"You think that just because I have no interest in you, you can throw yourself at Brother Yun?"
Huangfu Xuan shouted angrily.
The two pharmacy apprentices were shocked.
It was improper for men and women to touch each other's hand in passing objects. Yet, this maiden had just flung herself upon their master. They had no idea what to do.
Hua Qiyue's body clung to Yun Shimo's. Her perfume drilled into his nose and her hanging hair tickled Yun Shimo's face.
He raised his gaze to her face, only to see Hua Qiyue's surprised eyes, as clear as a crystal spring without any lust.
Hua Qiyue took a head-on look at Yun Shimo's luminous eyes and jumped up with fear, saying, "I am so sorry. I did not expect... I did not expect... "
Huangfu Xuan rushed over and pulled up Yun Shimo, hovering over him like a hen protecting its chicken. "Hua Qiyue, how dare you!"
Hua Qiyue was embarrassed — she'd never meant for this to happen.
Tianci grabbed her skirt and clung to it, breathing heavily.
Hua Qiyue came to herself, squatted down and held Tianci gently. "Don't be afraid. Prince Nan is getting rid of the poison, so you can speak in the future."
The apprentices walked up angrily, glaring at Hua Qiyue. "Miss Hua, this is outrageous! No one is permitted to bother our master when he is healing!"
She looked at Yun Shimo, only to find his face was pale with shockingly red blood on the corner of his lips.
"Your Excellency... I am so sorry. I thought..."
"You thought I would kill him?" Yun Shimo asked sharply, eyes narrowed.
The apprentices took a step back. Yun Shimo was always reserved, but now he was clearly angry.
"No..." Hua Qiyue could not form the words at that moment. After regaining her life, she hadn't been sincere to anyone but her close maids and Tianci.
She had only just met Yun Shimo, and while his healing arts were well-known, she didn't yet trust him.
"Brother Yun, she just wanted to take advantage of you!" Huangfu Xuan sneered, his eyes glittering with disgust.
"Huangfu Xuan, stop talking nonsense! It was a mistake, nothing more!" Hua Qiyue said.
Yun Shimo straightened out his slightly ruffled robe and said, "Hua Qiyue, please take him and leave! I do not like being disturbed arbitrarily when healing."
Despite his annoyance, he was blushing. If word about this got out, things could get very complicated for both of them.
Huangfu Xuan shouted, "Hua Qiyue, get the hell out of here!"
Hua Qiyue remained undisturbed with a murderous look in her eyes.
"Fine! I'll just destroy the Long Red now, shall I?"
She opened the luxurious box and held the fragrant Long Red in her hand. With a sad snapping sound, the Long Red broke in half, followed by a cry of sorrow from Yun Shimo.
She had already endured death, and her son had not yet been cured. How could she give up now?
No matter how hard it would be, she would find a way to bring Yun Shimo into submission.
He regarded all the herbs as his own children and sheltered them attentively. Yun Shimo cared more about herbs than his own life.
How could his heart not ache when he saw a precious herb was broken in half before him?
His handsome face turned pale.
Hua Qiyue stared at him coldly. "If you don't heal my son, I will destroy all six Long Reds in my house, just like this one!"
The Long Red in her hands, had already lost its luster, the fragrance faded away. Shortly, the Long Red had turned completely white and gave off no scent.
Divine herbs were easily destroyed, which was one of the reasons they were so precious. They had wills of their own, and would retract their own power when ill-treated. If humans continued to mistreat divine herbs in this way, they might disappear from the world forever, making some diseases incurable.
"Hua Qiyue... you... how could you?" Yun Shimo's eyes were filled with rage.
"I'll count to three and give me your definite answer. One, two..."
"Fine! I'll do it!"
Huangfu Xuan looked at Yun Shimo in astonishment and exclaimed, "Brother Yun!
You are mad. She just took advantage of you, and now you're agreeing to help her?"
Tianci looked at one and then the other, and tugged Hua Qiyue's sleeve.
Hua Qiyue looked down at Tianci's innocent eyes glistening with tears.
