What was wrong with Ning Jing?
She wasn’t completely faking her stomachache. Just then, she’d secretly ingested a poison she’d hidden in her mouth ahead of time. It was called Demon Night Rampage and caused stomach pains at night. But it wouldn’t be fatal enough to take her life. After suffering for three nights, the poison would recede and leave the victim weak and listless for an entire month. She had long expected Tang Li to find a doctor, so she’d prepared for it ahead of time. Even if one came, he wouldn’t be able to tell anything wrong with her pulse.
In any case, she was expecting to spend the next month on bedrest and being waited on hand and foot. With Aunt Shuang around to stand guard and visits from her clan, Tang Li wouldn’t be able to try anything against her.
The one who sold her the poison had said she’d only experience mild pains, but why did it feel like her very organs were being stabbed? She wasn’t someone who feared pain, but it was impossible to bear this agony. Soon enough, her body was covered in sweat.
Tang Li’s gaze grew scornful as he stared at Ning Jing’s pale face and trembling lips. This shameless woman, she sure can act. If I hadn’t fallen for her tricks already, I would’ve been done in this time, too. He crept closer and asked with curiosity, “If it’s not an illness, then what is it?”
Ning Jing didn’t answer. Truthfully speaking, she didn’t have the strength to explain herself anymore. Her hands were clutching her stomach in an effort to relieve the pain.
“It’ll be better if we call for a doctor for a look,” Tang Li seemed to be a rush, but he didn’t make any move to call for help. Ning Jing’s just pretending, so it’s no use calling for one anyways. I’m fine just pa.s.sing time here and waiting.
“Come, drink some water and I’ll call the doctor.” He gently helped her into a sitting position, but she slumped to the side soon afterwards to huddle up in pain.
So realistic! Tang Li decided to act with her until the end. Long Feiye had already given him orders to get Ning Jing under control within the year. He’d attack her with softness to thoroughly torment this…s.l.u.t!
Once again, he pulled her upright. “Jing Jing, what’s wrong with you? Don’t scare me like this, alright?”
Ning Jing was in too much pain to resist. She fell helpless into Tang Li’s arms, and his warmth scattered her chills. But she grit her teeth and struggled free soon enough to curl up under the covers while gripping her abdomen.
“Jing’er, just wait. I’ll call a doctor immediately.” Tang Li actually opened the door and went outside, where he saw Aunt Shuang pacing back and forth.
“Tang…gu, guye.”1 Aunt Shuang was relatively calm. She expected that her young lady’s scheme had succeeded and that Tang Li was here to find a doctor. But he only glanced at her before going back inside again.
What now?
An uneasy Aunt Shuang wanted to walk over, but was blocked by two guards. Inside the room, Ning Jing finally exhaled at the sight of Tang Li returning. Good. As long as he called for a doctor, I’ll be saved.
Tang Li brought over a cup of warm water and knelt in front of the bed with a tender, coaxing tone. “Jing Jing, you’ll be better after drinking some water. The doctor will come very soon.”
Ning Jing turned her face away to ignore him. Remarkably patient, Tang Li simply shuffled on his knees to kneel in front of her. “Jing Jing, don’t act like this? My heart will ache if you do. I know we didn’t have a happy start, but since I’ve wed you, I’ll definitely dote on you well. Jing Jing, give me a chance, won’t you?”
Ning Jing was cold to begin with, but his words raised gooseb.u.mps on her skin. She turned to look elsewhere, so Tang Li simply offered her his cup of water. “Jing Jing, consider this me begging you. Drink some water, won’t you?”
Her stomach was hurting worse and worse as if the organs were all twisting together. Ning Jing was about to cry from the pain as she buried her head into the covers and shuddered involuntarily. Tang Li was having too much fun playacting and gave a sly smirk as he drew closer. Then he pulled Ning Jing’s hand to rest on his face. “Jing Jing, you can hit me. As long as you’re willing to see the doctor, you can hit me however you like.” So speaking, he actually had her slap him.
Ning Jing really wanted to sob. Who said I don’t want to see the doctor? Every time he pulls on my hand, my stomach hurts! She wanted to break free, but had no strength.
“Jing Jing, are you happier now? As long as you’re happy, I can do anything. I really, truly want to spend my days with you. Although that night we…” he purposely chuckled helplessly before continuing, “Well, no matter what, I’ll take responsibility until the end. Jing Jing, I, Tang Li, will only love you in this lifetime. We can live on Reclining Dragon Range in the future and forget about the trivial details of the world. Shall I plant the mountain full of daisies? When autumn comes, it’ll be filled with your favorite flowers. I won’t do anything except spend my days with you in the sea of blossoms to watch the sun rise and set. How’s that?”
Ning Jing didn’t react.
Tang Li asked again, “Jing Jing, give me a chance and love me, won’t you?”
Finally, Ning Jing lifted her head. Her face was covered in tears. Tang Li was stunned by the sight. She looks unreasonable to deal with, but I touched her heart with just a few flowery phrases. That’s disappointing.
But Ning Jing suddenly burst into sobs, “Sobsob…Tang Li, why isn’t the doctor here yet?!”
She was about to die from the pain!
