Chapter 315: You were sent to poison (2/2)

A complicated gaze flickered past her eyes before Han Yunxi activated the detox system’s deep scanning ability. Her expression didn’t change while she slowly analyzed every toxin inside the girl’s body. Meanwhile, Baili Mingxiang had made her way over as soon as Han Yunxi descended the carriage to bow. “Mingxiang greets esteemed wangfei, may esteemed wangfei have 10,000 blessings.”

Though Han Yunxi had come as an imperial physician, her status as wangfei was still there. Other imperial physicians could simply be called with ‘summon the imperial physician,’ but Han Yunxi would still need to be called with ‘respectfully invite the esteemed wangfei.’

“Aren’t you ill? And yet you still came outside? Come, rise,” Han Yunxi said.

“I was supposed to come to your estate, but I really didn’t have the strength to walk. That’s why esteemed wangfei was invited here. I ask esteemed wangfei to forgive me,” Baili Mingxiang was very sincere.

Han Yunxi simply laughed. “Come to my estate? Then why would Long Feiye ask me to go to the Imperial Physician Courtyard?” If it was simply treating Baili Mingxiang’s illness, the girl could simply come to the Duke of Qin’s estate or send someone to take Han Yunxi here. They didn’t have to go through the Imperial Physician Courtyard. When Han Yunxi saw Gu Beiyue’s record of the case, along with all those signatures, she knew that Long Feiye wanted to leave a trail of documentation at the Imperial Physician Courtyard, too. If Emperor Tianhui started asking any questions, they’d have ample evidence to back her up.

Baili Mingxiang was intelligent enough to pick up on Han Yunxi’s words, and couldn’t help a small smile as she murmured, “Esteemed wangfei, please come inside.”

Baili Mingxiang took Han Yunxi to her quarters before dismissing all of the servants. As soon as Han Yunxi sat down, she asked in a rush, “This is only for an act. Why did you take so many poisons?”

“Esteemed wangfei really is smart. No wonder His Highness likes you so much,” Baili Mingxiang laughed.

When Emperor Tianhui made Han Yunxi into an imperial physician that night, his main motive was to send her off to the crazy empress in the western mountains after the birthday banquet was done. On the morning of the very next day, Baili Mingxiang had received His Highness’s orders to feign illness and leave a trail of documentation at the Imperial Physician Courtyard. She had no idea what His Highness was planning, but after His Highness had pushed out her father at last night’s banquet, she understood the secrets hidden within. At the birthday banquet, His Highness had already made Emperor Tianhui feel threatened. Naturally, the emperor would restrain himself next before the problems worsened. Under these cirumstances, having her father feign ignorance while asking for Han Yunxi to treat her would be a good excuse to keep Han Yunxi at the capital, especially with her slow-acting illness as a reason.

When Emperor Tianhui was faced with the menance of Long Feiye’s power and her father’s status, he’d naturally yield in the case of the western mountains. Baili Mingxiang wasn’t clear whether the show of strength at the banquet was part of His Highness’s original plans, or concocted to protect Han Yunxi. But she was certain of one thing: Han Yunxi was an important woman in His Highness’s heart! Despite that, she only wished that His Highness would place precedence on the big picture. Hopefully, he wouldn’t ruin years of planning for the sake of a single woman. She’d liked His Highness for years, but she liked his cool-headedness and unfeeling rationality best.

Han Yunxi looked at Baili Mingxiang and suddenly didn’t know how to reply. He likes me? That was probably the first time she’d heard such words. He’d never said them himself before! Sometimes, she didn’t even know what their relationship was. The Duanmu Yao incident had resulted in a complaint from her and an explanation from him. After that, they’d tacitly agreed to forget their previous disagreements and resume their good terms. But even before that misunderstanding, they’d only been husband and wife in name.

Very soon, Han Yunxi wrested herself from those chaotic thoughts and gave Baili Mingxiang a brilliant smile as she joked, “Even if I’m not smart, His Highness will still like me!”

“No, His Highness wouldn’t like you if you weren’t smart,” Baili Mingxiang jested back.

Han Yunxi only felt that these words sounded a little odd, but she was too preoccupied to pursue the matter. Baili Mingxiang’s poisons really were a conundrum. She sat down and concentrated all her attention on examining her poisons. Very soon, she realized something was amiss. Previously, she’d found multiple slow-acting poisons in Baili Mingxiang’s system. After analyzing them one by one, she discovered that all the poisons had been administered at different times. To put it plainly, this girl had been taking various poisons ever since she was seven years old. Every three months, she’d add a new toxin to the mix.

The deeper Han Yunxi dug, the more alarmed she felt. Her eyes widened as she stared in disbelief at Baili Mingxiang. She couldn’t believe that this girl was still alive. Even though those slow-acting poisons wouldn’t kill her, their accumulated effects were enough to destroy a person’s immune system. In the end, the person would die from all the toxins!

How is this girl still alive?

Han Yunxi took Baili Mingxiang’s pulse with a doubtful air, only to discover it was impossible to tell her poisoned state by a pulse alone. Astonished, she asked, “Just what’s going on with your body?”

Baili Mingxiang smiled gently. “Actually, esteemed wangfei, His Highness didn’t send you to cure my poisons, but to give me poison.”

“What do you mean?”

“Esteemed wangfei, His Highness wants the Beauty’s Blood.” Baili Mingxiang was still smiling, but Han Yunxi was so shocked that she couldn’t speak.

Beauty’s Blood!

Han Yunxi had read about it in the Classic of Ancient Poisons. A passage inside had detailed how the Beauty’s Blood was a type of toxic blood that could be used as an ingredient to manufacture poisons. It didn’t exist naturally, but had to be cultivated by a specific constitution. Beauty’s Blood was created by the subject ingesting various slow-acting poisons until they accumulated in one’s bloodstream. Once 300 different poisons had been ingested, the Beauty’s Blood would be complete. However, the book never said what happened to the person after that was done. When Han Yunxi looked again at the steady and staid Baili Mingxiang wearing a sweet-tempered smile, she felt her heart ache.

There were currently over 80 different poisons in Baili Mingxiang’s body. Dozens of them had side effects that could flare up at any time! She wouldn’t die, but her life was worse than death! Even so, she could still say the words, ‘Beauty’s Blood’ with a smile on her face…