Chapter 92

In the dungeon, only the faint, rhythmic drip of water broke the silence. Yu Jingshuang sat in a daze for a long while before finally rising and moving towards the motionless, corpse-like figure shrouded in darkness.

She crouched, gently lifting the man’s bowed head to examine his features. It was a pale, marred, and haggard face. Despite a flicker of familiarity from years past, she found herself unable to reconcile it with the Lan Chengyuan of her memories, nor with the "puppy" she once knew. She simply couldn't connect this person to either of them—or perhaps, to the same individual.

A maelstrom of emotions churned within Yu Jingshuang. She released her hold, and Qian Yu’s head slumped forward limply.

His arms were bound, his prominent shoulder blades stretching the fabric of his garment. Yu Jingshuang’s gaze fell upon the exposed skin, and an idea sparked in her mind.

She reached out, her hand sliding beneath his open clothing, tracing down Qian Yu’s spine. Her fingers explored the contours of his muscular back and warm skin, searching for that specific spot from her memory.

Left or right?… It seemed a little to the left… no, a bit lower… Why was it so elusive?

Yu Jingshuang frowned slightly, leaning closer to Qian Yu. Unaware of how suggestive their posture might appear to an outsider, her sole focus was on locating the scar from the knife wound "Puppy" had taken for her.

Even if Qian Yu had meticulously altered his face and voice, she refused to believe he could perfectly conceal such a grotesque scar on his back.

Seething inwardly, she continued her search until a ragged breath escaped the man beneath her, jolting her back to the present.

"You… Jingshuang, what are you doing?"

Qian Yu had just awakened to this utterly awkward scene, his eyes widening in shock, barely daring to draw a full breath.

Yu Jingshuang froze, meeting his gaze. Her eyes gleamed brightly in the dim light, but she remained silent. Qian Yu, unsettled, swallowed hard before cautiously venturing, "Uh… you, I… were you looking for something?"

Yu Jingshuang withdrew her hand, straightened her sleeves, and calmly stated, "Oh, nothing. Just casually checking."

She rose gracefully, turned, and departed. Qian Yu watched her retreating figure, more bewildered than ever, the lingering warmth of her fingertips still perceptible on his back. A belated realization dawned, his face inexplicably flushing crimson, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm that echoed loudly in the empty, silent chamber.

…

Stepping out of the dungeon, Yu Jingshuang felt a cool breeze, and only then noticed a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead. It was a perfectly normal action, yet being caught in the act made her feel incredibly awkward… Fortunately, the chamber had been dim; Qian Yu likely hadn’t noticed her composure was far from genuine.

Yu Jingshuang thought helplessly. Once she confirmed that Qian Yu was indeed Lan Chengyuan, it seemed impossible to face him with her usual equanimity.

As her mind raced, someone hurried to report that disciples from the Southern Medical Sect had arrived in the capital and were requesting an audience. Yu Jingshuang paused, then recalled—when Ming Xu and Pei Yuxue had departed, they had mentioned informing the medical sect about the Gu poison situation in the capital upon their return south.

It seemed these individuals were quite efficient. Yu Jingshuang initially intended to have the disciples escorted directly to the Military Guard, but the messenger stated that the visitors had specifically asked to see her personally.

Puzzled, Yu Jingshuang made her way to the front courtyard to meet them.

Dusk was settling, the sky ablaze with the crimson and golden hues of sunset, painting the courtyard’s blue bricks with layers of fiery light.

The courtyard gate stood open, revealing the silhouettes of a man and a woman standing side by side. Backlit, Yu Jingshuang couldn’t discern their faces clearly. She offered a polite smile and stepped forward, about to speak, when the woman among them exclaimed with joyful surprise, "Sister! It really is you!"

A familiar voice pierced through distant memories, striking Yu Jingshuang’s mind. In that instant, watching the figure bounding towards her, she felt an inexplicable urge to weep!

