CMWKSD -Chapter 147 Starting the Detox

“Did Ying Yi lose?”

Li Feng, standing below, nodded. It was just by chance.

He had just gone to the Fu Prince’s mansion, because the Fu Prince would secretly enter the palace at night. His original intention had been to inform Jiu Yue, but as luck would have it, he happened to witness Jiu Yue and Ying Yi sparring.

And since Li Feng had been the leader of the Hawk Eye in his youth, he could naturally see the gap between Ying Yi and Jiu Yue.

The Emperor Fengyuan’s expression was solemn—not because he was worried about what Jiu Yue might do. After all, there were many experts around him, and Jiu Yue had had multiple opportunities to kill him. Yet she hadn’t. So if Jiu Yue had some hidden motive, the emperor couldn’t guess it—and he didn’t want to suspect her either.

He genuinely liked Jiu Yue; they matched well. He felt that Jiu Yue must have had a very difficult childhood.

Although the Emperor Fengyuan had never personally experienced how Li Feng had grown up to develop his skills, he had heard stories, and even seen some instances of the cruelty involved. It was unimaginably harsh.

“How about compared to you?” the emperor asked.

Li Feng smiled faintly. “If I were ten or twenty years younger, Jiu Yue and I would probably be evenly matched. But now… after about two hundred moves, I can’t keep up anymore.”

Li Feng was a few years older than the emperor, approaching fifty. His current stamina and strength were the results of years of martial training.

Jiu Yue was young, and it was clear at a glance that her endurance and strength were specially trained—far beyond ordinary people.

If even Li Feng couldn’t defeat Jiu Yue, then in all of Daqi, she could likely defeat anyone.

Of course, this was compared to the top-tier warriors known to Hawk Eye. But the world was vast, full of talented and extraordinary people. Some were hidden in the mountains and had never been recorded by Hawk Eye.

Jiu Yue’s abilities were indeed formidable, but she couldn’t arrogantly claim to be invincible in the world.

Still, this raised the emperor’s estimation of her even higher.

Li Feng, concerned that the emperor might become suspicious of Jiu Yue, added, “If Hawk Eye’s people were to face her, five or more could capture her alive.”

The emperor let out a vague smile. “You old fox, you really care for Jiu Yue.”

Li Feng’s eyes crinkled with a faint smile. “Doctor Jiu Yue is a rare and sincere person.”

Jiu Yue never outwardly showed respect to him, and secretly she looked down on him for being a eunuch. But to her, he was simply a person—a normal human being. That alone was enough for Li Feng.

During the past few days in the palace, knowing that he and Hawk Eye’s people suffered from some chronic ailments, Jiu Yue had given them prescriptions for free, even prepared ointments and remedies.

Of course, when Jiu Yue said “free,” the reality was that she had received countless favors and gifts in return. After all, they were all palace attendants—hardly lacking in wealth.

Night fell, and the palace’s secret chambers were brightly lit.

After not seeing the Fu Prince for a month or two, the Emperor Fengyuan’s frown was deep with concern.

The Fu Prince’s son, named Chu Yi, looked at his father with tearful eyes.

“Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years!”

“Rise.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The two were of very different ages, but the Fu Prince’s rank was higher. So although Chu Yi was around the same age as the Crown Prince, he had to call Emperor Fengyuan “Imperial Brother.”

“Li Feng has told you everything, right?”

Chu Yi nodded, but seeing his father gasping weakly, he hesitated to let his father endure more suffering. His eyes reddened as he knelt, head pounding the ground. “Imperial Brother… perhaps I could try instead? My father…”

How could he withstand any more torment?

Jiu Yue, wearing her traditional robe, walked out from the innermost chamber.

Her eyes fell on a young man with clear, noble features kneeling on the ground. His features bore a faint resemblance to the Emperor Fengyuan.

This was likely the Fu Prince’s son. He seemed to have known about his poor health for a long time, so he had never considered marriage, not wanting to bring harm to a good young woman.

Throughout history, emperors often died young. The palace was filled not with the current emperor’s concubines, but with the surviving grand empresses and senior concubines of past emperors—some living long enough to witness multiple reigns.

For years, the Emperor Fengyuan had been trying to ensure these elder women could live out their remaining years peacefully outside the palace. However, previous dynasties were complicated. The maternal families of these elder concubines often didn’t care about the fate of women trapped in the palace without heirs. They assumed a woman entering the palace could only die within its walls. It was truly pitiful.

Chu Yi raised his gaze, seeing a young girl with bright, kind eyes, and was momentarily surprised. “Imperial Brother…”

The Emperor Fengyuan nodded. “This is Doctor Jiu Yue.”

Chu Yi had never heard of her, but if the emperor treated her with such respect, she must indeed be remarkable.

Jiu Yue gracefully bowed to Chu Yi. Seeing that Chu Yi wanted to try on behalf of his father, she had no objection.

Detoxification was already a massive undertaking. This “Blood Bewitchment” poison was extremely tricky. If possible, Jiu Yue would have everyone involved—but that was impossible.

“Rest assured, Young Master, you may observe the entire process. If anything goes wrong, you will be the first to know.”

Jiu Yue’s sudden diligence wasn’t unusual—she had nothing else to do, and chatting with Hawk Eye’s people, she learned that Daqi was prosperous, and the treasury, along with the emperor’s private funds, were overflowing. So if she performed well, the rewards would likely require several horse-drawn carriages to carry. Several carriages!

Chu Yi looked to the Emperor Fengyuan, who nodded slightly.

Jiu Yue instructed the attendants to first bathe the Fu Prince, then dress him in special clothing that covered only the necessary parts.

She had no choice—after all, she was a young girl, and revealing too much could affect her reputation. So palace embroiderers made two or three sets of short-sleeved, short-pants outfits. The arms and legs just needed to be exposed.

After the bath, the Fu Prince still looked utterly weak, as if he could pass away at any moment.

Both the emperor and Chu Yi watched tensely.

The Fu Prince was placed on a very flat board. Jiu Yue picked up a small knife and stepped forward.

She made two small incisions on either side of the Fu Prince’s temples, then moved her hands quickly to insert acupuncture needles.

“Needles in for fifteen minutes, then into the medicinal pool.”

When the emperor and Chu Yi saw Jiu Yue make the incisions at the temples, both were so shocked they couldn’t speak.

Chu Yi nearly called out—the girl truly played by no conventional rules at all!