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墨書 Inktalez
In Wei Gongfu, the Old Steward was holding a lantern and waiting at the gate, while all the servants were armed with water and fire sticks, surrounding the estate.
At a quarter past midnight, the sound of hooves was suddenly heard from the front. The Old Steward quickly descended the steps, eagerly looking forward. Soon, he saw Xu Jun Gong returning swiftly with the Old Horse, and on the horse was none other than the renowned divine doctor Liu Shenwei!
Liu Shenwei, still shaken from his journey, found everything he had seen and experienced beyond his imagination. He was filled with lingering fear, while Xu Zhen worried that they had delayed too long and hurriedly pulled Liu Shenwei towards Li Jing's quarters.
The Old Steward followed closely behind Xu Zhen. A helper from the firewood room recognized that the Old Horse was Wei Gong's beloved and rushed to take it back. However, the Old Horse snorted loudly and shook off blood all over him.
The helper stood in shock upon seeing the Old Horse drenched in blood, still steaming with warmth. He muttered to himself, "My goodness, I often hear Wei Gong say this Old Horse is a sweat-blood steed; it truly is so, but this sweat is a bit excessive..."
After coughing up the stagnant blood from his chest, Li Jing felt much better. However, due to his old age and frailty, using his true energy tonight had exhausted his essence. He could no longer sit cross-legged to cultivate and could only lie down on the couch.
Seeing Xu Zhen return, Li Jing quickly had someone help him sit up. But he was taken aback when he saw Xu Zhen covered in blood, with her medicine box dripping thick blood from behind her!
"Zhen... you have worked hard; I am already like a candle in the wind. Why must you risk yourself for me..."
Xu Zhen half-knelt on the couch, smiling but unable to speak. Just as she opened her mouth, blood vessels rapidly appeared in her eyes, and she fainted!
"Liu Taiyi, please treat Zhen first. I can still suppress my internal energy disturbance; however, the Healing Powder has little effect..."
Seeing Li Jing so anxious about Xu Zhen, Liu Shenwei couldn't help but smile wryly. He said to Li Jing, "Wei Gong need not panic; General Xu is merely exhausted and not seriously injured. He had previously instructed me that if Wei Gong were to defer treatment, I must first take care of Wei Gong. It seems that your bond as master and disciple is indeed deeply touching..."
Li Jing looked at Xu Zhen being carried away by the Old Steward and servants to rest. His heart felt warm like spring sunshine, allowing him to feel at ease while Liu Shenwei examined his injuries.
Due to his advanced age and foot ailments, Li Jing's lower body circulation had been stagnant for many years. Although he practiced internal martial arts daily, his meridians had slowly aged and become blocked. Now that he had been attacked, with one kick striking his center point, his internal energy was chaotic and difficult to regulate. Liu Shenwei could only apply acupuncture to guide his energy flow.
They worked until dawn before Liu Shenwei finally emerged from the room looking exhausted. Servants were already waiting to attend to him.
Xu Zhen was utterly fatigued and slept until midday before waking up. The bloodstains on her body had dried and smelled terrible. She could only let Wei Gongfu's maid prepare fragrant water for her to soak in a wooden tub while she closed her eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, Li Mingda noticed that Xu Zhen did not go to Beitun Camp or enter the palace for an audience with the emperor. He felt increasingly uneasy. Under the protection of a Female Knight, he went to Xu Manor to inquire and learned that Xu Zhen had gone to Wei Gongfu before hurriedly returning there again.
As they traveled halfway, the Female Knight wrinkled her nose and sniffed, scanning the street and the houses on both sides. Her brow furrowed immediately; although the traces of last night's battle had been erased under the cover of darkness, they could not escape the eyes of the experienced Female Knight.
This made many Female Knights more cautious. Upon entering Wei Gongfu, they found the guards to be rather ordinary, so they could only stay close to protect Li Mingda at all times.
Li Mingda was aware of the prowess of these Female Knights and did not intentionally distance herself from them. Under the guidance of the Old Steward, she first visited Li Jing, only to find that Li Jing was still asleep. Thus, she decided to head to the Courtyard to look for Xu Zhen.
