Yan Chi's injury was on his shoulder and back. Qin Guan leaned forward, exerting some effort to wrap the cotton cloth around his chest. Although Yan Chi sat upright, Qin Guan's faint breaths against the back of his neck sent a shiver down his spine.
With swift movements, Qin Guan wrapped the bandage three times, tied a knot, and stepped back. "Your Highness, the dressing is done. Please remember the precautions I mentioned earlier. Change the medicine every two days, and I'll write a prescription for oral intake later."
Hearing this, Yan Chi glanced at Bai Feng, who immediately stepped forward and respectfully presented a sandalwood box with both hands.
Qin Guan hesitated, eyeing the box without moving.
The sweat on Yan Chi's face had dried. He pulled on his robe with practiced ease, as if impervious to pain.
"Take it. It's not some precious jewel," Yan Chi said without looking at her, his tone commanding.
Since Qin Guan was staying at the Marquis's residence, she had no qualms about treating Yan Chi without expecting payment. But how could she casually accept his gifts?
Yan Chi leisurely fastened his collar. "Are we so close that you can refuse payment?"
At these words, Qin Guan raised an eyebrow. She had initially declined out of courtesy, but if it would cause misunderstanding, why not accept? Resolved, she reached out and took the box.
To her surprise, the box was much lighter than she expected, confirming Yan Chi's words. Now she could accept it without guilt. "Thank you, Crown Prince. If there's nothing else, I shall take my leave."
Yan Chi gave a faint hum, only looking up once Qin Guan had passed the screen. As soon as she stepped out, Bai Feng approached. "How is Your Highness's injury?"
Yan Chi shook his head. "It's fine. Better than the army physicians."
Bai Feng pressed his lips together, silent. It seemed the Little Medicine Immortal truly lived up to her reputation.
After a pause, Yan Chi suddenly said meaningfully, "Find all of Hua Ci's surviving works. See if the book Ninth Miss mentioned exists."
Bai Feng's expression turned solemn, and he hurried off to comply.
By the time Qin Guan emerged, it was already late. Yue Qing, standing at the front, immediately approached her.
"Ninth Miss, how is he? Why did it take so long...?"
Qin Guan relaxed slightly and turned to Yue Qiong and the others. "Second Young Master, don't worry. Marquis, Madam, please rest assured. The Crown Prince's old injury was complicated, so it took longer, but everything is settled now."
Yue Qing exhaled in relief. "Thank goodness. Otherwise, I'd have caused another mess."
Jiang Shi scolded, "See if you'll ever act recklessly again!"
Yue Qing hung his head. "I understand, Mother. I won't spar with the Crown Prince anymore."
Jiang Shi shook her head, then took Qin Guan's hand. "It's dark now. I'll escort you straight back to Plum Garden. The Marquis will handle things here, and don’t worry about Mother."
Qin Guan bowed to Yue Qiong before following Jiang Shi out.
Once outside, Jiang Shi sighed sympathetically. "The Crown Prince has suffered far too much for his age. Sent to the military at just ten by Prince Rui—how could any mother bear it?"
Qin Guan thought of the scars on Yan Chi's back, her gaze darkening.
Jiang Shi sighed again. "Though he holds a noble status, he’s still someone to be pitied. He—"
She abruptly cut herself off, swallowing whatever she had been about to say. Then, noticing the box in Qin Guan's hands, she asked, "Hmm? What's this?"
Qin Guan quickly explained, "The Crown Prince gave it to me. He said since I’ll be tending to his injury, this is the payment."Jiang Shi chuckled, "This child, still thinking of giving you a fee himself. But whatever he gave you must be something good, so you should keep it. Perhaps it's from being in the military camp for so long—his temperament is quite straightforward."
Qin Guan didn’t respond. Judging by the weight of the box, she truly couldn’t guess what was inside.
Soon, they arrived outside Plum Garden. Jiang Shi added, "Rest well tonight. Originally, I only asked you to stay for two days, but given Mother’s condition, if she still hasn’t woken by tomorrow, I’m afraid we’ll need you to stay a few more days."
Healing was not a task accomplished in a single moment. Qin Guan nodded readily. "I understand. The Grand Princess’s health naturally takes precedence."
Jiang Shi smiled in relief and exchanged a few more words before heading toward the Grand Princess’s courtyard.
Once Jiang Shi left, Fuling looked at the box in Qin Guan’s hands and asked, "Miss, is this from the Crown Prince? What is it?"
