The whole family was brutally murdered? The ruthless heiress's eldest daughter went berserk aft

No sooner had he finished speaking than the sound of childish footsteps came from outside the hall.

"Mother...Mother..." Xiao Yan'er staggered inside, and the wet nurse behind him tried to hug him, but he dodged her.

Everyone in the hall was stunned. Xiao Yan'er had only recently learned to walk and was usually very attached to Murong Xuewei. Every time she saw her mother, she would giggle and toddle towards her.

"Your Highness..." the wet nurse said, her eyes red-rimmed, "She cried and demanded to see the Empress first thing this morning, and we couldn't stop her..."

Xiao Yan'er held onto the bed, trying hard to climb up, but she was always just a little short of strength. Murong Yuxuan felt sorry for her and was about to pick her up when he saw that Gu Ye had already picked up the child.

"Mother..." Little Yan'er saw Murong Xuewei's pale face, his little hand trembled as he tried to touch her, but then he pulled back in fear. He tilted his head and looked at her for a while, then suddenly threw himself onto Murong Xuewei, saying in his childish voice, "Mother, Yan'er is good... Mother, wake up..."

As she spoke, large tears began to fall.

Murong Yuxuan turned her face away, but her shoulders trembled uncontrollably. Gu Ye's hands, which were holding Xiao Yan'er, were also shaking. He knew that although the child was small, she could sense her mother's unusual behavior.

"Yan'er..." Murong Xuewei suddenly spoke weakly, slowly opening her eyes.

"Mother!" Xiao Yan'er burst into laughter through her tears and tried to rush over, but Gu Ye gently stopped her.

"Mother is sick," Gu Ye said gently. "She needs to rest well, and Yan'er must be sensible."

Little Yan'er nodded immediately and whispered, "Yan'er won't make a fuss. Yan'er will come back when Mother is better."

Seeing her son's sensible expression, Murong Xuewei's eyes filled with tears. She wanted to raise her hand to touch her child, but she no longer had the strength.

"Alright, let Her Highness rest." The wet nurse stepped forward, wanting to take Xiao Yan'er away.

Suddenly, Xiao Yan'er broke free from Gu Ye's embrace, tiptoed, and gently kissed Murong Xue Wei on the cheek: "Mother, get well soon. Yan'er will wait for Mother."

The hall fell silent as the wet nurse carried Xiao Yan'er away. It wasn't until Murong Xuewei began coughing violently again that everyone was jolted awake.

"We can't delay any longer," Gu Ye said hoarsely. "We must set off immediately."

Murong Yuxuan nodded: "I'll go to Medicine King Valley now."

"Wait," Zhang Jing suddenly spoke up, "I'll teach you another method to protect the heart, which might buy Her Majesty some more time..."

"What method?" Gu Ye and Murong Yuxuan asked at the same time.

Zhang Jing took out a small celadon bottle from his robes: "This is the 'Cold Marrow Pill,' left to me by my master for survival. It can temporarily seal the heart meridian and slow the progression of injuries."

"What are the side effects?" Murong Yuxuan asked astutely. He knew that such life-saving drugs often came at a great cost.

Zhang Jing paused for a moment, then said, "After taking it, it will temporarily seal the heart meridian, causing the person to enter a state of suspended animation. Moreover..." He paused again, "each use will reduce lifespan by three years."

There was silence in the hall.

"No way!" Gu Ye said immediately, "Absolutely not!"

"Give it to me." Murong Xuewei suddenly spoke, her voice weak but firm.

"Xue Wei!" Murong Yuxuan exclaimed, "Are you insane?"

Murong Xuewei gently shook her head, looking in the direction Yan'er had left outside the palace: "I still want... to watch Yan'er grow up..." Her voice trailed off, "I can't die... I can't let him be like me... growing up without a mother..."

Gu Ye turned around abruptly, tears welling in his eyes. He knew what Xue Wei was talking about—she had lost her mother at a young age, a wound that had always been in her heart.

"Give it to me," Murong Xuewei repeated. "I believe...I believe you...you will definitely find the medicine...and come back to save me..."

Zhang Jing looked at Gu Ye and Murong Yuxuan: "This is the only way. Otherwise... she won't make it through the night."

Murong Yuxuan clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. He so wished he could take all this away from his sister, but...

“I promise you,” Gu Ye suddenly turned around, knelt before the bed, and tightly grasped Murong Xuewei’s hand. “Wait for me. I will definitely find the medicine, and I will definitely come back to save you.”

Zhang Jing took out a pill and gestured for Gu Ye to help Murong Xuewei up. Watching his sister swallow the pill, Murong Yuxuan felt his heart bleed.

“Remember,” Zhang Jing said sternly, “three days, at most three days. After that…”

He didn't finish speaking, but everyone understood—after three days, even if they found the medicine, the person couldn't be saved.

"Let's go!" Gu Ye strode out. "We can't afford to waste a single moment."

Murong Yuxuan bent down and gently kissed his sister's forehead: "Wait for me to come back."

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Zhang Jing sighed. He knew that the next three days would be a race against time.

Not long after taking the Cold Marrow Pill, Murong Xuewei's pale complexion gradually faded, and even her breathing became steady. Liuli stayed by the bedside, watching her sleeping mistress, and her eyes involuntarily reddened.

"At least there's some color in her skin..." Liuli murmured to herself, reaching out to tuck the blanket around Murong Xuewei, only to see her suddenly open her eyes.

"Liuli?" Murong Xuewei's voice was still somewhat weak.

"Your Highness! You're awake." Liuli quickly helped her sit up. "Would you like some water?"

Murong Xuewei shook her head, and instead tried to get out of bed: "Bring me all the Murong family's account books."

"Your Majesty!" Liuli stamped her feet anxiously, "You just took your medicine and are still weak, how can you..."

"I'm fine now." Murong Xuewei waved her hand, her voice still weak but with a hint of stubbornness. "This medicine is very effective; I feel much better."

Liuli's eyes reddened with anxiety: "Your Majesty, you're only feeling better because the medicine is taking effect. The most important thing now is for you to rest."

Murong Xuewei insisted on sitting at the table, and seeing that she couldn't stop her, Liuli simply knelt down: "Your Majesty, please rest well. You...you should do this for the sake of the young prince, for the sake of His Majesty..."

"Get up." Murong Xuewei steadied herself on the table, her voice trembling slightly. "We've been through so much together, there's no need for this."

"Then please listen to my advice," Liuli said, wiping away her tears. "You heard everything just now, even Xiaoyan'er was so understanding, saying she would wait until you were better before coming. Why won't you just rest and recover properly?"

At the mention of Xiao Yan'er, Murong Xuewei visibly paused. She looked out the window, the image of her son's departing figure in the morning light still seemingly before her eyes.

“Liuli,” she said softly, “is precisely because of Yan’er… that I must arrange everything perfectly.”

"But..."

"Go find Brother Yu Xuan," Murong Xuewei interrupted her. "While I'm still lucid, there are some things that need to be clarified."

Liuli understood the implication in her words and her heart skipped a beat: "Your Majesty, please don't say that..."

“Go,” Murong Xuewei said, already picking up an account book. “Have my elder brother come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see me.”

Seeing her stubbornness, Liuli finally dared not try to persuade her again. Before leaving, she couldn't help but look back one last time. She saw Murong Xuewei leaning against the desk, her slender figure appearing so fragile in the morning light. Her hands, holding the account books, were still trembling slightly.