The Maid guarding the entrance saw Li Mingda accompanied by several Female Knights and attempted to block their way. However, she was intimidated by the gaze of the Female Knights. After all, she was just a Maid, accustomed to nobility, and knew that Li Mingda and her companions held a status far above hers; she dared not obstruct them.
Li Mingda pushed the door open, and the Female Knights stood guard outside, closing the door behind her.
Xu Zhen was enjoying a relaxing soak. Initially just resting her eyes, she gradually fell asleep. When Li Mingda called out to her, she suddenly awoke but quickly closed her eyes again, pretending to be asleep as Li Mingda approached.
After circling around the screen, Li Mingda saw Xu Zhen immersed in a wooden tub filled with fragrant water. She couldn't help but lower her head in embarrassment but also sneaked a few glances in her direction.
Tang people mature early; some princesses marry at ten years old, like Princess Gaoyang, while others typically become wives by thirteen or fourteen. In contrast, Li Mingda was already seventeen and still unmarried, which was considered quite late for a young woman.
The Palace felt cold and lonely; young girls in love had nowhere to vent their feelings and naturally yearned for romantic encounters. There were no barriers left between Li Mingda and Xu Zhen regarding their feelings for each other, yet they had never had any intimate contact. Being alone together inevitably stirred their emotions.
The presence of the Female Knights guarding outside heightened their excitement and thrill, reminiscent of the heart-pounding feeling one gets when committing a theft for the first time.
"Brother Xu?"
Li Mingda whispered shyly, her face flushed. Xu Zhen feigned sleep and did not respond. Relieved that it was just the two of them in the room, Li Mingda instinctively glanced around before quickly stealing a glance into the tub!
Just that one glance didn’t reveal what she had imagined, but it still made her ears burn with embarrassment. She scolded herself softly and felt an urge to run away but hesitated. Finally, she walked over to the tub and quickly kissed Xu Zhen on the cheek before hastily leaving.
Hearing footsteps fade away, Xu Zhen finally opened her eyes. Pressing her hand against her chest, she let out a long sigh and chuckled mischievously as she recalled Li Mingda's shy demeanor. Her heart fluttered; my sister has grown up...
Li Mingda stepped out from behind the screen, thinking that Xu Zhen wouldn’t wake up so soon. She wandered around Wei Gongfu casually. The Stewards dared not disclose anything about last night’s events; they merely guided Li Mingda and her group around for a tour.
Upon reaching the guest courtyard, Li Mingda unexpectedly encountered a familiar face: Liu Shenwei, the imperial physician who frequently visited the Forbidden Palace!
Liu Shenwei, being Xu Zhenxin's confidant, was aware of the matters concerning Xu Zhen and Li Mingda. After greeting Li Mingda, he subtly signaled to her, and she understood, allowing the Female Knight to follow at a distance. Liu Shenwei then recounted everything that had happened the previous night to Li Mingda.
Li Mingda was an exceptionally intelligent and refined individual, often by Li Shimin's side, and had a keen sense of the court's intrigues. She quickly pieced together most of the situation.
Hearing Liu Shenwei describe the terrifying events on Chang'an Street, Li Mingda couldn't help but worry for Brother Xu. It was no wonder that the accompanying Female Knight was so astonished, nor that Brother Xu had fallen asleep in the bathtub; it turned out that such a heart-stopping struggle had occurred that night!
Regarding the mastermind behind the assassination of Li Jing, Li Mingda, like Xu Zhen, immediately thought of the last person she wanted to consider: the Eastern Palace. After all, although Li Zhi felt like a stranger to her, they were still siblings sharing the same parents. She could hardly believe that her brother had turned into someone like this!
The two continued their conversation for a while before heading to Xu Zhen's residence. By then, Xu Zhen had changed into a fresh round-collared robe and looked completely revitalized after her bath. The hot water had washed away her fatigue, leaving her radiant with bright eyes and a unique charm that captivated many of the Female Knights.
