Chapter 42: Mu Yuanzhi seems doomed to die this time!

After she woke up, she discovered she was lying on the ground; her muddled mind could not tell day from night for a moment, and the feeling as if her soul were being pulled from her body made her panic.

It would remind her of the sunless dark alley, an endless black.

The poison's spread had almost covered Mu Yuanzhi's entire body, her thoughts slower than usual by half a beat, so only now did she notice there was an extra person in the bedroom.

Who!?

Mu Yuanzhi warily raised her head; the double vision and sluggish reaction in her sight made it impossible for her to clearly see the person with their back to her for a moment.

"Little Yuanzhi, you're awake?"

Gu Rongjin?

Mu Yuanzhi tried to focus; the tall, slender figure before her seemed to be hiding something behind their back.

He stood right in front of her desk, on which lay the nearly completed antidote prescription!

Is it Gu Rongjin? Does he want her prescription?

After a moment's thought, Mu Yuanzhi felt her head about to burst; she mustered all her strength to rise, almost lunging forward, but grasped at air, the figure nimbly dodged and then jumped out the window.

"Come here!"

Mu Yuanzhi called out for help, but her voice was so hoarse only she could hear it.

She had the prescription memorized, so losing it didn't matter; she just wanted to know if that person was Gu Rongjin.

Having lunged at nothing, Mu Yuanzhi fell onto the desk, her already fragile body seeming to press out her five viscera and six bowels.

The one who heard the commotion was Xiao Nianzi, who had just returned; he ran in three steps at a time, calling: "My lord!"

Mu Yuanzhi, curled up under the desk, frightened him badly; he helped her up with all his hands and feet, asking: "My lord, what happened to you?"

"Someone just came in here and stole my prescription," Mu Yuanzhi said, leaning weakly on Xiao Nianzi.

"Who has the gall to do that! I'll go after them right away!" Xiao Nianzi thought, but first he placed Mu Yuanzhi on the nearby noble consort's chair before speaking.

Mu Yuanzhi shook her head, speaking with effort: "It's fine; I still remember the prescription."

"Then... gathering the herbs is urgent; please quickly write it out again!"

Mu Yuanzhi gritted her teeth, nodded slightly, and with Xiao Nianzi's support sat down to begin writing.

Her thoughts were muddled, she could not focus; in a daze, the recent scenes kept replaying before her eyes, making it hard for her mind to stay on the prescription.

Only after a flash of inspiration clarified something did she manage to steady herself and continue writing.

Xiao Nianzi watched from the side; aside from the three medicinal ingredients previously written, the rest were ordinary expensive herbs, which were not hard to find.

But this last ingredient—

the blood of a yin-extreme boy...

"How, how are we supposed to find this?" Xiao Nianzi scratched his head, "Wouldn't we have to get the National Teacher to calculate the yin-extreme fate, then conscript yin-extreme boys nationwide?"

By the time we gather them, when will that be!

Mu Yuanzhi, however, gave a mysterious smile and handed him the prescription: "Go gather the remaining herbs; when you go out, call Xiao Yunzi in."

"What about the yin-extreme boy's blood?"

"You don't need to worry about that for now."

"I understand, sir." Xiao Nianzi hesitated, took the prescription, and went to the temporary storage where the medicinal ingredients were piled; aside from saffron, everything was there.

Saffron should be easy to find, but...

Xiao Nianzi feared someone would obstruct their herb gathering, so he planned to sneak out of the palace to collect them outside!

He did not know that the dog hole he frequently used had already been discovered.

A lurking figure nearby was about to follow him out when someone grabbed that person's hand from behind: "No need to follow."

"Why?" that person asked, puzzled.

"Because this prescription cannot be completed." The comer gave a sly smile and revealed the prescription in their hand.

Upon seeing the last line, that person also laughed.

Indeed, there is no way to complete it.

The two left, returning to Changle Palace to report.

Upon seeing the prescription, Pei Yunxi also couldn't help but laugh, "As if we could gather it all—where would we find the yin-extreme boy's blood?"

Mu Yuanzhi seems doomed to die this time!

Originally she hadn't given much thought to Mu Yuanzhi's death, but who made this woman increasingly catch Brother Chen's attention? She couldn't help but be on guard.

The Southern Border Red Spider had originally been used to deal with Mu Yuanzhi, but because of that stupid maid Xueer, it ended up making her suffer needlessly!

However, as the saying goes, a loss may be a gain; such a bright radiance poisoning Mu Yuanzhi actually saved her a lot of trouble.

With only a day and a half left, even if Mu Yuanzhi had heavenly abilities, she couldn't find any yin-extreme boy's blood!

Still, just in case, Pei Yunxi used some means to transfer the National Teacher away from the capital for a few days.

As soon as the National Teacher left, the people of Weiyang Palace arrived; the newly appointed Junior Superintendent had only just taken office and knew nothing of this, and upon hearing about the yin-extreme boy's blood, he was still bewildered.

"Why is the National Teacher absent just now? When will he return?" Linglong anxiously exclaimed.

After great difficulty obtaining the Son of Heaven's special edict, for these three days Weiyang Palace would grant any request without hindrance—yet the crucial National Teacher was absent!

"To be frank, it seems related to someone from Changle Palace, but I don't know the specifics." The Junior Superintendent, when mentioning Changle Palace, always spoke in lip language and never said it outright.

Linglong gritted her teeth in anger, knowing Pei Yunxi would surely act as a roadblock! How despicable! If not for the master, this woman would now be at death's door!

Time flew by; only one day remained until the three-day poison onset deadline.

The Grand Empress Dowager learned of this, stepped forward and had the Son of Heaven post an imperial notice to conscript candidates, offering generous rewards.

Many people came, all claiming to be the one, but let alone verifying whether they were true boys, not even the timing of a yin-extreme person—what hour, what year, month, day—was clear; even if the National Teacher rushed back to examine and determine, it would be too late.

What to do?

"My lord, the herbs you wanted have all been decocted, but we're still missing the last ingredient..." the yin-extreme boy's blood!

Would this decoction be effective? Or could drinking this bowl at least partially counteract it?

A few servants don't understand anything at all.

The medicine needs to be decocted for several hours, Mu Yuanzhi's internal toxins have spread further, she can only barely sit, feeling severe chills, even if she were to grab charcoal with her bare hands she wouldn't feel hot.

So she gulped down the bowl of medicine in one go; even if Hongdou shouted a warning about it being hot, it was too late.

It's fine, Mu Yuanzhi's tongue, throat, and intestines are already numb and frozen; nothing stimulates and harms her more than the toxins currently inside her.

After finishing the medicine, Mu Yuanzhi lay down and fell asleep.

Hongdou prayed that drinking this bowl of medicine would ease things a bit, while gathering everyone to discuss how to find the blood of a pure yin boy.

You're looking for the blood of a pure yin boy—there's one right here!

Who?!

Everyone turned around, and upon seeing Gu Rongjin, their expressions varied, but without exception, contempt was evident in their eyes.

"What's wrong? Why all these looks? I thought I was popular with you all!" Gu Rongjin felt a bit hurt, "Never mind, I have to hurry and detoxify little Mu Yuanzhi!"

"Wait a moment, young master!" Xiao Nianzi stopped him, "I know you want to help, but you can't just help recklessly; do you know what a pure yin boy is?"

You, sir, surely don't even know this basic common sense, do you?