ALL NOVEL Compared to Yong Lin which still stood in face of enemy troops, Ye Li and her companions seemed way more relaxed by Yunlan River. As soon as the group was out of Yong Lin, Feng Zhi Yao left with men of Hidden Cloud Soldiers. Ye Li and Mo Xiu Yao headed back to the capital with their guards as well as Shen Yang who had just arrived.
Poor Doctor Shen who was physically very weak had come all the way here from the capital in merely ten days now was told that he needed to return to the capital before he even had a chance to take a rest. Shen Yang pointed at Mo Xiu Yao with a trembling finger as he said angrily: “I must have owed your family a big debt in my last life!” Ever since he gave phoenix grass to some prince who didn’t heed his doctor’s warning, Doctor Shen had become more and more ill-tempered.
“Mr. Shen.” The group made camp by Yunlan River. Ye Li only found time to talk to Shen Yang after Mo Xiu Yao brought Yun Ting and some other guys to hunt.
Shen Yang was reading a medical book heavy enough to be a murder weapon with a tight frown. Hearing Ye Li’s voice, he turned around, wanted to stand up and take a bow when she hurriedly shook her hand as she said: “It’s just us. There’s no need for formality, Mr. Shen.”
Not bothering with formality himself, Shen Yang sat down and put the book aside with a smile as he said: “My Lady, you’ve made a quick decision in this crisis that won you respect from men of Hidden Cloud Soldiers. I admire you for that as well. You are indeed a hero.”
Shaking her head, she had a bitter smile: “Mr. Shen, you are kind to say so. There’s no hero. I just acted as the situation demanded. You know why I’m here, right?”
Shen Yang stared at her for a good while before he finally sighed and spoke: “I don’t know whether it was right or wrong of me to have brought phoenix grass back.”
Ye Li shook her head again and said in a small voice: “It was His Highness’s idea to have phoenix grass. You’ve told him about all the possible consequences. His Highness has made his choice. Besides, what happened happened. It’s no help to ascertain where the responsibility lies. I just want to know how is His Highness now? Is there a fix?”
Staring at her, there was praise in Shen Yang’s eyes as he said in a serious tone: “I’ve studied phoenix grass and read a lot of ancient medical records. At first, phoenix grass was seen in places other than the east sea. It is also called Tail of Phoenix and was seen in our land in the past. According to ancient records, it was potent and highly toxic. However, it also didn’t go with most poison. It even gave those who took it a stronger body, which was why it was called a wonder fix. However, later it disappeared from this land quietly without being mentioned on modern records. His Highness has suffered a toxin with an extreme cold natural. Though Tail of Phoenix could suppress it, it couldn’t cure it. Thus, there are now two kinds of toxins in His Highness’s body which have reached a temporary balance. Yet it is in a vulnerable state and could break anytime. By then, even Fiery Lotus won’t work anymore.”
Ye Li nodded. “I remembered you said that two toxins would change in His Highness’s body.”
Shen Yang said: “True. It would have been better if one toxin counteracted the other. However, the current situation is two toxins have their own effects on His Highness. The cold one will only become colder, the hot one hotter. If a healthy person eats Fiery Lotus by mistake, his organs will be burned to ashes within seconds. Now if His Highness take Fiery Lotus on top of Tail of Phoenix, I’m afraid… he might die of fiery toxin before the cold toxin was cured.”
Ye Li’s brows drew tightly together. “Mr. Shen, will Green Void Flower work for His Highness?”
Surprised, Shen Yang went back to consideration. After a good while, he said: “Same as phoenix grass, Green Void Flower also remains in legend. It is said it can bring back the dead and prolong life. But… I’m not sure whether it will cure His Highness’s toxin. After all, it has been lost far before phoenix grass. I’ve only heard of it occasionally.”
Ye Li nodded and said: “I see. It is always good to have hope.”
Shen Yang asked a bit surprised: “You know where to find Green Void Flower, My Lady?”
She nodded slightly. “I’ll get it as soon as possible. Mr. Shen, please don’t speak to His Highness about it for now.” If she was to get Green Void Flower from the Sick Scholar, she couldn’t assign the task to anyone in the manor. Given the Sick Scholar’s hatred for Mo Xiu Yao, he might probably destroy Green Void Flower rather than let it fall in the palm of Prince Ding’s Manor. “How long will His Highness remain in his current state?”
Shen Yang lowered his eyes and said in a grave tone: “His Highness will be alright for a year and a half as long as there are no accidents. Besides, phoenix grass does work miracles, His Highness is better than he was. Only that… when moon turns full, he will be in great pain for the extreme heat and coldness in his body. In summer and autumn, he will suffer from the toxin of heat while in spring and winter, he will suffer from the toxin of coldness, which will be ten times more severe than what he has experienced.”
Recalling what she saw the other day in the study, Ye Li couldn’t imagine what kind of pain would turn a person like Mo Xiu Yao into that sorry state. “How about painkillers…?”
Shen Yang shook his head, a bit sad and said: “Painkillers don’t work anymore. Moreover… not only painkillers, but knockout drugs won’t work on His Highness as well.”
Felt a chill down her spine, Ye Li understood that meant Mo Xiu Yao wouldn’t be able to use painkillers or anesthetic if he was injured.
“Ah Li…”
Ye Li turned around and saw a man in white walk towards her smilingly. She lowered her head and hid her sadness then went to him.
Mo Xiu Yao turned to Shen Yang who took the book in his hands again and smiled to Ye Li. “Ah Li, what are you and Mr. Shen talking about?”
She smiled and answered: “I want to ask Mr. Shen about some medicine. I’ve seen several strange herbs when I was in Nan Zhao so I want to know what they can do.”
Mo Xiu Yao smiled. “Ah Li, you have a wide range of interests. Interested in medicine too?”
Ye Li shook her head. “I don’t have the gift for medicine but it is necessary to know herbs.”
He took her hand and walked towards the camp with a grin as he said: “I know. I’ve heard you asked your secret guards to memorize books on medicine and learn about herbs.”
Smilingly, Ye Li said: “Just common herbs. They can’t take herbs with them all the time, right?”
“You are right. Perhaps men of Hidden Cloud Soldiers can learn from your guards,” said Mo Xiu Yao pensively.
With a faint smile, she said: “Hidden Cloud Soldiers is different. It simply needs doctors with them or become doctors.”
Lowering his head, Mo Xiu Yao spoke as he watched her: “Ah Li, are you hiding something from me?”
She shook her head. “No, it’s just a thought. It might be a surprise if I do succeed.”
With a slight grin, he said: “I’ll wait. Let’s eat. A show is waiting for us.”