The Powerful and Favored Coroner Imperial Concubine

Chapter 143 : Falling into Peril, The Heart Transplant Art

143: Falling into Peril, The Heart Transplant Art

In the swiftly moving carriage, Qin Shuang clung tightly to Qin Wan's hand. "What if that man was a bad person? Are we just trusting him? He didn't even show himself… Ninth Sister, I'm scared…"

The sky had already darkened. It looked like it would be dark within another hour. Traveling back to the Hundred Herb Garden at this speed would take them at least until the first watch of the night. Yet Qin Wan felt that if they were any later, it would truly be too late.

"He's the one who escaped from the Hundred Herb Garden. Why would he lie to us?"

Qin Shuang looked ready to cry. "But… but I don't know who he really is either."

Qin Wan narrowed her eyes slightly, then suddenly said, "When we walked over to the haystack, he was using the wooden stick with his left hand, right?"

Qin Shuang was momentarily stunned, not understanding the relevance. "I forgot… maybe he was… What does that matter? Can you tell his identity from that?"

A distant look flashed in Qin Wan's eyes. "The silk used for his clothes is noble-grade, and his boots are embroidered with silver thread. He's an imprisoned person. Though disheveled, the clothes close to his body and his boots retain traces of his true status. That Huzhou silk is top quality, worth a fortune, only used by noble families. The silver-thread embroidery on boots goes without saying. He is not a commoner from Chishui. Absolutely not."

Qin Shuang was dumbfounded. "But what does that prove? That doesn't mean he bears no ill will towards us."

Qin Wan took a light breath. "Do you remember the cat corpses we found in the manor?"

Qin Shuang's eyes contracted at the memory, then she nodded. Qin Wan looked at her and said, "Those cat corpses were dismembered, but the wounds were very neat, made by a blade…"

Qin Shuang was stunned. "You mean those cats were killed by a person…"

Qin Wan nodded, her voice low. "I also saw that the cats' internal organs had been cleanly removed. That kind of skill is only possible for a medical practitioner. And I know some physicians practice their techniques on animals."

Shock filled Qin Shuang's eyes. "Who? You mean…"

"With so many cat corpses, it's not something done on a whim. It must have been one person killing cats daily over a long period. In the Hundred Herb Garden, who has the authority and is a medical practitioner?"

Qin Shuang gasped softly. "But Divine Physician Sun is a good person! He saved so many people!"

Qin Wan pressed her lips together, silent for a moment. She naturally hoped Sun Haoyue was a good person. She only hoped she was mistaken.

"Let's talk about that man again." Qin Wan quickly returned to the main topic. "He wasn't imprisoned for just a day or two. But the drugs used on him were just ordinary muscle-relaxing powder and knockout drugs. So the person who imprisoned him only wanted to control him. And sealing his throat was just to stop him from talking nonsense. But overall, the person imprisoning him bore him no ill will."

"In simple terms, Sun Haoyue bore him no ill will."

A dark shadow filled Qin Wan's eyes. "He is of noble birth. Since he appeared at the Hundred Herb Garden, his status must be equal to Sun Haoyue's. And since Sun Haoyue bore him no ill will, he likely bears Sun Haoyue none either."

"When I mentioned that Fifth Sister was missing, his expression changed. I suspect he must know something. But he didn't immediately reveal the reason. I think perhaps he didn't want to expose the Hundred Herb Garden's secret to outsiders. But we helped him. After much hesitation, he still told us we should return to the Hundred Herb Garden now."

There were two carriages. Qin Shuang insisted on squeezing into one with Qin Wan, so now there were four people in the carriage. Qin Wan's voice was steady as she spoke, and the other three listened intently. Qin Wan paused slightly before continuing, "Deducing from this, there are only two possibilities for his identity. Either he is from the Sun family of Lianzhou, or… he is from the Bai family of Yizhou."

