Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved

Yang Shan was ambushed, and Jun Yuyan had already found out it was the Second Prince's doing.

Given Murong Jiu's life experiences, she couldn't have possibly met Yang Shan, unless the Second Prince had her recognize him.

Jun Yuyan's thin lips were slightly pursed, his eyes deep and somber, and his presence grew colder. Those familiar with him knew his mood was sour.

Indeed, his mood was foul. Admittedly, whoever he married made no difference to him, but the moment before yesterday's wedding ceremony, when he learned from the Hidden Guard that the bride had been switched with Murong Jiu, who adored the Second Prince, he had contemplated putting her to death.

He couldn't possibly marry the Second Prince's woman. The Second Prince and he had long been at irreconcilable odds, with only a facade of peace between them.

How could he allow the Second Prince's spy to remain in his Prince Mansion?

Even if Murong Man were to marry into his mansion, it would be a dead end; he was already aware of the relationship between her and the Second Prince.

He wasn't a man to kill the innocent indiscriminately, but when it came to those deserving of death, he was anything but merciful.

However, the moment during the ceremony when Murong Jiu's bridal veil was deliberately lifted, he caught a faint fragrance, which bewilderingly reminded him of a woman who had passionately spent a night with him over a month ago, the woman who had cured his poison.

Though the fragrance was no longer detectable upon closer inspection, that transient daze stayed his hand.

He knew Murong Jiu was not the woman he was searching for; that woman had skin as smooth as cream, a soft figure, a charming voice, and she carried a rich and unique scent that was intoxicating, resembling but not quite like an orchid, entirely different from Murong Jiu.

Following that, in their conversations, he found her to be very lucid, and her clear declaration that she had no more involvement with the Second Prince somewhat impressed him.

Today at the court, her performance was remarkable, shrouded as if in a thin veil of mystery, inviting curiosity.

But now, the change in Murong Jiu's expression when facing Yang Shan made him doubt her purpose for entering the Prince Mansion.

He detested deceit above all.

At that moment, he heard Murong Jiu let out a sigh of relief, "It's good that he hasn't been poisoned for too long; there's still a chance to save him. We need to prepare these few medicinal herbs immediately to counteract the poison. For now, I can use silver needles to halt his profuse bleeding, but detoxifying him is the only way to treat his wounds properly."

As she spoke, Murong Jiu took out a set of silver needles from the medical box.

"Hold on!"

Su Kai hurriedly voiced his objection.

Since there was something dubious about this woman, it was absolutely imperative not to let her treat Yang Shan again.

Murong Jiu asked, perplexed, "What's wrong? If he doesn't stop bleeding, his life will be in danger; he won't last half an incense stick's time."

Su Kai furrowed his brow tightly; half an incense stick's time wasn't enough for either the Mansion Physician from the Prince Mansion or the Court Physician from the Marquis of Wuan's Mansion to arrive.

They had already sought out physicians from the medical halls, who had declared themselves powerless against the poison afflicting Yang Shan.

He looked to Jun Yuyan for a decision, unsure of what to do.

"Can you really save him?" Jun Yuyan asked in a stern voice.

Murong Jiu didn't understand why his tone had grown so much colder and, unable to see his expression behind the mask, assumed it was worry for his Hidden Guard, so she immediately replied:

"The poison he's afflicted with comes from North Rong, derived from the most toxic root of the Nine-Bend Cold Grass, causing one's blood vessels to be unable to coagulate, leading to death by excessive blood loss. He has lost too much blood already, and as it keeps flowing more vigorously, all his blood will be drained within half an incense stick."

After she finished, Su Kai grew even more suspicious of her identity. Even if she had learned some medicine in the countryside, how could she know so much, even about poisons from North Rong?

Jun Yuyan stared into her eyes and saw only urgency, devoid of any other emotion.

If this was an act, then her acting abilities were far too convincing.

"Attend to his bleeding, and tell me what medicinal herbs you need," Jun Yuyan commanded.

