Chapter 14

Ting Shu entered, pushing a man inside while brandishing a knife, and said harshly, "If you can't cure his illness, don't expect to live either."

By the time Gu Tingshuang realised what was happening, his fingertips had already touched Ning Shiting's lips.

A warm breath exhaled from Ning Shiting's nostrils, gently brushing against Gu Tingshuang's fingers, covering them in a faint, misty moisture. Initially, it was warm, with a slight feverish heat typical of a sick person, but it quickly cooled in the air.

A dark blue colour rapidly spread from his fingertips.

Gu Tingshuang swiftly withdrew his hand, immediately drawing a knife from his sleeve and slashing his veins, then using his internal energy to seal off the veins in his entire arm. Steaming hot blood splashed onto the ground with a loud hiss, carrying intense toxicity.

At Ning Shiting's bedside, Gu Tingshuang saw the medicine sachets that were delivered to him daily. There were always two packets. One contained whole herbs for decoction, and the other contained ground herbs for external application.

Gu Tingshuang took out the sachet for external use and mixed it with water, applying it to his palm, the base of his thumb, and his upper arm. Only then did the sharp numbness and pain finally subside.

This Jiaoren was truly poisonous.

Every part of him was poisonous.

His gaze shifted back to Ning Shiting. The feverish man was still peacefully asleep in his dream, his breathing hot but very steady. He probably had no idea that he had just nearly killed Gu Tingshuang again.

Gu Tingshuang naturally shifted the blame onto Ning Shiting for this incident. It wasn't that he wanted to provoke him; it was that Ning Shiting was inherently too dangerous, leading to his accidental peril.

"Is there any part of your body that's not poisonous?"

Gu Tingshuang squinted his eyes, examining him with great interest, not caring that Ning Shiting lacked the energy to listen to his words.

"Is your hair also poisonous?"

Ning Shiting's hair was very smooth and beautiful. It was like silver silk, soft and fine, with each strand edged with a faint blue colour, appearing pure and inviolable.

However, this time, Gu Tingshuang did not make a move.

Outside, there was a loud commotion with sounds of pleading, shoving, and cursing, which only ceased once it reached outside the house.

Gu Tingshuang leaned back, his wheelchair rolling backward, and he followed the direction of the wheels, retreating into the shadows of the room.

The little wolf hesitated between Gu Tingshuang and Ning Shiting's bed, habitually wanting to follow Gu Tingshuang but also wanting to continue nestling in Ning Shiting's embrace.

As the wolf cub sniffed around, the door was pushed open.

Ting Shu entered, pushing a man inside while brandishing a knife, and said harshly, "If you can't cure his illness, don't expect to live either."

The man carried a medical box and was dressed as a doctor, but he had a brutish face, more like a butcher.

Even with the knife at his throat, the man refused to take another step inside. He knelt down immediately, "Xiao Yeye, I beg you, I'm calling you my grandfather.(1) I have elderly parents and young children to support, and a pharmacy to run with several employees relying on me. I really can't treat a Jiaoren... Jiaoren are poisonous all over; ordinary medicine can't cure them. For regular people, safflower is used to activate blood circulation, but for a Jiaoren, who knows, you might need arsenic. If something goes wrong and I end up killing someone from the Qing Wang's mansion, how would I live?"

The doctor spoke sincerely, his words full of genuine fear. 

Ting Shu knew that if he really harmed the doctor, Ning Shiting would definitely whip him when he woke up. He couldn't recklessly hurt him either, so he was in a dilemma. 

While they were at an impasse, someone spoke from the shadows, "Treat him. If he dies, he dies; it has nothing to do with you. If you save him, he will thank you himself."

Both men at the door froze.

Gu Tingshuang casually pushed a nearby lamp stand towards himself and lit it with a phoenix stone.(2)

The flickering firelight illuminated his face in the darkness.

When Ting Shu recognised him, he snapped back to reality and almost got angry at his words. However, out of courtesy—since Ning Shiting was still lying there—he reluctantly bowed and welcomed him, "Greetings, Dianxia."

Upon hearing and seeing that the person before him was the Qing Wang’s Shizi, the doctor immediately kowtowed several times.

He asked cautiously, "Truly if there are any issues with the treatment, will my fault be overlooked? Dianxia’s words are golden, I will listen to Dianxia."