Qin Wan narrowed her eyes, recalling something. "And back then, when I mentioned that Fifth Sister was invited to Yizhou by Young Master Bai, his reaction was one of great surprise, as if the very idea was absurd to him. He didn't believe Young Master Bai had invited Fifth Sister to Yizhou. Plus, he used the stick with his left hand…"

Qin Shuang, Wanxing, and Fuling all stared at Qin Wan.

Qin Wan finally said, "Because he is the real Bai Feiyu."

Eight words fell. Qin Shuang and Fuling both drew a sharp breath. Qin Shuang's eyes widened. "How is that possible? If he is Young Master Bai, then who is the Young Master Bai we met?"

Qin Wan lowered her gaze. "He was an imposter."

Qin Shuang felt a chill run down her spine. "If… if he's an imposter, why did he give Fifth Sister gifts? Why did he visit her? He must have seen that Fifth Sister had feelings for him."

The more she spoke, the wider her eyes became. She suddenly exclaimed, "They had their eyes on Fifth Sister! They want to harm Fifth Sister!"

Qin Wan didn't speak, only silently looked at the increasingly dark sky outside the carriage window. Qin Shuang's eyes immediately reddened. "No wonder you said we must return to the Hundred Herb Garden the moment you saw that note. If Young Master Bai is an imposter, Fifth Sister is in extreme danger. No wonder we haven't encountered her. Is Fifth Sister still trapped in the Hundred Herb Garden?"

Qin Shuang's mind was working quickly now. She spoke rapidly. Fuling, standing beside her, broke into a cold sweat. "What a vicious plot. They first lured Fifth Young Miss, certain we wouldn't expose the matter. Once we left the Hundred Herb Garden, we'd never think Fifth Young Miss could still be trapped there. If we chased after her and couldn't find her, we'd likely assume she met with misfortune while eloping alone. This matter is disgraceful. The Marquis's household would probably find a pretext for Fifth Young Miss to vanish from the world legitimately. By then, Fifth Young Miss might already have met with disaster at the Hundred Herb Garden."

"We don't need to wait until then. It might happen tonight…"

Qin Wan's voice carried a chill. Her heart was even more conflicted and unsettled.

She hadn't expected it, hadn't expected it at all. When she saw the pile of cat corpses, she knew Sun Haoyue was using cats to practice. At the time, she found it cruel, but Sun Haoyue's medical skills were peerless; he had his own methods of study. As long as he didn't harm people, she, as an outsider, wouldn't comment. But she never dreamed that something she dared not even think about had happened to Sun Haoyue…

And if they hadn't encountered the real Bai Feiyu, her speculations would have remained just that. She wouldn't have risked returning to the Hundred Herb Garden. But since Bai Feiyu's appearance exposed the deception, she had no choice.

Qin Shuang still clung tightly to Qin Wan's hand. "Tonight? Will we be in time when we arrive? Third Brother and Steward Zhou are still missing. Will the guard really be able to summon officials from Ji County? Does Divine Physician Sun know martial arts? Can we… can we fight those people?!"

Qin Shuang was too scared; her voice trembled. Qin Wan squeezed her hand in return, feeling uneasy herself. She hadn't wanted to bring Qin Shuang, but Qin Shuang insisted on coming. She only brought the remaining few guards. The carriage with the luggage, Wanhe, Xiu Zhi, and the other coachmen had been left behind. She wasn't going there to fight.

"I don't know if we'll be in time, but it certainly won't be that fast."

Qin Wan didn't know why Sun Haoyue had kept Qin Xiang. But she thought of Aunt Lin, Little Lizi, and Da Cheng. How were their illnesses cured? The Zhang family girl died, but Aunt Lin suddenly knew how to make tea pastries…

Qin Wan thought of some possibilities that even she found incredible. Yet she wasn't sure; she even felt that possibility was simply impossible. "Third Brother and Steward Zhou must be on the road ahead. We'll meet them, discuss briefly, then return to the Hundred Herb Garden together. The Qin residence has many guards; the Hundred Herb Garden only has servants. We have a chance. As for the officials, they will definitely come."

