In the past life, it was half a Shichen after Young Master Zhou had vomited blood and Old Doctor Chen was out of options when the Second Prince finally brought her to the Zhou Residence.
By that time, Young Master Zhou was nearly at death's door, and since he had been brought by the Second Prince, naturally, there was no resistance.
Lord Zhou already harbored a hopeful mindset by then.
The three young masters from the General's Mansion hurried away, also to seek other physicians.
In this life, she arrived earlier, but instead of stopping Young Master Zhou from drinking that medicine, her actions led her to be suspected of ulterior motives.
Recalling how Lord Zhou had once listed charges that led to the beheading of a general in her previous life, she had always harbored ill feelings towards Lord Zhou, but knowing what she did, she couldn't just watch a child die.
Moreover, if she wanted to help Jun Yu Yan, she couldn't give the Second Prince any opportunity to exploit.
At that moment, with the three young masters from the General's Mansion and Jun Yuyan already securing her a chance, she didn't hesitate. The silver needle aimed for the young master's head.
"Hold on! Ah Jiu, what are you doing! You know no medicine, you'll kill Young Master Zhou!"
A frantic voice came from outside, and the speaker had already entered the room by the time his voice was heard.
If not the Second Prince, then who else?
But he was a step too late.
Murong Jiu had already driven the silver needle into the acupoint on Young Master Zhou's head.
The corners of Young Master Zhou's mouth, which had been continuously bleeding, finally stopped.
A shadow passed through Jun Haoze's eyes.
As he was about to step forward, Jun Yuyan blocked him indifferently, "Younger brother, my princess consort seems to be quite competent in medicine. Old Doctor Chen was out of options, yet she was able to stop the bleeding as soon as she intervened."
Jun Haoze clenched his fists in his sleeves, furious. If not for his spy in the Minister of War's Mansion, he would have remained unaware till now that Jun Yuyan brought Murong Jiu here.
Previously, he had tried every means to meet Murong Jiu and wanted to personally bring her here.
He had never thought that it was Murong Jiu herself who had requested to come, assuming instead that Jun Yuyan brought her to woo Lord Zhou because she recognized her exceptional medical skills.
"Elder brother, I have known Ah Jiu for so long, and I have never seen her practice medicine. Be careful that she doesn't inadvertently do harm. Young Master Zhou's condition is serious, and we cannot afford careless treatment."
Jun Haoze spoke loudly, his words intended for Lord Zhou and his wife.
"What? Princess Consort Ling doesn't know medicine? No, no! We cannot let her treat Honghong!"
Madam Zhou said anxiously.
Murong Jiu's expression darkened, and she glared at her coldly: "If you don't want your son to die, then shut your mouth."
Even a clay Buddha has its three points of anger; she hated it most when others buzzed around her while she was treating a patient.
"You, you!"
Jun Yuyan said, "Madam Zhou, just take a look at how little life your son still has, after being force-fed harsh medicines by Old Doctor Chen. Is his condition worsening as my princess consort said?"
Madam Zhou muttered, "Yes, but the Second Prince said she..."
"I am her husband. Tell me, who knows her better, me or the Second Prince?"
Where was Madam Zhou daring to say it was the Second Prince? She of course said, "It's you."
"Then keep quiet and let the princess consort treat him. If anything goes wrong, I will personally go before the Emperor to confess."
Jun Yuyan spoke with a decisiveness that no one could defy.
The Second Prince knew he could no longer intervene.
He glowered at Murong Jiu, but Murong Jiu didn't even glance at him, as if he didn't exist.
Just like that, she was angry with him?
Constantly undermining him, was this Murong Jiu's way of attracting him?
He scoffed repeatedly in his heart.
Then Murong Jiu inserted several more needles onto Young Master Zhou's body, and gradually, the ruddiness of the boy's face receded.
"The fever has abated?"
Old Doctor Chen incredulously reached out to feel the boy's forehead, and indeed, the high fever had subsided.
"Such a rapid reduction in fever, Princess Consort Ling, the needle technique you just used, is it the long-lost Mo Family needle technique?"
He was an Imperial Physician, skilled in medicine. Ordinary people couldn't see it, but he had noticed that Murong Jiu's needle technique was quite unusual.
He had initially looked down on Murong Jiu because she was too young, and, confident in his own medical skills, he thought she was boasting.
Unexpectedly, he was old and about to be buried yet had failed, and now a young woman had to remedy his mistake.
Murong Jiu nodded, stuffing the pills she had bought on the way into Young Master Zhou's mouth.
"What kind of pills are these?"
Old Doctor Chen asked.
"Ordinary pills for abdominal pain and diarrhea."
Old Doctor Chen frowned, "Other court physicians have already administered better antidiarrheals to him, and they have already worked."
"They haven't worked, he just has nothing left to expel."
No sooner had she spoken than the weak Young Master Zhou's brow slightly relaxed.
Only then did Madam Zhou realize that Honghong had been in constant pain, just too weakened to speak.
Oh, how her heart ached.
"Medicine box."
Murong Jiu turned and said to Jun Yuyan.
Jun Yuyan opened the medicine box for her, "What do you need, I'll help you get it."
"That small pair of tweezers, be careful to only hold them by the handle."
What did she need tweezers for?
Everyone was somewhat puzzled.
Jun Yuyan saw in her medicine box many odd and curious things, among which he found a small pair of tweezers, specially made, different from ordinary ones, with longer and sharper tips.
Just by looking, its use was not obvious.
Murong Jiu took it, then turned to the Second Prince of the General's Mansion and said, "Second Prince, could you please help me open Young Master Zhou's mouth?"
She had initially thought of asking Jun Yuyan, but he was holding the medicine box, and, with his mobility impaired, she feared Young Master Zhou might struggle and injure him.
But the Second Prince from the General's Mansion was tall and strongly built, having practiced martial arts for years, making him the best candidate.
"Of course, I can."
The Second Prince stepped forward grandly, following Murong Jiu's guidance to pry open Young Master Zhou's mouth.
She held the sharp tweezers and inserted them.
"What are you doing!"
Madam Zhou's face turned pale because she couldn't squeeze in, anxiously grasping Lord Zhou's arm.
"There's a fishbone stuck in his throat, think about it, hasn't he been silent from last night until today?"
"It seems..."
Lord Zhou recalled, Honghong hadn't spoken - of course, they had all thought Honghong was too weak to speak.
Madam Zhou also remembered, several times Honghong had reached to cover his throat, but no one knew what he meant.
But how had Princess Consort Ling known?
The tool in Murong Jiu's hand looked frightening, and fear appeared in Young Master Zhou's eyes, wanting to struggle but held down by the Second Prince.
Murong Jiu gently told him, "Don't be afraid, close your eyes, and count to three in your mind. One, two, there, it's out."
She acted very quickly, almost as soon as she had inserted it, it was out.
The audience saw that there indeed was a fishbone on her tweezers!
Though it wasn't long, it was not thin, and one could only imagine how uncomfortable it was stuck in the flesh.
"Princess Consort Ling, is Honghong alright now?"
Madam Zhou asked tearfully and cautiously.
Murong Jiu gave her a cold look, "If it were so easy for him to recover, would he have vomited so much blood?"