The shadow vanished with a swish.
Yun Lang looked at the utterly flustered woman and gave a self-mocking smile. "My own sister... wanted to kill me... And you, little blind girl... actually wanted to save me..."
"This world is truly bizarre... Don't you think it would be much better if you and her swapped places?"
With every word he spoke, the blood from the wound in his chest flowed more fiercely.
Chu Ruoyan felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Shut up! Would you die if you said less?!"
Yun Lang coughed twice, smiling indifferently. "I'm about to die... Won't you even let me speak my mind freely?"
Chu Ruoyan turned her face away, two clear trails of tears falling.
Yun Lang reached out and wiped them for her. "Don't cry... You little blind girl, you're just too kind-hearted... But in life, it's not enough to just have a good heart; you must also be able to protect yourself, understand?"
Every sentence he uttered sounded like a final testament.
Chu Ruoyan bit her lip, suppressing her sobs. "Of course I can protect myself! Who needs you to worry!"
Yun Lang smiled, his gaze drifting far away. "Yes... I worry too much... Hongxiu wants revenge, Old Du wants justice for his wife and child... I've always held them back, not wanting them to throw their lives away... Perhaps that was wrong..."
"Little blind girl, truth be told, the Yun family didn't govern well... During the reign of Ning Imperial Uncle, exorbitant taxes, corruption, and fraud were rampant... It wasn't entirely his fault; it was accumulated malpractice. The Great Sheng dynasty was already a gilded ruin, crumbling from within... It's just that he was there, holding it together, barely preventing an explosion..."
The 'he' he referred to was his biological father, the Prince Regent.
Yan Zheng had said more than once that if there was one person in this world who could avert disaster and prop up the collapsing realm, it would only be him.
A god of slaughter in troubled times, ruling with severe laws.
He once buried 50,000 surrendered soldiers alive, and with his ailing body, he sustained the tottering empire.
Chu Ruoyan, afraid he would breathe his last right then, hurriedly said, "So, you don't want to restore the former dynasty because you don't wish to repeat its mistakes, is that right?"
"Right..." Yun Lang looked at her. "Murong Feng, though mediocre, has capable people under him... Your father, Yan Zheng's father, Cao Yang, Gu Sun, and the Rongs... As long as they heed good counsel... it... it won't be too bad..."
Chu Ruoyan nodded vigorously. "So you did nothing wrong. Stopping Hongxiu and Shopkeeper Du from seeking revenge was to let them live. Not wanting to restore the dynasty was to avoid reigniting war and spare the common people from its suffering... Yun Lang, none of your choices were wrong. So you should live, and see with your own eyes that your cousin and the others are mistaken!"
Yun Lang shook his head. "I'm tired... My eldest brother has had no news till now; he must be dead... And Mother will never regain her senses..." With great effort, he sat up and grabbed Chu Ruoyan's shoulders. "Little blind girl, listen carefully... Yan Zheng will surely return victorious this time. You... you must make him resign from his official post..."
Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips tightly together. "I know, I know all of it! Stop talking!"
Blood bubbles kept frothing at the corner of Yun Lang's mouth, yet he still spoke. "Merit that overshadows the ruler leads to discarded bows once the birds are gone... No matter who sits on the throne, it... it will always be so... Remember this!"
As the last two words fell, the man closed his eyes and sank heavily backward.
Chu Ruoyan, horrified, reached out to grab him but only caught a piece of his crimson sleeve.
Her heart felt like it was leaping out of her throat. At that critical moment, a long, slender silver needle was slapped onto his back—
"You reckless boy, reckless boy, reckless boy! Did I owe your family in my past life? Saved your father, saved your mother, couldn't save your mother, and now you want to die too. Is your whole family addicted to dying, huh?"
The voice, filled with anger and indignation, now sounded like heavenly music to her ears.
Chu Ruoyan cried out in surprise and relief. "Old Divine Physician, save him quickly!"
"I know!" Qin Yiru first sealed several major acupoints to protect the heart meridian, then pried open Yun Lang's mouth and fed him a pill. "I long guessed this reckless boy would have a day like this. My Nine Revolutions Soul-Returning Pill can finally be of use!"
Chu Ruoyan slumped to the ground as if exhausted, her back drenched in cold sweat.
Yun Lang had truly frightened her to death. How could there be someone in this world so intent on seeking death?
Fortunately, the old divine physician had arrived, giving her a much-needed dose of reassurance.
Yulu came over to help her up and asked, "Miss, what should we do with this person?"
Chu Ruoyan glanced at Piaoxu's corpse, disgust flashing in her eyes. "She must have been bribed by Yun Lang's cousin, to betray us at such a critical moment! Send her to the Hundred Insights Pavilion. This will also serve as notice to them, so Roumin doesn't get to tell her side of the story first!"
"Yes!"
She then ordered people to carry Yun Lang into the house. Strangely, Fubao, who usually disliked outsiders and would even bark for half a day if maids from another courtyard came near, was quietly lying under the bed.
The puppy's clear black-and-white eyes were fixed intently on Yun Lang, seeming very worried...
Chu Ruoyan was momentarily stunned by the sight. Qin Yiru called out, "Girl Chu, come here, give this old man a hand!"
She hurried over and, following the old divine physician's instructions, supported Yun Lang.
Whoosh—
The hairpin was pulled out, and spurting blood splashed onto her face.
Yet Qin Yiru's ten fingers moved like the wind, barely needing a clear look to temporarily stop the bleeding. Watching the blood still seeping through the white cloth, Chu Ruoyan couldn't help but ask, "The wound is near his heart. Can he survive?"
Qin Yiru shot her a look. "Look clearly, it's two inches next to the heart. If it were truly in the heart, this old man would be here to collect his corpse!"
Anxiety had clouded her judgment. Chu Ruoyan finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Then I leave everything in your hands!"
She turned to leave, but Qin Yiru added, "Don't just focus on young Lang. You yourself are with child. Go rest quickly, lest we save this one only for that one to collapse!"
Chu Ruoyan was taken aback. She didn't recall asking the old divine physician to examine her, did she?
Qin Yiru said, "I checked your pulse just now while attending to him. Hey, you're carrying twins."
"Twins? Is it true?" Yulu exclaimed in delight. Chu Ruoyan was also stunned for a moment, then pulled her outside. "Let's not disturb the old divine physician from saving him. We'll talk about it later."
Back in her room, she originally intended to take a short nap, but unexpectedly slept until evening.
Upon waking, she hurried over, only to find a long line formed in the courtyard. Qin Yiru was actually checking the pulses of the servants one by one.
"Your qi and blood are too deficient. If you don't start nourishing them, you'll surely go bald!"
"And you, so young yet indulging excessively. Be careful of kidney depletion!"
Chu Ruoyan quickly walked in. The servants, embarrassed, called out "Miss" and scattered like birds and beasts.
She paid them no mind and only asked, "Old Divine Physician, what about Yun Lang?"
"Come, let's go inside to talk."
Chu Ruoyan followed him in. On the bed, the man with red clothes and white hair was sleeping quietly, his breathing normal.
Chu Ruoyan breathed a sigh of relief. "He's alright?"
"Alright?" Qin Yiru gave a cold laugh. "I suppose you could say he's alright. It's just that he's set on dying, so he won't wake up."
Chu Ruoyan was startled. "Like my uncle-in-law was before?"
"Completely different. Your uncle-in-law suffered a severe head trauma, making it hard for his consciousness to clear. As for him?" Qin Yiru glanced sideways, sneering repeatedly. "His heart is like dead ashes. He won't take water or food. I estimate he has at most five or six days left."