"But for the officials to come will take a day and a night…"

Qin Wan shook her head. "That was when it was snowing. Now it's not. The guard can reach the county office tonight. They'll appear by tomorrow noon…"

"But we have to wait through the night too."

Qin Wan pressed her lips. "We must wait through this night. We need to delay the people at the Hundred Herb Garden."

Qin Shuang was both scared and confused. "How do we delay? If we suddenly return, they'll know we've discovered something. If we go back… aren't we walking into a trap…"

"One person disappearing is possible, but so many people disappearing at once is not."

Qin Wan squeezed Qin Shuang's hand. "Stay calm. I have a plan."

Meeting Qin Wan's extremely steady gaze, Qin Shuang's heart settled slightly. But after a few moments, she lifted the curtain to look at the scenery rushing past outside the window. "Third Brother took several guards. If there was any commotion, it would be noticeable. So why haven't we seen him? And Steward Zhou, didn't he take this road?"

The last bit of light on the horizon had sunk below the earth. The entire sky was dark. Winter nights came early. Although it was just past the hour of you, dusk had already fallen. Qin Wan looked at the layers of dark clouds piling up in the sky, feeling as if a shadow had fallen over her heart. By her calculations, they were very close to the fork leading east.

Qin Yan might have gone straight east to Guanyin Town, but why hadn't they seen Zhou Huai either?

Qin Xiang's fate was unknown. Qin Yan and Zhou Huai were out of contact. Now, their two carriages with six young women and five guards were the only fighting force. And the most frightening thing was the unknown within the Hundred Herb Garden.

…

…

The cold night was like ink. The main gate of the Hundred Herb Garden was suddenly pounded heavily.

Bang, bang, bang. The sound mixed with the cold wind echoed around the old manor gate on the mountainside. Nearby were white walls and black tiles; farther away, the bamboo grove rustled below the mountain; even farther, Goddess Peak stood tall.

Fuling kept knocking on the courtyard gate. After more than a dozen knocks, a faint movement finally came from behind the gate.

"Who is it? Who's outside?"

Fuling steadied herself and said urgently, "We are from the Qin residence. Our Young Miss suddenly fell ill on the way. Please inform Uncle Dong and Young Master Sun. We've come to seek medical help…"

The person behind the door seemed stunned. The Qin party who had just left this morning, why were they back? And with a request for medical help…

"Alright, wait a moment."

After the male servant spoke, his thump, thump footsteps faded into the distance. Outside the pitch-black gate, Wanxing held a lantern. Beside her, Qin Shuang whispered anxiously, "What should I say? I'm scared. How do I act sick? I don't want to do this…"

Qin Wan looked calmly at Qin Shuang. "Then I'll act sick. You're in charge of talking to them."

Hearing this, a flicker of fear appeared in Qin Shuang's eyes. She truly looked about to cry. "Then I really can't do it. I… I shouldn't have come with you… What should we do now?"

Qin Wan gripped her hand tightly. "If you don't know how to act sick, can you at least pretend to faint?"

A faint light appeared in Qin Shuang's eyes. "I can, alright. Then I'll just pretend to faint…"

Qin Wan gave her hand another firm squeeze, sighing inwardly. Their incomplete party returning halfway was suspicious no matter how you looked at it. After much thought, only falling ill and seeking medical help wouldn't arouse Sun Haoyue's suspicion. Besides, Sun Muqing was also there. Perhaps they could delay for a while tonight, until the officials arrived tomorrow.

Thinking this, Qin Wan turned to look down the mountain path again. No sign of Qin Yan, nor Zhou Huai.

Just as she was thinking, several sets of footsteps sounded from behind the gate. Qin Wan and Qin Shuang perked up. Qin Wan looked at Qin Shuang. Qin Shuang closed her eyes and collapsed into the carriage…

Qin Wan looked around, then pulled Qin Shuang's cloak collar a bit tighter.

