Chapter 714: Chapter 715: Poisonous Insect?

"If he had taken my medicine, his pulse wouldn’t be like this today."

Ye Chutang gently shook her head.

"Perhaps Mr. Fan still holds a grudge against me for what happened before, so... he didn’t trust my prescription."

Everyone present understood what she meant.

After all, if Ye Chutang hadn’t performed a public autopsy in the Ministry of Justice Prison, Fan Chengzhuo likely wouldn’t have lost his position as Minister of the Ministry of Justice so quickly.

It was only natural that he would be wary of Ye Chutang and refuse to use her medicine.

"Th-Then..." Zhao Xuanping was at a loss for words. His only concern was whether Fan Chengzhuo would ever wake up. "So, the poison must have already invaded his organs. With such a long delay... Second Miss Ye, is there anything else you can do?"

Ye Chutang pondered for a moment.

"His condition is indeed much more severe than when I last saw him. I’m afraid it’s too late to write a prescription and brew medicine. Let’s use acupuncture first. If he can wake up, there’s still a chance to save him."

Eunuch Li let out a long sigh of relief and said hurriedly, "That’s wonderful! Please, Second Miss Ye, save him!"

Ye Chutang nodded. She then had them move Fan Chengzhuo aside and lay him flat.

Then, she took out her needle pouch. Her slender, pale fingers gently picked up a silver needle, its cold glint reflecting in her calm, dark eyes.

Her expression was serene as she inserted the needles. She appeared slow and deliberate, but her movements were incredibly fast.

In the blink of an eye, several silver needles had been inserted into Fan Chengzhuo’s forehead and wrists.

Xie Anjun watched from the side.

This was the first time he had seen Ye Chutang perform acupuncture with his own eyes. He felt dizzy just watching, a sense of shock and unease growing in his heart.

Fan Chengzhuo’s eyes remained tightly shut the entire time, showing no sign of waking.

Xie Anjun couldn’t help but wonder to himself: ’Fan Chengzhuo is in this state... could he be... on the verge of death?’

’If his time is truly up, then nothing Ye Chutang does will likely work.’

’That wouldn’t be so bad. If he just dies like this, he won’t be able to say anything...’

"Bring me a bowl."

A gentle and clear voice spoke.

Eunuch Li reacted instantly. He acknowledged with a sound and had someone fetch a porcelain bowl, which he then presented with both hands.

Ye Chutang placed the bowl next to Fan Chengzhuo’s hand, then removed the silver needle from his fingertip.

A bead of black blood quickly seeped out, dripping silently into the white porcelain bowl.

"That’s the poison!?"

Zhao Xuanping was stunned and shocked.

Fan Chengzhuo was really poisoned! And Ye Chutang had actually managed to draw it out!

He had been uncertain before, but seeing it now with his own eyes, he couldn’t help but look at Ye Chutang again with a mixture of awe and admiration.

Although he had witnessed Ye Chutang’s medical skills before, every time he saw her handle a situation with such calm composure, treating the sick and saving lives, he was still deeply impressed.

She was so young, yet she had already achieved a level few could ever hope to reach...

Ye Chutang then removed the remaining silver needles from Fan Chengzhuo’s fingertips one by one.

In a short while, the white porcelain bowl was nearly half-full of black blood, which faintly gave off an indescribably strange odor.

Zhao Xuanping leaned in for a closer look and a sniff, then furrowed his brow in confusion. "What kind of poison is this? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it before."

Without looking up, Ye Chutang pulled up Fan Chengzhuo’s sleeve.

Eunuch Li gasped in surprise. "Wh-What is this?"

On Fan Chengzhuo’s forearm, there was a dark, bluish-black line of blood, as if it were buried just beneath the skin, ready to burst at any moment.

The sight was truly terrifying.

Zhao Xuanping was also taken aback and couldn’t help but look to Ye Chutang for an explanation. "Second Miss Ye, this is... It looks..."

He considered himself well-versed, but this didn’t look like any poison he knew!

Ye Chutang also paused, her brow furrowing ever so slightly.

Noticing her reaction, Zhao Xuanping felt even more certain that something was amiss. He chose his words carefully and asked, "What is it? Do you also think... something isn’t right, Second Miss Ye?"

Ye Chutang paused for a moment before shaking her head.

"I’ve never seen a case like this before either. That day, I only took Mr. Fan’s pulse. Seeing that he was in low spirits and physically weak, I didn’t keep him for long. After writing the prescription, I sent him on his way."

"Then this—"

Zhao Xuanping’s sense of unease grew stronger.

Eunuch Li’s gaze shifted between the two for a moment, completely baffled. He asked strangely, "What’s wrong? Is it very tricky?"

’If even Ye Chutang is saying this, what are they going to do?’

’If he doesn’t wake up...’

Zhao Xuanping didn’t answer him right away. After a moment’s hesitation, his expression turned grave as he reached out and carefully felt the bluish-black line on Fan Chengzhuo’s arm.

This action left everyone even more confused.

"Doctor Zhao?" Eunuch Li began in a low voice, intending to ask a question, but before he could, Zhao Xuanping looked at Ye Chutang, his expression a mixture of shock and uncertainty.

"Second Miss Ye, could this... could this be..."

His tone was strained, as if he were struggling with whether or not he should say those words.

Ye Chutang looked up.

Zhao Xuanping took a deep breath. "This looks... like he’s been afflicted by a poisonous insect!"

As his words fell, a dead silence descended upon the grand hall.

Eunuch Li’s eyes flew wide. "What!?"

Xie Anbai narrowed his eyes slightly but made no move.

Zheng Baosu and Zhao Zhe both looked utterly confused. ’A poisonous insect? What kind of poisonous insect?’

Only Xie Anjun felt a string in his mind instantly snap taut.

He straightened up almost immediately, trying to get a clearer look at Fan Chengzhuo.

But he was too far away, and several people were crowded around Fan Chengzhuo, blocking his view. He couldn’t see a thing.

Xie Anjun felt like he was on pins and needles.

’A poisonous insect!?’

’Fan Chengzhuo was actually afflicted by a poisonous insect!?’

’Doesn’t that... doesn’t that make it obvious that the one behind him did this!?’

’Could it be... that person has decided to discard Fan Chengzhuo, this pawn!?’

’But Fan Chengzhuo has always been completely loyal to his master! Xie Anjun was absolutely certain of this from his previous probing and arguments—Fan Chengzhuo would rather give up his own life than do anything to betray that person!’

’But now...’

Xie Anbai seemed to sense something and glanced in his direction.

That scrutinizing, suspicious gaze sent an immediate chill down Xie Anjun’s spine.

He instantly lowered his head and his gaze, continuing to pretend that nothing had happened, terrified that Xie Anbai would see through him.

But a huge storm was still raging in his heart—’Did Fan Chengzhuo know he’d been afflicted by the poisonous insect?’

Almost instantly, Xie Anjun came up with an affirmative answer.

’The mark is so obvious, there’s no way Fan Chengzhuo didn’t see it! He knew all along that he had been abandoned!’

’That’s why he let his body deteriorate day by day, even refusing to summon an Imperial Physician!’

’Fan Chengzhuo is... willingly going to his death?!’

’Then... what is he trying to get in exchange for his life?’

Xie Anjun stiffly shifted his gaze, and it finally landed on Zheng Baosu.

A ridiculous theory surfaced in his mind.

Xie Anjun’s hands trembled slightly.

’Could Fan Chengzhuo be planning to...’

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