Chapter 527

Gu Jiu Ling finally got Empress Dowager Ning'an to shut up, then picked up the instrument to examine the already comatose Emperor Longqing's body.

After about two hours, Gu Jiu Ling's expression shifted slightly, and she formed a plan.

"Can this disease be cured?" Empress Dowager Ning'an rose to her feet, staring fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling before her.

Gu Jiu Ling drew a breath: "Well... it's actually treatable."

"What did you say? This disease can be cured?" Empress Dowager Ning'an's face flashed with joy, but then she met Gu Jiu Ling's lovely, proper countenance, and her happiness sank again.

Could it be that this woman truly has such a kind heart to help her son heal?

Earlier her son wanted to destroy the Prince Rui's manor, yet now she generously helps her own son recover—this whole thing feels suspicious.

But when people are driven to desperation, they always exalt that slim hope to the utmost.

Empress Dowager Ning'an inhaled, coldly staring at Gu Jiu Ling: "Gu Jiu Ling, I warn you—if you pull any more tricks, I will never show leniency!"

Gu Jiu Ling's lips twitched, a hint of mockery appearing; even now she remains stubborn.

She smiled, nodded, and said no more.

Empress Dowager Ning'an hurriedly pointed at her son: "Then hurry up and treat him—what are you waiting for?"

That overbearing tone made Gu Jiu Ling feel especially uncomfortable; she truly wanted to jab the instrument in her hand into his face to shut him up.

Gu Jiu Ling ran the instrument over Emperor Longqing's head, thinking to herself that it was indeed the disease she had suspected.

He likely has cancer, with malignant cells already spreading throughout his body, even into his brain—this person probably won't live much longer.

At this moment, Gu Jiu Ling felt somewhat resentful on behalf of Xiao Yin.

Qi Sha Gu—this person has killed so many; although the cancer makes him suffer too, after all he has lived many extra years and enjoyed them.

Xiao Yin likely won't be able to avenge before Emperor Longqing dies; he cannot personally slay his enemy, and this affair will end badly.

Gu Jiu Ling then took several strong painkillers from the box, turned around, and met Bai Xiaosheng's incredulous eyes.

Bai Xiaosheng is a low‑ranking martial‑world figure, while Gu Jiu Ling is the divine physician of Shang Jing; now that they have come together, each finds the other quite novel.

Bai Xiaosheng stared blankly at Gu Jiu Ling's series of operations, at those bottles and jars he couldn't comprehend, especially the unnamed things.

Just as he stood aside with a watch‑the‑show attitude, Gu Jiu Ling unexpectedly gave him a look and moved up to his side.

"What orders does the Princess Consort have?"

Before the two words "orders" could leave his mouth, Bai Xiaosheng suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm, as if pricked by a needle, and then blood seeped out through the puncture.

"What… what are you doing?" Bai Xiaosheng, already dazed, stood before Empress Dowager Ning'an as Gu Jiu Ling suddenly drew blood from him.

Immediately Gu Jiu Ling took out the two syringes, which felt transparent, as if filled with water.

Gu Jiu Ling lowered her voice: "Don't speak, follow my lead—I'll draw a bit of blood from your arm; you'll reap great benefits later."

Empress Dowager Ning'an watched Gu Jiu Ling whispering endlessly with the pretty little medicine slave behind her, and her face darkened involuntarily.

This woman is obsessed with male beauty—does she really treat the emperor properly?

"If the Princess Consort has anything to say, she can speak plainly before me—what's all this whispering? Could there still be a turn in my son's illness?"

Gu Jiu Ling also restrained her smile, waved her hand: "Nothing much—just that this disease is a bit troublesome. The medicine's guide is the blood flowing from this young man."

"What do you mean?" Empress Dowager Ning'an was completely bewildered.

Gu Jiu Ling lightly laughed: "In a moment, the subject will administer medicine to the emperor; for the drug to take effect in his body, it must use this young brother's blood, so the efficacy can be unleashed within the emperor."

Empress Dowager Ning'an was utterly stunned.

Having heard of various medicine guides, this is the first time she's heard of using another's blood as a guide—crucially, the medicine's addiction seems to come from a stranger.

Only then did Empress Dowager Ning'an let her gaze fall upon Bai Xiaosheng.

Bai Xiaosheng, accustomed to the storms of the martial world, felt no fear toward this most precious woman of Southern Qi; instead, he bowed as a humble servant before Empress Dowager Ning'an.

Empress Dowager Ning'an coldly stared at Gu Jiu Ling: "You mean that each day when the emperor takes your medicine, he also needs to have blood drawn from this person as a guide?"

Gu Jiu Ling hastily waved her hands: "No, you've misunderstood—it's not that we draw blood every time, but once a month."

Bai Xiaosheng watched Gu Jiu Ling spouting nonsense there, full of absurdities, yet he felt some admiration for this woman—perhaps he might follow her diligently and still wander the martial world.

Gu Jiu Ling realized she was drifting further into fabrication, and looking at Empress Dowager Ning'an she said: "In reply to the Empress Dowager, this medicine slave's blood cannot be casually let."

"Too much or too little must be carefully measured; an extra dose becomes poison."

Listening to Gu Jiu Ling's ever more fantastical talk, Empress Dowager Ning'an couldn't help but furrow her brows tightly, staring fixedly at Gu Jiu Ling's face.

"Who exactly are you?" Empress Dowager Ning'an coldly regarded Bai Xiaosheng, who kept his head lowered and said nothing.

Gu Jiu Ling gave a light laugh: "Empress Dowager, take a close look at who this person is."

After Gu Jiu Ling's reminder, Empress Dowager Ning'an focused her gaze on Bai Xiaosheng; upon seeing him, she rose from her chair once more, stepped forward a few paces, and said: "Raise your head!"

Bai Xiaosheng staggered a moment, then slowly lifted his head.

As he lifted his head, his brows and eyes bore a resemblance to Emperor Longqing's; the Empress Dowager was instantly dumbfounded, looking incredulously at Gu Jiu Ling.

Gu Jiu Ling smiled: "I also happened upon this wandering little medicine slave on the street, felt pity for him, and took him into my herb house to help me dry herbs."

"Later, the blood this little medicine slave shed differed from that of ordinary people."

Gu Jiu Ling placed the blood drawn from Bai Xiaosheng's arm into a clear vial, gently swirled it, and the blood glimmered golden in the lamplight.

This is not Gu Jiu Ling's fabrication; it is indeed that the people of Mang Shan Village have blood that differs somewhat from others'.

Empress Dowager Ning'an was instantly dumbstruck; Gu Jiu Ling held the potent painkiller and adrenaline she had prepared earlier, along with a cup of blood, and set them before Emperor Longqing.

She murmured as she injected all those medicines into Emperor Longqing's blood vessels.

Immediately she injected Dolantin and adrenaline into his blood vessels.

Gu Jiu Ling's mysterious demeanor even made Bai Xiaosheng feel a bit astonished—could his own blood truly cure and save lives?

Not long after, it really took effect, and Emperor Longqing slowly woke up.

Empress Dowager Ning'an couldn't help but be overjoyed; she rushed forward and seized the long‑comatose Emperor Longqing.

"My son, you have finally awakened!"

Emperor Longqing slowly opened his eyes, feeling his spirits return.