.
Ji Wujing tried to pull the blanket away, but Gu Jianli held on tightly, refusing to let go.
“Gu Jianli, let go.”
Ji Wujing managed to pull the blanket away.
Gu Jianli was curled into a small ball, her eyes tightly shut, struggling to endure. Her forehead was covered in a sheen of sweat, her face flushed, and her tender lips were bitten and bloody.
Ji Wujing glanced at her face, grabbed her wrist, and placed his thumb on her pulse. After listening to three beats, he understood the poison she had been given, and the coldness in his eyes slightly softened.
Gu Jianli trembled and opened her eyes, calling out in a voice as soft as a mosquito, “Uncle.”
“Don’t be afraid, it’s a small matter.” Ji Wujing sat down beside her, using his thumb to wipe away the blood on Gu Jianli’s lips.
Gu Jianli shook her head, crying. It wasn’t a small matter; she felt like she was going to die. Before Ji Wujing had returned, Gu Jianli kept recalling the image of Ye Yunyue’s final moments. She was terrified, afraid of dying, afraid of ending up as disgraceful as Ye Yunyue had been. That undignified state was so embarrassing; she didn’t want it, she couldn’t accept it.
Gu Jianli took two heavy breaths before pleading in a low voice with as calm a tone as she could manage, “Uncle, please, knock me out, will you?”
Tears streamed from her already reddened eyes as Gu Jianli cried out in grievance, “I tried to knock myself out by hitting the wall, but it hurt so much and I couldn’t faint…”
Ji Wujing looked at her in silence, reaching out to touch her head. Sure enough, he felt a swollen bump on her head.
Gu Jianli’s trembling hand reached for Ji Wujing’s wrist. Her body was burning hot, while Ji Wujing’s was cool to the touch. The moment her hand made contact with Ji Wujing, an overwhelming comfort washed over her, and she couldn’t help but let out a soft moan. Embarrassed, she quickly closed her mouth and bit her lip hard, causing fresh blood to seep from the spot Ji Wujing had just wiped clean. Her delicate lips were nearly torn apart by her own teeth.
“Don’t bite. Gu Jianli, let it out.”
Gu Jianli covered her mouth with both hands, shaking her head.
Ji Wujing pulled Gu Jianli’s hands away and leaned down: “If you don’t want to hear your own voice, let Uncle swallow it for you.”
Ji Wujing kissed her lips, prying open her tightly shut teeth. Desire surged, and Gu Jianli instinctively let out a low moan. Just as Ji Wujing had promised, all her sounds, mingled with heavy breaths, were swallowed by him.
Gu Jianli’s clothes were already in disarray. Ji Wujing’s hand glided over her, easily stripping away her garments. Her tender skin glowed with a rosy hue, waiting to be claimed.
Gu Jianli cried softly, her fingers tightly clutching Ji Wujing’s robe.
Ji Wujing glanced down at her, patting her face: “Open your eyes.”
Only when Gu Jianli opened her tear-filled eyes and looked at him did he say, “Gu Jianli, Ji Zhao won’t hurt you.”
At that moment, Gu Jianli was both sensitive and slow-witted. Her body was sensitive, but her mind was slow. She stared blankly at Ji Wujing, slowly processing his words, taking a long time to grasp his meaning.
She cried as she held onto Ji Wujing’s hand, repeatedly pleading, “Uncle.”
Ji Wujing sighed, his eyes tinged with red, giving her a strange look: “Stop calling me Uncle.”
Ji Wujing’s kisses trailed over Gu Jianli’s body, gentle and lingering. But his face was dark, very dark. His kisses moved down, parting Gu Jianli’s legs.
Tasting the sweetness, Ji Wujing took a sip.
Gu Jianli’s eyes widened suddenly, her mind snapping out of its daze. She lifted her head to look at Ji Wujing. But her clarity was short-lived; she couldn’t even call out “Uncle” before all rational thought was overwhelmed by the pleasure coursing through her body. Her hands, resting at her sides, clenched and unclenched, seeking something to hold onto. Finally, she grasped Ji Wujing’s hand, intertwining her slender fingers with his, holding tightly. The feeling of being adrift and alone slowly dissipated.
The dark red bed curtains were embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns and cranes gazing from mountain peaks.
Gu Jianli turned her head away, avoiding the crane’s gaze.
As the candle on the candlestick burned down, Gu Jianli’s eyelashes fluttered lightly. The discomfort in her body finally subsided. She lay on the bed, utterly exhausted, her clothes completely removed.
Ji Wujing sat lazily at the bedside, somewhat disheveled. His white robes were still neatly in place. He used a cloth to wipe the moisture from his fingers, his expression sour.
“Uncle…” Gu Jianli reached to grasp Ji Wujing’s robe.
Ji Wujing coldly slapped her hand away, speaking unhappily: “Don’t touch me.”
What an enchanting temptress, but one he could not indulge in.
Ji Wujing now felt a strong urge to kill.
Gu Jianli looked at Ji Wujing, her voice choked with sobs as she asked, “Luo Muge told me that you exchanged the antidote for Heart-Eating Powder to get the medicine to heal my face, and that you never took the antidote. I didn’t listen to her, I only listen to you. Tell me, is it true?”
Ji Wujing sneered, asking nonchalantly, “Would you believe me if I said it?”
“I would,” Gu Jianli cried, nodding, “I believe whatever you say.”
Ji Wujing gazed deeply at Gu Jianli.
“It’s true that I exchanged the antidote for your medicine. But,” Ji Wujing’s eyes glinted with a cunning smile, “it’s also true that I’ve already taken the antidote.”