"Alas," the beautiful woman sighed, "the situation is this. You know the Ni family now, they are one of the three great families of the Immortal King's Palace, guarding it for generations, with a prominent background. Because the Chang family has produced beauties for generations, my father-in-law, in order to climb the social ladder, formed a marriage alliance with them. Both sides agreed that if my Chang family had a daughter, and after avoiding close relatives, she would marry a suitable young man from their family. Thus, Ning'er's two aunts married into their family. Whether it was due to a curse on the alliance or some other reason, both aunts passed away in the same year they married. Even more bizarrely, the Ni family members they married also died of illness one after another. At first, everyone thought it was a coincidence. But when it came to Ning'er's generation, her two elder sisters met the same fate. The Ni family believes the Chang family is cursed, that every daughter lives less than twenty years, and this curse also implicates their family. Therefore, they devised such a wicked plan to retaliate against us: they want us... Chang family women... to marry beggars for generations, even finding a beggar to marry before death... and then die. Otherwise, they will... annihilate our clan."
By the end of her words, the beautiful woman was sobbing uncontrollably.
Mo Qi frowned. This Ni family was truly too wicked.
If they were indeed cursed, they were already pitiful enough. Why would the Ni family add insult to injury?
"Does that mean if I marry the Third Young Lady, I will also die?" Mo Qi asked, feigning a bit of terror.
The beautiful woman looked apologetic. "So, we have wronged you, and it's your bad luck to be caught here."
Chang Yuning coughed a few times and said, "I don't believe in any curse, so don't talk nonsense. As long as you do as they say, you won't die. Don't feel wronged. I believe that after I die, my family will treat you well, but you must remember, we are just doing this for them to see. Even if I die, you are not allowed to touch me."
Her words were firm and resolute, making Mo Qi feel the pride ingrained in this Third Young Lady.
Mo Qi suddenly smiled. "Actually, I don't believe in curses either. Perhaps you are just ill."
The beautiful woman's eyes lit up. She hadn't expected this beggar to have such insight.
Then, her gaze dimmed again. "We've consulted countless physicians, and none of them could find anything. Illnesses in the cultivation world are difficult to treat!"
Mo Qi coughed dryly. "May I... take a look?"
Both Tang Qing and Chang Yuning were stunned. The air seemed to freeze.
After a long moment, Chang Yuning said, "I think you should hurry and take a bath and change your clothes. I don't want to see you looking like this."
"What are you afraid of? We can't possibly have anything happen between us anyway," Mo Qi retorted.
Chang Yuning was furious and coughed incessantly. Tang Qing immediately stepped forward to gently pat her shoulder. "Child, stop talking and rest well."
Chang Yuning truly didn't want to deal with him anymore. She tried to turn over, facing the wall.
But this movement triggered another coughing fit.
Mo Qi felt a pang of sympathy. "Miss, have you ever considered that my appearance here might be your opportunity? I see your family members are quite kind. Perhaps heaven has opened its eyes and shown mercy, allowing you to continue living."
Chang Yuning remained unmoved, but Tang Qing was swayed. She looked at Mo Qi and asked, "Are you really a physician?"
Mo Qi shook his head. "I am not a physician."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Tang Qing's eyes.
Mo Qi smiled. "Didn't you say physicians couldn't cure her illness? That's true. Physicians can't, but I am someone even more powerful than a physician."
"You stinking beggar," Chang Yuning turned her head. "Mother, please have this stinking beggar thrown out. I don't want to be humiliated before I die."
Tang Qing looked troubled. She glanced at Mo Qi. "I'm sorry, you should leave for now. Perhaps you can come back after she calms down."
"I'm afraid she might die later," Mo Qi said impolitely.
"That's none of your business," Chang Yuning shouted, her voice surprisingly strong, almost deafening Mo Qi.
Alas, Mo Qi sighed. They were forcing him to resort to force.
Mo Qi's figure flickered, and he suddenly appeared by Chang Yuning's bedside. He reached out and quickly grasped her pulse.
Chang Yuning barely saw what happened before her wrist was seized. She instinctively tried to pull her hand away but couldn't. Not only could she not move her hand, but to her surprise, her entire body seemed frozen, completely immobile.
Tang Qing was in the same situation. When she saw Mo Qi approach Chang Yuning's bed, she thought he intended to do something nefarious and rushed to help her daughter. However, her body seemed to be immobilized, unable to move.
Mo Qi frowned deeply, carefully feeling her pulse, his brow furrowing tighter.
Chang Yuning also knitted her brows, her eyes practically burning with anger.
A moment later, Mo Qi released her hand and flickered back to his original position.
Chang Yuning's body regained its mobility, and she immediately began to curse, "You stinking beggar, you're asking for death..."