Hua Qiyue took out her handkerchief and wiped the tears from his face. "Tianci, it will not take long. I will do everything in my power to restore your speech."
Her voice was soft, replacing the sternness just moments before.
Tianci gazed at her, not fully understanding.
As Hua Qiyue's eyes reddened and her nose twitched, she patted his little face softly.
"When we go home, I'll make sure you have a wonderful meal, okay?"
Her smile was bright like a flower, but contained a sadness to it, which puzzled Yun Shimo and others.
This was merely her foster son, whom she'd only adopted a day ago, yet there seemed to be something more to it than that.
It was clear to all present that Hua Qiyue's love for Tianci was not feigned.
"Your Excellency, I am sorry to offend you. I love my son so much. When I heard him screaming, I lost my senses. If Tianci is healed, I will remember your great kindness all my life. Your Excellency, I will perform any service you require, if it is within my power to do so."
Yun Shimo stared at her silently. She seemed sincere. Could she be telling the truth? Had she only interrupted his healing due to Tianci's screams?
Then he remembered his protective cover of red Spirit Qi. Generally speaking, it could not be broken by anything less than a serious attack.
But Hua Qiyuehad simply fallen through it. He would have known if she used a Qi attack. But how could his protections be broken and flow into Hua Qiyue's body? He had never encountered such a thing.
The woman before him did not look lascivious, as she was portrayed in the rumors. There was no trace of lust in her eyes.
Yun Shimo's anger faded, and he regained his composure.
"He is severely poisoned and needs a month-long detoxifying process. He also needs a rare medicine called the Purple Locus Phoenix Ice. Sadly, I don't have it."
"But you're the Medicine King!" Hua Qiyue cried in disbelief.
"I am the Medicine King, yes, but that doesn't mean I possess every herb there is. The Medicine Saint, however... "
Huangfu Xuan looked back and forth between them, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Brother Yun, you are crazy! This woman threatened you!" Huangfu Xuan yelled out, exasperated at Yun Shimo's concession.
Yun Shimo spared no glance for Huangfu Xuan. He just straightened up, his brows knitted slightly. He was still pondering how Hua Qiyue's body could take in his Spirit Qi.
"Prince Nan, could you please send someone to fetch the herb from the Medicine Saint? It doesn't matter how much it will cost. I can afford it!" Hua Qiyue begged in a soft voice, taking no notice of Huangfu Xuan.
The pharmacy apprentices looked at each other in shock. Normally, Prince Nan charged little money for treating others. Hua Qiyue's offer was nothing less than an insult.
Hua's Mansion was quite famous, but could they possibly afford Hua Qiyue's proposition?
"The Medicine Saint loves herbs even more than I do. It will be a miracle if you can get the herb from him. Take your son to Nan Manor every two days. I can still rid his system of most of the the toxin. After that, I'll need the help of the Purple Locus Phoenix Ice, to restore him completely."
With that, Prince Nan turned around with a flick of his sleeves and strode to the backyard. His white figure disappeared swiftly, like a gust whirling away the waning moon. But Yun Shimo appeared rather threatening. Perhaps after the thing completed, he would be reluctant to settle with Hua Qiyue so easily.
Huangfu Xuan cast a brutal glare at Hua Qiyue and said, "Hua Qiyue, I will let you go this time. Next time, if you dare to take advantage of Brother Yun, I will take your life. Get out of here. What a rude girl!"
After finishing his words, he strode to the backyard.
Hua Qiyue pulled up the corner of her mouth. "Is he the Royal Highness? He behaves so childishly without an air of royalty. He really flatters himself!"
Hua Qiyue was in no mood to stay there any longer. "Needed one more medicine... So it is indispensable to ask Medicine Saint for the medicine."
Medicine Saint, originally named Ji Feng, was a renowned senior pharmacist in the Changjing Kingdom. He had a variety of miraculous medicines, approximately hundreds of kinds.
Therefore, countless people came to Ji Family to plead for medicines every year, but seldom could succeed.
Whether Medicine Saint presented the medicine depended on the persons.
That panacea could not be purchased by money.