The biting wind outside made Qin Shuang shiver immediately. Qin Wan whispered, "Bear with it. Don't make a sound."

Qin Shuang immediately closed her eyes tightly and lay still. At that moment, the courtyard gate swung open.

"Young Miss Qin? It's truly Young Miss Qin returned…"

Uncle Dong's voice came through. As the gate opened, outside were anxious faces and two carriages.

Fuling looked as if she were about to cry. "Uncle Dong, we truly apologize. We've returned. Sixth Young Miss suddenly fell ill on the road. She was vomiting and had diarrhea. Just now she even fainted. We had no choice but to turn back. We didn't bring many medicines on the road. We beg Divine Physician Sun to take a look at Sixth Young Miss…"

Uncle Dong had a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead, as if he had just run over and was tired. His wrinkled, thin face showed a flicker of surprise. "Where is Sixth Young Miss? And the Heir Apparent?"

Fuling's eyes darted slightly, her words evasive. "The Heir Apparent… the Heir Apparent is with Fifth Young Miss. Fifth Young Miss is also unwell. We brought Sixth Young Miss back first."

Uncle Dong nodded, not asking further for now, and looked at the carriage. "Where is Sixth Young Miss?"

The carriage curtain lifted, and Qin Wan stepped out. She curtsied. "We trouble you again, Uncle Dong. It's just that we didn't know where else to go within a hundred li. That's why we turned back."

"Young Miss Qin, you speak too courteously. Please, come inside first."

After Uncle Dong spoke, he looked at the carriage. Qin Wan glanced at Wan Qing and Xiu Yun. The two immediately wore anxious expressions as they helped Qin Shuang down from the carriage. Uncle Dong took one look and saw Qin Shuang's eyes tightly closed. Whether from cold or discomfort, her eyelashes trembled slightly, and her body was shaking. Uncle Dong quickly said, "Come in, come in quickly. The courtyard Young Miss Qin stayed in hasn't been locked yet."

Qin Wan's face showed great worry. "Uncle Dong, has Divine Physician Sun retired for the night? Sixth Sister's illness came on suddenly. Although I've studied medicine, I'm at a loss for now. Could we ask Divine Physician Sun to examine Sixth Sister immediately?"

Uncle Dong, with two male servants leading the way, seemed to hesitate for a moment before nodding. "The Young Master was about to sleep, but something came up just now. He probably isn't asleep yet. Then I'll take you to see the Young Master."

Qin Wan's heart relaxed slightly. If they could see Sun Haoyue and delay him, could they save Qin Xiang?

Thinking this, a hint of vigilance arose. Uncle Dong said something had just happened?

"Thank you, Uncle Dong. What happened just now?"

Uncle Dong gave a wry smile. "A stray cat from who knows where ran into the Young Master's room. We had a hard time catching it. Because of that, the Young Master couldn't properly accompany the Young Madam. He's probably still a bit disturbed."

Qin Wan knew there were many stray cats in the manor. She felt slightly reassured and looked back at the few people following them.

They had already entered the manor gate. Uncle Dong walked as he spoke. "As before, the guards will stay in the outer courtyard. This humble one will take the two Young Ladies Qin to see the Young Master. After the examination, you can stay in your previous courtyard."

They had just left that morning, so it was perfectly reasonable and normal to stay in the same place. Qin Wan naturally couldn't object. After a brief pause at the gate, the guards Qin Wan had instructed were first settled in the outer courtyard.

After they were settled, Uncle Dong led Qin Wan's group towards the Benevolent Heart Courtyard.

Qin Wan glanced towards the west. "What is Young Master Sun doing?"

Qin Wan trusted Sun Muqing. In such an unpredictable situation, having Sun Muqing present would better restrain Sun Haoyue.