Ting Shu glared at him fiercely but ultimately said nothing.

"——I guarantee it," Gu Tingshuang said, "In the Qing Wang’s mansion, losing even one person because of him is unacceptable."

The doctor felt as if he had been granted a reprieve and quickly got up, had someone light a lamp, and then took out his medical box.

As he organised his medical supplies, he occasionally glanced fearfully at Ting Shu, "This kid is really formidable. I asked all over the medicine halls, and no doctor was willing to treat a Jiaoren. He had to come to the pharmacy to capture someone... It was quite reckless. Luckily, before I switched professions, I was a doctor, and I thought maybe I could still save him, so I followed."

Ting Shu sneered, "You were trembling in fear just now, to the point you could barely walk. Those who fear death and are greedy for life should not praise themselves."(3)

"Human nature, right? Otherwise, what's the point of having a doctor? You, kid, are quite harsh with your words."

The apothecary finished preparing his things and slowly put on a pair of gloves.

As soon as he approached the bed, he exclaimed, "Ee? Is it this Gongzi who is ill?"

Gu Tingshuang looked up and asked, "You know him?"

"Aiya, how could I be so fortunate to know someone from the Qing Wang’s Royal Family? It's just that a few days ago, this Gongzi came to our place to buy medicine and gave me a big order. But that day, he was wearing a large gauze hat, so I only got a glimpse of him, but it was unforgettable. The Gongzi is very good-looking, and there are only a few Jiaoren in Jiuzhou, so it’s easy to recognise him."

Gu Tingshuang didn't respond.

The apothecary proprietor checked Ning Shiting's pulse through his gloves and then reached out to feel Ning Shiting's temperature.

He wasn't clear about Ning Shiting's identity, but since Ning Shiting had said, "I came at the command of the Shizi," he naturally assumed Ning Shiting was Gu Tingshuang's person. He turned back to Gu Tingshuang and bowed, "Dianxia, I need to untie this Gongzi’s clothes to examine him more closely. Will this be inappropriate?"

Gu Tingshuang replied, "Just do whatever you have to, at your will."

Ting Shu seemed like he wanted to say something but held back.

The apothecary proprietor bowed again and said, "One more question: this Gongzi is Dianxia’s person, but the Jiaoren's situation is complicated. Jiaoren from the northern coast and southern coast use different medicines, male and female Jiaoren react differently to drugs, and the standards for medication twenty years ago differ from those ten years ago. Can you tell me what poisons the Gongzi has been subjected to? Although I can't guarantee a complete cure, at least I can avoid using drugs that are harmful to this Jiaoren's constitution, preventing any life-threatening situations. Treating a Jiaoren is extremely risky; their bodies are complex due to the poison, and this young master seems to have been frail for a long time. People in this condition usually have short lifespans."

Gu Tingshuang was at a loss for words.

He had only learned Ning Shiting's name a few days ago and couldn't provide answers to these questions.

Ting Shu, on the other hand, started speaking with a sobbing tone, his voice trembling, "Gongzi, the Gongzi is seventeen this year, found by the Wanye on the northern coast of the Jiaoren twelve years ago. I know he has been poisoned by ice scorpions and sea snakes from that area. He has also been poisoned by the ten most infamous poisons like monkshood and peacock gall.(4) As for other rare poisons, the Gongzi himself can't clearly remember."

Meanwhile, Gu Tingshuang frowned.

"Alright, that will suffice. I have a rough idea now," the apothecary proprietor’s aid, rolling up his sleeves. He instructed Ting Shu to help prop Ning Shiting up against the headboard and then unbuttoned his collar.

Ning Shiting was already dressed very lightly, wearing only a thin sleeping robe. Ting Shu went out to find scissors and carefully cut it open.

When the delicate sleeping robe was cut open and spread out, it revealed skin covered in scars.

Countless tiny scars and a wound that ran across his waist were visible. Some scars were very old and had become faint with the growth of his body and the expansion of his skin, reflecting a slight, transparent sheen under the lamp.

Ting Shu seemed to have long been aware of Ning Shiting's scars and showed no reaction.

In contrast, the old apothecary gasped, then shook his head and sighed, "I always knew that creating a Jiaoren involved cutting open the tendons and bones to inject poison, healing the wounds, and then breaking them open again, repeatedly. I thought it was just a tale, but it turns out to be true."

