"Get up!"
Nan Shiying waved her hand and sat back in her chair, looking somewhat weary.
Hui Jingxian and Hui Ziling dared not rise, remaining kneeling.
Nan Shiying said to Hui Jingxian, "Prepare paper and ink. I will write a prescription. You go and fetch the medicine. If you delay, your disciples might not suffer permanent damage, but your relatives are another matter."
Upon hearing that Nan Shiying would treat the poisoned individuals at the manor, Hui Jingxian immediately stood up from the ground. He went to the study to retrieve paper and ink, presenting them with both hands.
Nan Shiying’s brush moved like a soaring dragon as she penned a prescription and tossed it to Hui Ziling. "Go fetch it. Divide it among every two people. Calculate for yourself how much you need to buy."
"Yes!"
Hui Ziling took the prescription and personally went to the apothecary to gather the herbs.
Hui Jingxian stood before Nan Shiying with his body bowed and head lowered. He thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "My lady has saved my entire clan at Ju Dezhuang. Hui owes you an immeasurable debt of gratitude and is willing to pledge his loyalty, however..."
"What, do you intend to go back on your word?"
Xiao Man’s eyes widened, as if she would plunge a dagger into his throat the moment he dared to nod.
"No, no."
Fearing Nan Shiying might misunderstand, Hui Jingxian frantically waved his hands to explain. "The reason I retired from the martial world was because I accepted the imperial court's amnesty. Now that my entire clan has pledged allegiance to you, my lady, the imperial court... I truly do not know where I stand."
His words were veiled. Though the struggle for the throne between the Emperor and the Regent had become common knowledge, he still dared not mention any matters related to it in public.
His caution was deeply ingrained.
"Where you stand?"
Nan Shiying smiled. She lifted her eyelids, and Hui Jingxian saw an inexplicable depth in her eyes. "Naturally, you stand behind me."
Hui Jingxian was slightly stunned, then lowered his head and quickly replied, "Your subordinate understands."
Ying Yi remained silent, while Ying Wu and Ying Liu pursed their lips.
Xiao Man looked up at Nan Shiying.
Was her mistress building her own faction?
She mused, then looked at Ying Yi and the others, who, having understood their mistress’s intentions, remained silent and compliant. Given the Prince’s affection for her mistress, did she still need to cultivate her own power?
Xiao Man did not understand. She kept her questions hidden in her heart.
Nan Shiying raised her hand, signaling Hui Jingxian to rise and speak. Once Hui Jingxian was standing, Nan Shiying asked, "What grievances do your Ju Dezhuang and the Ghost Specter Sect have?"
"None!"
Hui Jingxian replied.
"However, the Ghost Specter Sect bears a grudge against the Cang Shan Sect."
"Twenty-three years ago, the current sect leader of Cang Shan Sect, who was then a vanguard named Cang Yu, accidentally killed a woodcutter during a fight."
The woodcutter had no wife or children, only a younger brother.
That younger brother is now the leader of the Ghost Specter Sect, Gui Sha.
"Senior Cang Yu was extremely remorseful. After accidentally killing the woodcutter, he considered atoning with his life, but due to his responsibilities, he could not commit suicide. He personally carried the coffin and guarded the mourning rites for the woodcutter. After the woodcutter was laid to rest, he returned to the Cang Shan Sect and intended to resign from his vanguard position, requesting to be sent to Siguo Lake in the back mountains to enter the underground prison and atone for his sins. However, at that time, he was designated as the next sect leader by the previous sect leader of Cang Shan Sect. His martial arts were second only to the previous sect leader, making him the most skilled person within the Cang Shan Sect besides the sect leader. Therefore, the previous sect leader rejected his request. Under his persistent pleas, he was only permitted to enter Siguo Lake. It wasn't until the previous sect leader passed away that Senior Cang Yu emerged from Siguo Lake and assumed the position of sect leader."
"Strictly speaking, Senior Cang Yu had already gone above and beyond. However, Gui Sha of the Ghost Specter Sect did not see it that way. Since the rise of the Ghost Specter Sect, whenever their disciples encountered disciples of the Cang Shan Sect, they would directly attack them with lethal intent. In recent years, there have been no less than eight hundred to a thousand Cang Shan Sect disciples who have died at the hands of the Ghost Specter Sect. However, the Cang Shan Sect disciples are not to be trifled with. After the initial few instances of being caught off guard and massacred, the two sects have been engaged in mutual slaughter. Nearly a thousand Ghost Specter Sect disciples have also died at the hands of the Cang Shan Sect."
"Now, the two sects have reached a point of no return."
The enmity between the Ghost Specter Sect and the Cang Shan Sect had not garnered much attention, nor had it entered the sight of the dark web. After all, a mere wrong glance between martial artists could lead to a skirmish. Unless the Ghost Specter Sect and the Cang Shan Sect mobilized their entire forces, they were unlikely to warrant attention.
Nan Shiying tapped her fingers on the table. "So when you retired from the martial world, you crippled two-tenths of your cultivation? To completely sever ties with the Cang Shan Sect?"
Hui Jingxian nodded. "Half a month ago, my senior disciple set off for the Cang Shan Sect to invite Master Cang Lan to witness my retirement. I waited for a full half month, but not only did Master Cang Lan not arrive, but I also lost all contact with my disciple. I assumed... that was why I intended to sever ties with the Cang Shan Sect entirely during my retirement, to prevent my Ju Dezhuang from being targeted by the Ghost Specter Sect. Who would have thought that since the Ghost Specter Sect had already intended to eradicate my Ju Dezhuang, my senior disciple's disappearance is likely connected to the Ghost Specter Sect."
Nan Shiying tutted.
No wonder the Ghost Specter Sect only sent Mei Sha and Chi Sha. It turned out they had dealt with Hui Jingxian's disciples beforehand, and then, anticipating that Hui Jingxian would cripple himself, they planned to take all the lives at his manor while he was unprepared.
Oh, wait, among those who had fled earlier, there might have been members of the Ghost Specter Sect.
Hui Ziling fetched the medicine and brewed it according to Nan Shiying's instructions, pouring it into a large vat, filling it halfway.
He first treated his junior disciples, then they all administered the antidote to the others.
"Mistress, is it..."
Hui Jingxian intended to have his disciples come out to identify the culprits, but Nan Shiying stopped him. "No need!"
"Do not announce the matter of you recognizing me as your master."
Why?
Hui Jingxian did not understand, but he did not question it. Instead, he chose to obey, to be an obedient 'dog'!
Seeing this, Nan Shiying nodded with satisfaction. Then, she took out a small porcelain bottle from her怀 and threw it into his hand. "A reward for you."
Hui Jingxian’s face turned pale, and the hand holding the bottle trembled slightly.
He was terrified.
Yet, even though the entire Ju Dezhuang had escaped danger and the disciples had recovered, he still dared not defy her orders, even if she had thrown him a bottle of poison.
Hui Jingxian took a deep breath, and with the resolve of a martyr, he uncorked the bottle and poured out the pill inside.
He threw his head back and ingested the medicine.
"Your subordinate swears eternal loyalty. I only beg my lady for mercy and to spare my son."
Nan Shiying lowered her head, looking at Hui Jingxian who had knelt on the ground again. After a two-second silence, she felt a sense of confusion. Why did he think the bottle contained poison?
Was her public image that of a cruel and wicked person?
Nan Shiying's silence filled Hui Jingxian with extreme apprehension. Just as he was about to kowtow and beg for forgiveness, a voice filled with confusion reached his ears, "Why do you think I gave you poison?"
Hui Jingxian was stunned.
If it wasn't poison, what else could it be? A tonic?