Chapter 648 Snake Venom

Chapter 648: Snake Venom

Xingxing was about to ask Mao Fuqu if she wanted her pulse checked when a maid came running frantically from the main courtyard. Spotting Xingxing sitting by the roadside, the maid seemed to have found her savior and rushed over in panic.

"County Princess—"

The maid stumbled as she ran, collapsing right in front of Xingxing and Old Madam Wei.

Both Xingxing and Old Madam Wei were startled and hurried to help the maid up.

"County Princess, quick! Please go see our Dowager Duchess!" The maid scrambled to her feet, her face pale with urgency. "Our Dowager Duchess has been bitten by a snake!"

Xingxing and Old Madam Wei were both shocked.

Mao Fuqu also stood up anxiously. "...How could this happen out of nowhere? I’ll go check too."

The group hurried to the residence of the Dowager Duchess of Xin.

Upon reaching the guest courtyard, Zhao Ying quickly dashed to the side room where Xingxing stayed to fetch the medicine chest, while Xingxing, Old Madam Wei, and Mao Fuqu went straight into the Dowager Duchess’s room.

The Dowager Duchess’s room was quite spacious. As Xingxing entered, she saw Jiao Shi, Yu Mingzhu, Yu Chongen, and Yu Chongjie all present.

The Dowager Duchess lay on the bed, while Jiao Shi supported the delicate Yu Mingzhu, helping her sit to one side. Yu Chongen and Yu Chongjie looked frantic with worry.

Xingxing’s gaze paused briefly at the blood at the corner of Yu Mingzhu’s mouth.

Jiao Shi, however, rushed forward and grasped Xingxing’s hand, her voice trembling. "Xingxing, you’re finally here! Please, quickly check my mother and Zhu Zhu! They’ve been poisoned by snake venom!"

Having already noticed the blood on Yu Mingzhu’s lips, Xingxing had a rough idea of what happened. Now, hearing Jiao Shi’s words, she figured it out—most likely, the Dowager Duchess had been bitten by a snake, and Yu Mingzhu had sucked the poison out for her.

Without wasting time, Xingxing first checked the Dowager Duchess’s pulse.

Her pulse confirmed snake venom poisoning.

The Dowager Duchess wasn’t doing well—her breathing was rapid, and her face was turning purplish-red.

Xingxing immediately pulled out a pillbox from the pouch at her waist and gave one pill to the Dowager Duchess, whose breathing was already labored.

The pill melted the moment it touched her tongue. The Dowager Duchess closed her eyes and tried to catch her breath.

Jiao Shi fretted, "...Zhu Zhu sucked the poison out for her grandmother. County Princess, please check Zhu Zhu too."

Xingxing nodded.

Though she disliked Yu Mingzhu, she wouldn’t let her die.

Yu Mingzhu held out her wrist, and Xingxing checked her pulse, finding that her poisoning wasn’t as severe as the Dowager Duchess’s.

Xingxing handed Yu Mingzhu an antidote pill and added, "In the future, don’t use your mouth to suck out snake venom. You’d just poison yourself too."

Yu Mingzhu gave a weak smile and took the pill. "She’s my grandmother. I didn’t care about the risk."

Jiao Shi was heartbroken. "Zhu Zhu has always been the sweetest girl since childhood. Of course she couldn’t just watch her grandmother suffer."

Xingxing figured it was lucky the snake’s venom wasn’t deadly, and that she always carried antidotes when going into the mountains. Otherwise, this method would’ve just poisoned her too.

"County Princess," Jiao Shi asked worriedly, "will they be okay after taking these pills?"

Xingxing shook her head: "It's not that simple. These pills are just the first step to counter the poison. Some poison will remain in their bodies. I'll prescribe some medicine for Grandmother and Miss Yu to drink a bowl daily. In about ten days, the toxins should be completely cleared."

Upon hearing this, Lady Jiao clutched her chest and sighed in relief: "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Lady Jiao then chided Yu Mingzhu with concern: "Child, you can't keep acting so rash. I know you care for your grandmother, but you can't be so impulsive."

Yu Mingzhu leaned weakly into Lady Jiao's embrace: "Mother, I understand."

The tender mother-daughter moment was moving, but Xingxing didn't look.

