Chapter 286
Chapter 286
After sending Yelü Can away, Jiang Yunsui’s saplings were nearly ready.
“Will they survive if we plant them in this weather?”
“Winter is almost here.”
“Then we’ll keep cultivating them for a while,” Jiang Yunsui said.
She was currently working hard to divide and transplant the Moonlight Flowers.
The plot that had once grown watermelons was now almost entirely occupied by saplings, all from fruit trees Jiang Yunsui liked.
“Chirp, chirp…”
Through the bleak autumn wind, a large ball of Huohuo raced over and flung itself into her arms.
The little creature was still a fluffy bundle but had grown considerably. Its long, slender legs resembled a crane’s and gave it a tall appearance.
Young eagles were famously clumsy on the ground, like chickens that could only walk. Huohuo’s slim legs, however, carried it swiftly and with a touch of grace.
Its fiery-red down was beautiful.
“Huohuo, where did you go so early?”
Jiang Yunsui finished transplanting the last Moonlight Flower.
“Chirp, chirp…”
Huohuo opened its beak, and a glittering red object dropped into her hand.
Jiang Yunsui examined it in confusion.
“It’s a gemstone!”
It was a beautiful red gem. Uncut, it had an irregular shape.
Though only the size of a pigeon egg, its color alone revealed its beauty.
“Is this for me?”
Huohuo chirped and nodded.
Little Mushroom was delighted. She hugged its head and kissed it several times.
“My child has grown up and knows how to bring me gifts.”
She sounded like an old father.
Ji Si, following from the shadows, fell silent.
“Miss, the Young Master is looking for you.”
Dawa ran over, panting. Jiang Yunsui acknowledged him and went to find Ji Yan’an with Huohuo.
“Ji Yan’an, what is it?”
Shen Qingzhu was present. He removed the final silver needle from Ji Yan’an’s body, then looked toward Huohuo.
“The Young Master’s poison cannot be delayed any longer. His body has been conditioned well enough to begin detoxification. Otherwise, once the poison reaches the limit of what we can suppress and erupts, not even an immortal could save him.”
Jiang Yunsui immediately grew anxious.
“Then hurry and save him!”
But doing so meant taking Huohuo’s blood.
“How much blood?”
“Half a bowl,” Shen Qingzhu said. “If Huohuo were fully grown, that amount would not harm it. But it is still a young bird.”
They could not wait until adulthood.
“Don’t worry. We’ll carefully replenish its blood afterward.”
Even so, everyone looked at Huohuo with aching hearts.
Oblivious, Huohuo nudged Jiang Yunsui’s hand with its head.
She stroked it.
“Be good, Huohuo. I’ll give you lots and lots of delicious food afterward.”
Ji Yan’an also looked at the bird with distress.
But no matter how much it hurt, they still needed its blood.
The original purpose of seeking the Phoenix-Mimic Bird-and even hatching Huohuo-had been to use its blood for medicine.
They fed Huohuo food containing an anesthetic, and it soon fell asleep.
Shen Qingzhu began drawing blood.
After half a bowl was collected, even Huohuo’s feathers seemed dimmer.
Jiang Yunsui immediately channeled Imperial Flowing Essence into it.
Shen Qingzhu stopped the bleeding and fed it blood-replenishing pills.
“Give Huohuo two of these pills every day for the next several days.”
Jiang Yunsui nodded.
Shen Qingzhu left with the blood to prepare the antidote.
Huohuo woke that afternoon.
It was happy to find itself in Jiang Yunsui’s arms and tried to stand, only to discover it was too weak.
“Don’t move, Huohuo. You lost a lot of blood and need to rest.”
Huohuo stared blankly.
It did not understand what had happened, but it had no energy and remained listless.
Ji Yan’an arrived carrying a bowl of bee larvae.
They were plump and white and looked extremely nourishing.
They were also among Huohuo’s favorite foods.
Despite its weakness, Huohuo ate eagerly.
That night, Jiang Yunsui cultivated diligently beside the Moonlight Flowers. She absorbed Moonlight Essence and the Power of the Stars, then channeled that energy into the plants.
Many flowers bloomed that night.
She brought them all to Huohuo.
Naturally, Huohuo could not eat so many at once. The remainder were mixed with honey and made into its favorite candy beans, combining the flowers’ fragrance with honey’s sweetness.
Huohuo still did not understand what had happened, but Jiang Yunsui and Ji Yan’an stayed beside it for several days and fed it many delicious things.
Its spirits gradually recovered.
By the fifth day, Huohuo could run and jump again.
“Huohuo, don’t run outside.”
“We’re going to find Ji Yan’an.”
“Chirp…”
Hearing Ji Yan’an’s name, Huohuo obediently ran back.
But next door, Ji Yan’an was nowhere to be found. Nanshu and Nanmo were absent too.
Jiang Yunsui was confused.
“Nanny Zhou, where is Ji Yan’an?”
Nanny Zhou wore a smile, but it looked forced.
“Something happened at the barracks. The Young Master went to handle it and will return soon.”
Jiang Yunsui immediately sensed something wrong with her mood.
“But Shen Qingzhu said Ji Yan’an must rest.”
Unease rose in her heart.
She needed to know where he had gone.
If Nanny Zhou would not tell her, she would search herself.
“Milk Tea!”
Calling the eagle, Jiang Yunsui ran outside.
At the gate, she encountered a panicked Dawa.
“Miss, disaster! The Barbarians attacked Beizhen City last night!”
Jiang Yunsui immediately understood what Ji Yan’an was doing.
The Barbarians again!
Beizhen City’s public commander was absent, and most troops had been transferred to suppress the Prince of Nanyang.
With the First Prince’s assistance, the Barbarians naturally sought to exploit the weakness.
Because Ji Yan’an already knew their plan, he had prepared traps at several intended locations.
The infiltrators were captured. The Fifth Prince was furious and believed the First Prince had betrayed him. Seeking revenge, he persuaded his royal father to launch a larger operation.
The previous night, an elite Barbarian vanguard scaled Beizhen City’s walls. Patrols discovered them, and a fierce battle followed.
Several Barbarians still slipped into the city.
City Guards were now searching everywhere for “assassins.”
Jiang Yunsui did not know where to find Ji Yan’an.
Little Mushroom stamped her foot in anger-not at Ji Yan’an, but at the Barbarians.
Ji Yan’an was at a critical stage of detoxification. Nothing could be allowed to happen to him.
After thinking, she decided to find him anyway.
“Huohuo, stay home and don’t run around. I’ll be back soon.”
She lowered her presence until others overlooked her entirely and ran off to search for Ji Yan’an.