"How is my father, Physician Li?" Zhu Su asked worriedly, without pause. Now they were already in Zhu Su's residence (Zhu Su asked them to bring the emperor to his residence instead of medical center). Li Heng was examining the emperor who was lying weakly on the bed. "Have you noticed, what kind of poison is on the arrow? Is it dangerous? Fu Huang will be safe, right?"
Actually, Li Heng was very disturbed by Zhu Su's repeated questions. He needed quietness as well as deep concentration to diagnose the old emperor who was half-lost in his consciousness. And more, Xie Wang's poison confused him so much. He only knew that it was a dangerous poison, but about the best medicine to be its antidote, it was out of his capability.
However, he was scared to express his diagnosis. Especially when he saw Zhu Su's agitated face.
The Prince just pretends to hate his father. He actually really loves the Emperor, the love is even too deep... Ah, how will I declare this bitter truth, which will make him devastated?...
Thence, because of that uneasy feeling, even though he had finished examining the emperor, Li Heng still remained silent with a stiff, grim expression.
"Physician Li! You've already finished examining Fu Huang?" Zhu Su asked enthusiastically.
"Yes, my Lord..."
"What's the result? Fu Huang will be alright?"
"That... I must apologize..."
"Physician Li?!"
"It is a rare poison... The antidote... will be hard to find... "
"What do you mean, Physician Li?!?"
Li Heng sighed, appeared gloomier. "I will try my best... but... please, prepare your mind to face the worst possibilities..."
"Don't tell me that Fu Huang will?!...."
Li Heng could only look down in despair. "I am sorry, my Lord. Please allow me to go to the forest, I will search for medicine and we may hope it can cure His Majesty."
"Y... yes... please..." Zhu Su could only mumble utterly while watching Li Heng vanished from sight.
Zhu Su returned to watch the emperor. He was sleeping, yet it was not a good sleep at all. The emperor looked restless. He writhed nonstop, even sometimes moaned - he appeared so hurtful. The longer he looked at his father, the more painful Zhu Su felt on his chest.
It must be only the unfilial son who still could not forgive his father even though he saw his father suffered from such that miserable condition. Moreover, he knew that all could happen totally because of his father's purpose to save him.
Zhu Su's anger for his father vanished immediately, and now replaced with great hurtful.
"... Devotion to parents is unquestionably important. It is parents who have raised you from childhood to adulthood, even though for that they must get through many difficulties. Without hard work and great pain your parents have paid out, you can't live until now, let alone get such excellent life as a prince..."
When the emperor moaned again with a louder voice, Zhu Su could no longer hold back the tears from running down his cheeks. His hands trembled so badly. Then, he got to his feet.
He had been determined with that decision.
"Your Highness, where will you go?" Wu Qi asked confusingly as he found Zhu Su, instead of taking care of the emperor, was about to leave the room.
"I want to follow Physician Li. I will look for the medicinal herbs in the forest, to cure Fu Huang." Zhu Su pressed his lips together. "I won't surrender to Fate easily... No matter how difficult it is to get the antidote, I must try my every effort to find it, until Fu Huang gets well!"
***
Once again Zhu Su climbed Mount Laojun, and once again he was going by threes, accompanied by Wu Qi and Hu Nayin. Wu Qi could not let Zhu Su go just by himself. And about Hu Nayin, she was by chance watching Zhu Su and Wu Qi came out of the palace, then quickly asked to participate.
"It's far better to go with companions than only by yourself." That was what they said to Zhu Su.
Their sincerity let Zhu Su grin, felt very happy. "Okay then... it's my pleasure to have you accompany me."
"By the way, Your Highness, have you already known what herbs you are looking for?" Wu Qi asked, because instead of focusing on one specific goal, Zhu Su did more often stop in a site and then observed a plant for a long period of time.
Zhu Su pressed his lips. "I don't know... That's why... I have to find as many rare plants as possible and examine them one by one, who knows maybe one of them can be useful to heal Fu Huang!"
Hu Nayin approached a plant located directly behind Zhu Su. She held its stem, remained silent for a few moments.
"This plant has a very excessive aura. It is Strong and will definitely defeat Poison," She explained.
Zhu Su also observed the plants Hu Nayin was holding.
This... Banbianlian (Chinese loberia herb)! A plant that is well-known to be very effective for healing Malignant Poisons and even its severe symptoms like swelling, furunculosis, inflammation, and edema. This girl... is really amazing... even though she has no background in medicine, but she knows the efficacy of Banbianlian almost accurate...
In great amazement, Zhu Su was staring thoroughly at Hu Nayin, even without blinking. Causing Hu Nayin's face turned red and she soon looked down, face blushed in embarrassment.
"You are so wonderful, Nayin." Zhu Su was now patting Hu Nayin on the shoulder. "You can guess the efficacy of Banbianlian nearly accurate. Wow! It's a big fortune for us to have you as the member of the Team of Wellbeing! Your talent will be very useful!"
Hearing Zhu Su's praise, the blush on Hu Nayin's face grew much redder. She bowed her head deeper than before. "Ma... many thanks for your praise, Your Highness!... I will try my best to help you!..."
And indeed, Hu Nayin became twice as excited as before. She would stop at every plant no matter what kind it was to hold it, exerting all of her focus and instinct. Watching her, Zhu Su giggled, his admiration for Hu Nayin increased since he found that she was not only talented, but also very eager to help him save his father.
Too enthusiastic, Hu Nayin seemingly forgot that she was running into danger.
"Nayin! Don't be so aroused! That's very dangerous!" Zhu Su and Wu Qi panicked as they saw Hu Nayin, because of so exhilarated, was lowering herself down into the deep valley, just to take the leaves that grew between the valley rocks.
But Hu Nayin had exerted her whole energy to take the leaves, how could she gave up easily, moreover her legs had spread to the edge of the valley that way? "No... Your Highness... I can take it..." She gritted her teeth. "I will do...!"
Hu Nayin's feet came loose from the edge of the valley - she thus fell down.
"Nayin!" Both Zhu Su and Wu Qi tried to save her, but too late, their location was too far from Hu Nayin.
Hu Nayin fell into the depths of the abyss.