This curved saber is unique to the Northern Di. Its blade is curved, and its tip is sharp, leaving crescent-shaped wounds.
"What? Did you stab him deeply enough?"
Seeing澹台野's excitement,萧驰湛 handed the saber to喀鲁图. "You do it."
喀鲁图 took the saber, his hand trembling slightly.
"Hurry up, we still have matters to discuss."
"Your Highness, how deep should I stab?"
The curved saber trembled as it pressed against his shoulder.
萧驰湛 frowned impatiently and used喀鲁图's hand to force the saber in.
***
叶鸾 had been in her room. She sent someone to inquire and confirmed that the city gates were indeed closed.
She abandoned the idea of finding medicine and instead had some medical books brought to her. She lay on the chaise lounge, reading them.
These medical books had very little information about congenital frost disease. Despite poring over numerous texts, she could only pinpoint a few relevant details.
Such difficult ailments were truly hard to manage.
It was already March, and the weather in the Northern Di was pleasant during the day, with bright sunlight. It fell on her fair and clean face, making her appear serene and beautiful.
The room was silent.
"Luan Luan."
Suddenly,萧驰湛's knock echoed from outside.
叶鸾 came back to her senses. "Come in."
萧驰湛 pushed the door open, his face looking rather pale.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He smiled and handed her the jade box in his hand. "I found the Han Dan Zhu you wanted."
Hearing his words,叶鸾 froze for a moment, then immediately sat up and took the jade box, opening it.
Han Dan Zhu.
It really was the Han Dan Zhu.
萧驰湛 had found it so quickly.
陆斐柏 could be saved.
"Your Highness is truly capable. Such a difficult-to-find medicinal herb like Han Dan Zhu, and Your Highness found it in just a few days. Thank you so much, Your Highness."
Seeing her sincere smile,萧驰湛's eyes darkened slightly.
She was this happy to get the medicine for陆斐柏?
"As long as Luan Luan is happy."
叶鸾 closed the medicinal herbs, unaware of萧驰湛's subtle change in expression, her mind filled with the formula for refining the antidote, wishing she could start immediately.
"Cough, cough--"
Suddenly, the man beside her coughed a few times with a pale face, his hand involuntarily going to his shoulder.
叶鸾 looked up and asked, "Are you hurt?"
萧驰湛 shook his head, but his demeanor was weak. He seemed unable to support himself and sat down on the chaise lounge. His lips were pale and completely devoid of color.
"Who could have hurt you?"
As soon as the words left her mouth,叶鸾 quickly shut up. Her words sounded unkind. She corrected herself, "I'll have someone call a doctor. Please bear with it."
"Luan Luan, don't go."
His finely-boned fingers tightly gripped hers.
叶鸾 did not pull away, explaining, "I'll call a doctor to bandage your wound."
"Isn't Luan Luan a doctor? You bandage it yourself."
Upon hearing this, she went to the outer room, directly retrieved the medical kit, and also asked a maid to find a doctor.
萧驰湛 sat weakly on the chaise lounge. The stab wound on his shoulder was deep, with bone and flesh exposed, and it was quite severe.
叶鸾 looked at the curved wound and frowned. "Did you encounter Northern Di assassins?"
"Mm."
She looked at the wound, which was still oozing dark blood, and pursed her lips. "There's poison on this knife."
Xiao Chi Zhan's martial arts were extremely high. How could he have been injured like this?
Strange.
"Your Highness, weren't the city gates closed? Did some Northern Di people infiltrate the city?"
Hearing her probing question, a hint of darkness flashed in萧驰湛's eyes. However, when he looked at her, he appeared wronged. "Xue Ren found the whereabouts of Han Dan Zhu. I was ambushed when I went to retrieve it."
叶鸾 was slightly startled, and her movements while applying the medicine paused.
萧驰湛 had no time to guess her thoughts; his heart was already tingling with anticipation.
This was the first time she had been so proactively intimate with him since her return.
It was tingly! Electrifying!
Her cool fingertips occasionally brushed against his skin, and her soft, fragrant breath enveloped him, sweet and lingering.
