Duoduo inserted a needle into the Huantiao acupoint, then looked at the Prince of Pingyang.
"Father, I want to insert another needle to see if it will prolong the effect. Is that okay?"
The Prince of Pingyang rolled up his other pant leg. "Put two needles on this side, so we have a comparison."
Duoduo hesitated for a moment. "Father, once these are inserted, you won't be able to move for at least the time it takes an incense stick to burn."
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo with shining eyes.
"You haven't even tested it on me yet. How do you know it will definitely work on me?"
"Have you forgotten? There are quite a lot of toxins in my body!"
Duoduo opened her mouth, but ultimately swallowed the words she wanted to say.
The Prince of Pingyang's body had long been fully healed by her golden light.
Seeing Duoduo's hesitant look, the Prince of Pingyang let out a light chuckle.
"It's only the time of one incense stick. I had no feeling in my legs for years before, didn't I get used to that just the same?"
Duoduo looked up and saw the self-deprecating expression on the Prince of Pingyang's face. She picked up another silver needle.
She swiftly inserted two needles into the Prince of Pingyang's knee.
Then, she checked his pulse.
Sure enough, his pulse showed slight signs of poisoning.
Moreover, she could feel a sense of blockage in his meridians.
"Father, try lifting your left leg," Duoduo said, pointing to the left leg that had one needle inserted.
The Prince of Pingyang tried to move it, but it was already immobilized.
The Prince of Pingyang was suddenly surprised. He looked at the lush green plant nearby.
"Is this thing poisonous? How toxic is it?"
Duoduo shook her head. "My teacher said this plant is non-toxic!"
"Non-toxic?" The Prince of Pingyang couldn't believe it.
Duoduo nodded. "My teacher said it's non-toxic because when a silver needle is inserted into it, there is no change."
"Father, look." Duoduo carefully lifted a silver needle from the plant's juice.
The silver needle gleamed brightly, without a single trace of black.
The Prince of Pingyang reached out to take it, but Duoduo pulled her hand back.
"Touching this juice will also make a person lose feeling," Duoduo said, looking warily at the Prince of Pingyang.
The Prince of Pingyang touched the tip of his nose. "Is it that potent?"
Duoduo nodded again and put the silver needle back into the juice.
"Then if we put this juice on a handkerchief, would it have the same effect as knockout drops?"
The Prince of Pingyang acted like a curious child.
"I haven't tried," Duoduo shook her head.
"But, I think it must be different."
"Knockout drops make a person lose consciousness entirely."
"But this only makes the person unable to move; their consciousness should still be there."
The Prince of Pingyang felt that both of his legs were completely numb, just like before they had healed.
He stroked his legs thoughtfully.
"Do we have more of this plant?" he asked, looking at the meager amount remaining.
"Don't worry, Father, I have already planted the rest."
"When the time comes, we can just bring them with us to the capital. It will be enough."
The Prince of Pingyang pondered for a moment. "Shall I have someone test it to see if it can induce a coma?"
Duoduo blinked and nodded. "Okay."
"Men!"
The Prince of Pingyang called out, but no one came in.
He then remembered that to keep his recovered legs a secret, he had sent everyone away.
"Leave this here for now. Later, I will have someone test it and tell you the results."
Duoduo nodded. "Okay."
The waiting time was quite boring. Duoduo rested her chin on her hands, keeping watch over the Prince of Pingyang.
Looking at Duoduo's well-behaved appearance, the Prince of Pingyang's hand resting on his wheelchair moved unconsciously.
"I remember back then in the pond in that small grove, I was hiding perfectly well in the water."
"But then, just like today, the water in the pond suddenly disappeared!"
Duoduo blinked her big eyes.
"I didn't go into the water that time!"
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"I never said it had anything to do with you."
Duoduo's eyes flickered.
"Father, that was the heavens protecting you!"
The Prince of Pingyang looked at Duoduo for a long moment, then suddenly laughed.
When he smiled, it was like a melting iceberg, so bright and clear that it made others couldn't help but feel happy too.
Watching him, Duoduo also broke into a smile.
"Father, you look so handsome when you smile!"
Hearing Duoduo's praise, the Prince of Pingyang quickly tucked his smile away, reverting to his icy demeanor.
Duoduo peered at him from the left, then from the right, her face full of curiosity.
"Father, why don't you like to smile? Clearly, when you smile, it makes those who see it very happy too."
The Prince of Pingyang lifted his left leg. "This one can move now."
Duoduo instantly forgot to pursue the previous topic and immediately looked at the water clock nearby.
"Huh, it hasn't even been the time of one incense stick yet?"
As she spoke, Duoduo reached out to check his pulse.
The pulse hadn't changed; it was about the same as before.
Curious, Duoduo looked at the Prince of Pingyang. "Father, can you lift this leg again?"
The Prince of Pingyang leaned back, then lifted his left leg and even swung it back and forth.
"Father, what do you feel?"
The Prince of Pingyang focused on the sensation. "It's a bit numb, not as flexible as before."
Duoduo looked at his right leg. "What about the right leg?"
The Prince of Pingyang tried to lift it. "No, there's still no feeling."
"Then let's wait a bit longer. Father, if you feel anything, you must tell me."
Duoduo quickly walked over to the nearby table, took a piece of paper, and recorded the time it took for the left leg.
Then, she stared intently at the Prince of Pingyang's right leg. The Prince of Pingyang had only discovered the left leg could move because he was trying to change the subject earlier.
Now, seeing Duoduo's serious demeanor, he also began to take it seriously.
After quite a while, the Prince of Pingyang felt a slight sensation in his right leg.
"I can feel it, but I still can't move it," he told Duoduo.
Duoduo immediately ran over and squeezed the Prince of Pingyang's right leg.
"Can you feel this?"
Duoduo's small hands were soft. The Prince of Pingyang nodded. "Yes."
Duoduo quickly took his pulse. This time, she clearly felt the difference in his pulse.
"Mhm, the feeling of blockage in your meridians is gone. Father, try lifting your leg and see."
The Prince of Pingyang tried to lift his leg, and sure enough, his right leg could move too.
He and Duoduo both looked at the water clock at the same time. It had been just a little over the time of one incense stick, much shorter than Duoduo had expected.
"It's also a bit numb and not very flexible," the Prince of Pingyang said, moving his leg a bit.
"Father, stand up and take a walk, see if you can move freely," Duoduo suggested softly.
Holding onto the armrests of his wheelchair, the Prince of Pingyang carefully stood up and took two steps.
"No problem. Aside from some initial numbness, it quickly returned to normal."
Duoduo looked at the Prince of Pingyang's legs. "Father, sit down. I want to try again."
"Alright." Without a second word, the Prince of Pingyang sat back down in his wheelchair.
This time, Duoduo inserted three needles into his left leg and four into his right leg.
"Are you trying to test the number of needle insertions to see if it prolongs the effect?"
Duoduo placed the needles back into the juice. "Father, you're so smart!"