Once Xu Zhen understood their purpose for visiting, she realized that Li Mingda had come looking for her because she hadn’t seen her on duty or paid her respects in the palace. With this in mind, she decided to accompany Li Mingda into the palace and inform Li Shimin about last night's events.
She was not worried about her personal safety but rather concerned that with her limited power, she might not be able to protect Li Jing. Wei Gong had already suffered one assassination attempt and could not endure another.
Before entering the palace, she went to Beitun Camp Yamen to dispatch some elite guards to protect Wei Gongfu. These individuals had learned from the Five Hundred Riders about Xu Zhen's actions on her way to Junjou and were already loyal to Xu Zhenxin; they were trustworthy personnel.
After completing these arrangements, Xu Zhen entered Martial Virtue Hall with Li Mingda.
Li Shimin remained gloomy and dejected, lacking his usual vigor. To muster enough energy to handle affairs, he began taking larger doses of Yuan Tiangang's pills again; his face showed an unusual flush while his lips appeared slightly darkened.
In this regard, Xu Zhen could do nothing further because Qingxiazi and Li Chunfeng's cultivation levels were undoubtedly higher than hers. Neither of them would allow the Sovereign to abandon the pills, leaving Xu Zhen with no other options.
When Li Shimin saw Xu Zhen and Li Mingda enter together, his mood seemed to improve. However, after hearing Xu Zhen's account, his expression turned cold again. Once Xu Zhen fell silent, he suddenly slammed his hand on the table in anger!
"How dare anyone attempt to assassinate a Duke! Our Tang dynasty has always been known for its safety at night and honesty in public; how has it fallen to such depths!"
Li Shimin scolded angrily while Li Mingda hurriedly urged him to calm down and take care of himself so as not to harm his health. Only then did he manage to regain his composure and set out from the palace personally to visit Wei Gongfu and check on Li Jing.
He intended to make his stance clear through action by protecting Li Jing from further harm.
Li Shimin entered Li Jing's room and approached his sickbed. Grasping Li Jing's hand with tears in his eyes, he spoke earnestly from his heart: "Wei Gong is an old friend of mine who has served our country well; seeing him suffer like this today fills me with great anger!"
Li Jing felt grateful, tears welling in his eyes as he weakly replied, "With Your Majesty's great kindness, this life is enough for me. I hope Your Majesty will cherish the Dragon Body. I can no longer protect the country or expand its territories for you..."
The Ruler and Minister both sighed, reminiscing about the past with a mix of emotions.
Li Shimin left but left behind the elite Five Hundred Riders, praising Xu Zhen for her proper handling of matters. He ordered the Five Hundred Riders to guard Wei Gongfu strictly and commanded the inner guards to be on standby at all times. Everything in Wei Gongfu was to be supplied according to palace standards before he returned to the palace.
Xu Zhen rushed back from the palace just as Liu Shenwei finished administering acupuncture to Li Jing. Li Jing gradually regained his spirit and energy, and with the Enhanced I Ching Cleansing Inner Power Technique, his blood flow improved significantly.
Knowing that Xu Zhen and Li Jing had things to discuss, Liu Shenwei wisely left the room.
Li Jing inquired about the specifics of that night. After listening to Xu Zhen's account, he felt a sense of relief for her. They then speculated about Li Zhi's next moves. Li Jing feared for Xu Zhen's safety and suggested she seek refuge with Duke of England Li Ji, but Xu Zhen insisted on staying in Wei Gongfu to protect Li Jing.
After chatting for a long time, Li Jing seemed to remember something and quietly said to Xu Zhen, "Zhen, the Yin Fu Machine consists of three volumes. The first volume cultivates one's character and self-discipline; the second volume contains strategies for governance and military affairs; the third volume is a technique for slaying dragons, but it must not be spoken of to outsiders. You must remember this well!"
Xu Zhen nodded in agreement. After settling Li Jing down to sleep, she returned to her room in the evening, feeling disinterested in food. She took out the Wooden Box and laid out the three secret volumes on the Table, hesitating over which one to choose.
As night deepened and it reached midnight, Xu Zhen finally gritted her teeth and picked up the third volume!
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