Jade of Another World

“Your Majesty, I have something to say to you.”

"Speak freely."

"You've been poisoned, are you aware of it?"

Just now, in that palace villa, when Lin Ning and Nangong Jin had that unexpectedly intimate contact, she inadvertently noticed something unusual about Nangong Jin's body. At that time, the two were close together, and Lin Ning's hand touched Nangong Jin's pulse, feeling a faint chill emanating from his body, a sensation that was definitely not normal.

Lin Ning was startled. As a 21st-century female medical doctor and the sole inheritor of a family of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, she had a keen sense of the human body's condition. She then subconsciously examined Nangong Jin closely. Although Nangong Jin's complexion seemed normal, upon closer inspection, she could detect a faint bluish-black tinge under his eyes, clearly a sign of hidden health problems.

"Oh?" Nangong Jin looked at her with a hint of doubt.

"May I take your pulse?" Lin Ning asked.

Nangong Jin stretched out his arm.

Lin Ning frowned, a sense of worry rising in her heart. Relying on her medical knowledge, she quietly took Nangong Jin's pulse. This pulse diagnosis made her heart sink even further. She discovered that Nangong Jin's pulse was extremely erratic, and within the flow of his blood and qi, there seemed to be a deep-seated toxin. This toxin, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, was silently eroding Nangong Jin's body, constantly damaging his meridians and the circulation of his blood and qi.

Lin Ning instantly understood. No wonder Nangong Jin had been unable to move easily before; it turned out that the toxin was the main reason for his inability to walk. The toxin had likely been lurking in his body for a long time, and its effects on his body had become increasingly severe over time. If it was left untreated and not treated in time, with the further spread and erosion of the toxin, he might really never be able to walk again, and his life might even be in danger at any time.

After much deliberation, Lin Ning said to Nangong Jin with a grave expression, "Your Highness, today at the palace villa, I noticed something unusual about your health. I took your pulse and discovered a deep-seated toxin in your body. This toxin has already affected your mobility. Although you can walk now, do you often experience severe bone pain, and do you also suffer from back pain at night? This pain is becoming increasingly frequent, isn't it? If you don't seek treatment now, I fear... I fear the situation will worsen, even more so than before. Has Your Highness consulted a doctor to examine this matter?"

Upon hearing Lin Ning's words, Nangong Jin was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Lin Ning to have detected the toxins in his body and to state them so bluntly. In truth, he was well aware of his condition; however, the toxins had been present for a long time, and he had consulted many renowned doctors, all of whom were helpless. Over time, he had lost hope. Therefore… although he had many interactions with Lin Ning, he hadn't accepted the marriage proposal. Not only did he have unfinished business, but he also didn't want anyone to be burdened by his death. Even if he were to die from the poison, it would be better to be free of attachments.

Nangong Jin smiled wryly, looking at Lin Ning's concerned eyes, and said softly, "Miss Lin, you've gone to so much trouble. I know about this matter, but this poison is quite troublesome. I have sought medical help from many sources, but I have never been able to find an effective way to detoxify it. Now I can only take it one step at a time."

When Nangong Ruoli suddenly returned, she was immediately shocked. She quickly grabbed Nangong Jin's arm. She had been eavesdropping outside, thinking she would hear her brother and Sister Lin confessing their feelings, but instead she heard that her brother was sick. She said anxiously, "Brother, why did you never tell me about this? What should we do? We must think of another way. We must find a famous doctor to treat you no matter what."

Seeing the anxious and helpless expressions on Nangong Jin and Nangong Ruoli's faces, Lin Ning felt a pang of pity. She took a deep breath, looked at Nangong Jin with unwavering determination, and said sincerely, "Your Highness, Princess, if you can trust me, please entrust this matter to me. I will do everything in my power to save Your Highness. Your Highness, you have helped me many times, rescuing me from danger time and time again. I have always remembered this kindness and have no way to repay it. Now that I know your condition, how can I bear to stand idly by? I will do my utmost to find a way to detoxify you and save you."

Hearing Lin Ning's words, Nangong Jin felt a surge of warmth in his heart. Looking at the woman before him with clear yet unwavering eyes, he was deeply moved. He was moved that Lin Ning, knowing how troublesome the poison in his body was, still wanted to help without hesitation; such kindness was truly rare. Even many highly skilled doctors were helpless against this poison, and he didn't want Lin Ning to waste her time and energy only to leave disappointed.

Nangong Jin was slightly moved and said softly, "I am very grateful for Miss Lin's kindness, but this poison is really too difficult to deal with. So many famous doctors have been helpless before. I really can't bear to let you worry about it. What if... what if they can't find a way in the end? Wouldn't I be letting you down?"

Nangong Ruoli quickly grabbed Lin Ning's hand and said anxiously, "Sister Lin, I know you're worried, but you don't know anything about medicine. We're already very grateful that you're willing to help. My brother is really good. He's never been so good to any other woman. Please don't distance yourself from him just because my brother is poisoned."

Upon hearing Nangong Ruoli's words, Lin Ning and Nangong Jin's faces flushed red and paled respectively. This princess is so naive; her thought process is truly something else.

Lin Ning looked at Nangong Ruoli's pleading eyes, then at Nangong Jin, and continued, "Your Highness, please don't refuse anymore. Although I dare not say I can definitely cure this poison, you know I have some medical knowledge. (When I saved the child before, Lin Ning remembered that she saw Nangong Jin's bodyguards. Later, he saved her in time. When she reviewed the incident, she confirmed that he was always monitoring her. Although she didn't know the purpose of his monitoring, it was true that he had saved her several times.) Moreover, when I was in the countryside, I apprenticed under a divine doctor in the mountains. I can think of a way. If all else fails, I can ask my master to come out of the mountains." (This was the only way to get by for now. After all, it would be absurd for a girl raised in the countryside to suddenly have high medical skills. Let everyone get used to it little by little.)

