Chapter 18: Ginseng Is Not Medicine

What a nuisance, causing such a stir in the middle of the night.

Tang Chaochao felt the cold wind blowing in through the window and instinctively pulled her neck into her collar. She didn't want to go; it was freezing, and she just wanted to sleep. Seeing her hesitation, Axi looked as if he were about to burst into tears.

Tang Chaochao pouted, complaining, "Why did he have to have an episode now, of all times?"

But she let it go. If she didn't go, there was no telling what kind of commotion this fellow would cause. If he ended up drawing her parents here and they discovered a man in her room in the middle of the night, it would be quite troublesome to explain, even if she could clear her name.

Inside the small courtyard where Prince Lin resided, Anan was anxiously pacing by the door. Abei was still busy applying needles to Prince Lin, trying to suppress the toxins in his body. The man on the bed was deathly pale, fine beads of sweat constantly rolling down his temples. His thin lips were pressed tightly together, as if he were enduring excruciating pain. Veins bulged on his neck, and dark, poisonous streaks were slowly spreading across his skin.

When Tang Chaochao walked in and saw this, she pinched the bridge of her nose. Good heavens, the poison that had finally stabilized was actually showing signs of spreading again. She stepped forward and shoved Abei aside.

Abei, who had been completely focused, was suddenly interrupted and his face darkened with anger. He was about to lash out, but Anan and Axi—who had followed her in—held him back. When he looked again, he saw that every single needle he had placed on the Prince had been pulled out by this woman who had suddenly burst in.

"What do you think you're doing?"

His sharp, instinctive interrogation was met with a glare from Tang Chaochao that could cut like a knife. Her voice was laced with the irritation of someone dragged out of bed in the dead of night.

"If you want your master to live, drag him out of here!"

Abei gritted his teeth, wanting to kill this ignorant, arrogant Taoist girl. But he found his arms pinned by his two companions, and to his utter disbelief, he was dragged out by them.

"Have you both lost your minds?" he roared in fury.

Axi wanted to offer an explanation, but Tang Chaochao’s impatient voice came from behind them.

"Seal his mouth!"

Axi didn't know why his hands acted faster than his brain. By the time he thought to cover Abei’s mouth, his hands were already doing it. Abei was livid, but before he could struggle, Anan delivered a swift chop to his neck, knocking him unconscious.

The room door shut tight, leaving only a warm glow filtering through the window. Anan stood by the door and signaled for Axi to carry Abei back to the room next door. Earlier that day, Abei had returned, claiming to have found a century-old ginseng root in the mountains. They had been so happy that they brewed a ginseng soup for the Prince, never expecting that the Prince, who had been recovering well, would vomit blood immediately after drinking it and collapse shortly after. Back in the capital, the Prince had consumed even five-hundred-year-old ginseng without any issues.

This situation left the three of them in a panic. Abei had checked the Prince’s pulse and body but couldn't find a clue. Anan had no choice but to send Axi to fetch the Second Miss Tang.

Deep into the night, the door to the Prince’s room finally opened, and Tang Chaochao stepped out, looking exhausted. Anan asked anxiously, "How is His Highness?"

Tang Chaochao shot him a look of annoyance. "If he takes any more medicine other than what I provide, he’s as good as dead!"

She had said when she first arrived that he was not to be given any medicine outside of her prescription. It appeared they hadn't taken her words to heart. Tang Chaochao was furious.

Anan glanced into the room and saw that the Prince’s complexion had eased. He explained, "Second Miss Tang, is there a misunderstanding? We haven't given the Prince any other medicine."

Axi walked over, looking equally baffled. "We only gave the Prince some ginseng soup today!"

Tang Chaochao rolled her eyes. "Are you pig-headed? Isn't ginseng medicine?"

Axi wanted to say it was just a supplement, but Anan tugged at him and offered an apologetic bow to Tang Chaochao. "It was our oversight."

Tang Chaochao couldn't be bothered with them; she wanted to go back to sleep. Just then, the door to the adjacent room was flung open. A figure charged out and, without a word, attacked Tang Chaochao. Without a second thought, she lifted her leg and kicked out.

Anan and Axi shouted simultaneously, "Abei, stop!" "Abei, don't!"

As they yelled, they both lunged forward. Seeing his two brothers charging at him, Abei instinctively pulled back his strike. Tang Chaochao, however, did not pull back her leg; she kicked hard into the waist of Axi, who had thrown himself in front of Abei.

Axi let out a cry of pain, but seeing that Abei still wanted to attack, he grit his teeth and grabbed him. "Abei, don't be impulsive! She is the one who has been treating the master all this time."

Abei froze upon hearing this. He looked Tang Chaochao up and down and said uncertainly, "She’s only a girl. Are you sure you haven't been fooled by her?"

Anan explained, "Abei, the Prince is already out of danger."

Abei turned his head to look at the room behind him in disbelief. "Let me go! I need to see the Prince."

Axi loosened his grip slightly, still watching Abei warily to ensure he wouldn't try anything. Abei had no time for him; once free, he rushed into the room.

As Tang Chaochao turned to leave, Anan quickly cupped his hands in apology. "Second Miss Tang, Abei just returned today and didn't recognize you. Please forgive him."

Tang Chaochao paused and suddenly said, "Tell your master to pack up and return to the capital."

Axi thought Tang Chaochao was angry and intended to stop treating the Prince. He panicked and wanted to step forward to stop her, but found that Tang Chaochao was already gone. He looked at Anan. "I think the 'Grand Aunt' is angry. I should take Abei to apologize to her!"

Anan looked at the night sky and shook his head. "Let's wait for the Prince to wake up and ask him first." He felt that what the Second Miss meant was not that she wanted to stop treating the Prince.

The next morning, Prince Lin opened his eyes slightly and saw Abei kneeling by the bed. His cold, clear voice was tinged with hoarseness. "What happened?"

Seeing the Prince awake, Abei bowed his head. "It was my foolishness. I misunderstood Second Miss Tang last night and angered her. I will go and kneel at the gates of the Tang manor and beg for her forgiveness so she will return to treat you."

Last night, after checking the Prince’s pulse again, he had discovered that the toxins had indeed been suppressed and even faded significantly. While shocked, he realized he had misjudged the young Taoist girl. When he tried to apologize, she was already gone. After Axi explained everything to him throughout the night, Abei was filled with regret. That was why he was kneeling there, intending to ask the Prince for punishment before going to seek Tang Chaochao's pardon.

Prince Lin was helped into a sitting position by Anan and asked for the reason. Anan briefly recounted what happened after he lost consciousness and repeated what Tang Chaochao had said before leaving.

Prince Lin pondered for a long while. The image of that girl puffing out her cheeks flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile. This sight left his three personal guards in a daze.

Prince Lin’s expression soon returned to normal. "Then we shall listen to her. Pack up; we are returning to the capital."

Abei grew anxious. "But, Your Highness, your illness..."

Before he could finish, Prince Lin said, "You made a mistake, so you must be punished. Once we return to the capital, you will go and serve as her shadow guard."

Axi asked in surprise, "Does Your Highness mean that the 'Grand Aunt' is also returning to the capital?"

Prince Lin did not answer, merely shifting his gaze elsewhere.