Qin Guan glanced down briefly before striding into Plum Garden. Only after entering the house and settling in the Warm Chamber did she open the box. She was just as curious about its contents. When the lid lifted, Qin Guan froze.
Fuling poured a cup of tea for Qin Guan and turned to look, her face filled with astonishment. "What is this?!"
Inside the three-inch square box lay two items. The first to catch the eye was a dark cloth roll. Qin Guan had initially thought it was a handkerchief, but upon unfolding it, she discovered it was a pair of exquisitely folded, incredibly soft gauntlets.
Fuling gasped. "Are these... for protecting hands?"
The gauntlets were crafted from finely polished deerskin, stitched so seamlessly that the seams were nearly invisible. Qin Guan slipped them on, flexing her fingers. The warmth they exuded instantly spread through her heart like a comforting embrace.
She had assumed Yan Chi’s question that night was merely casual, never expecting he would prepare such a gift.
Deerskin was waterproof, entirely different from the oilcloth or cotton gauntlets typically used by coroners. Yan Chi had said this wasn’t as valuable as pearls or jade, but the thoughtfulness behind it—how could mere jewels compare?
Qin Guan remained lost in thought for a moment before lowering her gaze to the other item in the box.
It was an exquisitely crafted sachet—though "sachet" hardly did it justice, as it too was made of fine deerskin. Qin Guan removed the gauntlets and opened the sachet, giving it a slight shake. Another cloth roll tumbled out.
Frowning, Qin Guan spread it open—and in an instant, her pupils constricted sharply.
"Miss, what is this? One, two, three... nine. Are these blades or needles?"
Qin Guan’s breath trembled slightly, a spark of intense brightness flashing in her eyes. Her clear, stream-like gaze suddenly gleamed like polished lacquer. The moon-white cloth roll was a needle kit, neatly holding nine objects that resembled both needles and blades. Each was forged from high-grade refined iron. Though their shapes were unusual, to Qin Guan, they stirred her heart far more than the finest pearls or jade ever could.
"For those who study medicine, needle techniques are an essential skill. Among the ancient texts of the Inner Canon , there is a chapter called the Needle Sutra , which details the pinnacle of needle techniques and extraordinary acupoints. It specifically describes nine types of needles.""A craftsman must first sharpen his tools to do his work well, and the same applies to the practice of medicine. The Needle Sutra speaks of nine types of needles known as the Suwen Nine Needles: the chisel needle, round needle, sharp needle, lifting needle, piercing needle, fine needle, hair-like needle, large needle, and long needle. With these nine needles, one can treat all ailments under heaven. However, the Inner Canon was lost to the world centuries ago, and the Suwen Nine Needles became mere legend. Even the lineage of Medicine King Sun Xi possesses only seven of the nine needles, which are now treasured as the sect’s most prized heirlooms..."
Qin Guan, a disciple of Medicine King Sun Xi, was well-versed in the medical arts, yet even she had never seen the complete set of Suwen Nine Needles. Now, Yan Chi had casually placed them in her hands...
How could she possibly accept such a payment with a clear conscience?
Holding the Suwen Nine Needles, Qin Guan’s heart surged with emotion. Upon closer inspection, she noticed something unusual at the tail ends of the needles. Raising them to her eyes, she saw that each needle bore a tiny engraved character: "Guan."
Qin Guan froze, stunned. Somewhere deep inside, it felt as though that tiny character had pricked her, sending a tingling wave of complex emotions through her.
What did Yan Chi mean by this?
If this was truly payment for her services, why go to such lengths?
But if not, then why...?
The candlelight flickered in the room as Qin Guan’s expression grew pensive. Fuling, seeing her mistress’s solemn demeanor, dared not ask questions and stood quietly by, though she too was astonished. Though new to the medical arts, even she could grasp the immense value of the Suwen Nine Needles from Qin Guan’s words.
Master and servant stood in silence, the room so quiet that only the crackling of the candles could be heard. After a moment, Qin Guan closed the needle kit and stood. "This is far too precious. It must be returned."
Fuling hesitated, but Qin Guan had already grabbed the nearby cape. Just as she was about to step outside, a piercing shriek rang out. Frowning, Qin Guan turned to see Fuling collapsed on the floor, her face deathly pale as she stared toward the rear window.
Qin Guan followed her gaze. Beyond the half-open window, in the ink-black night, stood a woman clad in a vibrant red Wedding Gown ...
What had made Fuling scream in terror was that the woman’s neck was empty—exactly like the deceased Song Rou!
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