Seeing Lin Ning's persistent look, Nangong Jin's heart softened, and he finally nodded, saying, "Since Miss Lin insists so much, then I will accept your offer. However, this matter must not be rushed. If you become too tired or encounter any difficulties, Miss Lin must inform me and must not bear it alone."

When Lin Ning saw that Nangong Jin had agreed, a happy smile immediately appeared on her face, as if she could already see the day when Nangong Jin would recover. She quickly replied, "Your Highness, rest assured, I will do my best to find a way to detoxify him."

From then on, Lin Ning began to detoxify Nangong Jin. Every day, she would immerse herself in various medical books and classics, searching for detoxification cases of similar symptoms. Whenever she thought of a drug combination, she would immediately go to the basement to experiment, constantly trying different treatment plans, only thinking about removing the toxins from Nangong Jin's body as soon as possible and restoring his health.

In that small bedroom, the aroma of various medicinal herbs filled the air. The table was covered with medical books and classics, as well as papers on which Lin Ning recorded her detoxification ideas and prescriptions. It was a messy place, yet it revealed the traces of her focused research.

Lin Ning had locked herself in this pharmacy for several days in a row. Her eyes were bloodshot, but her gaze remained firm as she stared intently at the medicine furnace and the herbs being decocted. She would sometimes carefully examine the ancient texts, and other times pick up paper and pen to revise the prescription, muttering the compatibility and dosage of the herbs, completely ignoring her already exhausted body.

In order to find a way to completely remove the toxins from Nangong Jin's body, she racked her brains and tried various methods day and night. Sometimes, after preparing a prescription, she would first try it herself to feel the strength of the medicine and whether there were any side effects. Only when she was sure that there were no problems would she dare to give it to Nangong Jin.

Nangong Jin felt both moved and heartbroken. He knew that Lin Ning was working so hard all for him. However, for various reasons, he still often came to observe Lin Ning, seemingly protecting her silently from the shadows. He hid in the grove outside the pharmacy, watching the busy, thin figure inside the house through the gaps in the leaves.

Whenever Nangong Jin saw Lin Ning's slightly swaying figure from standing for long periods, or her furrowed brow from testing drugs, an indescribable emotion would well up in his heart, as if a hand were gently tugging at his heart, filling him with tenderness. Several times he couldn't help but want to rush into the room and tell Lin Ning not to work so hard, but he was afraid of disturbing her, afraid of affecting her.

One evening, as dusk fell and the light inside the room dimmed, Lin Ning, focused intently on controlling the fire in the medicine furnace, was completely unaware of the changing light. Seeing this, Nangong Jin quietly summoned his bodyguard and instructed him to prepare several lanterns to hang outside the pharmacy, making it brighter inside and easier for Lin Ning to work.

On another occasion, Lin Ning was so exhausted that she fell asleep at the table, the pen she used to record prescriptions still clutched in her hand. Nangong Jin looked at her peaceful yet weary sleeping face, sighed softly, and then carefully went into the room, took a blanket from the side, and gently covered Lin Ning with it, afraid of making the slightest sound to wake her. After doing this, he silently retreated back into the woods to continue his watch.

In the process of researching an antidote for Nangong Jin, Lin Ning encountered many thorny difficulties, each of which was like a high mountain in front of her, requiring her to exert all her efforts to overcome.

Leaving aside the fact that Nangong Jin's poison is quite complex and not caused by ordinary toxins, its symptoms are varied. Sometimes it causes Nangong Jin to feel intensely hot, as if he were in a sea of ​​fire, suffering immense torment; other times it causes him to feel utterly cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, with numbness and weakness in his limbs. Moreover, these symptoms alternate over time, becoming increasingly unpredictable. For Lin Ning to accurately determine the specific components and characteristics of this toxin, she needs to carefully observe Nangong Jin's each attack and record various subtle changes. Even so, analyzing only the surface appearances makes it difficult to precisely determine which toxins are mixed together, which greatly hinders her from developing an antidote plan.

Furthermore, this era lacked many medicinal herbs, unlike modern times where many herbs are mass-produced. While not as good as purely natural herbs, their efficacy is still guaranteed if the dosage is properly adjusted. In this era, many herbs grow in extremely treacherous deep forests, making harvesting a significant challenge. Others are extremely rare, virtually impossible to find on the market, and even spending a fortune to search for them may yield no results. For example, one herb in the prescription is called "Blood Spirit Grass," which is said to grow only on misty, steep cliffs, often frequented by ferocious beasts, making its acquisition incredibly difficult. Without all the necessary herbs, even the best prescription cannot be effectively prepared into a detoxifying medicine.

Even for royalty, some rare medicines require certain methods to obtain.

The moment Lin Ning agreed to treat Nangong Jin, she wrote a letter to Uncle Zhong, asking him to keep an eye out for several medicinal herbs. If anyone were to auction them, she was instructed to do everything in her power to acquire them. She also arranged for Manager Wang of the pawnshop to search for information about these herbs among the common people and in the martial arts world. Lin Ning genuinely wanted to cure Nangong Jin; perhaps it wasn't just because he had saved her from danger several times, but perhaps because he held a different meaning for her.

While treating him, Lin Ning watched as Nangong Jin's condition deteriorated day by day. She was extremely anxious, but she also knew that the most urgent task was to find a way to stop the toxin from spreading further in his body, so as to buy more time for a complete detoxification later.