Сhарtеr 16 (8/16)
Gong Yuanzhi lооkеd аt Gоng Shangjue, seеming tо understand уet not fullу grаsрing his mеаning.
In thе Archivе Pavilion of Yue Mаnоr, Gong Ziуu toоk а lаrgе bundle оf mеdiсinаl mаteriаls handed to him bу а servаnt and laid them оut one bу one оn thе tаblе. Suddеnlу, hе frowned. "Тhis isn't right."
Тhe sеrvаnt аsked, "Whаt's wrong?"
Gоng Ziуu pickеd uр a рiece оf medicinal hеrb аnd еxаmined it. "This is Gallwооd, nоt Wujiang. Тhеу lооk similаr, but Wujiang hаs а brown сorе and dottеd lentiсеls оn its skin."
Thе sеrvаnt bоwed with a smile. "Сongratulations, Blаde Mastеr."
"...Are уou tеsting mу abilitу to identify herbs?"
"This humble servant wouldn't dare. Using Gallwood to impersonate Wujiang was Elder Yue's surprise test for the Blade Master. Congratulations on passing successfully. Here is the Wujiang you requested."
After speaking, the servant respectfully presented a package of Wujiang.
"Elder Yue... full of traps everywhere," Gong Ziyu muttered as he began preparing the decoction. An hour later, he finally brewed a bowl of steaming black medicinal soup, still murmuring to himself: "Pine Indigo Flower, Gardenia Mountain Return, Silver Cyperus, Jiemao, Wujiang... simmered with half-boiled water, using ochre as the guiding agent..."
Young Master Yue had arrived long ago and had been watching him work. Seeing Gong Ziyu's delighted expression, he couldn't help but shake his head. Just as he was about to speak up to remind him, Gong Ziyu waved a hand. "Wait, not done yet." With that, Gong Ziyu took a few pieces of Cold Blade Stone from a nearby paper packet and tossed them into the bowl.
Young Master Yue's eyes lit up, and he smiled. "Ziyu is truly clever, knowing to use Cold Blade Stone. How did you guess there were Insect Eggs inside the pill?"
Gong Ziyu originally intended to tell the truth but changed his mind. After hesitating, he decided to keep it secret and said, "That's a secret."
Young Master Yue also smiled. "Alright. I won't ask further. But being able to see the Insect Eggs within the pill is enough to show Ziyu's exceptional insight."
Gong Ziyu brought the medicinal soup closer for Young Master Yue to see. "Elder Yue, is this Antidote correct? Have I passed?"
Young Master Yue said, "Whether it's correct or not, you'll know after taking it."
Gong Ziyu froze in place. "I still have to drink it?"
"Of course." Seeing Gong Ziyu hesitate, Young Master Yue added, "The medicinal properties of these herbs you used are all extremely potent. Combined, they are even more vicious and might be more torturous than 'Moon Corrosion'... don't say I didn't warn you."
"I thought earlier..." Gong Ziyu's voice trailed off, "...you were giving me hints..."
Young Master Yue raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?"
Gong Ziyu sighed. "Nothing, I misunderstood. I underestimated this test."
Dejectedly, Gong Ziyu sat down on the edge of Yun Weishan's bed and looked at her haggard face. Tormented by the poison's pain, she had only fallen into a light, fitful sleep, breathing very faintly.
Unable to help himself, Gong Ziyu raised his hand and gently stroked Yun Weishan's face, from her forehead to the corner of her eye, then lightly pressed between her eyebrows, smoothing out the furrow that had formed in her troubled sleep. Then his hand continued downward, taking hold of Yun Weishan's wrist. Turning it over, he saw that the black lines had already spread up to her arm.He recalled Young Master Yue's warning—these herbs were extremely potent, and combining them might be even more torturous than "Moon Corrosion"... If this fierce concoction proved worse than the poison itself, Yun Weishan would suffer double torment, and he would have turned her into a test subject for a dangerous drug, transforming "treatment" into "murder." The image of Yun Weishan writhing in agony immediately flashed through his mind. No, he could not risk the life of his beloved, not even a little.
Gong Ziyu lowered his lashes, placed Yun Weishan's hand back under the covers, and rose to return to the desk. He gazed down at the antidote he had prepared on the table, silent as memories of everything that had just happened flooded his mind. A new thought surfaced. He asked Young Master Yue, "If I took Moon Corrosion after having consumed the Hundred Herbs Extract, would I still be poisoned?"
"The Hundred Herbs Extract is ineffective against Moon Corrosion. If you took Moon Corrosion, you would still be poisoned."
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