CH 54

Don’t die out there

Ming Qin gave a bathtub and water basin used by Murong Yan to a maid waiting outside the room, and as she did so, she noticed her Master and the well-known Doctor Ren approaching her from a distance.

She blinked, trying to make out their words by reading their lips.

“The situation looks grim.”

“If things continue this way, we can only hope to maintain the Princess’s condition, recovery seems impossible.”

“This poison is unlike anything we’ve seen before. It’s devious and has no known record in any of our books.”

“If we can’t find a cure, what will happen?”

“Perhaps we could seek out Wang Wei.”

“Wang Wei? The mad doctor who was expelled from the palace?”

“Yes, although he’s eccentric and not always reliable, he’s a master of pharmacology. If anyone could find a solution, it would be him, but…”

“But what?”

“It is said that he was sent to Jingzhou, but we don’t know where exactly. Besides, he has a strange temper. Even if the Emperor ordered him to be brought back, he may not be willing…”

“Let me go!”

The sudden voice interrupted their conversation.

“Qin Qin?” Gu Yun looked at the figure in black that had suddenly appeared.

“Master, let me go find Wang Wei and convince him to return to the capital,” said Ming Qin, standing in front of the two with a sincere and anxious expression on her face. “I can do it.”

Gu Yun thought for a moment. “I remember you sent Doctor Wang to Jingzhou five years ago?”

“Yes, Wang Wei should still recognize me,” Ming Qin said, patting her chest earnestly. Without waiting for Gu Yun and Doctor Ren to respond, she continued, “If I go to find him, there’s a better chance of bringing him back to the capital.”

“Let me give it a try,” she said with conviction.

“But Qin Qin, you haven’t rested for several days,” Gu Yun said, thinking of her beloved child who had been on the road without rest since leaving Shu. “Why not choose some junior brothers and sisters from the shadow guard camp to go with you?”

“To travel from the capital to Jingzhou and back within twenty days, we must ride fast horses,” Ming Qin replied, shaking her head and analyzing the pros and cons in a clear tone. “Master, the junior brothers and sisters are not yet accustomed to such hardships, such as the kind of non-stop travel day and night. Only I can do it.”

Since last winter, when He Jingshou had protected Murong Wan and was injured by soldiers of the deposed Crown Prince, Lin Yan had taken on the training work as the eldest senior brother and had been busy every day. Song Shu Qing had to stay in the capital to take care of Murong Yan and assist in making medicine, so she couldn’t go with Ming Qin.

Moreover…

Ming Qin thought to herself.

She was already the fastest in the entire camp, and if she was the only one, she would be more confident in bringing Wang Wei back to the capital in a limited time to treat Yan Yan.

She must do it.

No.

She had to do it.

“Okay.” Looking at the persistent Ming Qin, Gu Yun compromised without knowing anything about her physical condition, “Indeed, you are the best candidate for rushing on the road. Get a copy of the Princess’s pulse and medication records from Shu Qing tomorrow morning, and…”

“I’ll leave tonight.” Ming Qin interrupted her Master’s words and turned around to leave, as if she couldn’t stay any longer. While speaking, she said, “I will definitely bring Doctor Wang back.”

When Ming Qin rushed into the pharmacy and asked her senior sister for things in a hurry, Song Shu Qing just stood there silently with her arms crossed, staring at her.

“Senior Sister, I need to leave the city quickly. Please give me a record,” Ming Qin pleaded urgently. Seeing her senior sister remain motionless, she grew more anxious. “The journey to Jingzhou is far, and I need to set off quickly.”

Without a word, Song Shu Qing reached into a wooden box on the wall, grabbed something, and shoved it into Ming Qin’s mouth. She then asked, “Is it tasty?”

Confused by her senior sister’s actions, Ming Qin chewed a few times and said, “It’s tasty, it’s tasty. Senior Sister, about the pulse and medicine…”

“Hmph,” Song Shu Qing sneered, her hand tightly clenched into a fist. “Even Huang Lian said it was tasty. Do you have to wait until you die halfway to realize how bad your physical condition is? Give me your wrist.”

“I… I…”

“You… you… you idiot,”

Song Shuqing snapped, gritting her teeth. “If you die because of the Princess, even if she wakes up, she won’t be happy. You saved her life but killed her heart. Do you understand?”

She had been optimistic that the extra month granted by the former Crown Prince would allow the Princess to recover smoothly. Then the entire medical center could focus on treating her junior sister’s poison.

But now, so many days had passed, and the Princess’s condition had not improved, let alone focusing on treating Qin Qin.

It’s annoying. She only took biology as an elective in college in her past life, and as for the advanced medicine of the 21st century, she knew nothing about it. Damn it!

“But I have to go to Jingzhou myself. Doctor Wang has a peculiar personality, but I’m familiar with him. Only I have the best chance of persuading him to help us,” said Ming Qin calmly, looking at the pale-faced Song Shu Qing.

She lowered her head and paused before continuing, “I know, I know that Yan Yan will be upset when she wakes up. She’s such a good person and wouldn’t want anyone to die for her. So, senior sister… please don’t tell her. You have to help me keep this a secret.”

Ming Qin raised her head and spoke firmly, “No matter what, don’t let her find me. Let her think that I’m still missing.”

Seeing the woman in front of her remain silent and unresponsive, Ming Qin became anxious and reached out to hold her hand. “Senior sister, please, you’re the best at lying, aren’t you? You’ve never been caught by our Master since we were young. Although Yan Yan can always tell when I’m lying, you’re so good that you can fool her…”

“Shut up!”

“Why aren’t you talking? You’re the best at lying…” Song Shu Qing interrupted, irritatedly shaking off her junior sister’s hand. She reluctantly took out a bottle of pills from her sleeve and said, “Take two pills with your meals every day. That should be enough for a month.”

She turned around impatiently, picked up a brush, and began writing medical records while muttering, “Time is running out, and these pills were made hastily. I don’t know if they’ll work or not, but you still have to take them properly.”

“Senior sister!” Ming Qin exclaimed as she took the wooden bottle, jumping up and down with excitement. She hugged her senior sister and was about to twirl around, saying, “I knew you were the best!”

“No, no, no…” Song Shu Qing quickly pushed away the persistent Ming Qin, fearing that her hands would be stained with ink.

She continued writing, looking very focused.

As Ming Qin excitedly ran around the pharmacy for the fourth time, Song Shu Qing spoke in an indifferent tone, “Don’t die out there.”

Ming Qin, who didn’t notice her Senior Sister’s words, continued to bounce around with joy.

“If you must die, at least do it in front of me, so that I don’t feel helpless and powerless,” added Song Shu Qing, blinking her feverish eyelids.

She only hoped that she wouldn’t have to use the ink that hadn’t dried in front of her.