She sat by the Dowager Duchess of Xin's bedside. After taking the special snakebite antidote, the dowager's symptoms eased considerably, and her vision cleared.

The Dowager Duchess reached out to touch Xingxing's cheek: "We're so lucky you were here."

Still holding Yu Mingzhu, Lady Jiao immediately added: "Mother, Zhu Zhu was beside herself with worry. When she heard you were bitten, she was determined to suck the poison out—I couldn't stop her."

The Dowager Duchess said calmly, "Mingzhu helped too."

Xingxing asked, "How are you feeling? The pill has suppressed the venom, but the bite wound still needs cleaning and disinfection."

The Dowager Duchess raised her arm as instructed: "The bite is here."

Xingxing opened the healing kit brought by Zhao Ying and carefully cleaned the wound before applying antiseptic powder.

"Done. Keep the wound dry for the next few days," Xingxing instructed after finishing.

Nanny Qingluan stood nearby, eyes red from fright, nodding repeatedly.

Xingxing turned to her: "Nanny, where was Grandmother when she was bitten? And was the snake killed?"

Nanny Qingluan wiped her tears quickly: "Grandmother hadn't gone anywhere. She attended the Land and Water Ceremony this morning and returned to rest. Who would've thought a venomous snake would slip in through the window and bite her on the daybed?"

She pointed to the slightly open window with visible snake trails, still visibly shaken by the memory.

"That snake was caught in a bag after biting her—terrifying... Thank God you were here," Nanny Qingluan said tearfully. "Without you, Grandmother might have..."

She choked up, unable to continue.

Yu Chongen fumed at this, feeling Zhu Zhu's bravery was being ignored.

His sister had risked her life for their grandmother—didn't that count for something?

But since Nanny Qingluan was their grandmother's most trusted attendant, he dared not criticize her. Suppressing his anger, he said stiffly, "...Has the abbess of White Cloud Temple arrived yet? How could a venomous snake enter the guest quarters? What kind of oversight is this?"

At his words, Lady Jiao panicked again: "To think venomous snakes are here... Zhu Zhu has stayed so long..."

Yu Mingzhu reassured her mother: "Don't worry, Mother. While the nuns have seen snakes while sweeping leaves, this is the first one to get inside. It's rare."

Moved by her daughter's kindness despite suffering poisoning and distress, Lady Jiao held her tighter.

Just then, the abbess of White Cloud Temple hurried in. She turned pale when she heard of the incident, explaining: "Dowager Duchess, in all my years here, we've only had one or two snake bites. This was truly an accident."

After a pause, she added, "Maybe all the activity for the Ceremony stirred up the snakes."

The Dowager Duchess of Xin had no intention of pursuing the matter at that moment and merely said calmly, "Still, I must trouble the abbess to prepare some realgar powder (used to repel pests) and sprinkle it outside the house."

The abbess of Baiyun Temple thanked her repeatedly before leaving.

Earlier, the Dowager Duchess had pushed herself to speak at length, but now, weakened by the poison, she was utterly exhausted. She closed her eyes and sank into a heavy sleep.

The group quietly exited the Dowager Duchess's room.

However, after only a few steps, Jiao Shi let out a cry: "Zhu Zhu!"

Yu Mingzhu had turned pale and collapsed against Jiao Shi.

Jiao Shi immediately called for Xingxing: "Lady Xingxing, please come quickly! Please, check on my daughter!"

Xingxing stepped forward right away and examined Yu Mingzhu. "She’s alright. She just needs proper rest."

Yu Chongjie strode forward, lifted the unconscious Yu Mingzhu, and hurried off with her to her room.

Mao Fuqu hesitated briefly but said nothing, simply quickening her pace to follow.

Soon enough, everyone had dispersed, clearly all heading to Yu Mingzhu’s quarters.

Xingxing shared a look with Wei Pozi, and the grandmother and granddaughter returned to their own room to change clothes—they had spent the morning digging wild vegetables, and their clothes were a bit muddy.

Normally, Wei Pozi wouldn’t care, but now they were here with noblewomen from the Duke’s household for prayers.

Wei Pozi mused wistfully, “...Being nobility isn’t as easy as it seems.”

...

The group escorted Yu Mingzhu back to her room in Baiyun Temple in a flurry.

Though small, the room was neatly arranged by Yu Mingzhu.

