Chapter 27
A few days later, Que Siming followed through on his promise to detoxify Xiaobao.
The process made everyone extremely anxious, but fortunately, it was a success in the end.
After fulfilling his promise, the miracle doctor refused to stay even a moment longer, insisting on taking Jinbao away immediately.
After dragging it out for a few days, it became clear that there was no delaying it any further.
Xiaobao and Zhao Cai prepared a large cart of “dowry” for Jinbao, and the three of them tearfully bid farewell for half a day, driving Que Siming to the point of rolling his eyes in frustration.
Even after they set off, Jinbao was still sniffling with reddened eyes.
Que Siming was supposed to travel with his household guards, but since he didn’t like traveling with them, he had them follow behind with the luggage.
Now, the two of them were leisurely riding their horses, with Jinbao not saying a word, just continuously wiping away his tears. The miracle doctor finally couldn’t take it anymore and prodded him with the riding crop.
“What’s wrong with you? Crying all the way, aren’t you embarrassed? Anyone who doesn’t know might think I kidnapped you.”
The kid had a good reason, though. “It’s my first time being apart from them… What do you know?”
The miracle doctor snorted coldly, “I don’t understand?”
Jinbao suddenly remembered that the miracle doctor’s family had been destroyed when he was young, and his life had been far more tragic and complicated than his own. He didn’t dare cry anymore, fearing it would touch on the other’s sore spot.
But he also didn’t dare to offer comfort, worried he might say something wrong.
So, he rubbed his eyes and changed the subject. “When will we reach the Valley of Medicine?”
“It’s not too far. From Dali to Dongting Lake, it’ll take at least half a month.”
Jinbao thought for a moment, “What will we do when we get back?”
Que Siming grinned, “Get married.”
The kid was startled, “Seriously? That’s not right, is it?”
“Seriously. It’s not like I’m marrying you, so why are you so worked up?”
“Huh?!”
“I’m just messing with you, idiot.” Que Siming chuckled a couple of times before lashing Jinbao’s horse with his whip. “At this pace, it’ll take you forever to get there. Hurry up; we need to reach the next town to find a place to stay for the night.”
By the time they reached a place with a marketplace, it was almost dark, so they first found a teahouse to grab a meal.
Que Siming was picky about everything-food, clothing, lodging, and travel-so he took ages to choose a restaurant and then even longer to pick a table.
The town was a medium-sized rest stop, frequented by travelers and merchants from all over, creating a mix of characters. It was especially lively during mealtime.
Just as the two of them sat down, a waiter enthusiastically welcomed them.
While waiting for their food, their sharp ears caught snippets of a conversation from a few tables away that mentioned some familiar names, immediately grabbing their attention.
“Is it true? That’s disgusting! Huang Xiang really had an incestuous relationship with his sister?”
“I just came from the capital, Lin’an. The rumors are spreading like wildfire; everyone in Lin’an knows about it.”
“I’ve always heard that Huang Xiang was scum, really despicable. He’s been getting away with everything just because his sister is favored by the emperor.”
“Exactly. But he’s done for this time. There’s even a rumor that the Second Prince isn’t the emperor’s son but his, with the Imperial Concubine.”
“What? Isn’t that like putting a green hat on the emperor? That’s a death sentence.”
“Definitely. When I left, there were rumors that the Imperial Concubine had poisoned herself, but it’s unclear if that’s true. What is true, though, is that Huang Xiang ran away, and now they’re hunting him down.”
“But I haven’t seen any wanted notices for him.”
“Are you stupid? It’s such an embarrassing matter. Do you think the emperor would openly issue a warrant for him? They’re definitely planning to quietly catch him and execute him on the spot.”
“You’re right. Huang Xiang really is stupid. If he hadn’t run, they’d have to accuse him of something, put him on trial, and sentence him. He might’ve lived a bit longer. But by running, didn’t he just admit his guilt?”
“You have no idea how dark things are in the royal family. If he didn’t run, he’d definitely be tortured to within an inch of his life by those unofficial punishments… Running away was his only chance at survival.”