Hearing this, Uncle Dong said gently, "Young Master Sun has already retired for the night. After Young Miss Qin left, the manor became quiet. Young Master Sun came over in the afternoon to speak with the Young Master for a while, had dinner together, then returned to his own courtyard."

Qin Wan pondered briefly. "My sixth sister's illness is somewhat strange. I wonder if we could also invite Young Master Sun."

As she spoke, she quickly added, "I'm just a bit worried about Sixth Sister. I'm absolutely not doubting Divine Physician Sun…"

Uncle Dong nodded amiably. "This humble one understands. Don't worry, Young Miss Qin. This humble one will have someone invite Young Master Sun over shortly."

Qin Wan felt slightly more at ease. She looked back. Because they had to retrace part of the path, Wan Qing was currently carrying Qin Shuang. Qin Shuang's eyes were tightly closed; she looked tense. Qin Wan fell back a step to walk beside Wan Qing. She patted Qin Shuang's back. Qin Shuang's stiff, tense body relaxed slightly.

Soon, Uncle Dong led Qin Wan and the others to the front of the Benevolent Heart Courtyard.

Though it was late, lights were still on in the Benevolent Heart Courtyard. Aunt Lin was waiting at the entrance from afar and hurried forward when she saw them. "Young Miss Qin, greetings, Young Miss Qin. What's wrong with Sixth Young Miss…"

Aunt Lin's voice held concern. Qin Wan quickly said, "I don't know if she caught a chill. Not long after we set off, she started vomiting and had diarrhea. She had a fever for a while, then her body turned cold. Later, she simply lost consciousness. We had some pills with us, gave them to her, but they didn't work. By afternoon, we had no choice but to turn back."

Aunt Lin was a woman. She stepped forward now and felt Qin Shuang's hand. The moment she touched it, she exclaimed softly, "Heavens! Why is Sixth Young Miss's hand so cold? Her cheeks are icy too! Come in, come in quickly…"

On Wan Qing's back, Qin Shuang sighed inwardly. On such a cold day, with her cloak collar loose and her hands exposed, of course she was trembling with cold! Right now, not only were her hands cold, her whole body was freezing…

Once inside the Benevolent Heart Courtyard, Qin Wan saw Sun Haoyue waiting at the entrance to the main room. In Qin Wan's impression, she had only seen Sun Haoyue twice since arriving at the Hundred Herb Garden. Seeing him again now, Qin Wan still felt Sun Haoyue was like a lofty deity.

He wore a white robe. The cold wind made his sleeves flutter. Yet his compassionate gaze watched as Qin Wan and the others approached, then fell upon Qin Shuang on Wan Qing's back. Under his gaze, Fuling and the others immediately tensed.

"Divine Physician Sun." Qin Wan curtsied, not meeting Sun Haoyue's eyes. "We truly trouble you. I didn't expect my sister to fall ill on the way. We had no choice but to return…"

Sun Haoyue shook his head, his tone quite gentle. "Come in first."

Qin Wan had been here before, but that day she came during the daytime. She only remembered the main hall being somewhat cold and the conversation between Sun Muqing and Sun Haoyue. She had no other impression. But now it was late at night. Qin Wan didn't expect the room to still be icy cold when they entered. A glance around showed only a small incense burner in the corner emitting wisps of white smoke. Qin Wan sniffed; it seemed to be sandalwood mixed with some other medicinal herb.

"Place her here." There was a low couch by the window. Sun Haoyue pointed.

Qin Wan still stood in place, but Wan Qing and Xiu Yun hurriedly placed Qin Shuang there. Seeing this, a glint flashed in Qin Wan's eyes. She straightened her collar and slightly wrinkled sleeves, then brushed her wind-blown cheeks before taking a few steps into the main hall. Sun Haoyue glanced at Aunt Lin. "Serve them tea, then you may retire for the night."

