Chapter 10

Chapter 10

“Can Doctor Shen cure the poison?” Uncle Li asked hurriedly.

Shen Qingzhu explained, “Dark Dream was an elixir refined by sorcerers for ancient emperors seeking immortality. This substance puts the mind in a state of extreme clarity and heightened arousal.

“However, the later stages are accompanied by side effects: chronic insomnia and a susceptibility to nightmares when one finally does sleep. Over time, even while awake, the victim suffers from hallucinations, anorexia, and a gradual loss of emotional control.

“Eventually, they lose the ability to recognize those closest to them, viewing them instead as monsters threatening their lives, leading to mutual slaughter.”

Having finished his explanation, he stared at Ji Yan’an. “Furthermore, this effect is only achieved through long-term use.”

Ji Yan’an gave a bitter smile. Yes, long-term use.

It meant that someone closest to him had betrayed him.

Ji Yan’an was, after all, still a young man. Despite everything he had endured, he wasn’t afraid of dying. What he feared was that one day, unable to distinguish between reality and illusion, he would turn his blade against his own people.

To wake up and find the corpses of his loved ones scattered across the floor and his own hands stained with their blood-that would truly break him.

Beside them, Uncle Li was so anxious that tears began to fall.

“What can be done… Doctor Shen, I beg of you, please save our Young Master.”

Ji Yan’an’s eyes flickered with uncertain emotions, his voice sounding somewhat raspy.

“Since you can diagnose it, is there a cure?”

“If there is no cure, then I ask Doctor Shen to help me suppress it.”

At the very least, he needed enough time to settle his people so they wouldn’t be dragged back into the whirlpool of the imperial court.

“It can be treated.”

Before Uncle Li could rejoice, Shen Qingzhu added, “But not now.”

Uncle Li asked anxiously, “What… what does that mean?”

Ji Yan’an also watched him intently.

“I do not have the necessary medicines.”

Uncle Li asked impatiently, “Which medicinal ingredients are needed? We will go find them!”

Shen Qingzhu said, “Deep within the Yelang Kingdom’s Miaoling Mountains, there was once a divine bird called the Phoenix-like Bird. This bird resembles the legendary phoenix, with crimson feathers and a long tail.

“Its blood is an extremely precious medicinal ingredient. However, because of its value, it was hunted extensively. To this day, almost no one has seen one.

“In Nanzhao’s Ailao Mountains, there is a blue-purple Blue Spirit Serpent. It is massive and venomous, but its gallbladder is the ultimate antidote.

“The final ingredient is Snow Spirit Grass, which grows in the extreme cold of snowy peaks. This herb is entirely snow-white, save for its veins, which are gold.

“These three ingredients are essentially extinct. In any case, since I first learned of them, I have never seen them. There are only sparse records of these three medicines in the ancient texts I’ve consulted. Finding them will be difficult and extremely dangerous.

“The terrain of the Yelang Kingdom is complex and surrounded by mountains. The Miaoling Mountains are infested with venomous insects, making it easy to lose one’s way. Nanzhao is filled with toxic miasmas, and the Blue Spirit Serpent is not just a giant python, but a venomous one. As for finding Snow Spirit Grass in the vast snowy mountains, I need not tell you how difficult that would be.”

After hearing Shen Qingzhu’s words, Uncle Li felt his vision go dark.

“Is… is the Young Master’s poison truly so difficult to cure?!”

Shen Qingzhu began packing away his tools.

“Dark Dream was refined from rare ingredients that ancient emperors spent countless lives and fortunes to find. It later became a forbidden drug and its quantity is extremely scarce. it hasn’t appeared for a very long time.”

Uncle Li’s heart bled with hatred when he thought of those who had poisoned the Young Master.

Ji Yan’an let out a self-deprecating laugh. “They certainly were willing to pay the price.”

To use such a rare poison on him.

“Can Doctor Shen suppress it?”

Shen Qingzhu nodded. “Three years. I can only help you suppress it for three years.”

Ji Yan’an took a deep breath. “That is enough.”

