Xu Ping’an spread the needle set on the small table, pulled out a thin needle, and carefully examined it.
After making sure there were no problems, he looked at Li Yu’er, who was lying on the bed.
The girl’s face was flushed, and her blood surged due to shyness, causing the poison to accelerate its invasion.
She lay like a piece of suet jade, a beautiful woman with a slender waist.
His mind was calm, and he was completely focused.
The first silver needle pierced the Tanzhong acupoint in her chest.
The movements of his hands even left a few afterimages, and the silver needles on the small table rapidly decreased.
In just two breaths, dozens of needles were inserted into her delicate body, with the tails of the needles still trembling outside.
“The ginseng slices? Go, get the ginseng slices!”
“Ah? Oh!”
Xiao Jing was startled, then instantly reacted, quickly ran a few steps to the door, pushed it open, and looked at Zhao Pingzhi.
“General Zhao, the ginseng slices!”
“Here.”
Zhao Pingzhi, who had already prepared the ginseng slices in a bowl, handed them to Xiao Jing.
His worry did not diminish, but Xiao Jing didn’t give him a chance to speak and closed the door with a ‘bang’.
Zhao Pingzhi opened his mouth, stunned for a moment, and finally could only turn and walk to the door, staring outside.
After a long silence, he looked regretful and turned towards the north.
“Your Highness… what should this subject do?”
Although he hadn’t entered the room, he understood a few things just from the conversation about what was happening inside.
Apparently, his young lady’s innocence was ruined before she even got married.
But at a time like this, what could he say?
And what could he do?
Should he go in and stop it? What about the princess’s life then?
If he didn’t stop it, what about the princess’s innocence?
Zhao Pingzhi stood blankly at the door, silent.
Compared to his silence outside the room, the silence inside the room at this moment felt suffocating.
As Xu Ping’an meticulously manipulated the silver needles with full concentration, the pure white skin where each needle landed gradually showed traces of bruising, and beneath the skin, faint black spots could be clearly seen spreading.
Xu Ping’an’s forehead was slightly sweating.
Every time he moved a silver needle, he had to be completely focused. His high level of concentration made him oblivious to the sweat dripping down.
“Xiao Jing, there’s a towel over there. Immediately wipe away the blood after I remove the needles.”
“Oh!”
Xiao Jing looked at Xu Ping’an’s serious expression.
There was no hint of impropriety in his eyes, and a sense of admiration involuntarily rose in her heart.
“Wipe the blood!”
Suddenly, Xu Ping’an gave an order, and then his hands moved like lightning.
The silver needles were rapidly pulled out from Li Yu’er’s body.
Xiao Jing stared in astonishment at her young lady’s body.
From each needle wound, a few drops of incredibly dark blood emerged.
It was as black as ink drops on her tender skin.
“What are you standing there for? Hurry and wipe it! After wiping, turn your young lady over. Did you bring the ginseng slices? Put them in her mouth.”
Xiao Jing quickly came back to her senses, picked up the towel, and wiped away the blackness one by one.
“After you hold the ginseng slices in your mouth for a while, try to swallow your saliva until I tell you it’s okay to spit it out.”
Li Yu’er seemed to have recovered a bit.
Her complexion was no longer as pale as before, but the flush on her cheeks had not faded yet.
Xu Ping’an couldn’t bother with that anymore.
He put the dozens of used needles into a silver box beside him and then poured alcohol into it.
After Li Yu’er turned over and held the ginseng slices in her mouth, Xu Ping’an applied the needles again, and this time it clearly took a bit longer.
It wasn’t until twenty minutes later that Xu Ping’an finally said,
“Spit it out.”
As he told her to spit, the previously pure white ginseng slice in Li Yu’er’s mouth had changed color, turning from white to pitch black.
Li Yu’er’s complexion also returned to normal.
Xu Ping’an quickly took her pulse again, while Xiao Jing silently covered Li Yu’er’s body with a blanket.
“Whew… it’s done. She’s fine now.”
Returning the tender, snow-white hand, Xu Ping’an let out a long sigh of relief.
At least he didn’t let her die in his home.
Otherwise, the subsequent trouble would have been immense.
Even though she hadn’t died now, the trouble had still arrived.
Who administered this poison? When was it administered? What was the poisoner’s motive?
After this, these troubles would inevitably come knocking.
Just thinking about the future, having to scheme against people with hearts like snakes but smiles like spring, he felt exhausted even before seeing them.
“Your young lady is fine. Let her continue to hold that bowl of ginseng slices. Don’t eat anything else tonight. There will be another bowl of ginseng water later; remember to give it to her at mealtime.”
“Mm-hmm!”
Xiao Jing nodded repeatedly.
Only then did Xu Ping’an stand up and walk out of the room.
It wasn’t until the door slowly closed that Li Yu’er, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly raised it.
The scorching shyness on her charming cheeks had spread to her neck.
“Miss, are you okay?”
“Mm…”
She withdrew her hands and hid herself completely under the covers.
Nearly sixteen years old, and since she gained memory at four, her untouched body had been seen by someone in these twelve years.
She was so ashamed that even recalling it now made her feel hot all over.
However, at the same time, she couldn’t help but recall Xu Ping’an’s serious demeanor earlier, momentarily lost in thought.
That feeling was truly like her royal father—stern, serious… filled with an intoxicating aura.
“Miss… what do we do now? Your innocent body has been seen by someone. If the master finds out, I’m afraid…”
“You mustn’t say anything!”
Li Yu’er, who had just been hiding under the covers, suddenly poked her head out, her watery eyes showing a hint of fear.
“We absolutely cannot tell Father, otherwise, Mr. Xu will surely suffer.”
“But… what about General Zhao?”
“I’ll talk to him later.”
Xiao Jing nodded, but then tears began to drip from her large eyes.
“Why are you crying? It wasn’t you who was seen.”
Xiao Jing squatted down, looking wronged.
“I feel wronged for you, Miss. Your innocent body was seen just like that, and we can’t even let anyone know…”
Yes, she couldn’t even ask that person to take responsibility.
For a moment, she also felt a bit wronged, but then a thought crossed her mind… maybe it wasn’t entirely bad.
Her nimble eyes darted.
“Xiao Jing, have you met his wife? What does she look like?”
“No…”
Xiao Jing wiped away her tears and looked at the young girl suspiciously.
What’s wrong with Miss?
Could it be… Miss has taken a liking to Mr. Xu?
(°Д°；)