Aunt Lin hurriedly assented and poured tea. The room was freezing. They were all chilled. When Aunt Lin brought hot tea, Fuling and the others drank without thinking. Qin Wan glanced at them. Even if she had any instructions, she couldn't say them in front of Sun Haoyue. Besides, it was Aunt Lin who served the tea. She could only press her lips together without speaking.

Qin Shuang lay on the couch. Wan Qing stood beside it, looking worried. Sun Haoyue walked over and sat by the couch, preparing to take Qin Shuang's pulse. Qin Wan's heart immediately leaped into her throat. Yet this step was unavoidable. Qin Wan could only brazenly continue the lie. While Sun Haoyue examined Qin Shuang, Qin Wan couldn't help but observe him.

He wore a white robe, his dark hair half tied up, seemingly dressed casually before sleep. Moreover, his demeanor was calm and relaxed, not at all like someone with malicious intent. Qin Wan scanned the room again but still saw nothing amiss.

Qin Wan almost began to think she was mistaken. But recalling past experiences with her father, many murderers were unimaginable before the truth came to light. Bai Feiyu was an imposter. Based on that alone, she shouldn't waver.

"Divine Physician Sun, how is my sister?"

Qin Wan asked with some urgency. Sun Haoyue soon withdrew his hand, seeming to ponder for a moment. "The pulse seems fine. I just don't know why she fainted."

Qin Wan's heart skipped a beat, but she continued, "To be honest, Divine Physician, I also know a little medicine. But seeing my sister like this, I couldn't find the source of the illness either. Could it be some difficult, obscure disease?"

Even the most skilled physician would eventually encounter illnesses they couldn't pinpoint. Qin Wan was banking on this to persist with the lie. Sun Haoyue's brows seemed to furrow slightly. He turned and saw Wanxing and the others standing.

"Please, all of you, sit and wait. I need to examine her more carefully."

His face showed no smile, but his voice was soothing. Seeing this, Aunt Lin poured them more tea, then set the teapot down and left. Wan Qing, already nervous, had no choice but to sit down when Sun Haoyue spoke.

Sun Haoyue looked at the prone Qin Shuang. "Young Miss Qin seems to be asleep."

Qin Wan remained unperturbed. "That's what worries me. On the way here, she was delirious and spoke nonsense."

Hearing Qin Wan say this, Qin Shuang, nervous and flustered, let out two soft moans to play along. Fuling, watching from the side, felt her heart pound. What kind of cooperation was this…

"When did it start? Any other symptoms?"

Sun Haoyue spoke while touching Qin Shuang's forehead. Qin Shuang couldn't help but shudder.

Qin Wan said, "About an hour after leaving here. At first, we thought it was the carriage being too bumpy. But soon she started vomiting and had diarrhea. Later, she developed a fever…"

Qin Wan knew her story was somewhat absurd, but having started the lie, she had to stick with it. As she spoke, she wondered: if Qin Xiang was still at the Hundred Herb Garden, where would she be kept?

"Her forehead isn't hot now." Sun Haoyue continued, then suddenly changed the subject. "Where is Heir Apparent Qin?"

Qin Wan had expected Sun Haoyue to be suspicious. At this, she stammered, "Third Brother… he has other matters… can't get away for now. So he had us bring Sixth Sister back to seek treatment."

Sun Haoyue nodded slightly. "Then I'll prescribe a formula to try."

Qin Shuang clearly wasn't ill. Qin Wan didn't believe Sun Haoyue had diagnosed anything. But seeing him prescribe, she couldn't stop him. Meanwhile, Uncle Dong placed the tea Aunt Lin had poured for her beside Qin Wan. "Young Miss Qin, your hands are red from the cold. Drink some tea. The Young Master and Young Madam don't like the smell of charcoal. The outer hall doesn't have a heated floor. You must be freezing."

Qin Wan was on guard and shook her head. "Uncle Dong, don't worry. Let's focus on Sixth Sister's illness first."

Uncle Dong smiled. "Don't worry. With the Young Master here, any illness can be cured."