Ting Shu said, "But there are also wounds that the Gongzi received on the battlefield. Gongzi is very formidable."

He pointed out to the apothecary the deepest and largest scar on Ning Shiting's body, but ultimately could not explain its origin.

Ning Shiting followed Gu Feiyin to the battlefield, usually not engaging directly on the front lines but acting as a strategist in the rear.

Regarding this scar, Ning Shiting never mentioned anything to him.

In his stupor, Ning Shiting vomited up all the water that Gu Tingshuang had just fed him and started mumbling incoherently.

His voice was completely hoarse, only able to produce a few breathy sounds that no one could understand.

Ting Shu, frowning, tried to soothe him: "Gongzi, Gongzi, where are you uncomfortable? Look at me, talk to me. I brought a doctor for you. Please get better, don't have any more nightmares."

The apothecary, after examining for a while, brought out an acupuncture set and, after heating the needles over a fire, performed acupuncture on several points on Ning Shiting's body.

These small, gentle actions were very taxing.

So many silver needles, and when they were finally removed, they had all turned black.

After finishing the acupuncture, the apothecary sighed, wiped the sweat from his brow, and said, "He is stable for now. I used the needles to help regulate his internal energy. Next, I'll prescribe a medicine to promote wound healing. I'll write down the prescription, and you should prepare it for him. Start with a light dose, and if he shows no adverse reactions, gradually increase the dosage."

After writing the prescription and handing it to Ting Shu, Ting Shu immediately ran out to get the medicine from the pharmacy in another courtyard.

"Does it look good?"

Gu Tingshuang, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

The apothecary, relieved, packed up his things and nodded. "It's done."

"You mentioned earlier... that Jiaoren have short lifespans. Given his condition, how many more years does he have?" The young man stared intently into his eyes, his gaze piercing.

The apothecary thought carefully. "About ten more years."

Gu Tingshuang was stunned.

"But there is a way," the apothecary added. "The poison within a Jiaoren can be extracted. However, the method for extraction… In Zhongzhou's Immortal Emperor's palace, there's the Dust-Repelling Pearl embedded in His Imperial Majesty's royal seal. It can neutralise all poisons and cleanse all sins accumulated over a lifetime."

This pearl also represented the power of the ruler of the Nine Immortal Continents.

Being embedded in the Immortal Emperor's seal signifies its sacred and inviolable nature.

The apothecary, usually carefree, thought to himself that since Qing Wang was favoured by the Immortal Emperor, if the Shizi wanted to save this person, he could ask Qing Wang to request the Emperor’s help.

"Dust-Repelling Pearl?"

The Shizi before him seemed to have heard of it. He then averted his gaze and said lazily, "Oh, that thing. My father will have it in the future. Since he belongs to my father, we needn't worry."

"…"

The apothecary was almost scared to death by his words.

What did he mean by "my father will have it in the future"?

Qing Wang is planning a rebellion? ? Qing Wang is really going to rebel?

Seeing the person in front of him almost unable to stand from fear, Gu Tingshuang casually dismissed him: "You can leave now. Go to the armoury or treasure pavilion and pick something for yourself. If he dies, it won't be blamed on you."

The apothecary, overflowing with gratitude, scurried out like a rabbit.

Ting Shu hadn't returned yet, probably still busy brewing the medicine.

Ning Shiting was still muttering in his sleep.

His face was pale, and he was drenched in cold sweat, as if he were desperately resisting something in his dream.

He always seemed so calm and gentle, and Gu Tingshuang had never seen Ning Shiting show such an expression.

Terror, anguish, hatred, and pain—he couldn't quite discern the exact emotion.

At this moment, Ning Shiting, despite being sick and frail, seemed more alive than usual, like a painted paper figure suddenly coming to life.

He must have been trapped in a nightmare.

The boy named Ting Shu had mentioned that Ning Shiting had been prone to nightmares recently.

The first time Gu Tingshuang saw him, he was also trapped in a nightmare. It’s said that only those with heavy hearts or frail bodies are prone to being trapped by nightmares, and Ning Shiting seemed to be both.

From his trembling lips came a couple words: "It hurts..."

"What?" Gu Tingshuang couldn't hear clearly and leaned in to listen. He vaguely recognised it as words, but upon hearing it clearly, he fell silent.

