Soon, the bleeding stopped.
Mo Sigui picked her up and hurried back to the house.
Cheng Changying had already prepared everything. “This water was boiled half an hour ago and has cooled a bit. I’ve asked Pianpian to boil more.”
“Mm,” Mo Sigui quickly cut away Lou Mingyue’s clothes around the wound with scissors. He then pulled over a basin of water and used a cloth to clean the blood around the wound, while directly washing the wound with his prepared medicinal solution.
Everyone except An Jiu withdrew from the room.
Mo Sigui, with a grim expression, meticulously stitched the torn flesh back together, his forehead beading with sweat.
An Jiu wiped his brow clean with a cloth.
“You can go out now, I can manage alone,” Mo Sigui said.
An Jiu left without a word, putting down the cloth and turning to leave.
Outside the room, some stood while others sat. Little Moon, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly got up. Seeing An Jiu come out, Li Qingzhi asked, “How’s the situation? The doctor doesn’t look too good.”
“Probably fine,” An Jiu wasn’t sure if Lou Mingyue had other injuries.
Sui Yunzhu nodded, “The doctor’s poor complexion is likely because the injured person is Lou Er.”
If it were someone else, even if they were nearly bled dry, he would probably calmly apply needles without being emotionally affected.
“To wound Lou Er so severely, the opponent must be extraordinary. Qingzhi, come with me to check around the island, just in case,” Sui Yunzhu said.
“Alright,” Li Qingzhi agreed.
Zhu Pianpian brought in the boiled water, with Little Moon following. Only Cheng Changying and An Jiu remained outside.
After a moment of absent-mindedness, he suddenly asked, “Ajiu, have you ever met Lord Chu?”
“Once, why?” An Jiu asked.
“General Ling has always been steady and patient. Such a sudden change must have a reason. I’ve roughly calculated that he had already changed before you left the Northern camp. I thought…” Cheng Changying trailed off, hesitating.
“Thought what?” An Jiu had already guessed, “Is this related to Chu Dijiang?”
Cheng Changying looked at her and nodded slightly, “Perhaps the only one who can save General Ling is him, but he…”
Is the least likely person to save Ling Ziyue.
An Jiu said, “You’re telling me this because you want me to persuade him?”
“Yes,” Cheng Changying still looked sleepy, with faint dark circles around his narrow fox-like eyes, but he looked much better than before, showing that Zhu Pianpian had been taking good care of him recently.
“I also admire General Ling,” An Jiu said, then changed tack, “But I won’t persuade Chu Dijiang. If he wants Ling Ziyue to die, there must be a reason why Ling Ziyue must die.”
“If I’m not mistaken, he probably wants to use Ling Ziyue’s death to incite the Song people’s resistance against imperial power and Liao. Ajiu, do you know how risky this is?” Cheng Changying sighed, “One wrong move, and all is lost!”
Conservatives all shared Cheng Changying’s view.
“Why is the Storehouse Master concerning himself with these matters? Is Ling Ziyue your relative?” An Jiu was puzzled. Cheng Changying knew a lot but always kept to himself, only focusing on the small domain of the Konghe Institute, and never meddling in other affairs.
The strong smell of medicine wafted from the room. Cheng Changying glanced inside, “I’m just moved by it, that’s all. I just think that someone willing to risk everything for their country shouldn’t die for other reasons. If you don’t want to persuade him, just forget I said anything.”
Cheng Changying couldn’t bring himself to care deeply about the country, but that didn’t stop him from supporting those who did.
An Jiu looked at the door and windows, her lips slightly pursed.
“Also, before I left the Konghe Army, I saw news that the new Liao emperor had just ascended the throne not long ago and was gravely ill. Without heart blood, he wouldn’t live past five years. They’re determined to get it, so be careful,” Cheng Changying said.
“Mm,” An Jiu responded.
Seeing her lost in thought, Cheng Changying didn’t disturb her further. He leaned against a pillar and closed his eyes to rest. Soon, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He was used to being busy, having always survived that way. Now that he was idle, he felt a bit anxious, always feeling uneasy in his heart.