"Brother Yan!" Su Kai's eyes widened in alarm. Yang Shan was a brother with whom he had experienced life and death; what if Murong Jiu deliberately...

Murong Jiu, thinking Su Kai was questioning her medical skills, ignored him, turned around, and picked up the silver needles, inserting them neatly into acupoints around the two wounds.

Her movements were swift and fluid, her expression confident, without the slightest hesitation or indecision, her hand as steady as if she were a court physician who had practiced medicine for decades.

This left Su Kai thoroughly astonished, but what surprised him even more was that with just a few rapid pricks of her silver needle, Murong Jiu had stopped Yang Shan's uncontrollable bleeding!

He looked incredulously towards Brother Yan, whose deep-set eyes also flickered with surprise.

"Quick, someone prepare Prunella Vulgaris, Cypress, Chinese bulbul..."

As Murong Jiu administered the acupuncture, she listed over a dozen types of herbs.

With a clap of his hands, Jun Yuyan summoned a black-clad hidden guard, who stealthily flipped in through a window, as silently as a phantom, startling Murong Jiu.

"Did you get that? Fetch them from the storeroom."

"Yes! My lord!"

Su Kai still suspected that Murong Jiu had ulterior motives, but since she had stopped the bleeding, there was no need for her to tamper with the herbs and kill Yang Shan, because it was unnecessary.

If she wanted Yang Shan dead, she could have done nothing and just pretend she did not know how.

So what was her goal? Was she trying to make Yang Shan owe her a debt of gratitude for saving his life, or did she want Brother Yan to see her in a new light?

The Prince Mansion's storeroom was well-stocked with herbs, and among those requested by Murong Jiu, only one was rare. The Prince Mansion had it, so the herbs were quickly brought.

Murong Jiu washed her hands and took out a clay pot for decocting medicine from her medicine box.

Perhaps due to many uses in preparing medicines, the pot had fully absorbed the herbal liquids, its color a nondescript grayish brown, unremarkable to look at, yet it was Murong Jiu's treasure.

Because this pot was a gift from her master, made from a very rare type of clay, it could maximize the effects of the herbs being decocted.

But in her past life, the pot had been smashed by Murong Man.

"Princess Consort, let this servant prepare the medicine."

Eunuch Shi, by Jun Yuyan's side, reached out and offered.

"I'll do it myself, I'm faster."

With that, Murong Jiu began to decoct the medicine under the eaves outside.

Her master said she was a medical prodigy, she could clearly remember the properties of every herb, and she was able to apply her knowledge flexibly, as if she was born for the practice of medicine.

In her past life, however, blinded by her affection for Jun Haoze, she became trapped in the inner court. Although she treated many people in the early days, they were all "useful individuals" chosen by Jun Haoze. Later on, once Jun Haoze held significant power, he had no more use for her medical skills.

Her master must have been very angry and disappointed, so he never came looking for her.

Taking a deep breath, she told herself that this time she would not lose herself for any man; she would carry on her master's medical legacy!

Before long, Murong Jiu had prepared the medicine, decanting it for Eunuch Shi to feed to Yang Shan.

She said, "Feed it to him quickly, the sooner the poison is neutralized, the better for his health."

Su Kai was anxious, constantly looking outside. Why hadn't the court physicians from the Marquis Mansion and Prince Mansion arrived yet?

Could Murong Jiu's medicine really be safe to drink?

"Let me do it."

Jun Yuyan took over the medicine.

As the saying goes, a patient becomes his own doctor. Having often been the target of poisoning and assassination attempts over the past twenty or so years, he could tell whether there was anything wrong with the medicine.

He scooped up a spoonful and blew on it to cool it. Finding no poison, he then proceeded to feed Yang Shan.

"Prince!"

Just then, a guard rushed over, speaking loudly, "We've caught a maid from the Princess Consort's service sneaking out to send a message, and she was also hiding poison on her!"