Tang Li’s mouth twitched as he prepared to speak, but Ning Jing suddenly gagged and spat up a mouthful of black blood before losing consciousness. Alarmed, Tang Li finally realized that she hadn’t been pretending. The black blood was surely a sign of poison.
“Hey! Ning Jing, what’s going on?”
“Don’t scare me like that. Hey, wake up!”
“Dammnit!”
Tang Li shook Ning Jing multiple times, but she didn’t react. When he touched her hand, he finally realized that the skin was ice cold. Then he tested her breathing and found that it was extremely weak, as if it’d stop at any scond.
“Ning Jing, we still haven’t settled accounts. If you dare to die, I’ll never forgive you!” Tang Li warned. He didn’t even realize he was panicking right now.
Abruptly, Ning Jing retched a few more times before more black blood trickled from her lips. Now thoroughly alarmed, Tang Li jumped off the bed and ran out without even putting on his shoes. When Aunt Shuang saw him emerge, she tried to approach him, but he simply shoved her aside and used his lightness techniques to fly towards the main hall of Reclining Dragon Range.
“Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law, where are you?”
“Sister-in-law, come out!”
“Sister-in-law, help! Sister-in-law!”
Tang Li shouted as he ran towards the hall. Inside was a large table for the feast. Tang Zijin and Lady Tang sat at the head with Long Feiye and Han Yunxi by their side. When they saw Tang Li run in barefoot as a disheveled mess, everyone was stunned. What kind of tone was this?
“Tang Li, what’s wrong with you?” Tang Zijin asked sternly. Lady Tang quickly rose to her feet.
“A’Li, what happened? Did that d.a.m.ned Ning Jing bully you?”
Tang Li ignored them both and headed straight for Han Yunxi. “Sister-in-law, Ning Jing’s been poisoned! Hurry and save her, quick!”
Everyone grew frightened at his words.
“How could she have been poisoned?”
“Just what happened?”
“Who did it?”
“Tang Li, what about you? Are you alright?”
As the voices rose around them, Han Yunxi got straight to the point. “Do you know what kind of poison it is? What are the symptoms? How long has it been? How is she doing now?”
At this, everyone else shut up.
“I don’t know. She said her stomach hurt and then spat up black blood. I’ve only given her water to drink; she hasn’t eaten anything all day,” Tang Li said hastily. “Her entire body’s cold and she’s not breathing well. Sister-in-law, hurry up and save her, I’m begging you!”
Everyone was listening to his words, but they all exchanged glances by his last sentence. Did Tang Li get too into his acting? Lady Tang thought. Why is he still pretending over here?
She understood her son best. Besides Long Feiye, Tang Li had never “begged” anyone for anything before.
“Let’s go see, quick!” Han Yunxi decided. Long Feiye made to stop her with a reminder, but she simply replied, “Don’t worry, I won’t go into the room.”
Although Ning Jing had only brought a single servant, Aunt Shuang, with her here, they still had to take care not to reveal their ident.i.ties. She told Tang Li, “Hurry and find a doctor to examine her inside. Tell me the results of her pulse. And also, get me a sample of her blood. I’ll wait for you in the courtyard.”
Tang Li immediately did as he was told, while Long Feiye took charge of bringing Han Yunxi to the courtyard. Ning Jing couldn’t die at a time like this, especially at the Tang Clan. Soon enough, Tang Li gave the black blood to Han Yunxi and told her the results of the examination. His hands carrying the plate of blood sample shook as he spoke.
Han Yunxi didn’t need to start up her detox system to recognize the poison was Demon Night Rampage. Immediately, she understood what was going on. Using this poison would cause stomach pains for three straight nights until the patient was left convalescencing for a month. This must be part of Ning Jing’s plot to avoid the wedding night and the traditional second day greetings to her mother-in-law.
It wasn’t a bad idea, but she had wretched luck. Anyone who ingested Demon Night Rampage had to avoid flower pollen or fragrant scents. After inhaling a certain concentration of those two things, the effects of the poison would multiply and cause severe abdominal pains that even affected one’s breathing.
Tang Li’s room was full of fresh flowers. It was no wonder Ning Jing succ.u.mbed to poison! Fortunately, he’d discovered her condition in time before she really risked dying on her wedding day.
Han Yunxi quickly created an antidote for Tang Li, who took it and sped back into the rooms. Han Yunxi couldn’t help but remark, “He’s that anxious?”
“What was the matter?” Long Feiye asked.
Han Yunxi explained it to him, but Long Feiye only asked, “His room was full of flowers?”
“Yes, roses and Ning Jing’s favorite daisies. Haha, it was supposed to be a surprise, but it nearly cost her her life,” Han Yunxi smiled.
“Is this what you mean by ‘suppress in the beginning, impress by the end?’” Long Feiye queried. It was rare for him to show interest in such topics.
“It’s to coax a girl, of course. Disappoint her first, then surprise her. Even the most hard-hearted ones will feel touched by the end.” Han Yunxi was smiling.
Long Feiye nodded thoughtfully. “Then what about you?”
1. guye (姑爷) – literally “son-in-law,” a term of address for a man used by members of his wife’s family.