Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

In a flash, Wei Rong felt her view under the umbrella change, and the person who had been holding her hand pounced on her, followed by a muffled groan.

His heavy, warm body suddenly pressed down, firmly protecting her between the bluestone floor tiles and his broad back.

The sharp, piercing sound abruptly ceased, and the next instant was the muffled sound of a sharp crossbow bolt piercing through brocade and embedding itself in flesh, so clear it sent chills down one's spine.

"master!"

Mo Bai's startled shout pierced the clear sky, and the surrounding guards instantly drew their swords, the wind howling as they all rushed towards the dark figure hidden in the shadows of the palace wall.

Qiaoyu's steps faltered abruptly. Looking at the dark figure steadily covering her young mistress, her face turned deathly pale, her hands and feet turned icy cold, and she even forgot to breathe.

Wei Rong froze on the spot.

He completely blocked out the sunlight, leaving only the crisp scent of pine emanating from him, which was instantly overwhelmed by a strong, pungent smell of blood. Warm liquid slid down his shoulder, dripping onto her clothes, scalding hot.

She instinctively raised her hand to support his swaying body, and the touch of her fingertips revealed a sticky, bloody stain on her palm.

"Ling Xianru!"

Her voice suddenly tightened, losing the composure and calmness she had displayed during their casual conversation, and revealing a hint of barely perceptible panic.

The crossbow bolt on his back was deeply embedded in his flesh, its dark fletching trembling precariously, the shaft faintly gleaming with an eerie bluish-black hue, clearly indicating it had been coated with deadly poison.

Ling Xianru buried her face in her neck, her long breaths trembling slightly, yet she suppressed all the pain. Her voice was low and gentle, without a trace of fear, only reassuring words: "Don't be afraid."

As soon as he finished speaking, he coughed in a suppressed manner, and fine streaks of blood fell onto his clothes, a shocking sight.

The assassins lurking in the shadows had nowhere to escape and were subdued by the guards in just a few breaths, with knives held to their necks, unable to move.

Mo Bai turned back, sword in hand, his face grim. He knelt on one knee and reported, "Master, Your Majesty! It was Prince Yong, Xiao Yi's, assassin. I failed in my duty and did not detect the unusual activity beforehand. Please punish me!"

Xiao Yi.

Wei Rong's eyes suddenly darkened, and all her panic was instantly suppressed by her cold clarity.

She had just casually mentioned wanting to ask Xiao Yi about his feelings, but in the blink of an eye, Xiao Yi's assassination attempt came one after another.

It was not a spur-of-the-moment decision at all. Clearly, Xiao Yi had long been wary of her holding military power and controlling the court, and even more so of Ling Xianru, who was lurking in Dajing and whose strength was unpredictable. He wanted to use a sneak attack to eliminate her, the biggest obstacle, and sit securely on the vacant throne.

It turns out that the Prince of Yong, who had been cautious in his words and deeds in his fiefdom for the past few years, was only outwardly docile and obedient, but inwardly harbored such insane ambition.

Qiaoyu trembled with fear, and whispered tearfully, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister is badly injured! The arrow was poisoned; we must summon the imperial physician immediately!"

"Summon Imperial Physician Qian!" Wei Rong shouted in a low voice.

Wei Rong steadily supported the person in her arms, her gaze fixed on Ling Xianru's pale and restrained profile.

He was always meticulous and shrewd, having spent four years lying low in the Great Jing Dynasty, observing all the undercurrents in the court and even grasping Xiao Heng's thoughts perfectly. Yet, he did not hesitate to shield her from this hidden arrow.

The blinding crimson before his eyes and his weak, trembling body pressed down on him.

The assassin's attack was too sudden; in the blink of an eye, he was focused on protecting her and had no time to dodge.

"Summon Imperial Physician Qian, immediately!" Wei Rong's voice was cold and stern as she steadily supported the nearly exhausted Ling Xianru. Her tone was more solemn than ever before. "Seal off the entire palace road. No one is allowed to approach."

"yes!"

The guards received their orders and withdrew, and the surroundings instantly returned to deathly silence, with only the soft rustling of wind through the leaves.