With reddened eyes, Uncle Li vowed, “Rest assured, Young Master. Even if it costs this old servant his life, I will find those medicines for you!”
Ji Yan’an waved his hand dismissively. “We’ll see. I don’t have many people by my side right now, and I can’t afford to send them all out searching for medicine.”

Rather than dispatching men to hunt for dangerous and nearly impossible-to-find herbs, he preferred to settle everything that needed to be resolved within these next three years.

“Uncle Li, go prepare a room for Doctor Shen to stay in.”

Uncle Li nodded. “Doctor Shen, this way please.”

Shen Qingzhu gave a nod, bowed to Ji Yan’an, and turned to leave.

After they left, Ji Yan’an stayed alone in the room for a while. The lack of movement inside began to worry Nanny Zhou.

Finally, just as Nanny Zhou was about to lose her patience and knock on the door, Ji Yan’an’s voice came from within.

“Nanny Zhou.”

Nanny Zhou pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing this, Jiang Yunsui stood up, patted the dust off her clothes, and followed closely behind her.

“Prepare the meal.”

Ji Yan’an had composed his emotions. No matter what, even if he suffered from a loss of appetite, he had to force himself to eat. Otherwise, his body would completely collapse long before the three years were up.

Nanny Zhou gave him a worried look before heading out to prepare the food.

Jiang Yunsui stood there, looking first at Nanny Zhou and then at Ji Yan’an.

What about her? Who was she supposed to follow?

After thinking seriously for a few seconds, she decided to listen to Cook Chen and stay with the Young Master.

And so, she shuffled her little feet and slowly walked over to Ji Yan’an’s side.

“Then what should I do?”

Ji Yan’an, suddenly realizing there was still someone else in the room: “…”

“When did you get here?”

Jiang Yunsui straightened her small frame as she spoke. “I’ve been here for a while. I was outside, and then I followed Nanny Zhou in.”

Ji Yan’an looked at her hair and beckoned her over. “Come here.”

Jiang Yunsui obediently walked over.

Then, the hair on her head was pinched and given a little tug.

Jiang Yunsui pouted in dissatisfaction, her milky voice full of protest. “Don’t mess with my hair! If it gets ruined, it won’t look pretty anymore.”

Her cheeks puffed up with indignation, making the soft flesh bulge out.

Ji Yan’an was just in a bad mood and felt like being a bit mischievous. After teasing the child, his mood actually improved slightly.

He let go, and Jiang Yunsui immediately took two steps back, patting her hair.

Fortunately, it wasn’t messy.

She really liked the way Aunt Chen had styled her hair today.

Ji Yan’an said, “Go get me a book.”

He pointed toward the desk not far away.

Jiang Yunsui gave an “oh” and trotted over. She was a bit short and couldn’t see clearly what books were on the table, so she just stood on her tiptoes, stretched her small arms, and grabbed one at random.

“Here.”

“Can you read?”

Ji Yan’an glanced at the book and pointed to the large characters on the cover.

Jiang Yunsui shook her head without a moment’s hesitation.

“How dull. A girl your age and you’re still illiterate.”

Jiang Yunsui felt dejected. In her memories, it seemed like the original Jiang Yunsui had started learning to read. But when she searched her memory and looked at the characters again, they still felt very foreign.

Ji Yan’an pointed at the large characters on the book to teach her. “These characters are read as ‘The Art of War.’ Have you memorized them?”

Jiang Yunsui leaned in and then nodded confidently. “Mm, I remember.”

Ji Yan’an set the book down and told her to follow him. He sat down at the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote a character in a bold, flowing script.

After finishing, he picked up the paper and blew on the ink before calling Jiang Yunsui over.

“Come look. How do you read this character?”

Jiang Yunsui didn’t really want to go over. Why did he want her to recognize characters when she was just an illiterate Little Mushroom?

But she had to be obedient.

The little girl dawdled, pouting as she reluctantly approached his side.

She took a look, and her mind went blank.

It looked a bit familiar, but she wasn’t sure. She looked again.

The corners of Ji Yan’an’s mouth curled up. He rested his chin on his hand, watching with great interest as the little person’s face scrunched up in a miserable, worried frown.

His mood was getting even better.