Xie Lin truly couldn’t understand.
He had leaked the news about the palace maids being buried alive to Jiang Yunshu simply because he couldn’t stand seeing her eat heartily and sleep soundly every day—he wanted to watch her cry.
But how could she have agreed to trade her own eyeballs for the lives of her maids?
Unable to hold back, Xie Lin finally asked.
Jiang Yunshu replied, "Taoye and Zhezhi are like sisters to me."
Xie Lin still didn’t get it. So what if they were like sisters?
Even if his own parents were alive, he wouldn’t trade his eyeballs for their lives.
Before this, Xie Lin had thought Jiang Yunshu was a fool. Now, he realized she wasn’t just a fool—she was downright insane!
Xie Lin led Jiang Yunshu to an empty room and laid out an array of knives in a row, leisurely picking through them in front of her.
"What does Her Highness think of this blade? Sharp enough."
"No, this one’s too small. It would take too many cuts..."
Xie Lin set one down and picked up another, twirling it between his fingers. "This one’s better—narrow and pointed, fits nicely in the hand..."
He watched as Jiang Yunshu’s face grew paler with each passing moment, whiter than the moon-colored silk sheets on the bed.
She trembled uncontrollably, clearly terrified. Xie Lin could even hear the chattering of her teeth.
If she was this afraid… why hadn’t she backed out yet?
A life was certainly worth more than an eyeball, but when it was someone else’s life versus one’s own eye, that was a different matter.
Xie Lin had no doubt that out of a hundred people, a hundred would make the same choice as him. A freak like Jiang Yunshu… where on earth had she come from?
Still, seeing her so terrified, she’d probably regret it soon, right?
Xie Lin waited for Jiang Yunshu to break down, to beg him in tears.
Finally, Jiang Yunshu spoke, her voice shaking.
But what she said was nothing like what Xie Lin expected.
"Is… is there boiling water? Strong liquor?"
"Please, Eunuch Xie, boil the blade in water for a quarter of an hour, then wipe the area around my eyes with the liquor..."
Xie Lin froze, unable to believe his ears.
What was Jiang Yunshu saying? Was the lamb about to be slaughtered teaching the butcher how to wield the knife?
At this moment, Xie Lin wasn’t just tempted to gouge out Jiang Yunshu’s eyes—he wanted to crack open her skull and see how her mind worked. Outwardly, she looked delicate and obedient, but inside, she was utterly mad!
"Fine." Xie Lin immediately had boiling water and strong liquor brought in, following Jiang Yunshu’s instructions.
Seeing him comply, Jiang Yunshu actually let out a quiet sigh of relief and lay down on the bed herself.
Xie Lin approached with the sharp blade, its cold gleam aimed directly at Jiang Yunshu’s eye.
Even now, she still wouldn’t back out?
Xie Lin stared at her, and once again, Jiang Yunshu spoke.
Yet again, her words were not what he anticipated.
"Will Eunuch Xie give me anesthetic?" She didn’t want to die from the pain.
"And medicine to stop the bleeding, to reduce fever..." Jiang Yunshu felt there were a thousand ways she could die—bleeding out, infection, raging fever...
Xie Lin was baffled. "Your Highness is clearly so afraid of death. Why did you agree to this?"
Jiang Yunshu answered honestly, "Even if I die, one life for two is still a profit."
Deep down, she held onto a sliver of hope—maybe if she died, she’d wake up back in her original world?
Then she’d really be making a killing!
Xie Lin was stunned. "Your Highness thinks trading your life for two maids is a profit?"
Jiang Yunshu looked at him in confusion. "Of course..."
One for two—wasn’t that basic math?
Even if ancient people were bad at arithmetic, they could still count that two was greater than one!
Seeing Jiang Yunshu gaze at him as if he were the idiot, Xie Lin let out a cold laugh.
He took out a wooden box, opening it to reveal a set of silver needles.
"Your Highness has one last chance to change your mind."
"If you don’t, I’ll use these needles to put you to sleep."
"When you wake up, those pretty eyes of yours will be nothing but two bloody hollows."
Xie Lin stared into Jiang Yunshu’s eyes. "Will Your Highness reconsider?"
Jiang Yunshu was surprised. Acupuncture anesthesia? That sounded mysterious… and Xie Lin himself would perform it?
"Eunuch Xie knows acupuncture?" she asked.
Xie Lin: "I know a little."
Jiang Yunshu took a deep breath. "Then go ahead. I won’t change my mind."
Xie Lin studied her calm expression, didn’t ask again, and swiftly inserted the needles. In a flash of silver, Jiang Yunshu fell into a deep sleep.
Once she was unconscious, Xie Lin did take the blade from the boiling water and held it near her eyes for a moment.
Then, with a soft chuckle, he tossed it aside and selected a few fine needles from the box.
"Eyes are prettier when they’re alive."
"But I can’t just let Her Highness off so easily… what to do?"
Muttering to himself, Xie Lin carefully located the acupoints, his mind already made up.
His skill with acupuncture far surpassed mere "knowing a little." He was a master, even versed in techniques nearly lost to time—such as…
Inserting needles into the "blind acupoint," temporarily sealing a person’s vision.
The principle was the same as using the "sleep acupoint" to induce slumber or the "mute acupoint" to silence someone.
But the blind acupoint was harder to find, required exceptional precision, and was far less practical—few still knew how to use it.
Xie Lin was one of those rare few.
His fingers moved deftly, the fine needles trembling as they pierced Jiang Yunshu’s porcelain-like skin.
His control was flawless—to apply just the right amount of force, one first had to possess ten times that strength.
Xie Lin’s wrist and fingers were extraordinarily powerful, allowing him to wield the needles with perfect accuracy.
Moments later, he withdrew the needles.
Done.
For the next three days, Jiang Yunshu would see nothing but darkness.
After that, the blocked meridians around her eyes would naturally reopen, and her vision would return.
Three days was a bit short… Xie Lin could have extended it, but prolonged blindness would cause dryness and pain, requiring a long recovery…
No matter. If he acted quickly, three days would suffice.
Two quarters of an hour later, Jiang Yunshu awoke.
Her world was pitch black, yet she felt no pain… Had Xie Lin already taken her eyes?
Tentatively, she reached up and touched the silk band tied over them.
"Eunuch Xie… Eunuch Xie?" she called hesitantly.
"Awake?" Xie Lin’s voice came from beside her—he was still there.
Jiang Yunshu asked, "My eyes… have you taken them?"
Xie Lin: "Of course."
Jiang Yunshu hesitated. "Then why don’t I feel any pain?"
Xie Lin: "I used acupuncture to numb the pain. But it will only last a day. Tomorrow, the agony will be unbearable."
Jiang Yunshu: "Thank you, Eunuch Xie."
She thought to herself, ancient medical techniques were quite advanced in some aspects—they even had methods for managing post-surgical pain.
"May I ask, Chief Steward, when can I see Taoye and Zhezhi?" Jiang Yunshu inquired.
Xie Lin's voice remained calm. "In three days. In three days, this servant will bring them to your side, my lady."
