"Madam?"
Cuiliu was stunned. She never imagined that Xu Yuan would actually agree to the man’s request. Even though he had offered them help, there was no guarantee he didn't harbor hidden malice.
"It is fine."
Compared to Cuiliu’s worry, Xu Yuan’s expression was far more composed. She knew very well that if the man truly wanted to harm them, neither she nor Cuiliu would be any match for his martial arts. She had always disliked owing favors, so she decided to settle this debt now and avoid any future trouble.
Cuiliu still felt uneasy. She glanced at the young master, who was fast asleep inside the carriage. "Madam, I will go with you."
"Very well."
Xu Yuan nodded. She knew that given Cuiliu’s temperament, it would be impossible for her to stay behind to watch the child while waiting for her to return.
The place where the man in black brought Xu Yuan was not far from their carriage. However, the surrounding thickets obscured the view, making it impossible to see the other carriage behind them unless one looked closely. Near that carriage stood two other men dressed just like Yun Xiao. Upon seeing someone approach, they turned toward her with wary, watchful eyes.
One of them spoke first, "Yun Xiao, you went to provide help, so why have you brought people back here?" The guard, sword in hand, stared at Xu Yuan and then at Cuiliu, who was walking behind her holding the child.
"This lady is skilled in medicine," Yun Xiao replied to the guard who had spoken.
As soon as these words were out, the other two guards looked incredulous, casting looks at Yun Xiao as if he had lost his mind. Even though their master’s condition was dire, letting a stranger treat him just because she claimed to be a physician—who knew what the consequences might be?
The guard standing closest to them barked angrily, "Yun Xiao, do you even know what you are doing?"
"This is sheer madness!"
Cuiliu held the child tightly to her chest. She watched the three men arguing without saying a word, then whispered, "Madam, do you still wish to treat him given the situation?"
Xu Yuan nodded. There was only one carriage here, and including the man who had called out to Yun Xiao, there were three of them; their master had to be inside that carriage. She stepped toward the vehicle. One of the guards saw her movement and looked quite dissatisfied.
"How could you—"
Xu Yuan had already pulled back the carriage curtain, revealing a man half-reclining inside, completely motionless. The approaching guard saw this as well and looked startled.
"Master!"
Yun Xiao and the other man also hurried forward, looking anxious. Seeing that the situation was indeed unusual, Xu Yuan didn't waste time on anything else. She climbed into the carriage, and after checking his breath, she let out a sigh of relief and turned to Yun Xiao and the others.
"He is still breathing."
Hearing this, the three men felt a measure of relief. Yun Xiao stepped forward first. Seeing that Xu Yuan had already begun to take the man's pulse, he felt even more convinced that his earlier decision was correct. This lady was truly a person skilled in medicine.
To be able to use silver needles as weapons—that was rare, not just in the capital, but even in the martial arts world. Mastering such a skill required not only a precise understanding of acupoints but also impeccable control of force. If that weren't the case, he never would have dared to take such a risk. Thinking of this, Yun Xiao’s gaze toward Xu Yuan grew even more respectful.
"Madam, do you know what ails my master? Is there a way to treat him?"
Xu Yuan glanced at Yun Xiao, then noted the suspicious gazes of the other two men.
"Judging by his pulse, he has been poisoned, and with a toxin that is not commonly seen..." Xu Yuan replied. "I can only suppress the poison in his body to ensure his life is not in immediate danger; as for the rest, he will require further, more thorough treatment. Before that, you must all clear out. I do not wish for any interruptions while I am treating him."
Xu Yuan glanced at the other two men, her meaning clear. Yun Xiao understood immediately, bowed, and replied, "Please rest assured, Madam."
"And my maid and the child..."
Before Xu Yuan could finish her sentence, Yun Xiao promised, "I will ensure their safety."
Xu Yuan nodded and caught Cuiliu’s eye, signaling to her despite the maid’s worried expression. Though Cuiliu was anxious about Xu Yuan’s actions, they were already there, and she could only do her best to ensure no other incidents occurred. The three guards took up positions to keep watch, and Cuiliu stood outside the carriage with the child, guarding against any unexpected trouble.
With those people out of the way, Xu Yuan finally began to treat the man. It was only then that she saw his face clearly.
What a handsome face. For some reason, as she looked at his features, Xu Yuan felt a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
Xu Yuan collected her thoughts. She had been out for a while, and this matter had delayed her further. Her priority was to wake this man and return to the Marquis's Estate with the child as quickly as possible, to avoid raising any suspicions among the people there and inviting more trouble.
She took out her acupuncture kit and withdrew several silver needles to begin the treatment. However, to her surprise, after the acupuncture, the man’s condition did not improve; instead, it grew even more severe.
She immediately checked his pulse again. The result left her shocked. The man had been poisoned by the long-lost Frost Powder. Once this poison took effect, the victim’s body temperature would drop rapidly until they grew rigid and died.
In her past life, she had only read about it in an ancient text, and because of the content, the memory had remained vivid. She had never expected to encounter it now. Xu Yuan looked at the man deeply, unable to help but reflect on his luck. The reason Frost Powder was considered lost was that, while it was still recorded in books, no method of treatment could be found. If it had been anyone else, this man would surely have died today.
But this particular poison was something her master in her past life had studied extensively, even developing a cure. However, that was something that would only happen more than a decade in the future; even if she tried now, she would have had no clue.
Feeling the temperature of the man’s hand beginning to drop bit by bit, Xu Yuan did not dare to hesitate for a moment. With the resources she had, her priority was to suppress the toxicity.
"Yun Xiao, what is that lady’s background? Can she really heal our master?" Standing not far away, the other two men were still doubtful, though they dared not interrupt the treatment, only watching from a distance.
"What do you know? Would I risk our master’s life?" Yun Xiao felt a bit annoyed by their skepticism and recounted what had just happened.
After hearing what Yun Xiao said, the two men were even more shocked. They looked at Xu Yuan with awe; even they might not be able to use silver needles to defeat an enemy as Yun Xiao had described. And the woman herself, aside from the maid who had some martial skill, did not look like someone who practiced martial arts—it was truly remarkable.
Given the master’s current state, they could only pray that this lady would be able to wake him.
As Xu Yuan prepared to insert a silver needle behind the man's ear to draw blood, she was stunned by what she saw. Her body suddenly stiffened. Behind the man's left ear, there was actually...!!!