Proud Feather

Chapter 137 Antidote
Chu Ling felt an unquenchable rage churning in his chest.

Ge Dahai's description showed her a huge net that had been laid out for her older brother without his knowledge, waiting for an opportunity to drag him into the abyss.

Eight years. It turns out this trap had been in the works for eight years. How old was the eldest brother back then? Only fifteen, and the second brother was only thirteen.

Of course, the thirteen-year-old second brother couldn't have come up with such a comprehensive plan; the mastermind behind it was probably the Marquis of Jingping's mansion.

Qiu Niang is right. The Marquis of Jingping's mansion and Consort Tian had long been in cahoots, not just after Pang Yu became the Princess of Xin. On the contrary, this marriage was their way of forming an alliance: the Marquis of Jingping supported his second brother's ascension to the throne, and the Pang family became the Empress's clan.

Ge Dahai is a node in this network, and there are many others like him. In order to control them and prevent them from making mistakes, poison was concocted to keep them firmly in his grasp.

“I took poison on my first day in the capital, and I can only survive by taking the antidote regularly.” Despair was evident in Ge Dahai’s eyes. “If the princess doesn’t let me go back, I will die from the poison when the time comes.”

No wonder he tried to commit suicide earlier; he knew he wouldn't survive if he couldn't go back.

After a long silence, Chu Ling asked, "Is this the same poison my older brother was given?"

Ge Dahai stated: "If you are poisoned by this, purple spots will appear on your body, usually on your arms and neck."

"Then what about Jinghui?"

Ge Dahai knelt down and said, "That monk used his incense recipe to modify this poison. The combination of the two can make the poisoned person unaware of anything."

Chu Ling understood.

Chu He had long ago used poison to control his assassins to work for him. When Jing Hui appeared, he realized he could kill his elder brother without anyone noticing, and he became interested and put his plan into action.

"So why is he still buying these medicines now, and who is he giving them to?"

Ge Dahai and his group were of low status and had been taking medicine for a long time, so there was no need for them to use any incense formula. Chu He's purchase of this batch of medicine was definitely not for their use.

Ge Dahai said with difficulty, "Princess, I really don't know. I haven't been trusted to that extent."

Chu Ling, with her hands in her sleeves, looked at you coldly: "Gathering medicinal herbs is an important matter. If he entrusted it to you, wouldn't he trust you? Where were the herbs delivered and how were they disposed of? Do you really know nothing about it?"

Now that things have come to this, Ge Dahai dared not hide anything: "I only gave the medicinal herbs to Fifth Master, and I really don't know how they used them."

He paused for a moment, then remembered something and said, "Oh, right! When I went to see Fifth Master once, I met a man who smelled strongly of medicine. He was very likely the one who processed the medicinal herbs!"

Chu Ling's gaze suddenly turned cold as she looked at Jiang Shijun.

Jiang Shijun nodded and continued the conversation: "What does this person look like? What are his distinguishing features? Do you know where he's going?"

Ge Dahai recalled for a while and then told everything he remembered.

Chu Ling asked a few more questions, then left the rest to Jiang Shijun to finish up before leaving the room.

"Princess! Princess, please save my life! I've said everything I can. If you will save my life, I'll be your witness! Princess..." Ge Dahai had no way out and was clinging to a straw, pleading incessantly.

Chu Ling glanced at him, said nothing, and left.

Before I knew it, it started snowing outside, bringing a bone-chilling cold.

She reached out to catch the snow; a thin layer melted as soon as it landed in her palm. But by tomorrow morning, it would have accumulated into a thick layer, blocking her path and making it impossible to move an inch!
After a while, Jiang Shijun finished questioning him and came out.

“Princess, I have finished asking,” he reported. “Next, I will go find the person who processed the medicinal herbs.”

Chu Ling nodded: "Be careful not to let anyone find out."

"Yes." Jiang Shijun understood all too well what the princess meant. Their previous actions had been observed by the Imperial City Guard, causing all leads to disappear after the case was closed. If they had to do it again, there wouldn't be another Minister Lin to help them reconnect the leads.

He thought for a moment, then asked, "What should we do about Ge Dahai? The poison in his body..."

Ge Dahai's life must be spared; otherwise, without witnesses, the next step cannot be advanced. However, this poison is extraordinary, requiring exceptional medical skills to have any hope of detoxifying it, and Jiang Shijun does not possess such resources.

“I’ll go find him,” Chu Ling said. “Be careful he doesn’t get silenced. Wait for my news.” “Yes,” Jiang Shijun replied respectfully.
-
Outside, the clatter of horses' hooves could be heard. Xiao Yu heard someone lift the curtain and enter. The servant replied in surprise, "Princess, why are you back again?"

He was taken aback: "Princess?"

Chu Ling returned and sat down opposite him, calmly replying, "It's me."

She left an hour or two ago, and now it's completely dark.

This unusual behavior made Xiao Yu ponder for a moment before asking, "Is there something you need, Princess?"

Chu Ling countered, "Do I have to have something important to do before I can come?"

“Of course not,” Xiao Yu replied. “It’s just that the princess sounded melancholy, so I made a guess.”

Chu Ling couldn't help but laugh: "If you were willing to become a treacherous minister, you would definitely be a great villain who goes down in history."

Look at their ability to read people's minds! Even before they can see, they can guess things pretty accurately.

Xiao Yu didn't know whether her words were a compliment or an insult, so she could only smile helplessly.

Chu Ling continued, "I came back because I want to ask you for a favor."

"Princess, please speak."

"Please introduce me to the Abbot of Lingxu Temple in the Sanqing Temple."

Before Xiao Yu could react, Gongsun Hong, who was drinking and using an abacus next to him, almost dropped it again.

"How do you know that the Abbot of Lingxu Temple and I have a past relationship?" After a long while, Xiao Yu asked.

"You don't need to know that." Still with the domineering air of a princess, Chu Ling replied, "I know the Abbot of Lingxu Temple. This so-called introduction isn't just about getting to know him, understand?"

Xiao Yu felt a mix of emotions, and then she figured out the answer herself: "That letter, is it?"

Chu Ling nodded, then, remembering that he couldn't see, added, "That's right."

Xiao Yu could only continue by asking, "What does the princess need the Abbot of Lingxu Temple for?"

“He is a highly skilled doctor, and I want him to help me develop an antidote,” Chu Ling said.

She had considered it carefully. Qiu Niang did indeed have a trusted imperial physician, but developing an antidote was too important to be known by anyone, especially the Imperial City Guard. Therefore, the best solution was to find Master Lingxu; no one would pay attention to the Sanqing Temple.

"how long it takes?"

"Within a month."

Ge Dahai had just taken the antidote, and each antidote was effective for one month.

Xiao Yu nodded: "I will tell him."

“Not enough,” Chu Ling said firmly. “You have to get his permission. This is very important; it’s related to whether I can achieve my goal.”

Xiao Yu chuckled: "Princess, I haven't agreed to help you yet!"

"So, are you going to help or not?" Chu Ling didn't beat around the bush. "Get to the point!"

“…Help!” Xiao Yu squeezed out a single word, his voice tinged with a mixture of melancholy and helplessness.

Gongsun Hong, who was doing the accounting, chuckled to himself, thinking that the young master was really being manipulated. What difference was there between this and surrendering?

　Finally finished writing. The results will be out in a week; hopefully, they'll be good.

　　(End of this chapter)