As Que Siming listened, he let out a couple of cold laughs, his fist clenching so tightly under the table that his knuckles cracked.
Jinbao leaned in and whispered, “This Huang Xiang, is he the same as the Imperial Uncle?”
“Yes.”
“Did he really have an incestuous relationship with his sister?”
The miracle doctor sneered, “If you have the right connections, you can twist the truth however you want.”
“So he ran away. How are you going to catch him?”
“I don’t need to. Someone will deliver his head to me.”
“Huh?”
“Do you remember that prince who once visited Dali?”
“Yeah, I remember. He was so arrogant and domineering. If someone like him becomes emperor, who knows what will happen to the kingdom?”
“Don’t underestimate him. He wears a thousand faces, changing them for each person he meets. You never know his true nature-everything could just be an act.”
Jinbao was shocked, “But he seems to be only twelve or thirteen years old…”
“So what? The current emperor was leading troops into battle at fourteen, killed his own father, and usurped the throne. Zongzheng Huaien was even younger when he started killing without batting an eye. That’s the royal bloodline for you.”
“So, this thing with Huang Xiang, it was him…?”
“Exactly. Who knows what methods he used, but now the capital is flooded with rumors. Even if the emperor doesn’t believe them, he’s already been thoroughly embarrassed. How could he swallow that? The Imperial Concubine was likely killed by him, and Huang Xiang got scared. By running, he confirmed his guilt. The Second Prince had always been a thorn in that little prince’s side, relying on the emperor’s favor and his powerful maternal family. Now, by toppling the Imperial Concubine’s family, no one will be able to challenge him for the throne.”
Jinbao felt a chill run through him. How could someone so young have such terrifying thoughts? He also remembered the way that little prince looked at Su Yin with such raw admiration and possessiveness-anyone could see it. If he ever became emperor, Su Yin would be in serious trouble.
He patted Que Siming on the shoulder. “No matter what, this time you can finally get your revenge.”
Que Siming grabbed his hand, trembling as he clenched it tightly, gritting his teeth. “I’m going to take Huang Xiang’s head and offer it at my father’s grave. And one day, after I kill Yu Mingjing, I’ll go see my mother.”
Jinbao patted his hand and sighed, “Speaking of Yu Mingjing, have you found out where he is? It seems like your blood curse has become more focused.”
“Yes, ever since the blood gu detected Yu Mingjing’s scent, it has become active. That move of his was truly vicious. He didn’t reveal himself, just used his blood to test me. I never imagined the blood curse would be this powerful-just a drop of his blood nearly drove me into madness. Although I’ve roughly pinpointed his location from those Wu Bei clan members, I have to return to the Valley of Medicine first and discuss the next steps with my master before taking any action.”
“Mhm, we need to head back as soon as possible.”
Que Siming nodded, but there was a hint of hesitation. “It’s just…”
“What is it?”
“Yu Mingjing was able to send assassins after us on our way back to Dali. The road to Dongting Lake is long-there’s no guarantee he won’t find us.”
Jinbao grew worried. “If we run into him, wouldn’t you be completely powerless to resist?”
“I’m afraid the people I brought along aren’t enough to ensure our safety. My master has already sent reinforcements from Dongting Lake to meet us. We just have to hope that we can avoid being found by Yu Mingjing before we rendezvous with them.”
Jinbao felt a heavy weight settle in his heart. The thought that Que Siming, who always seemed so arrogant and unyielding, was actually harboring a terrifying hidden danger inside him, constantly at risk of losing his life, made him feel uneasy.
No matter what, now that he was with Que Siming, he wouldn’t let anyone hurt him, even if it meant risking his own life.
The doctor squeezed his hand and smiled. “Don’t worry. I plan to spend the next few decades torturing you. I’m not going to die that easily.”
Jinbao had been feeling sentimental, but as soon as he heard that, he deflated.
Under the table, the doctor playfully pinched the inside of his thigh.
That tender spot nearly made the boy jump out of his seat, and he immediately shot him an angry glare.
“Let’s eat. After that, we’ll get some rest.”
