Song Shixue stood by the bed with a dark expression, re-suturing Yang Cenan's wound.
The catgut stitches had burst, and the gauze was soaked in blood.
"It hurts! Can't you be a little gentler?" Yang Cenan's hands were clenched tightly into fists, his face contorted in pain.
Distressed for his master, Yang Zhong stepped forward to plead.
"Miss Song, don't you have anesthetics? Why aren't you using them?"
Song Shixue didn't even look up as she replied, "We ran out, and I haven't had time to make more."
He deserved to experience the agony of being stitched up without painkillers; only then would he learn his lesson for next time.
Even after the final stitch was tied, Yang Cenan's body was still twitching. His exposed skin was drenched in sweat, leaving a damp patch on the bedding.
"The weather is hot now. If the wound takes too long to heal, it will easily become infected and fester. When that happens, the only option will be to carve out the rotting flesh with a knife."
Yang Cenan shivered all over, looking in horror at Song Shixue, who was over a decade younger than him.
How could she say such a thing? How was that any different from being sliced to death by a thousand cuts?
Song Shixue walked out of the sickroom. Song Qiming, who had been waiting outside the whole time, immediately came up and looked her up and down. Only after confirming she was unharmed did he ask about Yang Cenan's condition.
"How is he?"
Song Shixue handed the tray in her hands to a maid.
"He threw a tantrum and smashed his soup bowl, which tore his wound open. I've already stitched it back up."
"Given his current mental state, the follow-up treatment won't be very effective. It would be best to send him away in a few days, lest he die of depression here in Suining City."
Zeng Boyan chose not to stay at the official post house, but instead booked an entire inn near the clinic.
That very night, guards dispatched by Song Jinzhao lay in ambush around the inn, keeping a close watch on their every move.
Meanwhile, Gu Baozhu and Gu Jinghong shamelessly took up residence in the backyard of the government office.
Song Jinzhao arranged for them to stay in guest rooms a bit further from the main courtyard, and the servants assigned to attend to them were carefully selected.
In the dead of night, it was pitch black outside, and the surroundings were so quiet that not a single sound could be heard.
A guard leaning against the wall of the wing room suddenly opened his eyes.
His ears twitched; the sound of footsteps was coming from the room next door.
He stood silently by his door, watching closely.
The door next door opened, and soon a dark silhouette slipped past.
Where was he going at this hour?
With a stern face, the guard gently pushed his door open. Waiting until the figure appeared downstairs, he trailed far behind.
He didn't stop until he saw Huo Chong enter another inn.
Inside the door, Huo Chong pulled down his face mask and exchanged a few words with a soldier before being led up to the second floor.
As candlelight flickered on inside the room, the guard took a deep breath and held it.
The group from Panzhou that arrived yesterday was staying at this very inn. Huo Chong obviously knew them. What exactly was going on?
In the lit room on the second floor of the inn, Zeng Boyan sat on the couch with a look of deep worry.
"Yang Cenan is completely demoralized. If he doesn't recover, everything we've done so far will be for nothing."
Zeng Boyan made a throat-slitting gesture.
"If we turn our backs on him now, he will definitely expose everything. Should we silence him for good?"
Huo Chong shook his head in disagreement.
"You and I have already gained Yang Cenan's initial trust. It would be a pity to give up now."
Zeng Boyan said, frustrated by his lack of resolve, "But in his current state, he's practically useless."
Huo Chong asked for details, "To what extent did Song Jinzhao say he could recover?"
Zeng Boyan replied, "I didn't see Song Jinzhao. Her sister said the follow-up treatment will take half a year, and no one can say for sure how much he'll recover."
Huo Chong stood up and paced back and forth across the room. After pondering for a long moment, he turned to face Zeng Boyan.
"The clinic is guarded by government runners, so I can't get in. Find a way for me to meet with Yang Cenan. He has to pull himself together."
Zeng Boyan lowered his eyes in thought. "The inn is very close to the clinic. In a few days, I'll have Yang Cenan moved here. You can look for Yang Zhong then."
Huo Chong gave a slight nod.