"Xiao Xi! Xiao Xi!" Overcome with emotion, Yu Jingshuang embraced Yu Xi, repeating her name, a whirlwind of disbelief and profound happiness washing over her.

"Ah Xi, could you two sisters perhaps catch up later? Or allow me to put down these bundles first…" Just as Yu Jingshuang was lost in the joy of reuniting with her sister after so many years, a timid voice emerged from beside them. She turned to see the man who had accompanied Yu Xi, a large bundle slung over each shoulder, looking utterly dejected as he gazed at the two women.

"Is this your husband?" Yu Jingshuang still felt as if she were dreaming, her gaze sweeping between them. "You… you’re from the Southern Medical Sect?"

Yu Xi nodded. "Yes, this is my husband, Shen Yuan, one of the current sect leaders." She turned, gracefully introducing them, then added with a playful smile, "The other one is me."

Yu Jingshuang studied her "brother-in-law." Shen Yuan quickly straightened, adopting a serious expression. Yu Xi walked over, patted his shoulder, and added to Yu Jingshuang, "Oh right, sis, you’ve met him before. Remember that time we found Wei Xie in the mountains? We took him to Huichun Hall—Shen Yuan was the young physician working there then!"

At her words, Yu Jingshuang’s thoughts were instantly transported back to that afternoon over a decade ago. Looking closer, Shen Yuan’s face gradually aligned with the shy young man from her memories. "So it was you," she murmured, realization dawning.

After a brief reunion, the three returned to Yu Jingshuang’s small courtyard in the capital. Having been separated for years, she and Yu Xi had much to discuss. They conversed animatedly, exchanging stories until they had thoroughly caught up on each other’s lives.

Upon hearing her sister’s experiences in Daliang, Yu Xi’s eyes welled up. "After the two countries severed ties and stopped communicating, your letters stopped reaching me. I wrote to you and wanted to find you, but Father forbade it. He was too engrossed in his political ambitions. Out of frustration, I left Shangyan with my husband."

As she spoke, she began to weep sorrowfully. Shen Yuan quickly offered her a handkerchief to wipe her tears, then softly explained to Yu Jingshuang, "At that time, my father had just passed away, and the medical sect was without a leader, its foundations coveted by many. So we returned to the south first. After settling down, we sent people to search for your whereabouts… but as you know, sister, the south lies at the crossroads of three dynasties, and information is chaotic and unreliable. Sifting through it all took years, and we wasted so much time."

Both he and Yu Xi wore expressions of regret. Yu Jingshuang shook her head. "I don’t care about any of that. Knowing that you are both well now is enough."

Seeing their continued despondency, Yu Jingshuang quickly changed the subject. "By the way, Pei Yuxue mentioned that a similar Gu poison outbreak occurred in the south years ago. Does your medical sect have any insights into it?"

Yu Xi’s expression shifted at this. She exchanged a glance with Shen Yuan before speaking. "Sister, didn’t Lan Chengyuan come to find you? The Gu poison epidemic in the south years ago was resolved thanks to him…"

Her words struck Yu Jingshuang like a sudden wave. She nearly rose to her feet, barely suppressing her shock in the final moment. "You’ve seen him? No… I mean, have you seen him since I left Shangyan?"

Seeing Yu Jingshuang’s reaction, Yu Xi realized she had misspoken. Hesitating for a moment, she nodded. "That year, I had just joined the medical sect and was traveling near the border of the three dynasties, setting up tents to dispense medicine. One morning, villagers found a man by the stream, covered in blood, with Gu patterns on his back, the poison deeply embedded in his bones. We thought he couldn’t be saved."

"But upon closer inspection, it was Lan Chengyuan, who should have been far away in Shangyan… He couldn’t die… so I risked using an ancient method to needle and drain the poison."

