The Grand Secretary's Pampered Wife

Chapter 625.1: Slap in the Face

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S T E L L A R C L O U D

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O R A N G E S T A R

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G O L D S T A R

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After entering, Gu Jiao smoothly pulled aside the curtain into the inner room, bypassing the screen and arriving at the bedside.

She seemed to navigate the place as if she had been there before.

But everyone knew that was impossible.

The canopy curtains were drawn open today, and Gu Jiao immediately saw the middle-aged man lying unconscious on the bed. Unlike yesterday, silver needles were inserted into various acupoints on his head and arms.

Just now, Second Madame mentioned that the disciple of Divine Healer Luo from the State of Chen had just administered acupuncture to the Duke and was now preparing medicine for him.

Due to the urgency of the situation yesterday, Gu Jiao only had a brief encounter with the Duke, without taking his pulse or closely observing his appearance.

But now she could see him clearly.

Describing his face as emaciated to the point of almost unrecognizable wouldn't be an exaggeration, but he had excellent bone structure and extraordinary aura. It was not hard to imagine that before he fell into a coma, he was a gentle and elegant man.

Suddenly, an indescribable feeling surged within Gu Jiao's heart, though she didn't know why.

Before taking his pulse, Gu Jiao first inquired about the patient's condition, "How did Lord Duke end up like this? And how long has it been?"

During the carriage ride, Mu Qingchen didn't tell Gu Jiao about the Duke's condition because he didn't plan for her to do anything significant.

Mu Qingchen glanced at Gu Jiao in astonishment, as if he found her performance quite convincing.

However, this question was somewhat difficult to answer.

Mu Qingchen and Second Madame remained silent for a moment before giving out an answer.

"Poisoning."

"Fall injury."

Mu Qingchen and Second Madame spoke simultaneously.

They both paused.

"Fall injury."

"Poisoning."

Mu Qingchen and Second Madame spoke at the same time once again.

"Was it a fall injury or poisoning? Or both?" Gu Jiao asked. "You better not hide anything, as it might affect my diagnosis."

Mu Qingchen gave Gu Jiao a complex look as if to say, you're getting into character too deeply.

In the end, Second Madame let out a sigh and said, "Well, it's not really a secret, and since you were brought here by Young Master Qingchen, it's okay if you know. Lord Duke fell off his horse and fell unconscious. But when the imperial physician was treating Lord Duke's injuries, they discovered that he was also poisoned with a rare chronic poison called... Seven Star Powder.”

“Early and mid-stage poisoning shows no symptoms, but by the time it manifests, it has already penetrated deep into the organs, making it incurable. Fortunately, Lord Duke hadn't been poisoned for long, and the imperial physicians managed to cleanse the toxin from his body."

The man sneered, "Young Master Qingchen, the little physician you brought here isn't skilled at all. He even needs others to tell him the cause of the illness. What's the use of him then?"

Mu Qingchen gave the man a cold glance.

Gu Jiao remained unaffected and continued, "Has Lord Duke not woken up after the detoxification?"

Second Madame shook her head, "No."

Gu Jiao then asked, "How long has this been going on?"

Second Madame replied, "For over three years."

It had already been over a year, so it could basically be considered a vegetative state.

Gu Jiao asked, "What was his physical condition like before falling from the horse? Did he have any major illnesses in the past, or did he suffer from a stroke before the accident?"

Second Madame shook her head again, "No, Lord Duke has always been healthy. There were no major illnesses or strokes, especially considering his young age."

From Second Madame's perspective, strokes were illnesses that only affected the elderly. Lord Duke just turned forty this year, so how could he have had a stroke?

That pretty much ruled out congenital brain malformations, degenerative diseases, and metabolic disorders.

Gu Jiao believed that the possibility of an acute injury was quite high. She asked whether the Duke had ever experienced drowning, suffocation, or similar incidents, and the answer was negative.

It seemed that the main cause was the fall from the horse.

Mu Qingchen frowned, giving Gu Jiao a look that said, it's about time to recite the prescription; there's no need to act so convincingly.

Gu Jiao, however, ignored Mu Qingchen's gaze.

She was observing the patient's condition and hadn't intended to touch the silver needles on the patient's arm, planning to wait until that Divine Healer Luo’s disciple from the State of Chen came back to remove them. But at that moment, she noticed slight twitching in the Duke's facial features.

First, his eyelids twitched, then his eyeballs moved irregularly, and soon even the corners of his mouth seemed to twitch uncontrollably.

Generally, every profession has its own rules. No matter how skilled Gu Jiao was herself, she wouldn't easily interfere with someone else's treatment unless absolutely necessary.

Gu Jiao's eyes swept over the patient and identified the problem.

She reached out and swiftly pulled out a silver needle from the patient's wrist.

The Duke's facial twitching stopped.

With only Gu Jiao standing by the bedside, no one saw what happened to the Duke. They only saw Gu Jiao removing the silver needle.

Everyone in the room was startled.

Mu Qingchen furrowed his brow.

"What are you doing?!"

Accompanied by an angry shout, a young lady dressed in a light green, waist-cinched silk dress walked in with a bowl of medicinal soup.

She placed the bowl on the table, hurried to the bedside, and glared at Gu Jiao indignantly.

Most people in this world tend to judge others by their appearance. Originally, the young lady was only somewhat angry, but upon seeing Gu Jiao's face, her expression grew even more disdainful.

In a cold voice, she said, "Who are you! Why are you touching my silver needle!"

Gu Jiao held the silver needle and replied calmly, "Your Neiguan acupoint was needled off course."

The young lady’s brows furrowed as she retorted, "That's impossible! Who are you to slander my medical skills like this? Second Madame! Are all the people in your Duke Estate so disrespectful?"

Second Madame felt embarrassed.

The young lady was indeed from the lower state, but she wasn't just any ordinary person from the lower state. She was a disciple of the renowned Divine Healer Luo, and they were counting on her to cure the Duke's illness.

The man spoke with a smirk, "This... is the physician from the State of Zhao that Young Master Qingchen specifically invited for Lord Duke."

He emphasized the words "State of Zhao."

Everyone knew the longstanding enmity between the State of Zhao and the State of Chen. Just a few years ago, they had a major battle in which the State of Chen was defeated and had to compensate the State of Zhao with a considerable sum of money.

The young lady's gaze towards Gu Jiao turned increasingly hostile. This wasn't just professional rivalry; it was deep-seated national animosity!

"Second Madame, do you also believe that I inserted the needle in the wrong spot?" The young lady asked.

Second Madame certainly wouldn't think so. The young lady was a disciple of Divine Healer Luo; how could she make such a mistake?

In fact, the location where the young lady inserted the needle was correct, but the angle was slightly off. Gu Jiao was unsure of the circumstances under which she inserted the needle, whether she was in a hurry, flustered, or just overly confident and careless.

The young lady arrogantly declared, "Second Madame, since you don't trust my medical skills, you might as well find someone else. I won't treat the Lord Duke anymore!"

"No, no, please!" Second Madame hurriedly intervened. "Young Miss Mu's medical skills are outstanding. You’re a valued disciple of Divine Healer Luo. Besides you, who else can save Lord Duke?"

This statement was somewhat exaggerated. The State of Yan did have more experienced physicians, but either they couldn't be hired or their methods were ineffective.

They could only pin their hopes on other physicians.

Raz P.'s Thoughts

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…