Mo Qi said calmly, "You are not ill. You have been poisoned."
Chang Yuning didn't believe him at all and continued to curse, but Tang Qing believed him. "Really?"
Mo Qi continued, his words shocking. "This poison is a slow-acting one. It doesn't necessarily manifest before the age of twenty. Its effect lasts for three years. If the poisoner administers it when you are seventeen, they can ensure your death at twenty."
Chang Yuning quieted down, almost unconsciously.
Regardless, this whole explanation was quite convincing!
Mo Qi added, "Furthermore, this poison can be transmitted to the spouse through consummation. Therefore, you are not suffering from any curse."
Tears welled up in Chang Yuning's eyes.
No matter how strong she had pretended to be before, she couldn't help but shed tears now.
Tang Qing immediately knelt down. "Master, please, you must save my daughter's life. She is my only child."
Mo Qi quickly helped her up. "Don't worry, I will do my best to treat her. After all, we are considered husband and wife."
Tang Qing managed a smile. Seeing his relaxed demeanor and apparent confidence, she felt a sense of hope.
Chang Yuning, however, turned her face away again, lost in her own thoughts.
"Bring me paper and brush. I will write a prescription, and you can go and gather the herbs according to it," Mo Qi said to Tang Qing.
Tang Qing moved to the drawer of the bedside table and took out paper and a brush, handing them to Mo Qi. "Master, please!"
Mo Qi took the paper and brush, and with swift strokes, finished writing the prescription, handing it to Tang Qing.
Tang Qing, with trembling hands, took the prescription and immediately went out.
She had to handle this matter personally to feel at ease.
Mo Qi's words had cast a shadow of doubt in her heart.
She couldn't help but wonder who had administered the poison. Who wanted to harm her family?
At this moment, she already had a few suspects in mind.
More accurately, at this moment, she only trusted herself.
After Tang Qing left, Mo Qi sat down on a chair by the table.
"Who exactly are you? You are definitely not a beggar. The immobilization technique you just used is not something an ordinary person can perform," Chang Yuning asked, still facing the wall.
"My name is Mo Qi. I am here to save you."
"You have quite a bold statement. I hope you don't disappoint me."
"How long can disappointment last? You won't be alive for much longer anyway."
"..."
Just then, the butler, Chang Li, knocked on the door and said in a low voice, "Third Young Lady, the Ni family has sent someone to urge you. They say you should prepare for the wedding ceremony."
"This is too much... Tell them we are already preparing," Chang Yuning said helplessly.
After Chang Li left, Mo Qi said to Chang Yuning, who was still with her back turned, "You have two options. The first is to go through with the ceremony with me according to their arrangements, to appease their anger. The second option is to refuse directly. When they arrive, tell me, and I will kill them all without leaving a trace. Neither option will be dangerous, but the first will damage your reputation, and the success rate of the second is low. Which do you choose?"
"The first option. Although I know you are very powerful, you are far from their match," Chang Yuning said, turning to look at him.
A moment later, Tang Qing returned with the prepared herbs and handed them to Mo Qi. "Please check if there are any issues with these ingredients."
Mo Qi carefully examined them and nodded decisively. "No problems."
He then looked at Chang Yuning again. "Now you have two choices. The first is for me to refine the elixir in a cauldron and then give it to you to consume. The second is for me to consume the ingredients myself and then transfer the elixir's potency to you through holding hands. The first method is slower, while the second is faster but involves physical contact..."
"The first method," Chang Yuning said, coughing violently.
At this moment, hurried and chaotic footsteps could be heard from outside the door, indicating the arrival of many people.
Immediately after, a woman's voice rang out. "Third Young Lady, are you ready? Our Young Master Wei has arrived. He wants to personally witness your wedding. Please put on your wedding dress and prepare to come out. If you are not out within the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, I will come in and carry you out. Please do not make things difficult for me."
"Are you in a hurry to die? It's not like you are the one dying," the Third Young Lady couldn't help but retort.
The woman outside the door fell silent, and the air became unusually still.
However, the bright red wedding attire was sent in by the servants.
The servants were extremely uncomfortable. After placing the items on the table, they quickly fled.
"Um... can the second method be completed within the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn?" Tang Qing asked.
"Not certain, but we can try," Mo Qi replied.
"Then let's try it," Tang Qing said.
Chang Yuning suddenly said irritably, "Try what? I think neither method needs to be tried. Just carry me out for a walk. I'm almost dead anyway, it doesn't matter."
"Why not try it, daughter? This is your only chance," Tang Qing said softly, suppressing her anger.
"I don't believe he can detoxify me. Mother, don't you think all of this is absurd? We've consulted so many physicians, tried so many times without success, and today a beggar suddenly appears and can solve my problem?" Chang Yuning said, gasping for breath.