Shen Yuan continued, "His will to live was astonishing. He managed to regain consciousness and even offered his blood to help us create an antidote for the Gu poison. However, the root of the poison remained, and Xiao Xi and I were powerless to completely eradicate it. So, he left silently about half a month later."

Yu Xi hesitated, then looked at Yu Jingshuang. "When he first woke up, he carried many secrets. I questioned him, but he wouldn’t say much. However, the night before he left, he told us he was going to find you."

Yu Jingshuang froze, muttering unconsciously, "After he escaped from Shangyan… you saved him…"

She mumbled, barely registering her younger sister repeatedly calling out "Sister?"

Yu Xi’s softly spoken "He was going to find you" felt like an invisible, ice-cold needle piercing Yu Jingshuang’s heart without warning.

She stood utterly still, a numb chill spreading to her fingertips. The teacup in her hand trembled slightly, warm tea spilling over and wetting her knuckles, yet she seemed oblivious.

Everything around her seemed to fall silent in an instant, leaving only Yu Xi’s eyes, brimming with worry and pity, clearly reflecting Yu Jingshuang’s frozen, almost blank expression of shock.

Find her?

Lan Chengyuan… why would he seek her out? And how had he fallen into such a desperate state?

Countless chaotic thoughts exploded in her mind like a disturbed swarm of bees, buzzing loudly but offering no clear answers. Yu Jingshuang felt an intense constriction in her chest, as if an invisible hand were squeezing her heart, making it difficult to breathe.

"Sister?" Yu Xi, noticing her distressed expression, quickly reached out and grasped her cold hand. The warmth from her kin finally jolted Yu Jingshuang back to reality.

She slowly withdrew her gaze from the void, fixing it on Yu Xi’s concerned face. Her voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper grating together. "…What did you mean just now? Why was he poisoned? And why… was he in the south?"

She questioned rapidly, her usually languid, smiling almond eyes now sharp as knives, fixed intently on Yu Xi, scrutinizing every subtle shift in her expression.

Yu Xi, taken aback by her sudden intensity, instinctively glanced at her husband. Shen Yuan understood, stepping forward. His voice was gentle yet grave as he explained, "Sister, it’s a long story. When we rescued him, he was on the brink of death. The Gu poison in him was extremely virulent, not only corroding his internal organs but also severely damaging his mind. We exerted immense effort to barely preserve his life, but his mind was too impaired—he lost all his memories. When he awoke, he didn’t even know who he was. It was only gradually, day by day, that he began to recover and recall everything."

Lost all his memories…

These four words, once again, struck Yu Jingshuang’s heart like a heavy hammer. Her fingertips trembled uncontrollably, and before her eyes, she saw the image of the boy curled in a rocky crevice in the snowy wilderness, timidly tugging at her clothes.

The boy who looked at her with clear, wild eyes, who could only whimper to please her.

The one… she had named "Puppy."

An indescribable surge of emotions, a mix of shock and poignant sorrow, welled up from deep within her, threatening to consume her reason.

"Sister, actually…" Yu Xi, observing her sister’s shifting emotions, bit her lip, as if finally steeling herself. She took a deep breath and said softly, "Actually, when Lan Chengyuan broke off your engagement back then, it wasn’t for the reasons you thought, like ambition or status… He… he had his reasons."

"Reasons?"

Yu Jingshuang repeated the word, finding it utterly ironic.

She had believed she had long since buried that past, but as the word escaped her sister’s lips, she realized that the scar named "Lan Chengyuan" had never truly healed.

She let out a cold laugh, her voice laced with a sharpness she herself didn’t recognize. "What reasons could he possibly have? To climb higher, he wouldn’t hesitate to betray our years of affection, casting me aside like worthless trash—is that his reason?"

"No, it isn't!" Yu Xi retorted urgently, her eyes even glistening with tears. "Sister, you’ve misunderstood him! He did what he did because… because he believed his very essence would poison you!"

These words struck Yu Jingshuang like a thunderbolt.