"It hurts... it hurts..."

Again and again, he mumbled softly, barely audibly.

It sounded like he was calling out in pain, or perhaps saying he was cold.

What was he dreaming of?

Was he dreaming of the fear of being covered in cold, sinister scorpions on a moonlit shore, or the experience of his flesh being torn and healed, over and over, thrown into a pit of sea snakes?

The surrounding temperature grew colder, and the courtyard gradually filled with visible restless spirits. These were mostly souls with deep regrets, incomplete three souls and seven spirits, unable to reincarnate, drawn by a faint soul.

The little wolf howled and leapt onto the bed. Blessed by both gods and demons, the white wolf successfully dispelled the surrounding gloom.

Ning Shiting's movements gradually subsided.

Gu Tingshuang finally realised that Ning Shiting's current abnormality was probably due to the cold.

He pulled up the blanket to cover him and asked, "Are you still cold?"

In a daze, Ning Shiting tried hard to open his eyes.

His world was turned upside down, filled with leaping flames, cold blades, and the indifferent gaze of a king.

Gu Feiyin was calling him.

—Jiaoren? A Poisonous Jiaoren, bring him back carefully, give him food and drink.

—You are so quiet, I'll give you the surname "Ning"... Understanding the meaning of this pavilion, your name will be Ning Shiting, a name I give you.

—You have a good relationship with your brothers?

—But they are just dead people. What, A’Ning, are you going to disobey me for these dead people?

—A’Ning, A’Ning.

—My good A'Ning, we will live and die together, through eternity!

No matter how the scenes changed, no matter if the self in the dream was young or old, those eyes always stared at him.

Cold, sharp, silent.

They were Gu Feiyin's eyes, and also... the eyes of a wolf!

The scenes rapidly faded, everything being swept away, and finally standing there was a young man in a wheelchair.

—Are you cold, Ning Shiting?

"Yinbing..."

He trembled, suddenly bursting out without warning, grabbing the sleeve of the person in front of him tightly!

At that moment, Gu Tingshuang didn't have time to dodge and was pulled over, feeling his sleeve almost tear.

Where did a Jiaoren this sick get such strength?

He looked down and asked, "What did you say?"

"Yinbing."

The person in front of him repeated, but his eyes remained closed, consciousness faded away, and the brows that had been tightly furrowed finally relaxed.

He slept peacefully and beautifully.

The Author has Something to Say

A’Dong: Our Ning Ning's name comes from "Kui Ran Pavilion": "The purple and emerald of the western mountains pierce the sky, old trees whistle with a thousand sounds in the dusty wind. To understand the meaning of the pavilion at this moment is to realise it is neither high nor low."

Persimmon: What about me?

A’Dong: Randomly chosen by the word processing software, I picked one that looked decent for your name.

Persimmon: = =

Foot Notes

1. 小爷爷 (Xiǎo yéyé) is “Little Grandpa”.

2.  鳳凰石 (Fènghuáng shí) or “Pheonixite” or “Silicon Malachite” is a real stone with a legend attached to it. In the legend, the “Yellow Emperor,” Huang Di Xuanyuan went up “Yellow Mountian,” Huangshan, to make medicine, when he came upon a gathering of birds who had come to worship a Phoenix cultivating there, which was a sight so stunning to behold that Huang Di became an Immortal. The Phoenix wanted to go with him, but to preserve the beauty of the landscape, he turned the Phoenix into stone. Thus, this gorgeous stone was borne into being and all those hundreds of birds worshipping the Phoenix stayed on the mountain.

3. 贪生怕死 (Tān shēngpà sǐ) is an idiom that is similar to “craven and cowardly” or “only trying to save one’s neck”.

4. 钩吻 (Gouwen) is Monkshood or Wolfbane is a toxic flower, but is also a traditional medicine. It can be used as a topical anaesthetic, to slow heart rate, reduce sweating and fever, or as a sedative. However, it is extremely toxic if ingested and can even absorb through the skin by simply touching it.
   
   孔雀胆 (Kongque Dan) or “Peakcock Gall” is made from the Hycleus phalerata ( 南方大斑蝥) or “Southern Blister Beetle” and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine since the Song Dynasty for a variety of maladies, but can cause abdominal pain and hemorrhagic shock if consumed.