Ling Xianru leaned against her chest, her eyelids slightly lowered, her long eyelashes casting a light shadow, making her look extremely weak and on the verge of death.

But deep within those downcast eyes, there was a clear and calm demeanor, without a trace of the panic of serious injury.

Mo Bai stood by, looking reserved, staring at the wound on Ling Xianru's shoulder.

This arrow was aimed at Wei Rong's heart, with the intention of killing her instantly.

However, it wasn't that he had no time to resist; his master really didn't need to use his body as a target...

Doctor Qian was practically dragged over by Mo Yu by the collar. The moment he landed, before he could even catch his breath, he was terrified by Ling Xianru's deathly pale face and the sight of her spitting out black blood.

This person's life is far more precious than anyone else's in the Great Jing!

He gave Mo Bai a reproachful look, his eyes questioning: What have you been doing? Why was Master poisoned?!

Mo Bai silently turned his face away.

No matter how skilled he is, if someone is determined to run into an arrow, even his eight legs can't stop them.

Physician Qian knelt shakily on one knee, stealing a glance at Wei Rong's expression.

The Empress herself was still injured, and she sat on the ground with her legs bent, holding Ling Xianru's hands tightly—indicating that she was afraid.

His knuckles were clenched so tightly they turned white, and his face was blank with a profound expression, which was truly moving.

"Your Majesty, please lay the man flat so I can take his pulse."

The arrow wound was not fatal; it only damaged the tendons and bones in the shoulder, requiring rest and recovery.

The tricky part was the poison on the arrow; it wasn't ordinary poison, but a kind of Gu poison—

Doctor Qian's hand trembled: "This Gu worm travels with the blood the moment it invades the human body. It loves heart blood, so when the Gu poison takes effect, the person infected will suffer excruciating pain that pierces their heart and bones."

The more Wei Rong listened, the more her brows furrowed.

She had heard that the Western Regions had countless strange poisons and venomous insects, some of which were terrifying. They wouldn't kill a person immediately, but would cause them prolonged torment and suffering.

The curse that Ling Xianru was under was actually so dangerous...

"However, Your Highness need not worry too much. This isn't the first time the Lord has been afflicted by this Heart-Eating Gu," Physician Qian immediately reassured him, knowing full well the situation. "Mo Bai has sent someone to remove—"

He suddenly stopped speaking, because Ling Xianru, who seemed to have lost consciousness, suddenly pinched his arm.

?

Physician Qian lowered his head, his hands resting properly at his sides.

Wei Rong, unsuspecting, asked, "What?"

Inviting Miss Wen, who is skilled at dispelling the Heart-Eating Gu, to Dajing should turn the danger into safety.

In Ling Xianru's countless past encounters, assassinations included, but were not limited to, hidden arrows, seduction, poisoning, and Gu poisoning. When she was eighteen, she was afflicted with the Heart-Eating Gu, which nearly cost her her life. It was also during that time that she gathered renowned doctors from all over the world and met Miss Wen.

Later, as the situation gradually stabilized, Miss Wen stayed in Donglin.

But what does Your Highness mean by this?

"Send me back to Donglin." Ling Xianru, who was barely breathing, suddenly 'woke up'. He grasped Wei Rong's hand. "I was poisoned by the Heart-Eating Gu. You don't need to worry. It's nothing serious."

"How could it not be a problem?" Mo Bai suddenly realized something and blurted out, "Miss Wen said that this Heart-Eating Gu devours bloodlines. Once is fine, twice will affect lifespan, and three times is beyond cure!"

The more Wei Rong listened, the paler her face became.

Even the hand that Ling Xianru was holding turned icy cold.

"Mo Bai!" Ling Xianru scolded.

Mo Bai stopped talking and glanced at Physician Qian.

Physician Qian: ?

However, he was not a fool and immediately understood what Mo Bai meant.

So he replied, "Mo Bai is absolutely right. Your master's health cannot be delayed any longer. I implore you to depart for Donglin as soon as possible!"

"Return to Donglin," Wei Rong murmured.