Chapter 483

After a night of turmoil, the ship only continued forward at noon the next day.

Since everyone on board was utterly exhausted, if we kept going they would all fall ill.

As they drew ever closer to Jiangnan, the weather was unusually hot, especially at noon when it seemed it could scorch a person.

Moreover, it was that kind of humid heat that made people feel oppressive and stifling with nowhere to escape.

Several boatmen had already shown symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea; fortunately, Gu Jiu Ling had known Jiangnan's climate beforehand and prepared plenty of heat-relief medicine.

This prevented more people from falling ill, keeping the whole fleet from stagnating.

But continuing like this was no solution; Xiao Yin saw Gu Jiu Ling emerge from Gu Kang's room, her face pale, clearly exhausted to the extreme.

He too had not slept, having waited all night, and hurried forward to support the swaying Gu Jiu Ling.

"How could it take so long? It's just a cut on the arm."

Gu Jiu Ling opened her mouth but still covered up what she had seen, after all it was Gu Kang's secret.

She sat wearily in a chair, lifted the warm tea, and tipped her head back to drain the pot.

First release website htt

She wiped the moisture from her lips, looked at Xiao Yin, and said: "That poison is quite nasty; I almost drew Gu Kang's blood out, purified it once, then transfused it back into him—this work is exhausting."

Xiao Yin didn't understand what Gu Jiu Ling meant—what was this 'drawing blood out and putting it back in'? Such a medical method was unheard of.

But his consort is a divine doctor; whatever medical skill comes from her hands would not be surprising, and he also felt rather proud.

Xiao Yin ordered Yun Duo to bring tea and snacks, then brought the prepared sour plum soup, insisting Gu Jiu Ling drink it.

Seeing her eat the snacks and noticing her complexion improve a little, Xiao Yin finally relaxed.

Seeing Gu Jiu Ling so exhausted, Xiao Yin was unwilling to press on.

He ordered the ship to pull ashore; fortunately, there was a small town nearby.

Here, because it sits beside the canal, some merchants use it as a transfer point.

However, the town's location is still rather remote, not as prosperous as big cities like Yangzhou.

Xiao Yin didn't think much further; he led the people ashore and booked an inn in the town.

Fortunately, the inn's remote location meant few guests; he paid a little extra to clear out the remaining patrons.

At that moment, everyone inside and outside the inn belonged to Xiao Yin.

Gu Jiu Ling had people make a wooden stretcher, lifted the still-unconscious Gu Kang ashore, and carried him into the inn's room.

Only toward evening did Gu Kang faintly awaken.

He had slept very deeply, feeling as if he had died.

In his sleep, countless nightmares surged into his heart.

He recalled bits and pieces of the Gu family, the scene of Li Ruoxi deceiving him, and the pain of being burned by fire at Mr. Wen's place.

One after another flashed through his mind; at that moment Gu Kang thought he had already died.

Isn't it said that before death a person reviews his whole life like a slideshow?

He never expected that she would still be alive and awake.

Gu Kang slowly opened his eyes and met Gu Jiu Ling's solemn, steady face, his heart giving a slight jump.

Gu Kang hastily tried to rise to salute Gu Jiu Ling, but his body was too weak.

Both arms could not support the bed; after several struggles he still could not get up.

Gu Jiu Ling coldly watched Gu Kang flopping like a salted fish on the bedboard, unable to help walking over, raising her hand to press him down: "If you keep this up you'll surely die; stay still."

Gu Kang finally stilled, lifted his head with a hint of resentment, and looked at Gu Jiu Ling: "That poison is truly nasty; it has troubled you, elder sister."

Gu Jiu Ling let out a cold smile and idly played with a scalpel as thin as a cicada's wing.

She spun it on her fingertips; a moment's carelessness would slice her finger.

She sat in the chair opposite Gu Kang's bed, toying with the blade.

Gu Kang's gaze followed the rise and fall of Gu Jiu Ling's blade, growing ever more anxious and complex.

"Gu Kang, do you have nothing you want to say to me?" Gu Jiu Ling said coldly.

Gu Kang frowned fiercely, collected himself.

He had not spoken for a long time, and Gu Jiu Ling did not press him.

Only the blade in her hand spun a bit faster, making it feel as if it would soon nick her finger.

Gu Kang finally could not hold back, sighed, and said: "When I was about to leave, Emperor Longqing summoned me to the palace."

The blade in Gu Jiu Ling's hand stopped abruptly, pinched between her fingers.

She raised her eyebrows at Gu Kang before her: "Go on!"

Gu Kang pressed his lips: "The emperor's final edict left to me is… to have Prince Rui remain forever in Jiangnan."

Gu Jiu Ling's face changed dramatically; she suddenly flung her blade hard onto the table, strode over to Gu Kang, grabbed his collar, and stared him down.

"Gu Kang, one cannot be so conscienceless; when you were framed by those two beasts of the Gu family in the Ministry of Punishments, who risked death to enter the prison and keep you company for a night?"

"When you were framed at Nan Shan Shu Yuan and nearly burned to death, everyone avoided you as if fearing contagion, yet only he actively helped you."

Gu Kang, I'm asking you, what exactly do you mean?

Leaving aside that he is Prince Rui, he is a great hero of Southern Qi, who once saved countless people from fire and water.

He is also your brother-in-law; haven't I been good to you?

Gu Kang watched his elder sister slowly lower her head, then suddenly gave a bitter laugh: "Elder sister, I have already entered the situation; you also understand what it means to have no choice."

Moreover, elder sister wants me to return to the right path; I am also grateful to elder sister, but the way elder sister wants me to return is truly heartbreaking.

Gu Jiu Ling froze for a moment, then loosened his collar.

Thinking of the karmic entanglement between Li Ruoxi and this little bastard, my heart also felt somewhat oppressed.

Originally she set up a scheme to calculate against Gu Kang, but she didn't expect later there would be such an extraordinary love affair.

"You're doing this just to get revenge on me, right?"

Gu Kang raised his head and looked at Gu Jiu Ling: "No, I never thought of taking revenge, because you are the dearest relative I have in this world."

Gu Jiu Ling felt a dull pain in her heart.

"Then why, exactly, are you opposing your brother-in-law at every turn? You could easily side with him, so why do you insist on playing the role of some middle minister? Is that ridiculous or not?"

Gu Kang said slowly: "If it were just me, I would definitely join my brother-in-law's side, but I'm not alone now, elder sister!"

Gu Jiu Ling's expression froze, and then she slowly sat down in the chair: "Someone has placed a gu poison in your body; I've seen that gu poison before, and it was also present in your brother-in-law's body."

"Fortunately, last night I already helped you, washing all your blood clean."

Gu Jiu Ling was greatly relieved that her personal space housed a machine newly developed by the academy.

The patient's bad blood is dialyzed, then transfused back into his body.

During this period the patient will experience unpleasant reactions, but fortunately she has everything under control.

But whether the gu poison in Gu Kang's body has been cleared still needs time to verify; she dare not guarantee it now.

Gu Jiu Ling slowly leaned forward to look at him: "Was it that dog emperor who gave you the poison?"