It made his breathing itchy, and his heart felt pleasantly numb.
A fire surged from his lower abdomen.
He couldn't help but slightly lower his gaze, staring at her delicate and tempting lips. He remembered their first intimate encounter, his eyes growing more fervent.
"This is Du."
Ye Luan looked at the poisoned blood in surprise. Seeing him still staring at her foolishly, she shouted, "Do you know this knife is poisoned? You're going to lose your life, why are you spacing out?"
This poison spread extremely quickly, and there was no antidote at hand. What should they do?
"Luan Luan, it hurts so much."
He frowned in discomfort, arching his body towards her.
Ye Luan was wary of the wound on his shoulder and did not push him away. She frowned and said, "Why isn't the doctor here yet?"
She didn't have an antidote for Du on hand right now.
"Luan Luan, kiss me. It hurts so much—"
"Xiao Chi Zhan, at a time like this, you—"
He tightly grasped her waist and, with pale lips, looked up. "It really hurts—"
"You weren't in pain when you were stabbed before, why are you pretending?"
She wanted to push him away and find an antidote, but his arm strength was immense, and he held her tightly, preventing her from leaving.
His arm was injured like that, yet he still had such strength.
Ye Luan almost wanted to grab a brick and smash him.
"Let go quickly, you're risking your life—"
He didn't let go. Instead, he pulled her closer, seating her on his lap. His thin lips brushed across her cheek, and his heavy breaths sprayed hotly into her ear.
"Xiao Chi Zhan!"
Her furious outburst did not stop his actions.
His voice was hoarse. "Darling, I'm dying, let me kiss you."
This crazy man could always easily provoke her anger.
At such a time, his mind was filled with nonsense.
Just as she was about to push him, he lowered his head and captured her red lips, kissing her with extreme tenderness and passion.
Ye Luan's entire body instantly went limp, as if electrocuted, her limbs feeling weak.
She stared at him with wide, angry eyes, but he was closing his eyes and enjoying it, completely ignoring her.
God knows how long he kissed her, as if trying to make up for all the lost time in the past few days.
Ye Luan felt her lips were swollen.
Her tongue felt slightly numb.
Only when she heard the hurried footsteps of the doctor arriving from outside did Xiao Chi Zhan reluctantly take a deep suck and release her.
"Xiao Chi Zhan, if you keep behaving like this, then go die."
As soon as she was released, Ye Luan stood up from him, her chest heaving with anger.
He was truly reckless.
Xiao Chi Zhan felt satisfied and didn't care about her scolding. He clutched his wound and cried out in pain, saying, "I was wrong, I couldn't control myself."
Ye Luan ---
She couldn't be bothered with him and quickly went to open the door.
After the doctor entered, she immediately said, "The bleeding has stopped, but he's been poisoned by Du. Do you have any medicine?"
"Du?" The doctor frowned after examining the wound. "This humble one didn't bring Du Huo. I can't refine an antidote right now."
Immediately, the doctor's eyes brightened as he saw the Han Dan Zhu on the table.
"Isn't that Han Dan Zhu? If the pistil of the Han Dan Zhu is applied to the wound, it can detoxify it in time."
As soon as he spoke, Ye Luan's breath hitched, and her reaction was slightly delayed.
"Your Highness, the wound on your shoulder cannot be delayed. This humble one will go and decoct the medicine for you."
Xiao Chi Zhan stopped him, his crimson eyes looking at Ye Luan. With a subtly manipulative tone, he said, "This is Luan Luan's medicine. Let her arrange it."
***
Many readers have complained that I don't torment the male lead enough. Let me explain: the things the male lead does will definitely lead to severe torment, but the plot hasn't reached that point yet. He's a madman, a complete psychopath, and will not be redeemed. His pursuit of his wife's crematorium is different from the traditional one; it requires a psychological transition.
This is just a minor punishment for him now, allowing him to experience the kind of frustration and disguise the female lead endured. When the female lead discovers his actions, it will be the true pursuit of his wife's crematorium, and that is not far off.