Qin Wan's eyes shifted. "Divine Physician Sun's medical skills are naturally peerless. I heard Aunt Lin, Little Lizi, and Da Cheng's illnesses were all cured by Divine Physician Sun?"

At that moment, Sun Haoyue was already behind a desk, writing a prescription. Uncle Dong nodded upon hearing this. "Indeed. Aunt Lin fell ill as she got older. Little Lizi and Da Cheng were ill when we bought them. The Young Master cured them all. With the Young Master here, everyone in the manor is safe from illness, big or small."

A slight curve touched Qin Wan's lips. "What illness did Aunt Lin have?"

Uncle Dong smiled. "Just heart pain. Sometimes it would flare up suddenly, hurting so much she couldn't even breathe. We all thought she wouldn't live many more years. But who would have thought the Young Master could cure her."

Qin Wan blinked. "How can such an illness be cured?"

Uncle Dong suddenly chuckled upon hearing this. He was old, his voice dry and hoarse. This laugh, for some reason, sent a shiver down Qin Wan's spine. Uncle Dong paused, then said, "This humble one doesn't know. But since it's heart pain, the problem must be inside. Naturally, you treat what's inside."

Uncle Dong leaned on his cane and pointed to his own chest.

Qin Wan felt Uncle Dong's expression was somewhat strange. She couldn't help but ask further, "Treat the inside? How?"

Uncle Dong looked at the teacup beside Qin Wan. "If the saucer under this teacup is broken, but Young Miss Qin doesn't want to throw away the cup and lid, what would you do?"

A chill crept up from the soles of Qin Wan's feet. She hadn't drunk the tea, but somehow Uncle Dong before her began to blur. Qin Wan blinked hard, but Uncle Dong's figure became double-visioned. She felt dizzy and her head grew heavy. Her gaze shifted and saw Qin Shuang on the couch lying completely still. Fuling and the others had all collapsed in their chairs. Qin Wan's expression changed several times. She wanted to speak but didn't even have the strength to open her mouth.

Not far away, Uncle Dong seemed to sigh. "Ai… you left, so why did you have to come back?"

As he spoke, he slowly walked towards them.

Qin Wan's eyelids grew heavier. Before sinking into darkness, she only heard Uncle Dong ask Sun Haoyue.

"Young Master, what should we do with them…"

Qin Wan struggled to maintain consciousness. Sun Haoyue still spoke in his compassionate voice. "Lock them up below."

…

…

The sound of skirts rubbing against the stone floor continued for a long time. When it stopped, Qin Wan was placed on the cold ground. The ground was damp and chilly. The surroundings were so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Occasionally, the pop of a lamp wick burning could be heard.

After a moment of silence, footsteps and a dragging sound approached. Soon, another person was placed beside Qin Wan. The footsteps left, then returned quickly. After three or four trips, the footsteps ceased.

This was a room buried underground. In the entire Hundred Herb Garden, only three people knew of it.

Uncle Dong stood where he was, looking at Qin Wan and the others. Not long after, footsteps sounded from behind.

Uncle Dong turned. "Young Master, how long will they sleep?"

Sun Haoyue walked down calmly. He glanced at Qin Wan and the others. "A day."

It was an extremely narrow storage room, not far from the entrance. Sun Haoyue spoke as he walked past the door, turning towards the deeper part of the hidden residence. Uncle Dong closed the storage room door and followed Sun Haoyue.

Not long after, the two reached a room with a closed door. A man stood before the door now.

This person wore a silver robe, was tall and lean, with clear, handsome features, none other than the "Bai Feiyu" who had appeared earlier.

"Shang Lu, is she awake?"

Shang Lu bowed to Sun Haoyue. "She is awake."

With that, Shang Lu turned and opened the door. The room inside was brightly lit.

The room wasn't large, only about four or five zhang square, and sparsely furnished, but it was bone-chillingly cold.