However, compared to her former boudoir, it was a far cry—practically shabby.

At the sight, Jiao Shi’s eyes welled up, and she nearly shed tears of heartache.

Yu Chongjie gently laid the unconscious Yu Mingzhu on the bed.

"Look at this bed—only two thin layers of bedding! Your sister has been pampered since childhood. How could she endure this?" Jiao Shi said tearfully.

Yu Chongjie also felt a twinge of guilt.

He stood silently.

Jiao Shi, overwhelmed with bitterness, was boiling with resentment.

Her gaze fell on Mao Fuqu, standing quietly in a corner, and she snapped.

If it weren’t for Mao Shi’s inability to give birth to a son, her daughter would never have had to suffer in such a place!

She said sharply, "Mao Shi! In the past, Zhu Zhu was spoiled by us, and perhaps she wronged you. But as you can see, she has suffered and changed! Once this Land and Water Ceremony is over, I will take her back to the mansion. When we return, let bygones be bygones—do you understand?"

Yu Chongjie’s lips twitched slightly, as if he wanted to defend Mao Fuqu.

But in the end, he said nothing.

Mao Fuqu stood there quietly with her head bowed. After a long pause, she finally murmured, "Don't worry, Mother."

Yu Chongjie felt strangely uneasy.

Jiao Shi was boiling with rage.

This Mao Shi had been married into the family for four years without giving birth to a male heir, yet Jiao Shi had still given her face!

If in the future her Zhu Zhu suffered even the slightest hardship because of Mao Fuqu, no one could blame her for showing no mercy!

Jiao Shi clenched the handkerchief in her fist.

"What is this?"

Yu Chongen suddenly spoke up.

He pointed at a thick stack of papers on the table, tinged with blood.

Yu Chongjie’s eyelids twitched. He strode forward, flipped through them, and a full-body shudder ran through him.

These were sutras written in ink infused with blood!

It was believed that scriptures written in blood-ink carried deeper devotion, making prayers more likely to be granted when burned.

And these blood-inked scriptures were time-honored prayers for the health and happiness of one's family.

With trembling hands, Jiao Shi leafed through the pages. This thick stack—how many nights had Mingzhu labored over it?

Unable to hold back any longer, Jiao Shi hurried back to Yu Mingzhu’s bedside and gently pried open Mingzhu’s clenched fingers.

Upon closer inspection, Yu Mingzhu’s ten fingers were pockmarked with healed puncture wounds!

Clutching her mouth, Jiao Shi broke into sobs.

Her Zhu Zhu!

God knows how many sleepless nights she had endured, pricking her fingers, drawing blood to mix into ink, and devoutly transcribing prayers for her family’s well-being.

Tears streamed down Jiao Shi’s face.

"This foolish child… The fingers connect to the heart—how much must it have hurt…"

She shook with weeping.

Yu Chongjie felt a pang in his chest as well.

Jiao Shi refused to leave Yu Mingzhu’s room, insisting on staying by her side.

Yu Chongjie escorted the wordless Fuqu away, heading back to their own courtyard to rest.

"Fuqu," he began, visibly moved, "since I first brought up bringing Zhu Zhu back home, you’ve seemed troubled."

"You saw just now yourself—Zhu Zhu has truly repented… Can’t you…" His voice carried a note of restraint.

Mao Fuqu raised her eyes, managing a thin smile. "Can’t I what? What exactly can’t I do? You and Mother both want me to forgive her. Rest assured, of course I will."

Yu Chongjie still looked uncertain. "Truly?"

Mao Fuqu, as if too weary to humor him any further, gave a wry twist of her lips and lowered her head again. "Of course it’s true."

Unable to contain his excitement, Yu Chongjie grabbed Mao Fuqu’s hands. "Fuqu, I knew it—you’ve always been big-hearted… Don’t worry, from now on, I’ll treat you and Zhu Zhu equally. Whatever Zhu Zhu has, you’ll have too!"

Listening to his words, Mao Fuqu wanted to laugh and cry at once.

Just listen—should she even thank the Great Young Master Yu? What virtue or ability did she, Mao Fuqu, possess to deserve being "treated equally" in his eyes?

Ha! To put it bluntly, why doesn’t the noble Young Master Yu demand Mingzhu bear his heir too?