Sun Haoyue walked in. The floor of this room was actually made of ice bricks. In the middle of the room were two crystal-clear ice beds. At this moment, one bed was empty, while on the other lay a person.

Uncle Dong and Shang Lu waited outside. Sun Haoyue walked alone to the bedside.

On the bed, Qin Xiang's dark hair was spread out. Her magnificent cloak and gown had long been removed. Now she wore only undergarments. She lay on the ice bed, but her body felt no cold at all. She just had no strength whatsoever.

Her mind was muddled. For a moment, she couldn't remember how she had gotten here. She only remembered waking very early and leaving without a word. She had intended to go to the west gate, but before she reached it, she saw Bai Feiyu waiting for her. She had been overjoyed and rushed towards him. And then?

Qin Xiang couldn't remember anything after that. But she had been awake for half an hour. Lying helplessly in this strange room, looking at the empty ice bed beside her filled her with boundless terror. She knew something was terribly wrong!

Just as her tears were about to run dry, she heard Sun Haoyue and "Bai Feiyu" talking.

Who was Shang Lu? 'She is awake', did that mean her?

Qin Xiang's eyes widened in disbelief!

When Sun Haoyue approached, he saw Qin Xiang's terrified expression. He clearly saw it but acted as if he hadn't. He only reached out to take her pulse. Qin Xiang's whole body trembled. But when she tried to speak, her voice was so hoarse she could only make faint sounds.

"Sun… he… Bai Shao…"

Qin Xiang felt no pain in her throat, but after uttering those four words, she became completely mute. Tears streamed down her face. She knew this scene, this setup, was definitely not some joke. What did Sun Haoyue intend to do to her?

"The dosage was a bit off. She's regained consciousness."

Sun Haoyue's indifferent voice was so familiar. When Qin Xiang first saw Sun Haoyue, she had also thought him celestial. But what did Sun Haoyue mean now? What dosage? What did he plan to do to her?

"Yes, Master. How much more?"

"One qian. Any more and her heart will be unusable."

This exchange between "Bai Feiyu" and Sun Haoyue made Qin Xiang's breath stop. She stared blankly at Sun Haoyue, then, with great effort, turned her head to look towards the door. There, she indeed saw the figure in the silver robe.

In an instant, Qin Xiang felt darkness descend before her eyes. "Th… Third…"

Qin Xiang wanted to call out for her third brother, but after stammering "third" she couldn't speak. From her angle, she could only see Sun Haoyue's exquisite profile and those compassionate yet cold eyes. Despair filled her heart. She suddenly remembered the man who had held a knife to her neck. What had he said? He seemed to have said his daughter died here under Sun Haoyue's care.

Qin Xiang's lips trembled. Though she had no sensation, tears flowed uncontrollably. They rolled down her cheeks and soon turned to tiny icicles on the ice bed. Sun Haoyue's hand moved to the corner of her eye. He pried her eyelids open, then touched her neck. Then he turned and walked out.

"Add the medicine. Call me in two hours. Prepare the box."

"Yes, Master."

"Bai Feiyu's" voice grew closer. Soon, a face appeared above Qin Xiang. Qin Xiang stared fixedly at "Bai Feiyu's" face. This face she had found so handsome now held no expression. There wasn't even a trace of warmth in his eyes. He simply pried open her mouth and poured a strange medicinal liquid down her throat.

He released and closed her jaw. With a gulp, Qin Xiang swallowed the liquid.

Without the slightest delay, "Bai Feiyu" turned and left. With a creak, the door closed.

Qin Xiang's mind grew foggier. Her eyes shed tears without sensation. After an unknown amount of time, her tears dried up, and her eyes felt as if they had cried themselves blind. Just then, the door opened again.

It was as if a large hand choked her throat. Qin Xiang couldn't breathe. They were coming! She was going to die!

Just as Qin Xiang's fear reached its peak, a cold but slender, soft hand landed on her wrist. It took Qin Xiang a long time to react. This hand… was not a man's hand…